Podcasts about CSR

Dans cet épisode d'On The Way, Céline Caudron, Directrice Financière d'Innovafeed, une entreprise biotechnologique spécialisée dans l'élevage d'insectes à destination de l'alimentation animale et végétale, nous raconte comment cette entreprise est devenue pionnière dans cette activité.   L'objectif de cette start-up créée en 2016 ? Nourrir une population de plus en plus croissante, en réduisant les sources d'émissions de CO2 pour un monde plus durable.   En 9 ans, on peut dire qu'Innovafeed est devenue une référence dans le milieu de l'agro-tech : 490 millions d'euros levés, 350 collaborateurs, de nombreux lauréats, la plus grosse capacité de production d'insectes au monde et le lancement de la filière « de la ferme à l'assiette », en partenariat avec Auchan, notamment.   À travers son témoignage, Céline nous partage sa vision d'une économie circulaire, rentable et respectueuse de l'environnement fondée sur la collaboration locale.   Un épisode qui questionne notre gestion de l'avenir et qui prouve une nouvelle fois qu'innovation, économie circulaire et écologie peuvent aller de pair.    L'épisode précédent d'On The Way avec Xavier Gaucher, Fondateur de la fresque de la rénovation responsable, ainsi que tous les autres épisodes sont à retrouver sur toutes vos plateformes d'écoutes préférées.    Bonne écoute ! Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Losing a trained CSR costs more than you think. This breakdown reveals hidden expenses insurance agencies face with turnover and why remote staffing models are changing how smart agencies build their teams. To learn more, visit https://unleashyourteam.net/ Unleash Your Team City: Austin Address: 7500 Rialto Blvd Website: https://unleashyourteam.net/

Jak będzie wyglądał biznes sportowy jutra?Czy marki, ligi i partnerzy wciąż będą walczyć o widoczność, czy raczej – o emocje, relacje i autentyczność?W tym odcinku specjalnym zabieram Was na scenę X Kongresu Sport Biznes Polska, gdzie poprowadziłam masterclass „Biznes sportowy jutra oczami Przyszłych Liderów Sport Biznes Polska”.A gośćmi tej rozmowy byli laureaci ubiegłorocznej edycji plebiscytu Młodzi Liderzy Sport Biznes Polska: Paulina Laby z STS, Bartosz Wiśniewski z Betclic 1. Ligi Piłkarskiej, oraz Krzysztof Sikora z zondacrypto.Rozmawialiśmy o tym

Hot new bennies are live on one of our favorite cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve! As of 10/26/25, many new benefits are available for you to activate or take advantage of, such as: $300 per year ($150 per semi-annual period) for dining at restaurants in the Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables portfolio $500 per year ($250 per semi-annual period) for "The Edit" hotels   $300 per year ($150 per semi-annual period) for StubHub Complimentary Apple TV+ and Apple Music. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 – a value of $250 annually  IHG Platinum status $10/mo towards Peloton membership Other details: Points on your CSR before 10/26/25 can still be redeemed at 1.5 cents per point until Oct 2027 Some redemptions may be higher using Chase's Points Boost feature Annual fee still waived for military service members's and their spouses in the MLA database Our initial podcast announcing these changes was episode #183. Go back and listen! Check out the full details and apply at: https://militarymoneymanual.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-military/ Spencer and Jamie offer one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions. Get your personal military money and personal finance questions answered in a confidential coaching call. militarymoneymanual.com/mentor Over 20,000 military servicemembers and military spouses have graduated from the 100% free course available at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3 In the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course, you can learn how to apply for the most premium credit cards and get special military protections, such as waived annual fees, on elite cards like The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card. https://militarymoneymanual.com/amex-platinum-military/ https://militarymoneymanual.com/chase-sapphire-reserve-military/ Learn how active duty military, military spouses, and Guard and Reserves on 30+ day active orders can get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3 If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. Want to be confident with your TSP investing? Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual.

Selling in service plumbing isn't about pressure—it's about service and education. In this episode, CF shows how to win at the door, diagnose like a pro, and present three intelligent options so customers feel confident choosing what's best. You'll see how to “change the decision” from spending money to saving money, and why the right bundle (repair/replace + shutoffs + softener where appropriate) leads to better outcomes for everyone.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS/CHAPTERS00:00 – Intro bumper00:02 – Welcome back + episode focus: selling in service plumbing01:11 – Active-problem buyers: why service is highly convertible02:33 – “Convertible” analogy (needing a suit now)03:37 – The framework: Relationship → Diagnose → Value Stack03:57 – The process: Intro, Pitch, Diagnose, Present, Close05:00 – First impressions: CSR handoff, appearance, confidence05:25 – Diagnose like a doctor (avoid tunnel vision & rabbit trails)08:42 – The why behind the what: age, pressure, water quality09:24 – Timing bigger solutions (e.g., softeners) without overwhelming10:09 – Teaching with shutoffs: show, don't tell11:34 – Use the main; build the case with visible evidence12:50 – Ask smart questions that reveal needs13:40 – Isolate issues; let the customer connect the dots15:18 – “Quote it for future records” → pressure-free offers16:51 – Build three intelligent options every time17:36 – Option 1 (retail service) and why it's expensive18:59 – Option 2 (volume/BOGO logic) with shutoffs + faucet19:59 – Option 3 (value stack) with softener/bypass where appropriate20:32 – Change the decision: expense → savings/investment21:12 – The math: fewer drives, higher impact, happier clients23:02 – Hourly comparison: production vs. travel dilution24:25 – Recap: Relationship, Diagnose, Value Stack24:47 – Present, then close with the deal (not pressure)25:20 – Three options, every call → conversions & averages rise25:37 – Serve your community + outro

"There should be some little piece of philanthropy in everything we do.” At HLTH 2025, Kyle Guerin of Henry Schein reminded us that healthcare innovation isn't just about tech — it's about people. In this interview, Kyle shares why purpose and prevention must be part of every care model, and how partnerships in places like Ethiopia and the Dominican Republic are redefining what service looks like in healthcare.

 When the work that once defined you no longer fits, what comes next?In this heartfelt conversation, strategist and executive coach Kelsi Kriitmaa, PhD joins Melissa to explore what it means to embody change, especially for those in the social-impact and humanitarian worlds. Together, they talk about:Living your values through different seasons of life and careerThe difference between having to pivot and wanting toHow to reframe a “career gap” into a story of growthFinding community and accountability when work feels uncertainWhy sustainable leadership matters more than ever in 2025Whether you're navigating a career transition, feeling unmoored by sector-wide changes, or simply wondering what's next, this episode reminds you: you're allowed to change, and you don't have to do it alone.Today's GuestKelsi Kriitmaa, PhD is a strategic advisor, executive coach, and former Chief Operating Officer who helps social-impact leaders and organizations work, lead, and grow, sustainably. After more than ten years living and working across humanitarian emergencies in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, she moved to Geneva and joined the leadership of a social-impact consulting firm, later serving as COO. With 20+ years spanning multilateral institutions, non-profits, foundations, CSR teams, and mission-driven companies, Kelsi blends sharp strategy with a human-centered lens. She supports leaders and teams on organizational strategy and transitions, and coaches mid- to senior-level professionals and consultants on values-aligned careers and portfolio paths. Kelsi holds a BA in Psychology, an MPH, a PhD in Epidemiology, a CSR certificate, and accredited coaching credentials. She's been featured in Forbes, Devex, and The Bloom.You'll LearnHow to test the question: Do I have to pivot, or do I want to?A values-first way to navigate career seasons (and why “having it all” is a myth of timing).The “panic → pause → plan” sequence for layoffs and funding shocks.How to reframe résumé gaps with honesty, clarity, and credibility.Why portfolio careers (multiple revenue streams, multiple identities) are rising in social impact.A simple Top-10 targeting method for focused job search.How to network without feeling salesy, and why “give before you get” works.Accountability pods and co-working rhythms that create momentum.Sustainable leadership trends: psychological safety, realistic workloads, and localized decision-making.First steps if consulting might be for you (and signs it isn't).Key Quotes by Kelsi “We're not one identity. We're allowed to change, and our careers should change with us.” “Change doesn't mean starting over; it means realigning.” “Quality over quantity: ten intentional targets beat a hundred blind applications.”Resources & MentionsKelsi's website: https://www.kriitmaa.com/ Kelsi's take on LinkedIn: The good, bad and ugly: https://www.youtube.com/Kelsi's Group Coaching Programs (including wait list for January 2026 programs): https://www.kriitmaa.com/group-coaching  Devex: https://www.devex.com/ The Bloom: https://readtobloom.com/ Dr. Rebecca Dempster, trained on Internal Family Systems (IFS) - https://resileo.net/   “The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids—and Come Back Stronger Than Ever” by Neha Ruch - link“Toxic Grit: How to Have It All and (Actually) Love What You Have” by Amanda Goetz - linkShow Editor Ziada Abeid is a communications consultant with over a decade of experience spanning media relations, PR, marketing, fundraising, and digital media strategy. She specializes in crafting compelling narratives and data-driven campaigns that amplify brand visibility and engagement. To learn more, visit: linkedin.com/in/ziadaabeid

Guest post by Stanley Olisa For years, corporate giving has been dominated by the same playbook: annual donations, branded sponsorships and one-off CSR campaigns that rarely go beyond a press release. The problem is lack of structure. Business leaders want to create real social impact but most models for doing so are still transactional, not transformative. The world no longer needs photo-op charity. It needs systems that save lives. And that's where a new generation of tech-driven nonprofits, such as Helpster, are rewriting the rules of corporate giving: replacing one-off sponsorships with traceable impact, symbolic gestures with measurable outcomes and delayed reporting with real-time transparency. The CSR problem Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was meant to align business growth with societal good. But even after two decades of global adoption, its impact remains inconsistent. More than 80% of companies globally say they can measure ROI for their sustainability projects, according to a 2025 survey by Morgan Stanley Institute, but only around 70% report having long-term CSR strategies. These figures show a gap between doing good and knowing whether the good lasts. Across Africa, much of CSR funding still goes to highly visible projects, such as events, donations or relief drives, that are hard to scale or sustain. Globally, companies are re-evaluating this approach. The Edelman Trust Barometer 2024 found that 71% of consumers expect CEOs to drive societal change, not just fund it. Investors are also shifting attention to measurable ESG outcomes where impact is quantifiable, continuous and tied to business value. The implication is clear: companies that treat giving as a one-off cost miss the opportunity to make it a recurring investment in resilience, equity and public trust. A smarter model for impact Helpster Charity, founded in 2023, shows what already works: a model of social impact built on speed, transparency and sustainability. The organisation uses technology to provide free urgent medical cover for underprivileged populations across Africa and Asia. Behind its humanitarian mission lies a model that redefines how giving can work for both individuals and businesses. Helpster's life-saving platform tracks every donation in real time, from contribution to medical intervention, allowing donors and corporate partners to see precisely where their money goes and whose life it touches. This level of transparency builds accountability and emotional proximity; donors no longer just give, they witness impact. More interesting, however, is how Helpster's funding ecosystem creates continuity. In addition to one-time donations, it partners with an investment foundation where members can commit funds that generate income. The returns are directed towards medical interventions while the investors retain access to their principal. This structure converts generosity into a sustained revenue stream for impact, a practical blend of finance and philanthropy. In 2025, Helpster and its partners have distributed over $260,000 in direct medical aid, saving more than 1,100 lives across Kenya, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, at the average cost of about $230. These are modest figures compared to the size of global corporate giving, estimated at $21 billion in 2023 (CECP Giving in Numbers Report), but they point to a model that's measurable, renewable and scalable. Why businesses should care For companies, embedding impact in operational systems is both moral and strategic. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed how fragile public health ecosystems directly affect supply chains, consumer behaviour and workforce stability. A business landscape that ignores health inequity is one that underestimates risk. By integrating giving through tech-driven platforms like Helpster, businesses can achieve three critical outcomes: Sustained visibility: real-time funding infrastructure ensures every donation is visible from disbursement to treatm...

It's topical time again. The last few weeks have seen a potential bubble emerging in the markets as tech valuations soar. This time round central bankers have jumped in to provide warnings ahead of this potential crash. In the UK, the Treasury has continued to fly taxation kites to see how the public and markets react - something that we discussed in episode 90. It has been impossible over the last few weeks not to see pictures of a glum looking Prince Andrew (or should he plain old Andrew) across our TV screens.  As usual our task, is to take a passionate, grumpy view of how things should have been handled from a PR and flaks perspective.  So, topics to discuss on this podcast include: - When and how should those with the big roles (CEOs, Governors, Chancellors and so on) give warnings about market instability? Does saying it create more instability? - If AI is going to take over the world of PR and Comms, are there some things we'd really like it to do? - As the Royals garner all the media headlines (often for the wrong reasons), how would we advise the Palace? - And why is Birmingham Council being so reluctant to rename its airport after one of the City's heroes? US cities do it all the time.  This episode is hosted by Matt Young and Andrew Brown. Matt Young has 25 years of experience across media relations, public affairs, regulatory development, employee engagement, brand development, competition and CSR. Group corporate affairs director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.  Andrew Brown; formerly Director of Communications and Public affairs at Ageas Insurance, Andrew has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global, listed, multifaceted firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors. He has considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management as well as reputation sentiment analysis and insight. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc. You can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com and please consider leaving us a review.  This podcast is produced by The Podcast Coach.    

Every once in a while, I meet someone whose story reminds me why inclusion and communication go hand in hand. My guest this week, Shabnam Asthana, is one of those people. She's a global PR leader, entrepreneur, and author who has spent her life turning words into bridges that connect people and purpose. We talk about her journey from teaching and lecturing at India's National Defence Academy to leading global communications for major brands—and what it taught her about empathy, leadership, and real inclusion. Shabnam shares how storytelling can turn data into emotion, and why true diversity is less about representation and more about respect. Her message is powerful and deeply human: being unstoppable begins with an open heart, quiet courage, and the willingness to rise again. If you're ready to lead with empathy and communicate with purpose, this conversation will stay with you long after it ends. Highlights: 00:43 – Hear how early role models and a working mother raised ambitions and set a path toward leadership. 03:39 – Learn why strong communication skills pointed her toward PR and how debates built confidence. 05:24 – See why teaching became the first step when women in PR roles were rare in smaller cities. 08:12 – Discover what it took to lecture at India's National Defence Academy and earn respect in a rigid setting. 12:09 – Understand the leap from academia to corporate PR after being scouted for communication excellence. 15:50 – Learn how serving as a spokesperson shaped internal and external messaging at a Swedish-Indian firm. 17:01 – Gain a humble view of global work and why inclusion means moving from tokenism to listening. 21:08 – Compare India and Sweden and see how representation differs from real inclusion in practice. 24:18 – Learn how small, specific acts like adding sign to slides can make people feel genuinely seen. 34:24 – Find out how storytelling turns CSR spreadsheets into human change that inspires action. 43:22 – Explore the choice to found Empowered Solutions and why entrepreneurship kept growth alive. 53:06 – Take a fresh definition of an unstoppable mindset rooted in resilience and an open heart. About the Guest: A multi-faceted Professional, who has fast tracked from being a reputed National name to a well-respected and emulated global one! Shabnam Asthana has added new dimensions to Global PR and Communications. She has to her credit, post graduate degrees in English Literature, Public Relations and Advertising, an MBA in Marketing Management & several International certifications including a prestigious Hon. Doctorate in Business Administration from the National American University USA (NAU). She has over 25 years of rich professional experience. She started her career in the educational field as a high school teacher and then moved on to the role of a Lecturer at the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadkwasla. She was the only civilian who compered for the Passing out parades, PT & Equestrian display and the Graduation ceremony of the NDA for 3 consecutive years. This was covered live on Doordarshan. It was after one of the Passing out Parades that she was compering at the NDA, that a senior position in a reputed company was offered to her and thus began her foray into the corporate world. After her successful corporate stint in senior positions with reputed companies including Multinationals in India and abroad and reputed real estate businesses, she started her own PR and communications firm, Empowered Solutions in 2005 which has been running successfully since then. Adding offices in USA and Canada as part of its international expansion. Ways to connect with Jan: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabnam_Asthana Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shabnamasthana/?hl=en Linked in - https://in.linkedin.com/in/dr-shabnam-asthana-7b174a5 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ShabnamAsthana/ X - https://x.com/shabnamasthana VyaapaarNiti Expert Profile - https://www.vyaapaarniti.com/expert/dr-shabnam-asthana- Tring Celebrity Platform - https://www.tring.co.in/shabnam-asthana About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, Hi again, everyone. I am your host, Michael Hingson, and you are here listening to or watching or both, unstoppable mindset today, our guest is a person of many talents, and I think you're going to be as amazed about her as I am. Shabnam Asthana is a person who has been involved in she was a teacher for a while. She's been very heavily involved in a variety of things at the corporate level. She started her own marketing firm in 2005 and I don't know what all my gosh, she's got so many things, it's really hard to keep up, but I'm sure she's going to tell us all about it, and I am looking forward to that. And I really appreciate all of you being here with us. So Shabnam, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. And thank you for being here.   Shabnam Asthana ** 02:15 Thank you, Michael, truly wonderful to be with here, and thank you for that amazing introduction. You make me feel as if I've worn a professional cape of so many accolades and so many things. It's wonderful to be here with you.   Michael Hingson ** 02:32 Michael, well, you do have lots of awards and lots of accolades.   Shabnam Asthana ** 02:38 That's just one part of the journey. The true reward is in the, you know, work that I do, these stories, that I shape, the narratives that spring in that is the true reward. And of course, accolades are always welcome, and they are a way of encouragement, which do ensure that, yes, I continue doing the good work.   Michael Hingson ** 03:00 Well, why don't we start back at the beginning, which is always fun to do. Why don't you tell us about the early Shabnam growing up?   Shabnam Asthana ** 03:08 Okay, that's something which is very close to my heart. I was born in India in a small city called Bokaro, Steel City. It was a Steel City. It was an industrial town, and we were a very close knit community, and we had lots of, you know, interaction with people. I came from a background where both my parents, my mother and my father were working, and at that point of time, a working woman was sort of seen as a novelty, not something I'm talking way, way back. And now the people will also guess my age, I guess because it's pretty way back. And that was the time when we weren't India was still developing, and women were still not seen as the working class, you know, especially in senior corporate positions. And my mother was a senior officer in the steel plant, so that set my aspirations and ambitions very high. And I wanted to emulate her. I wanted to be someone who was working now what I would do I was not very sure of, but yes, I wanted to be working. And then later on, my sister, my both my sisters, were also working, my older siblings, and of course, that set the tone for me to also hop into the professional shoes, and, you know, chart out a career path for myself. So,   Michael Hingson ** 04:44 so what? What did you do? As far as schooling? Did you go to college?   Shabnam Asthana ** 04:51 Yes, I went to the local school there, which was an English medium good school called sin Xavier School. And that was some. Thing which really groomed me for the future, that set the foundations for my career. And after that, I did my schooling in the my college, sorry, in the capital city of India, which is Delhi. And then on, I moved to a place which is close to Mumbai, which is Pune, and I continued my education there. And of course, my career started in Pune. That is when I got into academics, and then henceforth,   Michael Hingson ** 05:34 so when you were in college, and as you were coming out of it, what did you want to do with your life? What was your plan? Or did you have one?   Shabnam Asthana ** 05:43 Yes, I did have one. Like I said, I was always good in communications, and people used to tell me that you are a good communicator. I used to win all the debates. I used to win elocution competitions. And I said, Well, yes, communication does seem to be my forte, so why don't I build on that? And then I saw my father, he was in the public relations industry, and I somehow at the back of my mind, I said, Yes, that is something I would surely want to do. So why not try my hand at PR? And that's how the seeds of my career was planted in my mind, and then it developed there on.   Michael Hingson ** 06:30 But you started out in education and in teaching.   Shabnam Asthana ** 06:34 Yes, that's very interesting. I'll tell you. I wanted to start my career in PR, but I was in a place which was a small city, and it was a place called Jamshedpur, before I moved on to Pune, and there, the career scope was very limited. We didn't have women in the PR. In fact, it was unheard of. So the best thing, or the easiest thing that a woman could do was to hop on the bandwagon of academics. And not saying that it was something you know, that was not looked up to. But yes, I did enjoy my role as a school teacher. That was my first job in Jamshedpur, a small it was, again, a steel city in India, and I became a high school teacher, and quite enjoyed it, because that was also communication. It was the way you communicated with your students, and, you know, sort of got them into, got them interested in what they were learning. So that was, again a stepping stone, and it was the area of communications which expanded later on.   Michael Hingson ** 07:47 So how long did you stay in teaching?   Shabnam Asthana ** 07:51 I was there for about two years in Jamshedpur, and then I moved on to Pune. And guess what the next opportunity I got was as a lecturer in the National Defense Academy. That was a place where the future generals were being groomed, and I was a civilian who, sort of, I was the only civilian, probably, who got into the teaching profession there and there I spent a good four years truly memorable. Worth remembering recounting. There was so many incidents, and I loved teaching. That was something which I did at the National Defense Academy too. Although that was at a higher level, it was very different from the school teaching which I had done. This was more, you know, on a national level, where you had to be more, and there was a lot of discipline which came in, because it was the future, you know, Army personnel, Navy personnel, so all that, there was a lot of discipline that came in and that groomed me better. I understood what the world of discipline meant in the true sense, because I lived   Michael Hingson ** 09:10 it right. What? How did you discover the job at the defense Academy? Though that's certainly a whole lot different than teaching high school students or maybe not.   Shabnam Asthana ** 09:23 It is a whole lot intimidating. Let me tell you that it's very intimidating to walk into a room full of, you know, future generals, army people you don't know who you know who you are, I mean, who they are, and you sort of get very intimidated by the kind the aura is very, very intimidating.   Michael Hingson ** 09:46 How did you discover that job? Yes,   Shabnam Asthana ** 09:49 that was done. We in India, we have something which is called the employment exchange. So you register there and you give your qualify. You list down your qualifications, and you know whatever you are planning to do, and they invite you for certain vacancies. So one fine day, I was just sitting and having my lunch at home when I received a letter, and the letter was an interview call for the National Defense Academy. I literally jumped out of my skin because I was a school teacher, and then being asked to appear for an interview in the National Defense Academy itself was a big leap for me. Whether I got it or not was a different thing. But then to sort of come on board and go and sort of appear for an interview was also something very exciting. And when I went there, I was like, I said, the only civilian The rest were army officers, wives and daughters, you know, related to the working personnel there. So when I went, I was interviewed by the three representatives from all the three wings, that is the Navy, the Air Force and Army. And that was a very good experience. They asked me a lot of questions, and I believe it was later on I was told that it was my confidence that got me in. So thanks to that, I   Michael Hingson ** 11:23 was going to ask you why you why you got in, or why you think you got in. And yes,   Shabnam Asthana ** 11:30 yeah, I did ask them that later, and unofficially, I was told that. Well, it was the way you carried yourself, the confidence and, you know, the excitement and enthusiasm that you shared, which was very, very refreshing.   Michael Hingson ** 11:48 So what exactly did you do at the academy?   Shabnam Asthana ** 11:53 I was teaching them English, and I was teaching them literature. I don't know how interested they were in literature, but then the feedback that I got, which was, you know, the it was a routine feedback, which we have the teachers get. So I used to get good marks, and people used to say, yes, that, you know, your classes are engrossing. It's good. And then, apart from that, there was something very interesting I did, which was I compared for their passing out parades, and I compared for all their shows. And that was something which was covered on television, and that gave me a different kind of foothold in my profession, where I was being seen, where I was being heard, and my confidence grew by leaps and bounds. I was being accepted as a woman. I was being accepted as a civilian. And that was something which was very, very heartwarming for me,   Michael Hingson ** 13:01 and I would assume, very difficult to achieve,   Shabnam Asthana ** 13:05 I think so I do yes, in retrospect, yes.   Michael Hingson ** 13:09 So you did that for roughly four years. Yes. And why did you leave that? What was your? Was your thought about that,   Shabnam Asthana ** 13:21 okay, I would have gone on. It was such a glorious part of my career. But, you know, change, they say, is constant, and that is something which happened. I was comparing for a passing out parade when the chairman of a corporate company which was doing rather well, heard me, and he was impressed by my communication, my speaking abilities, my, you know, the way I was presenting things. And he said he offered me a job, and he said, Why don't you come and join my office and come in as a PR person for my company, and that's exactly I was actually, you know, not very sure whether I wanted to leave this an industry and career where I was already established, where people knew me, and just hop on to the corporate world. But if you remember, that was my ambition. That was what I had always won right at the start. So the moment it came, it almost felt as if it fell into my laps. And I said, Why don't I do that? Yes, and this is a good opportunity, and I must take it up. My I spoke to my family, and they too, felt that it was a good stepping stone to move on. And so I accepted it, and that was my entry into the world of PR, in the corporate   Michael Hingson ** 14:48 world. So what year was that this   Shabnam Asthana ** 14:53 was way back on now you are prompting me to give away my age, which is like. Like ancient, I'd be a fossil. Okay, yes, this was way back in the 90s,   Michael Hingson ** 15:06 okay, and that was kind of what I was curious about. So at that time, industry was a little bit more stable than it was later on, but, but still, you You did it, and you so you stepped into that goal, into that role, and so you became part of the PR world, which is, as you said, what you wanted to do initially, anyway. So, so how long did you stay at that company? I   Shabnam Asthana ** 15:39 stayed there for about four years, and then the chairman of the company passed away. Unfortunately, he was on a trip to China, and he suffered a massive cardiac arrest, so I was working very closely with him in his office, and as is the norm of the industry, once the leader is not there things you know, sort of crumble, and you know, there's reorganization. New faces come in, and normally the new people bring their own teams. So I felt as if, you know, before they told me to sort of move out or something. I don't know why I pre empted that. I said, Why don't I myself make a shift and join some other industry? I mean, join some other company, which I did. Again, I applied. It was a Swedish company, and again, it was one of the best moves that I could have made. I spent a good 12 years in that company, which Hogan is India Limited, I must name them. They were brilliant. And I spent a very, very good part of my career with that company.   Michael Hingson ** 16:56 And so again, you did primarily PR, or what did you Yes, it was   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:02 PR and it was handling the chairman and managing director's office. So the entire communication was handled through me, the internal as well as the external communication. I was a spokesperson, yes,   Michael Hingson ** 17:18 so you became so in a sense, sort of the face of the company.   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:21 Yes, I did. It's nice to feel that yes, that it was a good many years that I was the face of the company in terms of communication, yes,   Michael Hingson ** 17:33 right, right. And, and where were you doing this?   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:38 This was in Pune, and their head office was in Sweden. I used to sort of move between the two. It was a very global company. The subsidiary was an Indian subsidiary, but the parent company was Swedish. So we had a lot of global travel   17:56 that kept you busy. That did so   Shabnam Asthana ** 17:59 there were conferences, and there were so many meetings which were happening,   Michael Hingson ** 18:03 yes, right? So what did, what did you? What did you learn from all of that? Do you think   Shabnam Asthana ** 18:12 it was a very humbling experience? You know, more than the excitement, I was armed with a lot of excitement, because that would have been one of my first trips outside India. I was I had a lot of excitement, lots of things were on my mind, but then ultimately, when one does travel and work in a global company, it's a very humbling experience, because you are exposed to your strengths and also your blind spots, your strengths, your weaknesses, everything comes to you and then you feel that diversity is not always about representation. It's about respect and inclusion is moving from tokenism to listening. That is what I felt, you know, adapting various voices to your workplace, working in unison, trying to empathize with people from different cultures, different streams, different departments, all that really broadened my horizon. So that was something which I learned.   Michael Hingson ** 19:30 So what was the culture like, in terms of since you were at a global company, as it were, how was it different when you were dealing with Sweden, as opposed to when you were dealing with India.   Shabnam Asthana ** 19:45 In India, we don't have diversity as a choice. In India, we are served diversity on a platter because you are born with being diverse. You have. Are numerous religions, you have culture. So we are adaptable people in that sense. But strangely enough, it's a paradox. If I would tell you that inclusion is still a work in progress. Inclusion isn't automatic. It doesn't come to you like that. You have to work for it. Now there is a big change, but I'm talking of the days, way back in the 90s when women in boardrooms were a novelty. So sometimes it was just purely for ornamental value. Sad to say that. But gradually you had to open up, you have to open the doors, and you have to say, look, we are here for a reason. And please listen to our voices too. And that's how we started. I started sort of, I remember once when I was moving in India. I mean, not in Sweden, but once when I was in India, and I was in a strategic board meeting. I was the only woman in the room, and the people were sort of, I could sense the expressions. People were curious, people were dismissing. People were sort of, you know, not sort of prepared to take or listen to me, that was a little bit of a setback. But then gradually, when I started moving abroad, and I started seeing more women, and then gradually, when I was moving so were the others, and they too saw the kind of change that was happening. And so it was pretty difficult in India, initially, if I were to be very honest, Sweden was more inclusive. I could see a lot of women in the workforce. And gradually, since we were sort of interacting with each other, we absorbed each other's cultures and values, and the company became very, very inclusive. So it was a pleasure to work there.   Michael Hingson ** 22:08 Okay, so in a sense, there were, there are parts of Sweden that made you happier than what you were in the East initially experiencing in India.   Shabnam Asthana ** 22:19 Absolutely, absolutely, and I have no hesitation in saying that, because they were welcoming. They were welcoming. And the not necessarily my company, but any company in India, the representation of women, especially in PR, was very, very limited. Now we have evolved, and it's a world of difference, and I'm so happy to see that.   Michael Hingson ** 22:48 How about you, may or may not have a lot of expertise in this, but how about if we're going to talk about inclusion and so on, people with disabilities, both in India and in Sweden and so on and again. I don't know whether you really had much experience or exposure to that. I   Shabnam Asthana ** 23:06 do. I did have my share of exposure, maybe not extensive, but yes, I do. I remember there's this one incident I'd like to talk to you about. It was in Paris. I was in a conference, and there was a deaf girl in the conference room. I could see people making presentations and knowing fully well, because we had the list of participants, and we had their intros, their introductions with us, my team. And you know, of course, I headed that team. We made a special endeavor to include sign in our presentation. And she was so happy because she said, you know, she came to me and she expressed to me that although I have participated so many times in meetings, and especially corporate meetings, I am so happy to see. It was the first time that I felt I was seen and I was not just a presence. So she was very happy with the kind of, you know, preparation that we did for her especially. So I believe it's very nice if people learn to respect each other and learn to believe that not everybody is similar. You may have so many strengths which I don't have. I do not see any physical disability as a handicap. I'm very, very sure about that, I do not see anybody who appears different or who doesn't have the same listening capacity, hearing capacity, to be different from me. They have their own strengths. So I truly believe that, you know, disability. In that sense, is something which does not put a person in the back seat. How.   Michael Hingson ** 25:09 How was that attitude received? Well, both at the company, when you were when you were in the room with her, and you were signing and so on. How did other people receive that? And how was that kind of attitude received initially in India?   Shabnam Asthana ** 25:29 Well, to be very honest, Michael, it wasn't something that is the done thing. People do not accept that. They are like, well, it's a general presentation. We really don't have to make specific I do remember a person who came up to me and said, Shabnam, why did you make a very specific presentation? It was a very general presentation by you doing that, you have set a precedent for others to sort of make them feel small, you know. So he took it in a very negative way. Said, you've made us feel very small. I said, no, please do not look at it that way. It is something where we have made her feel a part of us. It is not trying to belittle anybody, trying not to, you know, get a an edge over others. All of us are the same. It's just that I made it a little easier for her. That's what I just told him, and probably he did, walk away with a smile. I don't know whether it was a sarcastic one or whether it was a smile of acceptance, but then I got my   Michael Hingson ** 26:38 point. I took was this was this in Sweden or India. This was in Paris. In Paris, okay, yes,   Shabnam Asthana ** 26:46 okay, this was a conference, which was   Michael Hingson ** 26:49 she said that, right? Well, you know, the reality is that's all part of the inclusive mindset and the inclusion mindset, and it is so true that most people don't tend to realize it Yes. So I hear what you're saying,   Shabnam Asthana ** 27:10 yes, and realization and sort of acceptance has evolved. People are more accepting. People are more flexible. You know, the rigidity earlier, people were very rigid. Now there is a lot of flexibility. I believe that, right?   Michael Hingson ** 27:32 Well, I think it's better. I'm I think there are still all too many people who tend not to really have an overly inclusive mindset. And it is, it is something that that will be with us for a while, and hopefully over time, people will become more open and realize the value of inclusion. In this country, we have, well and around the world, we have a significant number of people who have these so called physical disabilities, and the reality is that the disability is more caused by inaction mostly than it is by real action.   Shabnam Asthana ** 28:12 Absolutely yes. And I also seriously believe that diversity enriches the outcomes. I have some I have practical experience, and I've seen that. So inclusion enriches outcomes in many ways, right?   Michael Hingson ** 28:35 How has all of your traveling and all of your exposure in various places around the world. How has that tended to shape your understanding of diversity and inclusion?   Shabnam Asthana ** 28:50 Okay, yes, that's a very interesting question. I have seen that challenges are real, biases, stereotypes and expectations that women need to prove themselves twice as much also exists in many, many parts of the world. So they have been. I mean, there have been certain cultures, certain countries, which are very easy to breeze through when you are at work meetings or you're talking to people. But there are certain countries in the let's say in the Middle East, the Far East, which are still not very open to, you know, women taking on lead roles, women strategizing, women talking things that would influence decisions. So sometimes there's also a word I'd like to put in here that sometimes it is not country specific. Specific. It is very individual, specific. So there, like you said, you know, there are certain mindsets which still exist. There are people who may be residing in countries that are very open and very receptive, but their own mindset is limiting. And it is a mindset which is closed, it is rigid. So that stops and that prevents any inclusion. You know that, if I were to put it that way, so I would say it's not merely, not always country specific. Yes, individuals have to evolve themselves and change their mindsets. So it's sometimes I've seen it's countries are good, but some individuals are rigid. I've seen some individuals that are good, but the countries that are rigid. So it sort of works both ways.   Michael Hingson ** 30:54 And it's not just about women, it is about anybody who is different. Yes, then the so called norm, whatever that happens to be, absolutely   Shabnam Asthana ** 31:03 inclusion is not limited to women. So again, I'd like to clarify that it's inclusion is a broad spectrum. So yes, of course, we are a small part of it. But yes,   Michael Hingson ** 31:17 you have written a book, yes, romancing your career and and also you've done a lot of mentoring, obviously, and so on. But what do you mean when you talk about women? And I would say anybody who's different need to define success on their own terms. Tell me more about that.   Shabnam Asthana ** 31:41 So women, or anybody, let's not be very specific about women, because then it would be detracting from the main subject of inclusion. Anybody who wants to be heard has to believe in one thing, that silence is not the answer. Courage is so you have to move from silence to courage. Try and portray your point of view. Speak to people if they listen to you good enough if they don't, it's not as if the doors are closed. If the doors are closed, you can surely open a window for yourself, and it works. So just being silent or being very subdued or being very you know sad that your point of view, or being upset, for that matter, that your point of view is not being listened to is not the answer. You have to show courage. You have to do your homework, right? Remember that value is something that takes anybody places. It's not about being a woman, it's not about being any nationality, any ethnicity. It's just that you have to carry value in whatever you are trying to bring to the table. Once people see value, they will forget whether you are of XYZ nationality or you're an Indian, or you are of any other you're any other gender, if I may say that. So it's the value that a person should work towards. Everybody should work towards bringing value to the table. That is what will get you noticed, and that is what will see you going places. Yes, it did.   Michael Hingson ** 33:43 And again, I think one of the important things is that, from my standpoint, and I keep pushing it, but it's there is that it also is the same for for so called disabilities. One of the things that I maintain is that everybody on the planet has a disability, and the disability for most people is that you depend on light in order to function, and when suddenly light disappears, you have a big problem, unless you have a way to get light back on demand. But we are. We're not ready to accept that as a as a race yet, so people think that's cute, but, but they're not ready to accept it. It doesn't change the fact that it's really there. But the fact of the matter is that that people do have to speak up for themselves, and there are ways to do that, and there are ways not to do that. It isn't a matter of being obnoxious and demanding, but it is all about, as you expressed it earlier, being confident and showing that confidence and showing your knowledge and showing what you bring to the table absolutely well. You've been involved in PR for a long time, and I'm sure that you would agree, one of the main tools that people in the public relations world and elsewhere have to offer is storytelling. I believe the best salespeople are people who can tell stories and can help relate. But my question would be to ask you, how can storytelling bridge communities and bring people together?   Shabnam Asthana ** 35:31 Storytelling is a very, very strong element of PR. Storytelling humanizes everything. It brings in a lot of connection. So people connect automatically, if your storytelling is good, so like I keep telling all my juniors as well or new interns who join in corporate fact sheets can be informative. They can give you facts, but storytelling will transform everything. So you move from information to transformation. Storytelling is the human angle to everything. All of us love you a human angle. For example, let me tell you I was in a meeting which was quite a few years ago, and the CEO of the company was telling me they've done a lot of work in corporate social responsibility. So he wanted to tell me about all the expenditure that they've done. They've uplifted so many schools. They've done so much. They've spent so much on education, they've spent so much on water, on sanitation and so many other things, which has improved the lives of the citizens there. I told him, could you tell me one story of one life that has been affected. So he was at a loss because he had not he did not dive deep into that. He didn't look beyond the numbers and the figures. So his HR person stepped in and he told me a story of a girl. She was an Indian girl. Her name was Aarti. How they had transformed her life, and she had moved on to studying in Howard, and she was being employed in one of the top American companies there. So that was something, a story of transformation. So that is so you know, I believe the power of storytelling and that connected everybody, even his own people, were not aware. The employees were not aware. They were just sort of working like robos, putting in their number of hours, doing their work, not going beyond their call of duty to actually see what was happening to the effects, the efforts of their activities. This was something which we brought out in all their corporate brochures, in all the marketing that they were doing, in all the marketing collaterals that worked wonders. We had lots of inquiries for people who wanted to support them in many ways. We had an interview of the girl, and it was something which was very we added a human angle. So like I said, storytelling humanizes the entire concept, and that is something which connects people. So, yes, it's very   Michael Hingson ** 38:42 interesting. Did he learn to tell stories after that?   Shabnam Asthana ** 38:46 I believe so, because he was so he was really taken aback. And he said, Wow, I never really thought about it. And you told me, You changed my perspective. You made me see it differently. And if I were to say we got a good retainership After that, because he was very happy and my contract was renewed. So that was something which sort of affected the contract too well.   Speaker 1 ** 39:19 The reality is that when you tell a story, it is telling stories is something that most everyone can truly relate to, and when you tell a story that someone listens to or hears and reacts to it,   Michael Hingson ** 39:40 there's nothing better than that, and it's really important that that kind of thing happens. So I'm really glad to hear that you like storytelling. I think it is so important that we have that   39:51 absolutely,   Michael Hingson ** 39:54 yeah, it's so important to be able to do that. Well, you've told us a little bit. About inclusion and diversity and so on in India and in other countries. Do you think it's changing, both in India and in other countries? And how is it changing?   Shabnam Asthana ** 40:15 It is changing. If you go back to the 90s to the present day, you will see that people have become I think it has a lot to do with travel. It has a lot to do with interaction. So people are interacting with each other. I speak to you, you speak to me, you tell me something about you, and I say, Hey, is that worth listening to? Yes, it is. And I try and change my mindset. I become more receptive. I try and tell you my viewpoint. You listen to me. You hear me out. So I have seen companies that have moved beyond check boxes of how many women, how many people with disabilities they've, you know, inducted in the employment stream, in their jobs, and it's become more of the CEOs or the top management asking their people, how many voices have we listened to? How many decisions have been made by these people whom we have taken in. You know, how have we evolved as a company? So that has made me see in boardrooms, in various meetings, that the top management is also very aware of what kind of decisions, what policies, are being framed with people as a diverse group. And it's not funneled or restricted to just the top few. It trickles down and it goes to the people they've hired from diverse groups, and it becomes like a voice of the company. So I have seen that changing, and I have seen that diversion is now diversity sort of is moving more towards the corporate DNA. So it is not a demand anymore. It's not a checkbox. It's more as if it is flowing in naturally, and people are more aware of it. So that's what I've seen.   Michael Hingson ** 42:32 It's a mindset, it is, and people are starting to adopt that. How is it changing in India? You said that in India there's a lot more diversity. But you said inclusion isn't so much there.   Shabnam Asthana ** 42:46 Yes, it is in see in India, it was globally, I saw that diversion was backed by policies, and there was a certain framework which had a set of rules. It had a set of code of conduct. But in India, it was more based on individual goodwill. So we had people, if the CEO or the top management was pro diversity, it would happen automatically, because the ones at the junior level had no choice. They had to naturally comply. But here now in India, it's become more organized, more structured, and people, there are departments now which look into issues of diversity and inclusion, and they try and make the organization work towards that. So they are big companies. They are small companies in India, all are trying to absorb this in the corporate DNA, like I said. So people are conscious. And there are conscious. There are seminars which are happening. People are being spoken to. There is workplace, you know sensitization that follows. People talk about it, people discuss it, and there is a lot of exchange of dialog which happens. So people talk, people learn, people adapt   Michael Hingson ** 44:15 well. So you you work for the Swedish company, for you said, like, 12 years, and then what did you   Shabnam Asthana ** 44:25 do after that? I moved on to, you know, start my own company, which was empowered solutions. That's my brain child, and it's a communications PR and communications company, and I, sort of, I'm the founder director for that the Empowered solutions is my company now, and we are completed. It was set up in 2005 October.   Michael Hingson ** 44:50 2005 what? What made you decide to leave the bigger corporate world and take on all of the challenges of entrepreneur? Leadership and starting your own company, because that certainly is a major change.   Shabnam Asthana ** 45:04 It is I was in the top management. I had a set job, I had the name, the recognition, everything that comes with that. But somehow there was still that kind of, I would say, curiosity, to experiment and to try on newer things. And I am a person who gets a little bored of stagnation, and I had almost reached the height of my career in these companies, and there was nothing more I could do unless I bought over those companies and sort of, you know, became the president and the chairman, which I would I could not do. So I said, Why don't I sort of diversify and take all this learning that I have, all the goodwill that I've earned over the years with the people that have been my clients, with my colleagues, with the people I've met in my business conferences. Why don't I take all this and try and set up something on of my own where I am at liberty to do whatever I want to do without the time pressure, you know, without a pressure of morning meetings and you know, things which have to be a nine to five kind of a role here, I do agree that it is a 24 by seven job that I'm doing at present, because I'm always available. And, you know, I believe that accessibility is very important if you have to be successful, you can't sort of close off and say, no, no, I'm, you know, if somebody needs you, you can't say, Okay, I'm just closing my door and my office. So that was the the, you know, the excitement of experimenting once again and seeing, of course, entrepreneurship is something which is very exciting, and that was something which I wanted to experiment and try and see how I could change that. And, you know, get it into my career. And, you know, get off the normal nine to five job. So that's what I did. I wanted to experiment.   Michael Hingson ** 47:21 So tell me a little bit more about if you would what your company does and how you serve clients and so on. And where are your clients?   Shabnam Asthana ** 47:29 Okay, so basically, it is a PR and communications company, and we have clients now globally. I have primarily in India, because that is where my office is. But I do have clients in Europe, in us, in Canada, where I am currently. And yes, it is more about public relations and communications, and that's what we do. So it's essentially a diversification of I have also taken on writing as part of one of my services. So I do a lot of book writing. I take on people who want to be either who want to tell a story, and who don't have either the time or the expertise. I write for them. I ghost right for them. We also do events. So we have done a couple of events globally, not on a very large scale, but yes, we do have. So it's events, it's public relations, it's communications, it's training, and it's writing.   Michael Hingson ** 48:39 So that's it, right? Well, so you have written one book. Are you looking at doing any more books? By any chance?   Shabnam Asthana ** 48:49 Now I have ghost written about 16 books. So they're all ghost written and under a contract where I don't disclose the names of the books. But yes, I've authored three books, and the first one was romancing your career, a very interesting and fascinating book. That was my first book, and later on, I went on to do two biographies, and yes, I'm doing a couple more correctly, where they are being authored by me. So I'm writing the biographies.   Michael Hingson ** 49:26 So today, in all the work that that you're, that you're doing, do you, do you get involved with many international projects?   Shabnam Asthana ** 49:39 Yes, not many, but yes, we are doing a slow and steady progress there. And we do, I do, keep getting a lot of inquiries. And I must say that I have got a couple of inquiries recently which are very interesting. And I. Working on those. Maybe it's a little premature to tell you that, but yes, there is one big project that has come my way, and we're planning to expand from there. Well.   Michael Hingson ** 50:12 So you have experienced a lot of different countries and so on, and India is certainly becoming more of an economic and a world power in the in terms of what all is happening. Do you think that that the attitudes of India and the way India deals with inclusion and so on is making a difference, and Will that continue to happen?   Shabnam Asthana ** 50:43 Well, Michael, it will, because we are moving out of our country, and we have, you know, taken spots in so many other countries. So if we want to be included, it's high time we practice the same. So we have to welcome other cultures. We have to welcome other nationalities if we hope to be welcomed in other countries as well. So that is something which has really influenced the thinking of people, because we can't be rigid. We can't be, you know, thinking in our own way. And say, Well, let's not do it, because we have to welcome other countries if we have to work and move out of India. So yes, Michael, I will say that very hard. It's very heartening to note that it is changing, and it will continue to do so. In fact, you know, India is moving from being seen as an outsourced to something which people sort of welcome with open arms. But then, yes, things are changing. There are things which are happening which may limit the movement of people, or it may increase the flow of people. But then, well, we have to adopt, adapt and move on.   Michael Hingson ** 52:04 Yeah, well, there's always going to be some of that which makes which makes sense. Yes. What kind of advice would you give to someone, especially young professionals, women and others who are different? What advice would you give to someone who may feel excluded or undervalued in their careers.   Shabnam Asthana ** 52:25 The best thing that I would like to say is that if you hear a no, don't let it bog you down, because be sure that tomorrow you will hear a better yes, it will be something that is shaping the way for your future. So you must not let any naysayers or any projects that fail bog you down just because you're a woman or because you're different or anybody you know. You have to show your courage, you have to be resilient, and you have to lean on your inner strengths. The best magic, the you know, time tried and tested formula, which I would advocate, is leaning on your inner strengths. All of us have a lot of strengths, believe you me, we may not know it, but all of us have a lot of strengths. So when you see a situation that is not to your liking, just lean on your inner strengths. Take a deep breath and say today's no will be a yes tomorrow, and that is the courage that you must move ahead with anybody, irrespective of whether you are a woman or you are any person who is stepping into the corporate world. Just value yourself. Always Be confident. Wear the confidence. And that's the best accessory that you would have.   Michael Hingson ** 54:03 How would you define unstoppable mindset?   Shabnam Asthana ** 54:08 Unstoppable mindset is not something which is something which rises beyond limitations. And by limitations, I don't mean only individual limitations. It may be the limitations of the other people. Let that not define your limitation. Your the term unstoppable, to me, is a term which shows resilience. It shows something where you can fumble. It's very natural to fumble, to stumble, to fall down, to face challenges, to face, you know, rejections. It's very normal, but unstoppable is. Being able to get up again with greater strength, with a better mindset, more courageously, and more importantly, with an open heart, which says, Yes, I will do it. You cannot say you cannot. You know, sort of put me down in any way. My courage is there, my inner strength is there. I am unstoppable in that sense.   Michael Hingson ** 55:28 I think the most important thing that you just said is that you have to do it with an open heart. I think everyone should do that you may learn that your idea may not be the best solution, and it might be the best solution, but you won't know that until you truly have an open heart and an open mind.   Shabnam Asthana ** 55:46 Truly, yes, absolutely, an open heart, I would say, is really, really key. It's very, very important.   Michael Hingson ** 55:56 What keeps you motivated as you continue to advocate for adverse diversity and inclusion and equity and so on.   Shabnam Asthana ** 56:04 What keeps me motivated? Michael, are many things, but then what i If I could just zero down on a couple of them, I would say that what keeps me motivated is the trust that people had in me, and, you know, to give me certain jobs, roles, the trust that they had to sort of say, okay, you can do it. And then I did it. And the people, what keeps me motivated is something also very nice, which somebody came up to me at a recent conference in Germany, and they said, you know, the reason why I didn't give up is because of you. That is me, because I motivated them to do something, and that was your motivation for me, I was like, Okay, if I can motivate you, I too can stay motivated for a long, long time to come. And that's something which I do. I try to inspire and I try to inspire myself as well in the process.   Michael Hingson ** 57:07 Well, if you could leave everyone who is involved in hearing this podcast and so on today, if you could leave them with one powerful message about embracing diversity and so on. What would that message be?   Shabnam Asthana ** 57:23 Well, that message would be that whatever is happening today, if you feel that there is even a little bit of acceptability, that is because somebody else has worked towards it, so now it is your chance to give it back to society, to keep working, to keep opening doors for people, for a better tomorrow, for a more inclusive tomorrow. And diversity doesn't and inclusivity doesn't happen overnight. You have to work towards it. There is a it's the whole process, and you have to work towards it relentlessly. Continue working. Somebody else has worked. They have pushed you forward. They have done a whole lot of things. Now it's your turn to do your bit and ensure that the people who are coming after you come to a better tomorrow, a more inclusive tomorrow.   Michael Hingson ** 58:27 It also, by definition, means that we need to learn how to work with each other and support and help each other,   Shabnam Asthana ** 58:34 of course. And empathy. Empathy is the key, empathy, sensitivity, all that.   Michael Hingson ** 58:41 So if people would like to reach out to you, maybe use your company services or talk with you. How can they do that?   Shabnam Asthana ** 58:48 They could contact me. You can write to me at my email id, which is Shabnam, S, H, A, B n, a m, at empowered solutions, my company name, E, M, P, O, W, E, R, E, D, S, o, l, U, T, I O, N, S, dot, I n, that's my name. The emails will reach me. That's an inbox which you know I'm monitoring myself, and be sure that you will receive a reply. I'd love to hear from people, and I love to communicate. I love to write back. So very welcome.   Michael Hingson ** 59:30 And I would ask, just sort of on principle, if anyone reaches out to Shabnam, who has heard this podcast, please mention that, just so that she knows where you where you discovered her, and I think that would be a good thing to do. Well, I want to thank you for being here. I think this has been absolutely wonderful. I think we've learned a lot I have and I value the insights that you bring. So I hope that other people will take the. Those same insights away, there's there's a lot to learn here, and there's a lot to gain from this. So I want to thank you again for being here, and maybe we'll have to do this again in the future.   Shabnam Asthana ** 1:00:12 I'd love to do that. And Michael, I'd like to thank you for hosting this wonderful, wonderful show. I have seen your episodes. They are brilliant, and it's really nice. I was so looking forward to this. It's been an absolute pleasure to interact with you, and I hope that we'll be doing more of this in the near future.   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:35 Well, we'll have to explore that, and I want to thank all of you who are out there watching and listening. I want to thank you for being here. We appreciate you very much. Wherever you're listening or watching. Please give us a five star review. We value that very highly. We really would appreciate you saying good things about us. A five star review is always a wonderful thing. I'd like to hear from you as well. I'd like to hear what your thoughts are about this podcast. Feel free to email me at Michael M, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, love to hear from you. Love to hear your thoughts. We value them, and we take all the comments that we get from people very much to heart. So we appreciate you doing that. And if you know anyone else who ought to be a guest on our podcast, who you think ought to be a guest, let us know. Introduce us. Shabnam, that's also true for you, please. If you know anyone who ought to be a guest, we'd love to meet people and have them come on the podcast and also help us show how we're all more unstoppable than we think we are, or we thought we were. So once again, though, I want to thank you for being here. Shabnam, this has been wonderful. Thank you very much.   Shabnam Asthana ** 1:01:51 Thank you, Michael, thank you to all the listeners.   **Michael Hingson ** 1:01:59 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

### Comment innover avec un impact social au cœur de son ADN ? Comment impulser le changement dans une structure aussi vaste et diversifiée que le groupe SOS ? C'est la question centrale à laquelle Aurélie Gallet tente de répondre dans cet épisode de Disruption Inside, en compagnie de son invité, David Giffard. En tant que Directeur de l'innovation du groupe SOS, David partage son expérience et ses réflexions sur la manière dont l'innovation peut être un moteur puissant pour adresser les défis sociétaux contemporains. L'épisode nous invite à explorer comment une organisation peut rester agile et créative tout en poursuivant des missions à fort impact social.### À la rencontre de David Giffard, un leader de l'innovation socialeDavid Giffard, avec plus de 20 ans d'expérience au sein du groupe SOS, est un acteur clé de l'économie sociale et solidaire. Après avoir débuté sa carrière dans le tourisme d'affaires, sa rencontre avec Jean-Marc Borello, le fondateur du groupe SOS, a marqué un tournant décisif. Passionné par l'entrepreneuriat et animé par un désir de créer un impact social, David a contribué à l'expansion du groupe, qui est passé de 3 000 à 26 000 salariés. Son parcours est jalonné de projets innovants qui visent à répondre à des problématiques sociales et environnementales complexes.### L'innovation au service des défis sociétauxDans cet épisode, David Giffard explique comment l'innovation est intégrée au sein du groupe SOS pour relever les défis sociétaux. L'innovation est décrite comme étant très "bottom-up", émergeant des besoins du terrain et des équipes engagées. Les projets sont souvent développés en partenariat avec des acteurs publics et privés, illustrant l'importance du "faire ensemble". David met également en lumière les défis liés à l'adoption des nouvelles technologies, comme l'IA, dans un secteur où l'humain est au cœur de l'activité. L'épisode se conclut sur une note inspirante, soulignant l'importance de l'innovation collaborative pour créer un impact durable.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Get an easy $200 from Melio for making your first payment! (Affiliate link. Terms below) https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam Episode Description On this episode of MTM Travel we discuss a number of Chase related topics including a rumor that they may be changing how they process business card applications. We also discuss possible Sapphire upgrade offers, how legacy Sapphire Reserve cardholders can grab their perks and why you might want to grab an Ink 90K before it is too late. Other topics include: Capital One's rough new family rules and how AI is changing the miles & points game. Is technology our enemy in this hobby? 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 6:46 Legacy Sapphire cardholders get new perks 12:46 Chase Sapphire upgrade offers coming soon? 17:17 Chase Ink 90K offers ending soon 19:10 No more sole-prop on business cards? 25:30 Capital One's rough new family rules 29:45 How AI will change the miles & points space Links Chase Sole Prop Rumor - https://www.doctorofcredit.com/rumor-some-banks-possibly-chase-might-limit-business-card-applications-to-eins/ CSR upgrade - https://www.doctorofcredit.com/source-upcoming-offer-coming-for-chase-sapphire-preferred-to-sapphire-reserve-upgrades/ Cap One family rules - https://travel-on-points.com/capital-one-family-rules/ Sapphire benefits - https://travel-on-points.com/activate-sapphire-reserve-card-perks/   Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

### Comment innover avec un impact social au cœur de son ADN ? Comment impulser le changement dans une structure aussi vaste et diversifiée que le groupe SOS ? C'est la question centrale à laquelle Aurélie Gallet tente de répondre dans cet épisode de Disruption Inside, en compagnie de son invité, David Giffard. En tant que Directeur de l'innovation du groupe SOS, David partage son expérience et ses réflexions sur la manière dont l'innovation peut être un moteur puissant pour adresser les défis sociétaux contemporains. L'épisode nous invite à explorer comment une organisation peut rester agile et créative tout en poursuivant des missions à fort impact social.### À la rencontre de David Giffard, un leader de l'innovation socialeDavid Giffard, avec plus de 20 ans d'expérience au sein du groupe SOS, est un acteur clé de l'économie sociale et solidaire. Après avoir débuté sa carrière dans le tourisme d'affaires, sa rencontre avec Jean-Marc Borello, le fondateur du groupe SOS, a marqué un tournant décisif. Passionné par l'entrepreneuriat et animé par un désir de créer un impact social, David a contribué à l'expansion du groupe, qui est passé de 3 000 à 26 000 salariés. Son parcours est jalonné de projets innovants qui visent à répondre à des problématiques sociales et environnementales complexes.### L'innovation au service des défis sociétauxDans cet épisode, David Giffard explique comment l'innovation est intégrée au sein du groupe SOS pour relever les défis sociétaux. L'innovation est décrite comme étant très "bottom-up", émergeant des besoins du terrain et des équipes engagées. Les projets sont souvent développés en partenariat avec des acteurs publics et privés, illustrant l'importance du "faire ensemble". David met également en lumière les défis liés à l'adoption des nouvelles technologies, comme l'IA, dans un secteur où l'humain est au cœur de l'activité. L'épisode se conclut sur une note inspirante, soulignant l'importance de l'innovation collaborative pour créer un impact durable.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Are your techs missing chances to close bigger jobs? In this episode of Masters of Home Service, host Adam Sylvester talks with Phil Risher, founder of Phlash Consulting, about how to land contracts worth 10x the original job. He shares how simple tools like checklists, CSR scripts, and better follow-ups can help your team spot hidden revenue—and how one smart question (‘What else can we help you with?') can turn a routine visit into a major win. New to Jobber? Masters of Home Service listeners can claim an exclusive discount for Jobber at http://bit.ly/4kAzgm0

Corporate India's responsibilities are not limited to contributing to the nation's economic growth. They are equally responsible for spending the right amount at the right place, for the right cause. Sattva Consulting is out with the 7th edition of its CSR report, which suggests that corporate philanthropy is moving beyond the metros into India's emerging Tier-2 cities and industrial belts. Corporates are now taking their time, thinking what to do when they do. CEO Srikrishna Murthy shares that a combination of factors is leading to significant spending in tier-2, tier-3 towns, outside metros. CSR is moving away from few pockets to different parts of India. Social impact is deeply about the denominator and there are a lot of opportunities to dig in more capital on an annual basis. Listen in.

Gina Rinehart's father, Lang Hancock, is well known as a pioneer of Australia's iron ore industry but few realise Hancock started his mining career on a smaller scale and digging for a different substance – blue asbestos. Hancock and his partner started the mining operation at Wittenoom in the 1940s before selling it to CSR, which mined the area for 20 more years. Wittenoom has become synonymous with the tragedy that unfolded for the thousands who lived and worked there after exposure to asbestos fibres. In this episode of Gina, we interrogate some of the stories her family chooses to celebrate – and others they don't

Jeśli interesuje Cię, jak budować rozwiązania, które nie tylko przynoszą zysk, ale realnie zmieniają świat, jak mierzyć to, co z natury wydaje się niepoliczalne, oraz jak radzić sobie z oporem wobec zmiany paradygmatu – koniecznie posłuchaj naszej rozmowy z Patrycją Radek. Dowiedz się, dlaczego technologia jest tylko narzędziem, a impact musi być wizją. Rozmowa inspiruje do krytycznego myślenia i podjęcia działań na rzecz lepszej przyszłości.Rozmowa dotyczy tego, jak tworzyć innowacje o pozytywnym wpływie społecznym (impactful innovations) w dobie sztucznej inteligencji (AI)? Dyskutanci poruszają tematykę autentyczności, etyki i odpowiedzialności w projektowaniu rozwiązań, mierzenia społecznego wpływu technologii, a także wyzwań związanych z oporem wobec zmian i koniecznością zmiany paradygmatu myślenia w biznesie i innowacjach, aby zapewnić zrównoważony wzrost. Podkreślana jest rola przywództwa świadomego złożoności oraz znaczenie edukacji i wczesnego włączania celów impaktowych w strategie startupów.Jednym z centralnych tematów jest mierzenie wpływu społecznego technologii (impactu), zwłaszcza tych wciąż rozwijających się. Dr Radek przyznaje, że jest to zadanie skomplikowane i dużo trudniejsze niż mierzenie śladu węglowego (wpływu środowiskowego). Podkreśla jednak, że należy zacząć od świadomej chęci mierzenia. Krytykuje dotychczasowe podejście, w którym działania CSR czy filantropia są traktowane jako "działalność dodatkowa". W innowacjach impactowych celem samym w sobie powinna być próba rozwiązywania istotnych problemów na świecie. W wizji Patrycji Radek przyszłość to świat, w którym wszystkie rozwiązania będą musiały być impactowe. Nie tylko nie mogą szkodzić, ale powinny mieć cel regeneratywny (odnawianie ekosystemów).W rozmowie biorą udział:dr Patrycja Radek - brokerka innowacji w Centrum Transferu Wiedzy oraz kierowniczka akceleracji w programie Startup Booster for Social Impact Uniwersytetu SWPS. Mentorka, edukatorka, ekspertka w obszarze rozwiązywania złożonych problemów organizacyjnych i systemowych;Przemysław Zieliński - redaktor MamStartup.

Send us a textEver wonder why some home service brands feel trustworthy before they even quote the job? We pull back the curtain on three simple, overlooked moves that stack trust fast: a brand ecosystem audit, a hyperlocal micro influencer network, and a documentary-style install video that shows the work, the manners, and the finish line.First, we map every place your brand lives in the real world—fleet wraps, uniforms, CSR tone, on-hold music, reviews, email signatures, invoices, social, and signage. Then we prioritize the fixes that signal care: clean, consistent trucks; technicians who look and speak on brand; and responses that turn reviews into SEO. This isn't a rebrand; it's a punch list that makes every touchpoint feel the same, so your neighbors recognize you and risk feels lower before your tech arrives.Next, we ditch celebrity influencers for people your market already trusts: the realtor who knows every street, the PTA organizer who mobilizes a school, the youth coach everyone thanks on Saturdays. We outline a simple value exchange—swag, gift cards, or a free maintenance plan—in return for honest posts about real experiences. No scripts, just authenticity and accountability. If something misses, we fix it and learn. That's how local word of mouth scales without feeling bought.Finally, we show how to film a relatable behind-the-scenes install. Choose an average home, capture van loading, protective prep, cleanup, walkthroughs, and a calm voiceover from your sales lead. These story-driven videos beat coupon graphics because they demonstrate care and craft. Then repurpose everywhere: your website and YouTube, short social clips, recruiting, and weekly series like Meet the Crew Monday and Service Story Saturday.If you're ready to tighten your brand, activate real neighborhood advocates, and tell stories that convert, we've got your back. Subscribe for more practical growth playbooks, share this with a fellow owner who needs a slow-season plan, and drop a review to tell us which tactic you'll start first.If you enjoyed this chat From the Yellow Chair, consider joining our newsletter, "Let's Sip Some Lemonade," where you can receive exclusive interviews, our bank of helpful downloadables, and updates on upcoming content. Please consider following and drop a review below if you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to check out our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. From the Yellow Chair is powered by Lemon Seed, a marketing strategy and branding company for the trades. Lemon Seed specializes in rebrands, creating unique, comprehensive, organized marketing plans, social media, and graphic design. Learn more at www.LemonSeedMarketing.com Interested in being a guest on our show? Fill out this form! We'll see you next time, Lemon Heads!

Start Small, Do Something | A Conversation with Corinne Grimaldi

Tim Christophersen joins the Internet of Nature Podcast to talk about his new book, Generation Restoration, and why nature isn't a luxury—it's our only home. From his first steps in the forest with his forester grandfather to leading the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and now as VP of Climate Action at Salesforce, Tim shares why waiting for perfection paralyzes companies, what greenwashing gets wrong, and how corporate pledges can move from CSR to true business resilience.We explore why our ecological crisis is rooted in a 300-year-old worldview, how oyster reefs once filtered New York Harbor daily (and could again), and why AI might help “make us all ecologists,” from smallholder farmers in Colombia to city dwellers identifying birdsong. Plus: the role of imagination in rewriting our relationship with nature, the personal challenge of writing a book with Jane Goodall's final foreword, and why, as Tim says, “Nature is waiting. It's time to come home.”

On this episode of the Jered Williams show, Janet, the owner of Potomac Plumbing in Virginia, shares her journey of building a successful plumbing business. Janet explains how she and her husband, Brandon, started with three technicians and a CSR, but struggled with profitability and lack of structure. After making the difficult decision to scale back, they focused on building a strong brand, implementing effective marketing strategies, and leveraging Janet's community involvement to connect with their target audience - women in their local area. Through personal branding, social media, and hosting community events, Janet has helped Potomac Plumbing grow to a one million dollar business with just two technicians, showcasing the power of a strategic, relationship-driven approach to building a thriving plumbing company.

 Shailendra  Jain  | Bret Wheat Endowed Professor at Michael G. Foster School of Business,  Mrs.Shalini  Jain  Associate Professor of Management,Director MBA Program Milgard School of Business, University of WashingtonINTRODUCTION :Shailendra Pratap Jain is Bret Wheat Endowed Professor of Marketing and International Business at the Foster School of Business, University of Washington, Seattle. He has held faculty positions at Indiana University's Kelley School, University of Rochester's Simon School, Cornell University's Johnson School, University of Western Ontario's Ivey School, Cambridge University's Judge School, Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, and BITS School of Management, Mumbai. Well-known for his widely published scholarship in consumer psychology, Dr. Jain has extensive publishing and editorial experience in top marketing journals and has won many executive and graduate (MBA) teaching awards. Prior to his academic career, he worked in corporate sales, brand management, and advertising and is associated with several noted marketing campaigns.Shalini Sarin Jain is an Associate Professor of Management and the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Milgard School of Business, University of Washington, Tacoma. Her research on social issues in management examines business's social, ethical, and stakeholder equity strategies and their implications on financial and social performance. She has published articles on gender representation and compensation parity in top management, corporate response to mandatory CSR regulation, and how system justification beliefs predict observer expectations of transparency, response to and sanction of allegations of sexual misconduct, and choice between sustaining livelihoods or saving lives during COVID. Dr. Jain teaches courses in business and society, ethics, and CSR at the undergraduate and MBA levels and has extensive industry, government, and non-profit experience.

Who hasn't heard about energy-efficient renovation without really knowing where to begin? Between the jargon, the costs, and the red tape, it can feel overwhelming. That is why we are bringing Xavier Gaucher onto On the Way. He is the founder of La Fresque de la Rénovation, and he is here to show us that renovation is not just about fixing up a house –it is about tackling a collective challenge that impacts our comfort, our wallets, and our planet. In this episode, Xavier shares his story, his vision, and a clear roadmap for making energy-efficient renovation doable–and successful. It is a conversation packed with practical tips for anyone ready to cut through the noise and finally take action. If you missed it, check out our previous episode with Catherine Leleu from The Future is Neutral, where we dive into the circular economy in the auto industry. Different sector, but a shared ambition: building a future that is smarter, leaner, and more sustainable. You can listen to this episode –and all our others– on your favorite podcast app. Enjoy!Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

In today's rapidly evolving social sector, impact isn't just about intent — it's about strategy, collaboration, and sustainability. In this episode, we speak with Shiva, a dynamic CSR and NGO partnerships leader with over a decade of experience driving measurable social impact across India.From healthcare and education to livelihood skilling and anti-human trafficking, Shiva's work with organizations like LV Prasad Eye Institute, Nirmaan, and NICE Foundation demonstrates how data-driven CSR initiatives can truly transform communities.

In today's world of polarization, climate disruption, and rapid digital change, resilience is everything.On this episode of The Caring Economy, we sit down with Asha Varghese, President of the Caterpillar Foundation and Head of CSR at Caterpillar. Asha reflects on her journey from Kerala, India, to rural Kentucky, and how those experiences shaped her approach to corporate leadership and purpose.She shares how Caterpillar has given over $1 billion globally, supporting disaster recovery, education, and sustainability initiatives. We also discuss the future of work, the rise of AI, and why corporations must play a role in rebuilding trust and community resilience.Asha's story is a reminder that leadership isn't about grand gestures, it's about persistence, partnership, and impact over time.Listen in for lessons on how business can become a force for resilience in a fragile world.

On this week's episode, I chat with Paul Ince, also known as Biz Paul, about his experience running "Marketed Live," an event he started to help build his brand and business and one I attended as a keynote speaker! We dive into the behind-the-scenes insights of organizing an event, discussing everything from finding a venue and selling tickets to the importance of customer service and food. Paul shares how running an event has significantly boosted his personal brand and offers invaluable advice for anyone considering hosting their own event.   Key Takeaways: Running an event can significantly benefit your personal brand and overall business reputation, even if it's not a huge money-maker on its own. Prioritize the attendee experience by investing in quality food, excellent customer service, and thoughtful details that surprise and delight. Carefully consider your audience and what they would find most valuable. You don't always need big-name speakers if you provide genuine value. Explore alternative sponsorship opportunities, such as tapping into a company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget to fund initiatives like social ticket funds. It's okay to let go of an event or project if it no longer serves your business goals or personal capacity. Sometimes, saying "no" to one thing allows you to focus energy on more profitable or fulfilling ventures   Episode Highlights: 03:15: Paul shares the origin story of "Biz Paul" and how his content marketing consultancy, Like Mind Media, came about. 05:07: Discover why Paul and his friend Tim decided to create Marketed Live and their vision for the event. 09:20: Paul explains how Marketed Live became a valuable asset for Like Mind Media's clients and boosted his personal brand. 17:35: We discuss the unexpected challenges of running an event, including the difficulties of selling tickets and venue issues. 28:06: Paul reveals a clever strategy for securing sponsorship by aligning with corporate social responsibility (CSR) budgets. 37:05: Paul talks about the decision to pause Marketed Live and the importance of knowing when to pivot your business focus.   About the Guest: Paul Ince, also known as Biz Paul, is a marketing strategist and the founder of Like Mind Media. Website: bizpaul.com Social Media: @‌BizPaul (on all platforms) Like Mind Media: likemind.media   I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do let me know on Instagram @‌lizmmosley or @‌buildingyourbrandpodcast I hope you enjoy this episode This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (http://lucylucraft.co.uk) If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!

Qui n'a jamais entendu parler de rénovation énergétique… sans trop savoir par où commencer ? Entre jargon technique, coûts et démarches complexes, le sujet peut vite sembler inaccessible.                                                                                  C'est justement pour lever ces freins que nous recevons Xavier Gaucher au micro d'On The Way. Fondateur de la Fresque de la rénovation, il explique pourquoi la rénovation est bien plus qu'une affaire de travaux : c'est un enjeu collectif, essentiel pour notre confort, nos factures et notre planète ! Dans cet épisode, il nous partage son parcours, sa vision et les étapes à suivre pour une rénovation énergétique de l'habitat réussie.Un échange qui donne des clés concrètes pour celles et ceux qui veulent enfin y voir clair et passer à l'action. (Re)Découvrez aussi l'épisode précédent avec Catherine Leleu, de The Future is Neutral, qui nous parle d'économie circulaire dans l'automobile. Deux secteurs différents, une même ambition : imaginer un avenir plus sobre et plus intelligent dans l'usage de nos ressources. Cet épisode ainsi que tous les autres épisodes sont à retrouver sur toutes vos plateformes d'écoutes préférées. Bonne écoute !Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Corporate giving is more than philanthropy — it's a strategic tool for impact. In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore how companies can deploy their balance sheets, human capital, and core business capabilities to achieve meaningful social outcomes. Our guest, Gwen Lim, Head of the Southeast Asia office and Partner at The Bridgespan Group, unpacks insights from her newly released report “High-Impact Approaches to Corporate Giving” (published September 2025). She shares what distinguishes corporate giving from other forms of philanthropy, the key trade-offs between impact and risk, and how firms can align purpose with performance. Discover how leading corporates are: Navigating reputational and political risks while maximizing social good Leveraging business assets like data, platforms, and expertise for public benefit Structuring high-impact strategies through corporate foundations and internal initiatives Balancing short-term financial results with long-term social outcomes Engaging employees, investors, and customers in purpose-driven impact Gwen also shares fascinating case studies — from Bloomberg's data-led volunteering to DHL's disaster logistics — illustrating how capability-led giving can transform communities. This episode is a must-listen for corporate leaders, CSR professionals, philanthropists, and anyone curious about how business can become a force for good in an age of uncertainty. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 300 case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.    

Welcome back to another episode of the Best Kept Secret podcast show feat. DJ Jon Lockley. Jon brings us another special episode this month which showcases some artists from Chicago Skyline Records run by Rich Martinez. The Lockstar figured since he had a tune "Get Down Again" released on CSR earlier this year and has "Out To You" coming out soon, he'd drop a mix featuring tracks from the label. The mix includes Jon's two tracks and he's even thrown in an update of his "In Chicago" track released way back in 2012. It's a wonderful mix that gives you that Chicago House music vibe. House music all night long, baby! As always, if you dig what you're hearing, subscribe, like, comment and share. Enjoy the journey!Tracklist:1. Rich Martinez-4 On Da Floor(Jason Merle Knucklesammich Mix)2. Gil Aguilar-Dance 2 Da Beat3. La French-Everybody to Chicago4. The Stoned-Funtasy5. Rich Martinez-It's About House Music6. Simply B-Freakin7. Phil Greenwood-Jack Music8. Jon Lockley-Get Down Again9. Depth Phunk-Space Travel10. Jon Lockley-Out To You11. Devastating Dennis-Uptown Heat12. La French-Chicago Skyline13. Gabriel Rodriguez-Late for Work(Nuyoshi Mix)14. Ray Martinez-What'cha Gonna Do(Ray's Jackin Mix)15. Ethan Bliss-Struttin16. La French-Disco Distroy17. Jon Lockley-Back in Chicago

綠色能源在台灣的推動過程中，時常面臨地方抗爭與輿論壓力，導致業者必須「一肩承擔」所有風險。然而，雲豹能源找到了破局之道：他們將過去著重於產業面的「魚電共生」策略，創新增長為深入民生、帶來快樂的「娛電共生」（娛樂 x 綠電）。 本集【2025聽誰說SDGs】將聚焦「共鳴 × 綠電 × 體育」，邀請雲豹能源永續長暨發言人張建偉，深入解析這套創新的永續模式。雲豹能源透過經營職業籃球隊，並在高雄高鐵站、桃園航空城、嘉義樂園等地，興建光電大棚停車場，讓民眾享受遮陽降溫的實質效益，進而從「不討厭、不反對」開始，接受再生能源。從在地有感到與路軍戰，節目中也將分享雲豹能源如何整合水資源、生質能、二輪電動車等多元永續服務，將台灣經驗推向國際。 本集亮點： 高鐵站停車棚的光電大棚：為何讓民眾不再抗議，反而支持？ 成功的「漁電共生」案例：雲豹能源如何投入八年溝通，並透過導智慧調控與漁民合作，確保漁獲產能不降反增 10%～20%。 從地方關切到熱衷推動：綠電結合桃園航空城巨蛋與飯店等娛樂設施後，如何讓地方代表的態度產生巨大轉變。 雲豹能源如何打造全綠電「綠樂園」，實踐「快樂不會過時」的永續理念。 來賓： 雲豹能源永續長暨發言人 張建偉 (同時也是台啤永豐雲豹執行長) 主持人： 天下CSR頻道總編輯 黃昭勇 製作團隊： 天下實驗室、天下整合傳播部 本集節目由 雲豹能源 合作推薦 -- Hosting provided by SoundOn

Discover expert insights on kidney stone prevention and management in this podcast episode featuring a physician, dietitian, pharmacist, and patient. Learn about key kidney stone risk factors and explore how dietary adjustments can reduce stone recurrence. Experts discuss fluid intake strategies, medication considerations, surgical indications, and even unconventional questions about roller coasters' impact on stone passage. Tune in for actionable advice, myth-busting discussions, and interprofessional perspectives.   On today's episode we heard from: Melanie Betz, MS, RD, CSR, FNKF, FAND is a nationally recognized renal dietitian and the Founder & CEO of The Kidney Dietitian. She is a Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition and a Fellow of both the National Kidney Foundation and the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. Melanie has published extensively on kidney stone prevention and nutrition, and has presented at numerous state, national, and international conferences on the topic. Through her clinical work, research, and educational outreach, she is dedicated to helping patients and professionals understand the critical role of diet in kidney health. Mark Garofoli, PharmD, MBA, BCGP, CPE, CTTS is a Clinical Associate Professor at West Virginia University School of Pharmacy and a Clinical Pain & Addiction Pharmacist. With expertise in pain management, substance use disorders, and geriatric care, he brings both clinical and personal perspectives to kidney stone discussions. Mark has shared his experience through the Pain Pod podcast, PAINWeek presentations, and a published article detailing his own kidney stone journey. Mary Raines, CRA is a retired clinical research associate with more than 30 years of experience in medical research. After learning she needed a kidney transplant, she dedicated herself to advocacy and now serves as a Patient Advocate with the National Kidney Foundation and other kidney health organizations. Mary brings both professional expertise and personal experience to her work, amplifying the voices and needs of people living with kidney disease. Andrew Rule, MD, MSc is a Professor of Medicine and Consultant Nephrologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He divides his time between clinical care, research, and education, with a particular focus on kidney stone disease and its link to chronic kidney disease. Dr. Rule has published extensively on the epidemiology of kidney stones and provides specialized care in the Mayo Clinic's nephrology stone clinic. Bryan Tucker, DO, MS, FASN is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Nephrology at Baylor College of Medicine, where he serves as a clinician educator teaching medical students, residents, and fellows while caring for patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. He holds a master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University and completed his nephrology fellowship at Yale. A Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology, Dr. Tucker has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and is an active contributor to The Kidney Commute podcast.   Additional Resources: Kidney Stone Information Earn CME Credit Here Do you have comments, questions, or suggestions? Email us at NKFpodcast@kidney.org. Also, make sure to rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts.  

In this episode, Dan Hugger speaks with Noah Gould, Alumni and Student Programs manager at the Acton Institute. They discuss two recent pieces Noah has written on corporate social responsibility (CSR). First off, what is it? Why do some oppose CSR initiatives? Is there a relationship between CSR and fraud? How are religious people particularly […]

In this episode, Rick shares his interview with Logan Altman, Chief Impact Officer at Doing Good Works—a certified social enterprise turning branded merchandise and event activations into life-changing outcomes for people with lived experience in foster care.He discusses building a “world-class transaction → tangible transformation” model, the rise of Doing Good Works from startup to 2× Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Business, and why he believes doing good is good for business. Logan—named to Greater Irvine's 2024 “40 Under 40” and the 2020 Bess Cohn Humanitarian of the Year—details the Foster Greatness platform, the 10/20/30 impact framework, and how lived-experience leadership, community, and practical skills shift youth from survival to thriving.This episode is a MUST-LISTEN!

GIVEAWAY - send us a message and let us know your favorite thing about the Square Pizza Pod. We are giving away SchermCo swag to the first three people that send us a note!In this episode of the Square Pizza Podcast, host Greg Schermbeck sits down with Rod Banks, long-time community development and philanthropy leader, for a candid conversation on leadership, career growth, and the evolving landscape of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Rod reflects on his journey from economic development in Spartanburg to nearly two decades with Wachovia and Wells Fargo, where he has shaped philanthropic investments across housing, small business growth, and financial health. Along the way, he discusses how his calm leadership style—something inherited from his father—has influenced both his personal and professional life, and why open dialogue with nonprofits is critical for long-term community impact. In this episode, you'll hear: Rod's reflections on family influences, staying grounded, and even his passionate side as a Steelers fanThe scale of investments in Charlotte and western North Carolina, with a focus on housing, small businesses, and financial mobilityLessons from partnering with both established organizations like Gardhouse & Freedom Fighting MissionariesWhy nonprofit leaders should lean into authenticity and open conversations with funders—even when it means discussing vulnerabilitiesInsights on the growing conversation around nonprofit mergers and acquisitions, and why sustainability must be central to strategic planningHis hope for Charlotte's CSR ecosystem: continued collaboration among funders to meet community needs with both rigor and trustThis episode is for nonprofit leaders, funders, and anyone invested in community change. Rod's steady leadership, deep experience, and practical wisdom offer a grounded perspective on how philanthropy can adapt and thrive in uncertain times.Support the show

In this weeks episode, the Mayor and Toby discuss the intersection of technology and insurance, focusing on the challenges and opportunities within the industry. They explore the role of AI in transforming insurance processes, the importance of understanding client needs, and the potential for technology to attract new talent to the field. Toby shares insights from his journey in the insurance and tech sectors, highlighting the innovative solutions his company, OneFort, is developing to streamline operations and enhance client relationships.TakeawaysAI is transforming the insurance industry by automating processes.Understanding client needs is crucial for effective insurance solutions.Technology can attract new talent to the insurance field.OneFort focuses on independent insurance agents to maximize impact.Manual processes in insurance are time-consuming and need automation.Cross-selling and upselling are key strategies for insurance growth.AI can help identify underinsured clients and recommend solutions.The insurance industry faces a talent shortage that technology can address.OneFort integrates with existing tools to streamline insurance workflows.Toby emphasizes the importance of continuous innovation in tech solutions.Chapters00:00:02 Introduction and Greetings00:00:05 Discussing Upcoming Events00:00:20 The Role of Magic in Trade Shows00:03:23 Toby's Journey in Insurance and Tech00:07:55 Miscommunication in Insurance and Tech00:16:21  Focus on AI for producers, and CSR's 00:29:01  AI Solutions for Insurance00:32:04 Cross-Selling and Upselling with AI00:39:32 Future Plans and Industry GrowthSponsors:Smart Choice The Fastest growing agency network in country! Hands DownCanopy Connect - Your 1 click solution to getting the dec pages you need to quote your prospects

9/17（三）晚間九點請鎖定飛碟電台 ​ 今天要聊的，是一段關於「流域共好與綠領人才」的永續對話。CSR@天下總編輯 黃昭勇，長年深耕環境議題與社會責任，推動《流域公約》與「流域共好行動」，見證河川水質改善、社會與企業攜手合作的成果。這一集，我們將從行動倡議、科技應用到綠領人才，全面認識水資源永續的力量。 ​

☎️ Missed calls = missed opportunities. But what if AI could change that game forever? Brad sits down with Michelle Myers, co-founder of Pink Callers, to uncover how she's reinventing the call center experience for home service businesses. From dedicated CSRs who feel like part of your team, to after-hours support that actually works, Pink Callers is flipping the script on traditional answering services. Michelle doesn't shy away from the hot topic: AI. She shares how tools like Zyratalk, Dialpad, and Motion aren't here to replace people, but to supercharge them. We're talking about CSRs who go from answering phones to managing AI agents, multiplying their value and their paychecks

 Bhavana Mittal | Co-Founder,  Executive Director, Chief Growth Officer Bert labs Awarded Marketing, Media, Digital professional, Speaker, Advisory Board Member and Jury member for various industry associations, Yoga teacher (YT200) with 25+ years of experience. At Bert Labs, Bhavana plays a crucial role with intertwined functions. She serves as the visionary leader, setting the strategic direction for the company and ensuring that its mission aligns with the rapidly evolving tech landscape. She provides overall guidance, supervises the executive team, and maintain a strong connection with the board of directors to secure support for innovative ventures.On the other hand, at Bert Labs Bhavana fuels growth in the dynamic environment. She identifies opportunities, forging strategic partnerships, and driving revenue through the introduction of Bert Platform Solution and products in the market. She keeps a keen eye on market trends, harnessing data analytics to inform product development and marketing strategies, and fostering customer engagement to ensure the company's offerings are precisely tailored to meet emerging requirements. Bhavana drives the leadership team that balances visionary direction with actionable growth initiatives, propelling Bert Labs to success in the competitive tech landscape.Her career trajectory prior to Bert Labs has been:VP (Head) – Media and Digital at RPSG Group where Bhavana worked across all the Group businesses, including Saregama Caravan, Too Yumm!, Naturali, Spencer's, Nature's Basket, Fortune India, Open, Hello! Magazine, RPSG Sports (including Lucknow SuperGiants)Regional Head – Media, Digital and Communication, South Asia at Reckitt Benckiser, working across Digital and Media for all brands including Dettol, Durex, Harpic, Lizol, Vanish, Veet etc. Was a part of the integration team for Mead Johnson into RB. India represenative for Digital CoEHead – Media and CSR, India Sub-continent for GSK Consumer Healthcare, working across all brands including Horlicks, Boost, Eno, Crocin, Iodex, etc. Launched Sensodyne in India successfully. Headed Indirect Procurement for the initial 2 years. Was a part of the integration team for Novartisinto GSKCH. Led Global taskforce for strategic initiatives Manager and Head, Media Audit as part of Accenture Consulting. Set up the practice for Indian and International ClientsMedia Director/Head of Media at Cheil Communications, for Samsung and Hyundai business. Launched Samsung Mobile phones and LEDs, Samsung Side-by-side refrigerators, Hyundai Tuscon and Hyundai Sonata during her stint Media Director at Initiative Media for LG, Revlon and Nestle business Manager at Maximize (GroupM) for NIIT, Electrolux, JK Tyres business Media Supervisor at Universal McCann for Reckitt Benckiser, Indiatimes Media Executive at Saatchi & Saatchi, launched Hyundai, Santro and Accent in India Industry  

What does it mean for business leaders to not just keep their heads down—but lift their chins up? In this episode, we explore how CEOs and entrepreneurs can step into authentic leadership that unites, inspires, and drives change. In this thought-provoking conversation, we sit down with Neil Ghosh, President of MGR Professional Services and author of Do More Good. With a career spanning government, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors, Neil has reinvented himself as a bridge builder and champion of authentic business leadership. Together, we unpack the unique role businesses play in today's culture and governance, and why trust, empathy, and purpose are no longer “nice to haves” but essential pillars of leadership. Neil also shares powerful insights from his book, which features stories of inspiring leaders and provides actionable steps for anyone who wants to move beyond inspiration to meaningful action. From cultivating moral leadership to embedding corporate social responsibility into a company's DNA, this episode challenges us all to consider what kind of citizen—corporate and personal—we want to be. Here are highlights: -The Trust Recession: Why Neil calls this moment in history a “trust recession”—and why business leaders are now more trusted than governments and media. -Shifts in the Workforce: The three major shifts reshaping the workforce: cultural diversity, generational expectations, and the demand for moral leadership. -Navigating Polarization: How leaders can unite their teams without diluting core values in today's divisive climate. -CSR as Strategy, Not Charity: Why doing good isn't just a feel-good exercise—it's good business, and how companies can integrate CSR into their DNA. -Purpose, Empathy, and Action: The pillars of Neil's book Do More Good and how small steps can drive outsized impact. About the guest: Neil Ghosh is a seasoned executive whose expertise spans the nonprofit, government, philanthropic, and private sectors. His book, Do More Good, showcases some of the most captivating individuals in modern history—people he has met and interacted with on his mission to inspire meaningful change. With 30+ years of experience, Neil has successfully launched and scaled both nonprofit and for-profit ventures, building teams, business models, partnerships, and strategies to drive impact and support vulnerable populations in more than 50 countries. Neil's work has been featured in national outlets including CNN, Devex, the Washington Post, Economic Times, Voice of America, the Australian, the Huffington Post, Patheos, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. Connect with Neil: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilghosh1/ Website: https://www.neilghosh.org/⁠  Connect with Allison: Feedspot has named Disruptive CEO Nation as one of the Top 25 CEO Podcasts on the web, and it is ranked the number 6 CEO podcast to listen to in 2025! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/ceo_podcasts/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/  Website: https://www.disruptiveceonation.com/   #CEO #leadership #startup #founder #business #businesspodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the record is on the line, every micro-decision matters. What to say, when to speak up, how to follow up, how to respond—these split-second choices can easily lead to overwhelm and burnout if we don't prepare in advance. That's why we gathered a roundtable of seasoned professionals to talk it through—so you can step into every proceeding with the confidence and etiquette of a true guardian of the record.In this episode, we explore the core of court reporting professionalism: neutrality, boundaries, and room control. Special guest Vicki Poole, CSR, RPR, RMR, shares field-tested strategies for staying impartial, from setting the tone the moment you arrive to avoiding even the appearance of bias.Voices in This EpisodeHosts: Brynn Seymour | Treissa Matakaetis | Lisa Thomas | Brooke Skau, RPRGuest: Vicki Poole, CSR, RPR, RMRCassandra Ellis, RMR, RDR, CRR — President of MCRACinnamon Krauss, CSR, CRRSheena Selvera, CSR, CVRSponsored by StenoDo you want to work with an agency that works for you? Steno isn't just another agency; they're redefining the future of litigation support with modern technology and a concierge approach that makes your job easier. Court reporters choose Steno for fast payment, intuitive tools, and real-time tech support on every assignment. It's no wonder they're one of the fastest-growing firms in the country. Don't just take our word for it; sign up now and experience it for yourself!⭐ Leave Us a Review!If this episode brought you value, take a moment to leave a 5-star rating and a quick review. Your support helps more court reporters discover the community, tools, and encouragement they need to succeed. Even a simple star rating makes a big difference!

Want to work with us? Reach out! inquiries at milestomemories dot com Frontier status match (MTM affiliate link) - https://www.frontierstatusmatch.com/?fpr=xf83a Episode Description This week Southwest announced a positive change for once! WiFi has been getting cheaper on planes over the years, but most still charge. That has been changing and Southwest will finally bring free internet to their planes. When will this happen and how long will it be before every airline offers free internet in the skies?   In other news Hyatt has a couple of cool new promos, but one of them has a new twist. Should we be weary of travel apps and all of the data tracking or is that just life in 2025? We also discuss: Mario Kart in real life, why AA is flying 20 empty transatlantic legs and how you can score an easy $200 bonus offer from our partner Melio.   Episode Guide 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 2:05 More free WiFi on planes - Southwest drops new perk 6:37 Why AA is flying 20 empty transatlantic legs 10:50 New Hyatt promos - with a troubling twist? 13:23 Why companies are trying to force us into using their apps 17:27 The big consumer data problem in 2025 21:23 Battle of Chase Sapphires - A surprising result? 28:42 Mario Kart in real life! Links Melio Offer (affiliate link) - https://affiliates.meliopayments.com/travelonpointsteam  Mario Kart - https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a64188246/vietnam-downhill-karting-spot-mario-kart-dreams/ Southwest WiFi - https://milestomemories.com/southwest-rapid-rewards-members-will-get-free-wi-fi/ AA empty flights - https://onemileatatime.com/news/american-flying-empty-airbus-a321neo-across-atlantic/ Hyatt new property - https://travel-on-points.com/hyatt-new-hotel-promo/ Hyatt app promo - https://travel-on-points.com/hyatt-regency-promo/ CSR vs CSP - https://travel-on-points.com/your-next-card-csp-or-csr/ Enjoying the podcast? Please consider leaving us a positive review on your favorite podcast platform! You can also connect with us anytime at podcast@milestomemories.com.  You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, or via RSS. Don't see your favorite podcast platform? Please let us know!

A super special edition to celebrate the one thousandth episode hosted of Bruce Wawrzyniak's podcasting career. In this special release, there are excerpts from all of the shows he has hosted over the years: Now Hear This Entertainment, Catholic Sports Radio, TASCAM Talkback, Capture Your Art, and the PBLA Podcast. Below are links for easy access to go hear any one or more of either the specific interviews featured here or just the podcast(s) in general. It took over eleven-and-a-half years to get to this point, but this is indeed a truly special milestone worth commemorating in this way. NHTE 283 Eva Gardner (bass player for P!NK) https://www.now-hear-this.net/content/nhte-283-eva-gardner NHTE 308 Death Angel (GRAMMY nominees) https://www.now-hear-this.net/content/nhte-308-death-angel NHTE 360 Dom Morley (GRAMMY-winning producer) https://www.now-hear-this.net/content/nhte-360-dom-morley NHTE 540 Mark Parfitt (recording & mix engineer) https://www.now-hear-this.net/content/nhte-540-mark-parfitt Capture Your Art 4 Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein (Misfits guitarist) https://captureyourart.libsyn.com/doyle-wolfgang-von-frankenstein TASCAM Talkback https://tascamtalkback.libsyn.com/ CSR 2 Kyle Schmidt (hockey player) https://catholicsportsradio.net/episode/csr-2-kyle-schmidt/ CSR 80 Fr. Michael Lightner https://catholicsportsradio.net/episode/csr-80-fr-michael-lightner/ PBLA 1 John Livsey https://open.spotify.com/episode/0eDWGymkEDWweiB9vn8Szl?si=940c0851585047a9

Blair Hickok returns to Spent the Rent Podcast.A close friend, redemption story, and community organizer, Blair shares what it takes to stay focused through hard times, the stigma of struggling, and why advice isn't always what people need. We also touch on AI job searches, online privacy, back-to-school energy in Lane County, and the national politics shaping local life.I share an update on my own health journey with CSR and thank everyone who's supported me. You can help by clicking the GoFundMe logo at strpod.com.

Every great service technician knows the 3 C's: competence, confidence, and control. But how do you actually build them? In this episode of Windshield Time, Chris Elmore and James “J Dub” Walker break down how technicians can go from just “knowing the work” to leading conversations with customers and closing calls with confidence. Inside this episode: -Why competence always comes first (skills + knowledge = confidence) -The role of personality profiles (High S & High C) in shaping confidence -Why asking for help is growth, not “faking it” -How to handle customer objections without losing control -The secret to translating technical jargon into customer-friendly language -Why questions restore control when conversations go sideways Whether you're in HVAC, plumbing, or electrical, this episode will help you turn technical competence into customer trust, stronger communication, and more closed calls.

Send us a textFeeling trapped in the Google advertising hamster wheel? You're not alone. As contractors face rising ad costs and diminishing returns from traditional search marketing, many are desperately seeking alternatives—but fear venturing into unfamiliar territory.This episode dismantles the myths surrounding lead aggregation platforms like Yelp, Thumbtack, Angie, and Nextdoor. Rather than dismissing these platforms based on outdated perceptions or single negative experiences, we explore how they function as digital versions of neighborhood referrals—connecting homeowners seeking trusted service providers with qualified contractors.Nick Miller of Viral joins Crystal to share game-changing insights about what makes these platforms work. The conversation reveals that success hinges on three critical factors: patience (giving platforms enough time to show consistent results), speed-to-lead (responding within 60 seconds, not minutes), and proper budget allocation (understanding the threshold for meaningful participation in your specific market).What emerges is a compelling case for diversification. While no platform delivers perfect leads every time, incorporating these lead sources into a holistic marketing strategy creates stability when viewed over time. The discussion addresses common operational hurdles, like CSR training and response protocols, while providing practical metrics to evaluate performance beyond simple revenue tracking.Whether you're struggling with Google's rising costs or simply looking to expand your lead generation approach, this episode offers a fresh perspective on often-overlooked opportunities. By approaching these platforms with realistic expectations and strategic implementation, contractors can break free from single-source dependency and build more sustainable growth.Ready to rethink your lead generation strategy? Listen now and discover how to make lead aggregators work for your contracting business.If you enjoyed this chat From the Yellow Chair, consider joining our newsletter, "Let's Sip Some Lemonade," where you can receive exclusive interviews, our bank of helpful downloadables, and updates on upcoming content. Please consider following and drop a review below if you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to check out our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. From the Yellow Chair is powered by Lemon Seed, a marketing strategy and branding company for the trades. Lemon Seed specializes in rebrands, creating unique, comprehensive, organized marketing plans, social media, and graphic design. Learn more at www.LemonSeedMarketing.com Interested in being a guest on our show? Fill out this form! We'll see you next time, Lemon Heads!

✨ Ethics - Brand Loyalty ✨ Gen Z isn't just buying products—they're buying values.

Tired of business trips that feel like a copy-paste of the same sterile ballroom and conference room? How do you transform a mandatory work trip into a memorable, culturally-rich experience? In this episode, we tackle the secret to planning truly authentic corporate events that leave a lasting impact on attendees. We sit down with a master of the craft, Renee Jacobs, the Chief Operating Officer of MGME (McVeigh Global Meetings and Events), to uncover how professionals can escape the corporate bubble and genuinely connect with a destination.Join us as Renee Jacobs pulls back the curtain on the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry. She shares a wealth of corporate event planning ideas that go far beyond the typical agenda. We explore the powerful shift in MICE industry trends toward creating genuine "sense of place" activities, from sourcing local food for a surprise culinary competition to organizing city-wide "dine-arounds" for groups of up to a thousand people. Renee reveals how selecting unique corporate event venues—like historic castles in Ireland, the iconic Raffles Hotel in Singapore, or the Alvear Palace in Buenos Aires—is the critical first step in setting the stage for an immersive experience.The conversation also delves into the growing importance of integrating corporate social responsibility activities into the itinerary. Renee explains how CSR initiatives, such as local beach cleanups, tree planting, or bringing supplies to a local school, can be powerfully grounding experiences that connect attendees to the community in a meaningful way, even on a tight schedule. From fishing for piranhas in the Amazon to multi-million dollar gala dinners at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, Renee shares unforgettable stories and practical strategies that prove business travel doesn't have to be boring. This episode is packed with inspiration for creating your own authentic corporate events.About Our Guest:Renee Jacobs is the Chief Operating Officer of MGME (McVeigh Global Meetings and Events), a leading global agency specializing in event planning for Fortune 500 companies, life science organizations, and major associations. With a passion for travel that began in high school, Renee has built a remarkable career in the MICE industry. Her journey includes roles at The Compass Group, the Journal of Commerce, and WorldTEK, where she honed her expertise in planning large-scale commercial trade shows, exhibitions, and incentive trips across the globe before joining MGME and rising to her current role as COO.TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS:(00:00) Win a Luxury Cruise to Alaska!(05:21) Introducing Renee Jacobs: A Leader in the MICE Industry(09:21) The Scale of MGME: From Advisory Boards to Fan Activations(14:24) The Big Question: How to Make Corporate Events Authentic(15:33) Strategy 1: Choosing Unique Corporate Event Venues(17:40) Strategy 2: Creating Authentic Culinary Experiences(20:52) Strategy 3: Engaging Local Culture & Artisans(23:06) Behind the Scenes of a Multi-Million Dollar Event(24:50) Strategy 4: Integrating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)(29:00) How to Partner with MGME for Your Next Event(32:35) Final Thoughts: The Power of Authentic TravelLinksEnter the GiveawayInstagramYouTubeLinkedInProduced by Podcast Studio X.

Patty Rose sits down with his friend Rebekah for a candid conversation about mental health in Lane County. They talk about access to care, the impact of Oregon's Measure 110 changes, and the controversy around the proposed stabilization center in Springfield. Along the way, Patty shares a personal update about living with CSR and the challenges of being out of work, with a link to support through his GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/774572fa

Is the Grand Hyatt Kauai worth 45K? We answered this and many other questions on the Ask Us Anything hosted live on YouTube on August 6th, 2025.(00:42) - How do you typically like to get around a city that you're visiting, especially internationally? Are you more likely to take a taxi or Uber to get to places, take public transit, or do you prefer to just walk everywhere?(05:43) - To circumvent Hilton's minimum length of award stay requirements (e.g., WA Pedregal) — has anyone tried booking more nights than needed, then asking Hilton to remove nights from the stay?(07:18) - What is a question that you would ask someone who is interviewing for a job at Frequent Miler?(16:22) - You can find each of our origin stories here:https://frequentmiler.com/about-frequent-miler/)(16:44) - ​​Give us a peek behind the curtain: What is a typical day/week for the Frequent Miler team?(23:42) - Do you think the custom cash will survive having ThankYou points transfers?(25:34) - Now that Citi transfers to AA, where does Citi rank among the transferable points programs?(28:06) - For the JetBlue 25 for 25, does anyone have datapoints on how fast you get the 150k point after 15 destinations?(29:52) - How would you re-evaluate the value of your Chase/Bilt if you were able to get a family & friends discount on Hyatt cash stays?(31:54) - Hi team! What card are you recommending to people who aren't really in the game but got the CSR years ago and now want a different card?(37:50) - Head-to-head match-up, Citi Strata Elite or the new Alaska Premium card?(39:17) - ​​Any thoughts on Kenya Airways' new program and the Status Match opportunity that was announced earlier this week?(41:40) - ​​When Frequent Miler finds a unicorn fare or incredible deal, what is the quickest way that Frequent Miler gets that information to those who follow you so we can book it?(45:46) - ​​Grand Hyatt Kauai is now 45k for the basic room with 2 adults and 2 kids. I have a guest of honor available to me. Is the property worth that rate for 4 nights???(50:44) - Which card is better to downgrade, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, both of which have a $95 AF?