Podcasts about Friction

In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, Stewart Alsop sits down with Andre Oliveira, founder of Splash N Color, a bootstrapped 3D printing e-commerce business selling consumer goods on Amazon. The two cover a lot of ground — from how Andre went from running 40 FDM printers out of South Florida to offshoring manufacturing to China, to how he's using Claude Code to automate inventory management and generate supplier RFQs across 200+ SKUs. The conversation stretches into bigger territory too: the San Francisco AI scene, the rise of AI agents and what they mean for the future of the internet, whether local on-device AI will eventually replace cloud-based tools, and why building physical products will stay hard long after software becomes easy. It's a candid, wide-ranging conversation between two self-taught builders figuring things out in real time. Follow Andre on X: @AndreBaach.Timestamps00:00 — Andre introduces Splash N Color, his Amazon-based 3D printing e-commerce business and explains the grind of running 40 FDM machines in South Florida.05:00 — The conversation shifts to Claude Code and how Andre built an inventory automation system to manage sales velocity and RFQs across 200+ SKUs.10:00 — Stewart and Andre compare notes on Opus 4.6, debate Codex vs Claude, and Andre breaks down the new Agent Teams feature in Claude Code.15:00 — Discussion turns to the San Francisco AI scene, the viral OpenClaw launch event that drew 700 people, and what's capturing the city's imagination right now.20:00 — The pair wrestle with data privacy, the illusion of it since 2000, and whether full transparency of personal data might actually serve people better.25:00 — Stewart pitches his vision of local on-device AI replacing cloud tools entirely, and they debate the 10–15 year timeline for mainstream societal adoption.30:00 — Andre traces his origin story: a high school dropout from Brazil who spotted a 3D printing opportunity on Facebook Marketplace and got lucky timing with COVID.35:00 — They explore whether AI-generated 3D models and DfAM will automate physical manufacturing, and why proprietary specs keep the space stubbornly hard.Key InsightsLifestyle businesses deserve more respect. Andre spent months feeling inadequate scrolling through Twitter watching founders announce funding rounds, before realizing his cash-flowing, location-independent business was already the goal. The social media version of entrepreneurial success warped his perception of what he actually had built.Claude Code is becoming an operating system. Stewart describes running Claude Code as having a second OS on top of MacOS — one that makes the underlying machine legible in ways it never was before. Both guests use it not just for coding but as a primary interface for understanding and operating their businesses.Agent Teams changes how work gets done. Andre explains that Claude's new multi-agent feature lets you assign a team lead and specialized roles that communicate with each other in parallel, essentially running an autonomous task force inside your terminal — a meaningful leap beyond single-instance prompting.Physical manufacturing will stay hard. Even as AI-generated 3D models improve, tolerances of 0.5 millimeters can mean the difference between a product working or not. Design for manufacturing is a separate discipline from design itself, and proprietary specs mean open source models rarely hit commercial quality.The internet is heading toward agents. Both guests agree that AI agents will increasingly handle tasks humans currently do manually online — booking services, making payments, coordinating logistics — with the human internet potentially becoming secondary to a machine-to-machine layer.Iteration is the real value of 3D printing. Andre pushes back on 3D printing as a business unto itself, framing it instead as a prototyping tool. The true value is rapid iteration on housing, tolerances, and fit — not the printer, but the speed of the feedback loop it enables.Technology compounds in layers. Andre closes with a tech-tree analogy: each generation normalizes the tools of the previous one and builds the next layer on top. Agentic coding today is what the internet was in the 90s — the foundation for something we can't yet fully see.

Check out this Drum and Bass mix with a little twist at the end. It features 26 banging tracks from such amazing artists as Friction, John Summit, Sub Focus, Fatboy Slim, 1991, A.M.C, and more. See the complete ID list on Instagram @mikelettner. As always, mahalo for listening and I hope you enjoy it!

What do you do when your faith no longer fits the formulas you were given? In this episode, I sit down with Kendall to talk about what she calls “soul friction” — the holy discomfort that surfaces through disillusionment, infertility, adoption, racial awakening, purity culture, and watching the church miss the way of Jesus. We explore anger, courage, embodiment, and what it really means to pray “on earth as it is in heaven.” This is a conversation about tending the fire instead of letting it burn everything down and choosing courageous faith over easy certainty.Kendall Mariah is a lifestyle content creator, photographer, and brand strategist whose honest storytelling has cultivated a deeply connected online community. As a business owner, military spouse, and adoptive mom, she speaks authentically about the intersections of faith, identity, and everyday life. Her debut book, THIS LITTLE FIRE OF MINE, releases in February 2026.Kendall's Book:This Little Fire of MineConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link belowGet Your Sidekick Support the show

Mike Cush, VP of Purchase Strategy, AmeriSave. Key Highlights: removing friction must start with the consumer, not the lender; too much tech is built to help the lender, not improve the customer experience; AI should simplify the process; best place to reduce friction is a the beginning of the home search; and lenders need to rethink their strategy now because AI will change mortgage quickly.

Episode 75 will include our Chick Chat: a recap of what we've been up to in our daily lives. Spoiler Alert - Madison had fun being an exhibitionist & Kenzie traveled south for a Friction Party!Connect with us:Instagram/X: @FWAT_PodcastEmail: friendswithatwist@yahoo.com Website: friendswithatwist.comCheck out our Partners:Shivers Gummies: https://shivers.store - Coupon Code FWAT for 10% offShameless Care: ED Meds/Arousal Cream/STI Testing for Women: https://shamelesscare.sjv.io/fwat Game of Lifestyle Cards: https://www.gameoflifestyle.com - Coupon Code FWAT10 for 10% off

In Episode 157 of Spellbreakers, Matt Trump dives into the sudden wave of “friction” that erupted across Badlands shows following heated debates about the current war, Israel's role as an ally, and whether viewers should ultimately trust Donald Trump's strategic decisions. Using the explosive exchanges between JB White and Alpha & CannCon on Y-Chromes and SITREP as a starting point, Matt examines how intense disagreements can look chaotic on the surface but may actually represent a healthy process of truth-seeking. Matt frames the clashes as a kind of intellectual prize fight, comparing the back-and-forth to the legendary Ali vs. Frazier bouts of the 1970s. He explores how strong personalities, military culture, and adversarial debate can sharpen ideas rather than divide a community. The episode also digs into deeper issues fueling the disagreement, including the USS Liberty incident, the history of wartime alliances, and the uncomfortable reality that the public rarely has all the information during war. Ultimately, Matt argues that friction is inevitable in a movement trying to understand complex geopolitical events, and that trust, debate, and realpolitik all collide in moments like this.

Chris Kaufman is a Detroit-based creative leader, entrepreneur, investor, and author. As co-founder and former Chief Creative Officer of StockX, he helped scale the platform to a $3.8 billion valuation, serving customers in over 200 countries and facilitating billions in gross merchandise volume. Chris is also the bestselling author of 'Empathy at Work', where he breaks down how practical empathy drives innovation, retention, and long-term business success. In this episode, Chris shares how a paper route sparked his entrepreneurial mindset, the bold decision to walk away from a Yahoo acquisition, and how applying stock market mechanics to sneakers changed an entire industry. On this episode we talk about: The early entrepreneurial lessons Chris learned delivering newspapers in Detroit Turning design into a business discipline Walking away from a Yahoo acquisition to build something bigger The core mechanics that made StockX explode globally Why removing friction is the fastest path to scalable growth How empathy fuels high-trust, high-performance teams Top 3 Takeaways: 1. There's always a better way to make money. Manual labor teaches discipline — but entrepreneurship starts when you ask how to make income scalable. 2. Remove friction to unlock growth. StockX succeeded because it eliminated guesswork: transparency, anonymity, and authenticity allowed buyers and sellers to transact with confidence. 3. Empathy is a competitive advantage. Leaders who build with empathy see stronger innovation, better retention, and more sustainable growth over time. Notable Quotes: “There has to be a better way to make money than this.” “Transparency changes behavior.” “Empathy isn't soft — it's strategic.” Connect with Chris: Company: StockX Book: Empathy at Work Travis Makes Money is made possible by HighLevel – the all-in-one sales & marketing platform built for agencies, by an agency. Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals — all from one powerful platform. Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friction gets an bad rap, according Jennifer Vail. As a tribologist, she studies interacting surfaces in relative motion, and she's worked on everything from aerospace materials to syringes to dog food. Her new book, Friction: A Biography, explores the science of rubbing surfaces, the history of lubrication, and why “frictionless” is a dangerous fantasy.  Kara and Jennifer unpack everything from Roman chariot “pit stops” to ball bearings and how tiny tweaks in texture and lubricant chemistry can save massive amounts of energy. They end with a discussion of behavioral friction (the kind tech companies want to get rid of) and Kara makes the case for “good friction” in tech, work, and relationships.  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ian Madom, MD, orthopedic spine surgeon and co-founder of Mocingbird, joins us on StartUp Health NOW to discuss how administrative friction quietly limits healthcare access and clinician capacity. Drawing from his own experience in practice, Dr. Madom explains how state-by-state licensing, certification timelines, and compliance requirements create unnecessary drag for clinicians and administrators alike. He shares how Mocingbird helps organizations manage licensing end to end, why multistate practice is essential in a post-COVID, telehealth-driven world, and how thoughtful use of AI can support, not replace, human judgment. He also reflects on the doctorpreneur journey and the role the StartUp Health community has played in Mocingbird's evolution. Are you ready to tell YOUR story? Members of our Health Moonshot Communities are leading startups with breakthrough technology-driven solutions for the world's biggest health challenges. Exposure in StartUp Health Media to our global audience of investors and partners – including our podcast, newsletters, journal, and YouTube channel – is a benefit of our Health Moonshot Membership. If you're mission-driven, collaborative, and ready to contribute as much as you gain, you might be the perfect fit. » Learn more and join today. Want more content like this? Sign up for StartUp Health Insider™ to get funding insights, news, and special updates delivered to your inbox.

Your character and skills often outweigh your credentials in today's ever-evolving world.   True growth stems from the challenges of difficult conversations, and effective leaders can use these moments of discomfort to tap into the potential that already exists within their systems, processes, and teams.    Honest self-reflection is essential for setting goals, adapting to changes, and navigating uncertainty. A crucial takeaway from this discussion is that the concept of "enough" is a personal measure rather than a comparative one.   In this program, Jess Dewell engages with Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio, Co-Founders and Co-Authors of "The Business of You," as they explore the tough questions that drive growth. They emphasize strengthening your connection to core values and using your character skills to address uncertainty head-on.    You'll discover how to take greater ownership in times of challenge, how to lead yourself effectively, and what it truly means to be BOLD as you navigate friction to propel your success forward.   —-----------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Judy Dempsey reports that recent polls show US voters oppose intervention in Iran, while rumors of internal administration friction suggest a lack of unified strategy for the expanding war. 4.1890 PERSIA

Jon Herold opens with a skeptical look at recent Texas primary results, cautioning viewers against celebrating political wins before election integrity is actually fixed. He argues that removing disliked politicians does not necessarily mean the system itself has changed, warning that controlled outcomes can easily create the illusion of progress. Jon also dives into the ongoing Iran conflict, questioning shifting timelines and conflicting narratives about military objectives while reminding viewers how little verified information the public actually receives during wartime. The episode turns inward to address growing tensions within the truth community, particularly the rise of purity tests and attacks against anyone who questions prevailing narratives. Jon calls for intellectual honesty, emphasizing that speculation should not be treated as fact and that disagreement should lead to discussion rather than division. He argues that Badlands thrives precisely because its hosts debate openly without demanding ideological conformity. The show closes with discussion on government fraud investigations, Trump policy updates, and the importance of maintaining first principles while navigating an information war environment.

POD IS BACK Locals Guide Secret Sound Bring Back Worst Joke Wednesday The Reality Of Making A Hit - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRwLBb3kpj2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link On This Day IWD On MMM Tipping Technique With Maroon Tradie Thursday See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RIP Aerosmith's Rockin' Rollercoaster and friction-maxxing, DIRT ALERT: Paramount+ and HBO to become one, MOVIE REVIEW: "Hoppers," and a very determined beaverSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sheriff Nanos says one thing. Federal sources say another. The evidence went to Florida instead of Quantico. The crime scene was released before the FBI secured it. The doorbell footage timeline is disputed. For four weeks, the Nancy Guthrie investigation has been criticized as uniquely dysfunctional. Robin Dreeke — who spent 21 years inside the FBI — says this is what most investigations look like. The dysfunction isn't unusual. The visibility is.Dreeke served as Chief of the FBI's Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program. He's been inside multi-agency cases where jurisdictional friction, evidence disputes, and contradictory public messaging were the norm, not the exception. The only difference with Guthrie is scale of attention. Every decision gets second-guessed in real time. Every contradiction gets amplified. Every resource shift gets interpreted as surrender.The specific criticisms have been constant. Reporters photographed blood on Nancy's front stoop before federal agents secured the property. The home was released, then re-warranted multiple times. DNA samples at the private lab have reportedly hit "challenges." Federal sources accused Nanos of blocking evidence access. Nanos pushed back publicly. Neither side has clarified the footage timeline dispute.Dreeke addresses whether any of this actually impacts outcomes — or whether it's the kind of friction that exists on every major case but usually stays invisible. When Pima County scales back to core detectives and the FBI moves operations to Phoenix, does that signal failure? Or is it the standard transition when an initial surge doesn't produce an arrest? The answer depends on understanding what baseline investigative dysfunction actually looks like.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#NancyGuthrie #SavannahGuthrie #RobinDreeke #FBI #ChrisNanos #PimaCounty #HiddenKillersLive #Investigation #TrueCrime #TucsonKidnapping

Welcome back to Truth, Lies & Work, the award-winning workplace podcast where behavioural science meets workplace culture, brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network. This week, we explore why "friction" might be the secret to better judgment, the brutal reality of AI-driven layoffs at Block, and why your boss's 10:47 PM emails are exhausting your entire team. Plus, we dig into the science of whether leadership is written in your DNA.

I have a confession to make. I'm exhausted. In the best possible way after a week in Orlando, Florida for the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show. I have so much to share with you today! My journey started on the Monday before the show began for a travel day, sound check and confirming the final details form the show. In addition to hosting the KBIS Podcast Studio again this year, moderating a panel on the NEXT Stage and recording conversations for the show, I wanted to help you prepare for the show next February in Las Vegas. But Josh, next February is like 11 months away. That's true, but here's a secret. Come a little closer, it's just us. KBIS is the essential American kitchen and bath show, full stop. It's about learning, seeing, connecting and putting all of the pieces together to understand how the American market is setting up for the next year and the trending ideas that have staying power for the next 5-10 years. Designer Resources Pacific Sales Kitchen and Home. Where excellence meets expertise. TimberTech – Real wood beauty without the upkeep You can listen to Convo By Design for the conversations with industry insiders. If I were a designer, I would. I believe that this show tells the stories that you should really know to get a feel for directionality of the industry. Specifiers are the plus of the industry and the ideas emanating from the show this year covered the technology revolution taking place from an AI perspective, but there's more. The kitchen is in the midst of a wholesale change. And it's exciting to see it happen in real time. Learning was a key theme this year. If you were not at the show this year, you are behind the curve. I don't say this to scare you, I tell you this so you make the time to get to the show next year. All three days and plan to see as much as you can. But, I wanted to share some of the key ideas from the show this year. For additional details, check the show notes. Luxury is the measurable outcome of thoughtful design—where performance, longevity, and relevance align to support the way people actually live. Luxury is the removal of friction from daily life. Luxury is durability aligned with intent. Luxury is design that continues to perform long after the purchase is forgotten. Luxury is confidence—in function, longevity, and fit. Luxury is not what you spend. It's what you never have to rethink. The Kitchen as the Primary Investment The kitchen remains the #1 homeowner investment nationwide. Homeowners are willing to exceed budget in the kitchen more than any other space. The kitchen is the most public and social room in the home. It represents identity: “I'm a cook,” “I entertain,” “I host.” Food equals memory; appliances enable those memories. The Expanding Kitchen Ecosystem Kitchens are no longer singular spaces—they expand throughout the home. Secondary kitchens (sculleries, prep kitchens, butler's pantries) are rising. Beverage centers, bars, and wine storage are increasingly common. Coffee stations and en-suite kitchenettes are viewed as lifestyle enhancements. Outdoor kitchens are now expected in many markets. Refrigeration appears in bathrooms (skincare), offices, and guest suites. Multigenerational living drives multi-kitchen design. Post-COVID entertaining shifted bar culture into the home. Value Has Replaced Price as the Primary Decision Driver Consumers rarely regret investing more in appliances. Longevity, performance, and service support define value. Sustainability increasingly aligns with durability. Human-Centric Design Is the New Standard Appliances must be intuitive without relying on manuals. UX consistency across appliances improves adoption. Technology must solve real problems—not create new friction. Appliances Are Expanding Beyond the Kitchen Refrigeration, coffee systems, and specialty appliances now appear throughout the home. Multi-kitchen and multi-generational design is driving specification complexity. Flexibility and modular integration are essential. Practical Innovation vs Feature Saturation Most consumers use only a small percentage of available features. Simplification improves usability, adoption, and satisfaction. Innovation must solve real problems—not marketing problems. Appliances as Infrastructure for Daily Life Refrigerators open dozens of times daily, making ergonomic design critical. Dishwashers, washers, and refrigeration now integrate into behavioral routines. Appliances increasingly support lifestyle efficiency, not just task completion. Quiet Luxury: The New Definition of Premium Quiet luxury shifts focus from visual dominance to experiential excellence. Appliances integrate seamlessly into architecture. Minimal visual disruption supports design continuity. Performance becomes more important than appearance. Identity & Evolution in Design Designers must periodically redefine themselves and their work to remain relevant. Personal growth and evolving priorities shape professional identity and approach. Burnout vs Ambition Burnout is not a badge of honor; it results from overextension and emotional labor. Ambition aligns energy with superpowers and opportunities, creating sustainable growth. Setting boundaries is essential to differentiate productive ambition from harmful overwork. Emotional Labor & Client Management Design work involves managing client emotions, expectations, and second-guessing. Designers act as liaisons between clients, contractors, and teams, absorbing invisible pressures. Managing scope creep and change orders is a practical strategy to protect both energy and profitability. Social Media & Comparison Culture Social media can amplify unrealistic expectations and unhealthy competition. Designers often feel compelled to accommodate clients' desires, sometimes overextending themselves to maintain a positive perception. These core themes coming out of the show this year tell a story that cannot be ignored. The thought process is changing. More human-centric at a time when technology seems to be taking over. Interesting times. Shifting away from that, I want to share two conversations from the show. Brandon Kirschner | Azzuro Living – Control the Process, Control the Outcome: Inside Azzurro Living's Design Advantage Brandon Kirshner of Azzurro Living explains how factory ownership, material innovation, and hands-on experimentation are redefining luxury outdoor furniture—and why relationships and resilience matter more than ever. Recorded live at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando, this conversation with Brandon Kirshner, Partner and VP of Design at Azzurro Living, explores what it means to design, manufacture, and deliver luxury outdoor furniture with complete control over the process. Kirshner shares how owning and operating their own production facility provides a rare advantage in a crowded marketplace. This vertical integration allows Azzurro Living to oversee every step—from raw material sourcing to fabrication—ensuring performance, durability, and design integrity in extreme climates. The conversation also explores the realities of modern product manufacturing: navigating global instability, breaking through to specifiers in an oversaturated marketplace, and the renewed importance of in-person relationships. At its core, this is a story about design leadership, material obsession, and maintaining optimism in a rapidly shifting industry. Vertical Integration Changes Everything Full ownership of production facility ensures quality control Ability to experiment directly with materials and fabrication Eliminates reliance on third-party manufacturing limitations Material Innovation Drives Luxury Performance Products engineered for extreme heat and harsh winters Hands-on experimentation with rope, wicker, and aluminum Performance and longevity are core to brand value Design as the Core Differentiator Industrial design roots shape product philosophy Focus on original forms rather than “me-too” furniture Design enhances lifestyle, not just aesthetics Relationships Still Drive Specification Trade shows like High Point Market remain essential Face-to-face interaction builds trust and long-term partnerships Education through sales teams and specifier outreach is critical Resilience and Optimism in a Volatile Industry Navigating tariffs, supply chains, and global uncertainty Maintaining a solution-oriented mindset Viewing disruption as part of long-term growth In luxury outdoor furniture, control isn't just an operational advantage—it's a creative one. For Brandon Kirshner, Partner and VP of Design at Azzurro Living, ownership of the manufacturing process is the foundation of everything the company does. Unlike many competitors who rely on outsourced production, Azzurro Living operates its own factory, giving Kirshner and his team direct oversight of every detail, from raw materials to finished form. This control allows for something rare in today's manufacturing environment: true experimentation. Working directly with fabricators, Kirshner explores new weaving techniques, tests material durability, and refines structural details. The result is furniture engineered not just to look refined, but to perform in punishing environments—from desert heat exceeding 115 degrees to unpredictable seasonal extremes. Kirshner's path into furniture design began with industrial design studies, where exposure to iconic modernist designers revealed furniture as both functional object and artistic expression. That perspective continues to shape his work today, where innovation isn't driven by trend cycles, but by material curiosity and structural integrity. Launching Azzurro Living in 2020 presented immediate challenges, from supply chain disruption to economic uncertainty. Yet Kirshner views volatility as inevitable rather than exceptional. Experience has taught him that adaptability—not stability—is the constant in product manufacturing. Equally important is maintaining strong relationships within the design community. Trade shows, in-person meetings, and direct engagement remain essential tools for connecting with specifiers and building trust. In an increasingly crowded marketplace, Azzurro Living's approach is clear: control the process, push material boundaries, and let design lead. The result is furniture that reflects not just luxury, but intention. “Owning our factory gives us complete control—from raw material to finished product—and that changes everything.” “Design is the reason people invest in luxury furniture. Performance just makes it last.” “You can't innovate from a distance. Being hands-on with materials is where real progress happens.” “Trade shows and face-to-face interaction still matter because this industry runs on relationships.” “No matter what challenges come—tariffs, supply chain, geopolitics—we'll figure it out. That mindset is essential.” This is Cathy Purple Cherry – Founding Principal | Purple Cherry, freshly installed in the Convo By Design Icon Registry, we caught up at KBIS for a fresh take. Human-Centered Architecture, Resilience, and the Responsibility of Design Cathy Purple Cherry reflects on architecture as a lifelong act of care—supporting people through turbulence, embracing multigenerational living, rejecting trend culture, and using design as a tool for healing, connection, and growth. Recorded live at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, this conversation with Cathy Purple Cherry of Purple Cherry Architects explores architecture not as a moment of visual impact, but as a lifelong framework for human support. Purple Cherry shares her philosophy that architecture must evolve alongside the people it serves, especially during times of societal turbulence and personal change. Her work is grounded in human-centered thinking, emotional durability, and the belief that design can create stability amid chaos. The discussion moves beyond aesthetics into deeper territory—resilience shaped by hardship, the responsibility of creatives to provide clarity and options, and the importance of giving back. Purple Cherry also addresses the rise of multigenerational living, generational shifts in work culture, and the dangers of trend-driven design thinking. At its core, this conversation reveals architecture as both a professional discipline and a personal calling—one rooted in empathy, long-term thinking, and service. Architecture as Long-Term Support, Not Momentary Expression Design must serve people across decades, not just visual moments Architecture provides emotional stability during uncertain times Human-centered design is becoming essential, not optional Growth Through Challenge and Adversity Personal and professional hardship builds resilience Lessons learned shape better architects and stronger leaders Teaching and mentoring are essential responsibilities Multigenerational Living as a Cultural Shift Economic and social changes are reshaping American housing Families are staying connected longer Architecture must adapt to evolving family dynamics The Responsibility of Creatives in Times of Tension Architects provide clarity and solutions amid chaos Design can serve as a “relief valve” for societal stress Creatives help people reimagine how they live Rejecting Trend Culture in Favor of Lasting Design Trend cycles are often superficial and misleading True architecture transcends short-term aesthetic movements Enduring design comes from purpose, not prediction Giving Back as a Core Professional and Personal Value Sharing knowledge strengthens the profession Service to others creates deeper meaning in creative work Design is both a gift and a responsibility For Cathy Purple Cherry, architecture has never been about creating a moment. It's about supporting a lifetime. As founder of Purple Cherry Architects, with offices in Annapolis, Charlottesville, and New York City, Purple Cherry has built a practice grounded in the belief that design must evolve alongside the people it serves. Architecture, she explains, is not about solving for a single moment, but about creating environments that support human life over time. That perspective feels especially relevant today. As social, economic, and cultural turbulence reshapes how people live and work, architecture has taken on a new role—not just as shelter, but as emotional infrastructure. Spaces must provide calm, clarity, and flexibility, particularly as multigenerational living becomes more common and families remain connected longer under one roof. Purple Cherry rejects the idea that architecture should chase trends. While the industry often focuses on forecasting aesthetic movements, she believes true design transcends these cycles. Lasting architecture emerges from purpose, empathy, and a deep understanding of human behavior. Her perspective is shaped not only by decades of professional experience, but by personal adversity. Hardship, she explains, builds resilience and strengthens one's ability to serve others. That philosophy extends into her commitment to mentorship, service, and giving back—values she sees as inseparable from meaningful creative work. For Purple Cherry, architecture is both discipline and calling. It is a lifelong process of learning, teaching, and refining. And in a world defined by rapid change, her message is clear: the most important role of design is not to impress, but to support the people who live within it. “Architecture isn't about solving for a moment. It's about supporting people over time.” “Through suffering, we become stronger—and that's what allows us to better serve others.” “Anything in the built environment that can calm us and organize our lives becomes essential.” “Design should never be driven by trends. It should be driven by purpose and people.” “The meaning of life is discovering your gifts. The purpose of life is sharing them.”

Dive into the realities of AI-assisted coding, the origins of modern fine-tuning, and the cognitive science behind machine learning with fast.ai founder Jeremy Howard. In this episode, we unpack why AI might be turning software engineering into a slot machine and how to maintain true technical intuition in the age of large language models.GTC is coming, the premier AI conference, great opportunity to learn about AI. NVIDIA and partners will showcase breakthroughs in physical AI, AI factories, agentic AI, and inference, exploring the next wave of AI innovation for developers and researchers. Register for virtual GTC for free, using my link and win NVIDIA DGX Spark (https://nvda.ws/4qQ0LMg)Jeremy Howard is a renowned data scientist, researcher, entrepreneur, and educator. As the co-founder of fast.ai, former President of Kaggle, and the creator of ULMFiT, Jeremy has spent decades democratizing deep learning. His pioneering work laid the foundation for modern transfer learning and the pre-training and fine-tuning paradigm that powers today's language models.Key Topics and Main Insights Discussed:- The Origins of ULMFiT and Fine-Tuning- The Vibe Coding Illusion and Software Engineering- Cognitive Science, Friction, and Learning- The Future of DevelopersRESCRIPT: https://app.rescript.info/public/share/BhX5zP3b0m63srLOQDKBTFTooSzEMh_ARwmDG_h_izkJeremy Howard:https://x.com/jeremyphowardhttps://www.answer.ai/---TIMESTAMPS (fixed):00:00:00 Introduction & GTC Sponsor00:04:30 ULMFiT & The Birth of Fine-Tuning00:12:00 Intuition & The Mechanics of Learning00:18:30 Abstraction Hierarchies & AI Creativity00:23:00 Claude Code & The Interpolation Illusion00:27:30 Coding vs. Software Engineering00:30:00 Cosplaying Intelligence: Dennett vs. Searle00:36:30 Automation, Radiology & Desirable Difficulty00:42:30 Organizational Knowledge & The Slope00:48:00 Vibe Coding as a Slot Machine00:54:00 The Erosion of Control in Software01:01:00 Interactive Programming & REPL Environments01:05:00 The Notebook Debate & Exploratory Science01:17:30 AI Existential Risk & Power Centralization01:24:20 Current Risks, Privacy & Enfeeblement---REFERENCES:Blog Post:[00:03:00] fast.ai Blog: Self-Supervised Learninghttps://www.fast.ai/posts/2020-01-13-self_supervised.html[00:13:30] DeepMind Blog: Gemini Deep Thinkhttps://deepmind.google/blog/accelerating-mathematical-and-scientific-discovery-with-gemini-deep-think/[00:19:30] Modular Blog: Claude C Compiler analysishttps://www.modular.com/blog/the-claude-c-compiler-what-it-reveals-about-the-future-of-software[00:19:45] Anthropic Engineering Blog: Building C Compilerhttps://www.anthropic.com/engineering/building-c-compiler[00:48:00] Cursor Blog: Scaling Agentshttps://cursor.com/blog/scaling-agents[01:05:15] fast.ai Blog: NB Dev Merged Driverhttps://www.fast.ai/posts/2022-08-25-jupyter-git.html[01:17:30] Jeremy Howard: Response to AI Risk Letterhttps://www.normaltech.ai/p/is-avoiding-extinction-from-ai-reallyBook:[00:08:30] M. Chirimuuta: The Brain Abstractedhttps://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262548045/the-brain-abstracted/[00:30:00] Daniel Dennett: Consciousness Explainedhttps://www.amazon.com/Consciousness-Explained-Daniel-C-Dennett/dp/0316180661[00:42:30] Cesar Hidalgo: Infinite Alphabet / Laws of Knowledgehttps://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Alphabet-Laws-Knowledge/dp/0241655676Archive Article:[00:13:45] MLST Archive: Why Creativity Cannot Be Interpolatedhttps://archive.mlst.ai/read/why-creativity-cannot-be-interpolatedResearch Study:[00:24:30] METR Study: AI OS Developmenthttps://metr.org/blog/2025-07-10-early-2025-ai-experienced-os-dev-study/Paper:[00:24:45] Fred Brooks: No Silver Bullethttps://www.cs.unc.edu/techreports/86-020.pdf[00:30:15] John Searle: Minds, Brains, and Programshttps://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/behavioral-and-brain-sciences/article/minds-brains-and-programs/DC644B47A4299C637C89772FACC2706A

Send a textThere's a moment that many successful medical practices reach where something feels… off.Volume is up. The practice is growing. On paper, things look good—sometimes even great. And yet, the day-to-day experience feels harder than it used to. Communication takes more effort. Decisions feel heavier. Small issues seem to snowball faster than expected.Instead of growth feeling energizing, it starts to feel exhausting.That's the moment we're talking about today. Because growth is supposed to make things better, not more chaotic. And when success starts creating friction inside a practice, it's not a sign that something is wrong—it's a sign that the practice is changing.Please Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill's company, Health e Practices' website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: https://share.hsforms.com/1FMup6xLPSpeA8hB77caYQwd32sx?hsCtaAttrib=171926995377 Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Promo pricing available now: https://education.healtheps.com/offers/Ry3zfLYp/checkout?coupon_code=PHYSEDGE3000 Purchase your copy of Jill's book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig's website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/

A thought-provoking Substack article argues, "We had overestimated the value of 'human relationships'. Turns out that a lot of what people called relationships was simply friction with a friendly face." Where is the friction showing up in your customer experience?  Interested in coaching or training on these topics for you or your team? We'd love to hear from you! Email Mike and Mark.

I’m going to ask you a question that might sting a little. As a sales professional, are you just friction with a friendly face? Think about it. A whole lot of salespeople are good people. They’re polite, fun to be around, and are good conversationalists. They are good at building relationships and getting along with people. They’re the type of people that buyers say they like. The problem is, those buyers who say that they like them often don’t buy from them. They stall. Ghost. Go dark and say things like, “Let’s circle back next quarter.” But they don’t pull the trigger on purchases. When push comes to shove, they justify not buying with words like, “We really liked you and thought you had a great presentation, but in the end decided to go in a different direction.” The truth is that they went in that direction not because of the relationship (they truly liked you). Not because your product isn’t competitive or that your solution wasn’t a fit (they were). And not because they thought your intentions were bad (you wanted the best for them) They decided not to do business with you because dealing with you over the course of the buying process was too much work. And by the way, buyers don’t experience your good intentions. They experience your process. So today, I’m going to give you a wake-up call and a fix. Because in the age of AI, people expect seamless, frictionless buying experiences. And they compare you—consciously or not—to the easiest experience they’ve had anywhere. Not just to your competitors. How Salespeople Become Friction for Buyers Let me paint you a picture. A buyer sits through a discovery call. You’re friendly. You build rapport. You ask good questions, and they ask hard questions. You end the call with, “Thank you for your time today. I’ll get with my team and send over answers to your questions.” They say okay, and you end the call. A week goes by, and they don’t hear from you because you moved on to the next thing on your list and forgot to follow up with your team and them. Finally, after a week and a half, they remind you that you haven’t provided any answers to their questions. Embarrassed, you jump on it and send over the answers. But it’s not your best work because you were under the gun and moving too fast. Three days later, you email: “Hey! Just checking in. Wanted to see if I answered your questions.” The buyer is busy. They’ve got a million things going on, and they’re irritated because you didn’t give them the complete answers they were looking for. And now your email is another item piled onto their overflowing plate. They don’t respond. So you send another email: “Bumping this to the top of your inbox.” (Trust me, overwhelmed people just love it when you bump stuff to the top of their inbox.) You create even more irritation. Then you call and leave a voicemail: “Just following up on the answers I sent you.” You’re thinking: I’m being persistent. I’m doing my job. They’re thinking: You made me follow up on you to get the answers I needed, then you failed to give me what I want, and now this is suddenly urgent. From their perspective, no matter how nice you’ve been, you are friction. Your delay slowed down their decision-making process, the conversation was left open-ended, and now all they have are loose ends, and you’re driving them nuts. The Hard Truth About Relationships in the Age of AI Here’s the brutal truth: Relationships are vitally important. Trust matters. But relationships only carry you so far if buying from you isn’t easy or pleasurable. You can be likable and still be a drag. You can be “a great person” and still be the person the buyer avoids—because every step with you along the decision-making process comes with friction. And the thing about friction is that it shows up in small ways that feel normal to you but are exhausting to your buyer. Here are just a few examples: Meetings that end with no decision map or next steps Follow-up messages that add no new value Slow answers to simple questions Stakeholders have to push you The buyer is repeating the same story over and over because you are not listening and taking notes Your failure to follow through when you say you will Proposals that are generic marketing documents rather than valuable insight, value bridges, and recommendations AI Just Set the NEW B2B Sales Bar This problem is getting worse right now because of AI. And I don’t mean this in some hypey, “AI is changing everything” way. I mean, AI is retraining buyers. Buyers are being conditioned to expect frictionless experiences: instant answers, clear options, smart recommendations, and smooth paths from questions to answers to decisions. So when they hit your sales process, and it feels like walking through mud, they notice. They may not say it out loud, but their behavior says it for them. They stall faster. They ghost faster. They lose patience faster. This is a big part of what I talk about in my bestselling book, The AI Edge. Your edge isn’t that you use AI to crank out more activity. Your edge is that you understand the expectation shift and use AI to help you reach that new bar. In the age of AI, the new bar is FASTER with less FRICTION. For this reason, you need to combine your gift for connecting with people and developing relationships with leveraging AI to: make progress faster, follow up faster answer questions and provide clarity faster give insight faster understand your buyers’ organizations and problems faster deliver proposals and recommendations faster help your buyers feel trust and certainty faster. All with less friction for your buyers. How to Conduct a Sales Friction Audit To gain insight into how buyers may view you, take a hard look in the mirror and run a Sales Friction Audit. This takes five minutes, and it will tell you exactly what’s killing your deals. Score yourself 1 to 5 on these seven areas: Clarity: After every interaction, does the buyer know exactly what happens next? Speed: Do you respond at the speed of the buyer’s curiosity or the speed of your internal process? Effort: Are you reducing the buyer’s workload or adding to it? Progress: Do your meetings create decisions and movement, or just conversation? Packaging: Do you make it easy for the buyer to share your insights, information, and recommendations internally to their team? Certainty: Do you reduce uncertainty and risk, or do you create more? Reliability: Do you do what you say, when you say, without reminders? Now, after you add this all up, if you don’t like the number, don’t get defensive. Change your mindset. Because the fix is simple: Stop trying to be liked and start making it easier to work with you. Because if you are just friction with a friendly face, in today’s marketplace, you are going to get crushed by competitors who are friendly, competent, fast, and frictionless. But I want to be crystal clear: Frictionless doesn’t mean spineless. It doesn’t mean you turn into a people-pleasing slave to your buyer’s every whim. It certainly doesn’t mean handing out discounts like candy to make buyers happy. It means you run a sales process with structure, discipline, and competence, and that you understand that the buying experience and how you sell matter more than what you sell. Two Easy-to-Implement Ideas for Eliminating Friction in Your Sales Process Here are two easy actions you can implement immediately to reduce friction in your sales process. End Every Meeting with a Map and Next-Step Commitment The map is clear on who does what, by when, and what done looks like. Too many sales calls end with vague commitments. “I’ll send you some information.” “Let’s reconnect next week.” “Think about it and let me know.” That’s not a map or a next step. Those loose ends are friction. A map sounds like this: “Here’s what happens next. I’m going to send you a detailed proposal by Wednesday at noon. You’re going to review it with your team on Friday. We’ll reconvene on Monday at 2 PM to give it a thumbs up or thumbs down. Will this work for you?” A map is clear, specific, and has no ambiguity. You are leading the process and driving it forward to a conclusion. Turn Proposals into Recommendations Don’t dump choices on the buyer and say, “Let me know what you think.” Give options AND your recommended path. “Based on what you’ve told me, here are three options. Option A is the safe play. It has the lowest risk but only a moderate impact. Option B is my recommendation because it solves your core problem and gives you room to scale. Option C is the aggressive play. It’s also a higher investment with the highest potential return and the highest risk. Here’s why I’m recommending Option B . . .” In a world filled with uncertainty, your confident, assertive, expert advice reduces friction and helps your buyer make faster decisions. How AI Can Give You the Edge for Removing Friction Now here’s where AI comes in. If we’re honest, most sellers use AI to write emails. That’s fine, but it’s not the edge. The edge is using AI to remove friction for the buyer and to shorten the distance from interest to decision. Generate decision-ready call recaps: outcomes, risks, open items, next steps, deadlines Speed up the process of understanding your buyer’s organization and beef up your industry-specific business acumen Create a one-page business case that the buyer can forward internally, along with stakeholder-specific FAQs Record your meetings so that you never forget anything the stakeholders tell you and use those recordings to speed up the process of crafting personalized proposals and expert recommendations. Wake Up B2B Salespeople. The World Has Changed. The bottom line is that the relationships you build are crucial but not enough, because people do business with people they like, trust, and who remove friction from the buying process. They reward sellers who engineer a buying experience that feels seamless. But if you are just friction with a friendly face and buying from you feels like a slog, buyers will do what people always do when something feels too onerous. They’ll avoid it, delay it, or take the path of least resistance and buy from your competitor. The world has changed. Buyers have been retrained by frictionless experiences everywhere else in their lives. And they’re bringing those expectations to you. So be the seller who’s both likable and easy, who builds relationships and eliminates friction, who uses AI not to spam harder but to sell better. That’s the AI Edge. And remember, when you are tired, worn down, and feel like you can’t take another objection, when all you want to do is quit and go home, always stop and make one more call. https://www.amazon.com/AI-Edge-Strategies-Unleashing-Competition/dp/1394244479

What happens when AI moves from a standalone tool to a teammate that works inside the flow of your organization? In this episode, I'm joined by Mick Hodgins, General Manager for EMEA at Notion, to explore how the idea of a connected AI workspace is reshaping the way teams collaborate, make decisions, and measure productivity. With a career that includes more than a decade at Google scaling growth across multiple countries, Mick brings a unique perspective on what it takes to build technology businesses across diverse markets and why this moment in AI feels fundamentally different from previous waves of innovation. We talk about Notion's journey from a flexible, block-based collaboration platform to an AI-native workspace where context is the real differentiator. Mick explains why AI performs better when it understands how work actually happens, and how embedding agents directly into shared workflows allows teams to move from prompting tools to orchestrating outcomes. From automated reporting and knowledge management to self-improving agent loops that learn from their own performance, the conversation brings to life how organizations are already using AI to remove the "work around the work" and focus on higher-value thinking. A major theme throughout the discussion is return on investment. In a world where many companies are still stuck in pilot mode, Mick shares how leaders can reframe ROI around productivity, speed, and the elimination of repetitive tasks rather than treating AI as a single project with a fixed payback period. We also explore how roles, org structures, and hiring priorities are beginning to shift as agents become extensions of team capability rather than experimental add-ons. Because Mick leads the EMEA region, we also dive into the differences in adoption between the US and Europe, from regulatory considerations and cultural attitudes to the growing strength of the European startup ecosystem. It's a balanced view that recognizes both the caution and the creativity emerging across the region. This is ultimately a conversation about friction. What happens to an organization when coordination overhead disappears, when reporting builds itself, and when knowledge stays current without human intervention? So as AI agents move from novelty to infrastructure, are businesses ready to redesign how work gets done, and what becomes possible when teams stop managing tasks and start compounding impact?

AI products are shipping faster than ever. But shipping isn't impact. The teams pulling ahead aren't the ones with the best models — they're the ones who can prove their product moves the business. This edition is about that gap. How to measure what matters, where the biggest barriers to impact are hiding, and what the latest research says about getting AI products to actually drive growth. Because the real competitive advantage isn't AI. It's knowing whether your AI is working.What You'll Learn in This EditionThis edition cuts through the noise to focus on the measurement gap — the difference between shipping AI and proving AI drives growth.* The Power/Speed/Impact/Joy bullseye — a calibration framework for AI products that actually drive growth* A Nature paper reveals why removing friction from AI may be destroying the learning your team needs* John Maeda on why design teams are being hollowed out — and why PMs are next* Benedict Evans on why even OpenAI can't solve product-market fit with capability alone* Research that should change how your team thinks about AI-assisted skill buildingThanks for reading Product Impact | AI Strategy, Value Creation, AI UX! This post is public so feel free to share it.Episode 1: Why Your AI Metrics Are Lying to You - Framework for improving AI product performanceYour AI product might be fast, capable, and technically impressive — and still not drive the growth your business needs. In this episode, Brittany Hobbs and I introduce the Power, Speed, Impact, and Joy bullseye — a calibration framework borrowed from F1 racing. The teams winning aren't shipping more features. They're measuring different things entirely. We break down a three-layer eval approach and why most completion metrics are hiding the signals that matter.“Success does not mean satisfaction. If someone stops engaging, does that mean they solved their problem — or that they were frustrated and left?” — Brittany HobbsListen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTubeYour Role Isn't Shrinking. It's Being Hollowed Out.John Maeda — Three major tech companies have restructured design teams into “prompt engineering pods.” Maeda's #DesignInTech 2026 calls it what it is: the elimination of design judgment from the product process. “When you replace a designer with a prompt, you don't lose the pixels. You lose the questions that should have been asked before anyone opened a tool.” This applies to product managers too — if your PM's job becomes prompt-wrangling instead of deciding what to build and why, you've automated the wrong layer. The roles aren't disappearing. The judgment inside them is.Featured Resource: Strategy for Measuring & Improving AI ProductsThe gap between what AI products ship and what they prove is where growth stalls. This framework moves teams from tracking activity — token counts, completion rates, session length — to defining and measuring the outcomes that actually drive business impact. Most teams ship features and assume engagement means success. It doesn't. If your team can't answer “is this AI feature making the business better?” with data, you're flying blind. The framework covers product discovery through scale, with concrete steps for building measurement into your AI product from the start — not bolting it on after launch.Read the full resource at ph1.caWaterfall: we'll build you a car in 18 months. Agile: here's a skateboard, we'll iterate. AI: here's a photorealistic render of a Lamborghini that doesn't start. We've never made it easier to build something that looks incredible and does absolutely nothing. AI development doesn't need more iteration — it needs someone asking “does this thing actually drive?”If your team is celebrating demos instead of outcomes, you're already behind the teams that measure first and ship second.Two years of capability gains. Almost no reliability improvement. This is the chart that should be on every product team's wall — because it explains why your AI demos brilliantly and fails in production. Capability without reliability isn't a product. It's a liability.If your team can't name which type of AI they're building, they can't measure whether it's working. Six categories that force precision. — Narain JashanmalProduct Impact ResourcesThe resources in this edition make one thing clear: the teams investing in measurement and deliberate friction are pulling ahead, while the ones chasing capability are stalling. These resources challenge the assumption that faster and more capable automatically means better outcomes.* Removing struggle from AI workflows destroys the learning that builds expertise. Teams should audit which friction to keep and which to cut. Against Frictionless AI — Inzlicht & Bloom in Nature* AI users learned 17% less without any efficiency gains. How your team uses AI matters more than whether they use it. How AI Impacts Skill Formation — Shen & Tamkin RCT* Two years of capability gains with only modest reliability improvement. The barrier to growth isn't what models can do — it's whether you can trust them. The Capability-Reliability Gap — Narayanan et al.* Polished AI outputs reduce critical evaluation by users. Build in friction points that force your team to think before accepting. (Anthropic studying its own product — read accordingly.) Anthropic AI Fluency Index* AI forces strategic clarity because you cannot delegate logic you haven't articulated. That's a feature, not a bug. Strategy as Protocol — Schwarzmann via Scaman* Six functional AI categories that sharpen how teams talk about what they're building. Precision in language is precision in product decisions. AI Taxonomy — Jashanmal* Mapping 50 AI startups across six pricing models reveals that pricing is a product decision, not a finance one. Get it wrong and adoption stalls regardless of quality. How to Price AI Products — Gupta* Wade Foster shut Zapier down for a week-long AI hackathon. Adoption went from 10% to 50% in five days. Adoption follows experience, not mandates. Zapier's Code Red HackathonProduct Impact NewsThis is the news that matters. Reliability failures are making headlines, benchmark credibility is collapsing, and even the market leaders can't prove product-market fit. The gap between what AI can do and what it can prove is widening, not closing.* ChatGPT missed diabetic ketoacidosis and respiratory failure in 52% of emergency cases. Suicide-risk alerts fired inconsistently. Reliability is the product, not a feature to ship later. ChatGPT Health Under-Triaged 52% of Emergencies* LLMs chose nuclear strikes in 95% of simulated crises. The nuclear taboo is no impediment to AI escalation — a stark reminder that evaluation stakes extend beyond product. AI Models Chose Nuclear Strikes in 95% of Simulated Crises* Google patent US12536233B1 lets it generate its own landing page from your product feed if yours scores below threshold. Own your experience or someone else will. Google Patented AI Landing Pages That Replace Your Storefront* 84% of the world has never used AI. Only 0.3% pay for it. The growth opportunity is massive — but only for teams that solve adoption, not just access. 84% of the World Has Never Used AI* 80% of ChatGPT users sent fewer than 1,000 messages in 2025. Even the market leader hasn't solved product-market fit. Capability alone isn't enough. OpenAI Has No Moat and Engagement an Inch Deep* RCT shows AI tools made experienced developers work faster and take on broader tasks — without measurable output gains. Speed is not productivity. METR: Experienced Devs Saw Zero Productivity Gain* NIST finds standard benchmarks conflate different performance measures. Models with different scores may perform identically in production. Build your own evals. NIST: AI Benchmarks Don't Measure What They Claim* MIT reviewed 300+ AI implementations: 85% failed, 91% of models degrade silently. The 5% that succeeded built measurement into the product from day one. 85% of AI Projects Fail, 91% of Models Degrade SilentlyKey takeawaysThe throughline across this edition is unmistakable: capability without measurement is theater. From the METR study showing zero productivity gains for experienced developers to MIT's finding that 85% of AI projects fail, the evidence converges on one point — the teams that win are the ones that prove their AI works.* Measure outcomes, not activity. Completion rates, token counts, and session length tell you your AI is running — not that it's working. Define what “working” means for your business before you ship.* Protect judgment. Automate everything else. The roles being hollowed out aren't the ones doing rote work — they're the ones asking the hard questions. If you're automating decisions instead of tasks, you're cutting the wrong layer.* Friction is a feature. Research consistently shows that removing struggle from AI workflows destroys learning and degrades skill. Build in the friction that keeps your team sharp, and strip out the friction that just wastes time.If your AI product ships well but you can't prove it drives growth, that's the gap PH1 closes. We help teams define what success looks like for AI experiences and build the measurement systems to prove it — from product discovery through scale. ph1.caThank you for supporting the Product Impact PodcastEvery episode tackles the gap between what AI products promise and what they actually deliver. Brittany and I bring in the builders, researchers, and leaders who are closing that gap — with frameworks, evidence, and hard-won lessons. If an episode shifted how you think about your product, share it. Follow the show so you never miss one. That's how we grow this community.* Episode 1: Why Your AI Metrics Are Lying to You* Vibe Coding Will Disrupt Product — Base44's Path to $80M* AI Trap: Hard Truths About the Job MarketBrowse all episodes at productimpactpod.com — filter by topic to find the episode that fits what you're working on right now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit productimpactpod.substack.com

Hex Trust CEO Alessio Quaglini joins Consensus Hong Kong to discuss how stablecoins solve transparency issues in traditional banking and how Hex Trust simplifies cross-chain asset management for institutional partners. CEO and Co-Founder of Hex Trust, Alessio Quaglini, joins the desk at Consensus Hong Kong to explain how stablecoins are providing an upgrade to a trillion-dollar payments problem. Quaglini identifies the lack of transparency and efficiency in traditional banking as a massive hurdle that has been avoided for decades. He explains how Hex Trust acts as the conduit between the blockchain world and bank accounts, hiding the complexity of managing assets across 50 different blockchains for partners like IBM and Animoca. - This episode was hosted live by Jennifer Sanasie and Sam Ewen at Consensus Hong Kong 2026, presented by Hex Trust.

If your calendar doesn't match your values, you're headed for burnout. You know the days I'm talking about, the ones where you're white-knuckling your way through just to collapse on the couch. This episode is your wake-up call. It's not about achieving perfection. It's about learning how to reset, reclaim your discipline, and subtract what no longer serves. Taylor Cavanaugh is back to drop truth bombs about identity, consistency, and how to build a life that doesn't just look good—but feels aligned.In his second appearance on the show, Taylor Cavanaugh, former Navy SEAL and transformation mentor, returns for a raw, unscripted conversation on what it really takes to reset your life and stop the white-knuckle survival cycle. Together, George and Taylor unpack how to face the lies we tell ourselves, redefine discipline, and lean into discomfort as a pathway to clarity. Whether you're recovering from a personal slip, stuck in survival mode, or simply trying to live more intentionally, this episode is your roadmap.What You'll Learn In This Episode:Why most people misunderstand discipline and consistency and how to fix thatHow to build a “slip protocol” so your setbacks don't sabotage your growthWhy grace, not guilt, is the real key to long-term changeThe neuroscience behind discomfort and how to build your willpower muscleHow to run Taylor's “Subtraction Playbook” and eliminate what doesn't serve your future selfKey Takeaways:✔️Discipline isn't perfection, it's persistence fueled by deep conviction.✔️Rigidity and perfectionism are the same trap. Grace is the antidote.✔️You don't need to be perfect you need to get perfect at resetting.✔️Honesty is the first step: Look yourself in the eyes and tell the truth.✔️Friction is training. Use discomfort as a rep to grow willpower.✔️Use subtraction, trim your calendar, your habits, your input, to realign your life.✔️Simplify everything. Complexity is the enemy of follow-through.✔️A small shift now leads to massive change down the line.Timestamps & Highlights:[00:00] – If your calendar doesn't match your values, burnout is inevitable[01:32] – George welcomes Taylor Cavanaugh back to the show[03:00] – Redefining discipline: It's conviction, not perfection[05:00] – Why consistency is about zooming out, not daily streaks[07:22] – Taylor's mirror test: Getting brutally honest with yourself[09:00] – Stop lying to yourself: Who you are ≠ what you do[14:00] – Taylor's "slip protocol": How fast can you get back on the horse?[17:51] – Grace vs guilt: How micro-moments create macro change[19:46] – The power of “friction reps” and how they train willpower[26:56] – The hidden danger of “feeling good" why it's a red flag[28:06] – Taylor's Subtraction Playbook: How to strip distractions[35:34] – Painting your life: Are you using the brush or watching the canvas?[36:30] – Subtraction as sculpting: What are you willing to let go?Connect with Taylor:Website: taylorcavanaugh.comInstagram: @tcavofficialYoutube: @tcavofficialYour Challenge This Week:If this episode sparked something inside you, don't just listen, act.Screenshot this episode and share it on Instagram. Tag @itsgeorgebryant and @tcavofficial with your biggest takeaway.Comment “RESET” on our latest post and tell us one thing you're subtracting from your life this week. The Alliance – The Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for entrepreneurs who scale with trust and connection.Apply for 1:1 Coaching – Ready to build your business with sustainability, impact, and ease? Apply hereLive Retreats – Get in the room where long-term success is built: mindofgeorge.com/retreat 

What if your insurance product didn't need a claims adjuster? When you remove the blame from the coverage equation, everything changes. In this episode, Randel Bennett walks through how no-fault embedded insurance—specifically parametric insurance woven into the solar energy business—is reshaping how performance guarantees work in commercial infrastructure projects. About the Guest Randel Bennett is CEO and co-founder of Qixent, a Chicago-based insurance exchange platform and licensed MGA enabling carriers and partners to launch and distribute insurance products at speed and scale. Randel's insurance career spans traditional carriers (Allstate in product management), startup ventures (co-founder of Sigo Seguros, focused on non-standard auto for Hispanic buyers), and reinsurance infrastructure (VP of Strategic Partnerships at Swiss Re, working with dozens of MGAs and insurtechs on alternative distribution and new product development). He is currently pursuing an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and holds a degree from Florida International University. Key Topics No-Fault Embedded Insurance: From Blame to Guarantee Traditional insurance asks: "Whose fault was it?" No-fault embedded insurance removes the blame entirely. By embedding a parametric trigger (a predefined event and payout) directly into a service or product, you convert insurance into a guarantee. When solar panels underperform due to weather, the data triggers an automatic payout—no claims adjuster, no friction. The customer gets paid faster; the carrier transfers weather risk cleanly. Data as the Foundation of Underwriting The critical edge in performance guarantees is determining expected production with precision. Qixent uses weather data, historical production records, satellite imagery, and panel specifications to establish a baseline for each project. This data-first approach allows predictable, sustainable pricing and removes the guesswork from underwriting. As Randel notes, "data is really the core of everything that we do." Annual Reconciliation vs. Event Triggers Qixent's model allows flexibility: real-time payouts for significant weather events, but the dominant approach in commercial solar is annual reconciliation. Over a 12-month period, Qixent compares actual production to expected production. If weather caused a shortfall, the guarantee covers the gap. For 20–25 year projects, this cadence keeps both sides—EPC and asset owner—on stable, predictable footing. From Commercial Solar to the Energy Transition Qixent's 3–5 year vision extends beyond commercial solar into residential solar, battery storage, EV charging, and fleet electrification—any space where a performance obligation faces weather, grid reliability, or supply chain constraints. The underlying infrastructure is designed to be vertical-agnostic: "If we can measure it, we can guarantee it." Founder Lessons: Humility, Problem-Market Fit, Co-Founder Complementarity Randel's advice to insurance professionals considering entrepreneurship: Lead with humility (startup resources are scarce; you become the team). Solve a real, unmistakable problem (the performance guarantee gap in clean energy was Randel's unsee-able insight). Find a co-founder who complements your blind spots (Randel brings insurance and relationships; Glenn brings technology and operational rigor). And protect work-life balance—burnout tanks companies faster than capital constraints. Notable Quotes • "In the no-fault embedded space, we're removing the blame entirely... When their solar panels underperform due to weather, for instance, the data says, hey, this is what happened. And that triggers a payout. And that's it." • "Data is really the core of everything that we do... because of that, we can price it in a way that's affordable and sustainable for the long term." • "We're not just a tech company. We're an insurance company that uses technology. And that distinction matters." • "When you come from a large organization, you're used to having resources at your disposal... When you go to a startup, you are the team. You are the infrastructure. And that requires a level of humility that a lot of people aren't prepared for." • "If we can measure it, we can guarantee it. That's the big vision." Resources & Links • Qixent: https://qixent.com/ • Randel Bennett LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randeljb/ • Randel Bennett Email: randel@qixent.com • Horton International: https://www.horton-usa.com/ • Joshua R. Hollander LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuarhollander/ • Insurtech Leadership Podcast Showcase: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/insurtech-leadership-show Subscribe & Follow New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe to the Insurtech Leadership Podcast on Podbean and YouTube. Follow Joshua R. Hollander on LinkedIn for episode updates, clips, and industry commentary.

Jam packed show! Fresh of the Winter Olympics, Matt, Sarah, and Doug discuss the geology of curling stones. Next, back by popular demand (not really), they break down another Norwegian geology disaster film and discuss the 2015 film The Wave. They discuss rockslide-induced tsunamis, challenges of modeling unstable slopes and potential tsunamis, fjords, rockslope monitoring, geologists who are hoarders, and much more! Please hit the Like and Subscribe buttons to stay up to date on future episodes, and to help us grow this series. And, please offer feedback and suggestions for future guests!

How to Fix Your Underperforming B2B SaaS Funnel for Quick Revenue Wins In the fast-paced world of B2B SaaS, the ability to go to market, iterate on feedback, and close deals rapidly is the ultimate competitive advantage. Unfortunately, many sales and marketing teams find themselves stalled by underperforming funnels that drain resources without delivering measurable results. When growth plateaus, the challenge lies in transforming these stagnant pipelines into high-velocity growth engines without requiring massive capital or long timelines. So, how can B2B SaaS teams identify the hidden leaks in their customer journey and unlock quick-win revenue through a strategic, data-driven approach? That's why we're talking to April Syed (CEO of Aperture Codex), who shares her expertise on fixing an underperforming B2B SaaS funnel for quick revenue wins. During our conversation, April discussed the importance of leveraging data to pinpoint “quick wins,” such as streamlining sales processes and eliminating high-friction points in user onboarding. She explained how to fix “conversion killers” like messaging misalignment and highlighted the necessity of aligning marketing and sales efforts to ensure a seamless experience. April also advocated for a culture of continuous testing, using small, incremental experiments to de-risk major strategic shifts. She emphasized the value of regular customer journey mapping to maintain a predictable, sustainable, and highly efficient path to profitable growth. https://youtu.be/VeeFMznhCfw Topics discussed in episode: [07:24] Why your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) must be a “living, breathing” document reviewed quarterly, not a static file sitting in a deck. [11:24] The critical mistake of treating marketing as a cost center rather than a revenue driver, and how it leads to “vanity metrics” over actual sales. [13:53] Why you should focus on small, incremental tests to “de-risk” big spends before committing to expensive strategies like rebrands. [18:05] The 5-Point Conversion Diagnostic: A framework to analyze time-to-value, messaging alignment, behavioral triggers, follow-up timing, and pricing friction. [23:07] A real-world example of how “pricing friction” (forcing an annual upgrade) caused a loyal promoter to churn to a competitor. [27:24] How to audit your funnel for “Quick Win” revenue opportunities in under 30 days by analyzing where deals stall in the CRM. [35:27] Why no marketing asset is ever “final”, and why high-traffic landing pages should be in a state of constant A/B testing. Companies and links mentioned: Apryl Syed on LinkedIn  Aperture Codex  Superhuman Notion  Motion Transcript Christian Klepp, Apryl Syed Apryl Syed  00:00 Brand for instance, doesn’t work itself into any metric, but it makes every metric better across the board. Sometimes we’re chasing these metrics and like the attribution of where a particular deal came from, or how did they find out about us, and we’re not thinking about all of the things that are outside in the flywheel that are, you know, causing that person to, yes, eventually convert. But were there seven or eight other things that kind of they interacted with. Christian Klepp  00:26 In the world of B2B SaaS speed is the name of the game. Get to market, quickly collect feedback, quickly iterate quickly and close deals quickly. But what happens if your sales and marketing teams get stuck with underperforming funnels that don’t generate the results you need? How can teams turn these funnels into growth machines without massive spend or long timelines? Welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers on a Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp, today, I’ll be talking with Apryl Syed, who will be answering this question. She’s the CEO of ApertureCodex who gives founders the strategy and the psychology needed to jump into fast revenue gains. Let’s dive in. Okay, and away we go. Apryl Syed, welcome to the show. Apryl Syed  01:12 Thank you so much, Christian. I’m so excited to be here. Christian Klepp  01:15 Glad to have you on the show. I think we had such a great pre interview conversation. I kept telling myself I should have hit record, and I talked to you the first time, right? But, you know, two times is a charm or three times. But anyways, this is the second time we’re talking. So I’m really looking forward to this conversation Apryl, because we’re going to touch on a topic today that I think is not just relevant to sales teams. It’s really important to marketing teams as well. So I’m going to keep the audience in suspense just a little while longer while I set up this first question. Right? So you’re on a mission to help B2B SaaS teams turn underperforming funnels into growth machines without massive spend or lengthy timelines, and for people that didn’t hear that the first time, I think everybody wants something like that, right, quick results without spending massively, right? So for this conversation, I’d like to focus on the following topic and just unpack it from there, right? So how can SaaS teams leverage a quick win revenue approach for better and more predictable growth. And I mean, come on Apryl, who the heck doesn’t want that, right? Who doesn’t want predictable growth, right? So I want to kick off this conversation with two questions, and I’m happy to repeat them. So first one is, where do you see many SaaS teams struggle with revenue growth? And the second question is, what are some of the key causes of this? Apryl Syed  02:44 It’s really great, by the way. As a side note, I got turned down for a podcast this week because they said I talked too much about quick wins, and they felt that it conflicted with their policy. I won’t mention the name, they’re an agency out there, but they were all about big spend, and they felt that I conflicted with that. And this exactly ties in. This is probably why the subject that I talk about so. Christian Klepp  03:13 Well, I’m sorry for them. Apryl Syed  03:15 Yeah, that’s okay. That’s okay. We don’t, we don’t match. You know, I’m not for everyone. Well, I think that, like SaaS teams don’t realize that they’ve got data. And within their data really, really lies some of the tweaks, opportunities and things like that that can make them extra revenue that they might not be looking at today. And I think, you know, perhaps it’s in tweaking their sales process. Maybe they don’t have a sales process misalignment between sales and marketing. Marketing is talking about one thing, sales is selling another thing, or could be marketing is marketing to one type of industry and user, and sales is saying that’s not the right user. It’s something completely different, that misalignment in itself causes revenue conflict, revenue opportunities. And you know, sometimes it’s spending on expensive tools before you’ve actually broken down some of those points in the funnel. Or could be tools that you’re getting a lot of data from, or they’re not doing anything with the data on a regular basis. So I think, you know, those are where I see some of those, like, struggle with revenue because of some of those issues and and then I think your second question was kind of like, well, how to, how do they kind of avoid some of those scenarios? Right? Christian Klepp  04:40 It was more about the the key causes, but you but, but you did talk about that already, right?   Apryl Syed  04:44 So, right, right? That definitely is there. Well, I think, you know, it’s also could be, you know, where they’re chasing certain metrics and focused in, and we had this conversation earlier. It’s like brand, for instance, doesn’t work at. Yourself into any metric, but it makes every metric better across the board. So sometimes we’re chasing these metrics and like the attribution of where a particular deal came from, or how did they find out about us, and we’re not thinking about all of the things that are outside in the flywheel that are, you know, causing that person to, yes, eventually convert. But were there seven or eight other things that kind of they interacted with before they got to that point? And we had to get them ready? So, you know, can definitely be about just chasing those metrics too much, which means you avoid doing things that don’t give you that instant metric. And I think that is a big challenge and pitfall that that teams can can certainly fall into. I think also the the challenge of treating marketing as a cost center and not letting them be in charge of all of those metrics down to the sale that happen. And that might sound weird to some folks, but I’ve certainly been in enough teams and enough experiences across you know my background that I’ve seen that sometimes you can make a change in marketing. It produces a lot of leads, but those leads aren’t qualifying and they’re not turning into revenue, and yet, if the metric is producing leads, well then marketing can walk away the end of the day and meet their metrics and jobs, but if the metric is revenue, then they’ve got to go all the way to that end cycle and see that it’s a qualified opportunity. That, of course, goes back to my original point that if sales and marketing aren’t in lock sync with each other, and they don’t have a good relationship and dynamic, then it ends up in finger pointing when things aren’t going wrong, instead of both teams coming together, being on the same page and figuring out what’s going to work. And that’s that’s really the key. Christian Klepp  07:03 Absolutely, absolutely. And I think you might have brought it up, and maybe I didn’t catch it, and if not, I apologize. But like, one of the things that I didn’t notice, too, is, like, this misalignment of who, who the who the ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) is, like the assumptions that both sides have and then somehow they just cannot meet in the middle. Apryl Syed  07:24 Well, I kind of brought it up just slight when I said that marketing might be marketing to one person, and sales is selling to another, but if we just want to double click, you know, on on that, that agreement around the ICP, the reason why it’s so important, and I think it’s hard for some SaaS companies, because there’s, there could be a lot of ICPs. And I kind of have this philosophy that with an ICP, people usually maybe do these personas, as I call them, one time, maybe at a, you know, a planning session or whatever, where they’re kicking off, you know, and kind of like planning who those are, and then they leave them. They sit in a deck somewhere. They’re never looked at again. They’re never revised. I like a more fluid method with personas. I like personas to kind of be active, living and breathing in something that’s reviewed on a quarterly basis, I think is a better cadence. And the reason being is, like, we want to see how many deals we’ve closed in that particular area, how many so we should be looking at the metrics right by persona. We should also look at the messaging by persona to see how that’s working. And we should, you know, look at our team and how that flow has gone through into the sales process by persona. And kind of looking at this lens, we may figure out that one persona is working really, really well, or two or three might be working really well. And maybe there’s two or three that aren’t working really well. We might want to flush those out or put them in, what I would say is like a vault or a holding pattern. They might come back later if something’s happened, and we might want to add different ones. And the reason why quarterly is important is because, if you are selling business to business, for instance, in that business environment, there are different things that might be happening in the world, you know, geographically, politically, that might be impacting a certain persona. And it’s important to also look at that lens on a quarterly basis and say, Okay, what’s the mindset of this particular persona? What are they dealing with? What are some of their issues? What are their pressures? What is their emotional state, and then how do we want to message into that emotional state during this time? How do we want to change and revise our messaging for what’s going on in their world right now, this quarter, right you can’t keep you can’t keep messaging the same and messaging constant needs to be looked at. I would say, on a regular basis, one to check and make sure it’s working. If it’s working, keep it working at some time. At some point, though, it might stop working, and it’s important to catch that as you see those numbers trailing off, as you see that change, and not wait until too long has passed and just double down on the same persona for the sake of really work, working with it, because it was the original plan. Christian Klepp  10:27 Yeah, absolutely, absolutely these, um, these personas are, and I believe that too, they it’s not something that that’s written in stone, and then you, you to use that archaic expression, just keep it on the shelf, and then it collects dust, right? Apryl Syed  10:40 Yeah Christian Klepp  10:41 It’s something that should be monitored, as you said, because certain certain companies are working in industries where, for example, government regulation impacts them. Apryl Syed  10:51 Yes. Christian Klepp  10:52 If government regulation changes, then that perhaps also influences the way they make decisions, or decide to work with external vendors and partners and so forth, right? Apryl Syed  11:05 Absolutely. Christian Klepp  11:07 You brought you brought up a few already in the past couple of minutes. I’m just, I just want to go back to pitfall. So one of them, I think, was chasing this, chasing metrics. Right? This, this habit of constantly chasing metrics. What are some of these other pitfalls that you’d say marketing teams should avoid them. What should they be doing instead? Apryl Syed  11:24 Well, I think, you know, another pitfall that I’ve seen is kind of launching a big rebrand and expecting, you know, or that could also be a plot, a platform overhaul, software overhaul, and expecting that that’s going to move the needle faster when you could test that type of messaging out in really small ways before you go and do that big rebrand. And I’m a big fan of those, like small tests, verify and then go big. Like I’m not I’m not saying don’t ever go big. What I’m saying is like, test and measure before you go into a big cut, a big, fresh rebrand, because it’s expensive, and you want those big, expensive expenditures to be a little bit more of a sure thing than a risky thing. So de risk the big spends, riskier moves. Do small, incremental tests and say, how could we test this out on a small scale. How could we test or rebrand out? How could we test a platform change out before we do that in a small way? So I think that’s another one. I talked about a cost center. Treating marketing as a cost center is another one. So I think those are, like my big, my big three, I would say, in terms of pitfalls. Christian Klepp  12:41 Yeah, fantastic, fantastic. You, you hit on something there with your with your third point. And I want to go to that, because that’s a topic that, um, that as a marketer, personally, it riles me up a little bit, but, like, you know, but, but we have to look at this as professionals too, and say, okay, you know what? In the world of B2B, that type of pushback is almost expected, right? Because I’m not sure what your experience has been. But I also work with a lot of companies that have done either little or no marketing before, so it’s, it’s to a certain extent, it’s like Terra Australis incognita. It’s uncharted territory. They are not sure what to expect. So it’s only, it’s only normal that they, that they view it with some kind of, I wouldn’t go so far as to say, suspicion, but yeah. Like, how do you know it’s gonna work, right? So over to you. Like, what’s your experience been? How do you deal with companies that view marketing with that kind of suspicion or or have these doubts, like, Is this even going to work for us? Right? How do you deal with that? Apryl Syed  13:53 Well, I mean, from my perspective, I think again, I go back to the small tests, small wins in those beginning, like, let’s get our sea legs before we go and launch some big strategy. And I think that’s, you know, a big divide between, you know, maybe myself and yourself and some other you know, marketing agencies and firms out there is, I would rather get small, incremental wins to start. I’m not against big strategies and big spends. I think they’re both needed, but when you’re kind of coming into a team that’s either had little to no success with marketing, because maybe they’ve had some bad experiences with agencies that haven’t delivered, or they’ve tried ads, or they’ve tried this thing and they kind of have that bad taste in their mouth, right? Or they just have not done anything at all, and perhaps they’ve, they’ve grown despite that. So they’re kind of like, Hey, I’ve seen success without doing this. So why? Why do I need this? So I think an educational approach is important, kind of giving the here’s the industry benchmarks, here’s what we should. See, here’s how we are going to test. Here’s a recommended way that we do small, incremental tests. And then I also think a really, really important piece is, if it’s a company that’s been around long enough is to dive into that data I have. I have a customer that I would say sits in this category. They’ve grown tremendously. They’ve had a very successful business, and they’ve never marketed before. And if I were to come in there with some big rebrand strategy, big moves, look at me like you’re crazy. We don’t need that. I mean, in all honesty, what are they looking for? They’re looking for incremental revenue gains. So how am I going to produce incremental revenue gains? I’m going to look at their data and see where there’s holes in gaps today, where, yes, marketing, but marketing is a very, very broad term. Marketing can be brands, marketing could be emails, marketing can be social media. Marketing can be customer advocacy, customer emails churn, you know, upgrading customers into other models. So when I say I look at data, I look at what their customers are doing, and what I get from that is, where is my ideal customer, because it’s going to show me in their base. So who might I want to go after and experiment with? First, those are going to be my biggest areas for opportunity of wins, where, with their existing customer base, can I sell something more or different for them to increase revenue in that way? I think that’s another big and then I look at where there may be failures across the process in their data. If it’s a SaaS company, let’s look at their free the trial, trial, you know, to paid, paid to churn, and look at those numbers and say, are they hitting industry standard for their industry? Can I improve any of these metrics? Let me go look at all of the various different things that are going to change these metrics. Where can I start to experiment to get incremental change? That’s how you give success to a team. And they start feeling like, Okay, we should invest more here. We should do more here, because it’s working. Now, let’s double down. Let’s triple down. Let’s do more, then you can go after those bigger strategies. Christian Klepp  17:26 Yep, yep, no, absolutely, absolutely, no. I’m glad, I’m glad you brought those up, because that’s a great segue into the next question, which I think you’re all too familiar with, right? So I think when we first talked, right in our previous conversation you were talking, you mentioned something called a five point conversion diagnostic, which uncovers, I think you refer to them as conversion killers, right? You can cover these conversion killers without expensive tools or massive product like changes or revamps, right? So if you could please walk us through this five point approach and how teams can leverage that. Apryl Syed  18:05 Now this is particularly for SaaS, that trial to onboarding experience and the time that I the thing that I look for the most in there is time to value. How long does it take for the customer to experience value is going to be indicative of how long their trial has to be with that onboarding experience, and are they legitimately going to get into the point of buying early, even because they can’t wait to utilize this tool or buying, of course, the moment that the trial, the trial the trial ends. That is all about time to value. The second is about messaging alignment. So does the promise that we give, if it’s a landing page, whatever that experience is that someone comes through to then get to that product, does the promise of what we’re giving them match what the experience is going to be in the software, and how long does it take again, from that time to value, for them to get to that matched experience of what we promised that will also be a predictor of so if we were, you know, on a scale from zero to 10, 10 being like matched, it perfectly, zero being not matching at all, we’d want to rate our company on that scale, and kind of see for the time to value and for the misalignment, where are we? Then I would kind of go after like behavioral triggers, and I would try to figure out what actions correlate with conversion. So I would look at everybody that’s converted, and I would say, what parts of the software did they touch right? Are they looking at, are they experiencing, which then would predict, like, if people do these five things and the solution, then we know that they’re going to convert. And you can use either, like a Pender or you know, products like that that give you some of that analysis and data. Or maybe it’s, you know, sitting in your CRM, but that would tell you and inform you about your messaging as well. Like, what should we be messaging about? These are the key things that people want out of this solution, and that’s going to inform your next piece, which is, I would look at the follow up timing, the sequencing. How frequently do we talk? I often, I’m a big superhuman fan, and I talk about superhumans onboarding experience, which I think is awesome. And of course, they get a little bit of a leg up because they are an email solution, so they see when you’re in the tool. But I have found that, like the timely messages and the trickling of features that they give you right when you’re ready to use that feature has been so well thought out. And if you have, if you have not experienced it, and you’re a SaaS product owner, Founder, CEO, I highly encourage you to go through their onboarding experience, because that, to me, is like the pinnacle, or one of the pinnacles of what you should want your users to experience, like these just great aha moments right when they’re ready to receive them as part of that trial period before conversion. That make sure that we’re just touching them at the right moments. And then the last piece that I look at is pricing and packaging friction. And here’s, this is, you know, this is something that’s changing an awful lot right now. SaaS is under pressure to maybe look at not seeds, but maybe it’s volume, but then volume is not great, because people can’t predict it, and certainly can’t budget appropriately for it. So there is all kinds of pricing friction happening right now that needs to be figured out, but understanding where people are dropping off and where in that you know, how many clicks do they need to do before they buy? What is that whole buying process like? What is the upgrading process like? Put it through the pressure test. See how many steps it is. Challenge yourself. If you can reduce the steps, make it easier. I’ll give you an example. I was a big, big user of the motion app for a really long time. I probably sold, let’s say, 10 to 20 of these to other people, because I was such a promoter and such a fan of motion, they changed something in their solution related to how many credits, and what happened is it stopped recording my meetings for me automatically, which meant didn’t go into my notes anymore. Didn’t automatically create my tasks for me. That’s a pretty big feature, and obviously I so I went to upgrade, and the upgrade didn’t allow for me to choose a monthly it only allowed me to upgrade to choose an annual. Christian Klepp  23:06 Why? Apryl Syed  23:07 Yeah, which did what to me as the user. I then went into the shopping mode, essentially, and I said, Now I’m going to go shop and look at, well, what other tools are out there that can do the same functionality. Because now, if I have to commit to an annual plan, so much changing in AI this year, I’m not sure if I can commit to an annual plan. It had nothing to do with the amount of dollar spent. It had everything to do with commitment. And here I was a promoter of their solution. I ended up canceling and I went with notion, because I realized that notion had added a significant number of AI features at a much lower price, which I know a lot of people complain about notion being expensive, and it isn’t as good of a user experience now that I’m using motion and yet notion. Yet, I’m still on notion, and I left motion app, which is probably better, because they put me through this experience. And I say that as an example not to and I don’t know if they fix that, but we make these decisions all the time, sitting from our lens, looking at what we want the outcome to be, and we don’t think through what that user experience is going to be, and we’re killing conversions, in some cases, by these little levers and moves that we make, and sometimes we don’t even realize that. So I really encourage, encourage founders, encourage, you know, everyone at the company go back through and look at these tiny little things that each one of them on the loan alone could be costing you revenue, costing you conversions along the pathway. Christian Klepp  24:53 Absolutely, absolutely. And we’re working with a client that’s that’s an that’s in tech right now, and the thing that we keep. Talking about is you gotta, you know, yes, of course you’re excited if you start developing more features and what have you right? But look at this through the lens of the user, right? I mean, I can totally relate to your to your situation. I mean, even things like for example, and this is probably like oversimplifying it. But the last update that Instagram did is driving me absolutely crazy. Like, why would you update something your interface that has already been working for the users, and now? Why do you update it so and completely change where the buttons are on the layout so people have to waste time looking for worse, the send button. I mean, you know, it’s just beyond me, right? Apryl Syed  25:45 Yeah, and it’s funny, and they actually, Instagram, for a long while, did a lot of user testing before they would roll out features, and did these limited, I didn’t see any of that necessarily. With this last rollout. Christian Klepp  25:58 No. Apryl Syed  25:59 Apple did a very similar, like their latest update introduced many phone changes in terms of prioritization of, you know, messaging and all that sort of stuff. And it’s like a common we’re finding commonality saying, like, Oh man, I hate this latest I don’t know how many people have said I hate this latest update, and it’s because it’s created too much friction in the process. We need enough friction, but not too much friction. And that balance, in itself, unfortunately, is like the most difficult thing to figure out. And if you’re not talking to your customers, if you’re not talking to people, you will never figure it out, because you’ll be making an assumption. Christian Klepp  26:38 Exactly, exactly. Okay, so we talked about this at the beginning of the conversation, but you mentioned something called a quick win revenue framework. And I know from what you were telling me that that was a little bit controversial to somebody else you spoke to. Apryl Syed  26:55 Yeah. Christian Klepp  26:56 But you know what we are, we are all embracing in the show. You know. Apryl Syed  27:00 Thank you. Christian Klepp  27:00 Not not judgmental. But in fact, the focus here is to help B2B Marketers. In your case, B2B SaaS Marketers to become better and to improve. So if we’re going to focus on this quick win revenue framework, where would you identify low hanging revenue opportunities in under 30 days. So talk to us about that. Apryl Syed  27:24 Yes, well, it sits at this crossroads between marketing and sales, right? And that’s why you’ve got to have such a tight friendship relationship with you know, your sales leaders and your customer success leaders. I think it has to be like such a great ecosystem. So first thing I would do is pull CRM data. I would look at where deals are stalling, you know, I would map the current funnel with actual numbers of where you have people. I would overlay that with like the industry and kind of like the marketing messaging that is created those those types of deals. And kind of look at that from the lens of, okay, here’s what we’re creating, and here’s what sales is able to close easily. Here’s what’s really lagging and taking a long time in the funnel. And it’s not to say that, like, longer is better than shorter, because, like, an enterprise deal takes longer to close than a SMB (Small and Medium-sized Business) deal. So the answer isn’t always that the SMB deal is better, but looking at that and saying, Is there anything here that is that is giving me an indicator of something I can improve on? Can improve on. So that would be, you know, number one, go through that audit, take a look at the data, see what you’ve been producing from a marketing standpoint so far, and then say, is there anything that we should be testing to do differently better? You know, what are your hypotheses that you want to go out and you want to prove with some AB testing, two look at conversion killers, right? That’s either messaging, follow up, timing or onboarding friction, some sort of friction in the process. Friction could be a form fill too it could be, you know, too heavy, too long of landing page, I would look at every single detail and way that people are coming in through the funnel and say, are we doing anything to kill conversion and sometimes, and I’ve experienced this with one brand that I’m working with, and we have an agency that’s also in there that’s doing some ad performance, and they’re getting industry well above industry standard rates. And I asked the agency, because I’m sitting in kind of like my fractional executive role, and I said, Tell me out of your entire client, raw. Stair. Where does this client sit? And they said, Oh, at the top, best performing client we have, you know what that signaled to me? They’re comfortable. They’re getting great results. They’re not trying to improve anything. They’re just trying to hold the fort down and just keep getting these great results because they think that’s a place of safety. Christian Klepp  30:23 Stop rocking the boat Apryl. Apryl Syed  30:26 I know, I know, but I look at that and say, You’re not trying hard enough. You’re not examining right and going through the funnel and looking for all the tweaks and looking for. Christian Klepp  30:36 What can it improve? Apryl Syed  30:37 Can it be improved? You’re not trying to do any of that. And in fact, I’m adding that to you. I’m adding those things. I’m asking for those things, just because I come from that space and saying, like, Hey, we should be pushing here. We should be pushing here. We should be they don’t want to push. And they’re slow, slow, slow to react. And what’s going to happen is it’s going to earn them a change out in agency, right? Because they’re not pushing. Now, unfortunately, what I think is, if that was happening, obviously was happening before I was involved this customer, they thought they’re getting, they’re getting, like, six to one on their spend. That’s fantastic. We should be happy, right? And I’m like, no, no, no, I’ve pushed, I have pushed that envelope before. I’ve seen, you know, 14% conversion on landing pages. I’ve seen 49% conversion on landing pages. When you get it really right, you should always be pushing and pushing and pushing that envelope. So really diagnose and look, are there friction killers in those processes, and where can you be improved? And it is not like, I’m getting results good enough, so let me stop. It’s not stop because that might be one of your levers to really, really get quick wins, because you could tweak something and then even tip the scale further. And who doesn’t want a big win like that? The other thing is, like, I think there’s I look at I look at email sequences and messaging. I look at every single message that we’re sending a customer through the process, through their buying journey. You know, for one client, I basically call it a customer journey map, which a lot of people don’t do anymore, but my journey map is from the moment that they hear about you, all the way through buying, how do we touch them? What do we touch? And then from buying through that sales cycle, what is that like? And the reason why I map that out is because when you do and you put the different sections, you can kind of say, well, this is the process today. What would we like that process to be? And you will find in every single one of these customer journey maps that I’ve done, five to 10 areas where you’re like, instantly know, you instantly know the experience you could be providing better. I did this for one client, and we uncovered, like, the review process for their terms and conditions. On average took like, 10 days with an average back and forth between their lawyers and our lawyers, maybe 15 times that is that a desired customer experience? No, that’s a friction creator, which could be a deal killer, could be a deal staller. So what does that desired experience look like? What should we aim to get to? How are we going to do that? What should we test first? That’s just an example of one that might be in there. So look at everything. Then it becomes, you know, build exactly what you think you’re going to test, go and launch and measure those tests. And you don’t need this to be six months, right? Depending on how much data you’re getting through, it might only take you two weeks of data. It might take you a week of data on these experiments and levers that you’re going through so figure out how long you need to run the experiment for. Run that experiment, measure those changes, and then either permanently implement the change or make changes right and refresh and do another test. Christian Klepp  34:24 Wow, that was quite the list. And I’m sure you’ve, you’ve had, like, as you, as you’ve mentioned, you’ve had pushback for, you know, some of this, for this process, because it’s it. It makes teams uncomfortable, right? But I think the point is, you know, everybody says, right, change is uncomfortable. Improvement is uncomfortable. Uncovering ways to make things better should make you feel uncomfortable, right? Apryl Syed  34:53 So true, so true. And I always, I always think like, if you’re uncomfortable and you’re feeling like. A maybe, I don’t know all the answers here. It’s a really good place to be, and that’s where real growth happens. That’s where real change happens. Christian Klepp  35:06 Yeah. So I did have one follow up question for you, Apryl, like, you know, based on this framework that you’ve just proposed, like, How often would you recommend? And I know it depends, but how often would you recommend teams to continuously monitor some of these, some of these attributes and these factors that you’ve that you’ve brought up in the past couple of minutes. Apryl Syed  35:27 Gosh, I think it is very dependent on the data that’s coming through. If you were experiencing problem in an area, deep dive in there and uncover it. Kind of do that audit and analysis and create some tests that you could run to improve it. But as a measure, the customer journey map, for example, for existence, I think that’s a living, breathing document. I think we should look at it quarterly. We should update it with the experiments and the learnings and the new things that we’ve implemented permanently so that we can track how that experience is going and make sure that it’s our desired experience that we’re putting out there. Because I think a lot of times stuff just happens and it’s not our desired experience, but we kind of think like, oh, well, this is the process, the way it has to be, or, you know, so and so said that it has to be three days. So it’s three days, and it’s like giving you a moment to step back and be like, Why could we do it different? Could we do it better? Could we do it in two days? I don’t know. Could we do it in one and, you know, so I think as often as that customer journey, when updates happen, put those updates in their document. It, look at it, say, like, what’s next on the list should always be improving. When you get to the point where you don’t have any more insights in there, and you think it’s oiled up in the best that you could possibly do it, bring some customers in, bring some customers in to look at it and get their opinion. Ask them about it. It’s a great point to now be in survey mode and ask some questions about where you might have conflicts internally, or where you just aren’t sure where to go. So I think that when it comes to like email sequences, and remind you know like those provide provides, messaging, emails, one thing landing pages, like, I think your landing page just should be in a constant AB turnaround. Every time you have five to 10,000 people hitting a landing page, you should be trying to tweak that message to see if you can make it better. Message, layout, colors, all of the kind of industry standards there, you should be constantly trying to tweak that. If you’re not using landing pages and you’re sending stuff to a page, you should try landing pages so it’s just the constant improvement of those email sequences kind of, kind of, I feel, I feel they should be similar. I feel like you’ve got to examine those on a pretty regular basis, maybe it’s monthly, and kind of determine which messages are you going to trade out. I’m doing a pretty big switch out right now for, you know, an SMB app that’s, you know, selling to other businesses. So it’s a B2B, SaaS company, and we are revising all of their messaging, going through every single one, but trying to create, like a very purposeful journey now where there hasn’t been necessarily one before. And what I just said to one of the leaders yesterday is like, this is version one of what will be probably 10 before we’re done with this iteration. Because every single time we see the data and see how people are moving through the flow, we’re going to we’re going to see that those things that we didn’t consider, there’s going to be broken pieces. Like, don’t be in a position of thinking that any of your marketing is final ever. That’s a good position to be in. It’s never final. I think about this for websites as well. Like people like, oh, we go through our big website refresh, we get the website done, and then now we don’t have to touch the website. Oh, you should be, like, touching the website all the time. Experiment with the messaging on the homepage. Like to think that you got the messaging right the first time. I wish, I wish, and I’ve been in this industry for more than 25 years, I wish, and I’m considered, considering, considered a messaging, you know, wizard. Sometimes, it sometimes takes five or six tries before you get that like, nailed one, and that’s because persona, you know, it’s like how the person is feeling. It’s the emotional draw, and it’s the features, the problem of the pain and all of that coming into one like, I wish, I wish there was an AI tool that could get that right. But it’s not, they’re not. Christian Klepp  40:00 I haven’t found one yet. Apryl Syed  40:01 Yeah. You know, it’s only through really, really overworking that message and seeing the data come in that you kind of like, finally get to maybe a place that’s good, and then guess what? Your persona changes or something happens to so. So don’t ever think of it as, oh, to set it and forget it, it. It should be like it. And there’s also, like, Don’t tweak it too fast that you don’t have enough data coming through. Like, that’s also, I can, I can see that being a message, but have enough data, review that data on a regular basis, make some changes, test it. It’s like little incremental tests and learn. So that’s going to be kind of like it’s either in that category, which is like, test and learn, test and learn, test and learn constantly tweaking, or a quarterly or an annual kind of review. Christian Klepp  40:54 Fantastic, fantastic. Apryl. This was such a great conversation. Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your expertise and experience with the listeners. Um, please. Quick introduction to yourself and how folks out there can get in touch with you. Apryl Syed  41:07 Well, my company is Apeture Codex. Best way to get in touch with me is just Apryl Syed at LinkedIn. That’s where I’m most active, is on LinkedIn, and you can book an appointment with me right off of my LinkedIn. And so that’s like the best, best way to find me out there. Christian Klepp  41:27 Fantastic, fantastic. And we’ll be sure to drop those links in the show notes once the episode goes live. So Apryl, once again, thanks so much for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Apryl Syed  41:38 All right. Thank you so much, Christian. Christian Klepp  41:40 Okay, Bye, for now. Apryl Syed  41:41 Bye.

We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message.In episode 123 of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris talks to Dr. Panteli Theocharous, FIBMS, M.S., Ph.D., FRCPath, about the patient journey in cell therapy trials. They pinpoint key friction points, such as delayed referrals, unpredictable vein-to-vein timelines, and burdensome long-term follow-up, while sharing actionable strategies for simplification. These strategies range from upstream trial design and streamlined consent processes to standardized logistics, hybrid monitoring models, honest risk communication, and engaging patients as true partners in real-world evidence generation.Subscribe to the podcast!Apple | Spotify | YouTube Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn

From covering the front desk as an intern to leading global business strategy, James Waters' career at Booking.com mirrors the company's own transformation. Now Chief Business Officer, Waters reflects on how experimentation, data-driven decision making, and a strong customer focus have powered Booking.com's growth. As generative AI reshapes the travel industry, he shares how the company is evolving its connected trip vision while reinforcing responsible AI principles and strong technical foundations. This episode offers leaders a thoughtful perspective on scaling innovation, sustaining culture through change, and using AI to amplify human ingenuity.

Kevin O'Connor sits down with former Denver Nuggets GM Calvin Booth for an unfiltered look inside team building, executive strategy and the realities of finding success in the NBA. How did he manage the team during their championship run? Booth also shares candid reflections on his relationship with former head coach Michael Malone, insights on sustaining a championship window and his philosophy behind drafting players and developing talent. (1:11) Keys to building a championship team (10:06) Bruce Brown's development (11:30) Jokic's growth in Denver (16:30) Nuggets post-championship (31:33) Friction between Booth & Malone (40:43) What would Booth do differently looking back? (49:42) Is Denver on the path to a dynasty? (52:18) College basketball landscape & impact on Draft (1:03:53) Overrated traits & underrated players

She's a popular content creator and Bible teacher. And she's also encouraging you to ask the hard questions about your faith and to embrace the friction. Kendall Mariah joins AllMomDoes host Julie Lyles Carr for a refreshing conversation about spiritual questions, fighting for your faith, and how Christians sometimes behave badly in the comment section!Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4aVS6lW Takeaways:Kendall emphasizes the importance of questioning one's faith for deeper understanding.Cultural differences can significantly impact one's faith experience.Friction in faith can lead to growth or destruction, depending on how it's handled.Performative Christianity often lacks depth and authenticity.Consistency in online and offline behavior is crucial for integrity.Asking questions about faith is a sign of care and engagement.Intimacy with God is built through genuine relationship, not performative acts.Faith should be autonomous and not solely inherited from tradition.Kendall's experiences highlight the need for personal responsibility in faith.The conversation encourages listeners to embrace friction as a catalyst for growth.Sound Bites:"We want a frictionless faith.""I think I'm finding my faith.""Consistency bodes to integrity."Chapters:00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast and Guest01:58 - Cultural Differences in Faith Experiences05:59 - The Importance of Autonomous Faith08:51 - Understanding Friction in Faith14:52 - The Dangers of Performative Christianity21:53 - Online Behavior vs. Real-Life Interactions28:49 - Conclusion and ResourcesKeywords: faith, Christianity, cultural differences, performative Christianity, online behavior, friction in faith, autonomous faith, personal growth, spiritual journey, community

Are your relationships stealing your DNA? In this episode, Drs. James and Debra Rouse explore a landmark 2026 study showing that "Social Hasslers" accelerate biological aging by 1.5% annually. Key Discussion Points: The Life-Heist: Understanding how chronic friction frays your telomeres. The Dimmer Switch Metaphor: Why the body enters a defensive Cell Danger Response when you lack social safety. The Rouse 2-Hour Rule: A practical tool to measure your biological recovery time after social interactions. Clinical Resets: The role of peptides like MOTS-c and nutrients like PQQ in repairing mitochondrial damage. The Graceful Withdrawal: Why setting boundaries is a high-level act of biological self-respect.

AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports on the science of squeaky sneakers.

“The reality is none of us use light continuous forces.” “Friction is awesome. Friction is great, we would be miserable if there was no friction… (with) uncontrolled movement everywhere” “Segmented arch mechanics are very tough to gain three-dimensional control over the tooth.”  “The last major landmark in fixed appliance and in orthodontics was the pre-adjusted edgewise appliance.” “The root is not moving according to the wish of the orthodontist (with aligners)” I'm joined by Madhur Upadhyay for a deepexploration of biomechanics, biology, and the true limits of orthodontic innovation. We examine advances in appliances, aligners, and digital workflows and why they have, as of yet, not improved speed or quality of clinical outcomes,and innovation is still governed by the same biological constraints that dictated tooth movement a century ago. However progress has been significant in workflows for both fixed and aligner therapy. We also discuss why complex biomechanics arerarely implemented in routine practice, whether pre-adjusted appliances were the last major landmark innovation, and what aligners can, and cannot, achieve in terms of root control in terms of biomechanics. The conversation extends toartificial intelligence in diagnosis and treatment planning, asking whether automation enhances clinical care or gradually replaces critical thinking. We conclude with thoughts of micro and nano-plastics and the focus needed on this topic in orthodontics. Please like and subscribe if you find it useful! Please visit the website for this interview podcast:https://orthoinsummary.com/the-hidden-biomechanics-of-fixed-appliances-aligners-orthodontics-in-interview-madhur-upadhyay/ .Publications by Madhur UpadhyayBiomechanics of clear aligners: hidden truths & firstprinciples 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejwf.2021.11.002ClearAligners in Extraction-Based Orthodontic Treatment: A Systematic Review andMeta-Analysis 2026 DOI: 10.1111/ocr.70052   #OrthodonticsInSummary# Madhurupadhyay #Orthodontics#biomechanics#TADs#OrthodonticsInInterview#FarooqAhmed#OrthodonticBiomechanics#DentalEducation Farooq Ahmed

Michael Vlahos as Germanicus compares Emperor Nero's struggles with the Roman Senate to President Trump'sfriction with the American judiciary, characterizing Trump's theatrical style as strategic maneuvering while introducing the Epstein files as a modern proscription list echoing Sulla's ancient purges that could trigger political revolution. 21889 SCOTUS

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Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:1) A powerful winter storm has isolated New York City and hobbled transport networks, threatening to be among its worst on record, with 41 million people across the US East Coast facing blizzard conditions. The storm shut down the vast majority of flights out of the region’s largest airports on Monday, including in the New York area and in Boston. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and closed streets, highways and bridges to most traffic after 9 p.m. Sunday until noon Monday. Major snowfall of as much as 30 inches is expected across the East Coast in some areas, with the heaviest set through Sunday night and into Monday morning, the National Weather Service said, making travel impossible.2) Senior US officials said President Trump’s tariff defeat at the Supreme Court won’t unravel deals negotiated with US partners as they sought to defend the administration’s assertive trade policies. Those deals — which the administration made with partners including China, the European Union, Japan and South Korea — remain in place, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation. He sought to separate those arrangements from the planned 15% global tariff Trump announced Saturday. Friction over the renewed uncertainty spilled out Sunday as the European Parliament’s trade chief said he’ll propose freezing the EU’s ratification of a trade deal with the US until the Trump administration clarifies its policy. In New Delhi, officials cited similar reasons for India postponing talks in the US this week on finalizing an interim trade deal. The US Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump’s use of emergency authority to wield tariffs preceded his planned trip next month to China. Greer suggested that alternative US trade tools, including those involving investigations of other countries’ trade practices, would give the US leverage.3) The US and Iran are set to resume talks Thursday in Geneva, according to Omani mediators. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he expects to meet US special envoy Steve Witkoff for the talks and reiterated that Iran won’t be pressured by a US military buildup in the region. Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi said on X that the US-Iran negotiations “are now set for Geneva this Thursday, with a positive push to go the extra mile towards finalizing the deal.” After talks last week, a US official said Iran was expected to return with proposals in two weeks to bridge remaining gaps. The US has orchestrated a massive military buildup in the Middle East including two aircraft carriers as President Trump presses Tehran for a new nuclear deal. Trump said on Friday he’s considering limited strikes on Iran, risking another destabilizing conflict.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. #805 | Most men try to control sexual intensity by adjusting what's happening outside of them.Speed.Position.Friction.Pulling away.But there are deeper levers.Internal ones.In this episode, I break down a simple but powerful framework for mastering your sexual energy from the inside — without suppressing intensity, without slowing everything down, and without interrupting connection.This isn't about tricks.It's about control.Presence.Stability under intensity.If you've ever wanted to stay steady while arousal builds o…r carry your partner through intensity without losing yourself, this one matters.

Long-term missions to the Moon and Mars will need a good understanding of the machines, the environment – and the people. Friction among crew members could make a mission much less productive – or even endanger lives. To minimize the risk, scientists are trying to understand how people get along during long periods of isolation. They’ve conducted test runs in laboratories. They’ve set up habitats on volcanoes and remote islands. They’ve studied research bases in Antarctica. And they’ve sent volunteers into the oceans. As with space travel, an undersea habitat is isolated and cramped, and the environment can be deadly. So it’s important for the crew to get along. NASA has conducted quite a few underwater expeditions. For many of them, astronauts spent a few days or weeks in a habitat off the coast of Florida. They conducted experiments both inside and outside the lab. They tested equipment and techniques that might be used in space. And scientists checked out how well they worked as a team. Recently, the European Space Agency sent 25 volunteers on a two-month trip aboard a submarine. Scientists used questionnaires to check on the volunteers. They also took samples of hair and saliva. The results helped track stress markers, changes in the immune system, and other reactions – better understanding the human factor in long-term missions to other worlds. Script by Damond Benningfield

Subscribe to This Week in Hospitality wherever you get you podcasts: Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5oPExA0txHMjEI5Ye13IUy Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-week-in-hospitality/id1849637233 Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWeekinHospitality   Accor isn't just polishing the Orient Express legend — it's trying to industrialize it. With LVMH in the mix, the play shifts from “luxury assets” to a full ecosystem built on narrative: trains, hotels, yachts, and a throughline of romance and mythology. Scott sees the upside in that long-game brand equity, but the panel keeps circling the same risk: storytelling can sell the dream, yet only flawless operations keep it from collapsing into cosplay. Then the mood turns pragmatic with Casago's post-Vacasa reality check. A founder-led franchise business runs on trust and alignment as much as tech and scale, and Steve Schwab's CEO transition lands as a stress test for franchisees already bracing for integration chaos. Ben argues owners should protect optionality while the dust settles; Scott and Edwin frame it as a “psychological contract” moment where perception matters as much as governance. Finally, Hyatt's ChatGPT integration signals that AI discovery is becoming a real distribution layer, not a gimmick. If travelers are asking for “the right stay” conversationally, brands will win by training the narrative, not bidding on keywords. Spice of the Week closes with a blunt takeaway: creative is the only differentiator left — and hotels are still wasting money boosting the wrong posts instead of scaling what actually works.   This Week in Hospitality is presented to you by Journey. Journey is a loyalty platform built specifically for independent boutique hotels and high-touch hospitality brands. Our mission is to give operators the same powerful rewards engine, data intelligence, and guest insights that major chains rely on — without asking them to give up the individuality, soul, or story that makes their property extraordinary. If you're an owner or operator of an extraordinary, independently owned and operated hotel or residence — and you want to see whether your property is a fit for the Journey Alliance — you can learn more and apply at https://www.journey.com/alliance   Key Topics & Timestamps 00:00 — Intro 09:40 — Story #1: Accor + LVMH build Orient Express into a full luxury ecosystem 24:32 — Story #2: Casago's Vacasa-era growing pains trigger franchisee unease 33:31 — Story #3: Hyatt embraces ChatGPT discovery as the next distribution layer 46:29 — Spice of the Week     Your Hosts: Zach Busekrus — Journey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachbusekrus/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/behindthestays/   Scott Eddy — Global Travel & Hospitality Expert @MrScottEddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrscotteddy/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrscotteddy/   Ben Wolff — Founder of Onera & Oasi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-wolff/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iambenwolff/   Edwin Kramer — Luxury Hotelier Consultant & Former GM LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwinckramer/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edwinkramer/

MONAHOVA guestmix: 01. MONAHOVA - Темная река 02. Grinder, Женя Винд – Засияла 03. MONAHOVA – Ищи 04. Dossa, Locuzzed, DJ Marky - Sliding Gliding 05. MONAHOVA - Obereg (RSFB Remix) 06. Saint Rider — Plex 07. MONAHOVA – Затмение 08. Submatik – Totem 09. Punchman, MONAHOVA - Где ты (Extended) 10. Dima Pulsar – Overtape 11. GNTLMAN, MONAHOVA – Костёр 12. Chillhomers & GNTLMAN - Moonfire 13. Metrik - Freefall (Justin Hawkes Remix) 14. MONAHOVA – Успокой 15. Whiney - Talisman GVOZD vibez: 01. Bass Banditz - Come On Babe 02. K Motionz - Expectations 03. Mage - Calm Down 04. K Motionz, Emily Makis - Spell It Out 05. Nick Lawyer & UFO9 - Fly Away 06. D-Sabber - Get Out 07. Distant Future - Here I am 08. Basta & DJ Groove - Dzhungli zovut (Green Vibes, Dima Pulsar Remix) 09. T & Sugah & Takura - Call The Police 10. NBC9 - Algorithmic Rage (The Mind Hackers Remix) 11. DubbleT & Chris Nichols - Higher 12. Friction, Sam Harper - Holding On (Extended Mix) 13. Airglo & Profile feat. Roxi Yung - Make a Move 14. NCT, Franky Nuts - Don't Stop 15. Dub Elements - Connected 16. John Newman - Love Me Again (Again) (Arcando Remix) 17. NBC9 - Paper Promises (Feed The Fire Remix) 18. Aktive - TRAP (Extended Mix) 19. Bonnot - Through the flames 20. Exception, Licia - Freak Of Nature 21. Bushbaby - Pumpin Jumpin (ROVA Remix) 22. Xaetis - Murder Hornet 23. TheLena - Drifting 24. Redpill - The Siren (Audio Remix) 25. GNTLMAN & Chillhomers - Jazz Session 26. SKIYE - Smoke & Mirrors 27. Jane Doe - Knock Out 28. TNTKLZ & Transforma - Notched 29. Human Made & 9THWAVE - In The Darkness 30. Bons, Valle - Paralyzed 31. Zombie Cats - TIK TOK TIK TOK (phasebound & Ethera Remix) 32. D-Formator - Deforming 33. D-Formator - Sculpture 34. Gifta, Xyde, Rivibes - Empty Threats 35. Malivu - Berserk 36. C-Du - Deep Secrets 37. KOKUZE - Just Addicted 38. A Hundred Drums - Gorgeous Tragedy (feat. N3PTUNE) 39. Aboo, Rogue-T - Ghost 40. Philth, Wreckless - Clockwork 41. Rufige Kru, Goldie & Submotive - Metal Detekt 42. FORIN - Pulling Strings 43. Kodama - Avionics (D-Struct Remix) 44. D'cypher - Step Up 45. Ambush, Organic - Turbo 46. TypeCell - Feel 47. Ainonow, Slaythoven - Bedlam (R3IDY Remix) 48. Need for mirrors - Holo Twist 49. Nick The Lot - Fabricate 50. Wigman - Move 51. curious mind - Drown In It 52. Amplify, Fatman D - Sparring 53. AC13, Atmos - Bend It Back It Up 54. Salaryman - Turn Up Di Bass 55. GGrossy - Get Back 56. Juliux - Hypnotised 57. BassHunterz - Tiny Impulses 58. Glitch City, Atg - Stampede 59. Bennie - Suppressed 60. GGrossy - Smash The Door 61. the Sampler - Bad Dad 62. DJ Dan, Lowriderz - Booyaka 63. Benny V & Deploy with Entice MC - Lies 64. Elisa Do Brasil, MC Youthstar - The Magician 65. Wreckless - Fresh Cuttz 66. Breakage, Riko Dan - CTRL 67. The Colonel & Calculon - Gargantuan 68. Steppa Browne - Night & Day 69. SON, David Oriakhi - Here Below 70. Treex - Night Talk 71. Riya, Level 2 - Love

Hour 1 - USA hockey is chasing gold. Hour 2 - Wiggy doesn't think the Jays will last very long. Hour 3 - The News with Coco. Coco defends the Jays. Hour 4 - Jays beef a media creation and Hill Notes

In this episode of Reboot IT, host Dave Coriale, President of DelCor, sits down with David Stephenson, SVP of Technology at Entrepreneurs' Organization, to unpack what true collaboration really means in associations and nonprofits. Together, they explore the difference between transactional vendor relationships and deep strategic partnerships, how to build psychological safety within project teams, and why honest dialogue is essential for successful outcomes. David also shares practical tactics for selecting partners, navigating conflict, and reducing organizational risk through collaborative practices.Themes and Topics:What Collaboration Really Is (and Isn't)Collaboration isn't about being nice or making sure “everyone's at the table.” It's about having the right mix of people with different perspectives.When everyone thinks the same and has the same motivations, you end up with polite agreement, not real progress.There's a big difference between just enlarging a meeting and actually collaborating with intention.Getting the Right Mix: Staff, Members, Vendors, and PartnersAssociations juggle vendors, partners, staff, and members, each with different levels of involvement and motivation.David distinguishes between people who are in the weeds with you (like design and development partners) and those who play a key but more behind‑the‑scenes role (like hosting providers).Upfront, he works to get everyone on the same page: What problem are we solving? What role do you play? What's your motive (and recognizing that everyone has one, and that's okay)?Vendors vs. Partners: Building the Right Kind of RelationshipIn his head, David does see a spectrum: some are more transactional services (SaaS products, integration tools), while others are strategic partners who need to understand mission, business objectives, and strategy.He tries not to use the word vendor in conversation and instead works to make everyone feel like a partner, even if their role is more narrow.When negotiating, he looks for a fair outcome on both sides — if a partner walks away with “really thin margins,” you end up with constant “change order” moments and a strained dynamic from day one.Honest Dialogue, Healthy Friction, and Psychological SafetyDavid values partners who can say things like “That's just not possible,” or “That doesn't align with the strategy you described,” instead of always saying yes.He expects and welcomes friction and hard conversations around timelines, costs, and expectations. If there's zero friction, something's probably off.Psychological safety is key: people need to feel they can disagree, say “I don't think this is working,” or ask tough questions without fearing for their job, contract, or relationship.Doing the Work: Projects, Postmortems, and “Disagree but Commit”David admits he hasn't “cracked the code” on postmortems, but he knows they only work if people feel safe enough to speak up during the project, not just after.When collaboration is done well, it may feel slow at the beginning, but it ultimately makes the work go faster and smoother than siloed, go-it-alone approaches.He likes setting expectations from the start: speak up when it's “cheap to disagree,” and embrace the idea of “disagree, but commit” so the team can move forward with one voice.Collaboration as Risk Reduction for the FutureDavid sees collaboration as a way to de‑risk his future; the stronger his network and partnerships, the better prepared he is for what's coming.Staying insular and only looking inside your own team or organization raises your risk, especially in fast-changing areas like technology and AI.By collaborating widely and intentionally, associati

Hotels train teams to spot human trafficking and other suspicious activity. Training alone doesn't solve the handoff problem. #NoVacancyNews I talk with Georgine Muntz (CEO) and Patty Jefferson (Chief Revenue Officer) at Visual Matrix about building reporting into the workflow so staff can act fast without leaving their job to go hunt down a manager.

"Culture is defined by how we treat each other when nobody's watching." This philosophy, forged in the fires of firefighting and high-stakes football, has driven the growth of one of the Pacific Northwest's most successful independent luxury real estate firms.In this episode of Gratitude Through Hard Times, Chris Schembra sits down with Nick Schleckaway, the CEO and founder of Amherst Madison. While Nick is a titan of the real estate industry, this isn't a conversation about market trends or interest rates. This is a visceral exploration of "Earned Connection"—the intentional effort required to build a sense of belonging in a world that has traded physical presence for digital convenience.Nick shares a vulnerable look at his own "hard week," discussing the weight of leadership when key team members move on and how he leans on the "lifeboat" of his family to stay afloat. Together, Chris and Nick dismantle the myth of hybrid culture, arguing that true innovation isn't found in a Zoom call, but in the friction of being together.10 Memorable Quotes:"Culture is how we treat each other when nobody's watching.""My family is my lifeboat; when the professional waters get choppy, they keep me from sinking.""Hybrid is not where you work. It's how you work.""Convenience is the enemy of connection.""Culture doesn't happen in a recorded town hall; it happens in the unscripted moments.""You can't lead a 1099 workforce with a W2 mindset.""The office isn't just a place to work; it's where trust is traded.""Leadership is defined by what you are willing to put up with.""We are trading meaningful friction for frictionless isolation.""If you want to scale belonging, you have to shrink the room."10 Key Takeaways:The 1099 Culture Challenge: Building culture for independent contractors is fundamentally different from employees; it requires creating an environment people choose to enter rather than one they are paid to stay in.The Performance Gap: There is a direct correlation between physical office presence and professional success; agents who show up in person consistently outperform those who stay remote.Convenience vs. Connection: Companies often mistake "easy" interactions (like virtual happy hours) for real culture. True belonging requires "earned connection," which often involves the effort of physical proximity.The "Lifeboat" Strategy: During professional trials, leaders must identify their personal anchors—for Nick, it is his wife Megan and children Charlotte and Beau—to maintain perspective.The Myth of Hybrid: Hybrid work should not be viewed as a location, but as a methodology. Without intentionality, hybrid often defaults to total disengagement.Friction as a Tool: Meaningful relationships require "friction"—the effort of travel, the risk of face-to-face conversation, and the lack of a "mute" button—to develop depth.Scaling via Intimacy: To impact a large organization, leaders should focus on frequent, intimate, small-group gatherings rather than infrequent, massive corporate events.Trust as Currency: In high-stakes industries like real estate, trust is the primary currency. That trust is built faster through non-verbal cues and "hallway talk" than through digital screens.Leading by Example: A leader's primary job in culture-building is modeling the behavior they want to see, especially when it comes to showing up and being present.Human-Centric Real Estate: Despite the rise of AI and digital platforms, real estate remains a deeply human, referral-based business that relies on local community ties.About our Guest: Nick Schleckaway Founder & CEO, Amherst MadisonNick Schleckaway is an entrepreneur, executive coach, and the visionary leader behind Amherst Madison, Idaho's top luxury real estate brokerage. A former firefighter and captain of the Boise State University football team, Nick brings a unique blend of "grit and grace" to the corporate world. Under his leadership, Amherst Madison has become one of the fastest-growing independent firms in the United States, known for its high standards and unique culture.Nick's perspective on resilience is shaped by his background in emergency services and his upcoming book on company culture. He is a devoted father and husband, residing in Boise, Idaho, where he continues to advocate for the power of physical presence and authentic human connection in the modern workplace.

The White House pretends that Trump's going after the bad guys as he continues to protect the alleged Epstein perpetrators. Dan Bongino postures as a crusader on the Epstein files. Photos of Ghislaine Maxwell have sparked conspiracies. The chaos behind Trump's pardons has been revealed. Price hikes are coming due to Trump's tariffs. Trump refuses to endorse anyone in the Texas senate race. Host: John Iadarola (@johniadarola) Co-Host: Yasmin Kahn (@YazzieK) ***** SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE TIKTOK  ☞        https://www.tiktok.com/@thedamagereport INSTAGRAM  ☞   https://www.instagram.com/thedamagereport TWITTER  ☞         https://twitter.com/TheDamageReport FACEBOOK  ☞     https://www.facebook.com/TheDamageReportTYT

What if the tension you're feeling right now isn't a sign that you're failing… but proof that you're growing? In this episode, I'm diving into a message I believe high-achieving women desperately need to hear: friction does not equal failure. So often, when things feel heavy, complicated, or uncomfortable in our leadership or business, we immediately turn inward and assume we did something wrong. I unpack why we mislabel normal growth friction as failure, what friction actually is, and how it shows up in real life. From evolving programs and outdated contracts to misaligned values, missed expectations, shifting relationships, and seasons ending, I walk through tangible examples that will likely hit close to home. If you've been telling yourself "I dropped the ball" or "I should have seen this coming," this conversation will gently but firmly challenge that narrative. Topics covered in this episode include: Why friction often shows up at the exact moment something is working The subtle ways growth disguises itself as inconvenience How high-achieving women unintentionally weaponize self-blame The difference between friction that refines you and misalignment that drains you The powerful questions I use to discern what's really happening beneath the tension Why missed expectations are usually a silence problem, not a character flaw How to identify the one area creating noise instead of assuming everything is broken What it actually looks like to adjust instead of quit   If this episode resonates, I invite you to take a quiet moment and ask yourself: where am I experiencing friction right now, and what might it be teaching me? Download the Strategic Wheel, do a simple self-audit, and look for the area asking for attention.  Show notes available at www.leadinglady-coaching.com/podcast   Resources Mentioned:    Down Strategic Wheel: https://leading-lady.mykajabi.com/wheel  Have you joined the Leading Ladies Facebook Group yet?! I would love to see you in there! Head to https://www.facebook.com/groups/LeadingLadiesAAL to join! Let's connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aalcoaching Let's connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leading.lady.coach/

Megyn Kelly is joined by James Fitzgerald and Maureen O'Connell, former FBI agents, to discuss newly surfaced Ring camera footage showing a mystery man in Nancy Guthrie's neighborhood days before her abduction, conflicting reports about the double backpack man, why no one is officially ruled out at this stage, a composite image generated by a renowned crime sketch artist based on the Guthrie Nest footage, why the sketch could provide a meaningful investigative lead, a bogus new bitcoin story, and more. Then Will Geddes and James Hamilton, security experts, and Chad Ayers, former SWAT team leader, to discuss the sheriff in the Guthrie case speaking out now, reports of friction between local authorities and federal agents, past history between Sheriff Nanos and the FBI, the sheriff's comments that the family is cooperating fully, saying that no one has been cleared yet, questions about the decisions made by the local law enforcement, and more. Fitzgerald-https://www.youtube.com/@ColdRedPodcast-tb2lb/featuredO'Connell- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-case-worst-case/id1240002929Geddes- https://www.icpgroupcompanies.com/index.htmlHamilton- https://www.hamiltonsecuritygroup.com/Ayers- https://www.proactiverg.com/why-proactive/about-our-leadership/ All Family Pharmacy: Order now at https://allfamilypharmacy.com/MEGYN and save 10% with code MEGYN10Dose: Support your liver and daily energy with Dose for Your Liver—get 35% off your first month at https://dosedaily.co/MK or use code MK at checkout.Veracity Selfcare: Head to https://VeracityHealth.co and use code MEGYN for up to 45% off your orderRelief Factor: Find out if Relief Factor can help you live pain-free—try the 3-Week QuickStart for just $19.95 at https://ReliefFactor.com or call 800-4-RELIEF.  Follow The Megyn Kelly Show on all social platforms:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MegynKellyTwitter: http://Twitter.com/MegynKellyShowInstagram: http://Instagram.com/MegynKellyShowFacebook: http://Facebook.com/MegynKellyShow Find out more information at:https://www.devilmaycaremedia.com/megynkellyshow Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.