Podcasts about Commerce

  • 15,923PODCASTS
  • 49,396EPISODES
  • 34mAVG DURATION
  • 8DAILY NEW EPISODES
  • Mar 11, 2026LATEST
Commerce

POPULARITY

20192020202120222023202420252026

Categories




    Best podcasts about Commerce

    Show all podcasts related to commerce

    Latest podcast episodes about Commerce

    The Bulwark Podcast
    Saagar Enjeti: “The Joke Is on Me”

    The Bulwark Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 66:51


    One of the biggest America First fans tells Tim that he thought Trump 2.0 would be different because like-minded, high-level personnel—including the vice president and top DOD staff—were supposed to stop Trump from doing stupid wars like the strategic catastrophe unfolding in and around Iran. And Trump's mass deportation was supposed to crack down on the labor practices of big business and Big Ag, but POTUS instead is sticking with the Chamber of Commerce status quo. Saagar now regrets his vote for Trump. Plus, the difference between MAGA and America First, a different take on Epstein, Venezuela red-pilled Trump, and the U.S. may be facing a major shortage of munitions because of the latest shock and awe campaign. Saagar Enjeti joins Tim Miller.show notes Tim's livestream Wednesday at 8:30pm ET on YouTube or Substack Saagar's show, "Breaking Points" Carville's 2009 book, "40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule The Next Generation" Tickets for our LIVE show in Austin on March 19: TheBulwark.com/Events.

    Harford County Living
    The Truth About Leadership With Ronald Reich

    Harford County Living

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 60:47 Transcription Available


    Leadership is easy to talk about, but much harder to practice.In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, leadership expert Ronald Reich shares what truly separates effective leaders from ineffective ones. With nearly three decades of experience training leaders across multiple industries, Ron dives into the real challenges managers face every day including difficult conversations, disengaged teams, and low workplace morale.Ron explains why emotional intelligence, clear expectations, and strong relationships are the foundations of effective leadership. He also reveals the surprising reason many employees become unhappy at work and how leaders can motivate their teams without relying on perks like pizza parties or bagel Fridays.You will learn why listening is one of the most overlooked leadership skills, why feedback conversations are essential, and how understanding yourself can make you a better leader.In this episode:• Why leaders struggle with difficult conversations • The three biggest reasons employees become unhappy at work • How leaders can motivate teams effectively • Why self awareness is the most important leadership skill • Leadership lessons from Stephen Covey and other thought leadersResources MentionedHarford County Chamber of Commerce https://harfordchamber.orgConnect with Ronald Reich on LinkedIn.If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who wants to become a better leader.Send a textMarch 6–13 Become a part of your local college radio station! WHFC exists because of you, our growing community of listeners. Your support allows us to keep training and entertaining, and we thank you. Donate at whfc911.orgHarford County Chamber of CommerceAt the Harford County Chamber of Commerce, our business is your success. We are the premier businessDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills:Hosted on BuzzsproutSquadCast Subscribe by Email

    Mobile Dev Memo Podcast
    Season 7, Episode 9: RecSys and internet commerce (with Michael Komasinski)

    Mobile Dev Memo Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 37:04


    On this week's episode of the podcast, I am joined by Michael Komasinski, the CEO of Criteo, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of agentic commerce and the critical role of recommendation systems in the AI era. We delve into how Criteo is positioning itself as a commerce intelligence layer for AI assistants and the technical distinctions between large language models and purpose-built recommendation engines. Among other things, we discuss:Criteo's recently announced advertising partnership with OpenAIWhether agentic commerce will transition from assisted shopping to fully autonomous purchase decisions without human oversightHow recommendation systems based on purchase data outperform large language models in providing accurate product discoveryIf retailers will eventually trust AI agents to manage complex fulfillment and brand trust in conversational environmentsWhy the integration of semantic language models and high-volume reward algorithms defines the future of digital commerceCriteo GO, Criteo's automated advertising platformHow the partnership between specialized advertising technology and generative AI platforms will reshape the global discovery layerThanks to the sponsors of this week's episode of the Mobile Dev Memo podcast:⁠⁠INCRMNTAL⁠⁠⁠. True attribution measures incrementality, always on.Xsolla⁠. With the Xsolla Web Shop, you can create a direct storefront, cut fees down to as low as 5%, and keep players engaged with bundles, rewards, and analytics.⁠Branch⁠. Branch is an AI-powered MMP, connecting every paid, owned, and organic touchpoint so growth teams can see exactly where to put their dollars to bring users in the door and keep them coming backInterested in sponsoring the Mobile Dev Memo podcast? Contact Mobile Dev Memo advertising.

    Behind the Numbers: eMarketer Podcast
    Creators Meet Commerce: How They Guide Customers From Inspiration to Checkout | Behind the Numbers Special Edition

    Behind the Numbers: eMarketer Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2026 30:38


    In this special edition episode recorded at the EMARKETER Creator Trends 2026 Virtual Summit, you will learn how shoppable video, retail media integrations, storefronts, and affiliate programs are reshaping the journey, and the metrics and org models needed to make always-on creator commerce truly work. Minda Smiley, Senior Analyst at EMARKETER hosts a panel with Cory Weaver, Head of Influence at Gap, Inc. and Alexis Call, Director of Digital Merchandising and Site Experience at Stanley 1913. Listen everywhere you find podcasts and watch on YouTube and Spotify.   Subscribe to EMARKETER's newsletters. Go to https://www.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-creators-meet-commerce-how-they-guide-customers-inspiration-checkout-behind-numbers-special-edition   © 2026 EMARKETER

    Second City Works presents
    Getting to Yes, And… | Jane Marie Chen – Designing Self-Compassion

    Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2026


    Kelly spends time with Jane Marie Chen, a globally recognized entrepreneur, inventor, speaker, and leadership coach. She is the co-founder of Embrace, which developed an infant incubator that has helped to save over a million babies. Jane has been a TED fellow and a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. She has a new memoir, “Like […]

    Tourpreneur
    Understanding DMOs: How Tour Operators Can Build Real Destination Partnerships

    Tourpreneur

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 58:56


    Mitch Bach talks with Jenn Barbee, co-founder of Destination Innovate, about the real inner workings of DMOs, those three letters that every tour operator has an opinion about but few actually understand. Jenn has spent 30 years inside destination marketing, from a shoestring US Department of Commerce team trying to promote America on a $50,000 budget to her current work closing the gap between DMOs and the small businesses they are supposed to serve. The conversation covers how DMOs get funded, why they sit on valuable visitor data, and what tour operators can actually do to get beyond the dead-end website listing.It goes further than the typical "how to work with your tourism board" advice. Jenn and Mitch get into the identity crisis hitting tour operators and DMOs at the same time: both are losing ground to OTA platforms, both need direct guest relationships, and neither is building enough local partnerships to fight back. They talk short-term rental hosts as untapped referral channels, guerrilla marketing tactics that cost almost nothing, and the hard truth about inbound tourism to the US heading into World Cup and the 250th anniversary.Key TakeawaysYour DMO has expensive visitor data that could sharpen your product, pricing, and ads, but they will not hand it over unless you ask. 06:14 – 07:19 DMOs invest in data about visitor appetite, competing markets, and traveler clusters by neighborhood and interest type. That information rarely trickles down to small tour businesses because DMOs feel pressure to contextualize it or fear judgment on their numbers. Frame your ask around strengthening the destination's tourism product, not just helping your business, and you stand a real chance of getting access to insights you could never afford on your own.The single best first move with your DMO is to find the community manager and introduce yourself with specific visitor language, not a sales pitch. 11:48 – 12:58 Audit your tour product against what the destination website is promoting in terms of itineraries or themes, then reach out where you see a match or a gap. Lead with collaboration. Once you have that baseline, you can inch toward higher-value asks like data sharing or co-promotion, but only after you have earned the relationship through showing up and being useful.Survey your customers about whether they booked the experience before the hotel, then bring that data to the DMO. 56:29 – 56:39 If you can show a DMO that your tour attracted bed nights, you are speaking their only real language: occupancy and bed tax justification. Most tour operators never collect this data, and most DMOs have never seen it from a small business. It positions you as a strategic asset rather than another name on a listings page.DMOs are shifting from marketing organizations to stewardship organizations, and that tension is something you can use. 08:50 – 09:59 Many DMOs now describe themselves as "destination management" or "stewardship" organizations, moving toward what is right for their communities. Their boards and bed tax collectors still want heads-in-beds KPIs. If your tour disperses visitors into underserved neighborhoods, supports local businesses, or tells a more honest destination story, you become the kind of partner that helps a DMO justify its new direction to the people holding the purse strings.Getting listed on the DMO website is a win. Stop underestimating it. 13:10 – 13:45 Many operators treat a listing as table stakes, but some DMOs do not even offer that without a paid membership. If you are listed, follow up by tagging the DMO constantly on social media and feeding them content they can reshare within their brand guidelines. The social media managers have more flexibility than the executive staff and will amplify content that feels fresh or on-brand.If your local DMO is stuck promoting only the marquee attractions, skip them and go to the state level. 17:38 – 18:32 A DMO locked into bread-and-butter promotion is usually in protection mode, worried about occupancy numbers. State tourism offices have embraced experience-driven programming and are more open to working with operators who tell a broader story. For most small tour businesses, the state governor's conference on tourism is where accessible DMO relationships start.Short-term rental hosts are closer to the guest than any DMO, and tour operators should be building direct relationships with them now. 24:31 – 26:00 Short-term rentals nationally overtook hotels in occupancy as of September 2025. Those hosts talk directly to guests about what to do in town. A recommendation from a local Airbnb host is warmer than any OTA listing and costs zero commission. Finding them is manual (social media DMs, local searches), but the payoff is a direct referral channel with no middleman.Stop chasing first-time visitors. Loyal, repeat visitors spend more, stay longer, and sustain the businesses that matter. 32:49 – 33:32 DMOs and operators both fixate on acquiring new customers while ignoring the people who already love the destination. Repeat visitors become patrons of smaller, niche experiences and local businesses. For multi-day operators especially, a returning guest who books a deeper or different tour is more profitable than constantly feeding the top of the funnel.Identity beats branding. Know who you are and say no to the rest. 38:44 – 41:27 Jenn draws a hard line between brand (what you market) and identity (who you actually are and who you serve). When you lead with identity, you market less because the right people find you. That means turning down some customers and product ideas, which is terrifying for newer operators, but it prevents the bland, generic positioning that makes you invisible on platforms like Viator and GetYourGuide.The "book direct" movement matters for tour operators just as much as it does for short-term rentals and hotels. 42:58 – 44:28 Hotels lost roughly 80% of their distribution to OTAs. Tours and activities sit around 40% OTA-controlled, which means there is still time to build direct channels. DMOs missed the OTA boat the first time and are caught in a relevancy crisis. That creates a shared interest: both of you need to reclaim the guest relationship before the platforms own it entirely.Guerrilla, person-to-person marketing is the only thing worth betting on in this environment. 34:16 – 35:03 Replace coffee sleeves at a local shop for a week with a message like "next time mama's in town, try this." That costs almost nothing and puts your name in front of a local audience in a real, physical moment. Operators burning money on flashy ad campaigns and agencies are losing to the ones doing the manual work of building one relationship at a time.Bring tour operators, short-term rental hosts, and local businesses into the same room. The collaboration that comes out of it is worth more than any campaign. 30:35 – 32:17 A 12-person Tourpreneur meetup in Dallas turned competitors into collaborators planning joint tours before they left the room. Those rooms should include short-term rental hosts, restaurants, coffee shops. Nobody is organizing these cross-sector local gatherings yet. That is the opportunity.Rethink the "travel presentation at the library" model. Gather local people around something that is not your tour. 53:23 – 54:46 Jenn pitches a revival of the house-party model for travel: 10 to 15 people, food, conversation, then introduce the experience. For multi-day operators, this replaces the stale slide deck. Book clubs are surging. House gatherings are surging. The sale happens because you built trust in a personal setting, not because you ran a Facebook ad.Quirky, unpolished video cuts through. But virality does not equal business success. 36:32 – 37:38 Behind-the-scenes, day-in-the-life content is what is actually getting traction on social right now. The less templated and less AI-generated it feels, the better it performs. Use that attention as a hook, then shift to collaborative content and real relationship-building that converts. A weird 30-second clip of your tour prep is worth more than a polished banner ad.The inbound tourism situation in the US is worse than most operators realize, and pretending otherwise is a losing strategy. 48:28 – 50:43 Canadian airlines are pulling US routes for summer 2026. Sixteen countries now have travel advisories against

    Rhetoriq
    The Future of AI Agents and Agentic Commerce

    Rhetoriq

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 44:31


    Are we moving too fast in the world of agentic commerce — a new paradigm in online shopping where AI agents act on behalf of consumers, facilitating transactions and product discovery? Unlike traditional e-commerce, where consumers interact directly with platforms, agentic commerce leverages advanced technologies to streamline the purchasing process.In this episode of One Vision — FinTech Fuse, we dive deep into the rapidly shifting landscape of agentic commerce and the alphabet soup. With the technology landscape changing at an unprecedented pace, we explore the challenges and opportunities that arise in the new world.Joining us in the discussion are industry experts, Dr. Efi Pylarinou and Jas Shah, who offer their insights on the rise of different protocols like ACP and UCP, identity verification, and the importance of a level-playing field in the future of commerce.What's your take on this fast-paced evolution? Let's keep the conversation going!#FinTech #AI #AgenticCommerce #AIAgents00:00 Welcome and Setup: The Agentic Commerce Alphabet Soup02:53 The Reality: Are We Moving Too Fast?07:35 Who Writes The Rules? 10:03 Which Protocol Will Win?16:20 Staying Visible: Banks Brand in Bot Era21:04 Trust Data and Curation25:44 The Economics and Gatekeepers33:57 Predictions: Who Will Emerge as The Likely Winner41:56 What Banks Should Do NextHot take: The real battle is about protocols, not models.Hot take: The future belongs to those who can optimize for AI.Keywords AI, agentic AI, commerce protocols, fintech, banking, digital transformation, identity, trust, UCP, ACPMore about our guests

    Surviving Your Journey Towards Success Podcast
    Sovereign Commerce: The DTC Movement & The MOLIAE Manifesto

    Surviving Your Journey Towards Success Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 5:02


    Tune in as host Nichel, shares an update on her journey that success is not a destination; it is a state of Sovereignty in her Manifesto. In this episode, entrepreneur and creative director Nichel Anderson breaks down the "MOLIAE Mothership" strategy for Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) success. After decades of seeding, the direct alignment is here. Nichel has built the Portal herself over these years and all platforms are open and ready from MOLIAE.com to MOLIAEBeauty.com of the MA'at Principles and from MOLIAEWorld.com of Digital expression to Mint.MOLIAEWorld.com on the Ethereum blockchain, the mothership is tuning into this new wave frequency DTC movement. Explore the link to the MOLIAE Manifesto and learn how to connect to a community-driven model that bypasses the "decision loops" of the old guard.   ✨ THE PORTAL IS OPEN – TAKE THE LEAP:  

    Retail Remix
    Agentic Commerce & the Marketplace Boom with Mirakl's Scott Eckert

    Retail Remix

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 23:07


    In less than five years, launching a third-party marketplace has gone from a questionable move to a strategic imperative for many major retailers. Recorded live at NRF 2026, this episode of Retail Remix digs into that shift with Scott Eckert, CEO of the Americas at marketplace operator Mirakl.Scott explains why retailers are embracing curated marketplaces as an offensive growth strategy — no longer just as a defensive reaction to Amazon — and how brands like Ulta Beauty, Best Buy and Lowe's are expanding assortment without diluting brand identity.The conversation also dives into how AI answer engines are reshaping product discovery, and why clean, machine-readable catalog data may soon matter more than traditional SEO. Plus, Scott shares Mirakl's growing role in retail media and the company's vision of becoming an orchestration layer across emerging AI-driven commerce channels.Key TakeawaysHow the proving power of Amazon and, perhaps more importantly, Walmart has completely shifted retailers' attitude toward online marketplaces;Why retail media and marketplace strategies increasingly go hand in hand;The important role marketplaces will play in the world of AI commerce, when done right;Why product data must be optimized differently for different AI platforms like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic; andThe essential quality of a truly disruptive product or service. Related LinksLearn how Mirakl powers enterprise marketplaces and retail mediaRelated reading: Mirakl CEO: Marketplaces are ‘Arming the Rebellion' of Traditional Retail Against Big TechRelated reading:Best Buy's New Third-Party Marketplace is Now LiveExplore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPointsSubscribe so you don't miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26

    Minimum Competence
    Legal News for Mon 3/9 - Anna's Archive Sued, CA Climate Disclosure Laws Up in the Air, Social Media Addiction Trial and $166b in Tariff Refunds

    Minimum Competence

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 9:46


    This Day in Legal History: The AmistadOn March 9, 1841, the U.S. Supreme Court decided United States v. The Amistad, ruling that a group of Africans who had seized control of the Spanish ship La Amistad were free individuals who had been illegally enslaved. The case began after the captives, led by Sengbe Pieh—often called Cinqué—revolted against the ship's crew while being transported from Cuba in 1839. They had originally been kidnapped in West Africa and sold into slavery in violation of international agreements banning the transatlantic slave trade. After the revolt, the ship was intercepted near Long Island and the Africans were taken into U.S. custody. Spanish officials demanded that the United States return both the ship and the captives to Cuba. The U.S. government supported Spain's request, arguing that the captives were property under Spanish law.Abolitionists rallied to the Africans' defense and secured legal representation for them in American courts. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, where former President John Quincy Adams joined the legal team arguing for the captives' freedom. Adams delivered a lengthy and passionate argument emphasizing natural rights and the illegality of the slave trade that had brought the Africans to Cuba. Writing for the majority, Justice Joseph Story concluded that the captives had been unlawfully enslaved and were therefore not property. Because they were free individuals, the Court held that they had the legal right to resist their captivity and fight for their liberty. The Court ordered that the Africans be released rather than returned to Spanish authorities.The ruling was celebrated by abolitionists as an important moral and legal victory in the fight against slavery. Although it did not end slavery in the United States, the decision demonstrated that courts could recognize limits on the slave trade and acknowledge the legal claims of enslaved people.Thirteen major U.S. book publishers have filed a copyright lawsuit against Anna's Archive, a website they describe as one of the largest “shadow libraries” distributing pirated books and academic papers. The publishers—including HarperCollins, Wiley, McGraw Hill, and Cengage—filed the complaint in federal court in New York, alleging that the site hosts more than 63 million books and 95 million research papers without authorization. According to the lawsuit, Anna's Archive allows users to download these materials directly or through torrent networks, making copyrighted works widely available for free. The publishers claim the site openly presents itself as a pirate platform and intentionally violates copyright law.The complaint also alleges that Anna's Archive was created in 2022 after copying entire collections from other illegal book repositories and has continued expanding its database. The publishers say the site operates anonymously and frequently changes domain names across different countries to avoid enforcement efforts. They further claim the platform targets artificial intelligence developers by offering large datasets of books and papers. While free users can access files slowly, the complaint states that faster downloads are available to users who make donations through untraceable methods like cryptocurrency or gift cards. The publishers allege that these donations can reach roughly $200,000 for high-speed bulk access. In response, the plaintiffs are asking the court to shut down the site and award statutory damages of up to $150,000 for each infringed work.The lawsuit follows a separate case brought by Atlantic Recording Corp., which earlier obtained a preliminary injunction preventing Anna's Archive from distributing millions of music files allegedly copied from Spotify. That case resulted in a default after the site failed to respond to the complaint. However, the publishers argue that the earlier injunction does not cover books, allowing the alleged book piracy to continue. The Association of American Publishers has publicly supported the lawsuit, describing the scale of digital piracy as extremely large and urging legal action to stop the operation.Publishers Sue ‘Shadow Library' For ‘Staggering' Book Piracy - Law360Companies that operate in California are facing uncertainty as the state moves forward with major climate disclosure laws while a federal appeals court considers whether the rules should be blocked. The laws—California Senate Bills 253 and 261—require large companies doing business in the state to disclose information about greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risks. In late February, the California Air Resources Board approved initial regulations explaining how the reporting system will be administered and how companies will pay implementation fees. At the same time, the Ninth Circuit has temporarily blocked enforcement of S.B. 261 and is reviewing a request from business groups to halt both laws entirely.Because of this parallel regulatory and legal process, many companies are unsure whether they should invest heavily in compliance or wait for the courts to rule. S.B. 253 applies to companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue and requires reporting of Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, which include direct emissions, energy-related emissions, and emissions from supply chains. S.B. 261 applies to companies with more than $500 million in revenue and requires disclosure of climate-related financial risks and mitigation strategies. Attorneys say collecting this data could be difficult, especially for companies that only have limited operations in California or that must gather information from suppliers and partners in other regions.The reporting requirements could also affect businesses outside California because companies subject to the law may need emissions data from their partners and vendors. Regulators have begun setting deadlines for initial reporting, including an August deadline for certain emissions data, but many details about how the system will function remain unresolved. Meanwhile, business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce argue the laws violate the First Amendment by forcing companies to speak on controversial issues related to climate change. With rulemaking still underway and litigation ongoing, companies are left trying to prepare for possible compliance while waiting to see whether the courts ultimately uphold or invalidate the laws.Companies In Limbo Over Calif. Climate Disclosure Laws' Fate - Law360In a major California bellwether trial over claims that social media harms children's mental health, the plaintiff has finished presenting her case against Instagram and YouTube. The plaintiff, a 20-year-old referred to as Kaley G.M. to protect her identity, alleges that features on the platforms contributed to anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphia she experienced as a minor. Her attorney, Mark Lanier, chose not to call Kaley's mother to testify live, instead presenting a brief portion of her deposition to the jury. The decision appeared partly influenced by strict time limits imposed by the judge during the trial. In the deposition testimony, the mother acknowledged she had little knowledge of her daughter's social media use and did not monitor her phone because she viewed it similarly to a household landline.Defense attorneys have argued that Kaley's mental health problems were caused by difficulties at home rather than the platforms themselves. Evidence introduced at trial suggested the plaintiff had conflicts with her mother, including allegations of neglect, verbal abuse, and limited supervision of internet use. The defense also pointed to bullying and other personal issues as alternative explanations for the plaintiff's struggles. Meanwhile, a former Meta employee testified that internal company information suggested Instagram could be addictive and harmful to young users, although defense lawyers challenged his credibility and the extent of his involvement with safety issues.The plaintiff's final expert witness discussed ways social media companies could design safer platforms for children. After the plaintiff rested, Meta began presenting its defense with testimony from school administrators connected to the plaintiff. The case is the first bellwether trial among thousands of similar lawsuits consolidated in California, with outcomes potentially shaping settlement negotiations and future trials. TikTok and Snap previously settled with this plaintiff, but the broader litigation against social media companies continues.Meta, Google Begin Defense As Mental Harm Plaintiff Rests - Law360 UKThe U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency told a federal trade court that it expects to create a system within about 45 days to process refunds for tariffs that were previously imposed under President Donald Trump and later ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The tariffs generated roughly $166 billion in payments from about 330,000 importers, and the Court's decision did not specify how those funds should be returned. As a result, government lawyers and a judge from the U.S. Court of International Trade are working to establish a practical process for issuing refunds.Under the proposed plan, importers would submit a declaration through CBP's electronic system detailing the tariffs they paid. The agency would verify the information and then issue a single payment from the Treasury Department to each importer, including interest. Officials say this approach would avoid forcing businesses to file individual lawsuits to recover their money. The judge overseeing the matter recently modified an earlier order that required immediate refunds, acknowledging that the agency needs time to build a workable system.CBP explained that its current administrative system cannot automatically process refunds on the massive scale required. Importers paid tariffs on more than 53 million shipments, and manually reviewing each transaction could require millions of hours of labor. Several large companies, including affiliates of Nintendo and CVS, have already filed lawsuits seeking repayment, though the government hopes a broader refund system will resolve claims more efficiently.Business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have supported the proposal, saying it could simplify the process for smaller companies. However, officials noted that relatively few importers have registered for the electronic refund system created earlier this year. The court continues to oversee the development of the refund process through a test case that could guide how payments are returned to all affected businesses.US customs agency expects tariff refund system to be ready in 45 days | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

    Paymentandbanking FinTech Podcast
    Episode 05_26: AI in Finance: Anthropic vs. OpenAI, Pentagon-Drama und Agentic Commerce

    Paymentandbanking FinTech Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 59:34


    In Folge 5 von AI in Finance sprechen Sascha und Maik über eine besonders aufgeladene KI-Woche. Es geht um den Machtkampf zwischen Anthropic und OpenAI, militärische KI-Nutzung, neue Agentic-Commerce-Ansätze und die Frage, wie sich Interfaces, Datenzugriffe und Zahlungsprozesse gerade verändern.

    News Talk 920 KVEC
    Pismo Beach Today 03/08/2026 12p: Anita finds out what is happening at The South County Chamber of Commerce

    News Talk 920 KVEC

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2026 56:22


    Pismo Beach Today 03/08/2026 12p: Anita finds out what is happening at the South County Chamber of Commerce. Produced by Jim Richards

    Analytic Dreamz: Notorious Mass Effect
    "NINTENDO IS SUING THE US GOVERNMENT |

    Analytic Dreamz: Notorious Mass Effect

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2026 17:31


    Linktree: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠⁠Join The Normandy For Ad-Free NME, Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠⁠The Nintendo Lawsuit Against U.S. Government Over Tariffs (2026) is heating up as Nintendo of America files suit on March 6, 2026, in the United States Court of International Trade. In this segment of Notorious Mass Effect, Analytic Dreamz dives into the high-profile case where Nintendo demands a full refund—with interest—of tariffs paid under now-invalidated policies imposed by the Trump administration starting February 1, 2025.The tariffs, enacted via executive orders under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), targeted imports from numerous countries, including key Nintendo manufacturing hubs like Vietnam and Cambodia. The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2026, in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump that IEEPA does not authorize such tariffs, deeming them unlawful and triggering over 380 similar corporate lawsuits (with thousands more including prior cases) from companies like Costco, Toyota, and GoPro seeking refunds on billions collected—estimates range from $166 billion to over $200 billion in total duties.Nintendo claims substantial harm from these "unlawful trade measures," citing impacts like delayed U.S. pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 (originally set to begin April 9, 2025, but postponed due to tariff uncertainty) and price hikes on the original Switch and some Switch 2 peripherals in 2025 to offset costs. The suit names agencies including the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Commerce, and the U.S. Trade Representative, plus officials like Scott Bessent and Kristi Noem.Refunds face delays: CBP cites manpower shortages, outdated systems, and massive volume, though a new processing system is expected in about 45 days. A federal judge has ordered reimbursements to begin, but logistical hurdles persist amid broader industry fallout, including potential future pressures like global RAM shortages.Analytic Dreamz breaks down the timeline, Supreme Court ruling, Nintendo's financial arguments, and what refunds could mean for console pricing across gaming—potentially stabilizing or lowering costs for Switch 2, PlayStation, Xbox, and hardware in 2026–2027 if the wave of litigation succeeds.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/exclusive-contentPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    Local Pulse with Joe DiBiase
    Show 576 - 03.07.2026

    Local Pulse with Joe DiBiase

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2026 66:37


    Nancy Caswell - Newburyport Chamber of Commerce; Ed Cameron - Newburyport City Councilor at Large

    Super-Spiked Podcast
    Super-Spiked Videopods (EP93): Long-Take From The Road: War in Iran

    Super-Spiked Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2026 17:17


    For Super-Spiked subscribers that prefer that written posts, we have included a lightly edited transcript of the video (blue download button below) along with a downloadable copy of the slide deck.WATCH the video on Substack by clicking the play button above or on YouTube (here).STREAM audio only on Apple Podcasts (here), Spotify (here), or your favorite podcast player app.DOWNLOAD a pdf of a lightly edited transcript using the blue Download buttons below.We are coming to you from Houston following my participation earlier this week at the Aspen Institute's Winter Energy Forum. This week we provide thoughts on Iran and the latest Middle East conflict. As usual, our focus is on what the long-term implications could be for companies and investors. Our ten initial long-term takeaways are as follows: 1 - Super Vol remains our commodity macro mantra. 2 - Middle East turmoil now as relevant to LNG (liquefied natural gas) as crude oil. 3 - Overhyped oil glut call. 4 - Energy source/technology diversification is a must for countries. 5 - Renewables and other new energies will continue to gain traction. 6 - The case for coal. 7- The case for Canada. 8 – Use unexpected free cash flow to reinforce fortress balance sheets. 9 - Undisruptable oil, gas, coal, copper, and critical minerals. 10 - Commerce over chaos and a brighter future for the Middle East.

    Outdoor Adventure Series
    Desert to Oasis on the Mother Road: Keller Horton's Permaculture Vision in Newberry Springs

    Outdoor Adventure Series

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2026 13:58


     Welcome to another episode of the Outdoor Adventure Series. We're continuing on our journey through the Newberry Springs area of California—specifically, right into the heart of a thriving pistachio grove. Our guest is Dr. Keller Horton, a certified permaculture designer and passionate advocate for sustainable land management. Keller is also a Director for the Newberry Springs Chamber of Commerce.Keller shares his journey: from purchasing his first 40 acres through a serendipitous magazine advertisement to creating a flourishing ecosystem that goes far beyond just pistachios. We learn about his mission to transform arid land into vibrant, productive food forests using permaculture principles—without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Hear about the challenges and rewards of introducing sustainable practices to both longtime farmers and curious community members, and learn how this approach not only nurtures the land but also inspires hope and collaboration across the Newberry Springs community.Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast, a budding permaculturist, or simply someone interested in how innovative agriculture can rejuvenate the land and build community connections, we continue to celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of Route 66 in Newberry Springs, CA.DISCUSSION00:00 "Pistachio Farming with Keller Horton"05:35 "Mulch: Key to Healthy Soil"08:58 "Permaculture Education and Ecosystems"11:51 "Celebrating the Newberry Springs Community"LEARN MORETo Learn more about Keller and his work, check out his book, Useful Trees and Shrubs in Dryland Permaculture, at https://www.amazon.com/Useful-Trees-Shrubs-Dryland-Permaculture/dp/0692936416To learn more about science and advocacy of permaculture, visit the World Permaculture Association at https://worldpermacultureassociation.com/To learn about Newberry Springs, CA, the Route 66 Big Birthday Bash, the Pistachio Festival, and much more, visit the Newberry Springs Chamber of Commerce at https://newberryspringschamber.com/ or on these social sites:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewberrySpringsChamberInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nbsp_chamberofcommerce/The Mother Road e-Newsletter: https://motherroadnewsletter.com/newsletter/NEXT STEPSVisit us at https://outdooradventureseries.com to like, comment, and share our episodes.KEYWORDSKeller Horton, Permaculture, Newberry Springs Chamber of Commerce, Route 66 Centennial, Outdoor Adventure Series, Podcast Interview#KellerHorton #Permaculture #NewberrySpringsChamberofCommerce #Route66Centennial #OutdoorAdventureSeries #PodcastInterviewMy Favorite Podcast Tools: Production by Descript Hosting Buzzsprout Show Notes by Castmagic Website powered by Podpage Be a Podcast Guest by PodMatch Banner Customization by Nano Banana & Canva

    Generazione Mobile
    Manager nei Paesi Bassi

    Generazione Mobile

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2026


    Trecentosettantesima puntata della trasmissione "Generazioni Mobili" di Radio 24, il primo "passaporto radiofonico valido per l'espatrio".ON AIR: su Radio 24 tutti i sabati dalle 14 alle 14.15, in versione "Express"IN PODCAST: sulle piattaforme di Radio 24 / Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music... e tante altre, in versione "Extralarge"In questa puntata:- Federico Fabiani, fondatore di "Scambi Europei", ci elenca le ultimissime e concrete opportunità di studio, stage e lavoro in Europa e nell'UE;- Alberto Colautti, manager 34enne al lavoro in Olanda, ci spiega come approdare professionalmente nei Paesi Bassi, meta sempre più ricercata e con un ambiente di lavoro estremamente internazionale - ospite in onda Alberto Vaccari, co-founder dell'associazione Italian Professional Network;- Alessio Romeo, Digital Innovator e HR Startup Inventor, ci porta a scoprire i trend lavorativi e le migliori offerte di impiego in Europa e nel mondo;- nella rubrica "Expats Social Club" nuovo appuntamento con i consigli pratici dell'Associazione delle Camere di Commercio Italiane all'Estero, con la quale andiamo ad esplorare le opportunità di fare impresa a livello globale. Oggi facciamo tappa in Corea del Sud, insieme a Jacopo Giuman, segretario generale della Italian Chamber of Commerce in Korea.CONNETTITI CON "GENERAZIONI MOBILI""Studiate/lavorate/siete imprenditori all'estero? Siete junior o senior? Avete una storia da raccontare e consigli preziosi da dare per cogliere opportunità oltreconfine, sfruttando le occasioni di mobilità internazionale? Scrivete a: generazionimobili@radio24.itOppure, avete domande da porre su come studiare/fare stage/lavorare/avviare start-up all'estero? Inviatele a: generazionimobili@radio24.itInfine, avete un sito/blog all'estero, nel quale fornite consigli pratici su come trasferirsi nel vostro attuale Paese di residenza? O avete scritto un libro su questo tema? Segnalateci tutto, sempre a: generazionimobili@radio24.it

    Le Panier
    [REDIFF] - Onomaturge : Branding et naming, choisir un nom puissant

    Le Panier

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 80:54


    L'épisode que vous allez écouter est une rediffusion d'un épisode initialement diffusé le 7 février 2025. Laurent Kretz reçoit Olivier Auroy, cofondateur d'Onomaturge, une agence experte en branding et en naming.Trouver un nom de marque ne se résume pas à une bonne idée crayonnée sur un coin de table, ou un mot qui “sonne bien”. Il représente un choix stratégique. Un nom doit porter une vision, incarner un positionnement, traverser parfois les frontières et évoluer avec l'entreprise. Au micro, Olivier Auroy nous emmène dans les dessous du naming :00:03:08 - Un onomaturge, c'est quoi et comment travaille-t-il ?00:07:39 - Qu'est-ce qu'un bon nom et pourquoi certains restent en tête ?00:16:53 - Les filtres essentiels : juridique, linguistique et SEO00:22:38 - Pourquoi l'émotion et l'intuition sont cruciales dans le choix d'un nom00:32:10 - Les pièges des tendances et des modes dans le namingEt 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 AddictHébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

    Digital Transformation Podcast
    The Future of AI Commerce

    Digital Transformation Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 20:59


    Matty Graham, Managing Director at Ryze Labs, envisions a future where AI agents, or "digital twins," handle key financial transactions—and feels that this is a natural evolution of cryptocurrency. Listen as we explore strategies working to shape the future of AI commerce. Host, Kevin Craine Do you want to be a guest? https://DigitalTransformationPodast.net/guest Do you want to be a sponsor? https://DigitalTransformationPodcast.net/advertise

    The Robin Report Podcast Series
    EP 281: A Data Expert Uncovers the Power of Re-Commerce

    The Robin Report Podcast Series

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 24:42


    We'd love to have your feedback and ideas for future episodes of Retail Unwrapped. Just text us!The consumer movement to invest in secondhand is led by values: meaning, provenance, and sustainability. Re-commerce is not a niche; it's a $180-$200 billion global, parallel economy growing up to five times faster than traditional retail. The brands that get this right think beyond the first sale and plan for the lifetime value of a product, including multiple sales. Join Shelley and Romain Fouache, CEO of Akeneo, as they discuss why eBay's acquisition of Depop for $1.2 billion strengthens its core business and marks a structural inflection point.  A data expert, Romain makes the case for the power of transparency. Secondhand operations are logistically incompatible with firsthand retail models. Every resale item is its own unique SKU, its own story, condition, and context. Brands that attempt to glue re-commerce onto traditional operations without rethinking their infrastructure are setting themselves up for expensive failure. Listen and learn how the brands that will win in re-commerce will be the ones with the richest, most comprehensive product information, including materials, origin, manufacturing details, and use history. Special Guest: Romain Fouache, CEO, AkeneoFor more strategic insights and compelling content, visit TheRobinReport.com, where you can read, watch, and listen to content from Robin Lewis and other retail industry experts, and be sure to follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

    Good Morning, HR
    Rebuilding Human Connection at Work with Lee Colan

    Good Morning, HR

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 49:03


    In episode 242, Coffey talks with Lee Colan about rebuilding human connection in a technology-driven, hybrid workplace.  They discuss the loneliness epidemic and its impact on employee wellbeing; differences between social isolation and emotional loneliness; remote work and the rise of frictionless digital experiences; Gallup and BetterUp data on workplace friendships and retention; the decline of socializing with coworkers outside work; practical rituals like high-low check-ins during meetings; the cultural effects of hybrid work and hot desking; personalization of workspaces to reinforce belonging; AI disruption of career paths and entry-level roles; the growing value of human-centered leadership skills; and a four-step model for building meaningful professional relationships.  Lee Colan's next book “The Connection Key: How to Unlock Your Positive Impact and Enhanced Wellbeing” releases in September.  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/EP242  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:  Lee J. Colan, Ph.D. is Lee is an organizational psychologist and CEO advisor. He possesses a rare combination of skills as a corporate executive, business consultant, thought leader, prolific author, artful facilitator, and engaging presenter.   Lee applies an in-depth understanding of business, science, people, and organizations to help leaders and organizations grow. As a result, he quickly helps leaders bring order where there is chaos, clarity where there is ambiguity and growth where there is decline. Lee is a John C. Maxwell Leadership Award finalist and Thinkers50 nominee for Top Management Thinker globally.  He has authored 16 popular leadership books that have been translated into 10 languages, including the bestselling Engaging the Hearts and Minds of All Your Employees, Stick with It: Mastering the Art of Adherence and Healthy Leadership. He has also created over 50 products that equip and encourage leaders at every level. Expertise CEO advisement, executive coaching, strategy planning and execution, employee engagement, keynote speaking, leadership training.  Education Doctoral degree, Organizational Psychology, George Washington University Bachelor's degree, Psychology and Communications, Summa Cum Laude, Florida State University Background  Lee brings 25 years of hands-on industry and consulting experience to his clients. He worked in various leadership roles with American Airlines, Sandoz (Novartis) and FoxMeyer (McKesson). He also held consulting positions with two premier firms: Booz, Allen & Hamilton and Mercer. His last corporate post was as Vice President for Physician Reliance Network (U.S. Oncology), one of the fastest growing NASDAQ companies at the time.  Lee currently serves as an Independent Director and member of the Personnel Committee for Pacific Seafood Group, the largest vertically integrated seafood company in North America. He is a former director for Aztec Systems who was ultimately sold to a private equity firm. He also served on the Advisory Board for ASSET InterTech who was acquired in 2021 by Constellation Software.  Lee Colan can be reached at https://thelgroup.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecolan  https://www.facebook.com/TheLGroupInc  https://www.instagram.com/leecolan  https://www.youtube.com/user/LeeJColan  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 29 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.   Learning Objectives: Identify the business impact of workplace loneliness and disconnection. Apply a simple four-step model to strengthen team relationships. Embed connection-building rituals into meetings and daily leadership practices. 

    David Jackson Productions
    Business Dreams & the Community Supports that Make it Happen

    David Jackson Productions

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 39:51


    Turning the napkin sketch into a viable business is one of the most exhilarating and equally terrifying tasks in the entrepreneurial journey. Here in the High Country, we are fortunate to have several partner organizations and programs that can help a small business move from theory to reality.This week on Mind Your Business, we show how these partners work to provide insight and expertise for budding business owners -- through the lens of the food truck community.Road Ready: Food Truck Fundamentals is an upcoming workshop for those seeking to grow or sustain a food truck business. This two-day experience will be held March 25-26 and is organized through the Small Business Center at Caldwell Community College at Technical Institute, in conjunction with AppHealthCare,  Empowering Mountain Food Systems, and the Watauga County Cooperative Extension. While this conversation may highlight the process of staring a food truck, much of our discussion with facilitator, Dani Black, owner of Bigger Tables Culinary & Service Consulting, centers on the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, with some helpful tips for those considering the creation of a business in any industry.You'll also hear details about our entrepreneurship local support network, and how partners like the Small Business Center, App State's Center for Entrepreneurship, Mountain BizWorks, the SBTDC, and your local Chamber of Commerce can support the process of turning dreams into business realities!Mind 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

    Open Record
    E403: After the Boom

    Open Record

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 45:45


    Construction has halted on a Milwaukee high-rise touted as the "world's tallest mass timber building." The future of the 31-story apartment building on the bank of the Milwaukee River downtown is in doubt, but it's not the only one. A growing list of major construction projects in and around Milwaukee are now in limbo. This week on Open Record, FOX6's Carl Deffenbaugh and Bryan Polcyn are joined by Chad Venne, Director of the Real Estate program at UW-Milwaukee's Lubar College of Business and Dale Kooyenga, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Milwuakee Association of Commerce. They explain the economic and demographic conditions behind the slowdown, why it's not just a Milwaukee problem, and how it could impact renters at all income levels. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    Carlsbad: People, Purpose and Impact
    Beyond the Bottom Line: Building Community Through Corporate Impact

    Carlsbad: People, Purpose and Impact

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 25:37


    Host Bret Schanzenbach sits down with Teresa Miller, Founder and CEO of 365 Connect, a purpose-driven 501(c)(3) that helps companies build meaningful corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs through employee engagement and volunteerism.Teresa shares her New York upbringing rooted in service, her journey through sports marketing and adaptive sports, and how a parent's introduction to CSR sparked the creation of 365 Connect. She breaks down CSR's four pillars (financial, ethical, legal, philanthropic) and explains how 365 Connect primarily supports the philanthropic arm through strategic volunteer programming.A standout example is their work with Home Depot—locally supporting veteran and military initiatives (including Purple Star schools) and nationally leading large-scale community builds like post-disaster renovations in Asheville to create transitional housing for displaced veterans. Teresa also highlights why in-person volunteering “humanizes” impact, boosts employee retention and morale, and strengthens brand trust with customers. Did this episode have a special impact on you? Share how it impacted youCarlsbad Podcast Social Links:LinkedInInstagramFacebookXYouTubeSponsor: This show is sponsored and produced by DifMix Productions. To learn more about starting your own podcast, visit www.DifMix.com/podcasting

    The Drum Network Podcast
    Commerce media 'evangelist' Andrew Lipsman on the $500bn still to be claimed

    The Drum Network Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 40:32


    The Drum's inaugural Commerce Media Awards will take place soon in Miami. As the gold rush moves into its second phase, we're joined by leading commentator Andrew Lipsman to chart how we got here, where there's still money to be made, and where Lipsman's looking to next for the follow-up opportunity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Mike Hosking Breakfast
    Simon Bridges: Auckland Business Chamber CEO on the joint programme with MSD to get people off the Jobseeker benefit

    The Mike Hosking Breakfast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 3:10 Transcription Available


    A new initiative to tackle the ballooning Jobseeker numbers. The Ministry of Social Development is pairing with the Chambers of Commerce to form ChamberWorks, in hopes of plugging a gap in the market. Data from December shows over 223 thousand people on the benefit, and the programme intends to connect employers with pre-screened, work-ready candidates. Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges told Mike Hosking many unemployed people are fairly recently out of work, are highly skilled and experienced, and absolutely ready to get back into the workforce. He says the connections the Chambers of Commerce have puts them in a good position to be the glue between MSD and businesses seeking good employees. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    KZRG Morning News Watch
    Pitch Palooza! - NewsTalk KZRG

    KZRG Morning News Watch

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 9:28


    How can YOU get your small business off the ground? Erin Slifka with the Joplin Chamber of Commerce along with Dr. Dominic Buccieri with MSSU joined NewsTalk KZRG to discuss the upcoming Pitch Palooza event!

    rose bros podcast
    #268: Trent Boehm (Redstone Oil Corp) - Starting A New Oil Company

    rose bros podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 51:13


    Greetings, and welcome back to the podcast. This episode we are joined by Mr. Trent Boehm - CEO of Redstone Oil Corp - a exploration-focused oil & gas startup company.Most recently Mr. Boehm held the position of Vice Chairman and Head of Energy Sales on the executive committee at Stifel Nicolaus Canada which operated under the brands Stifel FirstEnergy and Stifel GMP in Canada. From 2016 to 2019, Mr. Boehm served as a Managing Director and Head of Energy Sales on the executive committee at Canadian public company, GMP Capital. From 2002 to 2016 Mr. Boehm was a Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets at FirstEnergy Capital, where he was an integral part of the leadership team that built this privately held firm into a widely respected authority on the energy sector. Mr. Boehm is also a director at Western Energy Services Corp. Mr. Boehm holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation in addition to a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary. Among other things we learned about starting a new oil company.Thank you to our sponsors.Without their support this episode would not be possible:Connate Water SolutionsATB Capital MarketsNorthbase Astro Oilfield Rentals Bunch ProjectsSupport the show

    Second City Works presents
    Getting to Yes, And… | Funny Girls & The Second City – ‘Improv and Leadership for Girls: A New Free Program'

    Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026


    Kelly talks to Jenny Raymond from the Harnish Foundation and Julie Dumais Osborne from The Second City Training Center to talk about a new partnership that offers free improv-based leadership training for girls in grades 3 through 8 in Chicago called Funny Girls. The best part: IT’S FREE! For more information or to sign up […]

    Prosperity 101 Podcast hosted by Linda J Hansen
    Reclaiming the Global Climate Narrative – with Marc Morano – [Ep. 279]

    Prosperity 101 Podcast hosted by Linda J Hansen

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 36:25


    For decades, climate alarmists have used fear to convince and coerce people into submission regarding business operations and lifestyle choices. Years ago, we were bombarded with messages on global freezing and fear propaganda filled the media – until data showed otherwise. Then messaging switched to proclaim the threat of global warming. Repeated threats of worldwide deaths convinced the public to abide by choice-limiting regulations that altered lifestyles until once again - data showed otherwise. Now it is all just referred to as "climate change" – which somehow gives excuse to limit freedom, geoengineer weather, and regulate every aspect of life under global control. In this episode, Linda interviews Marc Morano, veteran journalist from ClimateDepot.com. They discuss climate treaties, energy production, presidential executive orders, and logical outcomes of various climate related policies. Marc also provided an update on the recent World Economic Forum meeting and the change in narrative by global leaders regarding climate. Listen today to learn how you can protect the climate – and your freedom. ©Copyright 2026, Prosperity 101, LLC __________________________________________________________ For information about our online course and other resources visit: https://prosperity101.com To order a copy of Prosperity 101 – Job Security Through Business Prosperity® by Linda J. Hansen, click here: https://prosperity101.com/products/ Become a Prosperity Partner: https://prosperity101.com/partner-contribution/ If you would like to be an episode sponsor, please contact us directly at https://prosperity101.com. You can also support this podcast by engaging with our Strategic Partners using the promo codes listed below. Be free to work and free to hire by joining RedBalloon, America's #1 non-woke job board and talent connector. Use Promo Code P101 or go to RedBalloon.work/p101 to join Red Balloon and support Prosperity 101®. Connect with other Kingdom minded business owners by joining the US Christian Chamber of Commerce. Support both organizations by mentioning Prosperity 101, LLC or using code P101 to join. https://uschristianchamber.com Mother Nature's Trading Company®, providing natural products for your health, all Powered by Cranology®. Use this link to explore Buy One Get One Free product options and special discounts: https://mntc.shop/prosperity101/ Unite for impact by joining Christian Employers Alliance at www.ChristianEmployersAlliance.org and use Promo Code P101. Support Pro-Life Payments and help save babies with every swipe. Visit www.prolifepayments.com/life/p101 for more information. Maximize your podcast by contacting Podcast Town. Contact them today: https://podcasttown.zohothrive.com/affiliateportal/podcasttown/login Check out VAUSA, America's choice for virtual assistants- https://hirevausa.com/connect" Thank you to all our guests, listeners, Prosperity Partners, and Strategic Partners. You are appreciated!   The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast do not necessarily represent those held or promoted by Linda J. Hansen or Prosperity 101, LLC.

    Britflicks.com Podcast
    Simon Poulter & Sophie Mellor and Movies That Changed Your Life: Gleaners & I, Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, Eraserhead

    Britflicks.com Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 49:09


    Join screenwriter Stuart Wright as he dives into movies that changed your life with film producer Simon Poulter & Sophie Mellor, in this engaging episode of 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life. Explore Gleaners & I's impact, Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles analysis, and Eraserhead's influence on her personal growth and cinema's transformative power. Simon Poulter & Sophie Mellor also discusses the making the documentary We Are Making A Film About Mark Fisher. Movies That Changed Your Life   Find out about Simon Poulter & Sophie Mellor made the documentary We Are Making A Film About Mark Fisher and the lasting impact of cinema with Stuart Wright on his movie podcast.   [1:20] The making of “We Are Making A Film About Mark Fisher” 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life Gleaners & I impact  [27:20] Simon Poulter & Sophie Mellor says Gleaners & I is a film they watched quite recently and was made in a similar way to how they made We Are Making A Film About Mark Fisher Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles analysis [32:42] Sophie Mellor says she saw Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles at her local arthouse cinema and was blown by it - even more so when you consider the director, Chantal Ackerman, was only 24 when she shot the film. Eraserhead Influence   [38:56] Simon Poulter says he saw Eraserhead shortly after it came out. He had no idea you could make films like this and it is an example of what he calls a permissive film. In that it made him understand you could do whatever you want. Key Take Aways:   Discover how movies that changed your life shape personal and professional growth. Learn about how Simon Poulter & Sophie Mellor made the documentary We Are Making A Film About Mark Fisher. Understand cinema's transformative power through Gleaners & I (2000), Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975), Eraserhead (1977) About the Guest:   Simon Poulter & Sophie Mellor are artists and filmmakers known for We Are Making A Film About Mark Fisher. For more on how and/or where to watch We Are Making A Film About Mark Fisher see https://www.closeandremote.net/portfolio/we-are-making-a-film-about-mark-fisher/ and https://www.instagram.com/markfisherfilm/    Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcasts for more movies that impacted your life!  Share your favourite movies that impacted your life on X (@leytonrocks) and leave a 5-star review and tell us which 3 films impacted your adult life. Best ones get read out on the podcast. Credits:   Intro/Outro music: *Rocking The Stew* by Tokyo Dragons (https://www.instagram.com/slomaxster/)  Written, produced, and hosted by Stuart Wright for [Britflicks.com](https://www.britflicks.com/britflicks-podcast/)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Valley Today
    The Mad Scientist Farmer: Robby Ds Lil Greens

    The Valley Today

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 23:48


    A Thriving Indoor Farm Operation In this episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael and cohost Niki Foster from the Front Royal/Warren County Chamber of Commerce talk with chamber member & community advocate Rob Demariano about his growing business Robby Ds Lil Greens, an indoor vertical microgreen farm that has been quietly revolutionizing local food access in Front Royal, Virginia for nearly three years. Operating as a one-man enterprise, Rob has managed to expand his delivery footprint from Front Royal to encompass the region between Martinsburg and Luray, reaching as far east as The Plains. Remarkably, he's even scheduling meetings with Northern Virginia restaurants to further extend his reach. Unlike traditional outdoor farming, Rob's indoor operation allows him to control every environmental variable year-round. "I can dial in weather, humidity, everything," he explains, noting that while he admittedly has "a bit of a brown thumb" when it comes to outdoor gardening, the controlled indoor environment lets him perfect his growing methods and lock them in consistently. Understanding the Microgreen Advantage For those unfamiliar with microgreens, Rob offers a clear distinction from their better-known cousin, the sprout. While sprouts consist simply of seeds with small stems emerging—think mung beans—microgreens advance to the leafing stage, similar to seedlings. This developmental sweet spot delivers maximum flavor intensity and nutritional density. "The sweets are sweeter. The radishes have more bite," Rob notes, adding that microgreens are legitimately certified superfoods with significantly higher nutrition levels than their full-grown counterparts. Innovative Product Development Beyond fresh microgreens, Rob has channeled his inner "mad scientist" to create an impressive array of value-added products. His freeze-dried broccoli microgreen mango drink cleverly disguises the superfood within a bright yellow beverage that looks and tastes like ordinary mango juice. After depleting his first production run from fall through early March, he's preparing another batch for late March. Meanwhile, his collaboration with Wuuds Coffee—a Smithsonian-recommended, bird-friendly coffee roaster—and Hawksbill Mountain Mushroom has yielded a microgreen and mushroom coffee blend. The pre-ground mixture requires no additional preparation, brewing just like regular coffee without any grittiness. Customers can purchase it locally or order online with free Friday delivery throughout the Winchester and Front Royal areas. Rob's partnerships extend into the dessert realm as well. Working with Uncle Beehive in Winchester, he developed a Genovese basil ice cream using their lemon cream base. After a successful soft launch late last year, he's now dedicating two full growing racks exclusively to basil production to meet demand. The ice cream will soon appear permanently on the menu at an unnamed Winchester restaurant. Most recently, Rob partnered with Bethlehem Farms to create microgreen-topped wood-fired personal pan pizzas. Priced at just $14, these pizzas feature top-quality ingredients and sold out almost immediately upon their launch last week. The Farm to Fam Initiative However, Rob's most ambitious project represents the culmination of his original business vision. Launching March 28th, the "Farm to Fam" program partners with the Hike Kidz Foundation, a local 501(c)(3) organization, to address food insecurity while supporting small-scale farmers. "I have so many partners that I've gotten through the years," Rob explains. "I said, why aren't we putting together a CSA-style box utilizing all local farmers and producers and look to those in our community who are suffering from food insecurity?" The program will initially deliver 50 boxes to 50 Warren County families experiencing food insecurity, providing them with premium local products including fresh superfoods, milk, eggs, and meats. Funded through a recently approved grant and private donations, the initiative aims to grow from monthly or biweekly deliveries to weekly distribution. Importantly, the program serves a dual purpose. By paying small-scale farms for their products through grant funding, Farm to Fam creates stable income streams that help these operations grow. Rob envisions families eventually participating through volunteering with box packing and even farming activities, creating a sustainable ecosystem that benefits both food-insecure families and local agricultural businesses. A Community Leader Rob's commitment extends beyond his business ventures. He serves on multiple boards including the Front Royal Warren County Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Front Royal, Hike Kidz Foundation, and Front Royal Soccer Association. Niki emphasizes his community involvement: "He is one of those people who you heard him talk about all the business stuff that he is doing. He also gives of his time for organizations and the folks in the community as well." Connecting with the Community Customers can order from Robby Ds Lil Greens through robbydslilgreens.com, with free Friday deliveries for local orders. The business also maintains active Facebook and Instagram presences. For those interested in volunteering with the Farm to Fam project, information is available through the Hike Kidz Foundation website at hikekidzfoundation.org. As Rob continues experimenting with new products and expanding his community impact, his story illustrates how innovative agriculture can address both nutritional needs and food system sustainability simultaneously. With each new partnership and product launch, this one-man operation proves that thinking creatively about local food systems can yield benefits far beyond the farm itself.

    Arizona's Morning News
    Danny Seiden, CEO and president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry

    Arizona's Morning News

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 5:59


    Arizona's defense industry makes up a small portion of the state's economy. Danny Seiden, CEO and president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry joints to talk about how the impact of the Iran conflict will affect the state.

    Explaining the Pax Americana

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 145:45


    In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine the systemic evolution of American global hegemony, contrasting Pax Americana's democratic mass-society constraints against historical aristocratic models while exploring cultural agency and geopolitical transitions. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction to the Pax Americana (02:16) The Postmodern System and Psychological Traps (04:46) Transcending Historical Frames (06:55) The Value of Universal Wisdom (08:26) Managing Empire Cycles and System Dependencies (10:05) Human Nature and the "Universal Person" (11:34) Democratizing Cultural Agency (13:30) The Disjointed Reality of American Power (15:52) Case Study: The Vietnam War (18:50) Case Study: The Iraq War and Democratic Failure (21:55) The "No Chill" President (24:26) The Global Anglo System and the Pax Britannica (27:14) Resentment Against the Liberal World Order (30:21) Emergent Phenomena vs. Cabals (32:55) Modernity, Systems, and the Loss of Agency (34:50) The 9/11 Psychological Shift and "Revenge" Culture (41:15) The Post-Cold War Global Consensus and Neoliberalism (48:20) Structural Incentives in the Department of Commerce (54:10) The Failure of Centralized Economic Arbitrations (Greece Case Study) (1:05:30) British Indirect Rule and the Aristocratic Model (1:18:45) Germany, Japan, and the Rebellion Against Modernity (1:32:10) Liberalism as the Foundation of the Pax Americana (1:45:50) Industrial Priest Classes and Social Herd Mentality (2:01:20) Sexual Polarity and Celtic Influence in American Culture (2:15:10) System-Wide Corruption vs. Accountable Power (2:24:32) Conclusion and Future Topics: The Cold War Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Sound of Ideas
    Younger people are increasingly victims of online scams due to AI technology

    The Sound of Ideas

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 51:23


    Protecting yourself from scamsThe Ohio Department of Commerce estimates that Ohioans collectively lose $150 million to scammers. Last year, in Cuyahoga County alone, the losses to scams were more than $5 million. Senior citizens have long been the focus of consumer protection efforts due to scammers preying on them using fear and high-pressure techniques to get at their money and personal information. But the rise of artificial intelligence and people spending more time online, has helped to reshape the narrative as increasingly, even younger, digital savvy people are also becoming victims. According to the Better Business Bureau of Cleveland, younger adults are scammed more often but older adults suffer larger money losses. Cuyahoga County Scam Squad This week the focus is on consumer protection and educating people on how to spot scams through National Consumer Protection Week, but the awareness is needed year round. Experts say it is becoming more difficult to determine what is real and what is a scam. We're going to talk about scams and how to protect your money and personal information to begin today's show. Call the Cuyahoga Scam Squad at 216-443-SCAM (7226) to talk with an investigator 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Guests:-Sheryl Harris, Director, Dept. of Consumer Affairs, Cuyahoga County-Katie Hills, Marketing Director, Better Business Bureau Cleveland The Future of Burke LakefrontBurke Lakefront Airport is full of contradictions. Corporate executives fly in and out on private jets, yet it's partially built with dredged up dirt and trash from the Cuyahoga River. It was hailed in 1947 when it opened as the nation's downtown airport, but usage has been steadily declining for years. The Cleveland International Airshow is a large economic driver, but only occupies the airport a few days each Labor Day weekend. There's been a long-running debate over what to do with the airport, with Mayor Justin Bibb saying it's a goal of his to close Burke and transform the land. Wednesday night, the next "Sound of Ideas Community Tour" tackles what to do with Burke. Next in the hour, we'll look back at the history of the airport and discuss what's currently underway. Guest:- Steve Litt, Freelance Reporter covering art, architecture and economic development, Ideastream Public Media

    Repeatable Revenue
    Growth, Profit, or Family — Which Are You Sacrificing?

    Repeatable Revenue

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 6:42 Transcription Available


    I came across a clip of Alex Hormozi responding to a roofer at one of his workshops — a guy doing $6 million a year who wants to get to $100 million without losing time with his family — and what Alex said applies to basically every business owner I know. In this episode, I break down why wanting it all isn't a hard formula, it's a losing one. Aggressive growth, fat margins, and maximum family time are all worthy goals, but each one has a real cost, and those costs compete with each other. Most people refuse to pick, and that's exactly why they feel stuck, guilty, and frustrated all the time. There are two paths out, and I want to walk you through both of them.//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

    The Weekly Roundup
    Chatter with BNC | Kit Cramer - President & CEO, Greater Asheville Chamber

    The Weekly Roundup

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 23:27


    Welcome to Chatter with BNC, Business North Carolina's weekly podcast, serving up interviews with some of the Tar Heel State's most interesting people. On today's episode, Ben Kinney speaks with Kit Cramer, President and CEO of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. Kit shares her journey from PR work in Florida to 18 years at the Charlotte Chamber, a stint leading the International Downtown Association in Washington, D.C., and ultimately landing in Asheville. The conversation covers her philosophy on leadership and being a "fixer," the ongoing recovery of Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene, and the remarkable resilience and community spirit she's witnessed. The two also swap stories about live music, cover bands, and their shared love of yacht rock.

    Accents d'Europe
    La Cour européenne des droits de l'homme sous les pressions politiques

    Accents d'Europe

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 19:29


    Au nom de la sécurité, peut-on limiter les droits de l'homme, les droits des migrants ? C'est le débat qui sous-tend les attaques répétées dont la Cour fait l'objet. La CEDH sous pression Longtemps portée par les extrêmes droites européennes, l'idée de déroger aux droits humains des personnes en migration, pour des raisons de sécurité, est désormais à l'agenda politique de nombreux gouvernements du Vieux Continent. Pour preuve, cette déclaration commune publiée en décembre 2025 par plus de la moitié des 46 États membres du Conseil de l'Europe, qui demandent à ce que l'interprétation de la Cour Européenne des droits de l'homme sur les questions migratoires soit révisée. Alors que la Cour doit bientôt se prononcer sur plusieurs affaires, notre correspondante à Strasbourg, Wyloën Munhoz Boillot s'est penchée sur ce débat juridique de plus en plus politisé. En Pologne, la frontière avec la Biélorussie est le théâtre d'une crise migratoire dramatique depuis 2021, une crise orchestrée par le régime du dictateur biélorusse Alexandre Loukachenko. Pour déstabiliser Varsovie, Minsk organise l'acheminement de migrants vers les dangereuses forêts frontalières de l'Union européenne, et la Pologne répond par une politique extrêmement dure, quitte à être accusée de violer le droit d'asile et les droits humains. À Varsovie, les précisions d'Adrien Sarlat.    La chronique musique de Vincent Théval : Orgulho, du groupe belge Ão.    Au Royaume-Uni, la monarchie britannique ressort très affaiblie la médiatique affaire Epstein, dont les ramifications n'ont sans doute pas fini de rattraper certains des hommes les puissants de la planète. Le frère du roi Charles III, Andrew Windsor, a été arrêté le 19 février 2026. Il a passé 11h en garde à vue, soupçonné d'abus de pouvoir, lorsqu'il était représentant spécial du Commerce entre 2001 et 2011. Déjà accusé d'agressions sexuelles sur une Américaine qui avait 17 ans au moment des faits, le prince déchu pourrait être renvoyé devant la justice et risque la prison à vie. De quoi changer le regard que les Britanniques portent sur leur monarchie. À Londres, le reportage de Marie Billon.

    The Agile World with Greg Kihlstrom
    #821: From eTail: CommerceIQ's Himanshu Jain and Bill Schneider on delaying the gap between strategy and execution

    The Agile World with Greg Kihlstrom

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 27:18


    What if the biggest bottleneck in your commerce strategy isn't the strategy itself, but the time it takes your team to actually perform the actions to execute it?Agility requires not just having the right insights, but also the operational capacity to act on them at the speed the market demands.Today, we're going to talk about a critical bottleneck many brands face: the delay between data-driven insight and real-world execution. Commerce teams are often drowning in data but struggle with the manual, time-consuming work of implementing changes, whether it's updating product pages or optimizing media spend. This has led to a major shift, where brands are looking beyond traditional agency models and toward a new paradigm of 'agentic AI'—using automated agents to handle execution, freeing up human experts to focus on what they do best: strategy.We are here at eTail Palm Springs, and to help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Himanshu Jain, Co-Founder and Head of Product, and Bill Schneider, VP Product Marketing at CommerceIQ. About Bill Schneider and Himanshu Jain Himanshu Jain is the Cofounder and Head of Product at CommerceIQ, a Series D agentic AI company based in the Bay Area. CommerceIQ is a leader in retail technology, having raised $200M from SoftBank and Insights Partners, and serving 10 of the top 12 CPG brands globally. He builds vertical AI and autonomous agent platforms that help the world's largest consumer brands win across ecommerce and omnichannel retail. Over the past decade, he has repeatedly taken AI products from zero to product–market fit, scaling them into multi-million-dollar businesses across retail media, pricing, supply chain, and digital shelf. With deep roots in machine learning, SaaS and enterprise strategy, he operates at the intersection of advanced AI systems and measurable commercial impact. Himanshu Jain is the Cofounder and Head of Product at CommerceIQ, a Series D agentic AI company based in the Bay Area. CommerceIQ is a leader in retail technology, having raised $200M from SoftBank and Insights Partners, and serving 10 of the top 12 CPG brands globally. He builds vertical AI and autonomous agent platforms that help the world's largest consumer brands win across ecommerce and omnichannel retail. Over the past decade, he has repeatedly taken AI products from zero to product–market fit, scaling them into multi-million-dollar businesses across retail media, pricing, supply chain, and digital shelf. With deep roots in machine learning, SaaS and enterprise strategy, he operates at the intersection of advanced AI systems and measurable commercial impact. Bill Schneider and Himanshu Jain on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-schneider-b32a6a/ Resources CommerceIQ: www.commerceiq.ai The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703 Drive your customers to new horizons at the premier retail event of the year for Retail and Brand marketers. Learn more at CRMC 2026, June 1-3. https://aglbrnd.co/r/d15ec37a537c0d74 Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3 Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716ba Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

    The CPG Guys
    Commerce Riff with Sri & PVSB - March 3, 2026

    The CPG Guys

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 11:35


    Each week, the CPG Guys will riff on the hottest topics in the world of omnichannel commerce. This week's topics:Walmart settles with FTCConsumers prioritize proteinTariff refundsGrocery pricesCPG 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.

    We Don't PLAY
    Product E Commerce SEO vs. Service-Based SEO for SMBs: Online Presence and Maximizing Revenue Masterclass with Favour Obasi-ike

    We Don't PLAY

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 91:01


    Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS, provides a comprehensive guide to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The episode explores the critical differences in SEO strategies for product-based (E Commerce / E-Commerce) and service-based businesses (SEO Services), offering actionable insights for online growth.Favour emphasizes the foundational importance of a fast, reliable website for any business, highlighting how website performance directly impacts user experience and, consequently, SEO algorithm rankings. For product-based businesses, the discussion centers on the power of visual storytelling through high-quality, optimized images and the technical advantages of using structured data to create informative rich snippets in search results. The episode then shifts to service-based businesses (SEO Services), detailing how to build trust and authority through valuable content marketing and the necessity of local SEO for businesses serving a specific geographic area. A key theme throughout the episode is the concept of user intent, with Favour explaining how to target both commercial and informational keywords to attract customers at every stage of their journey. Finally, the episode underscores the long-term nature of SEO, stressing that consistency in content creation and optimization efforts is the ultimate key to sustainable online success. This podcast episode is a must-listen for any business owner looking to demystify SEO and implement effective strategies for lasting growth.Book SEO Services? Save These Quick Links for Later>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Book SEO Services with Favour Obasi-ike⁠>> Visit Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Read SEO Articles>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Purchase Flaev Beatz Beats Online>> Favour Obasi-ike Quick LinksEpisode Key Takeaways1. Website Performance is Paramount: A fast, reliable, and user-friendly website is the non-negotiable foundation for any successful SEO strategy, impacting everything from user engagement to search engine rankings.2. Tailor Your SEO Strategy: The optimal SEO approach differs significantly between product-based and service-based businesses. Product businesses should focus on visual optimization and structured data, while service businesses should prioritize content that builds authority and trust.3. Leverage Visuals for Product SEO: For e-commerce and product-focused businesses, high-quality, optimized images with descriptive alt text are crucial for attracting and converting customers who rely on visual information to make purchasing decisions.4. Build Authority with Content for Service SEO: Service-based businesses can establish themselves as industry leaders by consistently creating valuable, informative content (like blogs, case studies, and whitepapers) that addresses their target audience's needs and questions.5. Master User Intent: Understanding whether a user is looking to buy (commercial intent) or learn (informational intent) is key. A balanced content strategy that targets both types of keywords will capture a wider audience and nurture leads through the entire customer journey.6. Embrace Local SEO: For service businesses with a physical location or defined service area, optimizing for local search by managing a Google Business Profile and creating location-specific content is essential for attracting nearby customers.7. Consistency is the Long-Term Game: SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Sustainable growth is achieved through consistent, long-term effort in content creation, technical optimization, and building a strong online presence, rather than expecting overnight success.Memorable Quotes[09:05] "As a service-based business or as a product-based business is your website. How fast is your website?"[35:09] "That's why we're in this room today because we want to know what is a commercial value?"[36:22] "You gotta be consistent, you gotta be putting out the content, you gotta do a lot of things."[37:01] "Long, long, long, long, long-term."Episode FAQs1. What is the most important first step in any SEO strategy?The most crucial first step is ensuring you have a fast, reliable, and mobile-friendly website. A poor-performing site will undermine all other SEO efforts.2. How does SEO for a product-based business differ from a service-based business?Product-based SEO heavily relies on high-quality images, structured data (schema markup) for product details, and e-commerce platform optimization. Service-based SEO focuses more on building authority through in-depth content, demonstrating expertise, and often includes a strong local SEO component.3. What is user intent and why is it important for SEO?User intent is the 'why' behind a search query. It can be informational (looking for information), commercial (intending to buy), transactional (ready to complete a purchase), or navigational (looking for a specific site). Understanding intent allows you to create content that directly addresses the user's needs, leading to higher engagement and better rankings.4. How long does it take to see results from SEO?SEO is a long-term strategy. While some minor results can be seen in a few months, significant, lasting results typically take six months to a year of consistent effort to achieve.5. What is the role of content in SEO for service-based businesses?For service-based businesses, content is the primary tool for building trust and demonstrating expertise. High-quality blog posts, articles, case studies, and guides attract potential clients, answer their questions, and position your business as a credible authority in your field.Episode Timestamps[00:00] Introduction: SEO for Product vs. Service Businesses[03:03] The Difference Between Product and Service-Based Businesses[08:56] The Importance of Website Speed and Reliability[10:01] SEO for Product-Based Businesses: Images and Structured Data[15:21] SEO for Service-Based Businesses: Content and Local SEO[34:10] Understanding User Intent: Commercial vs. Informational Keywords[36:07] The Importance of Consistency in SEOSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    money social media ai google social bible marketing entrepreneur service news podcasts ms sales search podcasting chatgpt mba artificial intelligence product web services branding consistency reddit seo hire sustainable commerce small business masterclass pinterest ecommerce tactics favor revenue traffic digital marketing favourite bible study favorites maximizing entrepreneurial content creation user budgeting content marketing financial planning web3 email marketing rebranding social media marketing hydration small business owners reliability entrepreneur magazine money management favour geo monetization marketing tips search engines web design search engine optimization quora smbs drinking water online presence b2b marketing podcast. sold out google ai biblical principles website design marketing tactics get hired digital marketing strategies local seo entrepreneur mindset business news entrepreneure small business marketing google apps spending habits social commerce seo tips google business profile website traffic small business success entrepreneur podcast small business growth podcasting tips ai marketing seo experts webmarketing branding tips financial stewardship google seo small business tips email marketing strategies pinterest marketing social media ads build authority entrepreneur tips seo tools search engine marketing marketing services budgeting tips service businesses memorable quotes seo agency web 3.0 social media week web traffic seo marketing blogging tips podcast seo entrepreneur success structured data small business loans social media news personal financial planning ecommerce seo small business week seo specialist website seo marketing news seo podcast content creation tips digital marketing podcast seo best practices kangen water seo services data monetization live commerce ad business diy marketing obasi large business web tools pinterest seo web host smb marketing seo news marketing hub marketing optimization small business help online commerce storybranding web copy entrepreneur support pinterest ipo entrepreneurs.
    Second City Works presents
    Getting to Yes, And… | Bob Johansen – ‘Navigating the Age of Chaos'

    Second City Works presents "Getting to Yes, And" on WGN Plus

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026


    Kelly welcomes futurist Bob Johansen back to the podcast to discuss his book “Navigating the Age of Chaos.” Bob introduces us to the term BANI, which describes the world we live in now: Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible. Spoiler alert – improvisation is a skill one needs to navigate this world. “In the mid-2010’s, everything […]

    Cyber Security Headlines
    Department of Know: iPhone, iPad and Grok get greenlight, WiFi gets snitched

    Cyber Security Headlines

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 37:42


    Link to episode page This week's Department of Know is hosted by Rich Stroffolino with guests Dan Holden, CISO, Commerce, and Mark Eggleston, CISO, CSC Thanks to our show sponsor, Adaptive Security This episode is brought to you by Adaptive Security, the first security awareness platform built to stop AI-powered social engineering. AI is rewriting the cybersecurity rulebook, because attackers can now scale persuasion as easily as they scale code. The real target isn't just your systems anymore; it's human trust. If you aren't actively testing your organization against AI-driven phishing, vishing, and deepfakes, you're leaving a gap criminals will exploit. Adaptive runs realistic simulations and delivers tailored, engaging training so teams respond correctly when it counts. Learn more at adaptivesecurity.com. All links and the video of this episode can be found on CISO Series.com      

    The VOHeroes Podcast
    13273: Left-brained? Right-brained? Relax. You're Likely Both.

    The VOHeroes Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 3:44


    Hey there, hero!If you're at all like me, I've often wondered if I'm the odd man out. A left-brained person in a right-brained body.See, I'm a creative…but I'm also proudly analytical and organized.I hear you. “Freak!” Yep.And guess what? Turns out you are too.My evidence? Two different authoritative videos on YouTube that dispel the left-brain/right-brain myth.From Encyclopedia Britannica:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkJHc5QKc8wAnd from TedX:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMSbDwpIyF4Feel better? Still hanging on to your past labels? 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/left-brained-right-brained-relax-youre-likely-both/#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 ...

    BREAK/FIX the Gran Touring Motorsports Podcast
    Latimore Valley: Where Memory Fuels Motorsport Heritage

    BREAK/FIX the Gran Touring Motorsports Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 43:48 Transcription Available


    This episode of The Logbook, our History of Motorsports Series, delves into the history and community heritage of the Latimore Valley Fairgrounds in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Starting from its inception in the 1920s as a fairground and dirt speedway, the site experienced decline before being revived in the 1980s by the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing (EMMR) as a vintage race car exhibition venue. Led by Alison Kreitzer, director of Collections at EMMR, the narrative details the impact of institutional memory in preserving cultural heritage, highlighting the role of grassroots efforts and the Williams Grove Old Timers. The story encompasses the socio-cultural dynamics of rural America, including moments of innovation, racial exclusion, and revival efforts. The episode also emphasizes the importance of preserving motorsport history through community engagement, oral histories, and the ongoing activities at Latimore Valley and the EMMR, ensuring the legacy and passion of motorsports continue to thrive. ===== (Oo---x---oO) ===== 00:00 Latimore Valley Fairgrounds: A Historical Overview 02:41 The Emergence of Automobile Racing 03:36 Challenges and Controversies in the 1920s 07:19 Racing and Social Divisions 11:42 The Decline and Revival Efforts 16:18 The Role of Oral Histories 21:25 The Williams Grove Old Timers and EMMR 31:39 The Rebirth of Latimore Valley Fair 32:18 Expansion and Legacy of EMMR 35:24 Q&A Session 41:11 Closing Remarks and Credits ==================== The Motoring Podcast Network : Years of racing, wrenching and Motorsports experience brings together a top notch collection of knowledge, stories and information. #everyonehasastory #gtmbreakfix - motoringpodcast.net More Information: Visit Our Website Become a VIP at: Patreon Online Magazine: Gran Touring Follow us on Social: Instagram This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family - and was recorded in front of a live studio audience.

    Repeatable Revenue
    Stop Selling During Discovery. Here's What to Do Instead.

    Repeatable Revenue

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 4:46 Transcription Available


    I was coaching an MSP seller recently, and she kept asking me the same question — when I hear a problem, why wouldn't I just address it right then? It's a fair instinct, but it's also exactly what's killing deals. In this episode, I use a trial lawyer analogy to explain why the best sellers treat discovery like cross-examination — pulling information, staying patient, and never mixing the case-building with the closing argument. If you're pitching solutions mid-discovery, you're leaving facts on the table and signaling that you're there to sell, not to understand. Discovery is where you build the case. Closing is where you present it.//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

    Watch What Crappens
    #3237 The Valley Persian Style S1E09: Woosah in the Sky With Trymonds

    Watch What Crappens

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 69:50


    The Valley Persian Style ends its season with classy GG throwing wine at Sky because she doesn't like the valley. Good lord. Are they getting money from the Valley Chamber of Commerce or what? Literally no one has ever stood for the val this deeply. To watch this recap on video, listen to our bonus episodes, and get ad free listening, go to Patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens. Find bonus episodes at patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens and follow us on Instagram @watchwhatcrappens @ronniekaram @benmandelker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Ultimate Guide to Partnering™
    289 – The End of Attention: Why ‘Business as Usual’ Will Fail in 2026

    Ultimate Guide to Partnering™

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 42:10


    Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/Check Out UPX:https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ The Shift from Attention to Trust In this compelling episode, Ashleigh Vogstad, CEO of Transcends, joins Vince Menzione to discuss the tectonic shifts occurring in the global partner ecosystem. Ashleigh shares her firsthand experiences studying AI at Oxford, the rise of the “Trust Economy,” and the controversial Amazon vs. Perplexity lawsuit. They dive deep into the practicalities of becoming a “Frontier Firm,” the importance of building proprietary AI agents, and the ways Gen Z and AI-driven marketplaces are revolutionizing the buyer journey. Whether you are looking to win Microsoft Partner of the Year or navigate the demise of traditional SaaS, this conversation provides a strategic roadmap for leading through the AI revolution. Key Takeaways The economy is shifting from a focus on human attention to a foundation of verified trust. Future commerce will involve “selling to machines” as AI agents begin making purchasing decisions on behalf of humans. Microsoft is prioritizing “Frontier Firms” that integrate AI into every customer interaction and internal process. Gen Z buyers are prioritizing product value and “dupes” over traditional brand names, with 75% of buyers expected to be Gen Z by 2030. To win Partner of the Year, organizations must publicly celebrate “better together” stories with validated customer wins. Modern leaders should transition from a “growth mindset” to a “frontier mindset” to keep pace with rapid technological change. https://youtu.be/xJmd43NvfnI If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Key Tags Trust Economy, Selling to Machines, Amazon vs Perplexity Lawsuit, Frontier Firm, AI Agents, Copilot Studio, Anthropic Claude, Microsoft Partner of the Year, B2B Marketplaces, Gen Z Buyer Behavior, Digital Freedom, AI Therapy, Ray Kurzweil Singularity, Substack Growth, Co-selling Partnerships, MCI Funding, Azure Accelerate, Agentic AI, Transcending Tech, Ashleigh Vogstad. Transcript Asleigh Vogstad Audio Podcast [00:00:00] Ashleigh Vogstad: The attention economy is about selling to human beings. Now, if you look at something like the Amazon versus Perplexity lawsuit, the whole underlying premise is around the shift of no longer selling to humans directly, but of selling to machines. [00:00:19] Vince Menzione: We just finished Ultimate Partners Winter Retreat here in beautiful Boca to a sold out crowd. Today I’m joined by Ashley Waad. The CEO of transcends for this compelling discussion. Ash, welcome back to the podcasts. [00:00:34] Ashleigh Vogstad: It’s so good to be here, Vince. Thank you. Uh, [00:00:37] Vince Menzione: so well, we’re back in Boca again and we were just here yesterday for the Ultimate Partner Executive Winter Retreat in person. [00:00:44] Vince Menzione: What a great event we had together. [00:00:46] Ashleigh Vogstad: It was phenomenal. Thank you so much for having us there and on stage and, and genuinely the community is like a family, so seeing so many familiar faces and spending some quality time was just great. [00:00:57] Vince Menzione: It has really, truly become like family. It really, I’m, I’m, I’m having so much fun with this and getting to watch. [00:01:04] Vince Menzione: Not just our business grow and our community grow, but to see all of our friends and, uh, organizations like Transcends that have been with us since the beginning, since the very first ultimate partner acting even before the first ultimate partner. And, uh. We were just talking about. I’d love to catch up with what you’ve been doing. [00:01:22] Vince Menzione: Like you just came, you’ve been on a whirlwind. I mean, you’re always, every time like it’s, where’s Ash? She’s, uh, she’s on a plane again, or she’s on, she’s on the slopes. But tell us where you were just this week. [00:01:34] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. The week started in a snowstorm, actually transporting myself from Whistler. I didn’t know if I would make it to the airport, but then down to Silicon Valley and [00:01:45] Vince Menzione: Nice. [00:01:46] Ashleigh Vogstad: Wow, that place is just inspiring and eyeopening. I mean, seeing the Nvidia campus, a MD, it’s really just other worldly and it had me reflecting on, it’s [00:02:00] Vince Menzione: not Whistler. Yeah, it’s [00:02:02] Ashleigh Vogstad: definitely not Whistler. Definitely not Whistler [00:02:05] Vince Menzione: about, [00:02:06] Ashleigh Vogstad: um, yeah, it just had me reflecting on being down there. I used to spend a lot of time in the Valley around 2017 and. [00:02:13] Ashleigh Vogstad: In this theme of AI and kind of what’s really coming, I was, I was thinking about, I had met this woman, Julia Moss Bridge, who’s a neuroscientist studying ai. She had a project called Loving Ai, and I was down there when they had borrowed Sophia, this humanoid robot from S and Robotics. [00:02:32] Vince Menzione: Oh yes. Yes. [00:02:33] Ashleigh Vogstad: Really interesting. [00:02:34] Ashleigh Vogstad: Sophia’s actually a citizen of Saudi. Mm-hmm. First, first robot to actually be made citizen of a country. So they had Sophia set up and the part that was just mind boggling at the time was that Sophia was hosting in real life therapy sessions with actual human beings sitting across the table. And what really struck me as. [00:02:59] Ashleigh Vogstad: Kind of just, you know, that was only eight, nine years ago. And that was esoteric. Wacky and [00:03:05] Vince Menzione: eerie. [00:03:05] Ashleigh Vogstad: Weird. [00:03:05] Vince Menzione: Eerie at the time. [00:03:06] Ashleigh Vogstad: Incredibly eerie. Yeah. I mean, a, a human getting, uh, you know, therapy sessions from a robot sitting across the table. Yeah. And it just had me thinking how far we’ve come today. In 2025, Harvard Business Review said that therapy is actually the number one use case for ai. [00:03:26] Vince Menzione: I’ve heard that. That is striking. I go back to COVID. We were having this conversation last night at at the dinner for the Ultimate Partner event, and I think that COVID allowed us to transcend, [00:03:42] Ashleigh Vogstad: mm-hmm. [00:03:42] Vince Menzione: No pun intended there, but actually accelerate where we are today, that the acceptance of AI and the acceleration, or the ability to accept change so quickly. [00:03:56] Vince Menzione: Started with COVID because we were so, so we were forced on whatever it was, March 10th I think, here in the United States to shut down everything and move to this remote life. [00:04:08] Ashleigh Vogstad: Mm-hmm. [00:04:09] Vince Menzione: And I think we’ve been shocked by that. I think our systems have all been shocked by that. And then here comes chat GBT in November of 2022 and we’re like. [00:04:20] Vince Menzione: Shocked in some respects, but like really everyone has embraced it in such a strong way, and now we’re getting. It’s almost daily update. You know, we’re gonna talk, I know we’re gonna talk about Anthropic and some of the things that’s been happening just in this last month that are striking and changing that have a lot of organizations trying to navigate, which is what, you know, you, you help organizations do. [00:04:43] Vince Menzione: But it feels like this is happening so fast and will continue to happen so fast. And as I said yesterday, I don’t know what this world’s gonna look like by 2030. [00:04:53] Ashleigh Vogstad: You know, and I think the thing is, is that nobody knows what the world is gonna look like in 2030. I’ve been reading Ray Kurz Well’s, the Singularity is nearer, so the original book, the Singularity is near and he’s known to be a very accurate predictionist on the future. [00:05:11] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. But even with someone like that, you know, there, there nobody really knows what the world is gonna look like. And when you talk about COVID. At transcends, we have a value of digital freedom. So I founded the business in 2018, which was pre COVID. I as a fully remote organization, and at the time that was, you know, more groundbreaking, but then very quickly with CI that, that became the so-called new normal. [00:05:37] Ashleigh Vogstad: But we’re always thinking about. You know, remote first doesn’t mean remote only, and I think in this tide of what you’ve talked about, technological change being more acceptable and the pace of change. One of the interesting things that we see as a go-to-market agency is that in-person events are increasing. [00:05:56] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:05:57] Ashleigh Vogstad: People want and crave the face-to-face. Just like with the ultimate partner series. [00:06:02] Vince Menzione: I felt it. So it was striking yesterday. It, it seems like it’s, again, this was event number nine for us, but to see the, um, uh, receptiveness isn’t the right term, but it was this, uh, people, the, the embracing. Of seeing each other and hugging each other and being in the same room with each other. [00:06:22] Vince Menzione: And even people that didn’t know each other, like by the, the, as the day evolved, this, uh, connection that they all seemed to have with one another during the sessions and participating, everyone actively participated in the sessions. And, um, I said this in the beginning, we’re not a Slack channel and we’re not like some post on LinkedIn. [00:06:43] Vince Menzione: Uh, we’re there, there’s no playbook that’s set today around partnerships or even go to markets and marketing that we could espouse and say, this is the playbook for the next year. Right. It’s, it’s changing so rapidly. [00:06:55] Ashleigh Vogstad: So rapidly, [00:06:57] Vince Menzione: and you’ve embraced it. And I, and what we’re gonna talk about right now, I mean, I, I, you know, you’ve embraced AI in such a strong way. [00:07:04] Vince Menzione: Um, personally and with your business, I want to, I wanna dive in here a little bit. First of all, a couple things For those of those who are listening who don’t know you, I think maybe just a moment about transcends and your role, and then I wanna dive in on how you’re thinking about ai because I know you’re doing some things personally. [00:07:22] Vince Menzione: I want you to share that with, with our listeners and viewers today. [00:07:25] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah, great. And I just wanna comment that it was a cool moment yesterday being up on stage with yourself and Mark Monday from ServiceNow and having the audience so engaged and active and Nina Harding from Microsoft stepping up and entering the conversation. [00:07:40] Vince Menzione: So cool. [00:07:41] Ashleigh Vogstad: It just made for such a collaborative experience, which was a cool moment, but yeah. Um, so. I founded this business, transcends a go-to-market agency after being at Microsoft myself. And really our differentiation is deep strategic partnerships with hyperscalers, whether that’s AWS, Google, Microsoft, and you know, that. [00:08:03] Ashleigh Vogstad: It comes with a challenge to be on the leading edge of technology. [00:08:08] Vince Menzione: Yes, [00:08:09] Ashleigh Vogstad: it, it’s really an imperative for our business and we are an AI first firm. Microsoft talks a lot about Frontier Firm, and I’ll take a, a different kind of angle on it. You know, when I think about Frontier. I now think about it as instead of the growth mindset, I now think about a frontier mindset. [00:08:28] Vince Menzione: Frontier mindset. You have to change my principles. [00:08:32] Ashleigh Vogstad: You know, maybe, like you said, the world is changing so rapidly. Yeah, it’s [00:08:36] Vince Menzione: changing rapidly. [00:08:36] Ashleigh Vogstad: And what a frontier mindset means is that as we’re approaching work for our clients, we are thinking about AI innovation in every single customer. Interaction, customer innovation. [00:08:49] Ashleigh Vogstad: So today we’re building AI agents into much of the work that we’re delivering for clients. And as a business owner and leader, I’ve been challenged to also think critically around how I’m choosing to run the company. And right now we’re going through a huge overhaul of where we have data sitting in silos and different applications. [00:09:09] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yep. And getting that into one place with one view so we can start layering on more insight. AI innovation. [00:09:17] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And data’s such an critical part, part of this, as we, we talked about yesterday. But you know, even the, what you said, which is, would, would’ve been striking a year ago to say, we’re an AI first, uh, agency isn’t as striking anymore. [00:09:32] Vince Menzione: Uh, we heard Nina when we were having this conversation on stage yesterday, say that it’s an imperative at Microsoft that the agencies that they choose to work with, the third party vendors that they work with have to be an AI first organization. I have to be a frontier firm, and so I’m a, I am sensitive to the word frontier firm. [00:09:53] Vince Menzione: I understand why Microsoft uses it and I understand the value of what we used to call, you know, customer zero or back in the day we used to say eating your own dog food, but essentially being an organization that has leaned in, in a way, and with ai. Even more so, so important to do it. So tell us, I know you’ve done some things personally as well, but tell, tell us what you’ve done with the organization. [00:10:18] Vince Menzione: Uh, you talked about data and making data available and having, having a true data state as opposed to silos of data, but then you also made some personal investments and sacrifices. I would say. [00:10:30] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. [00:10:30] Vince Menzione: Yeah. In terms of what you’re doing around ai, [00:10:32] Ashleigh Vogstad: so I mean, let’s start on the personal side. I’m the CEO of my organization, and you can read in books or news articles that it is critical for AI transformation to start at the C-suite and specifically in the CEO seat. [00:10:46] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:10:46] Ashleigh Vogstad: And that really. Landed for me and so I’m personally leading in About two weeks ago, I built an agent, just end-to-end on my own, got into copilot studio. Wow. Got comfortable with the interface. You know, I was clunky moving around in there at first, chose my model. You know, I went with one of the anthropic Claude models for this particular project and built up an agent that can deliver executive communications like. [00:11:14] Ashleigh Vogstad: Thought leadership blogs, uh, LinkedIn posts, but in a particular human being’s voice by ingesting things like their social profiles, their SharePoint sites, where they live and work. And it has been so surprising doing an ab test between just what a chat GBT or a copilot could produce. [00:11:32] Yeah. [00:11:33] Ashleigh Vogstad: In comparison with the authenticity of the voice coming from the agent. [00:11:37] Ashleigh Vogstad: Uh, it was just a really cool experience to roll up the sleeves and get in there. But also I think the, the investment that you’re referring to is, I made a big decision to return to school and uh, got accepted to go to Oxford. [00:11:52] Vince Menzione: Wow. [00:11:52] Ashleigh Vogstad: And I’m studying artificial intelligence there. [00:11:54] Vince Menzione: That is incredible. That is incredible. [00:11:57] Vince Menzione: Oxford, uh, we’ve heard of that school before here in the United States. [00:12:03] Ashleigh Vogstad: You know, it’s been a really great experience. It’s in person, so I’m traveling there about every 60 to 90 days and living on campus. I mean, really, Oxford isn’t. Formally a campus, it’s sort of a, a city and a university all, all ruled into one and the experience has been really powerful. [00:12:21] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yes. One of the things I wanted to get outta the program was a more global perspective, and it’s been fascinating to me that about half the faculty so far, or or professors, guest lecturers that have been coming into the program have been from China or very direct experience working in the Chinese market. [00:12:38] Vince Menzione: That is fascinating. [00:12:39] Ashleigh Vogstad: It’s been a completely different view. Or for example, you know, really digging into some of the legal cases that are driving precedence for how AI is interacting with corporations. [00:12:51] Vince Menzione: Mm. [00:12:51] Ashleigh Vogstad: One of the big ones for me has been looking at Amazon versus p perplexity. This is still a live case that’s happening right now. [00:12:58] Ashleigh Vogstad: And you know, I think it was Forbes magazine that the headline was the End of Commerce for this case because it’s really about. How human beings are being replaced with machines and hearing some of the world’s leading thinkers, leading AI researchers on these topics has just been really expansive. [00:13:19] Vince Menzione: It’s fascinating. [00:13:20] Vince Menzione: I mean, it’s, this started a couple years ago with, uh, Hollywood, in fact. Suing the industry or suing the technology companies with regards to, uh, employment, right? Mm-hmm. About the, the, uh, copyright infringement and what’s gonna happen in the entertainment industry. And I think that was just a one very small example. [00:13:40] Ashleigh Vogstad: You know, voice people think about DeepFakes. Yeah. And they think about video, but actually voice is a big issue. And you look at the, um, you know, the what happened between Scarlett Johansson and her voice in her, and then open AI rolling out a voice that sounded identical. Sounds like her. [00:13:59] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:13:59] Ashleigh Vogstad: To Scarlett Johansen and, and where that went. [00:14:01] Ashleigh Vogstad: It’s, it, this is a new ground for, for everybody that we’re going through right now. [00:14:07] Vince Menzione: It is. We can dive and go in so many different directions, but let’s talk about marketing and advertising since that’s kind of. Transcends core, and a lot of the people that watch and listen to us are in the partnership world. [00:14:22] Vince Menzione: They’re leading organizations, they own organizations, the the chief executives or CVPs of organizations. Let’s talk about advertising and where that’s going. [00:14:32] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah, great. [00:14:33] Vince Menzione: Yeah, [00:14:33] Ashleigh Vogstad: I mean, uh, I love Marshall McCluen. He’s a Canadian theor, uh, media theorist, and in 1964, he very famously said, the medium is the message. [00:14:43] Ashleigh Vogstad: And what that really means when you peel back the layers is that every type of communication medium has these inherent biases. And I think what we’re experiencing right now is this new medium of artificial intelligence, and I’m really interested in exploring what that means for the media world. So. If I gonna take you back to 1997, there’s this really famous, the Innovator’s Dilemma. [00:15:10] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yes. Kind of a classic business 1 0 1 type book by Clayton Christensen. Yes. And he talks about this theory of disruption where new technologies, emerging technologies start at the low end of the market. They gain this momentum and they eventually displace incumbents. And you know, sometimes seemingly out of nowhere. [00:15:28] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And Microsoft was a good example of this at that time. [00:15:32] Ashleigh Vogstad: Def, [00:15:32] Vince Menzione: yeah. [00:15:33] Ashleigh Vogstad: All the big players. All the big players. I mean, Google go for search as well, right? So that’s one of the classic examples. And so. If we look at storytelling technology, you have things like chat, GBT and Sora entering the scene. And in the beginning, you know, they’re producing a shitty first draft. [00:15:51] Ashleigh Vogstad: Uh, you know, it’s things like post-apocalyptic dogs with five finger human beings. Yeah. Things like this. But, you know, and they really lacked emotional resonance. But as we all know. That’s not the case anymore. No, it’s [00:16:05] Vince Menzione: not. [00:16:06] Ashleigh Vogstad: AI is increasingly producing content that is very powerful and is starting to resonate with people. [00:16:13] Ashleigh Vogstad: You know, I’m definitely not a neuroscientist, but if we, we look into the neuroscience, it’s your cortical sal circuit that. Kind of is responsible for pattern recognition and it compares what you’re seeing in the real world with what you expect to see. So when you take this into a space of advertising, you know, if there’s an ad that is AI generated, that is just weird and kind of. [00:16:38] Ashleigh Vogstad: Tweaking for you. [00:16:39] Vince Menzione: Like that robot we were talking about earlier, [00:16:41] Ashleigh Vogstad: like the robot we were Exactly, yeah. Like Sophia, you enter what psychologists call the uncanny valley, so it’s like what you’re looking at isn’t exactly what you’re expecting to see and the Spidey sense is, is tweaking. You know, that’s a low place of emotional resonance. [00:16:58] Ashleigh Vogstad: This world is changing really, really quickly and we’re seeing AI generated media make huge impacts in the market Now, tools like Luma Dream Machine, I mean, it’s incredible what they can achieve today. [00:17:11] Vince Menzione: It’s fascinating. We see it in, you know, I spend a lot of time on LinkedIn. That’s sort of the world of our business community, and you can very easily detect when someone is doing a post. [00:17:22] Vince Menzione: Or they’re writing an art, whatever they’re doing. Right. Some type of draft of something. Uh, and you can tell when it’s ai, I mean, it’s so easy to tell, and even people are generating reports and claiming that their research papers or studies or whatever they call them, uh, and it’s AI generated and it’s just the authenticity isn’t there. [00:17:39] Vince Menzione: The, the sense that this is real. That it can be trusted is not there. And I think trust is what we’re talking about here too, as well. [00:17:47] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. I mean, let’s go to authenticity ’cause that’s super important. Yeah. And I know a lot of your listeners, you come from the hyperscaler world of partnerships. You need to have that differentiated, better together story. [00:17:59] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. It’s really important to have an authentic voice in market. And I think about that also in terms of platforms and channels. We’re seeing a decrease in certain major social media platforms, and yet Substack spiked 48% in monthly active users last month. [00:18:15] Vince Menzione: That’s [00:18:16] fascinating. [00:18:16] Ashleigh Vogstad: Um, you know, and I think that one of the reasons is it’s viewed as a more authentic channel where you’re getting thought leadership from people that you’re, you know, genuinely interested in hearing their, their points of view. [00:18:28] Ashleigh Vogstad: And I think that’s really an important piece in here. [00:18:31] Vince Menzione: Yeah, you mentioned this yesterday and you had me thinking about it as well because we have used LinkedIn for everything internally, our newsletter, which has been around for six or seven years now. But that Substack is really, and I go to Substack too, to, if I really wanna dig in on a topic. [00:18:47] Ashleigh Vogstad: Mm. [00:18:47] Vince Menzione: And there’s a particular author that I like their point of view, I’ll follow, I’ll follow them on Substack. [00:18:53] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. I mean, and this comes, maybe brings us around to who is the buyer and who is the audience, and who do we need to be thinking about when we’re designing sales and marketing programs. And really we’re, we’re shifting into the place of the Gen Z buyer by 20 30, 70 5% of buyers are gonna be Gen Z. [00:19:12] Ashleigh Vogstad: They’re gonna control 12 trillion in. Spend [00:19:16] Vince Menzione: by 2030. ’cause we, we’ve been, we’ve been saying that the millennial is the new buyer the last three years. I think Jay said it right here at this stage. [00:19:23] Ashleigh Vogstad: Mm. [00:19:24] Vince Menzione: Um, so now it’s Gen Z. [00:19:27] Ashleigh Vogstad: And they’re buying online. Yeah, they’re buying in marketplaces. Yeah. So a stat recently was that roughly half of them made purchases on the social platforms of YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok in the last month. [00:19:39] Ashleigh Vogstad: I mean, that buyer behavior of being inside. Social type application and directly making a purchase. And I think in the B2B world, we need to take lessons from here and start thinking more front and center than we even have been around marketplaces. I mean, part of my reason for being in Silicon Valley this week was to celebrate a $12 million transaction that happened via Marketplace and two years ago that would’ve been a huge deal. [00:20:06] Ashleigh Vogstad: Huge, [00:20:07] Vince Menzione: huge. [00:20:07] Ashleigh Vogstad: And, and it still is a really big deal, but these things are becoming. More and more common experiences. Very much so. We need to be there and in that conversation. [00:20:16] Vince Menzione: So how are you thinking about it? How are you directing your clients to behave or act around it? What are you, what are you doing exactly that we could take to this community perhaps and share with them. [00:20:28] Ashleigh Vogstad: I’ll bring it back to the authenticity piece because you need to have a product that delivers value first and foremost. There is, there is no substitution for that. Yeah, and what I would say is. One of my professors at Oxford, Eric Zow, he has this theory that I’m really digging into and finding very fascinating, which is that for the last several decades we’ve been in the attention economy, and that’s shifting to the trust economy. [00:20:55] Ashleigh Vogstad: Now the attention economy is about selling to human beings. Yeah. It’s about the, the business model is essentially that you need human being eyeballs on lists of recommendation links. Yeah. Whether that’s from Google or from, you know, searching, shopping on Amazon, you get this list of recommendation links and the economic engine that drives that business model is advertising. [00:21:19] Ashleigh Vogstad: Now, if you look at something like the Amazon versus Perplexity lawsuit, the whole underlying premise is around the shift of no longer selling to humans directly, but of selling to machines, or in other words, agents who are making purchases, s on behalf on your behalf. And an agent isn’t going to be razzle dazzled by some inauthentic story. [00:21:44] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:21:44] Ashleigh Vogstad: They’re gonna be looking for third party validation on Exactly. You know, they need to be sure that they’re making the right decision. [00:21:51] Vince Menzione: They’re gonna look at surveys, they’re gonna look at customer comments. Like if I went through my Amazon site and I was looking to see what people said about the purchase or the product and specifically Exactly. [00:22:01] Vince Menzione: The agent’s gonna do this on my behalf, is what you’re saying. [00:22:04] Ashleigh Vogstad: This is what I’m saying. Yeah. And, and. I believe that to layer on top of, you know, Eric Z’s philosophy, I’ve been thinking about this in terms of the hyperscaler world, and I think that this is the time to lean into co-selling partnerships. [00:22:18] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah, because being third party validated by somebody like AWS Microsoft and having all that co-sell data, what are your recent wins? Yes, that’s really high integrity, trusted data source for an agent to make a purchasing decision, and marketplaces are a key part of that. [00:22:35] Vince Menzione: So we’ll move from AI will take a, a more active role in the marketplace. [00:22:40] Ashleigh Vogstad: I definitely believe so. [00:22:42] Vince Menzione: Which makes total sense. I, you know, we’ve been doing this for nine or 10 years now, and when I was at Microsoft, we started co-selling. In fact, it was, uh, Aaron Feiger was up on stage yesterday talking about it. Right? January of 2016, co-selling began. [00:22:55] Ashleigh Vogstad: Mm. [00:22:56] Vince Menzione: And there were only a few companies doing it. [00:22:59] Vince Menzione: Right. So she worked with one of the very first ones that were doing it. Uh, the challenge we have today is there are tens of thousands of partner organizations in the marketplace that are all trying to get the attention of the Microsoft sellers. Hmm. As, or the Google sellers or the AWS sellers and tell their story. [00:23:19] Vince Menzione: And a seller only has so many minutes in a day, they have a quota that they have to hit. These quotas are tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars of annual quota of cloud consumption. And I wanna sell my $50,000 widget, whatever it is. Yeah. Right. And I, I don’t understand why I’m not getting a callback. [00:23:38] Vince Menzione: And this, this is the dilemma we’ve faced because of, because of this, uh, scarcity of time and this over overwhelming of tech, you know. Tech, tech buyers trying to make this all happen, so now the AI can come in and help me solve for it as a seller, right? [00:23:55] Ashleigh Vogstad: The AI is definitely acting as an interface to make recommendations to field sellers in different organizations and. [00:24:04] Ashleigh Vogstad: To, to kind of take this on a, a tangent. Dupes. So a dupe. I know people of my generation, we’d think about this like a knockoff Right. You know, a knockoff handbag. [00:24:15] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:24:15] Ashleigh Vogstad: Dupes have exploded. [00:24:16] Vince Menzione: Fake. Fake Rolexes. [00:24:18] Ashleigh Vogstad: Exactly. The fake Rolex for sure. And I think it was in December, P WC rolled out a survey. 81% of Gen Z were planning to purchase a dupe this holiday season. [00:24:29] Vince Menzione: That’s wild. [00:24:30] Ashleigh Vogstad: Dupes can be, you know, we gave luxury, good examples, but Louis [00:24:34] Vince Menzione: Vuitton and yeah. So, [00:24:35] Ashleigh Vogstad: but furniture, these sorts of things. And the important takeaway here for tech is the same principle will land, is that people are looking for value out of a product, not necessarily a name brand. AI is accelerating this whole process, and agents are gonna be looking at the same thing. [00:24:56] Ashleigh Vogstad: They’re looking for that authenticity in terms of the actual product value. So, you know, beware there’s lots of disruption happening in the market right now with this dupe mentality, which is actually a cultural shift talking about I appreciate value over a superficial. Brand name. In some cases, there’s also a, a small contrary trend where certain luxury goods are rising because yes, things are never that simple. [00:25:22] Vince Menzione: So you work with a lot of these tech companies, a lot of SaaS companies, is we, we call them ISVs, we also call them, uh, software development companies. Now we keep changing these acronyms around. Uh, there’s been a lot of, uh, consternation in that segment, I would say, around ai. Right, because a lot of them are getting told that they’ll be outta business in a few years. [00:25:43] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. I think Satya Nadella famously said this last year that SAS will go away. Right? He’s predicting the demise. How do you help some of these organizations to differentiate? And there’s some of these are huge value organizations. We have have them in the room with us, ServiceNow and Veeam and Adobe. [00:26:01] Vince Menzione: Um, how do you help them achieve their results? ’cause that’s what you, you know, your organization is really helping these organizations to achieve their pinnacle as a partner. What do you, what do you say to them now and how do you help them through this time? [00:26:16] Ashleigh Vogstad: I’m on the side of the fence that I really can’t see an organization ripping out something like Salesforce, Adobe, ServiceNow. [00:26:24] Vince Menzione: Agreed. [00:26:24] Ashleigh Vogstad: I mean that the amount of change management and. The extent to which these, these platforms are embedded, actually running and operating organizations. I personally, if, if we’re calling those companies, SaaS companies, I don’t agree that that layer is gonna go away. I mean, we’re seeing these organizations lean into AI in a huge way to borrow Microsofts. [00:26:50] Ashleigh Vogstad: Term, you know, they’re all becoming frontier firms. [00:26:54] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:26:54] Ashleigh Vogstad: So where I would go to, to answer that question, we do work with many, you know, organizations on that caliber, on things like their marketplace strategy on how to light up the fields of different hyperscalers. It really does come down to things like having a strong drumbeat with the Microsoft field, celebrating your win stories. [00:27:15] Ashleigh Vogstad: Maybe that’s where I’ll land as Please do the marketer, because it sounds so simple, and I don’t know why we kind of continue to come back to this, but we’re talking about that third party validation and really, um, in order to have that, like what the hyperscalers want is you jointly celebrating success. [00:27:36] Ashleigh Vogstad: Here’s the kicker. Publicly. [00:27:38] Vince Menzione: Publicly, [00:27:39] Ashleigh Vogstad: you know, you need a customer story on your website, a press release that contains a quote from your customer. Ideally, also a quote from an executive at one of the hyperscalers. Like, actually lean in to live the value of your better together story. And when you do that, when you, when it comes around to partner of the year time, and we talk to you about, okay, what client stories are we gonna feature? [00:28:03] Ashleigh Vogstad: We’re even gonna know because when we Google you, we can see the public press of the joint wins that you’ve been celebrating. And I can tell you that that is a huge indicator on whether or not you’re well-placed to be in the 4% of partners who actually win Partner of the Year award’s. [00:28:20] Vince Menzione: Fascinating to me. [00:28:21] Vince Menzione: ’cause to me it would feel like table stakes maybe ’cause where we sit is ultimate partner and where this room sits with all the top partners that I just assume that everybody follows that. That, that guidance. [00:28:34] Ashleigh Vogstad: Mm. [00:28:34] Vince Menzione: And so this is really impactful and I want to get here because I know you spent a lot of time here and we’ve talked about it before, but I think the partner of the year awards, when we first met many years ago, that was a you, you’ve expanded the business, but that’s still a core mission and and value that you bring to the community and to the partner ecosystem is helping them through this process. [00:28:55] Vince Menzione: So I know that that’s gonna be coming up soon, so I thought maybe we’d spend a couple moments on that. [00:29:00] Ashleigh Vogstad: Partner of the Year awards, regardless of which partner, I mean, Salesforce has their own awards there. There’s more and more award programs coming out, and they’re a great way to celebrate the incredible work that your organization has done. [00:29:13] Ashleigh Vogstad: Jay McBain is brilliant on this. He’ll talk a lot about the increase in valuation. Yeah. The, the increase in stock valuation or the likelihood that if you’re looking to be acquired, that you’re acquired within 12 months of a partner of the year win it. It’s really impressive. There is strong business value there. [00:29:33] Vince Menzione: He like, he likes, he likes to tell the story of that when the award is handed to them and they go back into the audience, that the private equity people are all over them right then and there and making offers. I mean, that’s the visual that you get [00:29:47] Ashleigh Vogstad: and it’s very powerful. Yeah. Very powerful. It’s very powerful and it, it can make it worthwhile to invest in the process, but don’t invest in the process if you haven’t been investing in the process for the 12 months. [00:29:57] Ashleigh Vogstad: Prior, [00:29:58] Vince Menzione: exactly. [00:29:58] Ashleigh Vogstad: The Microsoft field or you we’re talking about Microsoft Partner of the Year Awards. They need to know about your win that that needs to be top of mind for them. Yeah. How much Azure revenue is it driving? Was it a huge marketplace? Build sales and. You know, one of the questions I get asked a ton, everybody wants to know how do we get money out of the hyperscalers? [00:30:20] Ashleigh Vogstad: How do I get access to marketing development funds or all these different programs? Yeah. You know, at Microsoft, some of these programs are like EI and customer investment funds or Azure Accelerate, you know, and there’s millions and millions and millions of dollars in these, these buckets of funds, but. [00:30:36] Ashleigh Vogstad: An interesting point of view is that it’s actually a scorecard metric for many people at Microsoft who have partnership roles for you to be drawing down those funds. [00:30:45] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:30:45] Ashleigh Vogstad: You know, your interests are actually aligned here, and so again, when it comes to Partner of the Year awards, how much money have you pulled down? [00:30:54] Ashleigh Vogstad: How much have you been an activating partner of key Microsoft programs that they’re pushing? What are you doing with marketplace rewards? How are you resing? Those into your business. These are the types of things that you really wanna be thinking about. Sitting it. You know, this time of year we probably will get the awards were likely be due in July. [00:31:13] Ashleigh Vogstad: They haven’t officially announced timelines, but you’ve got a few months to start moving these pieces into place. [00:31:18] Vince Menzione: And there are quite a few of them. And to your point, Nina, when she was up on stage here yesterday, there were at least 10 or 12 award. Uh. Funding categories that were on her, that were on her slide. [00:31:31] Vince Menzione: Her partner, her partner slide. So, [00:31:33] Ashleigh Vogstad: and what great looks like for a partner is that you understand your end-to-end funnel as it is mapped to Microsoft’s SEM model, the Microsoft customer Engagement model. Mm-hmm. The first stage there, inspire and design. That’s really the marketing space of lead generation. [00:31:50] Ashleigh Vogstad: So how are you generating leads with webinars, in-person, event activations, digital campaigns, and then at the very end, in the fifth column, you have the Microsoft outcomes that you’re driving. Yes. Whether that’s Azure consumed revenue, marketplace build sales, co-pilot, monthly active usage, these sorts of things. [00:32:10] Ashleigh Vogstad: And in each of those SEM swim lanes. There’s Microsoft funding associated to it. And that’s one of the things that Nina Harding was showing yesterday. When and where does it make sense to make requests for EA funds versus Azure accelerate the MCI funding? There’s different workshop proof of concept funding, and those all fall at specific stages in that EM model. [00:32:33] Vince Menzione: And what you’re also pointing out in this conversation is that the co the partners need to understand that mm, they need to understand MM. We talked about it years ago. I’ve had, haven’t had anybody on stage recently talk about m You could probably take us through that if we wanted to devote some time here, uh, and then understand all of those categories and how to access those funds. [00:32:52] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah, it’s critical and. The number one place we point partners, if you want a quick overview of what that looks like is to Microsoft’s FY 26 solution playbooks. Nice. They’re available on the web for download. There’s, well, there used to be three, but they’ve added a few agen being, being one. So, so there’s a handful of, they had [00:33:11] Vince Menzione: simplified it, now they’re, now they’re expanding it back again. [00:33:14] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah, exactly. I think there’s now a breakout for security as well. Yes. So take a look at those playbooks. It will map programs and incentives very specifically to each solution area and to each sales play that are gonna be available to you. And then we’re always happy to guide people through the details [00:33:32] Vince Menzione: as well. [00:33:32] Vince Menzione: I love that. I love that. And reach out to the. Ashley is just amazing at this process. I’ve, I’ve watched her for years now, work with some of the top, what have become the pinnacle partners of Microsoft and with the award season coming up. So we wanna make sure we have a plug there. But I also wanna talk about like, podcasts with you. [00:33:50] Vince Menzione: Um, you’ve been on this podcast multiple times, been in the studio before doing this, and I understand you have your own podcast now. So tell us about that. [00:33:58] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah, Vince, I just wanna say. As a friend and a mentor. You’ve been so inspiring. Thank you. And I think from years ago when we met, there was this seed in my brain of, you know, I, I should really get out there. [00:34:13] Ashleigh Vogstad: And you talk a lot about growth mindset and fear setting is, is one of Tim Ferriss’s terms? Yes. And models. [00:34:21] Vince Menzione: I love Tim Ferris. I’ve been, been a fan of his for 10 years now. So that’s settled. We all got started with this. Sorry. Sorry, I [00:34:26] Ashleigh Vogstad: interrupt. No, no, not at all. [00:34:27] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:34:28] Ashleigh Vogstad: And. I think it’s just been, it’s been back there. [00:34:31] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. That I’m really passionate around having voice is how I think about it. And as a marketing agency, we’re really amplifying the voice, um, or helping companies to find their voice, particularly in hyperscaler partnerships. And what better way to assist, you know, authentically the amazing people in our network, in our community and our clients than with our own channel where we can celebrate their stories and success? [00:35:00] Vince Menzione: Very cool. [00:35:01] Ashleigh Vogstad: So the podcast is called Transcending Tech. It’s about [00:35:06] Vince Menzione: very cool transcending tech. Just so you don’t [00:35:08] Ashleigh Vogstad: transcending tech. [00:35:08] Vince Menzione: It’s out there now. [00:35:10] Ashleigh Vogstad: It, we just released our first episode. Okay. I think two days ago. [00:35:13] Vince Menzione: So by the time we’re live, yes. We’ll, we’ll be able to access it. Good. [00:35:17] Ashleigh Vogstad: You will be able to access it. [00:35:18] Ashleigh Vogstad: The first episode is with Alyssa Fit. Patrick from Elastic. [00:35:21] Vince Menzione: Oh my goodness. [00:35:22] Ashleigh Vogstad: And the concept of the podcast, it’s long form and it’s really about getting to the people behind the platforms. [00:35:29] Vince Menzione: Very cool. [00:35:29] Ashleigh Vogstad: And to the stories that transcend technology. So we’re here to get to know the human beings behind. Agents. [00:35:38] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:35:38] Ashleigh Vogstad: And taking the time to, to go in deep and really explore that. [00:35:43] Vince Menzione: So I am excited to see all the developments here with the, with the podcast. And you’re gonna be joining us again. You were just here, you in Boca. But you’ll be joining us again in Bellevue. Not too far a little bit. Closer ride or travel, uh, for you to come to Bellevue. [00:35:57] Vince Menzione: We’re gonna be hosting the first ultimate partner live, which is our larger events in this beautiful facility, this new Intercontinental hotel, which is fabulous. And, uh, you’re gonna be taking a more active role. Your leadership around AI is. Palpable and we’re gonna love to have you on stage and talking through some of the changes. [00:36:17] Vince Menzione: I, I suspect by the time we get to Bellevue we’ll have a lot more to talk about. That hasn’t even happened yet. [00:36:23] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah, I’m really excited. I’ll have been through my next cohort at at Oxford, kind of coming out hot from there back to the Pacific Northwest, and really excited to just share the learnings and Awesome. [00:36:35] Ashleigh Vogstad: Genuinely. It’s also helping me in my own research, really formulate particularly around the role of ag agentic AI in hyperscaler partnerships. [00:36:43] Vince Menzione: That’s so cool. And then what I’ll say is this, and I don’t know, we on the space perspective, and I’ll, the team will probably hang me for this because we haven’t done it yet, but if you wanna bring the podcast along with you, there might be, we’ll see if we can find an extra room for you to set up. [00:36:58] Vince Menzione: If you wanna do some interviews while you’re. In, at the event. So [00:37:02] Ashleigh Vogstad: you’re so generous, Vince. [00:37:03] Vince Menzione: That’s [00:37:04] Ashleigh Vogstad: amazing. [00:37:04] Vince Menzione: Thank you. Again, I can’t say for certainty yet, but, uh, let’s see, let’s see what happens with that. So, uh, let, let’s, uh, you know, I always, we, we have known each other for years and I just assume everybody knows this amazing Ashley sda. [00:37:19] Vince Menzione: But, um, we always, I like to ask this question because it helps us kind of dig in a little bit about you personally. And it’s my favorite question. I ask all my guests this question now, and it’s, um, you’re hosting a dinner party, Ashley, you are, pick a pace, place, you wanna have this dinner. We could talk about parts of the world. [00:37:36] Vince Menzione: You’ve traveled all extensively. Uh, and you can invite any three people, guests from the present. Or the past to this amazing dinner party you’re throwing. Whom would you invite and why? [00:37:52] Ashleigh Vogstad: It’s a beautiful question, Vince and. Instantly I go to a place in terms of the location, since you asked that part, which was surprising. [00:38:01] Ashleigh Vogstad: I, I like that is my home. I, I love where I live up in Whistler, Canada and [00:38:08] Vince Menzione: I hear it’s beautiful. I haven’t been yet, [00:38:10] Ashleigh Vogstad: it’s so gorgeous and it’s, it’s my own sanctuary. You know, I live on a plane 75% of the time and coming back to that place is really grounding for me. Yes. So, so I would love to have it at, at my home and to invite. [00:38:24] Ashleigh Vogstad: Pippa Malrin would be one. She, Pippa [00:38:26] Vince Menzione: Malrin. [00:38:27] Ashleigh Vogstad: Yeah. She’s sure. I get an advisor to the White House for many administrations. Okay. She’s an economist and she just has really interesting perspective on geopolitics. Uh, I follow her on Substack ’cause she’s a big substack. Okay, now [00:38:41] Vince Menzione: I need to look. This is awesome. [00:38:42] Vince Menzione: The [00:38:43] Ashleigh Vogstad: mal, she’s fantastic. I would say Dr. Lisa Sue, the CEO, Dr. Lisa of a md. [00:38:49] Vince Menzione: Okay. Yes, yes. I know a little bit about her. [00:38:51] Ashleigh Vogstad: So she was one of Time Mag, I think she was the only woman in Time Magazine’s, group of people of the year, which was basically this AI cohort in including, you know, the Elon Musks of the world. [00:39:03] Ashleigh Vogstad: Uh, it’s just so impressive what she’s doing with leadership in a MD. I don’t think it’s as public as. Anybody else who is on the cover of that magazine, but it’s incredibly powerful. [00:39:14] Vince Menzione: Yeah, they’ve made a com uh, turnaround’s probably not the right word, but it seems like they’ve made a tremendous, uh, gains turnaround probably in the last few years. [00:39:23] Ashleigh Vogstad: I would say that many would say turnaround. And then lastly is Dr. Fefe Lee, who. For those in the AI space, particularly AI research space. I mean, she’s arguably number one. Um, she’s leading at Stanford currently. [00:39:37] Vince Menzione: Wow. This is gonna be a heady conversation, but you know, I love conversations. So if you don’t mind, maybe I’ll bring dessert and come, come in for a few moments, maybe do some podcast interviews there. [00:39:48] Vince Menzione: How’s that? [00:39:49] Ashleigh Vogstad: That sounds absolutely perfect, Vince, [00:39:50] Vince Menzione: so, so good. So good to have you here today. So great. Good to have you in the studio again, and, uh, excited for transcends and all the great work you’re doing. Um. This time with ai. I think you, uh, we talked about this a little bit last night. I think you’ve made some really wise, personal and professional decisions about how to lead and how to take this forward and not kind of rest on your laurels, which you see so many organizations do People fear change [00:40:17] Ashleigh Vogstad: Hmm. [00:40:18] Vince Menzione: And you embrace it, which is just, it’s astounding to me that you do that and, um. I look forward to working with you in the future and for years and years to come. So I will ask you one more question though, because we are still at the precipice of these tectonic shifts and we’re still early in 2026. And so for our listeners and our viewers today, what would be the one thing you would tell them that they need to go do now that possibly they haven’t done yet as they prepare for 2026 and beyond? [00:40:52] Ashleigh Vogstad: The generic phrase would be, be curious, but if we want an action, it would be go build an agent. [00:40:59] Vince Menzione: Go build an agent [00:41:00] Ashleigh Vogstad: if, if you haven’t already. Yeah. And, and I’m, yeah. Speaking hopefully to like a business audience, you know, to, to anyone. Yeah. Really, um, find something that is interesting that you’re passionate about. [00:41:12] Ashleigh Vogstad: A, a use case that it doesn’t have to be some big thing. It could be quite mundane, but just something that’s gonna help you in your role. It’s, you know, what is creativity is an interesting question, and I can tell you that sitting down and hands-on keys and actually creating something is, is a beautiful, powerful experience. [00:41:32] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Awesome. All right. We’re all gonna go create agents this weekend, so thank you for listening. Thank you for viewing the Ultimate Guide to partnering on our YouTube channel, ultimate Partner, and on each end of your platforms at the Ultimate Guide to partnering. Thank you for being with us and supporting us all these years. [00:41:50] Vince Menzione: Thank you. Don’t forget, ultimate Partner Live is coming soon, May 11th through the 13th in beautiful Bellevue, Washington. I hope to see you there.

    The Inner Chief
    Mini Chief: The 3Ps of building an insanely valuable network, with Paul Nicolaou, Executive Director of Business Sydney

    The Inner Chief

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 10:26


    "  I want people to walk away from any engagement they have with me saying that I'm not a bad bloke, that I was keen to listen, and that I wanted to help."   This is a special episode only available to our podcast subscribers, which we call The Mini Chief. These are short, sharp highlights from our fabulous guests, where you get a 5 to 10 minute snapshot from their full episode. This Mini Chief episode features Paul Nicolaou, the Executive Director of Business Sydney. His full episode is titled The 3Ps of building an insanely valuable network, daring to be different, and making people happy. You can find the full audio and show notes here:

    Ralph Nader Radio Hour
    “I Am Somebody!”

    Ralph Nader Radio Hour

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2026 91:06


    Washington Post personal finance columnist, Michelle Singletary, tells the moving story of how a visit to her grade school by the Reverend Jesse Jackson inspired her life and career as described in her column, “How the Rev. Jesse Jackson Taught Me to Keep Hope Alive." Then Ralph welcomes Professor Eric S. Fish from U.C Davis School of Law to explain how grand juries are no longer rubber-stamping frivolous cases brought to them by the Trump Administration. Plus, Ralph gives us his take on Trump's marathon State of the Union speech and the Democratic response.Michelle Singletary writes the nationally-syndicated personal finance column “The Color of Money,” which appears in the Washington Post on Wednesdays and Sundays. In 2021, she won the Gerald Loeb award for commentary. She has written four personal finance books, including, What to Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide and The 21-Day Financial Fast: Your Path to Financial Peace and Freedom.The Trump administration's destruction of diversity, equity, and inclusion—they misunderstand what that means. It doesn't mean that you're giving jobs to people who are unqualified. It means that you recognize that the playing field wasn't even, and let's even this playing field. I liken it to a football team. You can't have a football team of all quarterbacks and win. You have to have a quarterback, a running back, a linebacker, you have to have a good kicker. It's the same thing—your team has to encompass people that represent all kinds of abilities to have a winning team. So DEI isn't a giveaway. It isn't charity. It recognizes that when you have people from different backgrounds and different perspectives and different skill levels, you have a winning team.Michelle SingletaryEric S Fish is professor of law at the UC Davis School of Law. Professor Fish's primary research is in criminal law, with particular focus on the ethical duties of participants in the criminal process, the structure of immigration crimes, and the system's emphasis on administrative efficiency. He has also served as a public defender, first with the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, and later as a Federal Defender in San Diego.This has been a really remarkable series of rejections of the Trump administration's prosecutions by ordinary people serving on grand juries, and one that is largely unprecedented in modern American history. I can't think of another example of grand juries rejecting such high-profile cases (and so many of them). Nothing really comes to mind. So in a certain sense, one might say this is the grand jury's original purpose…Initially they were a democratic institution of governance. They were a local check on the colonial oppression of the British (at least in the early colonial period). They refused to indict prosecutions under the Stamp Act, under the revenue laws. They were a tool of anti-colonial resistance to British oppression, and this seems at least broadly analogous to that—local grand juries in places like Minnesota, Chicago, Washington, D.C. are rejecting the Trump administration's attempts to prosecute its political enemies and bring trumped-up charges against protesters.Eric S. FishAll in all, [the State of the Union address] was fodder for political scientists for years to come. A dictatorial serial law violator, self-enriching chronic liar, cruel, vicious to vulnerable people and people without power (which is a majority of the people) elected dictator. This speech—which went for one hour and 48 minutes, the longest State of the Union speech ever—will be analyzed for a long time with the question at the center of the analysis being: How could so many tens of millions of voters be taken in by Trump's mouth, his lies, his false statements, his fantasies, his fake promises, his lack of any kind of record, whether as a businessman where he used bankruptcies as a strategy…and his record as a politician in his first term? That's the question we have to ask ourselves. And it's too easy to say that the Trump voters couldn't stand the Democrats who abandoned them. That's not enough. They could have not voted for Trump. They could have written in a vote. They could have voted for the Green, Libertarian, or other minor parties. They can't use the Democrats as a 100% excuse for voting for Trump. And a lot of them didn't. They just liked Trump. They liked his prejudices. They liked his lies. They liked his fantasies. They liked his fake promises.Ralph NaderNews 2/27/26* Our top stories this week come to us from our southern neighbor, Mexico. First, on February 22nd, Mexican authorities announced they had successfully conducted an operation resulting in the death of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, aka “El Mencho,” who headed the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). In retaliation, the cartels launched a wave of violence throughout the country. Bafflingly, given the obvious enmity between the cartels and the government of Claudia Sheinbaum, Elon Musk implied that Sheinbaum is in the pocket of the very drug cartels with whom she is practically at war. Reuters reports Musk “responded to a 2025 video of Sheinbaum discussing cartel violence and alleged that she was ‘saying what her cartel bosses tell her to say.” Reuters notes that Musk did not provide further evidence. In fact, much of the strength of the Mexican cartels would actually be more accurately attributed to the United States. As USA Today writes, Mexican officials recovered a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 10 long arm [rifles], handguns, and grenades, from El Mencho's weapons stockpile. Mexican Defense Minister, Ricardo Trevilla Trejo estimated that about 80% of the recovered weapons were purchased in the United States and smuggled into Mexico. This represents just the tip of the iceberg of the so-called “iron river” of firearms flooding Mexico's black market from the U.S. As opposed to the lax gun laws in the states, gun ownership in Mexico is “tightly restricted…[and] There is only one military-run gun store in the country.”* Meanwhile, President Sheinbaum is bucking American pressure by continuing to send humanitarian aid to the tiny, embattled island nation of Cuba. AP reports that last week, “Two Mexican Navy ships laden with humanitarian aid docked in Cuba…two weeks after…President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries that sell oil to the island.” These ships carried 800 tons worth of bundles of “Made in Mexico” goods, including rice, beans, amaranth and crackers — complemented by a bottle of oil, large cans of sardines and canned peaches. Another 1,500 tons of powdered milk and beans are expected to be sent to Cuba in the coming days. The U.S. has taken a more bellicose line with Cuba than it has in quite some time, even taking naval action in the waters surrounding the island, making Mexico's support that much more critical.* In another Cuba story, a diplomatic incident is unfolding this week regarding a Florida-registered speedboat. According to the island's government, the boat, carrying 10 passengers, entered Cuban territorial waters and opened fire on Cuban soldiers. The Cubans responded in kind, killing four people aboard the craft and wounding six others. According to the Cuban authorities, most of the passengers “have a known history of criminal and violent activity.” These include Amijail Sánchez González and Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez, both wanted by Cuban authorities based on their involvement in “the promotion, planning, organization, financing, support or commission of…acts of terrorism.” The Cubans also claim to have arrested one Duniel Hernández Santos, who was supposedly “sent from the United States to guarantee the reception of the armed infiltration.” They claim Hernández Santos has confessed. American authorities have so far evinced confusion more than anything else, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying “We're going to figure out exactly what happened.” This from AP.* Whatever cloak and dagger games the administration may be playing in the Caribbean, they have been pointedly unsubtle about their saber rattling regarding Iran – and the reaction from Congress has been meager. While anti-war members in the House and Senate are pushing war powers resolutions, namely Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie along with Senator Tim Kaine, not even the nominal opposition party is supporting these efforts. According to Capital & Empire, Democrats are seeking to “dampen momentum” and even “prevent the Iran war powers vote from advancing.” Democrats Josh Gottheimer and Jared Moskowitz, both arch Iran hawks, have publicly stated they will not back the war powers resolution, and many others have sought to split the difference, saying Trump should only move on Iran after consulting with Congress. As the Hill notes, the Senate did pass a war powers resolution restricting the president's use of military force against Iran without congressional approval during Trump's first term, with eight Senate Republicans backing the Democrats in support of the bill. It is hard to imagine such a bipartisan show of force this time around.* In more disappointing congressional news, on Tuesday the House voted down the bipartisan ROTOR Act, which would have beefed up aviation safety standards, NPR reports. This bill was drafted in the wake of the deadly midair collision over Washington D.C. last year. This bill, principally authored by Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees transportation, would have required wider use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast – safety technology designed to transmit an aircraft's location to other aircraft. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in December, with the support of the Defense Department – now styling itself the Department of War – but the Pentagon yanked its support just before the House vote, citing “unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks.” The final House vote was 264 in favor and 133 opposed, 132 Republicans and Democrat Lizzie Fletcher of Texas. Despite the lopsided majority in favor, the bill needed a two-thirds vote to pass and was therefore defeated by the minority.* In another aviation related story, FBI Director Kash Patel is embroiled in a new scandal based on his alleged misuse of the FBI's Gulfstream jets for personal travel. CNN reports Patel's frequent jetsetting has even caused delays or issues in high-profile investigations, such as the assassination of rightwing commentator Charlie Kirk and the Brown University shooting last December. According to a letter authored by Senator Dick Durbin, Patel's incessant misuse of the official FBI planes for personal travel “has even frustrated White House and DOJ senior staff.” This story hits particularly hard at the present moment, with images of Patel chugging beer in the locker room celebration of the Olympic men's hockey team going viral. The FBI then had to spend days running cover for Patel, claiming the director was in Italy for “long-planned official business,” which just happened to coincide with the occasion.* Our next two stories concern AI. First, a new Public Citizen report documents how the AI industry is deploying a veritable army of lobbyists on Capitol Hill, absolutely dwarfing not only their opposition, but practically every other industry as well. According to this report, more than one quarter of all federal lobbyists are now lobbying on AI issues, representing a rise in lobbyist activity on AI issues of more than 265 percent over the past three years. This report finds the Chamber of Commerce hired the most AI lobbyists in 2025 at 91, followed by Microsoft at 63, Meta at 55, Intuit at 51, and Amazon at 48. This meteoric rise in AI lobbying activity is sure to give the industry massive firepower in the halls of Congress, ensuring a favorable regulatory environment for years to come. This will be particularly critical for data centers, which have faced a rash of local opposition. Per this report, that particular subset of the AI lobbying industry has expanded by a staggering 500 percent since 2023.* For all its newfound political clout however, the AI business seems to have found itself a formidable new opponent – Pope Leo XIV. This week, Pope Leo addressed priests from the Diocese of Rome and implored them to resist “the temptation to prepare homilies with Artificial Intelligence.” The pontiff argued “Like all the muscles in the body, if we do not use them, if we do not move them, they die. The brain needs to be used, so our intelligence must also be exercised a little so as not to lose this capacity.” He added that “to give a true homily is to share faith,” and that AI “will never be able to share faith.” This from Vatican News.* Turning to media news, this week, Paramount submitted a new offer to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Paramount's new bid amounted to $31 per share and, following a period of consultation with the Warner board of directors, this offer was deemed “superior” to the proposed deal with rival bidder Netflix. This triggered a clause in the Netflix merger agreement giving the streamer four days to submit a new, superior offer. However, that same day Netflix issued a statement officially declining to submit a new, higher offer, with representatives writing “the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer,” means “the deal is no longer financially attractive.” With Netflix out of the way, Paramount, led by Trump-aligned billionaire scion David Ellison, will now proceed with their acquisition of Warner Bros., including their prodigious intellectual property back catalogue and the cable news titan, CNN. A friendly relationship with the Trump administration means regulators are unlikely to hold up this deal. The Ellisons have already acquired CBS News, installing Bari Weiss as “editor-in-chief.” It seems likely they will follow a similar playbook regarding CNN.* Our final stories this week concern the continuing fallout of the Epstein scandal. This week saw the arrest of former British-U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson, joining Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) in the collection of high profile British individuals arrested in connection with the Epstein scandal. Meanwhile, at Harvard, former University President Larry Summers will resign from his academic and faculty appointments, including his University Professorship, at the Ivy League school following the conclusion of this academic year. Until then, he will remain on leave, per the Crimson. Summers regularly exchanged messages with Jeffrey Epstein about topics ranging from women, to politics, to Harvard-related matters as late as July 2019, the day before Epstein's final arrest. But the most noteworthy Epstein-related news this week came from Chappaqua, New York. On Thursday and Friday, Bill and Hillary Clinton testified about their relationships with the late financier and sexual predator. After much wrangling, these potential blockbuster hearings were held behind closed doors on the Clintons' home turf. What exactly was said remains shrouded in mystery. According to the BBC, House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer said he hopes to make videos of both Hillary and Bill Clinton's depositions publicly available soon. Robert Garcia, the Democratic Ranking Member on the committee, said a “new precedent” had been set by calling a former president to testify and demanded that Trump be called to testify before the committee next. We shall watch this space.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe