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Most Airbnb listings are costing hosts thousands—because they're built wrong.In this breakdown, we show you exactly how to rebuild your listing from the ground up to rank higher, convert faster, and stand out in a crowded market.• The step-by-step to create a perfect, profit-ready listing• The mistakes 90% of hosts make in titles and descriptions• How to fix your visuals and brand in minutes• What data says about click-through and conversions• The system top hosts use to stay booked year-roundWant to make your Listing Perfect? Grab the FREE Guide.Click the link below and DM us "OPTIMIZE"https://ig.me/m/mike.sjogren?utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Captivate&utm_campaign=T029&utm_content=OPTIMIZE00:00:56 – Creating the Perfect Listing: What Goes Into It00:03:39 – The Listing Description Framework (Step-by-Step)00:05:34 – Lifestyle Photos That Drive Bookings00:09:16 – Photo Strategy: Location, Amenities, Experience00:13:24 – Use Captions to Boost Click-Through Rate00:14:24 – The Big Description Mistake: Paragraphs vs Bullets00:21:44 – Are You Actually Optimized? The Search-to-Listing Check00:24:03 – KPIs to Optimize Your Listing (Property Refresh Cadence)00:25:30 – Test Photos for Higher Conversions & CTR00:26:57 – Build Your Direct-Booking Brand (After You Dominate Airbnb)Get FREE Access to our Community and Weekly Trainings:https://group.strsecrets.com/
In this episode of Dental Unfiltered, Matt Brown and Dr. Andrew Vallo explore the vital role of production audits in dental practices. They highlight the significance of accurate production reporting and the common challenges practices face during the auditing process. Dr. Vallo offers firsthand insights into how regular, detailed audits can enhance financial transparency, improve associate compensation structures, and streamline operations. The discussion also covers the importance of tracking production trends to make informed decisions and drive long-term practice success.
Josh started his career at American Airlines (AA) and spent 5 years in their MBA leadership development program. Josh's experience at AA further refined his leadership abilities and strategic decision making skills. While employed at AA Josh and his wife Becca started Hadley Designs. As the CEO of Hadley Designs, Josh led the business to gross $100,000+ in revenue within it's first year and in 2022 Hadley Designs crossed the eight figure mark, grossing over $10,000,000 in revenue.Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Leveraging AI tools for hiring management-level staff globally.Conducting a time study to identify hiring resource allocation.Creating a clear role profile and scorecard with defined expectations and KPIs.Attracting top talent through detailed job descriptions and hidden tasks.Sourcing a large pool of candidates to ensure quality selection.Implementing AI recruiting tools for streamlined candidate sourcing and application management.Establishing a rigorous vetting process, including assessments and test projects.Conducting group interviews to evaluate candidate interactions and dynamics.Performing thorough reference checks to verify candidates' past performance.Setting high performance standards for new hires to enhance team effectiveness.In this podcast episode, the speaker, an experienced entrepreneur and host of the "Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast," shares a detailed seven-step process for hiring management-level staff using AI tools. The speaker emphasizes the importance of conducting a time study to allocate hiring resources effectively, creating detailed role profiles and scorecards, and leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT for efficiency. They discuss innovative techniques such as group interviews and AI-driven resume screening to streamline the hiring process. By implementing rigorous vetting processes and thorough reference checks, the speaker provides actionable insights for scaling businesses to eight figures and beyond.Here are 3 short, actionable takeaways from the podcast summary:Start with a Time Study: Track your daily activities in 15-minute increments for two weeks to identify tasks you can delegate—this sets the foundation for hiring the right management-level support.Use AI to Streamline Hiring: Leverage tools like ChatGPT to quickly generate tailored role profiles and scorecards, and platforms like Workable to automate resume screening and candidate sourcing.Vet Rigorously, Hire Deliberately: Implement group interviews, test projects, and reference checks to assess both skills and culture fit—only hire candidates who raise the bar for your existing team.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough YouTubeeComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comOdesk (now known as Upwork)Criteria Corp (for assessments)Workable.phChatGPTSpecial Mention(s):Adam “Heist” Runquist on LinkedInKevin King on LinkedInMichael E. Gerber on LinkedInRelated Episode(s):“Cracking the Amazon Code: Learn From Adam Heist's Brand Scaling Secrets” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Kevin King's Wicked-Smart Tips for Building an Audience of Raving Fans” on the eComm Breakthrough Podcast“Unlocking Entrepreneurial Greatness | Insider Secrets With E-myth Author Michael Gerber” on the eComm Breakthrough PodcastEpisode SponsorSponsor for this episode...This episode is brought to you by eComm Breakthrough Consulting where I help seven-figure e-commerce owners grow to eight figures. I started Hadley Designs in 2015 and grew it to an eight-figure brand in seven years.I made mistakes along the way that made the path to eight figures longer. At times I doubted whether our business could even survive and become a real brand. I wish I would have had a guide to help me grow faster and avoid the stumbling blocks.If you've hit a plateau and want to know the next steps to take your business to the next level, then go to www.EcommBreakthrough.com (that's Ecomm with two M's) to learn more.Transcript AreaJosh Hadley 00:00:00 Today, I'm going to be walking through how we're going to be leveraging AI to hire management level staff anywhere in the world. Okay. And I'm going to be showing you guys kind of the filters, everything that we've set up. There's a lot to dissect in 20 minutes. So we're going to be flying through all of this. But the good news is Jim and Mimi, those two things that you talked about AI and hiring leaders, like, that's exactly what I'm talking about today. All right. So this is the easy way to use AI to find incredible management level contractors overseas. as Bryce mentioned. Who am I? So first and foremost, father of four, husband to a beautiful wife. We had a baby six months ago. Five months ago. His name is Harvey and Harper. She's the one here. She's a she's my second and she's six years old. So happy to have her with us. And then we started our brand on Amazon back in 2016. We've been an eight figure brand on Amazon for three years straight now and then.Josh Hadley 00:00:49 I'm also the host of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, where I share strategies to scale from 7 to 8 figures and beyond in the e-commerce world. All right. So first up, I want to share a story. So all of us have heard the amazing opportunity to go higher $3 an hour. Filipinos that can revolutionize our business, right? Everybody's talked about that. Okay, so this was me back in 2017 being like, oh, everybody's hiri...
Send us a textDe plomero a billonario: los 3 no negociables de una mentalidad imparable En esta masterclass, converso con Ismael Valdés, emprendedor méxico-americano que vendió su empresa por más de $100M y hoy construye Nuve, un termostato inteligente con miras globales, sobre la disciplina mental que lo llevó de los trades (plomería, HVAC, roofing) a escalar compañías de cientos de empleados.Lo que te vas a llevar:Los 3 no negociables de Ismael para rendir al máximo:Dormir bien (6–8 h) para pensar claro y ejecutar.Ganar la mañana: 15 min para ti (rezar/meditar/escribir) antes del teléfono.Una meta al día (una sola) y enfocarte hasta completarla.Cómo vencer las voces limitantes (muchas veces de gente cercana) y convertir obstáculos en lecciones que pagan.Cuándo contratar para proteger tu tiempo y acelerar la operación.Por qué finanzas básicas (PNL, balance, cash flow, KPIs) son el idioma del crecimiento.La diferencia entre “ganar solo” vs. construir equipos que ganan contigo.La definición de éxito de Ismael hoy: paz interna y familia.Quién debe verlo: fundadores, operadores y líderes que quieren claridad, foco y tracción diaria sin distracciones.Mención especial: Ismael estará en Business Masters Live (CDMX, 15–17 de octubre) para profundizar en mentalidad, sistemas y crecimiento. Más info en businessmasters.mx.
OverviewMarketing in games isn't just flashy ads and cool trailers—it's a battlefield of strategy, alignment, and constant reinvention. In this episode, Christine Dark shares lessons from her career building B2B marketing engines that scale, from scrappy startups to global brands. Her journey—from teaching salsa to leading high-performing teams—shows how creativity and structure meet in the business of gamesEpisode Highlights .The surprising parallels between AAA vs. indie studios and corporate vs. startup marketing Why interviewing for leadership roles goes both ways—and how to avoid misalignment with execs. .Delegation lessons: why hiring cheap can cost more, and how to balance junior growth with execution OKRs (Objectives & Key Results) as a tool to align creative marketing with measurable company impact. Indie advice: what type of marketer to hire first when you're two devs with a great game but zero promotion. .Building evangelists: how customer marketing programs turn clients into advocatesWhy It MattersFor studio leads, LiveOps managers, or indie founders, this episode is a roadmap to scaling marketing without losing sight of authenticity. You'll walk away with clarity on how to structure your first marketing hire, practical delegation tactics, and how to align creative efforts with KPIs that actually move revenue. Think of it as a playbook for turning marketing from “nice-to-have” into a growth engine.About the Guest.Christine Dark is a veteran marketing leader with deep expertise in B2B growth, customer engagement, and creative brand-building. She's known for transforming visions into measurable results, from doubling revenues to launching innovative customer marketing programs. Her career blends entrepreneurial scrappiness with corporate leadership, making her a go-to voice on what works—and what doesn't—in modern marketingNext Steps
On today's episode, Dr. Addison Killeen and Dr. Chris Green lead a breakout session titled “By the Numbers: Hygiene and Associate KPIs,” diving into the essential metrics that drive growth, profitability, and accountability within dental practices. They stress the importance of balancing hard data with a strong team culture, emphasizing that while spreadsheets and KPIs are crucial, it's the deeper impact on patients and team members that truly drives performance. Through real-world examples and personal practice data, they explore how to track and apply key metrics like treatment plan dollars, case acceptance, hourly production, and hygiene efficiency. They also break down strategies for building productive hygiene departments, onboarding associates with aligned expectations, and using KPIs as coaching tools instead of punitive measures. Their simple systems—like visual scorecards and red/green indicators—help teams stay focused without feeling overwhelmed. The ultimate goal: create sustainable success by aligning data with purpose, behaviors, and consistent team recalibration. Be sure to check out the full episode from the Dentalpreneur Podcast! EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.truedentalsuccess.com Dental Success Network Subscribe to The Dentalpreneur Podcast
What happens when your hands-on hustle stops working? In this episode, growth strategist Chad Cannon reveals why the skills that got you to $3 million won't get you to $10 million—and what needs to change.Chad breaks down the critical mindset shifts founder-led businesses must make to scale sustainably: accepting 70-80% quality from your team, transitioning from seller to sales leader, and learning when to hire your second-in-command (hint: probably later than you think). He shares real numbers from clients growing from $3M to $7M revenue, including how to allocate your marketing budget across channels, why Reddit matters for AI-driven discovery, and which metrics actually move the needle.You'll learn why vision "leaks" without constant reinforcement, how to avoid drowning in data by focusing on just three KPIs, and why tracking lead measures beats obsessing over revenue numbers. Plus: the Slack rule that stopped execution chaos and why your next hire should probably come from within.If you're a founder feeling the friction between doing the work and leading the company, this conversation will show you exactly what needs to shift—and how to make it happen.Thanks to our sponsors...BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we're just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we've got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that's what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow....
