Podcast appearances and mentions of Henry Ford

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Marc Andreessen is a founder, investor, and co-founder of Netscape, as well as co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). In this conversation, we dig into why we're living through a unique and one of the most incredible times in history, and what comes next.We discuss:1. Why AI is arriving at the perfect moment to counter demographic collapse and declining productivity2. How Marc has raised his 10-year-old kid to thrive in an AI-driven world3. What's actually going to happen with AI and jobs (spoiler: he thinks the panic is “totally off base”)4. The “Mexican standoff” that's happening between product managers, designers, and engineers5. Why you should still learn to code (even with AI)6. How to develop an “E-shaped” career that combines multiple skills, with AI as a force multiplier7. The career advice he keeps coming back to (“Don't be fungible”)8. How AI can democratize one-on-one tutoring, potentially transforming education9. His media diet: X and old books, nothing in between—Brought to you by:DX—The developer intelligence platform designed by leading researchersBrex—The banking solution for startupsDatadog—Now home to Eppo, the leading experimentation and feature flagging platform—Episode transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/marc-andreessen-the-real-ai-boom—Archive of all Lenny's Podcast transcripts: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yxi4s2w998p1gvtpu4193/AMdNPR8AOw0lMklwtnC0TrQ?rlkey=j06x0nipoti519e0xgm23zsn9&st=ahz0fj11&dl=0—Where to find Marc Andreessen:• X: https://x.com/pmarca• Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com• Andreessen Horowitz's website: https://a16z.com• Andreessen Horowitz's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@a16z—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Marc Andreessen(04:27) The historic moment we're living in(06:52) The impact of AI on society(11:14) AI's role in education and parenting(22:15) The future of jobs in an AI-driven world(30:15) Marc's past predictions(35:35) The Mexican standoff of tech roles(39:28) Adapting to changing job tasks(42:15) The shift to scripting languages(44:50) The importance of understanding code(51:37) The value of design in the AI era(53:30) The T-shaped skill strategy(01:02:05) AI's impact on founders and companies(01:05:58) The concept of one-person billion-dollar companies(01:08:33) Debating AI moats and market dynamics(01:14:39) The rapid evolution of AI models(01:18:05) Indeterminate optimism in venture capital(01:22:17) The concept of AGI and its implications(01:30:00) Marc's media diet(01:36:18) Favorite movies and AI voice technology(01:39:24) Marc's product diet(01:43:16) Closing thoughts and recommendations—Referenced:• Linus Torvalds on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linustorvalds• The philosopher's stone: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher%27s_stone• Alexander the Great: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great• Aristotle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle• Bloom's 2 sigma problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom%27s_2_sigma_problem• Alpha School: https://alpha.school• In Tech We Trust? A Debate with Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen: https://a16z.com/in-tech-we-trust-a-debate-with-peter-thiel-and-marc-andreessen• John Woo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Woo• Assembly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assembly_language• C programming language: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_(programming_language)• Python: https://www.python.org• Netscape: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape• Perl: https://www.perl.org• Scott Adams: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Adams• Larry Summers's website: https://larrysummers.com• Nano Banana: https://gemini.google/overview/image-generation• Bitcoin: https://bitcoin.org• Ethereum: https://ethereum.org• Satoshi Nakamoto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satoshi_Nakamoto• Inside ChatGPT: The fastest-growing product in history | Nick Turley (Head of ChatGPT at OpenAI): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-chatgpt-nick-turley• Anthropic co-founder on quitting OpenAI, AGI predictions, $100M talent wars, 20% unemployment, and the nightmare scenarios keeping him up at night | Ben Mann: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/anthropic-co-founder-benjamin-mann• Inside Google's AI turnaround: The rise of AI Mode, strategy behind AI Overviews, and their vision for AI-powered search | Robby Stein (VP of Product, Google Search): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-google-built-ai-mode-in-under-a-year• DeepSeek: https://www.deepseek.com• Cowork: https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13345190-getting-started-with-cowork• Definite vs. indefinite thinking: Notes from Zero to One by Peter Thiel: https://boxkitemachine.net/posts/zero-to-one-peter-thiel-definite-vs-indefinite-thinking• Henry Ford: https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/stories-of-innovation/visionaries/henry-ford• Lex Fridman Podcast: https://lexfridman.com/podcast• $46B of hard truths from Ben Horowitz: Why founders fail and why you need to run toward fear (a16z co-founder): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/46b-of-hard-truths-from-ben-horowitz• Eddington: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31176520• Joaquin Phoenix: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joaquin_Phoenix• Pedro Pascal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Pascal• George Floyd: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Floyd• Replit: https://replit.com• Behind the product: Replit | Amjad Masad (co-founder and CEO): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/behind-the-product-replit-amjad-masad• Grok Bad Rudi: https://grok.com/badrudi• Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai• Star Trek: The Next Generation: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092455• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8622160• a16z: The Power Brokers: https://www.notboring.co/p/a16z-the-power-brokers—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Toward the end of his life, the great inventor Thomas Edison became obsessed with one final project: finding a source of rubber that could grow in the United States. It would transform his Florida home into a bonafide botanical laboratory.This episode was produced in partnership with Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods. Find more information about the Edison and Ford estates here. If you'd like to learn more about Edison's life in Florida check out this biography by Michele Wehrwein Albion. Find out more information about Henry Ford's search for rubber sources in a previous episode of the Atlas Obscura podcast, “Fordlandia.”We always want to hear from you! If you have a question or story for us, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send an email to hello@atlasobscura.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Want to build skills like this to help your team succeed in 2026? ⁠Learn about our Capability Catalyst program⁠. Enterprise change is getting harder, not easier—and in 2026, “having the right ideas” isn't enough to move transformation. You need personal capability that lets you see what's really happening, design with real users, and move groups through hard conversations without turning everything into theater. Good intentions and smart frameworks may have worked in the past, but what got us here won't get us where we need to go. In this episode, Rodney and Sam dive deep on the three most useful transformation enabling skills for the coming year, and share practical ways for how to level up your capability toolkit to thrive in our current pace of change. -------------------------------- Ready to change your organization? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Let's talk.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get our newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------- Mentioned references: Sam's teaching metacognition Bloom's taxonomy "MG" - McChrystal Group situational awareness "the balcony" The Mom Test The Future of HR Matt Basford "business model fit chart" "Henry Ford quote" Liberating Structures 00:00 Intro + Check-In: What's good right now? 04:09 The Pattern 05:49 Skill 1: Metacognitive awareness 10:16 Reframing your interactions and experiences 15:57 Building your metacognition skills 21:05 Skill 2: User-Centered Design and Feedback 28:45 User feedback is not a one time activity 34:34 Skill 3: Expert facilitation 39:39 Real skilled facilitation is mostly invisible 43:03 Lots of work happens outside the room 50:08 Leveling up as a facilitator 52:30 Wrap up: Leave the show a review and share with a friend Sound engineering and design by Taylor Marvin of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Coupe Studios⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Jan. 25, 2026 ~ Host Dave Lorenz highlights various museums across the state. These include the Michigan Maritime Museum, the Frankenmuth Historical Museum, and The Henry Ford. The show also features the Michigan Science Center, with its newly upgraded planetarium and immersive exhibits. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE! PART TWOThe Gill House stands as a striking example of Victorian architecture and a reminder of Galion's prosperous past. Built by Bloomer Gill as a grand family residence, the home quickly became a social centerpiece—hosting lavish gatherings and welcoming notable visitors, including Andrew Firestone, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford.Today, the distinguished guests are gone—but many believe something else has taken their place. Visitors and investigators report hearing children's laughter drifting from the attic and seeing shadowy figures moving through the halls. The most unsettling activity is said to occur in the basement, where disembodied voices, screams, and encounters with a ghostly figure known as “Johnny Cake” have been reported. After the home passed to the Talbott family, some believe Old Mrs. Talbott never truly left, making her presence known through tapping sounds and swirling mists. In this episode of The Grave Talks, we explore the Gill House's history—and what may still linger within its walls.#TheGraveTalks #GillHouse #HauntedOhio #VictorianHauntings #HistoricHauntings #ParanormalPodcast #HauntedLocations #UnexplainedEncounters #GhostStoriesLove real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE!The Gill House stands as a striking example of Victorian architecture and a reminder of Galion's prosperous past. Built by Bloomer Gill as a grand family residence, the home quickly became a social centerpiece—hosting lavish gatherings and welcoming notable visitors, including Andrew Firestone, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford.Today, the distinguished guests are gone—but many believe something else has taken their place. Visitors and investigators report hearing children's laughter drifting from the attic and seeing shadowy figures moving through the halls. The most unsettling activity is said to occur in the basement, where disembodied voices, screams, and encounters with a ghostly figure known as “Johnny Cake” have been reported. After the home passed to the Talbott family, some believe Old Mrs. Talbott never truly left, making her presence known through tapping sounds and swirling mists. In this episode of The Grave Talks, we explore the Gill House's history—and what may still linger within its walls.#TheGraveTalks #GillHouse #HauntedOhio #VictorianHauntings #HistoricHauntings #ParanormalPodcast #HauntedLocations #UnexplainedEncounters #GhostStories Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

Standing Together #RTTBROS #Nightlight"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up." — Ecclesiastes 4:9-10You know, I watched an old movie the other night called "Support Your Local Sheriff." James Garner plays this stranger who rides into a lawless mining town where chaos rules and everybody's looking out for themselves. He becomes the sheriff and slowly brings order to the place.But here's what caught my attention: when the final confrontation with the bad guys comes, it's not just the sheriff standing alone. The whole town has to come together, stand shoulder to shoulder, or they're going to lose everything.That made me think of something Henry Ford once said: "Coming together is a beginning; staying together is progress; working together is success." And friends, I'm too soon old and too late smart on this one.See, God's work was never meant to be done by lone rangers. When Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, every family worked on the section in front of their own house. Moses had Aaron and Hur holding up his arms. Jesus sent the disciples out two by two, never alone.Here's what I've noticed over the years: the enemy loves isolation. He wants you thinking you're the only one fighting, the only one struggling. But that's a lie. Scripture says, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is" (Hebrews 10:24-25).Every church needs the people of the church, not just the pastor or a few staff workers, but everyone, active and involved for the ministry to have the impact it should. When we come together, stay together, and work together, that's when we see God do amazing things.When one person is weak, another is strong. When one is discouraged, another brings hope. When the battle gets intense, we lock shields and stand together.So let me ask you: are you trying to fight your battles alone? You weren't meant to do this alone. The lawless town needed everybody standing together. And in our spiritual battles, we need each other too.Let's pray: Father, help us remember we're not alone in this fight. Draw us together as Your people. Help us stand shoulder to shoulder and labor together for Your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.#Faith #Unity #ChurchFamily #SpiritualWarfare #TogetherInChrist #BiblicalWisdom #StrongerTogether #RTTBROS #NightlightBe sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe it helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

An employer stock option plan can be a valuable company benefit as a compliment to your employees' retirement savings, but it can also be a powerful tool to facilitate a business owner's exit strategy. Nathan discusses the ins and outs of ESOPs, who they may be appropriate for, and why an employer may choose sell their company to their employees rather than on the open market. Also, on our MoneyTalk Moment in Financial History, Nathan and Daniel take us through the complicated legacy of one of the Industrial Revolution's greatest contributors, Henry Ford. Host: Nathan Beauvais, CFP®, CIMA®, CPWA®; Special Guest: Daniel Sowa; Air Date: 1/14/2026. Have a question for the hosts? Leave a message on the MoneyTalk Hotline at (401) 587-SOWA and have your voice heard live on the air!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 383 applies Napoleon Hill's timeless principles to sales, showing how decision, persistence, and the mastermind turn inner preparation into consistent results. Learn practical, neuroscience-backed actions to make clear decisions, sustain effort through resistance, and multiply success by aligning with the right people. Welcome back to Season 15 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast — where we bridge the science behind social and emotional learning, emotional intelligence, and practical neuroscience to create measurable improvements in well-being, achievement, productivity, and results. I'm Andrea Samadi. And seven years ago, when we launched this podcast, it was driven by a question I had never been taught to ask — either in school, in business, or in life: If productivity and results matter — and they matter now more than ever — how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to work with our brain instead of against it. We were taught what to do — but not how to think, decide, persist, or align with others in ways that produce consistent results. That question pulled me into a decade-long exploration of the mind–brain–results connection — and how neuroscience can be applied to everyday decisions, conversations, and performance. That's why this podcast exists. Each week, I bring you the world's leading experts so we can break down complex science — and turn it into practical strategies you can apply immediately for predictable, science-backed outcomes. And that brings us to today's Episode 383 — where we are going back to reconnect to a powerful 6-part series we originally recorded in 2022 around a book that has shaped achievement for generations: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Connecting Back to Our 6-Part Think and Grow Rich Series[i] We used that book as a framework to launch our year, back in 2022, walking chapter by chapter through the principles my mentor, Bob Proctor, studied for over 50 years of his life. Not casually. Not occasionally. But as a daily discipline for creating results — in business, health, relationships, and purpose. That 6-part series was about the basics — the inner mechanics that govern all achievement. And those basics still matter just as much today. What we're doing now is not revisiting this material because it's old. We're revisiting it because it's timeless. PART 3 — From Decision to Momentum Decision • Persistence • The Power of the Mastermind In Part 3 today, of our Think and Grow Rich for Sales study, we move from inner preparation to outer execution. Up to this point, the earlier chapters have shaped belief, certainty, vision, and authority. But results are not created by preparation alone. They are created when inner mastery is followed by decisive action, sustained effort, and collective intelligence. This is where most people stall—and where sales mastery is forged. Decision We begin with Decision, the moment where intention becomes irreversible. Indecision leaks certainty. Decision creates momentum. Successful people decide quickly and change course slowly. In sales, this means committing to your value, your process, and your outcome before the conversation begins—so hesitation never enters the room. Persistence Next comes Persistence, the force that carries decisions through resistance, delay, and rejection. Persistence is not intensity—it is refusal to quit when progress is invisible. In sales, persistence keeps conversations alive, turns “no” into information, and allows momentum to compound long after others have disengaged. The Power of the Mastermind Finally, we arrive at The Power of the Mastermind—where individual effort becomes exponential. When two or more minds unite in harmony around a definite purpose, a third force emerges: clarity, creativity, and certainty launch beyond individual thinking. This chapter reveals why no great achievement—and no sustained sales success—is built alone. Decision commits you. Persistence carries you. The Mastermind multiplies you. Together, these three principles turn vision into execution and effort into inevitable results. EP 383 — Think and Grow Rich for Sales where we're applying those same principles through a very specific lens — one I've wanted to explore for a long time. Sales. Not sales as tactics. Not sales as scripts. But sales as the external expression of inner mastery. Because here's the truth: You don't need to be in sales for these principles to work — but if you are in sales, they become a powerful advantage. Why Part 3 Matters Today we're covering Decision, Persistence, and The Power of the Mastermind — the principles that separate intention from execution. Up until now in this series, (PART 1 and PART 2) we've been building the inner foundation: Thought Desire Faith Autosuggestion Specialized Knowledge Imagination Organized Planning Those chapters shape belief, certainty, authority, and vision. But Part 3 is where things get real. Because: Decision is where hesitation ends. Persistence is where most people quit. The Mastermind is where momentum multiplies. This is the phase where inner mastery must turn into consistent action, even when results are delayed, resistance appears, or confidence wavers. How the 6-Part Series Maps Directly to Sales Mastery Every principle we covered in 2022 becomes a sales advantage when applied intentionally. Each chapter: Upgrades your inner state Shapes how you show up in conversations Influences the certainty others feel around you And determines whether opportunities compound… or stall That's why this series is called: Think and Grow Rich for Sales How Inner Mastery Becomes Sales Results Inspired by Think and Grow Rich — through a modern neuroscience + sales lens So today, as we move into Decision, Persistence, and The Power of the Mastermind, ask yourself one question: Where in your life — or your sales process — have you been preparing… but not fully deciding? Because once a decision is made — and backed by persistence and you've got the right people to support you — everything begins to move. Let's begin PART 3. Chapter VIII: Decision Core Idea Decision is the moment where intention becomes irreversible. Success is not delayed by lack of ability, knowledge, or opportunity—it is delayed by indecision. Those who succeed decide quickly, commit fully, and change course slowly. In sales (and life), certainty follows decision, not the other way around.   Sales Application Decide before the call who you are, what you stand for, and the value you bring. This starts with you on the inside, and reflects to others on the outside. Eliminate hesitation by committing to the outcome, not the comfort Stop outsourcing decisions to opinions, objections, or fear of rejection Make decisions promptly, then execute consistently without reopening the question Understand that most stalled deals are not about price or timing—they're about your certainty When you (as the leader) decide fully: Your tone steadies Your message sharpens Your presence communicates leadership Buyers feel that decisiveness immediately. Listener Takeaway Indecision leaks certainty. Decision creates forward momentum. You don't get stuck because you chose the wrong path. You get stuck because you never fully chose one at all. Once a decision is made—and all other options are removed—behavior aligns, confidence follows, and results begin to compound.   The Moment Where Commitment Creates Momentum Napoleon Hill opens Chapter 8 on Decision with a striking conclusion drawn from an accurate analysis of over 25,000 men and women who had experienced failure: “Lack of decision was near the head of the list of the 30 major causes of failure.” (CH 8, p. 157, Think and Grow Rich) Hill is clear—this is not theory. It is fact. Those who succeed, he explains, “had the habit of reaching decisions promptly and of changing these decisions slowly, if and when they were changed.” (CH 8, p. 157) In contrast, those who fail hesitate, (have you ever heard a LEADER say “I don't know?) NEVER! They never second-guess, or remain trapped in indecision—and others often mistake their delay for being cautious. Decision Is a Habit, Not a Moment Hill points to Henry Ford as a living example of decisiveness in action. One of Ford's most outstanding qualities, Hill writes, was “his habit of reaching decisions quickly and definitely, and changing them slowly.” (CH 8, p. 158) This distinction matters. Successful people are not reckless—but once they decide, they commit. They do not constantly reopen the question. They move forward. Hill challenges the reader directly: “You have a brain and mind of your own. Use it, and reach your own decisions.” (CH 8, p. 159) Indecision, he argues, is often the result of allowing the opinions of others to dilute our own thinking. The more people we consult, the more fragmented our certainty becomes. Decision Requires Courage Decision, by its nature, demands courage. Hill reminds us that “the great decisions which served as the foundation of civilization were reached by assuming great risks.” (CH 8, p. 160) History is filled with individuals who stepped forward before there was certainty—people who acted without guarantees, yet changed the course of their lives and the world. This truth resonated deeply with me years ago, before I made the decision to move from Toronto to the United States. Around that time, I purchased a poster that still hangs in my office today. It's on the top of my bookshelf, to the right of my desk in my field of view. At the top of this picture is the word COURAGE, followed by a poem attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: The poster says- *“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” Make your decisions and NEVER look back. Closing Thought — Chapter VIII: Decision Clarity does not come before the decision. Clarity comes because of the decision. The moment you decide—fully, cleanly, and without retreat—your behavior changes, your energy stabilizes, and your certainty becomes visible to others. That certainty is what moves conversations forward, closes deals, and creates momentum. Indecision keeps you negotiating with fear. Decision puts you back in leadership. Once a decision is made, the path begins to reveal itself—and persistence becomes possible. And that's where we're headed next. Chapter IX: Persistence The Force That Turns Intention Into Inevitability Core Idea Persistence is the sustained application of will over time. It is not intensity. It is not motivation. It is refusal to quit when progress is invisible. This is where we need our belief, our faith and imagination to come into play. Napoleon Hill describes persistence as “to character, what carbon is to steel.” (CH 9, p. 178, TAGR) Without it, even the strongest ideas collapse. With it, ordinary effort becomes extraordinary. Those who succeed are often misunderstood—not because they are reckless, but because they are unwilling to stop. Hill writes that successful people are often seen as “cold-blooded or ruthless,” when in reality, “what they have is willpower, which they mix with persistence.” (CH 9, p. 175) Persistence is the bridge between decision and the results that you attain. Sales Application In sales, persistence is not pressure—it is professional resolve. Persistence keeps you in the conversation after the first “no” It transforms rejection into information to uncover more It replaces emotional reaction with strategic and timely follow-up It conditions you to ask better questions instead of walking away A persistent salesperson does not hear “no” as rejection—they hear it as: “Not now” “Not this way” “Not with this information” So they ask: What changed? What would need to be true for this to move forward? Is timing, budget, or authority the real obstacle? Persistence is what allows a salesperson to: Maintain relationships when deals stall To be able to re-enter conversations when conditions change Be remembered when others disappear Without persistence, opportunities die quietly. With persistence, doors reopen. Strengthening Your Persistence Muscle Persistence is not a personality trait—it is a trained discipline. One of the most powerful exercises I learned while working with Bob Proctor was designed specifically to build persistence into habit. The assignment was simple: Read Chapter 9 Persistence from Think and Grow Rich — every day, for 14 days in a row. Miss one day? You start over at Day 1. Years later, in 2019, Paul Martinelli issued the same challenge to me. I thought it would be easy. It wasn't. Life intervenes. Schedules shift. Distractions will appear during your reading time. One morning, as I was reading early in my office, one of my kids came in not feeling well. I put the book down to help her. The day began—and I missed the chapter. What happened next mattered: I had to remove something else from my schedule to stay committed. That's the lesson. Persistence isn't tested when things are convenient. It's tested when something reasonable tries to knock it off course. Try this challenge yourself. Track every day. Notice what shows up to distract you. You'll learn more about yourself in those 14 days than you ever could have expected. Listener Takeaway Persistence compounds quietly. It doesn't announce itself. It doesn't feel dramatic. But over time, it becomes unbeatable. Most people stop just before momentum begins. Persistence is staying in motion long enough for the tide to turn. When to Let Go Persistence is not stubbornness. There are moments when walking away is appropriate—but only after your best effort has been applied. My Dad used to say: “Andrea, what's for you won't go by you.” I've found that to be true. When persistence has been honored—when you've shown up fully, asked the hard questions, followed through consistently—clarity eventually arrives. Sometimes the answer is not yet. Sometimes it's not this. Sometimes it's something better. Force negates. Persistence clarifies. Final Thought — Chapter IX: Persistence Persistence is not heroic in the moment. It is heroic in hindsight. It is the quiet decision to show up again— to follow through again— to believe again— long after most people would have stopped. Without persistence, talent fades. With persistence, effort compounds. And once persistence is in place, the power of the Mastermind becomes unstoppable. That's where we go next. Chapter X: The Power of the Mastermind Why Sales Is Never a Solo Game Collective intelligence multiplies results. Core Idea A Mastermind is not a meeting. It is not networking. It is not collaboration for convenience. A Mastermind is the creation of a third force. Napoleon Hill defines it clearly: “No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible, intangible force that may be likened to a third mind.” (CH 10, p. 195, Think and Grow Rich) This chapter reveals that achievement accelerates when two or more minds unite in harmony around a definite purpose. What emerges is a form of collective intelligence—greater than any one individual's thinking. Hill calls this power: “The Master Mind may be defined as coordinated knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.” (CH 10, p. 195) This is where vision gains momentum—and plans finally move. Sales Application In sales, the Mastermind is a force multiplier. It sharpens thinking beyond individual blind spots It accelerates problem-solving when deals stall It stabilizes certainty when confidence wavers It prevents isolation, which quietly erodes persistence Sales is often practiced alone—but mastery is built together. High-performing sales professionals: Test ideas with trusted thinking partners Debrief losses without ego Share language, patterns, objections, and breakthroughs Borrow certainty when needed—and lend it when others falter When you bring your challenges into the right room, clarity emerges faster. As Hill reminds us: “Plans are inert and useless without sufficient power to translate them into action.” (CH 10, p. 193) The Mastermind is that power. Why the Mastermind Works Hill explains this principle through energy: “The human mind is a form of energy.” (CH 10, p. 196) When minds align, energy compounds. I first felt this power in May of 2001, working in the seminar industry, listening to the late Doug Wead speak on what he called “The Third-Party Principle.” He described it as a triple-braided cord—a force formed when two or more people come together around a shared aim. If you've ever been part of a true Mastermind, you know the feeling: Ideas flow differently Certainty increases Problems shrink Creativity replaces competition You don't leave the same way you arrived. Listener Takeaway You do not need to be the smartest person in the room. You need to be in the right room. Progress accelerates when you stop trying to think your way forward alone. One plus one does not equal two. In a Mastermind, one plus one equals three. Have you ever felt this? The creation of a third mind, when speaking with two or more people? It's a powerful experience. How to Create Your Own Mastermind WHO to Invite People who share your values and beliefs People who think differently than you People who challenge assumptions without attacking identity Hill even notes: “Some of the best sources for creating your own Mastermind are your own employees.” (CH 10, p. 200) Seek harmony, not sameness. WHEN to Meet Commit to a consistent cadence (monthly or quarterly) Meet for at least one year Treat it as non-negotiable Momentum requires continuity. WHAT to Notice Over time, you'll observe: A calm certainty replacing mental noise Creativity emerging where frustration once lived New pathways revealed where you saw roadblocks Others will see progress when you see obstacles. That's the power. Historical Proof Hill reminds us: “Henry Ford began his business career under the handicap of poverty, illiteracy, and ignorance…” (CH 10, p. 197) Ford's most rapid growth began when he aligned with Thomas Edison. Modern examples echo the same truth: Bill Gates Steve Jobs Jeff Bezos None built alone. All relied on thinking partners. Final Thought — Chapter X: The Power of the Mastermind No great achievement is the result of isolated brilliance. It is the result of aligned minds, sustained harmony, and shared purpose. Decision commits you. Persistence carries you. But the Mastermind multiplies you. When the right minds come together, progress no longer depends on force— it becomes inevitable. And with that, the formula is complete.

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Why B2B Lead Qualification Fails and How to Fix It  Traffic is cheap, but qualified B2B sales conversions are not. Too many CMOs in the B2B space are watching brilliant creative go to waste at the top of the marketing funnel because what's passing through as a “qualified lead” often isn't really qualified. How can B2B marketers identify where the real lead qualification bottleneck is? Why is rethinking how MQLs are defined, scored, and routed one the most strategic fixes a CMO can make to improve pipeline performance? That's why we're talking to Gabe Lullo (CEO, Alleyoop), who shared some insights around why B2B lead qualification fails and how to fix it at the top of the funnel. During our discussion, Gabe challenged the common misconception that poor lead quality is the issue when sales aren't closing. Instead, he emphasized the importance of a clearly-defined Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), a strong product-market fit, and a well-mapped B2B sales journey. Gabe also stressed the need for A/B testing, identifying and resolving funnel bottlenecks, and using data-driven decision-making to improve lead conversion rates. He underscored the value of nurturing leads and cautioned B2B marketers against dismissing traditional marketing channels without rigorous testing. https://youtu.be/KXVmywNsfP0 Topics discussed in episode: [02:36] Why top-of-funnel lead qualification breaks down in B2B. [16:37] How to define and operationalize your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). [12:17] When MQLs hurt more than they help, and how to fix them. [26:14] How A/B testing and data-driven decisions improve lead conversion. [27:53] Why lead nurturing is critical to long sales cycles. [34:05] When to test (not abandon) traditional B2B marketing channels. Companies and links mentioned: Gabe Lullo on LinkedIn  Alleyoop  ZoomInfo  Salesloft  Adobe  Transcript SPEAKERS Gabe Lullo, Christian Klepp Gabe Lullo  00:00 So we’re doing top of funnel activities, and then we’re sending leads over. The sales team takes them, and then what we find, a lot, we hear this all the time, is leads aren’t closing. And what’s interesting is that it was never a lead problem. It was more of a, you know, seller problem. I don’t mean to put blame on it, but companies come to us saying, hey, my sellers are saying we don’t have enough leads, we don’t have better leads, we don’t have good leads, and they’re the ones complaining about the lead. So they come to us to fix the lead problem. We fix the lead problem, but it doesn’t fix the revenue problem. It’s still not closing. So what is it? Christian Klepp  00:30 Traffic is cheap, but conversion is not too many CMOs (Chief Marketing Officer) are watching brilliant, creative go to waste at the top of the funnel, because what’s passing through as qualified just isn’t so how can you identify where the real bottleneck is, and why is rethinking how MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) are defined and scored the single most strategic fix? A CMO can make welcome to this episode of the B2B Marketers on the Mission podcast, and I’m your host, Christian Klepp. Today, I’ll be talking to Gabe Lullo, who will be answering these questions. He’s the CEO of Alleyoop, a sales development agency working with industry giants such as ZoomInfo, Salesloft and Adobe. Tune in to find out more about what this B2B Marketers Mission is, and off we go. Mr. Gabe Lullo, welcome to the show, sir. Gabe Lullo  01:17 Christian. Thank you so much. First off, I’m a huge fan of yours, so is my team, and we just appreciate all that you do for the industry. And I’m so excited to be here. Thanks for the invite. Christian Klepp  01:28 Wow, wow. Thank you. Thank you so much. Right off the gate with the praise, thank you, sir. Gabe Lullo  01:33 Well, you deserve it, man, you’re the best. What do you do. I love it. I love your show, and I love being a part of that. Christian Klepp  01:38 I appreciate that. I appreciate that. You know, we really had an awesome, like, pre-interview conversation. I’m gonna say, like, you know, talking about coming up to Toronto and Buffalo and what have you. And I’m really looking forward to this conversation, Gabe, because, man, you know, what? As much as some Marketers probably don’t want to hear this. It’s an, I think this is an absolutely necessary conversation to have. Right this topic that we’re going to talk about, and I will not keep the audience in suspense for too long. I’m just going to jump into the first question, if you don’t mind. Gabe Lullo  02:09 Yeah, no problem. Let’s get right into it. Christian Klepp  02:11 All right, so Gabe, you’re on a mission to provide the ultimate assist to your clients by setting them up for success. So for this conversation, let’s zero in on the following topic of how B2B Marketers can fix qualification at the top. So here comes the first question in our previous conversation. You talked about many marketing funnels being a leaky bucket. Can you please explain what you meant by that? Gabe Lullo  02:36 Yeah, I think companies right now are going to market in a very hodgepodge type of way, you know, ICP (Ideal Customer Profile), you know, we throw that terminal around a lot, and, you know, people think they know what it is, or feel like they have it drilled down, or feel like it’s completely locked, locked in. And then clients invite us in, and we realize it’s not the case, and it’s not just what the ideal client profile is, which, of course, is quintessential to going to market, and it’s really the first step to qualification, isn’t it, right? But on the other side of it, it is, you know, is there a product market fit? Is there a pricing that needs to be aligned? What’s the competitive landscape look like? So when we’re having live conversations, our sellers are making, you know, 11 million cold calls a year. That’s front of the line conversations, right? And we can hear, understand, and truly, you know, debrief with what each call is sounding like, so we can then narrow in what those qualifications should be. You know, a lot of you know, let’s say VPs of sales come into the sales development side of the house or the marketing side of the house, and they apply sales training methodologies to top of funnel qualifications, and it really gets broken as well. So there’s a lot to unpack, but I’ll give you an example. You know, band for instance, but you know budget authority needed timing. Like, is that really the right qualification at the top of the funnel, or does that really, you know, evolve the seller and the demo and the discovery call at that moment in time. So really understanding who’s in charge of that top of funnel and what their experience is also as a part of it, in my opinion. Christian Klepp  04:13 Absolutely, absolutely and you’re absolutely right. There’s so much to unpack here, but I have to ask just from your experience, and I know you have a lot, it seems like it’s just, there’s so many moving parts in this ecosystem, and a lot of like, well, what causes the leaky funnel? I’m gonna say is a lot of the things that you just mentioned, right? It’s a lack of understanding of who the actual ICP is. It’s probably also, especially the bigger the the organization gets sorry to everyone out there, but the lack of ownership and accountability, the lack of an actual strategy, like, where’s this all gonna go? Right? Gabe Lullo  04:54 Oh, it’s interesting. Yeah, I find this to be our except we so we’re doing top of the funnel activities, and we’re sending leads over, the sales team takes them, and then what we find, a lot, we hear this all the time, is leads aren’t closing. And what’s interesting is that it was never a lead problem. It was more of a seller problem. Now I don’t mean to put blame on it, but companies come to us saying, hey, my sellers are saying we don’t have enough leads, we don’t have better leads, we don’t have good leads, and they’re the ones complaining about the lead so they come to us to fix the lead problem. We fix the lead problem, but it doesn’t fix the revenue problem. It’s still not closing. So what is it? It’s the entire channel, right? It’s the entire sales journey, and we have to make sure that all of those things are working like an engine, right? All the cylinders are working at the same time in the same motion, to truly know what the problem may be. So that that’s really exposed a lot when we step in and start doing top of funnel activities, Christian Klepp  05:55 Absolutely, absolutely. And that segues into the next question, which I feel you’ve already answered to a certain extent. But where do you feel the true bottleneck lies, and that may be dependent on the company, right? Because each company maybe has a different set of challenges. And most importantly, okay, where does the bottleneck lie? And how do how can B2B Marketing teams help address the bottleneck and not be part of the bottleneck? Gabe Lullo  06:21 Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there’s an eight step approach to sales. That’s what we call your sales journey, right? You have, obviously, you know, list building, and then we have, of course, outreach, we have qualification, we have discovery call, we have demo, we have, you know, closing or negotiating. We have client success. I mean, that’s the basic funnel, if you will. So is our, I should say, all of those things operating at the best of its ability. And what is broken, and it’s, it’s the old, you know, Henry Ford approach the assembly line. You know, there’s an assembly line and building a car, and there’s an assembly line in sales. And you have to know those steps, firstly, two, you have to know if those steps are working correctly, and figure out where that bottleneck is, and then, you know, take those blockers away so that those cars are flowing in and the production line doesn’t stop and we’re, you know, executing on the results that we need to serve our clients. Christian Klepp  07:16 100% agree. But now I’m gonna throw in another like wild card question, and I know you can handle it, right? When companies like yours come in to help organizations, right, there are times, even from my own experience, where the internal teams look at you and go, What are those guys doing here? Right? Like, is my job on the line. So they feel, they feel threatened, right by by somebody coming in and providing an external perspective. So I guess the question is, how do you deal with that kind of push back to help fix this leaky marketing funnel? Gabe Lullo  07:57 Yeah, it’s very important, right? Because a lot of companies come, you know, come in like us, and say, You know what, we’re going to come in here and try to solve the problem, or rip and replace or threaten the job. And it’s interesting, our point of contact, usually is the person who may be, you know, being fired because of our success. Well, we don’t want to approach it that way. So we set clear expectations that, hey, listen, we’re not here to rip and replace we are here to work as a parallel to what you’re existing doing, so we can A/B test and share best practices and be collective in those results. A lot of companies who have existing teams in place usually put us in scenarios where we’re bringing something new to market, or we’re reaching out to a market that is you know, you know, a new product line or a new segment, and we’re bringing that in. We do, however, see about a 20 to 30% increase in existing production when an outside partner comes in, because, again, we are sharing best practices. We’re all working together, but there is some pressure on the line when they see it. You know, another great player on the team playing ball. However, we did put a mechanism in place that really helps alleviate the fear, if you will, of that rip and replace scenario. Very unique thing to us, only a handful of companies I know about, of hundreds and if not thousands, that do what we do, do this. And here’s what it is, a lot of companies want to hire everything within and bring everything in house, in the sales development side within, because they graduate those people into account executives or closers or higher level performers or managers, so that graduation of career placement is there if you do it in house. So what we say is, you know what? You can have that great feeling of growing and building your team in house with us too. So all of our reps (representatives) who come work here, and all of our clients who enroll with us know that they can hire our reps and and bring them into their payroll and into their in house team with our help. So that’s a really good way of curving the fear, because they know, hey, this person who’s executing this outbound activity could be our next closer, and we can hire them to not take again, to not take away from what their current teams are doing, but to add to and grow that existing team they have. Christian Klepp  10:14 Absolutely, absolutely, and you know where I’m going with this, right? Because, like, you know, far too often, especially the higher ups that are not involved in the day to day, that are looking at this from the, I call it the Mount Olympus perspective, right, looking down at the land of the living, right? Like, why are you bringing in an external partner? Isn’t that your job to fix it? Right? But there are benefits to your point of, like, bringing in somebody that’s external, that’s not privy to, perhaps, some of the bias, some of the, certainly, the, certainly the organizational like dynamics and politics, which may, may be more detrimental than useful, right? Gabe Lullo  10:50 Yeah. I mean, we do punchy contracts, right? We have a six month minimum engagement. But so when we do that, you know, we’re saying, Hey, listen, we’re, we’re going to work with you for six months. We’re going to give it everything we got. And if it’s something you want to bring in-house from our team, great. If it’s you want to continue, great, or if you’ve learned a lot and you’re able to duplicate our efforts, also great too. So again, we’re not going in there saying, Oh, this is our world. Now. Get out of the way. Good luck, you know, and giving pink slips to people, it’s about really, again, how can we help? How can we assist? How can we hit this number? It’s not getting hit. There has to be reasons why. And let’s figure those numbers out, and let’s figure out the reasons why. And then, and then we move on, you know. So there’s short contracts, and then there’s very, very long contracts, you know, ZoomInfo has been a client off and on for the last decade. We’re doing a program right now where they just launched a lot of cool things, and we’re helping them so companies like that, size and stature, still come to outside help when necessary, when the timing is right and the fit is right. Christian Klepp  11:55 Amazing. Amazing. All right. Next question. So why do you believe rethinking how MQLs are defined and scored as the most strategic fix that a CMO can make, and what are some of these other key pitfalls that Marketers should avoid, and what should they be doing instead? I mean, let’s, let’s keep the conversation constructive here, right? Gabe Lullo  12:17 So defining and scoring MQLs is by far one of the first things, if not the most important thing, to start with, right? Because that is, again, the start of that assembly line. You know, garbage in, garbage out. And so if we’re not actually understanding why those MQLs are, the MQLs that we are saying they are, and what those triggering events are causing them to be considered. MQLs could truly dictate whether or not we’re receiving garbage into the funnel versus excellence and extraordinary leads and MQLs into the funnel. So again, it’s going back to that ICP, like we discussed earlier. It’s determining, okay, are these worthy and does it make sense to continue this, lead this MQL down the funnel, and will it produce results? Should it even be in the system at all? So knowing that up front, like I said earlier, it’s like the raw material. You know, if you have really bad raw material that you’re using to build your cars, you know, no matter how great it comes out at the other end, it’s not going to be a quality vehicle. So it’s that, it’s the raw material that we need to make sure that’s first and foremost, because it’s the start of the entire process. Christian Klepp  13:29 Yeah, yeah, no, that’s for sure. Because, you know, how many times have you heard that, right? Like the marketing team says, well, we’ve, we’ve got, we’ve generated the MQLs, we’ve passed them on to the sales team now, so we’re good, yeah, but that’s not where it stops, right? Like, so especially if the MQLs are, like, not qualified, right? Gabe Lullo  13:48 No, I couldn’t agree with you more. And again, having sales and marketing work synergistically in that determination is paramount. You know, so many companies, and it’s the old adage, and I think it’s almost a cliche now, because it’s been said so many times that you know, sales is throwing spears over the fence to marketing, and marketing is throwing another spear back to them, and they’re fighting back and forth over this wall. The deal is, you got to break down the wall and start having conversations. And again, sellers have to give feedback on why we’re seeing this to not be the right fit, and Marketers have to be curious and asking what those things may be happening on those conversations, so they can go find the MQLs that that is worthy. Christian Klepp  14:30 Absolutely, absolutely. And on that topic, what are some of these other pitfalls that marketers should be looking out for, and what should they be doing instead? Gabe Lullo  14:39 Yeah, I think what right now is that you have to really understand your channels. You know, a lot of Marketers right now are doubling down on things that may not be producing the results that they have been expecting. Maybe a year from now, two years from now, every company is different, every ICP is different, and every industry is different. I’ll give you an example. You know, if you’re reaching out to sellers and you know, red. Heads of revenue, you have to have a totally different approach than if you’re reaching out to VPs of technology and cyber security. Now that may sound basic, but if you were coming from a company and you’re in your head of marketing, and you’re coming from a company where your ICP and your persona is all tech based companies, or all tech based personas, and you go into a new industry or a new company, and you come with that lens. It’s not the right approach. You know, sellers like to pick up the phone. They think they’re customers. They use the phone all day long. They pick up the phone all the time. Maybe that’s the right channel, right? CTOs (Chief Technology Officers), CIOs (Chief Information Officers), CSOs (Chief Security Officers), they are not usually picking up the phone. Maybe they’re their channels significantly different, and so you have to realize, understand what your persona is, so you can do marketing activities towards that total addressable market that resonate and hit home and get their attention. And it could be just as much as where they live in regards to where, where do they associate with, what, what channel are they living on? Are they people that pick up the phone? Are they ones that live on LinkedIn? Are they ones that go to Instagram? Are they ones that go to conferences? Where is your audience? And know that first and then go talk to them? Christian Klepp  16:10 That’s definitely a great insight. You know it. I know it. The problem is that there’s so many teams out there that skip this part, right? Like that, like that. That detailed breakdown you just gave us about the different let’s call them like, the different personas, the different behaviors, the different channels, like, Why do you think a lot of teams out there skip this part? Is it because of the the time crunch, the pressure to deliver immediately is all of the above? Gabe Lullo  16:37 Yeah, I think, you know, there’s a lot of boardrooms out there. They come out with this unique product, and then with all they do is they do is they look at the TAM, what’s the total addressable market? But that’s like saying, I want to go catch a tuna fish. But you know, let’s just look at the entire ocean. Like, okay, we have to be more specific. Where do the tuna fish actually swim? Where part of Do they like warm water? Do they like the coast? Are they more towards New Zealand, or are they up towards the Massachusetts? So you have to know where your school of fish are. If you want to go fishing, you can’t just look at the entire ocean as the market. And I think narrowing it down to understand patterns and where people are so you can go talk to them is the right approach, versus this spray and pray mentality that I feel marketing has been living in for many, many years, and now it’s becoming more self evident because of AI, right? Because AI can tell us a lot of these things. AI can do a lot of analysis and research, and it’s giving us insights that we’ve never been able to really see before because of the speed and quickness of it. And so I think we are getting to a point, and I’m hopeful that we are more specific with our total addressable markets in new companies specifically that may not have the experience or the capacity like they used to. And I think it’s exciting. Christian Klepp  16:37 Oh Gabe, you just open the door to another question there. Man. Gabe Lullo  16:37 Like, start with an A. Christian Klepp  16:37 Yeah, it starts with an A. But, like, you know, since you brought it up, I’ve got to ask AI, right? Gabe Lullo  16:37 Yeah. Christian Klepp  16:37 And in terms of, like, helping to fix a leaky marketing funnel, how do you from your experience and your perspective, how do you think AI is helpful, and how is it harmful? Gabe Lullo  17:23 Sure. I mean double edged sword, right? We love AI. We accept it. We know it’s here. We’re not scared of it. We’re not running away from it, but we’re also not ripping and replacing things too abruptly with with the implementation of it, either. For instance, I’ll give you real examples. Are we telling AI to go make cold calls? Well, no, it’s illegal, technically. Secondly, are we using it, though, on the flip side, to train our reps on how to effectively handle great questions and objections through an AI sparring partner? Yeah, we are, and it’s amazing at it. So we actually have our reps when they’re brand new and onboarding or launching into a new campaign. We program the robot, the AI right to be able to have conversations in real life time with our reps, to literally spar with them. And it’s like practice. It’s a sparring partner before they go live onto a campaign, and it prepares them immensely before the live show, before they’re before they’re active, right on the campaign. So this is one way we’re doing it. Other ways, obviously email, messaging, obviously personalization, obviously research, you know, pre-call research, account research, determining who’s picking up the phone when they pick up the phone, how many times does it take to call them? You know, time zones? What’s the best time to call them? And it’s crazy what it could do, but it’s really, really helpful. But it’s not a crutch. It’s an assistant, and that’s how we’re approaching it. It’s not replacing human to human communication. If it was. Maybe you and I would just have our AI avatars do this podcast right instead of we’ll be on a beach somewhere, maybe we’ll be there in the future. I’m not predicting it, but I will say there’s a huge, significant role it plays right now, but it is not a role that’s, in my opinion, supposed to replace everything. It can replace a lot, but not everything. Christian Klepp  20:20 Absolutely. I mean, it certainly requires a lot of like, human intervention, right? And it’s and it’s constantly learning, and it’s learning quickly, which I think is to its benefit, to its detriment. And I think that’s, that’s your point as well. There’s a lot of stuff out there that’s AI generated that just looks off, starting with videos even, even like in I don’t know if you’ve dabbled with Google notebook, right? It can, it can take all that content and turn it into an audio file. And it’s scary. How real it sounds. Gabe Lullo  20:54 It is pretty scary. And I have seen tools like that. I love there’s one right now, where it’s actually tracking not even what someone is saying, but how they’re saying it. So tonality, right is a huge piece of communication, as we know, and so it’s literally listening to calls and sales calls, and not just again, we’ve seen it before, like, you know, Gong and others, where it’s telling, hey, maybe say this. Don’t say that, but it’s also giving that score of how they’re delivering that message, which, in my world, is huge because, you know, I could read a script, or I can, you know, have an amazing performance, and that’s how we approach, you know, the way we communicate on a phone call. So that is why we’re so excited. Because there’s new tools coming out all the time that are really, really impactful, for sure. Christian Klepp  21:42 Absolutely, absolutely. So you’ve touched on this a little bit like in the past couple of minutes, but explain how market research and strategy help to develop a solid marketing funnel, not a leaky one. Gabe Lullo  21:55 Yeah. I mean, I think it’s your playbook, right? You know, you have to have a built out playbook, and it’s your guide. And it’s not just important to go to market with a playbook, but it’s also going to market to scale, right? You know, once you get it to work, the ever everything after that is, how do we duplicate and how do we scale? So the playbook is that design is the architecture behind your strategy. So when we do start pouring fuel on the fire and we’re adding people, we’re adding leads, we’re adding workflows, we’re adding everything outside of that, we still go back to the playbook. It’s like the Constitution, right? Everything based off that in our country. I know we’re in different ones, but my point is is, is you have a framework, right, that we go off of and that playbook is so vital to our importance of market research gives us a great understanding of where that playbook is built and how it’s designed and how it’s architected, and that’s how we that’s how we do it here. Christian Klepp  22:55 And even how the playbook can be iterated, right? Because let’s not forget that it’s not written in stone. Gabe Lullo  23:01 Evolving. Yeah, absolutely. I do want to warn people, though, evolve with time. Be patient, right? You know, marketing, sales, development, it’s not a light switch. Yeah, I always say it’s like boiling water, right? So a watch pot technically does boil. It’s just painful to watch. So, but the point is, is that you have to give it enough time to see if that playbook is yielding results. What you don’t want to do is change the play, you know, too many times in the middle of the game, because then you look confused and confused. People do nothing, right? So, yes, is it evolving? Does it pivot? Does it grow? Do you do you change things up, of course. But also you want to do it in a tactful timeline to make sure that it is truly a working playbook or not. Christian Klepp  23:47 Absolutely, absolutely. And you brought something up, and I have to ask this, this next question, it’s… We know, from a marketing point of view, that rolling out these initiatives and seeing the results takes time, yeah, but we’ve had, I’ve certainly had this experience in B2B, that there are people, again, at the top, that don’t have oversight into the day to day, and probably also don’t understand quite how the process works, that don’t have that patience, right, that are telling you, like, hurry up and deliver like, we want results right now. So what do you say to those, I guess the people that are doubting that this initiative needs more time than they think it does. Gabe Lullo  24:30 Yeah. I mean, I think looking at benchmarks and case studies and past results is very important, like I said, Back to the boiling of water. You can show a thermometer as well, like you can see, is it working well? You can put a thermometer in a boiling pot of water and watch the temperature go up, right? And it gives you a clear indication and forecast, if you will, that you’re going to achieve boiling point eventually. It’s not just again, you put the water in and then. And you all of a sudden, measure boiling. You have to measure along the way, and that’s we want to do. So what the ways we do it specifically is, if we’re working on a campaign that is almost a look alike campaign to another company, maybe it’s in the same industry, same ICP, you know, same your size, same scope, we can look at that historical result and say, Hey, by the way, if we do these, these, these and these, you’re going to we’re going to expect boiling point at this time based on a company that’s very similar to yours. Now, is it identical? No, maybe that company has really bad sellers we talked about. Maybe that company doesn’t really care about content and they’re just missing the boat there. Maybe they have a crappy website, like, I don’t, there’s different levers that could, you know, alter the recipe, but we can absolutely make highly educated guesses, as opposed to just trying to wing it or give false expectations. Christian Klepp  25:54 Yeah, yeah, no, that’s absolutely right, all right. I mean, you’ve given us a lot of, like, recommendations, a lot of actionable tips. So walk us through, and I know it varies from company to company and case by case, but walk us through the process of how you actually fix a leaky marketing funnel. Like, what are the steps? What are those key components that absolutely have to be in that process? Gabe Lullo  26:14 Yeah, you have to, you know, inspect what you expect. You have to understand what your messaging is, and you have to A/B test it all the time. I A/B test everything, whether it’s data vendors, whether it’s email messaging, whether it’s LinkedIn content, what you have, obviously mechanisms, depending on what tech you’re working with, what vendors you’re working with, or your history or historical results are to give you grades and scores and A/B testing everything. So if you have, you know campaigns that are running that are successful, you should be able to know how to measure that. That’s what’s so important. So you have to have inspect, inspection tools in place across everything you’re doing on those campaigns to tell you, Hey, this is broken, this is leaky. This isn’t working. Or on the flip side, this is crushing right now. This is totally resonating right now, and we’re loving these, seeing these numbers, and then pour fuel on that fire and focus on that and remove the other ones, and still A/B test, because you always want to keep getting better. So A/B test everything, define the leaks, and then try to fix those leaks as fast as possible. Christian Klepp  27:23 Fantastic, fantastic. And because we’re talking about marketing funnels, I mean, like, I can’t help myself but ask you, okay, but what about metrics? Because that’s something that people want to see, right? But I’m not talking about like, let’s, let’s come up with this like, laundry list of like metrics, and you go down this deep rabbit hole. Like, what are the metrics that you would say, or you would advise B2B Marketers to look at to say, like, okay, we’re trying to fix the leaky marketing funnel here, and these metrics will help you to indicate that there is progress. Gabe Lullo  27:53 Yeah. I mean, it’s harder now than ever before to metric things out, and it’s because of tech that’s kind of getting in the way. You know, for instance, in an email campaign, there’s been some rules and regulations in the last recent years that prevents us from seeing whether or not there’s clicks and opens that are happening on email campaigns. I’ve actually removed many of those triggers completely away from our campaigns, because it’s preventing deliverability, and it’s preventing our ability to keep domains healthy. So there are a lot of moving parts right now that’s happening because of these AI filtration tools. I just heard Google just released that it’s going to now put disclaimers and emails saying that this was written by AI. And so there’s it’s ever involving so depending on I guess when your listeners are hearing this, it may be completely different in a year, but I will tell you that there are definitely things that we need to metric and we need to have KPIs for. But I think the priority of what we used to measure two, three years ago, is significantly different than what we measure today, because of those rules and regulations. So if we’re talking about emails, I want to know what we’re sending, who we’re sending it to, who obviously is responding. What are those responses look like? Is it turning to an actual lead? Are we turning on warm leads, or are we just looking at set meetings? You know, it’s interesting, right? There is only about 2 to 3% of the market ever wants to truly buy, and they’re in buying mode, and I think a lot of companies are just looking for those people, and about 20% of the market is actually interested in buying and we turn that entire segment off. It’s about 10 times more people. But if we can warm the nurture them correctly, and message them correctly, that’s where the rubber meets the road, and that’s where your gold is. I like to analogize everything. So, yeah, when you have a green apple, right? What do you do with the green apple? You put it on the window sill, and then the sun on the windowsill warms it up. Now, that doesn’t mean you just throw out the apple. That means you have a lot of opportunity. You just have. To nurture, and you be patient. And you have to know that timing is everything in business. So if you’re just looking for the red apples, you’re only gonna get 3% if you’re looking for green apples that turn into red apples, now you’re getting 25% so focus on the 25, be patient. Fix those leaky buckets, of course. A/B test, and then then you measure. Christian Klepp  30:20 Yeah or you get yourself an apple orchard. You mentioned one keyword there, nurture, right? I think that’s the one that’ll I see a lot of, like people in sales and even in marketing, right? They just don’t take that time to nurture those leads. They close in. I keep saying they close in for the kill too fast, right? Gabe Lullo  30:44 Yeah. I mean, go back to that food analogy, that the fruit analogy, again. Christian Klepp  30:49 Sure. Gabe Lullo  30:49 I’m on a roll with that. Christian Klepp  30:50 Please. Gabe Lullo  30:50 It’s the low hanging fruit cliche, right? Christian Klepp  30:52 Yes. Gabe Lullo  30:52 Everyone focuses on the low hanging fruit. They’re not focusing on what else is part of that harvest. They’re not focusing on the nurturing. They’re not focused on watering. They’re not focusing on circling back, following up, checking in, providing value in those checks. Not just say, Hey, I’m following up, no, provide value in those seconds, right? And that’s again, that’s where you see excellence happen, you know? And there’s a lot of young, and I don’t mean to be age, but like tenure, people that are experienced, that are in these experience roles right now, and I feel that they’re just trying to get that quick answer and that quick response. And we’re in this like dopamine, like, you know, hit like social media environment right now. Not to go off topic, but I think people are not again, they’re in this microwave society, and they don’t understand the value of nurturing. And if you do and you treat that part seriously, wow, it usually is a windfall at that time. Christian Klepp  31:47 Absolutely, absolutely. It’s an art, a skill, a craft, isn’t it? Right? All of you love, okay, my friend, we come to the point in the conversation where we’re talking about actionable tips, and Gabe, you’ve given us plenty, all right, but just think of this kind of like a recap. If there was somebody listening to this conversation that you and I are having, and you want them to walk away with three to five things that they that they can take action on right now, when it comes to fixing a leaky marketing funnel, what would they be? Gabe Lullo  32:17 Well, I think the best thing is you have to really decide if you have the right people in place, right, and are they? And it doesn’t mean that they are the ones that are going to bring it home. It doesn’t mean that they’re they don’t need support and training and love, like, do they have the commitment? Do they have good experience? Are they willing to roll up their sleeves and get get a little dirty, and if you feel like you have a great team in place of people that are ready to get to work and solve some problems. I think that is literally step one. Step two is, do we have the messaging in the mark, in the ICP nailed down? We really need to know that, because, again, there’s no point of building a campaign if you don’t know who you’re sending it to. And then, thirdly, you really have to make sure that you’re willing to A/B test. It’s hard enough to build a campaign, but it’s much more difficult to build two or three campaigns. Run three campaigns, right as opposed to one, and score each of them to determine what’s working, what’s effective, and what’s not, and then you pivot based on those results. So I think finding a great team is basic and fundamental. Finding a great ice or determining a great ICP is before you build the messaging and then measure the message across multiple campaigns, and then you should be on your way Christian Klepp  33:29 And test, test, test, everything, right? Gabe Lullo  33:34 Yes, it’s great. It could be working. It’s exciting, but maybe there’s a significantly more effective way of doing it, even though it’s still working, and let the data make those decisions for you and drive everything based off data driven decisions, and that’s how you should be operating. Christian Klepp  33:51 Absolutely, absolutely. All right. Here comes the soapbox question, a status quo in your area of expertise that you passionately disagree with and why? Gabe Lullo  34:05 Yeah, I think the big thing right now, and I have to just kind of talk about my space, because you said in my industries, like, there’s a lot of, you know, people out there soapboxing, to be exact, on things that are dead or not. And I will tell you that, you know, cold calling is dead, emailing is dead. You know, LinkedIn is dead, or all of these things and and when you peel back the onion, you notice that those individuals who are saying that users are trying to sell a book or something, and nothing against selling books, but it sounds like there’s a personal agenda and not actual operational intelligence that is dictating what they’re saying. So to your point about testing everything, don’t assume something is not going to work just because someone said it on the internet. Test it and then decide if it’s going to work. And it may surprise you in a big, big way. Christian Klepp  34:56 I truly believe that, man, I truly believe that. I mean to your point. About, like, email being dead. I mean, I did close one client who was a guest on the show, and it took me a year to close, but I closed it through email. Gabe Lullo  35:09 Yeah. Christian Klepp  35:11 Right. And it’s to your point, it’s sending, sending that person articles that were relevant to that person’s industry and saying, like, Hey, I read this the other day, what are your thoughts on this? And here’s my take. What do you think? Gabe Lullo  35:24 That is the best way to do an email, right? You know, we do a lot of content and on social media, we do a lot of podcasting, posts on LinkedIn, but that’s all great, but where the rubber meets the road is you take that post and you send it in an email or a direct message and say, Hey, listen. This made me think of our last conversation, and I really liked the way that this person mentioned this. Do you think you know that there is, is the timing right here to reopen this conversation, and you feel like the problem is still existing in your world, and love to see if we can solve it for you, that type of content, that type of message, that type of verbiage at the right time in a nurture campaign like we discussed, close one business, right? That’s how it works. Christian Klepp  36:08 Absolutely, absolutely okay. Here comes the bonus question, and for those of you that are listening to the audio version, Gabe’s got two guitars right behind him, so I’m just gonna go on a hunch here that he likes playing guitar, right? So the question is, if you had the opportunity to, like, go on a tour with your favorite guitarist/musician, who would it be, and where would you go? Gabe Lullo  36:36 Wow, I love this question. I do play the guitar. I’m a bet big avid music player. Love Rock as well, but all genres, I will say, in real life, we just actually my family, my wife and daughter and I went to go see Oasis reunion tour, which was in Toronto, actually, out of all places. Christian Klepp  36:53 That’s right, you mentioned it. Gabe Lullo  36:54 Yeah, we went to see that. It was epic. Obviously, the brothers have been apart for many years. A lot of drama there. But yeah, you know, I’m old enough to remember their original songs, so it was cool to reminisce and introduce my daughter to that music, which was pretty cool. We’re gonna go see Paul McCartney in a few weeks. He’s on tour now and never seen him or I’m a big fan of The Beatles, and I think that would be really exciting to tour with him, obviously. And I think those are definitely both of those right there kind of sum up the type of music that I resonate with. Christian Klepp  37:26 Amazing, amazing. I just remember, like, this is, this is a couple of years ago. I think he’s already passed away, but Compay Segundo. Gabe Lullo  37:33 Oh yeah. Christian Klepp  37:34 Buena Vista Social Club. And the guy was in his 90s, and they were, they had a concert, and they they brought him up in stage in his wheelchair, helped him get up, get out of that wheelchair, and they gave him that guitar, and off he went, Man, like, Gabe Lullo  37:48 Yeah, yeah, that’s amazing, man, that’s amazing. Christian Klepp  37:53 Gabe, this has been such a great conversation. Thank you so much for coming on and for sharing your experience and expertise with the listeners. So please quick intro to yourself and how folks out there can get in touch with you. Gabe Lullo  38:03 Yeah, LinkedIn is the best way to connect with me directly. I post twice a day, every day. We’re very bullish with our content. There’s a lot of free material there. We have a newsletter, so please take a look at that, and if you like what you see, and he heard today, you know, reach out, and I’ll definitely be responsive. And you know, anyone who is looking or struggling with the after-sales motion, which are after marketing motion, that sales development function, that’s where we play, and we’d love to look at what you’re looking for and see how we can help. Christian Klepp  38:33 Sounds good. Gabe, once again, thank you so much for your time. Take care, stay safe and talk to you soon. Gabe Lullo  38:38 Thanks, Christian. Christian Klepp  38:39 All right. Bye for now.

Today I'm joined by Andrew Spitzer, COO of Spitzer Autoworld. Spitzer breaks down how his fourth-generation family business doubled its footprint to 26 rooftops while maintaining radical showroom etiquette. He reveals why he bans AirPods on the floor, how a chance encounter with Henry Ford shaped the group's legacy, and the specific ways they use AI to scale high-touch customer service. We also explore the group's "Elite 8" meritocracy and why service retention is now the primary driver of their long-term growth strategy. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Merchant Advocate - Merchant Advocate saves businesses money on credit card fees WITHOUT switching processors. Find out how they can help your dealership with a FREE analysis. Click on @ http://merchantadvocate.com/cdg for more. 2. Impel - Meet the AI Operating System built for a new era of automotive retailing. From CRM to service bay, from website to DMS, it unifies and orchestrates every part of your dealership operations—and your customer lifecycle. Visit @ http://impel.ai and and discover how Impel AI turns routine interactions into VIP experiences. 3. Nomad Content Studio - Most dealers still fumble social—posting dry inventory pics or handing it off without a plan. Meanwhile, the store down the street is racking up millions of views and selling / buying cars using video. That's where Nomad Content Studio comes in. We train your own videographer, direct what to shoot, and handle strategy, to posting, to feedback. Want in with the team behind George Saliba, EV Auto, and top auto groups? Book a call @ ⁠http://www.trynomad.co⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff: For dealers: CDG Circles ➤ ⁠⁠https://cdgcircles.com/⁠⁠ Industry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dealership recruiting ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgrecruiting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Fix your dealership's social media ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.trynomad.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Request to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For industry vendors: Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgpartner.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Industry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Request to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Topics: 00:39 What is modern showroom etiquette and technology? 03:12 What is the history of Spitzer Auto World? 06:40 What are Spitzer Auto World's core marketing and branding strategies? 08:21 How does Spitzer Auto World engage via social media? 13:23 What drives Spitzer Auto World's acquisition and growth strategy? 19:46 How do cultural touches enhance customer experience? 27:32 How does a centralized BDC and meritocracy work? 30:07 How is AI used in sales and service? 36:26 What is Spitzer Auto World's service retention and VIP program? Car Dealership Guy Socials: X ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠x.com/GuyDealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/cardealershipguy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@guydealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠threads.net/@cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Everything else ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you look at the successful people in the world, they have a few things in common.   They strategized, planned, worked, and then published the outcome of their work.   From the railroad tycoons of the Americas to the car manufacturers like Henry Ford, they all had something in common.........they shared their secrets to success after doing the work.    In my life, setting up myself for success operates on one condition........that I put it on the calendar.    I get up in the morning, hit the gym and get a work out in whether I want to or not.   I get into work and put my head down.  My main objective is to get everything done so I can get home and go see my family.    Have family dinners.    Attend date nights.   Take vacations.    If you want to be successful, you have to get into the habits of doing the simple things, the unsexy things every single day.    About the ReWire Podcast   The ReWire Podcast with Ryan Stewman – Dive into powerful insights as Ryan Stewman, the HardCore Closer, breaks down mental barriers and shares actionable steps to rewire your thoughts. Each episode is a fast-paced journey designed to reshape your mindset, align your actions, and guide you toward becoming the best version of yourself. Join in for a daily dose of real talk that empowers you to embrace change and unlock your full potential.    Learn how you can become a member of a powerful community consistently rewiring itself for success at ⁠⁠https://www.jointheapex.com/⁠⁠   Rise Above  

Henry Ford set a record on this day in 1904. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back on this day in 1904 Henry Ford set a land speed record.  KTAR Timeline is brought to you by Beatitudes Campus. 

Many historians believe that the year of 1908 was one of the most significant years that altered the course of US history. Do you know what happened in 1908? --- Henry Ford's creation of The Ford Model T automobile. Henry Ford dreamed of everyone having the ability to travel faster and travel further than they had ever gone before. So he and his team of engineers perfected the Industrial Assembly Line and successfully created the first affordable vehicle for the average American. Remarkably, this new affordable mobility didnt just move people, it reorganized a nation and started a revolution. After learning this, it got me thinking, "What if our church was as passionate to see a spiritual revolution as the Ford Motor Company was about the spreading of the Model T? What kind of revolution might we see?" Well, we don't have to guess, Luke tells us. Join us this week as we learn how prayer mobilizes us for mission. 

Season 14, Episode 382 reviews chapters 4–7 of Think and Grow Rich for Sales, showing how autosuggestion, specialized knowledge, imagination, and organized planning transform inner belief into consistent sales results. This episode explains practical steps to program confidence, build authority, paint future outcomes for buyers, and design repeatable sales systems that create certainty and close deals more naturally. Today EP 382 PART 2 of our Think and Grow Rich for Sales Series, we will cover: ✔ Chapter 4: Autosuggestion: How Your Inner Script Becomes Your Outer Results  Sales Application (Practical Use) Pre-call priming: Speak your outcome out loud before every call (“I bring clarity and certainty to this conversation.”) Language audit: Eliminate soft phrases (“I think,” “hopefully,” “maybe”) from your sales vocabulary. Repetition builds belief: Read your sales goals twice daily as if already achieved. Emotion matters: Read goals with feeling—belief is emotional, not intellectual. Interrupt negative mindsets: Replace “They won't buy” with “I help people make confident decisions.” Consistency over intensity: Daily repetition beats occasional motivation. Key Insight: Belief is built deliberately, not accidentally. ✔ Chapter 5: Specialized Knowledge: From Information to Authority  5 Sales Application Tips Organize your expertise into simple frameworks buyers can easily follow. Know their world better than they do—pain points, language, pressures, timing. Stop overloading: Say less, but say it with authority. Borrow brilliance: Use mentors, subject experts, and masterminds to extend your knowledge. Teach while you sell: Authority grows when you help buyers understand, not when you impress them. Key Insight: You are not selling information. You are selling guidance. ✔ Chapter 6: Imagination: Where Sales Innovation Is Born 7 Sales Application Tips Paint the “after” picture: Describe life, work, or outcomes post-solution. Use sensory language: Help them see, feel, and experience the result. Rehearse success aloud: Walk the buyer through implementation as if it's already happening. Normalize the decision: Familiarity reduces fear and resistance. Tell transformation stories: Stories activate imagination faster than facts. Slow the moment down: Imagination needs space—don't rush the close. Anchor certainty visually: “Imagine six months from now…” becomes a mental commitment. Key Insight: People don't buy solutions. They buy who they become after the solution. ✔ Chapter 7: Organized Planning: Putting Desire Into Action 6 Sales Application Tips Create a repeatable sales process you trust and follow consistently. Plan the work—then work the plan, even when results lag. Refine the plan, not the goal when setbacks occur. Prepare for objections before they arise—confidence comes from readiness. Track behaviors, not just outcomes (calls, follow-ups, conversations). Use structure to eliminate emotion-based decisions during the sales cycle. Key Insight: A plan creates certainty. Certainty creates momentum. Welcome back to our final series of SEASON 14 of The Neuroscience Meets Social and Emotional Learning Podcast, where we connect the science-based evidence behind social and emotional learning and emotional intelligence training for improved well-being, achievement, productivity and results—using what I saw as the missing link (since we weren't taught this when we were growing up in school), the application of practical neuroscience. I'm Andrea Samadi, and seven years ago, launched this podcast with a question I had never truly asked myself before: (and that is) If productivity and results matter to us—and they do now more than ever—how exactly are we using our brain to make them happen? Most of us were never taught how to apply neuroscience to improve productivity, results, or well-being. About a decade ago, I became fascinated by the mind-brain-results connection—and how science can be applied to our everyday lives. That's why I've made it my mission to bring you the world's top experts—so together, we can explore the intersection of science and social-emotional learning. We'll break down complex ideas and turn them into practical strategies we can use every day for predictable, science-backed results. Connecting Back to Our 6-Part Think and Grow Rich Series (2022) For today's EP 382, we continue with PART 2 of our Review of Think and Grow Rich for Sales, connecting back to our 6-PART Series from 2022[i]. Back in 2022, we didn't just read Think and Grow Rich—we lived inside it as we launched our year. Over a 6-part series that began the beginning of January 2022, we walked through this book chapter by chapter, not as theory, but as a personal operating system for growth, performance, and results. At the time, the focus of our 6 PART Series was broad. We covered: Personal development Mindset mastery Vision, purpose, and belief We covered the BASICS of this book that my mentor, Bob Proctor studied for his entire lifetime (over 50 years) that can be applied to whatever it is that you want to create with our life. Today, we are going to look at this timeless piece of knowledge, through a new lens. What we're covering today—PART 2 of our Study of Think and Grow Rich for Sales—is not new material. It's the application of this series, towards a specific discipline. You could apply this book to any discipline, but this one, I have wanted to cover for a very long time. How the 6-Part Series Maps DIRECTLY to Sales Mastery Here's the reframe that matters: Every principle we covered in 2022 becomes a sales advantage when applied correctly. Each of the 10 chapters explains how to further improve our inner state, and then we walk through how to make this change occur in our outer world, connecting each principal for the salesperson. And just a reminder that you don't need to be in sales for these principles to work for us. Think and Grow Rich for Sales How Inner Mastery Becomes Sales Results Inspired by Think and Grow Rich Through a modern neuroscience + sales lens   Chapter IV: Autosuggestion The Inner Script Behind Every Sales Call Core Idea: Your subconscious mind is always selling—either for you or against you. Sales Application: Language patterns that leak doubt Why we program confidence before the call Why tone matters more than technique Listener Takeaway: The buyer responds to your energy, not your words. Chapter IV — Autosuggestion How Your Inner Script Becomes Your Outer Results Autosuggestion is the bridge between what you think and what you experience. I first learned this concept while working with Bob Proctor in the seminar industry, and it fundamentally changed the way I understand my own personal results—both in life and in sales. At its core, autosuggestion is about creating order in the mind, (first) so your inner script consistently produces your outer results. The visual model that explains this in one simple view is the stickperson diagram, originally developed by Dr. Thurman Fleet in 1934. You'll see this image in the show notes, labeled A, B, and C. Here is what this diagram means. The Three Parts of the Mind IMAGE IDEA: From Dr. Thurman Fleet 1937 with his idea of Concept Therapy. A — Conscious Mind (Thinking Mind) This is the part of your mind you use when you are actively thinking: reading studying learning solving problems consciously making decisions This is where logic lives. B — Non-Conscious Mind (Emotional Mind) This is the most powerful part of the mind—and the most misunderstood. The non-conscious mind: accepts whatever enters it does not judge truth from falsehood operates primarily through repetition and emotion This is why: who you surround yourself with matters what you listen to matters what you repeatedly tell yourself matters Your non-conscious mind becomes the program that runs your behavior. C — Body The body is the instrument of the mind. Your body inherits what your mind expresses: thoughts affect emotions emotions affect physiology physiology affects behavior and results This is why mindset impacts: health energy confidence performance And why our thoughts, feelings and actions ultimately determine our results. They create our conditions, our circumstances and our environment. Why Autosuggestion Matters (Real Life Example) Because I learned this before I had children, I became extremely intentional about what was playing in the background of our home. News, negativity, and fear-based messaging go straight into the non-conscious mind—especially when the mind is in a submissive state, such as: early childhood (when your mind is wide open) right before sleep also while eating when relaxed or emotionally open This state of mind doesn't just affect children. It affects adults too. What we repeatedly hear becomes how we feel—and eventually how we act. This is why autosuggestion is not wishful thinking. It is mental conditioning. Autosuggestion and Alignment (Praxis) When your thoughts, feelings and emotions are aligned, you enter a state called praxis—the point where belief and behavior match. How do we enter this state? By: writing your goals reading them aloud repeating them twice daily you gradually impress belief onto the non-conscious mind. Over time: belief strengthens faith develops behavior shifts automatically Eventually, you don't have to force confidence. It becomes natural. Beyond the Five Senses: The Higher Faculties Before moving into Chapter V — Specialized Knowledge, it's important to introduce one of the most overlooked ideas Napoleon Hill emphasized: It's the 6 higher faculties of the mind. If you revisit Episode #67[ii], I explain how living only through our five senses can limit results. Our five senses are connected to the conscious mind. But beyond them lie six higher faculties, including: imagination intuition perception will reason memory Hill believed intuition and imagination were so powerful that he devoted entire chapters to them. These faculties allow us to: access deeper insight perceive what others miss gain a competitive advantage Intuition: A Sales Superpower If I had to choose three higher faculties most useful in sales for us to develop, they would be: intuition perception will Let's focus on intuition. Intuition is the mental tool that allows you to feel truth: a gut sense an inner knowing a subtle emotional signal It develops with practice—and trust. Putting Intuition Into Action (Sales) When you're presenting to someone, intuition answers questions like: Are they engaged, but holding a question? Do they need more information—or less? Is it time to continue… or time to ask for the decision? Highly intuitive sales professionals can sense: certainty hesitation trust resistance —even without being in the same room with this person. Sales at Its Highest Level This brings us back to Paul Martinelli's reminder: “Sales at its highest level is the transference of emotion. And the primary emotion is certainty.” When intuition is developed, you know: when certainty has been transferred when the buyer is ready when the close is natural Eventually, as your higher faculties become conditioned through autosuggestion, you access them automatically—without effort or overthinking. Closing Thought — Chapter IV: Autosuggestion Autosuggestion is not about forcing belief. It's about training alignment. When your thoughts, emotions, and actions match: confidence becomes automatic intuition sharpens results follow naturally Your inner script always becomes your outer results. And that's why autosuggestion is not optional. It's foundational. Chapter V: Specialized Knowledge Why Authority Always Outsells Enthusiasm Core Idea: Knowledge only becomes power when it's organized and applied. Sales Application: Moving from “presenter” to trusted expert Leading the conversation instead of reacting Why winging it destroys certainty Listener Takeaway: Mastery creates calm authority. Chapter V — Specialized Knowledge Why Expertise—Not Information—Creates Sales Success To further refine what we want to achieve, Chapter 5 of Think and Grow Rich introduces a critical distinction: not all knowledge is created equally. Napoleon Hill explains that it is specialized knowledge—not general knowledge—that separates you from everyone else and makes you valuable. Knowledge alone, Hill reminds us, is only potential power. “Knowledge (general or specialized) must be organized and intelligently directed, and is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end.” (Chapter V, p. 79, TAGR) In other words: Information does nothing on its own. Application is everything. Why This Matters (Education vs. Application) This becomes clear when we think about formal education. Much of what we learn in school is general knowledge—useful only if we apply it in a specific way. Hill calls this the missing link in education: “The failure of educational institutions is that it fails to teach students HOW TO ORGANIZE AND USE KNOWLEDGE after they acquire it.” (Chapter V, p. 80, TAGR) This insight alone explains why so many intelligent people struggle to produce results—especially in sales. They know a lot, but they haven't organized that knowledge into a repeatable system of action. Henry Ford and the Myth of ‘Not Being Educated' Henry Ford is Hill's perfect example. Ford famously said he had a row of buttons on his desk—buttons he could press to access any knowledge he needed. He didn't need to personally possess all information. He needed to know: where to get it who to ask how to apply it Hill wrote: “Any person is educated who knows where to get knowledge when needed, and how to organize that knowledge into definite plans of action.” (Chapter V, p. 81, TAGR) Through his Master Mind, Ford had access to all the specialized knowledge required to become one of the wealthiest men in America. This is a critical lesson for sales professionals: You do not need to know everything. You need to know what matters most, and how to apply it. Why Some Ideas Succeed and Others Don't This principle explains why some books—and businesses—succeed at extraordinary levels while others, though insightful, fall short. Take Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Its impact wasn't just the ideas—it was the framework. Covey gave readers clear steps for how to apply each habit in real life. Contrast that with Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now. An incredible book, (I love this book- I own it-and it's on my bookshelf). It's rich in insight—but for many readers, it's difficult to apply without additional guidance or structure. The difference is not wisdom. It's organized, specialized knowledge. “Knowledge is not power until it is organized into definite plans of action.” (Chapter V, p. 80, TAGR) What ‘Educated' Really Means Hill reminds us that education does not mean memorization or credentials. The word educate comes from the Latin educo, meaning: to draw out to develop from within An educated person is not someone with the most information—but someone who has developed the faculties of their mind to acquire, apply, and direct knowledge effectively. This is where Specialized Knowledge intersects with: imagination intuition perception will —faculties we explored earlier in the series. Chapter V Specialized Knowledge Applied to Sales In sales, Specialized Knowledge looks like this: Knowing your customer's world, not just your product Understanding patterns in their world that match with yours, not scripts that lack meaning Being able to simplify complexity for the buyer Organizing your knowledge into a repeatable sales process This is what creates authority. When something comes naturally to you—but amazes others—you are operating in specialized knowledge. That's where confidence comes from. That's where trust is built. That's where sales success compounds. How to Use Specialized Knowledge to Reach New Heights (Sales Tips) 1. Identify What You Do Naturally Well Ask yourself: What do people come to me for? What feels obvious to me but confusing to others? That's your starting point for specialization. 2. Organize Your Knowledge into a Framework Turn what you know into: a process a checklist a conversation flow Frameworks build confidence—for you and the buyer where you can point to them clearly where they are in the process, showing them how to move to where they want to go. 3. Learn Continuously—but Selectively Don't collect information. Acquire purposeful knowledge aligned to your goal. Ask: Does this help me serve better? Does this help my buyer decide? 4. Use a Master Mind No top performer succeeds alone. Surround yourself with: mentors peers coaches Borrow knowledge, insight, and certainty with every action that you take. 5. Apply, Review, Refine Specialized knowledge compounds only when used. Apply what you learn. Review results. Refine your approach. This is how expertise is built. Final Insight — Chapter V: Specialized Knowledge Sales success does not come from knowing more. It comes from knowing what matters, organizing it into action, and applying it consistently. When Specialized Knowledge is combined with Imagination, it creates something powerful: A unique and successful business. And this brings us naturally to the next chapters—where imagination, planning, and decision transform knowledge into results. Chapter VI: Imagination Selling the Future Before the Close                  Core Idea: People buy future identity, not features. Sales Application: Painting the “after” state Emotional buy-in before logical justification Don't quit when you are at “3 Feet from Gold” (Chapter 1, TAGR, Page 5). Listener Takeaway People don't buy solutions. They buy who they become after the solution. And it is the salesperson's role to activate the buyer's imagination—to help them see themselves on the other side of the decision. This brings us back to Paul Martinelli's reminder: “Sales at its highest level is the transference of emotion. And the primary emotion is certainty.” Imagination is what creates that certainty. Before a buyer can feel certain, they must first imagine the outcome: life after their problem is solved success after the decision is made themselves operating at a higher level When imagination is engaged, certainty follows. And when certainty is present, the decision becomes natural. Can you see how all of these success principles tie into each other? Like the colors of the rainbow. Chapter VI: Imagination Review of Chapter VI — Our Imagination “Imagination is everything,” according to American author and radio speaker Earl Nightingale, who devoted much of his work to human character development, motivation, and the pursuit of a meaningful life. Every great invention is created in two places: first in the mind of the inventor, and then in the physical world when the idea is brought into form. Our lives reflect how effectively we use our imagination. When we reach a plateau of success, it is not effort alone that takes us to the next level—it is imagination. Imagination allows us to see beyond our current circumstances and envision what is possible next. This is why creating a crystal-clear vision is so important. When we write and read our vision twice a day, we intentionally activate our imagination. Writing and reading that vision in detail stimulates recognition centers in the brain. What may initially feel unrealistic or even like a “pipe dream” begins to feel familiar. Over time, the brain accepts it as something possible—something achievable. Eventually, what once felt distant becomes something you can see yourself doing. And then, one day, what you imagined becomes your reality. When you look at the world through this lens, it's remarkable to consider how much has changed in just the last 50 years—and how quickly that pace is accelerating. These new innovations began in someone's mind first. The most recent leap forward is with artificial intelligence, but it follows the same pattern as every major breakthrough before it. Someone first imagined a world where: Amazon would dominate retail while owning almost no physical stores Uber would transform transportation while owning almost no cars Facebook would scale globally while creating no content Airbnb would become a hospitality giant while owning no real estate Netflix would redefine entertainment without being a TV channel Bitcoin would create value without physical coins Each of these began as an idea before evidence—a vision before execution. The same principle applies to our goals, our careers, and our success. Everything we create begins with imagination. When imagination is paired with belief, intention, and action, it becomes a powerful force that shapes not only individual outcomes, but the direction of the world itself.   Closing Thought — Chapter VI Imagination is not fantasy. It is the starting point of all progress. What you are able to imagine clearly today is what you are capable of creating tomorrow. How to Use Imagination for Sales Success Turning Possibility into Certainty 1. Understand the Role of Imagination in Sales Imagination is not fantasy. In sales, imagination is pre-decision certainty. Before a buyer can decide, they must first: see a different future feel themselves in it believe it is attainable Your job as the salesperson is to guide that mental rehearsal. People don't buy products. They buy the future version of themselves (with the certainty that you paint for them). 2. Imagine the Outcome Before the Buyer Does Top sales professionals do not start with features. They start with vision. Before the call, ask yourself: Who does my buyer become after the purchase? What changes in their day-to-day life? What problem is no longer taking up mental space? How you can support and guide them in this process. If you cannot imagine the outcome clearly, your buyer won't either.

Send us a text!Henry Ford built an incredible company that he intended to pass down to his sons. And for awhile, that's exactly what he did. But because of excessive wealth taxes, his sons eventually started the Ford Foundation. Today, it is a liberal non profit that has been hijacked by intelligence agencies and grotesque agendas. How did this happen? We'll also discuss Johann Kurtz's book, "Leaving a Legacy." How can we build families and businesses that last for a thousand years? We'll talk about the principles and strategies in this episode with Brian, Dan, and Eric. Did you know supporters of the show get ad-free video and audio episodes delivered early and access to our patron exclusive show the After Hours and interactive live streams with Eric and Brian?       https://www.patreon.com/thekingshallThis episode is sponsored by: Lux Coffee Company; Caffeinating the New Christendom with artisan roast coffee. Get 15% off your coffee with code "NCP15". https://luxcoffee.co/Armored Republic: Making Tools of Liberty for the defense of every free man's God-given rights - Text JOIN to 88027 or visit: https://www.ar500armor.com/ Talk to Joe Garrisi about managing your wealth with Backwards Planning Financial.       https://backwardsplanningfinancial.com/Visit KeepwisePartners.com or call Derrick Taylor at 781-680-8000 to schedule a free consultation.       https://keepwise.partners/Christian business owners go to reformedbusinessalliance.com/ncp and use code NCP to claim your free month. Invest in your business, your family, and your future go to http://Appalachiadigital.com/ncp to book a strategy call.Go to Mt Athos for sustainably sourced goat dairy protein and other performance products. Listeners of the show get a 20% discount site-wide with code "NCP20".     https://athosperform.com/Book your free strategy call at https://www.bonifacebusiness.com/ Join us at the New Christendom Press conference, The War for Normal, this June 11-14 in Ogden, Utah.  https://www.newchristendompress.com/2026 Support the show:https://www.patreon.com/thekingshall

In this episode, I'm joined by the returning Michele Hansen, co-founder and CEO of Geocodio and author of Deploy Empathy, now out with a second edition. Michele brings deep experience as a former product manager turned founder, and has spent over a decade helping teams understand customers through rigorous, human-centred research. We explore what customer research looks like in an AI-accelerated world: where AI genuinely helps, where it falls short, and why talking to real people remains irreplaceable. Along the way, we dig into interviewing craft, curiosity, synthetic users, and some enduring myths that still undermine product discovery. Episode highlights: We cover a lot, including: Why customer interviews still matter in the age of AI - why large language models can accelerate research workflows but cannot replace the insight, judgement, and transformation that comes from engaging directly with customers. AI as a research intern, not a strategist - AI performs well in certain tasks - transcription, tagging, and basic analysis - but prioritisation, interpretation, and strategy must remain human responsibilities. The neuroscience of listening and curiosity - both interviewees and interviewers experience genuine pleasure when curiosity is satisfied, reframing interviews as a mutually rewarding process rather than a chore. What AI misses in real customer conversations - considering the "spiky", unexpected insights that emerge in interviews - and why these often get lost when teams rely too heavily on automated summaries. Synthetic users, digital twins, and their limits - breaking down different types of simulated users, where they can be useful, and why they depend on high-quality human research to be credible at all. The problem with the "faster horses" myth - dismantling the misattributed Henry Ford quote and exploring how it's often used to avoid engaging with customers rather than to encourage innovation. Research as a way to change teams, not just products - how involving teams directly in research builds shared understanding, alignment, and better decision-making across organisations. Why AI accelerates confusion without product clarity - AI only compounds impact when a clear product vision and customer understanding already exist - otherwise, teams simply move faster in the wrong direction. Connect with Michele Learn more about Michele's company, Geocodio: https://www.geocod.io/ Check out the new edition of "Deploy Empathy": https://deployempathy.com/. Connect with Michele on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjwhansen/ Meet Michele at the pub in London! We'll be there on Jan 15th 2026: https://luma.com/xyqi9e2z

Episode: 2817 Where do creative ideas come from?  Today, let's talk about creativity.

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. - Henry Ford Check out John Lee Dumas' award winning Podcast Entrepreneurs on Fire on your favorite podcast directory. For world class free courses and resources to help you on your Entrepreneurial journey visit EOFire.com

Este episodio te presenta el Punto Illich: más esfuerzo después de un umbral no solo deja de rendir, sino que eleva errores y desgaste. La historia de Henry Ford ilustra cómo reducir horas y reorganizar turnos puede dar más productividad si gestionamos el límite humano. El método “Punto Illich en 60 minutos” propone límites de foco (cuatro horas de trabajo profundo máximo al día, en dos o tres bloques), bloques de noventa minutos para tareas de alto impacto con inicio y fin claros, y chequeos cada cuarenta y cinco minutos. Y la pausa no es pérdida: diez minutos de recuperación entre bloques recargan la claridad para el siguiente sprint. Preparar el terreno la noche anterior y duplicar la última versión que funcionó reduce fatiga y errores.La historia de Sofía, una consultora de ventas, demuestra el cambio: dos bloques de noventa minutos por la mañana para propuestas y cierres, y sesenta minutos por la tarde para seguimiento, sin intentar sumar horas extras. En dos semanas, el retrabajo cayó un 30% y las ventas cerradas subieron, terminando el día con más energía. Si detectas señales de haber cruzado el Punto Illich (repetir lo mismo más de dos veces, dudas simples que se vuelven complejas, errores tontos y distracciones), corta alcance, descansa y planifica el siguiente bloque. En resumen: menos desgaste, mejor calidad y más ingresos por hora. ¿Te atreves a probar dos bloques de noventa minutos mañana para tu tarea de mayor impacto?Conviértete en un seguidor de este podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/productividad-maxima--5279700/support.Newsletter Marketing Radical: https://marketingradical.substack.com/welcomeNewsletter Negocios con IA: https://negociosconia.substack.com/welcomeMis Libros: https://borjagiron.com/librosSysteme Gratis: https://borjagiron.com/systemeSysteme 30% dto: https://borjagiron.com/systeme30Manychat Gratis: https://borjagiron.com/manychatMetricool 30 días Gratis Plan Premium (Usa cupón BORJA30): https://borjagiron.com/metricoolNoticias Redes Sociales: https://redessocialeshoy.comNoticias IA: https://inteligenciaartificialhoy.comClub: https://triunfers.com

Nate continues Dumb BLEEP of the Week.   We look at various criticisms leveled against Elon Musk and Tesla's operations. Additionally, we explore controversial takes on recent events, including U.S. foreign policy on Venezuela, the classification of fentanyl as a WMD, and much more. Join us as we dissect these topics with a blend of humor and critical analysis. 00:00 Intro 01:14 Henry Ford and the 40-Hour Work Week 07:49 Elon Musk and Controversial Comparisons 14:15 Elon Musk's Wealth and Capitalism 25:19 ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet 27:30 A Real Socialist Company 28:19 Company Achievements and Employee Benefits 28:55 Debating Socialist Business Practices 32:10 Trump's Influence and Jewish Relations 35:32 NDAA and Military Spending 39:01 Venezuela Oil and U.S. Interests 42:59 Ross Ulbricht and Silk Road

Today's HighWire pulls no punches. Del breaks down HHS's decision to withdraw funding from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the media reaction to RFK Jr.'s bold move. Jefferey Jaxen reports on the quiet return of flu lockdowns overseas—and the next pandemic narrative already taking shape. Then, Jefferey examines what's truly at stake as the AI race threatens to replace human labor at scale. Finally, epidemiologist Nick Hulscher, MPH, joins Del in-studio to reveal new findings from a reanalysis of the Henry Ford “vaxxed vs. unvaxxed” data—results that could redefine modern public health.Guests: Nicolas Hulscher, MPHBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-highwire-with-del-bigtree--3620606/support.

Dec. 18, 2025 ~ Tremor treatment is entering a transformative era. Lloyd Jackson spotlights Henry Ford neurosurgeons Dr. Deneeka Paulo and Dr. Efstathios Kondylis, who are pioneering the use of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to restore quality of life for patients with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease. This FDA-approved, incision-free procedure uses precisely targeted sound waves to treat the brain areas causing tremors—all without general anesthesia or implanted hardware. Patients typically go home the same day and often notice improvement within days, enabling them to return to everyday activities like writing, eating, and holding objects. Dr. Paulo emphasizes that HIFU offers hope for those who have exhausted medications or faced undesirable side effects, providing a safe, minimally invasive alternative that can dramatically reduce symptoms and help patients reclaim independence. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec. 18, 2025 ~ Tremor treatment is entering a transformative era. Lloyd Jackson spotlights Henry Ford neurosurgeons Dr. Deneeka Paulo and Dr. Efstathios Kondylis, who are pioneering the use of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to restore quality of life for patients with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease. This FDA-approved, incision-free procedure uses precisely targeted sound waves to treat the brain areas causing tremors—all without general anesthesia or implanted hardware. Patients typically go home the same day and often notice improvement within days, enabling them to return to everyday activities like writing, eating, and holding objects. Dr. Paulo emphasizes that HIFU offers hope for those who have exhausted medications or faced undesirable side effects, providing a safe, minimally invasive alternative that can dramatically reduce symptoms and help patients reclaim independence. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec. 18, 2025 ~ Tremor treatment is entering a transformative era. Lloyd Jackson spotlights Henry Ford neurosurgeons Dr. Deneeka Paulo and Dr. Efstathios Kondylis, who are pioneering the use of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to restore quality of life for patients with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease. This FDA-approved, incision-free procedure uses precisely targeted sound waves to treat the brain areas causing tremors—all without general anesthesia or implanted hardware. Patients typically go home the same day and often notice improvement within days, enabling them to return to everyday activities like writing, eating, and holding objects. Dr. Paulo emphasizes that HIFU offers hope for those who have exhausted medications or faced undesirable side effects, providing a safe, minimally invasive alternative that can dramatically reduce symptoms and help patients reclaim independence. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Henry Ford said, "if you think you can, you're right, and if you think you can't you're right." Ernest Holmes expanded and explained how and why that applies to our belief. Rev. Bill, solo in this episode, dives into the topic, citing page 52 of Holmes' "Science of Mind" textbook.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

There are certain people in history that never really got to collect their roses. They come along at a pivotal time in human advancement and just kinda operated behind the scenes, sometimes contributing massively to humanity. Nikola Tesla is one of those people. Were it not for the car brand (not gonna get into that here) Tesla's name would still be relegated to the historical hamper under men like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham-Bell, and Henry Ford. While not inventing electricity, Nikola did discover the best way to use it. Partnering with literal power-powerhouse Westinghouse (thats not a type) they were ready to bring Tesla's AC (Alternating Current) power to the masses. This didn't rub old Tom Edison right as he the big name in the electric game with DC (Direct Current). He was also Tesla's employer for about 6 months until he didn't make good on a deal when Tesla improved a bunch of his stuff. Now he would see his mistake come back to haunt him. But Tesla wasn't just volts and watts, the guys mind was an idea factory, some were good, some not so much, but most of the time they alway had the touch of genius. Let's meet the man that powered the world, Nikola Tesla.Support the show

"If we just listened to what our customers wanted, we would have had a faster horse."Everyone knows the Henry Ford quote, but Lee Mullin actually showed us what it means for construction tech.In today's episode of Bricks & Bytes, we sat down with Lee from BuildArc. He spent 18 years at Autodesk, and honestly, the conversation completely changed how we think about talking about products.Here's what stuck with us: we're all making ourselves the hero of the story. We love talking about our amazing AI tools, our productivity gains, our revolutionary features. But Lee said something that hit different - your customer needs to be Luke Skywalker. You're just Yoda, guiding them along.Tune in to find out about:✅ Why taking people from "9 to 20" beats incremental improvements from "9 to 10"✅ The framework Lee used to convince construction crews that iPads weren't "voodoo"✅ How to tell stories that actually connect (hint: it's about project managers lying awake at night, not your feature list)✅ Why the best customer stories need tension and conflict (even though corporate hates that)The reality is, there's so much noise in AEC tech right now. If you can't tell a story that makes people feel understood, you're just another vendor promising productivity.Watch the full episode now. Link in the comments!Our SponsorsAphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.coArchdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.ioChapters00:00 Intro03:48 The Importance of Storytelling in Business 13:32 Navigating the AEC Technology Landscape 21:44 Crafting Compelling Presentations 27:22 Building a Storytelling Framework 31:13 Transforming Customer Stories into Success 37:28 The Human Element in AI 42:11 Understanding Personas in Storytelling 44:26 Frameworks for Effective Storytelling 53:01 Building Conflict and Tension in Stories

Today's episode takes a deep dive into one of the most influential operational lessons in business history—the Ford Motor Company's game-changing assembly line—and applies it directly to the challenges Sales Leaders face today.You'll learn why Henry Ford's relentless focus on efficiency was far more than a manufacturing revolution. It was a blueprint for accelerating Sales Growth, removing bottlenecks, and scaling a sales system in a way that boosts output without burning out your team.Key Takeaways:Efficiency isn't just for operations—it transforms Sales Results.Ford proved that streamlined processes can shift an entire industry.Clunky, slow sales workflows lose deals.Simplifying your Sales Process unlocks Sales Growth and scalability.Your team needs systems—not memory or spreadsheets.Focus on getting 1% better every day, just like the world's best-performing teams.Time Stamps:0:00 Intro0:37 Ford Motor Company2:00 Process Innovation3:30 Prioritising Efficiency in the Process5:30 Action Items6:05 OutroTo learn more about our Coaching Program that is seriously growing our Customers sales: https://strongersalesteams.com/program/To book a time to Meet with Ben directly: https://strongersalesteams.com/strategy/This podcast helps the entrepreneur, founder, CEO, and business owner in the trade, construction and industry segments, regain focus, build confidence, and achieve measurable results through powerful sales training, effective sales strategy, and expert sales coaching—guiding every sales leader, sales manager, and sales team in mastering the sales process, optimizing the sales pipeline, and driving business growth while fostering leadership, balance, and freedom amidst overwhelm, stress, and potential burnout, creating lasting peace of mind and smarter decision making for every California business and Australia business ready to scale up with excellence in sales management.

SUB TO THE PPM PATREON SO KLONNY GOSCH'S CORK BOARD LABOR OF LOVE CAN CONT FOR ANOTHER 100 EPISODES (AND GAIN ACCESS TO "SYSTEME ZAHAROFF II"):patreon.com/ParaPowerMappingIN CELEBRATION OF 100 EPISODES OF PPM, I am joined by SEBBE for a synchronized dive into the wilderness of mirrors that is the Balkans-trotting, death-peddling life of Basil Zaharoff, "the mystery man of Europe" whose blood money fortune rivaled those of Rockefeller and Henry Ford. We excavate how Zaharoff was a prototypical deep political figure foreshadowing more modern underworld ne'er-do-wells and sex-crazed arms traders like Jeffrey Epstein, Adnan Kashoggi, Viktor Bout, Sarkis Soghanalian, Efraim Diveroli, Robert Maxwell, etc. We also draw a number of Erik Jan Hanussen symmetries, convenient considering a likely candidate for a character partly patterned after him in Shadow Ticket.This is the first entry in the SCIF SESSIONS featuring past guests, friends, and Cork Board Cadre members. I initially planned to release a monster episode in call-in special style, but as I got a number of sessions under my belt, it became apparent that a 20 hour or so episode would be prohibitive. So instead, I will be dropping the conversations in discrete installments in between our regular programming. Lots of great material coming at you.File under: parallels with our Shadow Ticket exegesis by way of Zedzed's relationship with British intelligence and Viennese manse, which evoke MI3b agents Pips and Alf Quarrender; Zaharoff's ward Tereza Damala's amorous relations with Gabriele d'Annunzio also evoking ST; his remote cameo in Against the Day via purchasing agent Viktor Mulciber, who is pursuing the Q-Weapon at Zaharoff's behest (which harnesses time as means of violence), his latter attempts to sell it to the Japanese, and Clive Crouchmas' thwarted scheme to sex traffick the scarlet strumpet Dahlia Rideout to the Lord of War, a bribe seeking to tempt his fabled appetite for redheaded Babalonian women; Hergé, Tintin, and Basil Bazarov lampooning the int'l man of mystery; the varying accounts of Zaharoff's early life and heritage, whether Greek, Turkish, Russian Jew, etc. etc.; his criminal adolescence as a member of an arsonry gang cum fire department, a racket in Constantinople where they would burn down wealthy homes and extort payment and which is right on theme with our recent history of class violence, organized crime, racketeering, and transformismo; his time as a brothel tout; human trafficker in Galway, Ireland, sending girls to MasSUSchusetts textile mills; bigamist marrying a dame in Philly; confidence artist; etc.; there are myriad legends, some of which we'll unpack in Pt. II; all trails eventually merge with Zaharoff's employment as a Nordenfelt machine gun salesman; which leads to his relationship with machine gun manufacturer Hiram Maxim; the Rothschilds connection; PM David Lloyd George; negotiations to bribe the Young Turks and Enver Pasha into abandoning the Central Powers circa WWI; and much much more. I am doing my best to ward off burnt-outage, but I think that is sufficient for liner notes for this second. A second part, solo, and with some research revolving around a possible outcropping of the Zaharoff network amounting to a Nazi - Z i o n i s t gun running ring in Palestine in the late '30s and which I'm actually quite giddy over and which may well be relatively novel and which certainly expands upon past points of interest... will follow in the morning. Inshallah.Song:| Spirit Hz - "Promis" | https://spirithz.bandcamp.com/album/there-is-only-one-thing

Henry Ford and Rich DeVos both championed hard work, personal responsibility, and free enterprise—arguing that government cannot create prosperity, only people can.Follow The Believe! Journal:Instagram ⁠⁠FacebookX ⁠⁠LinkedInVisit thebelievejournal.com for more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thebelievejournal.com

Steve Jobs, the McDonalds brothers, and Henry Ford changed the world through innovations that disrupted industries and ways of living. But how does disruption actually work for innovations of such great magnitude? ​With AI and other innovations shaping the future of work as we speak, it's once again important for thought leadership professionals to understand what drives epic disruptions—so they can help their clients stand out as visionaries in these new frontiers. Our 50th episode of Everything Thought Leadership has invited Scott D. Anthony, professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business, and senior advisor at consultancy Innosight, to talk about his new book, "Epic Disruptions." The book is a deep-dive into 11 innovations that disrupted our world and the driving forces behind them. Think: the printing press, the iPhone, fast food, the assembly line, and other world-changing ideas. Scott offers a glimpse into the biggest lessons in his book and his predictions on the disruption of the thought leadership profession. Everything Thought Leadership is a video and podcast series from Buday TLP for thought leaders and thought leadership professionals; the people who help experts get recognized as thought leaders. Episodes release monthly, preceded by trailers and followed with short snippets of wisdom from the interviews.

Luciano Benetton rose from poverty in postwar Italy to found a chain of 7,000 high street fashion stores and create some of the most controversial advertising campaigns in history, becoming a billionaire along the way. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack discover how it all started for Luciano Benetton with a yellow sweater knitted by his sister, on a journey that takes in Benito Mussolini, Dolce Vita, Formula One, and Princess Diana. But Benetton wasn't just about fashion; with photographer Oliviero Toscani, the entrepreneur launched a series of highly controversial ad campaigns that tackled race, religion, AIDS, and the death penalty, that made the fashion brand infamous. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels billionaire stories of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility to explore how they achieved financial success, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires. Some of the people we've featured previously on Good Bad Billionaire include Tyler Perry, Evan Spiegel, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Henry Ford, LeBron James, Selena Gomez and Martha Stewart. Every episode is available to listen wherever you get your BBC podcasts. To contact the team, email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

In this powerful new episode of Manager Minute, host Carol Pankow sits down with renowned researcher and educator Dr. Jim Herbert to unpack one of the most urgent challenges in vocational rehabilitation today: counselor turnover and retention. Drawing from his brand-new national study on RSA-funded personnel, Jim breaks down the real factors that influence whether VR counselors intend to stay — or walk away. From organizational support and supervisor relationships to workload, generational values, and work–life balance, Jim reveals why retention is a "whole system issue," not a single-variable problem. He also shares bold, practical solutions for VR agencies, including flexible scheduling, paid internships, rehiring retirees, strengthening supervision practices, and his attention-grabbing recommendation of a 32-hour workweek at full pay. As a new partner with the VRTAC, Jim also previews upcoming national recruitment and retention initiatives — including a new toolkit for VR HR teams and direct clinical supervision work with a selected state VR agency. This is an episode every VR director, supervisor, and counselor needs to hear. Listen now and join the conversation about the future of the VR workforce.   Listen Here   Full Transcript:   {Music} Jim: Supervisors play an understated but really critical role in the relationship with their counselors and how that contributes to them staying or leaving. What I suggested was moving to a four day, 32 hour workweek at the same pay. What are you doing to try to address this? What's working for you, and then be able to kind of put that in a toolkit or a resource? We want to share that nationwide. So I'm looking for a state VR agency of supervisors and say, yep, let's tangle with that academic from Penn State. Let's do it.   {Music} Intro Voice: Manager Minute, brought to you by the Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center. Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time, one minute at a time. Here is your host, Carol Pankow.   Carol: Well, welcome to the manager minute. Joining me in the studio today is Doctor Jim Herbert. Jim's a long time researcher, educator and advocate for the field of rehabilitation counseling, and I'm thrilled to share that he will also be working with us on the VRTAC grant in some exciting new recruitment and retention efforts. And today, we get to talk not only about Jim's earlier research on counselor turnover, but also his brand new national study on the long term effectiveness of RSA training and what predicts whether VR personnel intend to stay or leave. So, Jim, this makes me laugh to ask you this. How are things going in your retirement?   Jim: That's right. Yes. As you know, I recently retired, quote unquote, effective July 1st. I'll just tell you that I'm in what they refer to as the honeymoon phase. So basically it's like, oh, I love it. So while I continue to do academic work, such as the project that we're working with you guys on, I'm really super busy with nonacademic projects like gardening and landscaping. And as you saw, we just got a new puppy who consumes quite a lot of my time, so it's going wonderful.   Carol: I love it, I just have to chuckle because you are the busiest retired guy I know, so we were glad we could snag you.   Jim: I'm glad to be snagged.   Carol: That's awesome. So today we're going to dive into a topic that hits close to home for every VR professional. Why rehabilitation counselors leave the field, and what keeps others committed for the long haul. So let's start by imagining a counselor with a full caseload, endless paperwork, competing demands someone who came into this work to make a difference, but they're now struggling to stay motivated. What makes some counselors walk away while others find ways to stay the course? So let's dig into your work. So, Jim, what first drew you to studying counselor retention and turnover in VR?   Jim: Well, as we'll discuss a little bit further, everything else in terms of VR and my work in VR, I have a long history and frankly, a long affection for state counsellors. 40 some years ago when I got into this field, I got to work with a lot of VR counselors and I have so much respect for them in the work that they do. And over the last couple of decades in particular, things are becoming increasingly more and more difficult. And so as we'll  talk a little bit, maybe we can get into like your first questions about, well, which I think is a critical one, like, well, why is it that some counselors stay and why do others leave? And so, you know, when you look at that a little bit and feel free to interrupt me because, you know, many academicians, we tend to be a little bit long-winded.   Carol: You're a talker, Jim.   Jim: There you go. So, you know, when you look at it, it's really a combination of individual and situational factors. You know, when you ask counselors, well what attracted you to this? And I think people get drawn into the profession because they want to make a difference. They see people that need help and they feel like, hey, I'm in a position maybe I can offer support or direction and services can make a difference in their lives. So I think that's a big part of it. And then also as a result of that, why they get into that field, I think what happens is over the years, things start to change. They start thinking like, geez, you know what? I thought I got into this field, the job was going to be this way. And really now what I'm finding is it's not that way, or what happens is the thing that drew me in terms of the interaction with people and making the impact. I find myself spending more time with the documentation process and all the rules and regulations, and not as much time to really that I would like to having that one on one contact with people. So I think what happens is their job, their satisfaction changes as a function of kind of, you know, over that period. The other thing I'll just say to expand on why some people stay and why they walk away. I think one of the things in the beginning, especially with new counselors, their knowledge about the world of work and the job as a state VR counselor.   They have a different understanding of what that's all involve. Okay. And one of the things that I think is important to, particularly those individuals, maybe in your audience who are thinking about being a rehab counselor, either switching in or pursuing training. One of the things that I try to stress with my students is make sure you get lots of experience. So while you're going to school and getting your education, do that volunteer work. Do a practicum. Do an internship with a state VR agency. I've said this a thousand, but certainly lots of times I'll say you'll learn more in the field from any lecture that I'm going to give or any rehab professor. So I think what happens with particularly newer counselors, they have a limited understanding about what is this job about and what do you need to do to be a successful rehab. So we only know what we know. So their expectations, I think they get a little disillusioned. A second thing though, as I said, the work of a VR counselor counselor's tough stuff. You know, you look at the research over the decades about things that impact rehab counselors decision and what is the things that they don't like. So lower salaries, comparison to other kind of counseling positions, high caseloads, the paperwork, lack of supervisory support, particularly in the area of clinical supervision.   And we get a chance. I can talk about that a little bit further. There's also, I think, an incongruity between what a counselor has interest in their needs and what they're motivated by and what exists in the work environment. Those factors definitely contribute to work satisfaction. And the other thing we can talk about this in terms of our study, lack of autonomy, the inflexibility, you know, with work schedule and then obviously, you know, kind of personal reasons. So you've got all these factors that counselors have to have some resiliency to try to navigate all these kinds of challenges. And I think that's the key difference. What is it that counselor a can because they all have all these same challenges. Why is a say I can negotiate this whereas counselor B and I can't do that. And I think that probably over simplistic explanation is there is a resiliency for that. Counselors like I can take all of these and then I can look at yep, these are problems. But these other things still are important to me. And I can still kind of navigate that. And then the final thing, and I've become more and more aware of it over the last couple years, multi-generational workforce. So people are living longer. I mean, I, you know, I'm a baby boomer. I think technically I think I'm a late baby boomer, but so basically I'm ancient.   But we have people, you have the Gen Z, and I think that's the group from 97 to 2012. You got the millennials born, you know, 81, 86. You got the Gen Xers and those when you talk with people from different generations. When I talk with my students who mostly the Gen Z millennial type. They have a different view about the world of work. And basically if I had and again, this I don't mean to stereotype, but I think there's some validity in this. And I have a son who's 28 years old and he'll say, dad, you work too damn hard. And so the thing is, is like what he's saying is, and I think others of his generation, there's more to life than work. And so when I look at work, while that's important, I don't have the same kind of importance necessary that you might attach to it. And in fact, what I'm really looking for is a better balance, work life balance. And this is where state VR agencies, I think, kind of fall down because we need to kind of how do we kind of create that better balance so that we have, particularly the younger ones who we invest a lot of money, effort, we want to retain them. We don't want to lose them. So that's probably more than what you wanted.   Carol: It's all good. I have a 28 year old son, too, and we just had this conversation yesterday about work life balance, and I just said how lucky he was to work for a company coming right out of college where he was getting five weeks of vacation a year.   Jim: Yes.   Carol: And I talked to him like when I first started my first five years with the state. You got two weeks? Yeah. And it wasn't until five years you got a little more. And now you can get, like, two and a half or something. It was something horrible like that. But that view that this generation has, it is I think it's healthier, actually, than what we all did. We just put up with some pretty miserable. Yes. Working situations?   Jim: Yes. Absolutely. You're correct.   Carol: Can you walk us through the big picture, what your study set out to understand and why it's so important right now?   Jim: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I like your phrase of the big picture. So let me see if I can cut to the chase. Maybe. And so I mentioned a little bit earlier that my work began here a couple of years ago as a result of kind of a pilot study. But basically I was interested because RSA provides a lot of funding for people trying to work as rehab counselors. But my pilot study about 4 or 5 years ago. So the big picture, to put it simply, is we got to do a better job of screening people who are interested in doing this work. And once we do that, we have to do everything we can to make sure that they continue in that. So my research basically is trying to well, let's dive into that and figure out why is it who stays and who leaves.   Carol: So what did your research reveal about the biggest factors that predict whether the counselor stays or leaves?   Jim: Yeah, yeah. All right. Now this one's going to be a little bit more detail a little bit more, uh, hopefully not convoluted.   Carol: For lay people Jim Lay people.   Jim: Yes. That's right. Exactly. Yeah, yeah. So without diving too much in statistical models and all that kind of stuff, basically what we were trying to figure out is this if we ask a rehab counselor, are you planning to stay for the next 12 months. Are you planning to leave? So we use that as kind of. Our big question is who's likely to say yes, I'm planning to stay or no, I'm planning to leave in 12 months. So we developed based on the literature that we saw, a hypothetical model that we said essentially this the amount that an organization supports their employees. So what is it that in this case, what is it that the state VR agency does that is designed not only to benefit the organization but also benefit the worker. So providing them with a decent salary, benefits, training, the opportunity for telework, telecommuting, flexible work hours, greater contact with clients. So we said, okay, well, that we know from the literature that seems to be kind of an important component. We also know from and this is work that I've done over the last couple of decades, supervisors play, in my opinion, an understated but really critical role in the relationship with their counselors and how that contributes to them staying or leaving.   And so the degree and type of supervisor support we felt, well, that will impact the employees perception of their jobs, whether they like their jobs, the career opportunities that exist within the agencies, and help them develop the skills that they'll need to grow to move on. So you've got supervisor support, you've got organizational career support. But we said, well, are there any other things? How does that kind of impact. And what we found was, well, we know that if you have a I'll just say for lack of a better simplified way to look at it, a supportive work culture that includes, you know, the supervisor that we know that that can impact the counselors hopefulness about their jobs and the level of engagement that they have. So the degree of vigor, if you will, the dedication that the worker performs, which also impacts job satisfaction. So our conceptual model basically says, well, if we could understand the complex relationship between all of the kinds of organizational supports of which there are many and we haven't identified, but just using that general term, the perceptions of how our individual council feels that they're doing in that job, the degree of satisfaction they get from it, and the amount of supervision, the level type of supervision supervisor provides.   If all those factors are positive, if you will, they're more likely to stay as opposed to if they find the organization not supportive. They don't have a supervisor who's supportive, they don't feel engaged in the work that they do. So that's basically kind of what our model and what we found was that that combination of Organization support being hopeful about the job that I do. Having a supportive supervisor that promotes work engagement. Let me just use this analogy. If I had a pizza pie that said, this pizza pie represents all of people's intention to leave. Okay, well, what I just said that was if you have good support, organization supervisor, you're engaged. Half of that pizza pie is attributed to those factors. So that's a lot of pizza. All right. That's a big part of it. So what that means is if we think about for state VR agencies, what is it that we do as an organization that tries to promote that kind of support? What do we do in terms of our supervisors that are engaging with their councils and provide that kind of support? If we can take a look at those factors, then we're more likely for those counselors say, you know what, I'm going to stick around.   Carol: So did you have any findings that surprised you?   Jim: Yeah, there were a couple of things. One of the things I know we're talking about state voc rehab. Our study of 1000 rehab counselors did not only address state VR, but also those in private for practice proprietary public nonprofit agencies and facilities. We also looked at counselors and administrators. So we're kind of interested in, well, is the intent to leave the same regardless of what your job title? In other words, does a counselor sort of have a different kind of intent than a supervisor, than an administrator? And we're also interested in well, does a counselor's intent vary as a function of the work settings? So in other words, our state VR counsel is more likely to express an intent to leave than those in private for practice rehab or nonprofit rehab. And basically what we found was when you look at all those outcome variables that we talked about work engagement, career support, job satisfaction, supervisor support, reasons for leaving, reasons for staying. When we look at that, what we found, and this was somewhat surprising to me, we found that there's really no difference whether across setting or job type. So in other words, the factors that motivate someone to stay or to leave are pretty much the same, regardless of your work setting or your job title. So that to me was a little bit surprising, because in my conversations and talking with counselors at various settings, somehow I always, I guess going into this truthfully, I was expecting that there would be a difference and particularly be more dissatisfaction with state VR than the other settings. And what we found was that's not the case. So the reasons for staying or leaving are essentially the same across settings and work title. So I just raised this finding because I think state VR unfairly receives criticism that their work environments particularly challenging and trying to retain workers. So I'll just say that every work setting has its own unique aspects to it.   Carol: Yeah, the grass is not always greener. You always think that. And I have found over time, like working with people where you have that grass is greener mentality. No matter where they go, they always run into the same issues, no matter where they've changed the job. There's some people I've known for several decades who have always been kind of unhappy in the current setting, and they go to the new one and they're happy for a hot minute, but then they're unhappy there, too. So it's kind of more about them and whatever they're bringing to that or how they relate to those new jobs. It's so interesting. That strikes me as an interesting finding.   Jim: Yeah, a lot of this was gleaned from interactions and stories and things that I heard from counselors, like, why do you stay? Why do you leave? And again, to me it's just amazing Easing that the similarity that exists. So clearly, while there's some nuances that, you know, a counselor will complain about large caseloads or noncompetitive salaries, limited schedule and flexibility, those kinds of things. One of the things that while there are some differences in terms as you move up the career ladder, if you will, as an administrator, maybe a little bit different, but the role of the supervisor, I think this was another thing that was a little bit I kind of knew, but it really reinforced it was how important their role is in contributing to the work climate of the counselor. And like I've said to the supervisors, and I've trained a lot of folks across the country, counselor job is tough. Supervisor's job is way tough because they have a lot of times. And what's happening now with the vacancies, the supervisors are now asked to pick up caseloads of counselors. So not only do they have to do the job of managing 5 to 10 counselors, now they have components, so it makes it really difficult. And I think when I listen to the stories, those are the things that kind of like really strike me as unfortunately, I think just getting tougher and tougher each year.   Carol: 100%, kind of in reading some of your information and you go, okay, yeah. You think the counselor, all right, now they're going to be the supervisor. And it's going to be better and easier somehow easier. And it's not like they just realize how exponentially the job gets so much tougher. It doesn't necessarily get better. You might get paid a little more as you move up the food chain, but the work gets more complex, and then you're dealing with all the people part of the job.   Jim: Absolutely. And you really hit it on. An important part is that unfortunately, most super like I do training in clinical supervision. So basically I train supervisors how to help their counselors become better counselors and the relationship they have with their clients. But what you find is, I'd say 99% of the supervisors that I've worked with, what do they know about clinical supervision? And, well, really not too much. And well, why is that? Because they didn't get that in their training. So they'll get all about the administrative components, the policies and procedures. And that's important. But how do you help your counselor with the relationship that they have with their individual customers? That relationship is so critical because if that relationship isn't positive, you're going to have a poor voc rehab outcome.   Carol: Well, and those supervisors may have also not been you know, they didn't get any sort of clinical supervision when they were a counselor, so they moved to supervisor. It's not like they magically had that appear somewhere, right? So they don't have no frame of reference on how to even do that.   Jim: Yeah, you're absolutely correct.   Carol: So I know you stated, so some VR counselors, the state VR counselors, you know, they report more stress and paperwork, but yet they still find satisfaction in stay. So what distinguishes that? Like what distinguishes those who stay from those who leave.   Jim: Yeah, yeah. Well, this gets to the earlier thing. We were kind of talking a little bit about the issue about resiliency, the issue about when the stresses of the job, when things are happening, sometimes will happen. Counselors will kind of take that on and they pay kind of a high emotional price, the investment with that. And so it's the counselor who can kind of keep that in check, cannot sort of internalize that. I can still do good work. Yes. It would be nice if I had lower case loads. Yes, it'd be nice if I got more money. Yes, it would be nice if this and that changed. So I think we talked a little bit about this earlier, but I think what really kind of differentiates those two counselors is just that ability to not kind of internalize that and as a result, still able to kind of negotiate the things that are necessary to move the client forward. Because if you kind of take all this in, you know, you go home at the end of the day, you're just kind of wiped. And so that's really to me, kind of a key component.   Carol: Do you think that's something that can be taught like, or is that kind of how people are? That's the thing I wonder, like, Can you really teach someone how to, like, not get so emotionally involved into the situation? I mean, I suppose there's some techniques or something, but yeah, it might very well be just kind of the person you are and how you respond to things around you just in your life overall.   Jim: Right. Yeah, that's a good point. And some would certainly say, and there's something to be said, sort of the nature nurture environment kind of issue. Yeah. There's clearly people that in terms of just kind of their makeup, this is how they, you know, they just they see the world half full, the glass is half full. I had a clerical person years and was the most upbeat. In fact, I used to call her Susie Sunshine. It's like no matter what, she just didn't get down. And I thought, is this for real? Are you on some sort of happy? What's this all about? So that's there's a part of that. But yes, it can be taught. And so a lot of it is, you know, in terms of our behaviors as well, how's that influence its influence in our thinking. So you can get very catastrophic. Like, you know, I got a caseload of 150. I'm stressed. You know, I can't get to all my clients. And, you know, I should be able to, you know, answer them within a 24 hour period. And if somebody asks to see me, I should be. Yeah. Well, there's a lot of things that you should. And yes, it would be nice, but you have to kind of ask yourself, given the resources that I have, I have to be realistic about this. And so it sounds maybe a little trite, but in some ways it's kind of like, you know, you got to cut yourself some slack. You have to kind of say, yes, if I had 25 clients, yes, life would be different, but I don't. Sometimes you can explain this to your consumers and sometimes, yeah, they get it. In other cases it's not. But you can't let that define who you are because if you do, you're setting yourself up for unrealistic expectations which aren't going to be fulfilled. So you're going to be kind of frustrated and yeah, probably leave the organization. You know, I was like, hey, this isn't for me.   Carol: So it's really a practice thing. I mean, it's probably a time thing and a practice to kind.   Jim: Of has to be. Yeah, it has to be intentional. And this is where in terms of a good supervisor working with the council, it's like, you know, boy, you seem kind of, you know, really stressed. What's that about? What's going on. What's the belief system that you're operating from. What are your expectations you're placing on yourself? And sometimes it seems so obvious to the outsider. And I can just say in my own personal life, I mean, how many times is like, you know, hey, this is really obvious to somebody else. she's new news to me.   Carol: Yeah.   Jim: sometimes. Yeah. You gotta have that outside perspective to kind of like, let's take a look about what? What are those messages you're telling yourself? And are they realistic?   Carol: Right. What do you think are the most actionable steps that VR agencies can take right now?   Jim: Well, I wanted to give a shout out to a couple scholars. Yes, I've done some work in this. Doctor Landon from Utah State has done some work in this. Doctor Wu from northeastern Illinois, doctor McFarland from San Diego State. Yes, I know Fred's retired, but you know his legacy. So besides my own work, those folks, if you look at some of their work and my work and the team that I've worked with, there's a couple things. And this is like a long, long list because I started kind of writing a few things out here. The obvious thing is offer competitive salaries, but given the historical and current climate, it doesn't bode well for states are going to say, oh, we're going to increase your budget by 15% or 20%, which would allow you to hire more counselors at a competitive rate. So with that being said, I proposed at a CSAVR conference a couple years ago what seemed to be kind of a radical recommendation. Let me start with the most radical thing first, and then we'll get into some other. So the radical thing that I proposed was I recommended that we move from a five day to a four day workweek. Now, I'm not talking about 40 hours, ten hours a day, four days of work. Because remember, we're talking about the culture and the climate. So working those extra two hours every day is like, well, yeah, I'd have a day off, but is that really going to be meaningful? So given that states a lot of times don't have as much influence in their budget, what I suggested was moving to a four day, 32 hour workweek at the same pay. Now, I can imagine some of you...   Carol: Heads blew up, They did, yeah.   Jim: Yeah. That's right. Yeah, exactly. Like, who is this academic? What the heck does he know? So before you discount that, let me just kind of invite those that might push back on that and say, well, just for a moment, just indulge me. Just say like, well, let's just say if we did that. Okay. Well, first off, I would offer that the average work week, I think, for most state VR counselors is 37.5, so it's not really technically 40 hours of work. You'll remember my earlier comments about the younger generational workers. They want to see that kind of work life balance. So having greater time to devote to myself, my family, recreation, other pursuits, those become increasingly important. And again, I'll just offer this. We didn't talk about this as a result in the study, but if you need any further evidence of the support for this recommendation, one of the research questions that we asked an ancillary one, but we basically asked them about what are your thoughts or feelings about a 32 hour workweek? And we looked at intent to leave and surprise, surprise, yeah, that was a significant predictor in terms of yeah, that would cause me to stay.   All right. Let's unpack this a little bit further. I would offer to the State Council because again, we know what we know. We've always been 40 hours a week. And as I talked at the conference and I wrote in a Journal of Rehab article, you know, before the work week used to be 50, 60 hours a week, that was normal. You work Saturdays. All right. And it wasn't until Henry Ford said, you know what? Maybe we gotta rethink this thing. And, you know, he was proposing. Let's move to a 40 hour. Well, that was just heresy, because we just knew what we knew. So when we asked counselors and supervisors how much of an impact a 32 hour work week with no salary reduction, 75% of counselors and supervisors say that has a significant or very significant influence in me remaining on their jobs. My thought is, given we're not going to get more tip, most likely not a whole influx in terms of additional revenue for states. What can we control? Is this something that we can control? So that's like my radical. Okay.   Carol: Yeah. You're Henry Ford now Jim.   Jim: Yeah, I'm Henry Ford.   Carol: I love it, I love it.   Jim: I wish I was, at least I wish I was. I wish I was a descendant of Henry. so a less controversial recommendation. And frankly, it's funny because I see us kind of going back now and not in a good way. State VR agencies, while they offer telework, there are more and more state VR agencies are kind of like, well, let's get back to the good old days. Well, first off, I'm not sure that was kind of the good old days. I mean, clearly the pandemic contributed to a major societal change about rethinking about our work schedule. Before that, if council said, hey, I'd like to stay at home for about three days a week and do my work. They'd say, that ain't happening. And so actually, what we find is, yes, you can do this job from home. And, you know, we have the markers, the accountability in terms of our statuses and, you know, the progress that you're making. So I mean, that's the bottom line. Are you getting closed successful rehabilitations with your clients. But now kind of what's happening is that we seems, at least what I've heard through talking with counselors and supervisors throughout the United States is there seems to be kind of a return of offering on site rehabilitation services. You know, that's something that I would ask us to really kind of take a look at that, and not only in terms of the telework, but let's think about the work flexibility. How often do we offer our counselors part time work or even evening hours? A lot of people retiring. That's a tremendous amount of experience that's going out the door. And you just wonder sometimes like, okay, so you want to retire. Great. Wonderful. But well, it's kind of like that's kind of what happened.   Carol: That's what happened to you, Jim.   Jim: That's right. So then the thing is kind of say, well, what if you work part time? What if you work X amount of hours a day or a week or whatever? So rehiring maybe recently retired workers. And again, let's focus on those that had proven track records. So, hey, they're a great rehab counselors and, yeah, we'd like to have them back. That's something could be done. Another thing that I think that could be done, and we used to do this in Pennsylvania, and unfortunately, it's at least as far as I know, we're not currently doing it. And if we are. My apologies to Povor, but provide paid internships and if possible, offer employee benefits to graduate students who complete their clinical internships with the state VR agency. And the great thing about this from a state VR, you get to see, you know, when you interview and screen, a candidate, maybe you spend an hour or two with them. That's a lot different from seeing somebody five days a week over a, you know, five, six month period. You got a lot of information about this person. And also you have then kind of a buy in from them like, yeah, this gives me some idea about what this job is all about. So you know, doing that and I know in Pennsylvania historically, they would hold back some of their training dollars to help kind of support that.   Maybe that's something could we look at? If we do? Just a little ancillary comment I'd make. Students graduate in May, August and December. So if you can somehow when you know, like, okay, we're going to have a vacancy, it'd be wonderful if you can kind of coordinate that with the times they graduate. So if, you know, for example, someone's going to retire and maybe they're going to retire in May rather than waiting May to start that job search, maybe start that job search March or April. And then because of the two months, oftentimes it takes to go through the screening and all the documentation and all that, then you can kind of coincide that, you know, and target it with those dates. Because I've had a number of students say, yeah, I'd like to work for the state VR, but I'm not waiting around 2 or 3 months. I need to get a job. I need to start making some money. So related to that, another recommendation I have is and some states are doing this trying to reexamine their screening procedure. So let's take a look and say look, what can we do to reduce the time between when we know a vacancy exists and the time of hire. So, as I said, most people, whether you're a student or not, unless you're currently working, you can't wait for 2 or 3 months.   Other things that they could do is, you know, we talked earlier about the importance of the work climate. You know, we've got to monitor that. So we said that one's intention to leave that's mitigated based on whether the counselor feels they're engaged in that process. So that's an important predictor. And as it relates to that specific variable it's about 40%. Well that's a big deal. So the message is if I feel engaged in this process I'm more likely, more likely to stay. So we talked also about the role of the supervisor and how a lot of supervisors, unfortunately, while they do really great on the administrative components, the clinical components, the sit down with the counselor and let's take a look at your relationships with your clients and what I can do to try to help you to have a good, effective working relationship because I know if the counselor has that relationship with you, they're going to be more likely to get successful rehab. So constant assessment about what's going on now, how can we do that better? And, you know, through maybe stay interviews or, or even exit interviews to find out what did we do wrong. Is there anything we could do better? It's difficult because we have to be able to hear kind of things that maybe we don't like to hear.   Carol: We don't like to hear.   Jim: Yeah. And as you know, that's kind of a big part of where we're going in terms of my work with you guys.   Carol: Yes. So on that note, you are going to be working with the new VRTAC and some recruitment retention pieces. So you want to talk a little bit about that. What that works going to look like.   Jim: Yeah yeah yeah. And you know sometimes somebody said yes I'm very excited. And no you're not. No I actually I am very excited about this work and I really feel very fortunate. You guys offer me the opportunity to partner with you. So building on some of the stuff, we talked a little bit about, one of the things that we plan to do is develop this toolkit. And basically what that means is we're hoping to provide a resource for human resource managers, in particular, who work in the state VR program to try to help them and also state VR leadership teams, but also to help them address kind of the recruitment and retention problems that have been so well documented over the years. So I've begun looking at some of the existing literature as a way to kind of framework. Okay, so we've talked about a lot of this already. What is it that predicts who's going to stay? Who's going to leave? We haven't talked too much about the recruitment aspect, but that's another thing that we're going to address to say, okay, what do we know already in terms of the literature? But that's only a part of it. And the other thing that I'm really kind of excited about is the opportunity to work with the HR Resource Professional Group, professional teams. John Walsh I know has been involved with that as well. And basically what I'm hoping to do is because I know when you talk with states leadership team, sometimes a state will be doing something. I'm getting excited. Just kind of talk about I can't even get my words out.   They'll be doing something you think, man, you know, that is really cool. That's a great idea. Yeah. I wonder how nobody else, you know, knows about that. So it's amazing to me kind of the creativity that people have, but they just don't know about it. And so what I'm hoping to do is engage in a series of kind of focus groups, questions that gets to that, like not just what are the problems. I think we have a pretty good handle on that. But then what solutions? What are you doing to try to address this, what's working for you, and then be able to kind of put that in a toolkit or a resource that all states can use. So from the collective experiences from the various state VR agencies, we want to share that nationwide. And if everything goes according to plan, we're hoping to have that available in about a year, I think.   Carol: Yeah, a little less than a year.   Jim: Oh, a little.   Carol: Okay, a little less Jim. Let's see.   Jim: Okay.   Carol: Reining it in.   Jim: Yes, yes.   Carol: And then the other fun thing, you'll get to work with a state.   Jim: That's right. Thank you. The other component I've done clinical supervision training for about 12 different states. And I've met with each over the last probably 15 years. Each time I do it, I refine it a little better, a little better. And so I think I've got things down pretty good now. So I'm really interested now to work with the state to try to help their supervisors to work more effectively with their counselors, and in particular, how can I help supervisors to help their counselors become more effective as a counselor? And I have four kind of group supervision approaches that I know from. My research has proven pretty effective. So I'm looking for a state VR agency of supervisor and say, yep, let's tangle with that academic from Penn State. Let's do it. So that's the other component to it as well. Yes.   Carol: Yeah, we're really excited about that work. So Jim, thanks again for joining us on the manager minute. I really appreciate you being here. And for our listeners, if Jim has said something that is sparking your interest, especially with some work he's going to do with the VRTAC, please do reach out to us if you are interested in that for your agency. And until next time, everyone keep doing the great work that changes lives. Appreciate you. Have a great day!   {Music} Outro Voice: Conversations powered by VR. One manager at a time. One minute at a time. Brought to you by the VRTAC. Catch all of our podcast episodes by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening.

On this episode, Travis Chappell sits down with his producer Eric for a fun but revealing “check your contacts” game that exposes how much your network shapes your opportunities, decisions, and problem-solving capacity. Instead of focusing on tactics alone, they use real names from Travis's phone to unpack what makes a relationship actually valuable beyond social proof or status.​ On this episode we talk about: The one professional contact Travis would keep if he had to delete everyone else from his phone Who he'd bet $1,000 will pick up the phone every time he calls Which friend he hasn't talked to in years but knows would still show up if he needed help The first “celebrity” and first true household-name contact that made his network feel different Who he'd choose as his only coach if he had to start a new business tomorrow The worst “client” call of his career and the red flags it revealed The best call he's ever received and how it turned into a defining podcast interview moment Why your network multiplies your ability to solve problems, Henry Ford–style Top 3 Takeaways A contact is only as valuable as their willingness to respond; reliability and generosity matter more than fame or follower count. Strong relationships built over years—even with long gaps in communication—can still be some of the most dependable when life or business goes sideways. Your network is a force multiplier: like Henry Ford and modern ultra-learners, you do not need to know everything yourself if you can quickly reach people who are true experts in their domains. Notable Quotes "Your contacts are only as good as the people who actually text back and pick up when it counts." "You can solve bigger and more complex problems when you know who to call, not just what to do." "Your contact list will largely dictate how successful and how helpful you are in life—so don't neglect the work of building real relationships." ✖️✖ ✖️

Thanks to Allstate for sponsoring today's episode! Click here [https://bit.ly/463GZoO] to check Allstate first and see how much you could save on car insurance. This week on Past Gas, we're telling the story of Pininfarina — the small Italian coachbuilder that became the world's most iconic design house. Before their name appeared on Ferraris and Peugeots, Battista “Pinin” Farina was just a kid in his brother's shop dreaming bigger than Detroit. From turning down a job offer from Henry Ford to creating the MoMA-worthy Cisitalia 202, Pininfarina quickly rewrote the rules of car design. And after one legendary lunch with Enzo Ferrari, they'd go on to shape nearly every iconic Ferrari for the next six decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

L'histoire de l'industrie dans le monde est semée de grandes réussites... et d'échecs parfois retentissants. L'exposition "Flops ?!" au Musée des arts et métiers à Paris met en lumière quelques ratages de l'innovation ou du marketing dans le monde. Du jeu de société Trump aux lasagnes Colgate, de la Renault 14 comparée à une poire au navire de guerre suédois Vasa coulé dès sa mise à l'eau, ces ratés nous enseignent autant, sinon plus, que les succès éclatants. NOS INVITÉS

Me and photographer Ryan Southen reflect on Ford's new glass-clad headquarters across from The Henry Ford in Dearborn. We get into the design elements, the thoughts behind the campus, and details we noticed from the tour. It shows an organization that's looking not only to the future, but to having a campus that top talent from around the country would want to work at. Ford's new World Headquarters isn't just glass and steel. It's a 2.1 million square foot bet that Metro Detroit and Michigan can compete for talent with Silicon Valley. You can see the entire photo tour on our website here: https://www.dailydetroit.com/see-inside-fords-big-bet-on-the-future-a-new-world-headquarters/  

Dr. Julie Ann Justo is joined by experts Drs. Krista Gens and Javier A. Villafuerte Gálvez as they dive deep into the gut microbiome and explore the latest therapeutic frontier for C. difficile infections.  From bacteria battles to breakthrough treatments, this one's a must-listen! You can also review the helpful infographic on our website (https://breakpoints-sidp.org/infographics/). This podcast was supported by an unrestricted grant from Nestlé Health Science. References: Helpful review from one of our guest experts: Gens KD, et al. Fecal microbiota transplantation and emerging treatments for Clostridium difficile infection. J Pharm Pract. 2013 Oct;26(5):498-505. doi: 10.1177/0897190013499527. PMID: 23966282. More modern review: Herbin SR, et al. Breaking the Cycle of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infections: A Narrative Review Exploring Current and Novel Therapeutic Strategies. J Pharm Pract. 2024 Dec;37(6):1361-1373. doi: 10.1177/08971900241248883. Epub 2024 May 13. PMID: 38739837. Review on designing microbiota based therapies (pre-print only): Ke S, et al. Rational Design of Live Biotherapeutic Products for the Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infection. 2024 May 02. doi: 10.1101/2024.04.30.591969. [FDA Guidance regarding IND requirements for fecal microbiota transplant](https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/enforcement-policy-regarding-investigational-new-drug-requirements-use-fecal-microbiota). 2022 Nov. OpenBiome webpage with resources for hospitals: How to Start an FMT Program. 2025. Peery AF, et al. AGA Clinical Practice Guideline on Fecal Microbiota-Based Therapies for Select Gastrointestinal Diseases. Gastroenterology. 2024 Mar;166(3):409-434. doi: 10.1053/j.gastro.2024.01.008. PMID: 38395525. Johnson S, et al. Clinical Practice Guideline by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA): 2021 Focused Update Guidelines on Management of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Adults. Clin Infect Dis. 2021 Sep 7;73(5):755-757. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciab718. PMID: 34492699. Henry Ford's experience getting fecal microbiota products for patients: Abene S. Fecal Microbiota Capsules Improve CDI Access Through Specialty Pharmacy Integration. Contagion Live. 2025 Jul 11. An international view on CDI management: Mendo-Lopez R, et al. Best Practices in the Management of Clostridioides difficile Infection in Developing Nations. Trop Med Infect Dis. 2024 Aug 19;9(8):185. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed9080185. PMID: 39195623. Review on investigational LBP agents: Monday L, et al. Microbiota-Based Live Biotherapeutic Products for Clostridioides Difficile Infection- The Devil is in the Details. Infect Drug Resist. 2024 Feb 15;17:623-639. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S419243. PMID: 38375101. More on quorum sensing: Falà AK, et al. Quorum sensing in human gut and food microbiomes: Significance and potential for therapeutic targeting. Front Microbiol. 2022 Nov 25;13:1002185. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1002185. PMID: 36504831. Economic impacts of CDI pts: Reilly J, et al. Economic impact of multiple recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection in a community teaching hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2025 Sep 29:1-3. doi: 10.1017/ice.2025.10295. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41020576.

Welcome to Friday! This is your Daily Detroit sharing What's Next, What's Now and What Matters in the Motor City. Devon O'Reilly and Jer are your hosts and today's bucket of topics include: Detroit development updates: Henry Ford campus expansion, new Amsterdam Lofts, and transformation around Grand Boulevard Discussion of the changing Milwaukee Junction, originally the crucible of the auto industry and generally an industrial neighborhood and now turning to lofts and residential Where we've been: Fishbones in St. Clair Shores and the new Nick Gilbert Way for the holidays Devon laments the loss of the "kitschy" vibe in dining — and the rise of homogenized minimalism in Detroit restaurants Are you a minimalist or a maximalist with design? New placemaking features: There's a giant teddy bear at Nick Gilbert Way and improved Woodward corridor with outdoor "rooms" Pingree Detroit's opening on Columbia  Retail update: Timberland store opening on Woodward today Abrupt closure of the Sonder Hotel (Gabriel Richard Building) due to national bankruptcy; what's next for the property Our main topic: A new $75 million DDA incentive for Renaissance Center conversion and riverfront redevelopment; breakdown of funding and vision for more public access and a "Navy Pier-like" experience Comparing Detroit's Riverfront to other U.S. cities and discussion on what it still needs to truly be the best Upcoming events: David Whitney building tree lighting on November 22nd Feedback as always - dailydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com or leave a voicemail 313-789-3211. Follow Daily Detroit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/daily-detroit/id1220563942 Or sign up for our newsletter: https://www.dailydetroit.com/newsletter/  

To celebrate the 300th episode of the Car Stuff Podcast, Jill and Tom are joined by Jennifer Newman and Damon Bell of Cars.com. Jennifer was the podcast's first guest, and Damon was co-host for the first three years of the show. Jennifer and Damon share the Cars.com picks for the best vehicles under $30,000. That conversation dovetailed nicely with Jennifer's research into new-vehicle affordability. In the second segment, everyone looks back over the past six years to discuss the biggest automotive news stories and strangest events that transpired during the Car Stuff Podcast run. In the last segment Jennifer, Damon, and Jill are subjected to Tom's “Who Said It?” quiz, featuring quotes from Henry Ford and Elon Musk. Plus, enjoy a special holiday-themed bonus question. 

“If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.” - Edmund BurkeIt's a familiar thought: If I just had a little more money, life would be better. We've all been there—believing that one more raise, one more purchase, one more upgrade will finally bring contentment. But as many have discovered, that thought rarely delivers what it promises.The question “Can money buy happiness?” isn't new, and neither is the answer. From philosophers to billionaires to biblical writers, the conclusion is the same: wealth can make life comfortable, but it cannot make life complete.Why Money Can't Deliver What It PromisesWe don't know how much Edmund Burke studied Scripture, but his words echo a timeless truth. Paul warned Timothy, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:10). When we expect money to solve our problems or satisfy our hearts, disappointment always follows.Financial author Ron Blue explores this in his book, Generous Living: Finding Contentment Through Giving, pointing out a deep disconnect between what we believe and how we behave. Most of us would agree that “money can't buy happiness,” yet nearly every message in our culture insists that it can. The world doesn't just tempt us to spend more—it trains us to depend on more.Advertising drives this message home. Every commercial suggests that joy is only one purchase away. The right car, the latest phone, the perfect vacation—each one whispers that happiness is for sale. But when our hearts attach to things that fade, anxiety soon takes root. Instead of owning our possessions, our possessions begin to own us.John D. Rockefeller, worth billions in today's dollars, once admitted, “I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness.” Henry Ford echoed the same sentiment: “I was happier when I was doing a mechanic's job.” And long before them, King Solomon—the wealthiest man of his day—wrote, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; this also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).Three men, three eras, one truth: money can't satisfy the soul.Two Myths About WealthRon Blue identifies two common lies about money:More money brings more freedom and satisfaction. In reality, more money brings more complexity. As Ron Blue also notes in his book, “Since there are always unlimited ways to spend limited dollars, it doesn't matter whether you make $20,000 or $200,000—you will always have choices to make.” With greater wealth comes greater responsibility and potential stress.More money removes fear and worry. The opposite is often true. The more we have, the more we have to lose. Market downturns and unexpected crises reveal that our sense of security is fragile when it's built on wealth.In those moments, God invites us to a deeper trust—not in our accounts or assets, but in His character. His provision is measured not by our portfolios but by His promises.So how do we break free from financial fear? It begins with a shift in perspective: realizing it's not your money. You're a steward, not an owner. Everything you have belongs to God.Philippians 4:19 assures us, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God promises provision, not luxury. He gives enough for His purpose in your life, not necessarily for every preference.Our role is faithfulness—to manage His resources wisely, give generously, and hold loosely what He entrusts to us. Enjoy His gifts, but never expect them to give you peace or identity. Those belong to God alone.Finding Joy That LastsPsalm 37:3–5 gives us the pathway to contentment: “Trust in the Lord, and do good… Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”When we delight in God, He reshapes our desires. We stop chasing what fades and start finding joy in what lasts. True wealth isn't measured by net worth but by contentment.So, can money buy happiness? Not the kind that endures. It can buy comfort and convenience—but not peace, purpose, or joy. Those come only from trusting the One who provides.When your hope rests in Christ and not your paycheck, you'll experience what Edmund Burke described centuries ago: true freedom that never fades.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm 30 and trying to be proactive about my financial future. Should I consider getting long-term care insurance this early, or wait until later in life? And would adding annuities make sense at my age?I'm a veteran with a VA loan at 6.75%, and I keep getting offers to refinance through a VA IRRRL. I've only been in my home for about a year, but as a single mom, lowering my payment would really help. Should I go ahead and refinance now, or wait?My employer offers both a traditional 401(k) and a Roth option. If I switch to contributing to the Roth, will my employer match still go there, and would it also be tax-free when I withdraw it?I recently replaced my old truck with a 2023 model, and the seller is offering an extended warranty for $4,000. It sounds comprehensive, but I've read many negative reviews about these plans. Are extended warranties on vehicles generally worth it?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Generous Living: Finding Contentment Through Giving by Ron Blue with Jodie BerndtWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The automotive industry has come a long way from three-piece suits and mechanical production lines. Twenty-five years ago, manufacturers weren't thinking about EVs, tool changers, or the complexity we see today. Those who weathered 2008 will tell you: when the next downturn comes, it won't be your sales pitch that saves you, it'll be whether you were a true partner to your customers.This episode was recorded Oktoberfest-style at RAM Solutions, featuring eight industry leaders discussing what's transforming automotive manufacturing. Mitch Yencha and Scott Hunter share timeless lessons from surviving 2008, while Tanner Boyko and Jim Marlowe highlight the insane amount of innovation happening right now, from the safest cars in history to new EV players entering the space.Paul Otto and Andy Johnson reveal how AI is finally unlocking value from terabytes of welding data generated daily, while John Macdonald and Markus Weckbach from STÄUBLI explain why you need proactive planning with Plans B and C ready. They also cover why technologies like AMRs, AGVs, and gigacasting have finally crossed the adoption threshold.In this episode, find out:How team culture and customer empathy helped manufacturers survive 2008Why automotive has been having the supply chain conversation since Henry Ford's assembly line daysHow AI is analyzing terabytes of welding data daily to optimize qualityWhy cobots, camera programming, and automated forklifts are creating new job opportunitiesWhat gigacasting is and how it's eliminating spot welding by casting car bodies in 3-5 componentsWhy trade roles like maintenance and electricians are seeing a resurgenceThe proactive vs. reactive approach needed when running hundreds of jobs per hourHow RAM Solutions trains hands-on with STÄUBLI equipment to fully support customersEnjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It's feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:“You have unbelievable technology coming into the automotive industry. It might be perceived as stagnant but that's just not true. There's a wide range of opportunities for anybody with any type of background to participate in this space.” – Scott Hunter“We talk about AI, but you still have to know the basics and know how to work with your hands. You need to know how to weld or operate a robot. You need to know the core foundation principles before you can take the next step.” – Paul Otto“We've always had a ton of automative data but the next step has been how to get it into a format so data scientists can use it and draw conclusions from it. Now the number crunchers can use AI tools to drive decision making on the manufacturing's floor.” – Andy JohnsonLinks & mentions:RAM Solutions, LLC, providing specialized automation solutions and 24/7 technical support across North America, with expertise in robotic tool changers, collision sensors, pneumatic systems, and overhead lifting equipment.STÄUBLI, a global mechatronic solution provider delivering robotics, electrical connectors, fluid connectors, and textile solutions across nearly every industry with long-term support in 28 countries.G.E Schmidt, a global leader in resistance welding solutions providing complete spot, seam, and projection welding systems with proprietary technologies for automotive and industrial manufacturers across the U.S., U.K., and...

This time of year is critical. As sales leaders map out their budgets for the new year, the conversation always centers on a core conflict: How to cut expenses and, simultaneously, motivate teams to hit larger quotas. What's the first line item to feel the squeeze? Training and development. It is often incorrectly labeled a 'want' and not a 'need.' We hear leaders say, "It can wait until next quarter," or, "Once we stabilize revenue, we'll invest in the team."  This short-sighted thinking doesn't save money. Instead, it's costing organizations a significant, quantifiable amount of revenue and talent. When professional development is treated like a luxury, we undermine the foundational ability of our teams to perform consistently at a high level. Training is the Foundational Requirement for Peak Performance Sales leaders should consider peak performance in any high-stakes environment. In the military, or in elite professional sports, ongoing training is not a choice—it is a non-negotiable, daily priority.  So why is it that, in Sales, we view continuous development as optional or too expensive? The simple truth is that lack of training is the most expensive mistake you can make. Think about the rate of technological change. Most of us have upgraded our cell phones in the last three to five years because the old ones simply couldn't keep up.  The same principle applies to your sales team's skill set. If your representatives are still relying on techniques learned 5, 10, or 15 years ago, then they are operating at a competitive disadvantage. They will be outmaneuvered and outperformed by competitors who are strategically investing in modern sales frameworks every time. Henry Ford's famous quote still holds true: "The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is to not train them and keep them." If you believe training is expensive, you must take a moment to calculate the monumental loss of reps consistently missing their quotas. The True Cost of Inconsistency and Turnover Look at the numbers. Assume three of your representatives are consistently missing quota by just 20%. That deficit is lost revenue—but it also represents wasted leads, missed opportunities, and the corrosive ripple effect of deals that never even make it into your pipeline. The amount of potential revenue lost due to underperformance is often far greater than the entire annual budget you would allocate to comprehensive sales training. Action Plan for Sales Leaders & Managers To reverse this loss, you must treat coaching as a continuous operational requirement, not a perk. Calculate the 'Cost of Inaction' to Justify Budget: Reframe thinking of training as an expense and start focusing on the cost of the status quo. Calculate the annualized revenue loss from your bottom 20% of underperforming reps (e.g., missed quota * average deal size). Use that concrete number to justify and secure a budget for development, proving that not training is your biggest liability. Implement a Continuous Coaching Framework: Don't rely on annual training events. Transform your managers into daily coaches by mandating 30 minutes of structured, one-on-one coaching per week focused on skill development. This reinforcement is what locks in new behaviors and prevents the initial energy gained in training from fading. The Hidden Expense of Disengagement Talent turnover is another critical cost of lack of training that is often overlooked. A representative who feels unsupported, or who consistently misses quota because they don't have the necessary tools and coaching, is highly likely to seek opportunities elsewhere.  The cost of recruiting, onboarding, and ramping a replacement—which includes the loss of established customer relationships and the disruption to team morale—significantly outweighs the expense of proactive investment. How to Take a Struggling Rep From Liability to Asset

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I'm excited to share episode one of a new podcast that I've helped create and produce. This new podcast is called David Senra, and it's hosted by David Senra. For those of you not familiar with David Senra, he is an expert in all things related to greatness. He studies greatness and understands it, mostly in the domain of business but also among creatives, athletes and other world-class performers. This first episode of the podcast is with Daniel Ek, the co-founder and CEO of Spotify. It's an absolutely spectacular conversation that I'm certain you'll enjoy. With episode one of David Senra now available, please be sure to subscribe wherever you're listening so you don't miss future episodes. You can also subscribe to the podcast on the platforms below. Spotify: https://spti.fi/TVrr557 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3WaK1S6 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidsenra X: https://x.com/davidsenra Chapters (0:00) Introduction from Dr. Andrew Huberman (1:13) Reflecting on a Life-Changing Conversation (2:30) Optimizing for Impact Over Happiness (5:21) The Journey of Self-Motivation (10:11) The Importance of Trust and Relationships (15:37) The Role of Criticism and Self-Reflection (17:37) The Evolution of an Entrepreneur (23:27) Building a Company True to Yourself (34:56) The Power of Trust in Business (42:25) Intellectual Humility and Learning from Others (42:49) Shadowing Leaders for Growth (45:01) Learning from Mark Zuckerberg (48:15) Balancing Personal Taste and Metrics in Product Decisions (53:35) The Evolution of Leadership at Spotify (59:13) Building a Company That Outlasts the Founder (1:15:25) Managing Energy Over Time (1:25:31) The Never-Ending Game of Life (1:25:54) Lessons from Henry Ford (1:27:08) The Value of Solving Problems (1:31:42) The Importance of Quality (1:37:20) The Power of Focus and Patience (1:54:32) Balancing Work and Life (2:00:25) The Journey of Self-Discovery (2:08:43) Final Reflections and Gratitude Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices