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5 episodes with commoditized
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2 episodes with commoditized
2 episodes with commoditized
2 episodes with commoditized
In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Brett Cavanagh to explore why staffing firms must abandon the old transactional playbook, embrace a consultative mindset, and leverage technology like AI while doubling down on the human relationships that truly drive success. About the Guest Brett Cavanagh is the President of TempWorks Software and Lone Oak Payroll. With more than a decade of experience working directly inside staffing firms before moving into technology leadership, Brett now helps agencies scale through smarter systems, operational discipline, and deeper alignment between technology and the real-world demands of recruiting and staffing. Key Takeaways The old staffing playbook is breaking in a changing market. Talent inventory determines who wins in staffing. Commoditized staffing always becomes a race to the bottom. AI won't replace recruiters—it will expose weak ones. The future belongs to consultative staffing firms. Timestamps [00:00] – Is selling staffing harder than ever? [01:40] – Why cold calling candidates is fading [04:05] – What winning staffing firms do differently [05:49] – The shift from transactional to consultative selling [08:24] – Why fear drives bad staffing decisions [10:58] – The danger of competing on price [16:03] – Building a true candidate-first experience [21:43] – The “sports agent” mindset for recruiters [24:45] – How AI will reshape staffing [32:23] – AI will expose average recruiters [37:14] – Where growth still exists in staffing [46:03] – Brett's advice for the next generation About the Host Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He's the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry's leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads. Sponsors and Offers Heard Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. For a limited time, we're offering 50% off a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo. Book a 30-minute business and marketing consultation with host Brad Bialy: https://bit.ly/Bialy30 Benefits in a Card helps staffing firms offer meaningful benefits to their entire workforce through flexible, unbundled plans designed for high-turnover environments—making it easier to control costs, improve retention, and stay competitive. https://www.BenefitsInACard.com TRICOM partners with staffing firms as an asset-based lender and full-service back-office provider, helping owners scale confidently by reducing risk and easing the operational strain of payroll, cash flow, and administration. https://www.tricom.com
Today I'm joined by Michael Maroone, Chairman and CEO of Maroone USA. Michael breaks down why new cars are becoming commodities, where profit has actually migrated, and why culture, curiosity, and operational freedom matter more than pay plans. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - 78% of customers buy from the first business that responds, yet most businesses reply an hour or more late. Jerry 2.0 is the only fully customizable AI Employee. Jerry learns your playbooks, understands your inventory, schedules appointments, books test drives, handles trade-ins, books consultations, sends promotions, requests reviews, and learns from your feedback—within minutes, day or night. Businesses now let Podium's AI Employees handle 40% of their inbound leads, giving teams more time for their customers—and more time home for dinner. Learn what Jerry can do for you @ here! 2. Carfax - Drive long-term customer loyalty with CARFAX. Visit @ https://www.carfax.com/ to learn more. 3. Nomad Content Studio - Most dealers still fumble social—posting dry inventory pics or handing it off without a plan. Meanwhile, the store down the street is racking up millions of views and selling / buying cars using video. That's where Nomad Content Studio comes in. We train your own videographer, direct what to shoot, and handle strategy, to posting, to feedback. Want in with the team behind George Saliba, EV Auto, and top auto groups? Book a call @ http://www.trynomad.co Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff: For dealers: CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/ Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com Dealership recruiting ➤ http://www.cdgrecruiting.com Fix your dealership's social media ➤ http://www.trynomad.co Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com For industry vendors: Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ http://www.cdgpartner.com Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com Topics: 06:10 Instead of GMs, use equity-owning "President Partners." 06:45 Use a "Freedom Frame" for flexible governance. 08:00 High goodwill stores make partner buy-ins impossible. 19:55 Never use compensation to run your business. 21:10 Ask 20 questions in every elevator ride. 24:15 New car product has been totally commoditized. 26:15 We are facing a lost generation of CapEx. 32:15 Measure "Super PVR" to see total deal economics. 39:45 Reject framework agreements; they only hinder growth. Car Dealership Guy Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
If you've only sold sexy products with cool demos and unique features, you're probably missing the fundamentals that separate good salespeople from great ones. Marcus Chan, CEO of Venli Consulting and recent guest on the Sales Gravy podcast, learned to sell in the trenches of commoditized selling: uniforms, facility services, telecom. Industries where you're locked in multi-year contract cycles, competing against five other vendors who offer the exact same thing, and selling at two to three times the market price. "In order to get really, really good at selling in the commoditized market, where price seems to be the only factor... you have to learn how to get really good at the sales process," Chan explains. "You have to be able to take someone who has what I call a latent pain—pain they don't realize—get them to active and create urgency to move." No flash. No sizzle. Just selling. And that's exactly why it works. The First-to-Market Delusion Chan was talking with a client recently. They've closed $5 million in revenue in 12 months. Apple, Fortune 500 companies, massive wins. They're first to market in a brand new category. Zero competitors. Their sales team is flying high. "That's fantastic," he told them. "Now what's your plan for when competitors show up in three years?" Silence. Here's what happens: you get drunk on the product. You don't have to build real sales skills because the product does the heavy lifting. Then the market matures. Competitors launch. Your "unique" features become nothing new. Most teams operate under the belief that they're different. They talk about their proprietary technology, their best-in-class service, and their innovative approach. Meanwhile, buyers are looking at five vendors saying the exact same things. This isn't just true for uniforms and telecom. It's true for SaaS, consulting, financial services. Any market that's been around longer than 18 months gets commoditized fast. The question isn't whether you're in a commoditized market. The question is whether you know how to sell when you are. What Commoditized Selling Actually Teaches You When Chan was selling uniforms at three times the competitor's price to buyers locked into five-year contracts with other vendors, he had nothing to lean on except process. He couldn't say, "Look at this cool new feature." The uniforms were uniforms. Same fabric. Same colors. Same everything. He had to learn three skills most salespeople never develop: Moving buyers from latent pain to active pain. Most buyers don't think they have a problem. They're comfortable. They're "fine" with their current vendor. Your job is to help them realize what they're losing by staying put, and make it real enough that they care. Creating urgency when the status quo is locked in. When a buyer is in year three of a five-year contract, there's zero natural urgency. You have to create it. You have to make the pain of waiting worse than the pain of switching. Navigating complex, multi-stakeholder sales cycles without a product demo to fall back on. You need the operations manager, the finance team, and the C-suite to all agree that switching vendors is worth the headache. And you need to do it without any bells and whistles to distract them from the hard questions. The Hidden Advantage Nobody Talks About Mastering commoditized selling makes everything else easier. Learn to sell uniforms at a premium price, and differentiated products become simple. The hard skills transfer—objection handling, stakeholder navigation, urgency creation. But the real value is that your process becomes your product. In commoditized markets, you compete on how you sell. Your discovery process. Your ability to diagnose the real problem. Your consultative approach. The way you make the buyer feel heard and understood. That's what buyers remember and what separates you from the five other vendors in their inbox. Stop Hiding Behind Your Product Chan sees it all the time with sales teams from "sexy" industries. They lead with features because they can. They lean on their demo because it works. They let the product do the selling. Until it doesn't. Because eventually, every market commoditizes. Your competitor launches the same feature. Buyers stop caring about your "innovative solution" and start asking about price. The salespeople who win in commoditized markets win because of process, not product. They've mastered diagnosis, urgency, and navigating complexity when there's nothing shiny to distract the buyer. A Commoditized Market Is the Best Sales Training Ground If you're selling in a commoditized market right now, congratulations. You're getting an education most salespeople never get—how to compete when you're "just another vendor," how to create value when the product doesn't, how to win on process instead of features. Sell commodities at premium prices to buyers locked into competitor contracts, and you can sell anything. Master the fundamentals where there are no shortcuts, and those fundamentals become automatic. Move to a market with actual differentiation, and you don't just have a good product—you have a good product and the skills to sell it. Winning in Commoditized Selling The best training ground for sales isn't the hottest SaaS company or the coolest startup. It's the "boring," commoditized industries where the product doesn't do the work for you. Where you have to diagnose the problem, create urgency, and navigate complexity without flash to hide behind. The skills you build when nothing else can save you? Those are the skills that make you unstoppable everywhere else. -- If you want to sharpen the fundamentals that win in any market, start with prospecting. Download the free Seven Steps Prospecting Sequence Guide and build a process that creates urgency and fills your pipeline on purpose.
