Podcasts about Customer retention

Consumption pricing and AI adoption are forcing revenue teams to prove value faster, with less room to hide behind contracts, pilots, or broad technical promises. Seong Park, Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor, joins John Kaplan and John McMahon to examine how customer success has become a consultative, technical, and commercial function in modern go-to-market. The conversation explores why post-sale execution is now central to retention, how teams need to embed into customer workflows, what finance scrutiny means for consumption models, and why the fundamentals of pain, champions, outcomes, and evidence still matter in a market moving at unusual speed. Seong Park is the Senior Vice President of Customer Support and Services at Cursor. His background spans pre-sales, customer success, and go-to-market leadership across companies including MongoDB, ThoughtSpot, and now Cursor. Connect with Seong: LinkedIn Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Seong Park's perspective on how pre-sales, open source SaaS, and customer success shaped his view of enterprise go-to-market. 02:26 – Why consumption models force revenue teams to re-earn the customer's business through usage and realized value. 08:00 – The value realization test every revenue leader should care about: what happens if the solution gets unplugged. 11:04 – Why workflow depth quietly becomes a moat in enterprise accounts. 18:04 – Why the real selling often starts after the customer signs. 23:50 – A look inside where Cursor is finding technical go-to-market talent, and what it takes to build that talent into customer-facing operators. 34:38 – Why finance scrutiny quietly changes the standard of proof for AI investments. 52:00 – The three things post-sale teams need to understand before value delivery can begin. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

In this episode of What the Fixed Ops?!, hosts Russell Hill and Charity Dunning sit down with Bill Springer for a deep dive into the evolving world of dealership customer retention, fixed operations, and long-term service loyalty.Drawing from insights in his latest Dealer Retention Report, Bill breaks down the biggest challenges and opportunities facing dealerships today—from tire sales and first service appointments to mobile service, video MPIs, communication strategies, and the growing importance of convenience-driven loyalty.Bill explains why customer retention is no longer just about price or promotions, but about building trust, creating seamless experiences, and proactively guiding customers through every stage of ownership. He shares why dealerships lose customers after the warranty period, how poor communication creates major defection points, and why service departments must rethink the customer journey from day one.This conversation goes far beyond oil changes and repair orders. It's about understanding customer behavior, building long-term relationships, creating value beyond price, and developing systems that keep customers coming back year after year.We talk about:• Why the first service appointment is critical to retention• How tire sales directly impact long-term customer loyalty• Why dealerships still struggle to communicate their tire business• The growing role of mobile service and convenience• How video MPIs build trust and transparency with customers• Why appointment availability can make or break retention• The connection between communication and customer continuity• Why dealerships must focus on value instead of competing on price• How prepaid maintenance bundles improve retention• The importance of setting the next appointment before customers leave• Why customer experience now competes with Amazon-level convenience• How dealerships can reduce friction in the service process• The biggest customer defection points dealerships overlook• Why service advisors should focus on education and relationship-building• How leadership and long-term thinking shape dealership success• The role of process consistency in improving retention• Why dealerships need proactive systems instead of reactive marketing• How EV adoption is reshaping tire and maintenance opportunities• Why trust, transparency, and convenience matter more than everBill also shares powerful insights on leadership, customer psychology, employee communication, and why dealerships must stop thinking transactionally and start thinking about customer continuity over the long term.His message is clear: retention doesn't happen by accident—it happens through trust, communication, convenience, and consistently delivering value at every step of the customer journey.This is a high-level, insight-packed conversation about dealership retention, fixed ops strategy, customer loyalty, and what it truly takes to build a service experience customers choose to come back to.BE THE 1ST TO KNOW. LIKE and FOLLOW HEREwww.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketinghttps://www.youtube.com/channel/@fixedopsmarketingGet watch and listen links, as well as full episodes and shorts:www.fixedopsmarketing.com/wtfJoin Managing Partner and Host Russell B. Hill and Co-Host Charity Dunning as they discuss life, automotive, and the human journey in What the Fixed Ops?!#podcast #automotive #fixedoperations #dealershipmarketing

AI is changing how people discover, evaluate, trust, buy, create, hire, and compete. The bigger question is whether your business model is built to survive a future where attention is fragmented, trust is harder to earn, execution is easier to automate, and buyers have more options than ever. Learn how to activate the M.A.S.S. Effect Business Model, a strategic ecosystem built around: • Media to create attention, trust, authority, and discoverability • Assets to create scalability, leverage, and income beyond your direct time • Strategy to create clarity, alignment, interpretation, and better decisions • Systems to reduce friction, support consistency, and keep the business moving Many businesses are addicted to acquisition because they never built retention. In an AI accelerated world, that becomes dangerous because information is easier to access, skills are being compressed, and execution is becoming automated. The real value now shifts toward trust, experience, clarity, influence, systems, and community. The future belongs to adaptive businesses that can evolve with the market, keep customers connected, turn trust into retention, and scale without breaking the founder, team, or customer experience. If your business grew tomorrow, could it actually hold the growth, or would the model collapse under the weight of what you asked for? Beyond The Episode Gems: Buy Troy's Book, Strategize Up: The Blueprint To Scale Your Business StrategizeUpBook.com Discover All Podcasts On The HubSpot Podcast Network Get Free HubSpot Marketing Tools To Help You Grow Your Business Grow Your Business Faster Using HubSpot's CRM Platform Support The Podcast & Connect With Troy:  Rate & Review iDigress: iDigress.fm/Reviews Follow Troy's Socials @FindTroy: LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads, TikTok Subscribe to Troy's YouTube Channel For Strategy Videos & See Masterclass Episodes Need Growth Strategy, A Keynote Speaker, Or Want To Sponsor The Podcast? Go To FindTroy.com

Jeff Dudan's free digital copy of his book What if you could give every customer a luxury experience - without a luxury budget? In this episode of the Unemployable Podcast, Jeff Dudan sits down with Neen James, global keynote speaker, luxury experience strategist, and author of *Exceptional Experiences*, to reveal the exact systems and mindsets that separate transactional businesses from unforgettable ones. Neen breaks down why satisfied customers are your biggest risk (not your biggest asset), how a $6 magazine subscription won a six-figure contract, why every business should think like a hotel concierge instead of a bellhop, and the five luxury levers any company - home services, franchise, B2B, or retail - can apply immediately to create advocates, not just clients. You'll learn: • The difference between a transactional and transformational customer experience • How to systemize thoughtfulness so personalization scales across your team • What luxury brands like Chanel, Delta, and private aviation do differently - and how you can borrow it • Why storytelling and metaphor are free tools that make your business impossible to forget • The Experience Elevation Model: Entice → Invite → Excite → Delight → Ignite • How to create "champagne moments" that turn ordinary service into word-of-mouth marketing • The hidden cost of not paying attention - in business, relationships, and life • Why your satisfied customers are already being poached by your competitors Whether you're a franchisee, franchise brand, home services business, or entrepreneur looking to build a legacy brand, this episode is packed with actionable systems you can start implementing today.  Homefront Brands: https://www.homefrontbrands.com Jeff Dudan: https://www.jeffdudan.com Guest: Neen James Guest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AussieNeen  Guest Website: https://neenjames.com/  Guest Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neenjames/  #CustomerExperience #LuxuryBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #FranchiseBusiness #WordOfMouth #BusinessStrategy #UnemployablePodcast #Neen James #ClientRetention #EntrepreneurMindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jeff Dudan's free digital copy of his book What if you could give every customer a luxury experience - without a luxury budget? In this episode of the Unemployable Podcast, Jeff Dudan sits down with Neen James, global keynote speaker, luxury experience strategist, and author of *Exceptional Experiences*, to reveal the exact systems and mindsets that separate transactional businesses from unforgettable ones. Neen breaks down why satisfied customers are your biggest risk (not your biggest asset), how a $6 magazine subscription won a six-figure contract, why every business should think like a hotel concierge instead of a bellhop, and the five luxury levers any company - home services, franchise, B2B, or retail - can apply immediately to create advocates, not just clients. You'll learn: • The difference between a transactional and transformational customer experience • How to systemize thoughtfulness so personalization scales across your team • What luxury brands like Chanel, Delta, and private aviation do differently - and how you can borrow it • Why storytelling and metaphor are free tools that make your business impossible to forget • The Experience Elevation Model: Entice → Invite → Excite → Delight → Ignite • How to create "champagne moments" that turn ordinary service into word-of-mouth marketing • The hidden cost of not paying attention - in business, relationships, and life • Why your satisfied customers are already being poached by your competitors Whether you're a franchisee, franchise brand, home services business, or entrepreneur looking to build a legacy brand, this episode is packed with actionable systems you can start implementing today.  Homefront Brands: https://www.homefrontbrands.com Jeff Dudan: https://www.jeffdudan.com Guest: Neen James Guest YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AussieNeen  Guest Website: https://neenjames.com/  Guest Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neenjames/  #CustomerExperience #LuxuryBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #FranchiseBusiness #WordOfMouth #BusinessStrategy #UnemployablePodcast #Neen James #ClientRetention #EntrepreneurMindset Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A cancellation can feel personal, but the real damage is mathematical: lost monthly recurring revenue, a broken pool route, and extra drive time that quietly drains profit. We dig into what actually makes pool service customers pull the plug, and it's not the knee-jerk “they found someone cheaper” story most of us tell ourselves. Homeowners often tolerate bad pool maintenance longer than you'd expect, which means you usually have a window to recover service issues before they start shopping.We also get into a sneaky, non-service reason you can lose a great account overnight: the house gets sold. If you can't reach the buyer, your perfect weekly pool service can disappear at closing. We share practical, real-world ways to stay on the radar during escrow, from giving the seller a simple info packet for the new owner to leaving clear contact details near the pool timer or equipment pad so the buyer sees your name the first time they check the system.Finally, we break down retention habits that consistently keep cancellations low: asking for the real reason when someone wants to quit, staying consistent with service day and time, using clear communication (including pool routing apps that send visit notifications), and being transparent about problems and price increases. If you want a stronger pool service business, better customer retention, and a route that stays full, listen through to the end, then subscribe, share this with a pool pro friend, and leave a review so more techs can find it.Customer cancellations sting because they punch a hole in our revenue and our route, but most losses are preventable when we understand what actually drives homeowners to switch. We break down the real reasons pool service customers leave and the habits that keep retention high even when prices rise and life changes hit.• homeowners often tolerate bad pool conditions longer than we expect  • cancellations create lost annual revenue plus inefficient gaps in a pool route  • home sales quietly cancel great accounts when we cannot reach the buyer  • proactive steps to recapture new owners using packets and equipment-pad contact info  • why price is rarely the true reason clients leave according to industry survey insights  • common cancellation triggers like poor communication and inconsistent service days  • how to respond when customers cut budgets or try DIY pool maintenance  • offering tiered service instead of discounting to protect profit  • asking the reason for cancellation to save accounts with simple fixes  • retention pillars like transparency, consistency, and swim-ready resultsJoin the pool guy coaching program. Learn more at swimmingpoollearning.com. If you're interested in the coaching program, you can learn more at poolguycoaching.com.Send us Fan MailSupport the Pool Guy Podcast Show Sponsors! HASA https://bit.ly/HASAThe Bottom Feeder. Save $100 with Code: DVB100https://store.thebottomfeeder.com/Try Skimmer FREE for 30 days:https://getskimmer.com/poolguy Get UPA Liability Insurance $64 a month! https://forms.gle/F9YoTWNQ8WnvT4QBAPool Guy Coaching: https://bit.ly/40wFE6y

Imagine building one of the world's first cold email automation platforms, then deciding not to chase hypergrowth or venture capital but to grow profitably by serving a very specific kind of customer well. In this episode of Predictable B2B Success, Vinay Koshy speaks with Jeremy Chatelaine, founder and CEO of Quickmail, to discover how he prioritized product excellence and customer retention in a fast-moving SaaS landscape. With over 400 podcast episodes, an industry-defining book, and the trust of agencies managing hundreds of clients, Jeremy's story flips conventional SaaS wisdom on its head. He reveals how the internal calculus of “good fit” versus “bad fit” customers can make or break a business and why refusing a paying customer can sometimes be more profitable in the long run as opposed to customers who destroy value, the unusual economics of retention vs. acquisition, and why delivering exceptional customer results like, booking 4.22 times more meetings than the competition, is about much more than emails and automation. Jeremy also shares hard-won lessons from mistakes, killer feature inventions, and why an executive assistant could be the highest ROI hire you're not making. Tune in for an unfiltered, unconventional masterclass in SaaS success. Some topics we explore in this episode include: Bootstrapping vs Venture Capital: Jeremy details the benefits of building Quickmail profitably without VC funding.Customer Retention vs Acquisition: Why retention often outperforms acquisition for long-term SaaS growth.Defining Ideal Customer Profiles: How to identify and evolve good-fit and bad-fit customers over time.Product-Led Growth from Customer Feedback: Developing features driven by close interaction with customers.Educational Content's Role: The role of podcasts and books in attracting and pre-qualifying leads.Technical Differentiation: Email Deliverability: What sets Quickmail's deliverability and booking rates apart.Multi-Channel Outreach (LinkedIn + Email): Data on improved results from combining email and LinkedIn campaigns.Roadmap Discipline: Saying No: When and why to decline feature requests that don't serve the ICP.Scaling for Agencies: Tools and approaches for agencies managing many client accounts.Founder Leverage via Delegation: The value of executive assistants and reducing operational overload.

What's really behind your customer retention problem? In this episode of The Scalable Expert, Tara Bryan shares a candid observation from inside another expert's high-level program — and the "aha" moment that reminded her why a clear customer journey isn't optional. When customers can't see the path they're on, they drift. They disengage. They don't ascend — not because your training isn't valuable, but because they've lost the plot.Tara breaks down the difference between random acts of training and a true Signature Pathway, and why designing the customer journey first is the foundation of real customer retention and scalable growth.In this episode:What "random acts of training" reveal about your business structureWhy customers stop ascending even when they love your contentHow the customer journey (not the content) drives retentionThe Signature Experience Map: designing the path before you build the deliveryReady to find out if your customer journey is holding back your growth? Take the free Scalable Expert Audit → https://thescalable.expert/scalable-expert-auditTara Bryan is the creator of the Infinite Scale Method™ and host of The Scalable Expert podcast. She helps expert business owners, coaches, and consultants turn their expertise into a scalable business built on a signature framework and systems that deliver results without requiring more of their time. Learn more at www.thescalable.expert and www.taralbryan.comReady to build a business your expertise deserves? The Scalable Expert Audit reveals exactly where you are in the Infinite Scale Method and what to do next. Five minutes. Instant results. Take the Free Scalable Expert Audit → If this episode was useful...Share it with one expert business owner who's hit the same ceiling.A review on Apple Podcasts helps more of the right people find the show and takes less than two minutes.→ Leave a review: Apple Podcasts→ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts · Website

What you'll learn in this episode: Why bad reviews aren't as damaging as you think The golden rule: perception is reality—valid or not How to respond without being defensive The PRO framework (Problem, Result, Offer) for impactful reviews Why stacking good reviews matters more than fearing bad ones    

As AI handles more outreach and automation, the recruiters who stand out will be the ones who build stronger human connections. Host Kortney Harmon sits down with leadership consultant Shad Tidler to explore practical strategies for earning trust, adapting communication styles, and creating more meaningful client relationships in today's recruiting landscape.Shad shares actionable insights on interrupting predictable sales patterns, using DISC principles to improve communication, and building trust through consistency, empathy, and transparency—without losing efficiency in an AI-driven world.Discover how relationship-driven recruiters can create stronger client alignment and stand out in the age of AI.______________Follow Shad Tidler on LinkedIn: LinkedIn | ShadFollow Crelate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crelate/Want to learn more about Crelate? Book a demo hereSubscribe to our newsletter: https://www.crelate.com/blog/full-desk-experience 

In this episode, we explore the common struggle of growing sales without seeing a matching increase in profit. Misha Druzhinin, Co-founder and CEO of Finsi.ai, explains why many brands fail to track their margins and how focusing only on immediate returns can hurt long-term growth. He shares how his AI platform helps business owners simplify complex data to find hidden waste and improve customer value.You will learn how to move away from constant discounting, reduce customer churn, and use smart data to spend more effectively on ads while staying profitable. Topics discussed in this episode:  How failing to own profit margins stalls growth. Why relying on ROAS limits long-term brand success. What warning signs indicate your scaling is failing. How AI identifies high-value customer behavior patterns. What role qualitative data plays in reducing churn. Why "Smart Brevity" in data helps managers focus. How unit-level analysis uncovers hidden product waste. What retention architecture does for repeat purchases. How demographic data shifts modern marketing strategy. Why operational limits often signal a winning flywheel. Links & ResourcesWebsite: https://www.finsi.ai/Shopify App Store: https://www.finsi.ai/integrations/ecommerce/shopifyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mdruzhinin/Get access to more free resources by visiting the show notes at https://tinyurl.com/yc3v2d8cI'd love your feedback. Tap the the link to send me a text. ______________________________________________________LOVE THE SHOW? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS!Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out!   Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts   Join our Free Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/   Support The Show On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EcommerceCoffeeBreak   Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/partner-with-us/

Customer retention doesn’t require grand gestures or complicated systems — it’s built through small, intentional actions done consistently. In this highlight episode, Stacey dives into simple but powerful ways to make customers feel valued, heard and excited to return. From confidently asking for feedback (even when things go wrong), to creating moments of surprise and delight outside the four walls of your business, Stacey shares practical strategies that strengthen loyalty and reduce the pressure of constant customer acquisition. This episode also explores how to spot “flight risks” early and proactively reconnect before customers quietly disappear. If you want more repeat customers, stronger relationships and a business that feels easier to run, this episode is packed with ideas you can implement straight away.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home service companies are leaving serious money on the table when it comes to referrals. In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Murphy Nadauld from ReferPro to break down how top HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing companies are building scalable referral engines through lifecycle marketing, automation, and AI.In this episode, you'll learn: • Why referrals are underutilized in home services • How lifecycle marketing drives repeat revenue • Why referral incentives increase conversion rates • How contractors are using referrals to recruit technicians • The role AI and automation play in customer retention • How affiliate partnerships create new lead opportunitiesHost: John WilsonGuest: Murphy Nadauld (ReferPro)ReferPro

In part two of the customer retention series, Stacey dives into one of the most powerful — and often overlooked — ways to keep customers coming back: building genuine relationships. From remembering names to creating simple systems that help customers feel seen, heard and valued, this episode explores why retention is far more effective than constantly chasing new customers. Stacey shares practical examples from her own business, explains how small personal touches can dramatically increase loyalty, and challenges business owners to embed relationship-building into their daily processes. If you want stronger customer connections, better retention and more sustainable revenue, this episode delivers simple strategies you can start using immediately.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To watch a video version of this podcast, click here: https://youtu.be/iSroxH8taxY In this episode, we explore the recent challenges and innovations at Spectora, including the controversial Fixel rollout, AI advancements, and the company's future direction. Guest Peter Osberg shares insights on navigating industry changes, customer engagement, and technological breakthroughs that are shaping the home inspection industry.Here's the link to Inspector Empire Builder: https://www.iebcoaching.com/eventsTakeawaysSpectora's Fixel rollout revealed the importance of deep customer engagement before launching change at scale.Not all home inspectors operate the same—optional, customizable solutions are essential.Trust takes years to build and moments to lose, and regaining it requires action, not words.Home inspectors have major long‑term growth opportunities by extending relationships beyond the inspection itself.AI should remove low‑value work, not replace professional expertise.Spectora's AI report writing tools are already delivering 25–30% time savings on site.AI scheduling agents can reduce missed bookings by handling inquiries, pricing, upsells, and scheduling automatically.Inspector‑controlled workflows are critical when introducing automation and AI.Private equity ownership is not one‑size‑fits‑all; values and structure matter.The future of home inspection depends on listening more than telling and co‑building with inspectors.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates02:59 Spectora and the Home Inspection Industry05:55 Peter Osberg's Background and Journey to Spectora11:59 Understanding Fixel and Its Rollout14:53 Mistakes and Lessons Learned from Fixel17:44 The Future of Spectora and Home Inspection Services23:21 Navigating Challenges in the Service Industry24:03 Growth Opportunities for Home Inspectors26:21 Customer Retention and Trust28:28 Understanding Private Equity and Its Impact32:40 Innovations in Home Inspection Technology38:52 The Future of AI in Home Inspections40:50 Feedback and Communication with Home Inspectors

In this episode of How to Run a Successful Business and Still Have a Life, Stacey Morgan dives deep into customer retention and why it’s a game-changer for your business. She shares practical strategies to keep your customers coming back, from mapping the customer journey, creating milestones, and ensuring consistent touchpoints, to surprising and delighting your clients. Stacey explains how understanding your customer’s needs, communicating your vision, mission, and values, and making them feel part of your community turns first-time buyers into loyal, lifelong customers. This episode is packed with actionable insights for small business owners who want to focus on retention, build meaningful relationships, and reduce the cost of constantly acquiring new customers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're hustling to land new customers … but what if the ones you already have are quietly slipping away? Kurt Kane saw this problem on day one as CEO of TruGreen. And after years of driving transactional growth as CMO of Wendy's, he saw the opportunity to grow TruGreen by leaning into long-term customer satisfaction and retention. Now, he's revitalizing the brand and getting his team engaged in the mission, too. This episode will help you see your customers (and their feedback) in a whole new light – and reveal just how important it is to fall in love with customer retention if you want to grow your business. You'll also learn: Stealable marketing strategies from P&G, Wendy's, Coors, and more A practical way to get your entire team focused on the right work One question to ask if you want to boost employee engagement How to keep your culture informal without sacrificing results Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you'll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Why do guests leave after one drink, even when the cocktail was good?That is usually not a drink problem.Your bar may be telling them to leave before anyone says a word.In this episode, I break down the hidden signals that kill second-round orders: empty glasses, dead room energy, awkward server check-ins, messy tables, flat lighting, bad music shifts, and staff behaviour that makes the night feel over.Because the decision to order another drink usually happens before the guest asks for one.I'll show you why the five minutes before and after an empty glass matter, how guests decide whether to stay or go, and what your team can do to keep the experience moving without being pushy.If your guests keep leaving after one round, this episode will make you look at your bar differently.Sometimes the problem is not the drink.It is the signal your room is sending.

Service Managers, Fixed Ops Directors, and Dealership Owners — are you tired of spending a fortune on marketing just to fill your drive with one-time customers? Most dealerships focus on "customer acquisition" while their current database is leaking out the back door. In this special "Coach Takeover" episode, our elite coaching team breaks down why retention is the only way to build a sustainable, high-profit service department. In this episode of Service Drive Revolution (#355), we break down: ✅ Why the "welcome" in the drive is the most critical moment for long-term retention ✅ The psychology of why customers leave (and it's rarely about the price) ✅ Relationship building: How to move from being a "transactional" shop to a "relational" one ✅ The Sales Manager vs. Service Manager dynamic: Why sales experience can be a superpower in Fixed Ops ✅ How to handle hand-offs from management to advisors to build instant trust ✅ The "Top Golf" debate and the value of team culture behind the scenes ✅ Why "staying in the driveway" is a service manager's most important job If your service department struggles with: - High customer churn and low repeat business - Advisors who treat every customer like a stranger - Managers who hide in their office instead of being in the drive - Low CSI scores despite "fixing it right the first time." - Or a lack of connection between your service and sales departments This episode features insights from our entire coaching team to help you stop the bleeding and turn your service drive into a retention machine. The strength of your business isn't how many new customers you find, but how many you keep. #FixedOps #ServiceManager #CustomerRetention #ChrisBulldogCollins #ServiceDriveRevolution #DealershipLife #AutomotiveLeadership #ServiceAdvisorTraining

In this episode, we explore how to turn website pop-ups into powerful tools for growth instead of annoying distractions. Taras Talimonchuk, CMO at Claspo.io, shares why treating every visitor the same with generic discount codes kills your conversion rates. We discuss the importance of aligning your pop-up strategy with the customer's shopping journey, using behavioral segmentation to deliver the right message, and how gamification can boost engagement. Topics discussed in this episode:  How pop-ups improve the customer journey.Why generic discount codes hurt your brand.What drives better conversion rates with pop-ups.How segmentation creates relevant offers.Why behavior tracking increases revenue.What role gamification plays in engagement.How AI tools automate design alignment.Why long-term relationships boost profit.What metrics matter for pop-up success.How to test pop-ups for better results. Links & Resources Website: https://claspo.io/Shopify App Store: https://apps.shopify.com/claspoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/79840464/X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/claspo_ioGet access to more free resources by visiting the show notes at https://tinyurl.com/38f6cvdfI'd love your feedback. Tap the the link to send me a text. ______________________________________________________LOVE THE SHOW? HERE ARE THE NEXT STEPS!Follow the podcast to get every bonus episode. Tap follow now and don't miss out!   Rate & Review: Help others discover the show by rating the show on Apple Podcasts at https://tinyurl.com/ecb-apple-podcasts   Join our Free Newsletter: https://newsletter.ecommercecoffeebreak.com/   Support The Show On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/EcommerceCoffeeBreak   Partner with us: https://ecommercecoffeebreak.com/partner-with-us/

In this episode of the Millionaire Car Salesman Podcast, Sean V. Bradley sits down with Tasso Roumeliotis, CEO of Numa, to challenge one of the most accepted truths in automotive… and flip it on its head. "You are fundamentally in the retention business." - Tasso Roumeliotis Dealerships have relied on the same customer satisfaction metrics for decades. They check the scores, read the reports, and assume they understand their customers… but what if they don't? What if the way dealerships measure customer experience is not just outdated… but actually costing them revenue every single day? "The CSI score is effectively an autopsy report. And what we believe in the modern world is I need a heart rate monitor." - Tasso Roumeliotis This conversation dives into a major shift happening right now in automotive, one that's moving dealerships away from delayed feedback and into a world where customer experience can be seen, understood, and acted on in real time! Sean and Tasso explore what's really happening between the moment a customer interacts with your dealership and the moment you realize something went wrong… and why that gap is where the biggest opportunities are being lost. "Create visibility and if you measure it, it will improve, and it will get used." - Tasso Roumeliotis If you're a dealer, manager, or sales professional who wants to stay competitive in 2026 and beyond, this episode will make you rethink how you measure success, how you respond to customers, and what it actually takes to protect your revenue in today's market. Because the future of automotive isn't about reacting faster… it's about seeing what's happening before it's too late! Key Takeaways: ✅ Customer Experience is Key: Dealers are fundamentally in the retention business, and improving customer satisfaction through AI can help transform this experience effectively. ✅ Outdated CSI Systems: Current CSI systems function like "autopsy reports" instead of real-time monitoring. AI can provide a "live CSI," offering real-time insights for immediate action. ✅ Financial Implications: Retaining dissatisfied customers by solving their issues can convert heat cases into loyal customers, with a dramatic increase in retention profitability. ✅ AI in Automotive: AI can analyze numerous customer interactions effectively, helping managers understand where they stand and how to make proactive improvements. ✅ Leadership and Accountability: Visibility and accountability within dealership management can significantly improve customer satisfaction scores, reflecting in overall profitability and customer loyalty.   About Tasso Roumeliotis Tasso Roumeliotis is co-founder and CEO of Numa, the leading AI platform for dealership customer operations. Under his leadership, Numa is building the AI-native dealership, helping dealers unify customer conversations across channels and deploy AI agents to drive significant gains in efficiency, revenue, and customer experience. Tasso is a serial entrepreneur and early pioneer in mobile and location-based technology. He previously founded Location Labs, scaling the company to more than 200 employees and leading its $220 million acquisition after building a profitable business with just $19 million in primary capital. Location Labs was recognized as an Inc. 500 company and achieved seven consecutive years of profitability. Earlier in his career, Tasso was Vice President at Claridge Investments, the Bronfman family office, and an associate in the merchant banking group at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. He began his career at Bain & Company. Tasso holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.Comm from McGill University.   Revolutionizing Automotive Customer Experience with AI-Driven CSI Innovation In the car dealership industry, providing exceptional customer satisfaction has shifted from a mere goal to a definitive necessity for success. Tasso Roumeliotis and Sean V. Bradley have an insightful conversation about an innovative measure that can transform the traditional Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) into a real-time, dynamic, and data-driven strategy. Key Takeaways The Power of Real-Time CSI: Transitioning from an "autopsy" report of customer experience to a live, actionable "heart rate monitor" can significantly improve customer retention. Customer Retention as a Business Model: The real business of dealerships isn't just about selling cars; it's about retaining customers through exceptional service experiences. Leveraging AI for Maximum Impact: The integration of AI provides a comprehensive analysis of customer interactions, enabling dealership managers to proactively address issues and push customer satisfaction to new heights.   Transforming the Dealership Landscape with Real-Time CSI Strategies In the ever-evolving automotive landscape, dealerships must move away from antiquated systems that provide outdated feedback. The traditional CSI scores, which usually come days after a customer's experience, are likened to "autopsy reports," as Tasso Roumeliotis aptly describes them. He suggests that they are outdated and ineffective in today's fast-paced, customer-centric environment. Enhancing Customer Retention with Immediate Feedback As Bradley states, "We are fundamentally in the retention business." A sharp focus on retaining customers, rather than merely pursuing new sales, leads to sustained profitability. The conversation unfolds around transforming tools used to gauge customer satisfaction from lagging to leading indicators. Unlike the traditional 45-day delayed feedback from CSI scores, a real-time feedback mechanism provides dealerships the opportunity to instantly correct course and mend customer relationships. "Don't tell me after the fact that this customer had a bad experience," Roumeliotis says. This shift from response-based surveys to continuous tracking of customer interactions represents a major leap in creating enhanced customer experiences. The Vital Role of AI in Analyzing Customer Interactions With the rise of AI technologies, dealerships can now analyze vast datasets to determine real-time customer satisfaction scores. Capturing every customer interaction through calls, texts, and emails, AI systems evaluate these interactions to provide a nuanced understanding of customer sentiment. Roumeliotis shares compelling figures: the possibility of converting a dissatisfied customer to a returning one increases to 70% when their issues are resolved promptly—a stark contrast to the mere 5% for unresolved cases. This level of insight allows managers to focus on "extinguishing heat cases," a term they use to describe potentially damaging customer experiences. "AI is going to really change the automotive industry," says Roumeliotis, showing how sentiment analysis and predictive models can not only gauge a customer's immediate state but also predict potential issues before they escalate. Revolutionizing Dealership Operations for Enhanced Performance Transitioning to real-time CSI means reinventing operational strategies within dealerships. By creating visibility, dealerships empower their employees with accountability and motivation. As Roumeliotis notes, some dealerships use digital monitor displays showing live CSI data, fostering a culture of transparency and motivation among staff. This notion complements Bradley's wisdom: "You can't just sell things and burn through customers." By providing both the customers and dealership staff with tools to improve interactions, businesses can better measure and manage success metrics across teams. Furthermore, the ways managers utilize the data are pivotal. Implementing dashboards equipped with the latest intelligence enables them to efficiently address potential pitfalls, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction as managers can address issues not as post-mortem observations, but as live currents needing steering.   Integrating AI in Customer Experience Management for Dealerships Overall, the conversation between Roumeliotis and Bradley emphasizes a paradigm shift in customer experience management within the automotive industry. Integrating AI to exploit data points in real time, dealerships can now nurture a proactive approach to customer satisfaction. Such advancements channel the potential to radically transform how dealerships perceive and act upon customer service. "The dealership's ability to engage, rectify, and delight customers isn't just important—it's fundamental to a thriving business," Bradley concludes, reiterating the non-negotiable role of customer retention in the car industry's success story. In a market where competition is fierce, and customer expectations are soaring, transforming the once archaic CSI into a real-time strategic tool promises not only an improved customer journey but a substantial competitive advantage as well.     Resources + Our Proud Sponsors:   ➼ The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group: Join the #1 Automotive Sales Mastermind Facebook Group with over 29,000 automotive professionals worldwide. The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group is the go-to community for car salespeople, BDC agents, sales managers, general managers, and dealer principals looking to increase performance, income, and leadership skills. Inside the group, members collaborate daily on automotive sales strategies, lead handling, phone scripts, closing techniques, CRM best practices, dealership leadership, and accountability systems. Learn directly from top automotive trainers, industry mentors, and high-performing sales leaders who are actively winning in today's market. If you're serious about growing your automotive career, increasing car sales, and building long-term success, join The Millionaire Car Salesman Facebook Group today! ➼ Dealer Synergy: Dealer Synergy is the automotive industry's #1 Sales Training, Consulting, and Accountability Firm, with over 20 years of proven dealership success nationwide. We specialize in helping car dealerships increase sales, improve processes, and build high-performing Sales, Internet, and BDC departments from the ground up. Our expertise includes automotive phone scripts, rebuttals, CRM action plans, lead handling strategies, BDC workflows, Internet sales processes, management training, and accountability systems. Dealer Synergy partners directly with dealership leadership to align people, process, and technology, ensuring consistent results and scalable growth. From independent dealers to large dealer groups and OEM partnerships, Dealer Synergy delivers measurable performance improvements, stronger teams, and sustainable profitability. ➼ Bradley On Demand: Bradley On Demand is the automotive industry's most advanced interactive training, tracking, testing, and certification platform for car dealerships — built to develop top-performing teams across Sales, Internet Sales, BDC, CRM, Phone Skills, Leadership, and Management. In addition to LIVE virtual automotive training classes and a library of 9,000+ on-demand dealership training modules, Bradley On Demand now includes AI Phone Roleplaying and Coaching to help salespeople and BDC agents practice real dealership conversations before they ever get on the phone with customers. This AI-powered roleplay technology strengthens phone scripts, objection handling, appointment setting, lead follow-up, and closing skills, while providing measurable coaching feedback for continuous improvement. Bradley On Demand empowers dealerships to train faster, coach smarter, improve call performance, increase closing ratios, and sell more cars more profitably — all through structured, trackable, modern automotive training.

