Podcasts about c suite

What if scaling didn't have to come at the cost of your health, your family, or your sanity?In this episode, Bill challenges the common held belief that sacrifice is a rite of passage in entrepreneurship, especially during the growth phase. He shares the story of a tech CEO building a $200M company and outlines a four-part framework for scaling your business while also building a life you love. Spoiler: It's not about working harder. It's about rethinking your approach.Topics explored in this episode:(0:26) Can You Really Have It All? *A thriving business and a healthy life are not mutually exclusive.*The story of a CEO who's grown a $200M company while staying balanced and grounded.(2:30) Four Steps to Scale BetterSet a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal): Anchor your strategy in a long-term, purpose-driven outcome.Invest in People & Culture: Hire well, coach continuously, and create strong values-based accountability.Execute with Rhythm: Align priorities, metrics, and meetings to stay focused and effective.Get a Life: Create time for family, health, and the things you love.(7:50) You're Not Supposed to Work 1,000x Harder*The CEO of a billion-dollar company doesn't work 1,000 times more than you, they have to work differently.*Scaling means evolving how you lead, not just doing more.(9:40) What's The First Step? *What do you need to redesign first?*Who can help you shift your leadership style and strategy?Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Justin interviews Chris Maguire about his professional journey and what led him to focus on the intersection of legal, compliance, and innovation. This leads to a discussion about AI and predictive analytics. Chris shares examples of General Counsel and compliance offices using AI to improve risk forecasting and decision-making. Chris comments on the expanding role of Compliance in the General Counsel's office.   Listen to Chris's take on the importance of values. He shares some of the core values of Thomson Reuters.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:17] About this episode of RIMScast. We will talk about how technology is driving innovation in compliance, risk, and the legal profession, with Chris Maguire of Thomson Reuters. [:41] RIMS-CRMP Workshops! The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep will be presented in conjunction with AFERM and led by instructor Joseph Mayo. This is a two-day course, June 2nd and 3rd. Register by May 26th. [1:02] The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Workshop will be presented in conjunction with NAIT on June 10th and 11th. Register by June 9th. That course will be led by former RIMS President, Nowell Seaman. [1:20] Links to these courses can be found on the Certification Page of RIMS.org and through this episode's show notes. [1:27] Virtual Workshops! On June 12th, Pat Saporito will host “Managing Data for ERM”, and she will return on June 26th to present the very popular new course, “Generative AI for Risk Management”. [1:45] A link to the full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's show notes. [1:56] We are already making preparations for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 on November 17th and 18th in Seattle, Washington. RIMS is accepting educational session submissions through May 20th. [2:14] The best submissions will address current and future challenges facing ERM practitioners as well as provide leading practices and concrete takeaways for a diverse audience of risk professionals from industries or organizations of varied sizes, disciplines, functions, and roles. [2:30] These include officers, leaders, managers, and students. The link to the submission form is in this episode's show notes. If you are listening on the day of this episode's release, this is the last call for submissions, so get them in! [2:46] Let's get on with the show! How is your organization navigating regulatory uncertainty in 2025? Are you leveraging advancements in technology to help achieve your goals? Our guest this week is Chris Maguire, the General Manager for Corporates Risk at Thomson Reuters. [3:06] We are going to talk about how technology is driving innovation in compliance, risk, and legal. We will talk about how AI and predictive analytics are reshaping corporate legal and compliance functions, and more. Let's get to it! [3:22] Interview! Chris Maguire, welcome to RIMScast! [3:29] Chris Maguire started in a Big Four firm in the '90s, in the auto practice. It was a great way to learn business and how they worked, focusing on understanding financial controls and risk, and how to make sure that companies were behaving correctly. [3:59] After an MBA, Chris started working for Thomson Reuters. He has been with them for about 20 years in the legal tech space. He started on the strategy side and transitioned after several years to driving the commercial teams in the risk business. [4:24] Now, Chris has the role of looking at product and industry strategy for corporations. Thomson Reuters is at the intersection of legal, risk, and compliance, and how they affect enterprises. [5:07] Chris says that 20 years ago, AI was not a fast-moving industry. There have been dramatic changes in the last few years. AI adoption by Thomson Reuters customers has doubled in the last year. Generative AI has been seen in a wide range of tasks. It started with drafting NDAs. [5:38] Salespeople are always asking for NDAs and how they can be drafted more quickly and easily. Now AI conducts legal research or helps draft a research memo or a complaint from a particular point of view. We're seeing it in drafting HR employment policies and rote tasks. [6:21] Chris explains the use of AI prompts tied to data sources, such as your data, data from Thomson Reuters, or other data providers. Chris is also seeing big data AI used a lot in analyzing outside spending and looking for cost savings. [7:14] Chris tells how AI helps in decision-making, using the example of knowing the vendors you choose for your supply chain and knowing your customers. AI can weed through all the news out there to make sure you're not dealing with a sanctioned entity. [8:22] AI can help with reputation risk. Is there forced labor in your supply chain? That matters to your reputation. It's not just whether a country is sanctioned, but what the individual entities in your supply chain are doing. There's a lot of focus on reputation today. [9:10] Justin recently had the Chief Impact Officer of EcoVadis on RIMScast Episode 329. They talked about forced labor and human trafficking in the supply chain. Use AI to help identify where forced labor and human trafficking are big risks, avoid them, and report them. [9:35] This is important on the corporate side and the government side of the business. Chris says it will be interesting to see the effect of tariffs. Thomson Reuters has updated about 50 million changes to its global trade products so far this year, compared to 100 million in 2024. [10:16] Plug Time! RIMS Webinars! We are back on May 22nd, with GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company, and their newest session, “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny”. [10:33] On June 5th, Zywave joins us to discuss “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause and What's the Solution?”. [10:413] On June 17th, Origami Risk returns to present “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction”. [10:54] More webinars will be announced soon and added to the RIMS.org/Webinars page. Go there to register. Registration is complimentary for RIMS members. [11:05] Spencer Educational Foundation's Grants program is starting soon. Spencer's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved, in part, by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [11:23] Since 2010, Spencer has awarded over $3.3 million in General Grants to support over 130 student-centered experiential learning initiatives at universities and RMI non-profits. Spencer's 2026 application process is now open through July 30th, 2025. [11:43] General Grant awardees are typically notified at the end of October. Learn more about Spencer's General Grants through the Programs tab of SpencerEd.org. [11:54] Back to the Conclusion of my Interview with Chris Maguire of Thomson Reuters!  [12:27] Chris refers to RIMScast Episode 335 with Jeff from Academy Sports. Jeff talked about how the Compliance function now sits in the General Counsel's office. At Thomson Reuters, more of the Compliance group has moved into the General Counsel's office in the last year. [12:48] The General Counsels are being charged with understanding the full weight of risk across an organization, from reputational risk to who you should or should not do business with. [13:16] The Sales organization at Thomson Reuters has discussed that a lot with the GC office, from a reputation, sanctions, and everything perspective. A lot of GC offices now include the Compliance role. [13:50] Chris's ERM philosophy is Trust. Companies need to trust who they are doing business with. Companies need to trust that their employees have what they need to make decisions not to deal with a risky customer, but to follow the laws and rules of global companies. It's trust. [14:29] There is so much change going on. Chris talks about values that resonate. One Thomson Reuters value is Act Fast, Learn Fast. You have to move and learn. Companies can help you, but it is on individuals to take the responsibility to act fast and learn fast about what is changing. [14:59] Thomson Reuters is bound by the Trust Principles. It started with Reuters in the 1940s around WWII, but it goes back to its 150 years of legal content. [15:17] The information Thomson Reuters provides its customers has to be free from bias. It has to be right. It has to be updated. It can't be an opinion about a philosophy. It has to be fact-based. It has to provide customers with the information they need to get work done. [15:36] Applying AI on top of trusted, unbiased, correct, up-to-date information is going to be vital, moving forward. Act fast, learn fast, and trust. [15:57] Chris believes the legal industry hasn't always been the fastest-moving industry. The technology is now there to allow us to move more quickly and learn more quickly. That's an exciting thing! [16:23] Chris says AI is no longer a future concept. It's here. It's transforming our lives; it's starting to transform our business environment. If you don't adapt quickly, you're going to be at a significant disadvantage. [16:36] For people in General Counsel's offices, people in compliance functions, the value is your expertise, your knowledge, and you as a human, and what you can bring to the situation. [16:48] If AI can help you get there, and give you a platform on which to add your judgment and expertise, knowledge, and professional opinion, that's a hugely valuable thing. [17:01] Thomson Reuters doesn't see AI taking away jobs. We see people who use AI, potentially taking away the jobs of people who don't use AI. It all comes back to the humans and how they use it. There's never been a time when Thomson Reuter's expertise has been more important. [17:34] Chris, it has been such a pleasure to have you here on RIMScast! I do appreciate that you listened to some previous episodes! Get my unique download count up there! [I7:50] I appreciate that we're reaching a very important segment of our audience and our RIMS membership. I think they're going to learn a lot in this episode. Thank you! [18:02] Special thanks to Chris Maguire for joining us here on RIMScast. Links to RIMS coverage about AI, legal, and compliance risks are in this episode's show notes.  [18:13] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [18:41] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [19:00] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [19:18 ] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [19:34] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [19:48] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [19:55] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Links: RIMS Texas Regional 2025 — August 3‒5 | Advance registration rates now open. ERM Conference 2025 — Call for Submissions (Through May 20) RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Risk Management magazine “Balancing Innovation and Compliance When Implementing AI” — Risk Management magazine, April 2025 RIMS Now The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center Spencer Educational Foundation — General Grants 2026 — Application Deadline July 30, 2025 2025 Coast-To-Coast Risk Management Challenge — Applications Open Through May 23 RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny” | Sponsored by GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company | May 22, 2025 “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause & What's the Solution?” | Sponsored by Zywave | June 5, 2025 “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction” | Sponsored by Origami Risk | June 17, 2025   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM — June 2‒3, 2025 | Presented by RIMS and AFERM RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Virtual Workshop — June 10‒11, 2025 | Presented by RIMS and NAIT Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule “Managing Data for ERM” | June 12 | Instructor: Pat Saporito “Generative AI for Risk Management” | June 26 | Instructor: Pat Saporito See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “(Re)Humanizing Leadership in Risk Management with Holly Ransom” “AI and Regulatory Risk Trends with Caroline Shleifer”   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs” | Sponsored by Zurich “Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding” | Sponsored by Zurich “What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping” | Sponsored by Medcor “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RMIS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Chris Maguire, General Manager, Corporates Risk at Thomson Reuters   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

She's stepped into a leadership position thanks, in part, to a former boss at her organization. But now, this former boss has become a peer, and perhaps competition for the next-level role. Plus, their leadership styles often clash. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through how to position herself for career advancement in the face of competition from a colleague.

In this episode of the Drop In CEO podcast, Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council. Tom shares his journey from sales and marketing to becoming a keynote speaker and author. He emphasizes the value of building strong relationships and the role of human interaction in navigating today's AI-driven world. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, Thom illustrates how connections and community can propel career success and business growth, especially for C-Suite leaders. Episode Highlights: 03:48 Navigating Career Transitions and Challenges 05:02 Balancing Multiple Roles and Family Life 08:51 The Importance of Networking and Building Relationships 20:07 The Human Side of Business Thom Singer is the CEO of the Austin Technology Council and a dynamic keynote speaker who specializes in the power of relationships, trust, and accountability in business. With over a decade of experience, Thom has energized more than 1,000 audiences through high-energy, action-driven presentations. Known as “The Conference Catalyst,” he fosters lasting connections before, during, and after his talks. A Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), Thom is also the author of 12 books and host of the Making Waves At C-Level podcast, where he interviews top business leaders. He lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and two daughters. Connect with Thom Singer: Company Website: Https://thomsinger.com Linkedin: LinkedIn.com/in/thomsinger For More Insights from The Drop In CEO:

In a recent episode of The Valley Today, host Janet Michael welcomed Gina Hilliard, President of the Luray/Page Chamber of Commerce, and special guest Crystel Smith, founder and CEO of Crystal Clear Business Strategies. As they gathered virtually on a particularly rainy Tuesday, the conversation flowed seamlessly, touching on key insights for business owners and unveiling exciting new initiatives. "When you're knee-deep in the middle of all this rain, what you want is crystal clear skies," Janet quipped, setting the stage for an enlightening discussion on business clarity. Crystel's venture, aptly named Crystel Clear Business Strategies, specializes in providing detailed, actionable business plans that go beyond standard consulting. Crystel emphasized the missing "how-to" in traditional business advice, making her unique approach invaluable. Crystel shared her journey from commercial lending to establishing her consultancy, revealing anecdotes from her interactions with small business owners driven by passion but lacking direction. She cited inspiring stories of resilience, like the business owner who sustained their non-profitable venture for nine years out of sheer dedication. Her approach involves understanding clients' personal and professional goals and crafting bespoke strategies to meet them. The session also showcased the educational aspect of her services. "It's not just about giving them the steps; it's about teaching them why those steps matter," Crystel explained. This focus on education ensures that business owners are equipped to think like entrepreneurs, fostering long-term growth and sustainability. Janet and Crystel delved into the importance of accountability and how having a business coach can significantly enhance performance. Crystel highlighted the power of clear, step-by-step plans and the role of an accountability partner in helping business owners stay on track and achieve their visions. Looking ahead, Crystel announced the launch of an innovative C-Suite program designed for high-level executives. This program aims to create a confidential, collaborative space where executives can solve complex business challenges together. The dual-level cohort model caters to companies up to $5 million in revenue and those exceeding $10 million, ensuring tailored support for different business stages. The discussion wrapped with a preview of Crystal's upcoming Lunch and Learn session hosted by the Luray/Page Chamber on June 26th, which promises to be an eye-opener for business owners. She will discuss seven key performance indicators crucial for driving profitability and share free resources, including guides and books. To explore the services offered by Crystel Clear Business Strategies, visit crystelclearbusiness.com (note the unique spelling) for more information. The Luray/Page Chamber of Commerce also provides various events and resources, ensuring robust support for the local business community. This engaging dialogue underscored the value of strategic business coaching and continuous learning, inspiring entrepreneurs to strive for clarity and growth, even on the rainiest of days.

Are you wondering how to truly advocate for your colleagues' well-being when you are the only physician in the room during leadership meetings?Physician leaders are often caught between administrative pressure and frontline realities, wrongly accused of having "gone over to the Dark Side" - when nothing could be further from the truth. If you're a senior physician leader, this episode gives you new tools - the language and leverage to champion staff wellness without being dismissed or ignored.You Will Discover:

Welcome back to the House of Sheology, the podcast for spiritually intelligent leaders who are building lives, businesses, and bodies of work that are both profitable and principled.This week's episode is part of what I'm calling the After Series—conversations that were recorded before we officially closed the book on the entity formerly known as “Betty,” but that carry essential codes and clarity for this moment in time.You're about to hear the audio from one of our most powerful Instagram Lives—a Debriefed conversation with my cohost Alyse Bacine and our guest, Elizabeth Purvis. At the time, we were still inside the unraveling, still metabolizing the lessons. Listening now, from the other side of the spell, the wisdom hits even deeper.In this episode, we explore what it means to walk the path of eldership, why powerful women so often remain silent in the face of manipulation, and how to find your voice—again. There's a little tarot (you'll know which card), a lot of truth, and yes... a brief and very joyful nod to Phoebe Buffay.If you've ever questioned your instincts inside a mentorship…If you've ever wondered why you stayed longer than you wanted to…If you're ready to hold yourself—and your students—to higher standards of spiritual maturity and leadership…This one's for you.In this episode, we explore:What spiritual eldership really means—and how you know you're readyThe role of shame in silencing powerful womenThe nuances of mentorship, projection, and unmet needsWhy we stayed, how we left, and what we've reclaimed sinceHow the archetypes of the Empress and that Tarot card shape our storiesThe importance of writing it down—and saying it out loudElizabeth's return to teaching the Akashic RecordsAlyse's full-circle moment as a teacherAnd yes… the long-awaited Smelly Cat video makes its official debut. You can watch right here (I apologize in advance)

What if the most powerful move you could make as a founder is to stop being the one doing it all?Today's episode explores the mindset shift that turns your business from a job into a scalable, valuable system. Bill is joined by legendary entrepreneur and author Michael E. Gerber to discuss why strategically working on the business, not in it, is the single most important shift a founder can make. From designing scripts to building systems that run without you, Michael shares what it truly means to scale with intention.Michael E. Gerber is the author of the best-selling E-Myth Revisited and with over 28 other books, Michael has spent decades helping entrepreneurs turn chaos into structure and systems. His latest creation is The Dreaming Room, an immersive experience designed to help business owners redefine their business vision and create a roadmap for success.Topics explored in this episode:(02:45) The Origin of the E-Myth*How a chance encounter led Michael to uncover the hidden flaw in small businesses.(08:05) Systems Are the Brand*Why the DNA of a brand lives in its systems and not in its logo or marketing.(11:45) From Script to Soul*How do you express the same message over and over with intention and passion?(14:15) Why McDonald's Gets It*What entrepreneurs can learn from Founder Ray Kroc about scaling through consistency.(18:20) Sarah's Pie Shop and the Power of Working On It*An impactful story about a small business owner's transformation from technician to entrepreneur.(27:40) The Dreaming Room and the Eightfold Path*The dreamer, the thinker, the storyteller, the leader, the designer, the builder, the launcher, and the grower.(31:25) The Business Is the Product*Don't let the business become your boss.*You have to create something of value in your business, or else you will go out of business.*Most Small businesses are doing the wrong type of work. (40:45) From NuCo to Scale*Why scaling means letting go of “OldCo” and creating something that lives beyond you.Thanks to Michael E. Gerber for being on the show!Learn more about The Dreaming Room: https://www.michaelegerbercompanies.comContact Michael directly: michael@michaelegerbercompanies.comConnect with Michael on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelegerberBill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions

Nada Lena Nasserdeen is an internationally acclaimed thought leader, visionary, and advocate for personal and professional empowerment. As the Founder and CEO of Rise Up For You, she is a two-time #1 best-selling author and a two-time TEDx motivational speaker. Over the past five years, Nada and her team have inspired and transformed the lives of over 100,000 individuals worldwide, equipping leaders and teams with the tools to excel and thrive in dynamic environments. Through her company, Rise Up For You, Nada has partnered with an impressive array of clients, including Fortune 5 corporations, industry-leading tech and pharmaceutical organizations, small businesses, and educational institutions. Leveraging their proprietary soft skills framework, the Rise Power Up Method, they've extended their influence to more than 50 countries, redefining success through innovative programming and transformative development.Here are the topics we covered:0:00 Introduction1:17 Four skills5:14 Self-confidence10:29 Women's issues re: confidence16:07 Tools to rebuild confidence18:46 Five Cs 23:08 Nada's story of resilience25:27 How to find Nada26:24 Advice for her 20-something selfMemorable Quotes“When you can master the elements of emotional and social intelligence it's a game changer in your life and in your success…it gives you the “It” factor so you can be seen and be relevant.”“83% of those asked stated their #1 challenge is self-confidence. 59% of those are leaders and C-Suite executives.”“Self-confidence impacts are ability to communicate.”“Failure is not about a loss of identity. It's actually helping us get closer because you're gaining more research on what works and what doesn't.”“Confidence crushers are imposter syndrome, perfectionist mindset, the inability to create healthy boundaries because of people-pleasing, and a lack of feeling enough (“enough-ism”)”.“When men struggle with self-confidence they become more assertive…women lose their ability to take action.”Here are the 3 Takeaways:The four pillars Nada talked about were: self-confidence, emotional intelligence, transformational leadership (vs. transactional leadership), and influential communication. These are the things we need to have a thriving life. These are skills we need to have a life that is thriving. The four branches of Emotional Intelligence are: self-awareness, self- management, social awareness, and relationship management. There are aspects to each of these that solve every single challenge we deal with as it relates to people. All of these make up emotional and social intelligence. Self-confidence can undermine our success and research says it doesn't matter what level or country – this is a challenge we all have. We've been taught to have confidence in the thing and change is inevitable. Confidence in the self is about self-belief in oneself and when things fall apart, you know how to build. Nada's New Book:Emotional Intelligence: The Path to Fulfillment, Influence, and Lasting Success (Rise Up For You: Rise Power Up Method).https://amazon.comMore about Nada:Nada's expertise and dynamic voice have been showcased on hundreds of podcasts and radio shows, as well as prestigious stages such as TEDx, Google and The World in Leadership Diversity Conference. Ways to contact with Nada:nln@riseupforyou.comhttps://www.riseupforyou.com Confidence & Leadership Tools – Free downloads to boost skills Webinars & Training Videos – Expert-led sessions on growth Assessments & Quizzes – Evaluate leadership & career strengthshttps://www.facebook.com/RiseUpForYou/https://www.instagram.com/RiseUpForYou/Rise Up For You Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com › podcast › rise-up-for-youWays to reach Yo:eMail yo@yocanny.com  Public FB group: Girl, Take the Lead!https://www.facebook.com/groups/272025931481748/?ref=share Linktr.ee/yocannyIG:https://www.instagram.com/yocannyLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/yocanny/

In this episode of PodCatalyst, Moody's Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Christine Elliott joins IABC Executive Director Peter Finn to share her journey of transforming the company's communications function. By integrating branding, government relations, community impact, and sustainability into the work they do, Moody's communicators have become invaluable players in the company's strategy. Christine walks us through how she created Moody's digital content team and its Story Lab, their source for premium content, including a Netflix-like docuseries that was shortlisted at Sundance. These efforts and more have had notably positive effects on Moody's social engagement and brand sentiment. As a former journalist for ABC News, Christine reflects on her career path to the C-suite, offering practical advice and insights for communicators aiming to advance their careers and make a meaningful impact in their organizations.+++++++++++++++Christine Elliott is chief corporate affairs officer at Moody's. She leads Moody's dialogue with key stakeholders, including employees, policymakers, government officials, and media to deepen understanding of the company's mission to be the definitive source of relevant insights on exponential risk.Christine has more than 25 years in senior level corporate communications roles. Prior to joining Moody's in 2021, she was executive vice president – worldwide communications at Mastercard and chief communications officer at S&P Global. She previously held a variety of communications positions at American Express and was a journalist for ABC News, where she earned an Emmy award.Christine has a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from the University of Michigan.+++++++++++++++LINKS Connect With IABC on Social MediaX (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | InstagramVisit IABC Online https://www.iabc.com/ https://www.iabc.com/catalyst

Welcome to the Daily Compliance News. Each day, Tom Fox, the Voice of Compliance, brings you compliance-related stories to start your day. Sit back, enjoy a cup of morning coffee, and listen in to the Daily Compliance News—all from the Compliance Podcast Network. Each day, we consider four stories from the business world: compliance, ethics, risk management, leadership, or general interest for the compliance professional. Top stories include: The C-Suite wants to quantify AI's impact. (Forbes) General Dynamics in hot water over wage and hour compliance. (Reuters) Of dress codes and walkouts at Starbucks. (Bloomberg) Broader DOJ whistleblower program announced.  (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recruiting Future is the podcast that helps Talent Acquisition teams drive measurable impact by developing strategic capability in Foresight, Influence, Talent, and Technology.  Skills shortages in emerging technologies have reached critical levels, with companies all fishing in the same tiny talent pool for experienced professionals. But if these technologies are relatively new, why assume only experienced talent can work with them?  In such fast-moving industries, how can companies develop their early career hiring strategies to ensure they get net new talent who can be productive immediately? My guest this week is Tan Moorthy, CEO of Revature. Revature is helping employers build pipelines of entry-level talent by giving high-potential hires the training and development they need to be effective from their first day. In our conversation, Tan gives us an insight into a structured approach to identifying, developing, and deploying new talent, which is transforming how organizations solve their tech talent shortages. In the interview, we discuss: Are employers looking at tech skill shortages through the wrong lens? The ABCD of in-demand skills (AI, big data, cloud, digital) AI Native entry-level talent Critical thinking and problem solving What employers get wrong about upskilling Cohorts, structure, and impact metrics Talent as a C-Suite priority The process to identify, develop, and deploy net new talent The role of technology and data Focusing humans on unique human skills What does the future look like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Tabatha Jones spent 20 years in the corporate world which she joined right out of high school. Soon after beginning work in a call center she began to discover her own leadership skills and began forging her own path in the corporate environment. Tabatha found that she could empower others to be better than they thought by providing a natural, honest and positive leadership style.   As Tabatha describes, she learned how to communicate and help connect the C Suite leaders in companies to those they lead. She learned to be a positive conduit to help all parts of companies where she served to learn and grow. She tells us stories about how she thrived as a leader and how she created positive change wherever she worked. She provides us with some really good leadership tips.   While Tabatha says her programs today are mainly to help women who more often do not have the confidence to lead, she states emphatically that her teachings do help men as well and she has male clients to prove it.   As Tabatha says, while she was a corporate leader for many years, she also used that time to coach and help others to learn leadership skills. Seven years ago Tabatha decided to leave working for others to form her own coaching firm, Empowered Leadership Coaching, LLC. She helps people learn how they can positively grow and advance in their own careers.   I very much enjoyed this episode and found that Tabatha and I have a lot of leadership views in common. For example, we discuss trust and the need for real trust in work environments. She tells a story about a mistake she made as a leader and how she dealt with it to keep the trust of all persons involved. I think you have a lot to gain from Tabatha. At the end of this episode she tells us how to get a free eBook that provides invaluable lessons to help you in your own efforts to rise in the work world.       About the Guest:   Tabatha Jones is the CEO of Empowered Leadership Coaching, LLC, a Career Advancement & Leadership Coach, author, and keynote speaker based in the SF Bay Area, working with clients nationwide. With over 20 years of experience leading high-performing technical teams in Corporate America, she transitioned into coaching at the age of 50, driven by her passion for helping women break through career barriers and achieve leadership success. Tabatha specializes in working with ambitious Gen-X women who are ready to stop playing small and make the next years the most impactful of their careers. Through her personalized coaching programs, she empowers her clients to develop strategic career plans, build unshakable confidence, elevate their visibility, and secure significant promotions. Her clients, including leaders at companies like Comcast, Cisco, Abbvie, PG&E, and Tyson, have successfully climbed the corporate ladder, developed standout leadership skills, and positioned themselves as top candidates for advancement. As a sought-after keynote speaker, Tabatha inspires audiences with actionable insights on leadership, career advancement, and empowerment. She is also the author of Promotion Ready in 3 Months: The Women's Guide to Career Advancement, available on Amazon.   Ways to connect Tabatha:   Website: https://www.empowered-leader.com/   Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tabatha-jones-4485854/   Grab a Free Resource: GenX Promotion Planning Assessment: https://www.empowered-leader.com/promotionassessment   Purchase a copy of my book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gpoqjNw   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 everyone, and welcome to another edition, an exciting edition of unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet, and the unexpected is everything that doesn't have anything to do with inclusion or diversity, which is most things, according to my diversity friends, but that's okay, our guest today. How do I do this? Okay, I'll just be up front. As many of you know, I use a screen reader, which is a piece of software to verbalize whatever comes across the screen. And when my screen reader finds my guest today's name, it pronounces it Tabatha. Don't you like that? Of course, it's Tabitha, but Tabata, so, so Tabitha. Tabatha Jones, welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Tabatha Jones ** 02:09 Oh, thank you so much for having me here. And Tabatha sounds fairly International, and maybe I'll take it, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 02:16 well, you can have it. It's yours. I don't think that the screen reader will mind a whole lot. But But what we're glad you're here now. I met Tabitha, as I have mentioned in the past with others, through an event that I attend, pada palooza. And Tabitha and I were both at the most recent pot of palooza. So what took you there? Are you starting a podcast, or are you just wanting to be interviewed by podcasters, or do you already have a podcast and you've done 1000s of episodes already?   Tabatha Jones ** 02:46 Well, I haven't done 1000s of episodes. I'm a fairly new podcaster. I've launched my own it's called the Gen X, free mix life, laughs and next acts. I think we're at about Episode 11. I was actually really interested in joining pada palusa to meet other podcasters. Here's some success stories and learn some great tips and tricks as I'm continuing to build mine out and and engage my audience well. So if there's   Michael Hingson ** 03:11 any way I can help, you, just need to shout out and glad to do it. And if you ever need a guest, and if I can fit the mold, I'm also glad to do that. It's always fun to to be a guest. When people want to come on unstoppable mindset, and I discover that they have a podcast, I always tell them, Well, you know, and many of them say, Well, do you charge for guests? And I say, Yes, I do. The charges you have to let me be a guest on your podcast, or if I go on to their podcast. I say I charge for that, and the charges that you have to come on my cop podcast to be a guest. So it works out.   Tabatha Jones ** 03:47 It's a fantastic tip. I'm taking that down and definitely having you on the podcast. Oh my gosh, yeah, that'd be fun.   Michael Hingson ** 03:53 Well, it it is cute. Actually, last week of a couple in Australia, a couple people emailed me and they they want to come on unstoppable mindset. And I was glad to do that. And they said, you know, but, but what's your charge? And I said, Well, I know you have a podcast. I have to be on yours. They said, Oh, we can, we can pay that. So it's fine. It is. You know, podcasting is so, so much fun. I did radio for years at the University of California at Irvine, and I like radio. Radio is a wonderful thing, but you're more structured because you have a limited amount of time. You've got to do certain things, you've got commercials you got to do, and sponsors that you have to satisfy, and some of that can happen with the podcast, but it's still not nearly as rigid, which makes it a lot of fun.   Tabatha Jones ** 04:45 Yeah, absolutely. And there's so much variety out there. One of the coolest things for me about starting a podcast is it's led me to so many other podcast shows that I had never listened to before, yours included. So now I think I'm following maybe. 30 to 40 different shows that I hadn't heard of until very recently, I'd say, probably the last six to eight months, and I'm loving it. I learned something new every single day. I learned something about someone's experience that leads me to check more into what they've shared. And it's really been fun. It's been a much more fun adventure for me than the social media that I was kind of, kind of dabbling in a little bit, but podcasts, it's just so much more personal and fun. It   Michael Hingson ** 05:27 is. It's much more connectional. And social media is just so impersonal, and people spend so much time doing it, and I'm amazed at some of the people who spend so many hours on it. I could, I don't do a lot of stuff on social media. I will post things occasionally, and I'm amazed at how fast some people, as soon as they as soon as I post, within minutes, they're responding to it. And I'm going, how do you do that? But anyway, it's people focus on that. But it's so impersonal compared to doing things like podcasting, because you do get to know people. You get to learn about people. And as I tell people constantly, if I'm not learning at least as much as anybody else who listens to this podcast, then I'm not doing my job well, which is kind of the way I look at it. And I always like to learn things from everyone who comes on and who I get to interact with because of the podcast.   Tabatha Jones ** 06:21 Yeah, so much fun. It is. You know, one of the things when we met that really connected me to you was just your story and sharing your author journey on top of it. So, yeah, you're kind of stuck with me in your fan club for a little bit following   Michael Hingson ** 06:40 you Well, thank you. And it is, it is fun to do that and following you back. It's, it's a lot of fun. And as I said, I enjoy getting to know people and connecting and learning which is cool, and to introduce you a little bit more to people, and I'll get to letting you do some of that too. But Tabitha is the CEO of empowered leadership coaching LLC, which is obviously a coaching organization, and you started doing that when you were 50. Of course I could, I could, circuitously get to and and how long ago was that, which would then tell us your age, but I won't that's   Tabatha Jones ** 07:25 all right. As a career advancement coach, I tell people all the time, don't put those long dates on your resume. People will start guessing your age, and then we've got another whole situation. I think the good thing with coaching is age and experience go together, and people see that a little bit differently, which has been fun. Yeah, I left it, you know, corporate at 50, and started my own business. I had been doing it on the side, but now I get to do it every day, and it's so   Michael Hingson ** 07:50 much fun. Well, seriously, how long have you been doing it?   Tabatha Jones ** 07:54 You know, for officially. Oh, I gotta do math. 2017. Is when I started. So,   Michael Hingson ** 08:01 oh, okay, well, there you go. So, 10 years, okay, yeah, and then   Tabatha Jones ** 08:04 I had been doing it as part of my job for more than 20 years. So as a leader in corporate, more than 20 years of coaching experience came from that sure   Michael Hingson ** 08:13 when you've got seven years of official long term, real life, constant experience, which is, which is great too. Well, tell us about the early Tabitha growing up and some of those kinds of things that would get us to know you better.   Tabatha Jones ** 08:28 Well, I grew up in a little town called Livermore. It's not so little anymore out here in California, in the East Bay, I am the oldest of four, and you   Michael Hingson ** 08:37 were never irradiated by the the accelerators, or any of the things that Livermore Labs.   Tabatha Jones ** 08:41 No, there was so much Hush, hush, secret stuff going on out there. But, you know, it was always very cool. They had a swimming pool you could go swim at. I think it was 75 cents to go swim for the whole day at the pool. And, you know, as a grown up, I'm all, should we really have been swimming there? I don't   Michael Hingson ** 08:58 know. Oh, it was safe. Well, it was absolutely Were you ever there after dark? No, so you don't know whether anything glowed in the dark or not. So you didn't probably you were safe.   Tabatha Jones ** 09:07 Probably safe. Yeah, nope. Genetics kids, when the street lights came on, we went home.   Michael Hingson ** 09:11 There you go. But anyway, so Livermore, yeah,   Tabatha Jones ** 09:15 Livermore, and then let's see. So I finished high school. Didn't really know what I was going to do. I stuck a little toe in the telecommunications industry at AT and T and got a job there right out of high school, answering phones and learning all kinds of great things. Did a lot of growing up in that space. Gosh, it was a it was an interesting journey. I actually was sitting in a call center taking phone calls during the 1989 earthquake, which, oh, boy, you may remember, right? I know I was training somebody, and I just looked at the person. I said, we're gonna hang up and go under the desk. That's what we're doing. And that was the day before my birthday. So I got my birthday off that year, which. You know, as they planned   10:00 out very well,   Tabatha Jones ** 10:02 yeah. But terrible, terrible, tragic earthquake, unfortunately. But, you know, I do just kind of try to make a little lighter of it with that. You know, the birthday off, but it is. It was an interesting time, for sure. I lived   Michael Hingson ** 10:16 in Vista, California at the time. Well, actually, I take it back. I lived in Mission Viejo. We hadn't moved to VISTA yet, although I had a job in Carlsbad, and I remember coming out to get on a bus to go from Carlsbad back up to Mission Viejo. And I was going to listen to the World Series, and it wasn't on, and it took me about 15 minutes before, I finally found a radio station that announced that there had been an earthquake. And then we got home, and then we started. We just Karen was was at home, and we just started watching it on TV, and they had all the the live shots and all that, and the freeway collapse and so on. It was, needless to say, quite the event. Karen and I survived. We were in, not married yet in, well, 19, whatever that would have been, 69 or 70 or 71 the Sylmar quake. I don't think it was in 74 I think it was earlier than that. But there was a big earthquake up in Sylmar, and we felt it at UC Irvine, and then we had the Whittier Narrows and Northridge quakes, so we felt those as well. But yeah, that had to be pretty rough in 89 for all of you up there.   Tabatha Jones ** 11:38 Yeah, it was pretty, pretty interesting. You know, from that point, you know, I just was training somebody as I as I mentioned, and, you know, we, we took that next day and couple of days kind of getting things together, working through the call center, handling a lot of emergency calls and things that were going on. And I'd say that's probably the first time I felt that call to leadership, you know, and realized I wanted to do more than being a call center, answering phones. There's nothing wrong with that, but for me, it wasn't the end all. And I started working on mapping out, how am I going to build my career here? Managed to advance a couple of times, and then went through a major layoff. So AT and T we all know, went through a lot of change over the years, but in the 80s and early 90s, there was a lot. So I did a couple of different things in between, and then one day, I walked into what was the Viacom cable office and decided I'm going to apply for a job here. It's just six months for experience, and we'll see where it goes. I fell in love with the cable industry. As weird as it sounds, I loved it, so I worked up really quickly into a lead role, and then started shifting into technology, which is where I spent most of my career, leading those technical teams and just really loving it. But yeah, yeah, that's kind of the journey from the early life into the career side of things. But   Michael Hingson ** 13:05 what kind of things did you do in as a leader for Viacom?   Tabatha Jones ** 13:09 So Viacom was where you in, went through. So I was in the call center. Initially became a lead there, moved into credit and collections and learned everything there was to learn there. It wasn't really my jam, but it was a great place to be. And then I moved into the Information Services Department, and you probably remember this back in the day of punching down phone lines in the little box, in different I don't know if you ever did that, but yeah, soldering cat five lines, crawling under desk, climbing up ladders, doing all those things. So that was early. It days before the internet. Still, I think crazy to say,   Michael Hingson ** 13:48 so did you do that? Or did you lead people who did that? So I   Tabatha Jones ** 13:52 did that early on. I learned everything I could in that department. I learned how to print reports. I knew learned how to compile data. I learned how to code the billing system, moved into project management from there, still on the information services side, and led some really huge projects through that time. We went through three companies. We landed at Comcast. That was where I was for the longest, but never really left, you know, my role, and just fell in love with the technology, because it changes all the time. It's never the same day twice. I loved working with technical people, and learned really quickly that one of my gifts was being able to translate between the Technical Suite and the C suite. So taking those great ideas and going and securing the budget or coming in with here's what the leadership team is thinking. Here's how I think we can do it. What are your thoughts and being able to translate and move things forward really fast. That's where I joined the leadership team and stayed, and I loved it. Climbing the ladder at Comcast was a lot of fun for me. Yeah. Do   Michael Hingson ** 15:00 you think that really taking the time to get that technical knowledge and learn those various jobs, even though you necessarily didn't do them all the time, but learning how to do those jobs? Do you think that was a valuable thing for you, looking back on it now,   Tabatha Jones ** 15:19 yeah, I do in some ways. And I spoke at a women in telecom sorry, it's women in tech and telecom seminar a few years back. And one of the things that we know is women don't advance as quickly into technical leadership roles, and being able to say in that room, leadership is not a technical skill. Just let the light bulbs off for people, because we hold ourselves back. And it's not just women, but it definitely happens in the female space, where we will hold ourselves back. Oh, I'm not technical enough, oh, I don't know enough. Oh, I can't code Python. It. It doesn't always matter for me, having the basis helped because I understood the work the team was doing. I understood quicker ways to do things. I had done them myself the hard way, but it gave me a little bit more, I'd say, street cred with the team, not that they ever expected me to code a macro or build an automation program, but because I could come and speak to them in a language that made sense, then they could go build the thing and do their jobs. So I do think it helped. It helped give me really great insight to what could be and let us really drive innovation quickly, which was super fun. I   Michael Hingson ** 16:41 agree with you on that I felt in everything that I did as a as a leader, working in a variety of different kinds of roles, I felt it necessary to learn the things that the people who worked for me and with me did because at least I could then articulate them. I could talk about them. I didn't necessarily have to do them all the time, and there were some things that I wasn't going to be able to do, for example, for four years or three and a half years, four I owned a company that sold PC based CAD systems to architects, computer aided design systems, for those who don't know, to architects and engineers and so on. And they were some of the early PC based CAD systems. We started in 1985 doing that. And needless to say, that was and and still is very much a highly graphic environment. And that isn't something that I'm going to be able to sit down in front of a computer terminal and do, because the technology, even today, doesn't exist to describe all of that information for me, so that I have access to it as quickly and as efficiently as a person who can see but even though I wouldn't be able to run a CAD system, I knew how to do it. So I could then sit down with an architect in front of a machine and ask them what they wanted to do, and then described them what they needed to do to make it happen. So I actually made them part of the process of showing themselves how the cast system worked by them actually working it. Now I also have people who work for me, but I did know how to do that, and I think that was extremely important. And I've always felt that having that knowledge is is helpful. I do tend to be very technical. I've got a master's degree in physics and so on. And I I think that having that technical knowledge is kind of part of the way I operate, which is fine, but still, I think that having that technical knowledge, really, even if it's only to be able to talk about it at the right times, was a very helpful thing and made me a better leader.   Tabatha Jones ** 18:59 Yeah, absolutely would agree with that, and understanding just the basics of what can and can't be done, or, you know, what my limitations were, and being vulnerable with going back to my team and saying, This is as far as I know how to take it. I need you to walk me through what the next steps are, or what your ideas are, or what your thoughts are. And I had a wonderful team. I'd say one of the benefits of not being the most technical person on the team is then I'm not seen as someone who's micromanaging. I'm not seen as someone who has all the answers. And for my teams, that worked out great because they loved showing their innovation. They loved showing ideas and bringing new technology, tools and things to the forefront, which made it a lot more fun for them, too. And I'd say one of the coolest things I did with my team was I was given, you know, in corporate world, you're sometimes gifted new responsibilities, and one of the new responsibilities. I was gifted with, was creating a quality control team, and this team was going to validate all of the data that the Information Services coding team was developing in the billing system. And it was needed the error rate, I mean, the accuracy rate, rather, was only about 70 ish percent. Wow. So it needed to change. It was impacting our frontline, impacting our techs. It was causing revenue gaps, right, customer experience problems. The vision that was given to me is we want you to hire three people, and they're going to manually validate this data all day long, and me being a hybrid technical people person said, Hold the phone. We're not doing that. So I went and hired someone who was an expert at SQL and Tableau. We then hired someone who was an expert at Quality Assurance, because that's what she had been doing in the call center, was validating orders and making sure the billing their statements were going out correct. So she had the manual aspect. And then we hired a third person who wasn't quite as technical as the first, but definitely a really good balance between the two and between the three of them and their ideas and their skills, and then my abilities as a leader to guide them through. You know, this is what we need. This is the vision. This is the budget, this is the the outcome that we want to get to. We were able to build something that was automated, that drove accuracy up to 98.1% Wow, and it's probably better today, but it's just because that the ability to see people who can bring in the best parts of their knowledge and then work together to build something. That's what helps technology advance so much faster.   Michael Hingson ** 21:44 Yeah, but it's but it's important to be able to do that. And you you learn to have the vision, or innately, you have the vision to to bring that about. And it sounds to me like all of the people that that you were leading really respected you, because you were, first of all, you were not a threat to them, and you clearly showed an interest in what they did, and you loved to hear them talk about it, because that taught you things that you didn't know   Tabatha Jones ** 22:17 exactly, oh my gosh, and they were great about what I'd say is dumbing things down. I'd sit there sometimes and would be listening to somebody, an analyst, who was excited and explaining all these great things they were doing. And finally, my face would say, okay, hold the phone. We need to step back just a teeny bit. I needed to bring it down, maybe just a little bit more. And once I got it, then everybody would be just jazzed and so excited and out to share, and, you know, made sure that they were getting to do part of the presenting when it went to higher levels, so that they could get credit and feel that value, which is so, so critical to help, you know, just boost that morale and keep inspiring people.   Michael Hingson ** 22:53 The other part of that, though, is you are also teaching them some probably sorely needed communication skills, because they're used to just talking very technical, and they're used to just talking to each other, and everybody gets it right away. But the reality is that I would think that they came to realize, well, maybe we need to present it in a little bit different way, because not everybody looks at it the way we do   Tabatha Jones ** 23:21 exactly that's where a lot of coaching came in and helping people work together better in the communication space, and then bringing it forward in a way that people understood. We did a really cool program. It was called insights. It exists out there, and there are people who are certified to administer it, but it basically is a personality assessment based on colors. So red, yellow, blue, green, and blue is generally your very technical, more introverted detail specific people. The Office of that is yellow, and I am very high yellow, which is your, include me. Bring me in. Let's have a party. Let's talk about it. So it was good for me, because it caused me to bring that yellow energy down a bit, which kept the, you know, the conversations going and the conversations open, and they learned to elevate that yellow energy a little bit so we could meet in the middle really well. And some of them had different, you know, red or green in there. But it was really interesting to be leading a team with such opposite energy. From that perspective,   Michael Hingson ** 24:27 did you ever find people who just resisted learning to meet in the middle or learning to do some of the things that you really wanted them to do, and they just didn't want to do that at all?   Tabatha Jones ** 24:41 Oh yes, yes, there were a couple, and that required more coaching, right? So one who had been used to working in a very specific way before we were reorganized and he was moved under me, it took multiple times and finally, a mild threat to. Get him to come forward and come on board with the new process, because sometimes it's really easy to stick in doing things the old way. He had been doing it for 1520, years. And I joke when I say threats. I don't threaten people, but you know, it was kind of a I need you to come up with the rest of the team. Here's what you're doing and how it's impacting the team, and even though it feels like it's making your customer happy in the long run, it's not because they're going to have to work with other people, and we need to make sure that they understand that this has changed, and then another who was more my way or the highway, and that took, you know, again, a bit of coaching. So his leader worked for me, and so his leader and I would come up with different plans and different strategies to put him in positions where he had to stay a little bit more quiet and let the team members bring forward their ideas. And rather than him jumping to a no, it was, we want you to start asking these three questions, and, you know, whatever the questions were to get the conversation going, and then the light bulb started going off for him. Like, wow. Some of these individuals have definitely had different training on, you know, whatever type of technology it is that makes perfect sense. What if we combine this so he was able to actually help us bring out the best in everyone, once he took that step back and really started listening and getting a bit more curious.   Michael Hingson ** 26:30 Well, that that's, you know, of course, a wonderful skill to have, because people need to recognize that not everybody is where they are   Tabatha Jones ** 26:42 exactly. It's true. And you know, I kind of think back when we were talking about the leadership aspect and leading technical teams, I coach a lot of people on interview skills and helping them present their best selves for the job that they're interviewing for. And one thing that seems to be a habit for people who are very technical and are also leaders is deferring so much their technical skills, and it's good, but you've got to have that balance. When you're applying for a leadership role, what happens that is very disappointing, is they'll be told, Well, we're not really seeing your leadership skills or your leadership qualities or not feeling like you're a good fit with this team. Usually, when a company is hiring a technical people leader, they want to know you can lead people, because not everybody can do both,   Michael Hingson ** 27:40 right, or they haven't learned how to   Tabatha Jones ** 27:43 right. It's true. Not everybody wants to. Sometimes they think they do because it's the next logical step, but sometimes people are just really happy being hands on others. To your point, you can learn. You can step into maybe a lead role, and start learning how to let go of some things and and get more comfortable with not being the smartest person in the room, because once you're the leader, you've got to have that balance and, and it's a learning a learning curve, for sure,   Michael Hingson ** 28:09 yeah. And unfortunately, there are way too many people, certainly, a lot of them are technical who think they're the smartest person in the room, whether they are not, and then some of them are. But still, that's not always the solution to making things work, especially if you're working in a team.   Tabatha Jones ** 28:29 Absolutely, yeah, it's all about the team. And it can't be. They always say there's no me and team. But technically, if you rearrange the letters there, kind of is that's maybe snow i Maybe it's No, I in team. No, I in team.   Michael Hingson ** 28:43 Yeah, there's no i That's true. But you know, one of my favorite books I enjoy reading it often, is actually the Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. Have you ever read that?   Tabatha Jones ** 28:55 I have not read that. I am aware of it. I have not bought it yet. It's a   Michael Hingson ** 29:00 short book, relatively speaking, but it's great because it really puts teamwork in perspective, and it really defines what should happen in a well functioning team, including the fact that members of the team can hold each other accountable when the team is comfortable with each other. And then, of course, it's all the team leader who has to really bring people together and meld the team into a cohesive working group. But the good team leaders can do that and understand what their role has to be in getting everybody to operate at peak performance.   Tabatha Jones ** 29:39 Love that. I will get that back on my list. Radical candor is kind of similar, as far as you know, being able to say what needs to be said and feeling like you're in a safe space to say it. Yeah, that's one of the things that I always found a little, I guess, frightening as a leader, is when I would talk to another leader and say, What feedback have you given this person? Well. Feedback is so negative, like no feedback given with love is there with the intention of helping the person grow and do better and understand what they're doing really well so they can keep doing that. So yeah, being able to let the team members or ask the team members hold each other accountable, be honest with each other, this isn't about feelings. This is about respect, and sometimes it's a hard conversation. It's really crunchy and uncomfortable. But once it happens, the trust that is built is it's unstoppable, well,   Michael Hingson ** 30:30 but feedback can also be a very positive thing. And it can be that you're doing a great job. Here's what you're doing. It isn't necessarily but you're not doing this right? It, it can be exactly a very positive thing. And there, there are certainly times that we all like to get that as well.   Tabatha Jones ** 30:47 Absolutely feedback is my favorite F word. I always say it is just, it's so important. And I've worked with people who have said, you know, I can't get feedback from my boss. I said, Well, what do you mean? And they said, Well, he All he says is just, you're doing a good job. Keep doing that. Yeah. Well, what specifically am i doing that's a good job. So feedback in itself is a skill, both giving it in a positive way and giving it in a constructive way. But all feedback is good when it's given with the right intention and it's given with, you know, just honesty and love. And   Michael Hingson ** 31:20 there's a skill in receiving feedback too and recognizing if you trust the feedback, the feeder backer, if you trust the person giving you the feedback, then you know that they're not out to get you. Yeah. And that's part of it is breaking through the usual shell that most of us probably a build up. Well, that person has some sort of alternative agenda they're out to get me. And that isn't always the case. And, oh, absolutely, unfortunately, sometimes it is, but it doesn't necessarily mean it always is. Yeah, I agree.   Tabatha Jones ** 31:54 You know, if you think back to feedback that you've been given throughout your life, is there a piece of feedback that you were given that really changed the way you do things. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 32:06 I can think of some, and I think that most of us can, because the people giving us the feedback were concerned about trying to help and concerned to try to get us to hear what others in the world are are saying or thinking. And if we take that to heart, that can be a very positive thing.   Tabatha Jones ** 32:32 Yeah, absolutely. One of the biggest foundations for me as a leader is trust and trust with my team, both going both directions to them, from me and from them to to from me to them, and from them to me. So complete trust. It's so important. And you know, knowing that I've had employees come and give me feedback, and it doesn't matter what level I was at or what level they were at, once, I knew that they were comfortable giving me feedback. I knew our relationship was strong, yeah, and, you know, I've had people come and say, I didn't really like the way that you said that. It would have been more impactful if you had done this. I've had clients come and say, you know, when you said that, I really reflected on it. And maybe we're not in the same spot. So let me say this again and see if you can, you can address it a different way. Great. If we don't have trust, we're not going to go anywhere. So it's such an important piece of of building trust. In   Michael Hingson ** 33:26 my new book, live like a guide dog, true stories from a blind man and his dog about being brave, overcoming adversity and moving forward in faith. Long title, well at the end, the subtitle, but one of the things that I talk about is that I've learned a lot of lessons about dealing with fear and dealing with people from my dogs, because dogs do things differently than we do and don't have any near, anywhere near the stress that We do. For example, dogs are, I think, creatures that do love unconditionally, but they don't trust unconditionally. What dogs do, however, is that they tend to be less something is really hurt a dog. They tend to be more open to trust, and they want to build a trusting relationship with us if we're open to it, because they are, and when we recognize that and we truly build the trusting relationship, it's second to none. So then you've got the love part that is there, but the trusting part, it's a whole different story. And I know that when I start working with every guide dog and people say, Oh, how long does it take to really get used to a dog? My response is, it takes roughly a year. Because it takes a long time for both sides of the team to truly recognize and have enough confidence in the other that they have that trust that they need to have.   Tabatha Jones ** 34:59 Yeah. Dogs are so much better than people. I will tell you their behavior is so much better, but I get that and you know someone who adopted my last two dogs. One was three years old when I got her from the pound, and she lived to be 15, and my other one is she's eight. I got her when she was three from someone that was re homing her. But they do. They they teach you that I can love you, but I don't know that I trust you yet. I've got to build this up like I will lick you and throw a party when you come home, but don't be trying to pick me up yet. We're not there. Yeah. So, you know, I can imagine, with a guide dog, it's even more elevated, and I can't write to read your that book, because I just finished underdog. I did. I don't know why the name just went blank. I posted it on my Facebook and Instagram. I was so excited, but yeah, oh my gosh. I can't wait to read the new one. If you   Michael Hingson ** 35:48 get a chance with both of them, go review them at Amazon. So lovely. Get a we always appreciate reviews. So Amazon and Goodreads are the best places to go to go do reviews, and they're very helpful. But when you read, live like a guide dog, love to get your thoughts, and you're welcome to email me and love to chat about it as well. But you're right that there are so many things about dogs that really teach us a lot. One of my favorite things that I talk about a lot, and we deal with it and live like a guide dog is we, as people tend to what if everything to death. We What if everything well, what if this? What if that? And the reality is, most of the things that we're dealing with, what if about are things over which we have absolutely no control, and all we're doing is building up our own internal Sears, and we need to learn to get away from that. If we could just learn to focus on the things that we have control over and not worry about the rest. And of course, people will say, Well, but, but all this stuff is going on we gotta worry about. No, you don't. You can be aware of it without worrying about it. You can be aware of it without it interfering with your life. But you have control over that, but there are so many things in your life that you don't have control over. And my, my premier example of that, of course, is the World Trade Center. I am not convinced that all of the government departments working together would have been able to figure out what was happening and stop the attacks from half from occurring. But the result of that is, of course, that we had no control over the events occurring. What we absolutely have total control over is how we individually choose to deal with those events and how we choose to move forward.   Tabatha Jones ** 37:36 Yeah, absolutely, oh my gosh, it's so powerful and so true. And I'd say too with dogs is they don't let that little thing that bothered them four hours ago eat them up, or four days ago or four months ago. They don't generally hold a grudge unless something was pretty atrocious, where we will ruminate on a story or a conversation over and over and over again, sometimes it's just solved by a simple Hey, what did you mean when you said that? Or we'll just go and keep thinking about it and keep thinking about it. Dogs moved on. They're like, I've already had my snack in my walk, like we're good again. There's no grudge, there's no past concern, or I made a mistake this day. I'm never gonna cross that line again, because, you know, I did this thing, but humans are so are just wired so differently, just from, I'm sure, our life lessons and all the things that we've been through. But if we could live a little more like a dog, that would be kind of amazing. That guide dogs specifically,   Michael Hingson ** 38:35 I agree. And you know, the reality is that dogs do make mistakes, and one of the things that we learned to put it in terms of what we're talking about today, one of the things that we learn as guide dog handlers is how to give appropriate feedback, and that process has changed over the years, so now it's a much more positive process. We don't tend to yell at dogs, we don't tend to try to give sharp leash corrections, but rather, when they do it right, that's the time to truly reinforce it and say, what a good job you did it. And if you're training a dog to do a new thing or give them a new skill, reinforcing the time that they succeed is so much more powerful than ever saying you didn't do that right? And I think that's as true for humans as it is for dogs, but humans just don't tend to for all the reasons that you said, Trust like, like, maybe they should, but we always think that everybody has a hidden agenda, which is unfortunate, because we don't always necessarily have a hidden agenda. And even if we do, and if you feel like you can't trust me because you think I have a hidden agenda, you can always ask me about it, or you should, and that's something we just tend not to feel that much that we can do, because those aren't skills that we're taught when we're growing up.   Tabatha Jones ** 39:56 Yeah, it's very true, and you. Know when you mentioned the mistakes even thinking about that from a leadership perspective. When I first started leading in my last team, we had reorganized into a corporate structure, so I had new employees sitting across 40 some odd states. It was a big a big reorg, and I would be talking to people about different things. And I said, Well, why did you, you know, why did you do it this way? Oh, well, I realized I made a mistake, so I didn't want to get in trouble. So I thought if I went and I did this, then that would I'm like, wait a minute, stop. Let's let's pause, let's go back to get in trouble. Tell me about that. And I would hear, and I heard it from multiple people across the team that there was such a level of fear over making a mistake. And I said, you know, you're not coming to work with somebody's heart transplant in an ice chest, like, if you make a mistake, nobody's gonna die. Yeah, somebody's gonna get a little maybe mad because we're gonna hit a little bit of a revenue hiccup, or maybe have to send an apology notice to some customers that have a mistake on their bill. But nothing's that big that we can't learn from it, fix it correctly and make sure it doesn't happen again. And that was a huge shift, and that's something you know, where a dog will make a mistake they get through the correction to your point, positive reinforcement. We've got jerky treats, kind of redirect. If people only could take a jerky treat, that'd be great, but they don't. But you know, when a mistake happens, teaching people, teaching our kids, like it's okay to make a mistake, but let's talk about what we learned from it. Make a plan to do better, and figure out how we just don't let that happen again, and then if it happens again, okay, let's have a different conversation. What? What did you notice? Did we miss something in the process? Less last time? Let's fix that, and then let's take the next steps forward, and let's go back and present to the team how we can improve this process and what we've learned from this mistake, like we can make it positive and as leaders, we can help our employees go faster. We can help our dogs learn faster. Can help our kids learn faster by just being a leader and managing mistakes correctly.   Michael Hingson ** 42:06 How do we get that process kind of more into the mainstream of society? How do we get people to recognize that it's okay when you make a mistake, we'll fix it and really give them and teach people to give the positive reinforcement that we need to do. Because I think it's, it's very true. We don't teach it.   Tabatha Jones ** 42:27 We don't teach it. I feel like younger parents that I'm seeing, in some ways, are getting there, you know, I remember back in the day when we would accidentally break something, or, you know, be roughhousing a little, and the glass would get knocked off the counter, and it was a huge thing, right? You're going to clean it up. You're going to go to your room. You're going to stop playing around in the house. And, you know, with my son, I know when He would break something and be like, Hey, let's clean this up. I need you to be more careful. You know, it's not you need to go sit in your room. You made a mistake. It's okay. And I see the difference in myself. Still, when I make a mistake, I beat myself up when he makes a mistake, he cleans it up and moves forward. So it's definitely happening through parenting and the way that we handle it as parents. We have that great opportunity as leaders once adults are full grown and in the workforce and still have those tendencies of fear and oh my gosh, I need to cover it up, teaching them, I had a situation where I made a mistake, shocking. I know I made a mistake, just kidding. I do it all the time, but I had made a mistake with some data that I collected from my team, I'd had individual skip level meetings, and decided kept all the notes in a spreadsheet, and I had told the team as I spoke with them. Whatever you tell me, it's in confidence. I'm taking themes of the conversation and I'll present it back to your leaders. They're not going to have names. We're not going to know who said what. That's not what this is about. It's about me helping drive improvements through my leadership team so that it's better for you. And they were really open, and it was amazing. It was such a gift to have that trust from the team. Well, I went and took my compilations, put all my notes together on a spreadsheet, sent it to my leadership team, and never took off the original notes. And I was like, shoot, now, what do I do? So I asked a peer. I said, Hey, this is what I did. What would you do? And she said, Well, I would tell my leaders, they need to be leaders, and they need to keep it confidential. And I was like, oh, not good enough. I'm not doing that. So I thought about it, yeah. And I said, You know what? This is a teachable moment. This is the opportunity I've been given to practice what I preach. So I pulled my entire team, 50 some odd people on the phone, on a teams call. So we were on camera, and I said, I need to talk to you about something. And I said, I made a mistake, and because of that mistake, I have let you down, and I've broken my word. And I explained what I did. I explained, you know, I got really excited by the information, because I saw things we could do, which then led me to moving way too fast, and I completely sent your comment. Comments with your names to your leaders, and I apologize. And going forward, when I take data and information from you, I will be learning from this mistake. I will keep two separate spreadsheets. I will not be, you know, just adding to the individual spreadsheet, I will quality control, check it before I send it out, and I will make sure that I do better. And I just ask that you forget me. On this one, I got so many texts and emails and instant messages that just said, Thank you so much, and someone that said, thank you, it helps to see that a leader owned up to a mistake, and I'm like, that's that was a teachable moment so nobody died. I didn't lose a heart. I broke a little confidence and a little trust. But we can fix things, and that's how,   Michael Hingson ** 45:46 yeah, and, and that makes a lot of sense, and we, we just tend to, oftentimes do knee jerk reactions. I was sitting here thinking about sometime after we moved to New Jersey in 1996 my wife and I were in our living room, and I don't remember what was going on. We were having a great time, and we each had, each had a glass of champagne, and my fourth guide dog, Lenny, was with us. And Lenny, like any good lab has a tail that never stops. And Karen, I think it was Karen, I don't even remember, sure. I think it was. Had put her glass down on the coffee table, and tail hit glass, glass, which was crystal, went all over floor, hardwood floor, you know, and I can think of so many people who would blame the dog. And actually, I think Lenny blamed herself for a little while, and we kept saying it wasn't your fault we screwed up. And eventually, you know, she well within, within an hour, she was mostly Okay, but, but the bottom line is that she, she, she knew that something happened, but it wasn't her fault, and it is important to own up to to things and and as I said, I think it was Karen, because I think Karen said I should never have put my glass down, or I should have put it back further away from her tail, because she was So excited. You know those   Tabatha Jones ** 47:21 tails, lab tails are crazy things, yeah, oh my gosh, right, but Lenny didn't stop wagging her tail because of that little mistake, right? It's something that Karen was able to own up to. You two were able to clean it up, and then Lenny was able to go on and keep wagging her tail. Everyone's being more careful. Now,   Michael Hingson ** 47:39 what's really funny is that, because it was a hardwood floor and crystal, there were her pieces that we found days later, but   Tabatha Jones ** 47:47 really years later, oh my gosh. But   Michael Hingson ** 47:50 you know what Lenny was? Was, was a cutie, and Lenny was the, probably the most empathetic dog that I've ever had. We had a pastor, and we had who we had come to know, and we were at a party, and she was at this party, and she came up to us and she said, we let Lenny visit everybody, but we just let her loose. Um, Lenny is the most empathetic dog I've ever seen, because you let her loose. And she went to the person who was feeling the most pain first, and then she worked the rest of the room, and we're talking emotional pain, but Lenny could sense that and and she did. She went to the person who was hurting the most for whatever reason. And then after she felt she had done all she could with that person, then she went around to the rest of the room. Oh, what a wonderful experience that was. Yeah, I know, and we hadn't noticed it, but sharee told it to us, and we we realized it from then on, yeah, she's right. I   Tabatha Jones ** 48:52 always think that the companies that allow people to bring their dogs to work are probably the companies that have the highest performance and productivity. I can't prove this yet, but there is something about having a warm, fuzzy little Snuggler with a cold nose right next to you that makes such a difference. Yeah, like I said, you know, mine's by me all the time, but they're just so intuitive. They pick up on your moods. They pick up on what's going on when you've had a bad day, you know, when you're feeling unconfident. I've worked with people a lot on helping them build confidence. And she'll even come around like, Hey, why you down? Like, what's going on? Let's go play. Go play. And then, you know, they're always so excited when you just do the smallest things. It's like, you know what? All right, I am making somebody, somebody happy today. It's just not that, maybe that other person, or whatever it is. But, yeah, oh my gosh. What made   Michael Hingson ** 49:40 you decide? What Madeline just caused you to decide to go from working for other companies in the corporate world to starting your own coaching career full time.   Tabatha Jones ** 49:52 You know, I just love the coaching aspect, helping people who struggle to speak up for themselves or who. Struggle to recognize the value that they bring to the workplace or to the world in general, just really lights my fire. I work mostly with women in their 50s, mostly with women who are already leaders but feel a bit stuck, and help them just remember who they are. Help them remember you know you are a leader. This is how you can set yourself apart, and this is how we can start preparing for your next promotion. I wrote my book promotion ready in three months, the Women's Guide to career advancement, which was released in August. Just because the concerns were so similar, I thought, you know, I'm going to put these specific the specific framework together in a book so that women who maybe don't have time for coaching right now, or they don't have the means, for whatever reason, they can get that framework in this book and get started on setting themselves apart and rebuilding that confidence. And I just love it. I feel like we tend to play really small, especially after a simple mistake or a simple breach of trust or a simple someone said something, and it just really stuck in our head for whatever reason. So I want women to stop. I want them to start feeling more empowered and start going after those things that they want. Because I don't know if you've seen the movie The longest game. But one of the quotes is the, you know, the field isn't the golfing green. The field is the five inches between your ears. And that's life. It is a fact. It is whatever is going on in that space between your ears is what's going to tell you you can and it's going to tell you what you can't do. So we want to only five inches. They say five inches. I haven't actually measured mine either. I say it and I touch it every time, because I'm like, I don't know if it's really five inches. Maybe it's, maybe it's four and a half. I don't know. I've always prided myself on having, you know, a skinny forehead.   Michael Hingson ** 51:57 Well, you know, but, but it's interesting and and, of course, sort of on principle, just for fun. I'll ask, do you ever find that that men read it or that that you coach men as well? Do you find that there are men that will benefit, or choose to benefit from the same things that you're talking about with most women? Absolutely,   Tabatha Jones ** 52:15 I say I work mostly with women and a few lucky men, because there are men who don't feel as confident or who might be a little bit more of that quieter later, and the strategies in there are obvious. Is probably not the right word. But there are things that are really simple and easy to do, but so often overlooked. So for anyone who finds themselves really kind of hiding behind the keyboard, not getting out and about and working on their visibility and relationship building. There are a lot of great strategies for that. The worst thing to do is wait until the promotion opportunity posts to start getting out there and building your brand. It doesn't serve anyone, and it's going to keep you behind. So, yeah, absolutely, that's a great question. If you   Michael Hingson ** 53:05 want to be noticed, then you have to work at what you need to do to be noticed. And that is a an important skill to learn. And it is all about brand, which doesn't mean you're trying to be so calculating that you're trying to do in other people, it is all about doing the things that you need to do, both to learn and to be able to advance in a positive way.   Tabatha Jones ** 53:30 Yeah, exactly. And there are strategies just for even man, even managing your time, because that's so obvious to some of us who have been there, but to others, they'll allow their calendar to be blocked from 7am to 7pm with everyone else's priorities, and it's important to make yourself a priority so that you can start standing out before the job posts. And that's kind of the secret sauce. A lot of people, like I said, they wait until the job posts and they've just been working hard and then can't figure out why they're not getting ahead. So we want to start doing things, taking action every day before that position posts, one   Michael Hingson ** 54:09 of the things that that I do is on my calendar page, I have time blocked out every day and and people will say, Well, I want to schedule something, but this time isn't available, and this is the only time that I can do it. And what I tell people is I have the time blocked out so that I can do the things that I need to do or that I might want to do. And one of them is responding positively to the fact that you need a certain time to meet, and that time is in one of my block times, but I block times so that I have free time to do what needs to be done. So let's schedule it, and, you know, and I, and I find that that works really well, because it gives me the time to make choices and do the things that I want to do. And I think it's so important to be able to do that. So.   Tabatha Jones ** 55:00 Yeah, the calendar is key. I always say your calendar equals clarity equals confidence. I mean, it just it builds that confidence. What I see happen a lot in the corporate space is the calendar gets booked for again, everybody else's priorities, 7am to 7pm I will see someone sitting in a meeting, totally disengaged. And when I would say, What are you doing? And I ask clients now too, so how do you prepare for this meeting? Because almost always the answer is, oh, I have a big meeting coming up in a couple of hours, and I'm not ready yet. Like, well, why are you in this meeting? If that meeting matters so much, why are you here? Because you're hurting your brand here, looking disengaged, asking, Can you repeat that 72 times where you could have just sent a delegate, or you could have blocked that time to think and prepare, which is so important, the calendar blocks. I don't think I could live without them. They're critical, right? That's how we get things done. That's how we make sure we're focused on the right things. That's how I prepare for clients. I don't just get on and wing it, because that's not going to go well, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 56:02 and that's why on, on unstoppable mindset. I asked people to send me some things because I want to appropriately prepare, because if, if I'm doing my job right, I learn all I can to be able to be involved in an intelligent conversation, and people have so many skills that I haven't learned or don't have, I get to use the information that they send to prepare and learn about some of those skills, which is part of why I say if I'm not learning at least as much as anyone else who is listening To the podcast, and I'm not doing my job right? Because it's so much fun to be able to explore and talk with people, and it's and it is so much fun. So I I appreciate exactly what you're saying. Well,   Tabatha Jones ** 56:53 thank you. Yeah, it's, it's a, I mean, tooting my own horn a little bit. It's a great book full of strategy. And if you just took it, take it and start implementing those small changes, you'll see a huge difference. And I say that you'll see it, but not only you, your leader will see and your team will see that you're making changes and and making a difference. So yeah, it's just that calendar is so helpful.   Michael Hingson ** 57:16 Life is is an adventure, as far as I'm concerned. And if we're not always learning we're not doing our job right exactly which is so important? Well, do you have any kind of last thoughts of things that you want people to to think about, as far as leadership or as far as moving forward in the corporate world, or or any of those kinds of things? Yeah,   Tabatha Jones ** 57:40 absolutely. And thank you so much for asking. I do want to tie it back to unstoppable mindset, because you are absolutely unstoppable. It's a matter of clearing those blocks, the things that are in your way, the things that are in that five inches, or whatever it really is between your ears that is getting in the way and telling you you can't do something. And I encourage you if you're struggling, if you want to get ahead, if you've had some bad experiences when trying to get ahead, connect with me on LinkedIn. You can find me at Tabitha Jones and D, H, A Jones, thank you. Yes, all A's, Tabata, Tabatha. You can call me what you want. Just spell it right so you can find me. But absolutely connect with me there, and let's talk about what's going on and see how we can help you start moving forward again. Absolutely, we'll share strategies to give at least a little bit of a boost and kind of start relieving some of the discomfort that may be going on, but kind of back to that point you are completely unstoppable. It's just about investing in yourself, and that may look like time, energy or financially, just to get yourself out of, out of where you're at and into that next thing.   Michael Hingson ** 58:52 What's your website? You must I assume you have a website. I   Tabatha Jones ** 58:55 do have a website. It is empowered. Dash leader.com, and if you go out there, I actually have a free gift. I've recently published an ebook which is a career confidence playbook for women over 50, and that also has some great strategies, as well as workbook and journaling pages to help you really flesh out those goals and start taking those small action steps,   Michael Hingson ** 59:21 and guys, the concepts are the same. So don't think it's just for women. Otherwise, learn nearly as much on this podcast as you   Tabatha Jones ** 59:29 should. That is true. That's very true. The color is a little purple and black. Don't let that send you anywhere. Just it's perfect. Come on in. Let's talk   Michael Hingson ** 59:39 colors. Don't bother me.   59:42 Outstanding.   Michael Hingson ** 59:44 Well, I want to thank you for being here. This has been really fun. I knew it was going to be, and it was every bit as fun and and informative as as I thought it would be. So I hope people will reach out to you on LinkedIn and go off and. Uh, go to the website as well. Get your free ebook. I'm going to go get it and and I really think that you've offered a lot of good insights that will be helpful for people. I hope all of you listening and watching out there agree. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please email me. Let me know what you think of our episode today. You can email me at Michael M, I C H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S,