Send us a textThis episode of the Private Practice Survival Guide breaks down a practical, mid-year playbook for measuring financial performance and forecasting for the future in private healthcare practices. Brandon clarifies core terms—Look-Back Analysis (retrospective KPI and revenue review), Forecasting (time-series, regression, probability ranges grounded in historical data), and Projections (scenario planning for new services/locations without prior data)—and shows how they interlock to drive data-informed decisions. Listeners learn a cadence for reviewing daily/weekly/monthly → quarterly → biannual → annual metrics, how to visualize trends to avoid cash-flow surprises, and how to translate descriptive, diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics into staffing, payer-mix, and scheduling strategy. The episode highlights seasonality (Q3–early Q4 as a revenue window before Thanksgiving), profitability analysis by service line (gross margin, net margin, “no margin, no mission”), and payer policy realities (e.g., Medicaid constraints and contractual guardrails). Takeaway: build clean data pipelines, define target KPIs, validate with look-backs, model best-/base-/worst-case forecasts, and use projections to stress-test growth moves—so you can allocate resources, hire, and market with confidence in the next two quarters.Welcome to Private Practice Survival Guide Podcast hosted by Brandon Seigel! Brandon Seigel, President of Wellness Works Management Partners, is an internationally known private practice consultant with over fifteen years of executive leadership experience. Seigel's book "The Private Practice Survival Guide" takes private practice entrepreneurs on a journey to unlocking key strategies for surviving―and thriving―in today's business environment. Now Brandon Seigel goes beyond the book and brings the same great tips, tricks, and anecdotes to improve your private practice in this companion podcast. Get In Touch With MePodcast Website: https://www.privatepracticesurvivalguide.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonseigel/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonseigel/https://wellnessworksmedicalbilling.com/Private Practice Survival Guide Book
Smart Agency Masterclass with Jason Swenk: Podcast for Digital Marketing Agencies
Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Most agencies don't make it 25 years but Bill Swanston's has. From surviving 9/11 to leading a 30-person team through COVID, Bill shares how Bosun (formerly Frederick Swanston) adapted, learned to love KPIs, empowered their team, and even pulled off a successful rebrand. His story proves you can survive the toughest agency seasons and come out stronger—if you track the right numbers, avoid “superclient” risk, and learn to truly let go. What You'll Learn Why resilience (not just growth hacks) is the real agency survival skill How ignoring KPIs almost cost the agency big—and how to avoid that mistake Why letting go of control is the only way to grow past founder-dependence What a rebrand really signals about an agency's maturity and leadership shift The hidden dangers of relying on a “superclient” Key Takeaways Keep overhead light in uncertain times—it gives you room to maneuver when crises hit. Track your KPIs like a client project: salaries as % of AGI, AGI per employee, revenue per client. Don't rely on a single client for survival—client concentration is a silent killer. Empower your team early—you can't scale if you're reviewing every deliverable yourself. Rebrands work when they reflect a cultural shift—not just a new logo. What does it really take to keep an agency alive through market crashes, pandemics, and the endless grind without burning out or losing your edge? Today's featured guest will unpack his journey from starting in a basement with a couple of clients to leading a 30-person team through some of the toughest seasons an agency can face. From navigating financial blind spots to learning how to actually let go and trust his team, and the reason the agency's 25th anniversary actually marked a big shift with a new rebrand. Bill Swanston is the president and founder of Bosun, an Atlanta-based agency that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Formerly known as Frederick Swanston, the agency has weathered market crashes, client shakeups, and a pandemic while building a powerhouse team with deep creative and digital chops. In this episode, we'll discuss: The challenges that really tested the agency's resilience. How learning to love KPIs saved the business. Why rebrand after 25 years? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Building Through Adversity and Surviving 9/11 After moving back to Atlanta from New York, Bill was freelancing at BBDO and thinking about switching to smaller agency. As he saw it, it was better to be a big fish in a smaller pond. Unfortunately, his gig at the smaller agency was short lived, since the agency shut down for good. Instead of packing it in, Bill and his partner Scott Frederick grabbed a few clients, set up shop in a basement, and got to work. Built-in revenue gave them a smoother start than most scrappy entrepreneurs, but reality set in quickly. By the early 2000s, they were hit hard by 9/11 and its ripple effect on corporate events. It was a reminder that whether you're at a big holding company or running your own small shop, stability is often an illusion. Surviving those first waves meant keeping overhead light, grinding it out, and learning how to adapt before the word “pivot” became a business cliché. The Challenge that Really Tested the Agency's Resilience Partnerships can make or break an agency and Bill admits the early years with his partner had their rough patches, not as creatives, but as business owners learning how to disagree productively. Over time, their different strengths meshed into what became a powerful leadership duo. But nothing tested the agency quite like COVID. With a staff of 30 suddenly looking to them for answers, the partners had to act fast. They slashed salaries, cut their own pay completely, and relied on federal relief programs like PPP loans to keep the team intact. That lifeline, combined with quick adjustments, got them back on track. As Bill put it, “It was the absolute worst period of time for the agency. But we came out stronger because we had no choice but to figure it out fast.” From Gut Instinct to KPIs That Saved the Business Like a lot of creative-led shops, Bill and his partner weren't exactly obsessed with financial metrics at first. According to Bill, they mostly leaned on QuickBooks, check-writing, and gut instincts. That worked until it didn't. By the time they realized improprieties had slipped under the radar, they knew it was time to upgrade. Today, they track everything from salaries as a percentage of adjusted gross income to AGI per employee to recurring revenue versus project-based work. They also look at revenue per client to ensure there isn't any one account that is overwhelming the team. Like many agencies, they had this happen at one point, with a client that accounted for 50% of their billing. He remembers being scared once this client started to dwindle as a result of the ‘08 crisis, which taught him the danger of relying on superclients that can walk away and take half your revenue with them. Bill stresses that KPIs aren't about being a math whiz, but about having clarity. Knowing your true profitability by client or department means you stop guessing and start making better decisions. “We do it for our clients,” he said, “so we've got to do it for ourselves too.” Nowadays, he works with an external CPA and an internal comptroller who help him keep an eye on the agency's finances. Pro tip: If you're not yet at the point where you can have a CFO but don't know where to start to assess your agency's financials, use askquick.ai. It's a tool developed by Jason and his team that'll help you figure out your most profitable clients, assess your financial red flags, measure your KPIs, and more. Learning to Let Go and Empower the Team For the first decade, Bill and Scott were deep in the weeds, reviewing every creative output, managing every account, carrying the business on their backs. Eventually, the workload became too much and they had to learn how to trust others. Empowering team members to make real decisions wasn't easy. It started organically as new hires took over account management, media, and digital responsibilities. Over time, Bill realized the work improved when people felt ownership and felt empowered to shape the agency. “The ability to let go and trust others is essential to grow your agency,” he says. This trust not only gave the agency room to grow but also gave Bill and Scott the freedom to step back from being prisoners of their own business. Why Would a 25 Year Old Agency Rebrand Now? After two and a half decades as Frederick Swanston, the founders made the bold move to rebrand as Bosun to better reflect what they'd become. The decision was about more than a new logo. According to Bill, keeping their surnames in the brand felt too self-centered and didn't reflect the agency's culture. The rebrand signaled a shift: it's not about Bill or Scott anymore. It's about the team, the clients, and the relationships that actually fuel the work. While rebrands often make clients nervous, Bill said the transition was seamless. In fact, many partners celebrated alongside them, proving that strong relationships matter more than the name on the door. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.
In today's episode, Rafael Cortez is joined by Amanda Webster, the Chief Revenue Officer at Accruity, a leading financial advisory firm. With over two decades of experience, Amanda shares her insights on how real estate investors and professionals can optimize their financial strategies to save money, grow their revenue, and navigate the complex world of taxes.Amanda Webster is an expert in financial strategy for real estate professionals, including investors, construction companies, brokerages, and property management firms. As a military spouse and mother of five, she brings the same resilience, dedication, and strategic thinking to her work as she does to her family life.We cover:1️⃣ Why your CPA might not be the right fit for your real estate business (and how to find the right one)2️⃣ How to legally offset tax liabilities and keep more of your profits
In this episode of The Lifestyle Practice Podcast, Dr. Derek Williams breaks down exactly how he sold his dental practice without a broker—what he did, why he did it, and what he'd change. Derek covers building a bank-ready prospectus (financials, KPIs, payer mix), where and how he marketed the listing (FB groups, classifieds, ADA Marketplace), keeping anonymity (NDAs, separate email), and running negotiations when you're representing yourself. He also compares private-dentist buyers vs. DSOs, talks timing (why not being in a rush matters), transition terms, real estate flexibility, and the role of a flat-fee attorney. Whether you're considering a DIY sale or debating a broker, you'll leave with a clear framework and practical next steps. Connect with us: • Learn more about 1-on-1 coaching • Get access to TLP Academy • Suscribe to The Lifestyle Practice Podcast • Email Derek at derek@thelifestylepractice.com • Email Matt at matt@thelifestylepractice.com • Email Steve at steve@thelifestylepractice.com
In this episode, Bradley Hamner explores a critical distinction that many entrepreneurs miss: being excellent at your craft doesn't automatically make you a great business owner. He argues that the reverse is true—becoming a great business owner will naturally lead to excellence in your specific industry.Thinking Time: What business owner skills do you currently possess?Where are you deficient and need development?Consider areas like team leadership, financial management, or marketing and sales where you might need growth.Thanks to our sponsors...BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we're just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we've got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that's what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here's an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They'll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they'll waive all setup fees.
The best leaders are the ones that can hold space for both—care personally and challenge directly. Work never happens in a vacuum. Field calls, customer pressure, travel, and deadlines compound the very real mental load carried by water professionals. In this conversation, Dr. Andy Melton, a professional counselor and executive coach at www.andymelton.com—shares clear, practical ways leaders and teams can recognize mental health warning signs, set the right boundaries, and respond with care without stepping outside their role. Care Personally, Challenge Directly—Inside Clear Boundaries Managers aren't neutral parties, and that matters. Andy explains the built-in conflict of interest when a supervisor probes too deeply into an employee's personal struggles. You still need to check in—but do it in role: use open-ended, performance-anchored questions (“What's been challenging for you lately?”), document observations, and offer resources instead of diagnoses. He also highlights Kim Scott's “Radical Candor” frame—care personally and challenge directly—as a durable leadership posture for tough conversations. Spotting Decline Early—Behavioral, Cognitive, Physical Before missed KPIs and callbacks spike, there are tells: sudden drops in productivity, withdrawal, irritability, rising absence/tardiness, markedly negative self-talk, and physical complaints (fatigue, headaches, stomach issues). Andy shares a simple “dashboard” self-check—sleep and eating patterns—plus trackable 1–10 scales for stress, energy, engagement, and mood stability to catch trends early. When It's Serious—Safe Paths and Resources Anonymous surveys can surface urgent risks—including suicidality. Andy outlines responsible next steps: widen communication, invite follow-ups, and immediately involve a mental health professional or crisis resources. Know the number 988 and your local mobile crisis team information; publish those options prominently so help is never far away. Grounding Under Load—3 Techniques You Can Use Anywhere For anxiety (mind racing ahead) and depression (mind stuck in the past), uniting mind and body in the present increases bandwidth. Andy teaches three job-friendly tools: the four-second “box” breath, a five-senses “sensory scan,” and a head-to-toe “progressive muscle relaxation.” Each can be done discreetly at a desk, in a service truck, or before a customer meeting. Strong operations require strong people. Build a culture that normalizes check-ins, provides resources, and keeps performance expectations clear. That's how teams protect each other and maintain reliability in the field. Listen to the full conversation above. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge! Timestamps 02:20 - Trace welcome Industrial Water Week is next week and why it's our "Super Bowl" 11:38 — Water You Know with James McDonald 13: 11 - Upcoming Events for Water Treatment Professionals 15:14 - Introduction for Dr. Andy Melton 15:35 - Andy's background 19:06 - Why mental health is hard to discuss at work; stigma and judgment 21:40 - Cognitive/physical signs: negative self-talk, fatigue, headaches, stomach issues 23:33 — Why self-awareness is hard; “mirror” idea of counseling/coaching 24:21 — Self “dashboard”: sleep and eating as early indicators 26:22 — Employer question: caring without crossing the line 31:44 — Impact on teammates and operations; why the talk still must happen 32:06 — Culture: build trust so care is believed 36:12 — Psychological safety: education via outside counselors/coaches; offer EAPs 42:07 — 988 explained; local mobile crisis teams and how they respond 45:06 — Awareness first: listen to body; define “stress” simply 48:27 — Grounding overview: techniques to reunite mind and body Quotes Struggles in mental health still have stigma… but I do think there are ways to handle this sensitive subject in the workplace. It is really challenging as an employer to be a neutral sort of resource in someone's life. Connect with Dr. Andy Melton Phone: 615-669-4105 Email: andy@meltoncounseling.com Website: www.andymelton.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andymeltonphd Guest Resources Mentioned The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth by Amy C. Edmondson Crucial Conversations (Third Edition): Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Joseph Grenny (Author, Narrator), Kerry Patterson (Author), Ron McMillan (Author), Al Switzler (Author), Emily Gregory (Author, Narrator), McGraw Hill-Ascent Audio (Publisher) Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler Downloadable materials for workplace mental health presentations Radical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott Radical Candor | Feedback Training, Coaching & Consulting Mental Health America (MHA) Melton Counseling 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned AWT (Association of Water Technologies) Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses Submit a Show Idea The Rising Tide Mastermind Water Cake Recipe Industrial Water Week Water You Know with James Question: What do you call the waste stream coming out of a reverse osmosis unit? 2025 Events for Water Professionals Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.
Are you stuck feeling like your business can't run without you? Wouldn't you love to have a team that manages itself? In this episode, you'll hear what happened when Dr. Sabrina stepped back and Melissa Kay took full ownership of delivery. Spoiler alert: the coaching didn't just stay on track, but it got even better! You'll discover why giving your team autonomy is the key to growth and freedom and how stepping back creates space for innovation and improvement. We're providing practical steps you can follow to build your own self-managing team. If you've ever worried about losing control by stepping back, join us to learn how your business can actually grow stronger without you.Profit by Design is a Tap the Potential production. Show Highlights:Dr. Sabrina's insights from Melissa Kay's extended vacation: A self-managing team IS possible!A-players are intrinsically motivated and are whole, competent, capable, and complete.Building your self-managing team requires specific action steps, such as asking, “What is most important?” as part of your structured approach. The environment you want is a calm, curiosity-driven, well-oiled machine powered by a learner mindset.Our programs, Leadership Bootcamp and Coach Approach, are designed for A-players who are ready to be equipped to support your vision.Our clients want step-by-step instructions.Building your self-managing team takes a clear vision, specific expectations, targeted KPIs to track progress, and a delivery promise.Exceeding your clients' expectations is classic A-player thinking.Building trust in your teamCheck out our courses on hiring, leadership, and team development. Book a call with us if you don't know where to start!Resources:Join our upcoming Leadership Bootcamp to build a self-managing team of people who own their roles. Find out more by clicking the link.For more information about The Coach Approach or to join us in the next round, click the link! Don't wait! Download your Strategic Planning Guide and 2025 Tap the Potential Strategic Planner today!Want to know the best attracting and recruiting strategies for small businesses? We can help! Learn more about our How to Hire the Best course.Retain, grow, and deeply engage your A-players with the Dream Manager Program! The best way to create buy-in from your team members for your vision is to identify how your vision supports them in achieving their dreams. Enroll today!Become an employer of choice to attract the A-players you want on your team! We are now enrolling for the How to Hire the Best course. Sign up today!Sign up for the free A-Player Development Plan/Mini-Course. Track your A-players' development and retain your A-players!Ready to take your life back from your business? Want more time for what matters most and more money in your bank account than ever? Book a call...
On this episode Al sits down with Tiffany High of Results Driven to unpack how investors can thrive in today's shifting real estate market. Tiffany reveals how her team netted $800k from probate and foreclosure door knocking, and why sales training and KPIs are the backbone of consistency. She also breaks down her powerful Amplification Formula. Whether you're wholesaling, flipping, or raising private money, this episode is packed with practical strategies to grow your business and reclaim your time.Tune in to learn more about the current state of the real estate market, discover new trends, and learn tips and tricks from the biggest names in the industry!FACEBOOK: facebook.com/flattorneynicolettiINSTAGRAM: instagram.com/attorneynicolettiYOUTUBE: Al Nicoletti - YouTubeLINKEDIN: linkedin.com/in/attorneynicolettiWEBSITE: ...
In episode 220, Coffey talks with Ranya Nehmeh about the challenges and limitations of hybrid and remote work arrangements based on research from their new book "In Praise of the Office."They discuss how initial COVID remote work success masked long-term problems; loss of informal interactions and mentoring for newcomers; reduced collaboration and innovation; proximity bias affecting promotions and performance reviews; employee engagement challenges in hybrid settings; designing hybrid schedules with anchor days and structured meeting protocols; redesigning office spaces for collaboration; why hot-desking raises concerns; and adapting performance management to include helping behaviors and mentoring as measurable KPIs.Resources referenced in this episode include:Ranya Nehmeh and former Good Morning, HR guest Peter Cappelli's new book, In Praise of the Office: The Limits to Hybrid and Remote WorkAnd you can get a preview of their research in the (July–August 2025) Harvard Business Review article, Hybrid still isn't workingWorking From Home, Worker Sorting and Development; David Atkin, Antoinette Schoar, & Sumit Shinde; National Bureau of Economic ResearchEmployee Innovation During Office Work, Work from Home and Hybrid Work; Michael Gibbs, Friederike Mengel, and Christoph Siemroth; University of Chicago—Becker Friedman Institute for EconomicsThe Power of Proximity to Coworkers: Training For Tomorrow or Productivity Today?; Natalia Emanuel, Emma Harrington, & Amanda Pallais; National Bureau of Economic ResearchGood Morning, HR is brought to you by Imperative—Bulletproof Background Checks. For more information about our commitment to quality and excellent customer service, visit us at https://imperativeinfo.com.If you are an HRCI or SHRM-certified professional, this episode of Good Morning, HR has been pre-approved for half a recertification credit. To obtain the recertification information for this episode, visit https://goodmorninghr.com.About our Guest:Ranya Nehmeh is a senior HR strategist with expertise in people strategy, HR policy, leadership development, and talent management. She has held key HR roles at the OPEC Fund for InternationalDevelopment in Vienna and the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. She is a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences for Management & Communication in Vienna and also the author of The Chameleon Leader: Connecting with Millennials (2019).Ranya holds a master's in industrial relations and human resource management from the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) and a Doctor of Business Administration from the Swiss Management Center in Zug. Her recent articles, co-authored with Wharton professor Peter Cappelli, include “Hybrid Still Isn't Working” (Harvard Business Review July/August 2025), “Sustainable Agility: How HR Can Survive the Rapid Pace of Change” (People + Strategy Journal, SHRM, July 2024), “It's Time to Do Away with ‘Dry Promotions,'” (Harvard Business Review, July 2024) and “HR's New Role” (Harvard Business Review, May/June 2024 magazine).Ranya Nehmeh can be reached at:https://www.ranyanehmeh.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ranyanehmehhttps://www.facebook.com/ranya.nehmeh/https://www.instagram.com/ranyanehmeh/https://x.com/ranyanAbout Mike Coffey:Mike Coffey is an entrepreneur, licensed private investigator, business strategist, HR consultant, and registered yoga teacher. In 1999, he founded Imperative, a background investigations and due diligence firm helping risk-averse clients make well-informed decisions about the people they involve in their business.Imperative delivers in-depth employment background investigations, know-your-customer and anti-money laundering compliance, and due diligence investigations to more than 300 risk-averse corporate clients across the US, and, through its PFC Caregiver & Household Screening brand, many more private estates, family offices, and personal service agencies. Imperative has been named a Best Places to Work, the Texas Association of Business' small business of the year, and is accredited by the Professional Background Screening Association. Mike shares his insight from 25+ years of HR-entrepreneurship on the Good Morning, HR podcast, where each week he talks to business leaders about bringing people together to create value for customers, shareholders, and community.Mike has been recognized as an Entrepreneur of Excellence by FW, Inc. and has twice been recognized as the North Texas HR Professional of the Year. Mike serves as a board member of a number of organizations, including the Texas State Council, where he serves Texas' 31 SHRM chapters as State Director-Elect; Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County; the Texas Association of Business; and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, where he is chair of the Talent Committee. Mike is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) through the HR Certification Institute and a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). He is also a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher (RYT-200) and teaches multiple times each week.Mike and his very patient wife of 28 years are empty nesters in Fort Worth.Learning Objectives:1. Recognize the impact of fully remote environments on collaboration, innovation, and newcomer integration.2. Implement structured hybrid policies designed to promote collaboration and productivity.3. Redesign performance management systems to include measurable KPIs for mentoring, timely response to help requests, and cross-functional collaboration to counteract the individual contributor mindset that remote work can foster.
LightSpeed VT: https://www.lightspeedvt.com/ Dropping Bombs Podcast: https://www.droppingbombs.com/ What if you could turn your business into a $10M exit in just 24–36 months? In this raw, no-BS Dropping Bombs episode, I sit down with Lance Bachmann, the blue-collar dealmaker who's run the same play six times: partner with great operators, scale fast, then sell to real private equity—and do it again. He's already stacked six eight-figure exits (with more on deck) and his mission is clear: deliver life-changing checks, not empty promises. Lance drops the traps most owners miss—“search funds” posing as PE, debt-loading deals, and why you should skip earn-outs unless the upfront is real—and the operating discipline that makes buyers line up: daily KPIs by 6:02 AM across every company, and the mindset shift that your roofing (or any trade) business is first a sales & marketing machine. He also shows how conferences and masterminds multiply valuation through relationships you can't buy. If you're chasing a $5M–$10M outcome instead of a lifetime “maybe,” this is your wake-up call.
Feeling stuck? Kiera helps listeners create a three-step framework to diagnose a growth ceiling and push through with strategy and confidence. The steps that follow can be done in order or reversed. Find your true cap rate (then get a second opinion) Rework your systems for scale Set a bold new vision Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and I hope today is just a great day for you. I hope that you're loving your life. Today's podcast date today is the day I get to share with you for whatever we're doing today. So whether we're driving to work together, whether we're driving home together, whether we're doing laundry or mowing the grass or traveling together or whatever you're doing today, thanks for taking me along with you. ⁓ it's truly something so fun. And today I think is going to be great for you to, what do do when you hit the plateau in your practice? ⁓ so reality is we like didn't build our practices to be stuck or to feel like we're stuck or like there's no like we don't know our next move. ⁓ The reality is like if you plateaued or you feel stuck, it's just time to evolve. It's an indicator for you to know what the next step is kind of like when our seatbelt buckle beeps in the car, it's an indicator to put our seatbelt on ⁓ or we get the indicator from the gas light. It's an indicator to go and fill up our car with gas. Same thing when we're practices like it's plateaued or it's stuck. It's just like Cool, let's diagnose, let's create a framework. Today I'm gonna help you have a three-step framework to diagnose your growth ceiling and how to push through it with strategy and confidence. So that's about what we're gonna do today. The Dental A Team is obsessed with you, I adore you. I'm so excited to be a part of your life or your practice. Our goal is to positively impact the world of dentistry in the greatest way possible and we do that through helping you say yes to more. So you having a vision for you and your life and your practice, earnings to make sure that you're profitable and it's predictable profit. and then new systems and team development to ensure that everything you want to say yes to in life, you, your team and your patients is doable for you. And we do that with fun. We do that with ease. We do that with ⁓ creativity and love for teams. And we've been there, done that and done it successfully many times. I truly can hang my hat on the fact that I believe Dental A Team is the top notch consulting company. If you want to grow, if you want to do it with fun, if you want it to not just be directed at dentists, but you want your team involved in it and to do it from experts who have done it thousands of times successfully. And that's something I'm really proud of. Most of our offices see a 10 to 30 % increase in production or a decrease in overhead within their first 90 days. We track these stats, we're very obsessive with it, and we do it through really fun, easy dial turns. So if that's something you're obsessed with, rock on. Let's work together. Reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. And as always, thank you guys for sharing this podcast. The goal is to get this into every dentist's hands, every single practice's hands. So please share, like, leave reviews, whatever you can do to get the word out and to help me on my mission to truly give back to our community. If you're ever looking for topics or episodes head on over to TheDentalATeam.com click on our podcast page we have thousands like literally this is a free wealth of knowledge for you that we put on because we I truly just love dentistry and I want to help you have the best life life is my passion dentistry is my platform so head on over to TheDentalATeam.com click on our podcast page and you can literally type in anything so cash flow overhead ⁓ team growth leadership morning huddles case acceptance routes like you name it type in any of those and of every single episode we've ever done, will actually filter for you and bring anything forward for you. So just make sure life super, super easy. Ease is one of our core values and trying to make your life easy is what we're obsessed about. So today when we're going to, a lot of times I see this in like a 1 million, a 1.5, a 2 million practice where they're just like, gosh, I feel like I've just like hit my level and I don't know how to grow beyond it. It's kind of like my hair. My hair grows to a certain length and it won't grow beyond that. Like I can cut it shorter. but it just grows and it has never once grown beyond that. It's like, I don't know how to get my hair to grow past this level. Well, some practices feel like stuck hair, ⁓ but I just want to help give you this framework of three simple steps to help you diagnose it and then figure out what the next step is. So number one is to diagnose your true ceiling. And ⁓ this is where we're going to figure out like what the true cap rate is. Now, why we'll put this with an asterisk though, because a lot of offices think they've tapped out capped out. but maybe they're just so used to sitting in there or they don't know how to have an eye for it. I went into a practice once upon a time. They had four ops and they're like, Kiera, there's nowhere else we could ever fit an operatory in here. So we're just gonna build out, we're building a building across the street. Well, within about 15 minutes, I was able to find another operatory. They added that operatory. They were able to add 200,000 to their practice just that year. just by adding that one operatory in place. And they were like, well, we wish we would have met you like even a few months ago before we started building this huge, expensive building. I have another client where they got huge design plans out to like expand the building. It's a huge, huge expansion. They sent me a video of their downstairs and I was like, gosh, we could add like six ops down here with less effort, less reno. ⁓ And so I think also before you like truly say you pick capacity. maybe getting a second set of eyes on it or a third set of eyes to see is there any hidden potential in here because we're looking at chairs, ops, providers, and hygiene days. That's going to truly be capacity of what can we do. Now again, getting creative because could we add maybe an hour in the morning? Have we maxed out all five days in the office? A lot of times people tell me we're maxed and I'm like, but you're not even working five days. That doesn't mean you have to work five days, but if you're practicing your building sitting empty, that space that we could actually grow that isn't the true ceiling. So if we are not maxing out all five days, if we're not maxing out ⁓ all the operatories or all the space that we've got, you truly have not hit your ceiling. You might just not want to do the things that are capable for you. So looking at that, could I add more chairs? Could I add more operatories? What about more providers? What about more hygiene days? What about more hygiene hours? Is there space to expand any of that? Before we truly go to expand, these might be some areas that might be able to help you get past this plateau of some other areas. Also, let's look at our leadership. ⁓ Is our owner acting as a manager and not a CEO? Are they managing the day to day? ⁓ Are they involved in all the meetings or are they truly as a CEO? And our office manager is acting as the manager within the practice. So looking for that because sometimes just freeing that owner doctor up to be a CEO actually can expand your practice very quickly with minimal effort. You actually can have all that in place and there's very little effort that you actually have to do because now the owner is able to look at things It's like, give me a day of nothing and I will create so many possibilities. And so getting that owner out of the manager seat and into the true CEO seat, if that's the right seat for them, can also help. And then let's look to see like, what are our gaps? are there scheduling apps gaps? Do we have block scheduling in place? Can we maximize our schedule even more? What about our case acceptance, our AR? ⁓ What are some of the other areas of bottlenecks within our practice that maybe if we look to see changing them, like I've added hundreds of thousands. including millions to a practice just by doing a different scheduling tactic, looking at the flow of the practice, just changing up the flow with pediatric practices, looking to see where do we put our ops versus our, our profis. You can actually readjust that whole schedule and actually squeeze out more juice in your practice, giving a better patient experience with little to no effort, just reworking how we're doing things. So I really, really, really love this. Like there's a practice. that cure were totally maxed out. Like we don't know what to do and should we like expand our practice? They already have the huge practice and looking at it, I was like, but we're only here four days. So why don't we even consider that fifth day and or evening hours a couple of days? Again, that does not mean your current team. We could hire other team members for this, but like let's just run some numbers and see just adding that extra day, those lower, those evening hours. We were able to add over 550,000 to a practice just by doing that one simple thing. no extra cost to the building. We were able to bring in two team members for that. Everything ran super easy. So I think I would go and look to see like in your practice when you're thinking I've plateaued, run a quick audit and say, where are we losing time? Where are we losing money? Or where are we losing energy? Like what are the true bottlenecks in our practice? And this is where like a CEO has to have that visionary time. Because if we ran a 60 minute audit on your office, Could we quickly find those? When I walk into an office or our consultants walk into an office, that's what we're doing. We're auditing your practice. We're looking for these bottlenecks. So even if you can't figure out that, maybe it is time to consider bringing a consultant on site to just look at your practice to see. And we can do this virtually or in person. In person is obviously a little bit easier, but virtually too. Take videos and we can diagnose that space real quickly for you just to see what are maybe some of the options that we could do for you. So then when I look at this, SIP 2 is going to be like, reworking all of your systems for scale. ⁓ It's like the saying is like, what got you here is not going to get you to where you need to go. So we've got to rework those. And like there have been practices that I walked in and they're actually too systematized. They're too in the weeds to be able to grow and expand it. And so for that, like, what do we need to upgrade? So like I said, for block scheduling or for handoffs or for our morning huddles or for accountability systems or reporting or KPI or tracking, like, ⁓ everybody doing a time audit to see what is on your schedule that should not be on your schedule that we could actually put into different people's spots. So often offices will tell me like, Kiera, we're so maxed. And I'm like, you're actually not maxed. Everybody's just overlapping. So we're like two or three people on the same task versus separating it out, delegating it out, getting everybody crystal clear. ⁓ That way everybody can see and can have clarity. And I don't necessarily do it by person, but by seat. So especially for an office, we've got chair one, chair two, chair three. What do each of these chairs, what are they responsible for? What are the numbers and the metrics that they're responsible to do? So really like separating it out, dividing it out, making sure our systems are very scalable. So think like, okay, if we're a five-op practice doing 1.5 million today, what would a $4 million business that's maybe an eight-op practice do? How would we have to change those systems and even starting to implement those systems now into your practice can exponentially help you go beyond this plateau space. So I really think like when you look at it, those simple changes like we're able to add 10,000, 20,000, 15,000 to a practice per month just by adjusting some of these systems, just by adjusting the KPIs, just by adjusting what people are doing because a lot of times smaller practices are more. Overlappy, I think is the best way to say it rather than the larger practices the larger practices do read a little bit leaner they have more ⁓ More clarity of who should be doing what because they have to and so really looking to see what do I need to do? And how can I optimize the systems? What what's outdated in our practice that maybe we could revamp refine? Do differently now on the flip side sometimes practices that are so large actually have so many old dated systems that they just keep bringing forward that they need to actually get rid of some of those dated systems and pick one or two systems to update. So like, are we so clunky in everything that we're tracking on our scorecard? Could we eliminate some of the things that we're tracking? So there's either, we need to track more or we need to track less. What is it and how can I actually update and rebuild our systems to be able to scale with ease? So that would be a quick thing to look at of like, what's outdated or what's to like, not like nuances. what areas, and again, these are hard things to see. So fair warning, you've never done this before. So you might not even realize something's dated. And there was a practice who was still using paper charts. And I walked in and I was like, I've worked with you for a year. You didn't bother to tell me you had paper charts. But for them being in the day to day, they didn't realize that that was dated. So sometimes for you, you do need a bird's eye perspective. You do need someone who has seen hundreds of offices of what should be happening or what could be happening in your organization. that maybe you're not even doing. So truly I am big on, yes, I am a consultant. So of course I have that. We do it within our company too. Bringing in people who are smarter than where we are. We know we've hit our ceiling and what we know how to update or what we think is outdated, we've already fixed. It might be time for you to also have that. And sometimes that's where the plateau happens is because... You've grown as far as you know how to grow. You don't know how to go to the next level. And I've been there. I'm in there in my company right now. Like we're getting ready to bring somebody in from large, large, large corporation to still keep our like our boutique feel, but allowing us to scale in ways that I don't even understand how to do. So truly like even myself, I do this for our company because I think it's so wise to see somebody else who can help me figure out like what's dated, what's not working to help us scale even more while maintaining the feel of. we are. Excuse me, step three. Step three is going to be setting a bold new vision. So ⁓ when we feel like we've plateaued, we gotta figure out like, where do we want to go? Where do we want to grow to? And for me, it's like defining what the next level looks like. So is that team profit schedule lifestyle? When we work with offices, we set a one, three, 10 year goal that helps have this bold new vision. And sometimes you might be in this, I was in this and at year, gosh, it was year seven. ⁓ I like kind of lost the vision and I was like, I don't really know if this is where I want to go. And so we've got to just like clear up the vision and figure out where are we going? What does that look like? Team members schedule, like how many hours is the CEO working? Things like that. And then getting the whole team bought into it. And this is something I really love about leadership teams is we, build the vision together. So owner, yes, like I need to know where you want to go. You set the lighthouse for us and then we build around it. And so then what we do is we then tie quarterly goals into it. We run off of traction, but really like, What I see happen so often is the owner doctor feels like they're just like dragging the boat along when they feel like they plateaued, but they don't have the whole team bought into it. And this is actually a question we ask offices when they're coming to work with us is it's your one through 10 year vision. Like how clear is that on a one to 10? And a lot of times you're like, well, I know where I want to go. And I'm like, great. Now does your team know where you want to go? And usually that's where it's fuzzy is the team has no clue. So the doctor really is like, just imagine like, this is how I visualize it. Like these huge chains and I'm holding them and they're like, pulling this boat and I'm like sluggishly like walking down the beach like trying to pull this boat along versus throw the chains in the boat. So it's not on my back anymore as the owner. I hop in the boat with my team as a team collectively. We know that we're headed to this island at this time. We've got the map. We've got the road map. We've got somebody guiding us if we need to well now like everybody's rowing together right like that's so much easier like even like if you're watching the video you saw my like it's like this like I don't know, hunched over, exhausted, like trying to pull this whole heavy boat versus like, we're all just rowing and I'm in my seat and I know what I need to row. And well, I guess rowing is not easy. It's much easier than trying to drag and force results. And so with that, a lot of times what I do is teams that do this, I have an office and they sent me a text and I'm like, yeah, remember when you were in our office and you helped us set the goal of hitting, I it was like 350,000 a month. They were like, we were barely producing like, 200 at that time. They're like, there's no way this is going to happen. Four months later, they were breaking 350. And like you went, that's 150,000 added to production. No extra days. Like all we did was we aligned the team to see where we needed to go. And what's crazy is when you get that alignment, well, now your system's become easier. Now the clarity is there. Everybody truly can figure out like where we're going and what our next level is because it's a collective group. and it's a collective growth and it's a collective mission and effort that we're all headed to. I don't come in and say, you guys should be here. I come in and say, all right, collectively as a team, this is where we are. This is what industry standards are for growth. What do we feel as a team? And now when I'm doing this, also, I don't break it down and say like, all right, you have to add 150,000 a month. Well, no, if you're working 20 days, like I'm literally pulling out my calculator, 150,000 divided by 20 days, that's 7,500 extra a day. Well, 7,500 in dentistry. is actually pretty easy to produce. And so what things could we do to get there? How could we have each department work on this? So now it becomes not 150,000. It's like, great. How do we add that 7,500? Why are we doing this? What's the purpose behind it? But getting that next level figured out really can help a practice get out of the plateau because now our sites are bigger. We know where we're headed. Then we can figure out our systems. Then we can figure out all the different pieces of like, what is my true ceiling? Am I really maxed out? You get more creative. So For this, yes, I did these steps this direction, but really I would reverse them if I was listening to this podcast. And step one is I would figure out what my vision is. What's my next level and where do I wanna go? Then I'd look at my systems and what are my systems doing that I need to either add, take away or improve to get me to this next level and then figure out like the ceiling and is my practice truly maxed out or based on my next level vision, what could I do within my practice currently? And I think, yes, it's always fun to go buy a new house or a new car, a new practice expanded out, but also cashflow wise and business wise and savvy business, if you can make it work where you currently are or just do a few small changes, is that worth it? And does that give it? For some people, they need to go build it. And the next level for them is to build something more dreamy, more fun. And that's like, what's going to ignite them. So everybody has to know what's going to be for you. But really, truly, I believe if you've got this great plan, you've got these pieces in play, it can help you get out of the plateau. It can help you figure out what your next level is. honest to goodness, a lot of times you do need somebody outside to help you if you're not great at seeing this. And that's okay. I am not good. My husband and walk in a lot of rental properties and real estate properties. And I'm like, I wish I could see the vision on houses like I see in dental practices. When I walk in, I can see what needs to happen. Our consultants can see what needs to happen quickly. Where do I need to the numbers? What do need to do from that? That's something so magical versus like in a house. I'm like, I don't know, I can't see where to move the walls. And some of you might be able to see in a house very quickly how to renovate it and how to change it. For me, that's not a talent I have. For you, a talent you might not have is being able to see how you can get beyond the plateau of your practice. Here are some tips for you. Hopefully you can take them on and try them out. But really, if you need help, reach out. This is what we do. This is what we do all day long. We've seen multiple practices. We've seen them from five ops. We've seen them up to literally have a practice of 25 ops. The difference between those two practices and the way they operate in the systems and what we do for the large practices versus what we do for the small practices is pretty similar. Actually, it's very similar of what we do. ⁓ It's just on a different scale and it's growing the smaller practices into the larger practices. So for you growth, truly, I want to remind you isn't luck. It's leadership that has systems and clarity of where to go and what the next step is in the next vision. So if you feel stuck, You're not failing. You might just need a new vision. You might just need a different perspective. You might need somebody to come in and help you see the gaps that you might not be able to see. And so truly I would love to help you. So reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. This is what we talk about on our practice assessment calls. We talk about where you are, the potential. There is a lot of free consulting on that for you, whether you work with us or not, just to give you what the next step is or what some of the blind spots are in your practice that maybe you didn't see because you're in a day in a day out. I do this for our company. And it's such a joy and an honor to do it for practices, to be able to help you from someone who's been there, done that and done it successfully over and over and over again. So let's do it for you. Reach out. Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. It's time for you to grow into the vision that you were meant to have. It's time for you to have fun with it. It's time for you to get excited, to get reignited, to have the best time. And we're here to help you do that. So reach out. And as always, thanks for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team Podcast.
Are you running on continuous improvement or just the appearance of it? In this fast, practical conversation, Jason sits down with Patrick Adams, author of Avoiding the Continuous Appearance Trap, to expose the difference and show leaders how to build systems that actually sustain. What you will hear: Patrick's journey from the United States Marine Corps to leading Lean Solutions and coaching teams worldwide. The trap: companies that look “lean” on the surface but suffer toxic culture, high turnover, and flat KPIs. The telltales of a true CI culture: clear expectations that cascade to the front line, time and space to problem-solve, and relentless sustainment. Why short-term fixes fail and why real operational excellence takes structured daily behaviors, not silver bullets. How Patrick's 12 questions help leaders assess where they are and design their own roadmap. One practical challenge: Adopt leader standard work today. Structure your day, review it at the end, and align your actions to the results you claim to want. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two
Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!Down 21–7 in the fourth? That's how most trainers feel when goals are vague, leads are random, and revenue wobbles. We flip that script with a practical playbook: define KPIs, run 90-day sprints, test weekly like an athlete, and hold public accountability so momentum has nowhere to hide. Think sports strategy meets small-business execution—clear metrics, tactical pivots, and simple scripts you can use today.We walk through a SWIFT-style review cadence that turns reflection into action: strengths to double down on, weaknesses you block time to fix, and the improvements, implementations, and innovations that compound results. You'll hear how to build a full book without waiting on algorithms—client appreciation invites that spark referrals, storefront intros that plant local roots, and discovery calls that convert because the questions are better. We even dig into pricing with confidence: tie rate increases to skill upgrades, invite clients to sponsor your growth, and communicate the plan with candor and care.There's a reason great coaches obsess over numbers. We break down the KPIs that matter for trainers—leads per week, show-up and close rates, ARPC, content-to-call conversion—and show how to read them like a dugout watches pitch counts. You'll leave with a 90-day roadmap: daily story prompts with polls, a DM follow-up system, a weekly beta test, and a review cycle that makes iteration inevitable. Ready to stop “wanting more clients” and start winning the quarter? Tap play, build your plan, and tell us your first move. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a trainer who needs a push, and drop a review so more coaches can find it.Want to ask us a question? Email email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show! Our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/showupfitnessinternship/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@showupfitnessinternshipWebsite: https://www.showupfitness.com/Become a Personal Trainer Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/How-Become-Personal-Trainer-Successful/dp/B08WS992F8Show Up Fitness Internship & CPT: https://online.showupfitness.com/pages/online-show-up?utm_term=show%20up%20fitnessNASM study guide: ...
In 2008, Beth Gaspich stood on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, ringing the bell as RiskMetrics went public. What made the moment extraordinary was its timing—amid one of the most volatile markets in decades. The IPO decision, she tells us, came “down to the wire.” After months of preparing the S-1, long roadshows, and weekend work with auditors, leadership had to choose: delay indefinitely or seize a fleeting opening. They chose action, and the listing became a defining milestone in her career.That experience shaped her conviction that preparation and clear communication are indispensable when markets are uncertain. It also foreshadowed the way she would later lead NICE through its own transformation. When she became CFO in 2016, NICE was largely an on-premise software company with roughly $1 billion in revenue. Today, she tells us, the firm is approaching $3 billion, with $2.2 billion in cloud revenue. “We don't put boxes around people,” she notes, describing a culture where finance leaders are expected to help drive strategy, not just report results.Her approach to AI investment echoes that belief. She explains that NICE's AI and self-service ARR reached $238 million, growing 42% year-over-year. Rather than measure ROI only through headcount reduction, she emphasizes redeploying people to more strategic work. Internally, AI “champions” in each function track outcomes with KPIs. From ringing the NYSE bell to scaling a global AI platform, Gaspich's journey illustrates how finance leaders can balance precision with boldness when transformation is on the line.
Think you know your customer? You might be wrong. And that's costing you. Daniel sits down with Rachel Waldstein, VP of Global Strategic Consulting at Wunderkind, to explore how today's top brands balance personalization and privacy. Money isn't the only currency around here…it's also about trust. Rachel walks through how Marketers can collect and activate first-party data without crossing the line, and how to shift KPIs as privacy regulations and platform changes reshape what really matters. And, Rachel describes her 15-touch customer path: a plan to meet customers where they are located. From email to SMS, to scouring Reddit pages and beyond, where are your customers located? How does AI play a role in this? If you're planning on using customer data to drive decisions AND care about their privacy while doing your job, this is the episode for you. Wunderkind is a global performance marketing solution powered by AI, data, and identity. To learn more, visit: https://www.wunderkind.co/ Follow Rachel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-waldstein/ Follow Daniel: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themarketingmillennials/featured Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Dmurr68 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-murray-marketing Sign up for The Marketing Millennials newsletter: www.workweek.com/brand/the-marketing-millennials Daniel is a Workweek friend, working to produce amazing podcasts. To find out more, visit: www.workweek.com
Cameron emphasizes the critical importance of having an intentional admin day for practice owners. He discusses how this day should be dedicated to working on the business rather than in it, focusing on growth strategies, analyzing business processes, and evaluating marketing efforts. He highlights the need for standard operating procedures, financial awareness, and transitioning from a technician mindset to a CEO mindset. He provides actionable steps for maximizing admin days and stresses the importance of building a strong front desk team and enhancing client experience.Listen In!Thank you for listening to this episode of Medical Millionaire!Takeaways:Your admin day is the most important day of the week.This is your business growth engine.Every hour you spend working on your business saves you 10 hours.The real mistake skipping admin day equals skipping scalability.Growth creates complexity and only intentional strategy simplifies it.Protect one day, your business depends on it.The top 10% of owners never treat admin day as optional.You need to be managing reviews weekly.Are you still operating like a technician?Your admin day is your growth day, your wealth building day.Unlock the Secrets to Success in Medical Aesthetics & Wellness with "Medical Millionaire"Welcome to "Medical Millionaire," the essential podcast for owners and entrepreneurs inMedspas, Plastic Surgery, Dermatology, Cosmetic Dental, and Elective Wellness Practices! Dive deep into marketing strategies, scaling your medical practice, attracting high-end clients, and staying ahead with the latest industry trends. Our episodes are packed with insights from industry leaders to boost revenue, enhance patient satisfaction, and master marketing techniques.Our Host, Cameron Hemphill, has been in Aesthetics for over 10 years and has supported over 1,000 Practices, including 2,300 providers. He has worked with some of the industry's most well-recognized brands, practice owners, and key opinion leaders.Tune in every week to transform your practice into a thriving, profitable venture with expert guidance on the following categories...-Marketing-CRM-Patient Bookings-Industry Trends Backed By Data-EMR's-Finance-Sales-Mindset-Workflow Automation-Technology-Tech Stack-Patient RetentionLearn how to take your Medical Aesthetics Practice from the following stages....-Startup-Growth-Optimize-Exit Inquire Here:http://get.growth99.com/mm/
On the latest episode of The Big Impression podcast, Samsung's Allison Stransky discusses the company's new AI-focused campaign, “Your Home Speaks You.” She explains the importance of conveying how Samsung's AI-powered home-automation features benefit the consumer. Episode TranscriptPlease note, this transcript may contain minor inconsistencies compared to the episode audio. Damian Fowler (00:00):I'm Damian Fowler.Ilyse Liffreing (00:01):And I'm Ilyse Liffreing.Damian Fowler (00:02):And welcome to this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (00:09):Today we're joined by Allison Stransky, Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung Electronics America. She's led brand strategy at global companies like Google and L'Oreal, and now drive Samsung's vision for the connected home.Damian Fowler (00:24):Allison's here to talk about Samsung's new campaign Your Home Speaks You launched in June. The campaign highlights the joy of a home that feels more personal, showing how Samsung's connected products and Galaxy AI come together in everyday moments. Think a washer dryer that finishes a load in 68 minutes or a fridge that tells you to order some more cheese.Ilyse Liffreing (00:47):I love that idea. It's an omnichannel campaign built on real consumer insights about what homeowners actually need and how connected tech can save time, reduce stress, and make life a little easier.Damian Fowler (01:01):So let's get into it.Ilyse Liffreing (01:08):So Alison, the campaign Your Home speaks to you. It really redefines the home, not just as a space but as a feeling. And for the first time, it actually connects all of Samsung's various products into one overall story where anybody can pair these devices throughout the home together. Can you discuss the campaign and then how you translated that vision into the creative?Allison Stransky (01:31):Absolutely. So the initial insight behind your home speaks you is that we are all unique individuals and so are our homes, but also our homes are unique reflection of ourselves. And this actually went back to a campaign that we launched in 2024, but in 25 we took a really exciting evolution, which as you said was the first time we made a wide reaching video, digital video campaign featuring multiple Samsung products working together because we wanted to really convey to consumers who know consumers who don't know how much more you can get out of the Samsung ecosystem when you connect it all through smart things and what is also net new, how Galaxy AI takes those benefits really to the next level. So we are firm believers in how incredible our products are and how amazing they can all be when they work together, but we needed to translate that into something really tangible and relatable.(02:38):So that's where it came to life. In this campaign we featured four different hero products, the two TVs, combo washer dryer and the Bespoke fridge in sequence with a number of mobile products because that is where a lot of the real benefits of the interoperability can start to happen and then looked for real emotional insights to drive the storyline. So to turn that idea into a campaign, it all starts with the data. So we wanted to start by understanding the features and the benefits that our consumers like the most about our products and how our products work together. And then we took that data and turned them into insights. So to give you an example of how that worked, I'll start with the bespoke combo washer dryer. This is a new product that we launched in 2025. It does a wash in a dry all in one cycle in 68 minutes.(03:38):So this is the fastest combo washer dryer on the market, which is great. Fast speed is a great benefit, but when you connect to smart things and you start working with all of your devices together, you can really take your efficiency to the next level through things like notifications. But the human insight that comes into play is imagine that you are coming home and have to get ready for a date and you find that your dog is sitting on the clothes that you laid out for your date and your now brief tells you you have to be out the door in 75 minutes. Well, Samsung saves the day or the date night with the combo washer dryer and the sequence of notifications so you can get ready to go. And that's how really we thought about the whole campaign of bringing it together is it started with a product, it's made better by smart things in ai, but it's really a data-driven human insight that takes the whole thing and brings it to life.Ilyse Liffreing (04:34):Oh yeah, that's really cool. I know it took me two and a half hours to do laundry the other night.Damian Fowler (04:39):That's way too long.Ilyse Liffreing (04:41):And your own research has found that 76% of households already own at least one SAM product and then 27% have three or more. So how did those data insights actually help you shape the campaign?Allison Stransky (04:56):Well, that is data that we're really proud of. We are so proud to be in 76% of households, but then when you look at the drop off, between 76% have at least one Samsung product and 27% have three or more. We really believe in the benefits that are unlocked when all of our products are working together. So in theory, only 27% of households are realizing this state that we know can be possible. So it is one of the things that has driven this is like it is important for you to unlock all of the features and all of the capabilities of whether it's your appliance, your TV or your phone. They really are better together. So that was one of the drivers behind this campaign. Another one of the drivers is we launched Galaxy AI in 2024 and now we've been over this hurdle of there is strong awareness of Galaxy AI and AI in general of what it is and what it can do, but we need to help consumers along on this journey of seeing all the benefits that AI can unlock.(06:01):So we talk about Galaxy AI as being your true AI companion. And what we mean by that is we've moved beyond automation and it's now personalized predictive, anticipating your needs and offering you meaningful personal insights. And that's something else that we want to start telling the story of because that's the thing that's going to get you to say, oh my gosh, my phone can do so much more and now enter smart things. My phone and my fridge or my phone and my TV can help me start building this really amazing connected lifestyle that's going to help me insert the benefit that isn't relevant to you. Is it save time? Is it have a better movie watching experience? There's so many things that this can enable that. That was, it was those things that added up to really inspiring us to create this campaign.Damian Fowler (06:53):I'm really interested to hear a little bit more about the style and the tone of the aesthetic of this campaign, how it aligns this futuristic vision with very human insight.Allison Stransky (07:03):We always think not just about the tech itself but the design. So it really goes back to the product and how we represent our products because it is not just about having this functional high tech TV, refrigerator, et cetera, but we want them to be designed forward and fit them beautifully into your house. So that's our baseline philosophy as it came to this campaign. We want to represent how beautiful and designed for the products are, but also Samsung, the brand as a whole. So we are joyful, colorful, open, inclusive as a brand. And so to get that feeling and to bring that to life, we worked with an amazing team. Crispin was our creative partner and Mathy was our director duo partner who really brought that vision to life. So Crispin was not new for us. We have been working with them since 2024, and so they really get and feel our brand.(08:05):But Mathy is a creative team that we and the Crispin team have really admired and wanted to have an opportunity to work with because we felt like they really get it, they get Samsung, they get what they're trying to do and then they bring their own incredible spin to it. So two of the things that I loved about them, and I will say they all this team really surpassed expectations. One was their approach to color. Like I said, we are a design forward colorful brand and they really captured a very modern look and feel. But then secondly, they have an incredible attention to detail that I hope our viewers pick up on when they watch the spots and see all these tiny little things that came together. One of my favorite examples of that was in our neo QLED eight K TV spot. The storyline was that this couple is obsessed with westerns and they want to have the most immersive TV western viewing experience, but their whole house is designed like Western fans and there's all this little attention to detail in tiny hats and cowboy boots that they strategically placed everywhere in the spot.(09:20):And when we saw it come to life, we just, like I said, it surpassed our expectations and we know we picked the right team.Damian Fowler (09:31):Allison, I'd really love to ask you a little bit more about the actual media buying strategy behind the campaign. Can you elaborate?Allison Stransky (09:37):Absolutely. So it's really special to work at this brand. A lot of CMOs have a lot of love for their brand. I've had love for Samsung before I worked here, so I feel fortunate to have this seat and everything that we create is so it's thought out from the product perspective, from the communication perspective, from the media buying perspective because we want to make sure, one, you understand what we are trying to do. Two, we reach the right people. Something else that is unique about working in a brand that has touched this many households is one of the reasons we've done that is we have so many products and part of that is getting the right message to the right person at the right time. Because if you're going back to school and you're in college shopping mode, I have really relevant phones and laptops and tablets that are going to monitors that will enhance your back to school experience.(10:40):I don't want to serve you a refrigerator ad at that time. And so that's where end to end, every detail needs to be thought out because even the targeting needs to get the right spot to the right people. As I talked a little bit about, this is year two of the campaign in the first year we created stories and vignettes around Are you a workout from Home Maven? Are you a home chef? And when I saw the corporate, the boss lady served to me, I was like, this is all working. The media is working out is the one that I've also been served.Ilyse Liffreing (11:16):Yeah, it seems to me like it's a truly omnichannel kind of strategy as well, and that kind of fits in with the overall smart things theme in a sense.Allison Stransky (11:25):It does. I appreciate that connection because smart things is one of the things that's really special about the Smart Things app is that it is an open ecosystem. It works with everything that is built on the matter platform. So it's not just for Samsung products. And not only is that in line with our value system of openness and inclusion, but that helps our consumers and smart things app users reach another level of benefits and impact. And what I mean by that is health is a big area, for example, that we focus on and sleep within health is critical, but part of your sleeping environment is are your shades open or closed? How well lit or not well lit is your bedroom. And we want smart things to be part of making that perfect sleeping environment. But we don't make lights, we don't make curtains, but we are very happy that you can connect smart lights and smart curtains to your smart things app and with Samsung products create this holistic environment where you can sleep better or wake up better. And it's all a part of our vision of Look, we want to add value to your life. We want to be a very useful, helpful brand.Ilyse Liffreing (12:39):And on that note, let's dive into some of the insights a little bit because you mentioned you wanted to make a smart things ecosystem feel more intuitive and easy to access. So what were some of those signals or behavior changes that you're watching for to see if this message lands?Allison Stransky (12:54):It starts with the KPIs. So we are looking to understand is registration smart things registration increasing? Because the very first step is hook up a product, begin to use the app, start to see what you can get out of that. But from there we want to see that multi-device accounts are also growing because if you have multiple devices connected now I'm starting to get an indication that you are seeing more benefits than, look, you can use your phone as a remote control to turn your TV on and off. That's great. I actually do that a lot in my house. But the sleep benefits, the health benefits, the full ecosystem really gets better when there are multiple products. So the first indication is sign up and start using it. The second is how many products are on there because now I know that you're starting to get a little bit more engaged and we're looking at signals outside of smart things usage as well.