Podcasts about converting

In this compilation program, Justin Klein and Luke Guerrero field a variety of finance and investment questions from callers across the United States and around the World.Today's Stocks & Topics: A-I Stocks, Bond Maturity, Short-Term Rental Market, The VIX, Crypto, Pre-Tax Allocation vs. Roth I-R-A, Poorly Managed Companies, Publicly Traded Sports Teams, P.E. Ratios, Oil, Portfolio Management, Converting a Traditional IRA to a Roth, Cash Management, How to Calculate Company's Debt, 529 Plan, Entry Point.Our Sponsors:* Check out Anthropic: https://claude.ai/invest* Check out Pebl: https://hipebl.ai* Check out Progressive: https://progressive.com* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/INVESTAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode of Storage Wins, Alex Pardo coaches Dan Wentzel through one of the most important skills in self-storage investing: converting conversations into contracts. With a healthy pipeline finally in place, the focus shifts from prospecting to persuasion—without being pushy.   Alex breaks down how to uncover seller motivation, ask better timeline questions, create urgency the right way, and position yourself as the preferred buyer instead of just another offer. The episode features a live cold-call role play between Alex and Dan, followed by a detailed breakdown of what worked, what could improve, and how subtle adjustments can dramatically increase closing odds.   This episode isn't about scripts—it's about psychology, positioning, and controlling the conversation through questions.   ⸻   You'll Learn How To: Convert seller conversations into signed contracts Ask timeline questions that reveal real motivation Create urgency without sounding salesy or desperate Use offer expiration dates as leverage Position certainty and credibility over highest price Handle pricing gaps with strategic follow-up questions Avoid overcomplicating creative financing too early End every call with leverage—including referrals   ⸻   What You'll Learn in This Episode: • [0:00] Why you should almost always make an offer • [3:40] Converting conversations into contracts and cash • [5:00] Three-year follow-up paying off in real opportunities • [6:05] Becoming a welcome guest—not an annoying pest • [9:00] Why relationships outlast transactions • [14:12] The power of asking about timeline early • [17:44] When NOT to put an offer in writing • [18:27] Building urgency without pressure • [21:33] Why certainty often beats the highest offer • [22:14] Leveraging expiration dates the right way • [24:19] Live cold-call role play begins • [41:00] Call breakdown: what Dan did well • [48:00] Missed opportunities inside seller language • [52:00] Why industry jargon can kill deals • [56:00] The hidden leverage in family decision dynamics • [59:00] Why collecting the seller's email matters • [1:00:30] The referral question most investors forget   ⸻   Who This Episode Is For: Investors who struggle turning conversations into real offers Listeners unsure how to handle "your price is too low" Anyone who feels awkward asking for timeline or motivation Operators who want to improve call structure and confidence Investors ready to sharpen their seller psychology skills   ⸻   Why You Should Listen:   Most deals aren't lost because of bad underwriting—they're lost because of weak conversations.   This episode shows you how to control the frame, ask the right questions, and build positioning that makes sellers want to work with you. If you've ever felt like calls "go fine" but don't turn into contracts, this breakdown will show you exactly where the leverage lives.   If you want to become the buyer sellers trust—not just another number—this episode is essential listening. ⸻ Follow Alex Pardo here: Alex Pardo Website: https://alexpardo.com/ Alex Pardo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexpardo15 Alex Pardo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpardo25 Alex Pardo YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlexPardo Storage Wins Website: https://storagewins.com/   ⸻   Have conversations with at least three storage owners, brokers, private lenders, or equity partners inside the Storage Wins Facebook Group. Join for free here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/322064908446514/

Creative volume isn't the unlock. Better messaging is.In this episode of eCommerce Evolution, Brett sits down with Nate Lagos (CMO of Adapt Naturals, former Head of Growth at Original Grain) to break down how great storytelling drives real performance.From selling wooden watches through emotional positioning… to increasing AOV by reframing gift messaging… to building ads that scale without “fatigue” — this episode is a masterclass in understanding why customers actually buy.If you're a DTC founder, CMO, or operator tired of launching more ads without improving results, this conversation will recalibrate how you think about copy, positioning, and brand personality.—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters: (00:00) Intro(05:05) Nate's origin story, and why storytelling became a “performance lever”(07:40) Selling the story behind the materials (10:30) Customer motivation deep dive: status, identity, and gift-giving (15:05) Creative quantity vs quality(19:05) Finding the real “why”: research methods (23:10) Brand as “personality”(30:10) Testing surprises + valence/intensity framework(37:15) Practical frameworks: adjective formula—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Request a Free Strategy Session: https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact Relevant Links:Nate's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagosAdapt Naturals: https://adaptnaturals.comOriginal Grain: https://www.originalgrain.com/Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Stephane Colleu, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

The Cardone Zone – Episode 298 "Systems and Targets" Grant Cardone outlines a direct framework for building wealth through  clear financial targets and disciplined systems. In "Systems and Targets," Cardone explains that financial success  is not driven by motivation or hope, but by measurable benchmarks  and repeatable execution. The episode focuses on: Setting specific income and asset targets Converting annual goals into daily activity metrics The Cardone Zone is available on all major podcast platforms. Follow Grant Cardone on YouTube, Facebook, X, and Rumble. For training programs, events, and additional resources, visit the official  Cardone website: GrantCardone.com and @grantcardone. About The Cardone Zone Hosted by Grant Cardone, the show delivers practical strategies on sales,  business growth, investing, and financial expansion.

Gen Z is not shopping the way Millennials did and they are definitely not responding to the same packaging playbook.In this episode, I sits down with Sanders, founder of Nuex Creative, to unpack how Gen Z discovers new food and beverage brands, what signals authenticity and what feels forced, and why traditional front of pack claims have stopped doing the heavy lifting.They explore the visual languages Gen Z actually responds to, where bold design helps or hurts trust, and how founders with limited budgets can make high impact packaging decisions without a full redesign.If you are building a brand for the next generation of consumers or wondering why your packaging looks great but is not converting, this episode will help you rethink what matters now.Startup to Scale is a podcast by Foodbevy, an online community to connect emerging food, beverage, and CPG founders to great resources and partners to grow their business. Visit us at Foodbevy.com to learn about becoming a member or an industry partner today.

In this episode of Skip the Queue, Andy Povey is joined by Ray Hole of Ray Hole Architects for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation about strategy, storytelling and the true economics of experience design. Key Topics Discussed The “Camelot” collaboration model in attraction development Experience economy vs. pure economics Primacy and recency effects in guest psychology Designing the departure experience Turning operational cost into experiential value Storytelling through architecture Instagrammable design and generational behaviour Empathy in ticketing and security Integrating accommodation into attraction strategy Converting capex into revenue-generating experiences   Show References:   Ray Hole, Managing Director of Ray Hole Architects https://www.rayhole-architects.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-hole-a6b7396/   Skip the Queue is brought to you by Merac. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey.   Credits: Written by Emily Burrows (Plaster) Edited by Steve Folland Produced by Emily Burrows and Sami Entwistle (Plaster) Download The Visitor Attractions Website Survey Report - https://www.merac.co.uk/download-the-visitor-attractions-survey We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop' — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

Podcast Description Most businesses think they need more leads. The truth? They're already leaking revenue every time the phone rings. In this episode, I break down 7 non-negotiable principles for handling incoming enquiries — whether you run a dog boarding or training business, a storage facility, a gym, or any service-based operation. You'll learn: Why the first 5 seconds of a call determine whether you win or lose the sale How to take control of an enquiry without sounding pushy or "salesy" The questions that uncover why someone is really calling How to sell outcomes instead of features and prices And how to confidently close with a clear next step — every time This isn't about scripts or gimmicks. It's about professional conversations that build trust, create certainty, and convert interest into action. If your phone is ringing but your results don't match… this episode will change how you answer your next call.   Want me to Coach You?   Apply for Obligation-Free Strategy Session CZ6 - PDC Sales and Business Growth Partner Application Each year, we only work with a select number of businesses to ensure we deliver maximum impact — and to make sure your time is valued too.   This application helps us determine if we're the right Growth Partner for your business, and if your business is the right fit for our proven CZ6 Sales & Business Growth Systems. Take 5 minutes to complete this form. Your honest answers will: Clarify expectations for our first conversation Help us tailor strategies and insights specific to your business Ensure we maximise the value of our time together   https://forms.gle/bGto8XswG5tw6Ftk9  

What if educational resources could be available in a limitless variety of variants, each adapted to the tools students actually use? In this episode, David talks to Lily about a project she has been working on to convert open statistics and data science textbooks into the PreTeXt format. The discussion highlights why PreTeXt's semantic structure and separation of authoring from publishing enable systematic changes across a book, supporting making software-specific and software-agnostic variants to tailor the books to various contexts where different approaches are more valuable.

You worked hard to get the lead. You posted. You showed up. You marketed consistently. And now your phone is ringing. So why aren't more of those inquiries turning into paying clients? In this episode, we're talking about the part nobody glamorizes in the interior design business: what happens after the inquiry. Because getting leads is not the win. Converting them is. If you're booking discovery calls but hearing: "We're going to think about it." "We're talking to a few designers." "Can you send over pricing?" Then this episode is for you. Inside, I'm breaking down: Why inquiries are not the same as income The biggest mistakes designers make on consultation calls How free brainstorming sessions are quietly killing your conversions Why lack of structure creates hesitation What a professional intake and consult process actually looks like How to confidently close without sounding pushy Marketing gets them in the door. Process gets them to sign. If you want to build a repeatable client pipeline instead of constantly chasing the next lead, start here. To tighten your marketing and conversion process, explore: Lead Lab Essentials: https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab-essentials Lead Lab PLUS: https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab-plus Stop asking how to get more leads. Start asking what you're doing once they call.   __________________ RESOURCES: MARKETING MEMBERSHIP - Join our hands-on visibility program, no contract, only $59/month or our new PLUS level for done-for-you marketing for $179/month. https://thedesignbakehouse.com/lead-lab Stay in touch with Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedesignbakehouse/ SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. All-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. https://mysidemark.com/ Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad Get clarity on your next best step today!  https://thedesignbakehouse.com/review-planning-guide Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me!   

Step one to scale and build a successful business online is to show up with your content consistently. If you're not posting 3-5x a week, and showing up on your story each work day consistently yet - start there.I don't consider it consistent until you've hit at least 6 months of doing that. Life LIFES and we are mothers, so of course there will be some days that it feels like a wash, but…If you are prepared for life to happen (as we should be as a moms and business owners) with content prepped ready to just hit post and great past content easily accessed and repurposed - you'll still be able to be consistentIf you know how to drop the “extra” tasks on those crazy days and just do the bare minimum must do's (client care, and sales generating activities) then you'll still be on top and consistent with what mattersThat's step one. If you want a full time, 6 figure business or multi 6 figure business, then you HAVE to commit to this.Once you have the commitment down, now it's time to get really strategic.In today's episode that's exactly what we're going cover.  I'm breaking down 10 KEYS to converting content in this current market that you need to implement ASAP to bring in dreamy clients into your world consistently.

Let's talk about something that I believe is costing a lot of business owners a lot of money right now.And you might not be aware you're even doing this because it's something the online space has conditioned you to do.And that's hyper-fixating on getting more opportunities when you're not even converting the opportunities you already have.The gurus are constantly telling you that you need MORE – more followers, more views, more traffic, more leads.It's exactly why trial reels are the current obsession in the online space right now.But what people are overlooking is, sure followers, views, traffic, leads are great – but do you want to know what's better? Sales. You're literally ignoring the people who are already there and want to pay you. So in today's episode of the How I Do Content Podcast I'm going to share how to convert the opportunities right in front of you. This was inspired by a conversation with a client this week that I haven't been able to stop thinking about – and I think it's going to hit home for you too.So let's begin. WANT MORE?Watch my 13 minute One Offer, 5 Angles at https://thesocialbolt.com.au/mini-training/ Join the Micro Messaging Waitlist at https://thesocialbolt.com.au/messaging-waitlist/ Follow Tahryn on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/thesocialbolt Find out more at https://www.thesocialbolt.com.au TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODEwebsite traffic not converting, why website visitors aren't buying, how to convert website traffic into sales, improve website conversion rate, website conversion optimisation for service based business, why my website isn't generating leads, how to increase sales from existing traffic, fix low conversion rate website, website messaging strategy for higher conversions, how to make website offers clearer, clarify your offer on website, how to make website call to action clear, improve website user journey for sales, why leads aren't turning into clients, how to turn enquiries into paying clients, improve sales page conversions, optimise Instagram bio for conversions, convert social media followers into clients, audit website for conversions, how to follow up leads to close more sales, fix sales funnel drop off, improve enquiry to client conversion rate, messaging that converts website visitors, how to self select clients on website, conversion strategy for coaches and consultantsBackground Music is Copyright Free. You're free to use this music in your videos.Track: Harry Potter Theme SongMusic promoted by Chayatori RecordsVideo Link: https://youtu.be/WY8-lVlLhWE

https://www.gethookd.ai/#key-featuresLearn how AI tools are revolutionizing Meta video ad creation in 2026. Find out which platforms analyze millions of ads to generate high-converting creatives in minutes, how to maintain brand uniqueness while competitors use the same tech, and why testing beats blind trust. GetHookd LLC City: Miami Address: 40 SW 13th street Website: https://www.gethookd.ai/

On Hands-On Tech, Mikah guides Bob with some ways to streamline his process of scanning his physical recipe cards into importable files for his recipe manager app. Don't forget to send in your questions for Mikah to answer during the show! hot@twit.tv Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: shopify.com/hot

On Hands-On Tech, Mikah guides Bob with some ways to streamline his process of scanning his physical recipe cards into importable files for his recipe manager app. Don't forget to send in your questions for Mikah to answer during the show! hot@twit.tv Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: shopify.com/hot

On Hands-On Tech, Mikah guides Bob with some ways to streamline his process of scanning his physical recipe cards into importable files for his recipe manager app. Don't forget to send in your questions for Mikah to answer during the show! hot@twit.tv Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: shopify.com/hot

On Hands-On Tech, Mikah guides Bob with some ways to streamline his process of scanning his physical recipe cards into importable files for his recipe manager app. Don't forget to send in your questions for Mikah to answer during the show! hot@twit.tv Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: shopify.com/hot

On Hands-On Tech, Mikah guides Bob with some ways to streamline his process of scanning his physical recipe cards into importable files for his recipe manager app. Don't forget to send in your questions for Mikah to answer during the show! hot@twit.tv Host: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to Hands-On Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Club TWiT members can discuss this episode and leave feedback in the Club TWiT Discord. Sponsor: shopify.com/hot

IS A VACATION HOME A SMART RETIREMENT STRATEGY FROM BALTIMORE WASHINGTON FINANCIAL ADVISORS Lawrence M. Post CPA, MST, CFP®, CIMA® Senior Tax & Planning Advisor Tessa Hall Media and Communications Specialist About This Episode Tessa speaks with BWFA Senior Tax & Planning Advisor Larry Post about what happens when you move into your vacation home and later sell it. While many retirees assume they qualify for the full capital gains exclusion, the tax rules are more complex than most people realize. Learn more about how BWFA approaches property decisions through our Tax Planning page. Read Full Description Buying a vacation home with plans to move into it later is a common retirement strategy. Many homeowners assume that once they live in the property for two out of five years, they qualify for the full capital gains exclusion when they sell. However, tax law does not always work that way. In this episode of Healthy, Wealthy & Wise, Tessa speaks with BWFA Senior Tax & Planning Advisor Larry Post about how the rules changed in 2008 and why converting a vacation home into a primary residence can create unexpected tax consequences. The key issue involves how the IRS allocates gain between qualified and non-qualified use. Time spent using the property as a vacation home after January 1, 2009 is treated differently than time used as a primary residence. The conversation walks through how gains must first be divided based on use before applying the $250,000 or $500,000 exclusion. In many cases, part of the gain remains taxable even if the homeowner meets the two-year residency rule. Larry also explains why this issue becomes more complicated when rental property is involved. Converting a rental to a primary residence can trigger depreciation recapture and potentially eliminate suspended passive losses. These details are often overlooked during purchase decisions but can significantly affect the outcome years later. Throughout the discussion, the focus remains on understanding the rules before making long-term decisions. Real estate can still serve important lifestyle or financial goals, but assumptions about tax-free gains can lead to costly surprises. This episode highlights why proactive planning matters. When it comes to vacation homes and rental properties, informed decisions today can prevent unintended tax consequences tomorrow.

Converting term insurance into a permanent life insurance policy can allow you to recover the cost of your insurance in a matter of a few years, insure that your premium will never increase, your death benefit will never expire, and in addition to this, build cash value equity in your policy that will continue to accumulate and grow tax free. (listen to understand more about this) One of the best kept secrets about Life Insurance is convertible term insurance. Convertible term insurance allows you to take advantage of the low premiums of term insurance and lock in your insurability, and then down the road convert the term insurance into permanent life insurance that builds equity.... all without having to re-qualify for insurance. We use convertible term life insurance and recommend it to our clients. 99% of term life insurance never pays a benefit. This is because term insurance becomes cost prohibitive with premiums as age of the insured increases. We specialize in designing and selling Convertible Term Life Insurance, and Participating Whole Life Insurance for maximizing cash value and growth. Email: team@McFieInsurance.com Call: 317-912-1000 Link to Dave Ramsey vs Infinite Banking binder: https://pages.mcfieinsurance.com/dave-ramsey-v-infinite-banking/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=557 Follow the Wealth Talks Podcast on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wealthtalkspodcast/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA== Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554798231074  Listen to the Wealth Talks Podcast on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wealth-talks-podcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/wealth-talks/id978187163 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7MOugefeGkTl5jdkhYdjvQ?si=80ce9359d8e54cc8

Curtis Grimes is a Florida real estate professional with 20+ years of investing experience. He's a licensed Realtor in Florida, a certified general contractor, a certified home inspector, and a certified elevator instructor. Curtis and his wife work as a team under "The Grimes Group," with Curtis primarily focused on buyers and his wife primarily focused on listings.      Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.      Key Takeaways Avoid overextending and keep capital in reserve so you can survive downturns and stay in the game  Treat real estate like a real business: track overhead, know your numbers, and manage cash flow consistently  When converting a home into a rental, lead with the numbers, the long-game use case, and the HOA/condo rules that can limit renting  In vacation-rental markets, price and occupancy fluctuate, so model seasonality and make sure you can still cover overhead during slower months  Build stability through disciplined lead generation, financial planning, and repeat/referral relationships that compound over time      Topics From Queensbridge to Florida real estate Curtis shares his early background in New York, the move to Florida, and how he and his wife built their real estate path together  Surviving 2008 and rebuilding with resilience Losing properties and even a primary residence, then continuing forward by downsizing, consolidating, and planning for recovery  How to avoid "feast or famine" as an agent or investor Why lead generation, budgeting, and running operations like a real business matters more when the market slows  Vacation rentals and seasonality in Orlando Stabilizing rents and home prices, plus how peak and off-peak seasons affect pricing strategy and returns  Converting a home into a rental How to think through valuation, numbers, demand drivers, and especially HOA guidelines and rental restrictions     

In this episode, host Toby Mathis, Esq., speaks with returning guest Chris Streit, a cost segregation expert from CSA Partners, about two frequently overlooked tax strategies that can save real estate investors thousands of dollars: Partial Asset Dispositions (PAD) and Qualified Improvement Property (QIP). They discuss how PAD allows investors to immediately expense the remaining value of replaced building components like roofs, rather than continuing to depreciate both the old and new assets simultaneously. Chris explains how QIP enables investors to leverage 100% bonus depreciation on commercial property improvements made after January 19, 2025, including improvements to short-term rentals. The conversation covers the critical timing of converting long-term rentals to short-term rentals before making improvements, the necessity of cost segregation studies for substantiating these deductions, and real-world applications for various commercial properties including hotels, restaurants, and retail spaces. Toby and Chris also address common concerns about IRS audits and emphasize the importance of working with specialized professionals to maximize these often-missed deductions. Highlights/Topics: (00:00) Understanding partial asset dispositions and roof replacements (07:11) Qualified improvement property explained for commercial assets (11:18) Converting long-term rentals to short-term (18:31) Bonus depreciation timeline and audit concerns Share this with business owners you know Resources:

You're posting consistently. So why isn't it converting?In this episode, I break down why more content isn't the answer and what's actually missing from your strategy. We'll talk about buyer journey gaps, trend hopping, and how to build a content ecosystem that guides people toward working with you.If you're a busy solopreneur who can't afford to waste time on content that doesn't pull its weight, this one's for you.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Join Content To Clients Club Grab Your Free Content Chaos Reset

Stop trying to be perfect. In an era where AI can generate "flawless" content in seconds, perfection has become a commodity, it's safe, it's neutral, and it's becoming invisible. If you're an introverted CEO using AI as a "shield" to avoid being seen, you aren't just losing your voice; you're losing your competitive advantage. OMNI is my full visibility system built for CEOs who want to grow online without living on their phone. If you're ready to be truly seen, more strategic, and unmistakably in demand, head to check out OMNI at www.omniqueens.com https://www.instagram.com/itscrissyconner/https://www.tiktok.com/@crissyconnerhttps://www.facebook.com/crissyconnerhttps://www.youtube.com/c/crissyconnerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/crissyconner/

Stop trying to be perfect. In an era where AI can generate "flawless" content in seconds, perfection has become a commodity, it's safe, it's neutral, and it's becoming invisible. If you're an introverted CEO using AI as a "shield" to avoid being seen, you aren't just losing your voice; you're losing your competitive advantage. OMNI is my full visibility system built for CEOs who want to grow online without living on their phone. If you're ready to be truly seen, more strategic, and unmistakably in demand, head to check out OMNI at www.omniqueens.com https://www.instagram.com/itscrissyconner/https://www.tiktok.com/@crissyconnerhttps://www.facebook.com/crissyconnerhttps://www.youtube.com/c/crissyconnerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/crissyconner/

"Can we jump on a quick call?" is becoming the fastest way to lose a good lead. Not because people don't want help, they do. But because a call isn't neutral anymore. It's time, energy, explaining live, and committing to something before they even know if it's a fit. In this episode of the Branding Momentum Podcast, I talk about the anti-call era, why experienced buyers are avoiding discovery calls, and what this changes for service businesses who want faster decisions without pushing. This isn't about removing human connection. It's about removing unnecessary friction, so the right people can decide without feeling like they have to audition. I'm Veronica Di Polo, marketing consultant based in Moraira, Alicante, Spain. I help service-based business owners get chosen faster with words, positioning, and thinking that matches how people decide now.

In this episode of Mastering eCommerce Marketing, host Eitan Koter sits down with Daniela Bolzmann, Founder of Mindful Goods, to talk about what actually moves the needle on Amazon today.Daniela works with brands around the world on Amazon creative, SEO, and conversion, and she spends her days testing what works and what does not. The conversation opens with how Daniela thinks about business, from abundance and gratitude to building systems that support long term growth.From there, they get into the real work. Daniela breaks down the Amazon funnel in plain terms, starting with getting found through titles and bullets, then earning the click with main images, and finally converting shoppers once they land on the listing. She explains why so many brands still treat Amazon like Shopify, and how that mistake shows up in missed sales.They also talk about testing, creative refresh cycles, and how competition reacts when something starts working. This episode feels like two operators comparing notes on how Amazon actually works right now.Website: https://www.vimmi.net Email us: info@vimmi.net Podcast website: https://vimmi.net/mastering-ecommerce-marketing/ Talk to us on Social:Eitan Koter's LinkedIn | Vimmi LinkedIn | YouTube Guest: Daniela Anavitarte Bolzmann, CEO & Founder at Mindful GoodsDaniela Anavitarte Bolzmann's LinkedIn | Mindful GoodsGet The ULTIMATE Amazon Product Image Swipe File!Takeaways:Abundance is a mindset that opens doors.AI tools are essential for modern creative processes.Optimizing titles and bullets can significantly increase sales.Main images are crucial for attracting clicks on Amazon.Every image should address customer objections or questions.

Why don't Jews still offer animal sacrifices if the Old Testament law still applies? In this episode of Ask Dr. E, Dr. Michael Easley answers a thoughtful listener question by walking through Jewish history, Scripture, and the book of Hebrews.Dr. Easley explains the differences within modern Judaism, why the sacrificial system requires very specific biblical conditions, and how the destruction of the temple in AD 70 made sacrifices impossible under the law. He also explores the significance of the red heifer, the role of the priesthood, and why the author of Hebrews points to Jesus as the once-for-all sacrifice who fulfilled the entire system.This episode is a helpful guide for anyone trying to understand Judaism, the Old Testament sacrificial system, and why Christians believe Jesus is fully sufficient—no temple required.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the Sacrificial System00:48 Understanding Jewish Sects and Their Practices02:24 The Historical Context of Sacrifices05:24 Modern Implications: The Red Heifer and the Temple Institute08:03 Theological Reflections on Sacrifices and ChristKey Topics Covered-Why Jews no longer offer animal sacrifices-The destruction of the temple in AD 70-Orthodox vs. Conservative vs. Reformed Judaism-The red heifer and ritual purification-Hebrews 9 and Jesus as the final sacrifice-Do Christians need a future temple? Links Mentioned: Reasoning From The Scriptures with Catholics by Dr. Ron Rhodes Why Do Protestants Convert? By Chris Castaldo Chris Castaldo on inContext 10 Most Important Things You Can Say to a Catholic By Dr. Ron Rhodes If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at question@michaelincontext.com.

Building a beautiful website is easy these days. Building one that actually converts is where most founders go wrong. As the founder of a custom web and Shopify development agency, Natasha Golinsky knows how to launch a high-performing website. She joins Emma to break down how you should approach building a website that truly works for your business: what to focus on, what actually drives conversions, and what's just noise. From the difference between web design and web development to why copy matters more than aesthetics, Natasha shares hard-earned insights from over a decade crafting sites clients love. Together, Emma and Natasha unpack common founder mistakes, why websites should be treated as living business assets (not one-and-done projects), and how marketing, copy, UX, and development must work together to create meaningful conversions. They also dive into Shopify vs WooCommerce, how to know when you actually need a dev team, and how AI is reshaping the future of web development. If you're a founder investing in your website or wondering why your traffic isn't converting, this episode will completely change how you think about web strategy. Listen in as Emma and Natasha discuss: Why high-converting websites start with copy, not design or development When you actually need a developer (and when you don't) How simple UX decisions dramatically impact conversions and marketing results   And much, much more!   Connect with Natasha:  Website: www.onpurposeprojects.com  Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/natashagolinsky/ Chat with Natasha about your website: https://calendly.com/onpurposeprojects/websiteconsulting    Connect with Ninety Five Media: Check out our website: ninetyfivemedia.co  Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/ninety.five.media     Grow your brand's social media presence with us:  Tell us about your business goals and explore how our social media management services can help you reach them! ninetyfivemedia.co/stop-scrolling-start-scaling-inquiry

Why does great Instagram content get engagement but still not lead to sales? In this episode, Katelyn Rhoades sits down with buyer psychology expert Anna Rumbold to uncover the real reason your content isn't converting, and it's not your hooks. We'll break down the hidden psychology behind buyer behavior, how doubt quietly blocks sales, and why messaging and positioning matter more than viral reach. You'll learn how to craft content that speaks to your audience's true priorities, remove unspoken objections, and create authentic messaging that builds trust and drives action. This conversation is packed with practical strategies for content creators, entrepreneurs, and marketers who want to turn followers into paying clients. If you've ever felt like your audience loves your content but doesn't buy, this episode will help you close the gap between engagement and real conversions. Find me on Instagram: @thekatelynrhoades Find Anna Rumbold and join her telegram: HERE Thank you to my sponsors: • Stan: Join the Dare to Post Challenge-a 30-day challenge designed to help Creators turn their dream into actual momentum. If they complete the challenge earn a share of the  $100k prize pot: Use this link • Go Daddy: ⁠https://www.godaddy.com/airo⁠ • Collective, use code CHC and get 50% off : www.collective.com/chc • Brevo, use code CREATOR50 and get a 50% off discount: www.brevo.com/creator

What happens when a church does all the right things but with the wrong motivation?  In this message, Pastor Eric Robertson shares our necessary response. Ultimately, the Book of Revelation is about a problem that is only solved when God's people wake up, repent, and faithfully wait on the return of Jesus.One of the worst problems is the one you don't know you have.Even worse are the problems you can see but don't recognize.Ephesus: HistoryEphesus was an influential city in the Roman world: a major port city in Asia Minor—economically powerful, culturally diverse, and religiously pluralistic. Faithfulness required constant discernment.The city was defined by idol worship. The Temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Converting to Christianity meant rejecting the city's spiritual identity and economic system (Acts 19).Though the church seemed to be doing well, there was a glaring problem that John addressed.What Did It Mean: Revelation 2:1–7Each letter follows the criticism sandwich: (Good)(Bad)(Good).Jesus gives this critique while walking among the lampstands—the churches that illuminate Christ to the world.They served well, worked hard, corrected the wicked, removed toxic leaders, suffered faithfully, and didn't grow weary. Ephesus was a hard-working church.Imagine hearing: "You're great—but you don't love me."The letters were written to specific churches, but meant for all churches.What Does It Mean?This passage is often preached as a call to return to passion, but Jesus doesn't critique their passion.Paul once said of them: "Your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people" (Eph. 1:15–16).The problem wasn't their works, but their why. They disconnected from the reason they exist.Returning to your first love is remembering why you do what you do: to love God and love others.When a church forgets its why, it doesn't stop working—it stops breathing.Our vision is Belong, Believe, Become, but Ephesus drifted into Believe, Become, Belong.When love is no longer the motivation, we build walls instead of bridges and become known for what we're against instead of Who we're for.How Do We Respond?1. Remember – "Consider how far you have fallen."Remember where you were when God found you and why the church exists.2. Repent – "Repent."Recognize how far you've drifted. The church illuminates Jesus, not itself.3. Return – "Do the things you did at first."Matthew 22:37–40: Love God and love your neighbor.If you don't love your neighbor, you don't have love at all.Closing: Revelation 2:7Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.Returning to our first love is a return to paradise—the life God intended.If we fail to hear, our lampstand will be removed.The church at Ephesus no longer exists—only ruins remain.Have we fallen from our first love?

This is a recap of the top 10 posts on Hacker News on February 09, 2026. This podcast was generated by wondercraft.ai (00:30): Discord will require a face scan or ID for full access next monthOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46945663&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(01:57): GitHub is down againOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46946827&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(03:25): Why is the sky blue?Original post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46946401&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(04:52): Converting a $3.88 analog clock from Walmart into a ESP8266-based Wi-Fi clockOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46947096&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(06:20): Show HN: Algorithmically finding the longest line of sight on EarthOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46943568&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(07:47): Claude's C Compiler vs. GCCOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46941603&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(09:15): Nobody knows how the whole system worksOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46941882&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(10:42): Another GitHub outage in the same dayOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46949452&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(12:10): AT&T, Verizon blocking release of Salt Typhoon security assessment reportsOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46945497&utm_source=wondercraft_ai(13:37): Hard-braking events as indicators of road segment crash riskOriginal post: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46947777&utm_source=wondercraft_aiThis is a third-party project, independent from HN and YC. Text and audio generated using AI, by wondercraft.ai. Create your own studio quality podcast with text as the only input in seconds at app.wondercraft.ai. Issues or feedback? We'd love to hear from you: team@wondercraft.ai

Food halls are no longer just a trend—they are a high-impact amenity for improving a property's dwell time, leasing velocity and NOI. Recorded at Central Perk in Times Square, a quartet of experts from Colicchio Consulting and CBRE explain how the best food halls prioritize operations and programming, new beverage and evening strategies, the lowdown on operator selection and deal structures that offer better risk-sharing and returns.- Food halls aren't food courts: Independent concepts + community + beverage drive performance.- Hybrid work has changed the operating model: Fewer office days demand longer-hour, programming-led models.- Conversions can happen everywhere: Converting buildings to their highest and best use can work for both offices and food halls, especially in suburban markets.- Alignment between operators and landlords: Vendor stall flexibility and percentage-rent leases can benefit operators and investors.- Market snapshot: Colicchio Consulting believes the sweet spot of sizing is around 10,000–15,000 sq. ft. with average buildout costs around $400/sq. ft., depending on the market.

Alyssa Aviles is a Creative Director, design educator, and Canva Empower Ambassador. She has worked with startups and seven-figure brands, helped build high-converting challenge funnels, and designed graphics behind campaigns that have generated over $50M.In today's episode, Alyssa joins me to break down what actually makes graphics convert and why most designs fail to drive results. She also shares her journey from struggling freelancer to in-demand funnel and brand designer.We dive into how designers and entrepreneurs can stand out in a crowded market, the role of personal branding in getting clients, and the importance of confidence and positioning in a creative's success.Alyssa explains the difference between Adobe and Canva, why and how she uses Canva to generate results for her clients, and how you can use this simple tool to build fast, effective, high-converting visual assets without advanced design skills.Join us today to learn how to create high-converting graphics, build better funnels, use Canva like a pro, attract higher-value clients, and turn creativity into a professional business.Alyssa Aviles's Social Media: Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thelovelylyss/?hl=enFacebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/thelovelylyss444/FOLLOW RJ SOCIAL MEDIA:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/therjahmed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FB Group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/AMHOE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/itsrjahmed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get My Free Script that used to Interview Over a Billion $ worth of Entrepreneurs: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Https://www.highticketshowaccelerator.com/script⁠

John-Henry Westen explores the dramatic and public conversion of Jordan Schwarzenberger, former secular media executive and creative force behind the Sidemen, to traditional Catholicism. Once immersed in aggressively liberal environments, Schwarzenberger now critiques modernism and atheism as cultural dead ends. His remarks, including a striking BBC interview, offer a bold testimony to the power of truth and tradition in elite cultural circles. Rather than promoting vague spirituality, he embraces rigorous doctrine and the authority of the Church.HELP SUPPORT WORK LIKE THIS: https://give.lifesitenews.com/?utm_source=SOCIAL U.S. residents! Create a will with LifeSiteNews: https://www.mylegacywill.com/lifesitenews ****PROTECT Your Wealth with gold, silver, and precious metals: https://sjp.stjosephpartners.com/lifesitenews +++SHOP ALL YOUR FUN AND FAVORITE LIFESITE MERCH! https://shop.lifesitenews.com/ ****Download the all-new LSNTV App now, available on iPhone and Android!LSNTV Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lsntv/id6469105564 LSNTV Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lifesitenews.app +++Connect with John-Henry Westen and all of LifeSiteNews on social media:LifeSite: https://linktr.ee/lifesitenewsJohn-Henry Westen: https://linktr.ee/jhwesten Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you converting all of the ability you have into performance on the court? In this episode, I'll use a solar panel analogy to explore how intentionality, clarity, and focus—especially on serves and returns—can dramatically improve results without adding new shots or techniques. Listen in to learn how to unlock more of your existing game. Show Notes: https://betterpickleball.com/281-are-you-converting-your-game/ ‎

Louis Shulman on Building a 15-Person Newsletter Agency, Taking 300 Sales Calls in One Year, and Why Email Marketing Is the Most Overlooked Growth Channel. Louis Shulman, founder of Orbit Marketing, returns to the show to reveal how he built a newsletter agency from scratch, scaled to 15 team members, and took over 300 sales calls in a single year. In this candid conversation, Louis shares why most B2B businesses are leaving massive opportunities on the table by ignoring email marketing.From running paid ads directly to newsletters to building full-funnel lead generation systems, Louis breaks down the exact playbook his agency uses to generate qualified meetings for clients. He also discusses the mindset shift from chasing revenue to obsessing over client results—and why that change transformed his business.Key Topics Covered:- Why email marketing remains the most overlooked channel for B2B businesses- The newsletter funnel strategy: running Facebook and Instagram ads to newsletter opt-ins- How to use surveys and Go High Level to qualify leads automatically- Transitioning from commodity service provider to fractional CMO- The difference between "founder growth hires" and "clone hires" when scaling- Why vanilla content gets ignored and opinionated writing drives responses- Building systems and playbooks that make agency work scalable- Using AI to overcome entrepreneurial fears and mental blockers- The shift from chasing client count to producing case studies- How Orbit Flows software was built as an internal tool then monetized- Why incentive alignment is the key to delivering client resultsEpisode Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction and catching up with Louis Shulman01:17 - What Orbit Marketing does and how the business evolved03:51 - Why every B2B business should have an email presence05:13 - Converting sales call rejections into future clients07:23 - Training writers to create opinionated, high-converting content08:47 - B2B vs DTC clients and strategic positioning11:16 - The "sawdust" strategy: monetizing byproducts of your business12:28 - Becoming a full-service marketing agency vs staying specialized16:35 - Finding intrinsic motivation beyond revenue growth20:32 - Is the agency model actually scalable?24:46 - Using AI to overcome fears and mental blockers27:06 - Hiring strategies: patience vs startup chaos mode30:31 - Orbit Flows: building software from internal toolsAbout Louis Shulman:Louis Shulman is the founder of Orbit Marketing, a newsletter agency that helps B2B companies generate qualified leads through email marketing and paid newsletter funnels. He also runs Orbit Metrics, a data and analytics consultancy for e-commerce brands spending $2M+ annually on ads, and Orbit Flows, a content creation and project management software built for newsletter teams.About Orbit Marketing:Orbit Marketing is a full-service newsletter agency specializing in B2B lead generation. The company writes and manages newsletters for dozens of clients, runs paid acquisition campaigns to newsletter opt-ins, and builds complete funnel systems using tools like Go High Level. With a team of 15, Orbit Marketing has written several hundred newsletter issues for clients across industries including finance, e-commerce, and professional services.Resources Mentioned:- Orbit Flows (content creation software)- Go High Level (funnel and CRM platform)- Facebook Ads Manager- Kai Bax (agency scaling strategies)- Alex Hormozi (business growth frameworks)Partner Links:Book Enterprise Training — https://www.upscaile.com/Subscribe to our free newsletter — https://www.theaireport.ai/subscribe-theaireport-youtube#NewsletterMarketing #EmailMarketing #B2BLeadGeneration #AgencyGrowth #LouisShulman #OrbitMarketing #NewsletterAgency #PaidAds #ContentStrategy #Entrepreneurship #MarketingStrategy #FractionalCMO #StartupGrowth #AIinBusiness #EmailFunnels

Converting Your Primary Resources-ep16-Willie-George-000616-en by IBBTalks

Converting Your Primary Resources-ep20-Willie-George-000620-en by IBBTalks

You've got a lead magnet that people are downloading, but then...crickets? Let's fix that!In this Email Empire episode Allison Hardy breaks down the real MVP of your email funnel: the nurture sequence. It's not about fluff or filler, it's about helping your email subscriber see their problem differently so they're primed to buy before you ever pitch.If you've ever felt like your email funnel isn't selling the way it should, this episode is your behind-the-scenes look at what's missing, and how to fix it.TAKEAWAYS:A nurture sequence isn't just a warm welcome, it's a strategic series of emails designed to shift your lead's mindset and get them ready to buy.Unlike a welcome sequence, your nurture sequence focuses on your subscriber's pain points, assumptions, and logical next steps, not on you.The goal isn't to sell immediately, but to reveal new layers of their problem so your offer becomes the clear solution.Allison shares two concrete examples (including her own $80K email template funnel) to show how well-crafted nurture sequences do the heavy lifting before the pitch even hits.LINKS YOU MIGHT FIND HELPFUL: Check out the blog post that accompanies this podcast episode for more details and resources.Snag 1 of only 12 VIP Weeks available in 2026. If your nurture sequence feels unclear, or you're not sure what to say, what comes next, or how your emails are supposed to work together, this is exactly what we solve during a VIP Week. Click here to learn more.Know you need email marketing support, but not sure what offer works best for you? Fill out this form, and Allison will be back in your inbox with a few options that fit you, your business, and your budget best.CONNECT WITH ALLISON:Follow Allison on InstagramDID YOU HAVE AN 'AH-HA MOMENT' WHILE LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE?If you are ready to take action from listening to this episode, head to Apple Podcasts and help us reach new audiences by giving the podcast a rating and a review. Music by: www.bensound.comLicense code: 8G1GJZZDCLKGU9NRArtist: : Benjamin Tissot

Helping my husband with his website reminded me just how often we overcomplicate our messaging… or worse, miss the moment entirely. The same thing happens in eCommerce email automations. In this episode, I'm breaking down the biggest mistake I see store owners make when it comes to writing automated flows—and how to fix it fast. Because automations shouldn't be about sparking the sale. They're about catching it. What we'll cover: Why swipe files aren't the answer The one question to ask before you write How to spot fluff that's blocking conversions _______ Full Episode Show Notes http://ecommercebadassery.com/362   _______ Learn With Me Work with Me 1:1 https://ecommercebadassery.com/ecommerce-help/ https://ecommercebadassery.com/email-marketing/   Courses & Membership https://ecommercebadassery.com/membership https://ecommercebadassery.com/programs   _______   Let's Connect Website: http://ecommercebadassery.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/ecommercebadassery Membership: http://ecommercebadassery.com/membership   _______   Rate, Review, & Subscribe Like what you heard? I'd be forever grateful if you'd rate, review and subscribe to the show! Not only does it help your fellow eCommerce entrepreneurs find the eCommerce Badassery podcast; but it's also valuable feedback for me to continue bringing you the content you want to hear.    Review Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecommerce-badassery/id1507457683  

This conversation delves into the intricacies of Qualified Small Business Stock (QSBS) and its significant tax benefits for founders. MICHAEL ARLEIN, Partner at Patterson Belknap, explains the eligibility criteria, the importance of strategic planning, and the potential pitfalls that can arise. The discussion also covers the implications of state taxes and the advantages of gifting strategies. We cover innovative approaches like the “GOAT” trust to maximize tax-free gains. Founders are encouraged to engage with legal experts early in their business journey to fully leverage QSBS opportunities. https://youtu.be/lfBt0j7BlW0?si=LufZ8j2YtgdspLMJ Takeaways from “QSBS For Founders” QSBS is a powerful tax benefit for founders.The maximum exclusion amount has increased to $15 million.Careful planning is essential to avoid QSBS pitfalls.Gifting QSBS stock can multiply tax exemptions.State tax implications vary; California does not recognize QSBS.Discounting shares can aid in estate planning.Converting from an S-Corp to a C-Corp can preserve QSBS benefits.Early engagement with legal counsel is crucial for founders.Innovative strategies like the GOAT trust can maximize benefits.Almost all businesses should consider QSBS eligibility. Chapters 00:00 Understanding QSBS: A Founder’s Guide.02:56 Navigating the QSBS Landscape: Common Pitfalls.06:07 Maximizing QSBS Benefits: Stacking Strategies.08:42 The Importance of Timing: Gifting and Valuation.12:03 State Tax Implications: The QSBS Challenge.14:52 Entity Structures and QSBS: What Founders Need to Know.17:37 Transitioning to C-Corp: Strategies for S-Corps and LLCs.20:29 Who Should Pay Attention to QSBS?23:44 Innovative Business Structures: Technology and QSBS-26:36 Early Stage Strategies: Cloning Yourself on the Cap Table- Transcript of “QSBS for Founders” Frazer Rice (00:01.109)Welcome aboard, Michael. Michael Arlein (00:03.096)Thank you. Good to be here. Frazer Rice (00:04.617)So let’s get started here. QSBS, Qualified Small Business Stock, is something that certainly all founders should be aware of. It’s a tax feature. It’s probably one of the nicest goodies that the federal government gives to people who are starting businesses. Take us through a little bit about what happens there. For founders, you’re going to hear the numbers 1202, which is the section that is quoted here. Take us through a little bit about what happens at QSBS and why it’s a powerful feature. Michael Arlein (00:37.496)Sure, that sounds good. To your point, the New York Times called QSBS a lavish tax dodge that is easily multiplied. And I happen to. I’m not aware of any other provision of the tax code that can save anyone as much money as QSBS. It’s really incredible. I think the policy reasons behind the provisions are that they’re designed to encourage entrepreneurship. Everyone on both sides of the political aisle is in favor of. The basic premise of it is that if you create a company.You own the stock for five years. The company’s in the form of a C corporation, It’s not in one of a series of restricted industries. Mainly service industries, that when you sell the stock, you can exclude from paying tax $10 million, the first $10 million of your gain. That’s the old rule, which I’m still dealing with, that that’s for stock that was issued before July 4th, 2025. And now QSBS has gotten even better. So if you get stock after that date. You hold it for actually now three years, you can exclude ultimately up to $15 million from tax. So we’re now dealing with two different regimes. I’m still stuck in the old regime. Most of the people I’m dealing with got their stock before last July. But I’ll try and point out the differences as we go along. Frazer Rice (02:29.066)Sure, as you said, there are a bunch of things you have to jump through. To make sure that you can sort of apply and then to further comply with the rules associated with it. Things like services. Making sure that maybe you don’t have too much cash and that it’s deployed correctly. Making sure that the original stock issuance persists throughout. What are some of the things that you tell your clients? How do you walk them through the process so that they don’t trip on themselves and lose this nice tax advantage? Michael Arlein (03:09.676)Yeah, there are some landmines, things that you can step on and blow it. There’s some weird rules around redemptions. Like if you have redemptions. Let’s say you create a company and then there’s three co-founders. Then very early on, one of the co-founders wants out or you want to kick them out. And then the mechanism for that is the company kind of buys back their stock. You know, there’s complicated rules that can, you know, blow up QSBS for the entire company. I think some people start their businesses as LLCs or S-Corps or things like that, and then later convert them. And that has to be done very, very carefully with good tax advice. Otherwise that can also blow things up. When I talk to founders, it’s pretty clear their business qualifies. They didn’t screw anything up. Frazer Rice (04:19.626)So the OBBBA in a sense turbocharged a little bit the tax savings. That five year requirement that you talked about. You can now get some of the benefits even as early as three years. And then the dollar amounts got expanded. In addition, and this was not necessarily OBBBA related. The ability to take one exemption and maybe multiply it via stacking continues to be a powerful tool. For those people who are walking into your office now. How do you get them when they sit down situated so that they do that planning upfront? Michael Arlein (05:08.598)Yeah, that’s, you we kind of buried the lead. The benefit of QSBS: it would be incredible if you could just pay no tax on 10 or $15 million. But what’s even more incredible is that you can stack or multiply the number of exemptions. You have using a provision of the code. It says that if you gift QSBS stock to some other person or entity. That that person or entity can take their own up to 10 or 15, their own QSBS exemption. I’m just gonna say it’s 15. We understand that’s for newly stocked. So, classic move for a founder would be to set up trusts for children. There’s a special kind of a trust for a spouse. You can do this with sometimes people make trust for their parents, their siblings. There are certain states where you can actually make a trust for yourself. Usually when people come to my office, the conversation is around creating entities. Typically trusts, and then gifting shares to those trusts. that As a family, you could go from 15 million tax free to 30 or 45 or 60 million tax free. The record I had one guy who had a very large family. He married, he had kids and was very close not only with his parents. With his siblings, his nieces, his nephews, even his aunts, uncles, and cousins. He created 23 trusts, which on paper at least would save up to $230 million. Wow. Yeah. Frazer Rice (07:08.896)There’s a danger with that though, with those 23 trusts had to be different. I imagine the IRS would say, wait a minute, we see what you’re doing. Stacking all of these different things is theoretically nice and all, but is there a way to create differences within those trusts so that the IRS doesn’t view them as one big pot? Michael Arlein (07:39.692)Yeah, great question. So you can’t create multiple identical trusts. Meaning I can’t create five trusts for my child. The IRS has rules that consider those trusts as one trust and would have only one exemptions. So, one of the limiting factors on creating trust is often, who are the people you’re willing to gift to? You know, so this guy with the 23, he actually was willing to create trust for his cousins, his aunts, uncles. Now, those individuals were the beneficiaries of the trusts, which means that they were eligible to receive money from the trust. But those trusts were designed so that when those people passed away, the money would circulate back to his children. So, you we never talked about it, but it’s possible that in his head, his plan was that he would maybe provide some benefit to his cousin. Maybe he’d say to his cousin, hey, if there’s $5 million in this trust and you need a little money, I’ll make some distributions to you, but I’m going to request that the trustee kind of withhold most of the money. And then when you die, it’ll come back and benefit my kids. So there are nuances there. But generally speaking, most people aren’t willing to do that. They’re not close enough with their cousins and their aunts and their uncles. So they end up maybe creating trusts, you know, for their kids, for their parents, sometimes, you know, for their spouse and maybe sometimes they go a little beyond that, but not that far. One thing that’s important is that the U.S. Frazer Rice (09:33.472)One thing that’s important is that the the QSBS is a capital gains tax Concept meaning you’re you’re saving on the tax. From a QSBS for Founders standpoint when the the founder sells the business, and you have to pay capital gains tax on that front. Part of the reason I’m skewing this toward founders is that there’s an gift in a state exemption of 15 million dollars. So it’s important to get these assets into these trusts as early as possible and with as low evaluation as possible. That in many ways is where the real leverage is. Does that square with your thinking? Michael Arlein (10:11.019)Yeah, absolutely. We have a permanent $15 million lifetime gifting limit. $30 million for spouses. And when you gift stock into these trusts, you’re typically gifting at a common stock valuation. People are familiar, founders are familiar with common stock valuations because they do that for purposes of issuing stock options, you know, the so-called 409A valuation. Now, a gift tax appraisal is different than a 409A valuation, but in many ways, they’re very similar. S0 founders know that, you know, they could be raising a preferred round at $10 a share, but their 409A common stock valuation is still $2 a share. So you can get a lot of gifting done. You can give a lot of shares away. You know, using your $15 million exemption, even if the company is very valuable. So we see founders doing this sort of gifting, you know, late in the game, even right before a transaction or an IPO. But if you had a crystal ball, or at least, you know, you were willing to take some risk, obviously, the earlier you do it, the better, because you could gift… I mean, theoretically, if you set up trusts and you gifted shares the day after you created your company, they would be worth essentially nothing. And so you wouldn’t have to use hardly any of your gifting exemption. The problem is most people, A, aren’t thinking about that on the day they create their company. They don’t have anyone whispering in their ear and telling them to do that. And number two, they wouldn’t want to spend the money on legal fees to set up structures because at that point they’re like, don’t know what this is going to be worth. This could be zero. This could go out of business in a year. So there’s a trade off that I see between doing this later in the process where you’re gaining visibility into outcomes, maybe for younger people sometimes, you know, there’s visibility into their family lives. Maybe when they founded the company they were single. Then if they wait five years they marry, they’ll have children, i.e. people who they could create trust for. But the cost of doing that is that you’re gifting at a higher value. Frazer Rice (12:46.591)One of the considerations that people don’t understand is the state tax implication. QSBS is a federal concept that a lot of states join onto and link to. But a state like California isn’t. And so sometimes that can be an untoward surprise to people that there’s a state tax that happens that they may not have expected. Michael Arlein (13:16.299)Yeah, it’s kind of bizarre that California, the home of Silicon Valley, doesn’t recognize QSBS. But most states do. My home state of New Jersey, in fact, very recently joined the QSBS club and now recognizes it at the state level. There are a few other states, I think. Pennsylvania, I don’t think recognizes it, but the vast majority of states do. But unfortunately, if you live in California, you’re probably only in quotes saving the federal tax. But the federal tax on $15 million, 23.8 % of 15 is a pretty big number. Frazer Rice (14:01.086)No question and absolutely worth doing. one of the things that I find happens is that from an income capital gains tax perspective, we’re on top of it with the QSBS. When we get into the estate planning world, we use the concept of discounting, meaning putting QSBS shares or any shares for that matter into other entities so that you get discounting for lack of marketability and the ability to make decisions around it. Are there any tripwires on that front as far as putting things into other LLCs so that you don’t, maybe in a sense that in trying to really maximize the estate planning and the estate tax avoidance that you create issues that might cause problems with your QSBS tax avoidance usefulness there. Michael Arlein (15:02.413)Yes. Again, the rules under Section 1202 of the code for QSBS have some strange traps for the unwary and some gray areas. And one of those gray areas is around transferring interests in partnership type entities, which would mean like an LLC or a partnership. that owns QSBS. So essentially, it’s very clear that if you have QSBS stock and you gift it into one of these entities we’ve been talking about, that that entity would take the QSBS attribute and be able to enjoy the benefits of QSBS. If the QSBS is held in an entity like an LLC, let’s say you set up a, well. Let’s say a realistic example is that you made an investment in a venture capital fund that invested in an early stage company that’s QSBS. And now you’re a limited partner in that fund and you know that that fund is going to have a large exit in this QSBS position and that you’re going to get the benefits of that, but it’s going to exceed $15 million. So you say, what I should do is I should take my interest in this venture capital fund. I should give them to trust for my kids so that when the fund distributes those shares or distributes the proceeds from selling that company, it’ll be split among various entities and I’ll be able to stack QSPS. The transfer of an interest in a fund that owns QSPS, there’s a gray area about whether the recipient of that fund interest would actually have QSPS and it’s generally viewed as something to be avoided. Frazer Rice (17:08.944)In a sense putting it at risk. A question that I think pops up is that there are people who started businesses maybe pre that July 4th date that you were talking about and maybe they chose an entity like an S Corp or an LLC that isn’t sort of a good qualifying C Corp and they’re looking and saying you know what I may be able to sell this business three to five years or beyond and take advantage of this QSBS. Are there avenues to be able to change that tax elections so that you can begin that QSBS and what’s the analysis around? Michael Arlein (17:44.972)Yeah, in fact, a fairly common structure is, and we haven’t really gotten into these details, but it’s a great question. So QSBS is actually the greater of $15 million or 10 times your basis. Now we ignore the basis rule for the most part because the vast majority of founders do not have basis. They create their company and they put nothing into it. With a bank account with $10,000 in it, and they’re not contributing actual dollars into their business. And so the 10 times basis rule doesn’t actually apply. But there’s a way for a founder to take advantage of that, and this strategy is actually called PACKING. And the packing strategy involves starting your business as an LLC and with an LLC and then converting it to a C corporation. with an LLC, when you convert, there’s an attribution of basis to the founder based on the value of the LLC’s assets. Theoretically, if you started off as an LLC, and before the LLC hit $75 million value of its assets, $75 million being sort of the cutoff for qualifying for small business, you have to acquire your stock before your company assets are worth $75 million. Theoretically, let’s say you did that when it was $74 million, then if your basis was $74 million, 10 times your basis would be $740 million, you would have up to $740 million tax free. So people kind of play this game. I think for a lot of companies, it’s not realistic to be an LLC because venture cap, if you’re going to raise venture funds, they want you to be a C Corp. This works for bootstrapped companies, but most companies are forming a C corporations. You know, there is a path to convert from an S-Corp to a C-Corp and preserve QSPS for Founders. I’m no expert in that. All I can tell you is that it has to be done very carefully and very specifically. And I’ve seen a lot of people who didn’t know they needed to do anything specific and they do not qualify for QSPS. Frazer Rice (20:45.085)As we sort of, I’m not going to say wind down here because we may have some other topics that pop up. But when someone walks through their door, I guess maybe the way to think about it is, who does this apply to? You said the services industry. So accounting, finance, that type of thing- NO. For those things that venture tries to invest in, whether it’s software or other processes, who is really should be paying attention to this? Michael Arlein (21:16.491)I mean, I think almost anyone should be paying attention to this because it may be that you don’t qualify, but often people do. And more often than not, you do. This has broad application for most businesses. There are excluded industries, architects and lawyers and accountants. But if you’re doing something in the tech world, you’re probably going to qualify. It’s good to get some advice from the corporate lawyer who’s helping you create your business. I think one of the considerations of whether you form as a C Corp or an LLC is probably the availability of QSBS status. You know, I think stacking strategies, it’s worth having a conversation probably sooner than later with a lawyer to find out what the menu of stacking options is. I talk to people all the time and we decide it’s premature for them to do something. And then they call me back a year or two later and all the time I’m calls from people who say, hey, we spoke a few years ago and now Frazer Rice (22:34.013)Alright. Michael Arlein (22:39.913)the time is right. So it’s good to get educated, learn what the options are. QSBS stacking is not just about giving shares to your kids. There are strategies that are specifically designed for single people where you can create these benefits for yourself and You know, it’s too good to be missed. if you, I do talk to people who say to me, they’re usually on their second venture or third venture and they say to me, I really screwed this up the first time around. I paid no attention to it and I was focused on my business and I just screwed it up. I literally cost myself millions or tens of millions of dollars had I done it correctly. And now that’s why I’m calling you, because I want to do it correctly the second time around. Frazer Rice (23:33.278)Part and parcel with that, I ran into somebody really more of what’s called a media personality. And usually the way I think of it is that the QSBS isn’t necessarily available for people whose value is centered around them as a personality or them as a brand. But I said, you know what, the QSBS component, while it might not apply here, if your business morphs into something where you’re developing other things, slash maybe you turn into a media production company or, youbecome involved in a technology that drives other things, that you shouldn’t dismiss that. The pivot in the business from sort of a personality generated to something a little bit more business process generated might be something to think about, not only from a strategy standpoint, not that you necessarily wanna do things purely for tax reasons, but if that’s a natural consequence, that’s something to think about. Has that ever popped up in your world? Michael Arlein (24:31.915)Yeah, for sure. Every business these days is technology enabled. And I think sometimes businesses that you wouldn’t think of as being technology businesses are doing enough technology things that they can claim that they’re a technology business and not a business providing a particular kind of service. So, you know, with the help of a clever accountant or a tax lawyer, this is not an area that I operate in. I’m more about multiplying QSBS once you have it. But there are tax lawyers and corporate lawyers and accountants who can advise you how to make your business eligible for QSBS by leaning into, as you said, things that you’re doing that may be…you know, eligible versus other parts of your business that would not be. Also, you know, you can, sometimes you see companies that are divided, right? Like, so there’s a company who provides counseling services, like, you know, they’re actually hire psychotherapists that will counsel you, you know, online, like on a Zoom. and their business is split. There’s a medical services company that employs all the counselors and medical services is one of the excluded industries. But then they also have a completely separate business that is their technology platform. And the way they structured it, the value is really in the technology platform. That business is QSBS eligible because it’s a completely separate company. Frazer Rice (26:28.771)That’s a great example. part of the purpose of the question was to elicit that, is that people may say, well, we fall squarely into one classification when maybe some underlying thought might lend itself to structuring from a tax perspective that might be useful later on. OK, now as we wind down, for someone who is, at this point, starting a company when they’re forming these things, not that you, QSBS for Founders should drive the world, but how do they get involved with the discussions so that they do the right things early? Michael Arlein (27:06.401)Yeah, I mean, I do have a very specific strategy that I love for people who are about to form a company. And it really works best in that scenario of an early stage company that’s just about to launch. The way I describe this to founders is that you can and should clone yourself on the cap table. So if you start off a company and you own all of the shares, you’re basically eligible for 15 million tax free. That’s great. But what if you could clone yourself and there were three Frazers on the cap table, then Frazer would have $45 million tax free. So how do you do this? You can do it with trusts. And the beautiful thing is if you have other people create trust for you, then you can be the beneficiary of the trust and control it as well. And I have sort of branded and named this strategy a GOAT trust, which of course has the double meaning, know, greatest of all time. Frazer Rice (28:21.02) QSBS for FoundersRight. Michael Arlein (28:21.165) QSBS for FoundersBut actually stands for gift optimized to alleviate taxes. The essentials of it are is that we would work with your parents, the founders parents, we would work with your grandma, your uncle, and we would spin up some trusts that they create for the benefit of you as the founder. You would have all sorts of control and access to those trusts and they make a gift into those trusts, probably something fairly modest. Then those trusts on the day of formation buy up some of the common stock. And so those are your clones. You know, you’re having your cake and eating it too. You’re getting, you know, QSBS stacking for Founders. You’re getting some other benefits we haven’t even talked about. Those trusts can be exempt from a state tax and state level income tax. And you control those trusts and benefit from them. So we’ve essentially cloned you on the cap table. And that is a beautiful strategy that most people miss out on because they don’t do it. And then they come to me a few years later and they own the stock and it’s valuable and then we have to do the more traditional stacking strategies. Frazer Rice (29:40.432)Really cool stuff. Michael, how do people get in touch with you if they have these problems slash opportunities? Michael Arlein (29:48.525)Sure, well they can Google me. I have a nice web presence. We have our…Founder Focus Practice Group that I lead at the firm, which is very specifically tailored to provide legal services to founders, personal legal services. And I focus on the tax side of that and QSBS stacking for Founders. My email, msarlein at pbwt.com. Phone number 212-336-2588. Frazer Rice (30:23.324) QSBS For FoundersThat will all be in the show notes. Michael, thanks for being on. Michael Arlein (30:26.753) QSBS For FoundersThank you. FAMILY OFFICE MYTHS https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Actually-Intelligent-Decision-Making-1-ebook/dp/B07FPQJJQT/ QSBS for Founders QSBS for Founders

Good stories are worth revisiting. The Acts 9 story of Saul's conversion—familiar to most Bible readers—welcomes a fresh reading from a different angle, looking less at Saul and more at the supporting cast of characters who each play significant roles in one of God's wilder moments of dramatic irony. Who could have expected God to redeem the enemy? And to do so through the brave actions of the local Damascus Church body? Surely, with their model in mind, what might this Redeemer do through us for the unsavory Sauls in our own lives?

Welcome back to Geek Warning! Turn up that radio and listen Suvi, Ronan, and Dave as they discuss the latest big stories in cycling tech.From why many dropbar MTBs being sold have it wrong, through to a rant about stem designs with limited adjustability, there's plenty to geek about this week.Members of Escape Collective also get Ask a Wrench, where Zach Edwards (Boulder Grupetto) and Dave Rome answer a number of technical questions.Happy bike nerding!Time stamps: 2:08 - Our first Velofollies6:00 - Why many dropbar MTBs are half-baked16:00 - A concept bike designed partly for reality25:30 - Less happy industry times29:30 - Gravaa ceases33:00 - On Dave's mind: Stems that can't be moved without cutting steerers42:00 - MADE tickets now open43:00 - Ask a Wrench with Boulder Grupetto (Members Only)44:00 - How do Hookless Max tyre pressures scale with size?51:00 - Quick connectors for hydraulic disc brakes?56:00 - Cannondale Ai offset confusion1:01:00 - Converting an old 29er MTB to dropbar

AI is pushing knowledge work toward a world where “leaders manage agents”—and eventually, where some management functions themselves are handled by AI. Shweta Kamble and Hari Iyer (founders of HaloVision) unpack that future and demo what it looks like today: an AI “third-party” that runs confidential 1:1-style conversations with employees, synthesizes themes into quantified “case files,” and creates a bidirectional channel between executives and the org.00:00 - Intro01:02 — “Undercover Boss” analogy: AI can surface ground-truth operational fixes at scale.02:01 — “No ICs anymore”: the shift to managing armies of agents.03:06 — AI can outperform average managers at listening, context, and coaching—at scale.04:47 — Introducing Halo Vision: management + AI as a core intersection.05:19 — What Halo does: confidential 1:1 conversations, analyzed into exec-ready insights.06:00 — Key difference: not a suggestion box—Halo quantifies impact and outcomes.06:36 — 1:1 controversy (e.g., “don't do 1:1s”) and why time cost matters.08:11 — Third-party confidentiality: why employees share more with Halo than internal tools.09:30 — SurveyMonkey comparison: blending “survey + 1:1 + executive alignment.”10:50 — Feedback loop requirement: employees must believe feedback leads to change.12:06 — Founders' backgrounds (Zoom AI/data products; CS/product design; Cisco ventures).16:28 — Building Halo = “several companies in one”: auditing, privacy, PM estimation, infra.18:03 — “Telephone game” across agents: why infra/evals matter for compound accuracy.19:47 — Defining evals: correctness, reasoning tests, summarization/synthesis checks.23:32 — Concrete eval example: summaries must trace back to transcript evidence.27:03 — Added complexity: longitudinal context and time relevance (“6 months ago may not matter”).30:39 — Prompt → context engineering: getting the right info to the model at the right time.32:16 — Why off-the-shelf tools weren't enough: auditability and tracing across abstraction layers.37:18 — Live demo setup: Halo's internal “case file” view with quantified issues.38:01 — Example case files: exec jumping into low-level decisions; burn rate + delay cost estimates.41:16 — Live call begins: confidentiality disclaimer + agenda choices.41:50 — Halo's questioning style: reflective, probing, tailored follow-ups.46:17 — Positioning: Halo doesn't replace 1:1s—it makes them more effective and focused.47:00 — What they're excited about next year: science/research advances + shifting human work.Tools & technologies mentionedHalo Vision — AI “third-party” that conducts confidential employee conversations, synthesizes insights into quantified exec recommendations, and helps align understanding across the org.Evaluation frameworks (Evals) — Methods to test AI outputs (reasoning, summary accuracy, grounding) to prevent misleading conclusions and compounding errors in agent workflows.LLM-as-a-judge — Using an LLM to grade another model's output for correctness, grounding, or quality; often paired with other checks.Tracing / auditability / evidence links — Attaching each summary claim to specific transcript excerpts so you can prove where conclusions came from and debug errors.Speech-to-text / transcription — Converting conversations into text artifacts that can be analyzed, summarized, and traced.Fellow.ai — AI meeting assistant that joins meetings, summarizes, tracks actions/decisions, integrates with common work tools, and supports sensitive meetings with privacy/security controls. Gemini (Google) — Mentioned as performing strongly for some use cases relative to other models at the time of recording.GPT-4 / GPT-5 (and “5.2”) — Used as examples of model shifts affecting product behaviour (reasoning chains, tone/EQ, evaluation requirements).Subscribe at⁠ thisnewway.com⁠ to get the step-by-step playbooks, tools, and workflows.

If you're creating content consistently but it's not turning into sales, this episode will change how you see your entire strategy.✨ Free Social Selling Masterclass: Learn how to convert your offers into salesIn this video, I break down the real reason most creators, coaches, and service-based entrepreneurs struggle to convert — and it has nothing to do with posting more or trying harder. We're talking about the buyer journey:I walk you through:Why posting more doesn't fix a broken funnelHow to nurture your audience without sounding salesyThe biggest mistake people make after someone opts into a freebieHow to sell in a way that feels aligned, sustainable, and organicWhy long-term trust always beats urgency-driven marketingThis is the framework I use in my own business — and the same strategy I teach my clients inside Magnetic Branding Foundation.If you want to make sales without burnout, this episode is for you. Thank you for being here. I love you.

What if the chocolate industry's reliance on equatorial farms—and the deforestation that comes with it—could be eliminated entirely? Plant cell bioreactors are doing that, producing real cacao without a single tree. But this isn't just about chocolate. It's about fundamentally rethinking how we manufacture food at scale, and the bioprocessing innovations emerging from this shift have implications far beyond the food industry.Steven Lang, Head of R&D at California Cultured, spent two decades mastering mammalian cell culture at biopharma giants like Johnson & Johnson and Genentech. Then he made a radical pivot: applying those same bioprocessing principles to cultivate plant cells for food production. His mission? Prove that cellular agriculture extends far beyond the cultivated meat narrative, and that plant cell manufacturing offers a faster, more economical path to market.At California Cultured, Steven's team is scaling cacao and coffee production using innovative low-cost plastic bioreactors instead of expensive stainless steel vessels. They've engineered plant cell media formulations that operate at a fraction of typical bioprocessing costs. And they're preparing to launch their first commercial product—high-flavanol cocoa powder—in 2026.What you'll discover in this episode:Why cellular agriculture ≠ cultivated meat (07:16) – Steven's frustration with the narrow definition that's holding the industry back, and why plant cell culture deserves equal attentionPlant vs. animal cell culture fundamentals (09:26) – Technical comparison: totipotent plant cells, callus formation, adaptation to suspension culture, and how cacao cell lines are developed from explantsAchieving 30-40% pack cell volume in 7-day batches (11:14) – Process parameters: ambient temperature growth, low pH environments, minimal downstream processing, and maintaining product consistency without genetic modificationThe economics that change everything (14:38) – How plant cell media costs and simple raw material requirements create commodity-scale economicsThe Tesla model for biotech (15:58) – Strategic rationale for launching with premium high-flavanol cocoa powder first, then using that revenue runway to optimize for commodity pricingLow-cost bioreactor innovation (18:23) – Why plastic vessels beat stainless steel, contamination management in low-pH cultures, and scale-out strategy over traditional scale-upDecentralized biomanufacturing (23:10) – Converting underutilized office space into production facilities, onshoring food ingredient production, and what this means for emerging markets and supply chain resilienceThe bigger picture beyond cacao (24:23) – Four approved drugs already produced via plant cell culture, the expanding landscape of ingredients (saffron, ginseng, echinacea), and why stage-appropriate models matter for cellular agriculture's futureThe strategic insight:While the cultivated meat industry struggles with cost structures and consumer acceptance, plant cell manufacturing is quietly proving the business model. The lesson for bioprocessing professionals? Sometimes the fastest path to commercialization isn't the most obvious one, and the innovations happening in food manufacturing today could reshape how we think about bioproduction economics across industries.Here is the previous conversation with Steven Lang:Episodes 55-56: Cultivated Meat: A Promising Future or an Inevitable Bubble? with Steven LangConnect One bad CDMO decision can cost you two years and your Series A. If you're navigating tech transfer, CDMO selection, or IND prep, let's talk before it gets expensive. Two slots open this month.Support the show

With four of the Mag 7 companies reporting earnings this week, Ben Bajarin says the key aspect uniting all of them is "shape of demand." With AI infrastructure expected to go "up and to the right," Ben poses the question as to how much of AI's buildout is already priced in to Meta Platforms (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) shares. However, he believes Apple (AAPL) can still benefit from its current positioning. One of Ben's biggest question marks on the future of AI is the electricity needed to power it. ======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – / schwabnetwork Follow us on Facebook – / schwabnetwork Follow us on LinkedIn - / schwab-network About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

In this comprehensive session, Favour Obasi-ike, MBA, MS explores the strategic nuances of email marketing. The discussion transcends basic sales tactics, positioning email as a foundational pillar for business documentation, professional credibility, and high-impact communication. Favour emphasizes that while social media platforms often dominate the marketing conversation, email remains a superior channel for conversion and long-term relationship building. The session provides a detailed roadmap for entrepreneurs and developers alike, covering technical infrastructure, audience psychology, and the necessity of intentional engagement.Strategic Insights and Market ComparisonsThe conversation highlights a stark contrast between the ephemeral nature of social media and the enduring impact of email marketing. Favour notes that social media conversion rates typically languish below 1%, whereas search engine optimization (SEO) and email marketing can achieve conversion rates ranging from 16% to over 33%. This discrepancy is attributed to the "currency" of email: the exclusive time and attention granted by the recipient. 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Favour introduces Google Postmaster as an essential tool for monitoring domain health and ensuring that communications are not flagged as spam. The technical setup involves a rigorous configuration of DNS records, including MX, SPF, and DKIM, which serve as the digital credentials for a legitimate sender. Furthermore, the discussion touches upon the physical properties of an email, such as file size and font optimization, which can inadvertently trigger spam filters if not managed correctly.| Technical Component | Purpose | Best Practice || Google Postmaster| Domain Health Monitoring | Regularly check [postmaster.google.com](https://postmaster.google.com). || MX, SPF, DKIM | Authentication & Compliance | Ensure all DNS records are correctly configured. || List Hygiene | Deliverability Maintenance | Clean the list after every campaign to remove bounces. || Email Size| Spam Prevention | Use standard fonts (16px-20px) to keep file sizes low. || Segmentation| Engagement Tracking | Group audiences by behavior or interest for targeted messaging. |Content Strategy and Audience EngagementFavour and his guests, including the developer Ifeanyi, discuss the shift toward more sophisticated, developer-friendly tools like Resend, which allow for scalable, code-driven email templates. The consensus is that modern audiences do not "read" in the traditional sense; instead, they "skim" for value. Consequently, the use of listicles, bullet points, and concise subject lines is paramount.A professional subject line should ideally be limited to three or four words to avoid appearing "junior," while the preview text should be leveraged to provide the necessary context that encourages a click.The session concludes with a call for intentionality in marketing. Favour suggests a "Want vs. Need" framework: use the subject line to address what the audience *wants* (immediate value or curiosity), and use the body of the email to deliver what they *need* (tutorials, case studies, or interactive elements like polls). This approach ensures that the communication is not just seen, but acted upon.Podcast Episode Timestamps[00:00] – Introduction to the role of email in documentation and professional communication.[01:03] – Favour Obasi-ike's background in intellectual property and search engine marketing.[02:35] – Comparative analysis of conversion rates across social media, SEO, and email.[04:50] – Technical requirements for deliverability: Google Postmaster and MX record configuration.[06:16] – Reflections on the "We Don't PLAY™️" podcast and Favour's six-year tenure on Clubhouse.[22:37] – The impact of font selection and email file size on technical deliverability.[23:53] – Strategies for audience segmentation and the importance of reviewing engagement analytics.[24:26] – Managing hard and soft bounces through consistent list hygiene.[28:44] – Guest contribution from Ifeanyi on using "Resend" and React for scalable email infrastructure.[45:20] – Timing strategies: Measuring audience activity windows for optimal email delivery.[46:25] – The psychology of subject lines: Why brevity (3-4 words) signals professional maturity.[47:43] – The "Want vs. Need" framework for content delivery and engagement.[49:36] – Utilizing polls for market research: A case study on Google vs. Perplexity preferences.[52:02] – The efficacy of listicles and skimming-friendly formats in modern digital communication.About Favour Obasi-ikeFavour Obasi-ike is a prominent business consultant and entrepreneur specializing in helping creators and business owners secure their intellectual property through search engine marketing, Pinterest, and podcasting. He is the host of the "We Don't PLAY™️" podcast, a long-running series with over 610+ episodes spanning seven years.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've been posting consistently, showing up on reels, writing captions, creating carousels—and still not getting DMs, inquiries, or booked calls—this episode is for you. In today's episode, I break down the real reason your content isn't converting, and spoiler alert: it's not the algorithm, and it's not because you're bad at what you do. Most of the time, your content is doing one job—education—but not the job it actually needs to do, which is help someone make a decision. This is a practical, no-fluff, open-your-notes-app-and-do-this-with-me episode. And yes, the fix really does take about 15 minutes. What You'll Learn in This Episode 1. Why Educational Content Alone Doesn't Convert Educational content is valuable—but it's incomplete. If your posts are getting likes, saves, and "this is so helpful" comments but no action, it's because education without direction turns into entertainment. People don't buy information. They buy relief, clarity, and transformation. 2. The Two Silent Questions Every Buyer Is Asking If your content doesn't answer these, the scroll continues: Is this for me? What do I do next? Good content that doesn't answer both questions won't convert—no matter how helpful it is. 3. The Real Problem: Your Content Is Doing the Wrong Job Most coaches are trained to: Give value Educate Teach But value without clarity becomes passive consumption. Your content must help someone see themselves, name the problem, and take the next step. 4. The 3 Conversion Triggers Every Post Needs I walk you through the three things your content must include to convert: 1. A specific person If you speak to everyone, no one feels seen. 2. A specific problem Fluffy content doesn't create urgency. 3. A specific next step Dead ends don't convert. Miss even one of these, and your content stalls. 5. The 15-Minute Content Fix (Step by Step) Step 1: The WHO Line Start your post by calling out exactly who it's for. Specific beats clever. Always. Step 2: The Pain → Outcome Bridge Name what's hurting them and what life looks like on the other side. This is where urgency is created. Step 3: One Clear CTA One post. One next step. No guessing. Clarity converts—not pressure. 6. Why This Isn't "Salesy" (It's Leadership) If someone is struggling and you have a solution, telling them what to do next isn't selling—it's serving. Clear is kind. Confusion is exhausting.

We started off the program with the major announcement of the scheduling of a major debate later in 2026 with Craig Truglia on the topic of the veneration of icons and the Seventh Ecumenical Council. I explained why this is a vital topic with greater ramifications than might first suggest themselves. Then we transitioned into some of Matthew Barrett's students converting to Anglicanism and where this might all lead. We will do another program tomorrow, so join us then!