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What's the difference between Gene Keys and Human Design?Are Gene Keys part of Human Design, or are they separate systems?Which one came first, and which one should you learn? In this episode, we break down Gene Keys vs Human Design in a clear, grounded way – which is one of my favorite conversations! This episode is a beginner-friendly but nuanced explanation of:→ The difference between Human Design and Gene Keys→ How the two systems are related (and how they diverge)→ What each system is actually designed to do, and their promise→ When to use Gene Keys vs when to use Human Design→ And more! PS – This episode is Part 1/3 of THE MAP & THE MANUAL Series: Gene Keys vs. Human Design ✨ Find the rest of the episodes here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJkfU_Bnxs9Bbdd-GQlDHNY3rBOSpQRbJ&si=2YUBzRGfWfzGjdDW ⸻
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
Retake the GRE or move on? In this episode, we break down when you should consider a GRE retake to help your PA school application — and when your time and money are better spent strengthening other areas instead!____________________________If you're tired of overthinking every decision (GRE, schools, timeline, stats…) and want to know exactly what to focus on next, our free Map to PA School mini-course walks you through the entire application journey step-by-step.
Today my guest is writer and author Jane Hamilton. Her first novel, The Book of Ruth, won the PEN/Ernest Hemingway Foundation Award for best first novel and was a selection of the Oprah Book Club. Her second novel, A Map of the World, was an international bestseller, and the fine novels kept on coming so that now comes the publication of her eighth book, The Phoebe Variations, just out from Zibby Publishing. Listen in as we discuss how writers choose what to explore. The QWERTY podcast is brought to you by the book The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-Standardized Text for Writing & Life. Read it, and begin your own journey to writing what you know. To learn more, join The Memoir Project free newsletter list and keep up to date on all our free webinars, instructive posts and online classes in how to write memoir, as well as our talented, available memoir editors and memoir coaches, podcast guests and more.
Most teams are stuck in tool obsession: "Should we build agents?" "Should we buy this AI platform?" In this solo, workshop-style episode, host Susan Diaz pulls you back to reality with a simple decision guide: buy vs bolt-on vs build, four leadership filters, and a practical workflow exercise to help you choose the right approach - without falling for agentic fantasies. Episode summary Susan opens with a pattern she's seeing everywhere: 75% of AI conversations revolve around tools - agents, platforms, add-ons - and they're often framed as all-or-nothing decisions. She reframes it: AI is best understood as robotic process automation for the human mind, not a single agent replacing a person or a department. This episode is structured like a mini workshop. Susan asks you to grab paper and map a real workflow step-by-step - because the decision isn't "which AI tool is hot" it's what job are we automating. Then she defines the three choices leaders actually have: Buy: purchase an off-the-shelf solution that works as-is. Build: create something custom (apps, integrated experiences, models). Bolt-on: the underrated middle path - use tools you already have (enterprise LLMs, suites), then add custom GPTs/projects, prompt templates, and lightweight automations. She introduces a six-level "ladder" from better prompts → templates → custom GPTs/projects → workflow automation → integrated systems → custom builds, and offers a gut-check on whether your "agentic dreams" match your organizational capacity. Key takeaways Start with the job-to-be-done, not the tool. The most common mistake is choosing tech before defining the workflow. A workflow is simply a chain of small tasks with clear verbs and steps. AI is RPA for your brain. Think "Jarvis" more than "replacement." It's about removing repetitive noise while keeping human judgement, discernment, and creativity in the lead. Buy vs Build vs Bolt-on: Buy when you need reliability, guardrails, enterprise support, and the use case is common (summaries, note-taking, analytics). Build when the workflow is your differentiation, data is proprietary, outcomes are strategic, and you can support ongoing maintenance and governance. Bolt-on for most teams: fast, cheaper, easier to change. Start by layering custom GPTs/projects and lightweight automation on top of existing tools and licences. Six levels of maturity (a ladder, not a leap): Better prompts (one-off help) Templates / prompt libraries (repeatable help) Custom GPTs / projects (consistent behaviour + knowledge) Workflow automation (handoffs between steps) Integrated systems (data + permissions + governance) Custom builds (strategic + resourced) Four decision filters for leaders: A) Repeatable workflow or one-off? B) Is the value in the tech itself, or in how you apply it? C) Data sensitivity and risk level? (enterprise controls matter) D) Do you have operating maturity to run it? (monitoring, owners, governance, feedback loops) Automation ≠ autopilot. Automation is great. Autopilot is abdication. If you ship first-draft AI output without review, you'll get "garbage in, garbage out" reputational risk. A simple friction-mapping exercise: Map a 10-step workflow (open, check, find, copy, rewrite, compare, ask someone, format, send, follow up). Circle the friction steps. Label each friction point: R = repeatable J = judgement-heavy D = data-sensitive Then choose: buy / bolt-on / build based on what dominates. Reality check for "agentic dreams": Before building: Do you have a documented workflow? Do you have a human owner reviewing weekly? Do you have a feedback loop? If not, you're building a liability, not a system. The real bet isn't build vs buy. It's this: "What repeatable work needs a personalised tool right now?" Episode highlights [00:02] Why most AI conversations are tool-obsessed (agents, platforms, add-ons). [01:50] "RPA for the human mind" + the Jarvis analogy. [04:14] Workshop setup: buy vs bolt-on vs build + decision filters. [05:15] Step 1: define the job-to-be-done (not the department). [08:13] The 10-step workflow template (open → follow up). [10:49] Definitions: buying AI vs building AI vs bolt-on AI. [14:13] The ladder: prompts → templates → custom GPTs → automation → integrated systems → builds. [16:42] Filter A: repeatable vs one-off (and why repeatable is bolt-on territory). [18:27] Filter C: data sensitivity and enterprise-grade controls. [19:45] Filter D: operating maturity—where agentic dreams go to die. [20:08] Automation vs autopilot (autopilot = abdication). [21:24] Circle friction points + label R/J/D to decide. [25:42] Reality check: documented workflow, owner, feedback loop. [26:33] The takeaway: personalised tools for repeatable work beat agent fantasies. Try the exercise from this episode with your team this week: Pick one recurring, annoying-but-important job. Map it in 10 simple steps. Circle friction points and label R / J / D. Decide: buy, bolt-on, or build—and write: "For this workflow, we will ___ because the biggest constraint is ___." Connect with Susan Diaz on LinkedIn to get a conversation started. Agile teams move fast. Grab our 10 AI Deep Research Prompts to see how proven frameworks can unlock clarity in hours, not months. Find the prompt pack here.
Rob Has a Podcast | Survivor / Big Brother / Amazing Race - RHAP
Know-It-Alls: Survivor 49 Finale Recap Survivor Know-It-Alls is back as Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach dig into all the drama and gameplay twists from Survivor 49. Rob and Stephen break down the intense dynamics after the Survivor 49 finale, highlighting everything from Savannah's strategic dominance to Rizzo's risky idol antics. The hosts go deep on how pre-season spoilers about tribe assignments and possible winners shaped gameplay and perception all season long. In this episode, Rob and Stephen dissect Savannah's journey from being the social hub of her tribe to clutching immunity wins when she needed them most. They talk through Rizzo's creative use of the idol and how it played with both the jury and the audience. Stephen weighs in on Sage's difficult road as a middle player, comparing her final jury struggles to Dawn's classic Survivor heartbreak. The hosts also debate the importance of challenging the edit, jury management, and the “must-win” immunity stat, exploring how Survivor 49's players navigated new era twists and emotional voting blocks. – Savannah's climb to the top as a loyal alliance leader – The fallout from Rizzo's idol strategy and aftershow moments – Sage's tough final tribal and the perils of playing the middle – The debate over physical challenge wins and their timing – Survivor 49's most memorable “villain energy” moments As the dust settles on Survivor 49, Rob and Stephen explore whether the new era's gameplay is all about loyalty or if underdogs can still pull off a win. Chapters: 0:00 Survivor 49 Finale Breakdown Begins 6:30 Spoilers Impact Winner Perception 11:05 Importance of Must-Win Immunities 14:35 Social Game Influences Crucial Votes 17:37 Fire Making Contest Anxiety Discussed 22:01 Survivor After Show Criticisms Raised 29:01 New Era Winner Rankings Debated 32:26 Savannah's Multi-Stage Game Highlighted 34:52 Sage's Emotional Jury Response Explored 39:35 Final Tribal Council Tactics Examined 42:52 Comparing Savannah and Past Winners 44:46 Survivor 50 Twist Reactions Surface 52:26 Speculating on Celebrity Involvement Impact 58:27 Fifty-State Immunity Idol Launch 1:01:31 Potential Themes for Future Seasons 1:12:20 Jury Segment: Improving Survivor Storytelling 1:17:01 Which Players Will Return Next? To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com To pre-order Stephen’s novel Escape!, visit stephenfishbach.com To request a limited edition Escape! map, email proof of hardcover pre-order (within the US) to escapefishbach@gmail.com with the subject line MAP. Previous hardcover pre-orders are also eligible! Buy tickets for Stephen's book events here! stephenfishbach.com/events Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!
Know-It-Alls: Survivor 49 Finale Recap Survivor Know-It-Alls is back as Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach dig into all the drama and gameplay twists from Survivor 49. Rob and Stephen break down the intense dynamics after the Survivor 49 finale, highlighting everything from Savannah's strategic dominance to Rizzo's risky idol antics. The hosts go deep on how pre-season spoilers about tribe assignments and possible winners shaped gameplay and perception all season long. In this episode, Rob and Stephen dissect Savannah's journey from being the social hub of her tribe to clutching immunity wins when she needed them most. They talk through Rizzo's creative use of the idol and how it played with both the jury and the audience. Stephen weighs in on Sage's difficult road as a middle player, comparing her final jury struggles to Dawn's classic Survivor heartbreak. The hosts also debate the importance of challenging the edit, jury management, and the “must-win” immunity stat, exploring how Survivor 49's players navigated new era twists and emotional voting blocks. – Savannah's climb to the top as a loyal alliance leader – The fallout from Rizzo's idol strategy and aftershow moments – Sage's tough final tribal and the perils of playing the middle – The debate over physical challenge wins and their timing – Survivor 49's most memorable “villain energy” moments As the dust settles on Survivor 49, Rob and Stephen explore whether the new era's gameplay is all about loyalty or if underdogs can still pull off a win. Chapters: 0:00 Survivor 49 Finale Breakdown Begins 6:30 Spoilers Impact Winner Perception 11:05 Importance of Must-Win Immunities 14:35 Social Game Influences Crucial Votes 17:37 Fire Making Contest Anxiety Discussed 22:01 Survivor After Show Criticisms Raised 29:01 New Era Winner Rankings Debated 32:26 Savannah's Multi-Stage Game Highlighted 34:52 Sage's Emotional Jury Response Explored 39:35 Final Tribal Council Tactics Examined 42:52 Comparing Savannah and Past Winners 44:46 Survivor 50 Twist Reactions Surface 52:26 Speculating on Celebrity Involvement Impact 58:27 Fifty-State Immunity Idol Launch 1:01:31 Potential Themes for Future Seasons 1:12:20 Jury Segment: Improving Survivor Storytelling 1:17:01 Which Players Will Return Next? To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com To pre-order Stephen’s novel Escape!, visit stephenfishbach.com To request a limited edition Escape! map, email proof of hardcover pre-order (within the US) to escapefishbach@gmail.com with the subject line MAP. Previous hardcover pre-orders are also eligible! Buy tickets for Stephen's book events here! stephenfishbach.com/events Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!
Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner looking for ways to build team culture? In this episode, Kevin Cheney, a law firm owner and co-founder, shares how intentional culture-building can be for a firm's growth. He explains why culture—more than marketing or processes—drives retention, recruitment, client experience, and resilience. He offers a practical three-step framework for leaders to assess, envision, and build their ideal culture.Kevin shares some steps to building culture for a firm. The first is what your culture is today. Be brutally honest with yourself and admit what you are doing right and wrong. Another thing is to think about the future of this culture. Map out a five year plan - what needs to change and how can you change it. From there, decide what is important for your firm to have in order to be successful. At the end of the day, a positive team culture drives retention and improves employee experience. It is important to ensure your employees bond so they can work better together. Create opportunities for your staff to connect. For Kevin, he organizes happy hours and potlucks as ways for employees to have some fun and disconnect. Another option is to organize team bonding activities that build confidence and trust. Ensure to make these optional so staff are not forced but encouraged to participate.Listen in to learn more!1:07 Intentionality in Marketing, Processes, and Culture2:27 Defining Culture in a Law Firm6:51 Three Steps to Building Culture10:40 Facilitating Employee Bonding13:29 Employee Ownership MentalityTune in to today's episode and checkout the full show notes here. Connect with Kevin:Website Facebook Linkedin
Amidst an unstable, unpredictable economy, it's critical that your studio has its books in order. Of course, proactive financial strategies are smart business practices in any economic season. Fortify your financial backbone with budgets, expense cutting, retention boosting and scenario planning with Coach Matt Hanton and me in Episode 695: Your Economy-Proof Plan, Part 3. Befriend your budget: identify fixed and flexible expenses; know your numbers Cut the fluff: find and drop any expenses that don't make—or save—money Optimize everything: tighten schedules and make your space work harder Keep them coming: dedicate money and time to nurturing and retaining members Map out contingencies: plan and prep for best, worst and realistic outcomes Plus, maintain cash flow and cash reserves, invest wisely and protect your profits. Episode 695 helps you master and monitor your numbers to keep your studio stable and strong. Catch you there, Lise PS: Join 2,000+ studio owners who've decided to take control of their studio business and build their freedom empire. Subscribe HERE and join the party! www.studiogrow.co www.linkedin.com/company/studio-growco/
Aurelius Systems is tackling one of defense's most critical challenges: cost-effective counter-drone warfare. The company builds lightweight, edge-deployed laser weapon systems with 10-million-x marginal cost advantages over traditional interceptors—shooting down drones for approximately 10 cents versus $2 million per Sea Sparrow missile. With systems priced in hundreds of thousands rather than tens of millions of dollars, Aurelius is proving that commercial manufacturing principles can revolutionize defense technology. In this episode of BUILDERS, I sat down with Michael LaFramboise, CEO and Co-Founder of Aurelius Systems, to unpack how his background spanning automotive manufacturing at Chrysler, R&D at Coherent (the largest U.S. laser manufacturer), and defense sales positioned him to build what he calls "the F150 of directed energy systems." Topics Discussed: Why Michael's unusual combination of heavy industrial manufacturing, high-power laser R&D, and directed energy sales made him one of "probably like five people under 70 in the country" positioned to build this company Aurelius's contrarian R&D thesis: build everything from commercial off-the-shelf components first, only upgrading to bespoke when field tests fail The tactical fundraising progression: first prototype to pre-seed, DIU grant in February 2025, Singapore Defense Force joint challenge, Army X-Tech competition wins Government relations as infrastructure: why Aurelius retained a lobbyist six months post-pre-seed and how Congressional support addresses 1-3 year sales cycles Navigating the DOD acquisitions reorg: 100+ technology acceleration organizations consolidating to 10-20 under new PAE structure, with goals of 90-day turnarounds replacing multi-year cycles The demonstration strategy that changed everything: earning signed memorandums from high-ranking officers after shooting down drones in Hawaii and Austin under adversarial conditions (heavy rain, 99% humidity, heat warping, night operations) Founder-led marketing ROI: why acquisitions officers, funders, and engineering talent all follow different channels (LinkedIn vs. X) and require different voices The three-stakeholder sales complexity: when your end user (warfighter), purchaser (acquisitions), and budget authorizer (Congress) are separate entities who don't communicate GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Follow proven playbooks in specialized markets, then execute obsessively: Michael explicitly followed Anduril's early-stage defense playbook, particularly around government relations: "I think it's like following the Anduril playbook for how you do an early stage defense company is probably a very appropriate thing to do." In highly specialized B2B markets (defense, healthcare, financial services), pattern-match to companies that have successfully navigated regulatory and procurement complexity rather than inventing process from scratch. The differentiation comes from execution and technology, not from reinventing go-to-market structure. Treat specialized expertise as infrastructure, not overhead: Aurelius hired a lobbyist six months after their pre-seed—before significant revenue—because defense sales involve three disconnected stakeholders. Michael explained: "your purchaser, your end user, and your authorizer for funds are all separate people that don't know each other... whenever you have these different points, it doesn't expand linearly the difficulty or the complexity of the sales cycle. It expands exponentially." B2B founders should map stakeholder complexity early and staff accordingly. If your buyer doesn't control budget, your user doesn't make purchase decisions, or your champion needs internal air cover, these aren't edge cases—they're your sales model. Demonstration beats documentation when overcoming category skepticism: After decades of directed energy failures, Aurelius spent 2024 conducting nationwide field demonstrations, culminating in adversarial drone shoot-downs in heavy rain, 99% humidity, and night conditions. Michael noted they needed to "clean up the mess that a lot of these other companies have created" with signed memorandums from high-ranking officers. When your category has a failure history, customer education isn't about better pitch decks—it's about systematic proof that eliminates objections through witnessed performance. Plan for demonstration costs and timeline in your first-year budget. Build your R&D thesis around manufacturing reality, not engineering perfection: Aurelius's core principle: build everything from commercial off-the-shelf components, upgrading only when field tests fail. Michael's insight from automotive and laser manufacturing: "you can get 80-90% physics perfection on a system for 2% of the cost" versus traditional directed energy's approach of "400 ARL and AFRL PhDs all coming together to make the most super bespoke, hyper perfect thing ever." They use material processing lasers (identical output at 1/10th the cost of directed energy lasers) and commercial components from automotive supply chains. B2B founders should define their "good enough" threshold explicitly and build cost structure around it—perfection is often the enemy of scalability and margin. Attack market dislocations where wrong-fit solutions reveal unmet needs: Aurelius doesn't compete with Sea Sparrow missiles for shooting down aircraft at 9 miles—they target the dislocation where $2M missiles designed for large ordinance are being misused against $500 drones with 30% effectiveness. Michael identified that "there isn't anything in the market that's been developed for counter drone at any significant distance." The opportunity isn't better missiles; it's purpose-built solutions for Group 1 and Group 2 drones (FPV quadcopters and small planes) where no appropriate system exists. Map where customers are forced to use expensive, inappropriate solutions—that's where new categories emerge. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM
Today, we're recapping episode 313, "The Map," and it's just us! We talk about the bold choice to make the entire first act a single scene in the car, the brilliant casting of Moisés Arias (Fallout, Hannah Montana), and Brock shares some rehearsal videos of the Sue Heck chant put together by the wrestling team.WE HAVE MERCH! Get yours at: https://www.bonfire.com/middling! Whether you want the famed yellow Cross-Country hoodie, a crew-neck sweatshirt, or a t-shirt... we got you! They also come in a variety of colors and are so, so comfy. This merch a symbol of our shared love for the show and our podcast community. And we hope you love it as much as we do.Want extended episodes and video? That's all happening at Patreon.com/MiddlingPod. You can subscribe monthly or purchase one off episodes!Wanna chat with us?! Click HERE to leave us a voicemail with your questions or comments. You could just hear it on the podcast... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
“In the marathon that is caregiving, the difference between exhaustion and endurance isn't willpower, it's the strength of the support network we build around us.” Sue Ryan Are you feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caregiving? Do you find yourself thinking, “I don't have time to get everything done.” or “I should be able to do this myself.”? You're not alone, and there's a better way forward. We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, we've learned building a strong personal support network is crucial for sustainable caregiving. Studies show that dementia family caregivers face overwhelming emotional challenges. Connect with us and share your tips: Website: https://www.thecaregiversjourney.comDonate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourneyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCaregiversJourneys/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.com, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.com Full Show Notes: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/40-create-your-personal-support-network-five-essential-tips-alzheimers-and-other-dementias/ Additional Resources Mentioned 27. The Realities of Caregiver Self-Care https://thecaregiversjourney.com/the-realities-of-caregiver-self-care-four-essential-tips-alzheimers-and-other-dementias/32. Navigating the Caregiver Hiring Process https://thecaregiversjourney.com/32-navigating-the-caregiver-hiring-process-five-essential-tips-alzheimers-and-other-dementias/Support the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney Takeaways Tip 1: Assess Your Needs and Make a List Ask yourself: Do I have time to get everything done that needs to be done?Am I physically strong enough to handle all caregiving tasks?Do I find myself losing patience or empathy?Is my loved one struggling with activities of daily living that I can't manage alone? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it's time to ask for help. Tip 2: Create a List of Who Can Help and What They Can Do Think about all the people who have offered to help or who might be willing to help. Map your list of potential helpers to your list of needs. If multiple people can help with a particular task, list them all—it's better not to rely on just one person. Tip 3: How to Effectively Ask for Help Recognize that some people want to help your care receiver, while others want to help you. Be specific and direct about what you need and why you need it.Remember that the people on your list have likely already offered to help or have shown willingness to support you.Adapt your approach based on the person you're asking. Tip 4: When People Offer to Help, Say "Yes" Avoid these common traps: "It would be easier just to do it myself.""No one can care for my loved one like I can.""I should be able to do this myself.""I feel guilty—they have their own busy lives." Tip 5: Maintain Your Support Network and Adjust as Things Change Encouraging open communication with your support team membersBeing proactive about finding new support team members when neededChecking in regularly with your helpers to keep them informed and engagedWatching for signs of burnout in your helpers—they may experience caregiver fatigue tooAddressing inflection points in your loved one's care needs Read More in This Blog https://sueryansolutions.medium.com/36-building-your-personal-caregiving-support-network-9f9639e9ae87
Affordable, Safe & Fabulous Places for LGBTQ+ Retirement in France - Gay France!Imagine waking up to fresh baguettes, strolling cobblestone streets hand-in-hand, sipping €4 rosé in the sun—and spending less than you would in most major U.S. cities.Bienvenue to your Gay Retirement Fantasy: France EditionIn Queer Money Episode 620, we break down the Top 5 French cities and towns for LGBTQ+ Americans looking to retire affordably, safely, and fabulously. We rank each city using our Queer Money Retirement Rating, weighing:→ Cost of living→ LGBTQ+ community & visibility→ Healthcare & infrastructure→ Visa & residency realities→ Taxes (yes, we go there)→ Lifestyle, walkability & cultureFrom iconic Paris to underrated southern gems, France may be far more attainable—and queer-friendly—than you think.
" I appreciated your janitor's slow decline into madness." BLOT needs our help! The Bureau of Legitimate and Otherworldly Troubles has suffered a breach in their laboratory, and they need someone to clean up the mess. In the lab, there's a chalkboard to the left, a table with beakers and test tubes to the right and a small computer desk. The room is covered with a strange, gunky substance all over the walls and floor. What would you like to do? BLOT was the official game for RECON Remote 25, available to play for all Community, Pro, and Champion ticket holders who opted in. It was created and run by Mark Larson, who was a guest on REPOD S5E11. On this episode, Yannick Trapman-O'Brien and Lyra Levin join us to play BLOT. Lyra was a featured speaker for RECON Remote 25 with her talk, Make Stuff Fast: Rapid Prototyping for Interactive Experiences, now available on YouTube. Yannick originally appeared on REPOD S8E7 to talk about his incredible show for one, Undersigned. They joined us on REPOD for an actual play of BLOT. Lyra and Yannick are both experienced improvisers, and I'd never laughed so hard watching a play-through. Scroll down to the timestamps to follow along with game images. If you missed playing this game during RECON Remote 25, or if you want to relive your glory moments, join us for this final play-through of BLOT. Episode Sponsors We are immensely grateful to our sponsors this season: REA Patreon Backers, PG's Playhouse, Buzzshot, and COGS. We truly appreciate your support of our mission to promote and improve the immersive gaming community. Support Us On Patreon Today Love escape rooms as much as we do? At Room Escape Artist, we've been analyzing, reviewing, and exploring the world of immersive games since 2014. We help players find the best experiences, and push the industry forward with well-researched, rational, and reasonably humorous escape room and immersive gaming content and events. By becoming a Patreon supporter, you're not just backing a blog — you're fueling a mission to make the escape room and immersive gaming community stronger, more thoughtful, and more connected. Access exclusive Patreon content such as: The Bonus Aftershow The Spoilers Club Early access to escape room Tour tickets and REA articles. Your Patreon support goes toward our mission: paying our contributors, funding our infrastructure, and supporting deep research and industry advocacy. PG's Playhouse If you love wordplay, puzzles, and trivia, this is the podcast for you! PG's Playhouse recreates a fun game night, all in a short, 30-minute format. Of course, what's game night without making new friends? We bring on different guests for the different episodes. Each episode features a puzzle packed with wordplay and trivia, a short chat with the guest, and a segment exploring an interesting topic. I hope you'll take a listen and play along with us at PG's Playhouse. Buzzshot Buzzshot is Escape Room Software, Powering Business Growth, Player Marketing, and improving the Customer Experience. They offer an assortment of pre and post game features including robust waiver management, branded team photos, and streamlined review management for Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and Morty. Buzzshot now has integration with the other REPOD sponsors: Morty and COGS. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners get an extended 21-day free trial plus 20% off your first 3 months, with no set-up fees or hidden charges. Visit buzzshot.com/repod to learn more about this exclusive offer. COGS COGS by Clockwork Dog is an easy to use software/ hardware platform for running interactive events, including escape rooms, and other immersive experiences. They have plug & play hardware that seamlessly integrates with their software so you can create a show with lighting and sound cues without having to write a single line of code. Map all kinds of inputs to outputs by building up simple logic steps which determine what you want to happen and when. Special Offer for REPOD Listeners: REPOD listeners can get the COGS Starter Set for only $130 + free shipping to the USA. This bundle is usually valued at $257. You can learn more and purchase your Starter Set at cogs.show. Use code REPOD at checkout. Production Credits Hosted by David Spira & Peih-Gee Law Produced by Theresa Piazza Supported by Lisa Spira Edited by Steve Ewing Music by Ryan Elder Logo by Janine Pracht
Struggling with meiosis, gametogenesis, and all the weird details the MCAT loves to test?
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
The winner of Chile's presidential election, José Antonio Kast, is the son of a German Nazi official. He is a US-backed far-right extremist who loves Donald Trump, Israel, and fascist former dictator August Pinochet. He is also very anti-China, and will assist in Washington's attempt to impose its imperialist Monroe Doctrine. Ben Norton explains. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYtCi-Wh3FU Related videos: Javier Milei is making Argentina a resource colony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3qgYZMYkj0 Why Trump is meddling in Honduras: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtKShReciYQ Topics 0:00 US interventions in Latin America 2:18 Javier Milei's Argentina 2:51 Chile's President-elect José Antonio Kast 3:27 Map of political balance in Latin America 4:28 Marco Rubio 4:55 US war on Venezuela 5:27 Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet 6:53 Operation Condor (Plan Cóndor) 7:14 Cold War Two 7:44 CIA support for Nazis 8:23 Nazis who fled to South America 8:55 José Antonio Kast's Nazi father 10:36 Neoliberal Chicago Boys 12:14 Myth of Pinochet's "economic miracle" 15:18 Economic growth rates in Chile 16:20 Corrupt privatizations under Pinochet 17:50 Javier Milei deindustrializes Argentina 18:40 José Antonio Kast supports Pinochet 20:24 Kast loves Israel 20:42 Kast hates China 22:18 Brazil's far-right coup leader Bolsonaro 23:04 Kast loves Donald Trump 23:33 Kast wants mass privatizations 24:43 Chile: world's top copper producer 25:30 Lithium reserves in South America 27:42 Failure of President Gabriel Boric 28:35 Boric supports Ukraine 29:18 US corporate media praised Boric 30:58 Boric: pro-US, NGO-funded fake "left" 34:02 "Nothing will fundamentally change" 34:46 Political balance in Latin America 36:17 Trump meddles in Honduras 36:35 US empire targets Latin America 37:34 Outro
Welcome to episode 199 and a big announcement! After nearly four years of never missing a Monday since launching in April 2022, we're taking a brief hiatus. But before we go, we're pulling back the curtain on everything: why we failed our big 2025 goal to double our podcast downloads, what we're learning about the difference between goal setting and feeling setting, and how the Odyssey Plan from Stanford's Design Lab is reshaping the next chapter of She Sells He Sells (and our lives). If you've ever wondered whether it's time to stay the course, take a calculated risk, or blow it all up and start fresh—this episode is your roadmap. Plus, Brian announces a major career change after 20 years in health tech, and we get real about midlife pivots, entrepreneurship journey, and what it means to experience failure without being a failure. Listen in to hear: Why Brian's back after his "forced vacation" from the Acorn HR team The profound message guiding our 2026 pivot: "All of us contain more liveliness than one lifetime permits" Why we failed our goal to double podcast downloads in 2025 and what we learned The Michael Phelps principle: Why people who achieve great things aren't necessarily better than you Our big announcement: Taking our first Monday break since launching and what's changing The Odyssey Plan from Stanford Design Lab explained: 3 scenarios for designing your next 5 years Scenario 1 (Status Quo), Scenario 2 (Calculated Risk), and Scenario 3 (Magic Wand)—and how to know which is right for you Brian's major career announcement leaving health tech after 20 years Why this is called "Odyssey Planning" not "Finish Line Planning" The danger of hyper-focused goal setting and why it makes you miss incredible opportunities Dave Evans' simple formula: Get curious. Talk to people. Try stuff. Tell your story. PRO TIP after listening: Try the Odyssey Plan exercise this week. Map out your three scenarios for the next 5 years, rate them on excitement level (feelings, not logistics!), and identify one small step toward the scenario that feels most alive. We're coming back in Q1 2026 with Episode 200, a fresh format, and bigger ideas. Want to help shape what's next? DM us @shesellshesellspodcast and tell us what you want more (or less) of! Take the "What's Your Sales Style Quiz?": https://www.kristademcher.com/sales-style-quiz Follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfQNMxt1N_x6vO_dnizVu2g Follow SHE SELLS HE SELLS on IG: https://www.instagram.com/shesellshesellspodcast
Vitality win Budapest Major: first impressions straight after the final, including the era talk, FaZe story hijack, the arena impressions, NAVI and MOUZ rumored changes, and some insight on donk vs. ZywOo race.➡️ Follow us for updates: https://twitter.com/HLTVconfirmed
Prayer Moment 3 of 5 in DecemberPrayer for Open Doors in the Buddhist World1. New Places - Pray for God to open doors in places that have yet to receive a Christmas message in the Buddhist world.2. Opportunities to Preach - Pray for open doors for the Word of God to be preached during this Christmas season.3. Encounters with Christ - Pray for meaningful encounters with the Savior as doors are opened and the gospel is presented.
Gyms aren't failing because ads “don't work.” They're failing because they're tracking the wrong things. You can have the perfect offer, the perfect ad, and still miss the real growth happening right in front of you. Welcome to the Gym Marketing Made Simple Podcast — where clarity replaces confusion and growth stops being a guessing game. Each episode breaks down what actually helps boutique gyms grow in a real, predictable way.Episode HighlightsIn this episode, the focus is on the halo effect and how paid marketing drives growth in ways that aren't always obvious. You'll see why direct leads don't tell the whole story, why signups can rise without a clear source, and how consistent, data-driven marketing creates steady momentum even during slow periods. It's a clear look at which numbers actually matter when measuring real growth.Episode OutlineUnderstanding how consumer behavior actually works in paid marketing.Why most people don't convert directly from an ad.The halo effect: increased awareness, trust, and repeated exposure.Why “How did you hear about us?” is unreliable data.Real example showing a 100% increase in signups from paid ads.How paid marketing boosts website visits, walk-ins, and old leads.Why paid ads must run consistently, even in slow months.Case studies of gyms that grew after implementing paid ads.Why franchises outperform small gyms—and what to learn from them.Why organic efforts alone can't scale growth.The most important metrics to track: signups, CPA, revenue, appointments.The dangers of turning off ads and losing momentum.Common misconceptions about paid marketing.How paid ads influence brand perception and trust.Why a real marketing plan is essential for long-term success and business valuationEpisode Chapters00:00 Intro00:05 Understanding the Halo Effect in Paid Marketing04:21 Measuring the Halo Effect06:26 The Role of Paid Marketing in Business Growth10:46 Data-Driven Decision Making in Marketing14:58 Metrics for Success in Paid Marketing20:34 The Importance of Consistent Marketing Efforts21:47 Addressing Common Misconceptions in Paid Marketing22:02 The Impact of Paid Marketing on Business Perception22:31 The Role of Paid Marketing in Long-Term Business SuccessAction TakenReview how your gym currently measures success and shift focus to actual signups and revenue.Track numbers consistently without relying on “How did you hear about us?”Allocate a monthly paid marketing budget of $2,500–$6,000 to test, optimize, and grow.Strengthen branding and messaging across all platforms to compete with larger players.Map out a long-term marketing plan instead of relying on short-term bursts.ConclusionGrowth doesn't come from one perfect ad or one high-converting offer. It comes from the steady lift created by consistent marketing that builds trust, awareness, and familiarity over time. Once you understand the halo effect and start tracking the numbers that matter, your gym's growth becomes predictable, not accidental.CTAIf this episode helped shift how you look at your marketing, share it with another gym owner who needs to hear it.Supporting Information
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
Original solo fingerstyle guitar arrangement of Winter Wonderland by Joe McMurray. One of my favorite Christmas tunes, Winter Wonderland was written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard B. Smith. TABs are available for purchase through my PayPal link at https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/6ZEEQXVEQ7MFA If you are interested in purchasing the TABs, be aware that this arrangement is suitable for players with a intermediate+ skill level. Performed on my treasured 2023 Collings OM2H guitar. My books: Fingerstyle Blues Guitar: An In-Depth Study of the 12-Bar Blues in E Major – Books 1 and 2 are available in paperback or as an eBook through Amazon [https://a.co/d/g7Udsso (Book 1) and https://a.co/d/aDbh4H0 (Book 2)]. The first priority of these books is to quickly get you playing a solo instrumental 12-bar blues, and then to build on it until you can freely improvise or “jam.” You should be up and running by the end of the third chapter, and each following chapter will add icing on the cake. Arranging for Fingerstyle Guitar: go to http://joemcmurray.com/checkout/ to purchase a pdf of my eBook. Learning to arrange melodies will also help your fingerstyle songwriting and your understanding of the inner workings of fingerstyle guitar. My upcoming book, Arranging for Fingerstyle Ukulele, will be published by Mel Bay in 2026. My music is available on all streaming platforms at https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dcokTG6C598OhTslHH5uo?si=hrQb7FViSZewDRSgECw9Ew: Pins on the Map: my third fingerstyle guitar album was released on January 19, 2024. Watch the first single, “Open Road,” on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/uPBh8sZQsT4?si=EM_wAwnHFqU1VC9C. Riding the Wave and Acoustic Oasis: my first two fingerstyle guitar albums.
TLDR: It was Claude :-)When I set out to compare ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and ChatPRD for writing Product Requirement Documents, I figured they'd all be roughly equivalent. Maybe some subtle variations in tone or structure, but nothing earth-shattering. They're all built on similar transformer architectures, trained on massive datasets, and marketed as capable of handling complex business writing.What I discovered over 45 minutes of hands-on testing revealed not just which tools are better for PRD creation, but why they're better, and more importantly, how you should actually be using AI to accelerate your product work without sacrificing quality or strategic thinking.If you're an early or mid-career PM in Silicon Valley, this matters to you. Because here's the uncomfortable truth: your peers are already using AI to write PRDs, analyze features, and generate documentation. The question isn't whether to use these tools. The question is whether you're using the right ones most effectively.So let me walk you through exactly what I did, what I learned, and what you should do differently.The Setup: A Real-World Test CaseHere's how I structured the experiment. As I said at the beginning of my recording, “We are back in the Fireside PM podcast and I did that review of the ChatGPT browser and people seemed to like it and then I asked, uh, in a poll, I think it was a LinkedIn poll maybe, what should my next PM product review be? And, people asked for ChatPRD.”So I had my marching orders from the audience. But I wanted to make this more comprehensive than just testing ChatPRD in isolation. I opened up five tabs: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and ChatPRD.For the test case, I chose something realistic and relevant: an AI-powered tutor for high school students. Think KhanAmigo or similar edtech platforms. This gave me a concrete product scenario that's complex enough to stress-test these tools but straightforward enough that I could iterate quickly.But here's the critical part that too many PMs get wrong when they start using AI for product work: I didn't just throw a single sentence at these tools and expect magic.The “Back of the Napkin” Approach: Why You Still Need to Think“I presume everybody agrees that you should have some formulated thinking before you dump it into the chatbot for your PRD,” I noted early in my experiment. “I suppose in the future maybe you could just do, like, a one-sentence prompt and come out with the perfect PRD because it would just know everything about you and your company in the context, but for now we're gonna do this more, a little old-school AI approach where we're gonna do some original human thinking.”This is crucial. I see so many PMs, especially those newer to the field, treat AI like a magic oracle. They type in “Write me a PRD for a social feature” and then wonder why the output is generic, unfocused, and useless.Your job as a PM isn't to become obsolete. It's to become more effective. And that means doing the strategic thinking work that AI cannot do for you.So I started in Google Docs with what I call a “back of the napkin” PRD structure. Here's what I included:Why: The strategic rationale. In this case: “Want to complement our existing edtech business with a personalized AI tutor, uh, want to maintain position industry, and grow through innovation. on mission for learners.”Target User: Who are we building for? “High school students interested in improving their grades and fundamentals. Fundamental knowledge topics. Specifically science and math. Students who are not in the top ten percent, nor in the bottom ten percent.”This is key—I got specific. Not just “students,” but students in the middle 80%. Not just “any subject,” but science and math. This specificity is what separates useful AI output from garbage.Problem to Solve: What's broken? “Students want better grades. Students are impatient. Students currently use AI just for finding the answers and less to, uh, understand concepts and practice using them.”Key Elements: The feature set and approach.Success Metrics: How we'd measure success.Now, was this a perfectly polished PRD outline? Hell no. As you can see from my transcript, I was literally thinking out loud, making typos, restructuring on the fly. But that's exactly the point. I put in maybe 10-15 minutes of human strategic thinking. That's all it took to create a foundation that would dramatically improve what came out of the AI tools.Round One: Generating the Full PRDWith my back-of-the-napkin outline ready, I copied it into each tool with a simple prompt asking them to expand it into a more complete PRD.ChatGPT: The Reliable GeneralistChatGPT gave me something that was... fine. Competent. Professional. But also deeply uninspiring.The document it produced checked all the boxes. It had the sections you'd expect. The writing was clear. But when I read it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was reading something that could have been written for literally any product in any company. It felt like “an average of everything out there,” as I noted in my evaluation.Here's what ChatGPT did well: It understood the basic structure of a PRD. It generated appropriate sections. The grammar and formatting were clean. If you needed to hand something in by EOD and had literally no time for refinement, ChatGPT would save you from complete embarrassment.But here's what it lacked: Depth. Nuance. Strategic thinking that felt connected to real product decisions. When it described the target user, it used phrases that could apply to any edtech product. When it outlined success metrics, they were the obvious ones (engagement, retention, test scores) without any interesting thinking about leading indicators or proxy metrics.The problem with generic output isn't that it's wrong, it's that it's invisible. When you're trying to get buy-in from leadership or alignment from engineering, you need your PRD to feel specific, considered, and connected to your company's actual strategy. ChatGPT's output felt like it was written by someone who'd read a lot of PRDs but never actually shipped a product.One specific example: When I asked for success metrics, ChatGPT gave me “Student engagement rate, Time spent on platform, Test score improvement.” These aren't wrong, but they're lazy. They don't show any thinking about what specifically matters for an AI tutor versus any other educational product. Compare that to Claude's output, which got more specific about things like “concept mastery rate” and “question-to-understanding ratio.”Actionable Insight: Use ChatGPT when you need fast, serviceable documentation that doesn't need to be exceptional. Think: internal updates, status reports, routine communications. Don't rely on it for strategic documents where differentiation matters. If you do use ChatGPT for important documents, treat its output as a starting point that needs significant human refinement to add strategic depth and company-specific context.Gemini: Better Than ExpectedGoogle's Gemini actually impressed me more than I anticipated. The structure was solid, and it had a nice balance of detail without being overwhelming.What Gemini got right: The writing had a nice flow to it. The document felt organized and logical. It did a better job than ChatGPT at providing specific examples and thinking through edge cases. For instance, when describing the target user, it went beyond demographics to consider behavioral characteristics and motivations.Gemini also showed some interesting strategic thinking. It considered competitive positioning more thoughtfully than ChatGPT and proposed some differentiation angles that weren't in my original outline. Good AI tools should add insight, not just regurgitate your input with better formatting.But here's where it fell short: the visual elements. When I asked for mockups, Gemini produced images that looked more like stock photos than actual product designs. They weren't terrible, but they weren't compelling either. They had that AI-generated sheen that makes it obvious they came from an image model rather than a designer's brain.For a PRD that you're going to use internally with a team that already understands the context, Gemini's output would work well. The text quality is strong enough, and if you're in the Google ecosystem (Docs, Sheets, Meet, etc.), the integration is seamless. You can paste Gemini's output directly into Google Docs and continue iterating there.But if you need to create something compelling enough to win over skeptics or secure budget, Gemini falls just short. It's good, but not great. It's the solid B+ student: reliably competent but rarely exceptional.Actionable Insight: Gemini is a strong choice if you're working in the Google ecosystem and need good integration with Docs, Sheets, and other Google Workspace tools. The quality is sufficient for most internal documentation needs. It's particularly good if you're working with cross-functional partners who are already in Google Workspace. You can share and collaborate on AI-generated drafts without friction. But don't expect visual mockups that will wow anyone, and plan to add your own strategic polish for high-stakes documents.Grok: Not Ready for Prime TimeLet's just say my expectations were low, and Grok still managed to underdeliver. The PRD felt thin, generic, and lacked the depth you need for real product work.“I don't have high expectations for grok, unfortunately,” I said before testing it. Spoiler alert: my low expectations were validated.Actionable Insight: Skip Grok for product documentation work right now. Maybe it'll improve, but as of my testing, it's simply not competitive with the other options. It felt like 1-2 years behind the others.ChatPRD: The Specialized ToolNow this was interesting. ChatPRD is purpose-built for PRDs, using foundational models underneath but with specific tuning and structure for product documentation.The result? The structure was logical, the depth was appropriate, and it included elements that showed understanding of what actually matters in a PRD. As I reflected: “Cause this one feels like, A human wrote this PRD.”The interface guides you through the process more deliberately than just dumping text into a general chat interface. It asks clarifying questions. It structures the output more thoughtfully.Actionable Insight: If you're a technical lead without a dedicated PM, or you're a PM who wants a more structured approach to using AI for PRDs, ChatPRD is worth the specialized focus. It's particularly good when you need something that feels authentic enough to share with stakeholders without heavy editing.Claude: The Clear WinnerBut the standout performer, and I'm ranking these, was Claude.“I think we know that for now, I'm gonna say Claude did the best job,” I concluded after all the testing. Claude produced the most comprehensive, thoughtful, and strategically sound PRD. But what really set it apart were the concept mocks.When I asked each tool to generate visual mockups of the product, Claude produced HTML prototypes that, while not fully functional, looked genuinely compelling. They had thoughtful UI design, clear information architecture, and felt like something that could actually guide development.“They were, like, closer to, like, what a Lovable would produce or something like that,” I noted, referring to the quality of low-fidelity prototypes that good designers create.The text quality was also superior: more nuanced, better structured, and with more strategic depth. It felt like Claude understood not just what a PRD should contain, but why it should contain those elements.Actionable Insight: For any PRD that matters, meaning anything you'll share with leadership, use to get buy-in, or guide actual product development, you might as well start with Claude. The quality difference is significant enough that it's worth using Claude even if you primarily use another tool for other tasks.Final Rankings: The Definitive HierarchyAfter testing all five tools on multiple dimensions: initial PRD generation, visual mockups, and even crafting a pitch paragraph for a skeptical VP of Engineering, here's my final ranking:* Claude - Best overall quality, most compelling mockups, strongest strategic thinking* ChatPRD - Best for structured PRD creation, feels most “human”* Gemini - Solid all-around performance, good Google integration* ChatGPT - Reliable but generic, lacks differentiation* Grok - Not competitive for this use case“I'd probably say Claude, then chat PRD, then Gemini, then chat GPT, and then Grock,” I concluded.The Deeper Lesson: Garbage In, Garbage Out (Still Applies)But here's what matters more than which tool wins: the realization that hit me partway through this experiment.“I think it really does come down to, like, you know, the quality of the prompt,” I observed. “So if our prompt were a little more detailed, all that were more thought-through, then I'm sure the output would have been better. But as you can see we didn't really put in brain trust prompting here. Just a little bit of, kind of hand-wavy prompting, but a little better than just one or two sentences.”And we still got pretty good results.This is the meta-insight that should change how you approach AI tools in your product work: The quality of your input determines the quality of your output, but the baseline quality of the tool determines the ceiling of what's possible.No amount of great prompting will make Grok produce Claude-level output. But even mediocre prompting with Claude will beat great prompting with lesser tools.So the dual strategy is:* Use the best tool available (currently Claude for PRDs)* Invest in improving your prompting skills ideally with as much original and insightful human, company aware, and context aware thinking as possible.Real-World Workflows: How to Actually Use This in Your Day-to-Day PM WorkTheory is great. Here's how to incorporate these insights into your actual product management workflows.The Weekly Sprint Planning WorkflowEvery PM I know spends hours each week preparing for sprint planning. You need to refine user stories, clarify acceptance criteria, anticipate engineering questions, and align with design and data science. AI can compress this work significantly.Here's an example workflow:Monday morning (30 minutes):* Review upcoming priorities and open your rough notes/outline in Google Docs* Open Claude and paste your outline with this prompt:“I'm preparing for sprint planning. Based on these priorities [paste notes], generate detailed user stories with acceptance criteria. Format each as: User story, Business context, Technical considerations, Acceptance criteria, Dependencies, Open questions.”Monday afternoon (20 minutes):* Review Claude's output critically* Identify gaps, unclear requirements, or missing context* Follow up with targeted prompts:“The user story about authentication is too vague. Break it down into separate stories for: social login, email/password, session management, and password reset. For each, specify security requirements and edge cases.”Tuesday morning (15 minutes):* Generate mockups for any UI-heavy stories:“Create an HTML mockup for the login flow showing: landing page, social login options, email/password form, error states, and success redirect.”