In this episode of The Brand Called You, Global top-ranked executive coach Brenda Bence shares her journey from managing billion-dollar brands to coaching top leaders across six continents. She dives into imposter syndrome at the C-suite, global leadership challenges, and powerful habits that drive real impact. A must-watch for leaders navigating complexity in today's fast-paced world.00:37- About Brenda BenceBrenda is ranked number three executive coach globally.She's a billion dollar C-suite coach.She's also an author of several award winning corporate and leadership branding books.

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Justin interviews three RISKWORLD attendees at RISKWORLD 2025. They are first, Audrey Trim of Thomson Rivers University, second, Lucy Straker of Beazley, and third, François Beaume of Sonepar and AMRAE.   Audrey Trim shares information about her career and her experiences at RISKWORLD and on the Board at BC RIMS. She introduces the Second Annual Coast to Coast Risk Management Legacy Challenge for Canada and tells how student teams can compete.   Lucy Straker describes the growing risk of political violence and active assailant events, and what insurance products are needed on top of general liability. She offers strategies for preventing and mitigating violent events.   François Beaume presents the 17th Annual AMRAE RMIS Panorama, a survey of vendors and risk managers, with insights into the software and technology available to corporate risk teams. The Panorama and data sets are freely available online in French and English at the link below. Listen in for a glimpse of the variety of education at RISKWORLD. Be sure to save the dates May 3rd through the 6th for RISKWORLD 2026 in Philadelphia.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast, coming to you live from RISKWORLD 2025 in Chicago. There are so many topics and perspectives to cover! [:40] RIMS-CRMP Workshops! RIMS is co-hosting an intensive four-day program, which is your gateway to achieving two prestigious certifications, the DRI Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) and the RIMS Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP). [:59] This workshop will be held from May 19th through the 22nd in collaboration with DRI International. Links to these courses can be found through the Certification page of RIMS.org and this episode's show notes. [1:14] Virtual Workshops! On June 12th, Pat Saporito will host “Managing Data for ERM”, and she will return on June 26th to present the very popular new course, “Generative AI for Risk Management”. [1:31] A link to the full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's show notes. [1:42] We're at RISKWORLD this week, but preparations are already underway for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 on November 17th and 18th in Seattle, Washington. RIMS is accepting educational session submissions through May 20th. [2:00] The best submissions will address current and future challenges facing ERM practitioners as well as provide leading practices and concrete takeaways for a diverse audience of risk professionals from industries or organizations of varied sizes, disciplines, functions, and roles. [2:16] These include officers, leaders, managers, and students. The link to the submission form is in this episode's show notes. [2:26] Of course, mark your calendars for November 17th and 18th, and I'll be sure to alert you when registration opens. [2:34] RISKWORLD 2025 was one of the highlights of the 75th Anniversary of RIMS. We had a fantastic time here at McCormick Place in Chicago. We've got a lot of perspectives that we're going to cover! [2:47] Our first guest is the Responsible Use of Space Coordinator in the Risk Management Department of Thomson Rivers University in British Columbia and a Board Member of BC RIMS. She is making her RISKWORLD and RIMScast debut. [3:04] Audrey Trim is here to tell us about her experience as a first-time attendee and the 2025 Coast-to-Coast Risk Management Legacy Challenge, which was a big draw among the students at RIMS Canada 2024, and we expect that to possibly outdo itself in 2025. [3:24] You could sense the energy on the exhibit room floor on Day 1 of RISKWORLD. Let's get to it! [3:32] Interviews! Audrey Trim, welcome to RIMScast! [3:38] On RISKWORLD Day 1, Audrey enjoyed the Matha Stewart opening keynote. It was a great, inspirational show. Audrey has taken in some great sessions. She's looking forward to some educational seminars. This is Audrey's first RISKWORLD; it will not be her last! [4:57] Audrey explains her job title, Responsible Use of Space Coordinator. She oversees the non-academic space, among other things, on the Thomson Rivers University campus. She focuses on the best use of the space in a responsible way. [6:07] In earlier roles, Audrey worked on the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier in Kamloops and was an Event Coordinator for the City of Kamloops. She also coordinated a Buskers Festival. Then she fell into risk management, and she's loving it. [6:28] Audrey joined the Risk Group at Thomson Rivers three years ago. She became a BC RIMS member and now serves on the chapter board. Audrey is on the organizing committee of the Coast to Coast Risk Management Legacy Challenge, working with the SA RIMS Chapter. [7:01] This is the Second Annual Coast to Coast Risk Management Legacy Challenge for Canada. They will try to outdo the premier year. The Challenge involves students in teams of four from universities across Canada. [7:31] The teams get a case study and compete for the top two spots. The top two teams will get a chance to present their findings at the 2025 RIMS Canada Conference, which will be in Calgary, Alberta, from September 14th through 17th. [7:50] This year, Ken Letander, Case Study Champion, owner and Founder of Strat First Inc., a Canadian risk management firm, has chosen the case study topic: Reporting, Set Aside, Spend: Indigenous business joint venture, ethical dilemmas, and program integrity benefits. [8:15] It's going to be a big draw. Audrey hopes lots of teams apply. Ken Letander and others will judge the entries. [8:45] Audrey describes the passion and thought that went into the submissions to the 2024 Coast to Coast Challenge. The winning submission developed a tool to measure health equity across the province. The tool was given to the Fraser Health Authority to use day-to-day.  [9:35] The Coast to Coast Challenge is open to students across Canada. One of the members of the winning team last year changed her direction from business to risk management, because she had such a great experience at the conference and during the case study. [10:38] Apply to join the Coast to Coast Risk Management Legacy Challenge by May 24th. The case study will be assigned on May 30th. Each team submits a 10-page report. The judges will pick the top two teams to present at the RIMS Canada Conference 2025. [10:55] A link to the submissions page and contact information is in this episode's show notes. [11:16] Audrey's advice to anyone considering attending RISKWORLD 2026: “Know where you're going and how to get around the conference. Also, curate your sessions. There are a lot of options here. Pick out the ones that will have an impact on you and teach you something great.” [11:35] “There are so many networking opportunities. Take advantage of those. Get out there. Don't be afraid to try new things!” [11:39] RIMS Canada 2025 will be held from September 14th through 17th in Calgary. Registration will open soon. Audrey says, “Do it! The RIMS Canada Conference was a great opportunity to meet people and network!” [12:20] Plug Time! RIMS Webinars! We are back on May 22nd, with GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company, and their newest session, “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny”. [12:36] On June 5th, Zywave joins us to discuss “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause and What's the Solution?” [12:47] On June 17th, Origami Risk returns to present “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction”. This session was rescheduled from May. If you were already registered, you do not need to take any action. [13:03] More webinars will be announced soon and added to the RIMS.org/Webinars page. Go there to register. Registration is complimentary for RIMS members. [13:15] Spencer Educational Foundation's Grants program is starting soon. Spencer's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved, in part, by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [13:34] Since 2010, Spencer has awarded over $3.3 million in General Grants to support over 130 student-centered experiential learning initiatives at universities and RMI non-profits. Spencer's 2026 application process is now open through July 30th, 2025. [13:55] General Grant awardees are typically notified at the end of October. Learn more about Spencer's General Grants through the Programs tab of SpencerEd.org. [14:05] On the 7th of October, the New Jersey RIMS Chapter will return to the beautiful Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, for their Annual Charity Golf/Pickleball Event. [14:18] Registration is open, and the event proceeds are used to fund the chapter's Spencer and Kids' Chance Scholarships. It was the filming location for the upcoming movie sequel, Happy Gilmore 2. For more information and to register, please NewJersey.RIMS.org. [14:42] My next guest was a panelist on several RIMS webinars. I was delighted to see her, so we could record this special segment live at RISKWORLD 2025. She is Lucy Straker. She is the focus group leader for U.S. Political Violence & Deadly Weapons Protection at Beazley. [15:00] We will talk about the trends she's seeing in her area of practice. [15:06] Lucy Straker, welcome to RIMScast!  [15:29] In 2016, Beazley looked at the landscape as it relates to terrorism and active assailant events and realized that traditional insurance options weren't providing sufficient solutions for its clients. Beazley created a product and a marketplace around active armed assailant events. [16:02] Lucy says what you see in the media is a fraction of what's happening. The media report the biggest and worst events. The risk is far higher than what is reported in the media. [16:31] Violence and shootings have increased. People are now more aware of the risk and are trying to respond to it through insurance products and legislation such as California's SB-553, with much more focus on preventing these events from occurring. [16:54] We want to avoid workplace violence before it becomes something. A lot of clients think they already have coverage for workplace violence in their traditional general liability insurance. [17:19] Recently, general liability carriers have put exclusions on their products for AMB, firearms, weapons, or the expected or intended injury exclusion found in a traditional ISA form. [17:38] Lucy says clients need to be aware that there is a potential coverage gap. A misconception among clients is that none of them think they will have a shooting. They're in denial. When there's a shooting, you hear, “I never thought it would happen to me!” [18:03] We're at a stage where gun violence is so prevalent in the U.S. that you can't argue you didn't think something was going to happen. You have to plan and prepare for the worst-case scenario. [18:28] Lucy advises risk leaders to buy coverage to help them cover the gap. They do not have to be alone. With most shootings, there is a warning sign. There is a trail. There are things to do to prevent it. [18:52] As a company, protocols have to be embedded from top-down and bottom-up. The company has to communicate every plan and procedure to its employees. Employees have to be trained and retrained. This is not something they're going to be thinking about every day. [19:09] You have to engage with your security team. You have to screen people. You have to screen the company. You have to create a culture of reporting. People are not going to report something unless they feel comfortable reporting it. You need to have anonymous reporting. [19:24] You need to instill a culture in your company of “See something, say something, report it.” It could be someone coming in and acting funny, or someone posting on social media, “I'm going to go carry out a shooting.” [19:46] More often than not, if someone's going down a path to violence, there are signs. They don't just wake up one morning and say they're going to go carry out a shooting. There are warning signs, and we want to catch them before it becomes something more material. [20:13] There are different lines of coverage and ways that coverage can respond, such as active assailant forms. Think about your business and other areas of your business you might not have thought about. Lucy mentions the United Health Care CEO being shot off the premises. [20:38] It was a targeted event. Were there warning signs online by Luigi, the perpetrator? How can you identify those threats? Make sure you have risk management and preventive measures in place. Think of the litigious landscape. We're now seeing more nuclear verdicts. [21:02] People always want someone to blame. You've got to make sure that, if something happens, you're doing right by the people to try and eliminate and reduce that liability on the back end. [21:15] RIMS Plug! The first of hopefully many RIMS Texas Regional Conferences will be held in San Antonio from August 4th through the 6th, 2025. This groundbreaking event is set to unite the Texas RIMS Chapters and welcome risk management professionals from around the world. [21:35] Guess what, folks! Registration is now open! The advance rate is available through May 16th. A link is in this episode's show notes. You can also visit the Events page of RIMS.org to register. We look forward to seeing you in Texas! [21:51] Let's Move to My Final Guest, François Beaume, The SVP for Risks and Insurance at Sonepar and the VP of AMRAE (The Association for Corporate Risk and Insurance Management)! [22:16] François Beaume is here to discuss the findings of the 17th Edition of the RMIS Panorama that AMRAE produces in association with and with the support of several groups, including RIMS. [22:36] François Beaume, welcome back to RIMScast! [23:02] AMRAE has the 17th Annual Edition of the RMIS Panorama available. In 17 years, the most significant evolution in risk management information system offerings has been the integration of advanced technologies like AI, automation, and data visualization. [23:57] These add-ons transform the software from a pure data management tool to a much more sophisticated platform that provides productive analyses and real-time risk monitoring to enhance decision-making capabilities and processes in a wider scope of topics. [24:40] Panorama is a collection of surveys. One survey focuses on vendors and one survey focuses on risk managers. François says there is still room for improvement in this solution. Progress has been made on flexibility and integration capability, with changes to come. [25:12] François sees a need to guarantee the success of such solutions, train users, and provide support to users to streamline how they use the system. Vendors receive feedback to provide customizable solutions, enhanced integration capability, training, user clubs, and more. [26:07] Interconnection is a key area of these tools. With APIs, modular architecture, and code-based solutions, more and more, these tools can connect with other risk management information systems. Some corporations have several risk management systems. [26:45] There are more and more interconnected features in these systems, to allow the risk manager and all the teams involved in the use of the risk management programatics to extract the most important benefits from the use of the tool. [27:04] ESG is a key area where this matters more and more. In Europe, there is a strong push for ESG compliance that requires corporations to gather and manage a huge volume of data that, when organized, is helpful to fuel the risk management processes. [27:33] The report evaluates 52 solutions in four functional categories, covering 17 functional modules and 14 technical modules to allow you to compare and assess the value of the solutions and if they are compatible with your company's technology for audit, risk, and more. [28:22] AMRAE is looking at the functional scope and the depth of the features that are offered. Is the scope well-covered? They are looking at technical capabilities; is it easy to integrate a solution? Is it scalable? How is the user interface? What can the admin customize? [28:45] AMRAE also gathers user feedback and testimonials from using a given tool in real life. That feedback provides robust data capabilities, seamless integration capabilities, and more user-friendly interfaces that will benefit the users of the tool. [29:36] RMIS vendors use AI in predictive analytics of historical data. Risk management is gathering and dealing with historical data linked to risk management topics to anticipate future risks. [29:59] Vendors use AI to automate workflows and streamline data from the field and validation from the stakeholders, reducing manual intervention and increasing confidence in the data quality. All data will be analyzed more easily with AI and integrated into interactive dashboards. [30:34] Dashboarding has improved over the past year to provide more interactive dashboards for better risk insights and risk decision-making processes. [31:10] François has advice for risk managers looking for RMIS software. His most valuable advice is to use the RMIS Panorama. It's freely available to anyone. You can get it in French or English. Besides the Panorama PDF, there is an online platform that allows customization. [31:48] The entire data set from the vendor and risk manager surveys is freely available online. You can customize your analytics of the data based on your use case. [32:32] François speaks of captives and the evolving reinsurance market. The market today is favorable toward captives, a powerful tool for improving corporate risk management and the way corporations are living with ESG. There is a strong push in Europe for captives. [33:22] François has seen the creation of about 20 captives in France. Corporations need captives in the risk management process and risk financing optimization. [34:00] Special thanks again to all of our guests and all of the RISKWORLD attendees who made this year's RISKWORLD Conference so very special. Links to RISKWORLD coverage are in this episode's show notes. [34:13] Mark your calendars for May 3rd through the 6th, and join us at RISKWORLD 2026 in Philadelphia. [34:20] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [34:49] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [35:06] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [35:24] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [35:40] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [35:54] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [36:01] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Links: RIMS Texas Regional 2025 — August 3‒5 | Advance registration rates now open. ERM Conference 2025 — Call for Submissions (Through May 20) RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Risk Management magazine RIMS Now The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center Spencer Educational Foundation — General Grants 2026 — Application Dates RISKWORLD 2025 — Show Daily! [Bottom of page] 2025 Coast-To-Coast Risk Management Challenge — Applications Open Through May 23 AMRAE RMIS Panorama 2025 New Jersey RIMS Spencer Golf/Pickleball Outing — Oct. 7 Global Trio of Risk Leaders Inducted Into RIMS Risk Management Hall of Fame RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny” | Sponsored by GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company | May 22, 2025 “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause & What's the Solution?” | Sponsored by Zywave | June 5, 2025 “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction” | Sponsored by Origami Risk | June 17, 2025   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: CBCP & RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Virtual Bootcamp: “Mastering Business Continuity & Risk Management” | May 19‒22, 2025 | In Collaboration with DRI International Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule “Managing Data for ERM” | June 12 | Instructor: Pat Saporito  “Generative AI for Risk Management” | June 26 | Instructor: Pat Saporito See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack” “Risk and Leadership Patterns with Super Bowl Champion Ryan Harris” (RISKWORLD 2025 Keynote) “(Re)Humanizing Leadership in Risk Management with Holly Ransom” “Risk and Relatability with Rachel DeAlto” “Live From RISKWORLD 2024!” “The Rise of RMIS with AMRAE's VP, François Beaume” (2019)   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs” | Sponsored by Zurich “Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding” | Sponsored by Zurich “What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping” | Sponsored by Medcor “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RMIS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guests: Audrey Trim, BTM, Responsible Use of Space Coordinator, Risk Management, Risk and Safety Services, Thomson Rivers University BC RIMS Board Member   Lucy Straker, Focus Group Leader U.S. Political Violence & Deadly Weapons Protection, Beazley   François Beaume, SVP Risks and Insurance, Sonepar, VP AMRAE, [Association for Corporate Risk and Insurance Management]   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

Stakeholder Management in the C-Suite: Ego, Relationships & Peer Power | Kevin Britz & Craig Page-Lee⸻

One name comes up more than any other when I talk to people about copywriting and AI. That name is Sam Woods, and he's our very special guest today. Sam has been in the game for nine years, while most of us haven't been there half as long. And I don't know of anyone who's been in it longer than Sam has. He got started with machine learning in 2016 and generative AI in 2019. He was a pioneer in prompt engineering for AI copywriting, and marketing. Sam has advised Fortune 1,000 companies and teams across the world, as well as advised and consulted with CEOs and other C-Suite executives. He describes himself as “a strategic AI architect who advises C-Suite leaders on turning artificial intelligence into their most powerful competitive advantage.” But more important to us, he's a seasoned and successful expert using AI for writing copy that gets results. Here's what we asked him: 1. What would you say is the most important thing about AI that most people in marketing and copywriting haven't really realized yet? 2. You got started with AI and machine learning so much earlier than most people. What caught your attention… why did you jump in so early? 3. What was using AI like for writing copy in the early 2000's, before ChatGPT came out? 4. Could you talk about what you've done for individual copywriters, copy teams, and large organizations regarding AI and copy? 5. What have you observed, with people who haven't worked with you, that copywriters are doing right when they use AI? What would you say they are doing wrong? 6.What's the best way for someone to get up to speed, or even just to get better, using AI for copywriting? 7. Where do you see all this going one, two, five years down the road? Sam's website: https://samueljwoods.com/ Other resources: https://bionicbusiness.com https://www.copywriting.ai/Download.

Dr. Ravi Iyer, MD, TEDx speaker, author, coach, and President of Reston Towncenter Toastmasters Club, is a renowned expert in personal and professional transformation. As CEO of IR FocalPoint, Iyer Clinic, and ActivPower Inc., he helps high-achieving individuals, including C-Suite executives, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and athletes, unlock their full potential through mastery of inner silence. His acclaimed programs, such as “Art of Living Leadership” and “Cognitive Alignment Workshop,” empower clients to break free from limiting patterns, achieve clarity, and cultivate purpose-driven lives. Specializing in rapid mindset shifts, Dr. Iyer guides individuals from a consumer mindset to a creator's perspective, enabling decisive action and freedom from mental clutter. As a podcast guest, Dr. Iyer delivers actionable insights on mental clarity, work-life balance, and aligning life with core values, inspiring listeners to embrace change and achieve deeper fulfillment and success.

I'm Simon Hedley - welcome back to Pause Stop Reset, where we drop the masks and get real about life and business. Today, I'm joined by the one and only Jeffrey Hayzlett - global business leader, Hall of Fame speaker, best-selling author, and former CMO of Kodak. You may also know him from The Celebrity Apprentice working alongside President Donald Trump or as Chairman of the C-Suite Network and host of All Business. I've known Jeffrey for over a decade, and his energy, humility, and focus always stand out. Get inspired and a reality check in today's episode. --- The host and creator of this podcast is Simon Hedley. Building on his strong background in banking, business & strategy he's passionate about learning, sharing, and making the difference to people and projects. As “The Strategic Alchemist™” he's been the secret weapon of many well-known leaders, founders and thought leaders for over two decades. If you want to grow and scale your business connect with Simon and especially www.TheFiveConnections.com You can learn more about Simon at www.SimonHedley.com ,  connect and follow him on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/mrsimonhedley , or www.Instagram.com/thesimonhedley, and you can book a consulting call with him at book.simonhedley.com Remember at www.PauseStopReset.com you can find out more about Pause Stop Reset, how to access The Podcast Portal and get more resources to help you on your journey including the Journal and Book. Simon is the author of www.TheFiveConnections.com and www.ChaosToClarity.com  Pause Stop Reset is published by www.TheSimpleIdea.com and for any queries, questions, opportunities or suggestions get in with the team via help@thesimpleidea.com. If you'd like to explore Simon helping you grow and scale your business explore www.StrategicAlchemyGroup.com

Ever wonder how to truly get business and IT on the same page, moving beyond strategy documents to real project success? In this latest episode, Anuya Sheorey of Nikola Automotive joins Mustansir Saifuddin to dive into how to lead teams across diverse landscapes, focusing on how to bridge that critical gap between high-level goals and daily execution. Anuya shares firsthand experiences and the framework used to align everyone from the C-suite to the front lines. It's more about the people than the technology. Anuya Sheorey is the Head of Program Strategy & Enterprise Solutions at Nikola where she leads high performing teams to enable rapid scale-up through ongoing delivery of critical capabilities across manufacturing, operations, finance, sales and service. As a strategic technology leader, she is passionate about connecting business strategy with technology execution and has a proven track record in orchestrating enterprise-wide digital transformations in diverse industries such as insurance, transportation, electronics and utilities to drive growth and operational excellence. Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Anuya Sheorey Mustansir Saifuddin Innovative Solution Partners Twitter:  @Mmsaifuddin YouTube or learn more about our sponsor Innovative Solution Partners to schedule a free consultation.    Episode Transcript: [00:00:00] Mustansir Saifuddin: Welcome to Tech Driven Business, brought to you by Innovative Solution Partners. I'm honored to have Anuya Sheorey of Nikola Automotive, join me to discuss how she leads teams across diverse landscapes, focusing on how to bridge that critical gap between high level goals and daily execution. Listen in as Anuya shares a framework she uses to align everyone from the C-Suite to the front lines. [00:00:31] Welcome to Tech Business. How are you? [00:00:34] Anuya Sheorey: I am doing great, Mustansir. Very good to see you. [00:00:37] Mustansir Saifuddin: Thank you. I'm so excited to have you on our show . We'll be focusing on or talking about leading teams and working across business and IT landscapes, and I know that's your sweet spot. That's your area of expertise and how this all relates to a project success. [00:00:56] I would like to discuss your real life examples. It would be good to, to get some insights into that. [00:01:02] Anuya Sheorey: Absolutely glad to be here and talk with you about my experiences. Will be wonderful. Thanks. [00:01:08] Mustansir Saifuddin: Alright, I think one of the things that I always like to, to start with is your experiences. Based on your experience. You've seen a lot it can be very challenging to get business and IT folks on the same page. Right. Especially your C-level strategy team how you align them with the folks who are actually doing the work. [00:01:32] What are some of the ways you have been able to break through those silos and bring those projects to fruition? [00:01:39] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah, so as a company, and when we were smaller, Nikola was smaller. We were very agile and nimble, right? It was very easy for us to just have a strategy in place and make sure that those strategies are executed. As we started down the path of scaling rapidly it was important for us to make sure that we maintain that nimbleness, but at the same time, we wanted to make sure that we were able to bridge that gap between strategy and execution that you just spoke about. [00:02:08] Right? How do we make sure that there is end-to-end ownership and improved line of sight? For the enterprise goals, right? The project was successful, but how do we make sure that it's, moving the needle in terms of what the organization is trying to achieve? You know, do we have buyin from cross-functional teams? [00:02:26] Are they prioritizing the work? All of them working in the same direction and drawing in the same direction, if you will. And so the other thing to that to add is also are we focusing on the outcomes as opposed to individual tasks? Oftentimes, teams get so focused on individual tasks and individual KPIs. [00:02:48] So just to give you a soccer analogy, for example, are we measuring how many times the ball was passed or are we measuring how many goals were made? You know, so all of that has to come together very nicely as well. And so to help with solving some of these challenges, we decided to shift our operating model [00:03:09] from a project to a product centric framework. Now, this is used often in software product companies, right? But how do we use that kind of a framework in a company like Nikola was the challenge that we kind of were working through. And so we created these self-organizing cross-functional teams. That were perpetual, constantly working on business outcomes and continuous improvements. [00:03:34] And so the way we define these product teams were in terms of value streams. Now, some of your listeners may be familiar with this value stream, kind of a framework which is used in manufacturing and Lean Sigma kind of a model. And the way we define value streams for the purpose of our product stream was a sequence of activities [00:03:56] that were, that are needed to be taken to respond to a customer [00:04:00] need or to deliver value to the customer. And so in our case, we defined three distinct journeys. We defined a truck journey, a customer journey, and an energy journey because Nikola is a truck manufacturing company and also we dispense hydrogen. [00:04:17] We are an energy company as well. If you look at the truck journey, what are some of the operational processes needed to support manufacturing a truck? So right from designing a truck to when it rolls off the factory floor, that's the truck journey. Similarly we identified right from the initial contact to the customer to when we service the customer, [00:04:39] that's the customer journey. And similarly for hydrogen dispensing capabilities, we identified the energy journey. So we created 11 to 12, I am gonna say different product value stream kind of teams that spanned across the enterprise. And we had an owner from the business. It was staffed with SMEs who were actually cross-functional. [00:05:01] So it was not bound by organizational structure or divisions within the company, but it was defined by the value stream really, and of course IT as well. Then this team was responsible for maintaining a backlog of items, and improvements that they worked on, whether it was training needed, whether it's a enhancement from an IT perspective needed or just ways of working that needed to be improved to continue to work on the improvements in value stream. [00:05:30] So that was kind of the framework that we used. To bridge that gap between strategy and execution and the role that the governance. So we had a governance committee that worked along with these different value stream enterprise wide. They were responsible for communicating the strategy. Where do we want to see the organization go? [00:05:51] And these product value streams then decided. How do these, their value streams contribute towards that enterprise goal? So that's kind of the bridge between the enterprise goals and the goals of the value streams. And so the product owner then was really the voice of the customer or the subject matter expert that decided what needed to be done to achieve those metrics. [00:06:13] And then the IT team took that on and decided how to deliver. [00:06:19] Mustansir Saifuddin: I think you mentioned a couple of very good points. You know, focus on teams. And, and you know, based on some of the experiences I've had I know cross-functional teams is a great way to get things done because now we are knowledge based from all the different parts of the organization. But how do you keep that balance between who makes the call and how this call is executed across the business and IT teams? [00:06:48] Because, you may have, sometimes the business may take a lot more focus, or, their focus can be a, a bit different than a technology perspective. Or IT may have a different view on that. Did you run into any of those challenges during your journey? [00:07:05] Anuya Sheorey: So I think the beauty of this whole framework was that there is no longer business and IT here, right? It's a value stream team. So it's a team that is working on challenges to make the value stream more effective. So they would map out the as is business process for that value stream and say, okay, what are some ways to improve things here? [00:07:26] Then that really drove the backlog for the team and I think the product owners were responsible, the one person responsible for prioritizing, this is the thing that we will focus on. But then what drove the constraints for how they would prioritize was the goals that came from the enterprise. [00:07:45] Right? Why should we be doing this came from the governance committee, and so that helped align the different teams as well, because oftentimes we also had initiatives that span beyond a value stream, not just one value stream. So how do you make [00:08:00] sure that you are aligning all the different value streams to work and draw in the same direction? [00:08:05] That was the goals framework that helped with that. [00:08:09] Mustansir Saifuddin: Yeah, absolutely. And I was about to go to that point that, you know, your value streams can crisscross, and when you have, those overlaps is where the friction comes into play, and how do you manage all those, all those challenges. Right? So, great, great answer. Kind of leads me into my next ask over here. [00:08:25] More than often you find yourself as part of their decision making process. Data and analytics is front and center of this, because that's what allows you to make those decisions based on the information you have available. What are some of the top factors that stick out for you when you look at having an SAP S/4 system and, you know, wanting to do analytics and reporting solution for your organization? [00:08:51] What is your take on it? [00:08:53] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah. At Nikola, initially our priority was just enabling the core functionality that would help with the rapid, rapid scale up and transformation of the business. So we quickly realized that if we had to grow as an organization, we needed a more robust data and analytic strategy in place as well. [00:09:10] And so while SAP was our backbone for operational data finance, manufacturing, inventory, we did have peripheral systems and sources of data as well. And I think that's what got us talking to Mustansir when we initially met, is how do we go about doing this? You were a great partner and we talked about, how have you seen this play through you know, several options we were considering at that time? [00:09:33] How do we make sure that we are able to democratize access to the data and at the same time ensure that we are not constantly having to touch it every time we change something in SAP because that's not the easiest thing to do. And so that's kind of was our thinking for deciding which solution to go forward with and what should be our strategy long term from that point on. [00:09:57] Mustansir Saifuddin: Yeah, I think that's a great view of that situation. 'cause , I remember when we had that discussion and I find myself a lot of times in those conversations where you have your backbone system, SAP or any other ERP systems for that matter, but you also got to have other peripheral systems from CRM to any other manufacturing system, et cetera in your landscape. [00:10:22] And the goal or the challenge usually for businesses, I'm looking at the overall organizational data and I, I want to do some analytics on top of that, not my financial system or my supply chain system alone. It's a mix of information that I'm looking at, so it feels like you are able to look at a collective data set and then make those decisions. [00:10:46] Anuya Sheorey: absolutely. [00:10:48] Mustansir Saifuddin: That makes sense and that's good because, based on your experience, I know you've worked in a variety of industries and technologies, How have you been successful leveraging third party resources to support your teams? What is the formula that you use? [00:11:04] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah, unfortunately it's not a formula, but it's more a partnership. I've worked in diverse industries. Insurance, transportation, electronics, utilities. One of the key differentiating factors for extended partner relationships that have worked for me in the past have been the ones where companies have stepped up to co-create the innovative solutions with us. [00:11:25] They are able to bring in best practices to the table, guide discussions, make themselves trusted advisors in the process. These are the companies that have embodied, true partnerships for us, and we've built long-term relationships with some of these companies. [00:11:42] Mustansir Saifuddin: I think that's super interesting. You use the word partnership more often it gets overlooked when you are working with customers, a lot of times the conversation comes up as, the SI is doing the implementation or the or an outside third party is being brought in to help us with this [00:12:00] technology transformation. [00:12:01] But the concept of partnership kind of sets aside that whole idea of a third party. Working as a team trying to create something. And you saw that partnership successful based on your past experiences? [00:12:15] Anuya Sheorey: Yes, and I have seen that is the only kind of relationships that have been successful because oftentimes if you think about companies as SIs that there is a lot of things that get lost in the translation. There is handoff and a lot of communication challenges that come to it. [00:12:33] Whereas if they are involved from the beginning, they are true partners in the success of the initiative that makes it a successful partnership and a program, and it's a win-win for both really. [00:12:44] Mustansir Saifuddin: Absolutely. I think the the end of the day is it's not about the technology, it's about the actual business benefit of it. And the way you, you described , the relationship I think is what really comes out , as a finished product at the end of the day. Right. From the business perspective. [00:13:03] So, so I know we've been talking about technology and business and all that. We all know we are living in the, this AI world. Everything is moving super fast. The world is changing by day by hour. How do you stay on top of everything that's going on? [00:13:22] Anuya Sheorey: I love doing it, that's why. So I am an avid learner. I am a continuous learner and a reader as well, so I tend to take up assignments that I know nothing about with the objective of learning, because that drives me. Personally I'm always on the lookout for classes reading, whether it's books or podcasts or blog posts newsletters of some leaders, thought leaders that I follow. [00:13:46] And so that's kind of what I do for my teams. I have followed a similar thing that I've been asking them questions. What did you learn today? Do that even at home where we have that conversation. Dinner table, what did you learn today? Whether it's from your day-to-day work or whether you read something interesting. [00:14:02] And I think that's kind of what helps me stay up to date as well. [00:14:08] Mustansir Saifuddin: Do you think that that that learning is allowing you to get to your next level faster than you anticipated? Or have you seen that, that drive in learning helping you move forward? [00:14:21] Anuya Sheorey: I would link, I would like to think so. But I think it also helps me do a better job at whatever role that I'm operating in or whatever task that I'm undertaking as well, because I have heard perspectives of other people who've gone through similar things, learn from their lessons. I have a wider pool of mentors to draw from, from that perspective as well. [00:14:43] Mustansir Saifuddin: It always helps to have a mentor, right? So that's, that's one thing that you can always appreciate when you're going through your journey. I know we talked about a lot of different things today. As we coming to the end of our session, I, I'd like to have one key takeaway that you want to leave our listeners with today. [00:15:00] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah, so as we think about how to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, which has kind of been the theme of this podcast here. The way I look at it is any transformation effort at the end of the day, is all about people. You need inputs from them , they are closest to the work being performed. [00:15:17] You need collaboration and buy-in cross-functionally across the organization for people who are going to execute on some of those strategies. And you need them motivated and ready to embrace the change that goes along with any transformation effort. As we saw in the example of the product framework of what that did, was it empowered people to take on some of the work to take on some of those challenges, and it had a two-pronged benefit as well. [00:15:43] They were the ones identifying the changes that were needed. And also since they were involved in the decision making process, it's kind of the IKEA effect, right? People, if they're involved in making a product, they have pride in it and that is easier buy-in from those people as well. And [00:16:00] so any transformation is less about technology. [00:16:02] It's more about people. [00:16:06] Mustansir Saifuddin: I think I, I don't often hear this thing and this idea about it. and, and everybody's excited about the transformation and the technology, and of course it's exciting but we tend to leave the people part out [00:16:21] Anuya Sheorey: Mm-hmm. [00:16:21] Mustansir Saifuddin: or, or minimize that. But I think what I'm hearing from you is you keep the people upfront and center, then everything around it kind of blends in or kind of smoothly moves forward. [00:16:35] Anuya Sheorey: Absolutely. [00:16:37] Mustansir Saifuddin: Well thank you so much for joining me today. I would love to continue the conversation, but we gotta come to our end. So thank you so much. [00:16:44] Anuya Sheorey: Thank you, Mustansir. Glad to be here. [00:16:46] Mustansir Saifuddin: Thank you for listening to Tech Driven Business brought to you by Innovative Solution Partners. Breaking silos and bridging strategy and execution can be challenging for any organization. A new US key takeaway. Any transformation is less about technology and is more about people. We would love to hear from you. [00:17:10] Continue the conversation by connecting with me on LinkedIn or X. Learn more about Innovative Solution Partners and schedule a free consultation by visiting isolutionpartners.com. Never miss a podcast by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Information is in the show notes.

Robyn Nissim began her career on the agency side of advertising, launching social channels for global brands like Michelin and Nissan. After five years in the Ad World and winning a Webby Award, she realized she could make waves on social platforms using zero brand dollars, which led her to launch an independent freelancing business.During this time, Robyn built out Ulta Beauty's entire influencer marketing program, leading strategy and execution for their team. She went on to build and manage some of the largest social communities in the world, in-house on the brand side, taking Anastasia of Beverly Hills to its peak (24M Followers on Instagram) and building out Alo Yoga's entire social footprint, sprouting to +4M in less than one year.After driving massive results at both brands and receiving acknowledgments from Instagram, Robyn founded Social Proof Agency (SPA) and began facilitating training programs designed to help individuals, teams, and organizations adopt a social-first mindset. Through interactive workshops and hands-on learning, SPA equips teams with the knowledge and tools to execute Social Media and Influencer Marketing strategies in-house.

How closely do church leaders line up with the broader membership, and the population at large, when it comes to education and professional expertise? The answers may surprise you… or not.

What happens when a fragile rural health care system collides with a political budget axe?The US rural health care crisis is on the brink—are your patients safe?In this episode of the Stop Physician Burnout podcast, Dr. Dike Drummond exposes a looming policy disaster that could obliterate health care access for tens of millions of Americans living in rural areas. With a proposed federal budget threatening to gut Medicaid funding, already-struggling rural hospitals face imminent collapse. This conversation is a wake-up call for physicians, leaders, and voters alike who care about the survival of health care in America's heartland.OUTRAGED?? PLEASE SHARE THIS PODCAST WAKE UP CALL !YOU WILL DISCOVER:

About Deborah CovielloI see you. I see you staring out the window wondering how you are going to meet this challenge. Take a deep breath, and consider the big picture. CLARITY AMIDST CHAOS HELPS US AVOID CRISIS. “Chasing Results.” Sounds stressful, right? It is! The State of Chaos within your organization often has a lot to do with misalignment of priorities: are you pursuing short term results or long term peace of mind? Kind words from a client: “Deb is the quintessential CEO Whisperer. More than a f/COO, Deb has been a rock which I can lean on and confide in.” LIFT, LIGHT, LEAD I wrote “The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track” to lift up CEO's by exploring their Hero's Journey through the unknown, guiding them to their own Peace of Mind. The journey continues with my follow-up, “The NEW CEO Playbook: Stop Chasing Results and Start Pursuing Peace of Mind,” which addresses the mindset, behaviors and changes needed for any leader seeking satisfaction in their journey. This volume is both for the C-Suiter ensuring their legacy by establishing a “Lift, Light, Lead” environment- and for the rising leader pursuing their seat at the table.https://linkedin.com/in/deborahacoviello/https://dropinceo.com/----------------------------------About Ruth Van VierzenWhether your guests are start-ups or experienced business owners, I can deliver valuable content during an interview. In my Fractional Sales Consulting work, I primarily work with C-Suite executives in B2B industrial companies. However, my 30 years in sales has covered many types of B2B and B2C sales. In addition to sales, I have worked in business development, small business start-up consulting and operations management. Given the broad range of business and sales topics I can speak on, you are welcome to propose topics of interest, or we can have a pre-interview discussion so you can gauge my ability to speak on particular topics. I have something I call RAP 3X™ Satisfaction. This forms the basis of what I commit to providing for you as a host, and your audience. (You can see the visual at this link: https://revsquared.com/business-speaking). https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthvanvierzen/https://revsquared.com/----------------------------------About Josh FuhrImagine a life where you've conquered the entrepreneurial grind, faced a global shutdown, and emerged with a new mission—only to chase it from an RV parked near a herd of bison in Yellowstone. That's Josh Fuhr's story, a rollercoaster of ambition, reinvention, and a passion for empowering others through stock trading. Today, as the voice behind the Portfolio Consultant Substack newsletter, he's turning his hard-won expertise into a lifeline for investors craving financial success without the Wall Street hustle.Josh's journey kicked off with a bang—he graduated with high honors from university, racking up academic awards that showcased his drive and intellect. But he didn't stop at the diploma. In his final year, he founded a healthcare supply chain consulting business, growing it to 47 employees and $7 million in revenue. The accolades piled up—features in business publications, plus awards from the United Nations and the White House—until COVID hit, forcing the company to close. That could've been the end, but for Josh, it was a second chance.https://portfolioconsultant.substack.com/----------------------------------When It Worked Podcasthttps://getoffthedamnphone.com/podcast