(13:52):So for example, only a few weeks into this campaign running, we saw a 55% increase in smart things searches versus year ago. And that was really exciting to us because that means there's a lot of curiosity around the app and what the app can do. And concurrently we had created a set of assets that we're calling smart things 1 0 1 and they are a series of literally 101 videos that were designed to be very SEO forward and answer questions that we either know people are asking or we believe people are asking about the app. So we've created this process whereby you see the campaign, if you're not familiar with smart things, you might go, oh, what is this? Let me learn some more. And now when you go out there, there's a ton more video to take you on your own personal journey that starts with what is smart things all the way down to, okay, I get it, I'm hooked up. How can I create this? My refrigerator helps me, meal plan experience. It's a number of signals and behavior changes that we're looking at along the way.Damian Fowler (14:58):It makes sense that there's an educational component to this campaign that runs alongside it because I'm curious, when people hear your home speaks to you, they may say, well, what does that mean? What does it mean to me? I mean maybe this tech is even intimidating to some people.Allison Stransky (15:12):Yeah, I think it is fair that this is not second nature to us yet. We are fascinated by each generation of new people who are born are going to be much more tech native than the generation before them. But right now our consumers are really, you're kind of in the millennial and exes are buying a lot of the houses that the appliances are speaking to. Zs are buying phones and certainly TVs but not as many of them are homeowners. So we do think it's really important that we make that journey as seamless and easy as possible because once a lot of the benefits are literally set it and forget it and you can go and continue on your life, but we want to make sure end to end you are supported in your journey. So even outside of this campaign, we are piloting a lot of things whereby our service line people, you can call in and get tech support to set up smart things or we foresee a future state where you can set it up, you can have somebody come in and set it up in your home so that it is all that much easier and ready to go.Damian Fowler (16:25):Now you talk about it. I do think maybe this is a generational thing as well. I suppose if people aren't homeowners serving them, an ad for a fridge may not be that relevant. So you must see an interesting breakdown across generational demographics.Allison Stransky (16:39):We do it is there's a wide range of to be in 76% of households, we have a lot of wide range of consumers too. We also have ranges within our products. We have, not all of our refrigerators have screens, but we sure do love the ones that do. But what we found is through a wide portfolio mix, so many people can see the benefits that they're looking for out of our products. And then it's really our responsibility to make our marketing work harder, to make our media dollars more impactful to and our agency partners as well to get the right content to the right people at the right timeDamian Fowler (17:22):On the right phone.Ilyse Liffreing (17:24):Yeah, that is very interesting because people are using even search and AI chatbots for their questions and how to get those answers. So I think it's a great strategy. But looking at the big picture now, how do you see AI continuing to evolve the role that Samsung plays in people's homes?Allison Stransky (17:42):We really believe that AI is going to continue to be more prevalent, more ubiquitous, more important all of our lives. So AI is not new and we've been innovating in AI for more than 10 years. But what has changed is a lot of the LLMs and the media and a lot of this honestly just talking about it have put these benefits and the power of it on consumer's minds. So now we're in the early stages of, okay, the benefits are here. Let's start with helping you understand what Galaxy AI is and then how AI can make a difference on your refrigerator and your tv. And we are seeing this journey, and to be honest, AI is moving so fast that we could be there in a year, we could be there in three. We don't really know how ready consumers are going to be to jump in with us on all of these things, but the innovation roadmap is there and the communication roadmap is there to say, all right, we know it's going to be here and what we know, it's here to stay.(18:44):Let's just take you on this journey. Let's start with the features and the benefits that you have seen the most value in. So for example, a lot of people are using things like circle to search and photo editing capabilities because that is really valuable, but also on the fun side of adoption. So we've worked those into our campaigns. Another one that as an example from this particular smart things campaign in the Frame Pro spot, we showcase for the first time the frame has always been our art tv. Normally we're showing how you can put Van Gogh on your wall because the insight behind the frame is that your TV shouldn't be a black box when you're not using it. Well now it can display family art, meaning photos that you've taken and edited to take that guy in the background out that you wished wasn't in there. And you can see all of this come to life, but this is still the early stages of what the AI journey is about. It's going to be become even more automated and assistive as we get into this stage of multimodality all of your devices and apps connecting and doing more things for you. But we feel it's our responsibility to help you understand what that looks like, not just how it works, but what's the end benefit to you. And then you'll be excited to come along with us on that journey.Ilyse Liffreing (20:02):Now what about outside of the home? Do you envision a future where the smart things ecosystem even extends maybe in the cars travel or public spaces, maybe even as part of a new innovation roadmap?Allison Stransky (20:15):Yes, we would. It does exist a little bit today and we'd be so excited to see even more so we did just recently launch Smart Things Pro, which is an enterprise solution for smart things. So right now business owners can see a lot of benefits like controlling whole hotels. One of our favorite examples that we shared at CES this year was that smart things pro can control your cruise ship. Not a lot of us are in market to buy cruise ships, but showing the power of what it can do and how it exists is really exciting. And I think we envision a world where smart things pro from a business outside of the home perspective can connect to smart things on your device and on your app. And we foresee a roadmap of when you show up at a hotel, you can have your room set to the temperature you like, which not just makes it for a more comfortable experience for you, but could help a whole hotel be more sustainable by not blasting the air conditioning for everybody who doesn't want it to be 62 degrees or whatever it feels like it's set at through smart things.(21:22):And Hyundai, your EV can be your whole house generator. So there's cool stuff in the works that we are working on getting the news out there to our consumers because there's just so many benefits. We also kind have to start by thinking about the bigger ones, which back to this campaign, the things that people want every day are make my life easier, help me save time, help me make my home more enjoyable with my family.Damian Fowler (21:51):Do you think that there's any way that this campaign can help move the needle in the direction of broader acceptance of say, AI and automation?Allison Stransky (22:00):I think it's going to play a part in that we have so much within Samsung that we are talking about in the AI space that I think Samsung as a whole is a massive contributor to shifting the AI conversation. So fortunately there are some partners out there like Chat, GP, GT and Meta are also continuing the narrative and bringing up total awareness. So we're very excited for the more AI conversation that happens, the more interest and curiosity there is in AI benefits. And then we are here with on-device AI on our smartphones and televisions and appliances, our responsibility when you come now you know what AI is. Now our responsibility is to help you see the benefit that you can get from not just individual Samsung products but how they all work together. And I think we are at this really exciting tipping point for not just tech companies but consumer companies everywhere to help all consumers say, look, we're moving into the AI generation. It's here to stay. We're going to do it together. You find the AI solutions that are right for you. And that's how I think we'll all come along on this journey.Damian Fowler (23:14):I just want to know, can I ask my fridge to tell me when I need to order some new cheese?Allison Stransky (23:18):Cheese? I would prioritize cheese too.Damian Fowler (23:21):Okay. We've got some quickfire questions now that EIS is going to kick off.Ilyse Liffreing (23:25):Okay. Yes. So Alison, what's your favorite scene or moment from the new campaign that you believe best captures the heart of your homes beaks you?Allison Stransky (23:35):So in each of our four spots, there's a moment where our hero just makes this look like I've got this. So my dog is sitting on my day clothes, I've got this, my kids can't agree on dinner. I've got this. And that's the part that I think that captures because whether it comes from the surprise of dog on clothes or I got tackle dinner every single night, I think that's a very real moment that people go through every single day and you get that own personal little rush of like, you got this covered. But on a personal level, it is, I do really love the fridge spot where dad is cooking dinner for two kids because we laugh about this at home because every single night my husband is cooking dinner for our kids. And so that one for me is like a little slice of life, but there's a moment of confidence where you're in control. And that's what I think really encapsulates the spirit of this campaign.Damian Fowler (24:37):What's one feature of the Samsung Smart things ecosystem that you personally can't live without?Allison Stransky (24:43):So I am personally obsessed with all the innovation we have in this health space and sleep in particular because we know most Americans report they don't get enough sleep, but I am definitely part of that set as for mentioned to kids. So what I'm really excited about is the capabilities of your wearables to track how you are sleeping, connects that to your personal temperature in the middle of the night and auto adjust your thermostat accordingly to bring the temperature up or down depending upon what you need. So I will be completely honest, my full house is not fully smart thermostat enabled yet, but this is the one on my wishlist that I'm like, I need this because I am a wearable and health tracker enthusiast.Ilyse Liffreing (25:33):Okay, here's the next one. Which consumer insights helped you the most in developing this campaign?Allison Stransky (25:40):So when it comes to this campaign, we were looking for insights that I guess I'll say weren't so surprising as they were relatable. So I'm not sure that I can say from this campaign, but on the consumer insight that surprises me the most is that I'm not kidding and I'm not being facetious. People report saying they would rather live without their left hand than their mobile phone. I know that our phones are important, but I will say that is surprising because that is to report that that is a level of, I don't know if it's dependency or love, but either way that reminds me that we make a really special product that people really, really value in their lives. And I think that is just wild when they say it like that.Damian Fowler (26:27):Well, we did live without them a long time ago, so. Well, I did. I'm Gen X. Is there a brand campaign inside or outside tech that you think is nailing emotional storytelling right now?Allison Stransky (26:39):So it's not exactly a new spot. They've been doing it for a little while, but I loving Volvo and they released a spot, I believe it was last year, towards the end of the year for the New Ex 90 where it is a beautiful story of a couple has just found out that they are pregnant and they flash forward and they see their whole lives unfold. And then there's a moment where Volvo is critical in their safety features of making sure that this all happens. And I'm going to give you just enough tease because I think people should go look up this spot. This is a piece of art in video advertising. And I still get chills when I think about it. So that's one in particular that's really good. But then they've taken a lot of other moments with dad and daughter learning to drive together. And so many of these other things that I think cars can be emotional because they're related to safety. They also are so integral to your life. They enable you to get places to do things. So I think there's a lot of deep emotion in the auto category, but when you say emotion, that is the first one that comes to mind as I still get chills thinking about how beautiful that spot is.Damian Fowler (28:02):And that's it for this edition of The Big Impression.Ilyse Liffreing (28:04):This show is produced by Molten Hart. Our theme is by Love and caliber, and our associate producer is Sydney Cairns.Damian Fowler (28:11):And rememberAllison Stransky (28:12):The consumer insight that surprises me the most is that I'm not kidding, and I'm not being facetious. People report saying they would rather live without their left hand than their mobile phone.Damian Fowler (28:23):I'm DamianIlyse Liffreing (28:24):And I'm Ilyse, andDamian Fowler (28:25):We'll see you next time. 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Jaime Hunt sits down with Kerry Salerno, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Babson College, to explore the power of data-driven marketing. Together, they dive into how Kerry's team leverages impact reports and key performance indicators (KPIs) to align marketing strategies with institutional goals. From agile team structures to quarterly dashboards and annual reports, this episode is packed with insights on building a high-performance marketing culture. If you've ever struggled to quantify the impact of your marketing work—or convince leadership it matters—this episode is a must-listen.Guest Name: Kerry Salerno, Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Babson CollegeGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrysalerno/Guest Bio: Kerry Salerno serves as Babson College's Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, overseeing brand, reputation and enrollment marketing and communication strategies. She is responsible for building brand awareness, engagement, adoption, and advocacy for the institution and each of its revenue generating programs, as well as overseeing institutional communications strategies. Prior to Babson, Kerry was at Northeastern University where she served in a variety of roles related to enrollment marketing and communications, most recently as Vice President of Enrollment, Marking and Recruitment for the Northeastern University Professional Advancement Network. Kerry received her B.S. in Marketing and her M.B.A from Bentley University. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jaime Hunthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimehunt/https://twitter.com/JaimeHuntIMCAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Maximilian Vogel dismisses tales of agentic unicorns, relying instead on human expertise, rational objectives, and rigorous design to deploy enterprise agentic systems. Maximilian and Kimberly discuss what an agentic system is (emphasis on system); why agency in agentic AI resides with humans; engineering agentic workflows; agentic AI as a mule not a unicorn; establishing confidence and accuracy; codesigning with business/domain experts; why 100% of anything is not the goal; focusing on KPIs not features; tricks to keep models from getting tricked; modeling agentic workflows on human work; live data and human-in-the-loop validation; AI agents as a support team and implications for human work. Maximilian Vogel is the Co-Founder of BIG PICTURE, a digital transformation boutique specializing in the use of AI for business innovation. Maximilian enables the strategic deployment of safe, secure, and reliable agentic AI systems.Related ResourcesMedium: https://medium.com/@maximilian.vogelA transcript of this episode is here.
Nightlife News Breakdown with Philip Clark, joined by Katina Curtis, Canberra bureau chief for The West Australian, who has been covering federal politics for over a decade.
¿Cómo se pasa de un e-commerce a una marca omnicanal que crece online y en tienda física? En esta conversación con Paco Tormo (CEO y cofundador de Singularu) desgranamos estrategias y técnicas accionables: del pivote de marketplace a producto propio a la apertura de 70+ tiendas, el uso de Amazon como palanca (FBA, Brand Store, mix de Ads) y los KPIs que de verdad importan para escalar sin perder el ADN de marca.
Here's a question that keeps startup founders up at night: How does a first sales hire build pipeline and prospect effectively when there's zero technology, no tools, and absolutely no data resources available? That's the challenge Matthew Russell brought to the table, and it's a scenario that's far more common than you'd think. Companies transitioning from founder-led sales often throw their first sales hire into the deep end with nothing but a laptop and a "good luck" pat on the back. If you're nodding your head right now, you're not alone. But here's the good news: some of the most successful sales teams were built from exactly this position, and there's a proven playbook for making it work. The Hook Is Everything When Will Frattini joined his boss Jane in Austin back in 2011, they had zero presence in the market. No reputation, no established relationships, no fancy tech stack. Just two people and a mission to build from scratch. The first lesson? Your job isn't to reinvent the wheel or create some elaborate sales process. Your job is to figure out what hook the founder used to close their first deals, then ruthlessly replicate it. This means getting the founder to show you exactly how they won business. Listen to their calls. Shadow their meetings. Mirror their approach. Don't try to be clever or add your own spin yet. Just learn what actually works. Here's the critical part: you need the founder to be brutally honest with you about your early meetings. Will's boss Jane had the right to refuse any meeting he set. If it didn't qualify, she'd tell him exactly why. That feedback loop is gold because it teaches you the difference between a meeting that sounds good and a meeting that actually advances the sale. Master the fundamentals before you try to optimize. The Metrics That Actually Matter Forget about creating a complex sales process with seventeen KPIs. In the beginning, you need exactly one metric that matters: qualified meetings that convert to next steps. Will's early goal was 20 to 30 worthwhile meetings per month. Eventually they scaled that to 60 per rep. But notice the word "worthwhile." These weren't just any meetings. They were conversations with real potential that the founder or sales leader validated. The qualifier matters because it forces you to get better at targeting and messaging, not just activity for activity's sake. You can't game this system by booking junk meetings. When Victoria Walker asked how long it takes to build metrics in a niche market, the answer is simple: you'll have metrics after day one. How many calls did you make? How many connections? How many appointments set? But here's what trips up most new outbound teams: they expect instant results, don't see them, and quit before the cumulative impact kicks in. The 30-Day Rule Changes Everything The prospecting you do today pays off somewhere in the next 90 days. This is the rule of cumulative impact, and it's why most outbound efforts fail. Companies start strong, don't see immediate results, and abandon ship. Then they restart six months later with different reps, different messaging, and the cycle repeats. This is death by fits and starts. Your commitment has to be ironclad: we're doing this every single day for at least 90 to 120 days before we make major changes. You'll make small tweaks to messaging and targeting along the way, but you don't stop the engine. Think of it like an elite sports team watching game film. You're looking for incremental improvements. Last month you closed five good deals. This month you're aiming for six. You're not rebuilding the entire playbook every two weeks because the metrics look scary. Handling the "How'd You Get My Number?" Objection D'elvis Huerta raised a challenge every salesperson faces: prospects who are surprised or even concerned when you call their cell phone. They ask how you got their information, and it throws you off your game.
How do you actually know if you're leading well? Not just driving revenue. Not just hitting targets. I'm talking about leading with clarity, intention, and long-term impact. Here's the truth: most senior leaders measure the business… but not their leadership. And if you're not tracking your leadership , you can't improve it. Today, I'm breaking down 5 leadership KPIs the best executives track so you can scale your leadership the same way you scale your business. Let's dive in.>> Links mentioned within
In this episode of Pearls On, Gloves Off, Mary sits down with Jacqueline Lee, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Flynn Group, to unpack what it takes to lead legal, compliance, and risk functions at scale. Flynn is the parent company behind brands like Panera, Taco Bell, Wendy's, Planet Fitness, and more, with 75,000+ employees across the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. Jacqueline shares her journey from big law to being unexpectedly tapped for a GC role just a year into her in-house life. Along the way, she reveals what's really changed (and what hasn't) in that transition — especially around how legal advice must shift to be more strategic, practical, and business-aligned. In this conversation, you'll learn: How to translate your legal skills for non-lawyer clients. Jacqueline stresses the importance of tailoring advice to how business leaders think and act — not how lawyers talk. Why “perfect information” is a myth in-house. You'll hear how GCs must balance risk, ambiguity, and the need to move fast. How to lead through crisis and uncertainty. Jacqueline's leadership during the pandemic reveals lessons in transparency, empathy, and restoring a feeling of control. How to demonstrate real value to the business. She explains her shift from narrative legal reports to visual dashboards, metrics tied to core business KPIs, and proactive reporting. The case for in-house litigation. Flynn handles much of its litigation internally; Jacqueline explains how they pick which matters to pursue internally vs. outsource — and why she still loves law. How to recruit, grow, and scale a legal team. We dig into her hiring philosophy, aligning on values, and the challenges of hybrid teams. Pricing and partnership with outside counsel. Jacqueline critiques the inefficiencies of hourly billing and shares how value-based arrangements can align incentives and build trust. If you're an aspirational in-house counsel or a legal leader grappling with how to prove impact, this episode is packed with insights you can start applying now. Follow Mary on LinkedIn Rate and review on Apple Podcasts
Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this session, Linn Clabburn, Head of CVC at Inter IKEA Group, and Destana Herring, Partner at Regeneration.VC, explore how corporates and VCs can partner with founders without overshadowing them.From aligning on objectives to translating “corporate scale” into startup reality, Linn and Destana share how trust, sparring, and clarity in the boardroom can make or break collaboration.
Welcome back to another episode of The Above the Business Podcast with Bradley Hamner. Today, we're revisiting a conversation that continues to resonate with entrepreneurs and business leaders everywhere—the impact of neurodiversity, specifically ADHD, on business owners.Bradley sits down with Dr. Ned Hallowell, a New York Times bestselling author who has written over 20 books on psychological topics. Dr. Hallowell's groundbreaking Distraction series, which began with Driven to Distraction (co-authored with Dr. John Ratey in 1994), sparked a revolution in how we understand ADHD—and that conversation remains just as relevant today.The Hidden Signs You Might Be MissingIn this episode, Bradley and Dr. Hallowell dive into the telltale signs that often go unrecognized: unexplained underperformance despite your best efforts, constant "if only" thoughts that keep you stuck in regret cycles, and an inability to stay focused on work you find too simple or routine. If these experiences sound all too familiar, Dr. Hallowell recommends pursuing a medical diagnosis—not as a label, but as a pathway to understanding and optimization.The Elusive "State of Flow"One of the most powerful concepts they explore is the "state of flow"—those magical moments and hours when you're firing on all cylinders and deeply productive. For many adults with ADHD, accessing this state feels frustratingly out of reach, leaving them unable to achieve goals they know they're capable of reaching.The Strengths Within the DifferenceBut here's the good news that remains as true now as ever: ADHD and other forms of neurodiversity don't need to hinder your goals. Dr. Hallowell's mission is to educate and celebrate these differences, highlighting the unique strengths they can provide. By breaking down barriers of stigma and misunderstanding, he shows how all of us benefit from the cognitive diversity in our teams and communities.Whether you're an entrepreneur struggling to understand your own brain, or a leader looking to better support neurodivergent team members, this conversation offers insights that can transform how you work and lead.Learn more about Dr. Hallowell and his work at https://drhallowell.com/This episode of The Above the Business Podcast continues to offer timeless wisdom for business owners navigating the intersection of neurodiversity and entrepreneurship.Thanks to our sponsors...BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we're just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting
Today on Window Treatments for Profit If you're still setting sales goals without a plan to hit them or worse, without tracking the activity that drives them, it's time for a reset. In today's episode, LuAnn breaks down the real difference between high-performing teams and everyone else: KPIs that actually move the needle. You'll learn how to reverse-engineer your revenue goals into actionable metrics, how to lead your team with clarity and accountability, and why this mindset isn't just for sales, it's for every part of your business. Plus, LuAnn shares a personal invitation to join her and Vince in Montana or Wyoming this October for a transformative in-person event on how to build a business that runs on purpose, profit, and leadership. In this episode: Why sales goals without KPIs are useless The 3 metrics every salesperson should know cold How to coach behavior, not just outcomes Why real leaders track every department—not just sales Ready to level up? Start tracking like a pro and leading like a CEO. Learn more about Mission: Forward Planning at excitingwindows.biz/mfp Our Favorite Links Windowworksnj.com Exciting Windows What's new with LuAnn Nigara The Power Talk Friday Tour 2025 Watch the Docuseries! https://www.luannnigara.com/cob Purchase LuAnn's Books Here: Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday ExpertsBook 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2 Connect with LuAnn Nigara LuAnn's Website LuAnn's Blog Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Send us a textIn this episode, Todd and Jen tackle one of the biggest challenges salon owners face: staff retention. Instead of relying on non-compete agreements or fear-based policies, they share practical, proven strategies for building a culture where stylists genuinely want to stay. From career growth opportunities to education, mentorship, and financial transparency, you'll hear exactly what's worked at Hello Hair Co.—and how you can apply it in your own salon.What you'll learn:Retention starts with culture and leadership, not contractsDefine retention success as 5–10 years with your teamStylists leave when they see no path for growth or opportunityOne-on-one mentorship unlocks motivation and hidden talentsEducation should be baked into your salon's daily cultureInvest in peer-led classes, curated outside educators, and team outingsCelebrate staff growth beyond KPIs—focus on human valueTransparency around money builds trust and loyaltyRecruiting requires adapting to what new grads want todayFreedom doesn't have to mean isolation—community mattersEpisode Timestamps[00:00] – Introduction + why non-competes fail[00:02] – Opening takes: profit myths & favorite styles from the past[00:07] – Strangest client requests we've ever had[00:12] – Defining staff retention: why 5–10 years is the goal[00:15] – Why stylists leave: lack of growth and opportunity[00:18] – How to create real growth paths inside your salon[00:20] – Battling the “booth rental is the only path” mindset[00:23] – One-on-ones & individualized goal-setting[00:25] – Spotting hidden talents and pushing people into growth[00:28] – Why levels and titles don't matter—price points do[00:30] – Making education part of your culture (daily + curated)[00:33] – Staff-led classes and peer-to-peer education[00:35] – Investing in outside educators (the right way)[00:36] – Team outings via education + culture building[00:37] – Recognition and celebrating growth the right way[00:39] – Recruiting: what new grads actually want in 2025[00:42] – Why freedom turns into isolation for many stylists[00:43] – Positioning your salon as a growth environment[00:44] – Transparency around money and profit[00:46] – Closing thoughts Links and Stuff:Our Newsletter Mentoring InquiriesFind more of our things:InstagramHello Hair Pro Website
The Financial Operator: Cash In, Chaos Out Podcast | Episode 67 | Scaling Smart: KPIs, Leadership & Life Balance
No fluff. Just real talk from the field, made simple.Whether you're new to the world of planning or a seasoned pro looking for a refresher, this episode breaks down the fundamentals of demand planning in a way that's practical, approachable, and actually useful. I cover the essentials who owns the forecast, what makes a good one, which KPIs matter most, and how to choose the right methods. This is your crash course and survival guide, designed to give you the clarity and confidence to plan better today.Support the showTo sign up for regular updates and the latest research, events, articles, podcasts and more from the Institute of Business Forecasting & Training, visit www.ibf.org
Bhaskar Roy, Chief of AI Products and Solutions at Workato, breaks down the fundamental shift from app-centric thinking to agent-first architecture. This conversation cuts through the AI hype to reveal how enterprises are moving beyond simple content generation to deploy agents at the core of business processes—from quote-to-cash workflows to IT helpdesk operations. Roy reveals the critical gap between low-agency experimentation and high-value automation, outlines the governance frameworks required for autonomous agents, and explains why getting hands-on is the only way to separate signal from noise in the agentic era.Key Takeaways1. The Agency Gap: Most Companies Are Stuck in Low-Value TerritoryGartner research shows most companies remain in low-agency activities like content creation and email writing, while maximum ROI comes from agents executing core processes like order-to-cash and supply chain managementSaaS is deterministic and requires months for customization, while agents adapt and execute in real-timeThe transformation eliminates bottlenecks where process experts depend on developers for integrations2. Purpose-Specific Agents with Enterprise Skills Beat General-Purpose ApproachesAgents must be narrowly focused with defined skills—finance agents restricted to finance users, each agent limited to relevant capabilities onlyGovernance controls agent-to-agent collaboration, with supervisor agents coordinating and ensuring complianceAgent authentication ensures agents respect user permissions—only updating data the individual user can access3. App Events and Enterprise Acumen Enable Proactive IntelligenceAgents listen to events across systems—new hires, leads, tickets—then reason, contextualize, and take autonomous actionEnterprise acumen monitors KPIs continuously and proactively recommends actions as metrics fluctuateThe shift from reactive to proactive requires human-in-the-loop now, but full autonomy approaches rapidly4. The Mindset Shift: From App-Centric to Agent-First ThinkingStop thinking about which app to use—start asking which agent can handle core business processes betterWhen agents become core to business, reliability matters—platforms must provide innovation with enterprise-grade trustReading about AI isn't learning—build agents, test them, discover what's real versus hypeChapters:00:00 - Introduction00:46 - Journey at Workato: From Integration to Intelligent Agents03:40 - The Evolution from SaaS to Agentic Workflows07:51 - Best-of-Breed Apps Creating Data Silos and Integration Challenges10:54 - Employee Productivity Gains Through Unified Agent Interfaces13:20 - The Agency Gap: Low-Value vs. Core Business Process Automation17:32 - Real-World Agent Deployments: Quote-to-Cash and IT Helpdesk20:12 - Proactive vs. Reactive Agents: Where Does Automation Stop?24:42 - Trust, Governance, and Control in Autonomous Agent Systems28:42 - Preparing for the Apps-to-Agents Transition33:04 - Lightning Round: Getting Hands-On to Shorten Learning CurvesVisit our website - https://saassessions.com/Connect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunilneurgaonkar/
Nonprofits talk about programs, fundraising, and boards—but rarely about how to build and lead a modern finance team. JMT Consulting's Taylor Bost and Samantha Tiso deliver a clear, practical playbook for turning finance from a back-office function into a strategic engine.Samantha reframes the relationship right out of the gate: “We view the finance department as the customer support for the rest of the company.” That posture—service, responsiveness, and clarity—reduces fear, boosts collaboration, and speeds decisions. It also demands better systems. As she puts it, “With the right system… that is possible if you have it structured the right way.” Translation: good data in, fast insight out.Taylor widens the lens to organization-wide alignment. Finance is not just P and L. It is grants, restrictions, repeat donor behavior, and cost to raise a dollar—metrics that reshape priorities across teams. That is why she pushes for a single ‘source of truth' and warns against siloed tools: when data is scattered, people end up re-keying information and fixing errors. Her reminder lands: “Every time a human's touching something… you're opening yourself up to room for error.”Measurement matters too—of the finance team itself. Taylor offers practical KPIs any CEO or board can use: monthly close time, volume of audit adjustments, and adoption of automation. If close cycles are drifting from 5–7 business days to 15–20, there is friction you can remove with better workflow, integrations, and roles.Governance shows up repeatedly. Samantha adds: “The C-suite needs to be looking at it. The board needs to be looking at it.” Confidence in numbers is confidence in the organization. And with grantmakers demanding more frequent and better-substantiated reports, integrated systems are no longer optional—they are essential.The quick-paced convo also tackles outsourced and remote finance. Success hinges on clear ownership of recurring tasks, documented deadlines, and transparent communication channels. Taylor's advice: break the monthly engine into parts—reconciliations, payment application, approvals—so nothing stalls.The icing on the cake? We get a preview of Innovate 2026 conference and JMT's three-decade journey—from early outsourced accounting to full-stack finance technology and process advisory. Samantha shares how Innovate blends training with thought leadership on grants, banking, interest rates, and board communication, ensuring every role—from CFO to controller to ops—walks away with practical upgrades.Big takeaway: modern nonprofit finance is a service mindset plus integrated tech plus shared accountability. Or in Taylor's words, “CFOs step a little bit more into the tech strategy role.” When finance leads with service and systems, everyone rows in the same direction—and mission moves faster.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show
Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you candid conversations with Europe's leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors shaping the future of venture collaboration.In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm speaks with Gina Domanig, Managing Partner at Emerald Technology Ventures, and Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures, on what it really takes to design, launch, and evolve corporate venture capital programs that endure.They explore how corporates can balance financial credibility with strategic impact, why governance and structure matter, and how to bridge the cultural gap between startups and corporates. From KPIs and deal flow to long-term commitment, this is a masterclass in building CVCs that deliver more than returns.Here's whats covered:00:00 Building a CVC program is more than financial—it's a cultural shift.01:00 Exploitation vs. exploration — balancing today's business with tomorrow's bets.02:00 The role of funds, reserves, and acting like financial VCs to gain credibility.04:00 Gina's “CVC as a service” model — how Emerald engages with multiple corporates.05:00 Why corporates must commit resources to both financial and strategic value creation.06:00 Engagement processes — KPIs, partnerships, and designing for tangible outcomes.07:00 Mining deal flow — helping corporates benefit even from startups not invested in.08:00 Deliverables matter — deal flow, pilots, KPIs, and leadership pressure for follow-through.09:00 Investor + consultant? Or financial + strategic VC? — the real identity of CVCs.
Ellie Holbert, founder and principal of Empact Advisory Services, is a scientist, researcher and organizational change expert who has mastered unlocking full potential of organizations including transforming some of the largest health systems in the U.S. as well as large enterprises with over 250,000 employees. In this latest episode, she highlights the key factors to her system of discovering the human potential to perform in organizations with KPI structure, culture, and habits that drive results.0:00 Episode Highlight 1 - Redefining Failure & Circle of Safety0:42 Episode Highlight 2 - Case: Wrong KPIs harmed Customer Satisfaction in a Large U.S. Healthcare System03:34 Personal Inspiration: Lessons from Motherhood & Reading“Redefining strength, resilience, and inspiration.”04:53 Academic Excellence & Early Career Discipline“Why structure, early mastery, and emotional intelligence shaped her career.”07:46 Metrics vs. Culture: Avoiding the Wrong Incentives“How poorly designed KPIs can backfire—and what to measure instead.” Importance of balancing individual and team metrics. Measuring trust, approachability of leaders and emotional intelligence factors is linked to observable leadership that drives business outcomes.10:30 Unintended Problems of Procurement KPIs in Largest US Health System. Created Customer Dissatisfaction despite opposite intentions.11:40 When to Invest in Team Effectiveness Interventions“Times of change, fear, and stagnation demand cultural investment.”Employees are operating from self-protection which is slowing innovation, and performance.16:42 Today's Need to Protect Top Performers & Measure ROI“Why high performers deliver 8X output and how to retain them.”19:49 Building Self-Driven Teams That Last Beyond ConsultingEllie anchors specific techniques to “Psychological safety, retrospectives, and boldness as cultural cornerstones.”20:30 Leadership Power of Describing Reality Accurately without BlameSelf-regulation is a norm in the most successful teams, centered on creating structure with clarity, safe environment and analysis of emotional intelligence.24:48 Keys to Thrive in Uncertainty: Mindset, Delegation & Letting Go27:57 Redefining the Modern OrganizationEllie reacts to Netflix custom to encourage executives to make $1 million dollar mistakes. Failure is a critical part of our success, as well as sharing lessons from failures because of the benefits of learning. “The four pillars: psychological safety, belonging, clarity, and purpose.”33:03 Case Study: From Chaos to Clarity in 8 WeeksEllie tells how she created champions in a financial services organization with 5000 employees handling a major cybersecurity initiative, pressure and uncertainty. “How one healthcare team improved ROI by 45X and revenue by 11X.”37:35 – Final Words & Team Health Assessment“Start small: measure and improve team health."
Fifty customers, fifty metrics—too many for a two-person team. Today we boil micro-SaaS analytics down to the three numbers that actually move the needle. Side Hustle School features a new episode EVERY DAY, featuring detailed case studies of people who earn extra money without quitting their job. This year, the show includes free guided lessons and listener Q&A several days each week. Show notes: SideHustleSchool.com Email: team@sidehustleschool.com Be on the show: SideHustleSchool.com/questions Connect on Instagram: @193countries Visit Chris's main site: ChrisGuillebeau.com Read A Year of Mental Health: yearofmentalhealth.com If you're enjoying the show, please pass it along! It's free and has been published every single day since January 1, 2017. We're also very grateful for your five-star ratings—it shows that people are listening and looking forward to new episodes.
Faith, Fatherhood, and Leading at Home with Intention In one of the most heartfelt episodes we've ever recorded, Chris and Melissa sit down with Bubba Page — a single dad of eight, serial entrepreneur, and unapologetic follower of Jesus — to explore what it really means to lead your family with faith, intentionality, and purpose. Bubba's story is raw, real, and deeply inspiring. From building and selling companies to walking through heartbreak and healing, he's discovered that success means nothing without faith and family at the center. He shares how his relationship with God transformed after a season of humility and loss, and how daily spiritual practices — from prayer and scripture study to worship and journaling — helped him discover God's will for his life. This conversation goes far beyond business. Bubba opens up about spiritual warfare, discerning the “three voices” we all hear, and how to cultivate strength and clarity to follow God's plan. He also shares how we can turn our deepest trials into the very source of our light — a message every parent and leader needs to hear. As a father, Bubba's mission is crystal clear: to raise warriors for Christ and equip parents with practical tools to lead their homes. He's now building the Fatherhood Movement and writing The Father Operating System, a guide that applies business principles — like KPIs, meetings, and mission statements — to family life. The goal? More intention, more connection, and more joy. If you've ever wondered how to bring more purpose, structure, and spiritual depth into your home, this episode will leave you inspired, challenged, and ready to step into your calling as a parent and leader. LINKS: All Links Family Brand! stan.store/familybrand familybrand.com/quiz familybrand.com/retreats. Links For This Episode: https://linktr.ee/bubbapage Episode Minute By Minute: 00:00 – Welcome and how Chris met Bubba 02:00 – Girl Dad memories and the story behind the name “Bubba” 04:00 – Why the world needs your light (and why darkness can't exist where light is) 06:30 – Bubba on sharing faith, fatherhood, and entrepreneurship 08:00 – Discovering purpose and the mission God has for your life 10:30 – How humility and failure led Bubba to deeper faith 13:00 – Creating sacred space, daily prayer, and deeper spiritual connection 15:00 – Hearing God's voice and discerning the three voices we all hear 20:00 – Spiritual warfare and raising warriors for Christ 22:00 – Turning pain into purpose and the power of Jesus to heal 25:00 – Doing the inner work: healing, attachment, and triggers 28:00 – Understanding why God gave you your life experiences 30:00 – Fatherhood as a divine calling and the duty of parents 32:00 – Leading your home with structure, intention, and vision 34:00 – The Father Operating System: bringing business tools into parenting 35:00 – Creating a family crest and legacy 38:00 – Bubba's greatest hope and legacy for his children 40:00 – Where to connect with Bubba and follow his work
Terry Haayema: The Product Owner Who Made Retros Unsafe (And How We Fixed It) Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes. "The biggest anti-pattern was that he made the retro unsafe... he would come to the retro and called people out for things that had not been done." The Bad Product Owner: The PO Who Made Retros Unsafe Terry describes a product owner who came from a management background focused on widgets and KPIs, completely unprepared for the collaborative nature of the product owner role. This person's biggest anti-pattern was making retrospectives unsafe by calling out individual team members for things not completed or not done to his satisfaction. When gentle coaching interventions failed, Terry took the dramatic step of excluding the PO from retrospectives entirely. Surprisingly, this shock treatment worked - when the PO asked why he wasn't invited, Terry used SBI feedback (Situation, Behavior, Impact) to help him understand how his actions were destroying team dynamics. The story has a positive ending, with the PO eventually understanding and changing his approach. In this segment, we refer to the Retrospective Prime Directive, and the SBI feedback framework. The Great Product Owner: The Customer Connector Terry's best product owner example saw their role not just as the voice of the customer, but as the connector between team and customers. Instead of relying solely on user stories and personas, this PO organized regular informal events where real customers and team members could meet, share pizza and beer, and have genuine conversations. These social connections led to deep customer understanding and resulted in their best feature ever - a simple addition that showed customers their last six orders for easy reordering. This feature increased both order frequency and size while dramatically improving the team's ability to empathize with their users. Self-reflection Question: How might you help your product owner move from being the voice of the customer to being the bridge that connects your team directly with real users? [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]
Most business owners quit on strategies right before they start working. Success isn't about trying more things—it's about giving the right things enough time.Take this podcast for example: When we started in 2019, hitting 500 episodes seemed impossible. But consistency over time creates compound results that feel sudden but aren't.The Solution:Give strategies minimum 90 days, often 6-12 months before measuring success. Your constraint isn't trying enough things—it's not giving the right things enough time.Your Challenge:What's the one thing you've been wanting to quit on that maybe needs more time?
In this podcast episode, host Michelle Frechette interviews Adam Preiser and Andre Gagnon, co-founders of SureCart, a managed e-commerce platform for WordPress. They discuss SureCart's user-friendly features, flexible pricing, robust subscription management, and seamless integrations. The conversation highlights how SureCart simplifies online selling for merchants and agencies, offers transparent pricing, and supports both digital and physical products. Listeners ask questions about selling digital goods, reporting, and payment options. The episode concludes with community engagement details and upcoming events, showcasing SureCart's commitment to merchant success and innovation.Top Takeaways:Accessibility and Customizability Are Core Priorities: SureCart places a strong emphasis on accessibility, including keyboard navigation, screen readers, and focus management. Every new feature undergoes extensive accessibility testing. At the same time, the platform is highly customizable, allowing users to modify templates for products, carts, checkouts, and even customer areas. This is particularly valuable for agencies building stores for clients with specific design requirements.Flexibility and Seamless Integration Simplify E-Commerce: SureCart supports multiple pricing options—including one-time payments, subscriptions, and installment plans—and integrates seamlessly with page builders like Elementor and Bricks. It eliminates the need for multiple third-party plugins, offering built-in shipping, taxes, upsells, affiliates, and abandoned cart recovery. Merchants can manage both digital products (like photography) and services, including instant checkout pages for streamlined selling.Advanced Reporting and Subscription Management: The platform provides detailed reporting dashboards with KPIs and subscription analytics, making it easy to track sales, refunds, churn, and growth. Subscription management is automated, including failed payment recovery and options to retain customers through discounts or pauses. Integrations with tools like Zapier allow merchants to trigger automated actions and workflows, enhancing customer retention and operational efficiency.Transparent Pricing, Scalable Plans, and Upcoming Features: SureCart offers a simple pricing model: free plan with a 1.9% transaction fee, or paid annual plans ($179/year for a single store) with all features included and no transaction fees. Plans scale from one store to unlimited stores, ideal for agencies. Upcoming features include starter templates, product reviews, automated fees and discounts, custom report builders, and integration with Razor Pay for international payments. The team maintains a customer-focused, approachable philosophy, prioritizing feedback and ongoing improvements.Mentioned In The Show:SureCartWP CrafterCartFlowsElementorBricks BuilderOtto KitZapier
Send us a textStop chasing vanity metrics for your branded podcast. In this episode of Clipped, I break down three key KPIs that actually show if your branded content is working: lead quality, engagement, and trust. Forget empty downloads and likes—this is about tracking what really drives business impact.Sponsor Alert:Try Riverside.fm's new Multi-Track Editor — get 20% off any individual plan with code CLIPPED at riverside.fmHere's what you'll learn in this episode:Lead Quality — How to track if the right prospects are reaching out after listeningEngagement — Metrics beyond downloads: listen-through rates, comments, shares, reviewsTrust — Why branded podcasts build credibility and humanize your companyTools and tactics: Google Analytics, tracking pixels, Apple Podcast Connect, surveys, and testimonialsHow to shift focus from “vanity” stats to meaningful signals of growthWhether you're running a podcast for a law firm, SaaS brand, or consumer product, these three KPIs give you a clear framework to measure success and make sure your show is creating real value.The Podcast Haven Resources:Follow me on YouTube: @podcasthaven - The page is growing!More tips, tools, and resources: The Podcast HavenPlan, Name, and Equip Your Show — All in One Place
Steve Rozenberg went from flying international jets to building one of the fastest-growing property management companies in the U.S. scaling to over 1,000 units before making a successful exit.In this episode of Powerline Podcast, we dive deep into:How 9/11 ended Steve's airline career and forced a total reinventionThe systems and KPIs he used to scale real estate and business operationsWhy tradespeople should think beyond self-employment and build businesses that work without themHis philosophy on “failing forward” and why failure is the best teacherThe story of the Live Like Jett Foundation—created in honor of his son, supporting students entering the tradesIf you're in the trades, an aspiring entrepreneur, or just someone looking to turn setbacks into opportunities, Steve's story is packed with lessons on resilience, leadership, and building lasting impact.Connect with Steve Rozenberg: https://steverozenberg.com/
In this episode of the Less Insurance Dependence Podcast, Gary Takacs sits down with Josh Gosnell, co-founder of Adit, to explore how technology and data integration are transforming dental practice management. From VOIP phone systems and real-time online scheduling to CareCredit integration and actionable analytics, Josh explains how Adit empowers dental teams to enhance patient communication, improve efficiency, and increase case acceptance. They also discuss how most practices are sitting on untapped revenue in the form of unscheduled treatment and how Adit helps recover it. If you're looking to grow your practice internally, reduce missed calls, and track key performance indicators (KPIs) effortlessly, this conversation is packed with insights you won't want to miss. Book your free marketing strategy meeting with Ekwa at your convenience. Plus, at the end of the session, get a free analysis report to find out where your practice stands online. It's our gift to you! https://www.lessinsurancedependence.com/marketing-strategy-meeting/ If you're looking to boost your case acceptance rates and enhance patient communication, you can schedule a Coaching Strategy Meeting with Gary Takacs. With his experience in helping practices thrive, Gary will work with you on personalized coaching, ensuring you and your team are prepared to present treatment plans confidently, offer financing options, and communicate the value of essential dental services. https://www.lessinsurancedependence.com/csm/
In this episode of Social Media Decoded, Michelle sits down with Anna Tutckaia, VP of Growth at manychat, live from the Instagram Summit 2025. Anna shares her expertise on digital growth, AI, and the future of social media marketing, offering practical insights for entrepreneurs, executives, and brands who want to stand out in a crowded digital world. What You'll Learn in This Episode: The biggest shifts happening in Instagram marketing right now. Why conversations in DMs are becoming the new storefront. How automation + AI can help you grow without burnout. The KPIs and metrics growth leaders actually care about. Where Anna sees digital growth evolving over the next 1–2 years. Action Step:DM me the word PROMPTS on Instagram (@michellelthames) and I'll send you my free list of 10 ChatGPT prompts to boost your visibility and make content creation easier. Resources & Links: Learn more about manychat → HERE Join the Instagram Summit Online with 30 % OFF w code DECODED30 https://igsummit.manychat.com/virtual Connect with Anna Tutckaia on LinkedIn → HERE Follow me on Instagram → @michellelthames Subscribe to Social Media Decoded wherever you listen to podcasts Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.