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Last time we spoke about the reaction after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. After four years of fighting Japan almost alone, China's Chiang Kai-shek learned of Pearl Harbor with profound relief. Japan's attack, meant to neutralize American naval power, instead galvanized the entire Western world against Tokyo. Within hours, Chiang declared war on the Axis powers, transforming China from an isolated nation to a recognized Allied member. The strategic mathematics were clear to Chiang: America's industrial might would ultimately crush Japan. China simply needed to survive long enough. The United States quickly formalized this partnership, pledging military support through Lend-Lease and elevating Chiang to leadership of Allied forces in the China theater. Yet Pearl Harbor brought catastrophe for Western civilians in China. Americans and Britons, previously protected as neutral foreigners, were suddenly rounded up and interned in camps. For many, decades of presence in China ended in hasty evacuation, leaving behind lives built over generations.   #216 The Battle of Hong Kong Part 1: The Approaching Storm Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. Japan emerged as a significant threat to British interests during the 1920s following the collapse of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. This concern intensified dramatically after Japan's invasion of China, with the ensuing Sino-Japanese War escalating tensions further. British assets in the region came under direct assault, including attacks on Western military and commercial vessels such as HMS Ladybird. Yet despite these provocations, the British Government maintained an inconsistent stance toward Japan, responding with only feeble diplomatic and military countermeasures. This contradiction characterized London's approach: while diplomatic channels remained conciliatory, military planners viewed Japan with genuine apprehension. During the 1930s, Singapore and Malaya represented Britain's most valuable and prosperous holdings in the Far East and consequently received substantial garrison reinforcements. By contrast, Hong Kong was widely acknowledged to be indefensible—a conclusion reached repeatedly by successive military studies. Despite this consensus, the British Government proceeded with the Hong Kong Defence Scheme in 1936, which aimed to transform Hong Kong Island into a fortified redoubt while establishing delaying positions in Kowloon and the New Territories. The Hong Kong Garrison's mandate was straightforward: repel external attacks and prevent enemy use of the harbour and dry dock. The underlying strategy relied on a simple principle: hold Hong Kong Island as an impregnable fortress and await relief from the Royal Navy. Consequently, protecting the harbour became the paramount objective. Japanese strategists were correctly identified as Hong Kong's primary threat, with military planners anticipating attack from the sea rather than overland. To counter such an offensive, the defence scheme incorporated five successive layers of protection: naval mines fitted with indicator nets and anti-submarine booms formed the first barrier; coastal artillery provided the second; beach installations featuring pillboxes, wire entanglements and mines constituted the third; infantry strongpoints positioned on commanding heights guarded against amphibious landings; and finally, a mobile reserve force stood ready to counterattack and eliminate any successful enemy incursion. The 1936 plan also mandated extensive fortification of Kowloon's bottleneck approaches through bunkers, trenches and blocked passages, with a principal defensive line—resembling a miniature Maginot Line—constructed across the mountains immediately north of Kowloon. The garrison structure comprised three infantry battalions plus the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC), a unit approximately regiment-strength equipped with armoured cars, engineers, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and infantry. These forces organized into three brigades: mainland, island, and garrison reserve. The air component was planned to be formidable: a reconnaissance squadron, a fighter-bomber squadron, two torpedo squadrons and a flight of auxiliary spotting aircraft operated by the HKVDC. Naval forces consisted of a modest destroyer contingent, an MTB flotilla, gunboats and patrol vessels. When Japan occupied Guangzhou, Hong Kong found itself effectively encircled. In response, limited conscription was implemented, though restricted to non-Chinese males for HKVDC service. Chinese personnel were largely confined to non-combat positions such as air-raid precautions and medical duties. The expanding Japanese threat prompted a substantial expansion of the Hong Kong Garrison to four regular infantry regiments—two British units (one specializing in medium machine-gun support) and two Indian regiments. Supporting forces included two coastal artillery regiments, a field artillery regiment-plus, and an anti-aircraft regiment. The Royal Navy expanded to include the 2nd MTB flotilla (eight 60-foot, 29-knot motor torpedo boats armed with twin torpedoes and eight Lewis guns each, plus two smaller 55-foot vessels), four shallow-draught river gunboats (HMS Cicala, Tern, Moth and Robin), four aging World War I S-class destroyers (HMS Thracian, Thanet, Scout and Tenedos—the last transferred to Singapore in 1939), HMS Cornflower sloop, and various auxiliary vessels including tugs, boom defence ships and minelayers. The Fleet Air Arm deployed three Supermarine Walruses—single-engine reconnaissance amphibians—at Kai Tak Airport. The Royal Air Force remained the weakest service, equipped with only four Vickers Wildebeest torpedo-bombers and a handful of HKVDC aircraft: one Avro Tutor, two Hornet Moths and two Cadet biplanes. When World War II erupted in Europe, Britain's focus necessarily shifted to national survival, inevitably leaving distant imperial outposts like Hong Kong neglected. Rather than receive reinforcements, Hong Kong actually lost capable personnel; many veteran troops were repatriated to Europe, leaving behind a less proficient garrison. Peacetime duties had proven a poor preparation for combat—officers and men had passed their time socializing rather than maintaining combat readiness. Governor Sir Geoffrey Northcote persistently urged London to adopt a firmer stance against relentless Japanese provocations: aircraft incursions, sinking of junks and fishing vessels, and infiltration by Taiwanese fifth columnists (Japan had colonized Taiwan in 1895). Recognizing the hopelessness of his position, Northcote recommended withdrawal in October 1940, arguing that defending the colony would inevitably result in mass civilian casualties and widespread destruction—a pragmatic assessment given Hong Kong's indefensible state. London categorically rejected this proposal, reasoning that withdrawal would demoralize China, embolden Japan and undermine American confidence in British resolve. Underlying this decision was an additional consideration: the long-standing dispute over Hong Kong's sovereignty. Since Britain acquired Hong Kong in 1841, the prospect of surrendering it, even temporarily, raised fears about reclaiming it afterward. Preserving the appearance of British determination was deemed crucial to demonstrating to Chiang Kai-shek, Nationalist China's leader, that Britain intended to retain the territory. Despite these political calculations, London consistently refused fresh troop deployments. Major-General A. E. Grasett, the China theatre commander, requested reinforcements only to face rejection—London offered only Indian or other colonial forces. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, appointed British commander in the Far East in 1941, likewise pressed for garrison strengthening, to no avail. The situation shifted dramatically after Grasett, a retired Canadian who had recently left his China post, travelled to Britain via Canada. Upon arriving in Canada, he independently approached his former classmate Major-General Crerar, Chief of the Canadian General Staff, and advocated for reinforcement. Grasett argued persuasively that deploying two or more additional battalions would enable the Hong Kong garrison to withstand an extended siege. When Grasett reached London in early September 1941, he presented this case directly to the British Chiefs of Staff, simultaneously proposing that Canada could provide the extra units. His arguments proved persuasive; the Chiefs of Staff altered course and convinced a reluctant Churchill to reconsider. In light of accelerating Japanese pressure, Britain substantially enlarged the Malaysia/Singapore garrison from nine to 32 battalions and despatched two capital ships—HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse—to the region, reasoning that this show of force would deter Japanese aggression against British Far Eastern interests, including Hong Kong. The original defence strategy envisaged holding Hong Kong Island exclusively while denying the harbour to attackers. A single battalion (the Punjabis) would execute delaying actions across the New Territories, followed by a three-battalion defensive stand on the Gin Drinkers Line. This brief mainland resistance would allow time for demolishing stores, power installations, docks and wharves, clearing food stocks and removing vital matériel before withdrawing to Hong Kong Island for a protracted resistance awaiting relief from Singapore or American forces from the Philippines. The Gin Drinkers Line—styled after the French Maginot Line in miniature—ran approximately 18 kilometres south of the Sino-Hong Kong border. Beginning near Gin Drinkers Bay west of Kowloon, it extended 17 kilometres across the Kowloon Peninsula hills toward its eastern extremity. The strategic expectation was that this line would delay the Japanese assault for three weeks or longer, permitting battalion withdrawal to Hong Kong Island for sustained resistance while mainland forces completed evacuation procedures. The 1937 war plan stipulated that four battalions would be necessary for an effective delaying action and seven for an adequate Gin Drinkers Line defence—figures which excluded the aircraft and naval support essential to success. With only a single army brigade available and virtually no air capability, planners abandoned the mainland defence concept, leaving defensive works incomplete and deteriorating under tropical conditions. Chinese personnel were conspicuously absent from initial war preparations and strategic planning, only being incorporated late in the process. The largest Chinese component was the volunteer contingent serving with the HKVDC. On the regular army side, approximately 150 Chinese recruits were enlisted in mid-1941 for the 5th Anti-Aircraft Regiment. The Hong Kong Chinese Regiment, hastily constituted on 3 November 1941, comprised officers borrowed from British and Indian units alongside 52 Chinese junior NCOs and other ranks with minimal training. A Royal Engineers troop staffed entirely by Chinese soldiers saw service, and some Chinese personnel served with the Royal Navy and Dockyard Defence Corps. Chinese participation increased substantially in auxiliary services—air-raid precautions, auxiliary police, nursing, St John Ambulance and fire brigades. This reluctance to fully integrate Chinese forces likely reflected prevailing attitudes of the era. Pre-war British propaganda had frequently mocked Japanese military capability, portraying officers and soldiers as myopic and incompetent. Japanese combat prowess was systematically underestimated; their victories in China were attributed to facing inferior opposition rather than evidence of genuine military strength. Japanese weaponry was dismissed as inferior to European standards. Consequently, British confidence remained high that the colony could hold indefinitely if adequately reinforced. In September 1941, Hong Kong received heartening news: two additional Canadian battalions would be deployed to the garrison. Brigadier John Maltby promptly revived the pre-war plan for defending the Gin Drinkers Line, developing a strategy centred on three mainland battalions (2nd Royal Scots, 5/7 Rajputs and 2/14 Punjab) supported by HKVDC elements and four artillery troop detachments, while three island battalions (1st Middlesex, Royal Rifles of Canada and Winnipeg Grenadiers) bolstered by the bulk of the HKVDC would hold Hong Kong Island. Command responsibility was divided between two brigades: the Island Brigade (Hong Kong Infantry Brigade) under Brigadier Lawson, a recently arrived Canadian, and the mainland Kowloon Infantry Brigade under Brigadier Wallis. The Canadian regiments arrived on 16 November 1941. Maltby was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1911, and  saw extensive service across multiple campaigns: World War I, the Persian Gulf (1913–14), and the North-West Frontier (1923–24). His early promise earned him selection for accelerated advancement through prestigious staff colleges at Quetta and RAF Andover. By 1937, he was again serving on the North-West Frontier, and by 1939 commanded both the 3rd Jhelum Brigade (later the Calcutta Brigade) and the 19th Infantry Brigade in Deccan. In 1940, posted to China, Maltby orchestrated the closure of the North China Command by withdrawing two infantry battalions from Shanghai. Promoted to major-general as GOC China in August 1941, he had only three months to prepare the colony's defenses, a race against time he could not win.  The Gin Drinkers Line occupied a naturally dominant position atop mountains spanning northern Kowloon's breadth, yet possessed inherent weaknesses that would prove fatal. The line lacked defensive depth and remained vulnerable to flanking manoeuvres, with two sectors representing particular danger: Customs Pass and the gap between Golden Hill and Laichikok Peninsula near Gin Drinkers Bay. Given the extended front, each battalion arranged its forces in a string of platoon positions with gaps covered by daytime fire and nighttime patrols. One company per battalion could be held in reserve within prepared positions guarding the most dangerous sectors. The reserve company of the centre battalion (2/14 Punjab) initially advanced as forward troops, screening demolition operations and delaying the enemy's initial thrust. The hasty decision to establish mainland defences meant that essential support systems—communication networks, artillery registrations, mortar calibrations—remained incomplete when combat commenced. Ammunition shortages compounded the problem. For instance, the 2/14 Punjab conducted only a single 3-inch mortar practice session before the attack; adequate ammunition arrived only in November and totalled a mere 70 rounds per battalion for both training and combat. These mortars were registered for the first time in their battle positions, with combat beginning just 12 hours later. The 2-inch mortar situation was even more desperate: troops received live ammunition only as fighting started, making their baptism of fire an actual combat situation. Transportation deficiencies—trucks and animals in short supply—forced manual ammunition transport across Hong Kong's challenging terrain, imposing severe physical demands on already stretched personnel.   On 6 November 1941, Imperial Japanese Headquarters ordered its Commander-in-Chief in China to prepare plans for capturing Hong Kong. The 23rd Army, part of the China Southern Expeditionary Army Group and commanded by Lt. Gen. Sakai Takashi with Maj. Gen. Kuribayashi Tadamichi serving as Chief of Staff, would form the invasion's backbone. All preparations were to be completed by the end of November 1941. The operation, designated 'Operation C', sought to 'seize Hong Kong within ten days'. Takahashi was the son of a factory worker, and rose through the ranks to become a veteran of China campaigns. He was tasked with capturing Hong Kong using the 38th Division normally assigned to the Southern Expeditionary Army Group. Despite setbacks and humiliation over requests for additional resources—particularly following intelligence reports of tanks (actually Bren carriers) in Hong Kong—Sakai remained determined to succeed. He served as Governor of Hong Kong from 26 December 1941 to 20 February 1942. Kuribayashi, best remembered as the Japanese commander at Iwo Jima, graduated from the Army Academy in 1914 specializing in cavalry. He served as deputy military attaché to Washington and Canada and studied at Harvard University. In December 1941, he held the position of Chief of Staff to the 23rd Army during the Hong Kong operation. Operation C followed a straightforward strategic framework. A blocking force would prevent Chinese interference from the rear, while the main invasion force would spearhead the assault. The 23rd Army, comprising four divisions plus a mixed brigade and two infantry regiments, received the assignment to attack Hong Kong. Of these four divisions, only the 38th played a substantive role in the invasion itself. The attack employed a combined-arms approach. Naval forces would establish a blockade and deliver bombardment while aircraft targeted key installations. Ground forces from the 38th Division—specifically the 228th, 229th, and 230th Regiments—would execute the land invasion using a three-pronged strategy. The right column would sweep westward in a wide arc, clearing Castle Peak Road and targeting the western flank of the Gin Drinkers Line near Laichikok Peninsula. The centre force would press directly through the line's middle, while the left column would cross Tidal Cove (Tolo Harbour) toward Kai Tak Airport and eastward toward Devil Peak, a crucial defensive position. The objective was to annihilate British forces on the mainland and compel Hong Kong's surrender through sustained bombardment. Should British forces resist, the island phase of the campaign would commence. Securing the rear against the Chinese National Army of the 7th Military District and Communist guerrillas fell to the 66th Regiment, normally part of the 51st Division but attached to the 38th for this operation. The 66th would simultaneously occupy and secure rear areas throughout the New Territories and Kowloon while the three assault regiments engaged the main defensive forces. This rearguard operation was organised into columns named after their commanding officers: Kitazawa, Kobayashi, Sato, and Araki. The Japanese selected the narrowest approach between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, targeting the eastern coast near Lyemun Passage where only 410 metres of water separated the mainland from the island. Upon landing, forces would rapidly advance inland to seize the critical junction of Wongneichong Gap, then pivot westward and southward to capture Victoria City and the remainder of Hong Kong. The naval contingent divided into two groups: the Bombardment Group and the Attack Group. Approximately 300 personnel from the Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) were attached to the invasion force. Air support came from the First Air Brigade under Col. Habu Hideharu, which contributed 56 light bombers and fighters. Their mission was to neutralise the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, thereby securing aerial and maritime superiority for the ground campaign.   On the eve of war, the British garrison numbered 13,981 all ranks, including nursing staff and St John Ambulance personnel. Of these, 8,919 were British and Canadian, with 4,402 Indian and Chinese. The core infantry force comprised 5,422 regular soldiers, complemented by approximately 6,000 additional personnel across artillery, engineering, naval, and Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps (HKVDC) units. By 1941, the Royal Navy had become a shadow of its former self as the once-dominant China Squadron. Of the three World War I destroyers present on 8 December, two had been sent to Singapore—the third undergoing repairs—by 1930. This redeployment stemmed partly from the futility of defending the colony and partly from a commitment by senior US Navy officers: Britain would reinforce Singapore with Hong Kong's fleet in exchange for four American destroyers at Singapore. This American guarantee, however, never materialized. The defensive infrastructure focused primarily on countering a seaborne attack: twenty-nine coastal guns (9.2in., 6in., 4.7in., and 4in. calibres), ten 18- and 2-pounder beach defense guns, and twenty-eight field guns (60-pounder, 6in., 4.5in., and 3.7in. calibres). The Hong Kong Garrison's infantry comprised four regular army battalions—two British and two Indian—bolstered by five HKVDC infantry companies, each averaging 100 men. The 1st Middlesex Regiment, deployed in August 1937, served as a machine-gun battalion equipped with forty-eight Vickers medium machine guns. Having been abroad since 1931, the regiment had deteriorated through protracted garrison service, Hong Kong being among the softest postings available. From September 1939 onward, all regiments—including the 5/7 Rajputs (arrived June 1937) and the 2/14 Punjab—experienced systematic loss of experienced officers and NCOs to other theaters. The Royal Scots proved particularly hard hit, suffering disciplinary problems and an unusually high court-martial rate. Units like the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery suffered critical leadership gaps that went unaddressed. By December 1941, many formations fielded inexperienced replacement troops, significantly undermining combat readiness. The Punjabis exemplified these deficiencies. Stationed in Hong Kong since November 1940, they received their vehicles and mortars only in August 1941—three months before combat. Compounding this, forty percent of their strength consisted of raw recruits arrived just in October. When war erupted, artillery regiments found themselves relying on junior officers in senior roles, with British commanders unfamiliar with Urdu directing Indian troops, a handicap that severely compromised effectiveness. Deficient equipment compounded leadership shortages. Shells dating from 1918 detonated prematurely upon discharge, while ammunition shortages crippled operations. On 8 December, all field guns deployed with merely 100 rounds apiece, with 200 rounds held in reserve for the entire campaign, and coastal guns received only 25 rounds each. Insufficient cross-training meant many infantrymen failed to understand the artillery "clock face" targeting system, causing them to miss their objectives. Malaria devastated European troops, particularly the Royal Scots. Of approximately 770 personnel, at least 180 suffered recurring malarial episodes from the Shing Mun Redoubt area's notoriously endemic conditions. Staff shortages forced nearly every unit to promote junior officers to positions beyond their rank, exacerbating structural weaknesses. Although the Canadians' arrival bolstered the garrison, significant handicaps undermined their effectiveness. Both battalions carried a C-class designation—deemed unfit for foreign service—having spent years in soft garrison postings without rigorous training. The deficit was stark: each Canadian soldier received only thirty-five rifle practice rounds. The two battalions incorporated 115 men with fewer than sixteen weeks' training, while sixty-two of seventy-five recruits joining the Winnipeg Grenadiers in June came directly from a training depot lacking even basic rifles. Twelve percent of the Canadian force remained untrained. Equipment deficiencies proved even more damaging. A standard 1941 Canadian infantry battalion required 102 motor vehicles—including twenty-two Universal Carriers, thirty-seven ¾-ton trucks, thirteen 1-ton trucks, thirty-one bicycles, and twenty-two Boys anti-tank rifles. When the Canadians landed, logistical failures left them with only six Bren carriers, two water tankers, twelve ¾-ton trucks, and a single Boys anti-tank rifle. Although they carried 3in. mortars, neither ammunition nor radios accompanied them. Canada possessed only 300 3-inch mortar bombs in its entire inventory at that time, making any allocation to Hong Kong impossible. A second vessel, the SS Don Jose, was dispatched with replacement vehicles and equipment but never reached Hong Kong before 8 December. The Japanese seized it en route to Manila. Despite these shortcomings, the force departed on 27 October with 1,975 men and arrived on 16 November. Intelligence estimates regarding Japanese available forces varied widely, ranging from two to four divisions. On 6 December evening, Chinese reports confirmed the previous day's arrival of three Japanese divisions at Buji township, located eight miles from the border in what is now Shenzhen. Earlier, around 1 November, a Japanese deserter provided intelligence of significant troop concentrations north of the frontier, including large-calibre artillery indicative of at least divisional strength.   The Hong Kong invasion force comprised three service branches: the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) deployed the 38th Infantry Division, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) committed the Second China Fleet, and the Imperial Japanese Air Force (IJAF) contributed the 1st Air Group. Command of the ground assault rested with Lieutenant-General Sano Tadayoshi of the 38th Division, supported by Major-General Ito Takeo heading the infantry group, while supporting arms including artillery, engineers, armor, and transport fell under Sano's authority. The main assault force consisted of three infantry regiments from the 38th Division, each led by a colonel: the 228th under Doi Teihichi, the 229th under Tanaka Ryosaburo, and the 230th under Shoji Toshishige. The 38th Division itself was a standard 1940s B-class infantry division of approximately 20,000 troops (ranging from 18,000–21,000 depending on operational requirements), organized into three regiments with three battalions each. Reflecting the Japanese army's reliance on animal and human transport, each regiment fielded roughly 3,800 troops supported by some 700 horses. Battalion strength averaged around 1,071 personnel, with companies numbering approximately 180 men. Japanese infantry battalions of this period featured a distinctive organization: rifle platoons consisted of four sections (three equipped with rifles and light machine guns, one with light mortars and rifles), complemented by an additional heavy machine-gun company fielding twelve Type 92 weapons and a troop of light artillery—likely Type 92 70mm infantry guns. The divisional field artillery regiment operated 75mm Type 41 mountain guns organized into three 688-man battalions, each with two troops of two guns. Mountain artillery units, numbering 36 guns total, carried additional personnel (3,400) and animals (1,400) to navigate the terrain complexities of Hong Kong operations. Recognizing the need for overwhelming firepower to compel Hong Kong's surrender, the IJA augmented the invasion force with heavy artillery—15cm and 24cm howitzers commanded by Major-General Kitashima Kineo. News of the Canadian reinforcements arriving in Hong Kong forced a reassessment. Commander-in-Chief Sakai Takashi of the 23rd Army informed his superiors that the original ten-day timeline was unrealistic and requested additional troops. Although most formations were already committed to other operations, Imperial Headquarters eventually authorized two depot regiments from Japan to support the campaign. Intended for second-line duties rather than frontline combat, these units were to be returned promptly after freeing experienced personnel for Hong Kong operations. This arrangement allowed the 19th and 20th mixed brigades—approximately 6,000 men organized in five infantry battalions, a field artillery battalion, and an engineer battalion—to be released for Hong Kong. However, Sakai's request for reinforcements met with disapproval from Imperial Headquarters, and he received an unmistakable message: a swift, decisive campaign was essential. His situation worsened when Japanese agents mistakenly identified British Bren carriers as tanks, forcing Sakai to improvise armor by raiding the 1st Reserve Tank Battalion and tankette units from infantry depot divisions. In attempting to secure additional armor from the 11th Army's 9th Reconnaissance Regiment, Sakai encountered resistance. General Hata Shunroku lodged sustained complaints with senior officials, and Sakai received a sharp rebuke—further requests would not be entertained, and his replacement would follow if necessary. Stung by this loss of face, Sakai abandoned all additional requests and became even more determined to achieve success. Vice-Admiral Niimi Masaichi, commanding the 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet, oversaw the entire naval element, divided into bombardment and attack groups. His flagship, the light cruiser Isuzu, carried Captain Ura Koichi, who simultaneously commanded the bombardment group. This naval force assembled ships from various China Expeditionary Fleet units, particularly from the Canton Special Base Force, 15 Squadron, and 11 Torpedo Boat Division at Guangzhou. Reflecting Niimi's lack of confidence in the army's air support capabilities, the seaplane tender IJN Kamikawa Maru joined the operation on his insistence, providing organic naval aviation against the threat posed by British Wildebeests. Niimi also petitioned for destroyers IJN Wakaba and Yugure to counter the three British destroyers, though this request was denied. The Special Naval Landing Forces (SNLF) were assigned to conduct diversionary attacks south of Hong Kong Island, intended to distract British forces from the main land invasion thrust. The IJAF's 1st Air Brigade, commanded by Colonel Habu Hideharu, centered on the 45th Air Regiment with 34 Kawasaki Ki-32 Type 98 'Mary' light bombers. This composite force drew aircraft and units from airfields across China and Manchuria—Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, and Qiqihar—all assembled at Baiyun Aerodrome in Guangzhou on 7 December 1941. Supporting the 1st Air Brigade were the 10th Independent Squadron under Captain Takatsuki Akira with 13 Nakajima Ki-27 Type 97 'Nate' fighters, 3 Mitsubishi Ki-15 Type 97 'Babs' command reconnaissance aircraft from the 18th Independent Reconnaissance Squadron, and the 44th Independent Squadron fielding 6 Tachikawa Ki-36 Type 98 'Ida' observation aircraft. Years before the invasion, the Japanese cultivated an extensive network of agents and sleeper operatives in Hong Kong, methodically gathering intelligence and mapping military installations. This sophisticated network proved remarkably effective: invasion maps carried by IJA officers were actually Hong Kong Government and British military maps, overprinted with Japanese annotations and interpretations. British officers later discovered in captivity that the Peninsula Hotel's regular barber was a Japanese Navy lieutenant-commander who had exploited the intimate setting to extract valuable information about British force dispositions. Intelligence operatives infiltrated every level of Hong Kong society—the garrison tailor and barber both served as spies. This groundwork enabled exceptional accuracy in artillery fire and bombing campaigns. The Japanese further leveraged criminal networks, recruiting gangsters throughout Hong Kong and Guangdong province with money and arms, turning them into irregular auxiliaries supporting the invasion.   On Sunday, 7 December, seven hundred members of the 2nd Royal Scots and Middlesex Regiment marched to St John's Cathedral for the morning service. As Major-General Maltby read a passage from Matthew, his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant I. MacGregor, delivered an urgent message that would change everything. Preparations for conflict had already begun. On 5 December, the HKVDC had mobilized fully, yet Hong Kong's broader population remained unmoved—the Happy Valley racetrack reported record attendance that very day. The contrast was stark: while one institution prepared for war, another celebrated as though nothing threatened. Japanese forces had been positioned advantageously since autumn 1941. The 23rd Army was already stationed west of Guangzhou, with contingents scattered across Foshan Town, Zhuhai, and other locations on the Pearl River delta. Upon orders for war on 1 December, they faced minimal distances to cover. The army regrouped at Humen, Shilong Town, and Guangzhou itself—staging areas for the invasion. The first visible signs arrived on 4–5 December when Japanese forces landed at Mirs Bay; the 228th Regiment moved into its staging area at Buji Town, now part of Shenzhen City. Maltby received these reports and immediately departed the cathedral service to issue urgent stand-to orders. Yet skepticism persisted within military circles. Some dismissed the threat, dismissing such intelligence as "astonishingly erroneous." Meanwhile, the Imperial Japanese Navy massed in the waters beyond Hong Kong's horizon. The Kowloon Infantry Brigade held a stretched defensive line: the 5/7 Rajputs anchored the centre, the 2/14 Punjab the east, and the 2nd Royal Scots the west. Forward positions extended far—C Company, 2/14 Punjab, under Major S. Burns ranged along Castle Peak Road toward Yuen Long. The brigade screen, C Company of the 2/14 Punjab, held Shueng Shui and Taipo Market with four Bren carriers and two armoured cars from the HKVDC, backed by engineers and the 22nd Fortress Company. The Hong Kong Infantry Brigade held Hong Kong Island itself. The Winnipeg Grenadiers occupied Victoria City on the north-west coast, while the Royal Rifles of Canada stretched along the north-east shores from Saukiwan to Lyemun. Brigadier Lawson commanded from his headquarters at Wongneichong Gap in the island's centre. At 0355 hours on 8 December, the code word "Blossom Blossom" was transmitted. Eleven minutes later, Lieutenant-General Sakai ordered the invasion to commence. Fifty minutes after that, at 0445 hours, Major Charles Boxer—a fluent Japanese speaker formerly of the Lincolnshire Regiment—was roused by Radio Tokyo announcing that war was imminent. Governor Young and Major-General Maltby were informed at once. By 0500 hours, the forward demolition points had been blown by Major Gray, OC of C Company 2/14 Punjab, and the HKVDC engineers under Major J. H. Bottomley. At 0645 hours, the garrison received formal notification: Britain and Japan were at war. Seventy-five minutes later, air-raid sirens wailed. Within moments, smoke billowed from Kai Tak Airport as Japanese aircraft destroyed virtually the entire air garrison. The Wildebeests, Walruses, HKVDC biplanes, and several civilian planes were engulfed in flames. Only two Ju-52s of the Eurasia Corporation and one CNAC T-32 Condor escaped destruction—dispersal bays had never been built due to lack of funds. The Japanese then turned to secondary targets, bombing Shamshuipo Camp and the neighbouring police station. The Canadians suffered few large-scale casualties in the initial strikes, though Sergeant Routledge and Signalman Fairley of the signal platoon were wounded—the first Canadian soldiers injured in World War II. Remarkably, Hong Kong Island's theatres, cinemas, and restaurants continued operating as though the island faced no peril. Japanese demolition efforts proved only minor obstacles. Bridges blown were quickly replaced. The invasion proceeded on three fronts: the 230th Regiment advanced westward along the northern route toward Yuen Long and Castle Peak, targeting the northern slope of Tai Mo Mountain. The 228th Regiment drove down the centre, following the Sheung Shui–Taipo–Kowloon road toward Grassy Hill north of the Shing Mun Redoubt. The 229th Regiment, crossing at Sha Tau Kok and by boat at Starling Inlet, proceeded via Taipo toward Tai Shui Hang and Ma On Mountain. Whenever confronted with strongly defended positions, the Japanese bypassed them entirely rather than engage. The first day brought scattered but spirited resistance. Around 1300 hours, the Punjabis inflicted the first serious check, drawing blood from advancing Japanese forces. At 1830 hours, they ambushed and decimated several Japanese platoons south of Taipo market town. The HKVDC's armoured cars and Bren carriers struck similar successes nearby. The 2 Royal Scots' reconnaissance platoon clashed with elements of the 229th Regiment around Yuen Long. Despite these minor victories, Japanese momentum continued. Armed with stolen British maps and guided by fifth columnists, they pushed forward relentlessly. By late afternoon on the 8th, the Punjabis withdrew toward Grassy Hill to avoid being outflanked. The artillerymen of the 12th Battery engaged an IJN destroyer and Japanese forces around Taipo, inflicting heavy casualties. Farther south near Shatin, on the Taipo–Kowloon highway, rapidly advancing Japanese troops surprised the defenders and severed the fuse at an HKVDC demolition point. Their triumph proved momentary; the engineers completed the backup circuit and detonated the bridge, destroying it along with the Japanese soldiers crossing it. By early morning on 9 December, orders came to withdraw all mainland units to the Gin Drinkers Line. The Punjabis, already at Shatin Wai overlooking Tide Cove, held their position under pressure and continuous shelling for the next two days. The HKVDC withdrew to Fotan, a village south of Shatin. Maltby ordered D Company, 5/7 Rajputs, under Captain H. R. Newtons to Smuggler's Ridge to close the gap between the 2 Royal Scots and 2/14 Punjab. HKVDC armoured cars and Bren carriers continued patrols along Castle Peak Road while HMS Cicala, having survived two air attacks, maintained station in Castle Peak Bay. Despite an IJN blockade, the destroyers HMS Thanet and Scout slipped anchor and escaped to Singapore around 2130 hours. The surviving CNAC and Eurasia aircraft took off with high-value evacuees: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's widow and her two equally renowned sisters—the Soong sisters—along with Chinese Finance Minister H. H. Kung. Also departing was Lieutenant-Colonel H. Owen-Hughes of the HKVDC, who carried orders to coordinate with the Chinese Nationalist Army for a rear-guard attack on Japanese forces to relieve the pressure on Hong Kong. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. On 8 December 1941, Japan attacked Hong Kong with the 38th Division, supported by naval and air forces. Despite British defenses manned by undertrained, under-equipped troops, Japanese forces advanced rapidly across three fronts. Within hours, the RAF was destroyed, demolitions proved futile, and British units withdrew toward the Gin Drinkers Line facing overwhelming odds.

Once again I have to address the total ignorance of the situation in North Carolina.* #1 NO ONE BUILT THEIR HOUSE NEXT TO THE OCEAN* Most the motels and cottages were made between 20 to 71 years ago when the water was hundreds of yards away. * No the beach erosion is not natural, do not give me this let nature take its course crapIF the government had not put in jetties, there would not be so much beach erosion north of them. Imagine damming up a river and then just letting the dam break. Of course there would be flooding. Well if you make jetties you have to maintain them, as half a jetty is more deadly than none. Having one sitting out there with a hole in it just sucks out sand. Compounding this was were the geniuses of the army corpse of engineers who dug out pipes and tanks that had created an oil leak from the abandoned cost guard base that had been converted into a monstrous empty housing project created during the 2008 mortgage back security scam. This created a sink hole that also contributed to erosion. Once again the government did that.It was the government that initially removed sand from the exact spots that flooded by the dump truck load to fill in a swamp to place a naval base which was later converted to a coast guard base 1986. This was relocated in 2005 and the National Park Service took over the 49 acre lot. They sold the 8 arce portion that had cost guard housing on it to private developers from Sylakama, LLC. run by a Yankee from Illinois, Lee Pontes who role plays as a Virginian. The Yank built a 45-unit complex consists of 23 separate buildings: 24 two-bedroom, 14 three-bedroom and seven four-bedroom units, most with carports, screened porches, and decks. When the natural historic district zoning — which restricts multifamily and group housing — was put in place, the housing complex was still owned by the Coast Guard. Since the federal government is exempted from county zoning regulations, the complex was considered a legal non-conforming use.Well how about that the government creating another problem again.The government* removed the sand by the dump truck load* created and then broke a base* developed property there selling Park land to be developed by a yankee (former government employee to) who sold it to other yankees that no local could afford* abandoned the property which created an oil leak* dug that up and did so poorly which created more beach erosion* built and then neglected the jetties which caused massive erosion* sat on their thumbs as more than 30 properties were swallowed by the Sea. It was also the government that built the dune network across the entire island. It is counter intuitive but sand dunes actually make more erosion and water damage as they trap in even rain water between the dunes and the road. DOT (Department of Transportation) loss a lawsuit over this. Ai was unaware of it until I gave it specific names. The DOT is also more Government. So when Reagan said the most terrifying words in the English language were, “Hi, we're the government and we're here to help” boy did he get that right. Well you will never change anything they said. I am happy to report to every person who said that that that they can eat a bowl of ….Look at it now. What is super sad is that this beach was dredged and created in a matter of DAYS. In under a week there was a beach. The next step is to fix the broken jetty. Ryan Dawson's Anti-neocon Report is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ryandawson.org/subscribe

Today's guest is David Booth, founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors, which now manages over $1 trillion. He studied under Eugene Fama at Chicago and helped build one of the first index funds at Wells Fargo. In today's episode, David traces Dimensional's arc from indexing's earliest days at Wells Fargo to crossing $1 trillion in AUM this year. He shares what Gene Fama said when he got the call, the story of driving a client to Chicago to walk through the Fama-French paper, and why AI investing looks like the California gold rush. To close, David makes the case for judging yourself by decisions, not outcomes. Get David's book: Stay Calm: Learn to Embrace Uncertainty in Investing and Life (0:00) Introduction (0:58) David Booth's start to investing (3:38) The beginnings of index funds and early challenges at Dimensional (10:09) Long-term investment perspectives and the Fama-French three-factor model (17:26) Dimensional's educational focus and advisor partnerships (20:21) Small cap value performance, AI & market trends (23:26) Symbolism of bankrupt stock certificates and lessons on diversification (25:44) Compounding for 45 years (30:56) David's passion for Kansas basketball ----- Sponsor: ⁠Upwork⁠ is the world's largest human and AI-powered freelance marketplace to hire top talent—trusted by businesses and professionals worldwide. Follow Meb on X, LinkedIn and YouTube For detailed show notes, click here To learn more about our funds and follow us, subscribe to our mailing list or visit us at cambriainvestments.com ----- Follow The Idea Farm: X | LinkedIn | Instagram | TikTok ----- Interested in sponsoring the show? Email us at Feedback@TheMebFaberShow.com ----- Past guests include Ed Thorp, Richard Thaler, Jeremy Grantham, Joel Greenblatt, Campbell Harvey, Ivy Zelman, Kathryn Kaminski, Jason Calacanis, Whitney Baker, Aswath Damodaran, Howard Marks, Tom Barton, and many more.  ----- Meb's invested in some awesome startups that have passed along discounts to our listeners. Check them out here!  ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).

This episode looks at some smart ways to regulate pharmacy when it comes to med spas and pop-up clinics — ways that won't cut patients off from their meds. We also look at the latest news on the thyroid-extract front, what's happening with peptide compounding, and a bill in California that could bode well for pharmacists nationwide. Then we talk with Kristen Jones, PharmD, from Pharmacists Mutual about how insurance companies view compounding, and why compounders are taking a bigger risk than they might realize if they're compounding peptides. Pharmacists Mutual: https://pmuw.com Join APC: a4pc.org/join Stay up to date on these topics and more at: a4pc.org/news

TABLE OF CONTENTS THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 8-19-2026Rebecca Grant, Vice President of the Lexington Institute, discusses technological advancements on the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. She details the transition from traditional steam-powered catapults to modern electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (EMALS), which offer superior, adjustable torque to launch both lightweight drones and heavily armed fighter jets. Additionally, Grant highlights the ship's new electromagnetic advanced weapons elevators, which double the capacity of older Nimitz-class systems and move much faster to significantly improve sortie generation rates. However, a White House executive order directing a study to reconsider steam systems threatens to disrupt these advancements. Grant warns that backtracking to older technology on carriers currently in construction, like the CVN-81, could delay delivery by up to seven years, creating dangerous operational gaps as Chinese naval threats rise in the Pacific. (1)Rick Fisher of the International Assessment and Strategy Center analyzes China's advancement in space and its competition with the United States. Fisher discusses China's Gandai constellation, a space debris monitoring satellite system controlled by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which tracked a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster crashing near the moon's Einstein crater from over 380,000 kilometers away. He warns that this constellation can perform dual-use military targeting for space combat and missile defense. Fisher criticizes China's lack of transparency, noting its refusal to give advance notice for earthbound ICBM tests and its intention to let expendable propulsion stages crash into the lunar surface. Finally, he highlights the rapid progress of China's LandSpace with its liquid-fueled, methane-oxygen-powered reusable Zhuque-3 rocket, predicting that ten Chinese companies will offer cheap reusable launch services within five years and directly undercut Western competitors. (2)Greg Scarlatoiu, President and CEO of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, analyzes the multifaceted security threats posed by Pyongyang. Scarlatoiu describes North Korea as a post-communist, dynastic kleptocracy and a crime family masquerading as a nation-state. Under Kim Jong-un, the regime has consolidated its intelligence and police agencies while streamlining its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Scarlatoiu explains that North Korea's war economy exploits its people's human rights and security to fund weapons, which it now exports globally to Russia and Iran. The discussion, co-hosted by Gordon Chang, highlights active military provocations along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), including recent boundary crossings. Finally, Scarlatoiu and Chang evaluate how controversial remarks by the Trump administration praising Kim Jong-un have strained trust in extended deterrence and undermined relationships within the vital US-South Korea alliance. (3)Craig Unger, investigative reporter and author, explores President Donald Trump's unstable foreign policy toward Russia and Ukraine. Unger contends that Trump behaves as a Russian appeaser whose real estate-linked advisers take marching orders from Vladimir Putin. The discussion highlights how Ukrainian-manufactured drones have successfully targeted Russian oil refineries, causing severe fuel shortages and long gas lines across Russia. While these military successes initially impressed Trump, leading him to publicly promise Patriot missiles and production technology to President Zelenskyy, Unger reveals that Trump subsequently withheld this critical support. Unger cautions that as Putin faces an existential crisis and potential military defeat, he may launch a limited incursion into Baltic states like Estonia or Poland. This would trigger NATO's Article 5, which Unger warns Trump would likely refuse to honor, thereby destroying the Western alliance. (4)Caleb Weiss of the Bridgeway Foundation and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies examines the evolution of African jihadist movements. Weiss details the case of Jamal Chima, a Ugandan Guantanamo Bay alumnus who transitioned from Al-Qaeda to recruiting for the Islamic State Central African Province (ISCAP) in Kampala. Weiss explains that East African court systems frequently experience "catch and release" cycles due to strict evidentiary demands for terrorism cases. The segment also addresses the kidnapping of missionary Kevin Rideout by the Islamic State Sahel Province. Weiss describes how these groups raise funds through lucrative ransoms, utilizing regional coordination hubs like the Al-Furqan and Al-Karrar offices to move capital globally to active cells in regions like Afghanistan. Finally, he notes that eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar has leveraged anti-jihadist operations to secure Western backing. (5)Michael Bernstam of the Hoover Institution warns of a severe global crisis in refined petroleum products, especially diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. Bernstam explains that the "crack spread"—the cost differential between crude oil and refined diesel—has reached an unprecedented historical peak of over $102 per barrel. This crisis stems from a fifty-year systemic failure, during which no major new refineries were built in the United States or Europe. Compounding this, sophisticated Ukrainian drone strikes have successfully knocked out 40% of Russia's refining capacity, forcing the major oil exporter to ban refined product exports and become an importer. Additionally, China has halted refined exports to meet its domestic demand. Bernstam warns that the resulting global diesel shortage directly threatens agricultural planting, harvesting, and regional food security, particularly for developing nations as winter approaches. (6)Peter Huessy of the Gold Institute for International Strategy critiques the Hollywood film House of Dynamite for its inaccurate depiction of US nuclear command and control. Huessy argues that the movie relies on flawed premises, such as the sudden, unexplained failure of Defense Support Program (DSP) tracking satellites and the total failure of US missile defense interceptors, to fabricate a helpless crisis scenario. He highlights that actual US missile defenses achieve 75% to 85% success in tests and up to 98% in combat scenarios like Israel's missile defense systems. Huessy strongly refutes the film's negative portrayal of military leadership as reckless warmongers and its central message that nuclear deterrence is ineffective. He asserts that the nuclear triad has successfully and perfectly preserved global peace for eighty years, keeping the country safe. (7)Simon Constable, writer for the Wall Street Journal, discusses European climate anomalies and their severe impact on global commodities. Speaking from the south of France, Constable reports temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius, contributing to low water levels in the Danube, Rhine, and Po rivers. These climate constraints, alongside maritime blockades of Ukrainian ports, have driven up prices for energy, wheat, and coffee. Turning to UK politics, Constable criticizes Prime Minister Keir Starmer for failing to spur house-building and notes that regional politicians like Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham lack an international profile. Finally, he reviews a longevity quiz from the Wall Street Journal, which highlights that the wealthiest Americans live fourteen years longer than the poorest. He notes that Japan leads the world in centenarians, emphasizing that geographic location and financial wealth are pivotal factors in determining an individual's healthy lifespan. (8)Andrea Stricker of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies examines Middle Eastern nuclear proliferation and the mystery surrounding legacy materials. Stricker details a positive, US-brokered development in which the post-AssadSyrian government agreed to cooperate and turn over legacy yellowcake uranium stored at a covert facility known as Site 99. This material was intended for a North Korean-built plutonium-producing reactor at Al-Kibar, which was destroyed by Israel in 2007. Despite long-standing Syrian secrecy and the site changing hands among various factions, environmental sampling by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed undeclared, man-made uranium particles at multiple locations. Stricker also raises concerns regarding Turkey's nuclear ambitions, highlighting its civilian programs' potential military purposes and Turkey's recent attempt to secure raw uranium contracts with the military regime in Niger. (9)Joel Kotkin, senior research fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, examines California's economic and demographic challenges. Kotkin notes that California is on the verge of losing its population lead as middle-class families vote with their feet and move to states like Texas. He attributes this out-migration to exorbitant housing costs, a severe shortage of upwardly mobile middle-class jobs, and high electricity prices that hamper manufacturing and modern technology sectors like artificial intelligence. Furthermore, Kotkin highlights systemic social issues, including high teen unemployment, rising store break-ins, and a deteriorating public education system. These factors have depleted the state's middle class, leaving the tax base heavily dependent on a wealthy top one percent who can easily relocate to lower-tax states like Florida. Kotkin warns that this loss of middle-class families threatens California's future tax base and demographic vitality. (10)Corrections applied, several pending your confirmation: Bridgeway Foundation (transcribed as "Ridgeway," segment 5 — Weiss's actual affiliation), Al-Furqan and Al-Karrar offices (transcribed as "Al-Furkan and Al-Karr" — the standard renderings of the ISIS regional offices), LandSpace and Zhuque-3 (transcribed as "Land Space Corporation" and "Juk 3" — the Chinese firm and its rocket), Zelenskyy per house style, and "yellow cake" → yellowcake. One flag: "Gandaiconstellation" (segment 2) — I couldn't verify that name; the audio may be rendering a Chinese program name roughly, worth checking with the transcript or Fisher's notes. In segment 8, note the source describes Keir Starmer as PM and Andy Burnham as Manchester Mayor — this contradicts the recent batches where Burnham is PM. I've left it as the source has it since it's Constable's segment, but flag it if the summary tool garbled the timeline.R

Michael Bernstam of the Hoover Institution warns of a severe global crisis in refined petroleum products, especially diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel. Bernstam explains that the "crack spread"—the cost differential between crude oil and refined diesel—has reached an unprecedented historical peak of over $102 per barrel. This crisis stems from a fifty-year systemic failure, during which no major new refineries were built in the United States or Europe. Compounding this, sophisticated Ukrainian drone strikes have successfully knocked out 40% of Russia's refining capacity, forcing the major oil exporter to ban refined product exports and become an importer. Additionally, China has halted refined exports to meet its domestic demand. Bernstam warns that the resulting global diesel shortage directly threatens agricultural planting, harvesting, and regional food security, particularly for developing nations as winter approaches. (6)

In today's throwback Very Clinical episode Kevin and Zach welcome Dr. Ash Mark of YouTube's "All Things Dentistry" to discuss practical clinical strategies for navigating calcified root canals. The conversation dives into essential tips for identifying and treating calcified cases, including the importance of proper diagnostic imaging (like vertical bitewings and CBCT) and utilizing tools like long-shank burs and EndoTracers for enhanced visibility. Dr. Mark highlights the benefits of flexible, heat-treated rotary files, shares insights on avoiding file separation, and explains how practicing on extracted teeth using an apex locator builds clinical confidence. The hosts also touch on emerging trends in endodontics, including multisonic and laser-assisted irrigation techniques. Some links from the show: All Things Dentistry on Youtube Master Root Canals LIke an Endodontist  Master Root Canals Like An Endodontist Advanced Join the Very Clinical Facebook group!  Join the Very Dental Facebook Group using one of these passwords: Timmerman, Paul, Bioclear, Hornbrook, Gary, McWethy, Papa Randy, or Lipscomb!  The Very Dental Podcast network is and will remain free to download. If you'd like to support the shows you love at Very Dental then show a little love to the people that support us! We're proud to be supported by the folks at Net32! I'm a big fan of the Bioclear Method! I think you should give it a try and I've got a great offer to help you get on board! Use the exclusive Very Dental Podcast code VERYDENTAL8TON for 15% OFF your total Bioclear purchase, including Core Anterior and Posterior Four day courses, Black Triangle Certification, and all Bioclear products. Crazy Dental has everything you need from cotton rolls to equipment and everything in between and the best prices you'll find anywhere! If you head over to verydentalpodcast.com/crazy and use coupon code "VERYSHIP" you'll get free shipping on your order! Go save yourself some money and support the show all at the same time! The Wonderist Agency is basically a one stop shop for marketing your practice and your brand. From logo redesign to a full service marketing plan, the folks at Wonderist have you covered! Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/wonderist! Enova Illumination makes the very best in loupes and headlights, including their new ergonomic angled prism loupes! They also distribute loupe mounted cameras and even the amazing line of Zumax microscopes! If you want to help out the podcast while upping your magnification and headlight game, you need to head over to verydentalpodcast.com/enova to see their whole line of products! CAD-Ray offers the best service on a wide variety of digital scanners, printers, mills and even  their very own browser based design software, Clinux! CAD-Ray has been a huge supporter of the Very Dental Podcast Network and I can tell you that you'll get no better service on everything digital dentistry than the folks from CAD-Ray. Go check them out at verydentalpodcast.com/CADRay!

Connect With ChazIn December 2006, John Vasquez attempted suicide. That is how he describes it. The person he was that day, a man drowning in opiate addiction and low self-worth, died. He considers it the beginning, not the end.Fourteen years later, the COVID pandemic shut down the gym he had built using Alex Hormozi's Gym Launch program, and he found himself sleeping on his parents' couch with two kids, back in the house he grew up in, watching his parents' same patterns around money and fear play out in real time. That was the moment he drew a line in the sand.Today Coach JV runs three seven-figure business ecosystems, has a Rockefeller Trust set up for his family for generations, and has built a massive social media following teaching financial literacy, micro and macroeconomics, and cryptocurrency education to people who were never taught any of it. In this conversation with Chaz Wolfe, Coach JV breaks down his 5-part financial framework, why Ray Dalio is the lens through which he reads the global economy, why paying yourself first is not just a strategy but a frequency shift, and how he is raising his kids to be the first generation to break the pattern for good.Key Takeaways:Drawing the line in the sand is not a motivational phrase. It is a moment when you become more committed to the pain of change than to the pain of staying the same. That specific shift is what changes the trajectory.You have to give up something to become something. And most people are addicted to their old self. The subconscious programming laid down in childhood drives adult behavior more than most people ever acknowledge.Coach JV's 5-part financial framework: Foundation, meaning rewire your belief system around money and trace where it came from. Financial Literacy, meaning understand what money actually is, how banks work, and what the Federal Reserve has done to the dollar since 1913. Discipline, meaning budgeting and asking do I need this or do I want this. Income Creation. And finally, Protection, Compounding, and Growth.The US dollar has collapsed 99 percent in purchasing power since the Federal Reserve was created in 1913. School, job, 401(k) is a strategy of hope. You are hoping the market aligns when you retire. That is not a plan.Pay yourself first every single time. Before bills. Before spending. Money goes into your freedom account first. What is left is what you live on. This changes your frame of mind and eliminates frivolous spending automatically.America is at 120 percent debt-to-income ratio. The average middle-class American needs to earn $160,000 per year to truly be middle class now. The regional banks are in a tough position. Bond yields inverted in 2023. These are not opinions. These are Ray Dalio's documented patterns.Cryptocurrency is going to move significantly on the back end of this cycle. But what goes up must come down hard. Buy the rumors, sell the news. When the mainstream is telling you to get in, you should have been out days ago.Define your principles before anything else. For Coach JV: business principles are integrity, honesty, and uncompromising belief in God. Personal principles are peace, freedom, and family structure. If anything disrupts those three, the answer is a hard no. A $10 million contract offer that disrupts family structure is still a no.Ask your son when he falls: are you hurt or are you scared? Manage what is hurt. Acknowledge the fear. Then get back up and do it again together. This is the framework Coach JV uses to rewire what he never received.Everything happening in the global economy right now is a historical pattern. It has happened before. When you understand the waves of energy, it is the greatest time in human history to build wealth for your family if you are paying attention.If you are a contractor business owner doing $1M+ and you feel stuck in the day-to-day, we built GTK for you.Through peer mastermind and 1:1 coaching, we help you:increase profitinstall real systemsbuild a team that runs the businessget your time backVisit www.gatheringthekings.com for information on how to apply.Connect with Chaz Wolfe (Host):WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYouTubeProfit Starts with Better Books!Clean books. Clear reports. Monthly bookkeeping built by business owners, for business owners.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showLike what you heard? Share this episode with a friend and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Join the conversation by visiting GatheringTheKings.com and apply to connect with other high-performing entrepreneurs and their families.

Where Part 1 followed the companies, Part 2 is about the person behind them. Picking up from Mukesh Bansal's move from one venture to the next, this half gets into how he finds talent ("work with them for six months"), the mental models he runs his life by, and the beliefs underneath them. He explains why rationally no one should start a company, how he processes every rejection as "no means not now", why he writes three books by simply showing up to a blank page, and how he separated the longevity basics he trusts from the biohacking he no longer does. It ends close to home: loyalty as loyalty to a mission, what he wants for his two children, why parents' expectations matter less than they did, and a life he rates an 8 out of 10.Chapters0:00  Where we left off1:46  Finding talent: "work with them for six months"3:23  The one open-ended question he asks5:57  Winning vs looking good8:00  The compounding argument, revisited9:40  Learning vs winning: drawing the 2x211:17  Three books, and the annual look-back16:18  Making time to think in a full life18:45  What a chief of staff is actually for21:27  "No means not now" and other mental models25:57  How he writes a book28:30  How health became a throughline31:24  From ecosystem to the longevity basics34:29  Why strength training matters after 5038:08  Why he runs SparX, and the deep-tech turn44:05  Loyalty to a mission, and the number two50:35  The Apple teaching model52:52  Three adjectives, and being "scary" to juniors55:30  His kids' worldview57:54  Do parents' expectations still matter?1:00:12  Weekends, food, and reading now1:02:17  Rating his life an 8Quotes[8:44] "I don't know if this rocket thing will work. But if it works, it'll take at least ten years… they said, we are willing to work on it for the rest of our lives."[21:56] "I call this no means not now. That's how I process all the nos in my life."[24:59] "Zomato was started in 2007. They did not pivot into food delivery till 2017."[26:05] "Just show up and stare at a blank page for an hour. Sooner or later you'll start writing."[61:43] "I feel very privileged and very fortunate. So many lucky breaks have worked out for me."Frameworks & mental modelsNo means not now: process every rejection as timing, not a verdict; it protects the ego and the relationship.Long-term patient, short-term aggressive / product is marketing: charge hard daily, give the ten-year game room, and let a product people love do the selling.Horizontal compounding: compound entrepreneurial skill across ventures, not tenure in one sector.Loyalty to a mission: the durable teams are bound to an unfinished job, not to a person; build a number two and give people room.The longevity basics beat biohacking: sleep, eat less, move, strength-train after 50, tend emotional health; the exotic stuff is largely unproven.Credits & sharingThis episode was produced by Rohin Dharmakumar and mixed and mastered by Rajiv CN.Write to us at fp@the-ken.com with your feedback, suggestions, and guests you would want to see on First Principles.If you enjoyed this episode, please help us spread the word by sharing and gifting it to your friends and family.

A well-written blog post gets you noticed. But for data scientists who want to build authority that compounds over time, it's just the beginning. Every piece of writing is a potential stepping stone to something bigger - a conference talk, a book deal, or an opportunity you couldn't have anticipated.In this Value Boost episode, Cynthia Dunlop joins Dr Genevieve Hayes to explore how data scientists can convert blog writing into bigger opportunities and what it actually takes to make the leap from blog post to book.You'll discover:How conference organisers actually find their speakers — and why blogging is the answer [02:35]How acquisitions editors scout for authors and why you don't need a huge following [03:39]The low risk way to find out if you're ready to write a book [06:57]How each new opportunity compounds the authority you've already built [08:10]Guest BioCynthia Dunlop is the co-author of Writing for Developers and Senior Director of Content Strategy at ScyllaDB. She has co-authored four books for software developers and tech leaders and authored hundreds of articles for publications including TechCrunch, IEEE Computer, and The New Stack.LinksConnect with Cynthia on LinkedInFollow Cynthia on SubstackConnect with Genevieve on LinkedInBe among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Is a Health Savings Account Right for You? Episode 395 – A Health Savings Account, or HSA, is one of very few financial vehicles considered “triple tax advantaged.” You can get a deduction going in, the money grows tax-free, and the money also comes out tax-free. But they're not for everybody as there are some major caveats. More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes Transcript of Podcast Episode 395 Hello, this is Bill Rainaldi, with another edition of Security Mutual's SML Planning Minute. In today's episode: is a Health Savings Account right for you? What would you say if someone told you about an investment vehicle where you get a tax deduction going in, the money in the account grows tax-free, and the withdrawals are tax-free when they come out? Such a product exists, but it's not quite that simple. An Individual Retirement Account or IRA doesn't work that way. You get a deduction going in, but you pay income tax when you take the money out. A Roth IRA lets you take the money out tax-free (with certain qualifications), but you don't get a deduction when you put the money in. A Health Savings Account, or HSA, is one of very few financial vehicles considered “triple tax advantaged.”[1] You can get a deduction on monies going in, the money grows tax-free, and the money also comes out tax-free. But there are some major caveats to understand. HSAs don't work for everyone. Only certain people can contribute, and when you take the money out, there are some conditions that need to be met if you want to take full advantage of the tax incentives. Here's how an HSA works. To contribute, you need to be part of what the Internal Revenue Service or IRS calls a “High-Deductible Health Plan.” The IRS defines a high-deductible health plan as one that requires an annual deductible. A deductible is the amount one must pay out-of-pocket for healthcare before health insurance coverage will share in the costs. In 2026, the minimum deductibles for a high deductible HSA health plan are set at $1,700 for coverage on yourself only, and $3,400 if the coverage includes your family.[2] Also, the out-of-pocket maximum cannot be higher than $8,500 for self-only coverage and $17,000 for family coverage. There are more rules. To contribute to an HSA, you can't be enrolled in another plan that is not considered HSA-eligible, nor can you be someone claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return. If you're not sure whether your plan qualifies, you will need to ask either the benefits administrator where you work or the plan provider. And for the record, Medicare does not count as a high-deductible medical plan. So, you can't participate in an HSA if you're covered by Medicare. As with almost any tax-advantaged investment vehicle, there are contribution limits. For 2026, you can contribute up to $4,400 for yourself, or $8,750 if your high-deductible plan covers your family.[3] And much like a 401(k), your employer can match your HSA contribution. In fact, in 2024 approximately 84 percent of employees covered by a qualified HSA health plan also received a contribution from their employers.[4] Note that the limits above are overall limits that include both the employee and, if applicable, employer contributions. Then there's the issue of distributions from the account. Distributions can be tax-free, but with some significant restrictions. To be tax-free, the distributions must be used for what the IRS calls “qualified medical expenses.” And what are qualified medical expenses? These might include hospital care, ambulance services, hearing aids, lab fees, dental and vision care, and other things. You can even use an HSA for health-care-related travel, massage therapy and substance abuse treatment.[5] [6] An HSA can be used for expenses both big and small. If your distribution doesn't meet the qualifications, any withdrawals after age 65 are considered fully taxable, like a traditional IRA or 401(k). Before age 65 there is also a 20 percent early withdrawal penalty. This means that, if necessary, you could treat an HSA as a secondary retirement plan. But of course, if you have qualified medical expenses that need to be paid, the taxation incentive would make them a better option. When it comes time to withdraw money as needed, you can either pay the provider directly from the HSA account (many providers offer the use of a debit card tied to the account) or pay the provider yourself and get reimbursed from the account.[7] Note that an HSA is different from a Flexible Spending Account or FSA. An FSA is another, albeit generally less popular, type of account designed to help with medical expenses. The employer generally owns an FSA, whereas the employee owns an HSA. But an FSA is also, in most cases, a “use it or lose it” type of account. At the end of the year (plus an optional grace period), you lose any money that's left over in your FSA.[8] Also note that in most circumstances, you can have a general-purpose FSA or HSA, but not both.[9] An HSA has no such restriction when it comes to how long it takes to use it. If you don't spend the money, it rolls over within the account. It belongs to you forever, even if you switch jobs. Of course, these sums, invested over several decades, can amount to a significant amount of money by the time you use them. Compounding plays a role here just like most other investment vehicles, only this time it may all be potentially tax-free. One final thought about HSAs. As we've mentioned before, the cost of health care for seniors can be staggering. According to Fidelity, a 65-year-old individual may need an after-tax total of $172,500 to cover the cost of health care expenses in retirement.[10] In the right circumstances, an HSA can be a tax-efficient way to fund some of those costs. [1] Fidelity Learn. “What is an HSA, and how does it work?” Fidelity.com. https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/what-is-an-hsa (accessed July 23, 2026). [2] Fidelity Learn. “HSA contribution limits and eligibility rules for 2026 and 2027.” Fidelity.com. https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/hsa-contribution-limits (accessed July 23, 2026). [3] Id. [4] Fidelity Learn. “What is an HSA, and how does it work?” Fidelity.com. https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/what-is-an-hsa (accessed July 23, 2026). [5] MetLife. “What Can I Use My HSA for in 2026?” MetLife.com. https://www.metlife.com/stories/benefits/hsa-qualified-expenses/ (accessed July 23, 2026). [6] Miller, Kathryn. “What clients miss about HSAs — and how advisors can help.” Financial-Planning.com. https://www.financial-planning.com/news/what-clients-miss-about-hsas-and-how-advisors-can-help (accessed July 23, 2026). [7] Fidelity Learn. “Spending with your HSA.” Fidelity.com. https://www.fidelity.com/go/hsa/how-to-spend (accessed July 23, 2026). [8] Healthcare.gov. “Using a Flexible Spending Account (FSA).” Healthcare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/have-job-based-coverage/flexible-spending-accounts/ (accessed July 23, 2026). [9] Fidelity Learn. “HSA contribution limits and eligibility rules for 2026 and 2027.” Fidelity.com. https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/hsa-contribution-limits (accessed July 23, 2026). [10] Fidelity Learn. “What is an HSA, and how does it work?” Fidelity.com. https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/what-is-an-hsa (accessed July 23, 2026). More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes This podcast is brought to you by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, The Company That Cares®. The content provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Information is provided in good faith. However, the Company makes no representation or warranty of any kind regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information. The information presented is designed to provide general information regarding the subject matter covered. It is not to serve as legal, tax or other financial advice related to individual situations, because each individual's legal, tax and financial situation is different. Specific advice needs to be tailored to your situation. Therefore, please consult with your own attorney, tax professional and/or other advisors regarding your specific situation. To help reach your goals, you need a skilled professional by your side. Contact your local Security Mutual life insurance advisor today. As part of the planning process, he or she will coordinate with your other advisors as needed to help you achieve your financial goals and objectives. For more information, visit us at SMLNY.com/SMLPodcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast, tell your friends about it. And be sure to give us a five-star review. And check us out on LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter. Thanks for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. The information presented is based on current interpretation of the laws. Neither Security Mutual nor its agents are permitted to provide tax or legal advice. The applicability of any strategy discussed is dependent upon the particular facts and circumstances. Results may vary, and products and services discussed may not be appropriate for all situations. Each person's needs, objectives and financial circumstances are different, and must be reviewed and analyzed independently. We encourage individuals to seek personalized advice from a qualified Security Mutual life insurance advisor regarding their personal needs, objectives, and financial circumstances. Insurance products are issued by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, Binghamton, New York. Product availability and features may vary by state.​ SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidPandoraby EmailTuneInDeezerRSSMore Subscribe Options

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk www.LearningLeader.com The Price of Becoming is a USA Today, LA Times, and Publishers Weekly Bestseller! www.LearningLeader.com/Becoming This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire one person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world has the hustle and grit to deliver. My Guests:  My dad, Keith Hawk (also known as Pistol), spent decades leading sales teams at LexisNexis and has taught leadership and public speaking to audiences all over the country. He's the author of multiple books including Get Real Selling. Pistol has that rare ability to be both universally liked and 100% respected by all who know him. My brother AJ Hawk was an All-American linebacker at Ohio State, where he won a national championship. He played 11 years in the NFL, won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers, and retired as the franchise's all-time leading tackler. Now you'll see him every weekday on ESPN as a co-host of the Pat McAfee Show Notes: Key Learnings Be a consciously competent leader. Pistol's framework: you have to understand the processes of the work you're asking people to do, not just the end result. First-line leaders have to know the work at a great level of detail.  One tactical way to get there: do after-action reviews on both wins and losses. Know why you win. Know why you lose. Describe both in detail. That's how you earn vivid clarity. Give people vivid clarity. Don't tell your team to "go get the ball carrier." Tell them precisely how to handle each situation. Great leaders are great because they give vivid clarity to the people they're leading on how to do the thing. Stack days. If I can't win by being brilliant, I can win by being able to endure. Just get up and do the thing day after day. Growing up, AJ and I had an unwritten rule: no matter what we did the night before, we were going to the first available lift. You don't have to go to bed early. But you're going to work no matter how you feel. When AJ knew he could do it. Freshman year at Ohio State. A tunnel screen play in camp. He read it perfectly, took off, and delivered a textbook hit on the receiver. That was the moment: "Football's football. These guys are all monsters. But I think I can find a way to make some plays." How to write a book: get up an extra hour early for 200 days in a row and never miss a day. Anybody can do it. You just have to be willing to make the decision, and then follow through, and then follow through again. My scout team Super Bowl. As a scout team QB at Ohio, I picked the Florida game to prepare like it was the real thing. I wore Rex Grossman's number and arm sleeve. Spatted my cleats. I rewrote the practice cards based on real Florida plays. We ended up being in a tight ball game against a national powerhouse. My teammates came back after the game and said practice that week was harder than the actual game. This is when I learned what is possible when prepared for the moment.  The Mike Nolan $10 bill story. When AJ was in college, the 49ers head coach Mike Nolan needed to tip a valet and asked if he had any cash. AJ gave him $10. Weeks later, a handwritten note showed up at AJ's college house with a $10 bill inside and a thank-you note from Mike Nolan. Follow-through. Attention to detail. Paying people back. AJ never forgot it. AJ's delusional confidence in Tahoe. AJ had an unlucky drive that left him 254 yards from the pin, in the first cut. Jack Wagner was still on the green in front of us. AJ pulled out a four iron. I told him to wait. He said, "I'm just gonna go, and hit it on the green." He flushed it. Landed on the green 25 feet from Jack. There's power in belief, speaking things into existence, and then doing them.  Irrational self-confidence isn't irrational. Pistol quoted Bill Simmons: "As long as you believe it's possible, it's possible." Regardless of what it is. My biggest risk: leaving corporate at the end of 2017. I had a VP of sales job, and I left it all to bet on this podcast. Miranda believed in it maybe even more than I did. That combination made it possible. Pistol's biggest risk: August 1st, 1999. He left LexisNexis after 14 years to go be a public speaker. Two years later, on August 1st, 2001, he came back. Both times on his birthday. His career jumped five notches on his return. Sometimes you have to leave to come back better. AJ's biggest risk: hiding a broken wrist during a Super Bowl run. AJ refused an X-ray or MRI so they couldn't shut him down. The trainer taped and casted it. He played the whole season, won the Super Bowl, and made the Pro Bowl. He had surgery to repair it days after the Super Bowl.  The best players are consistent. When I'd talk to AJ's teammates in Green Bay about him, they used the unsexy words: "Most consistent guy on the team. First guy in the weight room. Will be where he's supposed to be on every play." He did that for eleven years. Show up. Every single day. Pistol said it: "Anybody that's been great at something didn't get great on the first day, but they did the right types of things along the way."  Don't grade your kid's games. Grade the effort. "Did you play hard? That's all I care about." AJ said his family doesn't have good or bad games. There's only one question after the game: did you play hard or did you not?  Show them what "hard" actually looks like. Sometimes kids think they're playing as hard as they possibly can when they're not. AJ's brother-in-law Jack Johnson reminded him of this. You can't just say "play hard." You have to describe it. You have to show them. Otherwise they don't know what the standard is. Model it. Don't tell. Leadership is caught more than it's taught. My primary role as a dad and a husband is to be the model. If I have low standards, my kids will have low standards. If I show up every day, they'll learn what showing up looks like. Do all the work. Then trust your instincts. AJ's approach to football. Reinstall the defense from scratch every year. Take fresh notes. So when it's game time, you don't have to think. You just play. The Dinner Guest Draft: Every hundredth episode, we do a draft. This one: pick five living dinner guests.  AJ's table: Michael Jordan Charles Barkley Arnold Schwarzenegger Palmer Luckey Denzel Washington My table: (All dream guests for The Learning Leader Show) Dave Chappelle Dave Matthews Mike Rowe Doris Kearns Goodwin Michael Lewis Pistol's table: (All former guests of the show)  Admiral William McRaven Dan Patrick Nikki Glaser Stephen M.R. Covey Oz Pearlman Champagne Moments a Year From Now My dad: Celebrating his 71st birthday dinner with all of us. AJ: To keep being present with his kids while they're still young. To slow down and enjoy it. Me: A good year of college for the older girls in our family. Reflection Questions Where in your work are you giving people vivid clarity? Or are you handing them broad general directives and hoping they figure it out? What is your version of the Mike Nolan $10 bill story? What small act of follow-through could you do this week that someone will remember for years? Where are you being performative right now, doing something for the audience instead of doing it because you want to be great? What would change if you only did it when nobody was watching? More Learning #600 - AJ, Pistol & Ryan Hawk - Setting the Standard #500 - AJ, Pistol, Ryan & Pat McAfee - Live Your Life as a Movie #400 - AJ, Pistol & Ryan Hawk - The Life Experiences That Shape Our Character Podcast Chapters 00:00 The Arena Invite  01:30 Meet Keith "Pistol" Hawk and AJ Hawk  03:34 What Everyone's Been Up To For the Past Two Years  05:09 What We Learned From Robert Saleh (head coach, Tennessee Titans) and Mike Macdonal (head coach of the defending Super Bowl Champion, Seattle Seahawks) About Tackling  08:50 Be a Consciously Competent Leader. Give People Vivid Clarity.  10:44 Inflection Point Stories: When AJ and Ryan Knew They Could Do It  16:33 How Pistol Spotted the Talent Early  21:32 Why Written Communication Is More Important Than You Think  25:21 The Power of Stacking Days  33:06 The Mike Nolan $10 Bill Story  35:24 Delusional Confidence: The Tahoe Golf Moment  42:51 Irrational Self-Confidence Isn't Irrational  43:15 The Biggest Risks Each of Us Ever Took  47:24 Playing Through a Broken Wrist to Win a Super Bowl  50:38 How to Raise Kids With High Standards  54:28 Regimented vs. Disciplined  59:30 AJ's Hack to Beat a Shellfish Allergy 01:06:00 The Dinner Guest Draft Begins  01:21:21 Draft Recap  01:23:43 The Champagne Question  01:26:33 EOPC  

What does it really take to build sustainable wealth through investing and funnel marketing? In this episode, Kiana Danial, founder and CEO of Invest Diva, reveals her groundbreaking 'Triple Compounding' framework that blends investing in mindset, business, and external assets — all while mastering the generate, automate, and accelerate actions. Kiana shares her personal journey from being fired on Wall Street and struggling with Forex losses to generating over $1 million in revenue using ClickFunnels and building a $20 million investment portfolio. Discover how attending Funnel Hacking Live 2018 and focusing on a single, simple webinar offer transformed her business and mindset. Hear why Kiana debunks the myth that funnels need to be complex, how high-income skills like marketing and sales are essential, and why perseverance and integrity are non-negotiable in building financial freedom. Subscribe for more insights on entrepreneurship, funnel strategies, and wealth-building. Follow Kiana and check the links below to dive deeper into her Triple Compounding method and coaching programs. Follow Kiana on Instagram at the verified @InvestDiva Learn Triple Compounding: https://triplecompounding.com

Sign Up for Our Plus SideZ GLP-1 Patient Support Group - $50https://forms.gle/aHvZiiBXFr6q7NQY7 Linktree Our Favorite Thingshttps://linktr.ee/theplussidezGLP-1 News: New Studies, Lawsuits & CompoundingWhat do the latest GLP-1 studies actually mean for patients?This week, Kim is joined by Maria Rising, GLP-1 advocate, creator of GLP-1 News Now, our special guest News Correspondent. After living with PCOS and surviving a stroke in her 20s, Maria became passionate about helping patients understand the science behind obesity, GLP-1 medications, and access to care.There isn't just one new GLP-1 study every week anymore. There are dozens. Maria follows the research, policy changes, and industry news so patients don't have to. Together, Kim and Maria break down the latest headlines and explain what they actually mean for people living with obesity and metabolic disease.In this episode:- Maria's journey with PCOS, stroke, and GLP-1 treatment- The latest GLP-1 studies and research- Compounding updates and current lawsuits- What new research means for patients- Obesity, metabolic health, and access to care- How to separate headlines from evidenceFor ongoing GLP-1 news, research, and access updates, be sure to subscribe to Maria's Substack and TikTok.TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tirzepatidetalesSubstack: https://glp1newsnow.substack.comThe Plus SideZ Podcast is an educational podcast focused on obesity, metabolic health, and GLP-1 medications. This episode is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always talk with your healthcare provider about questions regarding your treatment.Send us Fan Mail!Support the showKim Carlos, Executive Producer TikTokInstagram Kat Carter,  Producer TikTokInstagram 

Memory chips have been the standout trade of the AI boom, but July brought a sharp reality check. Global semiconductor stocks whipsawed as investors began questioning the return on hundreds of billions in data-center spending. Market jitters deepened after Chinese startup Moonshot released its open-source Kimi K3 model at a fraction of the cost of US frontier AI architectures. Compounding these concerns is the rise of CXMT, China’s leading DRAM supplier, whose stock surged fivefold following a blockbuster IPO – raising fears of aggressive capacity expansion that could disrupt incumbents such as Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron. Jake Silverman, semiconductor analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast. He unpacks why fundamental support for the memory sector remains solid, how high-bandwidth memory (HBM) creates a structural cap on standard DRAM supply, and why multi-year strategic supply contracts and extended fab construction lead times insulate incumbents from an immediate market collapse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neeraj Verma of NiCE on why AI pilots stall, building agents as small reusable units, and the scale problem personal agents are about to create.Full show notesThis one was recorded live at NiCE World 2026 in Orlando, and Neeraj Verma, Head of AI at NiCE, didn't dodge the hard parts. We started where most enterprise AI conversations should start and rarely do: the outcome. If you can't name what the technology is supposed to pay you back for, you're experimenting for experimentation's sake, and that's the pattern I see stalling pilots everywhere.From there we got into the fast-moving stuff — what an agent actually is, where skills fit, and why the smart move is building small, reusable units of work rather than monolithic agents. Neeraj made a point I keep thinking about: agents aren't humans, they're context engines, and they need small context to execute well. We also dug into guardrails and observability, and the real tension there — you have to have them, but not in a way that doubles your cost or ruins the experience.If you're a technology leader trying to move from pilot to production, or a CX leader watching personal agents start to change what "scale" even means, this is worth your time. The honest through-line: this wave will move faster than any before it, and it still takes real infrastructure and a continuous-innovation mindset to get right.What we coverWhy an outcome has to come before the AI buildWhat an AI agent is, and how skills package tools and processesBuilding small, reusable, modular units of work for agentsContext as compressed enterprise data — and why compression is the hard problemHarness engineering, and "agentic whack-a-mole"Compounding intelligence and what self-learning really means todayPersonal agents, agent-to-agent communication, and the coming scale problemGuardrails, observability, and keeping shadow AI in check STAY CONNECTEDSubscribe to the AI with Maribel Lopez audio podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1947446Subscribe to my LinkedIn newsletter — AI Decoded with Maribel Lopez: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/ai-decoded-with-maribel-lopez-7312533413582827520/Lopez Research blog: https://www.lopezresearch.com/research/Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maribellopez/Follow me on X: https://x.com/MaribelLopez

What is the “Time Value of Money?” Episode 394 – The time value of money is one of the most important financial concepts there is to understand. It comes into play in almost every financial decision. You don't need to understand the arithmetic, but you should have some sense of where and how the math applies. Doing so may be able to improve the quality of your financial life. More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes Transcript of Podcast Episode 394 Hello, this is Bill Rainaldi, with another edition of Security Mutual's SML Planning Minute. In today's episode: what is the “time value of money”? Simple question: what is worth more: a dollar you earn today, or a dollar you earn next year? Most people instinctively know that a dollar earned today is worth more. After all, that's an extra dollar you can spend now on whatever you want. But understanding why is a critical financial concept that few people really understand, and one that applies to pretty much everything when you talk about personal finance. The concept is generally known as the “time value of money.” It's an idea that runs through almost every decision a business or financially sophisticated individual makes. According to the Harvard Business School, the time value of money means that “a sum of money’s value depends on how long you wait to use it; the sooner you use it, the more valuable it is.”[1] In other words, the money you have today is worth more than the same amount that you receive in the future because you have the opportunity to invest that money right now and earn a return on it. Figuring it all out in detail involves a rather complicated series of formulas. We won't get into the formulas here, but Microsoft Excel has tools to help make the calculation process easier. The basic idea is that, if nothing else, you can take the dollar you earn today and invest it. At the end of the year, that dollar will be worth more than the new one you receive at the start of the next year. If your assumed interest rate is six (6) percent, that first dollar will be worth $1.06 by the time the second one arrives. I know it doesn't seem like much of a difference. But after 20 years, the value of that dollar at the same 6% would be $3.21. And remember, we're generally talking about much bigger sums. And compounding, that is, repeating this process over an extended period of time, can make the impact much more significant as the years go by. And when you're considering a regular payment, such as a mortgage or an annuity, the difference adds up even more. Compounding is something we touched on in two recent episodes, one about reverse mortgages and the other about Trump Accounts. As Albert Einstein is alleged to have said, compound interest is “the most powerful force in the universe.”[2] Whether he actually uttered those exact words or not, many present and future retirees understand the value of saving early. The math is equally important but gets more awkward when you want to reverse the process. What is that dollar you're going to get a year from now worth today? This is where a spreadsheet can help. The answer is just over 94 cents. If it's two years, it's about 88 cents. In five years, just under 75 cents. As you might suspect, inflation is a key consideration when it comes to the time value of money. There's another reason a dollar earned today is worth more than a dollar earned in the future. Your money will likely be able to buy less in the future than it does today, simply because prices of most goods and services tend to go up over time. Uncertainty also plays a role. Assume someone owes you money, but the payment is due a year from now. The problem is that things could change over the next year. They might move away, or declare bankruptcy, or decide they don't like you anymore. Nothing is certain until you actually have the money in hand. Note that if there's additional risk that you're not going to get the money in time, or at all, many financial pros will try to handle this using a higher assumed interest rate, or “discount rate.” There are some other areas where the time value of money is a key consideration. One often overlooked example is deciding on whether to make a home improvement that adds to the value of your house. Another might be weighing the pros and cons of buying vs. leasing a car. Yet another might be your decision on when to collect Social Security. Another concept that comes into play—and one that many people rarely consider—is opportunity cost. Once you understand the time value of money, opportunity cost becomes much easier to recognize. There are tradeoffs in any financial decision. Opportunity cost can be defined as the value of what you give up when you forgo one choice in favor of another.[3] Opportunity cost comes along more often than most people realize. The truth is that you finance every major purchase you make, even if you're using cash. If you buy a new car and use your available cash, it will save some money. Since there's no loan, there's no cost to you in terms of interest payments. But there is still opportunity cost. By paying cash, you've given up the opportunity to invest that money elsewhere and earn interest and/or dividends on it. This is a concept few people think through thoroughly. To put it another way, if you want something, you must give up something else. It's just not always easy to see. You don't need to understand the complicated mathematical formulas behind the time value of money. You just need to understand the concept. It can—and should—help you make some of your most important financial decisions. Confused about things like the time value of money or opportunity cost? Your Security Mutual Life insurance agent can help. Your Security Mutual Life insurance agent can augment or help assemble your financial team and coordinate with your attorneys and tax professionals to review your situation and to determine the insurance plan that will best suit your needs and objectives. [1] Cote, Catherine. “Time Value of Money (TVM): A Primer.” HBS.org. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/time-value-of-money (accessed July 14, 2026). [2] Schleckser, Jim. “Why Einstein Considered Compound Interest the Most Powerful Force in the Universe.” Inc.com. https://www.inc.com/jim-schleckser/why-einstein-considered-compound-interest-most-powerful-force-in-universe.html (accessed July 14, 2026). [3] Munsey, Bobbie Anne. “8 Opportunity Cost Examples (Plus Definition and Uses).” Indeed.com. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/opportunity-cost-examples (accessed July 13, 2026). More SML Planning Minute Podcast Episodes This podcast is brought to you by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, The Company That Cares®. The content provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Information is provided in good faith. However, the Company makes no representation or warranty of any kind regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information. The information presented is designed to provide general information regarding the subject matter covered. It is not to serve as legal, tax or other financial advice related to individual situations, because each individual's legal, tax and financial situation is different. Specific advice needs to be tailored to your situation. Therefore, please consult with your own attorney, tax professional and/or other advisors regarding your specific situation. To help reach your goals, you need a skilled professional by your side. Contact your local Security Mutual life insurance advisor today. As part of the planning process, he or she will coordinate with your other advisors as needed to help you achieve your financial goals and objectives. For more information, visit us at SMLNY.com/SMLPodcast. If you've enjoyed this podcast, tell your friends about it. And be sure to give us a five-star review. And check us out on LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter. Thanks for listening, and we'll talk to you next time. Tax laws are complex and subject to change. The information presented is based on current interpretation of the laws. Neither Security Mutual nor its agents are permitted to provide tax or legal advice. The applicability of any strategy discussed is dependent upon the particular facts and circumstances. Results may vary, and products and services discussed may not be appropriate for all situations. Each person's needs, objectives and financial circumstances are different, and must be reviewed and analyzed independently. We encourage individuals to seek personalized advice from a qualified Security Mutual life insurance advisor regarding their personal needs, objectives, and financial circumstances. Insurance products are issued by Security Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, Binghamton, New York. Product availability and features may vary by state.​ SubscribeApple PodcastsSpotifyAndroidPandoraby EmailTuneInDeezerRSSMore Subscribe Options

Some of the biggest threats to your wealth do not look especially dangerous at first. They often show up as small side bets, idle cash, or "smart" strategies that seem too minor to affect the larger plan.  Over time, however, those decisions can quietly work against everything your primary portfolio is trying to accomplish. Today, we're looking at the hidden financial drag that can make even a high income and disciplined savings plan less effective than it should be. Topics Discussed: What "reverse compounding" is and how small, repeated losses erode long-term wealth. Why the real cost isn't dollars lost, but what that money could have become. How leveraged ETFs suffer volatility drag, losing value even when the index recovers. Why most cryptocurrencies go to zero, and how to size Bitcoin properly. A three-bucket framework separating operating cash, core portfolio, and speculative capital. Resources Mentioned: ERdocadvisor.com

FDA Advisory Panel Backs Six Peptides for Compounding Pharmacies Phil kicks things off with an update on the torn upper horn of his lateral meniscus, sustained just before a meet he ran anyway (600 lb squat, 600 lb deadlift) rather than sit out with his son. From there the hosts pivot to a Verywell Health piece by Amber Raiken on the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee recommending looser restrictions on six peptides — BPC-157, TB-500, KPV, MOTS-c, Selank, and Epitalon — while rejecting a seventh, Emoxypine, over weak human results. Mike, drawing on a recent conversation with attorney Rick Collins, explains the split between FDA researchers (mostly opposed) and the non-physician advisory panel (mostly in favor), and why compounding-pharmacy oversight could at least guarantee sterile, accurately-dosed product versus the unregulated grey market. The group works through the thin evidence base for BPC-157 — including a sham-surgery knee trial showing a large placebo effect — alongside real anecdotes, including Phil's own faster recovery after hip surgery. They also cover the money and politics behind the FDA's shift, the rise of pre-loaded peptide pens mirroring GLP-1 marketing, sermorelin's prior FDA history, grey-market use of unapproved compounds like retatrutide, and how peptides moved from underground research-chemical circles in the '90s to today's mainstream, driven largely by biohacker influencers and the normalization of GLP-1 injections — now increasingly popular with women as well as men. They close by comparing peptide-assisted recovery in elite athletes (citing Patrick Mahomes) to the old anabolic-era "impossible" recovery stories, and debate what a sane regulatory and tracking system for peptides could look like. 00:00 Welcome and Hosts 00:20 Phil's Meniscus Tear and Meet Recovery 05:02 Transition to Peptide Regulatory News 06:18 FDA Advisory Panel and the Six Peptides 12:11 BPC-157 History and Anecdotal Evidence 17:02 Network Announcements and Newsletter 19:58 FDA Politics and Compounding Pharmacy Incentives 30:07 Six Peptides List and Emoxypine Rejection 34:59 A Proposal for Peptide Regulation and Tracking 37:28 How Peptides Reached the General Public 46:48 Elite Athletes and Faster Recovery Anecdotes 50:06 Wrap and Disclaimer Donate to the show via PayPal HERE.You can also join Dr Mike's Insider Newsletter for more info on how to add muscle, improve your performance and body comp - all without destroying your health, go to www.ironradiodrmike.com Thank you!Phil, Jerrell, Mike T, and Lonnie

The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk www.LearningLeader.com This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire one person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world has the hustle and grit to deliver. My Guest: Jack Raines is a writer and investor. At 24, he quit his corporate finance job at UPS, bought a one-way ticket to Barcelona, and spent the next year traveling through 25 countries while writing a newsletter that grew to hundreds of thousands of readers. He went on to earn an MBA from Columbia, help build Sherwood News at Robinhood, and join the venture capital firm Slow Ventures, where he invests in creators. His first book, Young Money: A Field Guide to Finding Wealth and Purpose in Your Twenties, is out now. Key Learnings Jack's Grandma Ruth took him to Africa when he was 11. She was in her late 60s. She had the money. She said: "I can spend it on you now or leave it to you when I'm dead. This is better." Money has no value until you exchange it for something. We need to decide what we want that to be. Every year of your 20s is worth $10 million. (Nikita Bier) You'll never have this window of flexibility again. Say yes to interesting experiences in your 20s. Your income is going to climb exponentially anyway. Don't save $500 at the cost of a memory. Move to where the action is. Jack moved to New York for business school. Then San Francisco for a job. Then back to New York. High slope of learning. High slope of contact with good people. Network amplifies ability. It doesn't create it. A million times zero is still zero. A million times two is two million. The only real risk is not doing anything. Every opportunity in life comes through a person. The best networking tool is doing great work. How did Gracie Abrams open for Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour? She wrote great music. Taylor noticed. Taylor called. In your 20s, potential is valued at a premium. In your 30s and beyond, proof of work matters more. Experimenting when you are young speed-runs the learning curve. You develop the skill of taking shots. That skill compounds.  It's much harder to start being risk-on at 35 if you weren't risk-on at 25. Personal finance is simple. Spend less than you make. Build a six-month emergency fund. Take the 401(k) match. Contribute to your IRA. Don't gamble on individual stocks. Stay invested. Stay employed. Don't go into credit card debt. Don't get divorced. User error interrupts compounding more than anything else. Set up the boring foundation. Then stop touching it. Most retirees never touch the principal. (Nick Maggiulli) They stack money out of fear, then die with more than they started with. Daniel Kahneman on loss aversion: the pain of losing $100 is twice as strong as the joy of gaining $100. That's why people over-save. Your burn rate at 70 is way lower than at 45. No kids at home. No tuition. Less energy to do stuff. Plan accordingly. Bill Perkins' Die with Zero philosophy... A useful insight was in the first chapter: his best friend took a payday loan at 23 to backpack Europe for three months. Same career trajectory as Bill. Just way more fun at 24. People don't want to think about their mortality. So they focus on making the number go up. If you actually internalized that you're going to die, you'd be more intentional about your time and money. Jack's champagne moment a year from now: He sells a ton of copies of it. And it's still relevant. Reflection Questions Where are you spending your best years earning money you'll never actually enjoy? What would change if you accepted that your peak-energy window is closing? Where are you standing still because the risk of moving feels bigger than the risk of staying? What does the only real risk (not doing anything) look like in your life right now? What is the great work you could do that would make the right person notice you?  More Learning #539: Jack Raines - Playing Infinite Games, Living Life Backwards & Building Your Platform #548: Nick Maggiulli - The Power of Compounding #373: Bill Perkins - How To Get All You Can From Your Money & Your Life Podcast Chapters 00:00 The Price of Becoming - Pre-Order Now!  01:38 Meet Jack Raines  03:27 Grandma Ruth Took Him to Africa When He Was 11  08:04 Why Every Year of Your 20s Is Worth $10 Million  12:12 Quitting UPS at 24 for a One-Way Ticket to Barcelona  15:10 How to Increase Your Surface Area for Luck  20:00 Where You Live Is Who You Become  22:00 Why Memories Compound Faster Than Money  26:23 The Financial Stability Basics Nobody Wants to Hear  29:00 Get the Boring Stuff on Autopilot  31:15 Why Retirees Never Touch the Principal  34:02 The Bad Trade of Saving During Your Best Years  37:36 The Bill Perkins Die With Zero Debate  39:15 Experimentation, Agency, and the Only Real Risk  42:53 The Best Networking Tool in the World: Do Great Work  44:10 The Champagne Question: Making the Book Matter a Year From Now  45:53 EOPC

Last week, Ralph, along with our constitutional law expert, Bruce Fein, organized another symposium in Washington DC on impeaching Donald Trump. On today's program, we play you highlights from that symposium with eight of the participants, each of whom are going to give listeners their perspective on why Donald Trump should be impeached even before the midterm elections.The rhetoric from many Democratic leaders has not kept up with the horror and the urgency of what [Donald Trump] is inflicting on America and the American people. He has moved very, very quickly to develop a fascist dictatorship embodying a kleptocratic corporate state that is marked by non-regulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, and tax escapes for the wealthy and major corporations, as well as expanded corporate welfare in the midst of personal and institutional two-way bribery and extortion. It's very important to punctuate the seriousness of what he's already done.Ralph NaderCelinda Lake is a political strategist and president of Lake Research Partners.What I love about polling is: conventional wisdom is wrong about 90% of the time, plus or minus 5%. Beltway conventional wisdom is wrong about 100% of the time, plus or minus 5%. So, “Everybody knows impeachment is unpopular.” No, it's not. It's very popular. A majority of people support it. “Everyone knows that it'll energize the other side.” No. The other side, to the extent they're going to be energized, they're already energized. We need to energize our side. We need to get our people out to vote… “Everyone knows it's very volatile.” No, it's not. Attitudes about impeachment track with job performance… And finally, “Everybody knows that nobody understands impeachment.” Well, frankly, voters understand it better than a lot of elected officials.Celinda LakeSuparna Reddy is the Senior Counsel for Free Speech For People.Let us be clear: Congress should impeach and remove Trump for each and every one of these hundreds of offenses. And we have a duty to record his every abuse of power. But in the process, we should not miss the forest for the trees— Trump is intentionally and systematically dismantling our democratic institutions to consolidate his own power and line his own pockets.Suparna ReddyRichard Painter is the S. Walter Richey professor of corporate law at the University of Minnesota Law School and was the chief White House ethics lawyer from 2005 to 2007.We have seen serious, indeed, tragic financial conflicts of interest in the executive branch never before seen in the history of our country—unless we look at our very early Presidents who held vast plantations with slave labor, a clear economic conflict of interest with their official duties. A conflict of interest shared by many Senators and Representatives and Justices of the Supreme Court, and indeed a tragic conflict of interest for the first eighty years of our history that ended only with a bloody civil war. But since then, we have not had at least a President who is embroiled in financial conflicts of interest with his official duties.Richard PainterDoug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, specializing in foreign policy and civil liberties.We need to make a persuasive argument for people, whether they like Donald Trump or not, to understand the Constitution transcends this President. The Constitution transcends future Presidents and future crises. We need to convince Americans across the political spectrum to stand with the rule of law, to stand with accountable government, to stand with an accountable executive, responsible legislatures. History tells us that one person making these decisions is not good. Plenty of authoritarians in the past have made these decisions and brought their countries to disaster.Douglas BandowErwin Chemerinsky is the Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.We're now at a moment when the federal government is a threat to our rights. The actions of the Trump administration are unprecedented in the violations of the Constitution. And so I think it's crucial that state and local governments step in so as to protect rights. It's interesting that through American history, Federalism has always been equated, states' rights have always been equated with regressive policies… But now it's time for progressives to use states' rights and look for the opportunities for states to safeguard our constitutionErwin ChemerinskyKeira Havens is a United States Air Force veteran, a former scientist, and a longtime political activist. She is the executive director of Citizens' Impeachment.Everybody has agency. Everybody has a role that they can play. Everybody can take action. As a private citizen, I can say, “Man, there are a lot of things wrong with what's happening.” In fact, I wrote several articles of impeachment: tyranny, treason, obstruction of justice, and of course, corruption, right? Members of Congress have more power than that. They need to do more than say things. They have to take action. Courage is an action. It's what you do after you say the words that really matters. And every single member of Congress is able to take action. They are able to introduce articles of impeachment, and they are refusing.Keira HavensJessica Denson is a former Trump staffer and founder of the Removal Coalition.The American people (and particularly Democratic primary voters) are looking for fighters. For God's sake, what could you do better than to exert the power that you have—this one privilege in the House, Rule 9, that gives any member of the Congress, including the minority, the ability to force a vote any time. Why would you sit on that? Why would you wait? Instead, in my activism, I've had to resort to relying on literally one Congressman. This is so pathetic. He is a dear friend, and I am so grateful for him. But to this day, I think it is pathetic that I have to rely on one Congressman to bring forth articles of impeachment and force votes, and that's Representative Green.Jessica DensonNews 7/31/26* Our top stories this week have to do with the Democratic National Committee. Several stories have recently come out about DNC Chair Ken Martin, ranging from interpersonal issues to his utter failure to raise money for the Democratic Party. The most stunning example of this comes from NOTUS, which reports that Martin “put [the DNC's] physical headquarters up for collateral last year in order to obtain a $15 million line of credit to help invest in off-year elections.” While the party has used this mechanism before, it underlines the gaping disparity between the DNC, which is currently over $2 million in debt compared to the Republican National Committee (RNC), which can boast $128.5 million cash on-hand.* Compounding the issues of the already cash-strapped DNC, the New Republic reports the Democratic National Committee was scammed out of nearly $29,000 by an email from someone pretending to be Chair Ken Martin last year. DNC spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg is quoted saying “The DNC takes seriously our duty to protect the funds provided to us by millions of patriotic Americans chipping in to fund our mission…this was a one-off mistake that was promptly caught and addressed, and no similar issues have occurred since.” That said, only $7,000 worth of this money has been recovered. As TNR puts it, “This has all been very embarrassing. Martin can't raise money, can't keep money, and can't unite the base under the big tent' he likes to talk about.” Martin may also be facing an outright rebellion led by party insiders.* One surprising proposal to this effect is coming from a very unlikely source. The Hill reports veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, while tearing into Martin, opened the door to former DNC Vice-Chair David Hogg taking the reins. Carville said the DNC appears “dysfunctional” and that the committee needs to “figure out a way maybe they could be somewhat relevant,” adding that “If David Hogg wants to take it over, I ain't stopping you…Go ahead, man, I don't really care.” This is a stark turnabout from Carville's position on Hogg when the latter was in DNC leadership; back then, Carville dismissed him as “a contemptible little twerp.” In an interview, Hogg highlighted this exact reversal, while simultaneously saying that he did not want to lead the crumbling Democratic Party organization. Ben Wikler, the former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair who challenged Ken Martin in 2025 has also resisted calls to take over the DNC, with rumors circulating that he is gearing up to run for Senate in the Badger State next cycle. While pressure continues to mount on Martin, alternative leadership remains elusive.* Speaking of lackluster leadership, Sources Say News reports Capitol CNCT has launched The Scoop which they describe as “a confidential rating system that lets current and former Hill staffers weigh in on the members and offices they have worked for.” As one might imagine, some reviews are extremely scathing. This piece cites one that reads, “Leadership is abusive. Lies about promotions and bonuses…This place will leach at your mental health like a vampire…Beware.” Sources Say highlights the fact that “Unlike most workplaces, Congress has no HR department, which means bad behavior by members and senior staff can go unreported and unchecked for years.” The new site verifies that the posters are or were real employees of these offices, but keeps their names anonymous to protect them from retaliation.* In more news from Congress, POLITICO reports Maryland Representative and House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin is launching a new investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, this time focusing on whether the deceased sex offender and financier acted as an unregistered foreign agent. In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton, Raskin writes that “Jeffrey Epstein never registered as a foreign agent…Yet numerous recently released documents now show he acted aggressively on behalf of multiple foreign governments, including several with interests adverse to the United States, in order to influence policies of the first Trump Administration.” The declassified files reveal that Epstein “offered to serve as a conduit between Saudi Arabia and members of the Trump administration, consulted with Russian officials on engaging with the president and advised former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.” This inquiry is likely to raise fresh questions about not only Epstein's role working on behalf of foreign governments, but his possible connections with intelligence and espionage organizations including the CIA and Mossad.* Other progressive members of Congress, led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, have issued a formal response to a new Trump administration report on Cuba. These members interpret this report – which claims that the tiny Caribbean nation of 10 million people has “waged a sustained campaign” to “conquer” the United States and is backing “left-wing terrorism on American soil” – is in fact an instrument the administration plans to use to persecute “Trump's perceived political enemies.” Omar, joined by Representatives Jim McGovern, Delia Ramirez, Rashida Tlaib, AOC and more, contend that Trump is “hell-bent on taking America back 70 years to the height of Cold War McCarthyism, when hawkish foreign policy was paired with unsubstantiated accusations of communist subversion and political repression against dissidents at home.” The administration report singled out several organizations and activists, including the National Lawyers Guild, Hasan Piker, and campus activist Isra Hirsi, daughter of Congresswoman Omar. This from Common Dreams.* In more news from the left, POLITICO reports Donavan McKinney – who is challenging incumbent Congressman Shri Thanedar in Detroit – picked up a major batch of endorsements this week from members of the Congressional Black Caucus. These new endorsers include Representatives Steven Horsford, the former chair of the CBC, along with Lateefah Simon and Ayanna Pressley. These endorsements, particularly that of Congressman Horsford, are notable because Thanedar retains the support of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his deputies, Representatives Pete Aguilar and Katherine Clark. McKinney said he was “honored” by these endorsements, adding that he “[looks] forward to working alongside these incredible leaders to pass critical legislation to protect voting rights, get big money out of our politics, and ensure all families have access to the resources they need to not just survive, but to truly thrive.” McKinney's primary will be held on August 4th, along with the more closely watched Senate primary between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and his moderate, establishment-backed opponent Haley Stevens.* Meanwhile, in New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to fulfill campaign promises at an astonishing rate. First, Forbes reports that Mamdani has officially introduced a $124.7 billion city budget which includes funding for five city-run grocery stores which will sell staple foods at a 30% discount compared to private grocery stores. These staples are set to include produce, dairy, bread, select meat and seafood, and approximately 20 other products. Being city-owned, these stores will not have to pay rent or property taxes, ensuring they can operate more cheaply than their competitors in the private sector. This piece notes that similar experiments in smaller cities like Baldwin, Florida, and Erie, Kansas proved unsustainable financially, while proposals in Chicago and Kansas City struggled to get off the ground. There is reason to believe New York will prove a different matter entirely, but that remains to be seen. At the same time, Jacobin reports Mamdani is launching a new initiative called “Talk to Tenants,” which will “send volunteers door-to-door in buildings with chronic housing code violations, connecting renters with organizing resources, neighborhood organizations, and training on tenants' rights and how to build tenant associations.” This effort will be led by the Office of Mass Engagement in partnership with the Office to Protect Tenants. It is extremely encouraging to see Mamdani utilizing a varied array of tools at his disposal – including both direct action by the city as on grocery stores or using city resources to promote the formation of non-governmental organizing efforts – in order to achieve his vision of a just and affordable American metropolis.* In more troubling, if not surprising, news, the Wall Street Journal is out with a new report finding that the Department of Justice is giving a green light to corporate criminals. The Journal cites examples ranging from Alibaba to Boeing and EagleBank to Abbott Laboratories where the Trump DOJ “declined to charge companies even when prosecutors thought executives or managers were involved in the wrongdoing.” This follows from directives given by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who has “said prosecutors shouldn't view prosecuting companies as their goal and should instead focus on holding individual wrongdoers accountable.” This piece cites a December speech by Blanche in which he stated that “Companies don't go to jail, people do.” Yet, it seems that under the Trump Justice Department, neither do.* Finally, in more corporate news, the antitrust lawsuit filed by over a dozen state attorneys general has at least temporarily succeeded in halting the mega-merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and the Ellisons' media conglomerate, Paramount Skydance. After the lawsuit was filed, a federal judge in Oakland ordered a pause on the deal, and since then, the Ellisons themselves have agreed to put the merger “on ice” pending the outcome of the trial, Variety reports. This piece also highlights the private sentiments of anonymous Warner Bros. executives who apparently hope that the deal hits a “legal landmine” and is ultimately “nixed.” However, in an internal memo, David Ellison maintained that “the facts and the law are on our side, and a full hearing will demonstrate why the plaintiffs' arguments should not prevail.”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

On this Iron Sights episode recorded live on the vendor floor at TTPOA Conference, Scott Howell sits down for a collab with the TTPOA Podcast hosts Brandon Hernandez and Matt Smith. Their guests are Brad Ortiz, Director of Sales for the Law Enforcement Division at Silencer Shop and former officer, and Dewayne Manson, Project Manager at the American Warrior Association, to dig into the thing the Law Enforcement community has been slow to confront: the compounding weight of moral injury, and why the reactive system built to support officers is failing the people who need it most.The conversation goes deep on what moral injury actually is, how it differs from PTSD, and why the officer who has never been in a critical incident can be just as broken as the one who has. Brad and Dewayne walk through what a culturally competent clinician actually looks like, why baseline brain and blood health mapping belongs in the academy, and how the American Warrior Association's R3 program is embedding proactive resilience training directly into TTPOA's regional structure, the first partnership of its kind nationally.But this episode isn't just about mental health. It's about identity. What happens to the guy who IS the job when the job ends? Brad gets personal about his own struggles stepping away from full-time law enforcement, Dewayne shares the moment his teenage son had to pick him up after a DUI, and Scott connects it all to the broader truth that your calling and your identity are not the same thing, and that confusing the two is costing officers their health, their relationships, and sometimes their lives before and after retirement.The back half gets into the business world and how everything these men learned going through doors, managing teams, and serving their communities translates directly into relationship-based sales, leadership under pressure, and building something that outlasts the badge. If you've ever told yourself you're not capable of anything outside law enforcement, this one is going to challenge that story hard.In this episode:• Moral injury is NOT PTSD: it is the cumulative damage caused when you perpetrate something, fail to prevent something, or are ordered to act against your moral compass, and it compounds silently over an entire career without a single critical incident ever being the trigger• Culturally competent clinicians are practitioners who have lived the lifestyle or are married to someone who has: Dewayne walked out of his first VA appointment when the counselor opened with pronouns, then found a female therapist married to a 20-year infantry veteran and experienced a completely different outcome• The American Warrior Association's R3 program is building proactive resilience frameworks inside agencies, including regional resiliency coordinators, vetted clinician networks, and fully funded Warriors Refuge retreats where flights and lodging are free to eligible officers and spouses• Brad Ortiz's Sound Off program at Silencer Shop donates $2 per purchase to a vetted nonprofit fund, and every individual officer purchase routes through silencershop.com where buyers work directly with Brad and Chris• The inflection point analogy: moral injury deposits are made silently every shift, just like compounding interest, and what looks like a single critical incident blowing up is actually the hockey-stick moment on a years-long accumulation nobody was tracking• Social media pile-ons after a justified OIS caused Brad more lasting moral injury than the shooting itself, a blind spot no clinician or debrief ever addressed until he found the right cultural fit in counseling• Baseline blood panels and brain mapping done at the academy level would give officers a before-and-after reference for physiological change across a career: the greater endocrine system and brain health are being completely ignored while TRT gets all the attention• The law enforcement skill set transfers directly into business leadership: problem-solving under pressure, decision-making without perfect information, ownership of mistakes, and relationship-first sales are all things operators have already built on the job, they just don't recognize it as a resumeChapters:0:39 Iron Sights mission statement and welcome2:02 Introducing Brad Ortiz and Dewayne Manson2:49 Brad's background: The Uncommon Line podcast9:40 American Warrior Association programs overview11:43 Resilience training inside TTPOA: the first of its kind12:08 What moral injury actually is and why it's not PTSD14:20 Culturally competent clinicians: Dewayne's personal story31:52 Compounding critical incidents over a career38:37 Social media pile-ons as a hidden source of moral injury44:55 Identity vs. calling: challenging how officers define themselves1:12:18 Relationship-first sales, legacy brands losing ground, and the business parallel1:21:46 How to access AWA, R3, and SoundOff resourcesMentioned:Brad Ortiz — Director of Sales for the Law Enforcement Division at Silencer Shop, former law enforcement officer and fugitive investigator, and former host of The Uncommon Line podcast, joined as a guest to discuss the SoundOff program and the AWA partnership.Dewayne Manson — Representative of the American Warrior Association, infantry veteran who served in Afghanistan and contracted there through 2020, shared his personal journey through moral injury and recovery as context for AWA's R3 program.Matt Smith — Co-host of the TTPOA podcast with 21 years on SWAT, co-hosted this live conference episode alongside Scott Howell and competed in the TTPOA shooting competition the day prior.Brandon Hernandez — Region 7 Director and Director of Training for TTPOA, co-host of the TTPOA podcast, referred to on air as the celebrity of the group when a passerby stopped to greet him.Anna Heil — Associated with the American Warrior Association, attended a TTPOA show in St. Louis and briefed other state organizations on the AWA partnership afterward.Chris — Works alongside Brad Ortiz at Silencer Shop on the SoundOff individual officer program, mentioned as a direct point of contact buyers will reach at soundsoftshop.com.Neil Noakes — Former Chief of Police of the Fort Worth Police Department, cited as an example of a career officer who, when asked how many critical incidents he had been on, simply said he had lost count.Simon Sinek — Author and speaker known for the concept of finding your 'why,' referenced when Brad Ortiz challenged every officer in the room to examine the deeper reason behind their career and identity.

Take a fresh look at veterinary pharmacology through the eyes of a pharmacist! We bridge the gap between veterinary medicine and pharmacy in this VetFolio Voice podcast episode. Discover how veterinary prescriptions are handled, emerging opportunities for pharmacists in veterinary medicine, and why choosing the right compounding pharmacy matters. The discussion provides guidance on evaluating compounded medications, asking the right questions about quality and efficacy, and building productive veterinarian-pharmacist partnerships. You'll learn practical strategies to strengthen prescribing decisions and help deliver better outcomes for every veterinary patient.

Beverage Digest Editor & Publisher Duane Stanford and industry expert John Sicher uncover the hidden impact of SNAP soda restrictions in the U.S. as these policies threaten consumer behavior across the carbonated soft drink market. From court challenges to SNAP eligibility cuts, they also explore what SNAP sales data reveals so far, why diet soda gets lumped in to restrictions, and how the industry is responding.In this episode:• Federal judge blocks SNAP soft drink restrictions in five states while other waivers stand • Consumer survey signals potential pullback in carbonated soft drink purchasing • CSD category vulnerability after decades of volume decline and reliance on pricing power • Stigma risk as policy headlines shape how all shoppers think about soft drinks • Industry response that treats the impact as quantifiable and politically sensitive • Debate over paternalism, fairness, and selective targeting in public assistance rules • Question of why diet and zero-sugar drinks are included in restrictions • Circana read that CSD incidence drops in SNAP trips while sports and energy tick up •Patchwork rollout across states, health improvement questions, and legal durability • Compounding effect of fewer households qualifying for SNAP benefits.Text us thoughts, questions, or topic suggestions.

Ryan Hawk has interviewed over 700 people for one of the top podcasts in the world. He has a five to one secret behind his best questions, a one in 25 ratio that turned a no-name show into a top 50 podcast, and a story about a quarterback he once beat out for a job who went on to win Super Bowls.This week Ryan returns for an unprecedented third appearance to talk about his new book The Price of Becoming, the power of compounding small habits, and why almost nobody, not even the most accomplished people he works with, has ever actually defined their own core values.He also shares how building a cold email muscle works exactly like building a real one, and what it means to never peak.Connect with Ryan: learningleader.com GRAB HIS NEW BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Price-Becoming-Compounding-Practices-Performance/dp/0063483912The Limitless Leadership Lounge was selected by MillionPodcasts as one of the Top 100 Leadership Development Podcasts in the world: millionpodcasts.com/leadership-development-podcasts

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Michael Uadiale.

Episode 358 hosts Dr Rob Weiss (GP from Melbourne, Australia) In this episode we explore the trending but highly controversial topic of peptides.  We discuss the background to these products, the growing demand from the general public and address the significant dangers of black-market peptides. Our guest explains how he educated himself about this niche speciality and his thoughts about why no significant studies or evidence exists for most commonly used peptides.  We learn about his approach to using peptides in patients with musculoskeletal injuries and his clear distinction between this approach vs people using peptides for self-prescribed 'looksmaxing' and  within the 'gym bro' culture. 00:00 Introduction 00:41 Peptides Episode Overview 02:06 IA Community App Updates 03:47 Meet Our Special Guest, Dr Robert Weiss 05:41 What Peptides Are 10:50 Why Peptides Went Mainstream 17:46 Evidence and Prescribing 22:59 GLP-1 Breakthroughs 28:41 Clinical Uses and Protocols 33:06 Safety and Misuse 34:55 Retatrutide Explained 37:20 Safety vs Hype 38:59 Black Market Risks 40:58 Compounding and Quality Standards 44:58 Biohacking and Peptide Trends 47:04 Regulation and Oversight 52:11 GHK-Cu and Skin Rejuvenation 58:27 The Future of Peptides 01:02:05 Evidence vs Anecdotes 01:06:09 Learning Resources 01:07:07 Wrap Up and Outro DOWNLOAD OUR NEW APP IA COMMUNITY FOR FREE: DOWNLOAD FOR APPLE DEVICES DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID DEVICES Our free content includes: Inside Aesthetics podcast - listen to or watch every episode inside the app Conference Diary - browse every major event and booking links Aesthetic News - keep up to date with the latest stories  Invites to our live stream events - RSVP for our 1st Unfiltered LIVE with Julie Bass-Kaplan here THEN GET A FREE 30 DAY SUBSCRIPTION: FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS/NON-CLINICAL PROFESSIONALS

America has lived through technological and economic upheaval before. Farm workers moved to factories. Factory workers moved into services. New industries replaced old ones. Productivity rose. Living standards improved. But are we ready for the greatest disruption in American history? Ben Gilliland, author of the upcoming book Breaking the Compact, joins Business Security Weekly to discuss why business leaders need to be prepared for the upcoming AI disruption. The impact of AI, which has not fully materialized, goes far beyond security and job displacement. It will impact our economy, our privacy, and our way of life. The closest recent warning is the "China shock," the period of rapidly increasing import competition that followed China's integration into the global trading system. AI will dwarf that. Ben will discuss the human advantage and how we can prepare now. In the leadership and communications segment, Cybersecurity's Economics Are Broken. Automation Alone Won't Fix It, The business case for burning down security debt: A practical approach for CISOs, The last human relationship in cybersecurity, and more! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/bsw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-457

Everyone seems to hate SEO–so many companies make huge promises, and fail to deliver. But what if a company WAS able to do SEO right… by creating pages that Google actually likes, and that actually deliver real traffic and leads to your website. What would that look like from an ROI perspective? Answer: Way better than you could ever imagine… and definitely way better than anything else in your marketing toolkit. Rich has a dandy for you today–take a listen to this, and prepare to change the way you think about SEO.

America has lived through technological and economic upheaval before. Farm workers moved to factories. Factory workers moved into services. New industries replaced old ones. Productivity rose. Living standards improved. But are we ready for the greatest disruption in American history? Ben Gilliland, author of the upcoming book Breaking the Compact, joins Business Security Weekly to discuss why business leaders need to be prepared for the upcoming AI disruption. The impact of AI, which has not fully materialized, goes far beyond security and job displacement. It will impact our economy, our privacy, and our way of life. The closest recent warning is the "China shock," the period of rapidly increasing import competition that followed China's integration into the global trading system. AI will dwarf that. Ben will discuss the human advantage and how we can prepare now. In the leadership and communications segment, Cybersecurity's Economics Are Broken. Automation Alone Won't Fix It, The business case for burning down security debt: A practical approach for CISOs, The last human relationship in cybersecurity, and more! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-457

America has lived through technological and economic upheaval before. Farm workers moved to factories. Factory workers moved into services. New industries replaced old ones. Productivity rose. Living standards improved. But are we ready for the greatest disruption in American history? Ben Gilliland, author of the upcoming book Breaking the Compact, joins Business Security Weekly to discuss why business leaders need to be prepared for the upcoming AI disruption. The impact of AI, which has not fully materialized, goes far beyond security and job displacement. It will impact our economy, our privacy, and our way of life. The closest recent warning is the "China shock," the period of rapidly increasing import competition that followed China's integration into the global trading system. AI will dwarf that. Ben will discuss the human advantage and how we can prepare now. In the leadership and communications segment, Cybersecurity's Economics Are Broken. Automation Alone Won't Fix It, The business case for burning down security debt: A practical approach for CISOs, The last human relationship in cybersecurity, and more! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/bsw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-457

Compounding is one of the most overused and misunderstood terms as many investors have been sold a misleading story about how it really builds wealth. Join Dale as he challenges the myths surrounding compounding, reveals how it actually works, and explains how you can harness its true power to accelerate your wealth-building journey.

Go to www.LearningLeader.com The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk Buy my new book, The Price of Becoming www.LearningLeader.com/Becoming This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire one person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world has the hustle and grit to deliver. Get The Price of Becoming: The Price of Becoming is available now wherever books are sold.   "Have a plan, work the plan, plan for the unexpected." From my old Miami football coach, Terry Hoeppner. It was posted in the locker room. He said it every day. I still think about it all the time. There is no hack. There is no one thing. At many keynote Q&As, someone asks me for a quick fix. The only answer is the power of compounding. Consistency, dependability, and reliability are the least sexy words of all time. And they're the whole game. Take your work seriously. Don't take yourself seriously. The best leaders go hard at the work but laugh at themselves. It's important to be able to laugh with your team. Optionality is overrated.  "I'm trying to beef up my obituary. I'm not going to dabble." - Ed Latimore (Ep. 648) Live like a hawk. Hawks have eyesight eight times better than humans. They glide and observe constantly. But once they see what they want, they commit with everything they have. Be a professional noticer. Then commit fully. Talk to your people before big decisions. My dad. Miranda. And the wide network of high-caliber people I've built over 700 podcast episodes. Be specific. Off the record. Long conversations. Then trust your gut. Take bits and pieces from the best. Then find your own voice. As a brand new sales rep at LexisNexis, Rex Caswell had me interview and sit with the ten best reps in the company. I took a piece from each, mashed it together with my own personality, and eventually found my own voice. I still use that formula today. Use social media to create in-person moments. Organize dinners, meetups, coffees. Get in the room with people. Concert ticket prices and The World Cup tell you everything you need to know about how much people are craving in-person connection right now. Don't outsource your thinking to AI. You can't walk into the weight room, look around, and expect to build muscle. You have to move the weights. Use AI as a tool. Don't let it do the thinking for you. Your job is to add value to other people's lives. Coach Hoeppner sat 19-year-old me down with the other quarterback and pointed at both of us: "He adds more value to our team than you do. He gives us a better chance to win. That's why he's going to play." It was brutal. It was a very lucky moment for me to experience that in my formative years. I fell into the AI trap. The Be a Pro section originally started as a LinkedIn post that was heavily influenced by Claude. It went well on Twitter too. People DM'd me praising it. It felt great. And it scared me. I was getting the rewards without doing the work. The good old days are right now. I try to work hard when my family is asleep or at school. Between those hours, I go as hard as I can. Outside those hours, I try not to work too much. I've talked with so many dads who are older now, and their kids are out of the house. They miss the time when they were with their kids so much. I try to think of that daily. Making positive dents in the world. Leave people, places, and things better than you found them.  That's how you make a positive dent, one person at a time. My philosophy on keynotes and writing: story, science, and practical application. Great storytelling to move people to the edge of their seat. Empirical evidence to make it true. Practical application to answer, "So what? Why should I care?" You have to have all 3. Our edge in coaching leadership teams: my coaches actively live what they teach. They didn't attend a seminar and get certified. They're still active coaches themselves, still leading teams in real time. That's what separates authentic teaching from performance. Push your edges. Find your Goldilocks zone. James Clear told me you don't get better at tennis by playing Roger Federer. He'll destroy you. But you also don't get better by playing a five-year-old. You need to be uncomfortable, but not so uncomfortable that you break. Shane Gillis walked off stage looking exhausted. Dan saw him live in Cincinnati. On stage, effortless. The second he stepped behind the curtain, his shoulders slumped like he was ready to fall asleep. That's what the great ones do. They make it look easy because of the price they paid to get there. My productive paranoia. Our team has to earn it every session. It creates a productive paranoia knowing that continuous improvement is necessary. The reward is bigger than the cost. It's the greatest gig in the world. I bet on myself and the team every single day because if we keep adding value, I like our chances. Reflection Questions Where are you dabbling right now? What would 100% commitment actually look like, and what's stopping you from making the call? My end-of-day prompts: What did I do today to add value to others' lives? What did I do today to push my edges? Get The Price of Becoming: The Price of Becoming is available now at learningleader.com/becoming or on Amazon.  More Learning #529: James Clear - Becoming an Optimist & Building Better Habits  #648: Ed Latimore -  Discipline Over Feelings, Don't Dabble Your Way Through Life#602: The Learning Leader Squad - Helping Teams Become Elite & People Become Excellent   Episode Chapters00:00 A Special Launch Episode: The Price of Becoming  02:29 Have a Plan, Work the Plan, Plan for the Unexpected  05:15 There Is No Hack. Just the Power of Compounding.  08:04 Take Your Work Seriously. But Not Yourself 12:31 Optionality Is Overrated: Why You Should Stop Dabbling  16:13 How I Make Big Decisions  20:34 Using Social Media to Build Real In-Person Relationships  23:27 The Danger of Using AI to Write 34:16 How I Structure My Work Days 40:47 The One at a Time Moments That Signal a Positive Dent  42:04 Leave People, Places, and Things Better Than You Found Them  50:52 Story, Science, and Practical Application  55:14 What Makes The Learning Leader Team Different 57:39 Push Your Edges: The Goldilocks Zone  01:06:24 The Real Cost of Betting on Yourself  01:10:45 EOPC

Google's parent company, Alphabet, recently experienced a significant stock decline following reports that the launch of its highly anticipated Gemini 3.5 Pro model has been postponed. This delay is reportedly due to the need for a ground-up rebuild to address performance gaps in complex reasoning and coding capabilities. Internal frustration is mounting as the tech giant struggles to keep pace with competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic, who have already released more advanced systems. Compounding these challenges, the company has seen the departure of top researchers to rival firms during this critical development phase. Industry analysts suggest that these setbacks could threaten Google's leadership in the AI sector as the market increasingly relies on private performance benchmarks. Despite these hurdles, Google continues to integrate its faster Gemini 3.5 Flash model and new autonomous payment protocols across its diverse digital ecosystem.

In this episode of the Gladden Longevity podcast, Dr. Gladden interviews Shaun Noorian from Empower Pharmacy, discussing the growth and mission of the pharmacy, the cost-effectiveness of compounding medications, quality standards in compounding, regulatory oversight, and the ongoing controversy surrounding peptides and FDA decisions. The conversation highlights the importance of personalized medicine and the challenges faced by compounding pharmacies in providing affordable and effective treatments for patients. In this conversation, Dr. Gladden and Shaun Noorian discuss the evolving landscape of compounding pharmacies and personalized medicine. They explore the regulatory challenges faced by compounding pharmacies, the promise of new medications like retatrutide, and the role of GLP-1s in health management. The discussion highlights the importance of muscle preservation in weight loss therapies and the advocacy needed to ensure patient access to compounded medications. They emphasize the renaissance of compounding in healthcare, which is making treatments more accessible and affordable for patients.   For Audience Join the other 20,000+ high-performers getting weekly insights on biological reversal, exponential strategies, and Life Energy optimization→ https://start.gladdenlongevity.com/subscribe If you're ready to measure your 60+ biological ages and build a personalized reversal plan, apply for a discovery call here → https://start.gladdenlongevity.com/apply-now   Use code 'Podcast10' to get 10% OFF on any of our supplements at https://gladdenlongevityshop.com/!     Takeaways ·       Empower Pharmacy has been operational for 17 years and focuses on personalized medicine. ·       Compounding pharmacies are becoming more popular due to their cost-effectiveness compared to commercial options. ·       Quality standards in compounding are well-established and continuously updated. ·       Compounding pharmacies are subject to rigorous regulatory oversight and inspections. ·       The FDA is currently reviewing the status of several peptides for compounding. ·       Recent changes in the FDA advisory committee may impact the approval of new compounds. ·       The conversation emphasizes the need for evidence-based decisions in healthcare. ·       Dr. Gladden highlights the discrepancies in drug approvals and their implications for patient care. ·       The black market for peptides poses significant risks to patient safety. ·       The discussion underscores the importance of maintaining high-quality standards in compounding pharmacies. The FDA's decisions will significantly impact compounding pharmacies. ·       Compounding pharmacies ensure medication integrity and safety. ·       Personalized medicine is expanding into various health areas. ·       Regulatory challenges hinder the compounding of certain medications. ·       Retatrutide is expected to revolutionize weight loss therapies. ·       GLP-1s have multiple health benefits beyond weight loss. ·       Weight loss therapies can lead to muscle loss, complicating health outcomes. ·       Innovative alternatives to GLP-1s are emerging in the market. ·       Compounding pharmacies play a crucial role in patient access to medications. ·       Advocacy against pharmaceutical monopolies is essential for patient care.    Chapters 00:00 Empower Pharmacy's Growth and Mission 03:01 Cost-Effectiveness of Compounding Pharmacies 06:00 Quality Standards in Compounding 08:54 Regulatory Oversight and Compliance 12:01 The Peptide Controversy 15:03 The Impact of FDA Decisions on Patient Care 18:21 The Future of Compounding Pharmacies 20:09 Expanding Areas of Personalized Medicine 21:11 Regulatory Challenges in Compounding 22:04 The Promise of Retatrutid 23:39 The Role of GLP-1s in Health 25:02 The Impact of Weight Loss Therapies 26:07 Innovative Alternatives to GLP-1s 27:10 The Importance of Muscle Preservation 28:31 The Role of Compounding Pharmacies in Patient Access 30:16 Advocacy Against Pharmaceutical Monopolies 32:20 Navigating Regulatory Landscapes 34:14 The Renaissance of Compounding in Healthcare   To learn more about Shaun Noorian:Email: media@Empowerpharmacy.com Website: https://www.empowerpharmacy.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowerpharmacy   Reach out to us at:    Website: https://gladdenlongevity.com/     Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gladdenlongevity/    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gladdenlongevity/?hl=en     LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gladdenlongevity    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5_q8nexY4K5ilgFnKm7naw       Gladden Longevity Podcast Disclosures Production & Independence The Gladden Longevity Podcast and Age Hackers are produced by Gladden Longevity Podcast, which operates independently from Dr. Jeffrey Gladden's clinical practice and research at Gladden Longevity in Irving, Texas. Dr. Gladden may serve as a founder, advisor, or investor in select health, wellness, or longevity-related ventures. These may occasionally be referenced in podcast discussions when relevant to educational topics. Any such mentions are for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. Medical Disclaimer The Gladden Longevity Podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services — including the giving of medical advice — and no doctor–patient relationship is formed through this podcast or its associated content. The information shared on this podcast, including opinions, research discussions, and referenced materials, is not intended to replace or serve as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Listeners should not disregard or delay seeking medical advice for any condition they may have. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions or concerns about your health, medical conditions, or treatment options. Use of information from this podcast and any linked materials is at the listener's own risk. Podcast Guest Disclosures Guests on the Gladden Longevity Podcast may hold financial interests, advisory roles, or ownership stakes in companies, products, or services discussed during their appearance. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Gladden Longevity, Dr. Jeffrey Gladden, or the production team. Sponsorships & Affiliate Disclosures To support the creation of high-quality educational content, the Gladden Longevity Podcast may include paid sponsorships or affiliate partnerships. Any such partnerships will be clearly identified during episodes or noted in the accompanying show notes. We may receive compensation through affiliate links or sponsorship agreements when products or services are mentioned on the show. However, these partnerships do not influence the opinions, recommendations, or clinical integrity of the information presented. Additional Note on Content Integrity All content is carefully curated to align with our mission of promoting science-based, ethical, and responsible approaches to health, wellness, and longevity. We strive to maintain the highest standards of transparency and educational value in all our communications.

Getting medications into pets sounds simple—until the patient refuses the tablet, the dose doesn't fit, the flavor is a disaster, or the client physically can't make the plan work. This week, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, talk with Dr. Rae Hutchins and Dr. Jennifer Merlo from Wedgewood Pharmacy about how veterinary compounding can support better patient care when commercially available medications are not the right fit. The conversation covers where compounding helps most, where it should not replace FDA-approved commercial products, and why quality matters more than convenience or cost. The group also digs into common legal and regulatory confusion, including GFI 256, patient-specific prescriptions, office stock, and why veterinarians should understand their state's rules. Dr. Hutchins also discusses how Wedgewood Pharmacy has transformed the treatment of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) by providing compounded GS-441524 and Molnupiravir. Credentialed veterinary technicians (CrVTs) get a seat at the table, too, as we discuss how technician insight can improve ordering, education, and real-world medication outcomes, along with how Wedgewood Pharmacy is recognizing CrVTs both internally and externally. Practical, grounded, and clinic-relevant, this episode helps veterinary teams feel more confident using compounding medications as part of thoughtful medical care. #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMed #VetTechLife #CompoundingPharmacy #MedicationCompliance

Most of what builds a great business doesn't happen in one big move. Gautam Baid, fund manager and author of The Joys of Compounding, joins the Rental Roundtable to talk about how small, steady habits compound into extraordinary results over time — in investing, in business, and in life. From persistence through 1,300 job rejections to why quality always wins in a downturn, this conversation has as much to teach a rental operator as it does an investor.

In this episode, Andrew Kantor is joined by federal lobbyist David Pore and PCCA's Amy Shank to examine the proposed SAFE Act and its potential impact on compounding pharmacies. The discussion explores concerns that the bill could restrict patient access to compounded medications during drug shortages, impose new limitations on 503A pharmacies, and disproportionately affect legitimate compounders while failing to address bad actors. The episode also unpacks the legislation's connection to GLP-1 demand, adverse event reporting, and the bipartisan politics surrounding the bill, while encouraging listeners to stay engaged in APC's advocacy efforts.

This Week In Startups is made possible by: Quo https://quo.com/TWiST PayPal Open https://paypalopen.com Northwest Registered Agent https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist Today's show: *Jason spent $11 building out PodMeme, an AI tool that tracks down the best segments from top podcasts about a specific topic, then stitches them together into a single stream. His post laying out how he did it, featuring a simple screenshot of the product, got all the way to 1.1M views in just a few days. It's a simple fact: builders love to see what other people are building, and growing your new project "in public," sharing your journey on social media, is a great way to develop buzz around your product before it even exists. Today's guest Thibault "Tibo" Louis-Lucas walks us through how he grew products like Tweet Hunter and Taplio on his social media account, using social media buzz and a focus on tools for creators to very quickly expand to over $1M ARR. PLUS why Apple would only sue OpenAI if they knew they had them dead to rights… why Uber and Waymo are fighting over DC robotaxis… Jason's response to the public backlash against surveillance startup Flock Safety… and the guys remember iconic New Zealand actor Sam Neill. Guest: Tibo Louis-Lucas on X: https://x.com/tibo_maker Revid.ai: https://www.revid.ai/ Tweet Hunter: https://tweethunter.io/ Taplio: https://taplio.com/ Relevant Links: Lemlist: https://www.lemlist.com/ GRIN influencer marketing: https://grin.co/ TechCrunch: "Apple Sues OpenAI": https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/10/apple-sues-openai-over-alleged-trade-secret-theft/ We Must Act Now statement: https://www.wemustactnow.ai/ TechCrunch: "Uber's Robotaxi Lobbying Effort": https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/13/ubers-robotaxi-lobbying-effort-has-put-it-on-a-collision-course-with-waymo/ DC Autonomous Vehicle Deployment Authorization Amendment of 2026: https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/2003462 DoorDash: Meet Dot: https://about.doordash.com/en-us/dot Flock Safety: https://www.flocksafety.com/ DeFlock: https://deflock.org/ Gigazine: Flock accuses Deflock of being a "terrorist org": https://gigazine.net/gsc_news/en/20260209-flock-ceo-deflock/#gsc.tab=0 Unifi AI Security Systems: https://ui.com/physical-security Jason's PodMeme post: https://x.com/Jason/status/2076231055443440105 Jason responds to Justine Bateman: https://x.com/Jason/status/2076326740050206959 NYT Sam Neill obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/movies/sam-neill-dead.html "Possession" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLXW-oVbTxE FanEdit: https://fanedit.org/forums/news-publisher/ "Manhunter" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLqHlg2fAnE HBO "The Man Will Burn" trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRhUYPtp6Ao Timestamps: 0:00 There's no air conditioning in Paris 7:27 Tibo Maker's "ship 1 product a week" challenge 9:24 The power of building products in public 10:59 Quo (formerly OpenPhone) - Quo gives you a clean, modern way to handle every customer call, text, and thread all in one place. Try it free at https://quo.com/TWiST 12:04 Excitement for JCal's "PodMeme" set-up 15:40 Compounding an audience and enlisting influencers 19:13 Your follower count is not important any more 20:59 PayPal - Built for payments, growth, and agentic. Paypal Open, built for all business. Visit https://paypalopen.com to get started 22:28 How Tibo got banned on LinkedIn twice 28:48 Apple sues OpenAI 30:59 Northwest Registered Agent - Get more when you start your business with Northwest. In 10 clicks and 10 minutes, you can form your company and walk away with a real business identity — Learn more at https://northwestregisteredagent.com/twist 38:44 How OpenAI should have handled the New York Times 45:10 DC's new robotaxi bill 52:06 Managing the AV and delivery-bot transition 53:23 Economists warn of AI job displacement 1:07:00 How Jason would fix Flock's messaging 1:17:26 Remembering Sam Neill 1:23:05 Lon's Dream AI edit 1:26:35 HBO's Burning Man docuseries   Subscribe to the TWiST500 newsletter: https://ticker.thisweekinstartups.com Check out the TWIST500: https://www.twist500.com Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp   Follow Lon: X: https://x.com/lons   Follow Alex: X: https://x.com/alex LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexwilhelm   Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/Jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis   Check out all our partner offers: https://partners.launch.co/   Great TWIST interviews: Will Guidara, Eoghan McCabe, Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Bob Moesta, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland   Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis   Follow TWiST: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com  

B”H Learn more about Triple Compounding at yaeltrusch.com/triplecompounding We hear so much about the power of compound interest: start early, invest consistently, and let time do the work. And that is good advice. But what if the way most of us think about compounding is far too narrow? What if building wealth isn't only about compounding money in the market, but about compounding your own skills, your ability to generate income, the systems you build, and ultimately, the assets you own? That is the premise behind my guest Kiana Danial's Triple Compounding System. Kiana is the founder and CEO of Invest Diva, a personal investing and wealth creation expert, and a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. Her latest book, Triple Compounding for Dummies, is designed to help investors and business owners create what she calls a complete wealth ecosystem. Kiana grew up Jewish in post-revolutionary Iran, in a family that knew what it meant to build wealth—and then have it taken away. In our conversation, Kiana breaks down the entire Triple Compounding framework. We also talk about mindset, risk, reverse compounding, Bitcoin, and how triple compounding helped save Kiana's marriage. We also have a very honest conversation about giving—the topic of my upcoming book—why Kiana wishes she had begun earlier, and why generosity belongs in any serious conversation about building generational wealth. Kiana is candid, energetic, and refreshingly willing to challenge conventional financial advice. Here's the lovely Kiana Danial. The post 471: Triple Compounding: The Wealth-Building Framework We Might Be Missing with Kiana Danial appeared first on Yael Trusch.

Find me on Substack, search for my name.Robert P. Miles is an author, educator, and the world's foremost authority on Berkshire Hathaway's management culture. Robert has written three bestselling books on Warren Buffett, created the only graduate MBA course dedicated to Buffett's philosophies, and founded the Value Investor Conference in Omaha. His journey from an entrepreneur to a globally recognized Buffett scholar began with a single Berkshire annual meeting in 1996 — and Warren Buffett himself has been paying attention ever since.Episode Sponsor: Fiscal AI is a modern data terminal that gives investors instant access to twenty years of financials, earnings transcripts, and extensive segment and KPI data—use my link for a two-week free trial plus 15% off: https://fiscal.ai/talkingbillions/Notes:3:00 – Bob Miles is introduced as the world's foremost Berkshire Hathaway culture scholar, author of three (now four) bestselling Buffett books and creator of the only graduate MBA course on Buffett's philosophies.5:30 – His path began with Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich and a failed high school "movie day" venture. The lesson that stuck: "you got to understand what business you're in."7:23 – His first 1996 annual meeting: Buffett tells a small shareholder, "between you and I we own half the company," and calls Wall Street "the legal pickpocket of the average investor."14:24 – The Dairy Queen story: a self-published "101 Reasons to Own Berkshire Hathaway," a line around the block, and Buffett walking through the door — leading to a two-book deal with Wiley.31:18 – On concentration: Buffett put 65% of his $20,000 net worth into Geico at 19, tied to his "star player" basketball analogy for conviction investing.36:41 – The three unchanging lessons of The Intelligent Investor — stocks are businesses, your partner is a manic-depressive Mr. Market, and margin of safety — because "principles are principles because they don't change."42:59 – A contrarian aside: private equity "has done more harm than good," with the Berkshire system as its inversion.53:43 – On Berkshire's real edge: "I see the moat as cash," the roughly $400 billion war chest that lets Ajit Jain write insurance the day after disasters strike.1:08:58 – On character over credentials: concentrating on admirable traits "there's no cost," regardless of background.1:10:34 – Miles' definition of success: stay humble enough to be taught, and "go to bed a little bit smarter" every day.Podcast Program – Disclosure StatementBlue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser and the opinions expressed by the Firm's employees and podcast guests on this show are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice.Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.

"Send us a message!""I'm just so busy."It's one of the most common things we hear from salon owners.But being busy and building a business aren't the same thing.In this episode, we revisit one of our favorite leadership frameworks: the Five Modes of Ownership, and explain why so many owners stay stuck working harder instead of building systems that create long-term growth.We discuss the difference between busy work and compounding work, why diagnosing problems matters more than reacting to them, how to know which "mode" your business needs most, and why your future should determine where you spend your time today.Your business should serve you, so that you can serve others.That starts by giving your attention to the work that actually compounds.Key TakeawaysBeing busy isn't the same as building a business.Compounding work creates long-term value. Every business owner must lead in different modes. Diagnose problems before reacting to them. Focus on one type of work at a time. Leadership requires intentional attention. Crisis mode demands calm, not panic. Invisible work often produces the biggest results. Systems reduce future chaos. Your future should determine how you spend today.Time Stamps00:00 — Opening takes + preparing for slow seasons 05:30 — Stop believing manufactured business problems 07:00 — Why owners always feel busy 08:00 — The Five Modes of Ownership refresher 10:00 — Busy work vs. compounding work 11:30 — Operations vs. systems 12:30 — Leadership, strategy, and crisis mode 14:00 — Diagnose before you react 16:00 — Choosing the right leadership hat 18:30 — Why working harder isn't the answer 20:30 — Give each mode your full attention 23:00 — Why focus creates better results 25:00 — Where the Five Modes came from 28:00 — Lessons from navigating a true crisis 31:00 — The invisible work that builds businesses 34:00 — Why business owners need long-term thinking 36:00 — Building tomorrow instead of surviving today 39:00 — Final thoughts on intentional leadershipLinks and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website

Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com   Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com  **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102   See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire   See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/  

The Changed Mind: From Broken Start to Built Legacy   At 15, Jonathan Berryhill had no stable home. By his late twenties he had a military career, a law enforcement career, a college degree he earned as a walk-on linebacker at 25, three kids, and a marriage he was quietly destroying. The moment he saw what he was doing, he made a phone call that split his life in two. This is not a story about hustle or habits or morning routines. It is a story about what happens when a person decides, with no return clause, to stop being who they have been.   In this episode: Why Jonathan nearly lost his marriage in his twenties, and what the phone call that saved it actually cost him How military infantry training built the discipline framework he still uses in business and fatherhood Why comfort is the primary enemy of change, and what it takes to get uncomfortable enough to move The compound math of starting today versus starting Monday, and the specific dollar cost of a three-day delay What "Warrior to Wealth" actually means, and why it has almost nothing to do with a bank account How homeschooling six children became the foundation for three generations now working together on a 200-acre farm His five pillars: identity, discipline, financial stability, time freedom, and standards, and why identity has to come first   Key insights: Identity precedes every lasting change. Jonathan did not fix his finances or his marriage first. He decided who he would no longer be. Everything else followed. Intentionality is not a time-management system. Thirty deliberate minutes with the people you love produce more than twelve hours of physical presence. Comfort is not a rest stop. It is a destination that forecloses every other destination. The people around you today are shaping the person you are becoming. If you would not introduce your current circle to the version of yourself you are working toward, that is information worth acting on. Compounding is invisible in both directions until the gap becomes irreversible.   About Jonathan Berryhill: Jonathan Berryhill is a former U.S. Army Infantry Sergeant, law enforcement officer, and entrepreneur who built multiple 7- and 8-figure businesses — but only after confronting the one thing that was quietly holding him back: his identity.  He didn't grow up with stability. By 15, he was on his own, navigating life without a foundation. He found structure in the military, adrenaline in law enforcement, and success in business — but nearly lost his marriage in the process. That moment changed everything.  Jonathan rebuilt his life through faith, discipline, and personal responsibility — not just fixing his marriage, but redefining who he was as a man, a leader, and a father. From there, he went on to build businesses across real estate, healthcare, and government contracting — with his current focus in real estate, where he went from new agent at 43 to building three brokerages, recruiting 50+ agents, and generating seven figures in commissions in just five years.  Today, as the author of Warrior to Wealth, Jonathan speaks to men and entrepreneurs who feel stuck between where they came from and where they know they're meant to go — helping them stop drifting, take ownership, and build a life that actually lasts.    Links: Website: https://jonberryhill.com/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jon.berryhill   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonhannah.berryhill     Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@richersoul Richer Soul Life Beyond Money. You got rich, now what? Let's talk about your journey to purposeful, intentional, amazing life. Where are you going to go and how are you going to get there? Let's figure that out together. At the core is the financial well being to be able to do what you want, when you want, how you want. It's about personal freedom! Thanks for listening! Show Sponsor: http://profitcomesfirst.com/ Schedule your free no obligation call: https://bookme.name/rockyl/lite/intro appointment 15 minutes If you like the show please leave a review on iTunes: http://bit.do/richersoul https://www.facebook.com/richersoul http://richersoul.com/ rocky@richersoul.com Some music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

In this episode, Karl Bryan and Rode Dog dive deep into frameworks for defining a higher-level business purpose, identifying your ideal client as a coach, and the essential systems for building profitable, exitable businesses. They break down practical metrics like Customer Health Score, offer motivation frameworks, and close with a powerful reminder about the value of patience and compounding progress in coaching. Key Topics Covered Defining a Higher-Level Business Purpose Karl Bryan shares a step-by-step framework using Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple as examples: Solve a problem first, then clearly define vision, mission, and principles (07:04). Even service businesses like landscapers or candlestick makers can use this process to create meaning and motivation for owners and their teams. Identifying Your Ideal Coaching Client Rode Dog challenges the overuse of "ideal client," leading Karl Bryan to clarify that your ideal client is often a reflection of yourself five years ago (12:04). Look for clients who spend money on business growth—new Chamber or BNI members, those advertising actively, sponsorships, and local award winners. Target those in the growth stage, not just the biggest businesses. Building Exitable, Profitable Businesses Most small businesses (80–95%) are "unexitable" due to being unprofitable, unsystematized, or too owner-reliant (20:23). Framework: Focus on profitability, systemization, and reducing owner dependence. The goal isn't just selling, but creating a business you "could sell tomorrow but don't want to." The "operating system" concept is vital—constantly improve 12 key profit areas for compounding results. Customer Metrics & Delivering Real Client Value Karl Bryan drills into tracking customer success with metrics like Customer Health Score (frequency, breadth, depth) and Time to Value (TTV) (29:17). Start client engagement with tactical quick wins to drive ROI immediately—utility wins loyalty. The best time to ask for referrals is at emotional inflection points of client success, not set dates. The Four Forces That Motivate People Freedom, money, status (or mastery), and relationships drive all motivation (34:00). Identify what truly motivates your coaching clients and prospects—what would devastate them if lost? Tailor your communication and solutions accordingly. On Compounding, Patience, and Long-Term Success Karl Bryan closes with an extended "moment of Zen" on why delayed gratification, monotony, and patience are the greatest advantages in a world chasing quick wins (44:14). Compounding applies to actions and habits, not just money. Consistency and training (not just studying) are rewarded. "Be Santa Claus, not the Grinch"—give first, build trust, and avoid the social media "flex" game. Notable Quotes "All impressive businesses start with solving a problem, then go vision, mission, principles." — Karl Bryan (07:24) "Your ideal client is you, five years ago." — Karl Bryan (14:08) "Easiest thing in the world to sell is money at a discount." — Karl Bryan (18:03) "If you want to build a great company, build a great product. If you want to be a great business coach, get results for your clients at a ridiculous level." — Karl Bryan (26:04) "Winners concentrate on winning, losers concentrate on winners." — Karl Bryan (25:25) "Patience isn't just about waiting—every rational decision you make and every temptation you resist, those decisions compound." — Karl Bryan (45:01) Actionable Takeaways 1. Use the "Problem-Vision-Mission-Principles" Framework Apply this to every client's business—even small, local companies. It creates clarity and lasting motivation. 2. Seek Ideal Clients Who Invest in Growth Prioritize prospects who spend money to get leads: new members of Chambers/BNI, those buying ads, or entering awards. 3. Always Establish Start and Finish Lines Before coaching, define where clients are and where they want to go. The path in between becomes your engagement. 4. Track Customer Health Carefully Monitor client progress through usage metrics and Time to Value. Celebrate quick, tangible wins to build excitement and retention. 5. Don't Ask for Referrals Too Early Wait for moments of real success—emotional highs—before requesting introductions. 6. Tailor Your Motivation Techniques Identify if a client is driven by freedom, money, status, or relationships. Customize your approach for maximum impact. 7. Embrace Patience & Compounding Progress = small incremental gains repeated daily. Don't chase quick wins or compare your results to others' highlights. Resources Mentioned Profit Acceleration Software (by Karl Bryan) AI Business Coaching Dojo Networking groups: Chamber of Commerce, BNI Books: "The Everything Store" (about Amazon), "Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook" by Gary Vee If you enjoyed the episode, please subscribe, share with a fellow coach, and leave a review. See you next week on Business Coaching Secrets! Ready to elevate your coaching business? Don't wait! Listen to this episode now and make strides toward your goals. Visit Focused.com for more information on our Profit Acceleration Software™ and join our community of thriving coaches. Get a demo at https://go.focused.com/profit-acceleration

Welcome to Multiverse News, your source for information about all your favorite fictional universes.Supergirl, the DCU's second film, hit theaters last weekend and its likelihood to turn a profit is already an uphill battle. The film, which stars Milly Alcock in the title role, and was directed by Craig Gillespie, of I, Tonya fame, raked in a cumulative $68 million at the worldwide box office. With a reported budget of $170–186 million, the film needs to earn upward of $300 million just to break even. Compounding those figures, the movie currently holds a 54% average on Rotten Tomatoes and a B- Cinemascore with audiences.  The 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival took place last week and with it came announcements for a bevy of animated films and series.  DC and Warner Bros Animation particularly stood out for a number of upcoming Batman projects. The first is a series adaptation of Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta's best-selling comic series, Absolute Batman, which Warner Bros Animation is partnering with DC Studios to develop. Joker: Laughing Riot was also announced as an adult anime series that explores the Joker in a world where Batman has been killed and will be directed by LOTR: War of the Rohirrim animator Yasuhuro Aoki. If that wasn't enough animated Batmen for you, a trailer for the movie Batman: Knightfall Part One has been released and attendees of the festival were able to see and review the film ahead of its currently undated release later this year. Finally, a kid-friendly series focusing on Krypto was also confirmed to be in the works.Prime Video has renewed animated superhero series Invincible for a sixth season. The trailer debuted for Robert Eggers' anticipated return to period piece horror with Werwulf, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson, Lily Rose Depp, and Willem Dafoe.Dreamworks Animation has announced a Shrek prequel titled Donkey that has a release date of June 30, 2028. Eddie Murphy will reprise his voice role and Charlie Bean who directed the Lego Batman Movie and the live action Lady and the Tramp will direct. Netflix has given a straight-to-series order to a father-daughter espionage thriller starring Stranger Things‘ Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour from Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne and A24. It and Annabelle writer Gary Dauberman has been tapped to write the third installment of Five Nights at Freddy's for Blumhouse Atomic Monster and Universal. A trailer for the Timothee Chalamet and Selena Gomez animated alien film we mentioned last week, Not Alone, debuted. The film comes from Illumination.Kane Parson's debut film Backrooms is getting an extended cut that will be available in theaters this Friday featuring 16 minutes of brand-new footage and will be titled Backrooms: Everything Must Go.The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, from Illumination, Nintendo, and Universal, will hit Peacock on July 30, following a 120-day theatrical-to-streaming window.Rockstar opened GTA VI pre-orders June 25, pricing the standard edition at $79.99 and Ultimate at $99.99. Pre orders reportedly topped 39 million units and $3 billion, even as Take Two stock dipped on pricing concerns and no day one online mode. Fans criticized the lack of a disc version and steep price hike from GTA 5. GTA 6 launches November 19.

To turn a single product into a high-margin, recurring-revenue brand, get on the waiting list for our next workshop at https://capitalism.com/bootcamp  The old rule was 100 sales a day across four products to build a million-dollar business. In this episode, Ryan breaks down a faster, lower-stress path, the compounding sales model, that gets you to seven figures with a single product and as few as five sales a day. We walk through the product criteria, the bundle-and-autoship offer structure, and the audience-then-ads sequence that turns one sale into recurring revenue. Links mentioned in the video: ► Free custom GPT that helps you create a recurring revenue product: https://capitalism.com/productgpt  ► Free resources for building a seven-figure brand (the best place to start): https://capitalism.com/100K   Timestamps (0:00) The old rule — 100 sales a day — and the faster new way: just 5 sales a day to $1M (1:00) Why more products = slower growth; one-product brands grow fastest (2:00) The Switch story — a great product stuck at $9K/month (3:00) The compounding sales model — turning one sale into many (4:00) The old way: the launch spike and the post-launch sales crash (6:00) The new way is a staircase, not big swings (8:00) Doubling sales by keeping customers instead of chasing new ones (9:00) Product criteria #1 — premium pricing (median competitor price × 2) (10:00) Criteria #2 — consumable or subscription (Oura Ring, air filter) (11:00) Free tool: the recurring-revenue product GPT (12:00) Stop losing money on the first purchase (13:00) Option 1 — bundles and upsells for upfront cash (14:00) Option 2 — autoship, and combining both into a flywheel (15:00) Filling the funnel — ads vs. audience building (16:00) Start with audience building, then turn on ads (17:00) Miguel — six weeks of audience building to a $100K launch (18:00) Amy's story — a stay-at-home mom builds a women's wellness brand (19:00) The autoship incentive that doubled her sales (21:00) Compounding to $45K/month — and pacing $2.5M in year one (22:00) The math — five sales a day at $60 gets you there in ~9 months (23:00) The Switch recap — audience building plus break-even ads (25:00) Launching the complementary second product, and closing

Big losses rarely happen overnight. I've found that most major problems start as small mistakes that were ignored, tolerated, or left uncorrected for too long. Whether in business, health, or life, small execution failures compound over time until they become impossible to ignore. In this episode, I explain why catching problems early is one of the most important disciplines you can develop and how small misses today can become expensive consequences tomorrow. Show Notes: [04:31]#1 Minor deviations stack into structural gaps. [09:45]#2 Uncorrected mistakes reset the standard downward. [16:47]#3 Compounding failure accelerates without detection. [19:57] Recap Next Steps: --- Execution is not a talent.   It is a standard. If your results don't match your ability, something in your approach is out of alignment. Most people do not have a motivation problem.   They have a consistency problem. Power Presence is the system for operating with greater discipline, clarity, structure, and execution under pressure. Learn more: → http://www.PowerPresenceProtocol.com  — This show is the public record of standards. All episodes and the complete archive: → http://WorkOnYourGamePodcast.com 

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Michael Uadiale.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Michael Uadiale.