Podcasts about Commerce

How can leaders ensure their message lands with clarity, confidence, and influence? In this episode, Kevin Eikenberry sits down with Dr. Laura Sicola to discuss how leaders can strengthen their influence by mastering their leadership voice. Laura introduces her "vocal executive presence" framework, built around the three Cs: Command the room, Connect with the audience, and Close the deal. Kevin and Laura break down the three communication channels every leader uses—verbal, vocal, and visual—and why alignment across all three is essential for credibility. They unpack common leadership communication pitfalls, such as overwhelming others with too much "relevant" information instead of focusing on what is truly essential, and how habits like vocal fry, weak openings, or cluttered slides can quietly erode influence. Laura also shares memorable frameworks, including the 60-to-60 rule for opening meetings and the "prismatic voice" to remain authentic in different situations. Laura's Story: Dr. Laura Sicola is an executive communication coach, 3x TEDx speaker, and author of Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice. With over two decades of experience working with Fortune 500 companies, global nonprofits, and government agencies, she empowers leaders to show up powerfully and speak with confidence in high-stakes conversations. Her proprietary "Vocal Executive Presence" framework helps leaders command the room, connect with their audience, and close the deal. She is a cognitive linguist by training and former faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. Her TEDx talk has nearly 7 million views, and her client list includes Amazon, Intel, HP, Kaiser Permanente, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. https://laurasicola.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola https://x.com/LauraSicola https://www.facebook.com/drlaurasicola/ https://www.youtube.com/@LauraSicolainc https://www.tiktok.com/@laurasicola https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/speaking-to-influence/id1515649028 This Episode is brought to you by... Flexible Leadership is every leader's guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos.  Book Recommendations Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice by Dr. Laura Sicola Mental and Emotional Release by Dr. Matt James and Tris Thorp Like this? Influence Redefined with Stacey Hanke You Have More Influence Than You Think with Vanessa Bohns Increase Your Leadership Influence wirh Jake Thompson  

We've got auteur royalty on The Movies That Made Me today! The one and only GUS VAN SANT joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to talk about, yes, the movies that made him! Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode Dead Man's Wire (2026) Song Sung Blue (2025) The Princess Bride (1987) Burying The Ex (2014) *Citizen Kane (1941) *Sátántangó (1994) The Turin Horse (2011) Elephant (2004) *Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) Gerry (2002) Last Days (2005) *Lawrence of Arabia (1962) The Third Man (1949) *The Celebration (1998) 8 ½ (1963) *The Last of England (1987) Jubilee (1978) Drugstore Cowboy (1989) Mala Noche (1985) *Dr. Strangelove (1963) Fail-Safe (1963) House of Dynamite (2025) *Lord of the Flies (1963) The Plague (2025) Whistle (2026) The Nun (2018) The Groove Tube (1974)  Modern Problems (1981) Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) To Die For (1995) Dog Day Afternoon (1975) The Boys in the Band (1970) Staircase (1969) Other Notable Items Our Patreon!  The Hollywood Food Coalition Cassian Elwes Veronica Raedelli Sam Pressman  Luigi Mangione Austin Kolodney Cary Elwes Stan Brakhage Béla Tarr Chantal Akerman Sight and Sound The Criterion Collection Matt Damon  Casey Affleck John Cassavettes HBO Diane Keaton Woody Allen Colin Callender  David Lean Carol Reed The Screen Actors Guild Sergio Leone Thomas Vinterberg  Lars von Trier Dogme 95 Focus Features Barry Diller Harris Savides Our Paprika Steen podcast episode Federico Fellini Anthony Quinn Richard Basehart Robert Altman Derek Jarman Stanley Kubrick John F. Kennedy Netflix Peter Brook The Tower East Theatre in New York Lord of the Flies novel Adam Sandler Ken Shapiro Chevy Chase Lane Sarasohn Tom Schiller The Smothers Brothers TFH Guru John Landis Al Pacino William Friedkin Bill Skarsgaard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Target announced new board membersSouthwestern rebrands as The Winn-Dixie CompanyAmazon to open Illinois supercenterFMI Midwinter RecapCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

In this engaging conversation, Kelly Leonard speaks with the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde about her experiences as a leader, the nature of courage, and the lessons learned through parenting, grief, and improvisation. They explore the importance of speaking truth to power, the challenges of navigating loss, and the role of risk in personal growth. Budde emphasizes […]

Dr. Sanjeev Chopra is a distinguished retired IAS officer of the 1985 batch (West Bengal cadre), celebrated for his transition from a bureaucrat to a prominent historian, author, and literary curator.He is best known for his tenure as the Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, where he played a pivotal role in training India's civil servants. Over a career spanning 36 years, he held various significant portfolios, including Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of West Bengal in the Department of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises.An alumnus of JNU with a PhD in Management and degrees in Law, History, and Literature, Dr. Chopra has authored influential books such as We, the People of the States of Bharat: The Making and Remaking of India's Internal Boundaries and The Great Conciliator: Lal Bahadur Shastri and the Transformation of India. Currently residing in Dehradun, he is the founder and curator of the "Valley of Words" International Literary and Arts Festival, continuing to bridge the worlds of governance and literature.

Two weeks ago, I ended up in the ER with a heart incident that knocked me completely out of commission. But instead of falling apart, my business didn't skip a beat—in fact, we had our best sales month in six years. In this episode, I break down the critical decision I made last year to stack my team with "A-players" and the specific system I used to find them. I also explore the uncomfortable truth about why believing you are "necessary" is actually the biggest cap on your business's growth, and how to finally get out of your own way.//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

On January 27, 2026, India and the European Union are expected to announce “the mother of all trade deals” - a historic Free Trade Agreement covering 25% of the world's GDP. After decades of protectionism, India is pivoting fast, racing to sign deals with developed economies like the EU, UAE, and Australia while diversifying away from China. But why now? And where does this leave the US under Trump 2.0?In this episode, Anuj Gupta, Managing Director of BowerGroupAsia (India) and former Chief of Staff to India's Commerce Minister, takes us inside the room where these deals happen. We discuss:• The Big Shift: Why 2014 was the turning point for India's trade strategy and why they walked away from the RCEP trading bloc.• The Pivot: Why India is suddenly rushing to sign FTAs with the West after years of hesitation.• Geopolitics: How India balances Russian oil imports with EU trade ambitions and US strategic ties.• The Future: Is India trying to be a bridge between blocs, or becoming a “third pole” in the global economy?Whether you're a business leader, policy watcher, or just curious about where the world economy is heading, this episode breaks down why India's new playbook matters to you.Anuj Gupta leads the India practice at BowerGroupAsia. A seasoned policy strategist, he previously served as Chief of Staff to India's Minister for Commerce & Industry, where he helped shape key initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and India's recent wave of FTAs. He has also led public policy for the Tata Group. Follow Anuj on LinkedIn or on X, @anujg • Follow the podcast on X, @IndoPacPodcast, LinkedIn, or Facebook• Follow Ray Powell on X, @GordianKnotRay, or LinkedIn, or check out his maritime transparency work at SeaLight• Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn• Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia, a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

Today on the News Reel, we speak to Andrew Christiansen, reporter at the Times-Independent, about the Moab Chamber of Commerce's recent business summit, and a special guest appearance at that meeting by Kevin Lilly, acting assistant secretary for the Department of Interior Fish, Wildlife and National Parks. We finish with a quick update about Our Village Community Center, a nonprofit that recently lost funding for free food distribution in Moab. - Show Notes - • Strengths, opportunities highlight chamber's business summit https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/strengths-opportunities-highlight-chambers-business-summit/ • Lilly connects National Parks to God, children and cartels at business summit https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/lilly-connects-national-parks-to-god-children-and-cartels-at-business-summit/ • Our Village distributed nearly 34,000 pounds of food in 2025 as grant funding ends https://www.moabtimes.com/articles/our-village-distributed-nearly-34000-pounds-of-food-in-2025-as-grant-funding-ends/

Laurent Kretz reçoit David Sandier, CCO Sales & Marketing chez Pierre & Vacances. On parle d'abord d'un grand virage. La marque, longtemps liée à l'immobilier, a décidé après le Covid de tourner la page. Elle se concentre désormais sur l'exploitation de résidences de vacances en France et en Europe. Mieux accueillir, mieux vendre, mieux comprendre ses clients.La conversation part ensuite sur une question centrale : comment on vend des vacances aujourd'hui. Entre la demande de flexibilité, les paniers élevés, le paiement en plusieurs fois, les avis clients et la concurrence de Booking ou Airbnb, tout se joue dans les détails. On parle aussi de ce qui a changé durablement dans nos façons de réserver : des séjours plus courts, souvent plus tardifs, mais aussi des clients qui réservent très tôt. 00:00:00 - Introduction de l'épisode 00:02:40 - Parcours de l'invité 00:08:05 - Mettre le client au centre00:11:34 - Data, avis clients & analyse sémantique00:20:04 - Passage à l'échelle & transformation tech00:25:20 - KPI business & revenue management00:29:00 - Évolution des usages & des séjours00:41:02 - Distribution, canaux & connaissance client00:56:01 - Fidélisation, personnalisation & perspectivesEt quelques dernières infos à vous partager :Suivez Le Panier sur Instagram @lepanier.podcast !Inscrivez- vous à la newsletter sur lepanier.io pour cartonner en e-comm !Écoutez les épisodes sur Apple Podcasts, Spotify ou encore Podcast Addict Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

In this episode, I explain why the AI tools making you faster might actually be making you replaceable. I share a story about a 1917 hay delivery business to illustrate the fatal difference between using technology to be "lazy" versus using it to be "better." I also break down a real-world example of why I fired a ghostwriter who was using AI to cut corners, and how I built an automated system to replace—and outperform—them in less than 24 hours. Tune in to find out if you are building a gas station or just delivering hay.//Welcome to The Ray J. Green Show, your destination for tips on sales, strategy, and self-mastery from an operator, not a guru.About Ray:→ Former Managing Director of National Small & Midsize Business at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he doubled revenue per sale in fundraising, led the first increase in SMB membership, co-built a national Mid-Market sales channel, and more.→ Former CEO operator for several investor groups where he led turnarounds of recently acquired small businesses.→ Current founder of MSP Sales Partners, where we currently help IT companies scale sales: www.MSPSalesPartners.com→ Current Sales & Sales Management Expert in Residence at the world's largest IT business mastermind.→ Current Managing Partner of Repeatable Revenue Ventures, where we scale B2B companies we have equity in: www.RayJGreen.com//Follow Ray on:YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

In this clip, we dive into the Kansas City Chiefs' proposed stadium deal with the state of Kansas. Host Pete Mundo shares his thoughts on the meeting between the Chiefs' representatives and the state legislature, where concerns were raised about the use of STAR bonds to finance the project. We hear from a local representative, Fairway's Ruchu, who questioned the district's boundaries and the potential for abuse of the STAR bond program. The conversation touches on the complexities of economic development and the long-term implications of the deal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

C dans l'air l'invité du 21 janvier 2026 avec Pascal Lamy, ancien directeur général de l'OMC et ex-commissaire européen au Commerce, actuellement coordinateur des instituts Jacques Delors, et vice-président du Forum sur la paix.Sébastien Lecornu engage cet après-midi la responsabilité de son gouvernement sur la partie recettes du budget de l'État pour 2026, premier d'une série de trois 49.3 qui devrait permettre la promulgation du texte avant la mi-février, sauf censure. Un peu plus de trois mois après y avoir renoncé, le Premier ministre a officialisé lundi le recours à cet outil constitutionnel, qui permet au gouvernement de faire adopter un texte sans vote mais l'expose à une censure. Le président de la République, Emmanuel Macron, a salué devant les ministres une copie budgétaire qui "permet de contenir le déficit à 5%" du Produit intérieur brut (PIB) et "permet au pays d'avancer". Après l'échec de la première lecture, en décembre, le gouvernement a rapidement constaté en janvier l'impossibilité de faire adopter le budget via un vote."On ne peut pas céder à un chantage", a tancé mardi son numéro 2 Jean-Philippe Tanguy sur RMC-BFMTV, évoquant des "mesures de déséquilibres" augmentant le déficit, quand bien même une absence de budget hypothéquerait la hausse des crédits militaires. "Nous ne censurerons pas le gouvernement", a confirmé mardi sur France Inter le patron du parti Olivier Faure. Sur le fond, le PS ne reconnaît pas le budget comme le sien, mais "il y a des avancées qui sont allées dans le bon sens", a admis le président de groupe Boris Vallaud, citant la suppression du gel du barème de l'impôt sur le revenu, la hausse de la prime d'activité pour les salariés les plus modestes ou la généralisation des repas à un euro pour les étudiants. De nombreux députés ont dénoncé mardi un manque de "transparence" du gouvernement sur la copie budgétaire.La France va finir par se doter d'un budget, alors que le contexte international se tend. En déplacement au forum économique de Davos aujourd'hui, le président Macron a dénoncé une "concurrence des Etats-Unis d'Amérique" à travers une politique commerciale qui "exige des concessions maximales et vise ouvertement à affaiblir et subordonner l'Europe". Il a de nouveau invoqué le recours à l'instrument "anti coercition" de l'Union européenne, considéré comme un "bazooka" en cas de guerre commerciale. L'Europe dispose d'outils "très puissants" en matière commerciale, et doit les "utiliser" quand elle "n'est pas respectée", a-t-il déclaré.Dominique Seux détaillera avec nous le contenu du budget, et analysera également la situation internationale marquée par la menace de surtaxes douanières par Donald Trump, sur fond de velléités américaines sur le Groenland.