According to research from the CMO Council, 63% of marketers say they are under extreme pressure to deliver improved revenue outcomes. So how can you leverage your tech stack to enhance collaboration across GTM teams and drive impactful results? Shawnna Sumaoang: Hi, and welcome to the Win-Win podcast. I’m your host, Shawnna Sumaoang. Join us as we dive into changing trends in the workplace and how to navigate them successfully. Here to discuss this topic is Andrea Bras, VP of product marketing at Viant Technology. Thanks for joining, Andrea! I'd love for you to tell us about yourself, your background, and your role.  Andrea Bras: Wonderful. Well, thank you Shawnna for having me. I’m excited to talk about my journey at Viant and as we’ve continued our partnership with Highspot. So, as you mentioned, I’m vice president of product marketing at Viant Technology. We are an AI powered DSP or demand side platform built for CTV or Connected Television. What we do is we help marketers to connect with their consumers. Through planning, through execution, through measurement of their advertising media in the most engaging ways using our technology. So I’m actually coming up on my tenure anniversary, so it’s just, wow, it’s almost mind blowing. It’s been such an amazing journey here. VT is such a pioneering, innovative company and we’re never left bored or wondering what’s next, right? So prior to joining VT, I’ve actually been in digital marketing for, geez, almost 25 years now. Actually, I joined when it was actually still known as online marketing. If anyone in your audience can remember that. But what I’ve been fortunate enough along my journey is to really wear a lot of hats and be exposed to a lot of different types of companies. So I’ve worked with the small startups, local retail, all the way up to big global corporations. I’ve also worn a lot of hats. So I’ve sold advertising. I have bought advertising. I’ve developed partnerships, thinking about the consumer in mind, and it’s really positioned me very well in what I believe. Is a perfect mixture of all of that background to bring me to my best results as a product marketer. And so our role here in product marketing at Viat is we really sit at the intersection of all of the orgs in the company. We provide support to all of them, but primarily sales and product. We sit within the marketing team and it’s our job to really look for the best things that all these teams are working on in order to craft. Really amazing and compelling positioning and messaging. We developed the go-to-market solutions and the content. We support the product launches, and of course we manage and work through all the sales enablement technology. We, of course, have chosen Highspot, which we love. And that brings me here today, and I’m excited to discuss more with you, Shawnna. SS: Likewise, we are lucky to have you on this podcast. Given that you are a seasoned marketing leader, I’d love to understand what are some of the key go-to-market initiatives that you’re focused on driving for the business this year, and how does your enablement tech stack help support these efforts? AB: Well, that’s a great question. And you know, given where we sit in the org, we have our hands in pretty much everything, but we really do have some very key go-to-market initiatives. We’re highly focused on, as I mentioned in my intro. Connected television is something that is our most important focus and for good reason. I mean, when you think about the power of TV and what that does for advertising, and you’re converging it with the power of digital and the ability to understand and message the performance of your advertising. It’s such an exciting thing and we’re doing a great job of really building the technology to support that in the best ways, as well as the partnerships. I mean, we’re getting to work with some of these greatest streaming platforms. Think Disney, think Paramount. And so we’re working really hard on how do we showcase how easy it is to build these upper and lower funnel opportunity that CTV brings based on campaign objectives. So there’s a lot of education that comes in mind, or that we have to work with our consumers and our clients just so they can really understand the huge opportunity in front of ’em. So that keeps us very busy. The other thing that really is related to CTV, but it’s our recent Iris TV acquisition. So for those of you who may not be familiar, Iris TV has really built their tech. To standardize contextual, the opportunity to present ads contextually AC interoperable across all of these various streaming platforms. So think cooking shows and what that could mean across not just one cooking show, but all of the great content cooking shows across numerous streaming platforms. And that really brings such value because now you’re layering in the ability to capture the consumer in the right mindset. So that just, you know, it’s an organic content experience and we’re really excited about that. And then of course there’s Viant AI. So we launched Viant AI. It was hugely successful last part of last year. And man, it’s just so exciting ’cause we have on this hand, CTV and all the great things coming there, part of our direct access program. But then over here we’ve got this whole new realm of innovation with AI. I know you guys lean in really heavily, which we’re excited about. So we’re just really. Keeping close to our technology teams and watching the innovation develop and keeping track of that. Of course, to make these launches successful and keep our go-to market as top-notch as possible, you need a unified go-to-market alignment as your company’s very familiar with, and that’s where Highspot has just been an absolute game changer for us. When I think about where we were before, I mean, we had really legacy tech and we did our best, but you can only do so much. Right? I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of stories from your clients. When we brought on Highspot, a couple of really magical things happened for us. One, we had to sit and think about our content strategy, right? You know, before we would organize it, but we didn’t really think about what it was. And you know, due to how you build and develop the platform, it’s really exciting because. You’re thinking, okay, what are our buckets of content, right? So we had to think, okay, well there’s storytelling content. And then it’s like, well, we also have all these different product releases that come. So you have product overview, right? And you know, verticals, channels, you name it. So we had to take the time and effort to really build this out. And then we wanted to also put it around a wonderful launch, give it a big stage. So put us a little bit under a time crunch, which was probably a blessing in disguise because we had to work. In fact, our Highspot onboarding rep, who was amazing, he told us we were one of the fastest launches. So I don’t know if that still holds true, but from contract signing, I think we signed the contract in late October, and then we had this up and running in January. So for all of you who either are planning a launch or thinking about launching or maybe haven’t signed up yet, there’s a lot you can do to get up in front of it. For us, it was a combination of having a pilot team as we were building, getting their feedback along the way. Then we did a soft launch just to get the logistics outta the way, get people using it so that when we did our big launch at our annual Viant Con, where we dedicated two hours and actually. Flew the Highspot rep out to help us launch this. We had a such a meaningful two hour session. Honestly, we still hear great feedback about that launch. It really helped us get started with Highspot in a big way. SS: I love that. And you, you touched on the importance and the critical nature of alignment. What are some of the common pitfalls that organizations might encounter when aligning go-to-market teams to execute these key initiatives and, and how can they avoid them? AB: Yes, that is absolutely critical and we have really face several and overcome. And of course, Highspot has been a great tool in helping us do so. You know, when we first started, when I first started Viant, we were a smaller corporation. It was pretty easy to stay on top of your priorities and kind of know how to manage your workload. But as you’re rapidly growing or expanding or adding teams. The more support you’re providing and the more awareness that the functions across the org understand about what you can bring, that starts to change. You start to get all of these demands, and the lack of prioritization isn’t because there’s no priority. It’s that idea that if everything’s high priority, then there’s no high priority, right? So. That helped us realize, okay, we’ve gotta do a better job. And luckily we, our Chief Product Officer, he came from a very big tech company and you know, they were very used to juggling prioritization of high needs across the org. So he shared the tips and tricks that he’s done and I was able to add on the marketing lens. And so the end result is we meet monthly with the C-Suite across every function. They have a chance to see transparently all of our projects. They can prioritize their departments, so they get to own that, and then they also see where their priorities fall in our holistic view. So it’s been a game changer and it’s really helped us. So, you know, everybody will probably look a little different, but it’s been hugely valuable. And I’d say the other things to keep an eye out for is whenever you introduce anything new you’re gonna have change management. There’s always challenges with that. So really just, you know, the Highspot team was great helping us understand the win-win value for our sellers and other stakeholders. So just getting ahead of that, working through those, of course, defining SWIN lanes, if there’s any blurred lines or confusion, you’re gonna have people stepping on each other’s toes. Just really getting in front of all that business. So, and then I’d say the last thing, and you guys are great for this, is really having technology partners that have support teams. Because what’s great about Highspot is we have that ongoing support. So we’re always working as treating you as a partner, but then we’re also, we have the ability to tap and, you know, level up the support as needed. And that’s come in handy several times. So these are just some of the things that can help you get in front of some of the challenges with alignment. SS: I think those are, that’s phenomenal advice for our audience. And you actually also recently established multiple committees to support your go-to-market engine. Can you share more about that journey and the impact that it’s had so far? AB: Thank you for asking. That’s a great question. We have put a lot of work, so yes, we have launched or about to launch, actually three distinct committees started out as one, but we landed on three. And I’ll tell you why. Rewinding back last year as we launched last January, I forgot to mention, of 2024. And so, you know, as you’re ramping up, you’re kind of learning the process, you’re getting best practices, you’re building out the platform, all the things you’re doing in the first year. And one thing I also forgot to mention, which I will touch on in our discussion is engagement metrics. So you’re kind of getting your feet wet there. That has been another game changing element with the Highspot platform. What is really critical, and I can’t stress this enough, to your audience, is getting that co-ownership across your key stakeholders. Especially, you know, think sales leadership, right? You need that co-sponsorship. So while we have support, sales leadership is busy, they’ve got big goals to crush, right? We were thinking, how do we get in front of them? How do we really show them how much opportunity there is for them to really move the needle using this technology and get them closer to it? So the other thing obviously is the feedback loop. We really wanted a good feedback loop. So we’re like, how do we do it in an organized way, make good use of their time? And so when we started to build a list, it became very big. And then we had all these objectives. So that’s why we broke it into three. And so at first we had the executive, and that’s really pointing back to that co-ownership. Getting them bought in. Um, we are creating compelling metrics that I know will raise their eyebrows, so I’m getting that ready, leading into our executive committee. And so really just letting them know the awareness, showing them some things to get them excited and asking for their hand and driving adoption with their teams. Then we’ll have the, what we’re calling the steering committee. And this is really your kind of more short term strategy. Your operational managers that, you know, they can help us really drive that lower funnel strategies and behaviors from their teams. And then of course, the cross functional stakeholders think Salesforce, rev ops training, having really valuable discussions. And then of course, the action committee, which is gonna be our day-to-day users. So that allows us to capture what’s working, what’s not, and just your general feedback of what’s going well. And of course we’ll do this quarterly. We don’t wanna take up too much time and use kind of a waterfall effect. So we’re really excited. And I know my boss, our chief marketing officer, he’s leaned in totally, which is gonna be tremendously successful, and he’s gonna help co-run the agenda with me for the executive. So more to come. Exciting stuff. SS: I absolutely love it. And I think, you know, for our audience listening, it’s a really great strategy to deploy within your organization if it makes sense for you. But I think it’s a great initiative. AB: And one thing I’ll add on to that really quick, I would say really what we wanna do with this is ensure we’re coming in loaded with a heavy agenda. Of meaningful content. So prep, prep, prep, that’s, and so, you know, whoever you can pull in to help you make the best use of the time, I highly encourage that. SS: Yeah, absolutely. I think it’ll be extremely valuable on both sides, so that’s fantastic. Now, you’ve touched on this. I. Actually quite a bit throughout our conversation already, but I’d love to hear your perspective on what would you say is the unique value of a unified platform when it comes to maximizing go-to-market effectiveness and, and really improving collaboration. AB: You know, I can’t saying praises enough at Highspot. It has really elevated us in that way, which was beyond my wildest dreams. Like I saw the opportunity and just seeing it play out has been just a wonderful experience. Starting for foremost with just product marketing’s needs. The consistency that we’re able to. Foster across teams now in this unified platform is when I think about what we used to have to do when we had a logo change or we had, you know, some sort of, we had to manually do all of these things and now we can just do bulk updates or folks would share decks, you know, that they had out market. And I’d see just content with old branding or just really, really just. Horrible things, you know, make you cringe. I don’t see that anymore. You know, it’s so exciting because now they know that the best content’s there and so there’s no dependency on these old things or an inability to find the stuff they need. So it’s very rare that I find anything that’s off brand, if at all. So that consistency and governance is huge. Obviously, probably more importantly is what it’s doing for our sellers. I mean, when you think about the time they save now, they’re in there, they’re in and out, they’re experts, you know, they love it. We hear nothing but great feedback. The amount of time it takes ’em to build compelling content, find what they’re looking for, and all of that has been second to none. And then the ease of pitching it out. Really the ones, we wanna get more adoption of this looking ahead, but the ones that are even leaning into client metrics and things like that, I mean, it’s just been a phenomenal result. Again, that brings me to engagement metrics that’s really closing the loop and having that single source of truth really just makes a huge, huge difference. So what we’re seeing is we’re breaking down silos. We’re having really meaningful conversations, unlike we used to with our partner teams. Everybody’s able to use it in different ways, so it’s really just driving faster, smarter, go-to-market execution, and we love it. SS: Well, I love that. Now, you’ve talked about the partnership that you’ve had with Highspot, and I know that VT recently partnered with our professional services team on an initiative to begin leveraging Highspot AutoDocs. Can you share a little bit about how you’re utilizing AutoDocs to streamline workflows and improve effectiveness? AB: I’m really glad you asked about that, Shawnna, because this is one of our most recent and most exciting efforts leveraging Highspot technology. So we call our version of AutoDocs Pitch Builder just to create some, you know, fun for the sales reps, make it easy for them to understand what it does, and it really has helped us. Where we elevated with the one unified repository, it’s helped us take it even further. And what I mean by that is due to the nature of our clients and the businesses we serve. The content we build serves different purposes. You know, if you think about advertising, everybody needs to advertise their business. So I think automotive companies, retail companies, travel and tourism, pharma, you know, so we build content that way. We have vertical, we have channels, we have measurement. There’s a whole vast array. And you know, the reps are really good at building these custom stories, but feedback we were getting is, you know, I’m still struggling even in the remix experience to know where to go to find the best content and all these things. So. Pointing to your Highspot Spark conference. I like to get as much of my team up there as possible. You guys do a fantastic job with that. So last October we were there and I had a member of my team and he’s like, Hey, you know, he sat in one of the focused AutoDoc sessions and he says, I really think that we were getting ready to launch our new general presentations and we were taking a new approach this year. And he is like, I think that what Highspot has with AutoDocs would really help sales team with this. You know, in my head I’m thinking, oh my gosh, there’s no way we’re gonna be able to launch that, you know, by the time we need to roll this out in a month, you know? And he’s like, no, no, no. I think he’s like, let me talk to the team. I really think we can. So I’m like, okay. But in my mind I’m thinking, oh, it’ll be summer. You know? There’s no way. Long story short, he worked with our ongoing support team and they connected him with the professional services you guys provided. Put together a case and I was blown away. We were able to deploy through the help of your team. You know, we could have built it ourselves, but it would’ve taken a long time. We never would’ve met our deadline. And it was just such great work. And what this does now is it creates this really easy pathway for sellers to, you know, pull in the problem statements from a choice of things that, a choice of problem statements based on where their discovery questions, take them with their clients, and then choose, you know, the right core messaging. Choose the right verticals, choose the channels, all within this visible, easy. And you, you have this structured framework. So think about it as a new seller, you can go in there and it. Immediately, that’s valuable trust. You can trust you’re building a deck that matches the company positioning. And then on top of that, the loose feedback I can give you was what I have heard is it used to take our sellers at least 30 minutes, probably an hour to build a reasonable deck. And those are probably our season one, probably up to ours. We just ran the numbers leading up to this podcast. On average, our sellers that use Pitch Builder are building their decks in 3.2 minutes. SS: That’s amazing. AB: Right? That’s what we said. So the combined learning of the Highspot Spark Conference and understanding new releases you guys had coming, having my team there, understanding, bringing that idea to it, and then leveraging a professional services, they did a superb job, just was a perfect blend. SS: Amazing. Well, I’ll be sure to pass that along to our professional services team. I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear that. Now as we talk about improving effectiveness, another way a lot of businesses are starting to think about optimizing effectiveness is through ai, and I know Viant actually recently won in AI Excellence Award, so congratulations on that. What are some of the key ways that you’re leveraging AI to support your go-to-market teams? AB: That’s a wonderful question, and thank you. We’re truly honored to have received that recognition for AI excellence and kudos to the team here at Viant across the board. It’s just been such a wild ride. We are leaning heavily into AI, as I know Highspot is, and so what we’re trying to really do is focus on all the wonderful feedback we’re getting from our clients. From our Viant AI solution, how easy it’s, you know, done for them and really capture the wins there and understand how do we transition that into internal wins within our org. And we’re doing it across the board, but specifically for product marketing. I’m leaning in heavily with any tools and resources we have that can help us do better quality work, do it faster, just make it easier, all those things that AI brings. And so I’ve tasked my team, we’re kind of on the forefront of this. We’re already, we’re using ChatGPT on the regular. We’re using our own by AI on the regular, but we wanna get better and we wanna continue to explore that. So I’ve tasked my team with leaning into things like co-pilot with Highspot. Okay, how do we tap that? How do we do more with that? Another thing that we’re leaning in on, and I have another person on my team who really, I am very lucky here, very specializes in billing the bots and things so. When due to how technical our products are, obviously we have our initial storytelling and the benefits and all the buzzy stuff, but as you build relationships with clients, as you probably well know, you get those deeper questions about technology. And so we have a lot of just kind of fragmented FAQs, docs that support launches. So he had the idea of saying, Hey, we should probably get those FAQs into a chat bot so sellers can just get in there and ask questions and not have to search for these random docs. Kind of scattered throughout. And then we’re like, how do we get that where our sellers go in the Highspot platform or leverage something like copilot. So we’re just kind of dipping our tone, a lot of waters, but we’re excited. We’re thinking about calling it pitch aid just to kind of go with the theme, and we’ll probably take it even above and beyond. We’re building out personas, so we’re trying to think about. All the ways that we want to create this value that our sellers can tap when they’re making their pitches and make it very easy for them to just do a q and a chat style function. So, you know, we look forward to partnering closer with you in our AI journey. SS: I love that. I think that’ll be amazing for your reps and your sellers. Now, to shift gears a little bit, what are some of your best practices for measuring the impact of your programs on your go-to-market performance? AB: That is probably one of my favorite questions because it’s a combination of solving a huge need that I didn’t ever think would get solved, as well as just a journey that’s new for me. So it’s exciting in its own right. So we are leaning really heavy into, okay, how do we really make sense of this gold data we’re getting from you? Engagement data, right? So I like to quote my boss, he always says, okay, don’t boil the ocean. You just gotta get started, right? So that’s what we’ve done through the last year. We were kind of, you get these really fun insights. You’re like, oh, that’s such a cool insight. And you’re like, okay, well what do we do with it? Right? So you’re, you go through this journey. But we really started to nail down how do we need to think about this? And so. We started to realize it’s like, okay, we have the sales engagement data and then we have our client engagement data, so how do we wanna start thinking about that? And then there’s really kind of the two big buckets of how we apply those layers is one for product marketing. Direct control is governance, right? And content management. So, okay, based on our sales and our clients are engaging pitches, digital rooms, you know, views, downloads, et cetera. And then, you know, what does that tell us about our content and how we should be managing it? And one thing that’s so exciting that I’ll share our most recent learnings from this effort, you know, we’re used to working through our roadmap. We get these initiatives, requests, you know, executive asks all of those things. We’re now really shifting how we make and build our roadmap. We’re still gonna do all that, of course. But now we have this new opportunity with this kind of engagement data to say, hey, there’s these materials that get used all the time. So we do a monthly report to our executive team, just of the high level metrics I just mentioned. And we started seeing this one brochure we built. It’s our differentiators brochure, which, you know, it’s a good piece. But we originally built it two or three years ago and we’ve refreshed it once. We were seeing that thing in the top five every month and often the top position every month with both sales and client engagement data. And we’re like, holy moly, this thing is on fire. Right? So what we’re doing now is it is now part of our ongoing strategy and we’re gonna look to the top 20%, right? Driving all engagement data. To make it a proactive part of refreshing and keeping it the best capable content on an ongoing basis, whether that’s monthly or quarterly. So that’s how we’re changing and shifting based on governance. The other side of the hat is really the behaviors, right? And we don’t directly control that, but what we’re trying to do is leverage data in a way. Now we can really showcase how this data can drive the behaviors we want from the team and then inspire our sales leaders and executive team to embrace that and leverage it, right? So we’re, we’re building out that platform. So more on that, but it’s really so exciting because, you know, we used to have to rely solely on maybe an annual survey we would send to sales, hey, you like what we’re doing right? And maybe you get 10%, 20% responding or just kind of ad hoc, scattered feedback. And now we really just have this objective, trustworthy data we can work off of. SS: I love that. Since launching Highspot, what results have you seen on that front and are there any key wins or notable business outcomes you can share? AB: So as part of leaning in more, like I said, we’ve already learned so much, and then now also in preparation to make these committee our kickoff sessions as valuable as possible and really go out with a banging. I had this hypothesis and I said, and I felt pretty good about it. Because you see the names of the people driving new business and you recognize those names from users in Highspot. And I started thinking, I said, I really think Highspot drives new business. So I tasked my systems and analytics team. I’m very fortunate. And product marketing, if you were in a product marketing team, if you can have an analytics team, it’s really valuable. So I test ’em to say, okay, how do we drive the correlation between Highspot engagement? And revenue outcomes. And we started with kind of looking at a quadrant. We said, okay, let’s look and do the old quadrant on Highspot engagement, users usage to revenue outcomes, and kind of map out those so we can think through different use cases there to start and then really start to see the correlations. So the big great things is you start to see these stories emerge naturally. And they dug in and there’s another persona team who came from another big tech and has regression analysis and all this. So lucky me, they were able to drive that. When you take a user of Highspot or a non-user, I would say someone like one of our sellers that’s not really using Highspot, and you layer on the best Highspot engagement activities, you have an opportunity to enhance their new business by 29%. And now I’m sure there’s other variables. You know, I’m sure the Highspot users that are active, Highspot users probably are good at going after new business. But the bigger picture there is, is think about that. If we even get 10%, 15% of the movable middle and the bell curve, just doing the things that are right, think about how you can move the needle. So we took that same lens, or we put it across total revenue, connected to engagement, and then also incremental increases with existing business. And every single one had really remarkable results. New business being the top. So. Just huge insights. We’re gonna definitely debut that to our executive team and get them excited and, and then lean in, hear their questions, and work with our sales enablement and training teams to say, okay, here’s those behaviors that we should start to reinforce. SS: Amazing results, though. Amazing results now. I appreciate you joining this podcast so much. I’ve learned so much from you already, and it is amazing to be able to talk to another strong female marketing leader. So I really appreciate your time and I noticed that you were recognized for the Los Angeles Times Inspirational Women’s List in 2024. So I have to say, this might be one of my favorite questions of the entire podcast, but what is one piece of advice that you would share? With other women looking to develop as leaders to drive impact for their organization. AB: Well, thank you so much for that question. I will tell you it was such an honor. I mean, I was so humbled and grateful to the LA Times Studio for that recognition. And it was such a journey and just so wonderful. But you know, back to your question, you know, as you go through your career journey, you see different types of leaders and you see what works and what doesn’t work. What inspires you individually? What inspires teams? And some of the takeaways that I’ve kind of compiled and really showcased as part of panel I got to participate on last November was how you need to lead authentically. And what I mean by that is. You can’t adopt someone else’s leadership style exactly, because it may not fit you. You have to understand your natural way of inspiring people because you get more as a leader by inspiring people than mandating them to do things, right? Not saying mandates don’t have their place where they’re needed, but when you’re inspiring people and getting them excited about the work they do, it’s gonna have such an impact, and you can’t do that unless you’re your authentic self. It’s kind of hard and as a woman, you probably know this, it can even be harder sometimes because the, the standard kind of tried and true leadership that have been staples don’t always come off authentically when you’re a woman leader. So, you know, we know the age old challenges that come with that. So how do you, I’ve really studied and done a lot of psychology reading and stuff like how do I foster the best. Kind of leverage my quality traits. And that leads me to the second part that’s really important. I was lucky enough in my earlier I was, when I was working at one of the larger corporations, they put us through this exercise, and if you can do this anyway, if you haven’t already, we did strengths finders, which I thought was so great, but I’m sure there’s lots of tools out there. And you kind of learn about your own unique strengths. And it’s kind of eye-opening ’cause you know, but you don’t. But when you see ’em in front of you and then you start to read what they are, you think they nailed it, right? And so when you can understand those things about yourself, you start to position yourself to be where you do well, right? Because you know that about yourself. And then you can kind of channel those and then work on the areas where maybe aren’t as easy. That’s also really helpful as a leader when you’re building teams, you know, it’s not getting the same cookie cutter employee. You have to build these energies together. Right. And it’s really a combination of different types. Of strengths. And so when I have a position to fill, I’ll look at the current team and I’ll say, okay, what, what are my strengths on there? What’s missing? What can I do better? And I will design the whole process around that. When I’m looking for a candidate, I’ll say, you know, I’ll design the interview questions, I’ll design the job role, all of it. And that’s how you get kind of a well-oiled machine. So that’s a big thing. And then of course, just in mentorship, you know, embrace mentorship. It’s so important to build future leaders. Help them understand the grace in getting out of a job they hate, you know, and finding that place where, you know, we’re always gonna have projects that aren’t fun, but if you really hate your job every day, it’s, you know, I always advise young people coming up like, don’t be afraid to make a move. It’s okay, whether it’s another department or another company, you know, you’re only gonna do yourself justice by getting yourself where you belong. So, yeah, it’s really. Tailoring your support for the unique mentorees that you have. We have a regular intern program, so I get interns every year and it’s really great. I learn and get a lot of great feedback. So, you know, I guess I’ll say, you know, to sum it all up, lead with authentic behavior and purpose and clarity, and you’ll drive impact and really focus on driving the young future leaders of America. SS: I love that advice and it resonates a lot with me, so I really appreciate this, Andrea, thank you so much for joining us on this podcast today. AB: My pleasure. Thank you so much for having me, Shawnna. SS: To our audience, thank you for listening to this episode of the Win-Win podcast. Be sure to tune in next time for more insights on how you can maximize enablement success with Highspot.

In the leadership and communications section, The C-suite gap that's putting your company at risk, CISOs band together to urge world governments to harmonize cyber rules, Cybersecurity is Not Working: Time to Try Something Else, and more! Organizations are increasingly threatened by cyberattacks originating from their suppliers. Existing tools (like EDR, MDR, and XDR) effectively handle threats within an organization, but leave a gap regarding third-party risk. SecurityScorecard created the Supply Chain Detection and Response category to empower organizations to shift from being reactive and uncertain to confidently and proactively protecting their entire supply chain. What is Supply Chain Detection and Response (SCDR)?: https://securityscorecard.com/blog/what-is-supply-chain-detection-and-response/ Learn more about continuous supply chain cyber risk detection and response: https://securityscorecard.com/why-securityscorecard/supply-chain-detection-response/ Claim Your Free SCDR Assessment: https://securityscorecard.com/get-started-scdr/#form This segment is sponsored by Security Scorecard. Visit https://securityweekly.com/securityscorecardrsac for more information on how SecurityScorecard MAX and Supply Chain Detection and Response can help your organization identify and resolve supply chain risks. In this interview, Axonius CISO Lenny Zeltser shares the vision behind Axonius Exposures, the company's latest innovation in unified risk management. Launched ahead of RSA Conference 2025, Exposures tackles one of the most persistent challenges in cybersecurity today: making sense of fragmented risk signals to drive confident, actionable decision-making. Lenny will discuss how Exposures unifies security findings, asset intelligence, and business context in a single platform — giving security teams the clarity and automation they need to prioritize what truly matters. He'll also explore what this launch means for Axonius' mission, the evolution of cyber asset management, and how organizations can move from reactive security postures to proactive, risk-based strategies. Want to see how Axonius Exposures gives you the clarity to take action on your most critical risks? Visit https://securityweekly.com/axoniusrsac to learn more and schedule a personalized demo. Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/bsw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-394

What if your addiction to hustle is the very thing holding your business back?In this episode, Bill unpacks the hidden addiction that plagues so many leaders: the need to feel busy. He explores how overworking, micromanaging, and always being “on” isn't just unsustainable, but also a failure of effective leadership. Bill shares powerful stories of CEOs who broke the cycle and built stronger teams by stepping back, letting go, and empowering others to rise up to the occasion. Topics explored in this episode:(0:10) The Hidden Costs of Busyness*Being constantly busy feels productive, but it's actually a trap.*Imagine a world where you could step back and things don't fall apart.(1:00) Case Study of a Fitness CEO*A thriving business, healthy personal life, and empowered team; you can do it all by doing less.*Why nudging, not rescuing, is the key to accountability and performance.(3:15) The Output is More Important Than ‘Busy'*Entrepreneurs love to glamorize their busyness, but true effectiveness is about results generated. (5:35) Let's Take the Summer Off!*Bill shares a story of how he restructured his company so he could take a month off and finally…relax! (6:15) Building a Team That Thinks for Itself*Practical strategies for creating team ownership, like asking instead of solving.*Stop solving problems for other people. *Train yourself out of the ‘fixer' role. (8:10) From Founder to Scaler*You can grow a business that thrives without you—and one you're proud to sell (or keep).Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3PKe00uBill on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billgall/ Bill on Twitter/X: https://x.com/billgall This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

What happens when a headshot appointment turns into your next career move? For Natasha Cornstein, it was the beginning of a wild, purpose-driven journey from beauty client to CEO of Blushington, the luxury express beauty brand now redefining glam across the country.In this inspiring episode, Erica sits down with Natasha to unpack the pivots, pitfalls, and power moves that shaped her unconventional rise through media, sports, and beauty—and the sticky floors she had to break through along the way.They dive into: ✨ Why perfectionism nearly derailed Natasha's early career—and how she let it go ✨ The leadership feedback that brought her to her knees (and changed everything) ✨ Building through crisis: how Natasha led her team through COVID by embracing collaboration over competition ✨ What franchising can unlock for women who are done playing small ✨ The moment Natasha finally knew she was leading on her termsIf you've ever felt stuck, doubted your path, or wondered if it's too late to pivot—this episode is your permission slip to dream bigger, act bolder, and break your own rules. 

Connect with Courtney:LinkedIn:Additional Resources:FREE Training: https://www.scalingwithoutsacrifice.com/r/aListen to the Podcast, subscribe, leave a rating and a review:Apple:Spotify:YouTube: https://youtu.be/DkMfqdjk0Bg

On this episode of Tame the Mobile Beast, host Tom Butta dives deep into the challenges of breaking down business silos and fostering creativity with Nick Law, Creative Chairperson at Accenture Song. Throughout their conversation, Nick and Tom explore the importance of aligning what matters to customers with what drives profitability for the business. Nick argues that “ You're not making business decisions separate from what's good for the customer, and you're also not making  customer decisions that aren't gonna be good for business.”Together, they emphasize that a unified approach not only fosters a more cohesive customer experiencem, but also strengthens the organization as a whole. Nick points out that while operating in silos is a natural step of scaling your organization, it can create costly inefficiencies and jeapordizies a collaboration that is rooted in shared vision and principles. Drawing on real-world examples from his own career, Nick reflects on how businesses can adapt to technological advancements without sacrificing empathy and creativity. Ultimately, he urges organizations to remember that technology should enhance, not replace, the nuanced human judgment that's essential for delivering exceptional customer experiences.—Guest Quote" The hardest thing is to reverse engineer everything from your customer. Now, it doesn't mean by the way that we surrender to everything the customer wants, but don't run a business. We're always a business. But what you need to align is what's relevant for the customer with what's gonna make you money. There's an overlap there. It's not a silo. You're not making business decisions separate from what's good for the customer, and you're also not making customer decisions that aren't gonna be good for business. So that's the trick.” – Nick Law—Time Stamps 00:53 Introducing Nick Law and the Beast of the Week01:17 Understanding business silos02:56 The importance of collaboration in creativity06:45 Designing effective collaborations12:46 The role of vision in breaking down silos18:50 Principles vs. practices in creative work23:13 Leadership and vision in organizations26:14 Customer-centric business strategies29:17 Balancing systematic and empathetic thinking38:45 The future of creativity and AI44:59 Rapid Fire Questions—LinksConnect with Nick Law on LinkedInCheck out Accenture SongConnect with Tom Butta on LinkedInCheck out the Airship Website

In the leadership and communications section, The C-suite gap that's putting your company at risk, CISOs band together to urge world governments to harmonize cyber rules, Cybersecurity is Not Working: Time to Try Something Else, and more! Organizations are increasingly threatened by cyberattacks originating from their suppliers. Existing tools (like EDR, MDR, and XDR) effectively handle threats within an organization, but leave a gap regarding third-party risk. SecurityScorecard created the Supply Chain Detection and Response category to empower organizations to shift from being reactive and uncertain to confidently and proactively protecting their entire supply chain. What is Supply Chain Detection and Response (SCDR)?: https://securityscorecard.com/blog/what-is-supply-chain-detection-and-response/ Learn more about continuous supply chain cyber risk detection and response: https://securityscorecard.com/why-securityscorecard/supply-chain-detection-response/ Claim Your Free SCDR Assessment: https://securityscorecard.com/get-started-scdr/#form This segment is sponsored by Security Scorecard. Visit https://securityweekly.com/securityscorecardrsac for more information on how SecurityScorecard MAX and Supply Chain Detection and Response can help your organization identify and resolve supply chain risks. In this interview, Axonius CISO Lenny Zeltser shares the vision behind Axonius Exposures, the company's latest innovation in unified risk management. Launched ahead of RSA Conference 2025, Exposures tackles one of the most persistent challenges in cybersecurity today: making sense of fragmented risk signals to drive confident, actionable decision-making. Lenny will discuss how Exposures unifies security findings, asset intelligence, and business context in a single platform — giving security teams the clarity and automation they need to prioritize what truly matters. He'll also explore what this launch means for Axonius' mission, the evolution of cyber asset management, and how organizations can move from reactive security postures to proactive, risk-based strategies. Want to see how Axonius Exposures gives you the clarity to take action on your most critical risks? Visit https://securityweekly.com/axoniusrsac to learn more and schedule a personalized demo. Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/bsw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/bsw-394

What happens when a headshot appointment turns into your next career move? For Natasha Cornstein, it was the beginning of a wild, purpose-driven journey from beauty client to CEO of Blushington, the luxury express beauty brand now redefining glam across the country.In this inspiring episode, Erica sits down with Natasha to unpack the pivots, pitfalls, and power moves that shaped her unconventional rise through media, sports, and beauty—and the sticky floors she had to break through along the way.They dive into: ✨ Why perfectionism nearly derailed Natasha's early career—and how she let it go ✨ The leadership feedback that brought her to her knees (and changed everything) ✨ Building through crisis: how Natasha led her team through COVID by embracing collaboration over competition ✨ What franchising can unlock for women who are done playing small ✨ The moment Natasha finally knew she was leading on her termsIf you've ever felt stuck, doubted your path, or wondered if it's too late to pivot—this episode is your permission slip to dream bigger, act bolder, and break your own rules. 

Carrie Willetts is one of the next-generation leaders of the Habitual Excellence movement, finding new ways to connect its ideas to everyone in the organization, practically and efficiently, using plainer language and simpler core concepts to achieve profound results at scale.As Chief Administrative Officer of the rapidly growing WVU Medicine, Carrie has succeeded at increasingly higher levels by thoughtfully aligning her deepest values, the institutions she chooses to serve, and a repeatable leadership framework rooted in the belief that culture is the answer to every challenge.In this episode of Habitual Excellence, Carrie delivers a tour de force explanation of her leadership framework, sharing compelling stories that illustrate how she applies it, along with evidence of major success. She also explains how she has become a rare C-suite leader who is equally comfortable with strategy and execution.Carrie's story will energize listeners and offer insights that make the leadership path ahead both easier and more fulfilling.

On this episode, Pete and Julie welcome Navy veteran, turned executive recruiter, Jamey Cummings to the show to talk the state of executive hiring! After learning about Jamey's unlikely journey from the Naval Academy to the SEAL Teams to executive recruiter.  Jamey shares his insights for maximizing success for veterans transitioning to the workforce and employers seeking to engage the skills-rich veteran community.  The group talks about the state of executive staffing and skills of the modern C-suite leader, how executive recruiters can be a force multiplier vs a replacement for recruiters, and why private-sector recruiting and talent may need a paradigm shift.  Connect with Jamey: LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameycummings/ JM Search: https://jmsearch.com/  Connect with the show:    LinkedIn:  http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0  X: @HRPayroll2_0 @PeteTiliakos @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0

How secure is your faith-firewall? Are you constantly battling faith-breaches, compromises, or spiritual malware? In this episode, Chris Cooper, a cybersecurity professional and founder of Lighthouse in Me, LLC, draws striking parallels between protecting data and guarding our souls. Just as companies build defenses against digital threats, Christians must protect their hearts and minds from spiritual attacks. God's Word, says Chris, is the Christian's firewall and eternal policy for protection. Obedience to Scripture determines its effectiveness.Chris's faith journey took a pivotal turn during a career setback, when he realized that true security doesn't come from self-reliance but surrender to God. Letting go of his personal agenda, Chris describes how he embraced God's plan and built his "faith-firewall" through Scripture. Drawing from the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, Chris learned how to invest his time, skills, and finances for God's glory. Viewing work as ministry is a transformative faith practice for Chris. In a world that often separates the sacred from the professional, he believes that his vocation is a platform for worship, serving others, and modeling his faith. Whether managing digital threats or mentoring colleagues, every task is an opportunity to bring eternal value into the workplace.More about Chris:Chris is a seasoned executive leader and devoted Christ follower who brings a unique blend of professional expertise and faith-driven purpose to everything he does. With a career rooted in technology, cybersecurity, privacy, compliance, and risk management, Chris has helped organizations navigate complex challenges with integrity, innovation, and a deep commitment to stewardship.Outside of his professional life, Chris has a long history of community involvement. He's served as a United Way volunteer and Campaign Chairman, helped launch multiple Bible studies over the past decade, and currently serves on both The Salvation Army Midland Division Advisory Board and the Gateway Citadel Advisory Council. Chris is married to his wife Wendy, and together they share a beautifully blended family of five children. In late 2024, they launched Lighthouse in Me LLC, a faith-based initiative focused on inspiring and empowering others to live boldly in their faith. Chris also serves as the Market President of C-Suite for Christ St. Louis, where he is passionate about building trusted leadership, fostering meaningful community, and creating spaces where faith can flourish.Support the showTransforming the workplace one Bible study at a time - DONATE today! CONNECT WITH US:B-B-T.org | News | LinkedIn Biblical Business Training (“BBT”) equips busy, working people to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and empowers them in small-group Bible study settings to apply Biblical principles to their every day lives - especially in the workplace. BBT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization which exists to help people develop their Christian “Faith for Work – Leadership for Life!”

She's been in leadership roles for over a decade, but is feeling challenged at her latest company. She wants to focus on developing a long-term strategy but finds herself getting bogged down by the constant crises and day-to-day operational issues. Host Muriel Wilkins coaches her through what's keeping her from being more strategic.

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   Justin and his guest, Jennifer Pack, RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, discuss her career and achievements, including Hyatt's VP of Risk Management. Jennifer describes how her membership in the RIMS Chicago Chapter and service on the Board impacted her career.   Jennifer helped align Hyatt's risk strategies with its evolving business model to ensure resilience in today's complex environment. Leading nearly 40 professionals, Jennifer's leadership and innovative risk solutions have helped strengthen Hyatt's risk management framework, to proactively identify risks and develop strategies to address them. Jennifer successfully redesigned and centralized Hyatt's Short-Term, Long-Term Disability, and Workers' Compensation programs, reducing manual processing by up to 80,000 hours, improving compliance, and reducing legal exposure. It is linked to millions of dollars in savings. Under her leadership, Hyatt's risk management team is overhauling Hyatt Hotels' fire safety with the first-of-its-kind Fire Life Safety Compliance and Governance Program, setting a standard for the organization and industry. The initiative includes the implementation of new technology, as well as auditing the 1,450 Hyatt hotels in 79 countries. Jennifer is a beloved mentor who has had an impact on many careers. She continues to demonstrate her commitment to advancing the risk management profession as an active member of the RIMS Chicago Chapter.   Jennifer's innovations may inspire your work for your organization's ERM program. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. It is one of my favorite episodes to produce, with the Risk Manager of the Year. This year's honoree is Jennifer Pack, Hyatt's Vice President of Risk Management. We will talk about her success in ERM, captives, and more. [:48] RIMS-CRMP Workshops! RIMS is co-hosting an intensive four-day program which is your gateway to achieving two prestigious certifications, the DRI Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) and the RIMS Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP). [1:08] This workshop will be held from May 19th through the 22nd in collaboration with DRI International. Links to these courses can be found through the Certification page of RIMS.org and this episode's show notes. [1:23] Virtual Workshops! On June 12th, Pat Saporito will host “Managing Data for ERM” and she will return on June 26th to present the very popular new course, “Generative AI for Risk Management”. [1:40] A link to the full schedule of virtual workshops can be found on the RIMS.org/education and RIMS.org/education/online-learning pages. A link is also in this episode's show notes. [1:51] We're at RISKWORLD this week but preparations are already underway for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025 on November 17th and 18th in Seattle, Washington. RIMS is accepting educational session submissions through May 20th. [2:08] The best submissions will address current and future challenges facing ERM practitioners as well as provide leading practices and concrete takeaways for a diverse audience of risk professionals from industries or organizations of varied sizes, disciplines, functions, and roles. [2:26] These include officers, leaders, managers, and students. The link to the submission form is in this episode's show notes. [2:35] While you are at RISKWORLD, be sure to take away some inspirado and channel it into an educational session submission for the RIMS ERM Conference 2025. Of course, mark your calendars for November 17th and 18th and I'll be sure to alert you when registration opens. [2:55] The RIMS Risk Manager of the Year Program aims to raise the profile of the risk profession and the outstanding programs the honorees have implemented within their organizations. [3:04] The award was created in 1977 and the Risk Management Honor Roll was added in 1981. The 2025 RIMS Risk Manager of the Year is Jennifer Pack of Hyatt. [3:16] As VP of Risk Management, Jennifer has transformed risk management at Hyatt, embedding a culture that has provided a launchpad for organizational success. Her innovations in captive management also earned her this award. [3:28] Jennifer is a long-standing member of the RIMS Chicago Chapter and an all-around fantastic professional. Her profile will soon appear in the Awards Edition of RIMS Risk Management magazine. [3:40] Jennifer will receive the award on May 5th at 4:00 p.m., on the main stage at RISKWORLD. We're going to get to know her a little bit now. We'll talk ERM, captives, Chicago RIMS, hotel and hospitality, and more. [3:57] Interview! RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack, welcome to RIMScast!  [4:34] Jennifer has been at Hyatt, for going on 18 years. She can stay at any hotel she would like! [5:03] Some people like to leave their jobs every few years for a new company and skills. Jennifer's career at Hyatt has been an adventure! She hasn't been doing the same thing for 18 years. Every couple of years, she gets new roles and responsibilities. She's constantly learning. [5:24] She has a foundation of knowing whom to go to, what the systems are, and how to get things done. There's a base familiarity but with some excitement and learning opportunities. [5:36] If the feeling of being able to learn and grow ever stops, Jennifer will think about leaving. She's enjoying her time. It seems like she's working or a new company all the time. They're transforming. They're changing. The risk landscape is changing. There's never a dull moment. [5:56] Justin feels the same way about working at RIMS! He started as a writer but then got these responsibilities and they took on sort of a life of their own and attracted more of an audience. It's more work, but it's more fun and rewarding. [6:25] Jennifer joined Hyatt in a group called Compliance and Controls. She was hired to set up their Sarbanes-Oxley department. In reaction to the financial crisis after the downfall of Arthur Andersen and Enron, Sarbanes-Oxley was born and Jennifer became an expert on it. [6:58] Jennifer launched that group and then it was moved into Internal Audit where they were exposed to a lot more people and systems. Jennifer had the opportunity to backfill someone in the Risk Management department and never left. She's been in the risk function for 15 years. [7:30] When Jennifer joined the risk group it had seven risk practitioners in the corporate office. There were five or six Occupational Health Managers in the field, helping with Workers' Compensation and occupational safety. There are over 35 full-time members now. [8:09] They've taken on new roles in the 15 years: physical security, business resilience, fire life safety compliance, and other health and safety functions in the company. They could probably use a few more people but they're doing well. [8:38] The risk profile of the company has changed. The geopolitical risk profile of the world has changed. Hyatt's offerings have changed. They used to be mostly business, group, and convention, and now they lean into leisure, travel, and all-inclusive, which have different risks. [9:16] Hyatt has tripled its resort rooms and quintupled its lifestyle rooms since 2017. A lifestyle room is about meeting clientele where they are. Millennials want to travel the world and experience the environment, such as an attached nightclub in Miami or New York. [9:55] They're unconventional hotels with the framework of a well-known brand, where guests have comfort, safety, security, cybersecurity, and loyalty points while feeling like they're in a niche hotel with great and different experiences. It feels like a boutique, attached to the brand. [11:06] Social inflation is a risk. Liability insurance has gone up because claim payouts have gone up tremendously. Claim attorneys are targeting hospitality. [12:12] Hyatt is thinking globally about health, safety, and security, making sure policies are locked down, training is locked down, and people know how to report an incident, and when to report it. How do you de-escalate an incident to win the guest back? [12:36] Saying, “I'm sorry that happened to you. Here are some points. We care about you,” reinforcing that, versus saying, “Let my insurance company deal with it.” That's the last thing we want. If our guests had a bad incident, they had a bad experience. [12:51] Especially if you're traveling on leisure with your family, you want to know that you'll be taken care of. There's an expectation that you're going to be safe and secure. Hyatt wants to make sure to bring the level of care to them that they deserve. [13:07] Hyatt is working on the front end to retrain employees on ramping up safety and security measures and knowing how to respond when an incident happens. [13:18] Then, if it gets into the claims section, the claims management team has new robust processes to manage claims to drive down exposure. On the insurance procurement side, Hyatt is leaning into its captive to take on much higher retention in-house. [14:09] Hyatt is asking leadership in the field to bring education and awareness to the importance of risk management, what's at risk, and what the current legal environment is, and overlay that with wanting to care for people. Hyatt cares about the guest experience. [14:43] This is a macro-level environment. If you have litigation system abuse across the country, what are insurers doing about it? What are brokers doing about it? What are corporations doing about it? [14:56] Jennifer gets with her peers in the hospitality industry, working in their respective associations, to address these issues at the state and federal levels, change laws, and push for tort reform and disclosures of litigation funding. [15:28] Hyatt has partnered with the American Lodging and Hospitality Association and is considering partnering with insurance companies. You can't just hope someone else will take care of the problem. It's a much bigger problem that we all need to address. [16:06] Justin points out that third-party litigation funding is one of the top initiatives and campaigns for RIMS this year. RIMS recently had the Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., where third-party litigation funding was a top priority. It was a top RIMS talking point on the Hill. [16:38] Jennifer says Hyatt and the hospitality industry are in with RIMS on the issue of third-party litigation funding. If it continues, guests are going to have to pay more for a stay and for the experiences they want to have as rising risk costs are passed to the consumers. [17:04] Plug Time! RIMS Webinars! We are back on May 22nd, with GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company, and their newest session, “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny”. [17:22] On May 29th, Origami Risk returns to present “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction”. On June 5th, Zywave joins us to discuss “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause and What's the Solution?” [17:44] More webinars will be announced soon and added to the RIMS.org/Webinars page. Go there to register. Registration is complimentary for RIMS members. [17:55] Spencer's goal to help build a talent pipeline of risk management and insurance professionals is achieved, in part, by its collaboration with risk management and insurance educators across the U.S. and Canada. [18:16] Since 2010, Spencer has awarded over $3.3 million in General Grants to support over 130 student-centered experiential learning initiatives at universities and RMI non-profits. Spencer's 2026 application process is now open through July 30th, 2025. [18:36] General Grant awardees are typically notified at the end of October. Learn more about Spencer's General Grants through the Programs tab of SpencerEd.org. [18:46] On the 7th of October, the New Jersey RIMS Chapter will return to the beautiful Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, New Jersey for their Annual Charity Golf/Pickleball Event. [18:59] Registration is open and the event proceeds are used to fund the chapter's Spencer and Kids' Chance Scholarships. It was the filming location for the upcoming movie sequel Happy Gilmore 2. For more information, and to register, please NewJersey.RIMS.org. [19:21] Let's Return to My Interview with RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack! [19:47] Hyatt put a captive in place in 2013. Back then, Hyatt had huge insurance cost swings year-on-year that they couldn't forecast. It created a lot of “noise” on the balance sheet. They originally put the captive in place to take away that noise and remove wild cost volatility. [20:38] Over time, Hyatt started to see success and build up a surplus they saw the value of a captive, especially as market conditions changed. They brought in additional forms of insurance coverage with traditional deductible buy-downs with workers' compensation and GL. [21:04] They started to see the surplus build up and they were able to give some of the surplus back to the participants and drive down their premium cost. [21:14] In the pandemic, the hospitality business came to a halt. Before the pandemic, Hyatt's average occupancy around the world was over 75%. In April 2020, it dropped to 6%. The owners of Hyatt were under extreme pressure. [21:43] Jennifer had an extra surplus in the captive and was able to give relief to the owners and to the company in that year and the next couple of years. Claim volume went down due to lower occupancy. Hyatt used some of that cash to fund large acquisitions. [22:19] That's when Hyatt saw social inflation in gaps in coverage. There was no coverage for a pandemic. Through the captive, Jennifer was able to offer that coverage to the owners. She offered wages and hours insurance to the owners. [22:48] Coming out of COVID-19, with the impact of social inflation, the captive took on larger line sizes and larger layers in its umbrella tower. They had some acquisitions in cyber. They bought the Apple Leisure Group. [23:36] In a lot of those services, Hyatt isn't providing the service but is almost like a travel agent, connecting you to the hotel, airline, or excursion. If there is an incident, the third party has the coverage. Hyatt has exposure for connecting you to the service. [24:01] Hyatt had to get creative with coverage for these new exposures, working with broker partners to fill those gaps. They did it largely with the captive, buying time until they could get a traditional product in place. [24:17] With the captive, Hyatt filled gaps, helped grow the business, and used it as a business enabler, providing cash, relief to owners, and coverage that may not have been commercially available, either to buy time or permanently fill a gap. It's been fun! [24:53] Jennifer regularly changes which hat she wears. As the captive President, she has to look at what Hyatt is doing to protect the captive and make sure it's adequately funded and complies with regulations. From a governance perspective, is Hyatt doing the right things? [25:21] Jennifer regularly brings in third-party experts to check the captive. Jennifer's decisions as President of the captive are through the lens of the captive and as the owner of this business, what they are doing to grow revenues, manage expenses, and keep an adequate surplus. [25:44] The captive doesn't run razor-thin. To have a forward-looking approach, it needs to have an adequate surplus, reserves, and cash in the captive. They're very conservative in protecting it. [26:06] From a corporate risk management perspective, when Hyatt needs to buy insurance, Jennifer asks, can we buy it from the captive? She sometimes has tough conversations with Hyatt about borrowing versus driving up investment income to protect everyone's interests. [26:37] Jennifer has to keep top-of-mind, which lens she's looking through, whether President of the Captive or Hyatt Vice President of Risk Management. She wears two hats, managing all the key stakeholders' needs and wants. [27:17] Some of the stakeholders are Hyatt, third-party owners, the corporation itself, and guests and colleagues with short-term and long-term disability and medical, adding value for the benefits team so they don't have to go to third parties for that insurance. [28:27] As the Captive President, Jennifer is looking at loss and expense ratios, reserve to operating ratios, surplus to premiums, and surplus to reserves, making sure that they're within the set ratios. They shoot for three to one. Anything above that number can go to participants. [29:09] They won't go below three to one so they are capitalized for future unexpected losses or to back up future business growth. Jennifer believes Hyatt is unique in having those ratios and guards in place. Jennifer is looking forward to future needs. [30:15] The captive evaluates from time to time whether to change the ratios to five to one or four to one. In the liability space, claims are growing. Some of the demands are wild and the settlements reached or not reached are eye-opening! [30:46] Jennifer explains the global risk management claims software that is now also used for incident reporting to the risk department. They look at data from all incidents and are seeing a trend and looking to what could come down the pike and new coverages they may need to offer. [31:44] The technology is supporting the department and overall risk management strategy. The captive is benefiting through better data on what's happening out there so they won't get blindsided by unusual trends that aren't yet seen in the claims. [32:19] Technology helps the captive to build out platforms to manage compliance, safety, and security in the environment. [32:28] The more data insights and comfort Jennifer has over the Health, Safety, and Security diagnostic at each property, region, and the globe, and overlays those with risk assessments Hyatt does, the more comfort she can get to take on more risks knowledgeably in the captive. [33:15] RIMS Plug! The first of hopefully many RIMS Texas Regional Conferences will be held in San Antonio from August 4th through the 6th, 2025. This groundbreaking event is set to unite the Texas RIMS Chapters and welcome risk management professionals from around the world. [33:34] Guess what, folks! Registration is now open! The advance rate is available through May 16th. A link is in this episode's show notes. You can also visit the Events page of RIMS.org to register. We look forward to seeing you in Texas! [33:50] Let's Conclude Our Interview with RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year, Jennifer Pack! [34:04] Jennifer Pack is the RIMS Risk Manager of the Year 2025 and she has been such a wonderful guest. This episode is coming out the morning of the awards. We will see her onstage, for anyone who has the privilege of being there. [34:19] Jennifer is honored, excited, and a little nervous to be onstage at RISKWORLD for the award. A lot of the RIMS Chicago members will be there. Jennifer has a wonderful Chicago-based team that will be there. Jennifer's parents and her husband are coming. [36:26] Jennifer says moving up the ranks at Hyatt and RIMS Chicago has been a fun and wild ride! The growth in her career, switching from being a Public Accountant to Auditor to Risk Manager has been fun with a lot of learning. [36:54] Jennifer tries to lead and grow with optimism, fun, and humor. She's been able to grow and develop a team under her. It's been a really interesting 18-year adventure. [37:11] Once Jennifer was exposed to RIMS, it opened her eyes to the wealth of resources, friendship, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. It's been such an excellent experience for her. She couldn't be prouder of the Chicago Chapter and the great things they do to develop talent.  [37:43] Jennifer says since COVID-19, it's been wonderful to see the number of people who attend the outings and forums. It's great to have such a great community and seeing them regularly is impactful. [38:06] Jennifer is Risk Manager of the Year. The Rising Star is Megan Smalter, who has had a wonderful time with the Chicago Chapter before moving to New York. In her role on the RIMS Chicago Chapter Board, and when she ran the Golf Outing, Jennifer has worked with Megan. [38:45] Julie Bean won the Heart of RIMS Award recently. Jennifer says it's great to have the bench of expertise of long-standing members in the Chicago Chapter. Jennifer learned from them personally and in professional settings. They're great for sharing ideas and working with. [39:36] Jennifer also mentioned Theresa Severson who was RIMS 2023 Risk Manager of the Year, with Kite Realty. There's a lot of talent and deep risk knowledge in the RIMS Chicago Chapter. There's a genuine camaraderie.  [40:30] Jennifer looks ahead to see companies leaning into the concept of full risk management philosophy. Risk management is so much more than just the insurance buyers. [40:45] Risk management is “How can we bring a risk management mindset to our enterprises? How can we be business enablers? How can we leverage the wealth of data and information that comes through our department to enable mindful growth in the business?” [41:05] It's “How can we help with ESG efforts, especially with the reporting? How can we mitigate risks to the company and not just to our financial tools of insurance? What can we do in loss prevention or mitigation?” [41:26] “What can we do in claims management with more expertise, as things heat up on the litigation side with social inflation and nuclear claims?” Jennifer sees Hyatt and other companies taking more risks in the captive's or balance sheet to offset what's happening.” [42:10] Risk managers are going to have to articulate that and bring solutions to the forefront of their companies. Jennifer is excited about the future. She's looking forward to launching and rolling out more technology solutions as Hyatt leverages all its data. [42:57] Jennifer knows her team can have a lot of positive impact on the organization and she's excited about it. [43:08] Special thanks and congratulations again to Jennifer Pack, the RIMS 2025 Risk Manager of the Year. A link to RISKWORLD coverage is in this episode's show notes via the Show Daily. [43:20] That will update this episode's show notes with a link to the RIMS Risk Management Magazine coverage in our special Awards Edition. More honorees from RISKWORLD will join us here on RIMScast soon. [43:35] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [44:03] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [44:21] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [44:38] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [44:55] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [45:09] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. You can email Justin at Content@RIMS.org. [45:17] Thank you all for your continued support and engagement on social media channels! We appreciate all your kind words. Listen every week! Stay safe!   Links: RIMS Texas Regional 2025 — August 3‒5 | Advance registration rates now open. ERM Conference 2025 — Call for Submissions (Through May 20) RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Risk Management magazine RIMS Now The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center Spencer Educational Foundation — General Grants 2026 — Application Dates Press Release: “RIMS Risk Manager of the Year Goes to Hyatt's Jennifer Pack” RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars “Asset Valuations in 2025: Managing Tariffs, Inflation, and Rising Insurance Scrutiny” | Sponsored by GRC, a TÜV SÜD Company | May 22, 2025 “Strategic Risk Financing in an Unstable Economy: Leveraging Technology for Efficiency and Cost Reduction” | Sponsored by Origami Risk | May 29, 2025 “Today's Escalating Risk Trajectory: What's the Cause & What's the Solution?” | Sponsored by Zywave | June 5, 2025   Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Prep Virtual Workshops: CBCP & RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Virtual Bootcamp: “Mastering Business Continuity & Risk Management” | May 19‒22, 2025 | In Collaboration with DRI International Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule “Managing Data for ERM” | June 12 | Instructor: Pat Saporito  “Generative AI for Risk Management” | June 26 | Instructor: Pat Saporito See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops RIMS-CRMP Prep Workshops   Related RIMScast Episodes: “Risk and Leadership Patterns with Super Bowl Champion Ryan Harris” (RISKWORLD 2025 Keynote) “(Re)Humanizing Leadership in Risk Management with Holly Ransom” “Risk and Relatability with Rachel DeAlto” “RIMS Risk Manager of the Year, Steve Robles, Los Angeles County” (2024)   Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: “The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience” | Sponsored by AXA XL (New!) “Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs” | Sponsored by Zurich “Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding” | Sponsored by Zurich “What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping” | Sponsored by Medcor “Risk Management in a Changing World: A Deep Dive into AXA's 2024 Future Risks Report” | Sponsored by AXA XL “How Insurance Builds Resilience Against An Active Assailant Attack” | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog “Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips” | Sponsored by Alliant “RIMS Innovation with Archer” | Sponsored by Archer “Navigating Commercial Property Risks with Captives” | Sponsored by Zurich “Breaking Down Silos: AXA XL's New Approach to Casualty Insurance” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Weathering Today's Property Claims Management Challenges” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Storm Prep 2024: The Growing Impact of Convective Storms and Hail” | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company “Partnering Against Cyberrisk” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics for Effective Risk Management” | Sponsored by Marsh “Accident Prevention — The Winning Formula For Construction and Insurance” | Sponsored by Otoos “Platinum Protection: Underwriting and Risk Engineering's Role in Protecting Commercial Properties” | Sponsored by AXA XL “Elevating RMIS — The Archer Way” | Sponsored by Archer   RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Kristen Peed!   RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model®   Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information.   Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.   Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org.   Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.   About our guest: Jennifer Pack, VP of Global Risk Management, Hyatt Corporation   Production and engineering provided by Podfly.  

