Podcasts about Intuit

In this episode of the Wharton Fintech Podcast, host Sabrina Fathi speaks with Ashwin Murthy, Chief of Staff and VP of Growth Operations and Strategy at Credit Karma, about how one of the most recognizable names in consumer fintech continues to evolve. Ashwin shares his journey from investment banking and consulting to leading strategy at Credit Karma. He discusses the company's expansion from free credit scores to taxes, savings, and more, and how data, trust, and personalization have been critical to that journey. The conversation also dives deep into GenAI's role in financial decision-making, Credit Karma's evolving partnership with Intuit, and the future of financial access.

Now on Spotify Video! Crafting a winning business offer is one of the most critical and often overlooked steps in building a profitable venture. Without a validated offer, even the most passionate entrepreneurs risk building a business no one needs. In this episode of the Passion to Profit series, presented by Intuit, Hala Taha breaks down the building blocks of an irresistible offer. You'll hear from powerhouse entrepreneurs like Alex Hormozi, Amy Porterfield, and Russell Brunson on how to master the art of giving people exactly what they want. In this episode, Hala will discuss:  (00:00) Introduction   (00:00) Market Research: The Key to Starting a Business (00:00) How to Position Your Offer for Success (00:00) The Power of Value Selling (00:00) The Psychology of Pricing  (00:00) How to Test and Refine Your Business Offer Intuit, the maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks, is expanding its world-class network of tax and bookkeeping experts. Whether you want a side hustle or a career pivot, Intuit offers the tools to help you grow as an entrepreneur. Their supportive team, mission-driven culture, and Intuit Academy—a free, self-paced training platform—mean you're set up to succeed, even if you're just getting started. Learn more or apply now at intuit.com/expert.   Sponsored By: Intuit, The Maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks. Learn more or apply now at intuit.com/expert.  Resources Mentioned: YAP E199 with Alex Hormozi: youngandprofiting.co/TheValueEquation  YAP E244 with Amy Porterfield: https://youngandprofiting.co/QuitMyJobBuiltaBusiness  YAP E302 with Cal Fussman: youngandprofiting.co/PowerofQuestions  YAP E155 with Kelly Roach: youngandprofiting.co/ConvictionMarketing  YAP E312 with Russell Brunson: youngandprofiting.co/Million-DollarSalesFunnel  YAP E337 with Adam Schafer: youngandprofiting.co/MindsetEntrepreneursWhoWin  YAP E150 with Bob Burg: youngandprofiting.co/Go-GiverSalesStrategy  YAP E318 with Rudy Mawer: youngandprofiting.co/PlaybookforScalingBrands  YAP E106 with Josh Kaufman: youngandprofiting.co/LaunchingaBusinessSideHustle  YAP E332 with Reid Hoffman: youngandprofiting.co/ScalingValuableCompaniesFast Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals  Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new  Disclaimer: This episode is a paid partnership with Intuit. Sponsored content helps support our podcast and continue bringing valuable insights to our audience. Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business Podcast, Startup, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Founder, Networking

What You'll Learn:Why real leaders don't always have the title—or the powerHow Becky's Stoic-inspired Choose the Handle That Holds became a guidebook for life and leadershipThe difference between authentic vulnerability and oversharingA live demo of STOA: a goal-setting tool you'll want to use immediatelyHow to model leadership for your team, your family, and yourself 

Now on Spotify Video! Entrepreneurship isn't just about launching a product; it starts with building the mindset to navigate risk, rejection, and uncertainty. Before you can turn passion into profit, you need clarity, confidence, and a deeper purpose to push through the tough moments. In this first episode of the Passion to Profit series, presented by Intuit, Hala Taha dives into the mental preparation it takes to build a profitable side hustle or startup. You'll hear from successful entrepreneurs like Mel Robbins, Pat Flynn, and Benjamin Hardy on why mindset, grit, and resilience are the keys to starting a business. In this episode, Hala will discuss:  (00:00) Introduction   (01:20) Clarifying Your Purpose as an Entrepreneur   (07:58) Taking Imperfect Action to Start Your Business   (17:19) Using Discomfort and Fear as Fuel for Growth   (22:11) Embracing Setbacks in Entrepreneurship   (25:08) Committing to Your Vision Without a Plan B Intuit, the maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks, is expanding its world-class network of tax and bookkeeping experts. Whether you want a side hustle or a career pivot, Intuit offers the tools to help you grow as an entrepreneur. Their supportive team, mission-driven culture, and Intuit Academy—a free, self-paced training platform—mean you're set up to succeed, even if you're just getting started. Learn more or apply now at intuit.com/expert. Sponsored By: Intuit, The Maker of TurboTax and QuickBooks. Learn more or apply now at intuit.com/expert.  Resources Mentioned: YAP E344 with Dave Ramsey: bit.ly/5StagestoBuildaBusiness  YAP E353 with Krista Williams: bit.ly/FriendshipIsaBusinessSuperpower  YAP E206 with Benjamin Hardy: bit.ly/_Achieve_Your_Goals  YAP E329 with Mel Robbins: bit.ly/The_LetThemTheory  YAP E359 with Pat Flynn: bit.ly/SurprisingProductivityHack  YAP E294 with Dean Graziosi: bit.ly/PassionintoEntrepreneurialSuccess  YAP E111 with Jay Samit: bit.ly/Future_ProofYourself  YAP E298 with Ginni Rometty: bit.ly/Lead_withPurpose  YAP E239 with Tina Wells: bit.ly/TheElevationApproach  YAP E347 with Ryan Holiday: bit.ly/StoicismTransformsLeadership  YAP E274 with Rory Vaden: bit.ly/BuildPersonalBrands  Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals  Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new  Disclaimer: This episode is a paid partnership with Intuit. Sponsored content helps support our podcast and continue bringing valuable insights to our audience. Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business Podcast, Passive Income, Online Business, Solopreneur, Founder, Networking

Olivia is a member of the Guild of the Rose and a total badass. Enjoy the intuitive and fun lesson in Bayesian reasoning she shared with me at VibeCamp.

Melissa Dinwiddie doesn't have an MBA. She's never worked for a consulting giant, such as McKinsey, Boston Consulting, or Bain. She is a ukulele-playing, jazz-singing, Julliard-trained dancer and improv entertainer. Yet when companies, including Meta, Google, Uber, Intuit, and Salesforce, seek fresh thinking on innovation and team creativity, they turn to Melissa for results. Melissa draws parallels between performance troupes, such as her All That Jazz improv jazz group, and business teams. To be successful, she notes, all members must listen closely, support one another, adapt on the fly, and create something from nothing.   Melissa is the founder and CEO of Creative Sandbox Solutions, communication, connection, and creativity experts. Her firm's specialty is helping teams blast through creative roadblocks. She is the author of The Creative Sandbox Way: Your Path to a Full-Color Life, which she wrote to help readers be comfortable with and embrace their own, authentic creativity. As Melissa explains this week, her unconventional background and unorthodox methods —  including having six- and seven-figure salaried executives build with Lego bricks — consistently unlock breakthrough ideas and enhance team performance. Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart. Photo: Melissa Dinwiddie, Creative Sandbox SolutionsPosted: July 21, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 49:42 Episode: 14.7

Have a great point of view to add? Send us a text with your thoughts!Leading with curiosity.  The latest episode of The Tech Marketing Podcast sees Jon Busby speaking with Luis Felipe Sanchez, Executive General Manager (SVP), Global Partner Marketing at Xero. With a career spanning Intuit, Dext, and Visa, Luis shares how a mindset of continuous learning, risk-taking, and curiosity has shaped his approach to leadership. He reflects on navigating marketing complexity, product and partner alignment. Luis shares how accountant partners aren't just a route to market—they're customers too—and why enabling them through relevance, not just reach, is critical.A must-listen for leaders facing disruption and seeking clarity in an evolving landscape.

Plus, get 20 key takeaways, including life after layoffs.Accounting InfluencersWith Rob BrownAs technology transforms the accounting profession, jobs are being redefined—or eliminated altogether. In this episode of Accounting Influencers, host Rob Brown unpacks the wave of layoffs sweeping through the Big Four and leading software providers and what it means for the future of accounting careers. MORE Accounting Influencers with Rob Brown Layoffs at PwC, EY, Deloitte, KPMG, and Intuit are a wake-up call. These aren't just belt-tightening moves—they're signs of a larger shift driven by AI and automation. PwC cut 1,500 jobs in May, EY let go of over 1,400 employees, and Deloitte laid off "an unspecified number." Meanwhile, Intuit laid off 1,800 employees to invest more heavily in AI.As Brown puts it: “This isn't just about cutting costs. These firms are pivoting to hire people who can drive tech-enabled growth.” The message is clear: jobs are disappearing, but new ones are emerging—for those with the right skills.

Janine Yancey is a workplace visionary, entrepreneur, and subject matter expert on HR and compliance issues. She is the Founder and CEO of Emtrain, a culture technology platform that provides education, advice, and analytics to help companies prevent harassment, bias, and ethics issues. Since founding Emtrain in 2006, Janine has worked with Silicon Valley's top companies, creating innovative tools to foster more inclusive and respectful workplaces.Janine's thought leadership on workplace dynamics and compliance has made her a trusted advisor to both business leaders and policymakers. In 2018, she advised the California Senate on harassment legislation (SB 1343), contributing to the creation of new regulations that took effect in 2019.Before launching Emtrain, Janine practiced labor and employment law for over a decade. She was a Partner at Employment Law Partners, where she advised high-profile tech companies like Google, Dolby Laboratories, and Intuit on complex workplace issues. Earlier in her career, she served as Counsel at Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, where she trained thousands of public employees across California on employment law and performance management.Janine is a sought-after speaker and media expert, having been featured in The Washington Post, USA Today, ABC, MSN, CNET, Bloomberg Business, TechCrunch, and Startup Grind. Her insights on workplace culture and business transformation continue to influence the future of HR and corporate leadershipRoss and Janine talk about returning to Transform, workplace harassment, trauma, people changing, perspectives, noticing patterns, humans being fallible and compliance training. The pair also discuss comfort with shared language, legislation, being right, vulnerability, racing to grow, economics, politics, entrepreneurs,  taking care of society, co-elevating and curiosity.   Timecodes: 00:20 Intro to Janine02:09 Janine's journey04:31 misunderstandings and miscommunication06:30 Book 'Blink' by Malcolm Gladwell07:31 Taking things personal08:25 Creating Emtrain10:02 Policies11:15 Integrative help13:35 Emtrain helping organisations16:47 Emtrain's energy and culture20:13 Legal issues and interpretations 26:19 Advice for organisations evolving, being naïve and ethics29:36 Humanoid robots 38:04 Ethical redundancy 46:10 Salim Ismail - Meaning of life47:05 Gender traits50:57 The last time Janine did something for the first timeConnect with Janine:WebsiteLinkedInConnect with Ross:WebsiteLinkedInMoonshot Innovation 

On the latest episode of After Earnings with Ann Berry, Intuit CFO Sandeep Aujla outlines how the company is transforming tax filing, personal finance and small business operations through AI and platform expansion.Highlights include:• Intuit's new marketing strategy to engage tax-prep customers.• How Intuit is combining human and artificial intelligence to dramatically expand TurboTax Live.• How Intuit is growing QuickBooks by increasing platform adoption among mid-market businesses.00:00 Sandeep Aujla joins01:40 Intuit disrupting the tax category04:47 Blending AI with Human Intelligence on Tax Filing06:41 AI informing Credit Karma08:50 Credit Karma's insight into state of the consumer11:50 Quickbook's move up-market14:19 Scaling platformitization19:16 Rapid fire questionsAfter Earnings is brought to you by Stakeholder Labs and Morning Brew.For more go to https://www.afterearnings.comFollow UsX: https://twitter.com/AfterEarningsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@AfterEarningsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/afterearnings_/Reach OutEmail: afterearnings@morningbrew.com$INTU Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Partnerships can be a powerful growth strategy for your business. Learn more about marketing your business through collaboration and community involvement.   Read the text version   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: 5 Insurance Marketing Tips to Help Agents Stand Out from the Crowd 5 Things to Consider When Creating Your Personal Brand Community-Based Marketing for Insurance Agents Community Engagement & ACA Marketing Suggestions for Agents How Relationship Marketing Can Make the Difference in Your Agency Modern Medicare Marketing for Today's Agents Operating From a People-First Mentality ft. Scott Zimmerman Ready to partner with an FMO? Register with Ritter Insurance Marketing! The Insurance Agent's Guide to Establishing Successful Affinity Partnerships   References: “Affinity Marketing: The Art of Building Connections.” Mailchimp.Com, Intuit, mailchimp.com/resources/affinity-marketing/. Accessed 10 June 2025. “Complementary Business Definition.” Lawinsider.Com, Law Insider, www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/complementary-business. Accessed 10 June 2025. “Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (CMS-4208-P).” CMS.Gov, CMS, 26 Nov. 2025, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/contract-year-2026-policy-and-technical-changes-medicare-advantage-program-medicare-prescription. “Medicare Marketing Guidelines.” CMS.Gov, CMS, www.cms.gov/medicare/health-drug-plans/managed-care-marketing/medicare-guidelines. Accessed 10 June 2025.   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance     Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

What You'll Learn:Why the “Rule of Three” is a leadership game changerThe origin and impact of Atlas' TEDx talk: Start with WhoWhat pirate leadership teaches us about trust and motivationWhy success leaves clues—and how to collect themThe mindset shift from chasing opportunities to choosing legacy Leadership Gold:“Every leader I've admired kept it simple: People. Time. Money.” The Rule of 3.  Resources & Links:Download Atlas' "Best-Selling Book" ProcessWatch his TEDx Talk: Start with WhoConnect with Atlas on his podcast: TargetedAnd, follow him on LinkedIn for more great insights.  

Email marketing is dead. In this episode, Richard sits down with Emilia Święcicka, Strategic Partnership Manager at Intuit Mailchimp, for an engaging and insightful chat about how email marketing is evolving in the world of eCommerce & how it is simply not dead.  Emilia walks us through her journey, from starting out on the agency side to leading strategic partnerships at Mailchimp, where she helps brands and agencies unlock the full potential of email, SMS and CRM strategies.  They explore how Mailchimp has grown from a tool focused on small businesses into a powerful platform supporting mid-market and enterprise eCommerce brands, thanks to Intuit's investment in automation, AI, advanced reporting and localised support. They also break down why email is still one of the highest-ROI marketing channels, how to use data to drive smarter campaigns and the exciting ways AI is streamlining workflows and boosting performance.  Emilia shares practical tips on building customer loyalty, the value of strong brand storytelling, and clever ways to grow your list, like pop-ups and quizzes that actually work. Whether you're running a fast-growing eCommerce store or just starting to refine your marketing strategy, this episode is full of actionable ideas to help you create better customer journeys and drive meaningful growth. Listen to the full podcast right now! Topics Covered  00:25 – Origin of partnership: Met at a platform conference years ago, collaborated on events, with Mailchimp evolving from SMB focus to mid-market and eCommerce under Intuit 03:43 – Mailchimp's growth under Intuit: Enhanced features, automation, and global support for businesses of all sizes 07:56 – Retention and LTV: Key for multi-7-figure brands; focus on creative ads and retention flows to boost profitability 13:00 – Pre-purchase research tips: Check About Us pages, reviews and social media for brand credibility 14:46 – Smart tactics: Discover lesser-known strategies using rich, diverse customer data 17:59 – Testing culture: Bigger brands embrace experimentation; even small tweaks (e.g., pop-ups) can drive conversions 22:33 – Mailchimp strengths: Trusted platform with strong deliverability and domain authentication infrastructure 25:55 – Case study – The Biker Company: Boosted ROI using Mailchimp features after switching ESPs 28:44 – SMS + Email: Combining both channels strategically enhances results 30:41 – Intuit vision: QuickBooks + Mailchimp integration to streamline operations and improve business outcomes

Devan loves the early-stage journey, particularly uncovering the magical intersection between what the market wants and how to sell it. There are many open questions, different stakeholders, and shifting variables – it's like a game of chess where the right moves lead to rising revenues and happy customers. Devan has worn many hats in his startup life, from business development to product management to sales. For the last ten years, he has built and led go-to-market teams for three organizations: Jive, which went public in 2011; Origami Logic, which Intuit acquired; and TripActions, still a public company valued at over $5B at last check. Building startups has fed Devan's ambitions for years, and he joined the Enjoy The Work team to impact not just one startup, but a portfolio of them worldwide.

What if instead of software coaching you on how to use it–what buttons to push and what file menus to open–the software could just use itself, once it knew what you wanted? We explore Intuit's new AI agents in the latest installment of our oral history project.We Meet:  Alex Balazs, CTO of Intuit Credits:This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Meg Marco.

Join us on Spaghetti on the Wall episode #252 as we welcome Doug C. Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies and a globally sought-after expert in sales revenue and profit growth. Doug has helped powerhouse companies like Intuit, CBS, and Procter & Gamble massively scale their sales performance. From boosting division sales by 864% with Tony Robbins to training the top 1% of sales producers, Doug brings unparalleled insight into what it really takes to grow with purpose and profit.

In this episode of The Digital Executive podcast, host Brian Thomas speaks with Ahikam Kaufman, co-founder and CEO of Safe Book's AI. With over two decades of experience in corporate finance, including leadership roles at Intuit, Kaufman shares how his team is revolutionizing financial data governance through intelligent automation. He highlights the unique challenges CFOs face with fragmented financial systems and explains why today's tools often fall short in ensuring accuracy, compliance, and speed.Kaufman delves into the slow adoption of AI in finance compared to other departments, emphasizing how Safe Book's AI is bridging that gap. From automating repetitive tasks to enhancing M&A due diligence, he outlines how AI can transform finance from a reactive function to a strategic powerhouse. If you're a finance leader looking to future-proof your operations, this is a must-listen conversation.If you liked what you heard today, please leave us a review. Apple or Spotify

Have a great point of view to add? Send us a text with your thoughts!This week on the Tech Marketing Podcast, Jon Busby is joined by Brad Spikes, VP of Strategic Ventures and Marketing at Northwest Center, for a conversation that blends career reflection with strategic foresight. Brad discusses his journey from Nokia and Intuit to Microsoft, and now to the nonprofit space. He shares insights on building trust, leading with empathy, and the importance of curiosity. From pioneering early influencer strategies to redefining what it means to "do good" in tech, this is an episode packed with takeaways for senior B2B marketers navigating change and complexity. 

Matt, hey, my friends, welcome to the off the wire podcast. My name is Matt Wireman, and with over 25 years of coaching experience, I bring to you a an integrated approach to coaching where we look at mind, body and soul. So this being my little corner of the universe, welcome we cover everything from spiritual formation or the interior life all the way to goal setting and how to make your life better with life hacks, and I cover everything in between. So whatever it fits my fancy, I'm going to share with you, and I'm so thankful for your time, and I hope this episode helps you. All right. Well, hey, welcome, welcome to another episode of Off The Wire. This is Matt, still I haven't changed, but I do have with me, my friend. Really proud to call him a friend. And from seminary days, Dr Josh chatro, who is the Billy Graham chair for evangelism and cultural engagement at Beeson. That's a mouthful. Josh, well done. And then he is also, they just launched a concentration in apologetics at Beeson, which is really exciting. They got a conference coming up this summer. Is that also an apologetics Josh,its own preaching and apologetics? Okay? Awesome.And, and largely, you're also, you're also part of the Tim Keller Center for Cultural apologetics, and then also a, they call them fellows at the Center for Pastor theologians as well. That's right, yeah. And you in, you have been at Beeson for a couple years, because prior to that, you were at a you were heading up. And what was it largely an apologetics group, or was it, was it more broad than that in Raleigh?Yeah, it was. It was much more expansive than that. Evangelism and apologetics is part of what we were doing, but it was the Center for Public Christianity, okay? It was also very much in the work and faith movement. And I was also resident theologian at Holy Trinity Anglican in Raleigh. We were there for five years,excellent and and you don't know this because you don't keep tabs on who bought your book, but I've got every one of your books brother, so every every book you put out, and I'm like, I love this guy, and I'm gonna support him and buy his book. So it started all the way back, if you remember, with truth matters, yeah. And I use that book for one of the classes that I built here where I teach. And then then I want to go through the Litany here and embarrass you a little bit. And then it goes to apologetics, at the Cross Cultural Engagement, telling a better story, surprised by doubt. And then one that you just released called the Augustine way, retrieving a vision for the church's apologetic witness. So do you write much on apologetics? Is that kind of your thing?Yeah, I've written a few books on that.So why? Like, what is it about apologetics that has really captured your heart, in your mind and like, as opposed to just teaching theology, yeah, it's a certain it's a certain stream. If folks are first of all, folks are curious, like, What in the world is apologetics? Are you apologizing to folks? Like, are you saying I'm sorry?Well, I do have to do that. I'm sorry a lot. That's a good practice. That's not quite what apologetics is. Okay. Okay, so we, one of the things I would say is, and when I meet, when I meet up with old friends like you, sometimes they say, What have you been doing? Because we didn't see this coming. And when we were in seminary together, it wasn't as if I was, you know, reading a lot of apologetic works. And so one of the things is,and you weren't picking fights on campus too much. You were always a really kind person. And most, most time, people think of like apologists as, like, real feisty. And you're not a feisty friend. I'm not. I actually, unless you start talking about, like, soccer and stuff like that, right? Yeah,yeah, I'm not. Yeah, I don't. I don't love, I don't love, actually, arguments I'd much rather have, which is an odd thing, and so I need to tell how did I get into this thing? I'd much rather have conversations and dialog and kind of a back and forth that keeps open communication and and because, I actually think this ties into apologetics, most people don't make decisions or don't come to they don't come to any kind of belief simply because they were backed into an intellectual corner. And but now maybe I'll come back to that in a second. But I got into this because I was doing my PhD work while I was pastoring. And when you do yourpH was that in in Raleigh, because you did your PhD work at Southeastern, right?That's right, that's right. But I was actually, we were in southern, uh. In Virginia for the first half, we were in a small town called Surrey. It was, if you know anything about Tim Keller, it was he served in Hopewell, Virginia for seven or nine years before he went to Westminster and then to New York. And we were about 45 minutes from that small town. So if you've read Colin Hansen's book, he kind of gives you some background on what is this, these little communities, and it does, does kind of match up the little community I was serving for two years before moving to another little community in South Georgia to finish while I was writing. And so I pastored in both locations. So these aren't particularly urban areas, and yet, people in my church, especially the young people, were asking questions about textual criticism, reliability of the Bible.Those are any topics forfolks like, yeah, something happened called the Internet, yes. All of a sudden now, things that you would, you would get to, maybe in your, you know, thm, your your master's level courses, or even doctoral level courses. Now 1819, year old, 20 year olds or 50 year olds had questions about them because they were reading about some of this stuff on the internet. And because I was working on a PhD, I was actually working on a PhD in biblical theology and their New Testament scholar, people would come to me as if I'm supposed to know everything, or you know. And of course, of course, when you're studying a PhD, you're you're in a pretty narrow kind of world and very narrow kind of lane. And of course, I didn't know a lot of things, but I was, I kind of threw myself into, how do I help people with these common questions. So it wasn't as if, it wasn't as if I was saying, oh, I want to study apologetics. I kind of accidentally got there, just because of really practical things going on in my church context. And and then as I was reading and I started writing in response to Bart Ehrman, who is a is a agnostic Bible scholar. Wrote four or five New York Times bestsellers, uh, critical of the New Testament, critical of the Bible, critical of conservative Christianity. I started writing those first two books. I wrote with some senior scholars. I wrote in response. And then people said, so your apologist? And I said, Well, I guess I am. And so that, yeah, so I'm coming at this I'm coming at this area, not because I just love arguments, but really to help the church really with really practical questions. And then as I began to teach it, I realized, oh, I have some different assumptions coming at this as a pastor, also as a theologian, and trained in biblical theology. So I came with a, maybe a different set of lenses. It's not the only set of lens. It's not the it's not the only compare of lenses that that one might take in this discipline, but that's some of my vocational background and some of my kind of journey that brought me into apologetics, and in some ways, has given me a little bit different perspective than some of the dominant approaches or dominant kind of leaders in the area.That's great. Well, let's go. Let's get after it. Then I'm gonna just throw you some doozies and see how we can rapid fire just prove all of the things that that are in doubt. So here we go. Okay, you ready? How do we know that God exists?Yeah, so that word no can have different connotations. So maybe it would be better to ask the question, why do we believe God exists? Oh,don't you do that? You're you can't, you can't just change my question. I was kidding. Well, I think, I think you bring up a great point, is that one of the key tasks in apologetics is defining of terms and understanding like, Okay, you asked that question. But I think there's a question behind the question that actually is an assumption that we have to tease out and make explicit, right? Because, I mean, that's, that's part of you. So I think sometimes people get into this back and forth with folks, and you're like, Well, you have assumptions in your question. So go ahead, you, you, you go ahead and change my question. So how do we knowthe issue is, is there is that when we say something like, you know, we people begin to imagine that the way Christianity works is that we need to prove Christianity in the way we might prove as Augustine said this in confessions, four plus six equals 10. And Augustine, early church father, and he's writing, and he's writing about his own journey. He said I really had to get to the point where I realized this is not how this works. Yeah, we're not talking about, we do not one plus one, our way to God.Yeah. And when is Augustine writing about When? When? So people are, yeah, 397,at. This point. So he's writing right at the, you know, right right before the fifth century, okay? And, and, of course, Augustine famously said, we have to believe to understand, for most believers, God is intuitive, or what? Blaise Pascal, the 17th century Christian philosopher He called this the logic of the heart. Or I can just cite a more contemporary figure, Alvin planeta, calls this basic belief that. He says that belief in God is a basic belief, and and for So, for for many believers, they would say something like this. And I think there's validity in this so is that God just makes sense, even if, even if they haven't really worked out arguments that they they say, Well, yeah, this God makes sense to me. Now I can kind of begin to explore that. I will in just a second, but I just want to say there's, for most of your listeners, it's something like, I heard the gospel and this and the stories of Jesus, and I knew they were true, right? And as kind of insiders here, we would say that's the Spirit's work. The Holy Spirit is working, and God speaks through creation and his word, and people believe. And so that's that's why we believe now, of course, once we say that people have these kinds of intuitions, or as theologians would put it, this sense of God kind of built into them, I would want to say, as an apologist, or even as a pastor, just a minister, you don't have to be apologist to say this is that we can appeal to those intuitions and make arguments in many different types of ways. Well,hold on one second. Isn't that a little too simplistic, though? Because, I mean, you have the Greeks who believed in all the different gods, and the Romans who adopted those gods and changed their names and like, how do we assimilate that? You know, where, you know Christopher Hitchens or Richard Dawkins famously say, Well, I don't, I don't believe in Zeus. So does that make me an atheist? It would have made me an atheist back in, you know, you know Roman and Latin and Greek times. So, so there's an intuition, but, but how do we delineate that? Well, that's not the right object of that intuition.Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So we have this intuition, you know, we could say Romans, Romans, one is pointing us to, this is what I would argue, this sense of God, and yet we're, we're fallen, according to the Christian story. And so even though we have this sense of God, we suppress that, and we worship false gods, or we worship the created, rather than the Creator. So the Christian story as a as a Christian, helps make sense of both the kind of why? Well, although we have this sense this, there's this common sense of God, it goes in many different directions and and I would argue that even if you deny kind of transcendence altogether, you're still going to have you're going to still make something kind of a god. You're going to you're going to want to worship something. And I think that's that's part of the point of Romans, one, you end up going to worship the created rather than the Creator. So does that get out what you're asking Matt or Yeah,I think so. I think sometimes the arguments that are real popular, even now is like, well, I just don't, I just don't, I just don't believe that God exists, just like I don't believe that Zeus exists, like, what's, what's the big deal? Why? Why are you so adamant that I believe in that God exists? Like to because I don't, I don't know that God exists because I don't see him. So how would you respond to somebody who says, Well, this Intuit intuition that that you say we all have, and that Romans one says we have, I just don't buy it, you know, because, I mean, I'm, I wouldn't believe that Zeus exists, because there's no empirical evidence to show me otherwise. So how would you respond to somebody that's equivocating or saying that, you know, Yahweh of the Old Testament, the God of the, you know, the God of the Bible is, this is just a tribal deity, just like Zeus is. So, how should we? Iwould, I would say so. So I think we can make kind of arguments for some kind of for transcendence. So there's ways to make arguments against naturalism. That's that's what's being promoted. And there's various different kinds of, you know. So sometimes these kinds of arguments that are in the Christian tradition are used to say, hey, we're going to prove God's existence using these arguments. I think I'm not. Are typically comfortable with the language of prove and how it's used in our context today, again, we get into the math, kind of two plus two equals four. Kind of thinking, yep. But I think a lot of those arguments are appealing to both intuitions and they they work much more effectively as anti naturalistic arguments. Not so much saying, Okay, we know a particular God through, say, the moral argument, okay, that we're but, but it's arguing against simply a naturalistic, materialistic. You know, even Evans, who's a longtime professor at Baylor, makes this argument that those, those types of arguments are really good against pushing back against naturalism. So plan again, has a famous argument that says, if naturalism and evolutionary theory are both true because of how evolution theory works, it's not about right thinking, but right action that you perform certain things to survive. Then, if both of those are true, you have no reason to trust your kind of cognitive faculties.Can you tease that one out a little bit? I kind of lost on that one. He said,What planet is arguing? Is he saying? Look, if, if all of our kind of cognitive faculties are just a product of evolution, okay? And by the way, not only does it's not just a plan. Ago makes this argument, it's actually kind of interesting figures who were like Nietzsche and others made this argument that basically, if, if evolution and naturalism is true that all we are is energy and manner and this product of evolutionary process, then we would have no reason to actually trust kind of our rationality, and that's what rationality is actually mapping onto reality. All of our our brains and our minds are really just producing certain conclusions to help us survive. So it would undercut the very foundations of that position. Now again, yeah, being able to observe, yeah, yeah. So, so with that, again, I think that's an example of an argument that doesn't so much. You know, say this is the Christian God. This supports the belief in Christian God. But what it does is it from within their own thinking. It challenges that. It undercuts their own way of thinking, which is what you're assuming and what you're kind of pushing back on, is a kind of naturalistic world. And I think we can step within that try to understand it and then challenge it on its own terms. And I think that's the real strength of planning this argument. What he's doing now, go ahead.Well, that's it, yeah, in his, in his, like, the the Opus is, uh, warranted. Christian belief is that what you're referencing the the big burgundy book.I can't remember where he makes this argument? Yeah, I can'tremember exactly. But like, if all your cognitive faculties are working, somebody who believes that God exists does not mean that they does not negate all of the other cognitive faculties that they're like if they're in their rational mind, that they have warrants for their belief. But, but that's what I what I think, where I'm tracking with you, and I love this is that even like, it still holds true, right? Like there's not one silver bullet argument to say now we know, like, that's what you were challenging even in the question is, how do you know that you know that you know that God exists? Well, you have to layer these arguments. And so this is one layer of that argument that even the Greeks and the Romans had a sense of transcendence that they were after, and they identified them as gods. But there's this other worldliness that they're trying to attribute to the natural world that they observe, that they can't have answers for, and that we can't observe every occurrence of reality, that there has to be something outside of our box, so to speak, out of our naturalistic tendencies. And so even that can be helpful to say, well, that kind of proves my point that even the Greeks and the Romans and other tribal deities, they're after something outside of our own experience that we can experience in this box. Yeah, that'sright. And there's a, I mean again, this, this argument, isn't intellectually coercive, and I don't think any of these are intellectually coercive. What I mean by that is you can find ways out. And so the approach I would take is actually called an abductive approach, which says, Okay, let's put everything on the table, and what best makes sense, what best makes sense, or what you know, what story best explains all of this? And so that way, there's a lot of different angles you can take depending on who you're talking to, yep, and and so what one of the, one of the ways to look at this and contemporary anthropology? Psycho psychologists have done work on this, to say, the kind of standard, what we might call natural position in all of human history, is that there's there's transcendence. That's, it's just the assumption that there's transcendence. Even today, studies have been shown even people who grow kids, who grew up in a secular society will kind of have these intuitions, like, there is some kind of God, there is some kind of creator, designer. And the argument is that you actually have to have a certain kinds of culture, a particular culture that kind of habituate certain thinking, what, what CS Lewis would call, a certain kind of worldly spell to to so that those intuitions are saying, Oh no, there's not a god. You know, there's not transcendence. And so the kind of common position in all of human history across various different cultures is there is some kind of transcendence. It takes a very particular, what I would say, parochial, kind of culture to say, oh, there's probably no there. There's not. There's, of course, there's not. In fact, Charles Taylor, this is the story he wants to tell of how did we get here, at least in some secular quarters of the West, where it was just assumed, of course, there's, of course, there's a God to 500 years of to now, and at least some quarters of the West, certain, certain elite orsecular? Yeah? Yeah, people. And even then, that's a minority, right? This is not a wholesale thing, yeah.It seems to be. There's something, well, even Jonathan height, uh, he's an atheist, says, has acknowledged that there seems to be something in humans. That's something like what Pascal called a God shaped hole in our heart, and so there's this kind of, there's this deep intuition. And what I'm wanting to do is, I'm wanting in my arguments to kind of say, okay, given this as a Christian, that I believe we have this sense of God and this intuition of God, these intuitions, I want to appeal to those intuitions. And so there's a moral order to the universe that people just sense that there is a right and wrong. There's certain things that are right and certain things are wrong, even if a culture says it is, it is, it is fine to kill this group of people, that there's something above culture, that even there's something above someone's personal preference, that is their moral order to the universe. Now, given that deep seated intuition, what you might call a first principle, what makes best sense of that, or a deep desire, that that, that nothing in the universe seems to satisfy that we have. This is CS Lewis's famous argument. We have these desires, these natural desires for we get thirsty and there's there's water, we get hungry and there's food, and yet there's this basically universal or worldwide phenomenon where people desire something more, that they try to look for satisfaction in this world and they can't find it. Now, what best explains that? And notice what I'm doing there, I'm asking that the question, what best explains it? Doesn't mean there's, there's not multiple explanations for this, but we're saying, What's the best explanation, or profound sense that something doesn't come from nothing, that intelligence doesn't come from non intelligence, that being doesn't come from non being. Yeah, a deep sense that there's meaning and significance in life, that our experience with beauty is not just a leftover from an earlier primitive stage of of evolution. And so we have these deep experiences and intuitions and ideas about the world, and what I'm saying is particularly the Christian story. So I'm not, I'm not at the end, arguing for just transcendence or or kind of a generic theism, but I'm saying particularly the Christian story, best, best answers. Now, I'm not saying that other stories can't incorporate and say something and offer explanations, but it's a, it's a really a matter of, you know, you might say out narrating or or telling the Gospel story that maps on to the ways we're already intuiting about the world, or experiencing or observing the world.Yeah, so, so going along with that, so we don't have, like, a clear cut case, so to speak. We have layers of argument, and we appeal to what people kind of, in their heart of hearts, know, they don't have to like, they have to be taught otherwise. Almost like, if you talk to a child, they can't, they kind of intuit that, oh, there's something outside, like, Who created us? Like, who's our mom? You know, like, going back into the infinite regress. It's like, okay, some something came from nothing. How does that even how is that even possible? So there has to be something outside of our. Experience that caused that to happen. So, so say you, you go there, and then you help people. Say, help people understand. Like, I can't prove God's existence, but I can argue that there are ways of explaining the world that are better than other ways. So then, how do you avoid the charge that, well, you basically are a really proud person that you think your religion is better than other religions. How, how could you dare say that when you can't even prove that you're you know? So how? How would you respond to somebody who would say, like, how do you believe? Why do you believe that Christianity is a one true religion? Yeah, um,well, I would say a couple of things. One is that, in some sense, everyone is staking out some kind of claim. So even if you say you can't say that one religion is true or one one religion is the one true religion, that is a truth claim that you're staking out. And I think it's fine that this for someone to say that they just need to realize. I mean, I think they're wrong, but I think they're they're making a truth claim. I'm making a truth claim. Christians are making truth so we're, we all think we're right, and that's fine. That's fine, but, but then we but then once you realize that, then you're not saying, Well, you think you're right, but I just, I'm not sure, or it's arrogant to say you're right. I think, of course, with some some things, we have more levels of confidence than other things. And I think that's the other thing we can say with Christian with as Christians, it's saying, Hey, I believe, I believe in the resurrection. I believe in the core doctrines of Christianity. It doesn't mean that everything I might believe about everything is right. It doesn't even mean all my arguments are are even 100% always the best arguments, or I could be wrong about a particular argument and and I'm also not saying that you're wrong about everything you're saying. Okay, so, but what we are saying is that, hey, I I believe Jesus is who he said he was, and you're saying he's not okay. Let's have a conversation. But it's not, rather, it's not a matter of somebody being air. You know, you can hold those positions in an arrogant way. But simply saying, I believe this isn't in itself arrogance, at least, I think how arrogance is classically defined, yeah. And what is this saying? I believe this, and I believe, I believe what Jesus said about himself. And I can't go around and start kind of toying with with, if I believe he's Lord, then it's really not up to me to say, okay, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna, kind of take some of what he said, but not all of what he said. If you actually believe he rose from the dead and he is Lord and He is God, then then you take him at his word.What is it, as you think about cultural engagement, cultural apologetics that you've written on like, what is it in our cultural moment right now where people you say that thing, like Jesus said, You know, he, he, he said, I'm God, you know, not those explicit words, right? That's some of the argument. Like, no, but you look at the narrative he did, and that's why he was going to be stoned for blasphemy. That's why all these things. But that's, that's another conversation for another day. But, and then you talk to someone, you're like, Well, I don't believe he was God. I don't believe His claims were. Like, why then do you do we oftentimes find ourselves at a standstill, and people just throw up their hands like, well, that's your truth, and my truth is, I just don't, like, just don't push it on me. Like, why do we find ourselves in this? And it's not new. I mean, this is something that goes back to, you know, hundreds of years ago, where people are making arguments and they're like, Well, I just don't know. So I'm gonna be a transcendentalist, or I'm gonna be a deist, or I'm gonna whatever. So how do we kind of push back on that a little bit to say, No, it's not what we're talking about. Is not just a matter of preference, and it's not just a matter of, hey, my truth for me and your truth for you. But we're actually making it a claim that is true for all people. Like, how do we kind of encourage people to push into that tendency that people have to just throw up their hands and say, whatever? Pass the piece, you know? Well,okay, so I think let me answer that in two ways. One's philosophically, and then two are practically. One philosophically. I do think it's, you know, CS Lewis was on to this, as he often was way ahead of the curve on certain things, but on an abolition of man. When he talked, he's talking about the fact value distinction and how we've separated. You know, you have your facts, and then everything you know, where, classically, you would kind of recognize that courage, you know, is a virtue, and that's, it's a, it's a, it's also a fact that we should pursue courage and rather than just my preference of kind of and so there's actually. Be this, but now we have, well, that's a value, kind of courage, and say you should do something, but it's, it's, that's your value and and so we have this distinction between facts, which is, follow the science, and then values over here. And as that has opened up. You have both a kind of, on one hand, a very, very much, a people saying in a very kind of hard, rationalistic way, you know, science has said, which, that would be another podcast to kind of dive into that more science is good and, yeah, and, but science doesn't say anything. So I'm a fan of science, but it doesn't say anything. We interpret certain things, but, but so you can kind of have a hard rationalism, but you also combine with a kind of relativism, or at least a soft relativism that says, Well, this is my truth, because values become subjective. So that's the philosophical take. But the kind of practical thing, I would say, is they need people. One of the reasons people do that is because, it's because they've seen kind of these to reference what you're talking about earlier this hey, this person's coming in wanting to talk about my worldview, and it just becomes this fierce, awkward encounter, and I don't want anything to do with that type of thing, like I don't, I don't want to go down the dark corners of of the Internet to have these, to have these intellectual just like Charles Taylor says, a lot of the kind of arguments are, I have three reasons why your position is untenable. He says something like untenable, wrong and totally immoral. Now, let's have a conversation. It just and so it's kind of like, no thanks. I don't think I want to have that conversation. You do you. And so there's, there is a part that, culturally, something is going on which needs to be confronted. And Lewis was doing that work, and a lot of philosophers have followed him in that but there's also a side of of maybe where our own worst enemies here, and the way that we try to engage people, and where we start with people, and we think, Okay, let's start in this kind of, you know, apologetic wrestling match with people. And a lot of times, people are just looking to cope. People are just looking to survive. They have mental health issues going on, and they don't want another one to pop up because of the apologist. And so they're just looking to try to skirt that conversation and get to feeding their kids or dealing with their angry neighbor. And so we've got to kind of take stock on kind of where people are at, and then how to engage them with where they're at. Now I'm going to apologize. I think all of those arguments are helpful in a certain context, but a lot of times, we've been our own worst enemy, and how we try to try to engage so what I what I encourage students and ministers to do is is start talking about people's stories, and you know how life is going and where what's hard, and asking really good questions, and kind of having a holy curiosity and and often, I was in an encounter with a guy who came up to me after a kind of a university missions thing, and he was an atheist, and he wanted to talk about the moral argument. And I was happy to do that for a few minutes, but then I just asked him. I said, what you know, what do you love to do? Tell me about yourself, and where do you really find joy in life? And he looked at me, and he started to tear up, and he said, You know, I'm really lonely right now, you know, go figure this moment in our world, the kind of fragmented world we live in. And he said, what's really meaningful to me is my is my pet, because he provides solace. And there's this moment where, of course, I mean, here's an atheist wanting to show up at a Christian event, right? And because Christians were nice to him, and he's deeply lonely, and we got to have a pretty meaningful conversation about, you know, the benefits of following Christ in the community, communion with not only God, but with others, yeah, but if I would have just left it at, let's go to the more we would have never got there. But it took me kind of asking the question, which is, in essence, what I was trying to ask is what, I didn't put it like this, but what are you seeking? What are you really after here? And where are you really getting joy in life, and what's going on? And I if we can learn to go there, I think we'll have much more productive conversations. And then just kind of, I heard chatro talk about the, you know, ontological argument. Now let me throw that out there at somebody. I think that's why apologists and apologetics have sometimes been given a bad name. But if you. Actually look at the tradition, the the larger tradition. There's so many resources, and there's so many people, apologists, doing lots of different things, that I think gives us kind of way to actually engage people where they're at.Yeah, yeah. No, that's great. Well, I It reminds me, I believe it was Schaefer who talked about the the greatest apologetic, at least his time, and I think it stands true even now, is welcoming people and being hospitable towards people, welcoming the questions, not looking at folks as adversaries, but fellow pilgrims. And then you welcome them into that space, into that community. And then they're they see that, quite frankly, the faith works. The Christian ethic actually works, albeit imperfect, by imperfect people in imperfect ways. But you know, as we go through pain and suffering, as we go through, you know, elation and disappointment, like there's still a lot that that we can demonstrate to the world through our testimony that it works. You know, so to speak. So I'd love to hear you kind of help walk us through how the Christian story tells a better story about pain and suffering, because that's that's a fact of every person listening is that there's some modicum of pain and suffering in their life at any moment. And then you look at the grand scale of the world and all these things, but just even we can go down to the individual level of the why is there pain and suffering in my life and in the world and, you know, in general. But I like, like for you to just kind of riff on that for a little bit for us, to helpus, yeah. And in some ways, this question, and the apologetic question is a kind of real, a snapshot into the into what we're talking about with, how do we respond to that? Not just as Okay, an intellectual question, yeah, yeah, but it's also a profoundly experiential question. And there's youmean, you mean, and how, in the moment when you're saying, in the moment when somebody asks you the question, not getting defensive, but being being willing to listen to the question, Is that what you mean by that? And yeah,well, what I mean is, that's certainly true. Matt, what I was really thinking, though, is how this is not just something kind of an abstract, intellectual question. Oh, okay, but it's a profound experiential and there's different angles that we might take into it. But I mean, as a kind of snapshot or a test case in our apologetic is, I think there's ways to answer that question that are sterile, that are overly academic, and I and that also, I would say, rushes in to give an answer. And I would want to argue that Christianity doesn't give an answer to evil and suffering, but it gives a response. And let me make, let me explain that, yeah, is, is an answer. Tries in the way I'm using it, at least tries to say, I'm going to solve this kind of intellectual problem, and the problem of evil and suffering in the world, of why a good God who's all powerful would allow the kind of evil and suffering we see in the world is, is one that we might say, Okay, now there's the problem. Now let me give the solution. And this is often done, and we've you maybe have been in this if you're listening into a certain context where a kind of famous apologist says, Here is the answer, or famous Christian celebrity says, Here is the answer to evil, and this solves all the problems, until you start thinking about it a little bit more, or you go home, or three or four years, and you grow out of that answer and and so I think we need to be real careful here when we say we have the answer, because if you keep pushing that question back in time, or you start asking questions like, well, that that bullet that hit Hitler in World War One and didn't kill him? What if the God of the Bible, who seems to control the wind and everything, would have just blown it over and killed Hitler. It seems like maybe it could have been a better possible world if Hitler, you know, didn't lead the Holocaust. Okay, so, so again, I think, I think pretty quickly you begin to say, Okay, well, maybe some of these theodicies Don't actually solve everything, although I would say that some of the theodicies that are given things like free will, theodicy or or the kind of theodicies that say God uses suffering to to grow us and develop us. And I think there's truth in all of that, and there's but what it does. What none of them do is completely solve the problem. And so I think that there's value in those theodicies in some extent.Hey, did you know that you were created to enjoy abundance? I'm not talking about getting the latest pair of Air Jordans or a jet plane or whatever that this world says that you have to have in order to be happy. Instead, I'm talking about an abundant life where you are rich in relationships, you're rich in your finances, but you are rich in life in general, that you are operating in the calling that God has for you, that He created you for amazing things. Did you know that? And so many times we get caught up in paying our mortgage and running hither and yon, that we forget that in this world of distractions that God has created you for glorious and amazing things and abundant life. If you would like to get a free workbook, I put one together for you, and it's called the my new rich life workbook. If you go to my new rich life.com my new rich life.com. I would be glad to send you that workbook with no strings attached, just my gift to you to help you. But here'sthe thing, here's what I want to go back to with a question. Is that the Odyssey as we know it, or this? And what I'm using theodicy for is this, this responsibility that that we feel like we have to justify the ways of God, is a particularly modern phenomenon. I think this is where history comes and helps us. Charles Taylor talks about this in that the kind of way we see theodicy and understand theodicy was really developed in the middle of the 1700s with figures like Leibniz, and then you have particularly the Lisbon earthquakes in the middle of the 18th century. And that was this kind of 911 for that context. And in this 911 moment, you have philosophers being saying, Okay, how do we justify the ways of God? And are trying to do it in a very kind of this philosophical way to solve the problem. But from for most of human history and history of the West, of course, evil and suffering was a problem, but it wasn't a problem so much to be solved, but it was a problem to to cope with and and and live in light of, in other words, what you don't have in the Bible is Job saying, Okay, well, maybe God doesn't exist. Or the psalmist saying, maybe God doesn't exist because I'm experiencing this. No, they're ticked off about it. They're not happy about it. They're struggling to cope with it. It is, it is a problem, but it's not, then therefore a problem. That says, well, then God doesn't exist. Yeah. And it didn't become a widespread kind of objection against God's very existence, until certain things have happened in the kind of modern psyche, the kind of modern way of imagining the world. And here is what's happened. This is what Charles Taylor says. Is that Taylor says what happened is kind of slowly through through different stages in history, but but in some sorry to be gloved here, but it's, it's a very kind of, you know, long argument. But to get to the point is, he says our view of God became small, and our view of humans became really big. And so God just came became kind of a bigger view of version of ourselves. And then we said, oh, if there is a reason for suffering and evil, we should be able to know it, because God's just a bigger kind of version of us, and he has given us rational capacities. And therefore if we can't solve this, then there must not be a god. That's kind of where the logic goes. And of course, if you step into the biblical world, or what I would say a more profoundly Christian way of looking at it is God. God isn't silent, and God has spoken, has given us ways to cope and live with suffering and ways to understand it. But what he what he doesn't give us, is that we're going to he actually promises that, that we're not going to fully understand His ways that, that we're going to have to trust Him, even though we can't fully understand why he does what he does in history all the time. And so this leads into what, what's actually called. There's, this is a, this is a weird name if you're not in this field, but it's called skeptical theism. I'm a skeptical theist. And what skeptical theists Are you is that we're not skeptical about God, but we're skeptical about being able to neatly answer or solve the problem of evil. But we actually don't think that's as big of a deal, because, simply because. I don't understand why God, God's simply because I don't understand God's reasons. Doesn't mean he doesn't have reasons. Yeah, yeah. Andso just beyond your the your finite, uh, temporo spatial understanding of things, right? Like you don't understand how this horrible situation plays out in a grander narrative,right? So it's Stephen wickstra. He had this famous argument. I'll riff off of it a little bit. I mean, just metaphor. He says, if you have a if you have a tent, and we go camping together, Matt and and I open the tent and say, there's a giant dog in there. And you look in there, there's no dog, you would say, Yeah, you're either crazy or a liar. But if I open the tent and say there's tiny bugs in there, and they're called no see ums, you wouldn't, you wouldn't know. You wouldn't be in a position to know. You wouldn't be in an epistemological position to know whether there's a bug in there or not. So you would simply have to decide whether you're going to trust me or not. And then, you know, the claim of the non Christian might be, well, yeah, why would I trust the God given the kind of crap that I see in the world? And I would say, well, a couple reasons. One is most profoundly because God has entered into this world. He has not sat on the sidelines. So even though we don't fully understand it, he has in the person of Jesus Christ, he has suffered with us and for us. So this is a God who says, I haven't given you all the answers, but I have given you myself. And that's I think both has some rational merit to it, and profoundly some intellectual merit to that. I'd also say that the Christian story actually gets at some deep intuitions, kind of underneath this challenge or this problem. It was CS Lewis, who was an atheist in World War One, and and he was very angry at God because of the evil and violence and his his mom dying at an early age, and was an atheist. But then he realized that in his anger against God, that he was assuming a certain standard, a certain kind of moral standard, about how the world should be, that there is evil in the world and that it shouldn't be so, and this deep intuition that it shouldn't be so that certain things aren't right. Actually, you don't have if you do away with God's existence, you just you have your preferences. But in a world of just energy and matter, why would the world not be absurd? Why would you expect things not to be like this. Why would you demand them not to be like this?So a deeply embedded sense of morality that can't be explained by naturalism is what you're getting, yeah?That that we have a certain problem here, or certain challenge with not fully being able to answer the question, yeah, but they have, I would say, a deeper challenge, that they don't have even the kind of categories to make sense of the question. So that's those are some of the directions I would go, and it's first stepping inside and kind of challenging against some of the assumptions. But then I'm as you, as you can tell, then I'm going to say how the Christian story does make sense of these deep intuitions, our moral intuitions, that are underneath the problem, or the challenge of evil and suffering. And then also going to Jesus in the Gospel. And the Gospel story,one of the questions I had on our on the list of questions was, how do we know the Bible is true? But I want to delve into more of this understanding of doubt and how that plays, because you've written a lot on this. But I'd like, could you just direct us to some resources, or some folks, if folks are interested in, how do we know the Bible is true? I'm thinking real popular apologist right now is Wesley. Huff is a great place to go. But are there other like, hey, how do I know that the Bible is true? Because you keep appealing to Christianity, which is in for is the foundation of that is the Bible. So could you give us a few resources so people could chase those down.Peter Williams has written a couple little good books on the Gospels. AndPeter Williams Williams, he's in Cambridge, right, orTyndale house, over there and over the pond. And he's written a book on the Gospels. And I can't think of the name, but if you put it on the internet, it'll show up. And the genius of Jesus as well. Okay, little books, and I think both of those are helpful as far as the Gospels go. Richard, Richard balcom is really good on this, Jesus and the eyewitnesses. As well as a little book that most people haven't heard of. It's a, it's an introduction to the Gospels in that off in an Oxford series, which is, you know, kind of a brief introduction to the Gospels. And he, especially at the very beginning, he gives us John Dixon, who's at Wheaton now, has written a lot of good books on on on this. And it's got this series called skeptics guide to and it does both Old Testament and New Testament kind of stuff. So that little series is, is really helpful. So those are some places I would start. And in my books, I typically have, you know, chapters on this, but I haven't, haven't written, you know, just one book, just on this. The early books, truth matters and truth in a culture of doubt, were, were engaging Bart airman. But really, Bart airman not to pick on on Airmen, but just because he was such a representative of a lot of the the views that that we were hearing, he ended up being a good kind of interlocutor. In those I would just say, I know you didn't. You just asked for books. And let me just say one thing about this is I, I think if you are trying to engage, I think if you take the approach of, let me prove the Bible, let me take everything and just, yeah, I don't think that's the best way. I think you often have to give people some you know, whether it's, you know, the beginning of Luke's Gospel, where he's saying, This is how I went about this. And I actually did my homework to kind of say, this is at least the claim of the gospel writers say, and then, but the real way that you you come to see and know, is you have to step into it and read it. And I think one of the apologetic practices I would want to encourage, or just evangelistic practices, is is offering to read the gospels with people and and working through it. And then certain things come up as you read them, apologetically that you'll, you'll want to chase down and use some of those resources for but I think often it's, it's saying, hey, the claims are, at least that, you know, these guys have done their homework and and some of the work Richard welcome is doing is saying, you know, the Gospel traditions were, were were pinned within the lifetime of eyewitnesses and this. And so that's some of the work that that balcom has helpfully done that kind of help us get off the ground in some of these conversations.Would that be your go to gospel Luke or, like, if you're walking with players, or a go to like,some people say more because of the shortness or John, I I'm happy with them. Allfour should be in the canon. Yeah, no, that's great. And I think a couple other books I'm thinking of Paul Wagner's from text from text to translation, particularly deals with Old Testament translation issues, but then text critical pieces, but then also FF. Bruce's canon of Scripture is a real, solid place to go, if people are interested in those big pieces, but those, I mean, yeah, Richard Bauckham work was really helpful for me when I was like, How do I even know, you know the starting place is a good starting place. So, yeah, thank you for that. Sowhat the challenge is, people have got to make up their mind on Jesus. Yeah. I mean, I think that's where I want to kind of triage conversations and say, Hey, I know the Bible is a big book and there's a lot going on. First things you gotta make a call on. So that's where I'm going to focus on, the Gospels. That'sgreat. No, that's great. Well, you know, a lot of times you, and you've mentioned this earlier, that sometimes in our attempts to give reasons for our faith, we can come to simplistic answers like, Okay, this is, here you go. Here's the manuscript evidence, for example. Or, hey, here's the evidence for the resurrection. Oh, here. You know, this is pain and suffering, Romans, 828, you know, having these quick answers. And I think it stems from a desire to want to have a foundation for what we stand on. But a lot of times, and I think what we're seeing in our culture, and this is not anything new, this topic of deconstruction is not really a new topic is, you know, it's what's been called in the past, apostasy, or just not believing anymore. But now it's gotten a more, you know, kind of sharper edges to it. And and I would love for you to you know how you would respond to someone who is deconstructing from their faith because it didn't allow for doubt or because they were raised in perhaps a really strict Christian home. So how would you respond to somebody who says, I don't I don't like the. Had answers anymore, and I don't, you know, it's just too simplistic, and it doesn't, it's not satisfying. So how would you, because I encounter a lot of folks that are in that vein, the ones who are deconstructing, it's, it's not, you know, there's definitely intellectual arguments, but there's something else in back of that too, I think. So I'd love to hear you just kind of, how would you respond to someone who is deconstructing or has deconstructed in their faith?Yeah, yeah. And of course not. In that situation, my first response it's going to be, tell me more. Let's, let's talk more. I want to hear, I want to hear your story. I want to hear your deconversion story, or where you're at and and to have some real curiosity. Rather than here, let me tell you what your problem is. And let me tellyou, yeah, you just don't want to believe because you got some secret sin or something. Yeah? Oh, goodnessno. I mean, it's right faith, unbelief and doubt is complex, and there's lots of forms of doubt. And we use that word I mean, it has quite the semantic range, and we use in lots of different ways. And of course, the Bible, by no means, is celebrating doubt. The Bible, it's, you know, that we is saying we should have faith. It calls us to faith, not to doubt, but doubt seems to be a couple things to say. We talk about, we talk about ourselves as Christians, as new creations in Christ, but we also recognize that we still sin, we still we still have sinful habits. We're still sinful, and in the same way we we we believe, but we can struggle with doubt, and that's a reality. And it seems to me that that doesn't mean, though, that then we celebrate doubt, as if doubts this great thing, no, but at the same time, we need to be realistic and honest that we do. And there's certain things culturally that have happened, because we now live in a pluralistic world where people seem very sane and rational and and lovely, and they believe radically different things than we do. And just that proximity, Peter Berger, the late sociologist, did a lot of work on this area. This is just it. It creates these kinds of this kind of contestability, because, well, we could imagine even possibly not believing, or kids not believing, in a way that, again, 500 years ago, you know you Luther was wrestling with whether the Roman Catholic Church had everything right, but he wasn't wrestling and doubting the whole the whole thing, yeah, God. So that creates certain pressures that I think we need to be honest about, and but, but with, and part of that honesty, I think, in that kind of conversation to say, Hey, you're not alone and you're not just simply crazy because you're you're raising some of these things because, I mean, that's in many ways, understandable. Yeah, okay, yeah. I'm not saying it's good, I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it's understandable. And I hear what you're saying, and I'm, let's talk about it now. The the kind of metaphor that that I use is to think about Christianity as a house. Of course, that's not my metaphor. I'm I'm borrowing from CS Lewis, who talked about Christianity as a house and in Mere Christianity, Lewis said he wanted to get people through non Christians into the hallway, and so he wanted to get them into the door so that they would and then they could pick up a particular tradition, they could enter a room. But his approach in Mere Christianity was to represent kind of the whole house. And what I think is happening in many cases is that people, now, I'm riffing off of his metaphor, people in the church. People have raised in the church, so they've grew up their whole life in the house, but it's actually in the what I would call the attic. And the attic as as I talk about it is, is in the house. It's, it's a Christian community, but it was, it was many times they're built out of a kind of reactionary posture against culture, without a deep connection to the rest of the house. It's kind of like, Hey, we're scared, and understandably so, the kind of decadent morality, certain shifts happening in the west with Can you giveus a couple examples of what you're thinking like? What would a person living in the attic like? What would their tradition kind of. Look like,yeah. So a couple of things. One in response to, in some cases, in response to the kind of intellectual movements, the kind of sex, secular and, you know, thinking they would say, you know, intellectualism is bad, that would be one response from the attic, like, don't worry about, you know, thinking. Just believe your problem is you're just thinking too much. So that would be one response, a kind of anti intellectualism. The other response is what I would call a kind of, depending on what kind of mood I'm in, I would call it a kind of quasi intellectual that, and that sounds harsh that I say what kind of mood I'm in, but a kind of quasi intellectual response, which is like, Oh, you want arguments. You want evidence. We'll give you two plus two equals equals God, and we'll kind of match, you know, fire with fire, and we can prove God's existence. And oftentimes, those kinds of apologetic reactions, I would call them, sometimes they're kind of quasi intellectual, because I don't think that's how the kind of bit we come to the big decisions. I don't think it's rational enough about a rationality about kind of what type of humans we are, and how we come to the big decisions and the big truths and and so I think that's one response, and that's why you have a kind of industry of apologetics sometimes. And the way they do it, I'm not saying in some ways it can be helpful, but in other ways, it can cause problems down down the road, and we've seen that at least, like, for instance, with the evil and suffering kind of conversation we were having before. If people say, actually, those arguments actually don't make, don't fully do what they were. We you claim too much for your arguments. Let's just say, like that. Okay, so that's one kind of, so there's a there's a kinds of, well, Christianity, in that side can kind of become this kind of intellectual, sterile work where you're just kind of trying to prove God, rather than this, than this way of life, where does worship come in? Where does devotion come in? What is And so very quickly it becomes, you know, this intellectual game, rather than communion with the living God. And so the emphasis understandably goes a certain way, but I would say understandably wrong goes a certain way, and that argument should be part of this deeper life of faith that we live and so we again, I'm wanting to say the motives aren't necessarily, aren't wrong, but where we get off because we're too reactionary, can go off. Let me give you one other ones. And I would say, like the purity culture would be another kind of side of this where we see a morally decadent culture of sexuality, and we want to respond to that we we don't want our kids to grow up believing those lies. Yeah, as as a friend of mine says, you know that the sexual revolution was actually and is actually bad for women, and we need to say that. We need to say that to people in the church, absolutely. But in response to that, then we create what, what has been called a purity culture, which, which has, has kind of poured a lot of guilt and have made have over promised again, if you just do this, you'll have a wonderful life and a wonderful marriage if you just do this, and then if you mess up, oh, you've, you've committed this unpardonable sin, almost. And so there's a lot of pressure being put on, particularly young women and then, and then over promising and so all of this,can people see that the House of Cards is coming down because they're like, Yeah, my marriage is horrible.It creates this pressure, right where you have to. You have to think a certain way. You have to behave this very kind of way. It's reaction to want to protect them. So again, I'm saying, Yes, I understand the reactions, yeah, and, but, but, and this is, I think, a key part of this, because it's not connected well to the rest of the house. It often reacts, rather than reflected deeply on the tradition and helps fit your way, the centrality of the Gospel, the centrality of what's always been, Christian teaching and coming back to the main things, rather than kind of reacting to culture because we're nervous, and doing it in such a way that, you know, well, people will begin to say, That's what Christianity is about. Christianity is really about, you know, your politics, because that's all my pastor is talking about, interesting, you know, and this is all they're talking about. So that becomes the center,even though the ethic is is, is, becomes the. Center, as opposed to the the philosophy and theology guiding the ethic, is that, would that be another way to put it, like how you live, become, becomes preeminent to, you know, wrestling with doubt and and trying to bring God into the space of your doubt and that kind of stuff is, that, is that?Yeah, I mean, so that, I think one of the things that the the early creeds help us to do is it helps us to keep the main thing. The main thing, it helps us to keep, rather than saying, well, because culture is talking about this, we're going to, you know, kind of in our churches, this becomes the main thing, is reacting or responding, maybe, whether it's with the culture and certain movements or against the culture, yeah. But if you're anchored to the kind of the ancient wisdom of the past you're you do have, you are at times, of course, going to respond to what's going on culturally, yeah, but it's always grounded to the center, and what's always been the center, yeah? And I think so when you're in a community like this, like this, the pressure of, I've gotta think rightly. I've gotta check every box here, yes, and oh, and I've, I've been told that there is proofs, and I just need to think harder. I just, you know, even believe more, even Yeah, if I just, if I just think harder, then I'll eliminate my doubt, but my doubts not being eliminated. So either I'm stupid or maybe there's a problem with the evidence, because it's not eliminating all my doubt, but this creates this kind of melting pot of anxiety for a lot of people as their own Reddit threads and their Oh, and then this, trying to figure all this out, and they're Googling all these answers, and then the slow drip, oh, well, to be honest, sometimes the massive outpouring of church scandal is poured into this, yeah. And it just creates a lot of anxiety amongst young people, and eventually they say, I'm just going to jump out of the attic, you know, because it looks pretty freeing and it looks like a pretty good way of life out there. And what, what I say to people is two things. Number one, rather than simply jumping out, first look what you're about to jump into, because you have to live somewhere, and outside the attic, you're not just jumping into kind of neutrality, you're jumping into cultural spaces and assumptions and belief. And so let's, let's just be just as critical as, yeah, the attic or house as you are will be mean, be just as critical with those spaces as you have been with the attic. So you need to explore those. But also, I'm wanting to give them a framework to understand that actually a lot of the ways that you've kind of grown up is actually been in this attic. Why don't you come downstairs, and if you're going to leave the house, explore the main floor first.And what would be the main floor? What would you say? The main floor?Yeah. I would say themain orthodox historic Christianity, like, yeah. Orthodox historic Christianity, Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, just kind of go into the Yeah. And whatI would say is, for instance, the apostle creed gives us kind of what I would call load bearing walls in the house. So it gives us the places where you don't mess like load bearing walls. You don't you don't knock those down if you're going to do a remodel, and, and, and. So you would recognize the difference between load bearing walls, walls that are central versus actual different rooms in the house, and how? Well, these aren't load bearing walls, but they're, they're, they're, they're how certain people in Christian communities, churches at particular times, have articulated it and and some of these, you could deny certain things, but you could, but those are more denominational battle lines, rather than the kind of load bearing things that you if you pull out the resurrection of Jesus, if you pull out the the deity of Christ and the full humanity of Christ, If you pull out the Trinity. So let's go back to the core. And if you're going to reject, if you're going to leave, leave on the basis of those core things, not okay. I've had these bad experiences in the church now, yeah, what I think this to kind of wrap this up on this is what often happens, or what can happen if someone says, Well, yeah, I've done that, and I still don't, I don't believe Okay, yep, that's going to happen. Yep. But one of the things I suggest, in at least some cases, is that the addict has screwed people up more than they realize, and that the way that they approach. Approach the foundation and the the main floor, it's still in attic categories, as in, to go back to our first question, well, I can't prove this, yeah. And I was always told that I should be able to prove it. Well, that's not how this works, yeah. And so they they reject Christianity on certain enlightenment terms, but they don't reject Christianity as Christianity really is. So people are going to interact with Christianity, I would say sometimes your people are investigating, say the resurrection, and reflecting more on on these central claims, but they're still doing it as if, if it doesn't reach kind of 100% certainty that I can't believe. And that's just not how this works.Yeah, that's, that's food for thought, because there, there's so many people that I interact with that I try to encourage. Like, yeah, your experience was really bad, like I'm affirming that, and that was messed up. That's not That's not Christianity, that is a branch on this massive tree trunk that stinks and that needs to be lamented and grieved and also called out as wrong. So I'm using another metaphor of a tree instead. But I love the because the house metaphor is something that you use in the telling a better story. Isn't that surprised bydoubt? Surprised by doubt? Yes, that's that's what we use, and we march through things, and we use that as, really our guiding metaphor through all the chapters. And that's what I would encourage if you're if you have somebody who's struggling with this, or you're struggling with this yourself, that's That's why a friend of mine, Jack Carson, that's why we wrote the book together, because obviously this is a we had a lot of friends and acquaintances and people who were coming to us and we weren't fully satisfied with all of the kind of works, yeah, that were responding and so this, this was our attempt to try to helppeople. Well, the book right after that was, is telling a better story. And one of the things I've really appreciated in your emphasis over the last few years has been, I would call a more humane apology, apologetic in that, you know, not giving into, okay, we're gonna give you want evidence. We're gonna give you evidence, as opposed to like, okay, let's just talk about being a huma

Doug C. Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies, joins us for a captivating exploration into the world of sales optimization and scalable revenue. With his roots in sales beginning at his father's business, Doug has transformed into a visionary leader in sales strategies. In our discussion, Doug unveils the core principles of CEO Sales Strategies, stressing the necessity of a structured and systematic approach to secure predictable revenue streams. As we navigate the common hurdles businesses face, like setting clear goals and identifying right-fit buyers, Doug shares his invaluable perspective on the evolving role of AI in sales processes. He emphasizes the human aspect of selling, the importance of customer care, and how a structured sales process can be a game-changer. Our conversation also highlights the vital importance of business clarity and metrics in sustaining growth and avoiding chaos. Doug delves into how unmanaged growth can lead to business implosion and shares personal anecdotes, including a profound story about congenital hip dysplasia, underscoring the urgency of addressing root issues early. By examining micro measurements and uncovering hidden issues, Doug illustrates that real improvement calls for dedication and deep understanding, not just superficial fixes. Whether you're a seasoned sales veteran or new to the field, this episode is packed with actionable insights and strategies to enhance your sales success and business outcomes. Doug C. Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies, is a renowned Sales Revenue and Profit Growth Expert. He is the creator of a predictable, reliable, measurable, math-based model for sales revenue growth. Using this system, Doug helps businesses and independent business professionals dramatically increase their sales. Doug has served as the independent President of Sales and Training for Tony Robbins and Chet Holmes, achieving a 143% increase in close rates and a 4150% sales boost in six months. He has built over 35 businesses, generating over $900 million in sales for himself and his clients. His expertise has benefited companies like Intuit, CBS Television, Procter & Gamble, and thousands of other businesses. He has earned Top Sales Professional Awards and led high-performance teams. Doug's latest venture, Vibitno, is a revolutionary sales automation software designed to increase sales revenue by enhancing follow-up efficiency, boosting client retention, and increasing sales productivity. For four decades, Doug has shared his knowledge to help others achieve extraordinary sales growth through simple, effective steps.   Quotes: "Predictable sales revenue growth starts with clarity. Without it, chaos will eventually consume your business." "Selling is human. It's about solving a problem, gaining an opportunity, or achieving a goal, not just pushing a product." "If you want to make more sales, you need a process. It's like a dance—without a rhythm, you'll step on your partner's toes." "The key to scalable revenue is understanding your numbers. Wishful thinking won't hit your targets; clear metrics will."   Links: Website (CEO Sales Strategies): https://ceosalesstrategies.com/ Vibitno: https://vibitno.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dougcbrown123/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougbrown123/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dougcbrown_/ CEO Sales Strategies LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceosalesstrategies Follow-Up Masterclass: http://ceosalesstrategies.com/stoptheleak   Find this episode and all other Sales Lead Dog episodes at https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ Tired of your CRM sucking the life out of your team? Visit https://crmshouldntsuck.com to get the book, get your CRM Impact Score, and discover how to rescue your system—and your sanity.

Intuit's transformation from a DIY financial software company to an AI-driven expert platform forms the backbone of this compelling conversation between the company's Chief Technology Officer, Alex Balazs, and Magellan Portfolio Manager and Sector Head, Ryan Joyce. Together, they explore how Intuit uses generative AI to deliver done-for-you solutions for its 100 million customers by blending huge amounts of data, deep domain expertise, and broad platform capabilities. Alex shares his long-term vision for how AI will reshape the user experience, including video avatars, instant and secure money movement, and new forms of digital trust. With only a fraction of its total addressable market currently served, Intuit sees massive growth potential both in the US and globally — and believes it's uniquely positioned to deliver the next wave of “killer apps” that truly empower small business prosperity.

In this episode, I sit down with René Lacerte, founder and CEO of Bill. René shares his entrepreneurial journey from growing up in a fintech family to building one of the most successful SMB financial platforms. We dive into his failed pitch to Intuit that led to his first company, why he parted ways with PayCycle to start Bill, and how he navigated the company through the Great Recession while dealing with personal loss. René also discusses his decision to go public in 2019, the strategic acquisition of Divvy, and why he believes accountability drives performance. We explore how AI is transforming financial operations and his insights on building for the underserved SMB market.René Lacerte: https://www.linkedin.com/in/renelacerte/00:00:00 - There's Nothing Like Being a Public Company00:00:31 - René's Journey: From Fintech Family to Founder00:02:08 - What Was Your Mother Doing the Night You Were Born?00:03:16 - The Dinner Table MBA: Learning Business from Family00:05:22 - From Florida to Silicon Valley: Early Tech Roots00:07:18 - The Failed Intuit Pitch That Started Everything00:09:16 - PayCycle: From Nanny Payroll to Accounting Firms00:11:14 - Why René Left PayCycle to Start Bill00:14:20 - The Great Recession: Laying Off 40% of the Team00:18:36 - Why Solo Founders Make Faster Decisions00:22:16 - How to Reach SMBs: Go Where They Trust00:24:34 - The Scale That Unlocked Bill's IPO Journey00:27:05 - Why Accountability Drives Better Performance00:31:07 - The Problem with Dual Class Share Structures00:33:22 - The Divvy Acquisition: Getting 100% of Spend Data00:38:15 - Bill vs Competition: We Started with Financial Ops00:42:10 - How AI Will Create Fortune 500 Teams for SMBs00:44:36 - Building for SMBs: Passion and Hacking Solutions___Connect with Rex on social media:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rexsalisbury/Twitter: https://twitter.com/rexsalisburyTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rex.salisburyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rexsalisbury/

In this episode, Zach sits down with Shaun Shirazian, CEO of Lodgify, for an unfiltered conversation about what's next in hospitality tech—and what's not changing. Shaun shares how a meaningful moment on a San Diego balcony more than a decade ago sparked his passion for short-term rentals, and how that guest connection still drives his work building tools for small operators around the globe. We unpack Lodgify's long-standing mission to “arm the underdogs” by empowering independent hosts and managers with the same technology advantages as the big players. Shaun draws a clear line between his upbringing as the son of immigrants, his experience at companies like Intuit and PipeDrive, and the deep conviction that great tech should level the playing field for the little guys. But this episode isn't just philosophical—it's tactical. Shaun offers a refreshingly honest take on: Why switching PMSs still feels painful, and what needs to change. How Lodgify is navigating its role as both OTA partner and direct booking champion. What's holding back the direct booking experience (hint: it's not just UX). How the best future software will be invisible—delivering outcomes, not dashboards. We also talk AI, and Shaun shares why Lodgify is entering what he calls its “13-year-old growth spurt,” a new chapter he's dubbed Lodgify 2.0. Think: fewer clunky interfaces, more Stripe-like booking flows, and a relentless focus on what hosts have always cared about—trust, time savings, and more bookings. This one's for the rebels, the brand builders, and anyone who's ever screamed at a janky checkout page and thought, “There has to be a better way.” Behind the Stays is brought to you by Journey — a first-of-its-kind loyalty program that brings together an alliance of the world's top independently owned and operated stays and allows travelers to earn points and perks on boutique hotels, vacation rentals, treehouses, ski chalets, glamping experiences and so much more. Your host is Zach Busekrus, Head of the Journey Alliance. If you are a hospitality entrepreneur who has a stay, or a collection of stays with soul, we'd love for you to apply to join our Alliance at journey.com/alliance. 

What does it mean to design experiences in a world where pixels are no longer the focus? In this episode, service design thought-leader and author Erika Flowers shares her thoughts on how designers must evolve as AI transforms the tools, processes, and expectations of our work. Erika shares lessons from her journey—spanning early web design, pioneering service blueprinting at Intuit, and orchestrating experiences at NASA—and offers a forward-looking take on why skills like facilitation, systems thinking, and storytelling will define the future of design.About Erika Flowers: helloerikaflowers.com | LinkedInRelated NN/g CoursesService BlueprintingAccelerating Research with AIAI for Design WorkflowsRelated Free NN/g Articles:How Service Design Will Evolve with AI AgentsThe Future-Proof DesignerWhy I'm Not Worried About My UX Job in the Era of AIMore Free Articles on AI

Live from the Sage Future conference in Atlanta, Aaron Harris, CTO of Sage, joins Blake and David to explain why he wants to completely eliminate the financial close rather than just make it faster. Harris breaks down the three waves of AI transformation in accounting—from task-based automation to generative AI to fully autonomous agents—and reveals how Sage is building custom language models trained specifically on accounting principles with the AICPA. He also discusses the psychology of trust between CFOs and AI systems, introduces Sage's new AI transparency labels, and explains why his company is taking a more cautious approach than competitors like Intuit when deploying autonomous agents.Meet Our Guest, Aaron Harris, CTO, SageLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-harris-7407b2/Website: https://www.sageintacct.com/leadership/aaron-harrisX: https://x.com/AaronRHarrisLearn more about Sagehttps://www.sage.com/Need CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring The Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/OvercastClassifiedsWant to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running a classified ad. Go here to create your classified ad: https://cloudacctpod.link/RunClassifiedAdTranscriptsThe full transcript for this episode is available by clicking on the Transcript tab at the top of this page

LaVar is joined this week by two finalist for the Campbell Trophy, Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser and UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard. LaVar chats with each about their play on the field, the achievements in the classroom and what the Campbell Trophy means to them. Named in honor of the late William V. Campbell, the former chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF's Gold Medal, The William V. Campbell Trophy® has become the most prestigious and desirable "academic" award in college football. The trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Takeaways: Playing at Notre Dame is a prestigious honor. The Campbell Trophy recognizes academic and athletic excellence. Handling success is crucial for team growth. Academic performance directly impacts athletic performance. Identity beyond football is essential for personal development. Football provides unique life experiences and opportunities. Community service is a vital part of being a student-athlete. Education is key for future aspirations beyond football. The evolution of linebacker play requires adaptability and skill. Football represents a way of life and personal fulfillment. #upongame #fsrweekends #2ProsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

LaVar is joined this week by two finalist for the Campbell Trophy, Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser and UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard. LaVar chats with each about their play on the field, the achievements in the classroom and what the Campbell Trophy means to them. Named in honor of the late William V. Campbell, the former chairman of Intuit, former player and head coach at Columbia University and the 2004 recipient of the NFF's Gold Medal, The William V. Campbell Trophy® has become the most prestigious and desirable "academic" award in college football. The trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. Takeaways: Playing at Notre Dame is a prestigious honor. The Campbell Trophy recognizes academic and athletic excellence. Handling success is crucial for team growth. Academic performance directly impacts athletic performance. Identity beyond football is essential for personal development. Football provides unique life experiences and opportunities. Community service is a vital part of being a student-athlete. Education is key for future aspirations beyond football. The evolution of linebacker play requires adaptability and skill. Football represents a way of life and personal fulfillment. #upongame #fsrweekends #2ProsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us feedback or episode suggestions.What does it take to transform 121 years of automotive legacy into a modern digital ecosystem? Catherine Dubut, Director of Global UX Strategy at Ford Pro, joins Chris Strahl to share how her team is reengineering the organization's fragmented product landscape into a scalable, unified digital assembly line.With over 80 legacy sites, 20+ global markets, and deeply siloed teams, the scale and complexity of Ford Pro's challenge was immense. Catherine explains how her team brought structure to chaos—combining elements from outdated systems, building new foundations where needed, and stitching them together into a single, coherent design system. From establishing governance and cross-functional collaboration to introducing micro frontends and scaling adoption, this episode offers a playbook for modernizing UX at enterprise scale.Key themes:Designing for fleets, not just drivers—multiple users, journeys, and roles per customerReplatforming 80+ tools across legacy systems and international business unitsBuilding a design system through consolidation, extension, and future-proofingUsing micro frontends to bridge disparate tech stacks across Ford ProMeasuring success through design efficiency, team adoption, and developer alignmentView the transcript of this episode.Check out our upcoming events.If you want to get in touch with the show, ask some questions, or tell us what you think, send us a message over on LinkedIn.GuestCatherine Dubut is Director of Global UX Strategy at Ford Pro, the commercial business of Ford Motor Company. She oversees a global team of individual contributors and managers across design, user research, information architecture, and content strategy. Catherine is a seasoned UX leader with a track record of designing impactful experiences, driving UX practice maturity, and digital transformation at dynamic brands at places like Samsung Electronics, REI, and Intuit. Based in Seattle, Catherine's been involved in design community activities including organizing local events, mentoring underrepresented UX professionals, public speaking, and writing. She enjoys exploring cities, outdoors, architecture, and other adventures with her husband, daughter, and terrier mix rescue.HostChris Strahl is co-founder and CEO of Knapsack, host of @TheDSPod, DnD DM, and occasional river guide. You can find Chris on Twitter as @chrisstrahl and on LinkedIn.SponsorSponsored by Knapsack, the design system platform that brings teams together. Learn more at knapsack.cloud.

Ben Stein from Keeper and Tal Ben Bassat from Anchor join the show to discuss their new integration that automatically configures client workflows in Keeper when proposals are signed in Anchor. The conversation covers how this partnership eliminates manual onboarding tasks, explores the broader trend of best-in-class apps working together rather than platform consolidation, and touches on recent Intuit API changes affecting the accounting software ecosystem. Both guests share their experiences developing the integration and their vision for improved connectivity across accounting technology tools.SponsorsBDO Alliance - https://uqb.promo/bdo(00:00) - Welcome to The Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast (00:39) - Exciting News: Keeper and Anchor Integration (01:53) - Details of the New Integration (04:03) - Customer-Driven Development (07:52) - Real-Life Use Cases (11:18) - Understanding Keeper and Anchor (14:50) - Initial Feedback and Reactions (16:10) - Admiration and Problem-Solving Approaches (18:39) - Industry Trends and Platform Consolidation (27:22) - Impact of Intuit's API Changes (31:11) - Future of Accounting Technology (33:19) - Upcoming Conference and Fun Plans (35:15) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts Keeper: https://keeper.app/?via=4aaea6Anchor: https://join.sayanchor.com/iX6Hba  Mention Royalwise when you sign up to get a $50 creditScaling New Heights: https://www.woodard.com/scaling-new-heights-2025•Keeper Karaoke on Monday•Grab a tutu for Tutu Tuesday at the Royalwise booth, •Royalwise Pool Party at Cabana #9 on Wednesday!Alicia's QBO Hands-on Training course: http://royl.ws/QBO-complete?affiliate=5393907

Creativity through the lens of a photographer and storyteller"You can do anything you want. The level of success is not the measure that matters."Brian Doben's ongoing “At Work” series documents everyone from tattoo artists and sumo wrestlers to Chemists and prosthetic Limb designers wherever they are. His process has brought him all over the world from L.A., Tokyo and Mumbai, to Cuba, Israel, Australia and all over the US.  ‘At Work' is a study of our world and how the people in it follow their unique callings. Brian released several dozen of his “At Work” portraits in a book of the same name while simultaneously presenting them at the photography festival Les Rencontres d'Arles in 2013. Since then he's released a steady stream of portraits over the years.Brian's own work for his editorial clients that include GQ, Vanity Fair, Travel & Leisure, and Town & Country has brought him to far-flung locations like Madagascar, Antarctica, and even the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Each of these cultures have taught him new things about how humans approach the important work they do and how to bring that to life.He takes the authentic touch he's earned from ‘At Work' into his fashion and celebrity work offering a natural style that is all his own. His advertising clients – that include American Express, Apple, Cadillac, Chase, Ford, Google, Intel, Intuit, Lexus, PayPal, Sony, UPS, and Wells Fargo amongst many others – benefit from his ability to compose complex images and capture genuine moments that emerge on their own under his direction.Brian has received awards from the Society of Publication Designers, American Photography, and Photo District News for his work. He was one of PDN's 30 Under 30, Kodak's Photographer of the year, and the inaugural photographer on PDN and Kodak's “Emerging Artists Series” website. His work is also part of the Museum of the City of New York's permanent collection. Brian was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he currently lives outside Boston with his wife and daughter.www.briandoben.comwww.atworkproject.comhttps://vimeo.com/569989289Send us a text

Here's a link to that email from Intuit https://x.com/EmDeeEm/status/1925998610883219951

ConnectWise has launched a unified MSP platform and an ASIO-powered professional services automation (PSA) solution at their IT Nation Secure event. The new offerings aim to streamline operations for managed service providers (MSPs) by providing features such as unified log management, automated alert triage, and customizable dashboards. The ConnectWise Pro package bundles essential tools into a single contract, allowing partners to choose flexible pricing models. This strategic move is designed to enhance operational efficiency and position ConnectWise as a central player in the MSP ecosystem.In a significant industry shift, Kaseya has appointed Rania Sukar as its new CEO, coinciding with ConnectWise's event. Sukar, a former executive at Google and Intuit, brings a wealth of experience in technology solutions for small businesses. Her focus on enhancing customer experience and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for profitability reflects a broader trend in the industry. The timing of her appointment is seen as a strategic maneuver to capture attention during a competitor's major announcement, indicating Kaseya's intent to assert its presence in the market.Breach SecureNow has introduced the first generative AI certification program tailored for MSPs, aiming to equip them with the knowledge to guide clients through AI adoption. This certification is crucial as AI becomes increasingly integrated into small and medium-sized businesses, often without proper management. By providing a structured framework for AI usage and cybersecurity best practices, Breach SecureNow positions itself as a leader in AI training for MSPs, potentially setting a standard in the industry.The venture capital landscape is undergoing a transformation, with a notable slowdown in traditional funding rounds, particularly at the seed stage. New data indicates that nearly half of all seed deals are now classified as bridge rounds, reflecting market volatility. Investors are shifting their focus towards acquiring established service-oriented companies and enhancing them with AI, a strategy that could reshape competition and valuation in the IT services sector. This evolving investment model emphasizes the need for MSPs to adapt to the changing landscape and consider how AI can enhance their operations and profitability. Four things to know today 00:00 ConnectWise Modernizes PSA, Bundles Tools Under “Pro” Brand, and Launches Endpoint Solution with Microsoft and Pax803:56 New Kaseya CEO Rania Succar Brings Small Business Tech Focus, Amid Strategic Timing06:25 Breach Secure Now Launches First AI Certification for MSPs as NinjaOne Acquires Dropsuite, Radware Expands Threat Intel08:47 As Series A Deals Collapse, Investors Shift to AI-Powered Roll-Ups of Service Businesses This is the Business of Tech.    Supported by: https://getflexpoint.com/msp-radio/https://www.huntress.com/mspradio/ All our Sponsors: https://businessof.tech/sponsors/ Do you want the show on your podcast app or the written versions of the stories? Subscribe to the Business of Tech: https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe/Looking for a link from the stories? The entire script of the show, with links to articles, are posted in each story on https://www.businessof.tech/ Support the show on Patreon: https://patreon.com/mspradio/ Want to be a guest on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights? Send Dave Sobel a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech Want our stuff? Cool Merch? Wear “Why Do We Care?” - Visit https://mspradio.myspreadshop.com Follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079/YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftechBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Visit thedigitalslicepodcast.com for complete show notes of every podcast episode. In this episode of The Digital Slice Podcast, Brad Friedman and Dmitry Dragilev discuss the state of SEO in 2025 and the tactics your brand needs to succeed. Dmitry Dragilev is an online entrepreneur who has built four software businesses, which were acquired by Google in 2014, Semrush in 2023, early Slack employees, and Mangools in 2024. His current role is the Growth Advisor at Mangools, where he is helping scale a set of simple and powerful SEO tools for any business or brand. He has utilized unconventional content marketing, PR, and SEO to scale his companies and achieve all four exits.  He has consulted and helped over 100 companies in the last decade, including DowJones, Realtor.com, Nextiva, Aura, Pipedrive, Wistia, CultureAmp, Backlinko, Helpscout rank #1 organically on Google for their key terms. Dmitry is a contributor for Intuit, Forbes, Entrepreneur, TheNextWeb, TechCrunch, Moz, AListApart, SEMRush, Mashable, Huffington Post, WIRED and many others. The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by Magai. Up your AI game at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai

Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business and you'll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- In this episode of The Exit: Nellie Akalp, founder and CEO of CorpNet, takes us on a no-fluff journey from launching her first business with just $100 to securing a 20x EBITDA exit to Intuit — all before turning 32. Nellie shares: How she and her husband bootstrapped MyCorporation from their apartment. What made their business irresistible to Intuit (spoiler: no debt, no investors, ultra-clean books). Why the post-acquisition “early retirement” didn't last — and how that led to launching CorpNet in 2009 during the height of the recession. The pivotal B2B pivot that transformed CorpNet's growth, including the launch of their Partner Program. How COVID turned into a major growth inflection point, scaling the team from 15 to 200 Why boundaries and mental wellness are non-negotiable for modern founders.. If you're a business owner thinking about exit strategy, reinvention, or how to scale sustainably while protecting your peace — this episode is packed with golden insights from someone who's lived it twice. -- Nellie Akalp is an entrepreneur, small business advocate, and mother of four little rockstars. As founder and CEO of CorpNet.com, she has helped more than half a million entrepreneurs start their businesses. Through CorpNet.com, Nellie has also partnered with business professionals such as attorneys, CPAs and more as their silent fulfillment partner helping them incorporate and form LLCs for their clients. Nellie has been named a Top 100 Small Business Influencer by Small Business Trends for the past four years and counting. In 2016 she was named Women Business Owner of the Year by NAWBO VC and her company, CorpNet.com, has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies in America in 2015 and 2016. Website: https://www.corpnet.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corpnet/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/corpnet.com/ Nellie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nellieakalp/ -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You'll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

Intuit has announced major changes to their API ecosystem, introducing usage-based pricing for developers starting July 28th while simultaneously launching new APIs for inventory adjustments, custom fields, projects, sales tax, and payroll compensation. Hector Garcia joins Alicia and breaks down how these changes will impact everything from app pricing models to the future of third-party integrations, explaining why smaller developers may struggle while larger companies like Bill.com and Avalara will likely absorb the costs. The discussion explores whether this represents a strategic move toward platform consolidation and what it means for the freemium model that many QuickBooks-connected apps currently rely on.SponsorsDebits - https://uqb.promo/debitsResources LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14630719/YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UnofficialQuickBooksPodcastEmail: unofficialquickbookspodcast@gmail.com The new Intuit Developer Platform: https://blogs.intuit.com/2025/05/15/introducing-the-intuit-app-partner-program/Hector's Reframe events: https://reframe.shoprocket.io/#!/reframe-2025-effective-pricing-for-accountantsAlicia's new QBO Complete 2025 book + eBook: http://www.questivaconsultants.comAlicia's Hands-on Training course starting July 21, 2025: http://royl.ws/QBO-complete (00:00) - Welcome to The Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast (01:32) - Intuit's New API Guidelines (02:27) - Metering and Costs for API Usage (03:25) - Impact on Small and Large Apps (04:16) - New API Access Points (04:44) - Inventory Adjustment API (08:49) - Custom Fields API (10:39) - Projects API (13:19) - Sales Tax API (16:38) - Payroll Compensation API (20:15) - API Monetization and Timelines (22:21) - Metering and Pricing Adjustments (24:26) - API Credits and Developer Tiers (25:57) - Impact on App Developers (34:24) - Intuit's Strategic Moves (39:27) - Upcoming Events and Personal Updates

What happens when Congress passes a $3.8 trillion deficit-increasing bill by just one vote while promising fiscal responsibility? Blake and David break down the "Big Beautiful Bill" and reveal who really benefits—spoiler alert: it's not the middle class or the national debt. They explore QuickBooks' aggressive new AI agents rollout with price hikes up to 17%, examine why Tesla's CPA CFO earned $139 million in one year, and uncover how tariff-stressed businesses are weaponizing invoice rejections to manage cash flow. You'll discover why the time-based billing model is fundamentally broken in accounting, learn about the emerging "Next 12" tier of accounting firms, and understand why partners work the most hours while achieving only 6.9/10 job satisfaction.Sponsors Relay - http://accountingpodcast.promo/relayTeamUp - http://accountingpodcast.promo/teamup REFRAME 2025 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2025 Payhawk - http://accountingpodcast.promo/payhawkChapters(00:44) - The Big Beautiful Bill Act Overview (03:13) - Public Perception and Survey Insights (04:51) - Tax Implications and Specific Provisions (19:24) - National Debt Concerns (29:35) - QuickBooks AI Agents and Price Increases (32:52) - AI and Automation in Accounting (33:52) - Intuit's Earnings and Stock Performance (34:53) - Price Increases for QuickBooks Products (36:53) - AI Agents and QuickBooks Plans (38:01) - Impact of AI on Accounting Apps (38:56) - Intuit Enterprise and Accountants' Role (39:28) - Reframe 2025 Conference (42:40) - Big Four Transparency and Work Hours (48:18) - Tariffs and Invoice Rejections (54:52) - Big Four vs. Next 12 Accounting Firms (01:00:48) - Conclusion and CPE Information  Show NotesDo Americans Support Trump's 'Big, Beautiful' Budget Package? What Poll Found Before it Passed in House https://www.cpapracticeadvisor.com/2025/05/22/do-americans-support-trumps-big-beautiful-budget-package-what-poll-found-before-it-passed-in-house/161567/ Tesla CFO earns staggering $139 million compensation package https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/tesla-cfo-earns-staggering-139-million-compensation-package Tesla Exec Receives Record Pay Package, Highest Paid CFO https://www.entrepreneur.com/business-news/tesla-exec-receives-record-pay-package-highest-paid-cfo/491938 Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja draws record $139 million salary https://americanbazaaronline.com/2025/05/21/tesla-cfo-vaibhav-taneja-draws-record-139-million-salary-462881/ Big 4 Transparency - Awards Season https://big4transparency.beehiiv.com/p/big-4-transparency-awards-season Tariffs & Trade Uncertainty Creates Invoice Rejections Surge https://procurementmag.com/news/tariffs-trade-uncertainty-creates-invoice-rejections-surgeInvoice rejection spike suggests tactic's use as tariff buffer, study says https://www.cfodive.com/news/invoice-rejection-spike-suggests-tactics-use-as-tariff-buffer-study-says/748528/ Art of Accounting: Analysis of Top 100 Firms data https://www.accountingtoday.com/opinion/art-of-accounting-analysis-of-top-100-firms-data The corporate work week grows even longer https://www.cfo.com/news/the-corporate-work-week-grows-even-longer-survey-microsoft-reclaim-ai-/748628/ Need CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAccountingPodcastSpotify: http://cloudacctpod.link/SpotifyPodchaser: http://cloudacctpod.link/podchaserStitcher: http://cloudacctpod.link/StitcherOvercast: http://cloudacctpod.link/OvercastClassifiedsREFRAME 2025 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2025Want to get the word out about your newsletter, webinar, party, Facebook group, podcast, e-book, job posting, or that fancy Excel macro you just created? Let the listeners of The Accounting Podcast know by running...

What determines value in your company? What should founders be asking themselves regarding pricing to determine value in their company? How do you know an effective negotiation strategy? On today's episode, Paul Watts welcomes back Sonia Dumas. Sonia is a selling strategist, entrepreneur, and co-author of The Market Ownership Method: 7 Proven Principles and One Profitable Plan for Higher ROI Clients. Sonia has worked with industry giants like Intuit, Investopedia, Starwood, and Marriott, just to name a few. Today she will discuss experience-based negation strategies and effective negation tactics. Outline of This Episode (0:00) Introduction to Sonia Dumas (1:15) The Difference Between Strategy and Tactics in Negotiation (4:45) Sonia's Most Effective Negotiation Strategy (9:55) Planning for Successful Negotiations (11:30) Managing Complex Sales: Simplify (13:00) Counteracting Aggressive Negotiation Tactics (15:00) The Top Three Negotiation Dos and Dont's Resources & People Mentioned The Market Ownership Method: 7 Proven Principles and One Profitable Plan for Higher ROI Clients Connect with Sonia Dumas Sonia Dumas - WOMEN Sales Pros Connect With Paul Watts  LinkedIn Twitter  Subscribe to SALES REINVENTED Audio Production and Show notes by PODCAST FAST TRACK https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Ezra Kebrab is CEO and Co-Founder of Caliza (https://www.caliza.com), a platform leveraging stablecoin infrastructure to revolutionize cross-border payments, enabling instant, cost-effective international transactions, with a focus on Latin America. Ezra shares his journey from leading fintech initiatives at Visa and Intuit to building Caliza's API-driven platform that bridges the gap in global finance. He also discusses how Caliza is reshaping the future of stable finance in Latin America, tackling regulatory and compliance challenges, his thoughts on the on-chain settlement buildout - DREX in Brazil, and driving innovation to make digital dollar accounts accessible to all, no matter where they are.

On this edition of The Arts Section, host Gary Zidek checks in with the CEO of the remodeled and rebranded Intuit Museum of Art. The Dueling Critics, Kelly Kleiman and Jonathan Abarbanel, joins Gary to review a new adaptation of the 1921 play RUR. Later in the show, Gary takes you with to the Morton Arboretum to check out a new sculpture exhibition. And he'll catch up with local artist Crème Sheri, who has spent the past two decades drawing jazz artists as they perform on stage.

Plus: Booz Allen Hamilton stock dips as President Trump cracks down on federal spending. Retailers Ross Stores and Decker's Outdoor cite uncertainties due to tariffs. Software maker Intuit reports better-than-forecast quarterly results. Ariana Aspuru hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could the Pope be on the hook for US taxes? As the first American elected Pope, Leo XIV faces an unusual conundrum under US citizenship rules. Meanwhile, Intuit's controversial new API pricing has developers reeling, and Hector Garcia joins the conversation to explain why this "tariff" threatens the entire QuickBooks ecosystem. Blake and David also examine how companies use foreign trade zones to dodge Trump's tariffs, unpack the AICPA's new CPA licensure model, and reveal shocking numbers on government fraud that could approach $1 trillion annually. Plus, discover why 99.99% of Trump Memecoin buyers lost money while just 58 wallets walked away with billions.Sponsors REFRAME 2025 - http://accountingpodcast.promo/reframe2025 TeamUp - http://accountingpodcast.promo/teamupBluevine - http://accountingpodcast.promo/bluevine (Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.) Payhawk - http://accountingpodcast.promo/payhawkChapters(01:54) - South Carolina State Treasurer Ousted (04:04) - Deal CEO Relocates Amid Lawsuit (05:28) - Live Stream Interactions (07:29) - Introducing Hector Garcia and Reframe (08:19) - Intuit Developer Program Changes (09:53) - Discussion on API Charges and Developer Impact (16:37) - Speculations and Theories on Intuit's Strategy (28:56) - Reframe Conference Details (31:30) - Trump's Tariffs and Foreign Trade Zones (33:52) - Introduction to Free Trade Zones (34:42) - Arizona's Dominance in Free Trade Zones (37:41) - Legal Challenges to Trump's Tariffs (40:29) - Intuit's Political Maneuvering (44:53) - New CPA Licensure Model (57:43) - Fraud and Government Inefficiencies (01:06:27) - Closing Remarks and New Podcasts  Show NotesSouth Carolina Senate votes to remove state treasurer over $1.8 billion accounting error https://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article287284067.htmlDeal CEO Alex Bouaziz relocates to Dubai amid Rippling lawsuit https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/15/deal-ceo-alex-bouaziz-has-relocated-to-dubai-amid-the-rippling-lawsuit/Rippling raises $450 million at $16.8 billion valuation https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/16/rippling-raises-450m-at-16-8b-valuation/AICPA and NASBA release model legislation for new CPA licensure pathway https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2024/apr/aicpa-nasba-release-model-legislation-new-cpa-licensure-pathway.htmlFlorida Institute of CPAs successfully pauses bill to eliminate licensing boards https://www.ficpa.org/article/ficpa-advocacy-update-on-house-bill-639American Pope Leo XIV may need to file US tax returns https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/23/american-pope-leo-xiv-may-need-to-file-us-tax-returns.htmlForeign Trade Zones become tariff shelters amid Trump's trade policies https://www.wsj.com/economy/tariffs/foreign-trade-zones-become-tariff-shelters-for-small-firms-a5e81093Federal court questions constitutionality of Trump's Liberation Day tariffs https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-trade-court-questions-legality-biden-tariffs-2024-04-17/Elon Musk stepping aside at DOGE while work continues through 2026 https://www.axios.com/2024/04/22/elon-musk-stepping-aside-doge-juneIRS fails to meet improper payment rate goals for refundable tax credits https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/auditreports/2024reports/202440032fr.pdfCriminal groups stealing up to $1 trillion from US government programs https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/hackers-stealing-us-government-money-rcna15002499.99% of Trump Memecoin buyers lost money while 58 wallets made over $10 million each https://www.chainalysis.com/reports/trump-memecoin-analysis-2024/Intuit's record lobbying spending and Republican support to eliminate IRS Direct File https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/04/intuit-turbotax-parent-spends-record-on-lobbying-amid-direct-file-rollout/Intuit Developer Program Changes https://developer.intuit.com/app/developer/homepageNeed CPE?Get CPE for listening to podcasts with Earmark: https://earmarkcpe.comSubscribe to the Earmark Podcast: https://podcast.earmarkcpe.comGet in TouchThanks for listening and the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. If you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on Apple Podcasts or Podchaser. Call us and leave a voicemail; maybe we'll play it on the show. DIAL (202) 695-1040.SponsorshipsAre you interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus.Need Accounting Conference Info? Check out our new website - accountingconferences.comLimited edition shirts, stickers, and other necessitiesTeePublic Store: http://cloudacctpod.link/merchSubscribeApple Podcasts: http://cloudacctpod.link/ApplePodcastsYouTube:

Adam Crisafulli of Vital Knowledge and Nicole Webb of Wealth Enhancement Group break down the market action today and whether more pain is ahead. Earnings highlights included results from Workday, Autodesk, Deckers, Ross Stores, and Intuit. Jon sits down for the latest commentary from Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi. In Washington, the Trump budget bill took a major step forward—Raymond James policy analyst Ed Mills talks through the implications for investors—including winners and losers. Sean Henry, CEO of logistics firm Stord, on how companies are reshaping supply chains in a new world for global trade. 

Alicia delivers a complete rundown of Intuit's May 2025 announcements from both "In the Know" and Firm of the Future. QuickBooks Bill Pay now offers same-day payments and check image viewing, while Enterprise Suite introduces multi-entity dashboards with consolidated reporting across companies. Notable updates include annual QuickBooks Ledger billing, Intuit Connect registration opening May 28th, and third-party app management improvements allowing all admins to manage integrations.SponsorsHuman at Scale - https://uqb.promo/humanDebits - https://uqb.promo/debits(00:00) - Welcome to The Unofficial QuickBooks Accountants Podcast (02:29) - Upcoming Webinars and Events (05:45) - Bill Pay Enhancements (11:04) - ProConnect Tax Updates (12:34) - Intuit Enterprise Suite Enhancements (17:36) - Additional Announcements from Firm of the Future (22:12) - QuickBooks Checking and Cashflow Tools (23:20) - Wrap-up and Sign-Off Resources LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14630719/YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UnofficialQuickBooksPodcastEmail: unofficialquickbookspodcast@gmail.com Firm of the Future Product Updates, May 2025: https://www.firmofthefuture.com/product-update/may-2025-mpu/ProAdvisor Spotlight with Dan Luthi and Brittney Brown: https://www.firmofthefuture.com/thought-leadership/next-generation-of-accountants/Alicia's QuickBooks Checking and Cash Flow class: http://royl.ws/cashflow 

In this episode of the Next Level Healing Podcast, Dr. Tara Perry interviews John K. Bates, Founder of Executive Speaking Success. John has trained and coached leaders at NASA—including the astronauts—GE Aerospace, US Navy Special Operations, Johnson & Johnson's JLABS, Boston Scientific, Google, Intuit, and many more. His programs consistently earn Net Promoter Scores of 92+, and his clients don't just thank him—they recommend him as the best leadership communication coach working today.Work with Dr. Tara PerryTune in every week for a new episode of Next Level Healing. Subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform and never miss an episode!

Dive into San Diego's evolving product management landscape with Vidya Dinamani as she announces the inaugural Product Management Summit. Learn how the local tech ecosystem has matured and why bringing world-class product leadership to San Diego matters. Key Topics: • San Diego Product Management Summit (June 5-6) • Evolution from Intuit leadership to Product Rebels • Building Product Tank's 2,500+ member community • Customer-centric product development methodologies • San Diego's maturing tech ecosystem   Links & Resources: Product Management Summit Product Rebeles   Connect with Vidya: LinkedIn: Vidya Dinamani Connect with Neal: LinkedIn: Neal Bloom Twitter: @NealBloom

Nadav Eylath, founder and managing partner of at.inc, shares his philosophy of early-stage investing rooted in trust, long-term thinking, and technical rigor. Nadav talks about backing founders at the very inception of their startup journey—sometimes even before they've left their jobs. He explains how asking questions like “What kind of company will this be in 30 years?” leads to deeper conviction and better partnerships. Nadav also shares his views on why venture capital needs to evolve and how a flexible, founder-first approach can reshape the industry.In this episode, you'll learn:[01:49] From building treehouses to model airplanes: Nadav's early love for tech and tinkering[03:26] How informal advising turned into full-time investing[04:57] The meaning behind the name at.inc and how it reflects the firm's thesis[10:01] “What kind of company will this be in 30 years?”—the power of visionary questions[13:30] Building conviction: fast no's, thoughtful yes's[15:51] How early-stage founders can build a relationship with Nadav[20:14] Why Nadav says no: timing and fit[24:07] How venture capital should evolve to serve today's foundersThe nonprofit organization Nadav is passionate about: Tel Aviv UniversityAbout Nadav EylathNadav Eylath is the founder and managing partner of at.inc, a venture capital firm that invests at the very inception of startups. With a background in data science, marketing, and company-building, Nadav brings an operator's empathy and a long-term investor's lens to early-stage ventures. His career spans roles at startups acquired by companies like Intuit, as well as over a decade of deliberate, hands-on venture investing. Nadav's approach is grounded in trust, curiosity, and a passion for helping founders bring technically ambitious and globally relevant ideas to life.About at.incat.inc—short for “at incorporation or at inception”—is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that backs startups from day zero. The firm invests in deeply technical companies with global potential, often writing the first check when founders are just forming their ideas. Generalist by design, at.inc partners with entrepreneurs across sectors, emphasizing long-term vision, high trust, and a hands-on approach. With a focused investment pace and founder-first philosophy, at.inc supports startups throughout their full journey, from inception to global scale.Subscribe to our podcast and stay tuned for our next episode.

Vibe coding is having a moment.The buzzy new phrase was coined earlier this year by OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy to describe his process of programming by prompting AI. It's been embraced by tech professionals and amateurs alike. Google, Microsoft and Apple have or are developing their own AI-assisted coding platforms while vibe coding startups like Cursor are raking in funding.Marketplace's Meghan McCarty Carino recently spoke with Clarence Huang, vice president of technology at the financial software company Intuit and an early adopter of vibe coding, about how the practice has changed how he approaches building software.More on this“What is vibe coding, exactly?” - from MIT Technology Review“New ‘Slopsquatting' Threat Emerges from AI-Generated Code Hallucinations” - from HackRead“Three-minute explainer on… slopsquatting” - from Raconteur

Vibe coding is having a moment.The buzzy new phrase was coined earlier this year by OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy to describe his process of programming by prompting AI. It's been embraced by tech professionals and amateurs alike. Google, Microsoft and Apple have or are developing their own AI-assisted coding platforms while vibe coding startups like Cursor are raking in funding.Marketplace's Meghan McCarty Carino recently spoke with Clarence Huang, vice president of technology at the financial software company Intuit and an early adopter of vibe coding, about how the practice has changed how he approaches building software.More on this“What is vibe coding, exactly?” - from MIT Technology Review“New ‘Slopsquatting' Threat Emerges from AI-Generated Code Hallucinations” - from HackRead“Three-minute explainer on… slopsquatting” - from Raconteur

Bob Parsons is a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and was awarded a Purple Heart. After graduating from college, he founded Parsons Technology, which was later sold to Intuit. He then founded GoDaddy, which became the world's largest domain name registrar. He later sold a majority stake in GoDaddy and founded YAM Worldwide. He also founded PXG, a golf club company, and The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, which supports marginalized populations. Parsons is also the author of the bestselling book "FIRE IN THE HOLE!". Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://www.tryarmra.com/srs https://www.identityguard.com/srs https://www.betterhelp.com/srs This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. https://www.blackbuffalo.com https://www.boncharge.com/srs https://www.meetfabric.com/shawn https://www.shawnlikesgold.com https://www.helixsleep.com/srs https://www.hillsdale.edu/srs https://www.patriotmobile.com/srs https://www.rocketmoney.com/srs Bob Parsons Links: X - https://x.com/DrBobParsons  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drbobparsons  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/ThinkFast126 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebobparsons/ Website - BobParsons.comBook by Bob Parsons - As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases (paid links): Fire in the Hole!: The Untold Story of My Traumatic Life and Explosive Success Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Breaking News, Out of Sunday night's Pacers-Bucks game...Damian Lillard is out for the playoffs with a left torn achilles tendon. 48 hours later and I STILL cannot stop thinking about this finish in Intuit. Where did AG's putback rank on the top 1st round moments of ALL-TIME list? What did the Chef Steph prove in his game 3 takeover and WHAT does it mean for the Warriors postseason aspirations? The Pistons are Pist off after a controversial ending in Detroit. We re-live and react to an instant classic turned CONTENTIOUS postgame scene. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices