Podcasts about COO

Scaling a dental practice isn't just about adding operatories... it's about having the right leadership and systems in place. In this episode of the Nifty Thrifty Dentists Podcast, Dr. Glenn Vo sits down with Erica Benavente, Founder of Quest Dental Solutions, to discuss why many dentists hit a ceiling when they try to scale without executive-level operational support. Erica shares her journey from dental assistant to COO, how she helped grow a practice into a 25-operatory super practice, and why a fractional COO can be the missing link between chaos and sustainable growth. In this episode, we cover: When dentists actually need a fractional COOWhy office managers can't scale practices aloneHow systems and staffing must evolve as practices growWhat changes when you expand to multiple locations

In this episode of the Wharton FinTech Podcast, Bobby Ma sits down with Dean Brauer, President & COO of Cybrid. Dean shares his experience building Cybrid, who combines stablecoin, fiat, and compliance into a single API-first platform helping financial institutions, FinTechs, and enterprises integrate stablecoin infrastructure and launch end-to-end cross-border payment solutions to more than 150+ countries, at up to 90% lower cost, and with full transparency. The Company raised a $10 million Series A funding round led by BDC Capital and has grown 5x in the last 12 months. We discuss: - Dean's journey building Cybrid and his deep entrepreneurship experience - The solutions Cybrid offers in orchestrating stablecoin payments - The Company's bespoke thought partnership with customers in creating and executing their stablecoin strategy - Recent regulatory & industry trends driving forward this rapidly growing space

Are you tired of chaotic operations, burned-out teams, and the relentless pressure to execute big visions without breaking yourself in the process? In this can't-miss fan favorite episode, Cameron Herold goes deep with Griff Long, former COO of Orangetheory Fitness, a leader who's transformed personal growth and business results at some of America's top brands. If you're a second-in-command, exhausted by firefighting and silo wars, this conversation will shake up your playbook. Griff shares battle-tested leadership secrets, why people (not processes) matter most, and how data-driven innovation is gripping the fitness world.Skip another mediocre “growth” podcast. Listen now to avoid the #1 pain point for COOs: stagnant teams, missed opportunities, and burnout. This is your backstage pass to proven strategies and exclusive insights you won't get anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Why this episode is a fan-favorite (and why you need it now)[00:28] – Griff's devastating rookie mistake and how it reshaped his approach[01:24] – The “double threat” that got Griff hired at Orangetheory[03:09] – The surprising science and secrets behind Orangetheory's addictively sticky workouts[09:33] – Griff's golden thread technique for obliterating silos and boosting buy-in[13:00] – Why running corporate-owned studios is Orangetheory's secret weapon[16:02] – How Griff rebuilt the org chart and what every COO should copy[19:20] – Laser focus vs. death by a thousand cuts: How to avoid competitive distraction[25:19] – Griff's top-three leadership lessons (and the #1 thing he'd tell his 22-year-old self)[34:08] – The red/yellow/green “traffic light” playbook for direct reports and leadership developmentAbout the GuestGriff Long is the former COO of Orangetheory Fitness, blending 25+ years of hands-on leadership with a passion for measurable growth and elite team culture. Known for scaling fitness giants like PureBar and SoulCycle, Griff has rebuilt teams, crushed operational bottlenecks, and championed transformations using data and heart. He's a US Triathlon Coach, a Six Sigma Green Belt, and a master at developing people before processes—essential context for any COO facing existential growth pains.

You're keeping people on your crew who are poisoning the well. In this episode, Derek and Tim break down why "talent" isn't enough if the fit is wrong, using a legendary story about Charles Barkley and a $50k lesson from a powerhouse COO. Stop making excuses for bad behavior and start owning your role as a leader. If you don't have clear SOPs, you aren't a boss; you're just a guy with a headache.==============================================Ready to stop playing small? Claim your seat in "The Contractor's Code to Finally Cracking $1M" and learn the systems that separate the pros from the pretenders.https://thecontractorfight.com/code================================================ Rate the Podcast ==Help your fellow contractors find the podcast! Please leave a rating/review.Apple PodcastsSpotify

In the first Executive Function episode, Brett sits down with Jeanne De Witt Grosser, Chief Operating Officer at Vercel. Before Vercel, Jeanne spent nearly a decade at Stripe, where she built and scaled global revenue teams and led product partnerships. In this conversation, she unpacks what separates good executives from extraordinary ones, shares her rigorous executive hiring process, and reveals the brutally honest performance review feedback she'll never forget. In today's episode, we discuss: What it takes to operate at 30,000 feet and ground level simultaneously The leap from frontline manager to manager of managers Inside Jeanne's executive interview process The inherent value of driver trees for metrics Why context is everything References: Akamai: https://www.akamai.com Claire Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-hughes-johnson-7058/ Culture Amp: https://www.cultureamp.com Guillermo Rauch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rauchg John Collison: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbcollison/ Next.js: https://nextjs.org Nike: https://www.nike.com OpenAI: https://www.openai.com Patrick Collison: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickcollison Stanford Graduate School of Business: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu Stripe: https://www.stripe.com Vercel: https://www.vercel.com Where to find Jeanne: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeannedewitt Where to find Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-berson-9986094/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/brettberson Where to find First Round Capital: Website: https://firstround.com/ First Round Review: https://review.firstround.com/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/firstround YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstRoundCapital This podcast on all platforms: https://review.firstround.com/podcast Timestamps: (01:17) What separates good executives from extraordinary ones (02:48) How leadership changes as companies scale (04:15) What an executive is actually accountable for (06:11) The leap most rising leaders never make (07:52) When to dive deep vs. when to step back (10:09) Teaching people to think like you do (11:56) Creating a shared language across the business (13:52) What a COO job description actually looks like (17:20) The upside of owning the full customer experience (19:10) Why marketing rolls up under a COO (21:06) Being demanding and supportive at the same time (22:33) Inside the executive interview process (27:35) The workshop prompts that reveal everything (30:11) The common thread in failed executive hires (36:36) Metrics: the driver tree philosophy (43:04 What a collaborative exec team looks like (57:08) How Stripe got 30 people to operate as one team (1:03:50) Working yourself out of a job (1:10:32) The review feedback you can't unhear

Ever feel like you did everything “right” and still got sidelined? We sit down with Andrea Mohamed, COO and co‑founder of QuantumBloom, to unpack why so many women exit tech and what it takes to build workplaces they won't want to leave. Andrea traces her journey from first‑gen college student to strategy executive and founder, sharing how an MBA unlocked confidence and how glass-cliff roles, nitpicky performance feedback, and unspoken power dynamics still got in the way. The message is clear and practical: stop blaming individuals and start redesigning systems, while equipping women early with the skills that make influence, advocacy, and staying power feel natural.We dig into the critical inflection points where women quietly disengage: the first year after a STEM degree, the leap to management, and the jump to senior leadership, where relationships and influence matter more than output. Andrea explains why the school playbook fails at work, how to unlearn “merit-only” thinking, and what durable skills, communication, negotiation, and cross-functional trust look like in real roles. We talk about psychological safety, manager capability, and pro-family flexibility that benefits everyone, not just mothers, and how these choices change retention.The conversation turns tactical for leaders and HR. Learn to quantify turnover, model retention ROI, and speak the CFO's language so talent programs no longer get cut. Andrea outlines how HR can evolve, as modern marketing did, moving from “arts and crafts” to a revenue partner, by connecting programs to profit. We also address DEI headwinds, the tall poppy problem, and the courage it takes to be values-aligned and visible without burning out. If you care about keeping women in STEM, building fair systems, and turning excellence into advancement, this one gives you the data, the playbook, and the push.If this resonates, follow, share with a colleague who leads teams, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show. Your feedback helps us keep these conversations bold and useful.Resources:Quantum Bloom is helping companies retain and advance women in STEM by fixing the systems that push them out Andrea Mohamed on LinkedInGet the LinkedIn Visibility Foundation. Use coupon code: "BOLDER" to receive $50 off.

Jamie Pastrano, Rebecca Matchett and Brittany Moser are the co-founders of Symphony, a platform pairing AI-powered social coaching with intentional interest-based matching, in a safe, simple, and supportive space for the neurodivergent. Jamie, inspired to build the new app by her son's autism, joined with serial entrepreneur Rebecca, COO, with a track record of building successful fashion companies, including alice+olivia and TrioFit, and Brittany Moser, an autism specialist and digital learning expert. The Synchrony app launches this month.

Could a more formal COO-level approach to office management be the catalyst for sustainable growth in your practice? Today on Everyday Oral Surgery, Dr. Stucki is joined again by Dr. Roger Levin, CEO of Levin Group. Dr. Levin argues that the office manager should adopt the responsibilities of a Chief Operating Officer (COO), moving beyond merely putting out fires to proactively creating systems and checklists that ensure smooth and efficient practice operations. He suggests that a great office manager grants surgeons freedom to concentrate solely on clinical excellence, patient relations, and referring doctor relationships. Ultimately leading to a significant boost in practice income and overall satisfaction. Tune in to the first episode in an upcoming series on the office manager. Today, Dr. Stucki and Dr. Levin delve into the reality of the office manager, break down the job description of the COO, outline the job responsibilities, and discuss the difficulty of managing both up and down. They talk about the responsibility of implementing systems to improve customer service, studying referral patterns, and dealing with all regulatory responsibilities. To hear more, don't miss out on yet another impactful episode with Dr. Roger Levin. Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to today's guest and topic: a mini series on the office manager.Understanding the reality of office managers. Three things surgeons should be doing: clinical excellence, patient relations, and referring doctor relations.They look at the landscape of the dentistry business and why office managers may be essential.Dr. Levin breaks down the job description of an office manager: the COO. Why a solid office manager has the freedom to build a great team. Outlining the office manager's job responsibilities and identifying the optimal balance.The hard part of the role of an office manager: managing up and down.Implementing and creating systems to improve customer service as an office manager. Studying referral patterns of referring doctors. Dealing with regulations and making sure all regulatory activities take place properly. The only caveat to today's discussion. Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Dr. Roger Levin — https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-levin-69ab744/ Dr. Roger Levin Email — rlevin@levingroup.com Levin Group — https://levingroup.com/ Office Manager Practice Mastery Program — ‘Performance reviews' — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16060478/ Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.comDr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059

https://youtu.be/knpxJ7KATsU Joshua McMahon, President of McMahon Custom Homes and a business coach, is driven by a purpose he discovered the hard way: money wasn't his ‘Why.' His real ‘Why' is lifting others—helping people find clarity around their purpose, unlock their potential, and gain traction toward it. We explore Josh's journey from C-suite construction leadership and integrator roles to building his own company as an “evolved visionary.” Josh shares his Satisfaction Pyramid, explaining how customer experience is created upstream through brand awareness, team support, trade partner support, and training, which together produce the outcome every builder (and business) is chasing: customer satisfaction. Along the way, he breaks down why the construction industry struggles with talent, how coaching becomes a competitive advantage, and why McMahon Custom Homes wins through transparency, collaboration, and guiding clients to align budget with what truly matters. — Take 5 Steps to Satisfy Customers with Josh McMahon Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here, the Founder of the Summit OS group and the host of Management Blueprint. And my guest today is Joshua McMahon, the president of McMahon Custom Homes and a business coach. Although I don’t know how much time you have for that these days, josh. Welcome to the show.  Yeah, thanks for having me, Steve. We go a long way back, so it’s an honor to be a business owner and now be on your show.  Well, yeah, you are a business owner. In your previous, recent life, you was an integrator, a COO of a business. So you’ve been running construction businesses and have been C-level in other construction businesses, where we also collaborated. So we have been tracking each other’s journey, for sure. So, Josh, let’s start with my favorite question. What is your personal ‘Why’, and how are you manifesting it in your business?  Yeah. I think this is always a great question. And the real truth of this question, Steve, is that I didn’t know what it was for so long. I thought my personal ‘Why’ was just to make more money. And every time I made more money, I was just more miserable. I was never happy. So my ‘Why’ was never money. I really think my ‘Why’ is all about lifting others. And what I mean by that is I have this ability to extract other people's 'Why' and their purpose from them, help them better see that, get clarity around it and then help them get traction to go attack that 'Why'.Share on X And that’s really my ‘Why’, is to help other, lift other people to really achieve their greatness. So I get a lot of energy and joy from boosting others, and watching that untapped potential really take off.  That is fabulous. And I can see that, as a business coach, that's really very appealing to people when you can do that. How does it manifest in your construction business? You have these Custom Homes construction business, how does that help you there?  And this is where it was really born. So in the C-suite and as I grew in my business, the one part that you have to do is you have to know how to recruit. At least, I had to know how to recruit. And in order to recruit, you have to find the right talent at the right price. And what I was really looking for was that potential. I was looking for the right attitude—the right hunger. I was looking for those right pieces that I could make you a construction individual. I could make you a great construction manager, but I couldn’t fix those other things. And so when I could tap into that and take and help somebody see the vision of what I could do and what our company could help you do in your career, that’s where I was able to really take and 10X my recruiting ability, but also to really tap into that untapped talent that’s out there. Because, Steve, we have a hard time finding talent in the construction industry. Well, the talent’s out there. What’s making it hard is that we don’t recognize that talent, and we’re saying, you’ve got to be this perfect candidate. You've got to fit all these marks. You've got to check all the boxes.And I’m saying, no. I just need you to check a few boxes. I'm going to help you see how you can really fit into this organization and how we can help you thrive. So that's where my ability to see that in them, help them see that in themselves, and then help them tie it to our vision as a company. That's where it really gets a lot of fun.Share on X Yeah. It’s so interesting that it’s not just about doing the job, but it’s about being emotionally invested in doing the job. And how do you get your people emotionally invested? You have to find the motivation that they have inherently that you can tap into, and then you have to make your business attractive so that it inspires them, so that they feel excited to work with you there. That’s exactly what you’re trying to do. It’s like you’re not trying to fool anybody on anything, but to think people just get excited to come do work, or just do the job, or just collect the paycheck. If that’s your motivation, that’s the type of candidate you’re going to get. Then what type of culture do you have? So if you flip that and you say, “Hey, we want to help you  transform who you are, transform your career for the better, and it’s going to help us get to our vision. Well, Steve, that sounds like a win-win scenario to me. And that’s a really appealing piece. And that’s a thriving culture.  Yeah, culture eats strategy for breakfast, as Peter Drucker said. And especially in the age of AI, it's probably even more important, isn't it, that you have a great culture, because AI can copy everything, but it won't be able to copy your culture.  No, that's exactly right. I think AI is a great tool. It’s really going to help us magnify and improve our businesses. But if your culture is broken, AI is just going to magnify the brokenness of your culture, and then AI’s going to tell your people how to go find another job. That is probably true. I haven’t thought about that. So you developed this framework, we are a podcast of frameworks. I’m always looking for the framework and and you talked about this Satisfaction Pyramid framework. Yeah. Is this also something that helps create that culture? Tell me a little bit about this pyramid and how did you come up with it and what does it do?  Yeah, it’s an interesting thing, right? So you understand Maslow's hierarchy of needs. These are the things you need for survival and for happiness. And I've said, look, in home building, we've always talked about customer experience and customer satisfaction. We want people to be happy. And I'm saying, well, I don't know what that means. I don't know—if I hit my schedule, if I hit my budget, if I do everything on time, but they're still not happy—so what exactly am I missing? What's the missing link?  And kind of tying the hierarchy of needs to this triangle of customer satisfaction or happiness, I found that there are some really key fundamental pieces that we've got to lock into place to really get to the customer satisfaction and customer experience that we're seeking. For me, I think brand awareness is first. If your brand awareness is out there and it's really strong, people are going to gravitate towards it organically.Share on X That’s going to decrease your SEO spend, you decrease your marketing, decrease your turnover for people, because people want to be part of that. The interesting story on brands — and I don't know how true it is, I meant to look it up before this — but I saw something on social media about Tommy Hilfiger. And before he launched his clothing brand, he didn't have anything, but his brand was so far out in front of himself that people thought this was this great designer, and he hadn't designed anything. And it was all tied to that piece of brand. So if your brand is strong enough, you can do incredible things. So I think brand is super important.  Yeah. Let me just interject here. So probably 20 years ago, I was working with a company, and it was actually in the construction space. It was in the environmental construction space. And this company had an amazing brand. So the founder was a great thought leader, and he was blogging and talking in forums. And I really thought that this company's got to be a $50 million company. I mean, they're so powerful. And then they invited me to their board as a board member. I said, “Wow, this is such an honor.” This big company. And it turned out it was just a $5 million company. But the brand was so powerful that they looked much bigger.  Yeah. And that statement, that’s an appealing thing. So if you think of yourself as a high level achiever, an A-player, and you are gravitating to that brand, that’s what it’s going to do. You're going to bring in the right people, and then if you've got the right culture and the right other pieces, you're going to stick around with that company.Share on X So a $5 million company can look like a $50 million company and be really attractive to people that are interested in that type of world. Yeah. Super important. Love that story. The second thing for me is team support. This is where I really saw in my career as I grew. I can tell you, my first construction job at the construction management level, my VP of construction told me, and this is 20 plus years ago, I haven't forgotten it — he said, “My leadership style is to give you just enough rope to hang yourself.” And to this day, I have no idea what the heck that means. But what he did show me was he wasn’t going to support me. He wasn’t going to encourage me. He wasn’t going to help me grow. He was basically going to let me swim in the deep end. And if I made it, great. And if I didn’t, no problem — there's another guy behind me. And that’s the mentality of the construction industry. And what I said was, we do a great job of spending money for our sales team. Sales team needs training, we’ll spend the money on training. If the executives need training, we’ll spend the money on training.  But who’s training the middle managers? Who’s training the young men and women coming into the industry? Who’s training the people who don’t have the experience? There’s a big myth in that world. So I think from an internal standpoint — and mind you, coaching is a buzzword right now, just as leadership is — not everybody's a coach, and not everybody's a leader, and that's okay. But if you do have somebody who can coach on your team, and you can coach your team up internally, it’s a very big value add. And so for me, my coaching ability has been a real value add for people that I've recruited, for people I've had on my team, and people I've really invested in and helped grow.Share on X And quick story on coaching. I interviewed this young candidate, I mean, really good-looking kid. He had tons of talent, education, everything he needed, but no construction experience. Still, he had all the right soft skills. And it came down between our company and one of the big national builders. And typically, you’d go to the national builders, more money, more upside, more advantages. And he asked me, the last question he asked me, he said, “Why would I come work for you guys versus this other company?” I said, “Because they don't have me.” I said, I’m not saying this is an arrogant thing to say. I’m saying that I’m going to pour everything from me into you and help take you to where you want to go. You won’t get that anywhere else. Because when we’re done after three years, you can go anywhere you want. And that young man is currently making almost as much as I was making as a C-suite employee, and he’s out in the field running projects. And that’s only like a three or five year period. Like that’s incredible growth, but it’s because of the investment we made in him.  Yeah. There's this saying — I think it's Zig Ziglar — that people don't invest in their people, they don't coach their people, because they're afraid that they’re going to go away to the competition. And then Zig Ziglar asks, “Okay, but isn't there a greater risk that you don’t coach them and and they stay?”  Yes. This is always the thing. And I think a lot of people have a scarcity mindset where they’re so afraid of, if I pour into you, you’re going to go and you’re going to take it somewhere else. What I say is, I’m okay with that. Because when you go somewhere else, you're going to say, “Josh McMahon built me up. He gave me the foundation for my career. He put me in the position I’m in today. I have what I have because of my start. You should go there and get the training from him. There’s no sham e in that because, again, we go back to point number one: brand. That’s tight. That’s my brand out in front of our company that adds value to our company.  So I started my career at KPMG, and one of the ideas they had was this pyramid structure — up or out. But the idea was to take care of the people that even when they leave, they become ambassadors for you on the client side. And then they’re going to convince the client to hire KPMG to be their auditor. And I really like this.  It’s so special, right? Because what you, I mean, Steve, you think about this, we worked together two or three years ago. We still stayed in touch. Even though there’s no financial gain, we still help each other where we can because I want the best for you, as you want the best for me. And that’s what you’re really looking for.  Yeah, that’s true. And the thing about coaching is you have the double benefit, because the company benefits because it has motivated employees who are performing at the higher level than when they came in, and at a higher level than where you hired them, frankly. Correct.  And then they are building a career. So they are building a career equity for themselves. And actually that’s why you get a better ROI on these people, because they have more career equity, they have more skill level than what you have to pay them because you are growing them.  That’s exactly right. You’re building into those individuals that generational wealth that most of us are seeking, or think is out of reach. It's there. We just need somebody to believe in us, and that’s really that piece. The third thing for me, especially in construction, it’s the trade partners. And when I think about it, as a general contractor, look—I'm wearing a collared shirt. You're not going to see me on the job site swinging a hammer. I’m out there with the building plans. I’m verifying things. I'm scheduling. I'm doing more management-level work. That means my trade partners are carrying the lion’s share of the work that actually goes into place. And as a construction company, we don’t make money unless work goes in place.  So I have to do the same thing I'm doing with my internal staff with my trade partners. I have to build them up. I have to elevate them. I have to put them in a position to win.Share on X And this is very basic—schedule accurately. Treat them like people. Treat them with respect. When you go on the job, support them. Listen to their feedback. So if they’re sharing something that’s not working, listen to it with an open mind. And maybe we can do something different, or we can explain why we can't do something different, so they have a better understanding of the ‘Why’ behind what we’re doing. Yeah.  So the trade partners is my next big pillar.  And it’s harder to manage trade partners. I mean, I’m not in the construction, but it’s going to be harder because they are part-time with you. They have other commitments that they have to observe. They don’t wear your brand. They are being paid by someone else who may have a different corporate culture than your company has. And you have to bring them in part-time and make them as good as your standard.  Yes. The hard thing is you have to share with them your vision first. This is who we are. This is what we stand for. Share with them your core values. And then build them up and show them that they’re truly a partner in this. Most of us don’t treat them like partners. We treat them like subcontractors. We treat them like they're inferior individuals—less than me. And I think they can work for you part-time and do that. And you’re absolutely right. But if we treat them like people, we build them up, they’ll be there. Because I want to treat them in a way where, hey, you might be a great plumber, but you’re a terrible business person, and I can maybe help you better understand. I say this because I'm working with a young plumber who's bidding things, and he’s just all over the place. And I'm saying, “Hey, how did you come to this number?” “Well, I just know I need to make X dollars.” And I'm like, “Well, how do you know how much money you need to make? What's your break-even number? What's your overhead burden?” Starting to help him better understand how to break down the P&L, how to charge the right margin on the job so that you’re getting work as consistently as you want, but most importantly, so you can grow your business and continue to support my business as it grows too.Share on X Yeah, you want to create stability for them as well. And if you treat subcontractor well, then they’re going to prioritize you, won't they? So they have other customers that may not treat them as well. You’re going to get the most of the energy from them if you treat them well. And that’s also a huge benefit for your business. There’s nothing lost in that, right? Again, you’ve got brand ambassadors out there talking about, one, this guy builds a great house. He treats everybody great. You made the right choice buying with with McMahon Custom Homes. Because, Steve, if you’ve ever been on a job site, the trades will tell people what they feel, whether it’s good or bad. Yeah. So you are getting it no matter what.  Yeah. You go and you look at the construction site and ask around, and then you will get exactly the kind of general contractor you may be dealing with.  Yes. I mean, absolutely. We love to talk, and so you want people talking about good things and talking up your business and what’s happening in the field, and that’s extremely valuable. Okay, so step number one, brand awareness. We talked about that. Then supporting the team. Yes. So that they feel that they are growing and they are recognized as individuals, that you care about them. Yeah. Then the same goes with the trade partners. You support them even though they’re not your employees.  Yes.  What’s step four?  Yeah. Step four is training. Okay. And training, I think of training in terms of systems that you’re putting in place. Constant, never-ending improvement on those systems. Systems are not static, so training is a nonstop thing that we've got to continue investing in and keep helping to grow our team. So constant process improvement. Having KPIs in place, or metrics in place. And the reason for those metrics is simply where do we need to focus our attention? What levers do we need to pull? And then I go back to the training. So then we train up on metrics that maybe aren’t working the way that we want them to, or we’re not getting the result that we want to get out of them. That’s where the training really comes into place. And if we don't have that training in-house, what stuff outside of the company can we get them into? What type of training do they need to level them up? Because as I think about training, Steve, most of us think you’ve got to fit every box, you’ve got to be the perfect candidate. But you and I both know that I’m good at three out of the five things, and you’re good at two out of the five things. So we make a damn good team together. And that’s okay, and we need to better learn how to cross-train each other, level one another up, and then find those right tools.Share on X  Absolutely. Okay, so what’s the final piece of the flywheel?  Yeah. Well, I feel like if you're doing all these things, brand awareness, team support, trade partner support, and the right training, and you're doing this continuous basis, you're going to have customer satisfaction.Share on X That’s exactly what you want. You’re going to create that customer experience because look, at the end of the day, we’re only here because of the customer. If the customer’s not interested in buying my product, I don’t have a business. And so all of these pieces drive that customer experience. That’s what continues driving who I am. One thing I’m really focused on with customer satisfaction and experience is having good specifications written down. I think yes, we’re a custom home builder, but I have minimum standards that I want to achieve.  So I have the minimum standards. Now, if your budget says, “Hey, we can't quite reach that level,” well, we can certainly reduce our standard. And when I say reduce our standard, I don’t mean cut a corner. I mean change from, say, a Kohler faucet down to a Delta faucet. It’s still a great faucet. It’s still a great brand. Maybe just not the same brand that I would use at this level of home. Or we can go the complete opposite direction and elevate that standard. But just having that set in place, so that if I say, “Steve, this home's going to cost you $1.2 million,” and you're like, “Oh, great. Well, the other builder's $1.3 million, so you've got a better price,” okay, great. But what goes into the price? What are you getting for the price? So if I have those minimum standards baked in, I can tell you, This is what you're going to get for $1.2 million. Now we can go in and customize it and make it your home. Having clear expectations. How important are clear expectations even in our coaching business, right? And it’s not just clear expectations from me to you, it’s clear expectations from you to me. I need to understand what your expectations are. I need to know that I can achieve your expectations. And I think that if I believe I can’t, I need to be honest and say, look, I’m not the right builder for you. I’m not the right business for you. But here are..  Or maybe your expectations are not realistic. Sometimes, for the budget you have, you need to make some trade-offs. Maybe you can have this man cave, but you'll have to cut back on the kitchen, and you’ll have to discuss it with your wife. And that’s really key. So the thing that I love about being a custom builder is that my focus is on collaboration.Share on X If you say, “Hey Josh, the budget comes in at $1.2 million, but I really want to be at $1 million,” okay, great Steve. I’m here to collaborate with you and show you ways we can tweak things, pull this down, and future-proof your home. Because I want you to have the home that you want, and in two years you can probably afford that additional $200,000. I don't want to put you in a place where you can easily plug and play that versus oh, now I got to rip out all these walls. I got to redo this. It's not $200,000—it could be $300,000. So that’s where we can collaborate and really find the right pieces to put you in the best position.  That’s very interesting. This whole framework, the culture that you build here. Is this something that connects this whole framework, this idea that you have, how you’re projecting the culture out into the customer service? Is this why you started the McMahon Custom Homes?  It truly is. Well, two parts, Steve. One, I’m an entrepreneur at heart and I have fought this my entire life, and I’ve always thought there was something wrong with me. Why can’t I just get on board? Why can’t I just drink the Kool-Aid? Why can’t I just get in line? And two or three years I go into a company, I do great things, I start rebuilding things, and then I start to get that itch. And then I’m like, okay, I need to go somewhere else. And for a long time I thought it was, well, I’m just moving to a new company to make more money, which was true. I was making more money, but then I wasn’t happy. Again, it was never tied to the money, so it was really just that entrepreneur need. But the second piece was, I've noticed for ten years—a decade—that our industry is in need of a massive transformation. The antiquated way of doing business and how we do things. I think the builder suites and the stuff that we have at our disposal is really good, but it’s not what everybody’s looking for. But I couldn’t tell you, the owner, Hey, we’ve got to scrap this. We need to do this. Because ultimately, even as the integrator, my job is to bring your vision to life. And if this is part of your vision, then I need to bring this to life. And so I started to realize with my entrepreneur spirit and my own ideas, I needed to start developing my own home building business to start bringing some of that to life, to really satisfy who I am and do the things that I wanted.Share on X Yeah, this is so important because, as entrepreneurs, we have this frustration. We are somewhere and things are not going as well as you would like. And we don’t get to tell the boss how to do things because they have their own ideas and their own set ways, and then they just get irritated by all those ideas and they feel like we are just being disgruntled employees, and this frustration eats away at you. And at some point you say, okay, what the heck? I'm just going to rip the Band‑Aid off and try to figure it out, right? It’s very true. I mean, it’s funny now looking back on it because there were so many times where I just didn’t understand. I was like, “What the heck is the matter with me?” But you’re exactly right — you’re going to bang your head against the wall, and not everybody’s cut out to be an entrepreneur, right? I mean, it sounds really great being self-employed, doing your own thing, making your own hours. It sounds great.  But I tell you something, Josh, not everyone is cut out to be an employee either.  No doubt, Steve. So true.  So it’s the other side of the coin. I think many of us become entrepreneurs because we basically eliminate all the viable alternatives.  Yeah. Burn all the boats, right?  Yeah.  I think there’s so much value in this. The second time we really got introduced and got to work together, you introduced me to the book Second in Command by Cameron Herold. I’m a  Cameron Herold fan in the Second in Command book, and I read that book and I said, “Man, this is me. I can do this.” I love being more in the shadows, helping a visionary grow their business, and doing all that stuff. What happened was, I started to really enjoy being out there, networking, putting myself out, and getting in front of people.  And I was like, well, I’m a visionary. I can see what’s going on in the future. And I think I was more of a visionary than the person who said he was a visionary. So it was really like, then we’re clashing heads on which vision are we chasing. And I’m like, I got to get outta here because I’m steering you away from what you want to do, and that’s not fair to you.  I think there are two major types of visionaries. There are the born visionaries, and then there are the evolved visionaries. So you have the born visionary who is a visionary because they are just not able to execute, but they can come up with all the big ideas. And if they find people who can execute for them, they're in luck, and they might build a company. And then you have the evolved visionary who starts out doing the work, grinding, figuring things out, teaching themselves discipline and work ethic. And then they start to manage people because they’re doing it better, so they get more responsibility, and then they become an integrator or operator. And at some point, they want to come out of the cocoon and do it themselves. And maybe you’re that version of it, the evolved visionary.  You summed that up perfectly because that's exactly how this whole thing transpired.  Love it. So tell me about, what makes McMahon Custom Homes unique? Beyond the culture—is it the culture that makes you unique, or is there something else? From the eyes of the customer, what makes you unique?  I don’t know that it’s our culture that makes us unique. I think what really makes us unique is our process—how we do things. We start everything with an initial consultation, just myself meeting with the homebuyers. Typically, it's a virtual meeting where I want to learn more about your project. I’m interested in what you want to build, what your expectations are, what your non-negotiables are, and I just really explore everything under the sun about your project.  Then I'm going to ask the dreaded question: what's your ideal budget? Most—or a lot of—people say, “You know what, I don't want to give the budget. So I'll say, “Okay, what budget number scares you?” Because as a custom home builder, I’m going to help you design the home that you want for the price that you want. But I’m going to also share with you if it’s not possible. If you have a home design that's more than what your budget is, I'm going to share that with you in real time, as soon as I can. So I'm very transparent. And I learned this from working in my past, where we wouldn't share those numbers with clients. We had a client where we were a million dollars over their ideal budget. It was six to eight months of working with them and about $25,000 in actual costs. I don't need to tell you—the homeowner was not pleased, and the homeowner did not pay that bill.  So that was a major lost opportunity in the build, but also the opportunity cost and how much time we spent on it. I learned from that and said, “Hey, I don't want to do that. I don't need every buyer to be a yes. If I'm a good fit for you, and I'm a good builder for you, great—let's go.Share on X I want to build your house. I’m excited about building homes for people. But I don't need to build everybody's house, because for some people, it's just not the right fit. So for me, I'm your guide in this process. And that's what I really pride myself in. You want to build a home, I’m going to guide you through this process, help you with each step of the way. Help you with the county side, the field side. I’m here to guide you through that whole thing. We really work towards your budget, your ideal budget. We build it out. We’re very transparent. A lot of clarity on what we’re doing, where we can collaborate, where we can maybe say, Hey, instead of $80,000 tile package, we can get a $45,000 tile package. Because we’re really looking for what’s your vision for it.  Yeah.  What do you want to see? How do you want to feel? And we can help you pull that together.  Yeah, I think that’s very interesting, because I can see that there is value being created when you have an empathetic CEO who runs the business. You, in that case, who really gets to feel what the lifestyle of the individual is, what their vision is. You help them paint the picture so that you see it as well, and then you measure each element in proportion to their desires. Because maybe they want something like a really flashy countertop in the kitchen, but they really don’t care about what the deck is going to look like. Maybe it’s a stup*d example. And when someone buys, I don’t know, a standard home, then you are going to pay for stuff that you really don’t care about, and you are not going to get the stuff that uniquely is important to you. And with that approach that you’re doing, you are measuring everything to the right degree, and it’s going to be a perfectly balanced meal for the customer. That’s a great way of looking at it. That’s exactly right. And the deck versus man cave or versus this, that’s exactly the right way to look at it. A deck is a great add-on. It can be done anytime in the build. It can be done anytime. It's a minimal barrier to entry. Well, something on the inside of the house, the kitchen, the showstopper kitchen, that’s a different story, right? Because now you're impacting your life. You’re changing things. If we understand that the kitchen is a really prime target, then we want to make sure we commit enough money to that area. We want to make sure we commit enough design hours to that area. And maybe other areas are like, “Hey, minimum standard's great with us.” Perfect. Done.  Yeah. We only sleep in the bedroom, we don’t do anything else.  Exactly. Great point.  Which is a problem in itself. Anyhow, if someone would like to learn more and maybe learn your ideas—maybe they want to be coached by you, or they want to learn about McMahon Custom Homes, what it takes to align with your vision—and particularly if they're in Central Virginia where you work, where should they reach out and where can they find you? Yeah, so several different places. McMahonCustomHomesLLC.com is our website, so you can certainly find us there. We have an active Instagram account, McMahon Custom Homes. I have an active Facebook account, again, McMahon Custom Homes. I do have a LinkedIn account, McMahon Custom Homes, LLC. Also for myself, my wife and I host a bi-monthly podcast. We took a year hiatus, and we just started again in 2026. Our podcast is not on McMahon Custom Homes, but it's really about the construction industry, different things that you experience, and really just giving back and trying to help others learn from maybe stuff that we did or things that we’re experiencing. My wife is a designer. I'm the home builder, so you kind of get a good mixed bag. And that's Feed Me Your Construction Content, if you're ever interested in tuning into that.  Yeah. And if you would like to see what a collaboration between Josh and his wife looks like, then check out his website,  McMahon Custom Homes. You can check out his house, or their house, that they built together. And it’s a beautiful house.  Yeah. Thank you.  It's a good place to start. Josh, loved it. I loved your content. Really interesting how you created the Satisfaction Pyramid in construction. I think that parallel applies to other businesses as well. Obviously, the elements are slightly different, but brand awareness, supporting the team, supporting your partners, training your people, pouring into them, and then creating that customer satisfaction are important in any industry. So thank you. If you enjoyed listening to this show, make sure you follow us on LinkedIn and on YouTube. And stay tuned, because every week I bring an exciting entrepreneur or thought leader on this show. Thank you for coming, Josh, and thanks for listening. Important Links: Josh's LinkedIn McMahon Custom Homes website McMahon Custom Homes LinkedIn

In this episode of Front Cover: A Rough Notes Podcast on the Agency Intelligence Podcast Network, Jason Cass sits down with Andrew Cowan and Dave Taylor of FirstMark Insurance Group, the agency featured on the February 2026 front cover of Rough Notes Magazine.  Key Topics: From Farmers agents to independent: Andrew and Dave's leap into FirstMark in 2013 Bootstrapping for seven years and choosing people over profit to fuel growth Transitioning to 100% remote operations after COVID showed it could work Four guiding principles: positive attitude, confidence, pursuit of excellence, and thoughtful and kind Choosing ideal clients who value advice and coverage over cheap pricing Teaching agents to reframe price conversations around the three things clients deserve Three-tier training system: foundation agents, journeymen, and tenured producers Using Microsoft Teams, EZLynx, and Sales Center for remote coaching and pipeline management Building a leadership team and moving to EOS with a COO as integrator Service model that frees agents to grow by adding client care teams to relationships Reach out to: Andrew Cowan Dave Taylor Jason Cass Visit Website: FirstMark Insurance Group Rough Notes Magazine Produced by PodSquad.fm

Leadership Is a System With Jarred Patterson, COO — New South Restaurant Group Most restaurant owners think leadership is a personality trait. Something you're born with.Something you either “have” or you don't. That belief is exactly why so many restaurants stay stuck. In Episode 181 of The Restaurant Coach Podcast, I sit down with Jarred Patterson, COO of New South Restaurant Group, to break that myth wide open. Because leadership isn't luck.It isn't charisma.And it definitely isn't title-based. Leadership is a system. And when that system is built correctly, it changes everything. From General Manager to COO — Built, Not Promoted Jarred didn't come into New South Restaurant Group as an executive. He started as a General Manager at one location. What changed wasn't opportunity.What changed was identity, structure, and execution. Through the implementation of the TRC Method, Jarred didn't just “move up.”He grew into the role of enterprise leader. This episode walks through how: Leadership standards were clarified and enforced Culture stopped being a slogan and became a daily operating system Accountability replaced chaos Managers were developed instead of babysat And how that shift produced the most profitable year in company history Not by working harder.But by building leaders who could think, decide, and execute without constant oversight. Culture Isn't a Vibe — It's a Framework One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation: Culture doesn't improve because you talk about it.It improves because you design it. Jarred shares how New South moved away from reactive management and into intentional leadership development, where: Expectations were clear Standards were non-negotiable Leaders were trained to lead people, not just run shifts And results were tracked, reviewed, and reinforced When leadership became systemized, culture followed.When culture aligned, profit followed. Why Most Restaurants Never Make This Leap Most operators stay trapped at the location level because: They confuse effort with effectiveness They promote based on tenure instead of capability They rely on “gut feel” instead of frameworks They never install leadership systems that scale This episode exposes why those habits quietly cap growth—and what happens when you finally replace them with structure. What You'll Learn in This Episode In Episode 181, we break down: Why leadership is not a personality trait—but a repeatable system How Jarred transitioned from GM thinking to enterprise leadership The role the TRC Method played in transforming culture across multiple locations How leadership development directly drove record profitability What restaurant owners must stop doing if they want leaders who can actually lead This Episode Is For You If… Your restaurant depends too heavily on you You have managers but not leaders Culture feels inconsistent or fragile Profitability improves only when you personally intervene You want to scale without losing your soul—or your sanity Final Thoughts If leadership were just talent, Jarred's story wouldn't be repeatable. But it is. Because leadership isn't magic.It's method. And when you build the system, the results take care of themselves. Ready to Build Leadership That Runs Without You? If this episode made one thing clear, it's this: You don't need to work harder.You need a system. If you want to learn how you can deploy my TRC Method inside your restaurant—to build real leaders, engineer culture, and create predictable profit— Go watch my FREE training at:www.GrowMyRestaurantNOW.com This is where you stop guessing and start building a restaurant that actually works for you, not because of you.

Beyond the Business creator Dave Rogers, is also known as ‘The Business Explorer'. He's a previous TEDx Speaker, an award-winning Business Consultant, Coach and Author. For 30 years, he's been using that curiosity to help businesses tackle challenges.On top of that, Dave's not your typical business consultant. Yes, he's worked for big corporations. And yes, he knows how to turn lofty strategies into real, practical results. But what sets him apart is how he brings it all down to earth. He works alongside business owners, start-ups, and leaders to turn “what if” into “what's next.”Summary of PodcastIntroduction to Dave's new membership serviceKevin introduces the topic of Dave's new membership service for business owners, which Dave has been developing since his last appearance on the podcast about a year ago.Identifying the target audienceDave explains that the membership is aimed at business owners. You know, the ones who have built successful companies but are now feeling "stuck". Maybe their business is running them rather than the other way around. The goal is to help them find a different way of looking at their business.The membership structure and tiersDave outlines the three-tiered structure of the membership. The entry-level provides self-reflection frameworks and tools, the middle tier offering group coaching and training, and the top "inner circle" tier providing more personalised one-on-one support.Feedback and suggestions on the membership modelGraham and Kevin provide feedback and suggestions on the membership structure, including potentially removing the entry-level tier, increasing the pricing for the middle tier, and emphasizing Dave's personal involvement and expertise across all levels.The role of AI and automationThe discussion turns to the role of AI and automation, with the group debating how to balance the use of technology with maintaining the human connection and expertise that Dave can provide.Wrap-up and well-wishesThe participants wrap up the discussion, wishing Dave success with the launch of his new membership service and agreeing to stay in touch as he refines the offering.The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-HostsGraham ArrowsmithGraham founded Finely Fettled ten years ago to help business owners and marketers market to affluent and high-net-worth customers. He's the founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, where he introduces AI Agents that you can talk to, that increase engagement, dwell time, leads and conversions. Now, Graham is offering Answer Engine Optimisation that gets you ready to be found by LLM search.Kevin ApplebyKevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com

In this episode of Ageless Future, Cade Archibald reframes aging as a bioenergetic problem—not simply “wear and tear” or the passage of time. He explains how mitochondrial dysfunction can quietly precede chronic disease through declining ATP production, rising oxidative stress (ROS), and increasingly inefficient cellular signaling, setting the stage for issues like neurodegeneration, cardiometabolic disease, and autoimmune/inflammatory disorders. Cade highlights how mitochondria act as intelligent signaling hubs that help the body adapt to stress, why symptoms often appear before labs look abnormal, and how restoring energy can unlock repair, detoxification, hormone balance, and immune stability. He closes with practical “mitochondria-charging” strategies—recovery, sleep, heat/cold exposure, red light, and foundational habits—challenging listeners to prioritize restoration to restore health.AGELESS FUTURE:Book Comprehensive Labs: https://agelessfuture.com/longevity-labs/FREE copy of The Peptide Blueprint: https://agelessfuture.com/blueprintSign up for future Health Accelerator Challenges calls LIVE! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YZsiUMOzSyqcE8IinC5YEQ#/registrationBooks: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Regan-Archibald/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ARegan%2BArchibaldArticles: https://medium.com/search?q=Regan+ArchibaldLIKE/FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE AGELESS FUTURE:YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/@ReganArchibald / https://www.youtube.com/@Ageless.FutureLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regan-archibald-ab70b813Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ageless.future/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgelessFutureHealth/DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Many of the molecules discussed in this video are research compounds and are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any specific medical use, indication, or condition. They are mentioned only in the context of existing scientific literature and ongoing research and are not being recommended, prescribed, sold, or offered through this video.  This content does not endorse or recommend any specific tests, products, procedures, or treatment protocols.References to our clinic are for general educational context only; investigational or non‑approved products are not available for direct ordering or prescribing based solely on viewing this content.  Do not start, stop, or change any medication, peptide, or supplement based on this video. All medical decisions must be made with a licensed prescribing clinician after a proper evaluation. No provider–patient relationship is created by viewing this content or contacting our clinic.  Regan Archibald is a Licensed Acupuncturist and longevity coach. He is not a medical doctor. Cade Archibald is COO and Co-Founder of Ageless Future, also not a medical doctor. All medical decisions, lab ordering, and prescribing in our clinic are performed only by our licensed medical team (MD, APRN, PA).  Viewers should follow the guidance of their own licensed clinicians and local health authorities regarding diagnosis and treatment decisions.

Are you tired of feeling trapped in the chaos of scaling, with too many projects and not enough clarity on what actually drives growth? In this episode, host Cameron Herold sits down with Josh Post, COO of Cabochon Group and longtime COO Alliance member, for an emotionally raw, practical conversation about breaking out of operational overwhelm.Josh reveals how he went from reluctant family business leader to proven integrator, leading turnarounds, managing conflict, and creating systems real teams can actually use. From delegating all the right things to mastering financial fluency, you'll get the strategies and truth bombs most COOs wish they had known at the start.If you're hungry to escape burnout and unlock your next level as a second-in-command, listen now to avoid the expensive mistakes nearly everyone makes while scaling. This episode delivers unfiltered wisdom you won't find anywhere else, and the urgency to take action before chaos catches up with you.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Why most owners don't know how their business really makes money (and what to do about it)[03:25] – The journey from accidental entrepreneur to turning around failing operations[06:00] – Exclusive lessons learned surviving and thriving inside – a family business[10:19] – How Josh navigated a tense partner buyout and instantly simplified everything[13:46] – Choosing the right leadership roles: birth order, strengths, and painful missteps[16:09] – The only books and frameworks that actually moved the needle (and why “just-in-time learning” beats old-school reading habits)[20:22] – From swinging hammers to overseeing finance – demystifying numbers when you're not a CPA[26:42] – Weekly pulse meetings, candid conflict, and the real CEO-COO dance[29:04] – How fractional COO work revealed the true bottlenecks in small business growth[33:13] – The most costly mistake COOs make (and how Josh trains owners to finally be “all in”)About the GuestJosh Post is an industry-recognized Business Turnaround Expert and Fractional Chief Operating Officer who specializes in business recovery, optimization, and rapid growth. Between his position as a COO with The Cabochon Group of Companies and his work as an Independent Expert, he manages a diverse portfolio of over $57 Million spanning several industries.From streamlining operations and accounting to marketing and even acquisition, The Cabochon Group of Companies is the ultimate business support hub where businesses can access a unified strategy from a single source of seasoned professionals that provide a comprehensive, integrated experience.As a Fractional COO and Business Advisor Josh leverages his expertise to provide businesses with targeted, one-on-one guidance on the critical challenges threatening operations. Through resources like his signature business assessment, the Business MRI, he's able to hone in on the root issues, tailoring strategies that work.He credits the COO Alliance for helping him to overcome imposter syndrome, teaching him how to harness his strengths as a Galvanizer and Enabler to drive execution and momentum at scale.

See what gold and silver highs mean and how to plan retirement spending without the 80% rule. Is gold's record run a sign you should buy? Do you really need 80% of your income in retirement? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss retirement income rules of thumb to help you understand how to estimate what you might spend after you stop working. But first, senior news writer Anna Helhoski joins Sean and Elizabeth to break down the precious-metals rally with investing writer Sam Taube. They discuss why investors treat gold and silver as “safe havens,” how a weakening U.S. dollar and tariff-driven uncertainty can move prices, and what to consider if you're deciding between physical metals and gold ETFs. Then, James Bashall, COO and advisor for NerdWallet Wealth Partners, joins Sean and Elizabeth to discuss how to plan for retirement without blindly relying on the 80% rule. They discuss where the 80% benchmark came from, how other shortcuts like the 4% rule and the “rule of $1,000” can shape your thinking, and why running multiple spending scenarios (including a “spending smile”) can help you balance travel, inflation, and health care costs over time. Wondering how to buy gold? You have several options, including bullion, gold stocks, gold funds and gold futures. Learn more about the pros and cons of each: https://www.nerdwallet.com/investing/learn/how-to-buy-gold  If you want to learn more about working with a financial advisor, then visit NerdWallet Wealth Partners at nerdwalletwealthpartners.com/smart Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: gold prices, silver prices, gold record high, investing in precious metals, gold vs silver, safe haven asset, hedge against inflation, hedge against a falling dollar, U.S. dollar decline, dollar index, portfolio diversification, gold ETF, best gold ETFs, physical gold, gold bullion, buying gold coins, storing gold safely, selling gold jewelry, central banks buying gold, geopolitical uncertainty investing, tariffs and markets, market volatility hedge, Goldman Sachs gold forecast, commodity investing, rebalancing portfolio, silver industrial demand, silver for electronics, AI chips silver demand, electric vehicle silver demand, retirement income replacement, 80% rule retirement, retirement spending, 4% rule, withdrawal rate, Monte Carlo retirement simulation, and retirement healthcare costs. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I'm joined by Jon Callaghan, co-founder and managing partner at True Ventures, and Julie Bornstein — CEO and co-founder of Daydream, founder of The Yes, and former COO of Stitch Fix — to break down what investors really evaluate in the first 18 months of a company's life. Drawing from their shared history as investor and founder, we talk candidly about runway, hiring before certainty exists, conviction versus ego, and how trust between founders and investors gets tested when plans change.  Julie explains how she approached budgeting and milestones for The Yes as a non-technical founder, while Jon shares how early-stage investors assess learning, decision-making, and leadership long after the pitch meeting ends. RUNTIME 50:28   EPISODE BREAKDOWN (2:43) Jon: “Julie and I met in graduate school.” (4:24) Julie chose a different VC firm for her first seed round at The Yes (10:33) How would Jon have assessed The Yes if he didn't know Julie? (13:14) Julie: “Runway is your best friend and your biggest gift.” (14:59) How non-technical founders can sketch out a financial model  (22:37) Jon: “There's an immense river of goodness that flows underneath Silicon Valley.” (25:30) How did True Ventures size up SAM for The Yes? (29:00) Only work with engineers who understand your problem (31:25) Some of Jon's post-check expectations for founders (41:44) What are some questions founders should ask VCs in their first meeting? (45:42) One experiment a pre-seed/seed-stage founder can try next week (48:14) The final question LINKS Julie Bornstein Jon Callaghan True Ventures Daydream Top e-commerce veteran Julie Bornstein unveils Daydream—an AI-powered shopping agent that's 25 years in the making, Forbes, 6/25/2025 Pinterest to Acquire THE YES, an AI Powered Shopping Platform for Fashion, press release, 6/2/2022 StitchFix SUBSCRIBE

In this episode of Direct Approach, Anthony Varvaro, COO and CFO of InGroup, joins Wayne Moorehead to explore why data-driven leadership is essential in modern direct selling. From global scale and compensation design to balancing qualitative feedback with financial reality, Anthony shares how disciplined use of data drives clarity, trust and better decision-making.

This week, David and Marina of FAME Architecture & Design are joined by Kirk Lauterbach and Christine Kegel, COO and CEO of Blue Alpine Builders. The four discussed Kirk & Christine's background, how they met, working with your partner, good contractor & customer service, contractors & architects working relationships, ideal client, architect and contractor relationship, understanding everyone's needs & communications, advice for clients working with contractors, favorite place in Tahoe and more. This episode is supported by Chaos • Autodesk Forma & Autodesk Insight • Programa • Learn more about BQE CORE • Future London Academy SUBSCRIBE  • Apple Podcasts  • YouTube  • Spotify CONNECT  • Website: www.secondstudiopod.com • Office  • Instagram • Facebook  • Call or text questions to 213-222-6950 SUPPORT Leave a review  EPISODE CATEGORIES  •  Interviews: Interviews with industry leaders.  •  Project Companion: Informative talks for clients.    •  Fellow Designer: Tips for designers.  •  After Hours: Casual conversations about everyday life. •  Design Reviews: Reviews of creative projects and buildings. The views, opinions, or beliefs expressed by Sponsee or Sponsee's guests on the Sponsored Podcast Episodes do not reflect the view, opinions, or beliefs of Sponsor.  

Victoria Pelletier is recognized across North America as a dynamic, captivating keynote speaker, published author and dynamic executive. Her story of overcoming unspeakable odds to live a life of #NoExcuses is both moving, and incredibly inspiring.   Victoria draws from her 20+ years in corporate senior leadership at companies like IBM and American Express to deliver engaging, inspiring keynotes to audiences across North America.   Socials: Website: https://victoria-pelletier.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VictoriaPelletierUnstoppable  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria_pelletier_unstoppable/?hl=en  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriapelletier/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Victoria.Pelletier.Unstoppable/   Summary:   In this episode of The Heartbeat for Hire Podcast, host Lyndsay Dowd welcomes Victoria Pelletier, a powerhouse executive who became a COO at just 24 and has held senior leadership roles at IBM, Accenture, and American Express. Victoria shares her harrowing journey from a childhood defined by abuse, addiction, and trauma to becoming a global voice on "healthy resilience". She discusses the pivotal moment when she realized her "Iron Maiden" nickname was a sign that her professional armor was actually distancing her from her humanity. The conversation explores how leaders can shed their protective shields, embrace vulnerability, and build cultures where people can succeed without breaking.   Key Takeaways:   - Resilience is a Muscle: While some resilience may be innate, it is primarily a muscle that can be developed and strengthened through intentional work. - Armor vs. Humanity: Wearing a "shield of protective armor" to appear strong can often be perceived by others as a lack of emotion or empathy. - Humanize Your Leadership: Small, deliberate actions—like spending the first few minutes of a meeting on personal connection—can bridge the gap between performance and humanity. - Embrace Discomfort: Stepping into the "zone of discomfort" is necessary for high-performers to learn how to show vulnerability and lead as their whole selves.   Episode Chapters:   00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 00:52 Meet Victoria Pelletier: A Story of Resilience 03:02 Victoria's Early Life and Challenges 05:07 The Iron Maiden: Leadership and Resilience 07:25 Balancing Strength and Vulnerability in Leadership  14:25 Maintaining Authenticity in Corporate Leadership 16:53 Closing Remarks and Future Plans 23:00 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Glenn Harper and Julie Smith offer strategies for writing down action plans, building momentum with small wins, and making sure those 2026 goals don't end up as next December's leftovers.Welcome back to another episode of "Empowering Entrepreneurs." In this week's conversation, Glenn Harper and Julie Smith dig into one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face at the turn of the year: setting growth goals that actually stick.As the buzz of New Year's resolutions fades, Julie Smith shares her insights on why lofty ambitions often get lost by mid to late January, and how breaking big-picture objectives into daily, manageable action steps is key to real progress. If you're ready to trade reactionary fire-fighting for intentional, rewarding growth, this episode is your blueprint for the year ahead.PureTax, LLCHere are 3 key takeaways for anyone looking to turn resolutions into real results:Break big goals into daily wins: Huge visions need to be broken down into actionable steps you can check off every day. Small, consistent progress is what leads to big outcomes.Write down both your goals and your action plan: As Glenn Harper shares, if you don't map out your action steps, your goals are just dreams. Make your path clear and hold yourself accountable.Learn to act from growth, not just from pain: Entrepreneurs often react to challenges—but planning and executing for positive growth is far more rewarding than simply avoiding setbacks.Running a business doesn't have to run your life.Without a business partner who holds you accountable, it's easy to be so busy ‘doing' business that you don't have the right strategy to grow your business.Stop letting your business run you. At Harper & Co CPA Plus, we know that you want to be empowered to build the lifestyle you envision. In order to do that you need a clear path to follow for successOur clients enjoy a proactive partnership with us. Schedule a consultation with us today.Download our free guide - Entrepreneurial Success Formula: How to Avoid Managing Your Business From Your Bank Account.Glenn Harper, CPA, is the Owner and Managing Partner of Harper & Company CPAs Plus, a top 10 Managing Partner in the country (Accounting Today's 2022 MP Elite). His firm won the 2021 Luca Award for Firm of the Year. An entrepreneur and speaker, Glenn transformed his firm into an advisory-focused practice, doubling revenue and profit in two years. He teaches entrepreneurs to build financial and operational excellence, speaks nationwide to CPA firm owners about running their businesses like entrepreneurs, and consults with firms across the country. Glenn enjoys golfing, fishing, hiking, cooking, and spending time with his family.Julie Smith, MBA, is a serial entrepreneur in the public accounting space. She is the Founder of EmpowerCPA™, Founder of PureTax, LLC, COO for Harper & Company CPAs Plus, and Co-host of the Empowering Entrepreneurs podcast. Named CPA.com's 2021 Innovative Practitioner of Year, Julie led Harper & Company's transition to an advisory-focused firm, doubling revenue and profit in two years. She now empowers other CPA firm owners nationwide through consulting and speaking, teaching them how to run their...

From Pepcom at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Paul Tan, COO for Keychron, about the new Q Ultra Series keyboards, their best yet. Highlights include an 8K wireless polling rate with ultra-low latency, exceptional battery life measured in months, a premium CNC-milled aluminum build, upgraded switches, and browser-based configuration that eliminates software downloads that allow for deep customization.  Show Notes: Chapters: Links: Guests: Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon     http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:     http://macvoices.com      Twitter:     http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner     http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:     https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:     https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes     Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

From Pepcom at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Paul Tan, COO for Keychron, about the new Q Ultra Series keyboards, their best yet. Highlights include an 8K wireless polling rate with ultra-low latency, exceptional battery life measured in months, a premium CNC-milled aluminum build, upgraded switches, and browser-based configuration that eliminates software downloads that allow for deep customization.  Show Notes: Chapters: Links: Guests: Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:      http://macvoices.com      Twitter:      http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

This is the fourth episode in the reignited series "Coaching for Transformation". This series will focus on unpacking the coaching strategies that help leaders grow into the best versions of themselves.This conversation is hosted by Dario Minaya, with insights from Susan Minaya, COO, Chief Learning Strategist and Executive couch with Minaya Learning Global Solutions. This episode will focus on leading inherited teams. Stay tuned to learn more.

​​מהפכת ה-AI היא לא רק נחלתם של סטארטאפים קטנים שקמים היום; היא מאתגרת את היסודות של החברות הגדולות והמבוססות ביותר בשוק. בפרק השלישי של הסדרה "דור המהפכה" מבית Startup for Startup, אנחנו צוללות אל מאחורי הקלעים של שתיים מהחברות המצליחות בישראל, למונייד וארטליסט, כדי להבין איך מנווטים ספינות ענק בתוך סערה טכנולוגית. זהו סיפור על האומץ להסתכל למציאות בעיניים, להניח בצד את ה"רומנטיקה" כלפי המוצרים שבנינו במשך עשור, ולהבין שהדרך שבה עבדנו אתמול היא כבר לא הדרך שבה ננצח מחר. עירא בלסקי, מייסד שותף ומנכ"ל ארטליסט, משתף על תהליך השינוי של המוצר שעליו עבדו כמעט עשור שלם, איך במקום להתבצר במודל הישן של ספריות סטוק, ארטליסט בחרה להמציא את עצמה מחדש כפלטפורמה שמנגישה את המודלים המתקדמים בעולם. עירא מסביר למה אסור להתאהב ברעיונות של עצמנו ואיך דווקא היעדר הסנטימנטליות למוצר שבו הושקעו שנים של עבודה, הוא זה שאיפשר להם לרכוב על הגל ולהגיע לשיאי צמיחה חדשים. מהצד השני, עדינה אקשטיין, ה-COO של למונייד, לוקחת אותנו אל עומק היעילות התפעולית בעידן החדש. בחברה שמושתתת על AI מיומה הראשון, עדינה מספרת איך ה-GenAI הפך למאיץ שמאפשר להם להכפיל את הרווחים בזמן שהארגון הופך לרזה ומדויק יותר. היא מדברת על הגדרת תפקידים חדשים כמו "מאמני AI", על הצורך בעובדים עם "Elastic Mindset" ועל התובנה המרכזית שלה למנהלים: המיומנות הכי חשובה היום היא פשוט להיות טובים בשינוי, כי המהפכה הזאת היא לא אירוע חד-פעמי, אלא מציאות שמשתנה כל יום מחדש. כתבו לנו מה חשבתם על הפרק בתגובות או בלינקדאין של Startup for Startup האזינו גם לפרקים הקודמים בסדרה: דור המהפכה 1: שני סטארטאפים בסערה המושלמת של עידן ה-AI דור המהפכה 2: איך מודדים הצלחה של סטארטאפ בעידן ה-AI דור המהפכה 3: ראש בעננים, רגליים על הקרקע - שיחה על השקעות בעידן ה-AISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does God want you to show up for His Kingdom? In this episode, Jeff and Craig discuss: Restructuring your life to give more.Talking with trusted mentors when you're uncertain.Listening to God's voice. Making an intentional downshift financially.  Key Takeaways: Is your dream life actually serving you, your family, and the kingdom? God is with you always - abide in Him. You can utilize the skills God has given you at many different levels.Be open to learning God's path. It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be expensive. Just start exploring options.   "Be open to learning - these things take time." —  Craig Spencer Episode References: Practicing the Way: https://www.practicingtheway.org/ About Craig Spencer: Craig is very blessed to be an apprentice of Jesus and is ardently seeking to follow him more closely each day. Craig's background is in finance & accounting, having begun his career in public accounting and then working with public and private companies in various leadership capacities. Craig shifted to working in the nonprofit space in 2011, where he's had the opportunity to use the skills developed in the corporate world to make an impact in communities across Colorado. Craig currently works with Parent Possible, which oversees and promotes home visiting and parent engagement programs through over 30 sites across Colorado to help Colorado parents reach their potential as their child's most important teacher, trainer, and mentor. Craig is involved with his church in leading classes on discipleship and serving on mission trips around the world. Craig and his wife have been blessed with 37 years of marriage, two kids, Christina & Brandon, and three grandchildren, Levi, Lila, and Noah. Industries - Craig's industry experience includes financial services, retail and wholesale distribution, oil and gas, nonprofit, education, manufacturing, technology, and professional services. He has held the positions of CAO, CFO & COO in publicly owned, privately-owned, and nonprofit businesses. Specialties and Background - Craig is a seasoned professional with a creative mind who thinks outside the box to envision what can be. One of his specialties is venturing into companies experiencing operational and financial challenges and actively listening and working with leadership and support team members to note root causes and potential opportunities. Craig is comfortable rolling up his sleeves and getting into the details while also standing back and having an eye for the bigger picture, strategic viewpoint. He excels at developing innovative, sustainable solutions and then working with management to train personnel to carry those solutions into the future.Craig has worked on analyzing and integrating over 20 acquisitions, initial public offerings, and the structuring and reorganization of businesses, which have led to their successful sales to larger organizations.Craig began his career with Arthur Andersen, where he worked for twelve years in the Audit and Business Advisory Services group and helped to develop and grow its Structured Finance practice. Education - Craig graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Finance and Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant (currently inactive). Interests - Craig enjoys volunteering with nonprofits and his church, spending time with his family, road & mountain biking, snowboarding, and the great outdoors of Colorado. Connect with Craig Spencer:Website: https://c2solves.com/ & https://parentpossible.org/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-spencer-aa378411/  Connect with Jeff Thomas: Website: https://www.arkosglobal.com/Podcast: https://www.generousbusinessowner.com/Book: https://www.arkosglobal.com/trading-upEmail: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArkosGlobalAdv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arkosglobal/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisorsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisors/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw

Scott Kerr sits down with Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, one of the most influential figures in luxury real estate and hospitality. Dayssi is co-founder, president, and COO of Flag Luxury Group, a prominent New York-based hospitality real estate development firm specializing in luxury hotels and residences, known for projects like The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad and others. Dayssi discusses the firm's longtime development partnership with The Ritz‑Carlton brand, what goes into studying customer lifestyle patterns when developing a luxury hotel or residence, and how Flag Luxury thinks about building for the next generation of luxury guests. She also talks about the surging demand for hospitality-led branded residences and creating brand narratives around each luxury development. Plus: Why Daysii and her daughter launched the Women's Power Series leadership and networking platform for women.Featuring: Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, Co-Founder, President, and COO of Flag Luxury Group (flagluxury.com)Host: Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout: The Luxury Item is the leading podcast on the business of luxury, and an important resource for global industry decision makers who want to stay one step ahead. Listen to insightful conversations with leaders of the world's most influential luxury brands as they share the latest trends, insights, and strategies that are helping them forge a strong path forward.Stay Connected: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend or a colleague!

We're excited to welcome Mark Dunahoo, President & COO of TruHu, into the studio for a thoughtful conversation on employee engagement and feedback.In this episode, we dive into TruHu's mission, how organizations can better listen to their people, and what HR leaders should be thinking about as they look to strengthen culture, communication, and trust across their teams.We cover:Practical approaches to employee engagementWhy feedback systems often fail—and how to improve themWhat HR leaders should prioritize right nowTools and strategies that actually work in the real worldThis episode is a great watch for HR professionals who care about culture, connection, and building workplaces where people feel heard.Special thanks to our sponsors:TruHu, Excel Health, Cigna, KLB, and Rula#HR #HumanResources #HRPodcast #EmployeeEngagement #HRTechnology #EmployeeFeedback #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeBenefits

For episode 236, we're excited to welcome Jamie Green, COO of Superset, a crypto start-up on a mission to improve stablecoin efficiency & reliability. Before building in Web3, he worked across startups, venture, and the United Nations; including on programs supporting Syrian refugees with blockchain.In this episode, we dive into why fragmented stablecoin liquidity across chains is one of the biggest bottlenecks to real-world adoption; how Superset is building infrastructure to make stablecoin FX cheaper and more dependable; and what builders can learn from operating at the intersection of finance, humanitarian systems, and Web3.You'll learn:

Join Richard Schneider, COO and Chief Development Officer of Areas USA, on Hospitality Hangout as he shares insider insights into scaling one of the largest airport and travel plaza hospitality operators in the country. From his early start in restaurants at six years old to leading innovation in airport dining, Richard discusses why hospitality will always trump technology and how emerging brands are transforming food service across airports and highways nationwide. In this episode, explore hospitality trends and bold ideas that drive memorable guest experiences in the restaurant industry. Richard also reflects on leadership strategies, acquisitions, and the growth of local concepts in travel hospitality, offering valuable perspectives for anyone in the hospitality industry or interested in the future of food service and airport dining. Episode Credits:Sponsored by: DirecTV for BusinessProduced by: Branded Hospitality MediaHosted by: Michael Schatzberg, JImmy FrischlingProducer: Julie ZuckerCreative Director: Adam LevineShow Runner: Drewe RaimiPost Production: GrodMediawww.thehospitalityhangout.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI is reshaping military decision-making. Clint Alanis (Co-Founder & COO, Smack Technologies) joins Nick Schutt to explain how their Omega and Alpha platforms deliver decision dominance — compressing cycles from weeks to minutes while maintaining human oversight. From synthetic warfare generation to edge autonomy, Smack bridges legacy processes with real-time, physics-based intelligence. Key topics: Omega: Staff augmentation for faster commander decisions Alpha: Tactical edge co-pilot for intelligent autonomy Synthetic data for high-intensity conflict simulation Fault-tolerant AI for disconnected environments Why domain expertise + RL beats general frontier models The cultural shift needed for rapid adoption If you're in defense tech or acquisition, this is essential listening for 2026. Channel: @RobotsandRedTapeAI | Host: Nick Schutt Subscribe for more on AI, defense, and bureaucracy.

USDC closed the gap between software and law in modern finance.On Grit, Jeremy Allaire discusses how fully reserved, dollar backed digital currency became part of the financial system after more than a decade of work.He also shares why for him grit is about sustaining belief through deep uncertainty, even when Circle faced the threat of bankruptcy in 2019.Guest: Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at Circle​Connect with Jeremy AllaireX: https://x.com/jerallaireLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyallaire/Connect with JoubinX: https://x.com/JoubinmirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854/Email: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpgritFollow on X:https://x.com/KPGrit​Learn more about Kleiner Perkins:https://www.kleinerperkins.com/ 

What happens when culture becomes the foundation of your business not just a marketing tactic? In this episode of the Business Legacy Podcast, Paul Dio sits down with Evan Marshall, COO of Black Menswear, a cultural impact agency that began as a visual storytelling project and evolved into a nationwide movement and top-of-funnel agency for brands. Evan breaks down the power of enclothed cognition how what we wear shapes how we think and how that idea became the thread that ties together fashion, identity, and community for Black and brown audiences. From viral flash mobs to global brand campaigns, Black Menswear is redefining what it means to speak to not at underrepresented communities. Whether you're a founder, marketer, or leader trying to understand how to build with intention, this episode delivers sharp insights on culture, strategy, and scaling impact without losing authenticity. Timestamps 00:01:00 – The Origin of Black Menswear and Cultural Storytelling 00:02:40 – Why Clothing and Identity Are Deeply Connected 00:04:05 – What the Browning of America Means for Brands 00:06:00 – Meeting Communities Where They Are (Not Where You Want Them to Be) 00:08:52 – Communicating Across Subcultures and Global Events 00:11:38 – How the Workforce Has Changed Post-COVID 00:14:04 – What Lean and Mighty Culture Really Looks Like 00:15:45 – Ideal Clients and Brand Partnerships 00:17:53 – The Real Legacy: Impacting Lives Through Space and Belonging 00:19:35 – Where to Connect with Evan and Black Menswear   Enjoyed this episode? Leave us a review here → Apple PodcastsThank you for listening to this episode of the Legacy Podcast. Great reviews help us reach more legacy-minded entrepreneurs just like you.   Episode Resources Connect with Evan Marshall here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebennettmarshall/ Legacy Podcast: For more information, visit https://businesslegacypodcast.com Leave a Review: We'd love your feedback on your preferred podcast platform For more information: Visit businesslegacypodcast.com for show notes and additional resources.  

Families navigating a special needs diagnosis often find themselves overwhelmed, emotional, and unsure where to begin. In this episode of A Wiser Retirement® Podcast, Casey Smith sits down with Meaghan Timko, Founder of Parallel and COO of Gradual Behavioral Health, to unpack what thoughtful, proactive planning really looks like for families supporting children with special needs.Related Podcast Episodes: Ep 210. How can I set my child up for financial success?Ep 279. What Should Parents of Children with Disabilities Know About Estate Planning?Related Financial Education Videos:Why Every Parent Should Consider a Roth IRA for Their ChildHow do I save money for my child's education?Other Links:ParallelGradual Behavioral HealthLearn More:- About Wiser Wealth Management- Schedule a Complimentary Consultation: Discover how we can help you achieve financial freedom.- Access Our Free Guides: Gain valuable insights on building a financial legacy, the importance of a financial advisor for business owners, post-divorce financial planning, and more! Stay Connected: - Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter- A Wiser Retirement® YouTube Channel This podcast was produced by Wiser Wealth Management. Thanks for listening!

Dave Watumull is on a mission to bring astaxanthin to the world. This marine super nutrient supports whole body health and longevity and has captured his imagination for more than 25 years of research, development, and commercialization. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of AX3 Life, a consumer health company dedicated to astaxanthin products, education, and community. He is also the COO of Cardax, a life sciences business focused on pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications of astaxanthin. Today on the show we discuss: Why diet sleep and movement remain the foundation of longevity no matter what you supplement, how most longevity supplements collapse when you actually examine the science, the most overlooked longevity supplement that actually works, why hype and marketing dominate the biohacking space more than evidence, how astaxanthin works at the cellular level to support aging pathways and how to evaluate supplements intelligently without wasting money or chasing trends and much more. Get 20% off your first order of Ax3: https://ax3.life and use code "Doug" at checkout ⚠ WELLNESS DISCLAIMER ⚠ Please be advised; the topics related to health and mental health in my content are for informational, discussion, and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health or mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your current condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard from your favorite creator, on social media, or shared within content you've consumed. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you do not have a health professional who is able to assist you, use these resources to find help: Emergency Medical Services—911 If the situation is potentially life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. SAMHSA addiction and mental health treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-SAMHSA7 (1-877-726-4727) and https://www.samhsa.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how to use the AI Accelerator effect to scale smarter not faster into failure. In this episode, I break down the AI Accelerator principle and why it's the most misunderstood concept in business right now. While everyone rushes to automate everything, I reveal the dangerous trap most entrepreneurs fall into: accelerating broken processes, bad habits, and unmanaged systems. 2026 presents the biggest opportunity I've seen in my entire career, but only for those who understand that AI is an employee not a magic solution. I share a real conversation I had with a board member who wanted to use AI to fix his team's inability to follow processes, and why I told him that's exactly the wrong approach. Joining me is my COO and good friend, Joe Beecroft. Joe specializes in helping ambitious CEOs and founders overcome their biggest scaling challenges. As part of our team at Predictable Profits, he's helped us become the secret weapon behind some of the nation's fastest-growing 7- and 8-figure companies, with 15 making the Inc. 5000 list. A former All-American soccer player and Arsenal supporter, Joe brings both competitive drive and strategic precision to everything he does. KEY TAKEAWAYS: AI is an accelerator it makes whatever you're already doing faster, whether that's good habits or bad ones. You don't accelerate problems; if you can't do it right manually, you have no business automating it with AI. AI is not a technology, it's an employee that requires management and KPIs just like your team. The companies struggling right now are the ones who built their business on a single spoke that AI has disrupted. There's no such thing as a good or bad economy only a different economy with different opportunities. Putting your head in the sand and cutting costs is the opposite of what you should be doing in 2026. AI can actually pull you deeper into the founder's trap if you use it without strategic systems in place. This is the biggest window of opportunity since the birth of the internet and those who lean in now will gain an outsized competitive advantage. Growing your business is hard, but it doesn't have to be. In this podcast, we will be discussing top level strategies for both growing and expanding your business beyond seven figures. The show will feature a mix of pure content and expert interviews to present key concepts and fundamental topics in a variety of different formats. We believe that this format will enable our listeners to learn the most from the show, implement more in their businesses, and get real value out of the podcast. Enjoy the show. Please remember to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes. Your support and reviews are important and help us to grow and improve the show. Follow Charles Gaudet and Predictable Profits on Social Media: Facebook: facebook.com/PredictableProfits Instagram: instagram.com/predictableprofits Twitter: twitter.com/charlesgaudet LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charlesgaudet Visit Charles Gaudet's Wesbites:  www.PredictableProfits.com www.predictableprofits.com/community https://start.predictableprofits.com/community  

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are once again at the center of investor debate—but for very different reasons than past cycles. Lance Roberts and special guest, DeFi Development Corp's COO, Parker White, examine what's been happening beneath the surface of the crypto market, including the growing divide between older and younger Bitcoin cohorts and the increasing fractionalization of crypto ownership. Is Bitcoin's volatility evolving in a way that allows it to function as a portfolio diversifier, especially when compared to traditional hedges, like gold? What is its potential role in an all-weather portfolio? With 2026 shaping up as a potential "catch-up trade" year, we also address why altcoins continue to lag—and whether they still have a place in diversified portfolios. The discussion then turns to regulation and transparency. Would clearer rules improve market stability and adoption? We break down recent U.S. legislative efforts focused on stablecoins, crypto market structure, and blockchain innovation—while offering a critical assessment of their strengths and limitations. We also examine real-world blockchain use cases, including foreign remittances, stablecoin payments, and the tension between volatility and utility in global adoption. Lance and Parker address the practical side: how investors think about accessing and storing digital assets—and why protecting software developers and open-source innovation remains a foundational issue for the future of blockchain technology. This episode is designed to move beyond hype and headlines and focus on where cryptocurrency may—or may not—fit within a disciplined investment framework. 0:00 - INTRO 0:50 - Meet Parker White 2:06 - What's been going on lately with Bitcoin? 4:50 - Older & Younger Bitcoin Cohorts 6:37 - Is the cryptocurrency market becoming fractionalized; how does this affect volatility? 12:12 - Can Crypto become a diversifier in volatility? 13:13 - Why investors shy away from Bitcoin/Cryptocurrency 14:01 - Comparisons with Gold 15:34 - Bitcoin in All-Weather Portfolio 17:04 - 2026: The Year of the Catch-up Trade 19:53 - The relative poor performance of altcoins: What's their place in a portfolio? 22:12 - Would the Cryptocurrency market do better with more regulation? Better transparency 25:46 - How to buy & store cryptocurrencies 29:40 - The Viability of the Blockchain - volatility vs utility & global adoption 31:30 - Blockchains & Foreign Remittances 33:11 - Paying bills w Stablecoin 40:59 - The Genius Act & Stablecoin - Dollars still the dominant trading asset 43:42 - The Clarity Act - provides regulatory guidelines for the crypto industry Critiquing the Acts 44:51 - The One Thing - making sure software developers have 1st Amendment protection Hosted by RIA Advisors Chief Investment Strategist, Lance Roberts, CIO, w Parker White, COO/CIO, DeFi Development Corp Produced by Brent Clanton, Executive Producer ------- Watch Today's Full Video on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4roSFzE3Ww&list=PLVT8LcWPeAugpcGzM8hHyEP11lE87RYPe&index=1 ------- Watch our previous show, "The Hardest Part of Legacy Planning - Starting the Conversation" here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Loe7qu06Ack -------- The latest installment of our new feature, Before the Bell, "Markets Stall at Resistance - Volatility Ahead?" is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EviI_k5gb8&list=PLwNgo56zE4RAbkqxgdj-8GOvjZTp9_Zlz&index=1 ------- Get more info & commentary: https://realinvestm entadvice.com/newsletter/ -------- SUBSCRIBE to The Real Investment Show here: http://www.youtube.com/c/TheRealInvestmentShow -------- Visit our Site: https://www.realinvestmentadvice.com Contact Us: 1-855-RIA-PLAN -------- Subscribe to SimpleVisor: https://www.simplevisor.com/register-new -------- Connect with us on social: https://twitter.com/RealInvAdvice https://twitter.com/LanceRoberts https://www.facebook.com/RealInvestmentAdvice/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/realinvestmentadvice/ #Bitcoin #Cryptocurrency #CryptoRegulation #PortfolioDiversification #DigitalAssets #ParkerWhite

Bob Miller, CEO and Founder of IRGame, is a technology entrepreneur with 30+ years of experience across cybersecurity and emerging technologies. He's a pioneer in using AI-powered gamification for incident response (“IR”) training, designed specifically for busy executives who can't spend full days in training but must make high-stakes decisions quickly during real crises. IRGame puts executive teams through realistic scenario such as ransomware, data breaches, business email compromise, and AI-related incidents, so they can practice decision-making under pressure. Returning to Lafayette and building startups Bob graduated in 1988 from University of Louisiana – Monroe in Computer Science and Math. He moved back to Louisiana from San Jose around 2010 and chose Lafayette as home. Almost immediately, the Lafayette Economic Development Authority (LEDA) contacted him about helping build a startup accelerator. With experience across roughly 10 startups, he became founding director of what he named the Opportunity Machine, where his title was “Head Machinist”). Bob later continued mentoring via the Accelerator Board. After three years, engineer and entrepreneur Bill Fenstermaker recruited him to help commercialize products at Fenstermaker & Associates. Bob worked on projects including a custom GIS system and underwater acoustics, following earlier work in areas like satellite systems. Later he became COO at Waitr in its early stage, helping scale from about 300 to 3,000 employees in roughly 12–14 months, the kind of operational scaling challenge he's often brought in to manage. He then joined a local managed service provider and helped transform it into a managed security service provider, an experience that directly led to IR Game. Why IR Game exists Bob identified a persistent problem: many organizations resist spending time and money on cybersecurity because they don't understand it and lack an emotional connection because they have never experienced a crisis. Traditional tabletop training exercises meant to train a business team on how to respond during a crisis (paper scenarios, PowerPoint presentations, and sitting around a conference table discussing solutions) have existed for decades, but they're time-consuming (often 80–90 hours to prepare) and require pulling people into a room for a full day, which makes them expensive and hard to scale. If it's hard, many companies simply don't do it. Bob attended a cybersecurity conference and participated in a tabletop designed for managed service providers, an exercise that was “fundamentally terrifying” and eye-opening. A worst-case Managed Service Provider (“MSP”) scenario is when a third-party tool, especially remote monitoring and management (RMM) software, gets compromised. That can lead to ransomware across an MSP's entire customer base simultaneously. The exercise illustrated IRGame's central insight: about 80% of incident response is non-technical in nature: financial consequences, shutdown decisions, customer impact, employee panic, communications, reputational and legal exposure. Bob brought the tabletop back to his company and ran it with 80 of 130 employees, customizing it with real customer names, revenue figures, and tenure. Even with a mature incident response plan and twice-yearly practice, they discovered a dozen needed changes. That convinced him that if a well-prepared security organization learns that much from a scenario, “everybody can.” The breakthrough: turning tabletop into an online multiplayer game During that exercise, a longtime software collaborator of Bob’s mentioned he still had a dormant game app framework built years earlier for a high-school project with Bob's daughter. He believed he could convert the paper tabletop into an online multiplayer experience in a weekend. After running the in-person tabletop on Thursday, he demonstrated a working browser-based multiplayer version on Sunday. They showed it to cybersecurity tabletop authors and industry influencers, Matt Lee and Ethan Tancredi, who were shocked by how quickly the tabletop content had been transformed into a functional digital game. Soon after, they invited about 20 people to test it. The early version looked rough, like a 1980s text adventure, but it worked. The response was far stronger than expected: participants reported intense emotional engagement and immediate practical takeaways. One government participant said it left him rattled, with pages of notes and a need for a drink; an MSP in Hawaii asked when he could use it with customers. That became a monthly community practice program: they've run 25+ free games, putting 1,000+ people through the system. As demand grew—especially from providers wanting to use it with customers—IRGame chose to commercialize. IR Game mirrors tabletop training but compresses it into a high-intensity, guided simulation. A scenario is narrated like scenes in a movie. Participants answer opening questions to get teams communicating quickly, which is critical because incident response requires fast coordination. Players assume roles and must allocate limited resources to tasks. Challenges pile up faster than teams can handle them, forcing prioritization and tradeoffs, just like real incidents. A key design element is pressure: a relentless timer counts down; there's no pause button. This stress reveals the truth: under pressure, people become more honest about gaps in their preparedness. That's valuable because organizations often sugarcoat weaknesses—until a simulation forces real reactions. Bob explained an example crisis scenario: a business email compromise (which he says is currently a dominant incident type). A financial firm discovers a customer wired money to a “new account” supposedly sent by the CFO, yet the CFO didn't send it. As the story unfolds, participants learn the compromise likely affected many customers, not just one. The game surfaces operational realities executives often miss: internal rumors, uncontrolled communications, legal exposure triggered by words like “breach,” and the need for an “event mode” communications policy that calms the organization and prevents chaos. AI scenarios and new risks IRGame also focuses on emerging AI-related risks. Miller says they ran what they described as the first AI incident scenario at a national security conference (IT Nation Secure) and now maintain multiple AI scenarios. The point is not to create fear, but to provide a safe environment to practice decisions around new threat patterns. Practical cybersecurity guidance for individuals and small businesses Bob emphasizes that cybersecurity is no longer optional and that AI strengthens attackers as well as defenders. He predicts that in 2026 smaller businesses will face increased targeting, because automation lets “two dudes and a dog” run campaigns that once required larger teams, making up revenue in volume rather than big single payouts. He also notes that cybercriminal ecosystems now resemble legitimate businesses, including tools, support, and organizational structure. Bob recommends baseline controls that are realistic for small organizations: unique passwords, password managers, multi-factor authentication, training on phishing, cyber insurance, and economical endpoint monitoring (EDR/MDR). These measures raise the cost for attackers so they move on to easier targets, though no control is perfect. On password managers, Bob uses Keeper and mentions 1Password and others. He strongly warns against saving passwords in browsers. He also flags emerging concerns about AI-enabled browsers that maintain a large “context window” across many sites, potentially increasing risk if compromised. On online exposure to your information, such as emails and staff info on websites, he advises sharing only what's necessary. Data can be scraped and used for phishing and impersonation. Deepfakes and better-written scams are making social engineering harder to detect. He also notes that much personal data is already exposed through breaches, citing Louisiana's DMV breach as an example of widespread data loss where every licensed driver's Social Security Number was compromised. Incident response planning and insurance pressure A recurring theme: organizations need an incident response plan and must practice it, especially as cyber insurers increasingly demand proof. In a room of 50+ attorneys he spoke to recently, Miller found only three had a plan, and none practiced it. He warned that future claims could be denied if companies claim they had plans but don't demonstrate practice. Trying IRGame for free IRGame offers free public sessions: the last Friday of every month, sign-up available via their website. Miller notes they also post recordings and content online (LinkedIn and YouTube). Visit https://www.irgame.ai/ for more information and to sign up for a free public session. You can also see how IRGame works by visiting its youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@IRGameify Personal note: music and creativity Outside cybersecurity, Miller is a musician, primarily blues/rock, and often appears on video with guitars behind him. He draws a parallel between software development and music: both require creativity within rules. He argues policies and procedures aren't bureaucracy—they're like scales and tempo: structure that enables effective performance under pressure.

If you've ever Googled handwritten post in the UK and then had a small financial wobble at the prices, you're not alone. Daniella Paolozzi is proud to be a female leader of her handwritten marketing business. Choosing to market using handwritten post does not have to be a luxury beyond your marketing budget. Tune into this podcast to find out why it might be just the best decision you take in 2026!Summary of PodcastIntroductions and Handwritten Direct MailGraham and Kevin introduce their guest Daniella Paolozzi, who describes herself as a "marketing nerd, website whisperer, and pen written direct mail enthusiast." They discuss Daniella's background in marketing and her transition to focusing on handwritten direct mail, which has proven to be a highly effective strategy for her clients across various industries.The Power of Handwritten Mail Daniella explains how handwritten direct mail stands out in an increasingly digital world, evoking a more personal and emotional response from recipients. She shares examples of impressive results her clients have achieved, such as a builder receiving £68,000 in new business from a 5,000-piece handwritten mail campaign. The group discusses how handwritten mail can be more cost-effective than email marketing due to its higher response rates.Personalisation and CustomisationDaniella emphasises the importance of personalisation and customisation in her handwritten direct mail approach. She explains how her team uses technology to scale the process while maintaining a personal touch, avoiding a robotic or generic appearance. The group explores how this level of personalisation and attention to detail can help build trust and engagement with recipients.Daniella's Personal JourneyDaniella shares her personal story, including her battle with cancer at a young age during the COVID-19 pandemic. She discusses how this experience has shaped her perspective and drive to make a positive impact through her business and charitable work, including using sustainable materials and giving back to the community.Podcast Insights and OpportunitiesThe group discusses the challenges of podcast growth and engagement in the current landscape, as well as the potential benefits of transcribing podcast episodes to improve search engine optimization and discoverability. They explore ideas for incorporating the transcript into the podcast distribution and leveraging it for additional content opportunities.The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-HostsGraham ArrowsmithGraham founded Finely Fettled in 2014 to provide data from The UK High Net Worth Database to marketers targeting affluent and high-net-worth customers. He's the founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, creating lead generation AI Agents & Workflows and introducing the MeclabsAI Platform. Graham also provides an Answer Engine Optimisation solution to get your website in shape to be found by LLMs.Kevin ApplebyKevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He's the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on

In this episode of the Ageless Future Podcast, host Cade Archibald sits down with Derek Norsworthy, CEO of NeuroCatch, to explore a breakthrough approach to cognitive assessment using objective “brain vital signs.” Derek shares how NeuroCatch evolved from decades of neuroscience research into a point-of-care tool designed to measure cognitive function with lab-level sensitivity—helping clinicians move beyond subjective questionnaires and “you seem fine” evaluations. Together, they discuss how NeuroCatch is used to establish baseline brain performance, track improvements from longevity and brain-optimization protocols (including peptides, stem cells, HBOT, red light, and other interventions), and detect subclinical cognitive changes that may not appear on MRI/CT or standard assessments. Derek also recounts his personal health journey from burnout and hormone disruption to functional medicine recovery, reinforcing the episode's theme: better outcomes happen when innovative technology and integrative care meet in the middle. Derek Norsworthy: I began my career as a clinical professional and evolved into a recognized leader in healthcare technology, specializing in the integration of electronic health record systems and innovation across large U.S. health systems. Through roles as a strategic advisor, business consultant, and healthcare entrepreneur, I've guided organizations in adopting advanced technologies to improve clinical workflows, operations, and patient outcomes. Now serving as CEO of HealthtechConnex, I bring my clinical experience and passion for innovation full circle to help bring cutting-edge health technologies to market. Beyond healthcare, I'm a husband, father, endurance athlete, leadership coach, and technology entrepreneur, driven by a mission to inspire others with the tools, mindset, and confidence to live life fully.LIKE/FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE DEREK:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-norsworthy-88427530b/LIKE/FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE AGELESS FUTURE:YouTube -https://www.youtube.com/@ReganArchibald / https://www.youtube.com/@Ageless.FutureLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regan-archibald-ab70b813Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ageless.future/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgelessFutureHealth/AGELESS FUTURE RESOURCES:Book Comprehensive Labs: https://agelessfuture.com/longevity-labs/FREE copy of The Peptide Blueprint: https://agelessfuture.com/blueprintSign up for future Health Accelerator Challenges calls LIVE! https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YZsiUMOzSyqcE8IinC5YEQ#/registrationBooks: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Regan-Archibald/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ARegan%2BArchibaldArticles: https://medium.com/search?q=Regan+ArchibaldDISCLAIMER: This video is for educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Many of the molecules discussed in this video are research compounds and are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any specific medical use, indication, or condition. They are mentioned only in the context of existing scientific literature and ongoing research and are not being recommended, prescribed, sold, or offered through this video.  This content does not endorse or recommend any specific tests, products, procedures, or treatment protocols.References to our clinic are for general educational context only; investigational or non‑approved products are not available for direct ordering or prescribing based solely on viewing this content.  Do not start, stop, or change any medication, peptide, or supplement based on this video. All medical decisions must be made with a licensed prescribing clinician after a proper evaluation. No provider–patient relationship is created by viewing this content or contacting our clinic.  Regan Archibald is a Licensed Acupuncturist and longevity coach. He is not a medical doctor. Cade Archibald is COO and Co-Founder of Ageless Future, also not a medical doctor. All medical decisions, lab ordering, and prescribing in our clinic are performed only by our licensed medical team (MD, APRN, PA).  Viewers should follow the guidance of their own licensed clinicians and local health authorities regarding diagnosis and treatment decisions.

What if the most valuable currency in your career isn't money, but authentic relationships nobody can take away?In this urgent episode, guest host Sivana Brewer digs deep with John Rubino, COO and founder of JID Investments and a US naval aviator turned business leader. Together, they unravel how military discipline, open-book honesty, and relentless connection-building are the forgotten keys to thriving in today's high-stakes market.Discover the proven systems, mindset shifts, and emotional skills John uses to lead through market chaos, burnout, and uncertainty. If you're tired of surface-level business advice and want the real trade secrets to scaling impact and resilience, you need this now.Listen or risk missing out on the exclusive moves that successful second-in-commands use to win, when everyone else is underwater.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Transitioning from Navy pilot to COO: war stories behind real discipline[02:05] – How John's military roots shaped his leadership style and investor trust[04:40] – The wild pivot: launching a business before leaving active duty[07:07] – Top Gun moments, family legacies, and the dream of commanding multi-million dollar assets[10:53] – Secret systems for managing 18+ deals and 200+ investors without chaos[14:02] – Navigating COVID uncertainty—how top COOs adapt and overcome[17:02] – The hidden ROI of real relationships and why most companies are doing it wrong[29:44] – Masterminds and tribe thinking: the best advice John gives his own kids[34:02] – John's high-impact daily process for balancing work, team, and personal lifeAbout the GuestJohn Rubino is the COO, founder, and co-managing partner of JID Investments, where he's raised over $45M and delivered returns across dozens of real estate projects for 200+ investors. With more than 20 years as a U.S. naval aviator followed by a decade in private equity, John is renowned for his disciplined, relationship-first approach to investing and leadership. He also coaches real estate and financial professionals in strategic wealth-building at KW United Wealth.

Send us a textShownotes can be found at https://www.profitwithlaw.com/517.Most law firm owners pour years into building their practice—only to realize they haven't created a firm that's truly sellable or scalable. Too often, retirement or an unforeseen event exposes just how unprepared the business is for a profitable exit.In this episode, Moshe Amsel sits down with Pam Meissner, a seasoned financial and operational leader who now guides law firm owners to greater profitability and exit readiness. Pam, COO at Cathcap, brings decades of experience helping entrepreneurs and law firms build businesses worth buying.Whether you dream of selling your firm, passing it to a partner, or simply want it to run (and grow) without you, this episode breaks down actionable strategies and frameworks—so you don't just work in your firm, you build something valuable.Resources mentioned:

Misty Phillip is the COO of Trilogyworks, a boutique tech firm specializing in cybersecurity and AI strategy. But for Misty, jumping into the AI and tech world began with her work as the creator of Spark Media, where she helped women find their voices through helping them launch their podcast. She is also the author of Spark Your Influence: Inspiring Women to Lead with Boldness, Purpose, and Passion. She felt God nudging her into the tech world, calling her to bring that same level of faith into technology. Misty discusses the realities of AI and how it may shape the future. She also encourages Christians to seek to understand AI and use it for God's glory and spreading the gospel. AI is just a tool, she says, and it can be used for good or for evil depending who wields that power.TAKEAWAYSGod created every single human with specific talents and skills and it's our responsibility to use our talents to equip and encourage othersWe get to partner with God in His creation and use those talents He gave us to make the world a better placeIdentify your kids' giftings when they are young and help refine them throughout childhoodIn the hands of a good person, AI can be used for redemptive work

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Ken Stillwell, CFO and COO of Pegasystems, to explore the realities of leading from the second seat. Ken shares hard-earned lessons from guiding Pega through the shift from term licenses to ARR and ACV, including how to rework sales compensation without losing trust or momentum. They discuss the limits of KPI obsession, the importance of directional clarity over false precision, and why private equity often drives sharper execution than public markets—and how to apply that discipline while still playing the long game.—SPONSORS:Tabs is an AI-native revenue platform that unifies billing, collections, and revenue recognition for companies running usage-based or complex contracts. By bringing together ERP, CRM, and real product usage data into a single system of record, Tabs eliminates manual reconciliations and speeds up close and cash collection. Companies like Cortex, Statsig, and Cursor trust Tabs to scale revenue efficiently. Learn more at https://www.tabs.com/runAbacum is a modern FP&A platform built by former CFOs to replace slow, consultant-heavy planning tools. With self-service integrations and AI-powered workflows for forecasting, variance analysis, and scenario modeling, Abacum helps finance teams scale without becoming software admins. Trusted by teams at Strava, Replit, and JG Wentworth—learn more at https://www.abacum.aiBrex is an intelligent finance platform that combines corporate cards, built-in expense management, and AI agents to eliminate manual finance work. By automating expense reviews and reconciliations, Brex gives CFOs more time for the high-impact work that drives growth. Join 35,000+ companies like Anthropic, Coinbase, and DoorDash at https://www.brex.com/metricsMetronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform built for modern pricing models like usage-based pricing, bundles, and mid-cycle upgrades. RightRev lets companies scale monetization without slowing down close or compliance. For RevRec that keeps growth moving, visit https://www.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to close faster without fighting legacy systems. Designed to support complex revenue recognition, multi-entity operations, and real-time reporting, Rillet helps teams achieve a true zero-day close—with some customers closing in hours, not days. If you're scaling on an ERP that wasn't built in the 90s, book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cj—LINKS:Ken on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-stillwell-83a499a/Pegasystems: https://www.pega.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:How Finance Becomes a GTM Partner, Not a Bottleneck | Chris Brubakerhttps://youtu.be/T2YjdoiJtFA—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:02:57 Sponsors — Tabs | Abacum | Brex00:07:26 The Strategic Value of Being Number Two00:08:46 Earnings Calls, Messaging, and Real-Time Judgment00:10:41 Using Feedback to Sharpen Executive Communication00:11:38 CFOs as Storytellers & Message Repetition00:12:31 Managing Up: Reading the Room00:13:59 Learning the Hard Way: Misreading Dynamics00:15:18 Confidence, Aggression, and Early CFO Mistakes00:15:58 Sponsors — Metronome | RightRev | Rillet00:19:45 When to Email vs Pick Up the Phone00:22:48 Tailoring Communication to Different Functions00:23:23 Audience-Specific Messaging: “Why Me?”00:25:24 Values vs Behaviors in Leadership00:28:13 Why Big Changes Need Anchoring00:31:14 Moving Pega to the Cloud00:32:43 Rewiring Sales Comp for ARR & ACV00:34:56 Sales Credibility Breakdowns with Customers00:36:20 Economics vs Trust in Sales Teams00:37:48 Balancing Field Feedback with Company Goals00:39:17 De-Emphasizing New Logos to Fix the Sales Model00:41:12 The Danger of Over-Obsessing on KPIs00:42:51 Public vs Private: Incentives and Operating Discipline00:45:57 Why Companies Go Private: Motivation Over Patience00:47:29 The Shrinking Public Markets00:47:57 Private vs Public CFO Mindsets00:49:39 Meeting Investors Where They Are00:50:16 A Risky Decision That Paid Off: Going All-In on the Cloud00:51:29 Long-Ass Lightning Round00:53:24 Ken's Finance Tech Stack & Craziest Expense00:54:39 Credits#RunTheNumbersPodcast #CFOLeadership #ExecutiveCommunication #SalesStrategy #PublicVsPrivate This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com

Ex-corporate operators don't fail because they're dumb.They fail because they try to play entrepreneurship like a safe promotion instead of a thousand-run swing of the bat.In this episode of Second Life Leader, I sit down with Roger Martin—former pharma COO who walked away at 46 from the “sharp suit + stock options” life to wake up on a Monday with no salary, no benefits, and no safety net. Since then he's co-founded RockBox Fitness, Beam Light Sauna, and ThriveMore Autopilot, and he's brutally honest about what it actually takes to survive that transition.We get into:* Why survival is wildly underrated as a business strategy—and why just staying in the game longer than everyone else becomes a superpower.* How to think about exponential learning as your real edge (not your idea, not your funding).* The difference between pulling the slot machine lever and building offers that can hit “thousand-run” grand slams.* Why most management jobs are going to be eaten by AI agents—and what that means for your next decade if you're still hiding in middle management.* Corporate as a paid training ground vs. a life sentence, and how to know when you've shifted from learning to just turning the crank.* The conversations we're having with our kids about college, creative careers, and being broke on purpose while you chase something real.* Roger's simple, ruthless advice to his son chasing music—and to any founder on the edge of quitting.If you're in your own second act—post-layoff, post-burnout, post-“this can't be my legacy”—this one is a mirror and a map.Connect with Roger:https://www.linkedin.com/in/realrogermartin/www.realrogermartin.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dougutberg.com

In this episode, Eric Malzone sits down with Amber Burke, COO of Burn Bootcamp, for a deep, candid conversation on what it really takes to scale a boutique fitness franchise without losing its soul. Amber shares her journey from Division I athlete and strength coach to C-suite leader, offering a rare operator's perspective on franchise growth, leadership, technology discipline, and community-driven fitness. They unpack Burn Bootcamp's steady rise from 250 to nearly 400 locations, why the brand has avoided outside capital, and how product integrity, people, and culture fuel long-term success. The conversation also explores the current state of boutique fitness, the balance between technology and human connection, and why strength training, accountability, and community remain timeless drivers of results. We discussed:

How does a university reach 180,000 students while maintaining a billion-dollar research engine and a "perpetual" culture of innovation? In this episode of An Educated Guest, Todd Zipper sits down with Dr. Chris Howard, EVP and COO of Arizona State University, to explore the "Public Enterprise" model that is shaking the foundations of higher education.Chris shares his remarkable journey from being a Rhodes Scholar and helicopter pilot to leading ASU's operations alongside President Michael Crow. We dive into the "Crow Transformation," the crisis of belief in modern higher ed, and how ASU is using Hollywood-style storytelling through Dreamscape Learn to revolutionize the way students learn biology.We also tackle the complex world of college athletics, the legacy of Pat Tillman, and why Chris believes that partnership—not just enrollment—is the key to a resilient workforce. Whether you're curious about the future of AI in the classroom or how military leadership translates to the boardroom, this conversation offers a masterclass in agency, service, and strategic growth.

Are you secretly worried your growth will wreck the “family” vibe in your business or that tighter systems will make top talent leave? In this episode, Sivana Brewer interviews Erica Wright, COO of VRA Realty, whose systems-first playbook catapulted the brokerage from 85 to 115 agents, spanning five states.They dig into the raw truth of building infrastructure for explosive scale (without losing loyalty), balancing tough accountability with real compassion, and leading teams remotely while launching new ventures abroad. Discover how Erica harnessed her psychology and sales background to build trust, manage visionaries, and create a culture where hard conversations actually drive growth.Don't miss this episode if you want to avoid costly attrition, burnout, and lost culture. Listen now for exclusive, actionable insights. These proven moves aren't taught anywhere else!Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Erica's bold entry: transforming chaos into compliance with her first CRM rollout [05:51] – How a psychologist became an operations powerhouse (and opened 8 offices in 6 months) [09:45] – Balancing ambition and deep family ties after personal loss—the surprising lessons for remote executives [13:46] – Color-coded calendars and time-blocking rituals: how Erica runs five business lines from Mexico [16:01] – Her step-by-step playbook for deciding what to delegate, outsource, or tackle solo [19:11] – The “idea overwhelm” dilemma—how to hold visionaries accountable to the real mission [21:37] – Inside the first 90 days: building trust, rolling out new systems, and avoiding agent revolt [25:27] – The truth about “family cultures”: love, accountability, and how to fire without guilt [28:07] – Why being COO feels lonely (and what to do about it, ven if you're building a team abroad) [31:31] – Emotional management, therapy sessions, and creating radical honesty in a high-turnover industry [39:28] – Erica's regrets—and #1 advice for any new COO about setting boundaries with their CEO [41:05] – Her next big move: remote work, funds management, and two brand-new business launchesAbout the GuestErica Wright is the Chief Operating Officer of VRA Realty, a fast-growing boutique real estate brokerage now spanning five states and over 115 agents. Known for her powerhouse systems mindset and global operations expertise, Erica engineered VRA's scale through smart hiring, process revamps, and authentic relationship-building. She brings a rare blend of psychology, direct sales, and hands-on leadership from international markets, transforming loosely organized teams into high-accountability, high-loyalty cultures. Erica is also the founder of Steven's Wings, a nonprofit for underserved youth, and is launching “This Might Be a Bad Idea”—a podcast about life and leadership abroad.

You know that feeling when you wake up already behind, your to-do list is endless, and no matter how productive you are, it never feels like enough?Today we're talking about the quiet burnout that comes from living in constant urgency — and why time itself isn't the problem.I'm joined by Andrew Hartman, founder of Time Boss and former startup COO, who built his entire framework after burning out repeatedly in high-pressure environments… including a season where chronic stress literally cost him his sense of smell.Andrew helps high-achieving leaders stop running their lives on hustle, adrenaline, and fear — and start operating at their highest sustainable pace, with more clarity, presence, and peace.In this episode, we're diving into:Why productivity culture is keeping you dysregulatedThe hidden reason time always feels scarceA nervous-system-friendly way to plan your weekHow to lead your life instead of reacting to itThis conversation is for you if you're highly capable, deeply responsible, and exhausted by the pressure to always do more — even when things look “successful” on paper.You'll walk away with a calmer lens on time, permission to slow the pace without losing momentum, and a practical framework for creating days that feel spacious, grounded, and aligned with the life you actually want.Connect with Andrew:Free Time Boss MasterclassFind him on LinkedIn

What if building world-class company culture could slash turnover, ignite team loyalty, and make you love coming to work, even after 14 years in the trenches? In this electrifying episode, guest host Sivana Brewer dives deep with Vincent Malizia, Co-Owner and Chief Culture Officer at A1 Roofing, to reveal how a "people first" mindset transformed his business. They unpack how working alongside family, delegating with trust, and prioritizing fulfillment (inside and outside work) create truly sustainable success. You'll hear raw stories, unconventional tactics, and hard-earned lessons on leadership, autonomy, and building a company that people actually brag about.Listen now to discover proven strategies that will help you avoid endless burnout, break free from revolving team doors, and stand out with powerful emotional intelligence. This is an exclusive, story-rich episode, a must-hear for any operator or leader ready to love their business (and life).Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Why most people who resist change eventually check out, and how Vincent attracts “let's go” energy[01:14] – The unexpected origins of A1 Roofing: family hustle, college lessons, and sharing everything[08:04] – When company leaders choose team dignity over difficult clients—winning big by walking away[09:08] – How investing in health benefits, retreats, and family flexibility created a magnetic culture[12:32] – Unlimited PTO and summer Fridays: why radical time-off policies actually increased productivity[13:01] – The surprising drop in turnover rate, and how Vincent's approach crushed industry averages[15:14] – Why giving up Saturday work fueled energy and fulfillment for tough field roles[22:27] – How moving from “doing it all” to scalable systems unlocked Vincent's passion (and his sleep)[27:02] – Mentorship, leadership meetings, and a wild commitment to personal growth—all in the real world[34:10] – Inside the rare, drama-free CEO/COO partnership—what makes “ego-free” collaboration last[39:55] – How AI transformed operations and supported team members with real challengesAbout the GuestVincent Malizia is the Co-Owner and Chief Culture Officer of A1 Roofing, a leading commercial roofing company serving the New York tri-state region. Known for his 14+ years of people-first leadership, Vincent rebuilt A1's company culture from the ground up—cutting turnover by more than half and fostering a team of nearly 100 employees. He's recognized for his advocacy of autonomy, meaningful recognition systems, family-friendly policies, and investing in mentorship at every level.