Podcasts about industry leaders

WWJ auto analyst John McElroy reports Magna's CEO says decisions have to be made faster to keep up with the ever changing industry.

Keith Hamilton: Industry Leader Download LISTEN TO MORE SHOWS

Alice Kao is the CEO, co-founder and driving force behind Sender One, a Southern California climbing gym chain, which she has led over 13 years from a single location in Santa Ana to six gyms—with more on the way. Her path to the climbing industry was anything but conventional: A first-generation immigrant who interned at Lehman Brothers, worked in international toy sales, and discovered climbing while navigating heartbreak in London, Alice launched Sender One from savings, SBA loans, and checks from family and friends—eventually bringing on a marquee investor in pro climber Chris Sharma. She has since become a respected voice in the broader climbing business community, championing women's leadership through her involvement at CWA, and serving on the USA Climbing board of directors before a principled exit. In this conversation with Scott Rennak, Alice opens up about what it really took to build Sender One—the years of not paying herself, the leap from side hustle to full-time commitment, and the management mistakes she had to unlearn. She also discusses an innovative funding model—a partnership with an impact investment firm to purchase her LAX flagship location—as well as her complicated but ultimately collegial departure from the USA Climbing board. With the 2028 Olympics arriving in LA and her gym sitting eight minutes from the competition venue, she's having more fun running the business than ever before. General Topics Covered Turning Passion into a Sustainable Business Taking Calculated Risks as an Entrepreneur Scaling a Climbing Gym Brand Leadership, Growth, and Founder Evolution Creative Approaches to Financing Expansion Navigating Industry Politics and Governance The Future of Climbing and the Olympic Opportunity Show Notes Alice Kao on Linkedin Sender One website Interview discussing Alice's childhood and being a “parachute kid” Details about the Impact Fund that purchased LAX location property Alice's resignation letter from USA Climbing board of directors Thank you Climbing Wall Association, Rúngne, Walltopia, Cascade Specialty, and Rock Gym Pro for your support! And thank you Devin Dabney for your music!

Send us Fan MailHow do you climb from an entry-level secretarial role to the executive suites of the beauty world?In this episode of Coffee N°5, we sit down with beauty industry powerhouse Elana S Drell Szyfer. Elana shares her remarkable journey, offering a masterclass in career development, leadership, and the shifting dynamics of the beauty and wellness landscape.Whether you are climbing the corporate ladder in a global powerhouse or navigating the agile waters of a startup, Elana's insights on humility, continuous learning, and adaptability are essential listening. We dive deep into why modern careers are no longer a straight line, how the convergence of health and beauty is changing the market, and the irreplaceable role of mentorship in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.Key Takeaways From This Episode:Start Somewhere: Why taking an entry-level role (even as a secretary) can give you the foundational tools to build an empire.The Corporate vs. Startup Shift: Critical leadership lessons learned when transitioning from massive global corporations to agile, small brands.The New Career Landscape: Understanding the evolution of career stages and the exciting convergence of beauty, health, and wellness.The Power of Mentorship: Why asking questions and actively supporting future leaders is the ultimate key to industry growth.Connect with Elana:LinkedIn: Connect with Elana S Drell SzyferResources Mentioned in This Episode:CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women): cewbeauty.org (Note: double-check link spelling for CEW)Industry Insights: Women's Wear Daily (WWD)

Tony was excited to sit down with Dana D'Auria, who recently joined Franklin Templeton's RIA Advisory Council as an Industry Leader. This newly formed group has enabled the firm to work together to help shape how private markets are evolving in the RIA Channel. In this episode Tony and Dana tackle important structural considerations around liquidity, valuation, and the limitations of so-called "semi-liquid" investments, while emphasizing the untapped potential of private equity, private credit, and real assets in enhancing client outcomes. They discuss how technology platforms and model-based approaches can help advisors scale their practices while maintaining their core value proposition: providing clients access to sophisticated investment strategies that would otherwise be out of reach. This is an essential listen for advisors looking to navigate the operational complexities of private markets and deliver differentiated value to their clients. DANA D'AURIA, CFA CO-CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER AND GROUP PRESIDENT, ENVESTNET SOLUTIONS As Group President, Envestnet Solutions and Co-Chief Investment Officer at Envestnet, Dana is responsible for wealth and asset management solutions across Envestnet's ecosystem, including its research, overlay, direct indexing, sustainable investing and retirement services, as well as partnerships with exchanges and other wealth solutions providers. Dana is also a chair of Envestnet | PMC's Investment Committee.   Prior to joining Envestnet, Dana was most recently a Managing Director of Symmetry Partners where she also served as President and a Portfolio Manager of Symmetry Panoramic Mutual Funds, the firm's multi-factor family of funds.  Dana is a frequent contributor on CNBC Squawk Box, Bloomberg TV and Radio, Yahoo! Finance, and Nasdaq TradeTalks. She has been honored by Money Management Executive as one of the publication's "Top Women in Asset Management" in 2018 and "Women to Watch" in 2017. She has also published articles on factor investing in The Journal of Financial Planning and The Journal of Index Investing. Dana holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, and earned both her MBA (in Finance) and BA (in English and International Studies) from Fairfield University. Resources: Dana M. D'Auria, CFA | LinkedInFranklin Templeton Private MarketsTony Davidow, CIMA® | LinkedIn

What does it actually take to become an industry leader when you never planned to be one? Charli Rogers, Chief Customer Officer at Botify, joins Toni for a conversation that covers the full arc of her leadership journey — from an accidental start in tech to leading customer success teams of 150-200 people across multiple continents, to taking her first CCO seat at a company sitting right at the intersection of search, AI discoverability, and the future of how brands get found. This conversation covers all things great leadership from quiet confidence, allyship in executive teams, what holding space for women in a boardroom actually looks like in practice, and the language shift — "and" versus "but" — that Charli teaches every woman she mentors. Charli also gets honest about the biggest challenge she's navigating right now: how do you lead an AI-forward customer experience function while keeping the team delivering, changing everything about how you operate, and nobody really knows what the next two years look like? If you're figuring out what kind of leader you want to be, how to back yourself at the next level, or how to build allies in rooms that weren't always built for you — this is the episode. What we cover: ◾ The serendipitous career path from accidental tech foray to Chief Customer Officer ◾ Why Charli put her hand up for people leadership before she felt ready — and what happened next ◾ Quiet confidence: what it really looks like at the executive level and why it's different from the performative kind ◾ The "and" vs "but" language shift and why words matter more than most leaders realize vAllyship in the exec room — what it looks like when it becomes second nature rather than a conscious act ◾ Holding space for women in a male-dominated executive team: practical, not theoretical ◾ AI in customer experience — leading an AI-forward function while the team keeps delivering today ◾ Building a virtual board of directors and why network investment is a long-term leadership strategy ◾ The worst piece of advice Charli was ever given: "dial it down, Charli" ◾ Confidence plus capacity: why both are non-negotiable and how to know when it's time to speak up   **Useful links** ◾ Connect with today's guest and sponsor, Charli Rogers and Botify:           ◾ Charli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlirogers/            ◾ Botify: https://www.botify.com/    This episode was sponsored by our guest, Charli Rogers at Botify. Thank you Charli for helping to bring Leading Women in Tech to this community!  

High hopes for today's Budget from health, infrastructure, education, and business leaders. College of GPs President Luke Bradford told Mike Hosking he's looking for some reallocation of health spending. He says we currently invest 6% of vote health in primary healthcare, compared to the OECD average of 14%. On the infrastructure side of things, Infrastructure NZ's Nick Leggett told Hosking he wants investment in new projects and maintenance of existing ones. He says we have to build some resilience into them so they don't fail earlier, because that just ends up costing more money. Secondary Principals' Council Chair Steve McCracken told Mike Hosking he has three things on his wishlist. He'd like to see an increase in operational funding for schools, a significant injection into senior secondary curriculum areas to support the implementation of the new qualification, and increasing vocational training places and support for those on that path. And finally, Business New Zealand Chief Executive Katherine Rich told Mike Hosking she's focused on economic indicators. She says they're going to be looking to see when the country returns to surplus and how the new expenditure contributes to economic growth. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SEC speaks with Melissa Mack, Director on the Professional Certification Board for ASIS and Managing Director at Pinkerton, about her experiences in rising to a leadership position in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Bruce Kelly speaks with senior industry leader Mark Goldberg about the current market for alternative investments, including private loan and BDC funds.

Wall Street suits think they can roll up blue-collar businesses with just a spreadsheet. But without true boots-on-the-ground experience, they usually end up buying a fleet of broken equipment and alienating the entire workforce.In this episode of the Acquisitions & Asphalt series, Sam Silverman brings on Jeff Livingston (CEO/Operating Partner of Nationwide Paving) and Chris Wirthlin (CFO of The Pave) to break down what actually happens when you pair a sharp financial team with a 30-year paving veteran.They break down the "Anti-PE" approach to acquiring service businesses, and pull back the curtain on how to find massive hidden margins that financial due diligence completely misses.They cover:Why traditional private equity fails at service-based roll-ups, and how to actually win the trust of legacy foundersThe psychology of acquisitions: How taking over back-office billing turned an "I'm retiring in 6 months" founder into an "I'll stay 'til I'm 80" partnerDue diligence secrets: Why the crew in the field will tell you the truth about a company long before the owner's financials ever doEquipment reality checks: How to spot "junk" machinery that standard financial appraisals completely missFinding hidden cash: How bringing subcontractor work and traffic control in-house instantly saved $10,000 a dayThe power of geographic density: Building economies of scale by sharing yards, equipment, and corporate infrastructure across regional footprintsDominating corporate contracts: How to win national accounts (like Wells Fargo and CVS) with 24-hour proposals and insane operational speedThe Buffalo CVS case study: The logistics of flying a single operator 1,000 miles to fix a pothole and still maintaining high marginsThis is a weekly series. New episodes every Tuesday.Learn more about The Pave: https://thepave.co/Learn more about Silverman Capital: https://silvermancapital.com

Join Matt Laricy for an exclusive Chicago real estate podcast featuring Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, House Speaker Chris Welch, and Congressman Adam Kinzinger. In this insightful conversation, they discuss the future of Chicago real estate, housing market trends, economic development, investment opportunities, politics, and what's next for the city's growth. A must-watch for real estate investors, homebuyers, brokers, and anyone interested in the Chicago housing market and Illinois politics.