* Even if the HTML doesn't work perfectly, it gives your designers a starting pointBefore sprint planning (10 minutes):* Ask Claude to anticipate engineering questions:“Review these user stories as if you're a senior engineer. What questions would you ask? What concerns would you raise about technical feasibility, dependencies, or edge cases?”* This preparation makes you look thoughtful and helps the meeting run smoothlyTotal time investment: ~75 minutes. Typical time saved: 3-4 hours compared to doing this manually.The Stakeholder Alignment WorkflowGetting alignment from multiple stakeholders (product leadership, engineering, design, data science, legal, marketing) is one of the hardest parts of PM work. AI can help you think through different stakeholder perspectives and craft compelling communications for each.Here's how:Step 1: Map your stakeholders (10 minutes)Create a quick table in a doc:Stakeholder | Primary Concern | Decision Criteria | Likely Objections VP Product | Strategic fit, ROI | Company OKRs, market opportunity | Resource allocation vs other priorities VP Eng | Technical risk, capacity | Engineering capacity, tech debt | Complexity, unclear requirements Design Lead | User experience | User research, design principles | Timeline doesn't allow proper design process Legal | Compliance, risk | Regulatory requirements | Data privacy, user consent flowsStep 2: Generate stakeholder-specific communications (20 minutes)For each key stakeholder, ask Claude:“I need to pitch this product idea to [Stakeholder]. Based on this PRD, create a 1-page brief addressing their primary concern of [concern from your table]. Open with the specific value for them, address their likely objection of [objection], and close with a clear ask. Tone should be [professional/technical/strategic] based on their role.”Then you'll have customized one-pagers for your pre-meetings with each stakeholder, dramatically increasing your alignment rate.Step 3: Synthesize feedback (15 minutes)After gathering stakeholder input, ask Claude to help you synthesize:“I got the following feedback from stakeholders: [paste feedback]. Identify: (1) Common themes, (2) Conflicting requirements, (3) Legitimate concerns vs organizational politics, (4) Recommended compromises that might satisfy multiple parties.”This pattern-matching across stakeholder feedback is something AI does really well and saves you hours of mental processing.The Quarterly Planning WorkflowQuarterly or annual planning is where product strategy gets real. You need to synthesize market trends, customer feedback, technical capabilities, and business objectives into a coherent roadmap. AI can accelerate this dramatically.Six weeks before planning:* Start collecting input (customer interviews, market research, competitive analysis, engineering feedback)* Don't wait until the last minuteFour weeks before planning:Dump everything into Claude with this structure:“I'm creating our Q2 roadmap. Context:* Business objectives: [paste from leadership]* Customer feedback themes: [paste synthesis]* Technical capabilities/constraints: [paste from engineering]* Competitive landscape: [paste analysis]* Current product gaps: [paste from your analysis]Generate 5 strategic themes that could anchor our Q2 roadmap. For each theme:* Strategic rationale (how it connects to business objectives)* Key initiatives (2-3 major features/projects)* Success metrics* Resource requirements (rough estimate)* Risks and mitigations* Customer segments addressed”This gives you a strategic framework to react to rather than starting from a blank page.Three weeks before planning:Iterate on the most promising themes:“Deep dive on Theme 3. Generate:* Detailed initiative breakdown* Dependencies on platform/infrastructure* Phasing options (MVP vs full build)* Go-to-market considerations* Data requirements* Open questions requiring research”Two weeks before planning:Pressure-test your thinking:“Play devil's advocate on this roadmap. What are the strongest arguments against each initiative? What am I likely missing? What failure modes should I plan for?”This adversarial prompting forces you to strengthen weak points before your leadership reviews it.One week before planning:Generate your presentation:“Create an executive presentation for this roadmap. Structure: (1) Market context and strategic imperative, (2) Q2 themes and initiatives, (3) Expected outcomes and metrics, (4) Resource requirements, (5) Key risks and mitigations, (6) Success criteria for decision. Make it compelling but data-driven. Tone: confident but not overselling.”Then add your company-specific context, visual brand, and personal voice.The Customer Research WorkflowAI can't replace talking to customers, but it can help you prepare better questions, analyze feedback more systematically, and identify patterns faster.Before customer interviews:“I'm interviewing customers about [topic]. Generate:* 10 open-ended questions that avoid leading the witness* 5 follow-up questions for each main question* Common cognitive biases I should watch for* A framework for categorizing responses”This prep work helps you conduct better interviews.After interviews:“I conducted 15 customer interviews. Here are the key quotes: [paste anonymized quotes]. Identify:* Recurring themes and patterns* Surprising insights that contradict our assumptions* Segments with different needs* Implied needs customers didn't articulate directly* Recommended next steps for validation”AI is excellent at pattern-matching across qualitative data at scale.The Crisis Management WorkflowSomething broke. The site is down. Data was lost. A feature shipped with a critical bug. You need to move fast.Immediate response (5 minutes):“Critical incident. Details: [brief description]. Generate:* Incident classification (Sev 1-4)* Immediate stakeholders to notify* Draft customer communication (honest, apologetic, specific about what happened and what we're doing)* Draft internal communication for leadership* Key questions to ask engineering during investigation”Having these drafted in 5 minutes lets you focus on coordination and decision-making rather than wordsmithing.Post-incident (30 minutes):“Write a post-mortem based on this incident timeline: [paste timeline]. Include:* What happened (technical details)* Root cause analysis* Impact quantification (users affected, revenue impact, time to resolution)* What went well in our response* What could have been better* Specific action items with owners and deadlines* Process changes to prevent recurrence Tone: Blameless, focused on learning and improvement.”This gives you a strong first draft to refine with your team.Common Pitfalls: What Not to Do with AI in Product ManagementNow let's talk about the mistakes I see PMs making with AI tools. Pitfall #1: Treating AI Output as FinalThe biggest mistake is copy-pasting AI output directly into your PRD, roadmap presentation, or stakeholder email without critical review.The result? Documents that are grammatically perfect but strategically shallow. Presentations that sound impressive but don't hold up under questioning. Emails that are professionally worded but miss the subtext of organizational politics.The fix: Always ask yourself:* Does this reflect my actual strategic thinking, or generic best practices?* Would my CEO/engineering lead/biggest customer find this compelling and specific?* Are there company-specific details, customer insights, or technical constraints that only I know?* Does this sound like me, or like a robot?Add those elements. That's where your value as a PM comes through.Pitfall #2: Using AI as a Crutch Instead of a ToolSome PMs use AI because they don't want to think deeply about the product. They're looking for AI to do the hard work of strategy, prioritization, and trade-off analysis.This never works. AI can help you think more systematically, but it can't replace thinking.If you find yourself using AI to avoid wrestling with hard questions (”Should we build X or Y?” “What's our actual competitive advantage?” “Why would customers switch from the incumbent?”), you're using it wrong.The fix: Use AI to explore options, not to make decisions. Generate three alternatives, pressure-test each one, then use your judgment to decide. The AI can help you think through implications, but you're still the one choosing.Pitfall #3: Not IteratingGetting mediocre AI output and just accepting it is a waste of the technology's potential.The PMs who get exceptional results from AI are the ones who iterate. They generate an initial response, identify what's weak or missing, and ask follow-up questions. They might go through 5-10 iterations on a key section of a PRD.Each iteration is quick (30 seconds to type a follow-up prompt, 30 seconds to read the response), but the cumulative effect is dramatically better output.The fix: Budget time for iteration. Don't try to generate a complete, polished PRD in one prompt. Instead, generate a rough draft, then spend 30 minutes iterating on specific sections that matter most.Pitfall #4: Ignoring the Political and Human ContextAI tools have no understanding of organizational politics, interpersonal relationships, or the specific humans you're working with.They don't know that your VP of Engineering is burned out and skeptical of any new initiatives. They don't know that your CEO has a personal obsession with a specific competitor. They don't know that your lead designer is sensitive about not being included early enough in the process.If you use AI-generated communications without layering in this human context, you'll create perfectly worded documents that land badly because they miss the subtext.The fix: After generating AI content, explicitly ask yourself: “What human context am I missing? What relationships do I need to consider? What political dynamics are in play?” Then modify the AI output accordingly.Pitfall #5: Over-Relying on a Single ToolDifferent AI tools have different strengths. Claude is great for strategic depth, ChatPRD is great for structure, Gemini integrates well with Google Workspace.If you only ever use one tool, you're missing opportunities to leverage different strengths for different tasks.The fix: Keep 2-3 tools in your toolkit. Use Claude for important PRDs and strategic documents. Use Gemini for quick internal documentation that needs to integrate with Google Docs. Use ChatPRD when you want more guided structure. Match the tool to the task.Pitfall #6: Not Fact-Checking AI OutputAI tools hallucinate. They make up statistics, misrepresent competitors, and confidently state things that aren't true. If you include those hallucinations in a PRD that goes to leadership, you look incompetent.The fix: Fact-check everything, especially:* Statistics and market data* Competitive feature claims* Technical capabilities and limitations* Regulatory and compliance requirementsIf the AI cites a number or makes a factual claim, verify it independently before including it in your document.The Meta-Skill: Prompt Engineering for PMsLet's zoom out and talk about the underlying skill that makes all of this work: prompt engineering.This is a real skill. The difference between a mediocre prompt and a great prompt can be 10x difference in output quality. And unlike coding or design, where there's a steep learning curve, prompt engineering is something you can get good at quickly.Principle 1: Provide Context Before InstructionsBad prompt:“Write a PRD for an AI tutor”Good prompt:“I'm a PM at an edtech company with 2M users, primarily high school students. We're exploring an AI tutor feature to complement our existing video content library and practice problems. Our main competitors are Khan Academy and Course Hero. Our differentiation is personalized learning paths based on student performance data.Write a PRD for an AI tutor feature targeting students in the middle 80% academically who struggle with science and math.”The second prompt gives Claude the context it needs to generate something specific and strategic rather than generic.Principle 2: Specify Format and ConstraintsBad prompt:“Generate success metrics”Good prompt:“Generate 5-7 success metrics for this feature. Include a mix of:* Leading indicators (early signals of success)* Lagging indicators (definitive success measures)* User behavior metrics* Business impact metricsFor each metric, specify: name, definition, target value, measurement method, and why it matters.”The structure you provide shapes the structure you get back.Principle 3: Ask for Multiple OptionsBad prompt:“What should our Q2 priorities be?”Good prompt:“Generate 3 different strategic approaches for Q2:* Option A: Focus on user acquisition* Option B: Focus on engagement and retention* Option C: Focus on monetizationFor each option, detail: key initiatives, expected outcomes, resource requirements, risks, and recommendation for or against.”Asking for multiple options forces the AI (and forces you) to think through trade-offs systematically.Principle 4: Specify Audience and ToneBad prompt:“Summarize this PRD”Good prompt:“Create a 1-paragraph summary of this PRD for our skeptical VP of Engineering. Tone: Technical, concise, addresses engineering concerns upfront. Focus on: technical architecture, resource requirements, risks, and expected engineering effort. Avoid marketing language.”The audience and tone specification ensures the output will actually work for your intended use.Principle 5: Use Iterative RefinementDon't try to get perfect output in one prompt. Instead:First prompt: Generate rough draft Second prompt: “This is too generic. Add specific examples from [our company context].” Third prompt: “The technical section is weak. Expand with architecture details and dependencies.” Fourth prompt: “Good. Now make it 30% more concise while keeping the key details.”Each iteration improves the output incrementally.Let me break down the prompting approach that worked in this experiment, because this is immediately actionable for your work tomorrow.Strategy 1: The Structured Outline ApproachDon't go from zero to full PRD in one prompt. Instead:* Start with strategic thinking - Spend 10-15 minutes outlining why you're building this, who it's for, and what problem it solves* Get specific - Don't say “users,” say “high school students in the middle 80% of academic performance”* Include constraints - Budget, timeline, technical limitations, competitive landscape* Dump your outline into the AI - Now ask it to expand into a full PRD* Iterate section by section - Don't try to perfect everything at onceThis is exactly what I did in my experiment, and even with my somewhat sloppy outline, the results were dramatically better than they would have been with a single-sentence prompt.Strategy 2: The Comparative Analysis PatternOne technique I used that worked particularly well: asking each tool to do the same specific task and comparing results.For example, I asked all five tools: “Please compose a one paragraph exact summary I can share over DM with a highly influential VP of engineering who is generally a skeptic but super smart.”This forced each tool to synthesize the entire PRD into a compelling pitch while accounting for a specific, challenging audience. The variation in quality was revealing—and it gave me multiple options to choose from or blend together.Actionable tip: When you need something critical (a pitch, an executive summary, a key decision framework), generate it with 2-3 different AI tools and take the best elements from each. This “ensemble approach” often produces better results than any single tool.Strategy 3: The Iterative Refinement LoopDon't treat the AI output as final. Use it as a first draft that you then refine through conversation with the AI.After getting the initial PRD, I could have asked follow-up questions like:* “What's missing from this PRD?”