Jess Lindgren is a longtime C-Suite assistant, and host of the Ask an Assistant podcast. In this Ask an Assistant spotlight episode, Jess answers a question about weird requests.Show Notes -> leaderassistant.com/322--In-person meeting planning can be a lot to manage. That's where TROOP Planner comes in. TROOP Planner is built to make life easier for busy assistants like yourself. Whether you're organizing an executive offsite, department meeting, or team retreat, TROOP keeps it simple, fast, and organized.Visit leaderassistant.com/troop to learn more! --Automate scheduling with YouCanBookMe by Capacity. Sign up for a FREE trial -> leaderassistant.com/calendar. --Get your digital copy of The Leader Assistant Workbook at leaderassistantbook.com/workbook to lead yourself, lead your team, and lead your executive.More from The Leader Assistant... Book, Audiobook, and Workbook -> leaderassistantbook.com Premium Membership -> leaderassistant.com/membership Events -> leaderassistantlive.com Free Community -> leaderassistant.com/community

In episode 150, “Top 3 things to change if you want sustainable, predictable revenue,” Jess takes an honest look at what's actually driving revenue in the B2B sales world right now. If you're a coach, consultant, trainer, or any kind of service provider who dreams of reliable income, switching off for the summer, and still signing corporate clients… this is the episode you can't afford to skip. As May ushers in a critical sales window before the quiet summer months, Jess kicks off by sharing how she uses this quarter to finalise deals and take the summer off - focusing on making sure business is set up for success so she (and you!) can unplug without worrying about finances. But while she's going to be relaxing, she wants you to be equally strategic—especially given growing misconceptions in the business world about what actually works for B2B sales in 2025.  Key Takeaways in This Episode 1. What corporates actually are—and why this matters. Jess clarifies what counts as a “corporate” for the purposes of this podcast: organisations that are not solopreneur-run, have permanent employees, a board or higher structure, and operate in both private and public sectors. If you're targeting founder-led micro-businesses, the B2B tactics you hear about online likely won't work for true corporates. 2. The dangers of misguided sales activities. Too many business owners are spending hours posting on LinkedIn, engaging in comment pods, building elaborate funnels, or writing books—believing these are “sales activities.” Jess is blunt: these are NOT going to land you corporate contracts. HR managers are not scrolling LinkedIn newsfeeds to find their next coach or consultant. Corporate buyers aren't signing up for your webinar funnel or being wowed by your ebook. If you're getting engagement but not deals, this is likely why. 3. The real reasons for B2B revenue plateaus (or dips). Jess unpacks why those revenue highs expected in the new year often fail to materialise—energy fizzles, pipelines aren't as full as predicted, and sales plateau. Many fall for the myth that it's “just the market” or their pricing, when in fact, they are simply not spending time on the right actions. She stresses that clutter, complexity, and intelligent overthinking can get in the way of simple, repeatable sales behavior that actually converts. Don't get stuck in learning more, consuming content, or trying to prove your worth with more certifications! 4. The reality of the current B2B market. Ignore the chatter from non-practitioners who claim “corporates aren't buying.” Jess's proven strategies, used by over 20,000 clients (with a 90%+ success rate), continue to deliver wins—even in a tough market. The companies succeeding are the ones focused on proactive, not passive, behaviors. 5. Proactive sales strategies that work. Replace endless marketing with smart, measurable, sales-focused actions: Direct, well-researched outreach to decision makers. Tracking metrics and troubleshooting what actually moves the sales pipeline. Using proven scripts, strategies, and templates grounded in years of corporate sales experience. Jess's clients are still landing deals—even their biggest months ever—by ditching content for conversation and focusing on relationship-based sales approaches. 6. Your opportunity: The Cold to Closed Live Sales Experience Jess announces an exciting, brand new live sales experience: Cold to Closed. If you want to sign corporate clients in 90 days or less (and you're not quite ready for her C Suite ® program), this is for you. Join the waitlist (link in the show notes), as this will be the only live sales training outside C Suite ® in 2025. Final Words of Wisdom Get honest: are you working on actions that drive cash, or just chasing likes and ego boosts? Your summer of freedom starts with what you do now. If you want predictable revenue and genuine business joy, switch from content creation to conversion. Next Steps Get on the Cold to Closed waitlist (link in show notes!) Revisit previous episodes, especially State of the Union — Super Sales Insights to Smash Your Targets. It's a game-changer full of actionable market insights.   Key Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Get on the Cold to Closed waitlist here. State of the union: super sales insights to smash your targets Click here for the Cold Email Outreach Conversion Course here.    Grab your Sales Tracking Spreadsheet here.   Click here to watch my video on how to troubleshoot your sales process.!   Join The C Suite ® Self Study now! If you're looking to get the best support in selling your services to corporate organisations, not to mention email templates and proposal outlines so that you really can convert at much higher rates and sell your services more successfully then click here now.   Take the Selling to Corporate ® offer quiz and find out what the best offer is that you could sell to corporate.    Sign up here for the webinar on Five Simple Steps to Landing Corporate Clients.   Top 5 Business Development Questions: If you're looking to convert more business development calls into sales? You need to be asking the right questions and getting the best information to support future work. Download my Top 5 BDQs here and start getting quality information from your prospects.   Connect with me on LinkedIn.   If you've been consuming the content and LOVE the show, please make sure you take five minutes out of your day to leave a review.    Click here if you would like to listen to my TEDx talk.

After 15–20 years of climbing the ladder, many women reach a turning point: I'll keep going, but only if I can do it on my terms. No more sacrificing wellbeing, family, or identity to prove you belong in the C-Suite. In this episode, we unpack how to create the exact life you want while still leading at the highest levels. From setting personal non-negotiables to negotiating true leadership infrastructure, this is about designing success that actually fits you. FREE TRAINING Register for The Catapult Your Career Bootcamp (http://thecatapultbootcamp.com) WORK WITH US Join the Catapult Your Career Program (http://cycprogram.com) GET IN TOUCH Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stellaodogwu/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_intelle/ Email: contact@intelle.us Text: 949-519-4554

Two Major ALM Conferences back-to-back … they said it couldn't be done.  Legal Speak believed it … and went there to see it for themselves. For over 20 years, the General Counsel Conference Midwest has been the premier event in the industry.  Delivering key insights and practical solutions that today's general counsel need to manage and better leverage C-Suite relationships, successfully overcome a litigation crisis and do more with fewer resources just to name a few.  For the 2nd year, Legal Speak was there live to bring you interviews with interesting attendees as well as moderators and speakers from various panels from this year's event in Chicago.   In this episode, host Patrick Smith is joined by Patricia Bradley, Vice President and Sr. Associate General Counsel for Adtalem Global Education.   Host: Patrick Smith Guest: Patricia Bradley Producer: Charles Garnar    

Two Major ALM Conferences back-to-back … they said it couldn't be done.  Legal Speak believed it … and went there to see it for themselves. For over 20 years, the General Counsel Conference Midwest has been the premier event in the industry.  Delivering key insights and practical solutions that today's general counsel need to manage and better leverage C-Suite relationships, successfully overcome a litigation crisis and do more with fewer resources just to name a few.  For the 2nd year, Legal Speak was there live to bring you interviews with interesting attendees as well as moderators and speakers from various panels from this year's event in Chicago.   In this episode, host Patrick Smith is joined by Meredith Ritchie, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Ethics & Government Affairs Officer for Alliant Credit Union.   Host: Patrick Smith Guest: Meredith Ritchie Producer: Charles Garnar  

Two Major ALM Conferences back-to-back … they said it couldn't be done.  Legal Speak believed it … and went there to see it for themselves. For over 20 years, the General Counsel Conference Midwest has been the premier event in the industry.  Delivering key insights and practical solutions that today's general counsel need to manage and better leverage C-Suite relationships, successfully overcome a litigation crisis and do more with fewer resources just to name a few.  For the 2nd year, Legal Speak was there live to bring you interviews with interesting attendees as well as moderators and speakers from various panels from this year's event in Chicago.   In this episode, host Patrick Smith is joined by Donna Haddad, Vice President and Associate General Counsel at the IBM Corporation.   Host: Patrick Smith Guest: Donna Haddad Producer: Charles Garnar  

The CEO, COO and CIO, all of whom coincidentally share a first name, take us behind the scenes of their Florida credit union's merger and expansion plans. Also, Michael, Natasha, and Producer Zach discuss irrational (and rational) fears.

Start your morning with Buzzcast with Josh Carpenter: Gearing up for the PGA Championship, LIV Golf's newest C-Suite hire and the latest chapter in the Bill Belichick drama

Looking to break through to your next revenue milestone or sharpen your firm's competitive edge? This episode is a must-listen for executive search leaders, owners, and directors ready to thrive—not just survive—in 2025.Key takeaways:AI as a Game-Changer: Hear how integrating AI thoughtfully (while keeping humans in the driver's seat) is reshaping the entire talent pipeline—without sacrificing the personal touch that defines executive search.Value Propositions & Client Relationships: Discover why revisiting your firm's unique value, saying “no” to bad business, and delivering genuine consultative partnership is critical to growth and differentiation.Metrics that Matter: Learn how top firms rely on clear ratios and KPIs to predict sustainable growth and quickly course-correct, ensuring consistent, high-quality performance across the board.Resilience & Adaptability: Get insider perspectives on operational pivots, team optimization, and bringing new talent into the business—especially during turbulent markets.Questions to ponder: Can AI ever fully replicate the intuition of a seasoned recruiter? What risks (or rewards) come from walking away from legacy clients or underperforming business models?Tune in for actionable strategies, candid war stories, and fresh perspectives to help your firm stand out—and scale up. Listen now!_________________About the Panelists:Todd Dawson began his professional career in law enforcement for 7 years and then nearly 7 years in insurance investigation prior to becoming a recruiting in 1985. Todd ran a successful insurance desk for 20 years and purchased the MRI franchise in 2002 from the office founder. During Todd's career with MRI, he was recognized as an MRI Regional winner 7 times, MRI National Account Executive of the Decade for the 90's, MRI CSAM of the Year in 1998 and MRI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. Todd's office was recognized as a Top 10 Office of the Year at MRI each of the office's last 2 years as an MRI franchise office. Todd is currently the Legal Practice Leader for WBP.Jen Meyer brings over 28 years of expertise in the search and recruitment industry. Before becoming a part of Govig & Associates, she served as the president and co-founder of North Coast ExecuSearch, Inc. for more than 13 years. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with a diverse array of organizations across various industries and scales, with notable focus on VP/C-Suite roles for firms under private equity ownership. Her impact has even propelled certain entities to double in size and achieve a revenue of over $1 billion. Recognized for her unwavering dedication and philanthropic endeavors, Jennifer is particularly esteemed for her role in mentoring top talents, nurturing their growth, and cultivating long-lasting business relationships that yield mutual benefits. Her resolute commitment to her profession and the industry ensures exceptional outcomes for all involved.Brian Kirlik is a forward-thinking talent strategist who believes the entire hiring system is fundamentally broken—on both the candidate and employer sides. Throughout his career, Brian has observed that while candidates lament the lengthy and frustrating application process, companies simultaneously complain of a weak talent pipeline. He sees this disconnect as both sides talking past each other, perpetuating the very problems they hope to solve. Determined to break the cycle, Brian is reshaping the way organizations and individuals approach hiring. He's a strong advocate for the transformative power of AI, believing it holds the key to connecting talent with opportunity on demand and in real time. But for Brian, the real solution lies at the intersection of innovation and empathy: boldly implementing AI while keeping the human element firmly in the driver's seat. He is committed to finding that balance, confident that with the right approach, both companies and candidates will benefit—and the future of work will be brighter for all._________________Tools mentioned in this episode:ChatGPT – Directly mentioned by Jen Meyer as one of the AI tools they use internally.Perplexity – Also specifically mentioned by Jen Meyer as a tool they use for research and summarization.Crelate – Mentioned as the team's ATS (Applicant Tracking System), with specific reference to “Crelate Co-Pilot,” their AI assistant for recruiters.LinkedIn – Referenced multiple times as a social platform for business development, recruiting, posting, and networking.Claude – Briefly mentioned by Kortney Harmon as a favorite AI platform especially for generating content and handling projects._________________Follow Jen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmeyergovig/Follow Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankirlik/Follow Todd on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawsontodd/Want to learn more about Crelate? Book a demo hereFollow Crelate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crelate/Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.crelate.com/blog/full-desk-experience

How can leaders connect their personal purpose with their company's mission?In today's episode, Bill talks with leadership coach Ben Renshaw about the importance of discovering your personal why. They also discuss how aligning personal and company purposes can lead to more meaningful leadership and a positive work environment.Ben Renshaw is a former classical violinist turned leadership coach who's all about helping people find what truly lights them up. He's worked with top global brands and execs, all while keeping his focus on one big question: what's your why?Topics explored in this episode: (1:11) Discovering Your Why- Ben shares his journey from classical music to personal development.- Co-founded The Happiness Project in the skeptical UK of the 1990s.(7:45) Building Real Connection- Ben reflects on how different cultures respond to emotional authenticity.- How a company's purpose can cascade into personal leadership development.(14:21) Transforming Leaders from the Inside Out- A reluctant CFO discovers his purpose and transforms into a CEO.- Tools like personal dashboards help measure purpose in action.(23:44) Scaling Purpose - Purpose isn't just personal—it can energize entire organizations.- Meaningful work improves performance and employee engagement.(35:51) Designing Purposeful Cultures- The ripple effect of purpose touches supply chains, governance, and government policy.- Purposeful companies create traditions and symbols that inspire the next generation.Thanks to Ben Renshaw for being on the show! Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-renshaw/ Learn more about Ben: https://www.benrenshaw.com Get Ben's book, How to be a CEO: https://amzn.to/42xlLxJ Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth. Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGallBill on YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/@BillGallagherScalingCoach Visit https://ScalingUp.com to learn more about Verne Harnish, our team of Scaling Up Coaches, and the Scaling Up Performance Platform, which includes coaching, learning, software, and summit. We share how the fastest-growing companies succeed where so many others fail. We help leadership teams with the biggest decisions around people, strategy, execution, and cash so that they can scale up successfully and beat the odds of business growth. Did you enjoy today's episode? If so, then please leave a review! Help other business leaders discover Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher so they, too, can benefit from the ideas shared in these podcasts.Subscribe via Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3PGhWPJSubscribe via Apple Podcasts:

Originally published on March 18, 2021. The world changed dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic—and so did our personal and professional lives. If you've struggled to adapt or felt your resilience stretched to its limits, you're not alone. But hope and inspiration are just a conversation away.   In this empowering episode, Dr. Lycka speaks with the unstoppable Connie Pheiff, a woman who refused to let the chaos of the pandemic dim her light. Instead, she leaned in, shifted gears, and found new opportunities in the virtual landscape. Connie shares how she reimagined her goals, built momentum, and continues to dream even bigger. Her story is a powerful reminder that reinvention is always possible—and sometimes necessary.   Get ready to be inspired to pivot with purpose, lead with passion, and remember that your dream is still valid—even in uncertain times.   About the Guest: Connie Pheiff is the dynamic force behind Talent Concierge®, a modern-day media and branding label for “talent who mean business”—the bold thinkers and dreamers ready to change the world. She's a five-time author, award-winning speaker, high-performance coach, philanthropist, and activist in the #BeyondMeToo movement. From the C-Suite to the stage and airwaves, Connie's journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and remarkable impact. She's earned accolades including Inspirational Woman in Media, Community Leadership, and Radio Personality of the Year. Insights Success Magazine hails her as “a symbol of Exemplary Entrepreneurship.” Through every triumph and trial, Connie proves one thing: success doesn't happen in spite of your failures—but because of them.     Social media links Connie Pheiff: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/connie.pheiff/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/conniepheiffshow/ X -  https://bit.ly/3tkIkRX LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/3rEDSge Website - https://www.conniepheiff.com/ and https://talentconcierge.co/   Thanks for listening to the show! It means so much to us that you listened to our podcast! If you would like to continue the conversation, please email me at allen@drallenlycka.com or visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/drallenlycka. We would love to have you join us there, and welcome your messages. We check our Messenger often.   This show is built on “The Secrets to Living A Fantastic Life.” Get your copy by visiting: https://secretsbook.now.site/home   We are building a community of like-minded people in the personal development/self-help/professional development industries, and are always looking for wonderful guests for our show. If you have any recommendations, please email us!   Dr. Allen Lycka's Social Media Links Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/drallenlycka Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/dr_allen_lycka/ X:  https://X.com/drallenlycka YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAllenLycka/ LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenlycka/   Subscribe to the show. We would be honored to have you subscribe to the show, just use the podcast app on your mobile device.   Leave a review! We appreciate your feedback, as every little bit helps us produce even better shows. We want to bring value to your day, and have you join us time and again.  Ratings and reviews from our listeners not only help us improve, but also help others find us in their podcast app. If you have a minute, an honest review on iTunes or your favorite app goes a long way! Thank you!

Send me a Text Message about the show!Daria Burke is an American writer, speaker, and wellbeing advocate.  Daria largely raised herself in Detroit, tiptoeing around the mood swings of a drug-addicted mother, often without running water at home. She became a model student, hiding any evidence of struggle.and determined to leave Detroit and her past behind. She sped up the corporate ladder at the biggest beauty brands, rising to the C-Suite level. She was the picture of success. And then, on the night of her 35th birthday, her past came calling. One minute, she was laughing over wine; the next, she was curled up in the fetal position. All she could think about was her mom, passing a crack pipe, and her grandmother, ripped from her in a car accident. She embarked on a FOUR-YEAR deep dive into how the brain and body work. Her debut memoir, OF MY OWN MAKING comes out April 22nd. It is a soulful and scientific exploration of overcoming adversity, healing from childhood trauma, and rewriting one's own story.Link to Of My Own MakingDaria Burke on InstagramDaria Burke on ThreadsSupport the showKeep up with all things WeSTAT on any (or ALL) of the social feeds:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westatpod/Threads: https://www.threads.net/@westatpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/westatpod/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westatpod/Twitter: https://x.com/WeSTATpodHave a topic or want to stay in touch via e-mail on all upcoming news?https://www.westatpod.com/Help monetarily support the podcast by subscribing to the show! This is an easy way to help keep the conversations going:https://www.buzzsprout.com/768062/supporters/new

Lida Citroën talks about her book “The New Rules of Influence” and how leaders can unlock their authenticity and drive meaningful change. Listen as we explore leadership presence, personal branding, and influence. Listen for three action items you can use today. Host, Kevin Craine Do you want to be a guest? https://Everyday-MBA.com/guest This episode is supported by the Naveen Jindal School of Management