Pulse Industry Leaders from Around the World Gather in Orlando for Pulses 26

In this episode of the Actualize Consulting Podcast, we take you inside the world of housing counseling data standards and their impact on the entire housing finance ecosystem. Actualize Consulting Manager Caroline Pickering sits down with David Young, Director of Capacity Building at Housing Action Illinois and Chair of the MISMO Housing Counseling Dataset working group, alongside Matt Seu, Partner in Actualize's Mortgage and Fixed Income practice. Together, they explore the origins, benefits, and future of the MISMO Housing Counseling Dataset, a critical advancement designed to streamline processes, empower organizations, and ultimately support better outcomes for borrowers.Discover how the Actualize Affordable Housing Community of Practice and the Affordable Housing Advisory Group are driving innovative solutions, and learn why data standardization is so vital for lenders, counseling agencies, and investors alike. This conversation also highlights how MISMO is extending beyond traditional life-of-loan standards into pre-application housing counseling data to better support borrower readiness and system-wide collaboration. Whether you're a housing professional, lender, or advocate, this episode will give you a deeper understanding of how data can break down barriers and advance affordable homeownership.Listen to learn more about:The role of housing counseling and why it's essential for all potential homeownersHow and why the MISMO Housing Counseling Dataset was developed to address industry challengesKey data elements that are transforming the housing counseling space, including ~250 standardized data points, with ~50 focused on pre-mortgage application activities Practical steps and governance best practices for successful industry adoptionHow industry leadership and collaboration are shaping the future of borrower education and accessHow integration across counseling systems, loan origination systems, and servicing platforms is improving efficiency and communication across the housing ecosystem Tune in for a compelling conversation that uncovers the opportunities and innovations shaping the future of affordable housing.

Hello voices from the bench community, John Wilson here and I wanted to share some news about the evolution of the Programill lineup. Most importantly, Ivoclar's new PrograMill 7. What stands out right away is the reduced air consumption this mill requires, but what you'll notice first is that impressive new touchscreen. For us, the biggest advantage has been increased spindle power. My laboratory's known for these larger cases with complex geometries, and I can tell you that extra power really makes a difference. Next time you see your Ivoclar representative, be sure to ask about the PrograMill 7 and tell them John Wilson sent you. Thank you. At exocad Insights in beautiful Mallorca, we finally caught up with Felix from Imagine USA—and the timing couldn't have been better. As an exocad dealer on the front lines of digital dentistry, Felix shared his excitement about the strong turnout, the familiar faces, and most importantly, the innovation coming from exocad. What stood out most? The new exocad Hub and its cloud-based capabilities, along with powerful AI-driven tools inside DentalDB designed for efficient batch processing. For Felix and the Imagine team, it's not just about seeing what's new—it's about putting it to the test. By running new features through their own production facility first, they ensure real-world performance before bringing solutions to their customers. Beyond the technology, Felix emphasized the value of being there in person—connecting face-to-face with partners, having meaningful conversations, and stepping back to see where the industry is headed. And of course, doing it all in Mallorca doesn't hurt either. This episode finally brings a long-awaited conversation to life with Kent Kohli, a name many in the industry recognize—but maybe don't fully know the story behind. From an unexpected entry into dentistry (thanks to marrying his orthodontist's daughter) to becoming a lifelong student of ceramics and education, Kent's journey is anything but typical. What starts as a pre-dental path quickly shifts once Kent discovers the lab side of dentistry—and more importantly, where his passion truly lives. From pouring models and grinding metal to studying under legends like John Archibald, Kent shares how mentorship, curiosity, and relentless work ethic shaped his career. Along the way, he opens up about the early struggles—working 100-hour weeks, barely making ends meet, and choosing quality over the “race to the bottom” that burned out many of his peers. Kent dives deep into the evolution of dental technology, from the early days of PFMs and Empress to today's digital workflows and liquid ceramics. But at the heart of it all is a consistent theme: education. Whether it's learning from the “giants” of the industry or now helping guide the next generation through his role at Ivoclar, Kent sees it as a responsibility to pass on what was given to him. He also shares insights into his current mission—bringing hands-on education back to the forefront, blending traditional techniques with modern materials, and helping technicians elevate their craft beyond just production. Rising costs, tighter deadlines, and greater demands are challenging labs everywhere. When efficiency matters, you need tools that deliver—every day. Roland DGShape milling solutions are reliable and easy to use. Just turn them on and let them run—no babysitting required. Fewer remakes and less wasted material mean your team can focus on getting cases out the door. With the Elevate Denture solution, step into digital dentures without disrupting your workflow. Validated CAM strategies and Ivoclar compatibility mean you're building on a system you already trust. Ready to boost efficiency? Explore DG Shape DWX Milling Solutions and the Elevate Dental Solution at RolandDental.com.Special Guest: Kent Kohli.

Kat Hurd, executive coach and founder/CEO of Med Tech Collective, shares how nearly two decades in medical device sales and leadership, including at Boston Scientific and Saluda Medical, shaped her mission to help reps and leaders build influence, ownership, and long-term career momentum in complex, high-stakes environments. Kat explains why strong clinical partnership can elevate sales conversations into trusted-advisor relationships that impact outcomes, and outlines how she coaches individuals, trains teams, and supports go-to-market strategy. She also dives into the distinct challenges women face when navigating rooms where they're “the only,” the career accelerant of mentorship versus sponsorship, and practical ways to break into medtech by identifying gaps and learning the industry's language.    Guest links: https://kathurd.com/   Charity supported: Save the Children Interested in being a guest on the show or have feedback to share? Email us at theleadingdifference@velentium.com.  PRODUCTION CREDITS Host & Editor: Lindsey Dinneen Producer: Velentium Medical   EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Episode 079 - Kat Hurd [00:00:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Hi, I'm Lindsey and I'm talking with MedTech industry leaders on how they change lives for a better world. [00:00:09] Diane Bouis: The inventions and technologies are fascinating and so are the people who work with them. [00:00:15] Frank Jaskulke: There was a period of time where I realized, fundamentally, my job was to go hang out with really smart people that are saving lives and then do work that would help them save more lives. [00:00:28] Diane Bouis: I got into the business to save lives and it is incredibly motivating to work with people who are in that same business, saving or improving lives. [00:00:38] Duane Mancini: What better industry than where I get to wake up every day and just save people's lives. [00:00:42] Lindsey Dinneen: These are extraordinary people doing extraordinary work, and this is The Leading Difference. Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Leading Difference podcast. I'm your host Lindsey, and I am delighted to welcome today Kat Hurd. Kat is an executive coach and the founder of MedTech Collective, where she helps medical device sales reps and leaders build influence, ownership, and long-term career momentum in complex, high stakes environments. With nearly two decades of real world experience in medical device sales and leadership, including senior roles at Boston Scientific and Saluda Medical, Kat brings a rare blend of commercial rigor, strategic insight, and credibility earned in the field based in Arizona. Kat is a speaker, advisor and coach who believes that when sales reps and leaders learn to own their voice, their business and their influence, the ripple effects extend far beyond individual success, shaping teams, cultures, and the future of the industry itself. Kat, welcome. Thank you so much for being here today. I'm super excited to speak with you. [00:01:45] Kat Hurd: Thank you so much for having me, Lindsey. It is an honor. I always love these conversations. [00:01:49] Lindsey Dinneen: Excellent. Well, if you don't mind just starting off by sharing a little bit about who you are, your background, and what led you to medtech. [00:01:58] Kat Hurd: Yeah, absolutely. Well, medtech, I like to say it's always, I was kind of born into it. So my mom is a nurse and she ran a medical clinic when I was in middle school and high school. So truly I would go to the clinic after school and, if, if actually we didn't have school, I remember one of the days sitting in a pharmaceutical rep lunch presentation, so I really got exposed before I even knew what it was. Even in that moment, I wish I'd understood more of what that rep was doing and really dug deep. You know, I thought I was gonna go to school and be a doctor, and then I quickly realized I didn't like freshman bio. And I wanted something where I could have an impact but still have some flexibility. So I actually, my to, to take you back to like how this all started, my background, sports medicine and so my undergrad and graduate degrees are in exercise science. I used to be taping ankles and rehabbing knee injuries and doing all of those things. And then I got exposure through that of being in the operating room when our athletes would have, you know, the injuries that were being surgically repaired, and that was really where I got that secondary introduction into medical device and started having conversations with other people who'd made the transition from athletic training where you have a ton of, you know, in insight into the human body and understanding of the medical world. And moving that into the sales arena. And so I met with someone in Iowa City. I'm a University of Iowa grad, and he was running the western half of the US for Boston Scientific at the time. And one thing led to another, led to me flying to Arizona and interviewing and then moving their site unseen really. I was there for, you know, max of 24 hours total in my interview process. And I just packed two suitcases and said "I wanna break into medical device." And that was in 2010. And I just fell in love with the industry and the therapy. So I was in neuromodulation working directly with spinal cord stimulator patients and started as a clinical specialist, and then I really quickly realized the way to have very clear impact on patients and providers was really actually to be in that sales role and be the one directing the support, directing the resources. And in neuromodulation, because you're in the OR and actually programming the stimulator, you're also kind of supporting the patient's care, which for me was right in my wheelhouse. And then I moved into leadership. And you know what you really wanna know is probably how did I land where I am now? And so I spent 10 years or 11 actually at Boston Scientific. And then moved to Saluda Medical, so to commercialize a small Australian based startup here in the US, which was such a fun and unique opportunity. And I always knew that was gonna be more of a three to five year play, and I just had it on my heart that I wanted to build a business to help reps be better reps, because I believe that the quality of care and the quality of outcomes is also directly tied to the partnerships and the caliber of the industry that supports the therapies. [00:05:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay. I love that. And I have so many questions as a result, but okay, let's start a little bit with what you're doing now and then maybe, we'll, we'll get to some of the other stuff as well, but, so you're supporting reps, and I think you said something really impactful about a lot of the patient outcomes kind of goes back to how, how the reps can be the best they can be. So I'm curious what all goes into that for you and what kind of training or coaching do you provide? [00:05:31] Kat Hurd: Absolutely. You know, I really, I saw that squarely and believed it when I was a sales rep myself. So I spent the first six years of my career on the sales side of things, and then moved into being a sales leader. And as a sales leader and then an area Vice President Saluda, it was the thing that I saw of like our teams and our people that excelled the most, weren't just the best salespeople, but they were the people that understood how to, for lack of a better word, leverage that clinical and patient experience into the entirety of the sales process and sales cycle. So good clinical care and driving good sales conversations, levels up the partnership and really creating this layer of, not just being a partner, but being a trusted advisor with the providers that you work with. So how that translates into my business now, 'cause oftentimes, you know, I get the question of like, why did you leave a burgeoning career? I had one physician who was like, "You were gonna be a CEO. Like, why'd you leave medtech?" I'm like, "I didn't leave. I'm just doing it differently," because I saw so strongly and so clearly that having the right resources as a sales rep and at the right time as a sales rep changes your career. I was lucky to have great mentors, but there's things that if I had had the right support and resources at the right time, I could have been even, you know, faster or more impactful in my results. And so that's what I do now. What my business looks like now is really, you know, threefold. So I work directly with sales reps who, not through their companies, but they'll come to me directly and we do sales and leadership coaching. So working on the strategies in their business, how they're, you know, clinically supporting. But, you know, I, I leave the clinical nuts and bolts to the organization because I'm not an expert, and that, unless it's spinal cord stimulation, then we can talk that for days. But you know, really how they're leveraging their clinical prowess into their sales process and building systems for success. And then I work directly with companies helping train and elevate their talent, both on the sales and leadership level. Then I also have an arm of my business where I do, and that's kind of more of the consulting arm of my business. I also help with sales strategy and go to market strategy. And then I also do more of like corporate speaking. So keynotes and workshops and seminars really focused on both how do you build and grow your career in medtech, particularly as a woman, because we know there's just not a lot of us. And you know, part of what I'm so passionate about is helping everyone and raising the caliber of talent everywhere, but also making sure that women have the structure, the resources, and the idea of the systems that they need to create so they can go as far as they want to. Doesn't mean they have to go all the way to the C-suite level if that's not what they want, but to ensure that they have the representation and the pathway in front of them to understand how to get there. [00:08:27] Lindsey Dinneen: Excellent. Okay, so let's dive into that a little bit because I know, I know you're super passionate about helping, you know, in general the industry succeed and, and move forward. But yeah, you have a particular passion for helping women. And I'm curious what's, what are some of the challenges or differences you see in a woman as she's trying to build her career in this versus say, a man who might just have a, a different experience? [00:08:52] Kat Hurd: Yeah, very different lived experiences and a lot of the tools and tactics and strategies that I work with my clients on are pretty universal. But what isn't universal and what we really work on for my female sales leaders and sales executives is that mindset and approach. Because you both have to you, well, you have to understand one thing, how to navigate rooms where you're the only or the lonely. Because most often in medtech, you will find yourself, at some point in your career, and if you haven't, please call me. I wanna know who you are and talk to 'cause that would be amazing if you've never been in a room where you haven't been the only woman. But it, it requires nuance. It requires an understanding of how to position yourself and your insights in a way that they land. And land effectively with the decision makers that you build the right connections. So you have access and visibility, and that's really the internal corporate side of things. And then you have the customer facing where there's of course nuance of, I mean, I had, when I was a sales rep, I had three female physicians as customers over the duration of my career. So I needed to understand how to work closely and collaborate with male physicians and do it in a way that there was a clear and fast line of what that relationship and rapport was. And I was able to do that so successfully that not only did I win a bunch of awards, but many of those individuals have become friends and mentors and sponsors of mine as well. [00:10:22] Lindsey Dinneen: Wow, that's incredible. Yeah. I actually wonder if you could speak a little bit to what you just said, because this is something-- so recently I had an opportunity to host a leadership summit, and one of the things that came up in the keynote was about how there different types of mentorship available. So, so you need, you need people who are kind of in your corner coaching you, but then you also need that kind of next tier, which is that sponsor like you were saying. So I wonder if you could speak a little bit to that. [00:10:54] Kat Hurd: Absolutely. Mentorship and sponsorship is, is some of the best lighter fluid that you can add to your career growth, truly. And I'm so passionate about it, I, some of what I do from a consulting work standpoint is actually help organizations build mentorship programs. That was my very first consulting contract when I started my business. So I, I'm actually very proud of that and I, I don't ever share that, so thank you for asking that question. 'cause I don't think I would've even called that out. But it's so inherently valuable and I, I'll just take us on a quick sidebar of why it's so important especially for women, because women, when it comes to career growth, will wait until they have 100% of the qualifications to apply for a role. When left to our own devices, we oftentimes will look at it and say, "I either don't wanna be rejected, I don't wanna waste anyone else's time or my time, or, well, I don't have all of those qualifications, so I'm not going to apply. I'll wait." Now, our male counterparts are far more brazen and they need three out of five of those qualifications, and they are convinced they are the top candidate, and there's something to be said for that, right? You know, I, I aspire to that level of, of confidence and conviction and I, I, you know, really both, you know, encourage and in some ways push and, and motivate my clients to do, to take that mindset and approach and not just the unbridled confidence. We do need that. But to understand that you don't have to have every single checkbox because when you're looking at career growth, if you're fully qualified and can do everything of the entire job scope on day one, you've actually already entered a role that you're already overqualified for. [00:12:37] Lindsey Dinneen: Ooh. [00:12:39] Kat Hurd: Because where do you grow? [00:12:41] Lindsey Dinneen: Mm-hmm. [00:12:42] Kat Hurd: So, so that's, that's the importance of mentorship and sponsorship is to have others see maybe what you don't, and help you identify where your talents and where your strengths are. Because really career growth, the best thing you can do is lean into those talents and then explore the edges that you need to grow into, and mentorship can help you do that. Now, the difference between mentorship and sponsorship: a mentor is someone who's likely walked the same path or similar, has done much of what you've done or has insight into it, and can provide insight, guidance, resources, and be a sounding board. What you don't want is a mentor that just commiserates or tells you that everything you're doing is right, yeah, because we all have areas to grow. So that's, mentorship is so important to have those people that it's kind of your lifeline, right? Can you, what's your phone a friends? You gotta have some of those phone a friends. And then sponsorship, those are people that can help you open doors. And sometimes a mentor will also be a sponsor. They're not mutually exclusive, but those sponsors are individuals who have influence and access to rooms that you aren't in, as do your mentors oftentimes, but can help open doors create introductions and open pathways that you didn't even know existed. The mentors and sponsors alike will be those people to encourage you to apply for roles when you think, "Oh, I don't know, I'm, I'm not sure if I'm ready." I mean, that actually, as I said, that took me right back to, I was in Atlanta, Georgia when there was an area vice president role that opened up. I was a regional director at Boston Scientific at the time. And I went to my area vice president, who I worked for, and he's like, I was like, I don't know if I'm qualified. He's like, absolutely, you're applying. [00:14:28] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that and "I'm gonna follow up with you." [00:14:32] Kat Hurd: Yeah, yeah, exactly. And I didn't get the role, but that isn't the point. It's the conversations and the growth that even comes from it too. So, so sponsorship is so important because it really is what can create some of the access and avenues and opportunities that you didn't know were possible. I'll share kind of a quick illustration of that 'cause it's very relevant. Dr. Mike Dorsey, he has a, a society called Sierra Spine Society. Not sure if you're familiar it. [00:14:59] Lindsey Dinneen: Little bit. Yeah. [00:15:00] Kat Hurd: It's one of the best conferences out there. I'll just say that. Like you get to ski while you're there and it is wonderful. But when you talk about sponsorships, so I've known Mike through my career, especially as I moved to Saluda Medical, you know, expanded my sales leadership influence and the geographies that I supported. But when I went out and started my own business, he was the first one to come to me and say, Hey, I wanna partner with you. I want you to come to Sierra Spine and run an industry panel. [00:15:30] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Yeah. [00:15:31] Kat Hurd: And there's no conversation like that that exists now. And we were texting about it this morning. It's why it's such a timely example, because now these conversations are, are popping up at other society meetings about the partnership, the collaboration, what is the role of industry and outcomes, all of those important things. And so his sponsorship has led to me now having other opportunities and conversations with different societies and different physician partners about the importance of those collaborations, about the accelerant that they can be in care and in, in outcomes. And so without someone like Mike, like Dr. Dorsey, I wouldn't have had that opportunity. I wouldn't have even had necessarily the proof of concept to go have these conversations. So that's where sponsorship can be so inherently valuable in your growth and creating movements and motions that you just truly didn't know were gonna be possible. [00:16:26] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, and I think you said something that I wanted to touch base about. So, you know, you were talking about how oftentimes women don't apply for positions because they don't meet all the qualifications. And I, I know that's a very common thing and something that I've heard from people that I've helped mentor are sometimes when they're young in their career or they're wanting to break into, say, medical device sales, sometimes they have all of these incredible skill sets, but because they're not already part of the industry, they feel that they're not always sure how to connect the dots and get seen. And I'm curious, what are some of the things that you recommend for young professionals who are in this spot trying to break in or trying to keep growing? [00:17:10] Kat Hurd: Yeah. Yeah. It's getting, gaining a clear understanding of your talents, your experiences, and how they translate to the person that's hiring is one of the most challenging and also most transformative things that you can do when you're searching to break into the industry. And so it's really, you know, having conversations with hiring managers before you're in an interview process. The job interview starts, the job application, the job opening, and you know, recruiting starts far before the opening is posted. So, step one, and I know that folks out there know this, but it's really, it's getting clearer on what facet of industry you wanna get into, understanding what those pieces are that you, that are, are critical in that role. Like what does that hiring manager really need? What are the problems they're looking to solve with that hire? And then translating your experience into the solutions that they're ultimately looking for. So what that like in said and simpler language, you have to be able to speak their language and understand their needs so you can position yourself as the solution to those needs. [00:18:31] Lindsey Dinneen: Do you think also there are some good resources out there that you would recommend in terms of, part of what I know the barrier can feel like, and, and it, it can be really daunting when you first get in the medtech industry because, for many reasons, but somebody might say an entire sentence where you're like, I have no clue what you're talking about, based on all of the industry jargon um, and acronyms and things like that. And so I'm wondering, are there resources available that, you know, people that are looking to break into the industry could access? [00:19:04] Kat Hurd: There are a ton of resources out there. The challenge is knowing the right resources. There's also a ton of programs that will support you in your breaking in. This is gonna be an unpopular opinion. I don't think you need big, expensive programs to create results. What you need is a strong belief in your candidacy and an understanding of what your gaps are. [00:19:29] Lindsey Dinneen: Mm-hmm. [00:19:31] Kat Hurd: And then the solutions and strategies of how to fill them. Now you can get there faster with the resources and framework. I mean, I don't have a formal program, but I still help people on a, you know, one-off basis break into the industry. But at a broader level, I think what you're really asking is how does someone, it's kinda like eating an elephant. Like where do you, where do you take the first bite? You have to get started in knowing what you don't know. And so truly, I would encourage people if you're looking to break into the industry, to sit down and make a list of all the things that you don't know about the medical device industry. And that might be what are the different, you know, verticals of the industry? What are even the, you know, the specialties or the therapies and then, okay, so "I don't know even what space I would want to get into." That's, you know, bullet number one to identify. Then, "I don't know the language or terminology." That's an easy one to fix. I used to always tell candidates that go take an online medical terminology class. Learn to speak the language. I feel like they're out there for like 20 bucks or something. You can find really easy ones. I'm sure you could do free ones. You could probably ask chatGBT to create you, you know, a laundry list of acronyms and medical terminology and an understanding. Because when you understand the environment, that's when you can translate your experience into something that's relevant. But when you don't understand the environment the customers work in, what the needs are of the hiring manager and what the positioning is of the company, it becomes really hard to position yourself as the right candidate. So to go back to like, what are those resources? Absolutely. There's, there are folks that do some free programs. I mean, honestly, TikTok, there's a ton of people dropping knowledge on TikTok. There's some YouTube channels out there. I'm actually recording kind of a mini podcast series this week with Jay Pendleton, who's another. You know, big name in the medical device space, but adjacent to medical device from an industry standpoint, where we're gonna be talking about a lot of this because there is such a need, and the most important thing is first you identify the gaps and then you go find those resources. Of course, AI is a great place to go, but also have those human connections, make that outreach because that actually will help you then in your job search as well. [00:21:47] Lindsey Dinneen: Right, exactly. And then making those connections. I always say you never know where that'll lead. You just, you don't, you might think it's just a quick intro and, and that's fine, but then your, your name will come to mind from if somebody's hiring or needs something. It's just, yeah, that, that's great advice. So, one of the things I wanted to ask about is you do a lot outside of, you know, your full-time job, which I'm sure feels more, even more full-time now, uh, running your own business. But tell us a little bit about some of the things that you're passionate about outside of full-time work that you volunteer for. [00:22:25] Kat Hurd: Yeah. It, it's funny you say that, you know, the, the, the full-time job now is definitely like an all-time job, not just a full-time job, but I love it. So I hate to be that person that's like, it doesn't feel like work when you love what you do, but I loved what I did before, you know, this is a new way of me doing it. But I also firmly believe that the, and I've seen it in my business, the best years I had as a sales rep and as a sales leader were the years where I wasn't just giving to my team and to my organization but was also connected and giving to my community as well. So right now, that looks like me spending a ton of time at Ballet Arizona. I'm the Vice Chair of the board of directors, so I have, I committed to a four year leadership, yeah, leadership journey with them. So I have two years as vice chair and then I'll be Board Chair for two years. And it's just really, you know, I've been dancing since I was itty bitty. I had a short stint on the Phoenix Suns for a hot minute, and you know, it's been something that has been creatively my kind of happy place since I was little. And it's been really fun to take my business acumen and my strategic mind and get to apply it to the art form that I love. So that's where, you know, these days where I'm spending a lot of my time, but I also do rescue work and work at our local animal shelter, walking dogs, giving them treats, you know. There's something to be said for walking in after a long day or a long week to, and yes, people often are like, it's so sad. How can you do that? Those dogs are so happy to see you, there is no way, truly no way that you can leave pissed off. Like, it just, it takes the, the weight of the week or whatever the situation is, and shifts your mind and shifts your perspective because truly I think when we, you know, come from a head space of gratitude, because we are all so lucky to be in the medtech world, the opportunities that we have, the, you know, just uncharted territory really that our career can take. That's the best part. I'm sure you didn't imagine that you would have a podcast and you would have, you know, the influence that you do with MD&M and all these other opportunities that are afforded to you. And so, it's good to be reminded of how much we do have, and it never hurts to get some puppy kisses too. [00:24:42] Lindsey Dinneen: Exactly. Well, you're speaking my language on both of them. [00:24:46] Kat Hurd: Love that. [00:24:46] Lindsey Dinneen: When we were, when my husband and I were paused for a little while in Oregon, we would go and do and go walk dogs and, and yeah, it is, it is hard because you kind of fall in love instantly all the time, but it is such a, it's so, it's such a gift. It's a gift for you. [00:25:02] Kat Hurd: Yeah. It, it really is. And we foster failed twice, so, yeah. You know, so we probably just should admit that we aren't good fosters we're good, you know, pet parents, but it is, and even you can't take all of them home with you. So just, you know, having those moments with them is really fun. [00:25:21] Lindsey Dinneen: So you mentioned your business acumen being wonderfully applied to the arts world, which is a, which is so great. I'm also wondering how it's worked on the opposite side of things. Like what do you think dance taught you growing up that you apply? [00:25:37] Kat Hurd: I love this question, and I was just saying this last week. I sat down at dinner with a mentor and sponsor of mine, and I was telling him that I am convinced --you cannot convince me otherwise-- that my dance background-- 'cause I actually, I went as far as to get a degree in dance. So like I live and breathe it for for a long time. And that is what made me such a successful sales rep especially in the OR environment because what do you do as a dancer? You observe patterns of movement and you, you are, you can predict what's going to happen physically before it happens because you can read those cues and so that is exceptionally valuable in the OR when as a sales rep, your job is to be like bright and present when they need you, and blend into the background when they don't. And it is like a dance in the OR, it's absolutely choreographed. And then when that goes into sales conversations, it's reading the nonverbals and understanding what someone's body positioning and posture is telling you without their words. And you really do, especially I, I did a lot of modern dance in college, you learn that improvisation, you have to be able to read someone's movement before it happens. So yes, it's a great question and I, I, you know, strongly believe, I know that athletes often get hired as medical device reps, but I think dancers are just an untapped and really under leveraged subset of talent because their skills can translate so strongly. [00:27:09] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. Well, shout out to dance is I think many of the listeners know I'm also a dancer, so I of course, feel very strongly about the connection and the power that the arts can provide for any career really. [00:27:23] Kat Hurd: Truly. I'm curious for you, what do you feel like your, if of your background, right, of your maybe it's dance or some of the volunteer work or the travel that you do, how has that positioned you in your current career for success? [00:27:36] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, that's, that's a fun one. I think so I think all of the skills that I learned as a dancer have been instrumental. Things like learning how to take correction with grace and apply, apply it quickly, apply the feedback quickly, permanently to make a big difference. I think learning teamwork and how you fit into the broader picture as a whole, you're not always gonna be the soloist or kind of the leader in charge necessarily. So sometimes you have to know when you're gonna be to put in dance terms, the corps de ballet. You have to know when to be the main group of dances. But again, not feeling like any role is insignificant. We all work together to success. I also think that resilience is a huge component of it. The grit that is required for dancing translates so well into anything else because this industry can be difficult and like you said, depending on where you're navigating, and what you wanna do, sometimes it takes a lot of sort of persistence and, and resilience and grit. Yeah, I could go on and on, but those are things that come immediately to mind. [00:28:48] Kat Hurd: Yeah, absolutely. It's that resilience. I mean, when you take it back to the conversation about breaking into the industry, you have to be willing to-- and same as in arts or in athletics-- like be willing to let yourself fail, to push yourself to your edges, to understand your limitations, and then blow past them. Because if you just stay at what your limitations are, you're never really gonna get where you wanna go. And as a dancer, you have to live that life all the time. And it is, it's absolutely, those are the hallmarks to breaking in. You have to be agile. You have to be very comfortable with rejection. You have to be very gritty in trying and trying and trying again, and it doesn't matter how many times you don't get a response, you're still gonna send out those messages. You're still gonna ask people for coffee chats. You're still gonna send one question to one person and ask for three minutes of their time. [00:29:39] Lindsey Dinneen: Yep. Yep. I love it. All right, so I'm curious, as you've had a really cool career in this industry, what are, what is a moment maybe that stands out as really solidifying that, "Hey, I'm, I'm in the right place at the right time." [00:29:54] Kat Hurd: Oh man, that's a hard question. I love that because I feel like I've had so many of those moments, and interestingly, it's not the moment that have been, you know, me standing on stage accepting an award. I think it's been in the little moments, like those quiet whispers of like, " Yes, this is it." You know, the, the times where my customers, you know, as a sales rep would come to me and say, "Here's the challenge I'm having. What are your thoughts?" Not about spinal cord stimulation, but because we built this trusted partnership and, you know, and I became an advisor in their world and not just another rep, right? So like those moments as a sales rep really were the moments that were were those kind of inflection points for me. And then I look as a sales leader of seeing my team win as a coach. You know, I, I get the question of like, well, you know, how did you prepare for what you're doing now? I'm like, "Guys, I'm coaching. I was coaching people for the last 10 years as a sales leader. Now I just do it for my own company instead of others." You know, but, and I will say this. The moment I knew that I was on the right path in my, my current role in starting my own company was starting to see the impact that it would have on the reps that I was working with. The sales leader who came to me as she first got promoted and then now is currently ranked first in her company, you know, like the, the reps-- even just this last weekend I got a text message from a rep I hired a few years back and who's at a different company doing big things and they just won a massive onstage award as Rookie of the Year. You know, really cool moments that getting to be a part of their success and their journey because not only is it incredibly fulfilling do you get to make a, a massive impact, but it also financially sets you and your family up for massive opportunity ahead. You know, I just had a client where we negotiated an additional 25K on her offer. Like that's a big deal, right? [00:31:58] Lindsey Dinneen: Wow. Yeah. Yeah. That's huge. [00:31:59] Kat Hurd: So, so I apologize because I didn't give you just one moment because, for me, it's, it's the invisible thread that runs through and that, because that thread has always been present in a different form or fashion, it's given me this in some ways insane courage to do things that people think are, are delusional and know that it's the right thing because of the impact that it's gonna have. [00:32:24] Lindsey Dinneen: Love it. Absolutely love it. Okay, so pivoting the conversation just for fun, imagine that you were to be offered a million dollars to teach a masterclass on anything you want. It could be within the industry or what you're doing now, but it doesn't have to be. What would you choose to teach? [00:32:42] Kat Hurd: Anything I want? Oh my gosh. Can I give two answers? Good. Because the first thing I would absolutely just want to teach one on this industry, and that's the power of influence in building your net, your web, I call it your, your web of, of influence. That changes your career. It's who you, who knows you, what they know of you, and that is what opens doors. So I feel like I would, I would do that. Right. And I, I have to do that because that's really what I'm so passionate about. But if it was like any off the wall topic, it would be traveling to Europe on a budget. I have it on lock. And particularly how to do the long haul flights without jet lag. [00:33:35] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, excellent. [00:33:37] Kat Hurd: Yeah. [00:33:38] Lindsey Dinneen: Might need to talk more about this offline. [00:33:41] Kat Hurd: I feel like I have such a system and one of my my last boss used to always say, he's like, "You can go," 'cause I international travel is my, like, my passion outside of dance. And he's always like, "You can go, you just have to promise me that you'll come back." He used to joke. He's like, "I'm afraid that one day you just won't come back." So I made good on my word. I always came back, but I did learn a lot of tips and tricks along the way. [00:34:07] Lindsey Dinneen: Awesome. Excellent. Great masterclass topics. How do you wish to be remembered after you leave this world? [00:34:15] Kat Hurd: Oh, I love that. And what it unique question to ask in a podcast about medtech. I, I think we get so stuck in talking about who we are as professionals, that we don't always talk about the bigger pieces. So I wanna be remembered as someone who cared deeply and made an impact on others. Yeah. [00:34:35] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. And you're well on your way, so there you go. [00:34:41] Kat Hurd: I like to think so. It's all a work in progress and it's truly a testament to, you know, to take it back to some of the start of our conversation to the mentors and sponsors I've had along the way who have given me-- you know, I, I talk about borrowed belief a lot because there's gonna be times in your career where you don't think you have what it takes. And that's where mentors and sponsors come in. And having people that will loan you their belief in you, so you can believe in yourself, even just for a moment to go do the thing that feels really scary. And because I've had those people, you know, I've I've felt brave enough to take those risks and moments. [00:35:17] Lindsey Dinneen: Love it. Yeah. Excellent. All right. And then final question. What is one thing that makes you smile every time you see or think about it? [00:35:26] Kat Hurd: Oh my gosh. Well, at the risk of sounding like that dog lady, it's a hundred percent our pups. We have, we have two now, and our current foster slash foster fail has this unbridled energy that I always look at her and think, "Gosh, if I could bottle that." Yes. So yeah, it's my family, right? My partner, Matt. I think that those, it's those moments. At the end of the day, I couldn't do what I do without my family, without Matt and yeah, so I'm very lucky to have them. [00:35:55] Lindsey Dinneen: Love that. Excellent. Well, this has been an amazing conversation, Kat, and we are so honored to be making a donation on your behalf as a thank you for your time today to Save the Children, which works to end the cycle of poverty by ensuring communities have the resources to provide children with a healthy, educational, and safe environment. So thank you so much for choosing that charity to support, and also thank you for continuing to work to change lives for a better world. We're grateful, and I wish you the most amazing continued success. [00:36:30] Kat Hurd: Well, Lindsey, thank you for all that you're doing as well. Even hosting these conversations, it's such an important, you know, distinction to talk about how do you make a difference in this space and change things for the better. So thank you for your kind words and the opportunity to have this conversation, get to hang out with you for a little bit. And yeah, I look forward to our next conversation. [00:36:50] Lindsey Dinneen: Awesome. All right. Thank you. [00:36:53] Dan Purvis: The Leading Difference is brought to you by Velentium Medical. Velentium Medical is a full service CDMO, serving medtech clients worldwide to securely design, manufacture, and test class two and class three medical devices. Velentium Medical's four units include research and development-- pairing electronic and mechanical design, embedded firmware, mobile app development, and cloud systems with the human factor studies and systems engineering necessary to streamline medical device regulatory approval; contract manufacturing-- building medical products at the prototype, clinical, and commercial levels in the US, as well as in low cost regions in 1345 certified and FDA registered Class VII clean rooms; cybersecurity-- generating the 12 cybersecurity design artifacts required for FDA submission; and automated test systems, assuring that every device produced is exactly the same as the device that was approved. Visit VelentiumMedical.com to explore how we can work together to change lives for a better world.

Michael Phillips is an author, entrepreneur, IT industry leader, father, husband, and Christian. His business success and personal faith journey have helped him build a distinguished career focused on making a positive impact on people and organizations.

Bob Lang and Tyler Herriage say the selloff across defense stocks may be creating a buying opportunity in legacy industrial names. Despite strong earnings and long backlogs, GE (GE) and RTX (RTX) remain under pressure, while Northrop Grumman (NOC), General Dynamics (GD), and L3Harris (LHX) stand to benefit from rising defense spending. The panel also looks at Boeing (BA) and the long‑term impact of innovation as the industry prepares for a massive jump in defense budgets.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

In this episode, Scott J shares how a series of unexpected opportunities, relentless learning, and a willingness to say yes led him from a high school dropout to building a multi-location salon business and becoming President of Intercoiffure America Canada.He breaks down the realities of scaling, leadership, and why long-term success in this industry is built on education, community, and the willingness to say yes.Follow/subscribe to be the first to know when new episodes are released. Like what you hear? Leave us a review!Key Takeaways:

Today, we are breaking down Givaudan, the Swiss fragrance and flavor giant hiding in plain sight. I came away from this episode with a new way of seeing the world around me. When you learn that a single company is behind the scent of your shampoo, the taste of your burger, and the smell of your laundry, you start to realize just how much of daily life runs through a company most people have never heard of. I am joined by Jeremie Fastnacht, a fund manager at Banque de Luxembourg Investments based in Luxembourg. We get into what makes Givaudan, Givaudan, starting with its founding in 1895 Zurich and how it quietly became the dominant player in a market most investors overlook. We cover the structure of the flavor and fragrance industry, why switching costs are so remarkably high despite this being a tiny fraction of any client's costs, how the company operates more like a royalty business than a manufacturer, and what the risks look like now that a new management team has taken the helm. Please enjoy this breakdown of Givaudan. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Become a Colossus member to get our quarterly print magazine and private audio experience, including exclusive profiles and early access to select episodes. Subscribe at ⁠colossus.com/subscribe⁠. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Portrait Analytics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - your centralized resource for AI-powered idea generation, thesis monitoring, and personalized report building. Built by buy-side investors, for investment professionals. We work in the background, helping surface stock ideas and thesis signposts to help you monetize every insight. In short, we help you understand the story behind the stock chart, and get to "go, or no-go" 10x faster than before. Sign-up for a free trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠portraitresearch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Timestamps (00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns (00:02:35) Episode Intro: Givaudan (00:03:25) How Flavors and Fragrances Shape Daily Life (00:05:28) Scent and Taste as Purchasing Drivers (00:07:57) Givaudan's Corporate History (00:10:26) Creating Flavors and Fragrances (00:13:57) The Royalty Model of Revenue (00:16:27) Why There's No Incentive to Switch Supplier (00:18:43) Market Size & Major Competitors (00:22:48) Trends Driving Growth in Emerging Markets (00:24:59) How Givaudan Became the Industry Leader (00:28:46) Margins and Customers in Each Business Unit (00:30:51) Givaudan's Financial Profile (00:35:16) Capital Allocation & Valuing Givaudan (00:37:58) CEO Succession & Other Major Risks (00:40:38) Lessons from Studying Givaudan

Are you overlooking the one thing that could give your business a lasting competitive edge? Most leaders are taught that strategy is everything and operations are just table stakes, but what if that thinking is costing you growth, profit, and control? In this episode, we break down research from over 12,000 companies showing why mastering the fundamentals of management and operations might be the real key to outperforming your competition.   In this episode you will Discover why operational excellence is harder to copy and more valuable than you think Learn how better management practices directly drive profit, productivity, and growth Understand how to build scalable systems instead of relying on individual "hero" performers Press play to learn how tightening your operations can unlock more growth, more control, and a true competitive advantage in your business.   Click HERE for HBR article   At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership,  and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization.   Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.   New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.     This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.      

On this episode, John Kehoe of Boaz Partners joins the show. Boaz isn't your typical recruiting firm. They operate as strategic partners, using a proven, deeply embedded process to understand business goals, culture, and long-term objectives before ever presenting a candidate. In this conversation, we unpack what separates great hiring organizations from the rest, why so many […] The post What Most Companies Miss When Hiring Industry Leaders – Interview with John Kehoe first appeared on Composites Weekly. The post What Most Companies Miss When Hiring Industry Leaders – Interview with John Kehoe appeared first on Composites Weekly.

Four companies. One acquisition. One $852 billion valuation. Forty-five minutes turned into four days. This is the biggest episode we've ever recorded.Document Crunch just got acquired by Trimble. Josh told us live, before most of the industry knew.In this episode of Bricks, Bucks & Bytes, Owen, Patric, and Dustin cover the biggest week in construction tech in years.Trimble acquires Document Crunch — Josh and Mark join live to break it downOpenAI hits $852B — and Dustin explains why NVIDIA should be worth $10 trillionDustin's $275M Building Connected exit story — the grind nobody talks aboutCoral's $7.5M raise — guaranteeing heat pump rebates to the cent in under 60 secondsNeuron Factory — taking tender processes from 4 days to 45 minutes with AI"You can't vibe code trust. That's earned." — Josh, Document CrunchGo and watch the full episode on the Bricks & Bytes YouTube Channel nowOur Sponsors:BreadCrumb- 50,000+ projects globally. All running safer, faster, with Breadcrumb. - breadcrumb.coAphex is the multiplayer planning platform where construction teams plan together, stay aligned, and deliver projects faster – check out aphex.coArchdesk -  “The #1 Construction Management Software for Growing Companies - Manage your projects from Tender to Handover” check archdesk.comBuildVision -   streamlining the construction supply chain with a unified platform - www.buildvision.ioChapters00:00 Intro01:09 Introduction and Excitement for the Episode 03:46 OpenAI's Valuation and Market Comparisons06:30 Understanding Notional Value and Market Capitalization 09:36 Foundamental University Launch and Insights from Industry Leaders 12:18 Dustin Devan's Journey with Building Connected 18:19 Challenges and Resilience in Startups 20:22 Trimble and Document Crunch Acquisition Announcement 22:08 The Journey to Acquisition 25:19 Trimble's Perspective on the Partnership 28:10 Future Strategies and Innovations 29:44 Celebrating Milestones and Achievements 30:47 The Importance of Culture and Alignment 34:52 Building Trust in the Industry 37:37 Navigating the Competitive Landscape 41:33 The Role of Trust and Data in Construction 49:24 Vision for a Dispute-Free Industry 51:01 Industry Responsibility and Improvement 51:42 Innovations in Heat Pump Technology 54:35 Understanding the US Heat Pump Market 57:24 Future Opportunities in Energy Efficiency 1:00:35 Funding and Growth Strategies for Startups 1:03:18 The Role of Knowledge Graphs in Construction 1:08:25 Enhancing Project Management with AI 1:12:29 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Integration

On The Boardroom Buzz, the Blue Collar Twins interview Chad Louk, founder of Prodigy Pest Control Solutions in Sarasota, Florida, about building a fast-growing, year-round pest control company and a separate Prodigy Marketing arm. Chad shares his start in door-to-door sales in 2015, launching and exiting an initial Naples partnership, then starting Prodigy with $7,000 and a used truck; he now runs three offices (opening a fourth near Jacksonville), 54 trucks, and expects ~100 sales reps with ~30% attrition. He explains shifting from heavy door-to-door (still ~65% of customers) toward inside sales and technician-led sales, emphasizing technical training, retention (14% churn vs ~25% industry), production-based tech pay, and review generation (3,500 reviews, 4.9 rating). Chad discusses growth pains from 50% annual expansion, no-debt scaling, hiring leaders including a CEO, community branding, and plans for PCT 100, multi-state growth, and sharing equity with key employees. You'll learn: Door Knocking RootsEthics And RetentionStarting Prodigy From ScratchScaling Offices And MarketingRep Earnings RealityTraining And DifferentiationBeyond Door To DoorTech Pay And ReviewsCommunity PresenceStress and MindsetBreaking Past One MillionMentors and Early LessonsAcquisitions and No Debt Ready for boardroom-level help with your own business? • Grow, sell, or exit your service company with Potomac: https://www.potomaccompany.com Connect with the hosts: • Blue Collar Twins – Jason & Jeremy Julio: https://bluecollartwins.com Connect with Paul: • Paul Giannamore – Managing Director & M&A advisor at Potomac: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulgiannamore

It took Robin Kovitz fours years to find her business, which she has built into an industry leader and her life's work.Register for the webinar:Quality of Technology (QoT) Report: Protecting Your Acquisition - TODAY!! - https://bit.ly/4d9F2enTopics in Robin's interview:Upbringing in the meat industryEarly career in investment banking and M&AHer 4-year search for a businessAlways visit the competitorsCritique of the 2-year search clock"Long-termism" and becoming a B CorpHer 3 non-negotiablesTurning around the gift basket businessSolving their storage problemThe payoff and price of high ambitionReferences and how to contact Robin:LinkedInBaskitsGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherIf you're serious about buying a business, learn why Acquisition Lab members have a 40% success rate:The Acquisition LabWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton Rohozov and produced by Pam Cameron

In this special Women's History Month episode of LODGING OnDemand, and as a capstone to our Women in Lodging series, a powerhouse panel of hospitality leaders shares expert insights on the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of hotel operations, development, and guest experience. As the industry continues to evolve, these executives offer a candid look at how to navigate change and stay ahead.

She started in a building with nothing but a concrete slab and a lawn chair. In this episode of Her Imprint, Kristine Tamblingson shares how mentorship, curiosity, and saying yes to opportunity helped her build a career from the ground up in print and packaging. This is a conversation about leadership, growth, and why where you work matters more than the title you hold.

Pre-order Suicidal Empathy: https://lnk.to/SuicidalEmpathy Pre-order signed copy of Suicidal Empathy: https://squarebooks.com/book/9780063446533s _______________________________________ If you appreciate my work and would like to support it: https://subscribestar.com/the-saad-truth https://patreon.com/GadSaad https://paypal.me/GadSaad To subscribe to my exclusive content on X, please visit my bio at https://x.com/GadSaad _______________________________________ This clip was posted on March 25, 2026 on my YouTube channel as THE SAAD TRUTH_2008: https://youtu.be/XZb1NWPlpuc _______________________________________ Please visit my website gadsaad.com, and sign up for alerts. If you appreciate my content, click on the "Support My Work" button. I count on my fans to support my efforts. You can donate via Patreon, PayPal, and/or SubscribeStar. _______________________________________ Dr. Gad Saad is a professor, evolutionary behavioral scientist, and author who pioneered the use of evolutionary psychology in marketing and consumer behavior. In addition to his scientific work, Dr. Saad is a leading public intellectual who often writes and speaks about idea pathogens that are destroying logic, science, reason, and common sense.  _______________________________________  

Catharine Arnston, the founder of ENERGYBits and a passionate advocate for wellness and entrepreneurship, joins me today to share her incredible story.  Catharine's path to entrepreneurship was unplanned. She was in international business before her sister's cancer diagnosis turned her world upside down. After researching plant-based nutrition, Catharine uncovered the power of algae as a superfood, leading to the creation of ENERGYBits.  Despite not having a background in nutrition or science, she dedicated herself to studying and spreading the word about algae's numerous benefits. ENERGYBits has become a billion-dollar wellness industry leader, and Catharine's commitment to health and entrepreneurship is more than evident. "If you are terrified, you are on the right path. Because it pushes you out of your comfort zone to learn something new that you'll need to get to the next level. " ~ Catharine Arnston In This Episode: - The journey from doubts to entrepreneurship - Surviving the struggle years in Boston - Shark Tank experience and post-show growth - Protein and amino acid content in algae - Spirulina's fast absorption and cyanobacteria structure - Mitochondrial health and cellular energy - How to take ENERGYBits's spirulina and chlorella - Avoiding supplement overload with algae - Bootstrapping ENERGYBits Purchase ENERGYBits' Algae Tablets at a Special Discount! Use the code “JENGOTTLIEB” at: https://energybits.com/discount/JENGOTTLIEB?rfsn=9030997.ddfb9f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=9030997.ddfb9f  About Catharine Arnston: Catharine Arnston is a wellness thought leader, experienced entrepreneur, and expert in algae nutrition, with a PhD, MBA, BA Hons, and board certification as a health coach. Her journey into algae began in 2008 when her sister's breast cancer diagnosis led her to discover the healing potential of algae, the most alkaline, nutrient-dense food in the world. Catharine left her 25-year corporate career to launch ENERGYbits® and has spent 15 years researching algae, lecturing at conferences, and speaking on 300+ podcasts to spread its benefits. Her efforts have earned endorsements from organizations like NASA and the United Nations.  Websites: https://energybits.com/  and https://catharinearnston.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/energybits/   Where to find me: IG: https://www.instagram.com/jen_gottlieb/    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jen_gottlieb     Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jenleahgottlieb    Website: https://jengottlieb.com/    My business: https://www.superconnectormedia.com/     YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jen_gottlieb

In this episode of In a World with Real Media, Brad Burrow sits down with Carrie Olsen, a voiceover artist whose career spans commercials, promos, e-learning, and even voice matching for Hollywood films. Carrie shares her inspiring journey from recording in a closet to becoming a sought-after voice actor, working on projects like Encanto and Raya and the Last Dragon. Learn how she transitioned into the industry, the secrets behind her success, and her tips for aspiring voice actors. Whether you're curious about the voiceover world or looking for actionable advice, this episode is packed with insights, humor, and inspiration.

It was a health challenge that led this longtime California resident to write a book that's now a best seller onAmazon. The 1,000-mile walk (1,350 miles) spawned reflective standalone vignettes with each ending with aquestion. Founding a creative agency now more than 40 years old, David's professional and personal lifepivoted with a move to Nashville to be closer to his 3 daughters. Little did he know how disruptive his lifewould become, challenging family relationships while starting new ones. Admitting he was a jerk at times, hereveals a raw self-evaluation. AMONG THE TOPICS: TRAVEL HORROR STORIES, WHAT TURNING 60DOES TO A PERSON, EPIPHANY MOMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND BECOMING A FATHER AGAIN.

It was a health challenge that led this longtime California resident to write a book that's now a best seller onAmazon. The 1,000-mile walk (1,350 miles) spawned reflective standalone vignettes with each ending with aquestion. Founding a creative agency now more than 40 years old, David's professional and personal lifepivoted with a move to Nashville to be closer to his 3 daughters. Little did he know how disruptive his lifewould become, challenging family relationships while starting new ones. Admitting he was a jerk at times, hereveals a raw self-evaluation. AMONG THE TOPICS: TRAVEL HORROR STORIES, WHAT TURNING 60DOES TO A PERSON, EPIPHANY MOMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND BECOMING A FATHER AGAIN.

Stephen Grootes speaks to Peter Armitage, CEO of Anchor Capital, about his remarkable rise in global financial markets, his 21-time top‑analyst ranking, and how he went on to build Anchor Group into a R250bn asset management powerhouse serving over 25,000 clients. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special LIVE episode of The Van Deeb Podcast, Van sits down with longtime friend Kristi Andersen to talk about career pivots, resilience, and finding purpose through change.Kristi shares her incredible journey from television news anchor to politics, to spokesperson, and ultimately into commercial real estate — proving that it's never too late to start over and thrive.This episode is packed with real-life lessons on leadership, work ethic, confidence, and following your passion, even when it feels uncomfortable.

In this episode, Dr. Don Capener reveals Chang Robotics' proven methodology for integrating AI and robotics without workforce resistance. His counterintuitive insight: automation should eliminate tasks, not jobs. Learn why starting with stakeholder workshops prevents implementation disasters, how transparency builds trust faster than any marketing campaign, and why treating failure as data—not disaster—accelerates innovation

This episode features Rich Summers(IG: @rich_somers) a real estate investor managing $90 million in assets and several boutique hotels, and Michael Sartain, a personal branding and marketing expert. The dialogue covers multiple topics including personal branding, social media strategies, sales tactics, dating dynamics, mindset, business scaling, and societal observations. 00:00 - Intro 01:14 - Victim Mentality vs. Ownership 02:40 - Strategies for Social Media Viral Growth 05:34 - The Value of Long Form Content 07:55 - Building a Repeatable Content System 09:34 - Building a Personal Brand for Status 11:26 - Tactics for Progression in Dating 13:39 - Leveraging Team Dynamics for Trust 15:38 - Time Management and Meeting Systems 18:29 - Business Lessons from Industry Leaders 21:08 - Scaling Brands with Paid Advertising 22:59 - Monetizing Podcasts and Yacht Workshops 30:16 - Sales Tactics and Community Revenue 35:37 - Closing Deals and Personalized Content 40:53 - Investing and Scaling Back-End Revenue 46:30 - Fame vs. Influence in Marketing 51:04 - Biological and Strategic Dating Dynamics 58:43 - Evolution, Social Standards, and Economics 01:10:45 - Business Risks of Political Commentary 01:18:06 - Generational Wealth Transfers and Growth ————————————————————

In this community edition of The Everything Life Coaching Podcast, Noelle Cordeaux sits down with Lumia Signature student and 25-year defense industry leader Carly, who is building a coaching practice to help mid-career women find their voice in heavily male-dominated fields. Carly's story is powerful... she spent decades navigating rooms with no windows, no cell phones, and cultures where keeping quiet was the norm. At Lumia's annual retreat, something clicked, and she found the words to describe exactly who she wants to help and why. This conversation gets real about what it's like to be a woman in spaces where you're not always heard, how tiny experiments can build lasting confidence, and why coach training changed the way Carly shows up as a leader, mentor, and human. If you've ever felt like your voice doesn't belong in the room, or you're wondering how your own career experience could become a powerful coaching niche, this one's for you. Carly is a Lumia Certified Life Coach and a 25+ year leader in the defense industry, with a mission to help mid-career women break through to the Director level. She is a Red Sox season ticket holder, avid traveler, and proud dog mom to Tessie, a 4 year old Cavalier King Charles.  Connect with Carly on Instagram: @declassifiedcoaching Everything Life Coaching is brought to you by Lumia -- at Lumia, we train and certify impact-driven coaches, making sure they've got all they need to build a career they love and transform lives, on their terms. Become a life coach, and make a bigger impact on the world around you! Schedule a call with us today to discuss your future as a coach. Music in this episode is by Cody Martin, used under a creative commons license. The Everything Life Coaching Podcast is Produced and Audio Engineered by Amanda Meyncke.

In this episode of the Soil Sisters Podcast, hear Nate Sheets' vision for Texas agriculture. A Texas food and agriculture entrepreneur, Nate shares his journey from a hobby beekeeper to leading Nature Nate's into a national honey brand and now running for Texas Ag Commissioner. The conversation covers vital topics such as integrating regenerative agricultural practices, improving school lunch quality, the potential of industrial hemp, and Texas's water challenges. Nate shares his approach and commitment to both local farmers and consumer health. Additionally, Nate discusses the urgent need for change in our food system and why he thinks he's the man for the job. Incumbent Sid Miller and Nate Sheets are running in the Republican primary for Texas Commissioner of Agriculture on March 3, 2026. Early voting begins on February 17, 2026, and runs through February 27.TIME STAMPS:00:00 Welcome to the Soil Sisters Podcast00:30 Introducing Nate Sheets01:48 The Role and Importance of the Agricultural Commissioner03:55 Connecting Health, Food, and Agriculture07:03 Challenges in the Food Industry and the Need for Change09:26 Nate Sheets' Journey: From Hobby Beekeeper to Industry Leader 18:28 Vision for Texas Agriculture and School Nutrition30:59 The Potential of Industrial Hemp in Texas32:06 The Benefits of Industrial Hemp32:31 Challenges in Hemp Processing and Infrastructure35:08 Supporting Farmers to Grow Hemp36:30 Consumer Demand and Market Viability for Hemp-Made43:05 Water Conservation and AI Data Centers46:34 Protecting Texas Agriculture and Water Resources54:01 The Importance of Bees and Pollinators57:37 Nate Sheets' Vision for Texas Agriculture

  I had so much fun sitting down with Lindsay Scherr Burgess, the brilliant founder (and self-proclaimed Moss Boss) of Green Wallscapes. What began as a simple DIY experiment in her living room turned into something far bigger than she could have planned: a thriving, wildly creative business that now spans 35+ states, Canada, and the Caribbean.     This episode is a reminder that sometimes your "little hobby" is actually a seed of destiny… just waiting for the right yes.    Green Wallscapes is a biophilic design company creating no-maintenance preserved moss walls, logos, and art. Her team has completed 1,000+ projects across North America and beyond. Their work has been featured in Architectural Digest and Veranda, and earned a 2023 iPlants Biophilic Design Gold Award.     Lindsay and I discuss:   - How a hobby can become an international business - one brave step at a time   - Why opportunities appear like unexpected portals… and how saying yes changes everything   - The magic of structure: building systems and processes that create more ease and balance   - Staying grounded and keeping perspective when business feels overwhelming   - Navigating growth without letting pressure steal your joy    Subscribe now so you never miss an episode and if you're feeling generous, leave a review. It truly helps me know what's landing with you.    And come play with us inside Feminine Business Magic: https://tinyurl.com/ygdkw7ce A community of women connecting, supporting, and celebrating each other as we grow businesses that honor the Divine Feminine… while filling our bank accounts abundantly.      Resources mentioned:    Take the Witchpreneur Quiz and discover which Feminine Magic is your Key to Financial Success. (https://bit.ly/witchpreneur-quiz)    Purchase Love-Based Feminine Marketing (https://tinyurl.com/ydmzb6qz)        Lindsay Scherr Burgess's Free Gift:  Use the Julie15FinalSale coupon code and receive a for 15% discount on our ready to ship items. **All items purchased with this code are final sale.    Purchase here: https://greenwallscapes.com/collections/all      **Contact Lindsay Scherr Burgess via Facebook or http://www.GreenWallscapes.com**    **Connect with Julie Foucht via Facebook (https://tinyurl.com/yeb82uuj) or email at https://juliefoucht.com/** 

Did you know there are three types of expertise that consultants and coaches can use as the foundation of their businesses? I didn't...until I tore apart my own process for the workbook I'm writing! Even though I'm at the part of the writing process where I HATE my book and want to throw my computer out the window

Beyond the Sketchbook: Mastering the Business of Design with Industry Leaders. Esteemed practitioners Keith Granet, Grant Kirkpatrick, Tom Stringer, and Louis Taylor share candid insights into the origin stories, critical business skills, and forward-looking strategies necessary to build and sustain a successful design practice. Moderated by Cheryl Durst (EVP and CEO of IIDA), the panel focused on the transition from being a talented designer to running a thriving, resilient business, covering genesis, operations, talent management, branding, and future-proofing. Origin Stories and Industry Appreciation: The panelists shared diverse paths into design. Some were drawn in early (Grant and Tom), while others arrived via finance and business consulting (Keith and Louis). Louis Taylor (Finance, SchappacherWhite) noted that, coming from auditing various industries, design is “absolutely the best industry to work in by far.” The 80/20 Rule of Entrepreneurship: A critical takeaway for design professionals is understanding that running a firm is primarily a business function. Keith Granet and Grant Kirkpatrick stressed that the time split is often 70–80% focused on business (HR, finance, marketing, systems) and only 20–30% on actual design work. Keith Granet (Granet and Associates, Leaders of Design) emphasized that good systems and data tracking (like a monthly “executive summary” of financials) are “freeing” and allow for greater creativity by alleviating stress over payroll and rent. Infrastructure and Skill Development: Hire Your Weaknesses: The consensus was to surround yourself with great consultants (finance, PR, marketing) and “hire your weaknesses” to empower the principal designer to focus on their “highest and best use.” Future Talent Gap: Louis Taylor noted that junior staff coming out of school often require significant training in “soft skills” (people skills, professional email etiquette, presentation, listening) to bridge the gap between conceptual learning and the real-world practice. Branding and Storytelling: Effective messaging must be authentic and focus on an idea bigger than the work itself. Grant Kirkpatrick (KAA Design Group) detailed their use of “The Five Whys” to articulate a vision, which for his firm is the belief that “design elevates the human spirit.” Tom Stringer (Tom Stringer Design Partners) built his brand around his personal value of adventure, which attracts clients who are “kindred spirits.” He emphasized that design is predicated on building trust over multiple generations. Future Proofing and Resilience: AI and Technology: The panelists recognized AI as a powerful, unavoidable tool that will alleviate mundane tasks and enhance existing work, though it also presents a significant challenge (“scares the shit out of us,” noted Keith). Firms must embrace it. * **Talent Retention:** **Institutional knowledge** is key to longevity. Firms are focusing on creating exceptional workspaces, competitive benefits (like sabbatical programs), and internal culture to recruit and **retain the best talent.** * **Mentorship:** Mentoring should be a fundamental part of a firm’s **culture**, not a forced, rigid program. It is essential at all career stages, providing wisdom and long-term connections that help owners stay agile and resourceful.

Leo Climaco is an entrepreneur, communicator, and host of the Leo Climaco Podcast, one of the most authentic shows about purpose, mindset, and performance of the new generation. Founder of Forge Studio, he teaches entrepreneurs how to turn their ideas into authority, using podcasting as a powerful positioning and marketing tool. Top 3 Value Bombs 1. Consistency is the engine of transformation, most people quit three feet from gold. 2. Learning a trade and building a personal brand around it is the key to thriving in an AI-driven world. 3. Connection to a higher power, whatever that means to you, provides guidance, strength, and purpose during the toughest parts of the journey. Get your free "How to Build Your Podcast" ebook - Forge Studio Sponsors HighLevel - The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies. Learn more at HighLevelFire.com. Intuit QuickBooks - Transform your cash flow and your business this year. Check out QuickBooks money tools today! Learn more at QuickBooks.com/money. Terms apply. Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc., licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services.

In episode 284 of the Pool Nation Podcast, we sit down with Rocco Russo, the 2025 Pool Nation Trainer of the Year, to break down what it really takes to become an elite pool professional. Rocco shares his journey from the HVAC and mechanical trades into the pool industry, how early failures shaped his career, and why confidence, training, and preparation are the true differentiators between average techs and top performers. This is not just a conversation about equipment — it's about mindset, leadership, and professionalism in the pool service and repair industry. We dig deep into: Why most pool techs undervalue themselves How proper training builds confidence and profitability The parallels between HVAC, mechanical systems, and modern pool equipment Why calling tech support is a strength — not a weakness How trainers and manufacturers can elevate the entire industry together Whether you're a new pool tech, a seasoned repair pro, or a business owner trying to level up your team, this episode delivers insight you can apply immediately.

Supply chains around the world are navigating relentless disruption, rising expectations for speed and resilience, and rapid advances in AI-driven decision-making. Leaders are under pressure to move beyond experimentation and deliver measurable value faster than ever.In this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Scott Luton sits down with two industry leaders: Philip Vervloesem, Chief Commercial & Markets Officer at OMP, and Scott Barnard, Managing Director at Bluecrux, live from the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver. Drawing on their work across global enterprises, both guests discuss how organizations translate advanced planning concepts into real-world results.The interviews with Philip and Scott explore the evolution toward autonomous, data-driven planning, the importance of self-funding ROI models, and why successful transformation depends on blending human expertise with machine intelligence. From OMP's Unison platform and rapid value delivery approach to Bluecrux's AI-powered analytics and decision intelligence capabilities, the conversation highlights how supply chain leaders can move from surface-level automation to profound, scalable impact.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(00:19) Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit overview(01:15) Interview with Philip Vervloesem from OMP(02:05) OMP's approach to supply chain optimization(03:52) Challenges and innovations in supply chain(08:09) Interview with Scott Barnard from Bluecrux(09:03) Bluecrux's Solutions and Innovations(11:08) AI and supply chain balance(13:33) Upcoming eventsAdditional Links & Resources:Connect with Philip Vervloesem: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipvervloesemConnect with Scott Barnard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-barnard-a350814/Learn more about OMP: https://www.omp.comLearn more about Bluecrux: https://www.bluecrux.comLearn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/aboutLearn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/joinWork with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua...

What if 6 honest questions could change your life and business in 2026? Most sleep pros skip #3—don't make their mistake!Every January, we make resolutions—and most fade by August. But what if the right questions could shift everything? In this episode, Mark Kinsley and co-host Tara reveal the 6 future-shaping questions that top sleep and mattress industry leaders are asking themselves for 2026. From getting brutally serious about growth (hint: inclusivity is the new superpower) to the surprising power of saying “no,” we dig into the real habits that separate thriving retailers and healthy teams from the exhausted and burned out.If you've ever felt stuck in the grind, struggled to keep your business or life on track, or wondered how to actually build a lifestyle you love—this episode is for you. Industry leaders share what's working, the mistakes that sideline so many, and why recognition, boundaries, and intentional living are the secret sauce to long-term sleep and business health.Stick around for a major announcement on elevating women in the mattress industry—plus a candid look at how letting go of perfectionism and embracing messy growth can be the most powerful move you make this year.Timestamps:- 00:00 – Why your questions decide your future (not your answers)- 04:20 – The New Year burnout cycle (and how to break it for good)- 10:40 – The #1 thing sleep industry insiders are getting serious about in 2026- 15:55 – The surprising power of saying “no” as a growth strategy- 22:30 – How “hell yes” moments fuel business and personal breakthroughs- 27:45 – The truth about lifestyle design (are you really in control?)- 33:10 – The game-changing habit every team needs: recognition- 39:00 – The lasagna story: perfectionism, mistakes, and letting go- 44:50 – The personal growth question most ignore (and why it matters in 2026)- 48:00 – How to join the most inclusive community in the sleep industryConnect with The FAM Podcast:

Join Sarah Harralson for an inspiring conversation with Rob Tomlinson, a transformative figure in the music industry who has dedicated his career to both artist development and addiction recovery advocacy. As a respected music executive and recovery specialist at "Recovery Unplugged" Rob shares his unique perspective on the challenges facing artists in Music City and beyond. In this powerful conversation, Rob opens up about his work helping musicians navigate the pressures of the entertainment industry while maintaining their mental health and sobriety. He discusses the prevalence of addiction in the music business, the importance of creating recovery support systems for artists, and how the Nashville community is addressing these critical issues. Rob also delves into his extensive experience in artist development and music business strategy, offering insights on what it takes to build sustainable careers in today’s evolving music landscape. From identifying talent to nurturing long-term success, he shares the lessons learned from years of working with artists at various stages of their careers. This episode explores the intersection of creativity, commerce, and wellness in the music industry, highlighting how recovery and second chances can lead to profound personal and professional transformation. Rob’s story serves as a beacon of hope for anyone in the music community struggling with addiction or supporting someone who is. Whether you’re a music industry professional, an aspiring artist, someone in recovery, or simply interested in the human stories behind the music, this episode offers valuable perspectives on resilience, redemption, and the power of music to heal and transform lives.Support the show: https://takinawalk.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brianna Johnson. A dynamic entrepreneur and founder of Legend Life Financial. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and insights from the episode:

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brianna Johnson. A dynamic entrepreneur and founder of Legend Life Financial. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and insights from the episode:

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Brianna Johnson. A dynamic entrepreneur and founder of Legend Life Financial. Here's a breakdown of the key highlights and insights from the episode:

Utility-scale clean energy projects in development are still facing connection queues and regulatory barriers. RE+ may be done for 2025, but the debate is still going. Host Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Research Director at Wood Mackenzie, sits down with three leaders who are driving progress from different corners of the energy transition, from utility-scale project development to digital grid optimisation and solar system reliability. Sylvia Leyva Martinez and her guests discuss how federal and state regulations shape project timelines and financing, the latest innovations in the grid and the future of interconnection studies, the supply chain outlook for developers and technology providers, and how policy and software are converging to accelerate the energy transition. In this episode you'll hear from: Angela Amos from AES Clean Energy - As Director of Commercial Strategy & Innovation, Angela brings a unique vantage point that bridges policy, finance, and market execution. Drawing on her experience at AES, Uplight, and FERC, Angela shares how developers are navigating an evolving regulatory landscape, adapting to federal and state policy shifts, and rethinking how technology integration shapes long-term strategy. She also discusses how AES is approaching supply chain partnerships and what “innovation” really looks like at a global energy developer. Lindsey Williams from Shoals Technologies Group - Lindsey is VP of Marketing & Communications at Shoals, and she joins Sylvia to unpack the latest in solar and storage performance. Building on Shoals' recent focus on EBOS (Electrical Balance of System), Lindsey reflects on how component design, reliability, and digital monitoring are redefining project outcomes. She also shares what she heard from the floor at RE+, including the big industry talking points shaping developer confidence and long-term investment certainty in clean energy infrastructure. Inalvis Alvarez Fernandez from Simple Thread - Inalvis is a Senior Energy Technology Engineer at Simple Thread, and she explains how digital tools like Minerva are helping reduce project backlogs, streamline utility processes, and unlock grid capacity faster. Inalvis also discusses the challenges clean energy companies face scaling renewables and how regulatory clarity can enable more efficient technology deployment. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

*Content warning: body-image abuse, disordered eating, distressing topics, suicidal ideation, institutional child abuse, childhood trauma, therapeutic abuse, grooming, abduction, self-harm, emotional and physical violence, isolation, Substance Use Disorder, sexual assault.  *Free + Confidential Resources + Safety Tips:  somethingwaswrong.com/resources    *SWW S23 Theme Song & Artwork:  The S24 cover art is by the Amazing Sara Stewart Follow Something Was Wrong: Website: somethingwaswrong.com  IG: instagram.com/somethingwaswrongpodcast TikTok: tiktok.com/@somethingwaswrongpodcast  Follow Tiffany Reese: Website: tiffanyreese.me  IG: instagram.com/lookieboo *Sources  Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness https://blueridgewilderness.com/  “Carlbrook: Unable to ‘pull out of nosedive.'” Sova Now, December 14, 2015 https://www.sovanow.com/articles/carlbrook_unable_to_pull_out_of_nosedive/  "The Carlbrook School”,  Struggling Teens.com, October 27, 2003 https://strugglingteens.com/archives/2003/11/carlbrook1103vr.html  “Carlbrook School files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.” Sova Now, February 18, 2016 https://www.sovanow.com/articles/carlbrook_school "Dan McDougal." Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness https://blueridgewilderness.com/who-we-are/our-team/dan-mcdougal Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness, Our Story https://blueridgewilderness.com/who-we-are/our-story  “Evoke Entrada.” Breaking Code Silence  https://www.breakingcodesilence.org/evoke-entrada/ Gilpin, Elizabeth. Stolen: A Memoir. July 20, 2021  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55898103-stolen  "Introducing Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness." Struggling Teens.com, July 27, 2016 https://strugglingteens.com/artman/publish/BlueRidgeTherapeuticWilderness “Missing Person / NamUs #MP13098.” National Missing and Unidentified Persons System https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/MP13098  "Our Story: From Vision to Transformational Community." Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness https://blueridgewilderness.com/who-we-are/our-story  Rensin, Emmet, “I went into the woods a teenage drug addict and came out sober. Was it worth it?” Vox, July 7, 2016 https://www.vox.com/2016/7/7/12081150/wilderness-therapy  “Second Nature Uintas.” Breaking Code Silence https://www.breakingcodesilence.org/second-nature-uintas/  “Seen N' Heard (October 2001).” Struggling Teens.com, October 1, 2001 https://web.archive.org/web/20170502063301/http://www.strugglingteens.com/artman/p Staff reports, "Carlbrook School closes; students asked to be out by Sunday." YourGV, October 28, 2020 https://www.yourgv.com/news/local_news/carlbrook-school-closes  "Wilderness Therapy Works: Why Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness is an Industry Leader in Student Care." Blue Ridge Therapeutic Wilderness, February 8, 2024 https://blueridgewilderness.com/blog/wilderness-therapy-works-why-blue-ridge-therapeutic-wilderness-is-an-industry-leader-in-student-care "Woodbury Reports Visits Carlbrook School." Struggling Teens.com, May 29, 2014 https://strugglingteens.com/artman/publish/printer_CarlbrookSchoolBN_140529.shtml