Send us Fan MailWhat does it really take to rebuild after losing everything? In this powerful episode of Shine on Success, Dionne Malush sits down with Vance Morris to talk about entrepreneurship, resilience, customer retention, direct response marketing, and what business owners are getting wrong when profits quietly slip away. From Disney systems to bankruptcy, carpet cleaning, and building a business around loyalty, Vance shares the mindset and strategies that helped him rise again.This conversation is packed with insight for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and leaders who want to create stronger systems, improve customer experience, increase profitability, and build a business that lasts. If you want practical lessons on business growth, retention marketing, and pushing through hard seasons with purpose, this episode delivers both inspiration and real strategy.Connect with Vabnce here:Website: https://vancemorris.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vance.morris.9/Support the showConnect with Dionne MalushInstagram: @dionnerealtyonepghLinkedIN: /in/dionnemalushWebsite: www.dionnemalush.comFacebook: /dmalushLinkTree: https://linktr.ee/dionnemalush

In this episode of Wash Talk: The Carwash Podcast, host Kyle Alexander welcomes Michael Pelikan, director of operations Retention Express, for a data-driven conversation on how artificial intelligence is transforming carwash customer retention and reshaping how operators understand their customer base. Pelikan opens by identifying the single most overlooked data point in the industry: why customers are actually contacting a carwash in the first place. He explains that most operators rely on transactional metrics — wash counts, membership totals and churn — while behavioral and experiential data goes largely uncaptured, and why that blind spot has real revenue consequences.   Pelikan shares how Retention Express organizes customer interactions into three core categories — intent, sentiment and outcome — and how tracking each reveals pressure points across operations and the customer experience. He also breaks down how phone calls and virtual chat assistants serve different behavioral patterns, with phone interactions skewing toward immediate resolution while website chat tends to be more exploratory and revenue-generating. The episode also covers how application programming interface (API) connections enable operators to personalize each interaction and how custom dashboards surface the right data for operators at every level.   The discussion closes with a look at carwash customer retention as the industry's single biggest revenue opportunity. Pelikan makes the case that protecting existing membership revenue, rather than focusing solely on acquisition, is where AI delivers its greatest return — ensuring every customer contact is answered, every question addressed and every member given a reason to stay.

Payments alone rarely make a software platform unforgettable. The moment merchants start using your product to access working capital, manage cash flow, move money through payouts, and keep reconciliation tight, the relationship changes. I sit down with Whitney Ganibegovic, Senior Sales Executive at Worldpay (now part of Global Payments), to unpack why embedded finance is quickly becoming one of the most practical drivers of retention, account growth, and long-term platform value for ISVs and software platforms.We get specific about what platforms still underestimate: embedded finance does not have to be a massive multi-year build with a new compliance team and a brand-new support motion. With the right partner infrastructure, platforms can add value-added financial tools while staying focused on the vertical software that made them successful. Whitney shares why expanding from embedded payments to a broader financial suite can increase customer lifetime value, lift revenue per merchant, and create real platform dependency because these tools plug directly into daily workflows.We also dig into where many rollouts go wrong. “Embedded” does not automatically mean adopted, so go-to-market timing, vertical nuance, and marketing automation matter. Whitney explains why working capital is often the simplest entry point, how payments data enables smart pre-qualification, and which metrics go beyond surface-level revenue: multi-product adoption, engagement, cash flow penetration, contribution margin, retention, and net revenue retention. The guiding image we keep coming back to is the “nonstop flight” experience: one login, one place to operate, fewer handoffs, less stress.If you care about embedded finance, fintech strategy, and building software platforms merchants cannot replace, listen now. 

Hey Voices from the Bench community! Jessica Love here, sending a shoutout from Utah! If you're passionate about creating natural, beautiful smiles—but want to simplify your workflow without sacrificing aesthetics—this is for you. I'm honored to be part of Ivoclar's development team introducing a powerful new stain and glaze system featuring Structure Paste, IPS e.max Ceram Art. Create stunning depth and lifelike color in as little as one firing. Let's continue to innovate, simplify, and create meaningful change—one smile at a time. When it comes to digital dentures, design is easy—manufacturing is where things get messy. That's why the Elevate Denture Solution brings it all together. Built by Roland DGSHAPE, Ivoclar, and FOLLOW-ME! Technology Group, it combines machine, materials, and CAM into one fully optimized workflow—so you get consistent, high-quality results without the guesswork. Want to simplify production and scale with confidence? Check it out at rollanddga.com/elevate. "Live" from the Ivoclar ballroom at Lab Day 2026, Elvis and Barb dives into conversations that perfectly capture what this industry is all about—innovation, relationships, and a whole lot of nerding out. We kick things off with Frederic Rapp, who went from growing up in his dad's basement lab in France to scaling it into one of the largest labs in Europe. After selling the business, he found his way back into the industry through innovation—helping labs unlock the gold mine sitting inside their own data with icortica. From dashboards to AI-driven insights and even voice-activated notes in the parking lot, it's all about working smarter, not harder… and maybe not looking like an idiot when you walk into a doctor's office. Then things shift to a great partnership with Casey Baldwin and Darin Lockaby, where we get into a seriously cool collaboration between Ivoclar and DESS. Think plug-and-play workflows that let labs mill their own abutments in-house—FDA compliant, streamlined, and actually simple. With margins tighter than ever, this kind of control over production isn't just nice… it's becoming necessary. From scaling labs to scaling data, from implants to AI, this episode is packed with insight, laughs, and a clear message: the labs that embrace technology (without losing the human touch) are the ones that are going to win. Join us at exocad Insights 2026, happening April 30–May 1, 2026, on the stunning island of Mallorca, Spain. This two-day event features powerhouse keynotes, hands-on workshops, live software demos, and top-tier industry showcases—all in one unforgettable setting. Barb and Elvis will be on site bringing you exclusive interviews, plus don't miss the Women in Dentistry Lunch, celebrating career growth, wellbeing, and the real stories shaping our profession. And of course, cap it all off with the legendary exoGlam Night under the stars. Tickets are limited. Visit exocad.com/insights-2026 and use code VFTBPalma15 for 15% off.Special Guests: Casey Baldwin, Darin Lockaby, and Frederic Rapp.

If you want sustainable business growth, you can't rely on customer acquisition alone.In this episode, I sit down with Matt Holman, founder of Commerce Catalyst, to break down proven community building and customer retention strategies.Matt shares how to build a thriving community ecosystem that prioritizes member value, strengthens loyalty, and increases long-term revenue through optimized subscription strategies. We discuss how data personalization can improve the customer experience, why feedback loops are essential for growth, and how strong leadership and hiring decisions impact your business trajectory.In this episode, we cover:-Community building strategies that drive real business growth-Customer retention vs. customer acquisition-Subscription strategy optimization for recurring revenue-Using data personalization to increase loyalty and engagement-Building effective feedback loops to improve your offers-Leadership and networking principles that fuel entrepreneurshipIf you're a founder, entrepreneur, or small business owner looking to strengthen your marketing strategy, scale your subscription model, and build a loyal community around your brand - this conversation delivers actionable insight you can implement immediately.Community isn't just a buzzword. It's your competitive advantage.Learn more: https://www.ccatalyst.co

After losing his eyebrows to alopecia while serving as a Canadian Armed Forces fighter pilot, Jason Berndt bootstrapped My Two Brows with his military pension and tens of thousands in free samples. Today the brand has shipped over 1 million brow sets across 275 styles worldwide. For more on My Two Brows and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

In this episode of BizNinja Entrepreneur Radio, Tyler Jorgenson sits down with Matthew Holman, subscription strategist and community builder behind Commerce Catalyst and The Subscription Doc. Matthew shares how he stumbled into entrepreneurship and discovered the massive opportunity inside subscription commerce. From helping brands crack the subscription model to building communities that connect e-commerce founders, Matthew explains why subscriptions are one of the most powerful ways to create predictable revenue and long-term growth. Tyler and Matthew discuss the evolution of e-commerce, the rising costs of customer acquisition, and why knowing your customer deeply is still the ultimate competitive advantage. They also explore how AI and automation are changing personalization and retention for subscription brands. If you are building an e-commerce brand or thinking about launching one, this episode delivers practical insights on offers, retention, customer experience, and the future of subscription commerce. What You'll Learn • Why subscription is one of the most powerful business models in e-commerce • The biggest mistake new subscription brands make • Why your offer matters more than your retention strategy • How successful brands truly understand their customers • Why the first 7 to 10 days after purchase are critical • How bulk offers and bundles increase revenue and retention • The role of content, influencers, and community in modern e-commerce • How AI is shaping the future of personalized subscriptions Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Subscription Commerce 00:50 Matthew Holman's Entrepreneurial Journey 03:13 Building Commerce Catalyst and Subscription Communities 06:17 Major Changes in E-Commerce Over the Last Five Years 07:55 Why Knowing Your Customer Is Everything 09:06 Influencer Led Brands and Audience Connection 11:10 Unique and Surprising Subscription Businesses 12:41 The Power of Customer Experience and Product Adoption 16:40 Success Stories from Subscription Consulting 19:00 Why Offers Matter More Than Retention 19:33 Best Platforms for Customer Acquisition Today 20:10 Common Mistakes Early E-Commerce Brands Make 22:01 What Excites Matthew About the Future of E-Commerce 24:30 Using AI to Enable Entrepreneurs 25:03 Personal Goals and Life Outside Business 25:38 Where to Learn More About Matthew Holman 26:12 Advice for New E-Commerce Entrepreneurs

In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, KJ sits down with Oleg Kovalev, Chief Marketing Officer at Aspect Health, revealing how his company became the #1 women's hormonal health startup in the USA by disrupting traditional PCOS treatment. Discover how continuous glucose monitoring and lifestyle coaching are helping one in five women manage a condition that doctors have been treating wrong for decades—and how this medical innovation is driving explosive business growth. Four Key Takeaways: [4:21] PCOS affects 20% of women and is the #1 cause of infertility - Traditional medicine has underdiagnosed and undertreated PCOS for decades, leaving millions of women without proper answers or solutions beyond pills that mask symptoms. [8:33] Managing glucose levels can dramatically reduce PCOS symptoms - Simple lifestyle changes combined with continuous glucose monitoring help women see real-time correlations between their food choices and symptom improvement, leading to exceptional product retention. [17:24] Data-driven positioning beats gut feeling every time - Aspect Health grew 12x in nine months by systematically testing positioning through paid ads and user behavior metrics rather than relying on intuition or assumptions. [24:11] Ask what you should NOT be doing - Focus and intentionality come from eliminating tasks rather than adding them—the critical question every founder and marketer must answer to achieve breakthrough success. Quote of the Show (8:00):"When women go to doctor and they ask questions about PCOS, in most cases they don't get answers to their questions. Often they are given some standard protocol of taking some kind of pills." - Oleg Kovalev Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Oleg Kovalev LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecko/Company Website: www.aspect-health.com How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Dancy is the founder and CEO of Azuna, a fast-growing brand in the natural air freshener space. With a background in staffing, technology, and several entrepreneurial ventures, Scott started Azuna in Buffalo in 2019, scaling the business from hand-packaging orders to becoming the world's largest purchaser of tea tree oil and achieving significant success in both DTC and Amazon channels. In this episode of DTC Pod, Scott shares his journey of launching Azuna, from navigating supply chain challenges and product R&D to unlocking consistent growth and managing cash flow as order volumes soared. He covers the pivotal product decisions, strategies for boosting AOV, lessons from high-profile partnerships, and Azuna's approach to retail expansion. Scott also offers practical advice for founders on knowing their numbers, avoiding expensive mistakes, and building a team that's invested in the brand's success. Episode brought to you by Stord - 3PL for Commerce Episode brought to you by EMF Radar - Health Starts with EMF Safety in mind Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack. On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover: 1. Scott Dancy's entrepreneurial background and Azuna's origin story 2. Early-stage bootstrapping: packaging, fulfillment, and ad writing 3. Scaling operations: manufacturing, 3PLs, and hiring expert talent 4. Product and packaging strategy: sustainable materials, bundling, and raising AOV 5. Building a brand moat with proprietary tea tree oil sourcing 6. Subscription economics and customer retention strategies 7. Navigating cash flow, funding growth, and working with MCAs 8. Knowing key metrics: revenue, gross profit, AOV, and cash allocation 9. D2C vs Amazon vs retail channel strategy 10. In-house vs agency operations and pitfalls 11. Brand marketing and influencer partnerships 12. Lessons learned from sports and celebrity partnerships 13. Timing retail entry and optimizing product mix for channels 14. Importance of customer service and product quality 15. Entrepreneurial learnings: failures, details, and staying data-driven Timestamps 00:00 Scott Dancy's background and founding Azuna 03:05 The “aha moment”—tea tree oil product discovery 04:10 Early days of hand-packaging, first sales, COVID impact 05:36 Scaling up: building the team, manufacturing, growth in Buffalo 07:14 Transition to 3PL and challenges of scaling past $10M 08:10 Product development, bundling, and packaging strategy 10:05 Target audience and tea tree oil sourcing 13:41 Growth channels: Meta, Google, and influencer seeding 15:53 Subscription model economics and retention 19:03 Funding growth: inventory buys, cash flow, using Clearco 22:24 Data-driven decisions and knowing your numbers 26:25 Channel mix: Amazon, DTC, retail launch, pricing strategy 32:00 Learning from agency mistakes and shiny object syndrome 35:06 Retail timing, product mix, and learnings from entering stores 42:02 Brand partnerships: AKC, NFL, influencer marketing 46:44 Final lessons and what Scott would have done differently 47:50 Where to find Azuna and connect with Scott Show notes powered by Castmagic Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.   Additional episodes you might like: • #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth • #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content • #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views • #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands • #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook • ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands ----- Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further? Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you. Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox? Check out our newsletter here. Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for Content Follow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTok Scott Dancy - CEO & Founder of AzunaBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

In this episode of PPC Live The Podcast , Anu Adegbola hosts Adam Dale and Shaquira Jeyasingh from Opteo, discussing the evolution of digital marketing tools, the impact of AI on Google Ads management, and the importance of customer engagement. They share insights on the challenges faced during the rebuilding of the Opteo platform, common mistakes in PPC management, and the future of AI in marketing. The conversation emphasizes the need for transparency, adaptability, and understanding customer needs in a rapidly changing landscape.TakeawaysAI has fundamentally changed the role of Google Ads managers.Opteo has undergone a significant rebuild to adapt to market changes.Customer transparency is crucial during periods of change.Knee-jerk reactions to new tools can hinder effective marketing strategies.Engaging with customers directly can provide valuable insights.The importance of maintaining fundamental knowledge in PPC management.Automation tools should complement, not replace, human oversight.Understanding the evolving landscape of digital marketing is essential.The future of AI in marketing presents both opportunities and challenges.Building a multi-channel approach is key for modern marketing tools.Chapters00:00 Introduction to PPC Live and Opteo06:35 Fun Facts and Personal Insights11:25 The Impact of AI on Google Ads Management16:04 Navigating Changes in Automation and User Trust21:10 Rebuilding the Platform: Challenges and Solutions24:37 The Importance of a Holistic Business View26:24 Customer Retention and Transparency During Change28:48 Understanding Customer Sentiment and Communication30:34 Key Takeaways from the Journey of Change34:41 Common Mistakes in PPC Management37:28 The Future of AI in PPC Advertising41:06 Fun Reflections on PPC Careers48:40 Outro.mp3Find Opteo on LinkedInEarly Access to revamped Opteo platform PPC Live The Podcast features weekly conversations with paid search experts sharing their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.Join us for PPC Live Online on Apr 29thJoin our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Whatsapp group⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter⁠⁠⁠

Many of you have already cut the cord from your longtime cable television provider.  I wrote about my evaluation of doing this back in 2023. Giving up a security blanket called cable television has been hard to do.  In 2023, I successfully negotiated a cheaper overall rate by agreeing to a multi-year fixed price deal with our cable television and internet service provider. We could have opted to switch to an internet-based television provider at the time.  The price difference came out to less than $10/month to switch.  My wife and I agreed that the hassles probably weren’t worth $10 per month – yet. Three years later, it was time to go to bat with the same large cable television and internet service provider.  This time, the outcome would be different. We have enjoyed a three decade love/hate business relationship You may have seen a number of advertisements for our current cable/internet provider during the Winter Olympic games.  While watching the women’s US Olympic curling team lose the Bronze medal to the evil Canucks the other night, my wife and I saw the company’s promotional ad several times. It proudly proclaimed, “$50/month for 5 years of 1 GB internet service.  No price increases.  No contract required!” That’s funny.  The same company has been charging us $99 per month for the same level of service.  Why are they offering such a deep discount to newbies? Talk about bad timing.  The cable/internet company had just mailed the February bill to us late last week. It contained a big 20% surprise! The company raised our bill by $36.17 per month for our combined cable television/internet package (125 TV channels plus their “Superspeed” internet service). Our former bill was $182.33 per month. The new bill amounted to $218.50 per month.  There were no added services. Hey, that’s almost 20% more?  What is going on here?!!! Our cable television package has zero add-ons for premium movies or sports packages.  Just the 125+ channel tier has been fine for us. The menu of cable television services offered by this national provider has relatively few (five as of today) bundled packages at various price points. Their so-called basic package isn’t cheap and generally provides an assortment of local channels. No, thanks!  That’s why I bought my $29 Phillips plug-in antenna (for use as a back-up to watch local TV stations when needed). The next price level had been our current 125-channel line-up.  My wife was happy with her favorite channels like Food Network, HGTV, and a few movie options such as USA, Freeform, and AMC.  Her sports-nut husband generally watches ESPN, Golf Channel, and a few others from his 10′ x 10′ SwampSwami SportsCave in the back portion of the house. It’s OK to laugh and call me cheap.  I prefer being called “fiscally prudent” with respect to our monthly entertainment expenditures. We played this same game exactly three years ago We took a hard look at our options in 2023 after a similar price hike surprised us by the same folks. Here’s a link to that story. First, we decided to get rid of one of the two cable “boxes” and saved $14/month.  A $49 Roku stick on the TV back in my SportsCave allowed me to watch the same cable television offerings via our wireless internet. We had already purchased our own internet modem ($150) to jettison another of their monthly rental fees. It paid out in less than a year. When I was finally able to bargain to lock-in a multi-year pricing deal in 2023, the net price increase came to less than $10 month. We opted to stick around – and watch. Your cable company will pass along the higher prices of ESPN and others Some television pirates like ESPN have spent billions in the past decade bidding-up the cost of sports to maintain a dominant market position. They are quite aware that the vast majority of us sports-addicted viewers are likely to pay the higher tab. I get it.  You must also step back and evaluate your purchasing habits at times, too. Economics 201 would define this as the Elasticity of Demand.  At some price point, people will reject your product and walk away. Grocery and utility prices have gone up.  They are passing along the incremental costs of doing business.  Customers have to make some hard choices. Watching your wife shiver on the sofa during winter because her cheapskate husband wants to keep the thermostat at 68 degrees is not easy. Are those tears or icicles coming from her eyes? I no longer purchase as much of the now-$9/pound lean hamburger or my favorite hot chocolate mix anymore to save a few bucks. Tonight, it’s red beans and rice Monday at our house. Anyone from New Orleans knows that the dish is a local tradition borne out of economic necessity. We used to add smoked sausage to our Monday mixture years ago.  Alas, not anymore. Perhaps my waistline should send a thank-you note to our local grocer for pricing us out of few items which I loved to consume. Time for the latest big negotiation with the cable TV and internet provider! This weekend, I prepared myself for the upcoming discussion with a “Customer Retention” representative.  You have to be willing to walk away when arriving at this level.  That negotiating tactic had saved us hundreds of dollars in previous years. I updated my 2023 spreadsheet this weekend to affirm the TV channels we most heavily watch. Then, I looked-up the top internet-based television providers to see which one best satisfies our desires at a competitive price. By the way, here is my updated analysis of product offerings and prices for various providers as of February, 2026: My big telephone negotiation with our giant cable television/internet provider was not centered on the rising costs charged by ESPN, the local TV stations, and our overpriced regional sports channel. I wanted the company to defend its Winter Olympic offering a $50/month internet price to new customers while having the gall to charge us $99/month for the same speed and service level. Since the internet arrives at our house via their own lines installed years ago, that leaves only one party responsible for the $50 monthly internet price disparity. How did the call go? The cable television/internet provider’s customer service rep was quite skilled at defending his company’s $36+/month rate increase. I countered by asking how they can justify raising our home prices $36+/month while offering new customers a $50 lower internet monthly rate than this long-time customer is being charged. He said, “We’re probably losing money on that deal, sir.  To grow our customer base, we need to entice new customers to come onboard by offering something of value to them.” I responded, “So, you’re willing to raise the rates of a long-time customer like me who quietly pays his bill on time in order to lure others with a discount.  It seems like it should be the other way around.” He didn’t argue that point. Instead, he quickly deflected to asking about our cell phone provider!  The same cable/internet rep who raised the rates now wanted to discuss our cell phone business?  He was quite sure they could offer a lower price than Ma Bell was likely charging us. I told him that I was quite aware there were cheaper cell phone providers, but this call was about his company’s television and internet rates.  Please stay on topic. The representative mentioned their relatively new “Sports and News” TV package which is $15 per month less than our current service level.  Already aware of the option, I said the service tier also contained significantly fewer channels – including several of my wife’s favorite channels. The old axiom “Prior preparation prevents poor performance” is still valid. Ultimately, the cable TV/internet rep failed to offer a lower price for our current level of service.  He mentioned that we could save $10 month.  That was only if we would allow their company to directly bill us via credit card instead of having them prepare and mail a rather environmentally unfriendly monthly bill to us. I reminded him that their paper bill was how we noticed the significant rate increase like this one. We do utilize e-payments with business partners who do not unilaterally attempt to charge higher prices without a providing a higher level of service to go with it.  No, thanks. It was actually a rather civil conversation with an extremely knowledgeable representative who boldly held the company line. Here’s a good rule to remember about customer service interactions.  An unhappy customer will tell an average of 20-25 people about their bad experience with a company.  A happy customer will only mention their positive experience to, perhaps, four or five others on the average.  Bad news travels fast, too.   Ask Cracker Barrel. Their stock price dropped by 50% in a matter of weeks last year and still hasn’t recovered. And the winner is…??? We signed-up for and started using YouTube TV today.  It was very simple and took about ten minutes.   It comes with a five-day free trial.  Then the rate begins at a discounted $59.99/month level for two months.  The price will convert to the current standard $82.99/month after that. I will now receive the Big Ten Network, ACC Network, and CBS Sports Network in this package.  My wife (who felt uncomfortable about making this big change) seems pleased, too. We’ll both learn more about new internet-based TV product this week.  I will plan to return the cable TV box back to those other guys soon. For now, we are still utilizing the current provider’s internet service. Other fiber-optic providers have sent cards and letters for months wanting our business. That will be a much trickier business decision to make. I’ll be dialing for dollars to learn more soon. There is just one negative.  We will lose MeTV (one of our favorite channels) as part of this switch.  However, I just verified that we can receive MeTV via our local UHF channel in the SwampSwami Sports Cave utilizing my little ol’ $29 Phillips plug-in digital antenna. Our “exciting” Saturday nights watching classic TV favorites (Svengoolie, Batman, Star Trek, and Superman) has been rescued!   Victory is sweet!!! The post Cutting the Cord – for good appeared first on SwampSwamiSports.com.

Vance Morris - Deliver Service Now Institute On the Customer Experience: "Every detail in your business is either enhancing or detracting from the experience. There is no middle ground." Many businesses focus on customer acquisition, but not all businesses focus on customer retention.  Some businesses just have a hard time figuring out what to do beyond being nice to retain customers. Vance Morris has taken his Disney work experience, along with his other life experiences and created a coaching platform to teach business leaders how to retain customers.  He does this by teaching these entrepreneurs how to build their brand by expanding the positive perceptions their customers have of their business, by giving these customers wonderful experinces as they do business.  Helping their customers feel something almost magical. Vance reveals the power and profitability of focusing on the customer experience. You'll hear how small details can set your business miles ahead of the competition, why customer retention often beats new lead generation, and how “Disney-fying” your business can create raving, repeat customers. Plus, Vance Morris discusses creative, actionable low-cost ideas to wow your clients, and explains why any business, from the boring financial services to routine oil changes, can become a premium brand with the right approach. Listen as Vance explains how you can make doing business with you something clients actually look forward to. Enjoy! Visit Vance at: https://vancemorris.com/ Also at: https://wow52ways.com/   Podcast Overview: 00:00 "Customer Retention and Experience" 06:21 "Franchise Search After Corporate Exit" 09:15 "Flexible Franchise and Challenges" 11:13 "Contract Dispute Leads to Exit" 16:15 Grassroots Marketing Success Steps 18:55 "Recruiting College Students Effectively" 21:35 "Importance of Personal Thank You" 26:39 Mold Removal and Home Renewal 27:46 "Fogging Walls with Pencil Holes" 32:55 Networking Leads to Unexpected Opportunities 34:15 Disney's Lesson: Attention to Detail 37:22 Kwik Trip vs. BP Station 41:35 Chick-fil-A Ownership Model Explained 46:12 "Building Fanatical Brand Loyalty" 48:42 Differentiation Through Office Experience 51:36 "Transforming Financial Advisor Client Experience" 54:29 Professional Technician Standards Sponsors: Live Video chat with our customers here with LiveSwitch: https://join.liveswitch.com/gfj3m6hnmguz Some videos have been recorded with Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?utm_campaign=campaign_5&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=rewardful&via=james-kademan Podcast Transcription: Vance Morris [00:00:00]: So now she can charge whatever price she wants to charge, but she still was just a dentist. I said, we've gotta niche down. So I said, who do you like working with? She said, oh, I love working with the kids. I said, okay, great. Let's just have you be a pediatric dentist. So now you work with them from, you know, 2 to 18. And after that, they— you don't talk to them. And I said, okay, great. Vance Morris [00:00:20]: Now you specialize. So you're gonna get a little bit more, um, elasticity in your pricing. You'll be able to charge more cuz you're a specialist. I said, but you need, you need something from your personality to really make this work. I said, what's your favorite movie? And she says, Peter Pan. Great. So you're going to be the pirate dentist. So she dresses up like Captain Hook. James Kademan [00:00:40]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found on the podcast link found at drawincustomers.com. We are locally underwritten by the Bank of Sun Prairie, Calls on Call Extraordinary Answering Service, The Bold Business Book, and LiveSwitch. Today we're welcoming slash preparing to learn from Vance Morris of Deliver Service Now Institute. So Vance, how is it going today? Vance Morris [00:01:09]: It is fantastic, James. Hopefully we'll drop a couple of golden nuggets today. James Kademan [00:01:14]: That's, uh, that's the goal here. So why don't we start with what is the— oh my gosh, what was it? Deliver Service Institute? Deliver Service Now Institute? Vance Morris [00:01:21]: Yep. James Kademan [00:01:22]: All right. What is that? What is that? Vance Morris [00:01:24]: That's a great question. It is a place where, um, I teach business owners, entrepreneurs, uh, really about customer retention. Cause there's a lot of gurus out there that are, you know, can give you, you know, 10,000 leads by Monday afternoon and, you know, you know, flakebook ads, Google, all that stuff. There's not a lot of folks focusing on retention. Um, and then of course, in order to have retention, you've gotta have great customer experiences. So those are the two areas that I really focus on. Um, you know, showing businesses how to— word I've been using a while is Disney-fy. So taking all of the boring mundane things that we have to do day in and day out in the business, uh, finding a way to create an experience out of them. Vance Morris [00:02:12]: So that we become memorable, uh, we're top of mind, um, and, uh, you know, people are doing that, uh, word-of-mouth marketing for us. James Kademan [00:02:22]: Nice. So tell me, how do you get involved in this? Vance Morris [00:02:26]: That's a great question. Um, well, here in Maryland, I have, uh, 3 home service businesses, so I'm, I'm not one of those consultants that have never done anything. James Kademan [00:02:36]: I read a few books, right? Vance Morris [00:02:38]: You know, yeah, you know, I went to consulting school, I got the little, you know, thing. No, it's not, not who I am. So I own 3 home service businesses here in Maryland, mold remediation company, Oriental rug washing facility, and a traditional carpet cleaning company. All very sexy businesses, I will tell you. James Kademan [00:02:56]: Yeah, super duper. Well, they're based on dirt and— Yeah, right. Vance Morris [00:03:00]: Dirt and all the good stuff. James Kademan [00:03:01]: Right. Vance Morris [00:03:03]: So, you know, I— when I started those businesses, I've had them now for 19 years. Um, I knew that I was going to be aiming for an affluent client. I didn't want to be, you know, scrubbing down and dirty rentals and things like that. I wanted to, you know, really have a premium service just like Disney, uh, for affluent clients. And so from day one, that is the direction that I went with my marketing, with the service, with the experiences. Um, after a few years, um, people started asking me, you know, Vance, you don't look like you're working too hard. Um, What's your secret? How do you do it? Um, so I said, well, it's really simple. This is actually the first thing I learned. Vance Morris [00:03:44]: I worked for Disney for 10 years. First thing I learned there was that Disney runs on systems. They got marketing systems, operation systems. You wanna learn— you wanna change a tire on a bus, they got a system for that. Carry a tray in a restaurant, they got a system for that. So all I really did was take all of that, put it into those businesses. Um,, and 7 years ago I actually was able to hire, uh, a GM and fast forward to today, I spend about 90 minutes a week on, on those 3 businesses. James Kademan [00:04:16]: Very cool. Very cool. And how do you— let's just take these one by one, cuz I imagine you didn't start all 3 of those businesses at the same time. Vance Morris [00:04:25]: Did not. James Kademan [00:04:26]: Nope. And I would imagine carpet cleaning came first. Vance Morris [00:04:29]: It did. All right. Yes. Um, and actually I, I, uh, started with a franchise. Um, you know, because I— it had a great proven concept. You know, I was new to business ownership. I'd been in, you know, corporate muckety-muck for 20-plus years. And so I needed something that had a system behind it. Vance Morris [00:04:51]: So I was with the franchise system for about 15 years and then jettisoned it and went out on my own. Along the way, you know, people— I hated walking into people's homes And stepping over things that I could be cleaning, but I didn't know how. When tile floors, wood floors, Oriental rugs. Uh, so I was like, well, might as well add Oriental rug washing. Nobody is doing it in our area. Um, and so we added that service. It was great. I already had a built-in customer base. Vance Morris [00:05:23]: All I had to do was go to them and market that service and boom, we were up and running. Um, and then about, uh, 6 years ago we added the mold company. Again, we had the existing customer base. I mean, I got 10,000 names in my database. Just had to market to them and say, hey, uh, we are now in the mold business. If you like this for cleaning, you'll love us for mold. Well, not love us, but you know what I mean? James Kademan [00:05:47]: Yeah, right. Nobody's in a good mood when they have mold. Vance Morris [00:05:50]: Nobody's in a good mood for that. James Kademan [00:05:52]: So tell me a story with, uh, franchise. Let's back up. I mean, we're talking a long time ago, so yeah, way back when machine here. How did you choose which carpet cleaning franchise to use or to join? Because there's hundreds, probably thousands of them. And that's a, that's a big, that's a big ask to figure out what you're gonna do. Cuz the equipment's expensive. The capital outlay's pretty intense. It is. James Kademan [00:06:16]: The theories and the marketing and all that kind of stuff. Some are well known, some are not. Tell me about that. Vance Morris [00:06:21]: So yeah, I worked with a, um, I didn't know these things existed, but I worked with a franchise headhunter, um, after I left corporate, uh, world. And, you know,

A few years back, we had an episode with James Rushing and his unique approaches to make customers feel more special and involved in the sales process. By tending to intricate things about the homeowner, we produce rapport that goes beyond the transaction of the install.CLICK HERE: https://apply.solarpreneurs.com/ https://zendirect.com/ https://crmx.app/ https://zapier.com/ https://www.solarscout.app/taylor https://www.youtube.com/@solarpreneurs goals.solarpreneurs.com oneliners.solarpreneurs.com https://solciety.co/ - JOIN SOLCIETY NOW! SIRO APP - LEARN MORE

Grab Jeff Dudan's book Discernment  Most “everyday” brands don't lose because they're bad… they lose because they're forgettable. In this episode of Unemployable, Jeff Dudan sits down with Brittany Hodak—author of Creating Super Fans and creator of the SUPER framework—to break down how service businesses (home + property services included) can stop competing like commodities and start building real advocacy. You'll hear why “being great at the job” is just the floor, how small experience decisions change referrals, and why the brands that win are the ones people remember—and recommend. What you'll learn: What a “super fan” actually is (and why it's bigger than referrals) Why apathy is the silent killer for service brands The SUPER framework: Story, Understand, Personalize, Exceed, Repeat How experience beats price in crowded categories Why trust + word of mouth matter even more in the age of AI Learn more from Brittany: Masterclass Website: https://brittanyhodak.com About Brittany Brittany is the author of Creating Super Fans and a keynote speaker helping brands build loyalty and advocacy through intentional experience design. Download Discernment here Learn more about Jeff Dudan HOMEFRONT BRANDS #CustomerExperience #BrandLoyalty #SuperFans #WordOfMouthMarketing #ReferralMarketing #HomeServices #FranchiseBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #ServiceBusiness #MarketingStrategy #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship #BrandStrategy #CustomerRetention #UnemployablePodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Grab Jeff Dudan's book Discernment  Most “everyday” brands don't lose because they're bad… they lose because they're forgettable. In this episode of Unemployable, Jeff Dudan sits down with Brittany Hodak—author of Creating Super Fans and creator of the SUPER framework—to break down how service businesses (home + property services included) can stop competing like commodities and start building real advocacy. You'll hear why “being great at the job” is just the floor, how small experience decisions change referrals, and why the brands that win are the ones people remember—and recommend. What you'll learn: What a “super fan” actually is (and why it's bigger than referrals) Why apathy is the silent killer for service brands The SUPER framework: Story, Understand, Personalize, Exceed, Repeat How experience beats price in crowded categories Why trust + word of mouth matter even more in the age of AI Learn more from Brittany: Masterclass Website: https://brittanyhodak.com About Brittany Brittany is the author of Creating Super Fans and a keynote speaker helping brands build loyalty and advocacy through intentional experience design. Download Discernment here Learn more about Jeff Dudan HOMEFRONT BRANDS #CustomerExperience #BrandLoyalty #SuperFans #WordOfMouthMarketing #ReferralMarketing #HomeServices #FranchiseBusiness #SmallBusinessGrowth #ServiceBusiness #MarketingStrategy #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship #BrandStrategy #CustomerRetention #UnemployablePodcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lightning Round: Top 10 Ways to Differentiate Yourself in The Marketplace Question: Cynthia from Minneapolis asks, "We love the show here in Minny!  So my company is focused on one thing this year—cross sells. We have had so many mergers and acquisitions in the last few years, and offer several products that our customers could benefit from. Frankly, I am a little overwhelmed. Where do I start, and how do I make sure I am adding value? Thanks so much for the help." Book: The Framemaking Sale by Brent Adamson and Karl Schmidt

Eleven successful founders reveal their exact playbooks for 2026. Discover AI commerce strategies, slow content that converts, gamified loyalty tips, and community-first growth tactics. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, KJ sits down with Joey Coleman, two-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author and expert in experience design and retention strategy. Joey reveals the shocking truth about employee turnover—costing businesses a trillion dollars annually—and shares his proven framework for transforming the first 100 days of any relationship. From his background as a criminal defense attorney and White House advisor to consulting with NASA, Volkswagen, and Zappos, Joey brings unique insights into why companies lose employees and customers, and more importantly, how to keep them. Four Key Takeaways The First Day Crisis (10:25) 4% of all new hires quit after their first day of work globally, and by day 45, that number jumps to 22%. By the one-year mark, 40% of employees have left—costing U.S. businesses approximately $1 trillion annually. The True Cost of Turnover (13:00) Replacing an employee costs between 100-300% of their annual salary just to get someone new into the seat—not including their actual salary and benefits. For a $50,000 employee, you're looking at $50,000-$150,000 in replacement costs alone. HR's Shift from Culture to Compliance (27:00) Over the past 50 years, HR departments have shifted focus from creating great workplace cultures to managing compliance, documentation, and litigation prevention—leaving no one responsible for making the workplace the best it can be. The Remarkable Organization Test (35:31) "The way you know you're running a remarkable organization is if you announce you're hiring and your existing employees immediately recommend amazing people they want to work with. In most organizations, internal referral candidates measure close to zero." Quote of the Show (28:12):"There is no one who wakes up in the morning, looks in the mirror and says, 'My primary job when I get to work today is to make sure that this is the best place that any of these people have ever worked.'" – Joey Coleman Join our Anti-PR newsletter where we’re keeping a watchful and clever eye on PR trends, PR fails, and interesting news in tech so you don't have to. You're welcome. Want PR that actually matters? Get 30 minutes of expert advice in a fast-paced, zero-nonsense session from Karla Jo Helms, a veteran Crisis PR and Anti-PR Strategist who knows how to tell your story in the best possible light and get the exposure you need to disrupt your industry. Click here to book your call: https://info.jotopr.com/free-anti-pr-eval Ways to connect with Joey Coleman: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeycoleman1/ How to get more Disruption/Interruption: Amazon Music - https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/eccda84d-4d5b-4c52-ba54-7fd8af3cbe87/disruption-interruption Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disruption-interruption/id1581985755 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6yGSwcSp8J354awJkCmJlDSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Ivoclar (AND US!) this February at LMT Lab Day in Chicago. Ivoclar will be offering 16 different educational lectures over the three-day event, giving dental professionals plenty of opportunities to learn, connect, and grow. Visit labday.com/Ivoclar to view the full schedule and register, and be sure to stop by and see the Ivoclar team in the Windy City. Cal-Lab Association Meeting in Chicago Feb 19-20 https://cal-lab.org/ LMT Lab Day Chicago Feb 19-21 https://lmtmag.com/lmtlabday Almost three years after his last appearance, Rob Nazzal returns to Voices From the Bench, this time joined by Mike Alessio of Bonadent Dental Laboratory (https://bonadent.com/). The conversation dives deep into lab leadership, culture, transparency, and how data—when used the right way—can empower teams instead of policing them. Mike shares his 32-year journey with Bonadent, from starting as a pickup-and-delivery driver to leading the Danaren division, and explains how a family-owned lab has grown into a multi-location organization without losing its people-first culture. Rob and Mike unpack the realities of tracking productivity on the lab floor, the challenges of sharing metrics openly, and why transparency builds trust, alignment, and accountability when done with intention. The discussion shifts to quality vs. productivity, the difficulty of truly measuring “quality,” and why labs must lead with craftsmanship before numbers. They also explore how digital workflows, QC processes, and proactive communication with doctors impact remakes, efficiency, and relationships. On the sales side, Rob breaks down how icortica (https://www.icortica.com/voices) helps labs grow by focusing on existing customers, improving retention, and giving sales teams real-time insights into what conversations they should be having—right before they walk into an office. Mike and Elvis share firsthand experiences using icortica (https://www.icortica.com/voices), highlighting how real-time data, centralized notes, and smart alerts change the way sales reps prepare, prioritize, and perform. The episode wraps with a look at Bonadent's unique culture (including their famous converted Walmart lab), long employee tenure, and why investing in people, transparency, and the right technology is the real key to sustainable growth in today's dental lab landscape. If you want to grow your business, you need clear insight into what's happening inside your operation and across your customer journey. That's where Icortica comes in. At Canadian Dental Labs, Icortica has become a cornerstone of how we operate—giving us at-a-glance visibility into performance, helping us focus our efforts, spot opportunities early, and solve problems before they grow. It takes the guesswork out of decision-making and shows us what to do next. Plus, the Icortica team is incredibly responsive and feels like a true partner in our success. If you're serious about growing your business and understanding your customers better, Icortica can get you there. Learn more at icortica.com/voices — Icortica, helping dental labs grow. Special Guests: Mike Alessio and Rob Nazzal.

Send us a textIn this dynamic episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we dive into the booming world of supplements with industry expert John Smiddy, founder of Nutra Marketers. With over 200 products launched across various platforms, John shares his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the critical factors that separate successful supplement brands from the rest. From his early beginnings selling rocks as a child to navigating the complexities of the supplement industry, he reveals the importance of mindset, market research, and compliance in building a brand. John discusses innovative trends like nanotechnology and personalized supplementation that are reshaping the market, and how to monetize trust while maintaining credibility. He also provides invaluable insights into customer acquisition, retention strategies, and the common pitfalls new founders face. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or simply curious about the supplement landscape, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiration. Explore more about John's work and Nutra Marketers at nutramarketers.commosaic: Exploring Jewish Issuesmosaic is Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County's news magazine show, exploring Jewish...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Scout Brisson reveals how De Soi converts skeptics into subscribers through sampling, why it's their largest marketing expense, and her ROI framework. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Bashify founder Bre Giglio turned a party-planning side hustle into a $600,000 balloon brand by starting small and leaning into social content. In this interview, she shares how trust, transparency, and customer experience fueled Bashify's growth.For more on Bashify and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Revenge Of became the go-to nerd bodega by hosting free events and waiving pinball fees. Learn the strategy that drives organic sales without discounts. Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

Fred and Sherrod were top-tier corporate sales performers pulling in six-figure salaries before they realized that the local "dirty" businesses—like junk haulers and carpet cleaners—were actually out-earning them while enjoying significantly more freedom. Tired of the "gilded cage" of corporate America, this US Army veteran duo walked away from their Fortune 500 careers to build Accelerated Waste Solutions. Today, they've turned a borrowed pickup truck into a national system that generates $1 million a month with a staggering 60% gross profit margin.In this episode, Fred and Sherrod join Ryan Atkinson to break down their recession-proof playbook for building a high-margin service business. They dive deep into why they prioritize B2B contracts over B2C, explaining the strategic shift from "renting" customers to "owning" them through recurring revenue. You'll learn the mathematical secrets behind their "Bigger Trucks, Better Pricing" competitive advantage and how they used a patented junk removal app to bring transparency and technology to the waste management industry.From leveraging relationships at the local Chamber of Commerce to the conviction required to turn down a $5 million acquisition offer, Fred and Sherrod share the grit and systems needed to scale a successful franchise. Whether you're interested in business acquisition, startup advice for service-based businesses, or transitioning from sales to CEO, this interview provides the roadmap to financial independence. Stay tuned for their "fan blitz" where they reveal the essential tools—like the humble dolly and scoop shovel—that save their teams hours of labor every single weekTakeaways:- The realization that local service providers often out-earn six-figure corporate employees can be the ultimate catalyst for leaving the corporate ladder.- Focusing on B2B contracts with apartment complexes allows a business to "own" a customer through recurring revenue rather than "renting" them for one-time residential events.- Successful business opportunities often stem from solving personal daily frustrations, such as the inconvenience of transporting trash across a large residential property.- Maintaining a 60% gross profit margin is achievable by using larger trucks and precise mathematical volume calculations to offer the most competitive price per cubic yard.- Integrating patented technology like photo-based reporting creates a transparency "trust factor" that differentiates a service business from competitors who use bait-and-switch pricing.- Prioritizing community relationships and joining local chambers of commerce is often more effective for long-term growth than immediate, unguided prospecting.- Entrepreneurs must identify their "Achilles' heels" early on and utilize resources like AI or specialized sales training to offset their personal skill gaps.- Investing in simple but essential equipment like heavy-duty dollies and scoop shovels prevents unprofessionalism and saves hours of physical labor on the job site.- Maximizing daily efficiency requires a purposeful routing plan for both service calls and prospecting before even leaving the house in the morning.- Having a clear vision and a "why" beyond just money provides the conviction necessary to turn down premature multi-million dollar acquisition offers in favor of long-term scaling.Tags: Side Hustle, Entrepreneurship, B2B, Business Mindset, Startup, Customer Retention, Junk Hauling Resources:Grow your business today:  https://links.upflip.com/the-business-startup-and-growth-blueprint-podcast Connect with Fred and Sherrod:https://www.instagram.com/awsfranchise/?hl=en

Founder Lulu Ge turned personal pain into purpose with Elix, an herbal wellness brand rooted in Chinese medicine with 90% repeat customers.For more on Elix and show notes click here Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.

I'm Josh Kopel, a Michelin-awarded restaurateur and the creator of the Restaurant Scaling System. I've spent decades in the industry, building, scaling, and coaching restaurants to become more profitable and sustainable. On this show, I cut through the noise to give you real, actionable strategies that help independent restaurant owners run smarter, more successful businesses.Today I dig into what customer loyalty really means and why so many programs miss the mark. Loyalty is not about discounts. It is about access, recognition, and the feeling of being valued. I break down how small moments of surprise and genuine connection can drive more repeat visits than any points system. If you want your guests to come back more often and spend more when they do, these strategies will help you build relationships that last. TakeawaysLoyalty should be about access, not just perks.Recognition is key to building emotional equity.Surprise elements in loyalty programs enhance customer engagement.Creating thresholds in loyalty fosters a sense of belonging.Handwritten notes can significantly improve customer relationships.Loyalty programs should focus on privilege rather than discounts.Emotional economics can drive customer loyalty effectively.Regulars should feel special through personalized experiences.Surprise and delight can differentiate your restaurant from competitors.Tracking changes in loyalty strategies can reveal valuable insights.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Hospitality Insights01:26 Rethinking Customer Loyalty05:48 Creating Emotional Connections with GuestsIf you've got a marketing or profitability related question for me, email me directly at josh@joshkopel.com and include Office Hours in the subject line. If you'd like to scale the profitability of your restaurant in only 5 days, sign up for our FREE 5 Day Restaurant Profitability Challenge by visiting https://joshkopel.com.

In this episode of The Russell Brunson Show, I brought in one of my secret weapons from Inner Circle and Atlas, Jason Friedman. Jason is the guy I think about when I hear “customer experience” and “retention.” I am obsessed with funnels, traffic, and selling online, but Jason walked into our Mastermind in Paradise and basically said, “Cool… but what happens after they say yes?” What followed was one of the clearest frameworks I've ever seen for turning customers into raving recruiters so your revenue grows without buying more clicks. Key Highlights: ◼️Why entrepreneurs stay “addicted to strangers,” and how Jason reframes ROAS as Return On Audience Success so your funnels stop leaking profit. ◼️The theater director who scripted audience reactions on command, and how that principle lets you choreograph customer transformation instead of hoping it happens. ◼️Jason's Kinetic Customer Formula that ties attitude, behavior, momentum, and friction into a system that drives renewals, ascensions, and referrals. ◼️Simple retention moves you can apply immediately, like accelerating time-to-first-value, creating win streaks, and fixing hidden friction points. ◼️How personalization, gamification, and “unreasonable” small touches create emotional connection and make your programs sticky. ◼️Why the future of online business belongs to entrepreneurs who build back-end funnels that turn current customers into their strongest promoters. If you run funnels, sell courses or coaching, or drive any kind of online sales, this episode will help you make more money from the customers you already have while building something that is AI-proof and future-proof. Listen in, take notes, and then start redesigning your customer journey so your experiences compound long after the initial sale! ◼️If you've got a product, offer, service… or idea… I'll show you how to sell it (the RIGHT way) Register for my next event →⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://sellingonline.com/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ◼️Still don't have a funnel? ClickFunnels gives you the exact tools (and templates) to launch TODAY → ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://clickfunnels.com/podcast⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices