Podcast appearances and mentions of Herb Kelleher

"Is time truly the greatest currency we possess?" That's the question Kent Hance opens with, setting the stage for an episode packed with wisdom, humor, and unforgettable stories. In this lively installment of "Kent Hance, The Best Storyteller in Texas," Kent dives deep into the value of time, sharing personal routines and life hacks that keep him sharp at 83 years old—including answering emails while on the treadmill and making calls while walking the halls. His philosophy: "People that organize their time and don't waste time are always successful." Listeners are treated to a masterclass in negotiation, as Kent reveals how physical fitness can give you an edge at the bargaining table The episode then takes flight with Kent's insider perspective on Southwest Airlines, from its humble beginnings sketched on a bar napkin to its transformation under new leadership. Kent's close friendship with legendary founder Herb Kelleher brings rare insights, including the story of how a baggage handler's suggestion revolutionized turnaround times and how Herb's "customers always right" mantra shaped the airline's culture. Kent doesn't shy away from the big changes facing Southwest, expressing concern over the loss of free baggage and the shift to assigned seating. His candid reflections are peppered with classic Kent Hance humor—like his trick for keeping the middle seat empty and his take on flying with pets: "If you need a dog to fly, then don't fly." The episode rounds out with heartwarming tales of family reunions, Thanksgiving gatherings, and the enduring importance of connecting with loved ones. Kent's storytelling is as sharp as ever, leaving listeners with memorable quotes such as, "The greatest currency is time," and practical advice: "Be sure and get plenty of exercise, and take care of your time." Whether you're a fan of Texas lore, business wisdom, or just great storytelling, this episode is a must-listen. Kent's blend of humor, insight, and authenticity will leave you inspired to make the most of every moment. Host Background Kent Hance is a celebrated Texas storyteller, former chancellor, and seasoned negotiator whose colorful career spans law, politics, and business. His close relationships with industry icons like Herb Kelleher and his firsthand experience with Southwest Airlines make him uniquely qualified to discuss the airline's evolution and the importance of leadership, culture, and customer service. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments "People that organize their time and don't waste time are always successful." "If you need a dog to fly, then don't fly." "The greatest currency is time." The story of the baggage handler's suggestion that changed Southwest's turnaround times. Kent's humorous advice for keeping the middle seat empty: "Get that barf bag and open it and look at it." Call-to-Action Enjoyed Kent's stories and insights? Don't miss a single episode—subscribe now, leave a review, and share this episode with friends who appreciate great storytelling and Texas wisdom. Connect with us on Instagram at @best storyteller podcast and join the conversation!  

Success in professional services isn't about doing more—it's about doing less, but doing it exceptionally well. In this episode of The IC-DISC Show, I sit down with Raffi Yousefian, CEO of The Fork CPAs, to talk about how extreme specialization transformed his accounting firm from a general practice into the leading restaurant and bar controllership service in the country. Raffi shares the counterintuitive journey of deliberately shrinking his client base to accelerate growth, ultimately tripling revenue within 18 months of selling off 30% of his practice. We explore how Raffi evolved from serving three industries to exclusively focusing on restaurants and bars, and why weekly financial reporting creates competitive advantages that monthly statements simply can't provide. He breaks down the economics of restaurant operations, explaining why 2% savings in food costs can represent an entire profit margin when you're working with businesses that operate on 5-7% net profits. The conversation reveals how subscription pricing combined with deep industry expertise solves the profession's labor shortage by making firms more profitable and attractive to talent. What strikes me most is how Raffi's specialization philosophy mirrors successful models in other industries, from medical concierge services to dating apps. If you've ever wondered whether narrowing your focus could actually expand your opportunities, this conversation provides a compelling roadmap.   SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Raffi sold off 30% of his accounting practice to focus solely on restaurants and bars, then tripled the remaining 70% within just 18 months. Weekly financial reporting in restaurants isn't a luxury—it's survival, since a 2% swing in food costs can represent your entire profit margin. The Fork CPAs moved from "insecure niching" with three industries to hyper-specialization, proving that doing less actually accelerates growth when done with expertise. Restaurant operators typically process 300-400 invoices monthly for a $3-4 million location, making specialized systems and processes non-negotiable for profitability. Subscription pricing in accounting solves the labor shortage by making firms more profitable, allowing them to pay better and attract talent to the profession. Specialization creates resonance with ideal clients who say "you sound like my soulmate" rather than casting a wide net and hoping something sticks.   Contact Details LinkedIn - Raffi Yousefian (https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffiyousefian/) LINKSShow Notes Be a Guest About IC-DISC Alliance About The Fork CPAs Raffi YousefianAbout Raffi TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dave: Good morning, Raffi How are you today? Raffi:: Good morning, David. I'm doing well. And yourself? Dave: I am doing great. I appreciate you coming on the podcast. Just a formal introduction, you are Raffi Yousefian, and you're the CEO of the Fork CPAs. Is that correct? Raffi:: That's correct. And I appreciate you having me. I'm excited to have a conversation with a like-minded individual in the accounting industry. Dave: Yes. I've been looking forward to this for some time. So what part of the world are you calling into from today? Raffi:: I am in Brooklyn, New York City. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Specifically Williamsburg Greenpoint, which is meant to be the hipster capital of the world in case you're interested. Dave: Yeah, I have heard that name. For that reason, I don't think I've ever been there. I haven't been to New York in about 15 years, and I think I rarely have ever been anywhere but Manhattan. So I'll have to be sure to check that out the next time I'm in town. Raffi:: We would love to have you. We're right across the East River. Dave: Okay, Raffi:: Great. Great nightlife scene, great food scene. A lot of sighting. New concepts are popping up every day, bars, restaurants, so it's a great place to be. Dave: That sounds awesome. Well, first of all, let's get to the name. What the heck does The Fork CPA's name mean? Usually the CPA firm is named after the founder or the partners. So what's the fork? What's the meaning of the fork? Was one of your partners named Fork or talk? Raffi:: No. So the fork, I have a 15 slide presentation on it. Maybe I can walk you through it one day. But the fork represents a tool that is highly agile with very sharp and fine edges, and it also relates to the restaurant industry and represents us and our values as a firm. So that's where the four comes from. That's the, in a nutshell description. And then the CPAs, you add that to clarify that we're doing accounting and tax, so that's where work branding comes from. Actually, we launched the brand in 2022, so it hasn't always been our name. Dave: Okay. Well, I really like it. So are you a New York native? Raffi:: I'm not. I'm actually from dc so lived in DC for about 10 years. That's where I started the firm, and I moved up to New York in 2021. Dave: And you went to college in Maryland? Raffi:: Yes, university of Maryland College Park. Dave: Okay. And then you graduated and you went the big four route with ENY? Raffi:: That's right. I worked at ENY for about three and a half years, and then moved to a smaller firm for about a year and a half, two years after that. And this was in 2016 when I launched the firm that I currently have right now. Dave: And you just started it from scratch? Raffi:: So initially the firm was called ROYCA LLC, and I just used my initials with CPA at the end just to get started. Okay. I started it from scratch. At the time I had the potential opportunity to acquire a restaurant bookkeeping business, and that is really what initiated me or catapulted me to taking that leap from moving from a W2 job to starting my own business. The acquisition actually never ended up panning out to be anything. It ended up being more of like a referral relationship. So it was good in that it incentivized me and motivated me to actually take the leap. But as we started from scratch, didn't end up buying any book of business or anything like that and just grew from there January 1st, 2016. Dave: And is that how the restaurant and bar capability started, was from that referral relationship with that bookkeeping firm then? Raffi:: Yes. Well, the referral relationship was a result of me taking over my brother-in-law's finances, and he had a restaurant and catering business. Dave: Oh, I Raffi:: See. And so his accountant was ending their relationship because he was moving on to be the CFO of a big fast growth restaurant group. And so I asked to meet with him. I said, can I meet with the former accountant? Maybe he has a book of business that he wants to sell or get rid of. That's not where the interest in restaurants started, but that definitely had an impact on moving towards that restaurant niche at some point. My first real client was a restaurant business. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Yeah, Dave: That is great. You've got your CPA firm, it's growing. And then at a point you realized you had a concentration in the restaurant bar business. Now, conventional wisdom says when you have a concentration like that, whether it's client industry, you need to fix it by diversifying, but you decided to go in a different direction, right? Tell me the story. Raffi:: Yeah, so initially the purpose of the firm was to provide an alternative and frictionless experience to traditional public accounting. And this was 2016 when web-based apps were all very new, and even the cloud firms were very server-based. You log into this server and it wasn't very web-based, so even cloud modern firms were still very clunky, and the client experience was terrible. So the idea was, okay, replicate the public accounting model just in a more modern and frictionless way. And so we were still providing a lot of the traditional services you get in a small public accounting firm, 10 forties, monthly bookkeeping, annual bookkeeping, industry agnostic, and one of the first moves. So that was, people love that, right? It was new cutting edge, modern virtual CPA firm. And then I think by year two, we decided we had to narrow down what we were doing. Raffi:: Again, we were trying to be everything to everyone just in a more modern way. And so I think the first change we made was limit our service offering to monthly services only. So value-based billing, fixed fee. It was a mix of value-based billing and fixed fee at the time. So we basically told all of our annual clients, mostly 10 40 clients, sorry, if you want to work with us, you have to have a business, and we have to own the entire accounting process from monthly all the way through your business tax preparation. So that was the first change we made. We didn't specialize just yet. Dave: And what year was this? 2017. Raffi:: I think this was around 2017 or 20 17, 20 18 then. So that worked really well. That allowed us to scale and grow much faster. Now everybody's on a monthly fixed retainer. You're not doing all this work during tax season, those three months trying to do 12 months of books. So there's no bottlenecks during tax season. For the most part, 10 forties are still very much a bottleneck. And in 20 19, 20 20, we decided to narrow down even further and say, okay, we're going to service three industries. And I like to say this is the insecure way of niching down. And so we narrowed it down to, I believe it was restaurants and bars for sure. Nonprofits and professional Dave: Services. Raffi:: And so that helped again, even better. Now we can scale and grow even faster with more efficiency. And then 2022, we were at a point where the restaurant and bar industry vertical was growing much double, triple what our other verticals were growing. And I believe it was just a natural result of our passion was behind that vertical, the professional services and nonprofits, great clients, low volume, easy to work with, very professional. But yeah, just stagnated the growth that stagnated. I wasn't as much interested in those verticals as I was in restaurants. And so we decided to launch the for brand in 2022 and in 2023. So in 2023, the restaurant practice was about 60 to 70% of our revenue. And so we spun off the 30%, which was nonprofits and professional services, and merged it slash sold it to another firm. And since 2023, March of 2023, we've been solely fork CPAs, Eileen niched down into restaurants and bars under the fork CPAs brand. Dave: Okay. I love the story. And then I believe, did Brandon Poe help you sell that practice? Raffi:: Yes, exactly. I think this was probably the first spinoff maybe that they did spinning off a niche and selling it to another firm, and then continuing as a, so it was new to them. And we actually did a podcast about this with Brandon. And yeah, I think it was, like you said, it sounds counter intuitive to specialize versus diversify, but to provide some context, that 70% between March of 2023 and end of 2024, I think it grew like 250, 300% our revenue. So we were basically triple the size that we were when we did the spinoff. Dave: So I have to put some numbers on this. So let's pretend the firm did a thousand dollars a year of revenue. So $700 of it was restaurants and bars. You sold off the $300 practice and then using that multiple, the firm today now is doing 200 or $300. Raffi:: Well, not today, within a year and a half, within a year and a Dave: Half, Raffi:: Within a year and a half, it was at like 2000. So you were at 1000? We were like 2100. So that 700 became 2100. Dave: Wow. Raffi:: And I think a big part of it had to do with, I actually retained my staff that was part of the nonprofit and professional services vertical. So that was about four people. And so that also helped because you need staff to grow into. Dave: And Raffi:: It did hurt our valuation because a lot of the times when firms are acquiring, they want to acquire the staff, one of the biggest problems when, Dave: Yeah, they're just buying the clients basically. Raffi:: So we took a hit on the valuation, but if we hadn't retained our staff, they wouldn't have been as easy and efficient to scale and grow within that year and a half. Dave: So why is it, so it appears based on what you're saying, that there was a underserved market in New York restaurants and bars. That's the only conclusion I can really come to have that kind of a growth implies that the market was not being well served. Is that assumption accurate or was there something else in play? Raffi:: So we definitely have competitors, but I would say underserved in a sense that the level of service and quality is just not there. It's a highly commoditized service offering restaurant bookkeeping. And so our value proposition is not just restaurant bookkeeping, it's restaurant controllership. Raffi:: So for the same price as a bookkeeping service, maybe a little bit more of a premium, 20%, 15, 20%, you can get a more comprehensive service offering under a subscription model to a controller. And the controller owns your entire accounting process. And in addition to that, we also have a tax department that will take care of the tax compliance at year end and quarterly. So I don't think we have any actual competitors that do exactly what we do. However, we have at least 40 to 50 competitors nationally. So it is underserved in that sense, but it's not something super unique or cutting edge that we're doing. It's just a different approach, a different way of doing it. Dave: And your client's all in the New York area? Raffi:: No, it's all, it's nationally. Mostly East coast. Yeah, mostly dc, Maryland, Virginia, New York City, metropolitan areas, urban areas, but it's pretty much all over the country. We can serve clients nationally. Dave: Now, when you pick up a new client, what percentage of the time is it a brand new restaurant and what percentage of the time are you taking over from another provider? Is it mostly taking over from another provider? Raffi:: I would say it's about 70% taking over. It depends. For example, we might have a restaurant group that has 10 locations and now let's say 10 franchises, and they're forming a new group and they're starting from scratch with a new concept. So there's some of that. I see most of them are fast growth. So they have the goal of, Hey, we just opened our first location and we want to be at five locations in three years. That's where a solution like ours really provides maximum value because we can help you get from zero to five in as fast as you want because you're not sitting there concerned about hiring accountants and building an accounting department. And so we take care of the back office for you through that growth stage. Dave: And what percentage of your clients are franchisees? Raffi:: It's not a large percentage. It's mostly independent operators, probably five to 10%. We have competitors that focus solely on talk about hyper specialization. They do restaurant bookkeeping for McDonald's franchises, but it gets pretty specific. And that's not necessarily our target market. Our target market is more independent operators, smaller franchise groups, 15 to 20 units, but we're not like a volume commodity shop. Dave: So I can relate to your business in so many ways, and it's why when I heard you on Brandon's podcast, I just was dying to talk to you. So as I think I told you, so all we do is icy disc work, and we're the only firm I know of that does nothing but icy disc work. We manage more than anyone else. So all we do, we live, eat and breathe it. But within that space, our largest sector by far is the scrap metal business. And what's interesting, and I hear this all the time from our clients, is that I'm the only advisor they've ever had who understands the scrap metal business, that when they have a banker that they're interviewing new banks or a new CPA, it's always the same thing. They come out and they're like, wow, I thought this was going to be Sanford and Son's junkyard. This is a whole different business. And they get so frustrating. And I've frustrated, and some of 'em have asked me to find CPAs, find them a new CPA, and one of the first things they want is somebody with scrap metal experience because it's so frustrating for them having to, every year there's a new staff person and every year they have to explain all over again how the whole business works. I'm guessing it's similar in the restaurant business. Is that right? And kind of dive into how your expertise manifests itself when you're talking with an Raffi:: Potential Dave: Client? Raffi:: Yeah, absolutely. Having an accountant in the entire spectrum of accounting services, whether that's your tax preparer, your controller, your bookkeeper, your CFO, having that industry specialization is completely invaluable. And I think the, in any industry, restaurants aside, the consumer is starting to realize that and the level of insight you can provide as a specialist and the value you can add is way beyond what a generalist can do. And sometimes people will hire generalists because of a referral or a trust that they have with this person. And I think that's really the only time where there's any justification in hiring a generalist, to be honest with you. But even that, it's okay, well, sure, this might be your dad's accountant or your family friend accountant that everybody trusts, but is that really providing any value? If you can't trust your service provider, then what's the point? Raffi:: So yeah, the level of value you can provide, and just to give you some examples, if you have three locations as a restaurant and you want to add another location, you should be able to go to your accountant and say, here is what the landlord is asking for rent. Here's what I'm expecting to do in sales. Is this a good investment? And the accountant, if they're specialized, they should be able to tell you very quickly just by reviewing your projections, your performa and saying, yes, this is an investment that we're not investment advisors, but if your projections actually pan out to be what they say, then yes, we want your occupancy cost to be 8% of sales, and you're showing that in your projection. So yeah, if this spot that you've identified can actually generate that type of sales and your prime costs are going to be this much, your bottom line is potentially going to be this, then your ROI will be X. And therefore, yeah, it's a good investment. Now, a generalist might be able to do that by doing some research, Raffi:: But that example can be applied to so many different things. When we sit down and analyze p and ls as a controller, we need to be able to look at trends and identify, wait, why do we lose money this month? Very quickly, right on a call, oh, it's because your labor was 35% and it's usually 32%. And in restaurants, it's typically 32, 33 is the ideal number. Just being able to throw out numbers off the top of your head and being well-trained in a specific vertical, it just provides so much value. And we talk about in the accounting industry about how we have to become advisors. This is like AI is going to take over all the compliance overseas hiring and all the bookkeeping is going to be automated. And so now we have to become more advisors and just data entry people and compliance providers. And the only way you can really do that, in my opinion, if you want to be a true advisor, is to niche down and specialize. Otherwise, how much value can you really add as a generalist? Dave: Sure. Well, and I was just thinking, I would imagine having come up through the accounting side, I couldn't imagine a worst controller or bookkeeper job than being the bookkeeper or controller for a restaurant. I can just picture it. There's some a closet basically that's your office, and especially if it's in the facility itself and it's not noisy and there's just all this stuff going on, and if it's a bar, all the actions in the evening, and I just couldn't imagine a worst working environment or work environment than that. So it makes even more sense to just have that outsource. And I'm also guessing my clients, probably 20% of the owners of my clients actually have an accounting background just for whatever reason, that was how they ended up there. But I'm guessing that's perhaps even lower in the restaurant business. I just imagine the average restaurateur bar owner is not a former ENY tax person. Raffi:: Right. So it's funny you bring up the bookkeeping role in a restaurant closet that they put the bookkeeper in traditionally speaking with all the stacks of invoices. So just to provide some context, a restaurant that does three to $4 million in revenue will have anywhere from three to 400 invoices minimum per month. Dave: Are you serious? Raffi:: Yeah. They need to get inputted into the accounting system to get true accrual basis accounting. Dave: Wow. I thought you just bought everything from Cisco and payroll and called it a Raffi:: Day. Well, the franchisees, yeah, the franchisees are all different. They work with a Cisco or usb, and then they have less invoices, but still very high volume. So the role of the bookkeeper 10, 15 years ago was show up to the restaurant, get all these invoices and put them into QuickBooks. And if you're not a specialist, even if you're following the traditional model from 15 years ago, there's no way to make money doing this type of work, especially when restaurants are super low margin. They don't have big budgets for accounting. And so the only way to really make it work is to specialize to have a fixed system process, tech stack around restaurant bookkeeping that allows you to process this high volume and still leave some room to make money as an accountant. So I'll just throw that out there. And then your other question was related to what kind of persona do you get, what kind of demographics do you get on the restaurant industry side, and it's mostly blue collar, a lot of creatives. So I think once you get to the groups, the restaurant groups that have five to 10 people, a lot of 'em start hiring more office workers. More people can sit at a computer and do numbers, which helps a lot on the admin side. But if you're working with a single unit operator or two to three unit operator, you're dealing with somebody that's always on the run. They're always busy, they're in the kitchen, they're wearing multiple hats. Raffi:: Most of the time they're creatives, they're chefs that created a concept, and that's their strength. Their strength isn't numbers, so it makes it even harder to get information out of them and to keep them organized. And that's really what an accountant bookkeeper does. It just helps somebody stay organized and provides them and helps digest their financials. And a big part of it's just helping them stay organized. So you can first count the numbers, put them into the system, come up with a good workflow. But yeah, it makes it very challenging to work with those types of clients. Dave: Sure, I can understand that. Now, my understanding is the restaurant and bar business has one of the highest failure rates of any type of business. Is that true? And what is the failure rate? What percentage then fail in 1, 3, 5 years? I'm sure you have some numbers around that. Or Raffi:: Actually, believe it or not, there actually is no number and the number is What's your Dave: Guess? What's your guess? Raffi:: They say the myth has always been nine to 10 restaurants fail, something like that. And I've researched this multiple times, and it's really just a myth. There's no hard evidence about that. I don't think it's wrong or it could be very much accurate because it's very high. But any industry, the reason for the failure rate is because of the supply and demand. Everyone wants to open a restaurant, the barrier to entry are low. It's easy to raise money to open a restaurant. Everyone wants to invest in a restaurant. It's just a sexy business. And when you have such a high supply of any type of business, it could be restaurants, it could be filmmakers, it could be musicians, like how competitive the music and film industry is, you end up having an overage of service providers or suppliers or restaurants in this case. And therefore it makes it extremely difficult to generate a profit. Raffi:: And it is a difficult business to run for sure as well. But I think that's the biggest challenge is once you start making a little bit of money, 10, 15%, boom, another competitor comes in and opens a similar concept down the block or a competing concept, and now there's limited amount of residents or consumers in that neighborhood. So now they go into that restaurant, and especially in cities like DC right now, DC's very competitive. There's just so much money being pumped into restaurants and such a limited amount of guests and consumers. So it's the same, let's say 10,000 people that are going to the same restaurants, let's call 'em upscale, casual restaurants. And every week there's a new restaurant opening. And then you could have the best concept in the world, but it only lasts six months because as soon as you're not the hottest thing in town, another one rolls right in and takes your customer base. So it's very competitive, very low margin, and that's why it makes the financial analysis so much more important. Dave: Yeah, I would think so. Is it safe to assume that the failure rate of your clientele is likely lower than the industry average? If you had to guess? Raffi:: Probably. Yeah. Yeah, our failure rate is pretty low. And I think which might also be overlooked, that insight into your finance is a huge competitive advantage for operators, for restaurant operators. Dave: Yeah, I would imagine. Raffi:: Because even 2%, they're mostly high volume, high revenue businesses, they're top line businesses. So an average full service restaurant probably does three to $4 million in revenue. And so even a 2% savings on your food costs, that can be your entire profit margin right there. So the average restaurant does between three, it used to be like five to 10%, now it's three to 7%. But needless to say, it's pretty low, the profit margin. So if I can provide weekly reports that give managers insight into their labor and food costs, that in itself helps them reduce food and labor costs two to 4%. And it's key to do this weekly, not monthly, right? Because monthly it's already too late. You don't know what you did four weeks ago to be able to tweak and adjust the levers in your business. So yeah, I think it's a competitive advantage. Hey, if I can save you two to 5% just by monitoring the financials, forget all the time savings that I'm going to give you automatically you've added a lot of value and you've maybe even saved that restaurant from going out of business. Dave: So I'm curious, just what are the typical expense breakdowns like in a restaurant, how much, what are the food cost percentage range typically in labor and brand, whether, Raffi:: So it depends on the type of concept, whether it's a pizza shop, whether it's a quick service restaurant versus full service versus steak versus seafood. But generally 60 to 65% is your prime cost. So that's your cost of goods sold and your labor. Raffi:: And so anytime we see, for example, for quick service, it's about 60%. So anytime we see, hey, this quick service restaurant is doing 63%, it's a red flag, and we bring that up to the operator, you need to adjust. And sometimes they can't adjust something they can't control. The sales are low because scaling of labor, when you have sales fixed labor and the rest is pretty much, it's about eight to 10% occupancy costs, rent, real estate, taxes, insurance, and then the rest is overhead, operating expenses, supplies, GNA, office supplies, things like that. And then that leaves about five to 10% profit at the end if it's run well. Dave: Wow, it sounds like a Raffi:: Terrible business. It sounds like a difficult business to run profit. Very difficult. Yeah. I get a lot of people that come to me and say, Hey, I'm thinking about investing in a restaurant, or I want to open a restaurant. I'm like, run, don't do it. Dave: Yeah. There's a joke. I forget how it goes and what industry it is. How do you become a millionaire in the oil and gas business? You start as a billionaire. It's kind of the same in the restaurant. How do I end up with a million dollars restaurant? You start with $10 million. Raffi:: Exactly. Dave: So talk to me, do you have everybody on the same accounting system? For example, all of your Raffi:: Clients? We more or less, we have two tech stacks that we support. So QuickBooks plus Margin Edge, that's one Tech Stack. And then the other Tech stack is a accounting software called Restaurant 365. Dave: Okay. Designed just for the restaurant business. And they're both, and so I know QuickBooks pretty well is the other one. Raffi:: Yes, everything is web-based. The Margin Edge is just a plugin. It's an app for QuickBooks to essentially convert it to providing restaurant. It's the bridge between the restaurant and the books. Whereas Restaurant 365 already integrates all of that, the plugins into one platform, which is really nice. Dave: Have you seen that one is a better fit for most of your clients, or do you have a preference for one over the other? Raffi:: It depends on the concept for sure. Okay. For example, we have Dave's Hot Chicken. I'm not sure if you've heard of it. The franchise, one of the fastest growing franchises in America. They have a, I'm not sure if it's an agreement, like a franchise agreement or some type of agreement with the restaurant 365, but basically as a franchisee, you get Restaurant 365 templates as part of your, Dave: Not Raffi:: Templates, but it's almost pre-configured so that it makes it very easy to use Restaurant 365. So in those cases we're like, it's going to be much easier to implement this off the shelf solution versus having QuickBooks and Margin Edge and setting it up for the franchise and all that. So it really just depends on the concept. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Yeah. Dave: What are some of the things clients tell you, or what's the feedback you get after six to 12 months? I have to imagine that your clients are really happy with your service. What are some of the things that you hear from folks? So this is your chance to really brag about your team and your business model. What are some of the things you hear? Raffi:: Typically, it's not so much. The feedback we hear is so-and-so is so great. You have an invaluable resource for our team and our growth. We have a lot of testimonials that we get from clients. They provide so much peace of mind. Now I can focus on what I do best without having to worry about are my bills getting paid? Am I profitable? What are the numbers that I need to look out for? But really we see the results most of the time because you see a restaurant operator that has one location or two locations, and they have maybe an internal person that is a partner in the business that is overseeing the financials. And we do a discovery call with them. We find out they're spending their whole week just getting receipts from employees and uploading invoices to the accounting software. And then we're like, you spend your most of your time on this. And we tell 'em our value proposition, and it's hard for them to believe. And then within seven or eight months, they're out there scouting new locations, improving their margins, really working on the business rather than spending their time doing admin work. And that's extremely rewarding to see. Raffi:: And not all of them do this. Some will not take advantage of what we provide. Some of them, just like the time savings when we see, okay, this person was stuck at two, three locations, and now they have the time to really focus on growth and building systems and processes and focusing on their vision, and we're just essentially handling their entire back office. They're reporting and providing all the analytical information they need to make these decisions about their growth. That's really nice to see both from their perspective and our perspective. It's a nice partnership to have. Dave: And I can imagine that weekly reporting is critical. I can just imagine there's a lot of restaurants that it's a part-time person. It's their accounting firm that does it. It's one of the partners. And basically they get their financials two or three weeks after the month ends. So they're looking at six and seven week old data. And I could imagine that if you have a problem and you're losing money and you don't realize it until after you've lost money for seven weeks, I can see where that could be a problem. Raffi:: Yeah, exactly. And you're looking at your p and l 15 days after the month ends and you're saying, wait, how do we get 27% labor? Who was doing the scheduling that week? Who was doing the inventory count? What did he change? What did they not change? And when you're doing it weekly, you know exactly what affected or impacted the numbers in your reports. Whereas if it's, and this can apply to other industries as well, not just restaurants, but in restaurants and bars, it's specifically very, especially very important. Dave: Yeah. What do you enjoy the most about your current role in this business that you've built? Raffi:: I really enjoy the growth aspect of it, the vision setting, the vision, setting the goals. We follow the EOS framework Raffi:: And I love that kind of stuff. Working on the business, setting the goals, as I said, and holding your team accountable to achieving those goals. And it's crazy how quickly you see results when you really commit to it. And I'm still trying to figure out whether I'm a visionary or integrator and I don't know. But I like both. I like ops and I also like sales and marketing and being the CEO, so I'm still trying to pinpoint that. But we have a director of operations and she runs the operations for the most part. But I love setting the vision for operations. Hey, it would be awesome if in a year we can reach a stage where every client is following the same AP process, for example, or something like that. And yeah, I really enjoy that kind of stuff. Dave: So let's say we're talking three years from now, and in fact, I may just make a note to have you back in three years. I've never asked a guest this question, and it's probably because I just was in Strategic Coach session last week. If we were sitting down three years from now and looking back over those three years, what would you have liked to have happened both personally and professionally to have been pleased with your progress? Or even just professionally, what would you like to accomplish over the next few years? How do you see the business going? Raffi:: We have ambitions to grow very quickly, and our mission, I know sounds generic, is to achieve proud employees and happy clients. Raffi:: And so I'm obsessed with great businesses, which pretty much provide that proud employees that love where they work, they want to do a good job, and the customers and clients are all promoters of the business. That's the ideal goal. So we want to grow while maintaining that. We don't want to become one of these, again, commodity shops where we're just bringing on clients for the sake of bringing on clients and adding numbers to the top line revenue. I think of acquisition as a big part of that. I probably see that in the cards in the next two to three years in terms of us acquiring another firm. And it really narrows down your goal when you're trying to focus on restaurants and bars. So just trying to replicate what we do, providing that controllership level service, maybe acquiring the bookkeeping, restaurant bookkeeping service, and deploying our model so that people paying the same price for bookkeeping can essentially get a much higher level of service. And then thus complimenting our mission, our purpose, which is proud employees, happy, happy clients. Dave: I love that. Proud employees, happy clients. That was always Herb Kelleher's philosophy. The founder of Southwest Airlines is he viewed employees as his customers that if he made his employees happy, then they would do a good job with their end customers. Raffi:: Yeah. Yeah. The Southwest stories pretty amazing. But I think we debated our leadership team debated about the happy employees versus proud employees for a bit. Raffi:: And I think we very specifically and adamantly decided that we want proud employees because it's not, as soon as you pay happy, nobody's ever a hundred percent happy. We want the clients to be happy and satisfied, but we want our employees to, there's going to be tough times and they're not always going to be happy, and times are going to be tough, but as long as you're doing what you're proud of and it feels rewarding, at the end of the day, it's a job. So we're not expecting everyone to show up to work and be super happy about what they do, but at least we want them to be proud. And I think that comes with passion. If you don't have passion for what you do, you're most likely not going to be proud, and you're probably not the best fit for our company. So it attracts a certain type of employee, but it also pushes out a certain feeling amongst your team. Dave: I like it. Well, as we're wrapping things up, I can't believe how the time has flown by. If we could go back to 2011 when you were graduating from the University of Maryland, if you could go back in time and give yourself advice, your 22, 20 3-year-old self advice back then, what advice might you have given yourself based on the experience you've had over the last 14 years? Raffi:: I like to say I would have niched down earlier, but it's hard to say that's what I would've done if I had done it differently. I'm just not sure because you learn so much by not niching down early on, and Raffi:: You have to generate revenue when you first start out your firm. So in theory, that's what I would've probably have done niche down earlier. Maybe I would niche down three years earlier, four years earlier, not maybe from the beginning. But in terms of other advice, yeah, I would've probably taken accounting more seriously earlier on because I had so many little businesses at that time when I was in college, I was just still trying to figure things out, and I knew accounting was potentially one of them, but I had a, well before that in college, I had an eBay business where I was selling, going to stores, finding things for cheap and selling them online. And then I had a welding business, and then I had a DJ business. And so I was still trying to figure out, I was very on the fence about do I pursue accounting versus something else, and I would've probably told myself to take it, focus on the accounting much earlier. Dave: That is so interesting. I asked that question to a lot of guests, and they almost all have the same answer. But when I asked you the question as I was asking it, I was thinking, oh, that's a dumb question. Most of my guests, they waited 20 years before they started their own business, and their price themselves would've been, be afraid, take the leap early, but you really couldn't have taken it much earlier. You were an employee for five years. You needed to learn the industry, and obviously you had those entrepreneurial tendencies early on, but that is interesting. You wish you had taken the accounting more seriously since that you didn't know then that this is what your future was going to be. Raffi:: Right. I knew it was going to be in entrepreneurship, growing a business, starting a business, but in hindsight, again, if I hadn't done all the DJing and the parties and the events, I wouldn't have been exposed to how marketing really works and how PR really works. So I don't know. It's hard to say. Dave: Yeah, that makes sense. Well, is there anything I didn't ask you that you wish I had asked you? Raffi:: Yeah, I think when we've talked in the past, we talked about the pricing model when it comes to niche services, I think that's also very relevant. You want to share, Dave: Do you want to share how that works or is that something that Raffi:: Yeah, I think Dave: Standard pricing on or whatever your, I didn't want to get too much into pricing. I didn't want you to feel obligated to share anything you didn't want to share. Raffi:: Yeah. I think another aspect of niching down that is valuable and necessary as it comes to our industry and accounting is the pricing model. So there's various forms of pricing and professional services. You have hourly billing, the traditional hourly billing, you have the value-based pricing, you have fixed fee, and then you have subscription. And the trend, I believe, is moving towards subscription. It was value-based. Hourly is the old model that hopefully most people aren't following anymore. But the subscription model for the industry I think is going to be the best because we have problems in the industry right now. They talk about the shortage of labor and all that and the need to adapt advisory services. But I think it's not just, you can't look at labor in a vacuum. You have to look at why do we have a shortage of labor problem? It's because we have a value proposition problem and we have a pricing problem, Raffi:: In my opinion at least. And I think subscription pricing is going to change that. And subscription pricing is beneficial to our industry because it prices the relationship and not just the scope of work and value-based pricing the customer. How do they see the value that we're providing? And you price based off of that. But I think once you move into subscription, it completely revolutionizes and changes the value of public accounting and the accounting service in general. And if we want to solve the labor shortage problem, we need to make the industry more profitable and pay people better so that they're incentivized to pursue an accounting degree and get a CPA. And subscription pricing, I believe, really does that in order to provide subscription pricing you to don't need to. But it really helps by niching down, because the whole concept of subscription pricing is you pay this fixed price and we do everything for you. No hourly billing. There's no scope of work. We do everything for you that is in our wheelhouse that we can do under our roof. And when you provide that type of peace of mind and frictionless experience for clients, all of a sudden, I think the potential for profit and paying your better skyrockets. Dave: So yeah, Ron Baker would be so proud of your transition. Raffi:: Yeah, I think it's a little too early. I think he wrote his Times Up book like three, four, or maybe, yeah, three, four years ago, something like that. Something like that. So it might be a little too soon to tell whether it's going to work in practice. It's worked for us, but it's very difficult to implement subscription pricing if you don't niche down Dave: Well, and I think the monthly work also helps, like a CPA firm who all they're doing is just the annual tax return. How do you justify a subscription billing? Right? Certainly a month in subscription billing, there's more of a disconnect, but with what you're doing, the tax return is, I don't want to say an afterthought, it's just a inevitable outcome of what you've done throughout the year. Raffi:: I think the most similar example that's been tried and tested is the medical concierge. So one time medical, one medical, the subscription based medical office that Amazon acquired, I dunno, what was it three, four years ago? So I think it's very similar because you have an annual checkup, so think of that as your tax return. So you pay Amazon, it's a very low price. I don't know what it is, but I dunno, maybe a few hundred dollars a year for your subscription to one-time medical or one medical. And a lot of the medical concierge services work like this, they range anywhere from $50 a month to $300 a month depending on the Raffi:: Level of service that you're getting. And that gives you unlimited access to a primary care physician. So if I want to go see them every week, it's included in my a hundred dollars a month subscription, and I can get that once a year tax return done or that once a year physical done, but that doesn't really change anything. It doesn't change my subscription. That could be the only thing that I do with them, but just I'm paying for that peace of mind. I know if something happens or if I'm planning for something, I can just call that primary care physician or that accountant and run it by them for no extra charge. And so I think it works well. Maybe it's a little too soon to tell for the accounting industry, but I think it's generally worked with the primary care medical world. Dave: No, I think the accounting profession is perfect for it. So are most of your clients now on a subscription basis? Raffi:: Yeah, it's pretty much all subscription. We have what are called add-ons, Dave: So Raffi:: Our general subscription is controllership services. But anything that they need, for example, IRS audit, gap audit, notice defense, maybe they're pursuing a valuation or a deal, and that's something that we can handle. It's in our wheelhouse. That's all included in the subscription. But when you don't niche down, it's hard to Dave: Exactly. Raffi:: It's hard to limit what you offer. So that's why I think when you say we're very clear that we don't do budgets, so that's not in our wheelhouse. We don't really have anybody on the team that can do budgeting for restaurants. We can get on a call and talk through it with you based off of what we know, but we won't prepare a projection and budget. We're not a CFO service. We're a controllership service. So it's hard to be clear about where you draw the line with your, what's in your wheelhouse, because technically, yeah, I could learn how to budget. I'm an account. It's not that difficult. But again, you can't promise everything. Then you want to try to promise as much as possible so that your subscription has value, but there also has to be safeguards in place. Dave: Well, that is a great way to wrap things up. I'm glad that you'd mentioned the pricing. I really appreciate that. Well, I really appreciate your time. Like I said, when I reached out to you, I love your specialization approach. I just think that's the problem with specialization is you have to say no to everything else. And that's so emotionally difficult for people, especially if you have a scarcity mindset then, Raffi:: Right? Accountants basically. Dave: Yes. Yes. So I think that's great. It's no surprise to me, and I really would, if you're up for it, I'd love to check in with you in three years and see how things have gone. Raffi:: Yeah, I'm definitely up for it. And I also love, you're hyper specialized. That's the IC-disc. I think you mentioned to me how many there are in the country, and it's very limited. Yeah, a few thousand. So that's even more specialized, but it's great. The more specialized, in my opinion, the better. Right? Dave: I tell you this quick story. I've learned niche specialists, that niche and specializing firsthand. When I was internet dating in 2000, the infancy of internet dating, and I think I was 35 years old. And what I noticed that most guys did, they had an approach of casting a wide net. And it was, I'm looking for a woman between the ages of 18 and 88, any religion, any hobbies, anybody type. And I think their attitude is, I'm going to cast a wide net. I'm going to get all these fish in the net, and then I can just cherry pick the ones I want. So I'm like, I'm going to try something different. And so let's say I was 34. My criteria was they had to be a year older to two years younger. They had to be tall, athletic Christian, dog loving women with a commitment to excellence. And my friends are like, you're not going to get any response. Dave: And I'm like, yeah, you're probably right. And they were right. They were almost right. I got almost no response. But what happened when I did get a response from a woman, it's the same reaction you get. There was resonance because the woman would say, oh my God, you sound like my soulmate. I'm 33, I'm five nine. I used to play college volleyball. I have a golden retriever. And so what would happen is, I think when they were talking to the guys with the white net philosophy, they'd have dinner and the guy would say, wow, you're amazing. You're exactly what I'm looking for. And they're like, no, you're not. Your profile is 18 to 88. It wasn't really, but that's really where I learned it. And I think it's the resonance that you get with specialization, and it worked dating and it worked in my business. Sure. You hear the same kind of resonance thing from your new clients, and you're like, wow, I didn't know such a service existed. Raffi:: Exactly. Yes. Yeah. It's like a perfect match for both sides, right? Dave: But it takes a certain amount of courage and a certain amount of abundance mindset to be able to pull the trigger. The other thing is it's hard to refer people who don't specialize. If you meet an attorney and you're like, what do you specialize in? You go, well, mostly wills. We do the occasional divorce, occasional criminal defense. If you get a speaker sick, you give me a call and you're like, I can't help you. But if they specialize in speeding tickets in one county in Texas, and that's all they do, I talk to somebody, a party, and they say, oh, I got a speeding ticket. I'm like, oh, it's Raffi:: The first person that comes to mind. Yeah, exactly. Dave: Yeah, Raffi:: It makes a big difference. Dave: Yeah, it's great. Well, hey, Raffa, I really appreciate your time. This has been a lot of fun and keep up your work and let's come back in three years. Raffi:: Thank you, David. I appreciate you having me. Dave: There we have it. Another great episode. Thanks for listening in. If you want to continue the conversation, go to ic disc show.com. That's IC dash D-I-S-C-S-H-O w.com. And we have additional information on the podcast archived episodes, as well as a button to be a guest. So if you'd like to be a guest, go select that and fill out the information, and we'd love to have you on the show. So it we'll be back next time with another episode of the IC Disc Show. Special Guest: Raffi Yousefian.

In this episode, Clay explores the concept of Intelligent Fanatics. Intelligent Fanatics are visionary leaders who build enduring, high-performance businesses through culture, focus, and integrity. Drawing from Ian Cassel and Sean Iddings' book Intelligent Fanatics, Clay highlights how exceptional leaders like Herb Kelleher, Les Schwab, and Chester Cadieux created companies that thrived for decades by empowering employees, thinking unconventionally, and maintaining a long-term focus. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:12 - What defines an Intelligent Fanatic and how they build lasting business moats 00:26:10 - The role of incentives in motivating teams and compounding performance 00:43:32 - How exceptional leaders create cultures that empower employees and drive long-term success 00:47:09 - Why culture is the strongest and hardest-to-replicate competitive advantage 00:50:56 - How frugality, integrity, and focus shape world-class organizations 01:01:35 - How Intelligent Fanatics sustain greatness through experimentation and productive paranoia Disclaimer: Slight discrepancies in the timestamps may occur due to podcast platform differences. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Join the exclusive ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Mastermind Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Ian Cassel's firm: Intelligent Fanatics Capital Management Related Episode TIP734: My Investment Philosophy w/ Clay Finck. Related Episode TIP656: Mastering Stock Selection with an Investment Checklist w/ Clay Finck. Follow Clay on X and LinkedIn. Related ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ mentioned in the podcast. Ad-free episodes on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Premium Feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. NEW TO THE SHOW? Get smarter about valuing businesses in just a few minutes each week through our newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Intrinsic Value Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠We Study Billionaires Starter Packs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow our official social media accounts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIP Finance Tool⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Enjoy exclusive perks from our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠favorite Apps and Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠best business podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sponsors⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: Simple Mining Human Rights Foundation Unchained HardBlock Linkedin Talent Solutions Kubera Vanta reMarkable Onramp Public.com Netsuite Shopify Abundant Mines Horizon Support our show by becoming a premium member! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

"What do a CEO, a peg-legged fire chief, and a political consultant with ten ideas a day have in common?" They're all unforgettable characters in this special "Greatest Hits" episode of Kent Hance, The Best Storyteller in Texas Podcast. This episode brings together the most beloved stories and interviews from the past four years, featuring Kent Hance's signature wit and wisdom. You'll hear highlights from his conversation with longtime friend Ed Whitacre, former CEO of AT&T and General Motors, as they reminisce about loyalty, business, and the importance of driving a Cadillac. Kent shares lessons from legendary Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher, whose hands-on approach turned baggage claims into profit. Listeners will laugh at the tale of Big John Johnson and the mysterious closet mirror, and marvel at the resilience of a decorated World War II veteran and volunteer fire chief with a wooden peg leg—whose run-in with a reckless driver led to one of the episode's most memorable punchlines: “Ruben, you wanna go to the sawmill or the emergency room?” Kent also pulls back the curtain on the world of political consulting, recounting his experiences with Dick Morris, whose daily barrage of ideas could make or break a career. From clever car negotiations to the value of facts in business, this episode is packed with wisdom, humor, and the kind of Texas storytelling that keeps listeners coming back. Don't miss this celebration of Kent Hance's greatest hits—where every story is a testament to the colorful characters and life lessons that define Texas. Notable Quotes & Moments “If you want to loan us money, you buy our cars.” “If you don't have all the facts, you can't make good decisions.” “Ruben, you wanna go to the sawmill or the emergency room?” “Every day he had 10 new ideas, and you had to listen to him. Four get you elected, four get you defeated, one to ruin your career, and one to get you indicted.” Call to Action Enjoyed these greatest hits? Subscribe to Kent Hance, The Best Storyteller in Texas Podcast, leave a review, and share your favorite episode with friends. New stories drop every Monday—don't miss out!  

Over-functioning leadership fuels burnout and pressure. In this episode, discover why carrying too much erodes trust — and how recalibration empowers your team, family, and closest relationships.High-capacity humans often over-function without realizing it. You step in, anticipate needs, carry logistics, and even absorb emotions — all in the name of service. But instead of helping, this performance erodes trust and spreads nervous system stress to your team, family, and closest relationships.In today's episode of The Recalibration, Julie Holly unpacks why over-functioning leadership isn't just burnout — it's identity misalignment showing up as nervous system bracing. You'll hear how co-regulation works, why your team “catches” your stress, and why presence — not pressure — is the real leadership advantage.Through the colorful legacy of Herb Kelleher, co-founder of Southwest Airlines, you'll see how humor, trust, and empowerment created a thriving culture. His story proves what neuroscience confirms: empowerment builds capacity, over-control stunts it.This episode is rooted in the heartbeat of Identity-Level Recalibration (ILR) — not another leadership tactic or personal branding hack, but the root-level recalibration that makes every other tool work again. Because when identity precedes behavior, your nervous system shifts, your presence expands, and those you lead can finally rise.Today's Micro Recalibration: Replace rescuing with requesting. Instead of carrying it all, choose one clear ask, offer one resource, or hand off one responsibility. Watch how your team, family, or circle responds when you empower instead of over-function.If this episode gave you language you've been missing, please rate and review the show so more high-capacity humans can find it. Explore Identity-Level Recalibration→ Follow Julie Holly on LinkedIn for more recalibration insights → Schedule a conversation with Julie to see if The Recalibration is a fit for you → Download the Misalignment Audit → Subscribe to the weekly newsletter → Join the waitlist for the next Recalibration cohort This isn't therapy. This isn't coaching. This is identity recalibration — and it changes everything.

Send us a textNetworking isn't just about exchanging business cards; it's about building authentic connections that transform careers, businesses, and lives. In this episode, we explore the 3 Levels of Networking that reshaped Bill Wallace's journey and can do the same for you.Whether you're an entrepreneur, business professional, or someone seeking personal growth, this conversation reveals powerful networking strategies, success stories, and practical tips you can start applying today.What you'll learn:✅ The 3 Levels of Networking: from initial meetings, to net weaving, to servant leadership✅ How building genuine relationships leads to career success and business opportunities✅ Why accessibility, approachability, and accountability are the cornerstones of meaningful connections✅ How to separate yourself from the crowd and stand out in any room✅ The impact of networking on entrepreneurship, personal transformation, and long-term growth✅ How mentorship from Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines, shaped Bill's journey and perspective on networkingIf you've ever wondered how to build a powerful network that actually creates opportunities, this episode is your roadmap.This episode isn't just theory; it's a masterclass in networking through the lens of Bill Wallace's 35+ years of experience building authentic connections. From his early career to becoming a connector who has reshaped businesses and careers, Bill shares stories, strategies, and lessons you can apply to grow your own network and create opportunities that last.

What does it take to build a thriving healthcare data analytics company from scratch—without investors, without a team, and without a fancy office?In this powerful episode of The Proven Entrepreneur Show, host Don Williams sits down with Jason Bryll, founder and CEO of Parable Associates, to unpack the real story behind scaling a healthcare startup that's now helping hundreds of providers streamline operations, improve cash flow, and expand access to care.Jason's journey didn't begin with a business plan or a boardroom. It started in a closet-sized home office, armed with nothing but a laptop, a vision, and a deep empathy for the healthcare industry—an empathy rooted in his own experiences as a patient. From battling severe acne in childhood to undergoing LASIK surgery, Jason's personal health challenges shaped his mission: to empower providers with better data so they can deliver better care.But this episode isn't just about data. It's about resilience, relationships, and the real cost of growth.Here's what you'll discover:How Parable Associates helps MSOs (Managed Service Organizations) and DSOs (Dental Service Organizations) navigate the chaos of scaling with smart systems and healthcare-specific analyticsWhy Jason believes entrepreneurship is not for everyone—and the brutal truths he'd tell his 21-year-old selfThe moment he realized his company was selling services at a loss—and how that painful lesson transformed his leadershipHow building systems like Asana-based project management saved his business from collapsing during rapid growthWhy relationships matter more than cold outreach—and how face-to-face networking beats 3,000 automated emails every timeInsights from legendary leaders like Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines, and how Jason applies those lessons to his own team cultureThe importance of seeing employees not just as workers, but as families you're responsible forThis episode is a masterclass in entrepreneurial strategy, healthcare innovation, and human-centered leadership. It's packed with real-world insights for founders, executives, and anyone navigating the complex world of healthcare business.Whether you're building a startup, scaling a service-based business, or just curious about how data can drive meaningful change in healthcare, this conversation will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to take action.This podcast is perfect for Entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, startup founders, business strategists, and anyone who believes in building with purpose.Listen now and discover how one entrepreneur turned a closet office into a company that's changing lives—one data point at a time.

From the racquetball courts of junior college to the C-suite at Southwest Airlines—and now as CEO of Lionheart Children's Academy - Jeff Lamb's journey is a masterclass in unexpected opportunity, bold conviction, and servant leadership. In this episode, Jeff recounts pivotal moments that shaped his career—from working in the mailroom at Mesa Petroleum under T. Boone Pickens, to being mentored by Roger Staubach, and eventually leading people operations at one of America's most beloved airlines. Jeff unpacks how the intentionality behind career choices, culture building, and investing in people created lasting impact across companies. He also shares how his current role at Lionheart Academy brings together business excellence and faith-based mission—creating a scalable model for transformational early childhood education in partnership with churches. Whether you're leading a team, thinking through your next big move, or looking to build a values-driven organization, Jeff's story will inspire you to think differently about leadership, influence, and legacy. “Boone Pickens told me, ‘You can coach in the corporate world.' That changed my life.” - Jeff Lamb “If everyone's telling you the same thing, you don't need seven of them. The ability to respectfully disagree is a mark of real leadership.” - Jeff Lamb “At Southwest, when it came down to choosing between the customer and the employee—we chose the employee. And the financial results followed.” - Jeff Lamb This Week on The Wow Factor: How a failed attempt at junior college football redirected Jeff's path toward business Lessons learned working under T. Boone Pickens at Mesa Petroleum What it was like being mentored by Roger Staubach—and playing flag football with him Jeff's rise to Chief People Officer at Southwest Airlines and his time with Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett The power of presence, handwritten notes, and servant leadership in building culture Why Lionheart Academy is merging business and ministry to reshape early childhood education The challenge of regulated expansion across states—and why focus beats speed in scaling impact Jeff Lamb's Word of Wisdom:Pick a word. Pick a focus. Communicate clarity around it. For Jeff, that word this year is Unity—rooted in Philippians 2:1–2. In leadership and in life, clarity breeds direction. When everything's important, nothing is. Choose wisely. Connect with Jeff Lamb and Lionheart Children's Academy: Lionheart Children's Academy Website Lionheart Children's Academy Facebook Lionheart Children's Academy Instagram Lionheart Children's Academy CEO Jeff Lamb's LinkedIn Connect with The Wow Factor:  WOW Factor Website  Brad Formsma on LinkedIn   Brad Formsma on Instagram   Brad Formsma on Facebook   X (formerly Twitter)  

Welcome back to Take the Leap Management—the podcast where we unpack the ideas, tools, and mindsets that shape the future of leadership. In today's episode, we explore a model that flips traditional leadership on its head: Servant Leadership. What happens when leaders put people before power, and empathy before ego? From its roots in Robert Greenleaf's philosophy to modern-day examples like Herb Kelleher and Cheryl Bachelder, we'll dive into how servant leadership transforms teams, projects, and entire organizations. If you're ready to lead with purpose and empower others to thrive—this one's for you. Let's take the leap.

On today's look into culture content, our very own Jay Doran is sitting down to discuss a topic that is widely debated among even the most successful of business types: is the customer or the employee more important?  Perhaps it is better to ask, who has the most impact on the business.  It's possible that this is as close to a chicken and the egg situation as one can get in business, but Jay is going to break it down and cite the late, great Herb Kelleher along the way.  You'll have to make up your own mind, but The Culture Man is here to lend his two cents.

In the latest episode of PodCatalyst, Matt Tidwell, member of the IABC International Executive Board, sits down with Fred Cook to discuss findings from “Communicating Culture During a Hybrid Revolution,” a joint report from IABC and the USC Center for Public Relations. Tune in as they discuss how the shift to remote and hybrid work is impacting corporate culture, management employee dynamics, morale and the widening training gap for early career professionals. IABC members can access the report online here: https://www.iabc.com/About/Purpose/Reports +++++++++++++++Fred Cook has worked at Golin for over 30 years, during which he has had the privilege to work with a variety of high-profile CEOs, including Herb Kelleher, Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs. He has also managed a wide variety of clients, including Nintendo, Toyota and Disney. In 2014, Cook published "Improvise: Unconventional Career Advice from an Unlikely CEO", which shares the wisdom he gained as a cabin boy on a Norwegian tanker, doorman at a 5-star hotel and chauffeur for drunks. In 2015, after speaking on college campuses around the world, Fred accepted an additional position with the University of Southern California as the director of the USC Center for Public Relations at USC Annenberg, whose mission is to shape the future of public relations and those who will lead it — through research, education and thought leadership. Matt Tidwell, Ph.D., is assistant dean for graduate and professional studies at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications. He is also a faculty lecturer and the program director for the Integrated Marketing Communications graduate degree program at the KU Edwards Campus. Tidwell is an experienced marketing communications professional with more than 25 years of industry experience working in healthcare, energy and technology companies. In 2018, Tidwell received the Arthur Lowell “Communicator of the Year” award from the Kansas City Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).  +++++++++++++++ LINKS Access the Report https://www.iabc.com/About/Purpose/Reports Connect With IABC on social media https://twitter.com/iabc https://www.linkedin.com/company/iabc/ https://www.facebook.com/IABCWorld  https://www.youtube.com/user/IABClive https://www.instagram.com/iabcgram/ Visit IABC Online https://www.iabc.com/ https://catalyst.iabc.com/

In this insightful episode of the Moonshots Podcast, hosts Mike and Mark deeply dive into Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. This essential guidebook challenges listeners to rethink their approach to success by focusing on what truly matters and eliminating the non-essential from their lives.In the INTRO clip, Greg McKeown introduces the idea of “less but better.” He explains how success can paradoxically lead to failure when we become overcommitted. He emphasizes the importance of being selective and disciplined to avoid burnout and maintain long-term impact.In the Less but Better segment, McKeown delves further into the disciplined pursuit of less, stressing that success is not about doing more but the right things. He highlights the paradox of success, where achieving results can lead to the temptation of taking on too much, ultimately diluting effectiveness.The Productivity Game adds practical insights in Essential Tips, offering simple yet powerful habits you can apply today. These habits align with Moonshots Podcast themes, including prioritization, focus, and saying "no" to distractions.In the OUTRO, the Productivity Game underscores the importance of trade-offs and learning to let go. Using examples from Warren Buffett and Herb Kelleher, the podcast highlights the benefits of making strategic decisions and the powerful impact of saying "no" to opportunities that don't align with your core goals.Key Links:Listen to the episode Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of LessYouTube video: Essentialism - The Disciplined Pursuit of LessBook summary or related reading: Essentialism by Greg McKeown - SummaryThrough engaging discussion and actionable insights, this episode of the Moonshots Podcast will help you streamline your life and focus on what's essential. Applying the principles of essenEssentialism can regain control over your time, make deliberate trade-offs, and honestly pursue less but better.Become a member and support the show: Patreon Membership. Thanks to our monthly supporters Edward Rehfeldt III 孤鸿 月影 Fabian Jasper Verkaart Margy Diana Bastianelli Andy Pilara ola Fred Fox Austin Hammatt Zachary Phillips Antonio Candia Mike Leigh Cooper Daniela Wedemeier Corey LaMonica Smitty Laura KE Denise findlay Krzysztof Diana Bastianelli Roar Nikolay Ytre-Eide Stef Roger von Holdt Jette Haswell Marco Silva venkata reddy Dirk Breitsameter Ingram Casey Nicoara Talpes rahul grover Evert van de Plassche Ravi Govender Craig Lindsay Steve Woollard Lasse Brurok Deborah Spahr Barbara Samoela Christian Jo Hatchard Kalman Cseh Berg De Bleecker Paul Acquaah MrBonjour Sid Liza Goetz Konnor Ah kuoi Marjan Modara Dietmar Baur Nils Weigelt Bob Nolley ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Today's guest has interviewed over 1,000 top CEOs, unveiling timeless leadership principles and transforming them into actionable insights. As the Founder and CEO of The CEO Forum Group, he's not just a host but a visionary who pioneered the term "The Transformative CEO." His nationally syndicated radio show, The CEO Show, reaches over 600,000 listeners weekly across 62 stations, earning its place as the #1 podcast for CEOs in America. He's a Forbes, Fortune, and CNBC writer, with over 350 articles dedicated to transformative CEOs, women leadership, customer experience, culture, and digital transformation. Co-author of "The Transformative CEO," which inspired a documentary series, his work has been featured on Squawk Box and acknowledged by Harvard Business Review for his expertise in executive communications. I have the pleasure of producing The Transformative CEO virtual summits four times a year and have enjoyed sharing his events with my network. I love his philosophy that everyone should have access to success. Please join me in welcoming Robert Reiss.  Join us as we delve into Robert Reiss's remarkable journey from overcoming dyslexia to founding the CEO Forum Group, and explore his unique insights on leadership, diversity, and the power of authentic connections. In this episode, we discuss:

Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest Airlines once said, “A company is stronger if it is bound by love, not fear.” But is love enough to save Southwest? Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said recently in an email to The Dallas Morning News, “No change fees. No cancel fees. No bag fees. Rapid rewards points don't expire. Flight credits don't expire. We have the friendliest, most flexible policies in the industry with a terrific network. But the biggest thing that makes us ‘us' is our people and the unique and unrivaled hospitality they deliver.” ; In other news, a rideshare driver was forced at gunpoint by a passenger to drive from Arlington to Miami last weekend as the passenger planned to kidnap another person in Florida; Next, in the U.S., someone dies of a drug overdose about every five minutes. In 2022, more than 111,000 people died as a result of an overdose; and Shaquille O'Neal's Big Chicken is set to open in Fort Worth near Alliance Town Center on Sept. 3. The first 34 customers in line at the opening will receive free Big Chicken food and drinks for a year. The number 34 is an ode to Shaq's jersey number when he played with the Los Angeles Lakers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi #

Is your workplace effective at benchmarking companies? That's the question…is it proficient at finding better practices and processes that its competitors are doing—and then improving its own? Or does it even find exemplary practices actually outside its industry to “import” into the enterprise? How about your church—is it effectively benchmarking Biblically? Join Kevin as we take an intriguing look at the promise and perils of benchmarking companies and other enterprises! // Download this episode's Application & Action questions and PDF transcript at whitestone.org.

What I learned from reading Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success by Ken Segall. ----Come build relationships at the Founders Conference on July 29th-July 31st in Scotts Valley, California ----Learning from history is a form of leverage. —Charlie Munger. Founders Notes gives you the super power to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand.Get access to the World's Most Valuable Notebook for FoundersYou can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. You can also ask SAGE any question and SAGE will read all my notes, highlights, and every transcript from every episode for you. A few questions I've asked SAGE recently: What are the most important leadership lessons from history's greatest entrepreneurs?Can you give me a summary of Warren Buffett's best ideas? (Substitute any founder covered on the podcast and you'll get a comprehensive and easy to read summary of their ideas) How did Edwin Land find new employees to hire? Any unusual sources to find talent?What are some strategies that Cornelius Vanderbilt used against his competitors?Get access to Founders Notes here. ----(1:30) Steve wanted Apple to make a product that was simply amazing and amazingly simple.(3:00) If you don't zero in on your bureaucracy every so often, you will naturally build in layers. You never set out to add bureaucracy. You just get it. Period. Without even knowing it. So you always have to be looking to eliminate it.  — Sam Walton: Made In America by Sam Walton. (Founders #234)(5:00) Steve was always easy to understand. He would either approve a demo, or he would request to see something different next time. Whenever Steve reviewed a demo, he would say, often with highly detailed specificity, what he wanted to happen next.  — Creative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs by Ken Kocienda. (Founders #281)(7:00) Watch this video. Andy Miller tells GREAT Steve Jobs stories. (10:00) Many are familiar with the re-emergence of Apple. They may not be as familiar with the fact that it has few, if any parallels.When did a founder ever return to the company from which he had been rudely rejected to engineer a turnaround as complete and spectacular as Apple's? While turnarounds are difficult in any circumstances they are doubly difficult in a technology company. It is not too much of a stretch to say that Steve founded Apple not once but twice. And the second time he was alone. —  Return to the Little Kingdom: Steve Jobs and the Creation of Appleby Michael Moritz.(15:00) If the ultimate decision maker is involved every step of the way the quality of the work increases.(20:00) "You asked the question, What was your process like?' I kind of laugh because process is an organized way of doing things. I have to remind you, during the 'Walt Period' of designing Disneyland, we didn't have processes. We just did the work. Processes came later. All of these things had never been done before. Walt had gathered up all these people who had never designed a theme park, a Disneyland. So we're in the same boat at one time, and we figure out what to do and how to do it on the fly as we go along with it and not even discuss plans, timing, or anything. We just worked and Walt just walked around and had suggestions." — Disney's Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World by Richard Snow. (Founders #347)(23:00) The further you get away from 1 the more complexity you invite in.(25:00) Your goal: A single idea expressed clearly.(26:00) Jony Ive: Steve was the most focused person I've met in my life(28:00) Editing your thinking is an act of service.----Learning from history is a form of leverage. —Charlie Munger. Founders Notes gives you the super power to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand.Get access to the World's Most Valuable Notebook for FoundersYou can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. You can also ask SAGE any question and SAGE will read all my notes, highlights, and every transcript from every episode for you. A few questions I've asked SAGE recently: What are the most important leadership lessons from history's greatest entrepreneurs?Can you give me a summary of Warren Buffett's best ideas? (Substitute any founder covered on the podcast and you'll get a comprehensive and easy to read summary of their ideas) How did Edwin Land find new employees to hire? Any unusual sources to find talent?What are some strategies that Cornelius Vanderbilt used against his competitors?Get access to Founders Notes here. ----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

Hal Malchow was the incredibly innovative Democratic direct mail and fundraising consultant, who passed away several weeks ago. His final chapter was chronicled by Sasha Issenberg in Politico recently. Hal's was truly a creative mind, including breaking new ground on sophisticated political microtargeting and "social pressure" tactics to generate increased voter turnout. Joining this conversation are two of Hal's longtime business partners and friends - fellow direct mail consultants, Trish Hoppey and Rich Schlackman. We discuss Hal's political roots in progressive politics out of the Deep South, his innovative and curious political mind, the new approaches he developed, and the legacy he leaves behind after decades in the trenches of political targeting and communications. IN THIS EPISODEMemories of meeting Hal for the first time...Hal's path to DC from the Deep South...The GOP luminary who was one of Hal's most trusted friends...The innovations in political targeting and messaging spearheaded by Hal...A few of the races and campaigns most impacted by Hal's creativity...The origin of Hal's groundbreaking work on "social pressure" with two Ivy League academics...Why Hal left day-to-day consulting after the 2010 cycle and how he stayed involved over the past decade...Hal's most recent advice to Democratic campaigns...Hal's motivations during the final chapter of his life...Final thoughts on Hal's legacy in politics...AND The Analyst Institute, bananas ideas, Evan Bayh, better mousetraps, Andrew Bleeker, CHAID analysis, Campaign Performance Group, Christina Coloroso, couch surfing, Mario Cuomo, Morris Dees, failed attorneys, fake-out mail, Vic Fazio, feedback loops, funny accents, Page Gardner, Alan Gerber, Al Gore, Christine Hopkinson, Herb Kelleher, Harry Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Dean Levitan, Alex Malchow, microtargeting, Janet Napolitano, Gavin Newsom, paella, personalized yard signs, Mike Podhorzer, rat infestations, Rick Ridder, Mitt Romney, Ron Rosenblith, Santa Fe, Tom Sugar, Richard Viguerie, Voter Contact Services, Mark Warner, Michael Woolridge & more!

In this conversation, Verne Harnish discusses his insights on scaling up businesses and shares his experiences with the Rockefeller Habits. He also highlights the importance of aligning people, strategy, execution, and cash in order to drive business growth. Harnish provides a list of non-obvious leaders who have influenced him, including Hubert Joly, Dr. Robert Cialdini, Dr. Hermann Simon, and Aubrey Daniels. He also challenges the notion of being a visionary and emphasizes the need for clear promises and alignment within an organization. Additionally, Harnish discusses the importance of understanding constraints and shares stories about Herb Kelleher and Elon Musk as examples of effective leadership. Takeaways Aligning people, strategy, execution, and cash is crucial for driving business growth. Clear promises and alignment within an organization are essential for success. Understanding constraints and finding innovative solutions can lead to business growth. Effective leadership involves being hands-on, understanding the market, and making strategic decisions. Being a visionary is not as important as setting clear strategy and executing it effectively   Chapters 00:00 The Rockefeller Habits 09:48 A Contrarian View on Goal-Setting 27:43 Challenging the Notion of Being a Visionary 35:02 Jim Sobeck, Herb Kelleher, and Insights on Leadership 42:07 Strategy Is a Promise   This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days. *** If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together. If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

Have you heard of Herb Kelleher? Well, Herb was one of the most colorful business personalities of the last several decades—and was very effective starting and running Southwest Airlines. Just what made Herb who he was? How can we personally mimic his best techniques? Join Kevin as he profiles the uniquely entertaining Herb Kelleher, a tremendous leader who showed a face of business stewardship rarely conceived and also then carried off with flair and success! // Download this episode's Application & Action questions and PDF transcript at whitestone.org.

What I learned from reading Decoded by Jay Z. ----Get access to the World's Most Valuable Notebook for Founders at Founders Notes----(1:39) I would practice from the time I woke in the morning until I went to sleep(2:10) Even back then I though I was the best.(2:57) Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography  (Founders #219)(4:32) Belief becomes before ability.(5:06) Michael Jordan: The Life (Founders #212)(5:46) The public praises people for what they practice in private.(7:28)  Lock yourself in a room doing five beats a day for three summers.(7:50) Sam Walton: Made In America  (Founders #234)(9:50) He was disappointed in the world, so he built one of his own — from Steven Spielberg: A Biography (Founders #209)(12:47) The Pmarca Blog Archive Ebook by Marc Andreessen (Founders #50)(13:35) I'm not gonna say that I thought I could get rich from rap, but I could clearly see that it was gonna get bigger before it went away. Way bigger.(21:10) Over 20 years into his career and dude ain't changed. He's got his own vibe. You gotta love him for that. (Rick Rubin)(21:41) Against The Odds: An Autobiography by James Dyson (Founders #200)(25:27) I believe you can speak things into existence.(27:20) Picking the right market is essential.(29:29) All companies that go out of business do so for the same reason – they run out of money. —Don Valentine (29:42) There are two things in business that matter, and you can learn this in two minutes- you don't have to go to business school for two years: high gross margins and cash flow. The other financial metrics you can forget. —Don Valentine (31:54) I went on the road with Big Daddy Kane for a while. I got an invaluable education watching him perform.(33:12) Everything I do I learned from the guys who came before me. —Kobe(34:15) I truly hate having discussions about who would win one on one or fans saying you'd beat Michael. I feel like Yo (puts his hands up like stop. Chill.) What you get from me is from him. I don't get 5 championships without him because he guided me so much and gave me so much great advice.(34:50) Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography (Founders #214)(37:20) This is a classic piece of OG advice. It's amazing how few people actually stick to it.(38:04) Nuts!: Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success(Founders #56)(39:04) The key to staying on top of things is to treat everything like it's your first project.(41:10) The Founders: The Story of Paypal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley (Founders #233)(44:46) We (Jay Z, Bono, Quincy Jones) ended up trading stories about the pressure we felt even at this point in our lives.(45:22) Competition pushes you to become your best self. Jordan said the same thing about Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.[46:43] If you got the heart and the brains you can move up quickly. There's no way to quantify all of this on a spreadsheet, but it's the dream of being the exception.(52:26) He (Russell Simmons) changed the business style of a whole generation. The whole vibe of startup companies in Silicon Valley with 25 year old CEOs wearing shell toes is Russell's Def Jam style filtered through different industries.(54:17) Jay Z's approach is I'm going to find the smartest people that that know more than I do, and I'm gonna learn everything I can from them.(54:49) He (Russell Simmons) knew that the key to success was believing in the quality of your own product enough to make people do business with you on your terms. He knew that great product was the ultimate advantage in competition.(55:08) In the end it came down to having a great product and the hustle to move it.(56:37) Learn how to build and sell and you will be unstoppable. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness (Founders #191)(58:30) We gave those brands a narrative which is one of the reasons anyone buys anything. To own not just a product, but to become part of a story.(59:30) The best thing for me to do is to ignore and outperform.(1:01:16) Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger. (Founders #90)(1:06:01) Tao of Charlie Munger: A Compilation of Quotes from Berkshire Hathaway's Vice Chairman on Life, Business, and the Pursuit of Wealth With Commentary  (Founders #78)(1:08:42) Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products(Founders #178)(1:11:46) Long term success is the ultimate goal.(1:12:58) Runnin' Down a Dream: How to Succeed and Thrive in a Career You Love - Bill Gurley(1:15:11) I have always used visualization the way athletes do, to conjure reality.(1:18:14) The thing that distinguished Jordan wasn't just his talent, but his discipline, his laser-like commitment to excellence.(1:19:42) The gift that Jordan had wasn't just that he was willing to do the work, but he loved doing it because he could feel himself getting stronger and ready for anything. That is the kind of consistency that you can get only by adding dead serious discipline of whatever talent you have.(1:21:37) when you step outside of school and you have to teach yourself about life, you develop a different relationship to information. I've never been a purely linear thinker. You can see it to my rhymes. My mind is always jumping around restless, making connections, mixing, and matching ideas rather than marching in a straight line,(1:27:41) Samuel Bronfman: The Life and Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam (Founders #116)(1:34:15) The real bullshit is when you act like you don't have contradictions inside you. That you're so dull and unimaginative that your mind never changes or wanders into strange, unexpected places.(1:36:25) There are extreme levels of drive and pain tolerance in the history of entrepreneurship.(1:38:45) Hit Men: Power Brokers and Fast Money Inside the Music Business(1:42:24)  I love sharp people. Nothing makes me like someone more than intelligence.(1:44:17) They call it the game, but it's not. You can want success all you want but to get it you can't falter. You can't slip. You can't sleep— one eye open for real and forever.(1:51:49) The thought that this cannot be life is one that all of us have felt at some point or another. When a bad decision and bad luck and bad situations feel like too much to bear those times. When we think this, this cannot be my story, but facing up to that kind of feeling can be a powerful motivation to change.(1:54:18) Technology is making it easier to connect to other people, but maybe harder to keep connected to yourself.----Get access to the World's Most Valuable Notebook for Founders at Founders Notes----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

Is the University of Chicago-blessed, "greed is good" near-term profits approach to business wearing out its welcome? James O'Toole's The Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good(HarperBusiness, 2019) is a welcome addition to the current debate about what is the right balance between the near-term profit motive and long-term social goals in running a business. O'Toole, an emeritus professor of business ethics at USC, argues that entrepreneurs have and can be financially successful and still treat their employees, partners, and customers with respect. He provides two dozen case studies of founders and leaders, ranging from Milton Hershey to Robert Wood Johnson to Herb Kelleher, who tried to do more than just make a quick buck. These pioneers believed that if they practiced a form of ethical capitalism, the profits would roll in. And they did. The challenge that O'Toole recognizes from the outset is that the culture these founders created rarely survived their own tenures at the top, and that the unrelenting pressure of the market ultimately wears down even the most well-intentioned business leader. In the end, he concludes that large publicly traded corporations face the greatest pressures, while smaller, private or trust-held businesses have an easier time of creating and sustaining a positive culture. The Enlightened Capitalists is a must read for every aspiring business leader and investor, even those who are convinced that they are on the "right" side of the debate. The judgments can shift rapidly. Even a spectacularly successful New Economy company that had for years as its motto "Don't be evil" (since replaced with "Do the right thing") can quickly end up being vilified in the media and charged by regulators for its monopoly-like behavior. As Kermit might say, it's not easy being good (or green.) Daniel Peris is Senior Vice President at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh. Trained as a historian of modern Russia, he is the author most recently of Getting Back to Business: Why Modern Portfolio Theory Fails Investors. You can follow him on Twitter @Back2BizBook or at http://www.strategicdividendinvestor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Is the University of Chicago-blessed, "greed is good" near-term profits approach to business wearing out its welcome? James O'Toole's The Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good(HarperBusiness, 2019) is a welcome addition to the current debate about what is the right balance between the near-term profit motive and long-term social goals in running a business. O'Toole, an emeritus professor of business ethics at USC, argues that entrepreneurs have and can be financially successful and still treat their employees, partners, and customers with respect. He provides two dozen case studies of founders and leaders, ranging from Milton Hershey to Robert Wood Johnson to Herb Kelleher, who tried to do more than just make a quick buck. These pioneers believed that if they practiced a form of ethical capitalism, the profits would roll in. And they did. The challenge that O'Toole recognizes from the outset is that the culture these founders created rarely survived their own tenures at the top, and that the unrelenting pressure of the market ultimately wears down even the most well-intentioned business leader. In the end, he concludes that large publicly traded corporations face the greatest pressures, while smaller, private or trust-held businesses have an easier time of creating and sustaining a positive culture. The Enlightened Capitalists is a must read for every aspiring business leader and investor, even those who are convinced that they are on the "right" side of the debate. The judgments can shift rapidly. Even a spectacularly successful New Economy company that had for years as its motto "Don't be evil" (since replaced with "Do the right thing") can quickly end up being vilified in the media and charged by regulators for its monopoly-like behavior. As Kermit might say, it's not easy being good (or green.) Daniel Peris is Senior Vice President at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh. Trained as a historian of modern Russia, he is the author most recently of Getting Back to Business: Why Modern Portfolio Theory Fails Investors. You can follow him on Twitter @Back2BizBook or at http://www.strategicdividendinvestor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Is the University of Chicago-blessed, "greed is good" near-term profits approach to business wearing out its welcome? James O'Toole's The Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good(HarperBusiness, 2019) is a welcome addition to the current debate about what is the right balance between the near-term profit motive and long-term social goals in running a business. O'Toole, an emeritus professor of business ethics at USC, argues that entrepreneurs have and can be financially successful and still treat their employees, partners, and customers with respect. He provides two dozen case studies of founders and leaders, ranging from Milton Hershey to Robert Wood Johnson to Herb Kelleher, who tried to do more than just make a quick buck. These pioneers believed that if they practiced a form of ethical capitalism, the profits would roll in. And they did. The challenge that O'Toole recognizes from the outset is that the culture these founders created rarely survived their own tenures at the top, and that the unrelenting pressure of the market ultimately wears down even the most well-intentioned business leader. In the end, he concludes that large publicly traded corporations face the greatest pressures, while smaller, private or trust-held businesses have an easier time of creating and sustaining a positive culture. The Enlightened Capitalists is a must read for every aspiring business leader and investor, even those who are convinced that they are on the "right" side of the debate. The judgments can shift rapidly. Even a spectacularly successful New Economy company that had for years as its motto "Don't be evil" (since replaced with "Do the right thing") can quickly end up being vilified in the media and charged by regulators for its monopoly-like behavior. As Kermit might say, it's not easy being good (or green.) Daniel Peris is Senior Vice President at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh. Trained as a historian of modern Russia, he is the author most recently of Getting Back to Business: Why Modern Portfolio Theory Fails Investors. You can follow him on Twitter @Back2BizBook or at http://www.strategicdividendinvestor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Is the University of Chicago-blessed, "greed is good" near-term profits approach to business wearing out its welcome? James O'Toole's The Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good(HarperBusiness, 2019) is a welcome addition to the current debate about what is the right balance between the near-term profit motive and long-term social goals in running a business. O'Toole, an emeritus professor of business ethics at USC, argues that entrepreneurs have and can be financially successful and still treat their employees, partners, and customers with respect. He provides two dozen case studies of founders and leaders, ranging from Milton Hershey to Robert Wood Johnson to Herb Kelleher, who tried to do more than just make a quick buck. These pioneers believed that if they practiced a form of ethical capitalism, the profits would roll in. And they did. The challenge that O'Toole recognizes from the outset is that the culture these founders created rarely survived their own tenures at the top, and that the unrelenting pressure of the market ultimately wears down even the most well-intentioned business leader. In the end, he concludes that large publicly traded corporations face the greatest pressures, while smaller, private or trust-held businesses have an easier time of creating and sustaining a positive culture. The Enlightened Capitalists is a must read for every aspiring business leader and investor, even those who are convinced that they are on the "right" side of the debate. The judgments can shift rapidly. Even a spectacularly successful New Economy company that had for years as its motto "Don't be evil" (since replaced with "Do the right thing") can quickly end up being vilified in the media and charged by regulators for its monopoly-like behavior. As Kermit might say, it's not easy being good (or green.) Daniel Peris is Senior Vice President at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh. Trained as a historian of modern Russia, he is the author most recently of Getting Back to Business: Why Modern Portfolio Theory Fails Investors. You can follow him on Twitter @Back2BizBook or at http://www.strategicdividendinvestor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the University of Chicago-blessed, "greed is good" near-term profits approach to business wearing out its welcome? James O'Toole's The Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good(HarperBusiness, 2019) is a welcome addition to the current debate about what is the right balance between the near-term profit motive and long-term social goals in running a business. O'Toole, an emeritus professor of business ethics at USC, argues that entrepreneurs have and can be financially successful and still treat their employees, partners, and customers with respect. He provides two dozen case studies of founders and leaders, ranging from Milton Hershey to Robert Wood Johnson to Herb Kelleher, who tried to do more than just make a quick buck. These pioneers believed that if they practiced a form of ethical capitalism, the profits would roll in. And they did. The challenge that O'Toole recognizes from the outset is that the culture these founders created rarely survived their own tenures at the top, and that the unrelenting pressure of the market ultimately wears down even the most well-intentioned business leader. In the end, he concludes that large publicly traded corporations face the greatest pressures, while smaller, private or trust-held businesses have an easier time of creating and sustaining a positive culture. The Enlightened Capitalists is a must read for every aspiring business leader and investor, even those who are convinced that they are on the "right" side of the debate. The judgments can shift rapidly. Even a spectacularly successful New Economy company that had for years as its motto "Don't be evil" (since replaced with "Do the right thing") can quickly end up being vilified in the media and charged by regulators for its monopoly-like behavior. As Kermit might say, it's not easy being good (or green.) Daniel Peris is Senior Vice President at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh. Trained as a historian of modern Russia, he is the author most recently of Getting Back to Business: Why Modern Portfolio Theory Fails Investors. You can follow him on Twitter @Back2BizBook or at http://www.strategicdividendinvestor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the University of Chicago-blessed, "greed is good" near-term profits approach to business wearing out its welcome? James O'Toole's The Enlightened Capitalists: Cautionary Tales of Business Pioneers Who Tried to Do Well by Doing Good(HarperBusiness, 2019) is a welcome addition to the current debate about what is the right balance between the near-term profit motive and long-term social goals in running a business. O'Toole, an emeritus professor of business ethics at USC, argues that entrepreneurs have and can be financially successful and still treat their employees, partners, and customers with respect. He provides two dozen case studies of founders and leaders, ranging from Milton Hershey to Robert Wood Johnson to Herb Kelleher, who tried to do more than just make a quick buck. These pioneers believed that if they practiced a form of ethical capitalism, the profits would roll in. And they did. The challenge that O'Toole recognizes from the outset is that the culture these founders created rarely survived their own tenures at the top, and that the unrelenting pressure of the market ultimately wears down even the most well-intentioned business leader. In the end, he concludes that large publicly traded corporations face the greatest pressures, while smaller, private or trust-held businesses have an easier time of creating and sustaining a positive culture. The Enlightened Capitalists is a must read for every aspiring business leader and investor, even those who are convinced that they are on the "right" side of the debate. The judgments can shift rapidly. Even a spectacularly successful New Economy company that had for years as its motto "Don't be evil" (since replaced with "Do the right thing") can quickly end up being vilified in the media and charged by regulators for its monopoly-like behavior. As Kermit might say, it's not easy being good (or green.) Daniel Peris is Senior Vice President at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh. Trained as a historian of modern Russia, he is the author most recently of Getting Back to Business: Why Modern Portfolio Theory Fails Investors. You can follow him on Twitter @Back2BizBook or at http://www.strategicdividendinvestor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/finance

Ann Rhoades can pick a true servant leader from 40 paces. Ann has been part of teams who built award-winning cultures at both Southwest and JetBlue airlines. When she first met Herb Kelleher in a Board meeting, he kept insisting she not stand up… I love her reveal on why. Ann shares the importance of being a strong values-based leader, how critical understanding financials is, and the essential need to be a courageous HR leader who takes a stand on important issues and is a partner that others listen to. We discuss her view on the trend of senior professional females leaving the workplace, her advice to ask for what we need and stories of CEOs who are measured on how they get results, not just on the results. Don't miss this conversation with a wonderful human being. Ann's brilliant quote, "never be afraid to say what we believe", is especially important in today's challenging times and she shares how she has lived that ethos. ----------------------- FREE LIVE WEBINAR Finance | Move to Mastery Thursday 2 November at 1pm AEDT Register Here ----------------------- Craving inspiration? I send an email each Sunday about leadership reflection, tops tips to build an intentional & sustainable life and other things that have captured my attention and are too good not to share! Sign up here: https://www.bravefeminineleadership.com/leadershipinspiration Loving the podcast? Leave us a short review. It takes less than 60 seconds & will inspire like-minded leaders to join the conversation Ready to take immediate action to manage your energy? Grab my new Activity eBook: 5 Simple Yet Powerful Techniques You Can Use to Elevate Your Energy & Performance - Even If You Don't Know Where To Start. Get access instantly here: https://www.bravefeminineleadership.com/ebook Are we friends? Join us here: Instagram LinkedIn

Bob Jordan serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Airlines. Bob is a 35-year Southwest veteran and began his career as a programmer in Information Technology. During his more than three decades at Southwest, the airline grew from a regional presence with around 7,000 people and 90 airplanes to a beloved national brand with more than 71,000 people and 126 million customers carried in 2022. Bob is a passionate advocate of "The Southwest Way," which refers to the company's core values and people-centric culture. Bob and his wife, Kelly, are members of the Texas A&M University Legacy Society and are active in charitable organizations, including Cross Timbers Community Church, Compassion International, SOS International, and the Metropolitan Opera. They have two grown children and two grandsons. On the show this week, I'm thrilled to welcome Bob Jordan of Southwest Airlines to talk about the warrior spirit, servant's heart, and fun-loving philosophy. We learn about Bob's educational journey and how he met Herb Kelleher,  co-founder of Southwest, while working at Hewlett Packard and took the leap to move to Southwest. Bob also highlights the impact of Southwest's unique company culture, which is rooted in treating teammates like family. We also discuss the unique ways in how Southwest serves their customers and how this has had an impact on the success of the business. “Southwest is a cause, and I joined this wonderful company to further the cause.” - Bob Jordan “Do your values come to life in the hard decisions you make in the moment?” - Bob Jordan “It comes down to ‘do the right thing'.” -  Bob Jordan This Week on The Wow Factor: More about Herb Kelleher's vision to liberate the American flying public by making air travel accessible and affordable How perseverance and warrior spirit overcame regulatory obstacles and lawsuits to launch Southwest Airlines Why Southwest Airlines is such a caring, family-oriented company  The value Southwest places on serving their customers and making them feel valued What kind of people they like to hire at Southwest, and how they make sure they recruit the right staff Why a commitment to doing the right thing is an absolute golden rule at Southwest How Southwest overcame the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic  Why they chose the heart as the emblem of Southwest during their brand refresh What they did to make things right when they had to seriously disrupt their schedule and why Bob is so proud of how the staff and leaders handled it Bob Jordan's Words of Wisdom: Work hard and be yourself because it's hard to be a leader when you're trying to model somebody else you think you need to be.  Leadership can be a challenge, so remember to take time for other things that are important to you. I'm a huge believer that you're a better leader if you're rounded.  Connect with Bob Jordan:  Southwest Airlines Newsroom Bob Jordan on LinkedIn     Connect with The WOW Factor: The WOW Factor Website Connect with Brad Formsma via email Brad Formsma on LinkedIn Brad Formsma on Instagram Brad Formsma on Facebook Brad Formsma on Twitter  

This week, Dan & Ian talk about the early days of digital nomadism, what it says about the future, and how to spot new opportunities in life and business. They'll also explore new topics like compound startup theory, why focus can steer you in the wrong direction, and whether TikTok is the blue ocean Amazon was in 2014. Stay tuned to learn about the new AI feature, enabling founders to make connections more swiftly than ever. All this and more in today's fully booked episode, so buckle up and charge your earbuds. Dan & Ian's Stuff: The Newsletter (https://tropicalmba.com/subscribe) “The DC” (https://dynamitecircle.com/join-dc/) DC Black (https://dynamitecircle.com/dc-black) Global events (https://dynamitecircle.com/events) Hire remote talent (https://remotefirstrecruiting.com/) Find a remote job (https://dynamitejobs.com/) Listen on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialTropicalMBA) Follow on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tropicalmba/) @TropicalMBA (https://twitter.com/TropicalMBA) @AnythingIan (https://twitter.com/AnythingIan) Show Notes: 0:00:44 Intro 0:02:48 Childhood lessons that helped us succeed in business 0:08:35 The biggest DCBKK in history 0:10:51 Dan & Ian's travel tips & never agains 0:13:25 The new AI feature that helps you connect with relevant founders instantly 0:16:00 Is TikTok what Amazon was in 2014? 0:20:36 The problem with limiting definitions and the theory of the compound startup 0:28:18 Reacting to Steph Smith's take on the history of digital nomadism 0:30:18 A brief history of digital nomadism from our perspective 0:45:52 What does the future look like for digital nomadism? 0:48:38 Why understanding key trends ahead of their time can make for a highly successful business Links: The Secret (https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Rhonda-Byrne/dp/1847370292/ref=asc_df_1847370292/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343187902048&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13419185491195641939&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028277&hvtargid=pla-318206917580&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=66484626902&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343187902048&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13419185491195641939&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028277&hvtargid=pla-318206917580) Dave's Vice segment about dumpster diving (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR6XFDAfLuk) Dave's business (https://www.buffalobottlecraft.com/) - Herb Kelleher on Founders (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gItcgy8FHgOF46TiEjKBL?si=ea68855e8b9c49e0) The Elon Musk biography (https://www.amazon.com/Elon-Musk-Walter-Isaacson/dp/1982181281/ref=asc_df_1982181281/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=658715255517&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17403256148468025508&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028277&hvtargid=pla-2273195873232&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwgsqoBhBNEiwAwe5w0_Gqotj7nmjvYjFfde0GI_2jCNCQNu6co-Q2PCqA8iskrxbNemtf9BoCSvkQAvD_BwE) Steph's episode (https://open.spotify.com/episode/1zB29YPDEA8GprPU5pRs7Y?si=47981881a9fd4a5a) TMBA History of Digital Nomadism (https://open.spotify.com/episode/5bF2L6M2rTgcZfXhQNyK6O?si=8a9yWNoBSTevLUIHXotYmA) James Clarke's Full History (https://www.nomadicnotes.com/digital-nomad-history/) Past guests on TMBA include Cal Newport, David Heinemeier Hannson, Seth Godin, Ricardo Semler, Noah Kagan, Rob Walling, Jay Clouse, Einar Vollset, Sam Dogan, Gino Wickam, James Clear, Jodie Cook, Mark Webster, Steph Smith, Taylor Pearson, Tommy Griffith, Justin Tan, Matt Gartland, Travis Jamison, Ayman Al-Abdullah, Tynan, Lucy Bella Simkins, Brian Balfour, Nick Huber Additional episodes you might enjoy: The History of Digital Nomadism (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/digital-nomadism-history) Digital Nomad Cities for 2023 and Choosing Between ‘Scaling Up' And ‘Traction' (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/digital-nomad-cities-2023) Brian Balfour's $33M Growth Insights: Product-Market Fit, Durability, & Knowing Your Natural Limits (https://tropicalmba.com/episodes/33mil-growth-insights)

What I learned from reading Nuts!: Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg and  Herb's Heroes by David Sanders. ----Join my free email newsletter to get my top 10 highlights from every book----I'm doing a live show with Patrick O'Shaughnessy from Invest Like the Best on October 19th in New York City. Get your tickets here!----Listen to Invest Like The Best #343 David Senra: In The Service of Founders ----Vesto makes it easy for you to invest your businesses idle cash. Schedule a demo with Vesto's founder Ben and tell him David from Founders sent you. Here's the legal disclosures to make the lawyers happy:Vesto Advisors, LLC (“Vesto”) is an SEC registered investment adviser. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. More information about Vesto and our partnership can be found hereWe are entitled to compensation for promoting Vesto Advisors, LLC. Accordingly, we have an incentive to endorse Vesto and its team and services. We are not current advisory clients of the Vesto.----Listen to Invest Like The Best #343 David Senra: In The Service of Founders ----Join Founders AMAMembers of Founders AMA can:-Email me your questions directly (you get a private email address in the confirmation email) -Promote your company to other members by including a link to your website with you question -Unlock 40 Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes immediately-Listen to new Ask Me Anything (AMA) episodes every week ----(2:30) Reality is chaotic; planning is ordered and logical. The two don't square with one another.(5:30) You undergo a lot of stress all the time. How do you handle it? I don't handle it. I like it.(7:30) He smoked 5 packs of cigarettes a day. He drank Wild Turkey Bourbon daily. He said “Wild Turkey and Phillip Morris cigarettes are essential to the maintenance of human life.”(8:00) He built the most successful airline in history. Southwest was profitable for 47 straight years.(9:30) All that matters is to survive. The rest is just words. — Charles de Gaulle(18:00) Kelleher didn't mince any words: “I told Lamar, you roll right over the son of a bitch and leave our tire tracks on his uniform if you have to.”(27:30) No carrier knows its niche as well as Southwest.(28:30) While other carriers have been lured by the temptation to step outside their niche, Southwest has maintained the discipline to stay focused on its fundamental reason for being.(29:00) Herb on why he was conservative with debt: When there are bad times you aren't threatened by debt payments and debt payments are what put other airlines in and out of bankruptcy forever.(30:00) Southwest is obsessed with keeping costs low to maximize profitability instead of being concerned with increasing market share.(30:15) Southwest is willing to forgo revenue generating opportunities in markets that would disproportionately increase its costs.(35:00) Keller has said on many occasions that a company is never more vulnerable to complacency than when it's at the height of its success. The number one threat is us he would say.(38:30) When we look back at the last 20 years it is obvious that a number of large companies were so set in their ways that they did not adapt properly and lost out as a result. 20 years from now, we'll look back and we'll see the same pattern. — Bill Gates(39:00) Herb Kelleher illustrates the speed with which Southwest moves by telling a story about Don Valentine, former VP of marketing.Valentine had just joined from Dr. Pepper when the marketing group met in January to discuss a new television campaign.Valentine was ready with his timeline for producing the spots:-script in March-script approval in April-casting in June-shoot in SeptemberWhen Valentine finished, Kelleher said, “Don, I hate to tell you, but we're talking about next Wednesday.”----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested, so my poor wallet suffers.” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

Eight years ago, I had the privilege of sharing the stage with Brené Brown and speaking to the leadership team at Southwest Airlines. Visiting with Brené was a once in a lifetime experience. Having lunch with Southwest President and CEO Herb Kelleher was an honor. But one of the greatest gifts from that day was a friendship that was planted and blossomed afterwards. Let me explain.

Thank you for all the support and your subscriptions! I really appreciate it.  Subscribe, rate, leave feedback and comments on the podcast.The elephant in the room: Southwest AirlinesA disaster in the making. Herb Kelleher's airline is suffering because of profit hungry executives.  Southwest IT department hails from the 1990s and needs an extreme makeover!Aggressive Mediocrity: More and more people are ok with doing the bare minimum and are proudly mediocre. How is this affecting the industry? 

Southwest Airlines has been all over the news this week because of major issues with its operation. So, what better time to replay one of our fave episodes, all about one of the country's most beloved airlines? When Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher was faced with a competitor slashing prices in the 1970s in an effort to put Southwest out of business, Herb got creative and pulled a PR stunt. Then, in the 1990s, he did it again when faced with a potential legal battle over a tagline....he responded with an insanely creative PR stunt. In fact, the reason Southwest is one of the top airlines in the industry today is because of these off-the-wall, creative stunts that Herb pulled off. The culture of the airline was truly born out of these stunts and we bet you feel pretty inspired after this one! For source materials, please visit www.willitstickpodcast.com.

Early on I made the prediction that Southwest Airlines could be the victim of a cyber attack.  At first Southwest claimed it was just the weather for the massive number of flight cancellations, but now it claims their old and outdated systems melted down. I am skeptical that a massive meltdown of this scale can happen with out outside interference.  But the question remains, how did Southwest get to the point of becoming so vulnerable?  One look at its website gives us some clues. It's filled with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.  Environmental pledges and promises to give back to global communities.  Southwest's corporate site reads like a communist manifesto.  The founder, Herb Kelleher would be mortified.   CLearly Southwest focused more on Woke-ism than it did hiring qualified programmers and IT professionals.  It focused less on operations and more on leftist pandering. This episode we go though Southwest's woke corporate plan to show why it failed them and why it may have allowed cyber hackers to hack an admittedly outdated system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“That's' been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex; you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.” ~ Steve Jobs Welcome to Episode 92: The Science Of Simplicity ... Have you ever wondered why Steve Jobs always wore the same black turtleneck or why the founder of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher, eats the same cheese and crackers every single morning? The reason these successful entrepreneurs simplify could be due to the same reason a cloud of smoke swirls and dissipates in the air or why the universe is expanding …   Running a business comes with many stressors; from finding clients, to generating leads and making sales, or even managing a team (virtual or in-house). And it can sometimes feel like that list just goes on … and on … and on!But there are always ways to make your business less stressful. And you're in luck because today I have some pointers for you! Yes! You heard right … pointers on the science of simplicity! Here's what we will be untangling in this episode ...The day in the life of an entrepreneurExploring and re-exploring your “WHY”The power of creating simple automationsVU's TOP LIST of simplicity tricks Are you ready?Pop in your awesome earbuds and let's dive in!

Writer, editor, and Southwest guru Joseph Guinto talks about the current state of Southwest, and the legacy Herb Kelleher left behind. To listen to Business Movers ad-free, join Wondery+ in the Wondery App. Click here to download the app: https://wondery.app.link/businessmoversSupport us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher was faced with a competitor slashing prices in the 1970s in an effort to put Southwest out of business, Herb got creative and pulled a PR stunt. Then, in the 1990s, he did it again when faced with a potential legal battle over a tagline....he responded with an insanely creative PR stunt. In fact, the reason Southwest is one of the top airlines in the industry today is because of these off-the-wall, creative stunts that Herb pulled off. The culture of the airline was truly born out of these stunts and we bet you feel pretty inspired after this one! For source materials, please visit www.willitstickpodcast.com

After Lamar Muse departs Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher becomes chairman, and eventually CEO. But as Herb fights to expand Southwest, he finds himself up against congressmen, new competitors, and even his own pilots. To listen to Business Movers ad-free, join Wondery+ in the Wondery App. Click here to download the app: https://wondery.app.link/businessmoversPlease support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Herb Kelleher fends off rival airlines waging a brutal ground war against Southwest. But, soon two new foes grow determined to use the courts to drive the young airline out of its home. To listen to Business Movers ad-free, join Wondery+ in the Wondery App. Click here to download the app: https://wondery.app.link/businessmoversPlease support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Grounded by lawsuits waged by its competitors, the newly-conceived Southwest Airlines struggles to stay in business in the 1960s. But the company's co-founder, Herb Kelleher, refuses to give up on his mission to democratize air travel, vowing to fight for the airline's right to fly and for freedom in the sky. To listen to Business Movers ad-free, join Wondery+ in the Wondery App. Click here to download the app: https://wondery.app.link/businessmoversPlease support us by supporting our sponsors!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Riding for hours in a constricted, highly pressurized cylinder with a bunch of total strangers can be tough, especially if you don't have a sense of humor. Luckily, the airline industry has Linda Rutherford, executive vice president of people & communications and chief communications officer at Southwest Airlines. She joins Laughing Matters to discuss:- Their history of having a humorous culture, starting with founder Herb Kelleher, who used to hide in the overhead bins to surprise passengers.- SWA's creative and highly energetic in-flight staff, and how the company approaches training to support employees and find their strengths.- Her cringeworthy moment early in her career as a journalist when she felt under the weather and left an unexpected gift for a potential source.

Our guest is Delise Simmons - Chief Culture Officer at The Culture Think Tank. Delise has been a leader in the area of organizational development and human capital for more than 25 years. Her dynamic style and extensive experience have produced exceptional corporate cultures and leaders at companies such as Southwest Airlines, Office Depot, JetBlue Airways, and many others. In her time at Southwest, Delise developed and delivered leadership training called  “University for People” to thousands of Employees during the time they were rated one of the Top Ten Companies to work for in America. At The Culture Think Tank, Delise helps to make the world a better place through performance analytics and research. With her team, they focus on identifying and quantifying the metrics that drive workplace performance and providing the insights. In this episode of Scaling Culture, Ron and Delise discuss: Delise's journey into people & culture space and her time at Southwest Airline under Herb Kelleher's leadership Delise's work at JetBlue Airways and strategies on how to define the culture, core values and behaviors  The Culture Think Tank and workplace culture trends in the hybrid and virtual environments and why culture is everyone's job not just an HR function For more information about Delise or her work at The Culture Think Tank, please follow her on LinkedIn or go to TheCultureThinkTank.com To check out a sample of our 1hr series on Building Relationships at ScalingCulture.Org If you're enjoying the Scaling Culture podcast, please share with others. We'll be back soon with another incredible guest! 

I'm about to flip a coin so call it in the air. Heads or tails? … What did you choose? If you were making a bet, which side of the coin would you bet on and how much are you willing to lose? In the movie The Dark Knight, before he becomes a villain, Harvey Dent is the white knight. He takes risks and flips a coin to make major decisions betting that luck will make him a winner. It seems foolhardy until you come to realize, actually, he makes his own luck. BT Global operates much the same way. The difference is that where Harvey Dent takes a villainous turn, BT maintains its longstanding heroic posture, driven to connect the world for good. Still, like Dent, BT is always playing two hands at once, betting on both sides of the coin to make its own luck. It is what Chet Patel, the Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Americas at BT, says has helped the company make its own luck for more than 100 years. How did BT do it and how does it work with and prepare customers for problems right now and those to come?  Find out on Business X factors.Main Takeaways: Make Your Own Luck: Rather than take a passive approach, companies need to always be working to set themselves and their customers up for success. In order to make your own luck you have to dig into a number of areas of your business, work to disrupt yourself, and always keep an eye on the competition and never be afraid to go head-to-head with them. Develop Product Paranoia: The saying goes that every cloud has a silver lining, but in an uncertain, disruptive, ever-changing world, looking for the dark cloud in the silver lining can help you to prepare for the next storm. Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines insisted on lean operations and cost-cutting in good times to be prepared for the next storm and at BT, there is always an assumption that the competitors in the field are working to out-innovate and surpass the company, which creates a sense of urgency and creativity that might not otherwise exist.Give Customers a Future Roadmap: Many companies are reluctant to share their future roadmap with customers because they don't want there to be any disappointment if things don't go to plan. Sharing a roadmap can, however, lead to valuable customer feedback and it creates a relationship of trust with customers. When you share your plans, customers can see exactly what you are working on and they would feel more invested in your company. But it is important to follow through and implement great ideas otherwise customers could lose trust in your company.---Business X factors is produced by Mission.org and brought to you by Hyland. For over a decade, Hyland has been named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Content Services Platforms, leading the way to help people get the information they need when and where they need it. More than half of 2019 Fortune 100 companies rely on Hyland to help them create more meaningful connections with the people they serve. When your focus is on the people you serve, Hyland stands behind you. Hyland is your X factor for better performance. Go to Hyland.com/insights to learn more.

Episode 6 titled "How Do You Make Someone Laugh?", has nationally recognized comedian David Naster, explain the healing power of humor and how to use it. Episode Summary: This episode features a discussion with David Naster over ways to use humor and heal others with it. David has shared the comedy stage with legends Robin Williams, Eddie Murphy, and Jay Leno. His philosophy; You Just Have To Laugh or (YJHTL) discusses how humor can heal, motivate and inspire. You Just Have To Laugh is endorsed by the founder of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher, Bob Costas, the CIA, and many others. David explores this philosophy through his You Just Have To Laugh speaking, writing, podcast, and NasterClasses. Listen as David shares his story and experiences from his extensive comedy career. Fundamental topics such as how to think of the material, write and deliver a joke. David teaches easily applicable tips that will let you lift others with your humor. In this episode we discuss: 00:00 - Sunday Afternoon by Knock Kneed Sally (Apple and Spotify) 01:40 - Introducing David Naster 03:15 - David's Childhood 05:20 - How To Make Things Funny 08:20 - Turning Material Into a Joke 11:07 - The Beginning 13:38 - Standup Career 17:10 - Church Performance 19:42 - You Just Have To Laugh 21:39 - Reasons For Laughter 23:25 - Delivery 24:43 - Dealing With Fear 39:33 - Overcoming Adversity 43:33 - Handling Failure 50:13 - More About David 53:00 - Closing Remarks 1:02 :41 - Conclusion and Information Resources: David Naster: Website & Naster Classes You Just Have To Laugh (YJHTL): Book, Podcast, & Speaking

Join us in the Krueger Marketing podcast studio this week for another episode of The State of Sales Enablement. We catch up with https://www.linkedin.com/in/elangille/ (Emily Bendorf) who is the sales enablement manager of the B2B sales organisation of Southwest Airlines. These are some of the questions we discuss in this episode: How does Southwest Airlines interpret sales enablement? What has been the impact of Covid-19 on Southwest? What were some of the growing pains Southwest Airlines had to deal with when transforming the organisation in recent years? How does the sales enablement team at Southwest interact with other departments? How has the Southwest sales enablement infrastructure changed over time? What is next for Southwest and the American airline industry now that the vaccine roll-out is in full swing? What is your advice to somebody starting out in sales enablement?  Here are some of the resources referenced in this episode. Sales enablement resources brought to you by Krueger Marketing: https://www.kruegermarketing.com/learn (https://www.kruegermarketing.com/learn) Herb Kelleher's Halloween outfits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J81P7AyxC_E (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J81P7AyxC_E) Connect with Emily Bendorf online: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elangille/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/elangille/) Connect with Felix Krueger online:https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/ ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/hfkrueger/) Where to find The State of Sales Enablement: Website (subscriber exclusives can be found here) -http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/ ( http://thestateofsalesenablement.com/) LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/ ( https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-state-of-sales-enablement-podcast/) Apple Podcasts -https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853 ( https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-state-of-sales-enablement/id1558307853) Spotify -https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6g ( https://open.spotify.com/show/4ceCJYJLuCbTNbRTriOFpe?si=avn_E9EGSNu3gmHfoqJ_6g)

Can you have fun and make money? Southwest Airlines says YES, you can and shows us how it's done.This week Quint hosts Tony Brigmon, the former “ambassador of fun” at Southwest Airlines. Tony worked closely with Herb Kelleher, former Southwest CEO, to create a legendary business culture that totally disrupted the airline industry. Tony describes how Herb's uncanny ability to connect with and engage employees created a culture that led to outrageously great customer service, legendary productivity, and profitability. Love, gratitude, and the Golden Rule were the foundation for all business interactions. Basics like hire for attitude, train for skill; put employees first, customers second; allow people to be themselves; and leave your ego at the door created one of the most engaged workforces and sustainable cultures in modern-day business history. Join Tony and Quint to get the inside scoop on how Southwest did it.

What I learned from reading Nuts!: Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal SuccessReality is chaotic; planning is ordered [0:01]Vince Lombardi is the Steve Jobs of coaches [3:48] how Southwest Airlines is different [11:31]the beginning of Southwest [16:00]fighting anticompetitive practice [24:30] finding a new market by doing the opposite of your competition [29:00] missionaries make the best products [31:00]being forced to innovate leads to questioning assumptions which leads to finding new markets [34:00]how Southwest became the largest liquor distributor in Texas [38:00] remember your fundamental reason for being and don't deviate from that [40:45]optimize for profits, not market share [42:30]know what you are competing with - not who [44:15] how having only one type of airplane gives Southwest an advantage [46:30] how keeping it simple saved Southwest $2 million [51:30]know what you do best - have the discipline to stick to it [53:00] if you are going to be small you have to be fast [1:01:19]the benefits of curiosity are unpredictable [1:03:45]—“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines founder, dies at 87. Should Dallas Love Field be renamed in honor of Herb Kelleher? #SouthwestAirlines See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Once again road trips are becoming more about the journey rather than the destination and I see that as a very encouraging sign that maybe people are realizing the merit of enjoying the journey.” – Richard Ratay Richard Ratay (@RichRatay) is the author of Don't Make Me Pull Over!, an informal history of the family road trip. In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Richard discuss the history of long-haul automobile travel and the interstate highway system (6:00); the effects of interstate highways on American travel culture (19:00); the station wagon and the evolution of the road trip car (35:00); and the decline of the road trip Golden Age (48:00). Notable Links: Henry Ford (founder of Ford Motor Company) Horatio Nelson Jackson (automobile pioneer) Desert Solitaire, by Edward Abbey (book) Howard Deering Johnson (entrepreneur and businessman) Motel 6 (hotel chain) Ralph Teeter (inventor of cruise control) I Can't Drive 55 (song by Sammy Hagar) Citizens Band Radio (short distance radio communications) Convoy (song) Convoy (movie) Wooly Willy (toy) Handheld electronic games Mattel (toy manufacturing company) The Sears Christmas Wish Book was (truly) great American literature (Deviate podcast episode) 8-track tape (sound recording technology) Bill Lear (inventor and businessman) Barry Manilow (musician) M*A*S*H (TV series) MacArthur Park (song) Duran Duran (band) Herb Kelleher (founder of Southwest Airlines) Airline Deregulation Act The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we’re happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.