Something New!  For HR teams who discuss this podcast in their team meetings, we've created a discussion starter PDF to help guide your conversation. Download it here https://goodmorninghr.com/EP236  In episode 236, the second part of a two-part conversation, Coffey continues his discussion with Jacob Morgan about building future-ready organizations by balancing empathy, performance, and technology in the modern workplace.  They discuss misalignment between employee expectations and career outcomes; long work hours versus work-life balance tradeoffs; honesty in company culture and career paths; the eight laws for future-ready organizations; decoding the human signal in leadership; empathetic excellence as a talent framework; learning as the new job security; flexibility in career design; people-first leadership principles; the role of leaders in shaping employee experience; using AI and technology to amplify humanity; risks of over-indexing on empathy; managing performance during personal hardship; AI augmentation versus job replacement; and why organizational redesign must precede true AI transformation.  Good Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.   If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.   About our Guest:  Jacob Morgan is an international best-selling author, professionally trained futurist, and keynote speaker. He also runs "Future of Work Leaders," an exclusive network of the world's top CHROs shaping the future of work and employee experience. His passion and mission is to create future-ready leaders, employees, and organizations. Jacob's work has been endorsed by the CEOs of Mastercard, Best Buy, Unilever, The Ritz Carlton, Nestle, Cisco, Audi, and many others. He has a popular podcast called Future-Ready Leadership With Jacob Morgan and lives in Los Angeles with his wife, two kids, and two Yorkie rescue dogs.  Jacob Morgan can be reached at   https://thefutureorganization.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobmorgan8/  https://x.com/jacobm https://www.youtube.com/@JacobMorgan https://www.instagram.com/jacobmorgan8/ https://www.facebook.com/JacobMorgan8/ https://greatleadership.substack.com/   About Mike Coffey:  Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business. Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association.  Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community. Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year.  Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week. Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.  Learning Objectives: Understand how misaligned expectations between employees and organizations undermine performance and engagement Evaluate talent using the empathetic excellence framework of competence, merit, and empathy Apply practical leadership approaches to balance empathy with accountability Explain the eight laws that define a future-ready organization Assess how AI and technology can augment human capability rather than replace it  

Information was flying fast and furious at the 10th annual High Country Economic Kickoff Luncheon, held January 15, 2026, and hosted by the Boone Area and Blowing Rock Chambers of Commerce.On this week's Mind Your Business, we revisit some of the key discussions from the event, including a one-on-one interview with Dr. Harry Davis, Economist for the NC Bankers Association and longtime App State professor. Other highlights include:Workforce R&R: Recruitment and Retention PanelFinding and keeping skilled workers across all industries is a top challenge for Watauga County businesses—and this panel tackles it head-on. Hear from local leaders representing five key local business sectors as they share recruitment realities, retention solutions, and family-focused approaches to policies that are helping keep these businesses in tune with the talent they need to thrive.Panelists:Emily Brinker, Co-Owner, The Speckled Trout Restaurant & Bottle ShopAlysia Price, Chief Human Resource Officer, UNC Health AppalachianCaren Rodriguez, Chief Marketing Officer, DMJPS PLLCKeynote Presentation:Mark Vitner, Economist, Piedmont Crescent CapitalMind Your Business is written and produced weekly by the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce. This podcast is made possible thanks to the sponsorship support of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate.Catch the show each Thursday afternoon at 5PM on WATA (1450AM & 96.5FM) in Boone.Support the show

JPMorgan Chase Chairman & CEO Jamie Dimon said he would not consider being Federal Reserve Chair, stating there is "no chance, no way, no how" he would take the role. He also warned that chipping away at the Fed's independence could lead to higher inflation and interest rates over time. Dimon is on this week's episode of "The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations." This interview was recorded January 15 at the US Chamber of Commerce's "State of American Business" event in Washington DC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Album 8 Track 3 - What's Poppin? Why Commerce Media is the New Golden Child w/Tim SpenglerIn this episode of Brands, Beats and Bytes, hosts DC and LT sit down with Scale Team Advisory Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Tim Spengler, to talk all things Retail and Commerce Media Networks, the "What's Poppin" topic that is rapidly reshaping the advertising landscape.We are dropping this special edition as a companion piece to our recent Jack Myers episode, and we've got the unofficial "third co-host" of the show to break it all down. We are talking about why performance marketing acolytes are shifting their gaze to this new horizon, the "virtual consumption" lie that traditional data couldn't catch, and why the ability to track "identity" is the new currency of the realm.Whether you're a C-Suite leader or a junior marketer, this conversation dives into why commerce media has exploded into a $67 billion industry (overtaking traditional TV!) and why smart brands are going all in to achieve both scale and precision.Key Takeaways:Truth Over Talk: How "data-led, tech-enabled" purchase history eliminates the gap between what consumers say they do and what they actually buy.The Holy Grail Found: How Retail Media Networks finally solve the age-old marketing dilemma by delivering both high-volume scale and laser-focused precision across the full funnel.Build and Borrow: Why brands entering this space cannot afford "learning curve" mistakes and must blend internal teams with external expertise to launch successfully.Mentioned in this Episode:Lead Human Podcast: Hosted by Tim Spengler & Jack Myers Jack Myers Episode: Check out our first drop of 2026 for the companion conversation! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share with a fellow Brand Nerd!Instagram | LinkedIn

I am so delighted to finally welcome one of my friends and mentors, the incomparable Julie Cortés, to The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast!  Julie is a copywriter by day and a freelance rockstar by night. Her journey began in 1998, when she was removed from her job. However, the event lit a fire beneath her. What started as a “What now?” moment turned into a HELL YEAH kind of career – one that she built from the ground up following her natural talent, relentless drive, and rebellious energy.  Today, Julie Cortés helps clients across the globe find their voice, own their brand, and show up like the rockstars they were meant to be.  Julie did not choose the freelance life. It chose her! Fast forward over 25 years, and Julie Cortés founded the Freelance Exchange of Kansas City, a community for solo creatives. She also built and taught a college-level Freelancing 101 course at the Kansas City Art Institute. Julie became a business coach for freelancers and solopreneurs and spoke on stages across the country.  She was also featured on various media platforms, including Clients from Hell, CNN, Great Day KC, The Kansas City Business Journal, and The Kansas City Star.  Julie won numerous awards, ranging from Innovator of the Year from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the Women's Business Advocate of the Year from the Kansas Department of Commerce to being named a Small Business Superstar by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.  On this episode of The Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Julie Cortés shared the origin story of Freelance Exchange of Kansas City, the creation of a Freelancing 101 course, and her efforts to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism on social media.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jake-s-take-with-jacob-elyachar--4112003/support.

Carrie Phillips sits down with Irene Borys from Augustana College to explore the emotional and cultural dynamics of AI adoption in higher education. Rather than focusing on the tech itself, they delve into the deeper fears, questions, and resistance that AI stirs up — and how higher ed leaders can guide their institutions through this change with empathy, intentionality, and strategy. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone navigating digital transformation in academia.Guest Name: Irene Borys, Assistant Vice President of Marketing & Brand Communication, Augustanna CollegeGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irenekaredisborys/Guest Bio: Irene Karedis Borys leads Augustana's Office of Communication and Marketing, a multi-talented team of 12 staff members who serve enrollment marketing, brand strategy, campus and alumni communications, media engagement and event management. As assistant vice president, Borys oversees the planning, development and execution of the college's marketing and brand initiatives with primary responsibility to shape the college's brand and promotion strategy. Borys previously held roles at the Childress Agency, the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce and UnityPoint Health. Before coming to the Quad Cities, she held roles in marketing for more than six years after nearly four years in government relations in Washington, D.C. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Mallory Willsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/https://twitter.com/mallorywillseaAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So no musical interludes this week.... my little download trick failed to work on the day of recording an episode for the first time in 9 years... hopefully not the end, but perhaps it is.

Ce jeudi 22 janvier, les différentes façons dont l'Europe peut répondre aux coups de boutoirs américains ont été abordées par Lionel Fontagné, professeur à Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, Jean-Hervé Lorenzi, président du Cercle des Économistes, et Nathalie Janson, économiste, professeure à la Neoma Business School, dans l'émission Les Experts, présentée par Raphaël Legendre sur BFM Business. Retrouvez l'émission du lundi au vendredi et réécoutez la en podcast.

Zum Kassenzone Social Commerce Meet-Up: https://www.kassenzone.de/kassenzone-social-commerce-meet-up Google baut mit dem Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) eine neue Infrastruktur, mit der KI-Agenten direkt im Chat einkaufen können: Ein großer Komfort für Kund:innen, der aber gleichzeitig eine starke Abhängigkeit für Händler:innen bedeutet. In der neuen Kassenzone-Spezialfolge treffen Karos optimistische Sicht auf den Handel und Alex' kritische Haltung aufeinander. In einem fiktiven Szenario mit Karo in der Rolle einer Händlerin sieht sie selbst Chancen im frühen UCP-Einstieg, während Alex vor dem Verlust von Kundenbeziehungen warnt und fürs vorsichtige Abwarten plädiert. Außerdem: Wolt relauncht seine App und positioniert sich jetzt als lokaler Marktplatz – vom klassischen Lieferdienst für Restaurants hin zu einem Quick-Commerce-Anbieter für lokale Geschäfte wie Edeka oder Budnikowski. Kann Wolt damit den Sprung vom Lieferdienst zum lokalen Marktplatz schaffen? Das Gespräch im Überblick: (3:49) Googles Universal Commerce Protocol (13:12) Wird das UCP zum Handelsgefängnis? (25:03) Amazons Gegenstrategie (33:46) Wolt auf Expansionskurs (39:53) Vergleich der Lieferdienste & Marktchancen Podcast-Host – Karo Junker de Neui: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karojunker https://etribes.de/ Newsletter: https://www.kassenzone.de/newsletter/ Community: https://kassenzone.de/discord Disclaimer: https://www.kassenzone.de/disclaimer/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/KassenzoneDe/ Blog: https://www.kassenzone.de/ Kassenzone” wird vermarktet von Podstars by OMR. Du möchtest in “Kassenzone” werben? Dann https://podstars.de/kontakt/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=shownotes_kassenzone

Why exactly are we organizing an ICE out on Friday and shutting down businesses in the Twin Cities?ICE operations and protests have led to event cancellations and business closures in the Twin Cities, affecting the local economy and daily life.Snowboarders were expected to fill Minneapolis on Saturday, but the event was canceled. Comedy star John Mulaney also canceled three nights at the Armory due to the presence of ICE agents.“Commerce and business doesn't do well when there's uncertainty,” said Adam Duininck, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council.Duininck said restaurants are hit hardest, with closures not seen since 2020. They are still counting the temporary closures, which are definitely in the dozens.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our analysts (or “bakers”) compete in a Great British Bake Off–style episode, discussing how retailers will be restructuring their commerce media teams and focusing on hard launching their in-store retail media capabilities. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, along with Analyst Arielle Feger and Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano.   Report mentioned: https://content-na1.emarketer.com/commerce-media-trends-watch-2026   Get more insights like these with our free, industry-leading newsletters covering advertising, marketing, and commerce. Sign up at emarketer.com/newsletters Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/emarketer/ For sponsorship opportunities contact us: advertising@emarketer.com For more information visit: https://www.emarketer.com/advertise/ Have questions or just want to say hi? Drop us a line at podcast@emarketer.com For a transcript of this episode click here: https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-great-btn-bake-take-off-commerce-media-trends-2026-behind-numbers © 2026 EMARKETER

En 2025, l'Italie est passée quatrième exportateur mondial, devant le Japon et la France, qui prend la septième place. Dans «La Story», le podcast d'actualité des «Echos», Pierrick Fay et ses invités analysent les raisons de ce miracle italien.A lire aussi sur lesechos.fr : L'économie française, reléguée en deuxième division européenne, joue son maintien.« La Story » est un podcast des « Echos » présenté par Pierrick Fay. Cet épisode a été enregistré en janvier 2026. Rédaction en chef : Clémence Lemaistre. Invités : Olivier Tosseri (correspondant des « Echos » en Italie) et Stéphane Colliac (économiste à la BNP Paribas). Réalisation : Willy Ganne. Chargée de production et d'édition : Clara Grouzis. Musique : Théo Boulenger. Identité graphique : Upian. Photo : Shutterstock. Sons : BFM, @AuCoeurduJeuTv (Youtube), Poltronè Sofà, extrait du film «La vérité si je mens !», du film « Le Corniaud» et de «Va fan culo», chanté par Angelo Morreale.Retrouvez l'essentiel de l'actualité économique grâce à notre offre d'abonnement Access : abonnement.lesechos.fr/lastory Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

In this episode of Clocking In: Voices of NC Manufacturing, host Dr. Phil Mintz sits down with Tommy Ausheman, co-founder and president of Outrider USA. Based in Mars Hill, North Carolina, Outrider USA is a premier manufacturer of adaptive electric all-terrain vehicles designed to restore independence, adventure, and access to the "great outdoors" for individuals with mobility impairments. Tommy's journey began at Appalachian State University, where his passion for mountain biking and rock climbing collided with his studies in Appropriate Technology. This discipline—focused on creating functional, repairable, and sustainable solutions without over-engineering—became the foundation of his design philosophy. The company refers to itself as "Wing Builders," a title inspired by a moment of soul-searching and the myth of Icarus. Tommy explains that for many customers—particularly those with spinal cord injuries or veterans—an accident can feel like being stuck in a "dark place." Outrider machines act as "wings," providing the means to rise out of that space and rediscover freedom. Listeners also get an inside look at Outrider's manufacturing journey, from its humble beginnings in a small Fletcher workshop to its current 10,000-square-foot facility in a historic manufacturing building in Mars Hill. Tommy discusses the challenges and realities of American manufacturing, including supply chain complexity, scaling production, and the decision to sell direct-to-consumer to keep manufacturing in the U.S. This inspiring conversation showcases how North Carolina manufacturers like Outrider USA combine engineering ingenuity, purpose-driven leadership, and local manufacturing to create life-changing products—and why NC manufacturing remains a powerful force for impact. LINKS NCMEP | IES | Outrider USA ABOUT The North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) NCMEP is the official state representative of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The MEP National Network is a unique public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive solutions to manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing. NCMEP is administered by NC State University Industry Extension Services and partners with the Economic Development Partnership of NC, the Polymers Center of Excellence, Manufacturing Solutions Center, Hangar6, University of North Carolina at Charlotte Industrial Solutions Lab, and NC State University Wilson College of Textiles to help manufacturing companies develop and maintain efficient operations that are well-positioned to grow profitably. About NC State University Industry Extension Services (IES) NC State University Industry Extension Services is the extension operation outreach unit of regional managers, technical specialists, and business development leaders, providing business engagement, assessment, and improvement tools. This includes statewide peer networks, ISO 9000 quality management systems, Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, environmental services, and health and safety solutions. Through combined resources and collaboration efforts, NC State University Industry Extension Services provides services that help manufacturers to: Expand Local and U.S. Supply Chain Vendor Relationships Access Customized Training Programs to Narrow the Workforce Gap Realize the Efficiencies of Smart Manufacturing and Advanced Technology Save Time and Energy through Improved Processes, Productivity and Capacity Expand Facility and Equipment Capabilities Increase Sales and Profits Create and Retain Jobs Streamline New Product Design, Testing, Development and Time to Market Outrider USA Outrider USA is an innovative manufacturer of adaptive electric vehicles based in Mars Hill, North Carolina. The company's mission—captured in the name “Wing Builders”—is about restoring freedom, independence, and adventure to people whose mobility has been limited by injury or illness. Dr. Phil Mintz Dr. Phil Mintz is the Director of NC State Industry Extension Services (IES). Through his leadership, NCMEP supports manufacturers across the state with resources in innovation, process improvement, workforce development, and business growth. Tommy Ausherman Tommy Ausherman is the President and Co-Founder of Outrider USA.

Cassandra (Cass) M. Bailey is the CEO of Slice Communications, the founder and current Chairwoman of Social Media Day, Inc., and the creator of the “My Mom Is…” children's book series.  She has been working in marketing communications for more than 20 years and has authored two books on the subject: Pay Attention! and Social Media is About People. She believes that integrated public relations, social media, and email marketing efforts are critical for growing businesses and non-profits looking to accomplish their goals.With a background in international politics, economics, and philosophy, communications has become her passion and she has been tapped by various industry associations and the media to share her insights and experiences.  She has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, and The Today Show and has written for, or been quoted in, Forbes, Philadelphia Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine, TheNextWeb, and a number of other publications.  Cass has also been named as a Rising Star by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and received the Brava award from Philadelphia Smart CEO.Cass is deeply involved with her community and has served on boards for the Entrepreneurs' Organization of Philadelphia; Business Leadership Forum at The Union League of Philadelphia; Small Business Board at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce; Tree House Books; Pennsylvania 30 Day Fund; and Hopeworks.  Cass graduated from The Catholic University of America with a degree in international politics, economics and philosophy.  Additionally, she has completed programs in business education from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program and WBENC Executive Program at the Tuck School of Business. Thank you for listening to "Can You Hear Me?". If you enjoyed our show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on your favorite podcast platform.Stay connected with us:Follow us on LinkedIn!Follow our co-host Eileen Rochford on Linkedin!Follow our co-host Rob Johnson on Linkedin!

Ce mercredi 21 janvier, Patrick Martin-Genier, expert en géostratégie et enseignant à Sciences Po Paris, était l'invité d'Annalisa Cappellini dans Le monde qui bouge - L'Interview, de l'émission Good Morning Business, présentée par Erwan Morice. Ils sont revenus sur les différents moyens dont dispose l'Europe pour contre-attaquer les menaces américaines. Retrouvez l'émission du lundi au vendredi et réécoutez la en podcast.

Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Coca-Cola names first Chief Digital OfficerStratably State of retail Media ReportWalmart org changesConsumer spending reportCPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

Why exactly are we organizing an ICE out on Friday and shutting down businesses in the Twin Cities?ICE operations and protests have led to event cancellations and business closures in the Twin Cities, affecting the local economy and daily life.Snowboarders were expected to fill Minneapolis on Saturday, but the event was canceled. Comedy star John Mulaney also canceled three nights at the Armory due to the presence of ICE agents.“Commerce and business doesn't do well when there's uncertainty,” said Adam Duininck, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council.Duininck said restaurants are hit hardest, with closures not seen since 2020. They are still counting the temporary closures, which are definitely in the dozens.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this engaging conversation, Dr. Anne-Laure LaCunff discusses her book ‘Tiny Experiments’ and explores the themes of curiosity, purpose, and personal growth. She shares her own awakening experience that led her to question her life choices and emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfection and experimentation. The discussion also delves into the dangers of having a […]

They share insights into their remodeling business, discuss the emotional journey of home renovations, and highlight their deep ties to the Grayslake community. The conversation is filled with personal stories, local event shout-outs, and lighthearted moments, showcasing the warmth and neighborly spirit that defines Grayslake. Listeners are encouraged to support local businesses, connect with Affordable Interiors, and spread kindness throughout the community.   Discovering Grayslake: Lessons in Remodeling, Community, and Connection with Affordable Interiors Grayslake, Illinois, is more than just a dot on the map—it's a vibrant community where local businesses, families, and leaders come together to create a hometown feel that's hard to find elsewhere. In a recent episode of the "Discovering Grayslake" podcast, host David Wolf sat down with Nick and Katelyn from Affordable Interiors, a beloved local business specializing in kitchen, bath, and home remodeling. Their conversation offers a treasure trove of insights for anyone considering a home renovation, as well as a heartfelt look at what makes Grayslake such a special place to live and work. Whether you're a homeowner thinking about a remodel, a business owner looking to deepen your community ties, or simply a Grayslake resident who loves supporting local, this episode is packed with actionable advice, expert perspectives, and a genuine sense of hometown pride. Table of Contents The Remodeling Process: What to Expect Personalized Design: Marrying Form and Function Managing Timelines and Expectations Navigating the Emotional Journey of Remodeling Community Roots: The Value of Local Connections Actionable Tips for Homeowners Supporting Local: Why It Matters Final Thoughts: Building Homes, Building Community 1. The Remodeling Process: What to Expect Nick and Katelyn demystify the remodeling process, emphasizing that a successful project is built on clear communication, careful planning, and a personalized approach. Step-by-Step Breakdown: Initial Consultation:**     The journey begins with a phone call to discuss your goals, needs, and vision. Don't worry about the current state of your home—Affordable Interiors prides itself on a judgment-free approach. In-Home Measurement:**     A team member visits your home to take precise measurements and assess the project's scope. This ensures that every detail is tailored to your space. Showroom Appointment:**     Clients are invited to the downtown Grayslake showroom to explore materials, finishes, and design options. This hands-on experience helps you visualize the possibilities and make informed choices. Detailed Estimate:**     After the initial meetings, you'll receive a comprehensive estimate that reflects your unique project, including materials, labor, and timelines. Permits and Inspections:**     Affordable Interiors handles all necessary permits and inspections, streamlining the process and ensuring compliance with local regulations. Project Execution:**     The team coordinates demo, prep work, and installation, keeping you informed at every stage. Expert Insight:   Nick highlights the importance of flexibility and transparency, noting that every project is unique and may require adjustments along the way. Their process is designed to minimize stress and maximize satisfaction. 2. Personalized Design: Marrying Form and Function Remodeling isn't just about following the latest trends—it's about creating a space that reflects your personality, lifestyle, and long-term needs. Key Principles: Timeless Over Trendy:**     While blue cabinets and bold islands have had their moment, Nick and Katelyn encourage clients to choose designs that will stand the test of time. Your home should feel like your home, not a showroom. Aging in Place:**     Many clients remodel with the intention of staying in their homes for years to come. Katelyn emphasizes the importance of functional layouts, accessible features, and durable materials that support aging in place. Client-Centered Approach:**     The design process is collaborative. Katelyn works closely with clients to understand their routines, preferences, and future plans, ensuring the final result is both beautiful and practical. Actionable Advice: Bring inspiration photos, but be open to professional guidance. Think about how you use your space daily—storage, lighting, and flow matter as much as aesthetics. Don't be afraid to express your personality through color, texture, and unique features. 3. Managing Timelines and Expectations One of the most common questions Nick and Katelyn hear is, "How soon can you start?" The answer depends on several factors, and setting realistic expectations is crucial for a smooth experience. Timeline Factors: Cabinet Lead Times:**     Some cabinet lines arrive in 2-3 weeks, while others may take up to 3 months. The team schedules demo and prep work accordingly to avoid unnecessary downtime. Permits and Inspections:**     Kitchens and bathrooms often require permits and inspections, which can add 4-6 weeks to the timeline. Scope of Work:**     Larger projects or those involving structural changes will naturally take longer. Pro Tips: Start planning early, especially if you have a specific deadline (e.g., holidays, family events). Communicate openly about your priorities and constraints. Trust the process—rushing can lead to mistakes or missed details. 4. Navigating the Emotional Journey of Remodeling Remodeling is as much an emotional journey as it is a logistical one. Katelyn and Nick are keenly aware of the vulnerability clients feel when their homes are in transition. Common Emotions: Anxiety:**     Seeing your kitchen or bathroom gutted can be unsettling, even if you know it's temporary. Excitement:**     Watching the transformation unfold—tile, flooring, cabinets—brings anticipation and joy. Relief and Pride:**     The final reveal is often met with relief, pride, and a renewed love for your home. How Affordable Interiors Supports Clients: Clear Communication:**     The team explains each step, so clients know what to expect and when. Empathy:**     They encourage clients to give themselves grace and not feel embarrassed about the "before" state of their home. Celebrating Progress:**     Milestones are acknowledged, and clients are kept in the loop, making the journey more enjoyable. 5. Community Roots: The Value of Local Connections Affordable Interiors isn't just a business—it's a neighbor. Nick and Katelyn live in Grayslake, their showroom is housed in a historic building, and they're active members of the Grayslake Chamber of Commerce. Community Involvement: Local Events:**     From the Festival of Lights parade to the Saint Patrick's Day parade, Nick and Katelyn love participating in community celebrations. Charity and Support:**     They regularly donate to local causes, such as the bachelorette auction benefiting a family in need. Showroom Dog, Cooper:**     Their trilingual cocker spaniel, Cooper, is a local celebrity and adds a welcoming touch to the showroom. Why It Matters: Local businesses reinvest in the community, creating jobs and supporting local causes. Familiar faces and personal relationships foster trust and accountability. Community pride is contagious—when businesses thrive, so does the town. 6. Actionable Tips for Homeowners Thinking about starting your own remodeling project? Here's what Nick and Katelyn recommend: Don't Wait for "Perfect" Conditions:**     Many clients put off remodeling because they're embarrassed by their home's current state. The team at Affordable Interiors has seen it all—no judgment, just solutions. Start with a Conversation:**     A simple phone call can clarify your options and set the process in motion. Be Honest About Your Needs:**     Whether you're planning to age in place, need more storage, or want a fresh look, share your goals openly. Plan for the Unexpected:**     Remodeling can uncover surprises (old wiring, plumbing issues). Build a little flexibility into your budget and timeline. Stay Engaged:**     Visit the showroom, ask questions, and stay involved in decisions. Your input is invaluable. 7. Supporting Local: Why It Matters The episode underscores the importance of supporting local businesses—not just for economic reasons, but for the sense of connection and pride it brings. How to Support Local: Shop and Hire Locally:**     Choose local businesses for your needs, from remodeling to dining and beyond. Spread the Word:**     Share positive experiences with friends, family, and on social media. Participate in Community Events:**     Attend parades, markets, and fundraisers to strengthen community bonds. Practice Kindness:**     As the podcast host suggests, perform random acts of kindness—smile, hold a door, thank a service worker. Small gestures make a big difference. 8. Final Thoughts: Building Homes, Building Community The story of Affordable Interiors is a testament to what makes Grayslake special: hard work, personal relationships, and a deep commitment to community. Nick and Katelyn's expertise, empathy, and local pride

(Lander, WY) – The KOVE 1330 AM / 107.7 FM Today in the 10 interview series Coffee Time continued today with host Vince Tropea, who recently spoke with Meghan Manning from the Lander Chamber of Commerce. Manning stopped by to give us details on the Chamber’s 2026 Fremont County Legislative Preview Luncheon, taking place this Friday, January 23, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Lander Community & Convention Center, where lagislators Sen. Cale Case (R-25), Rep. Lloyd Larsen (R-54), Rep. Ivan Posey (D-33), and Rep. Pepper Ottman (R-34) will be in attendence. Manning also chats about the Chamber’s Restaurant Week, happening right now, which aims to boost business for local restaurants during what is historically a slow time for sales. To make it extra special, participating restaurants will have some or all of the following price points for menu items: $10 for County 10 $18.84 for the year Fremont County was established $55.25 for the average elevation of the towns in Fremont County Click here to see all of the participating restaurants. Check out the full Coffe Time interview with Manning below for all of the details! Be sure to tune in to Today in the 10 and Coffee Time interviews every morning from 7:00 to 9:00 AM on KOVE 1330 AM / 107.7 FM, or stream it live right here.

Purpose, trust and laughter matter.  SUMMARY Dr. Heather Wilson '82, former secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and Gen. Dave Goldfein '83, former chief of staff of the Air Force, highlight the human side of leadership — honoring family, listening actively and using humility and humor to build strong teams. Their book, Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership, challenges leaders to serve first and lead with character.   SHARE THIS PODCAST LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK    TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Leadership Is a Gift and a Burden – Leaders are entrusted with the well-being and development of others, but that privilege entails tough, sometimes lonely, responsibilities. Servant Leadership – True leadership is about enabling and supporting those you lead, not seeking personal advancement or recognition. Influence and Teamwork – Lasting change comes from pairing authority with influence and working collaboratively; no leader succeeds alone. Embrace Failure and Own Mistakes – Effective leaders accept institutional and personal failures and use them as learning and teaching moments. Family Matters – Great leaders recognize the significance of family (their own and their team's) and demonstrate respect and flexibility for personal commitments. Be Data-Driven and Strategic – Borrow frameworks that suit the mission, be clear about goals, and regularly follow up to ensure progress. Listening Is Active – Truly listening, then responding openly and honestly—even when you can't “fix” everything—builds trust and respect. Humility and Curiosity – Never stop learning or questioning; continual self-improvement is a hallmark of strong leaders. Celebrate and Share Credit – Spread praise to those working behind the scenes; leadership is not about personal glory, but lifting others. Resilience and Leading by Example – “Getting back up” after setbacks inspires teams; how a leader recovers can motivate others to do the same.   CHAPTERS 0:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome 0:00:21 - Guest Backgrounds and Family Legacies 0:02:57 - Inspiration for Writing the Book 0:05:00 - Defining Servant Leadership 0:07:46 - Role Models and Personal Examples   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Host: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 Guests: Dr. Heather Wilson '82, former Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, and former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. (Ret.) Dave Goldfein '83  Naviere Walkewicz 0:09 Welcome to Focus on Leadership, our accelerated leadership series. I'm your host, Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. I'm honored to welcome two exceptional leaders whose careers and friendship have helped shape the modern Air Force, while inspiring thousands to serve with purpose and courage. Our guests today are Dr. Heather Wilson, USAFA Class of '82, the 24th secretary of the Air Force, now president at the University of Texas El Paso. And Gen. Dave Goldfein, Class of '83, the 21st chief of staff of the Air Force. Both are United States Air Force Academy distinguished graduates. Together, they've written Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership, a powerful reflection on resilience, humility and the courage to lead to adversity. And our conversation today will dive deeply into the lessons they learned at the highest levels of command and in public service, and what it means to serve others first. Thank you for being here. Gen. Dave Goldfein 1:08 Thank you for having us. Naviere Walkewicz 1:09 Absolutely. This is truly an honor. And I mentioned that I read this incredible book, and I'm so excited for us to jump into it, but before we do, I think it's really important for people to know you more than the secretary and the chief. I mean chief, so Gen. Goldfein, you came from an Air Force family. Your dad was a colonel, and ma'am, your grandpa was a civil aviator, but you really didn't have any other military ties. Dr. Heather Wilson 1:29 Well, my grandfather was one of the first pilots in the RAF in World War I, then came to America, and in World War II, flew for his new country in the Civil Air Patrol. My dad enlisted by that a high school and was a crew chief between the end of the Second World War and the start of Korea, and then he went back home and became a commercial aviator and a mechanic. Naviere Walkewicz 1:52 I love that. So your lines run deep. So maybe you can share more and let our listeners get to know you more personally. What would you like to share in this introduction of Gen. Goldfein and Dr. Wilson? Gen. Dave Goldfein 2:02 Well, I'll just tell you that if you know much about Air Force culture you know we all get call signs, right. Nicknames, right? I got a new one the day I retired, and you get to use it. It's JD, which stands for “Just Dave.” Naviere Walkewicz 2:17 Just Dave! Yes, sir. JD. I will do my best for that to roll off my tongue. Yes, sir. Gen. Dave Goldfein 2:25 And I will just say congratulations to you for your two sons who are currently at the Academy. How cool is that? Naviere Walkewicz 2:31 Thank you. We come from a Long Blue Line family. My dad was a grad, my uncle, my brother and sister, my two boys. So if I get my third son, he'll be class of 2037, so, we'll see. We've got some time. Gen. Dave Goldfein 2:41 We have grandchildren. Matter of fact, our book is dedicated to grandchildren and they don't know it yet, but at least on my side, they're Class of 2040 and 2043 at the Air Force Academy. Naviere Walkewicz 2:52 OK, so my youngest will be cadre for them. Excellent. Excellent. Dr. Heather Wilson 2:57 And my oldest granddaughter is 4, so I think we'll wait a little bit and see what she wants to do. Naviere Walkewicz 3:04 Yes, ma'am. All right. Well, let's jump in. You just mentioned that you wrote the book primarily for your film book. Is that correct? Gen. Dave Goldfein 3:09 Yes. Naviere Walkewicz 3:10 How did you decide to do this now together? Because you both have incredible stories. Dr. Heather Wilson 3:14 Well, two years ago, we were actually up in Montana with Barbara and Craig Barrett, who —  Barbara succeeded me as secretary of the Air Force. And our families, all six of us are quite close, and we were up there, and Dave was telling stories, and I said, “You know, you need to write some of these down.” And we talked about it a little bit, and he had tried to work with another co-author at one time and it just didn't work out really well. And I said, “Well, what if we do it together, and we focus it on young airmen, on lessons learned in leadership. And the other truth is, we were so tired of reading leadership books by Navy SEALs, you know, and so can we do something together? It turned out to be actually more work than I thought it would be for either of us, but it was also more fun.   Naviere Walkewicz 3:59 How long did it take you from start to finish? Dr. Heather Wilson 4:02 Two years. Naviere Walkewicz 4:03 Two years? Excellent. And are you — where it's landed? Are you just so proud? Is it what you envisioned when you started? Gen. Dave Goldfein 4:10 You know, I am, but I will also say that it's just come out, so the initial response has been fantastic, but I'm really eager to see what the longer term response looks like, right? Did it resonate with our intended tenant audience? Right? Did the young captains that we had a chance to spend time with at SOS at Maxwell last week, right? They lined up forever to get a copy. But the real question is, did the stories resonate? Right? Do they actually give them some tools that they can use in their tool bag? Same thing with the cadets that we were privileged to spend time with the day. You know, they energized us. I mean, because we're looking at the we're looking at the future of the leadership of this country. And if, if these lessons in servant leadership can fill their tool bag a little bit, then we'll have hit the mark. Naviere Walkewicz 5:07 Yes, sir, yes. Ma'am. Well, let's jump right in then. And you talked about servant leadership. How would you describe it? Each of you, in your own words, Dr. Heather Wilson 5:15 To me, one of the things, important things about servant leadership is it's from the bottom. As a leader, your job is to enable the people who are doing the work. So in some ways, you know, people think that the pyramid goes like this, that it's the pyramid with the point at the top, and in servant leadership, it really is the other way around. And as a leader, one of the most important questions I ask my direct reports — I have for years — is: What do you need from me that you're not getting? And I can't print money in the basement, but what do you need from me that you're not getting? How, as a leader, can I better enable you to accomplish your piece of the mission. And I think a good servant leader is constantly thinking about, how do I — what can I do to make it easier for the people who are doing the job to get the mission done? Gen. Dave Goldfein 6:08 And I'd offer that the journey to becoming an inspirational servant leader is the journey of a lifetime. I'm not sure that any of us actually ever arrive. I'm not the leader that I want to be, but I'm working on it. And I think if we ever get to a point where we feel like we got it all figured out right, that we know exactly what this whole leadership gig is, that may be a good time to think about retiring, because what that translates to is perhaps at that point, we're not listening, we're not learning, we're not growing, we're not curious — all the things that are so important. The first chapter in the book is titled, Am I worthy? And it's a mirror-check question that we both came to both individually and together as secretary and chief. It's a mere check that you look at and say, “All right, on this lifelong journey to become an inspirational servant leader, am I worthy of the trust and confidence of the parents who have shared their sons and daughters with the United States Air Force and expecting us to lead with character and courage and confidence? Am I worthy of the gift that followers give to leaders? Am I earning that gift and re-earning it every single day by how I act, how I treat others?” You know, that's the essence of servant leadership that we try to bring forward in the book. Naviere Walkewicz 7:38 Right? Can you recall when you first saw someone exhibiting servant leadership in your life? Dr. Heather Wilson 7:46 Good question. It's a question of role models. Maj. William S. Reeder was my first air officer commanding here. And while I think I can probably think of some leaders in my community, you know, people who were school principals or those kind of things, I think Maj. Reeder terrified me because they didn't want to disappoint him. And he had — he was an Army officer who had been shot down as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He still had some lingering issues. Now, I think he had broken his leg or his back or something, and so you could tell that he still carried with him the impact of that, but he had very high expectations of us and we didn't want to disappoint him. And I think he was a pretty good role model. Gen. Dave Goldfein 8:47 You know, one of the things we say at the very end of the book is that we both married up. We both married incredible leaders, servant leaders in their own right. So in my case, I married my high school sweetheart, and we've now been together almost 43 years, coming up on 43. And when you talk about servant leadership, you know, very often we don't give military spouses enough credit for the enormous courage that they have when they deal with the separations, the long hours, very often not talked about enough, the loneliness that comes with being married to someone who's in the military. And so I just give a shout out to every military spouse that's out there and family to thank them for that very special kind of courage that equates to servant leadership on their part. Naviere Walkewicz 9:47 Excellent. Those are both really great examples, and I think, as our listeners are engaging with this, they're going to start to think about those people in their lives as well, through your descriptions. Early in the book, you make this statement: “Leadership is a gift and a burden.” Might you both expand on that?   Dr. Heather Wilson 10:03 So it's a gift in that it's a gift that's given to you by those whom you are privileged to lead, and it's not just an institution that, you know, it's not just the regents of the University of Texas who have said, “Yes, you're going to be the president of the University of Texas at El Paso.” It is those who follow me who have given me gift of their loyalty and their service and their time. It's a burden, because some days are hard days, and you have to make hard calls based on values to advance the mission and, as chief and service secretary, there are no easy decisions that come walking into that part of the Pentagon. The easy decisions are all made before it gets to the service secretary and chief and so. So there is that responsibility of trying to do well difficult things. And I think sometimes those are lonely decisions. Gen. Dave Goldfein 11:09 And I think as a leader of any organization, part of what can be the burden is if you care deeply about the institution, then you carry the burden of any failures of that institution, both individuals who fall short, or the institution itself. And we face some of those, and we talk about that in the book. One of our chapters is on Sutherland Springs and owning failure. There was no dodge in that. And there was, quite frankly, there was an opportunity for us to actually showcase and teach others how to take ownership when the institution falls short and fails, right? And you know, one of the interesting elements of the relationship between a secretary and a chief is that if you go back and look at the law and read the job description of the chief of staff of the Air Force, it basically says, “Run the air staff and do what the secretary tells you.” I'm not making that up. Because most of the decision authority of the institution resides in the civilian control, the military civilian secretary. So almost all authority and decision authority resides with the secretary. What the chief position brings is 30 years in the institution that very often can bring credibility and influence. And what we determined early in our tenure was that if we were going to move the ball, if we were going to actually move the service in a positive direction, neither of us could do it alone. We had to do it together. We had to use this combination of authority and influence to be able to move the institution forward. And so that was a — and we talked a lot about that, you know, in the book, and it sort of runs throughout our stories. You know, that that trust matters. Naviere Walkewicz 12:59 Absolutely. We're going to visit that towards the end of our conversation, because there's a particular time before you both — before you became the chief and before you became the service secretary, when you met up together. And I want to visit that a little bit. But before we do, Gen. Goldfein — JD — you shared a story in the book, and obviously we want everyone to read it, so I'm not going to go tell the whole story, but you know where you took off one more time than you landed, and you had to, you know, you were hit, you had to evade and then you had to be rescued. There was a particular statement you made to identify yourself. And many of our Long Blue Line members will know this: fast, neat, average, friendly, good, good. In that moment of watching the sun start to rise while you're waiting to be retrieved, how did that come to your mind? Of all the things you could be thinking of to identify yourself? Gen. Dave Goldfein 13:53 Well, you know, it's interesting. So, you know, for those who've never, you know, had gone through a high-speed ejection, people asked me, what was like? I said, “Well, I used to be 6-foot-3. This is all that's left, right?” And you know, my job once I was on the ground was, quite frankly, not to goof it up. To let the rescue team do what the rescue team needed to do, and to play my part, which was to put them at the least amount of risk and be able to get out before the sun came up. And at the very end of the rescue when the helicopters — where I was actually vectoring them towards my location. And I had a compass in my hand, and I had my eyes closed, and I was just listening to the chopper noise and then vectoring them based on noise. And then eventually we got them to come and land, you know, right in front of me. Well, they always teach you, and they taught me here at the Academy during SERE training, which I think has been retitled, but it was SERE when we went through it, survival training. Now, I believe they teach you, “Hey, listen, you need to be nonthreatening, because the rescue team needs to know that you're not — this is not an ambush, that you are actually who you say you are. Don't hold up a weapon, be submissive and authenticate yourself. Well, to authenticate myself required me to actually try my flashlight. And I could see the enemy just over the horizon. And as soon as the helicopter landed, the enemy knew exactly where we were, and they came and running, and they came shooting, and they were raking the tree line with bullets. And so, you know, what I needed to do was to figure out a way to do an authentication. And I just, what came to mind was that training all those years ago, right here at the Academy, and I just said, “I could use a fast, neat, average rescue,” and friendly, good, good was on the way. Naviere Walkewicz 15:53 Wow, I just got chill bumps. Dr. Wilson, have you ever had to use that same kind of term, or, you know, reaching out to a grad in your time frequently? Dr. Heather Wilson 16:04 Yes, ma'am. And, you know, even in the last week, funny — I had an issue that I had to, I won't go into the details, but where there was an issue that might affect the reputation, not only of the university, but of one of our major industry partners, and it wasn't caused by either of us, but there was kind of a, kind of a middle person that was known to us that may not have been entirely acting with integrity. And I just looked up the company. The CEO is an Academy grad. So I picked up the phone and I called the office and we had a conversation. And I said, “Hey, I'd like to have a conversation with you, grad to grad.” And I said, “There are some issues here that I don't need to go into the details, but where I think you and I need to be a little careful about our reputations and what matters is my relationship as the university with you and your company and what your company needs in terms of talent. But wanted to let you know something that happened and what we're doing about it, but I wanted to make sure that you and I are clear.” And it was foundation of values that we act with integrity and we don't tolerate people who won't. Naviere Walkewicz 17:30 Yes, ma'am, I love that. The Long Blue Line runs deep that way, and that's a great example. JD, you spoke about, in the book, after the rescue — by the way, the picture in there of that entire crew was amazing. I love that picture. But you talked about getting back up in the air as soon as possible, without any pomp and circumstance. “Just get me back in the air and into the action.” I'd like to visit two things. One, you debriefed with the — on the check ride, the debrief on the check ride and why that was important. And then also you spoke about the dilemma of being dad and squad comm. Can you talk about that as well? Gen. Dave Goldfein 18:06 Yeah, the check ride. So when I was in Desert Storm, an incredible squadron commander named Billy Diehl, and one of the things that he told us after he led all the missions in the first 30 days or so, he said, “Look, there will be a lot of medals, you know, from this war.” He goes, “But I'm going to do something for you that happened for me in Vietnam. I'm going to fly on your wing, and I'm going to give you a check ride, and you're going to have a documented check ride of a combat mission that you led in your flying record. I'm doing that for you.” OK, so fast forward 10 years, now I'm the squadron commander, and I basically followed his lead. Said, “Hey, I want…” So that night, when I was shot down, I was actually flying on the wing of one of my captains, “Jammer” Kavlick, giving him a check ride. And so, of course, the rescue turns out — I'm sitting here, so it turned out great. And so I called Jammer into a room, and I said, “Hey, man, we never did the check ride.” I said, “You know, you flew a formation right over the top of a surface enemy missile that took out your wingman. That's not a great start.” And he just sort of… “Yes, sir, I know.” I said, “And then you led an all-night rescue that returned him to his family. That's pretty good recovery.” And so it's been a joke between us ever since. But in his personal — his flying record, he has a form that says, “I'm exceptionally, exceptionally qualified.” So I got back and I thought about this when I was on the ground collecting rocks for my daughters, you know, as souvenirs from Serbia. I got back, and I looked at my wing commander, and I said, “Hey, sir, I know you probably had a chance to think about this, but I'm not your young captain that just got shot down. I'm the squadron commander, and I've got to get my squadron back on the horse, and the only way to do that is for me to get back in the air. So if it's OK with you, I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna get crew rest and I'm going to fly tonight.” And he looked at me, and he looked at my wife, Dawn, who was there, and he goes, “If it's OK with her, it's OK with me.” Great. Dawn, just a champion, she said, “I understand it. That's what you got to do.” Because we were flying combat missions with our families at home, which is, was not in the squadron commander handbook, right? Pretty unique. What I found, though, was that my oldest daughter was struggling a little bit with it, and so now you've got this, you know, OK, I owe it to my squad to get right back up in the air and lead that night. And I owe it to my daughter to make sure that she's OK. And so I chose to take one night, make sure that she and my youngest daughter, Diana, were both, you know, in a good place, that they knew that everything's going to be OK. And then I got back up the next night. And in some ways, I didn't talk about it with anybody in the media for a year, because my dad was a Vietnam vet, I'd met so many of his friends, and I'd met so many folks who had actually gotten shot down one and two and three times over Vietnam, in Laos, right? You know what they did after they got rescued? They got back up. They just went back up in the air, right? No fanfare, no book tours, no, you know, nothing, right? It was just get back to work. So for me, it was a way of very quietly honoring the Vietnam generation, to basically do what they did and get back in the air quietly. And so that was what it was all about. Naviere Walkewicz 21:25 Dr. Wilson, how about for you? Because I know — I remember reading in the book you had a — there was something you said where, if your children called, no matter what they could always get through. So how have you balanced family? Dr. Heather Wilson 21:36 Work and life. And so, when I was elected to the Congress, my son was 4 years old. My daughter was 18 months. First of all, I married well, just like Dave. But I also think my obligations to my family don't end at the front porch, and I want to make a better world for them. But I also knew that I was a better member of Congress because I had a family, and that in some ways, each gave richness and dimension to the other. We figured out how to make it work as a family. I mean, both my children have been to a White House Christmas ball and the State of the Union, but we always had a rule that you can call no matter what. And I remember there were some times that it confounded people and, like, there was one time when President Bush — W. Bush, 43 — was coming to New Mexico for the first time, and he was going to do some events in Albuquerque. And they called and they said, “Well, if the congresswoman wants to fly in with him from Texas, you know, she can get off the airplane in her district with the president. And the answer was, “That's the first day of school, and I always take my kids to school the first day, so I'll just meet him here.” And the staff was stunned by that, like, she turns down a ride on Air Force One to arrive in her district with the president of the United States to take her kids to school. Yes, George Bush understood it completely. And likewise, when the vice president came, and it was, you know, that the one thing leading up to another tough election — I never had an easy election — and the one thing I said to my staff all the way through October, leading — “There's one night I need off, and that's Halloween, because we're going trick or treating.” And wouldn't you know the vice president is flying into New Mexico on Halloween for some event in New Mexico, and we told them, “I will meet them at the stairs when they arrive in Albuquerque. I'll have my family with them, but I won't be going to the event because we're going trick or treating.” And in my house, I have this great picture of the vice president of the United States and his wife and my kids in costume meeting. So most senior people understood that my family was important to me and everybody's family, you know — most people work to put food on the table, and if, as a leader, you recognize that and you give them grace when they need it, you will also have wonderful people who will work for you sometimes when the pay is better somewhere else because you respect that their families matter to them and making room for that love is important. Naviere Walkewicz 24:36 May I ask a follow on to that? Because I think that what you said was really important. You had a leader that understood. What about some of our listeners that maybe have leaders that don't value the same things or family in the way that is important. How do they navigate that? Dr. Heather Wilson 24:52 Sometimes you look towards the next assignment, or you find a place where your values are the same. And if we have leaders out there who are not being cognizant of the importance of family — I mean, we may recruit airmen but we retain families, and if we are not paying attention to that, then we will lose exceptional people. So that means that sometimes, you know, I give a lot of flexibility to people who are very high performers and work with me. And I also know that if I call them at 10 o'clock at night, they're going to answer the phone, and that's OK. I understand what it's like to — I remember, you know, I was in New Mexico, I was a member of Congress, somebody was calling about an issue in the budget, and my daughter, who was probably 4 at the time, had an ear infection, and it was just miserable. And so I'm trying to get soup into her, and this guy is calling me, and she's got — and it was one of the few times I said — and it was the chairman of a committee — I said, “Can I just call you back? I've got a kid with an ear infection…” And he had five kids. He said, “Oh, absolutely, you call me back.” So you just be honest with people about the importance of family. Why are we in the service? We're here to protect our families and everybody else's family. And that's OK.   Naviere Walkewicz 26:23 Yes, thank you for sharing that. Anything to add to that, JD? No? OK. Well, Dr. Wilson, I'd like to go into the book where you talk about your chapter on collecting tools, which is a wonderful chapter, and you talk about Malcolm Baldridge. I had to look him up — I'll be honest — to understand, as a businessman, his career and his legacy. But maybe share in particular why he has helped you. Or maybe you've leveraged his process in the way that you kind of think through and systematically approach things. Dr. Heather Wilson 26:49 Yeah, there was a movement in the, it would have been in the early '90s, on the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Awards. It came out of the Department of Commerce, but then it spread to many of the states and it was one of the better models I thought for how to run organizations strategically. And I learned about it when I was a small businessperson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And I thought it was interesting. But the thing that I liked about it was it scaled. It was a little bit like broccoli, you know, it looks the same at the little flora as it does at the whole head, right? And so it kind of became a model for how I could use those tools about being data driven, strategically focused, process oriented that I could use in reforming a large and not very well functioning child welfare department when I became a cabinet secretary for children, youth and families, which was not on my how-to-run-my-career card. That was not in the plan, but again, it was a set of tools that I'd learned in one place that I brought with me and thought might work in another. Naviere Walkewicz 28:02 Excellent. And do you follow a similar approach, JD, in how you approach a big problem? Gen. Dave Goldfein 28:07 I think we're all lifelong students of different models and different frameworks that work. And there's not a one-size-fits-all for every organization. And the best leaders, I think, are able to tailor their approach based on what the mission — who the people are, what they're trying to accomplish. I had a chance to be a an aide de camp to a three-star, Mike Ryan, early in my career, and he went on to be chief of staff of the Air Force. And one of the frameworks that he taught me was he said, “If you really want to get anything done,” he said, “you've got to do three things.” He said, “First of all, you got to put a single person in charge.” He said, “Committees and groups solve very little. Someone's got to drive to work feeling like they've got the authority, the responsibility, the resources and everything they need to accomplish what it is that you want to accomplish. So get a single person in charge. Most important decision you will make as a leader, put the right person in charge. Second, that person owes you a plan in English. Not 15 PowerPoint slides, right, but something that clearly articulates in one to two pages, max, exactly what we're trying to accomplish. And the third is, you've got to have a way to follow up.” He said, “Because life gets in the way of any perfect plan. And what will happen is,” he goes, “I will tell you how many times,” he said, “that I would circle back with my team, you know, a couple months later and say, ‘How's it going?' And they would all look at each other and say, “Well, I thought you were in charge,” right? And then after that, once they figure out who was in charge, they said, “Well, we were working this plan, but we got, you know, we had to go left versus right, because we had this crisis, this alligator started circling the canoe, and therefore we had to, you know, take care of that,” right? He says, “As a leader, those are the three elements of any success. Put someone in charge. Build a plan that's understandable and readable, and always follow up. And I've used that as a framework, you know, throughout different organizations, even all the way as chief to find — to make sure that we had the right things. Dr. Heather Wilson 30:21 Even this morning, somebody came by who reminded us of a story that probably should have been in the book, where we had — it was a cyber vulnerability that was related to a particular piece of software widely deployed, and the CIO was having trouble getting the MAJCOMMS to kind of take it seriously. And they were saying, “Well, you know, we think maybe in 30, 60, 90 days, six months, we'll have it all done,” or whatever. So I said, “OK, let all the four-stars know. I want to be updated every 36 hours on how many of them, they still have, still have not updated.” I mean, this is a major cyber vulnerability that we knew was — could be exploited and wasn't some little thing. It was amazing; it got done faster. Naviere Walkewicz 31:11 No 90 days later. Oh, my goodness. Well, that was excellent and actually, I saw that in action in the story, in the book, after the attack on the Pentagon, and when you stood up and took charge, kind of the relief efforts, because many people were coming in that wanted to help, and they just needed someone to lead how that could happen. So you were putting into practice. Yes, sir. I'd like to get into where you talk about living your purpose, and that's a chapter in there. But you know, Gen. Goldfein, we have to get into this. You left the Academy as a cadet, and I think that's something that not many people are familiar with. You ride across the country on a bike with a guitar on your back for part of the time — and you sent it to Dawn after a little while — Mini-Bear in your shirt, to find your purpose. Was there a moment during the six months that you that hit you like lightning and you knew that this was your purpose, or was it a gradual meeting of those different Americans you kind of came across? Gen. Dave Goldfein 32:04 Definitely gradual. You know, it was something that just built up over time. I used to joke — we both knew Chairman John McCain and always had great respect for him. And I remember one time in his office, I said, “Chairman, I got to share with you that I lived in constant fear during every hearing that you were going to hold up a piece of paper on camera and say, ‘General, I got your transcript from the Air Force Academy. You got to be kidding me, right?' And he laughed, and he said, Trust me, if you looked at my transcript in Annapolis,” he goes, “I'm the last guy that would have ever asked that question.” But you know, the we made a mutual decision here, sometimes just things all come together. I'd written a paper on finding my purpose about the same time that there was a professor from Annapolis that was visiting and talking about a sabbatical program that Annapolis had started. And so they started talking about it, and then this paper made it and I got called in. They said, “Hey, we're thinking about starting this program, you know, called Stop Out, designed to stop people from getting out. We read your paper. What would you do if you could take a year off?” And I said, “Wow, you know, if I could do it, I'll tell you. I would start by going to Philmont Scout Ranch, you know, and be a backcountry Ranger,” because my passion was for the outdoors, and do that. “And then I would go join my musical hero, Harry Chapin.” Oh, by the way, he came to the United States Air Force Academy in the early '60s. Right? Left here, built a band and wrote the hit song Taxi. “So I would go join him as a roadie and just sort of see whether music and the outdoors, which my passions are, what, you know, what it's all about for me.” Well, we lost contact with the Chapin connection. So I ended up on this bicycle riding around the country. And so many families took me in, and so many towns that I rode into, you know, I found that if I just went to the library and said, “Hey, tell me a little bit about the history of this town,” the librarian would call, like, the last, you know, three or four of the seniors the town, they'd all rush over to tell me the story of, you know, this particular little town, right? And then someone would also say, “Hey, where are you staying tonight?” “I'm staying in my tent.” They said, “Oh, come stay with me.” So gradually, over time, I got to know America, and came to the conclusion when I had to make the decision to come back or not, that this country is really worth defending, that these people are hard-working, you know, that want to make the world better for their kids and their grandkids, and they deserve a United States Air Force, the best air force on the planet, to defend them. So, you know, when I came back my last two years, and I always love sharing this with cadets, because some of them are fighting it, some of them have embraced it. And all I tell them is, “Hey, I've done both. And all I can tell you is, the sooner you embrace it and find your purpose, this place is a lot more fun.” Naviere Walkewicz 35:13 Truth in that, yes, yes, well. And, Dr. Wilson, how did you know you were living your purpose? Dr. Heather Wilson 35:19 Well, I've had a lot of different chapters to my life. Yes, and we can intellectualize it on why we, you know, why I made a certain decision at a certain time, but there were doors that opened that I never even knew were there. But at each time and at each junction, there was a moment where somehow I just knew. And at South Dakota Mines is a good example. You know, I lost a race to the United States Senate. I actually had some interns — I benefited from a lousy job market, and I had fantastic interns, and we were helping them through the loss. You know, they're young. They were passionate. They, as Churchill said, “The blessing and the curse of representative government is one in the same. The people get what they choose.” And so I was helping them through that, and one of them said, “Well, Dr. Wilson, you're really great with students. You should be a college president somewhere. Texas Tech needs a president. You should apply there,” because that's where this kid was going to school. And I said, “Well, but I don't think they're looking for me.” But it did cause me to start thinking about it and I had come close. I had been asked about a college presidency once before, and I started looking at it and talking to headhunters and so forth. And initially, South Dakota Mines didn't seem like a great fit, because I'm a Bachelor of Science degree here, but my Ph.D. is in a nonscientific discipline, and it's all engineers and scientists. But as I went through the process, it just felt more and more right. And on the day of the final interviews, that evening, it was snowing in South Dakota, there was a concert in the old gym. I mean, this is an engineering school, and they had a faculty member there who had been there for 40 years, who taught choral music, and the students stood up, and they started singing their warm up, which starts out with just one voice, and eventually gets to a 16-part harmony and it's in Latin, and it's music is a gift from God, and they go through it once, and then this 40th anniversary concert, about 50 people from the audience stand up and start singing. It's like a flash mob, almost These were all alumni who came back. Forty years of alumni to be there for that concert for him. And they all went up on stage and sang together in this just stunning, beautiful concert by a bunch of engineers. And I thought, “There's something special going on here that's worth being part of,” and there are times when you just know. And the same with becoming cabinet secretary for children, youth and families — that was not in the plan and there's just a moment where I knew that was what I should do now. How I should use my gifts now? And you hope that you're right in making those decisions.   Naviere Walkewicz 38:43 Well, probably aligning with JD's point in the book of following your gut. Some of that's probably attached to you finding your purpose. Excellent. I'd like to visit the time Dr. Wilson, when you were helping President Bush with the State of the Union address, and in particular, you had grueling days, a lot of hours prepping, and when it was time for it to be delivered, you weren't there. You went home to your apartment in the dark. You were listening on the radio, and there was a moment when the Congress applauded and you felt proud, but something that you said really stuck with me. And he said, I really enjoy being the low-key staff member who gets stuff done. Can you talk more about that? Because I think sometimes we don't, you know, the unsung heroes are sometimes the ones that are really getting so many things done, but nobody knows. Dr. Heather Wilson 39:31 So, I'm something of an introvert and I've acquired extrovert characteristics in order to survive professionally. But when it comes to where I get my batteries recharged, I'm quite an introvert, and I really loved — and the same in international negotiations, being often the liaison, the back channel, and I did that in the conventional forces in Europe negotiations for the American ambassador. And in some ways, I think it might have been — in the case of the conventional forces in Europe negotiations, I was on the American delegation here. I was in Vienna. I ended up there because, for a bunch of weird reasons, then they asked me if I would go there for three months TDY. It's like, “Oh, three months TDY in Vienna, Austria. Sign me up.” But I became a very junior member on the delegation, but I was the office of the secretary of defense's representative, and walked into this palace where they were negotiating between what was then the 16 NATO nations and the seven Warsaw Pact countries. And the American ambassador turned to me, and he said during this several times, “I want you to sit behind me and to my right, and several times I'm going to turn and talk to you, and I just want you to lean in and answer.” I mean, he wasn't asking anything substantive, and I just, “Yes, sir.” But what he was doing was credentialing me in front of the other countries around that table. Now, I was very young, there were only two women in the room. The other one was from Iceland, and what he was doing was putting me in a position to be able to negotiate the back channel with several of our allies and with — this was six months or so now, maybe a year before the fall of the Berlin Wall. So things were changing in Eastern Europe, and so I really have always enjoyed just that quietly getting things done, building consensus, finding the common ground, figuring out a problem. Actually have several coffee mugs that just say GSD, and the other side does say, Get Stuff Done. And I like that, and I like people who do that. And I think those quiet — we probably don't say thank you enough to the quiet, hardworking people that just figure out how to get stuff done. Naviere Walkewicz 41:59 Well, I like how he credentialed you and actually brought that kind of credibility in that way as a leader. JD, how have you done that as a leader? Champion, some of those quiet, behind the scenes, unsung heroes. Gen. Dave Goldfein 42:11 I'm not sure where the quote comes from, but it's something to the effect of, “It's amazing what you can get done if you don't care who gets the credit.” There's so much truth to that. You know, in the in the sharing of success, right? As servant leaders, one of the things that I think both of us spend a lot of time on is to make sure that credit is shared with all the folks who, behind the scenes, you know, are doing the hard, hard work to make things happen, and very often, you know, we're the recipients of the thank yous, right? And the gratefulness of an organization or for somebody who's benefited from our work, but when you're at the very senior leaders, you know what you do is you lay out the vision, you create the environment to achieve that vision. But the hard, hard work is done by so many others around you. Today, in the audience when we were there at Polaris Hall, was Col. Dave Herndon. So Col. Dave Herndon, when he was Maj. Dave Herndon, was my aide de camp, and I can tell you that there are so many successes that his fingers are on that he got zero credit for, because he was quietly behind the scenes, making things happen, and that's just the nature of servant leadership, is making sure that when things go well, you share it, and when things go badly, you own it. Naviere Walkewicz 43:47 And you do share a really remarkable story in there about accountability. And so we won't spend so much time talking about that, but I do want to go to the point where you talk about listening, and you say, listening is not passive; it's active and transformative. As servant leaders, have you ever uncovered challenges that your team has experienced that you didn't have the ability to fix and you know, what action did you take in those instances? Dr. Heather Wilson 44:09 You mean this morning? All the time. And sometimes — and then people will give you grace, if you're honest about that. You don't make wild promises about what you can do, but then you sit and listen and work through and see all right, what is within the realm of the possible here. What can we get done? Or who can we bring to the table to help with a set of problems? But, there's no… You don't get a — when I was president of South Dakota Mines, one of the people who worked with me, actually gave me, from the toy store, a magic wand. But it doesn't work. But I keep it in my office, in case, you know… So there's no magic wands, but being out there listening to understand, not just listening to refute, right? And then seeing whether there are things that can be done, even if there's some things you just don't have the answers for, right? Gen. Dave Goldfein 45:11 The other thing I would offer is that as senior leadership and as a senior leadership team, you rarely actually completely solve anything. What you do is improve things and move the ball. You take the hand you're dealt, right, and you find creative solutions. You create the environment, lay out the vision and then make sure you follow up, move the ball, and if you get at the end of your tenure, it's time for you to move on, and you've got the ball moved 20, 30, yards down the field. That's actually not bad, because most of the things we were taking on together, right, were big, hard challenges that we needed to move the ball on, right? I If you said, “Hey, did you completely revitalize the squadrons across the United States Air Force?” I will tell you, absolutely not. Did we get the ball about 20, 30 yards down the field? And I hope so. I think we did. Did we take the overhaul that we did of officer development to be able to ensure that we were producing the senior leaders that the nation needs, not just the United States Air Force needs? I will tell you that we didn't solve it completely, but we moved the ball down the field, and we did it in a way that was able to stick. You know, very often you plant seeds as a leader, and you never know whether those seeds are going to, you know, these seeds are ideas, right? And you never know whether the seeds are going to hit fertile soil or rocks. And I would often tell, you know, young leaders too. I said, you know, in your last few months that you're privileged to be in the position of leadership, you've got two bottles on your hip. You're walking around with — one of them's got fertilizer and one of them's got Roundup. And your job in that final few months is to take a look at the seeds that you planted and truly determine whether they hit fertile soil and they've grown roots, and if they've grown roots, you pull out the fertilizer, and the fertilizer you're putting on it is to make it part of the institution not associated with you, right? You want somebody some years from now say, “Hey, how do we ever do that whole squadron thing?” The right answer is, “I have no idea, but look at how much better we are.” That's the right answer, right? That's the fertilizer you put on it. But it's just equally important to take a look at the ideas that, just for whatever reason, sometimes beyond your control — they just didn't stick right. Get out the Roundup. Because what you don't want to do is to pass on to your successor something that didn't work for you, because it probably ain't going to work for her. Dr. Heather Wilson 47:46 That's right, which is one of the rules of leadership is take the garbage out with you when you go. Naviere Walkewicz 47:51 I like that. I like that a lot. Well, we are — just a little bit of time left. I want to end this kind of together on a story that you shared in the book about laughter being one of the tools you share. And after we share this together, I would like to ask you, I know we talked about mirror checks, but what are some things that you guys are doing every day to be better as well, to continue learning. But to get to the laughter piece, you mentioned that laughter is an underappreciated tool and for leaders, something that you both share. I want to talk about the time when you got together for dinner before you began working as chief and service secretary, and I think you may have sung an AF pro song. We're not going to ask you to sing that today, unless you'd like to JD? But let's talk about laughter.   Gen. Dave Goldfein 48:31 The dean would throw me out. Naviere Walkewicz 48:33 OK, OK, we won't have you sing that today. But how have you found laughter — when you talk about — when the questions and the problems come up to you?   Dr. Heather Wilson 48:40 So I'm going to start this because I think Dave Goldfein has mastered this leadership skill of how to use humor, and self-deprecating humor, better than almost any leader I've ever met. And it's disarming, which is a great technique, because he's actually wicked smart. But it's also people walk in the room knowing if you're going to a town hall meeting or you're going to be around the table, at least sometime in that meeting, we're going to laugh. And it creates a warmth and people drop their guard a little bit. You get to the business a little bit earlier. You get beyond the standard PowerPoint slides, and people just get down to work. And it just — people relax. And I think Dave is very, very good at it. Now, my husband would tell you that I was raised in the home for the humor impaired, and I have been in therapy with him for almost 35 years.   Naviere Walkewicz 49:37 So have you improved? Dr. Heather Wilson 49:39 He thinks I've made some progress.   Naviere Walkewicz 49:41 You've moved the ball.   Dr. Heather Wilson 49:44 Yes. Made some progress. I still don't — I used to start out with saying the punch line and then explain why it was funny. Naviere Walkewicz 49:52 I'm in your camp a little bit. I try. My husband says, “Leave the humor to me.” Dr. Heather Wilson 49:54 Yeah, exactly. You understand. Gen. Dave Goldfein 49:58 I used to joke that I am a member of the Class of 1981['82 and '83]. I am the John Belushi of the United States Air Force Academy, a patron saint of late bloomers. But you know, honestly, Heather doesn't give herself enough credit for building an environment where, you know, folks can actually do their very best work. That's one of the things that we do, right? Because we have — the tools that we have available to be able to get things done very often, are the people that are we're privileged to lead and making sure that they are part of an organization where they feel valued, where we're squinting with our ears. We're actually listening to them. Where they're making a contribution, right? Where they believe that what they're being able to do as part of the institution or the organization is so much more than they could ever do on their own. That's what leadership is all about. Dr. Heather Wilson 51:05 You know, we try to — I think both of us see the humor in everyday life, and when people know that I have a desk plate that I got in South Dakota, and it doesn't say “President.” It doesn't say “Dr. Wilson.” It says, “You're kidding me, right?” Because once a week, more frequently as secretary and chief, but certainly frequently as a college president, somebody is going to walk in and say, “Chief, there's something you need to know.” And if they know they're going to get blasted out of the water or yelled at, people are going to be less likely to come in and tell you, right, what you need to know. But if you're at least willing to laugh at the absurdity of the — somebody thought that was a good idea, you know. My gosh, let's call the lawyers or whatever. But you know, you've just got to laugh, and if you laugh, people will know that you just put things in perspective and then deal with the problem. Naviere Walkewicz  52:06 Well, it connects us as humans. Yeah. Well, during my conversation today with Dr. Heather Wilson and Gen. Dave Goldfein — JD — two lessons really stood out to me. Leadership is not about avoiding the fall, but about how high you bounce back and how your recovery can inspire those you lead. It's also about service, showing up, doing the hard work and putting others before yourself with humility, integrity and working together. Dr. Wilson, Gen. Goldfein, thank you for showing us how courage, compassion and connection — they're not soft skills. They're actually the edge of hard leadership. And when you do that and you lead with service, you get back up after every fall. You encourage others to follow and do the same. Thank you for joining us for this powerful conversation. You can find Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership, wherever books are sold. And learn more at getbackupeadership.com. If today's episode inspired you, please share it with someone who can really benefit in their own leadership journey. As always, keep learning. Keep getting back up. Keep trying. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. This has been Focus On Leadership. Until next time. Producer This edition of Focus on Leadership, the accelerated leadership series, was recorded on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.   KEYWORDS Leadership, servant leadership, resilience, humility, integrity, influence, teamwork, family, trust, listening, learning, purpose, growth, accountability, service, courage, compassion, balance, values, inspiration.     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation  