The truth is, in today's world, credibility and expertise are no longer enough to stand out. They've become commodities. What differentiates you is how you build trust and create a unique experience for your prospects. It is important to learn how to shift from a transactional approach to one that builds deep trust and lasting relationships.In this month's Stump The Guru show, I'll be diving into a critical question: Is your selling approach commoditized?I've made it my life's mission to create the clarity that is missing in the traditional sales process, through decades of working with thousands of business owners all over the world, refining Trust-Based Selling into a true art form:· Stop "chasing" ghosts (leads that never call you back!)· Make the sale in ONE conversation, without pressure· Stop selling, create deep trust insteadI've taken my mission one step further and created a livestream show called “Stump The Guru'” -- where you get the opportunity to jump on live and ask me your toughest sales questions that you'd love an answer for.Get Ari's latest best-selling book "Trust In A Split Second!" for FREE along with a Complimentary Lead & Sales Growth Consultation (Value $995.00) at http://www.UnlockTheGame.com/FreeConsult, and join him as a guest on his podcast "Stump The Guru" and get your chance to ask Ari one-on-one questions, fill in the form to be clickable to this link: https://links.arigalper.com/widget/form/rh5YanDqzZqPHVBCKlKG
On this episode of the Thrivecast, Jason Blumer sits down with Dr. Kristy Short to reveal a profound truth about professional services: firms unconsciously choose mediocrity through their communication patterns. We explore how the accounting profession's default toward compliance-based content creates an invisible prison of sameness—a sea of templated messaging that transforms unique practices into indistinguishable commodities.The strategic tension emerges clearly: in an era where AI can generate unlimited content, authentic voice becomes the ultimate differentiator. Yet most firm leaders struggle to identify, articulate, and consistently express their distinctive perspective. Dr. Short's 25-year journey through the content landscape illuminates how this challenge transcends marketing tactics—it's fundamentally about leadership courage and organizational self-awareness. The "million dollar look" framework she describes isn't about aesthetic polish; it's about the disciplined practice of authentic expression in a profession that rewards conformity.This exploration challenges the inherited belief that technical competence alone drives firm success. Instead, we examine content as relational infrastructure—the systematic way firms build trust, demonstrate expertise, and invite deeper advisory relationships. The conversation reveals how moving from one-way compliance communications to engaging, client-centric storytelling requires leaders to confront their own creative limitations and embrace the vulnerable work of authentic brand development. This isn't simply about marketing strategy; it's about organizational transformation and the courage to stand apart in a crowded marketplace.The deeper question emerges: Are you willing to risk distinctiveness in pursuit of meaningful client relationships, or will you remain safely hidden within the comfortable anonymity of professional sameness?About the guest:Kristy Short, Ed.D, is the owner of Type5 Content and Align Creative. She has served the accounting profession for more than 25 years—an expert in content strategy and development. And she's loved every minute of it! Kristy's passionate about helping firms and the profession as whole move forward., kick ass and conquer. She's worked with hundreds of firms and accounting-space vendors and is authentically effusive when she says: "There's no better feeling than watching clients succeed.
Pricing isn't just “check a comp.” We dig into price discovery: how vendors set numbers on the floor, why eye appeal (centering, strength/weakness for the grade) can trump the last sale, and where “invisible comps”—private deals and off-platform sales—shape the real market. Dan Bliss stays on to share a dealer's playbook for fair, competitive pricing and fast inventory turnover, and Leighton Sheldon joins to weigh in on rare cards, negotiation ethics, and keeping your own private sales data. Highlights Competitive vs. cushion pricing: why marking 20–30% over comps can stall your table Eye appeal premium/discounts: strong-for-grade vs. off-center within the same numeric grade Commoditized cards vs. scarce pieces: when comps matter—and when they don't “Invisible comps”: private show/LCS/Facebook deals that never hit public databases Buying etiquette: avoiding “lowball” moments, respecting sellers, and still getting to yes Collector vs. flipper negotiations: why intent shouldn't change fair pricing Practical takeaways: price to sell, track your own private sales, refresh inventory often Support the show Enjoying Sports Cards Live? Follow and rate the podcast, share this episode with a hobby friend, and turn on notifications so you never miss a new segment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ton Dobbe is the founder of Value Inspiration, helping SaaS companies transform from commoditized to remarkable. He's the author of The Remarkable Effect, where he explores what makes products stand out and command premium prices. And he's a keynote speaker and podcast host himself. In this episode, Ton shares his insights on how SaaS companies can escape the commodity trap and command premium pricing by focusing on their unique approach to solving customer problems, rather than just features and functions. Why you have to check out today's podcast: Learn how to identify and articulate the real problems your customers face that keep them awake at night. Discover why competing on your approach rather than features is the key to premium pricing. Understand how guarantees and risk reduction can justify higher prices and improve your entire business operation. "Start thinking about what you do and why customers would pay a premium for that. And if you cannot answer that, there's work to do. It's a very simple question. What would it take for people to start paying a premium for it?" – Ton Dobbe Topics Covered: 02:37 – Startup failure and value proposition: Why 75% of software scalers fail despite achieving product-market fit and how the inability to market at appropriate value becomes their downfall 04:07 – Value is a story: Ton's definition of value as "a story in the head of a customer" versus Mark's "result of solving problems" and how perception drives pricing acceptance 09:28 – Value pricing and guarantees: How adding guarantees reduces customer fear of making mistakes and enables premium pricing, plus the psychology behind buyer decision-making 12:33 – Guaranteeing results for customers: The insurance model approach to guarantees and how implementation success creates win-win scenarios for both vendor and customer 15:28 – Competing on approach, not features: Why software companies must differentiate based on their unique approach to solving problems rather than feature comparisons with competitors 19:09 – Secret sauce for ideal customers: Ton's 12-step "pressure cooker" process for identifying your value foundation and connecting company knowledge to customer segments 22:11 – Ideal customer segmentation benefits: How focusing on perfect-fit customers accelerates sales cycles, increases win rates, stops discounting, and improves every business function 27:59 – The value of AI solutions: Why companies fail when they position themselves as "AI-powered" instead of focusing on the specific problems their AI capabilities solve 30:39 – Premium pricing strategies: The fundamental question every company must answer - why would customers pay a premium for what you do, and what would it take to achieve that? Key Takeaways: "Value is a story in the head of a customer. When I say to you, for example, this is 30,000 US dollars. Some people will say, that's expensive. And other people will say, that's a bargain. And the difference is how well you communicate the value in a way that clicks with them." – Ton Dobbe "The moment you can add something like a guarantee or like a reliable promise to that, you can even charge more on pricing because it takes a lot of objections away around the fear of messing up." – Ton Dobbe "If you compete on a feature function level, everybody will lose. So you have to make a choice, are we going to compete on the feature function level or are we going to compete on something else?" – Ton Dobbe "The moment you get that idea in their head, this is the choice and they're gonna solve my problem better than anyone else. They're gonna give me more value than anyone else. Well, why should I even start talking about discounts?" – Ton Dobbe People / Resources Mentioned: The Jolt Effect (book on buyer indecision) Christian Owens, CEO of Paddle Connect with Ton Dobbe: Website: https://valueinspiration.com Book: https://theremarkableeffect.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tondobbe/ Connect with Mark Stiving: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stiving/ Email: mark@impactpricing.com
Astasia Myers is a GP at Felicis, an iconic VC firm with investments in companies like Shopify, Canva, Adyen, Notion, Mercor, Plaid, Supabase, Flexport, and more. Astasia's favorite books: God's Bankers (Author: Gerald Posner)(00:01) Introduction(00:26) Astasia's Infra Thesis(03:59) Golden Age of Infra & Innovators Network(06:22) RL Environments & AI Agents(08:57) Disruption Opportunities: Data & Observability(11:31) Where to Find Infra Founders(16:31) Early Signals & Thesis-Driven Investing(18:01) Picking & Decision-Making Process(20:11) Red Flags in Infra Investing(22:20) References & Diligence(24:35) Proof of Usage & Production Signals(26:24) Building Edge as an Investor(28:01) How Felicis Helps Founders Post-Investment(30:05) Consensus vs. Contrarian Views in Infra(32:09) Tourist Traps in Infra Investing(34:43) GTM & Sales Motion in Infra(37:25) Pricing Strategies for Infra Startups(40:09) Ecosystem vs. Core Product Focus(42:15) Lessons from Outlier vs. Good Companies(44:30) Infra Wedges to Fund Today(45:23) Commoditized but Promising Categories(47:06) Exciting AI Advancements(48:21) Rapid Fire Round--------Where to find Astasia Myers: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/astasiamyers/--------Where to find Prateek Joshi: Website: https://prateekj.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prateek-joshi-infiniteX: https://x.com/prateekvjoshiResearch column: https://infrastartups.com
“If there's one reason we have done better than our peers in the internet space over the last six years, it is because we have focused like a laser on customer experience, and that really does matter, I think, in any business.” – Jeff Bezos Check Out These Highlights: When I started in sales, it was all about the product or service and how we could save time and money for the client. This remains a crucial piece of the puzzle in highlighting the benefits to the client. The other key piece that is often overlooked is the client journey and the culture that needs to be built to earn the long-term respect and to become top-of-mind every time your client has a financial event, which is about every 90 days. So, if our efforts do not align with the marketing message from your marketing department, the results can be catastrophic, resulting in a significant loss of sales and missed sales opportunities. About Lori Turner-Wilson: Lori is the founder of RedRover, is a trailblazer in business marketing. With 30+ years of experience, she has led transformative marketing strategies that drive measurable results for hundreds of companies. Under her leadership, RedRover became one of the only full-service B2B firms in the U.S. to guarantee marketing ROI, earning the moniker “The Results-Guaranteed Agency.” Her innovative approach continues to reshape the industry, empowering businesses with strategies that deliver real, guaranteed outcomes. How to Get in Touch with Lori Turner-Wilson: Website: marketingresultsguaranteed.com Email: lori@redrovercompany.com Gift: www.marketingresultsguaranteed.com/podcast Use Discount Code: Podcast Previous Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/changing-the-sales-game/id1543243616?i=1000711035912 Stalk me online! LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/conniewhitman Subscribe to the Changing the Sales Game Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming service or YouTube. New episodes are posted every week—listen as Connie delves into new sales and business topics or addresses problems you may have in your business.
Outsourcing podcast Get the full show notes for this outsourcing podcast here: outsourceaccelerator.com/549 Staff Virtual On this episode of the Outsource Accelerator Podcast, host Derek Gallimore sits down with Ike Stranathan, CEO and Co-founder of STAFFVIRTUAL. They discuss the company's growth, differentiation strategy, and the future of outsourcing. Ike shares how STAFFVIRTUAL evolved from a VA startup concept to a trusted BPO partner for legal and technical clients across the globe. References: Website: https://staffvirtual.com/ Email: ike@staffvirtual.com Start Outsourcing Outsource Accelerator can help you transform your business with outsourcing. Get in touch now, or use one of the resources below. Business Process Outsourcing Get a Free Quote - Connect with 3 verified outsourcing experts & see how outsourcing can transform your business Book a Discovery Call - See how Outsource Accelerator can help you enhance your company's innovation and growth with outsourcing The Top 40 BPOs - We have compiled this review of the most notable 40 Business Process Outsourcing companies in the Philippines Outsourcing Calculator - This tool provides you with invaluable insight into the potential savings outsourcing can do for your business Outsourcing Salary Guide - Access the comprehensive guide to payroll salary compensation, benefits, and allowances in the Philippines Outsourcing Accelerator Podcast - Subscribe and listen to the world's leading outsourcing podcast, hosted by Derek Gallimore Payoneer - The leading global B2B payment solution for the outsourcing industry About Outsource Accelerator Outsource Accelerator is the world's leading outsourcing marketplace and advisory. We offer the full spectrum of services, from light advisory and vendor brokerage, though to full implementation and fully-managed solutions. We service companies of all sectors, and all sizes, spanning all departmental verticals. Outsource Accelerator's unique approach to outsourcing enables our clients to build the best teams, access the most flexible solutions, and generate the best results possible. Our unrivaled sector knowledge and market reach mean that you get the best terms and results possible, at the best ALL-IN market-leading price - guaranteed.
One area of the economy and commercial real estate that's flourishing is luxury travel. Well located, well managed hotels are unique assets that retain their value irrespective of the macroeconomic environment. In the past few years, this trend has been amplified because of the cost to build and resulting limited new supply. People who have the economic wherewithal will always prioritize upscale experiences and be willing to pay for them. Since founding Dovehill Capital Management in 2011, Jake Wurzak has led the investment of over $1.5 billion in hospitality projects, mostly in Florida where he resides. Currently, Jake is mostly investing in pref equity deals with other experienced operators.
This week on More or Less, we dive into the escalating AI talent wars, Meta's bold moves, and what the latest hires really mean for the future of AI innovation. The More or Less team break down why product execution is overtaking research wizardry, what's happening between OpenAI and Microsoft, and how AI is reshaping inbound for all markets.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit
What does it take to keep hospitality from becoming just another commodity? In this episode of The Turndown, Bashar Wali, Founder and CEO of This Assembly and Practice Hospitality, shares why the future of hotels lies not in points or perks, but in the power of human connection. Drawing on his experience as hotel developer, operator, and tireless traveler, Bashar challenges the industry to rethink loyalty, guest experience, and the role of technology. Discover why emotional intelligence is hospitality's greatest asset – and how small, thoughtful moments can transform forgettable stays into lifelong loyalty.
In this episode, I dig into a question that's always lurking in the back of a portrait photographer's mind – what really makes light flattering? It's a term we all use, but what does it actually mean? Is it just about soft shadows and low contrast, or is it more about the connection between the subject and the photographer? I talk through this while reflecting on a busy week – from a stunning wedding at Head Saw House to a corporate shoot for Barclays, and a spontaneous portrait session that reminded me why I love this job. I also share some thoughts on the updated Mastering Portrait Photography book, which hits shelves in September, complete with fresh images and a whole new chapter on AI post-production. If you've ever wondered what makes a light truly flattering – and why it's about more than just the gear – this episode is for you. And as always, wherever you are and whatever you're doing, be kind to yourself. Cheers P. If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode. PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think! If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. Transcript Well, as I sit here in the studio, the sun is shining in through the windows and it's been a beautiful, beautiful week. I started it with a trip down to Devon with the in-laws. One great thing about being married to Sarah, whose family are from Plymouth, there are many great things about being married to Sarah. But one of the ones, in terms of geography, at least, is her family still lived down in Plymouth, in Devon, by the sea. So it was absolutely glorious to spend a couple of days down there walking the dog, drinking a beer, enjoying the sunshine, and the sun is still shining here right now. And on that happy note, I'm Paul. I'm very much looking forward to a barbecue, and this is the Mastering Portrait
Stephen Dooley is Founder of Roamr, a corporate travel accommodation platform built for distributed teams. Merging insights from trust dynamics and the sharing economy, Stephen explains how a personal pain point led to an innovative travel solution rethinking cost structures and workplace needs. He shares how listening to customer feedback evolved the initial concept into a fresh approach to business travel that—being empathetic and practical—supports flexibility, connection, and culture while delivering measurable impact for businesses and employees alike. TAKEAWAYS [01:22] Stephen studies commerce aligning early interests in business and entrepreneurship. [01:45] A year abroad gives Stephen an exciting experience and global perspective. [03:11] The year studying in the US sparks Stephen's ambition and sharpens his interpersonal skills. [03:47] Graduate research initially focuses on financial technology and wealth management. [05:15] Stephen is interested in tech-related consumer psychology dynamics and adoption drivers. [06:25] The sharing economy reverses historical fundamental trust patterns and behaviors. [07:11] Younger consumers now influence their parents' tech-based adoption decisions. [08:34] Stephen takes a new role then the pandemic hits, requiring rapid learning. [09:28] A light bulb moment about new realities for travel, lifestyle and career compatibility. [09:47] A great workation opportunity is dashed by unaffordable accommodation. [10:42] Identifying remote work necessities reveal need for better infrastructure. [11:17] Location flexibility is widespread, but how to take advantage of new opportunities. [12:21] Societal tailwinds are behind Working From Anywhere and distributed work. [12:55] Roamr launches with an employee-focused offering home swaps for workations. [13:49] During customer discovery, many employers ask to apply the model to corporate travel. [14:20] Employees get alternatives to hotels, financially benefit, and firms save money. [14:52] Now business travel is more relationship-focused, so culture and collaboration benefits can outweigh reduced costs. [16:31] Travel expenses can be significant so more than 20% in savings is valuable. [17:09] Improved culture, engagement, and retention offer meaningful additional benefits. [19:21] More younger workers understand the Roamr concept and have much interest to connect and network. [20:09] Hosting income also helps employees towards meaningful financial goals. [21:04] Roamr aligns CFO cost savings priorities and CPO employee experience goals. [22:40] Global platform partners expand reach to over 100 countries. [24:31] Top talent understand their worth and if not offered flexibility will work elsewhere. [25:50] Finding the option(s) that work for each person—where is the middle ground? [28:08] Research revealed how taxi rides fostered long-term interactions. [28:46] Engineering connections by mapping users to have facilitated serendipity. [29:32] Adding personal networks to expand reach, connectivity, and flexible opportunities. [31:50] Employees can create and plan local events during work trips. [32:30] Visibility avoids missed connections among nearby remote coworkers. [33:15] Highlighting common interests to encourage sharing experiences while traveling. [34:11] In-person sales increase in relevance as AI outreach becomes oversaturated. [36:02] Commoditized business travel offers few incentives for employees to reduce costs. [37:15] Incentivizing smart booking combined with uplifts for culture and engagement. [37:47] Buffers in travel planning processes reveal hidden budget inefficiencies. [38:55] Roamr is a win-win choice – an optional, flexible alternative to hotels. [39:18] IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP – How can you think differently about business travel processes to avoid or reduce bloated costs? RESOURCES Stephen Dooley on LinkedIn Roamr's website QUOTES “What if we could make work from anywhere, work from everywhere?” “It's a platform that helps companies save 30% on their corporate travel accommodation and we do that by paying employees instead of hotels.” “We believe that's a way better way to build culture rather than a kind of team building awkward session in the middle of the office.” “So we're not just saying we want to save money. We actually want to make the experience better, more intentional, more engaging.” “How do we find a way to give some flexibility, but also bring teams together and make it work?” “Everybody can send a million emails now. How are we going to stand out? How we're going to build those relationships?”
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Mike Krieger is the Co-Founder of Instagram and now CPO @ Anthropic. In Today's Episode with Mike Krieger We Discuss: 03:07 Where Will Value Be Created and Sustained in a World of AI? 04:59 Are Foundation Models Commoditised Today? 08:36 Should Founders Build for the Models of Today or Build for Models of the Future 12:19: Why Will Models Become More Different Than More Similar 16:38: Will Human or Synthetic Data Be More Prominent in the Future 19:28 Model Quality vs. Product UX 23:36 The Competitive Landscape of AI 32:27 Do We Underestimate China's AI Capabilities 33:59 What Did Anthropic Learn from Deepseek 34:07 Is Deepseek a Sustaining and Credible Threat? 37:04 Transitioning from Model Provider to Application Provider 38:26 Where Has Anthropic Chronically Under-Invested 39:08 Why Has Anthropic Been Slow On Consumer Product Development 43:50 What is the Role of a Software Developer in the Future 48:29 Balancing API and Consumer Products 51:09 Is Europe Stronger or Weaker in a World of AI 52:40 Quickfire Round: Insights and Reflections
Jack Martin speaks with Ari Galper, a renowned authority in trust-based selling. Ari shares his "One Call Sale." The post Trust-Based Selling as an Advisor in a Commoditized Market with Ari Galper (Ep. 77) first appeared on Simplicity InsurMark.
Jack Martin speaks with Ari Galper, a renowned authority in trust-based selling. Ari shares his "One Call Sale." The post Trust-Based Selling as an Advisor in a Commoditized Market with Ari Galper (Ep. 77) first appeared on Simplicity InsurMark.
Episode 204 - Is your business a commodity Marketing Strategies to avoid being commoditized In this episode of the Marketing Guides for Small Businesses Podcast, we tackle the pressing issue of commoditization that many service-based businesses face. Hosts Ian Cantle, Ken Tucker, and Paul Barthel delve into why businesses struggle with becoming commoditized and how they can stand out in a crowded, competitive market. The episode offers actionable steps and strategies for differentiation, customer feedback, and leveraging technology to enhance your unique value proposition and secure lasting customer relationships. Key Learnings: Identifying Commoditization: Learn the early warning signs of commoditization such as price wars, customer churn, and lack of differentiation, and how these signs can impact your business.Importance of Differentiation: Discover why setting your business apart from competitors is crucial and how it prevents the risks associated with being viewed as a commodity.Practical Strategies for Differentiation: Explore actionable strategies to differentiate your service-based business, including productization, systematization, and understanding your ideal customer.Leveraging Technology: Gain insights on the key technologies, like CRM systems and analytics tools, that can help your business streamline operations, respond faster, and deliver an enhanced customer experience.Customer Feedback: Understand the role of customer feedback in identifying areas of improvement and discovering what your business does well, helping you to refine your services and increase customer loyalty. TAKE ACTION TODAY: If you found value in this episode, we encourage you to subscribe to the Marketing Guides for Small Businesses Podcast. Rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform to help us reach more listeners like you. Also, visit our website at https://marketingguidesforsmallbusinesses.com/ for free resources, more episodes, and links to set up free consultation calls with any of the hosts. Share our podcast with your colleagues, friends, and family. Keep calm and market on! GET IN TOUCH WITH THE MARKETING GUIDES: Ian Cantle of Dental Marketing Heroes and Outsourced Marketing Jeff Stec of Tylerica Marketing Systems Ken Tucker & Paul Barther of Changescape Web Solutions
Episode Summary: Susan Duke's entrepreneurial journey began in her mother's retail business, planting the seeds of her desire to own a business. Despite initially majoring in business administration, she found her true passion in English and history, eventually leading her to pursue a law degree. Her early legal career was fraught with challenges and a lack of mentorship, but she took a leap of faith to start her own law practice, which quickly became successful. Susan's experiences have taught her the importance of trusting her gut instincts, strategic financial planning, and fostering a strong company culture, all of which have shaped her resilient and adaptive entrepreneurial mindset. Here's what to expect this episode: Seeking mentorship and guidance from legal professionals is crucial for entrepreneurship success. Building a strong company culture and hiring based on values are key to maintaining a successful business. Believing in abundance rather than scarcity is important for long-term business growth and success. Financial planning and strategic growth are essential elements in building a successful law practice. Core values and Three Unique's can differentiate a business in a competitive market and shape its reputation and future growth. Connect with Susan Duke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-duke/ Connect with Stas Balanevsky: https://www.eosworldwide.com/stas-balanevsky
Anurag Arjun is the Co-founder Avail. Anurag's Twitter: https://twitter.com/anuragarjun Avail's Twitter: https://twitter.com/AvailProject Avail's Website: https://www.availproject.org/ Logan Jastremski's Twitter: @LoganJastremski Frictionless's Twitter: @_Frictionless_ Frictionless's Website: https://frictionless.fund/
Has Artificial Intelligence Destroyed the Creative Process? - Has Creativity Become Commoditized?
Today we delve into the leadership upheaval at Stability AI, Apple finally putting their cards on the table, the breadth of tools available for image and video generation, more ways to use LLMs to build micro apps, the release of numerous new models, and highlighting broader trends in the AI industry that may be rising to the surface. What might recent developments in the space reveal about the future of open source and centralized Ai? Are we headed toward a brighter, or much darker future? Find out in today's show. Links to check out Sora video generation (Link: https://tinyurl.com/2tmz8tt9) RunwayML (Link: https://runwayml.com/) Pika Labs (Link: https://pikalabs.org/) Stability Ai (Link: https://stability.ai/) Fountain.fm (Link: https://fountain.fm/) Host Links Guy on Nostr (Link: http://tinyurl.com/2xc96ney) Guy on X (Link: https://twitter.com/theguyswann) Guy on Instagram (Link: https://www.instagram.com/theguyswann/) Guy on TikTok (Link: https://www.tiktok.com/@theguyswann) Guy on YouTube (Link: https://www.youtube.com/@theguyswann) Bitcoin Audible on X (Link: https://twitter.com/BitcoinAudible) Check out our awesome sponsors! Get 10% off the COLDCARD with code BITCOINAUDIBLE (Link: bitcoinaudible.com/coldcard) Swan: The best way to buy, learn, and earn #Bitcoin (Link: https://swanbitcoin.com)
Today we delve into the leadership upheaval at Stability AI, Apple finally putting their cards on the table, the breadth of tools available for image and video generation, more ways to use LLMs to build micro apps, the release of numerous new models, and highlighting broader trends in the AI industry that may be rising to the surface. What might recent developments in the space reveal about the future of open source and centralized Ai? Are we headed toward a brighter, or much darker future? Find out in today's show. Links to check out Sora video generation (Link: https://tinyurl.com/2tmz8tt9) RunwayML (Link: https://runwayml.com/) Pika Labs (Link: https://pikalabs.org/) Stability Ai (Link: https://stability.ai/) Fountain.fm (Link: https://fountain.fm/) Host Links Guy on Nostr (Link: http://tinyurl.com/2xc96ney) Guy on X (Link: https://twitter.com/theguyswann) Guy on Instagram (Link: https://www.instagram.com/theguyswann) Guy on TikTok (Link: https://www.tiktok.com/@theguyswann) Guy on YouTube (Link: https://www.youtube.com/@theguyswann) Bitcoin Audible on X (Link: https://twitter.com/BitcoinAudible) The Guy Swann Network Broadcast Room on Keet (Link: https://tinyurl.com/3na6v839) Check out our awesome sponsors! Fold: The best way to buy, use, and earn #Bitcoin on everything you do! Sats back on your debit card, gift cards, auto-buys, round-ups, you name it. Fold is the true bitcoiner's banking. Get 20K sats for FREE using referral code bitcoinaudible.com/fold Ready for best-in-class self custody? Get the Jade here and use discount code 'GUY' to get 10% off (Link: bitcoinaudible.com/jade) Trying to BUY BITCOIN? River, secure, trusted, bitcoin only, lightning enabled, simple. (Link: https://bitcoinaudible.com/river) Bitcoin Games! Get 10% off the best Bitcoin board game in the world, HODLUP! Or any of the other great games from the Free Market Kids! Use code GUY10 at checkout for 10% off your cart! (Link: https://www.freemarketkids.com/collections/games-1) Bitcoin Custodial Multisig Want to get into Bitcoin but not ready for self custody? Use custodial multisig for the best way to distribute trust across multiple institutions and even jurisdictions! Check out OnRamp. (Link: BitcoinAudible.com/onramp) Education & HomeSchooling Get the lesson in real economics that you never got in school, and teach your kids the truth, not the statist insanity that is Keynesia...
Struggling to compete on Amazon? Many sellers rush into competing with hot-selling products without realizing they're commoditized. This video by John Aspinall of My Amazon Guy explains how to identify commoditized products and develop winning strategies to stand out using branding. Learn why competing solely on price can be a race to the bottom. Discover effective tactics to thrive in the Amazon marketplace.#amazonfba #amazonseller #ecommerce #onlineselling #branding→ Use code STEVENPOPE6M20 and save 20% on your first 6 months of Helium 10!↳ https://bit.ly/3RTm5id→ Already have Helium 10? Get a special discount for upgrading your account!↳ https://myamazonguy.com/h10upgrade→ More reason to invest in Helium 10! ↳ https://myamazonguy.com/helium-10-service/Our Amazon Agency specialists here at My Amazon Guy are always on the lookout for the latest updates in Seller Central Amazon in order to better manage our clients' listings. Click here to know more:↳ https://myamazonguy.com/seller-central-amazon/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Join My Amazon Guy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28605816/Follow us:Twitter: https://twitter.com/myamazonguyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenpopemag/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/myamazonguys/Please subscribe to the podcast at: https://podcast.myamazonguy.comApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-amazon-guy/id1501974229Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4A5ASHGGfr6s4wWNQIqyVwTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction: Commoditized Products on Amazon00:52 - Identifying Commoditized Products01:35 - Standing Out with Branding for Commoditized Products01:53 - Competing on Price with Commoditized Products (Not Recommended)02:27 - Considering Costs Before Competing on Price02:50 - Conclusion: Don't Blindly Compete on PriceSupport the show
The Sales Management. Simplified. Podcast with Mike Weinberg
During Week 1 of the 2024 Sales Kickoff Meeting Season, one of Mike's clients included a live Q&A to conclude a virtual session. The questions from the salespeople and sales leaders were so good, and so different from what Mike is typically asked, he decided to share them (along with his answers) in this episode. You'll want to share this episode with your sales team! Take a listen for Mike's answers to these eight great questions: At what point do you move on to the next opportunity? How many NO's do you need to get before giving up, or how long do you continue to pursue a prospect who has stopped responding? How do we get your training to stick? What would you tell salespeople and managers to ensure that what you're teaching gets implemented…and makes an impact? How does using the business plan help the salesperson and manager set short-term and long-term goals, and also help to achieve those goals? How can your training (and approach) help our ecosystem develop both a better sales culture and also help us deliver a better customer experience? What is necessary for us to be successful going “upmarket” (selling solutions instead of hardware) and getting into higher-level customer contacts? After winning a deal and handing it off cleanly, how can we get salespeople back to selling instead of having them continuing to come back to make sure the project is moving and/or installed? What do you think is the number one sales sin of the Ugly 8 Reasons Sellers Get Viewed as Amateurs, Relegated to “Vendor” Status and Commoditized? Can you speak about the most resistant sales organization you have dealt with? Were you able to get them to change, and through that change, what was the outcome? Resources Referenced by Mike in Episode 68: The New Sales. Simplified. Video Coaching Series Ugly 8 Reasons Sellers Get Viewed as Amateurs, Relegated to “Vendor” Status and Commoditized (PDF) Mike's wife's irrational, but wonderful, response to her gorgeous new putter (blog post) A Foolproof Framework to Guarantee Consistent Deal Flow and a Full, Healthy Pipeline (podcast episode) 9 Powerful Reasons to Have Salespeople Write Individual Business Plans (podcast episode) 5 Fundamental Focus Areas for a Successful Sales Attack (podcast episode) This episode is sponsored by Pursuit Sales Solutions. If you looking for help adding A-player talent to your team, contact Mike's friends at pursuitsalessolutions.com/weinberg
Welcome back to another episode of the Natural Born Leader Podcast! Today I had a call with Abysuss (a member of GCP) and we had a great talk that I wanted to share with you guys. We talk about his journey, how he got started in this space, and some of his biggest breakthroughs since working with ClientAcquisition.io Thank you for listening Find Serge Gatari Here: Natural Born Leader Community | Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | ClientAcquisition.io
Greg Romanzo and his partners spent 17 years growing a freight forwarding business. As the company expanded to 200 employees, the partners faced a realization: their decisions now impacted 200 families. This responsibility became overwhelming, and they decided to sell.
“The world doesn't need another expert.” So says today's guest, Andrew Davis. Experts rely on hacks, tips, tricks, teaching, preaching, and over-promising. Visionary leaders a) tend not to call themselves that and b) focus on the quest for knowledge itself, with enough humility to admit what they don't know, or the problems they are exploring even while still in process. In today's conversation, you'll learn how to move past commoditized content toward launching a quest that builds trust and brings your audience along for the ride—while embracing digital doppelgängers to help you get there. More About Andrew: Andrew Davis is a bestselling author and internationally acclaimed keynote speaker. Recognized as one of the industry's "Jaw-Dropping Marketing Speakers," Andrew is a mainstay on global marketing influencer lists. Wherever he goes, Andrew Davis puts his infectious enthusiasm and magnetic speaking style to good use teaching business leaders how to grow their businesses, transform their cities, and leave their legacy. He is the author of Brandscaping, Town Inc., and The Referable Speaker.
For this in studio episode I am thrilled to welcome Fabio Carrara, founder and CEO at Brazilian renewable energy firm Solfacil, that has raised over $130m from the likes of QED, Fifth Wall, Softbank, VEF and Valor Capital. In today's episode we will discuss: 1. Window of opportunity: why market timing is everything? 2. The heat of the crowd: how to thrive in commoditized market? 3. Go slow to go fast: how to become an ecosystem player? 4. Solar space market in Brazil: market opportunity, key profit pools and obstacles to adoption. 5. First principles thinking: structured approach to disrupting complex markets. If you would like to get more insight from LatAm's leading tech founders and investors, subscribe to our new YouTube channel and follow us on Spotify or Apple. Follow Olga on LinkedIn or Instagram Olga is an entrepreneur, venture capital investor, mentor at Techstars and founder at The J Curve, Latin America's leading English speaking podcast about tech builders. She's been investing in the USA, SEA and Latin America for over 13 years. Companies she backed include tech unicorn ClassPass (acquired by Mindbody) and Vitalk (acquired by Gympass). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/olgamaslikhova/message
In this insightful episode of Full Funnel Freedom, special guests Mike Wolf and JP Acosta from Delgado Stone Distributors are welcomed. The conversation unravels the strategies that have positioned Delgado Stone distinctively in a commoditized industry, underscoring the importance of exceptional customer service and a collaborative approach among sales, customer service, and marketing teams. What you'll learn: The innovative strategies Delgado Stone employs to differentiate in a commoditized industry. How an unwavering commitment to customer service and product integrity forms the cornerstone of Delgado Stone's success. The essence of synergistic collaboration among sales, customer service, and marketing teams. The pivotal role of technology in streamlining processes and fostering work-life integration. How a culture of learning from failure and genuine customer interactions underpin Delgado Stone's sales philosophy. Resources: -=+=-=+=--=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+= Free offer for listeners of the Full Funnel Freedom Podcast. It's incredibly frustrating as sales leaders when our sellers get a deal almost across the finish line, but can't quite push it to the finish, even though they've promised us that it's coming in real soon. We are offering a Free white paper on Three ways to get those sales across the line. To get this free, insightful report, visit us at fullfunnelfreedom.com/sputter -=+=-=+=--=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+= Full Funnel Freedom https://fullfunnelfreedom.com Sandler on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sandler_yyc/ Sandler in Calgary - www.hamish.sandler.com/howtosandler Connect with Hamish Knox on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamishknox/ Sponsorship or guest inquiries - podcast@fullfunnelfreedom.com
Transforming the brand into a commoditized category requires strategic thinking, innovation, and a deep understanding of the market and consumer dynamics. To discuss this topic, Rich Kylberg, a former Arrow Electronics CMO, joins the podcast to explore some key insights and strategies that can help reshape the brand's role. Rich emphasizes the value of empowering others to do something great. You can help empower others by getting them into their goal without imposing the presumption of your goal upon them. It is important to hear Rich's insights on these strategies and learn about his experiences in transforming the role of a brand in a commoditized category, particularly within the context of Arrow Electronics.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! https://www.monigle.com/
In my latest podcast episode, we explore a topic that is often overlooked but extremely important - community engagement. Small healthcare businesses often face marketing strategy gaps due to their over-reliance on SEO and an inconsistent online presence. Listen to the episode for valuable insights on how to harness the power of the community as a marketing tool.Linkedin Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nearsite Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joealexlemon/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/joealexlemon/ TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdF9f7hg/
Guillaume Roux-Chabert from Interactive Brokers Singapore joins with Senior Portfolio Manager – Stefano Grasso, MBA, Enhanced Value Fund. Over 20 years of investing experience, most recently in commodity trading with Eni as head of the Singapore Office (APAC). Prior experience with McKinsey and Company in Milan and London. Disciple of Warren Buffett and passionate about value investing philosophy. Sponsor Information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanograsso/ EVF@8vantedge.com
In this episode of my journal entries, I share one of my most popular presentations. A presentation that I gave to many businesses around the globe and at conferences from coast to coast. In this particular episode, I'm going to be sharing the audio from a webinar I did with the team at Metadata.io about how SaaS brands can win in commoditized markets. You know. Here's the biggest problem I see right now in our industry: Brands have forgotten that Content Marketing is a two word concept. As such… They've shifted their focus to creating content and that's it. Content. Content. Content. And absolutely no marketing. It's a shame. More organizations across SaaS need to be thinking like a media company. But I won't stop there…because, I'm sure you've heard that. I go on to say that SaaS brands need to embrace the idea of marketing at its core. Which means companies in the SaaS space need to think holistically about their marketing efforts. Not just creating blog posts and hitting publish for years on end. Blog posts should be the tip of the iceberg for your content marketing engine. A great content engine recognizes opportunities for research, development, press releases, and a great content engine will ultimately lead you to the conversations that you want to have with industry and global leaders. --- Follow Ross on YouTube Instagram Twitter Connect on LinkedIn
In this Their Story podcast episode, Michael Parisi and Sean Martin dig into the challenges and implications of compliance, cybersecurity, and the risk of commoditization in the industry. The conversation focuses on the importance of maintaining a strong security posture, the role of stakeholders, and the need for education among non-technical individuals, such as CFOs and board members, to prevent a race to the bottom in cybersecurity.Parisi's main concern is that compliance has become an outcome rather than a mission, and that cybersecurity could follow a similar path if we're not careful. With an increasing number of organizations turning to managed security service providers (MSSPs), the risk of commoditization looms large. Parisi and Martin also discuss the challenges posed by the "fog of more" in the cybersecurity landscape, with an overwhelming number of security solutions available and a potential race to the bottom in pricing.The conversation shifts to the role of stakeholders in preventing this downward spiral. Parisi argues that stakeholders have the power to save the industry, but only if they care enough and are adequately educated about the importance of cybersecurity. He believes that educating boards and business owners is crucial to creating more stakeholders with a genuine stake in the game.Note: This story contains promotional content. Learn more: https://www.itspmagazine.com/their-infosec-storyGuest:Michael Parisi, Head of Client Acquisition at Schellman [@Schellman]On Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-parisi-4009b2261/ResourcesLearn more about Schellman and their offering: https://itspm.ag/schellman9a6vFor more RSAC Conference Coverage podcast and video episodes visit: https://www.itspmagazine.com/rsa-conference-usa-2023-rsac-san-francisco-usa-cybersecurity-event-coverageAre you interested in telling your story?https://www.itspmagazine.com/telling-your-story
Are you tired of blending in with the competition? Want to know how to stand out and succeed in a commoditized industry?In this episode, we dive deep into the world of innovation and marketing with Peter Mann, Founder and CEO at Oransi, who shares his unique approach to thriving in a crowded market. Discover the secrets to connecting with customers on an emotional level, outsmarting your competition, and disrupting a commoditized industry.
Paul focuses on the challenge of selling value in a tough, competitive market. Show Notes It begins with attitude. If you believe your solution is the same as everyone else's, that's exactly what your customer is going to think. You must remind yourself that you are selling a unique, bundled package: the three dimensions of value (the company, the product, and you – the salesperson). There is no commodity in creativity. Creatively add value to the customer experience. Have you asked your customer this question: “What problems are you experiencing that I can help with?” Become customer-focused. View the world through the eyes of the customer. Did you enjoy the podcast? Go to Apple Podcasts to rate/review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-q-and-a-sales-podcast/id1485103513. Click “Listen” then the “ratings and reviews” button. Visit www.ToughTimer.com to get started on the 30-Day Tough-Timer Challenge! Order your copy of Selling Through Tough Times from Amazon or Barnes & Noble! Click here to purchase the latest edition of Value-Added Selling! Interested in our public seminar offerings? Click here to learn more. *** Thank you for tuning in. Our show is updated weekly with the questions you ask. So, please go to the home page to ask the question that you want answered. Thank you to our production team at The Creative Impostor Studios. Be sure to follow our show in your favorite podcast app and share this episode with a colleague or friend. And most importantly...make it a big day.
In this episode, Cheryl and Scott discuss: The difference between being interested and being passionate How to know your biggest, most audacious dream Why we need to know ourselves and our gifts Potential energy and kinetic energy Key Takeaways: There's a world of a difference between being interested in something and having a burning desire for it. The first step to making your dream come true is to make sure that you truly are passionate about it. Figure out the biggest, most audacious dream that you can have by giving yourself two minutes to write down all the scary things you've wanted to do. Narrow down that list to three and then choose one. Understanding ourselves is key to identifying our superpower and bringing our best selves and best gifts to work every single day. Nothing happens until you take action. By preparing, planning, and motivating yourself for your audacious goal, you've stored up potential energy. Taking action is what releases that energy and puts you in momentum toward the direction of where you want to be. “You can not outperform your self-image.” — Scott Carley Read, “Who Not How” by Dan Sullivan, Benjamin Hardy: https://www.amazon.com/Who-Not-How-Accelerating-Teamwork-ebook/dp/B0867ZJ151 Book a call with Scott by clicking on this link: https://calltheenergizer.com Connect with Scott Carley: Website: https://scottcarley.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scott.carley Twitter: https://twitter.com/SACarley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacarley/ Get in Touch with Cheryl: Website: www.cherylknows.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwvWKXBC6fKn1dLGY11hxIg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dynamiteproductionsinc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylknowlton/ Show notes by Podcastologist: Justine Talla Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
In this episode, we sat down with Mr. Will Harris of White Oak Pastures. In this discussion, Will shares the pivotal agricultural shift that took place after World War II along with his own transition from conventional to regenerative farming in the mid-1990s. We also covered the benefits of having an on-farm USDA-inspected processing plant, the radical transition of Bluffton, Georgia, and the interconnected nature of the pharmaceutical and pesticide industries.Find White Oak PasturesInstagram // @whiteoakpasturesWebsite // whiteoakpastures.comNon-profit // Center for Agricultural ResilienceDocumentary // Food and CountryFind HomegrownInstagram // @homegrown_education, @lizhaselmayer, @joeyhaselmayerWebsite // homegrowneducation.org
Seems like everybody is selling the same digital marketing products. And that makes them low-margin commodities. Gordon & Corey wonder if it's time for media companies to go back to doing what they do best -- selling higher-margin O&O inventory. They get some insight from omnichannel marketing expert Oliver Jacob, president of Frequence.
Eric Siu shares how marketing is becoming harder but why it's actually a good thing. Tune in to find out! TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES: [00:00] - Marketing is becoming harder [00:47] - Diversify your creatives [01:02] - How to maximize your data to launch successful marketing campaigns [01:25] - Diversify your channel, here's what it means [01:45] - Becoming a T-shaped marketer What should I talk about next? Who should I interview? Please let me know on Twitter or in the comments below. Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review here Subscribe to Leveling Up on iTunes Get the non-iTunes RSS Feed Connect with Eric Siu: Growth Everywhere Single Grain Leveling Up Eric Siu on Twitter Eric Siu on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sky Cassidy founded and runs MountainTop Data, a data company that sells leads -- but differentiates by selling 1) guaranteed lead quality 2) a la carte: that is, you buy (not rent) a certain number of leads without an ongoing contract commitment. Seems simple, but that's the beauty of it. We talked about some of the practices in his industry, and the large competitive white space some major competitors have constructed for him. Thanks, Sky! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the sixth episode of our second season, we sat down with Dr. Pitamber "Pitou" Devgon, co-founder of Velano Vascular, active angel investor, and Lecturer at the Wharton School of Business. We discussed the origins of Velano Vascular's central PIVO™ technology, the importance of collecting insightful data to de-risk early ventures, innovation through acquisition, and much more. Founded in 2012, Velano Vascular set out to transform the patient experience with PIVO™, a needle-free blood collection device. After inventing this breakthrough technology, Pitou led Velano Vascular's growth through eventual acquisition by BD in 2021.
No and low code tools continue their explosion of growth. They are becoming more specialized and capable. I believe this to be because software engineering has been the bottleneck on development teams for some time. While custom engineering isn't going anywhere, the future of the role is likely to change. Let's talk about the opportunities that might create for product teams.If you want to find product-market fit faster, sign up for my free 5 day email course here - https://nxtstep.io/fitEpisode TranscriptHey folks, Sean here and today what I want totalk to you about is why I think software engineeringas a skill set is becoming slightly more commoditized andwhat that might mean for product teams everywhere.So I'm sure my product teams arefairly familiar with this, but for thelongest time now, the biggest bottleneck productdevelopment has typically been the engineering component.As in it takes the longest amount oftime in order to go from our designsand our required experiments to actually getting thosefeatures and functionality into the application itself.As such, over time, a significant amount ofresources have been placed here trying to figureout how to do so faster.And there's been all kinds of invented models andnew tools that have come to market, enabling usto be able to speed this process up.Here everything from the Lean Startup kind of revolutionall the way to and through what is commonlyreferred to as no code or low code platforms,which I've dived into and pretty significantly as well.Also I've leveraged them for a numberof my client projects and we've builtsome pretty comprehensive and impressive products usingsome of these platforms like Bubble. Bubble.IO is kind of an ecosystem, if you will, ofbeing able to build almost an entire application, if notan entire application, that has the look and feel ofbeing able to be pretty significantly customized, but is largelya no code or low code platform, meaning that youdon't really need to write significant amount or really anycode at all in order to create the kind ofexperience that you're looking for.Which again, if you are heavy with tuning intosome of my content, you'll understand how important Ifeel that that is for us and our roleas product leaders to make sure that the experiencethat our product ultimately delivers is optimal and matchesessentially solving the customer's top problems and pain points.So because that's the area of focus, it's reallyimportant if we have an opportunity to place mostof our resources and focus there because that's ultimatelywhat we're doing on the back end in termsof how the technology works.And self admittedly, I'm an engineer myself and I havea lot of respect for the work that engineers do.However, having said that, recognizing the fact thatit has been the bottleneck, these applications havegrown significantly in that their popularity has grownpretty aggressively because this has continued to bea challenge for product teams, especially when lookingto do something new or create new featuresand functionality and want to speed up theproduct development production process.These tools have enabled us to be ableto do that and that pattern continues.Very recently, I've read about a productcalled cumul.io, which has raised Series Aover $10 million very recently.And that is a tool that enablesyou to incorporate some essentially more advancedanalytics and bi type tools for businessintelligence capabilities into SaaS platforms.But to do so yet again as a low code platform,which is pretty advanced capabilities as it pertains to low codeor no code platforms, but an all important one because stillyet a bottleneck on the demand side is how do weprocess and get the best type of information out of allof the data that we have now?Because there's an overwhelming amount of data inthe world and not enough processing power orcapabilities to really better understand and extract informationfrom it, which is typically the desire.So products like Familio which are specialized,and bubble which are more generic, areproviding us with essentially an ecosystem worthof options when it comes to building.Now, there's still a placeobviously for custom engineering, right?If you need a product to scale as aggressively assomething heavy like a salesforce or a HubSpot or somethinglike that, your NoCode platform is not typically going tobe able to handle that type of volume, at leastnot yet, and may be able to do so eventuallyif this pattern and trend continues.But for now, your custom engineering will enableyou to benefit from operational efficiency at scale.However, before you get there, when you're tryingto experiment and you're trying to test newproducts and things like that, if you wantto speed up the product development process.So far the trend has been no code andlow code platforms seem to be here to stay.They continue to be able to raise money,they continue to be adopted by product developmentteams and they continue to enable teams tomove faster in the development cycles.So what I'm trying to explain for you here isthat how I see this pattern developing over the pastfew years and where I think that it's going andthen I want to talk more about what I thinkthat means for developing product teams and the changes thatmight become so if this trend continues.What it will mean for product teams, in my opinion,is that as I've thought about how it gets brokendown before in terms of responsibilities on a product team,I usually do so in three different ways.I would put the what we are intending to build andwhy we are intending to build it into the product category.So product managers and product peoplewho are interacting with customers andusers to do research and discovery.It's our responsibility to figure out what the priorityis, to build what the problems we're solving are,where the obvious unmet needs are those types ofthings, and then work with our engineering or developmentteams in order to prioritize those for development, whichI would consider to be the how.As in how are we going to capitalize on thatopportunity, how are we actually going to build that, howare we going to bring that experience to market?So that's where I draw the line most of thetimes, the what and the why lives on the productside, the how lives on the engineering side.What I'm continuing to see more of, especiallyin the early stages of this work, isthat the how is becoming more commoditized.And I think that is happening because it's, forquite a while now, continue to be the bottleneck,as in folks have wanted to move faster.Everything else is accelerating, yet that'swhat's taking the most time.So much of the innovation has gone into that spacein terms of figuring out how to speed it up.And I think that's where we're seeing alot of this development come from in termsof low code and no code platforms.As such, over time, I could see teams changing tobe less engineering focused, more product focused, as in thenew bottleneck, which I think is still something that doesn'thappen all that efficiently, if at all.On a lot of product teams is the research anddiscovery aspect, which I would argue a bias to yourcourse because now my heavy focus is product.But I still think that is one ofthe most important, if not the most importantway that product teams can achieve success today.You have to get with your customers, you haveto spend time with your users, and you haveto better understand where the opportunities are.So refining that process and making that process moreefficient will ultimately make it more effective, which willenable your team, as part of the next phase,to move even faster in terms of success.So I just wanted to share these trends withyou and that this is what I have continuedto see and I think it's going to continueto follow this pattern for the foreseeable future. Free Email CourseHow to Build a Profitable AI-Powered B2B SaaS Business for Less Than $750Notes generated by Podcast Show Notes (podcastshownotes.ai)
In this episode, Blaine talks about the 2 biggest factors that cause the commoditization of an industry, and the 3 warning signs that its happening. Learn also how to take advantage of a market or an industry where the products and services are considered to be a commodity and chosen based primarily on price! Be at the top of the Appraisal business game!
In this bonus episode, Eric and Kostas preview their upcoming live stream episode featuring Willem Pienaar of Tecton and Tristan Zajonc of Continual.
Michael Girdley (@Girdley) and Bill D'Alessandro (@BillDA) talk about two cool deals relevant to holiday vacations: A ski rental in Colorado and a fireworks store in Oklahoma. Both are traditional-type businesses. We get to determine if these crazy, fun deals are indeed interesting in terms of real estate captures, scales, wholesales, moats, and if the risk would be worth expanding the businesses.-----Thanks to our sponsors!* Guardian Due Diligence is the diligence solution for first-time buyers and self-funded searchers.You should be able to acquire a business with the comfort that the numbers are solid and the seller is not fooling you. Your lenders and equity partners want and need the same.Guardian's Quality of Earnings reports give you this confidence.Contact Elliot Holland at eholland@guardianduediligence.com-----Show Notes:(00:00) - Introduction(00:53) - Our sponsor is Guardian Due Diligence(02:09) - Deal 1: Ski rental shop for sale(04:21) - Financials and price: Do they make sense?(05:09) - What makes this deal catch the eyes of the buyer?(08:07) - What are the retail risks of the deal? What is the key factor to this deal?(09:27) - The value captures from Real Estate: How to protect yourself as a buyer?(12:39) - What are the limitations of this Deal? How does the location act as a limit for this business?(13:56) - The Deal's trap: Think about the lifestyle choice(20:17) - Deal 2: Fireworks business(22:54) - Why would we say the seller has 2 operations?(24:13) - What about the retail part of the business?(24:42) - The situation for wholesale: Should we consider it valuable?(25:59) - What are the growth opportunities here?(28:11) - What are the regulations and permitting requirements if you want to add another business to the store? Is it worth entering risky retail markets?(31:08) - Commoditized product risk: defendable or vulnerable?(32:25) - Moats, scale, and building a defensible business-----Links:Guardian Due Diligence offers free reviews of LOIs and company valuations at www.OfferFromElliott.comhttps://www.bizbuysell.com/Business-Opportunity/Seasonal-Ski-and-Snowboard-Rental-Repair-and-Sales-Shop-in-SW-CO/1937618/https://www.businessbroker.net/business-for-sale/fireworks-premier-seasonal-business-oklahoma/504864.aspx-----Additional episodes you might enjoy:#106 A Pet Product and Saas business for sale. Which one do we like?#105 How to Make Money in the E-Commerce Game - Bill D'Alessandro gives an e-Commerce masterclass - part 1#79 What do Investors want? - Dig into an investor's mind with Bradford Hardin#75 SBA Loan Secrets with Heather Endresen, expertise from a Billion-Dollar Loaner
This week we had on Vinay Iyengar (@VinIyengar) of Two Sigma Ventures. Two Sigma is a multi-strategy fund that invests from seed to Series B across a number of industries. Vinay helps lead up the San Francisco office, and he focuses on early-stage investments in enterprise software, machine learning, marketplaces, and infrastructure. In this talk, we discuss: Why now is the golden age to start a business Implications and second order effects of software becoming commoditized Ways to demystify the job search process
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