ADSN returns with a with a big first episode back. James Borow and Daniel Druger break down the Gemini-Apple deal and the potential for AI assistants to be a new social network. They look at the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) with Google, Shopify, and others and what it could mean for agentic commerce. Mike Khristo CEO and co-founder of Layers.com joins James and Daniel to discuss the magic of Anthropic's Claude and how the release of Opus 4.5 has led to a step change in web, cross-platform, and desktop agents. He also gives real life examples of how vibe coding is bringing founders of any technical level from idea to launch.

Hey there, hero!As you sit there at the moment of creation...With a blank page...Nothing yet recorded for an audition...A blinking cursor...Not even a countdown to begin recording, or an unclicked record button, not even a cleared throat......how do you handle that moment? Are you frozen? Or do you make a mess and then make it better?That's a phrase I didn't include in the episode, but it's worth having handy: just get something made, even if it's messy (it likely will be first time around) then make it better.What are your feelings at that precise pre-creation point in the process? Are you worried about failing, even before you begin? Let me know in the comments below.REQUEST: Please join this video's conversation and see the full episode on VOHeroes, where the comments are moderated and civil, at https://voheroes.com/you-cant-edit-a-blank-page/#Acting #Voice #VoiceOver #Performance #Productivity #Tips #Art #Commerce #Science #Mindset #Success #Process #Options #BestPractices #MarketingWant to be a better VO talent, actor or author? Here's how I can help you......become a VO talent (or a more successful one): https://voheroes.com/start ...become an audiobook narrator on ACX (if you're an actor or VO talent): https://acxmasterclass.com/ ...narrate your own book (if you're an author): https://narrateyourownbook.com/ ...have the most effective pop filter (especially for VO talent): https://mikesock.com/ ...be off-book faster for on-camera auditions and work (memorize your lines): https://rehearsal.pro/...master beautiful audiobook and podcast audio in one drag and drop move on your Mac: https://audiocupcake.com/ The VOHeroes Podcast is heroically built with: BuddyBoss | LearnDash | DreamHost | SamCart | TextExpander | BuzzSprout ...

U.S. Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick joins the show live from Davos with the markets on edge over the President's tariff threats related to countries pushing back over a U.S. takeover of Greenland. Then the CEOs of Gap and Pfizer, on how their businesses are navigating a trade war.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ce mardi 20 janvier, Romuald Sciora, chercheur associé à l'Iris et directeur de l'Observatoire politique et géostratégique des États-Unis, était l'invité d'Annalisa Cappellini dans Le monde qui bouge - L'Interview, de l'émission Good Morning Business, présentée par Erwan Morice. Ils ont fait le point sur la présidence de Donald Trump depuis son deuxième mandat et sur les grands enjeux qui ont marqué cette année. Retrouvez l'émission du lundi au vendredi et réécoutez la en podcast.

In Episode 48 of Chain Reactions, we sit down with Pontus, GTM Lead at Corbits and longtime Solana ecosystem builder, to break down what x402 actually is, why it matters, and how agents are about to reshape commerce as we know it.Pontus has been deep in Web3 since 2016, helped build one of the original NFT marketplaces on Solana (Holoplex), spent time with the Bonk ecosystem team, and is now building open source infrastructure for agentic payments.In this episode, we get into:The history of HTTP 402 and why crypto finally makes it viableHow Corbits and the FairMeter framework are positioning for a multi-chain, multi-standard futureWhy agents need wallets, not bank accounts, and what that unlocksThe real state of x402 adoption (spoiler: half of it is wash trading)How to think about marketing to agents, not just humansWhy expertise becomes more valuable when data access is universalWhether you're a founder exploring agentic infrastructure or a marketer trying to understand where attention is headed, this one is packed with signal.Timestamps00:00 - Intro and New Year vibes02:00 - Pontus's Web3 origin story: from university crypto club to Solana NFTs05:00 - Building Holoplex and the pivot to enterprise digital asset infrastructure07:00 - Time at Bonk and the pivot to agents09:00 - What is Corbits and the FairMeter framework?12:00 - The HTTP 402 history lesson: why payments were baked into the internet from day one15:00 - What X402 actually is and how it works18:00 - Current adoption numbers: what's real vs. wash trading21:00 - Why crypto solves three critical problems for agents: microtransactions, wallets, and instant finality25:00 - Will Claude, ChatGPT, and Grok integrate X402?28:00 - Why betting on one standard is risky32:00 - Developer GTM: how Corbits is approaching adoption36:00 - Marketing to agents, not just humans40:00 - The one-click API deploy tool and what's coming next45:00 - Why expertise becomes more valuable when data is commoditized50:00 - Subscriptions, credits, and new payment schemas for agents55:00 - Rapid Fire: underrated tactics, overrated trends, and leaving group chatsShow Notes & Mentions

Chamber of Commerce of the United States of Americ v. EPA

In this Retail Technology Spotlight episode, Amy Vener, Global Retail & Consumer Goods Marketing Director for Commercial Cloud & AI at Microsoft, joins Omni Talk to unpack the main takeaways from NRF and where retailers should focus next as agentic commerce moves from theory to execution. Drawing on her experience across Walmart, Pinterest, and Microsoft, Amy shares how retailers are shifting away from AI hype and toward real, measurable outcomes. From conversational shopping agents and merchandising insights to connected stores and cultural readiness, this episode breaks down how retailers can drive real return on intelligence in 2026 and beyond. If you're trying to figure out where AI fits into your merchandising, marketing, store operations, or supply chain strategy (and how to start without boiling the ocean), this conversation is for you. Key Topics covered: • 00:03:08 – Why “what problem are you trying to solve?” still matters more than the tech • 00:07:34 – Agentic commerce use cases across marketing, merchandising, and operations • 00:15:50 – How conversational data is influencing assortment and product development • 00:10:01 – The role of connected stores and digital twins in retail decision-making • 00:09:09 / 00:19:58 – Lessons from brands like Estée Lauder, Ralph Lauren, and Coca-Cola • 00:23:07 – Why culture and team readiness are critical to AI adoption • 00:25:42 – How retailers should engage Microsoft to drive faster business impact

In this episode, Emma and Jason O'Toole (Head of Connected Commerce at Hanesbrands) dive into the evolving world of commerce strategy. They cover everything from building commerce-focused organizational structures to the unique challenges of selling apparel online. You'll hear how Hanesbrands approaches SKU complexity, 3P competition, and brand protection, plus how they're building connected commerce teams to meet the demands of today's omnichannel landscape. Jason also shares his perspective on the agency of the future, and why adaptability matters more than ever.

This week on Marketing O'Clock: Campaign total budgets are rolling out globally for Search, PMax, and Shopping. Also, Google introduces the Universal Commerce Protocol and Direct Offers in AI Mode. Plus, Gemini launches Personal Intelligence.Visit us at - https://marketingoclock.com/

A Warm Welcome to Wellness When Marcy Campbell greets newcomers at Downtown Studios Unlimited, she's not just welcoming them to a fitness class—she's inviting them into a family. As co-owner of this Luray-based group exercise studio, Marcy has spent decades transforming the way her community approaches health and wellness. In this episode of The Valley Today, she talks with host Janet Michael and co-host Gina Hilliard, president of the Luray/Page Chamber of Commerce, to share her vision for accessible, enjoyable fitness. From the Eighties to Today: A Fitness Journey Marcy's story begins in the era of leg warmers and Jane Fonda workout videos. Together with her business partner Tammy Landis, she started teaching group exercise classes at what was then known as the Luray Fitness Center back in the 1980s and 1990s. However, their approach has evolved far beyond the aerobics craze of decades past. "We've always enjoyed and loved the idea of having a group exercise venue," Marcy explains, "just because some people aren't as motivated to do it independently as they would be with the help and support of others." Something for Everyone Today, Downtown Studios Unlimited offers an impressive array of classes designed to meet every fitness level and interest. The schedule includes everything from "Fit for Life"—a beginner-friendly class offered twice weekly—to more challenging options like cycling, step aerobics, and Tabata (a high-intensity interval training format). Moreover, the studio caters to those seeking mind-body balance. Gentle morning yoga classes provide stretching and relaxation, while evening sessions deliver more challenging workouts. Additionally, the studio offers bar Pilates, meditation with sound bath therapy, and even karate classes for ages six through adult. "We try to make sure that we offer classes that will fit all levels and all abilities," Marcy emphasizes. Furthermore, she personally helps newcomers find the right fit, ensuring they don't wander into a class that feels too intimidating or too easy. Breaking Down Barriers One of the studio's greatest strengths lies in its welcoming atmosphere. Marcy actively works to eliminate the intimidation factor that keeps many people from trying group fitness. When potential members express concerns about competition or judgment, she quickly sets the record straight. "Nobody really watches anybody but me because they're too worried about what I'm doing," she reassures. "It's very individualized, yet you're with your friends." Indeed, the studio has become a hub for building genuine connections. New residents frequently discover that Downtown Studios offers more than just exercise—it provides a pathway to community integration. As Marcy notes, many members have expressed relief at finally knowing people in their new hometown. Age Is Just a Number The studio's membership spans an remarkable age range. High school athletes come to improve their performance in track or basketball. Meanwhile, members in their eighties continue to maintain their strength and balance. This diversity creates a rich, multigenerational environment where everyone learns from each other. Marcy particularly emphasizes the importance of functional fitness as people age. "There's little things that as we get older, we wanna still be able to do," she points out, referencing everyday activities like reaching high shelves or playing with grandchildren. Consequently, the studio's strength and balance training helps members maintain independence and quality of life. Beyond the Workout Downtown Studios Unlimited also addresses mental and emotional wellness. Rich, the studio's meditation coach, leads sessions featuring sound bath therapy—a deeply relaxing experience that helps participants clear their minds and reset. "By the time you're over, you're kinda like, was that an hour?" Marcy laughs, comparing it to the timeless feeling of a good massage. Additionally, the studio has partnered with Forever Dancing Studio next door, which offers Jujitsu and Zumba. This collaboration allows members to access dual memberships, expanding their fitness options even further. A Higher Calling Throughout the conversation, Marcy's passion for community health shines through. She views her work not as a business venture but as a mission to promote wellbeing throughout Luray. "Any of us in the fitness industry, we're not in it just for ourselves," she reflects. "We're in it to promote health and wellbeing regardless if they come to us or they go somewhere else for it." This philosophy extends to her relationships with other fitness professionals. She regularly receives referrals from local physical therapists who recognize the value of continued exercise in a supportive group setting. Getting Started For those interested in joining this vibrant fitness community, Marcy recommends starting with the studio's Facebook page or website at DowntownStudiosUnlimited.com. There, prospective members can view the full class schedule and sign up for sessions. Marcy personally reviews new registrations and reaches out to help newcomers find their perfect fit. Looking Ahead As the conversation wraps up, Gina announces upcoming Chamber events, including a Women in Business paint and sip session and an annual networking breakfast with local elected officials. She also floated the idea of hosting a Women in Business event at Downtown Studios, allowing participants to sample different classes—an idea that Marcy enthusiastically welcomed. For anyone who made a New Year's resolution to get healthier, try something new, or simply meet more people in their community, Downtown Studios Unlimited offers a low-barrier entry point. As Marcy's newest member discovered, sometimes you fall in love with a place before you've even broken a sweat.

Alejandra Y. Castillo, former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and now Chancellor Senior Fellow for Economic Development at Purdue University Northwest, joins your host, Sebastian Hassinger, to discuss how quantum technologies can drive inclusive regional economic growth and workforce development. She shares lessons from federal policy, Midwest tech hubs, and cross-state coalitions working to turn quantum from lab research into broad-based opportunity.Themes and key insightsQuantum as near-term and multi-faceted: Castillo pushes back on the idea that quantum is distant, emphasizing that computing, sensing, and communications are already maturing and attracting serious investment from traditional industries like biopharma.From federal de-risking to regional ecosystems: She describes the federal role as de-risking early innovation through programs under the CHIPS and Science Act while stressing that long-term success depends on regional coalitions across states, universities, industry, philanthropy, and local government.Inclusive workforce and supply-chain planning: Castillo argues that “quantum workforce” must go beyond PhDs to include a mapped ecosystem of jobs, skills, suppliers, housing, and infrastructure so that local communities see quantum as opportunity, not displacement.National security, urgency, and inclusion: She frames sustained quantum investment as both an economic and national security imperative, warning that inconsistent U.S. funding risks falling behind foreign competitors while also noting that private capital alone may ignore inclusion and regional equity.Notable quotes“We either focus on the urgency or we're going to have to focus on the emergency.”“No one state is going to do this… This is a regional play that we will be called to answer for the sake of a national security play as well.”“We want to make sure that entire regions can actually reposition themselves from an economic perspective, so that people can stay in the places they call home—now we're talking about quantum.”“Are we going to make that same mistake again, or should we start to think about and plan how quantum is going to also impact us?”Articles, papers, and initiatives mentionedAmerica's quantum future depends on regional ecosystems like Chicago's — Alejandra's editorial in Crain's Chicago Business calling for sustained, coordinated investment in quantum as a national security and economic priority, highlighting the role of the Midwest and tech hubs.CHIPS and Science Act (formerly “Endless Frontier”) — U.S. legislation that authorized large-scale funding for semiconductors and science, enabling EDA's Tech Hubs and NSF's Engines programs to back regional coalitions in emerging technologies like quantum.EDA Tech Hubs and NSF Engines programs — Federal initiatives that fund multi-state consortiums combining universities, companies, and civic organizations to build durable regional innovation ecosystems, including quantum-focused hubs in the Midwest.National Quantum Algorithms Center — This center explores quantum algorithms for real-world problems such as natural disasters and biopharma discovery, aiming to connect quantum advances directly to societal challenges.Roberts Impact Lab at Purdue Northwest (with Quantum Corridor) – A testbed and workforce development center focused on quantum, AI, and post-quantum cryptography, designed to prepare local talent and companies for quantum-era applications.Chicago Quantum Exchange and regional partners (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin) – A multi-university and multi-state collaboration that pioneered a model for regional quantum ecosystems.

Vous aimez notre peau de caste ? Soutenez-nous ! https://www.lenouvelespritpublic.fr/abonnementUne émission de Philippe Meyer, enregistrée en public à Sciences Po Paris le 16 janvier 2026.Avec cette semaine :Antoine Foucher, consultant, spécialiste des questions sociales, auteur de Sortir du travail qui ne paie plus.Nicole Gnesotto, vice-présidente de l'Institut Jacques Delors.Marc-Olivier Padis, directeur des études de la fondation Terra Nova.Michaela Wiegel, correspondante à Paris de la Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.DE QUOI LE MERCOSUR EST-IL DEVENU LE SYMBOLE ?Après plus de vingt-six ans de négociations, l'accord de libre-échange entre l'Union européenne et quatre pays du Mercosur (Argentine, Brésil, Paraguay, Uruguay) a été approuvé à Bruxelles par les États membres de l'UE à la majorité qualifiée, le 9 janvier. La France s'y est opposée, avec la Pologne, la Hongrie, l'Autriche et l'Irlande. La présidente de la Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, a paraphé samedi le traité au Paraguay. L'accord Mercosur, n'est pas un accord agricole mais un accord global où l'UE a beaucoup à gagner dans le secteur des biens industriels et des services actuellement très protégé, tandis que certains pays craignent la concurrence dans les domaines agricoles les plus sensibles de l'UE : le bœuf, la volaille et le sucre.Le débat franco-français sur le Mercosur reflète des intérêts divergents et s'inscrit dans une crise plus large de l'agriculture française. Parmi les pro-Mercosur la filière des vins et des spiritueux, l'un des piliers de la puissance française agricole à l'export avec 15,6 milliards d'euros expédiés en 2024. Avec eux, les producteurs et industriels du lait, qui trouvent des avantages à l'accord. En tête des adversaires, les éleveurs de bovins, de volaille et les betteraviers. Première puissance agricole de l'UE, la France est enlisée dans une « colère des agriculteurs » qui revient par vagues incessantes. Pourtant, l'International Trade Center indique qu'« en 2024, la France a exporté 7 milliards d'euros de marchandises vers les pays du Mercosur, soit environ 1,2% des exportations totales, et a importé un peu plus de 3 milliards d'euros de marchandises, soit environ 0,5% des importations totales. » Toutefois, si l'impact macroéconomique de ce traité avec le Mercosur ne devrait pas peser très fort, il est éminemment symbolique.Pour Jean-Luc Demarty, ancien Directeur général du Commerce extérieur de la Commission européenne, « en réalité le Mercosur est devenu le bouc émissaire des problèmes de compétitivité de l'agriculture française, qui se jouent essentiellement à l'intérieur de l'UE. Entre 2010 et 2024 », constate-t-il, « le revenu agricole ne progresse que de 15% en France contre 77% en moyenne européenne, 170% en Italie, 86% en Pologne et 79% en Espagne. » Selon lui, les chiffres montrent sans ambigüité que « cette situation est imputable à la politique agricole et économique nationale, du Grenelle de l'environnement de Nicolas Sarkozy à l'agroécologie de François Hollande poursuivie souvent en pire par Emmanuel Macron ». Excès de normes, surtransposition de normes européennes souvent déjà excessives, bureaucratie, impossibilité de construire ou d'agrandir des bâtiments d'élevage, fiscalité plus élevée, priorité aux exploitations trop petites et limitation de leur taille, coût du travail en particulier pour les fruits et l'abattage, sont en cause.Dans un monde où Donald Trump se retire de 66 organisations internationales et déclenche une guerre commerciale avec le reste du globe, l'alliance euro-sud-américaine prend une importance géopolitique cruciale.QUI AUX CÔTÉS DE L'IRAN ? La contestation, déclenchée le 28 décembre par les commerçants du grand bazar de Téhéran en raison de la chute vertigineuse du rial, qui a perdu en un an plus de la moitié de sa valeur face au dollar, s'est rapidement étendue à tout le pays et a pris une tournure politique, avec des appels à la chute de la République islamique. L'économie iranienne est minée par les sanctions internationales, ainsi que par des années de mauvaise gouvernance et de corruption endémique. Le dossier nucléaire est dans l'impasse : les négociations sont à l'arrêt depuis plusieurs mois, privant Téhéran de toute perspective de levée des sanctions. Après des menaces répétées de Donald Trump d'intervenir militairement si la répression du mouvement de contestation en Iran se poursuivait – une répression qui aurait fait des centaines voire des milliers de morts selon les ONG -, le régime iranien a riposté lundi en faisant descendre dans les rues des milliers de ses partisans dans la capitale. Selon l'analyste iranien Hamzeh Safavi, une partie des élites du pays réfléchit aux moyens de réorienter le pouvoir vers une ligne plus modérée.Le président américain a promis son aide aux manifestants, mais Washington hésite sur les moyens et l'objectif même d'une intervention. Lundi, la Maison Blanche avait affirmé que la possibilité de frappes aériennes pour mettre fin à la répression était toujours sur la table, mais que la diplomatie demeurait « la première option ». Mardi, le président américain a annoncé le gel de tout contact bilatéral et décrété la mise en place de taxes douanières punitives de 25% contre tout pays commerçant avec l'Iran. Une mesure susceptible de frapper notamment la Chine, principal partenaire commercial de Téhéran. La Chine défendra « résolument » ses intérêts, a répondu Pékin.En Israël, le 5 janvier, la presse a annoncé la validation, par le premier ministre, Benyamin Nétanyahou, et son cabinet de sécurité, d'une opération contre l'Iran baptisée « Iron Strike ». Toutefois, l'État hébreu cherche à éviter toute déclaration qui pourrait offrir au régime des mollahs l'ennemi extérieur dont il a besoin pour se ressouder.L'Union européenne est pour l'instant restée dans le registre de la condamnation évoquant cependant de possibles « nouvelles sanctions » contre Téhéran. Emmanuel Macron, l'Allemand Friedrich Merz et le Britannique Keir Starmer ont appelé les dirigeants iraniens à la « retenue ». Le chancelier est allé un peu plus loin lundi en « condamnant fermement la violence » du régime.Allié de Téhéran, Moscou poursuit sa coopération, notamment militaire, avec Téhéran, mais veille à ne pas sacrifier son rapprochement avec l'Amérique de Donald Trump sur l'autel d'un soutien plus poussé à la République islamique aux abois. En juin dernier déjà, pendant la « guerre des Douze-Jours » entre Israël et l'Iran, Téhéran avait appelé à la rescousse Moscou, qui s'était contenté de bonnes paroles. Cette retenue semble toujours à l'œuvre, côté russe.Chaque semaine, Philippe Meyer anime une conversation d'analyse politique, argumentée et courtoise, sur des thèmes nationaux et internationaux liés à l'actualité. Pour en savoir plus : www.lenouvelespritpublic.frHébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Is there a new universal order for AI e-commerce that excludes Amazon? Set PPC bids based on keyword rank. Will your product soon appear in an Amazon brick-and-mortar superstore? We're back with another episode of the Weekly Buzz with Helium 10's VP of Education and Strategy, Bradley Sutton. Every week, we cover the latest breaking news in the Amazon, TikTok Shop, Walmart, and E-commerce space, talk about Helium 10's newest features, and provide a training tip for the week for serious sellers of any level.   Google announces a new protocol to facilitate commerce using AI agents https://techcrunch.com/2026/01/11/google-announces-a-new-protocol-to-facilitate-commerce-using-ai-agents/ Walmart's head of AI reveals the key difference between its shopping deals with Google Gemini and ChatGPT https://www.businessinsider.com/walmart-ai-head-reveals-difference-in-gemini-and-chatgpt-shopping-2026-1 New Feature Alert: Helium 10 Ads is testing rank-based bid automation. Elite/Diamond users can auto-adjust bids using Share of Voice metrics when organic or sponsored rank changes, reducing manual checks and optimizing ad spend. TikTok Adds More AI-Powered Tools To Assist TikTok Shop Merchants https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/tiktok-adds-more-ai-powered-tools-to-assist-tiktok-shop-merchants/809789/ Strategy of the Week: Helium 10 Inventory Heatmaps show where FBA inventory and sales are located. They help sellers avoid poor conversion from slow shipping, decide when to reopen listings, and optimize restocks by tracking inventory and sales distribution. Amazon takes on Walmart with new store concept https://www.grocerydive.com/news/amazon-big-box-store-plans-walmart-grocery/809423/ In episode 488 of the AM/PM Podcast and Weekly Buzz, Bradley talks about: 00:00 - Introduction 01:05 - Universal Commerce Protocol 04:21 - Walmart x Gemini 08:54 - Keyword Rank PPC Rules 12:49 - AI TikTok Seller Tools 14:33 - Inventory Heat Maps 17:58 - Amazon Superstore?

This is the first episode in a new season of our Main Street NC series. We're visiting communities across the state to hear from local leaders about the issues and challenges they're facing.For the past 65 years, Saint Andrews University has been a major economic engine for the small town in Scotland County. That all changed on May 5, when the university shut down for good after years of financial challenges. County leaders have been working to draw industry and development to multiple sites, and they hope the St. Andrew's campus can be one of them. To hear more about what's next for the site and Laurinburg's efforts to reduce unemployment, WUNC News spoke with Chris English, executive director of the Laurinburg-Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce; Jeff McKay, director of the Scotland County Economic Development Corporation; and Walker McCoy, community development director.