* “How would you strengthen the success metrics section?”* “Generate 3 alternative approaches to the core feature set”Each iteration improves the output and, more importantly, forces me to think more deeply about the product.What This Means for Your CareerIf you're an early or mid-career PM reading this, you might be thinking: “Great, so AI can write PRDs now. Am I becoming obsolete?”Absolutely not. But your role is evolving, and understanding that evolution is critical.The PMs who will thrive in the AI era are those who:* Excel at strategic thinking - AI can generate options, but you need to know which options align with company strategy, customer needs, and technical feasibility* Master the art of prompting - This is a genuine skill that separates mediocre AI users from exceptional ones* Know when to use AI and when not to - Some aspects of product work benefit enormously from AI. Others (user interviews, stakeholder negotiation, cross-functional relationship building) require human judgment and empathy* Can evaluate AI output critically - You need to spot the hallucinations, the generic fluff, and the strategic misalignments that AI inevitably producesThink of AI tools as incredibly capable interns. They can produce impressive work quickly, but they need direction, oversight, and strategic guidance. Your job is to provide that guidance while leveraging their speed and breadth.The Real-World Application: What to Do Monday MorningLet's get tactical. Here's exactly how to apply these insights to your actual product work:For Your Next PRD:* Block 30 minutes for strategic thinking - Write your back-of-the-napkin outline in Google Docs or your tool of choice* Open Claude (or ChatPRD if you want more structure)* Copy your outline with this prompt:“I'm a product manager at [company] working on [product area]. I need to create a comprehensive PRD based on this outline. Please expand this into a complete PRD with the following sections: [list your preferred sections]. Make it detailed enough for engineering to start breaking down into user stories, but concise enough for leadership to read in 15 minutes. [Paste your outline]”* Review the output critically - Look for generic statements, missing details, or strategic misalignments* Iterate on specific sections:“The success metrics section is too vague. Please provide 3-5 specific, measurable KPIs with target values and explanation of why these metrics matter.”* Generate supporting materials:“Create a visual mockup of the core user flow showing the key interaction points.”* Synthesize the best elements - Don't just copy-paste the AI output. Use it as raw material that you shape into your final documentFor Stakeholder Communication:When you need to pitch something to leadership or engineering:* Generate 3 versions of your pitch using different tools (Claude, ChatPRD, and one other)* Compare them for:* Clarity and conciseness* Strategic framing* Compelling value proposition* Addressing likely objections* Blend the best elements into your final version* Add your personal voice - This is crucial. AI output often lacks personality and specific company context. Add that yourself.For Feature Prioritization:AI tools can help you think through trade-offs more systematically:“I'm deciding between three features for our next release: [Feature A], [Feature B], and [Feature C]. For each feature, analyze: (1) Estimated engineering effort, (2) Expected user impact, (3) Strategic alignment with making our platform the go-to solution for [your market], (4) Risk factors. Then recommend a prioritization with rationale.”This doesn't replace your judgment, but it forces you to think through each dimension systematically and often surfaces considerations you hadn't thought of.The Uncomfortable Truth About AI and Product ManagementLet me be direct about something that makes many PMs uncomfortable: AI will make some PM skills less valuable while making others more valuable.Less valuable:* Writing boilerplate documentation* Creating standard frameworks and templates* Generating routine status updates* Synthesizing information from existing sourcesMore valuable:* Strategic product vision and roadmapping* Deep customer empathy and insight generation* Cross-functional leadership and influence* Critical evaluation of options and trade-offs* Creative problem-solving for novel situationsIf your PM role primarily involves the first category of tasks, you should be concerned. But if you're focused on the second category while leveraging AI for the first, you're going to be exponentially more effective than your peers who resist these tools.The PMs I see succeeding aren't those who can write the best PRD manually. They're those who can write the best PRD with AI assistance in one-tenth the time, then use the saved time to talk to more customers, think more deeply about strategy, and build stronger cross-functional relationships.Advanced Techniques: Beyond Basic PRD GenerationOnce you've mastered the basics, here are some advanced applications I've found valuable:Competitive Analysis at Scale“Research our top 5 competitors in [market]. For each one, analyze: their core value proposition, key features, pricing strategy, target customer, and likely product roadmap based on recent releases and job postings. Create a comparison matrix showing where we have advantages and gaps.”Then use web search tools in Claude or Perplexity to fact-check and expand the analysis.Scenario Planning“We're considering three strategic directions for our product: [Direction A], [Direction B], [Direction C]. For each direction, map out: likely customer adoption curve, required technical investments, competitive positioning in 12 months, and potential pivots if the hypothesis proves wrong. Then identify the highest-risk assumptions we should test first for each direction.”This kind of structured scenario thinking is exactly what AI excels at—generating multiple well-reasoned perspectives quickly.User Story GenerationAfter your PRD is solid:“Based on this PRD, generate a complete set of user stories following the format ‘As a [user type], I want to [action] so that [benefit].' Include acceptance criteria for each story. Organize them into epics by functional area.”This can save your engineering team hours of grooming meetings.The Tools Will Keep Evolving. Your Process Shouldn'tHere's something important to remember: by the time you read this, the specific rankings might have shifted. Maybe ChatGPT-5 has leapfrogged Claude. Maybe a new specialized tool has emerged.But the core principles won't change:* Do strategic thinking before touching AI* Use the best tool available for your specific task* Iterate and refine rather than accepting first outputs* Blend AI capabilities with human judgment* Focus your time on the uniquely human aspects of product managementThe specific tools matter less than your process for using them effectively.A Final Experiment: The Skeptical VP TestI want to share one more insight from my testing that I think is particularly relevant for early and mid-career PMs.Toward the end of my experiment, I gave each tool this prompt: “Please compose a one paragraph exact summary I can share over DM with a highly influential VP of engineering who is generally a skeptic but super smart.”This is such a realistic scenario. How many times have you needed to pitch an idea to a skeptical technical leader via Slack or email? Someone who's brilliant, who's seen a thousand product ideas fail, and who can spot b******t from a mile away?The quality variation in the responses was fascinating. ChatGPT gave me something that felt generic and safe. Gemini was better but still a bit too enthusiastic. Grok was... well, Grok.But Claude and ChatPRD both produced messages that felt authentic, technically credible, and appropriately confident without being overselling. They acknowledged the engineering challenges while framing the opportunity compellingly.The lesson: When the stakes are high and the audience is sophisticated, the quality of your AI tool matters even more. That skeptical VP can tell the difference between a carefully crafted message and AI-generated fluff. So can your CEO. So can your biggest customers.Use the best tools available, but more importantly, always add your own strategic thinking and authentic voice on top.Questions to Consider: A Framework for Your Own ExperimentsAs I wrapped up my Loom, I posed some questions to the audience that I'll pose to you:“Let me know in the comments, if you do your PRDs using AI differently, do you start with back of the envelope? Do you say, oh no, I just start with one sentence, and then I let the chatbot refine it with me? Or do you go way more detailed and then use the chatbot to kind of pressure test it?”These aren't rhetorical questions. Your answer reveals your approach to AI-augmented product work, and different approaches work for different people and contexts.For early-career PMs: I'd recommend starting with more detailed outlines. The discipline of thinking through your product strategy before touching AI will make you a stronger PM. You can always compress that process later as you get more experienced.For mid-career PMs: Experiment with different approaches for different types of documents. Maybe you do detailed outlines for major feature PRDs but use more iterative AI-assisted refinement for smaller features or updates. Find what optimizes your personal productivity while maintaining quality.For senior PMs and product leaders: Consider how AI changes what you should expect from your PM team. Should you be reviewing more AI-generated first drafts and spending more time on strategic guidance? Should you be training your team on effective AI usage? These are leadership questions worth grappling with.The Path Forward: Continuous ExperimentationMy experiment with these five AI tools took 45 minutes. But I'm not done experimenting.The field of AI-assisted product management is evolving rapidly. New tools launch monthly. Existing tools get smarter weekly. Prompting techniques that work today might be obsolete in three months.Your job, if you want to stay at the forefront of product management, is to continuously experiment. Try new tools. Share what works with your peers. Build a personal knowledge base of effective prompts and workflows. And be generous with what you learn. The PM community gets stronger when we share insights rather than hoarding them.That's why I created this Loom and why I'm writing this post. Not because I have all the answers, but because I'm figuring it out in real-time and want to share the journey.A Personal Note on Coaching and ConsultingIf this kind of practical advice resonates with you, I'm happy to work with you directly.Through my pm coaching practice, I offer 1:1 executive, career, and product coaching for PMs and product leaders. We can dig into your specific challenges: whether that's leveling up your AI workflows, navigating a career transition, or developing your strategic product thinking.I also work with companies (usually startups or incubation teams) on product strategy, helping teams figure out PMF for new explorations and improving their product management function.The format is flexible. Some clients want ongoing coaching, others prefer project-based consulting, and some just want a strategic sounding board for a specific decision. Whatever works for you.Reach out through tomleungcoaching.com if you're interested in working together.OK. Enough pontificating. Let's ship greatness. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit firesidepm.substack.com
Are you "doing all the right things" — eating clean, working out, fasting, taking supplements — yet still feeling stuck, tired, or inflamed? In this series deep-dive solo episode, Coach Debbie Potts takes you down the Root Cause Rabbit Hole to uncover why "surface-level fixes" often fail and how to rebuild your metabolism, hormones, and energy from the inside out. You'll learn how to:
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
Episode Summary In today's episode, we explore a myriad of fascinating developments in space science, ranging from a groundbreaking new galactic map created by NASA's Nancy Chris Roman Space Telescope to innovative color-changing spacesuits designed to protect astronauts from radiation. We also discuss how Earth's magnetosphere may be enriching the Moon's soil with vital resources, a busy month for the International Space Station, and SpaceX's potential plans for an IPO. Finally, we take a closer look at Comet 3i ATLAS, which has been observed glowing in X-ray light, providing new insights into its composition and origins.### Timestamps & Stories 01:05 – **Story 1: New Galactic Map from NASA's Roman Telescope****Key Facts** - NASA's new survey aims to create an unprecedented infrared map of the Milky Way, revealing tens of billions of stars. - The Roman telescope will utilize microlensing techniques to study stellar formation and hidden galactic structures. 03:30 – **Story 2: Color-Changing Spacesuits for Radiation Detection****Key Facts** - Scientists in Scotland are developing spacesuits with bacteria that change color in response to radiation exposure. - This innovation aims to provide real-time monitoring of astronauts' radiation levels during missions. 05:45 – **Story 3: Earth's Magnetosphere Enriching the Moon****Key Facts** - A study suggests that Earth's magnetic field may have seeded the Moon with vital resources like water and nitrogen over billions of years. - This finding could enhance the Moon's potential for future human exploration and habitation. 08:00 – **Story 4: Busy Month for the International Space Station****Key Facts** - The ISS celebrated 25 years of continuous human presence in space and had all eight docking ports occupied for the first time. - The crew conducted various scientific experiments and welcomed new crew members via Soyuz MS.28. 10:15 – **Story 5: SpaceX's Potential IPO****Key Facts** - Speculation arises around SpaceX considering an IPO valued at approximately $1.5 trillion to support ambitious projects like space-based data centers. - This move could pave the way for future Moon factories and advanced AI infrastructure. 12:00 – **Story 6: Comet 3i ATLAS Observed in X-rays****Key Facts** - The European Space Agency's XMM-Newton Observatory captured images of the interstellar comet 3i ATLAS emitting X-rays through charge exchange processes. - This observation provides insights into the comet's composition and its distant stellar origins. ### Sources & Further Reading 1. NASA2. European Space Agency3. University of Rochester4. SpaceX5. International Space Station### Follow & Contact X/Twitter: @AstroDailyPod Instagram: @astrodailypod Email: hello@astronomydaily.io Website: astronomydaily.io Clear skies and see you tomorrow!
Join Jim and Greg for the Friday 3 Martini Lunch, as they serve up three lousy but important martinis. They chronicle how lots of your tax dollars are being used to help the Taliban and its allies, Indiana Republicans refusing to change the congressional map, and Marjorie Taylor Greene trying to cause as much chaos as possible on her way out of Washington.First, they explain how many millions of our tax dollars are spent every day to help needy women and children in Afghanistan through the United Nations. But there's a problem: The Taliban controls how the money is spent. So their allies get lots of help while everyone else gets the shaft.Next, they react to the Republican-controlled Indiana State Senate rejecting a new congressional map that might have given the GOP a chance to win all nine House seats in the Hoosier state.Finally, they shake their heads as Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene reportedly wants to boot House Speaker Mike Johnson before she exits Congress in January.Please visit our great sponsors:Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com, use code 3ML for 50% off sitewide + $35 off during the Sizzle All the Way Sale.Try Quo for free at https://Quo.com/3ML and keep your existing number—Quo means no missed calls and no missed customers.Get up to half off plants and more for your yard. Plus, save 15% on your next purchase with code MARTINI at https://www.FastGrowingTrees.com Hurry, offer valid for a limited time; terms apply.New episodes every weekday.
Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links —Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.
Send us a textJanuary goals fade fast.Let's build a Q1 Game Plan you'll actually execute—with help from AI and one powerful 90-day sprint structure.By February, most goals are already forgotten. Want to be the exception? This episode shows you how to map your Q1 goal to weekly actions in 10 minutes using AI.In Day 12 of 12 Days of AI Quick Wins, Dawn reveals how to use AI to design a Q1 plan that doesn't collect digital dust. With one simple prompt, you'll go from vague intentions to a milestone-driven, week-by-week plan that lives in your calendar—not your imagination. It's how visionary founders actually get things done without burning out or getting stuck in “someday” land.Your Day 12 Action:Pick ONE Q1 goal that would make the next 90 days feel like a win.Run the Q1 planning prompt in today's episode.Map out your January. Add it to your calendar. Then review it every week.Key Takeaways:Set ONE clear Q1 goal. No more wish lists—focus fuels execution.Use the Q1 AI Planning Prompt to turn that goal into milestones, weekly actions, and priority filters.Build from January first. If it's not in your calendar, it's not happening.Tie your Q1 goal to your Weekly CEO Reset (Day 11) for consistent review and momentum.AI helps you plan smarter, faster, and with less decision fatigue.Resources & Links:Register FREE for the Day 13 Live AI Implementation PartyRelated Episodes:Day 1: Stop Overthinking ChatGPT: Free vs. $20—Which One Actually Matters for FoundersDay 2: The 3 AI Prompts Every Female Founder Needs in Her PhoneDay 3: Why ChatGPT Sounds Like a Robot (And the One Sentence That Fixes It)Day 4: AI Email Triage: End Inbox Overwhelm in 5 MinutesDay 5: The 5-Minute Meeting Prep AI Hack That Makes You Look Totally PreparedDay 6: Stop Rewriting Everything AI Writes: The 10-Minute Voice Training for FoundersDay 7: Overwhelmed? Brain Dump to AI and Get an Actual Plan (5 Minutes)DAY 8: Stop Rewriting the Same Emails: Build Your AI Template Library (15 Minutes)DAY 9: Stop Explaining the Same Thing: Create SOPs While You Work (AI + 10 Minutes)DAY 10: Stuck on a Big Decision? Use AI to Get Unstuck (3-Question Framework)DAY 11: Plan Your Week Like a CEO: Want to increase revenue and impact? Listen to “She's That Founder” for insights on business strategy and female leadership to scale your business. Each episode offers advice on effective communication, team building, and management. Learn to master routines and systems to boost productivity and prevent burnout. Our delegation tips and business consulting will advance your executive leadership skills and presence.
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
One on One Video Call W/George https://tidycal.com/georgepmonty/60-minute-meetingSupport the show:https://www.paypal.me/Truelifepodcast?locale.x=en_USThe Lila Code: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4612-3942
Rob Has a Podcast | Survivor / Big Brother / Amazing Race - RHAP
Know-It-Alls: Survivor 49 Ep 12 Recap Survivor Know-It-Alls is back as Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach dive into Survivor 49's wild final six episode! The game takes a major turn with blindsides, emotional rewards, and strategic blunders, as the castaways fight for a shot at the million dollar prize. One reward pick changes everything, and no one sees the vote coming—even the hosts admit they were truly blindsided. This week's episode centers on the impact of the loved ones' letters reward, where Savannah chooses Sophi B. to join her at the sanctuary as they share tacos and heartfelt moments. That pick proves to be a pivotal decision, shutting down Sophi B.'s chance to pull off a game-defining move with her “Knowledge is Power” advantage. Meanwhile, Rizzo continues to fool his fellow players about the true power and timing of his idol, sneaking through yet another vote. Sage's transformation from emotional gameplay to hard-nosed strategy catches everyone by surprise, as she targets threats over allies. Tribal Council is chaotic, with misreads and a stunning outcome that leaves the jury shocked. – Sophi B.'s dilemma after the reward and her wavering between loyalty and making a big move – Rizzo's clever idol misinformation lets him skate into the final five – Sage's shift to strategic voting and how Rob and Stephen debate its impact – Savannah's reward choice forges strong bonds and shapes the voting outcome – Kristina's unfiltered reaction and “sloppy ally” status As the finale approaches, will Sophi B. bounce back, or has she lost her winner equity? Who can stop Savannah's immunity run, and will Rizzo's inventive gameplay finally catch up to him? Expect fire, strategy, and heartbreak as Survivor 49 barrels toward its endgame. To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com To pre-order Stephen’s novel Escape!, visit stephenfishbach.com To request a limited edition Escape! map, email proof of hardcover pre-order (within the US) to escapefishbach@gmail.com with the subject line MAP. Previous hardcover pre-orders are also eligible! Buy tickets for Stephen's book events here! stephenfishbach.com/events Chapters: 0:00 Intros 6:15 Emotional Impact of Loved Ones 13:00 Most Legitimate Viewer Blindside Ever 18:10 Savannah’s Reward Decision Shifts Outcome 25:00 Rizzo Tricks Tribe About Idol 33:01 Sophi Misses Game-Winning Idol Move 39:00 Fate of Savannah-Rizzo Duo Debated 46:40 Unanimous Vote Stuns Podcast Hosts 56:00 Sage's Risky Move Gets Fishy Award 1:01:10 Survivor Finale Preview And Farewell Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!
Know-It-Alls: Survivor 49 Ep 12 Recap Survivor Know-It-Alls is back as Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach dive into Survivor 49's wild final six episode! The game takes a major turn with blindsides, emotional rewards, and strategic blunders, as the castaways fight for a shot at the million dollar prize. One reward pick changes everything, and no one sees the vote coming—even the hosts admit they were truly blindsided. This week's episode centers on the impact of the loved ones' letters reward, where Savannah chooses Sophi B. to join her at the sanctuary as they share tacos and heartfelt moments. That pick proves to be a pivotal decision, shutting down Sophi B.'s chance to pull off a game-defining move with her “Knowledge is Power” advantage. Meanwhile, Rizzo continues to fool his fellow players about the true power and timing of his idol, sneaking through yet another vote. Sage's transformation from emotional gameplay to hard-nosed strategy catches everyone by surprise, as she targets threats over allies. Tribal Council is chaotic, with misreads and a stunning outcome that leaves the jury shocked. – Sophi B.'s dilemma after the reward and her wavering between loyalty and making a big move – Rizzo's clever idol misinformation lets him skate into the final five – Sage's shift to strategic voting and how Rob and Stephen debate its impact – Savannah's reward choice forges strong bonds and shapes the voting outcome – Kristina's unfiltered reaction and “sloppy ally” status As the finale approaches, will Sophi B. bounce back, or has she lost her winner equity? Who can stop Savannah's immunity run, and will Rizzo's inventive gameplay finally catch up to him? Expect fire, strategy, and heartbreak as Survivor 49 barrels toward its endgame. To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com To pre-order Stephen’s novel Escape!, visit stephenfishbach.com To request a limited edition Escape! map, email proof of hardcover pre-order (within the US) to escapefishbach@gmail.com with the subject line MAP. Previous hardcover pre-orders are also eligible! Buy tickets for Stephen's book events here! stephenfishbach.com/events Chapters: 0:00 Intros 6:15 Emotional Impact of Loved Ones 13:00 Most Legitimate Viewer Blindside Ever 18:10 Savannah’s Reward Decision Shifts Outcome 25:00 Rizzo Tricks Tribe About Idol 33:01 Sophi Misses Game-Winning Idol Move 39:00 Fate of Savannah-Rizzo Duo Debated 46:40 Unanimous Vote Stuns Podcast Hosts 56:00 Sage's Risky Move Gets Fishy Award 1:01:10 Survivor Finale Preview And Farewell Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!
Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!Tired of feeling invisible on the gym floor? We share a practical, no-fluff playbook for new and rising trainers who want to fill their books fast without turning into pushy salespeople. It starts with presence: show up early, stay late, and learn the living rhythm of your gym. Map traffic patterns, make eye contact, and smile more than anyone else. Members trust the faces they see every day—so be the person who offers a quick warm-up tip, a towel when it's needed, and a calm answer when someone looks lost.We break down a simple programming framework—CCA: Core movement, Complementary movement, Accessory—that lets you design effective workouts on the spot. Whether you're helping the arm-day regular or the machine-loving 70-year-old, CCA keeps sessions focused, scalable, and aligned with real goals. We also dig into light-touch sales that don't feel slimy: front-desk rapport, micro-education moments, and fun calorie-estimation games that spark nutrition chats. Instead of lecturing, invite members into a complimentary assessment to review goals, stress, sleep, and training history. The tone stays friendly, curious, and helpful.Mindset sets your ceiling. Use a Kobe-level work ethic to stack tiny wins: chase floor shifts, learn from the top and bottom performers, and invest downtime in anatomy and cueing. Bring your food, manage your energy, and radiate gratitude. Then commit to 90 days of rinse-and-repeat consistency and run a quarterly review to turn weaknesses into strengths. If you've been waiting for permission to step forward, here it is: be the most present, prepared, and positive person in the room. That's how strangers become clients—and clients become long-term success stories.If this playbook helped, follow the show, share it with a trainer who needs a boost, and leave a quick review so more coaches can find it.Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world! Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show! Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqANASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
Start Living Sustainable | Wellness Coach, How to Live Toxic Free for Health-Conscious Women
Are you thinking about having a baby or trying to conceive and want to get your body and home ready first? In this episode of Start Living Sustainable, wellness coach Coach Cynthia shares simple pre-pregnancy health tips and low-toxic lifestyle shifts to reduce toxins, support your mood and hormones, and create a healthier home for pregnancy, postpartum, and your future Gen Beta baby.
Karan Talati, cofounder and CEO at First Resonance, joins me to unpack what modern manufacturing really looks like inside factories that build rockets, drones, reactors, and other complex hardware. We dig into why only a small slice of factories run on real systems today, what a true factory operating system unlocks, and how that connects directly to national security and the AI boom.If you care about where all of this new compute, energy, and defense hardware will actually come from, this conversation gives you a clear view of the stack, the gaps, and the opportunity. Key takeaways• Only a small fraction of factories in the United States use a manufacturing execution system, which leaves a huge gap between legacy on prem tools, paper processes, and generic workflow apps that were never built for hardware work• Cloud infrastructure and open interfaces now make it possible to deploy a purpose built factory operating system at a cost and speed that works for both fast moving startups and long standing suppliers• Reindustrialization does not mean bringing every product back onshore, it means being deliberate about the layers of manufacturing that matter most for national security, chips, optics, and other high value components• The real foundation for modern manufacturing is talent, there is a major chance to re skill people into highly technical, well paid roles in aerospace, semiconductors, energy, and more• AI and agent style workflows will sit across design, manufacturing, and field operations so that hardware teams can close feedback loops, shorten timelines, and make better decisions with the data they already generateTimestamped highlights[00:40] Karan explains what First Resonance does and why he calls it a factory operating system for complex industries like aerospace, defense, energy, and autonomy[01:55] How we ended up with only about fifteen percent of factories running on an MES, and why most hardware work still lives on paper, spreadsheets, and ad hoc tools[06:49] A clear walkthrough of how offshoring looked like a rational path for decades, and why it created hidden risk across chips, optics, and other critical components[11:46] Which parts of manufacturing should come back onshore, why you do not want everything local, and how workforce strategy fits into the new industrial map[16:35] What a horizontal stack across design, factory systems, test, and field data can look like, and how AI agents can keep teams in sync across that stack[23:02] The real timelines of hardware in the age of AI, why software is speeding up physical development, and why examples like SpaceX and TSMC matter for the next decadeA line that stayed with me“Hardware and software are not separate worlds, they are one system that is now converging faster than most people realize.”Practical moves for tech leaders• Map your current manufacturing and hardware workflows, even if you are at a software first company, find the paper, spreadsheets, and disconnected tools that support anything physical you ship• Look for one or two places where a factory operating system or modern MES could remove handoffs, for example design changes that take weeks to reach the line or test data that never feeds back into engineering• Treat manufacturing careers as part of your talent strategy, help your teams see these roles as high skill and high impact, not as a side trackCall to actionIf this episode gave you a clearer view of how hardware, AI, and national security tie together, share it with one other person who should be thinking about the factory side of their roadmap. Follow and subscribe to The Tech Trek so you never miss deep dives like this, and connect with me on LinkedIn if you want more conversations at the edge of data, engineering, and real world impact.
Merry Christmas! This month for the December 2025 episode of the RCEM Learning Podcast Andy and Dave are talking about higher MAP targets in sepsis and the routine use of antibiotics for max-fax fractures. Rob attempts a festive round up of the most impactful guidelines of the year. We'll then end with New Online. If you'd like to email us, please feel free to do so here. After listening, complete a short quiz to have your time accredited for CPD at the RCEMLearning website! (03:19) New in EM - Higher MAP targets in Sepsis Efficacy of targeting high mean arterial pressure for older patients with septic shock (OPTPRESS): a multicentre, pragmatic, open-label, randomised controlled trial (Endo et al., 2025) (15:19) Most Impactful Guidelines of the Year European Resucitation Guidelines - Guidelines on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ERC, 2025) NHS England - Urgent and emergency care plan 2025/26 (NHS England, 2025) NHS England - Guidance to support the commissioning and delivery of ambulance services in 2025/26(NHS England, 2025) NICE - NG246 Overweight and obesity management (NICE, 2025) NICE - NG253 - Suspected sepsis in people aged 16 or over: recognition, assessment and early management (NICE, 2025) NICE - NG254 - Suspected sepsis in under 16s: recognition, diagnosis and early management (NICE, 2025) NICE - NG255 - Suspected sepsis in pregnant or recently pregnant people: recognition, diagnosis and early management (NICE, 2025) RCPCH - Facing the Future - standards for children and young people in emergency care settings (RCPCH, 2025) RCEM - GPEMS(RCEM, 2025) (38:07) New in EM - Routine use of antibiotics in facial fractures Prophylactic antibiotic use in trauma patients with non-operative facial fractures: A prospective AAST multicenter trial (Mian et al., 2025) (47:10) New Online – new articles on RCEMLearning for your CPD Is Normalisation of Deviance the "Standard" in Medicine? - Neel Bhandani Mental Illness in Children by Jidhin Davis Rest, sleep, and our breaks - the conversation we cant tire of - Amar Mashru
Mini podcast of radical history on this date from the Working Class History team.Our work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History
Trying to figure out which patient care or healthcare job will make your PA school application stand out? In this episode, we break down the BEST PCE and HCE roles, the real difference between them, and exactly how to write strong CASPA descriptions that highlight your clinical skills and get interview invites!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You inherit a team of 35 people. Morale is in the basement. Processes don't exist. Nobody knows what success looks like. And somehow, you're supposed to turn this around. Most leaders would panic. Ryan Ford built a system. In this episode, Ryan breaks down exactly how he transformed an underperforming team into a high-functioning operation—not through motivation speeches, but through structured systems, clear metrics, and a decision-making framework that stopped making him the bottleneck. The Reality of Inheriting a Broken Team Ryan walked into 35 people with low morale, unclear expectations, and no real processes. The kind of situation where everyone's busy but nothing meaningful gets done. His first move wasn't motivation—it was understanding. Before changing anything, he invested time learning the team dynamics and figuring out where the breakdowns actually happened. The uncomfortable truth: Sometimes the people aren't the problem. The lack of clear expectations and accountability systems is. The LEAF Decision Framework: Stop Being the Bottleneck Here's where most leaders kill their own productivity: they become the decision-maker for everything. LEAF Decisions - Low-impact decisions that don't require leadership approval. If it's a LEAF decision, the team makes the call and keeps moving. How to implement it: Create a decision tree with your team. Map out what requires your input and what doesn't. Give them permission to make LEAF decisions without asking. Then get out of their way. The Turnaround System: Metrics, Accountability, and Cadence Ryan didn't turn around his team with a single meeting. He built a system with three core elements: Clear Metrics: Everyone knew what "good" looked like. No more subjective performance reviews. Accountability Structure: Regular check-ins where progress was reviewed and blockers were identified. Not micromanagement—strategic support. Rapid Adjustment: When the plan wasn't working, they changed it. No ego about sticking to a failing strategy. Real example: Ryan led a critical product launch with tight timelines. He established daily check-ins, tracked progress against milestones, and adjusted when reality didn't match the plan. The product launched successfully because the system caught problems early. From Individual Contributor to System Builder The hardest transition for new leaders: realizing your job is no longer about what you personally accomplish. It's about what your team accomplishes through the systems you build. What Ryan learned to love about leadership: Setting people up for successBuilding cultures where high performance becomes normalCreating teams that function even when he's not in the room Why Systems Beat Heroics Every Time Heroic leaders jump in and save the day. They make all the critical decisions. And they become the ceiling on their team's performance. System-building leaders create frameworks that allow their teams to solve problems without them. They empower LEAF decisions and reserve their energy for choices that actually need their expertise. The result: Teams that perform consistently, not just when the leader is present. The teams that win aren't the ones with superhero leaders. They're the ones with systems that turn ordinary people into high performers. You can learn more about Ryan Ford over on LinkedIn. Want help designing systems that make your business more effective? Let's talk about creating a customer experience that catches problems early and turns your team into problem solvers. You can join the next Customer Experience Zoom Workshop to find out how to improve your customer experience and get more referrals.
Episode Summary: In this episode, Ann Pearson gets straight to the heart of the biggest challenge paralegals face managing an overwhelming workload. Skipping the usual intro, Ann dives right into why so many paralegals feel behind before their day even begins, and why that feeling has nothing to do with their competence. Drawing from her own early-career story of last-minute assignments and impossible timelines, Ann explains the real reason paralegals struggle: no one ever teaches them the systems and structures needed to stay ahead of the chaos. To change that, she introduces a four-step blueprint that helps legal support professionals move from reactive to proactive workload management. Ann also walks listeners through the first section of her new Paralegal Survival Toolkit, a free eight-part resource designed to help paralegals build clarity, control, and confidence in their daily work. As the episode unfolds, she reassures listeners that while the legal workload will always be heavy, the overwhelm doesn't have to be. Key Takeaways: Workload overwhelm is normal and fixable: Feeling behind is not a personal failing; it's part of the legal profession. What can change is your system for handling the workload. Prioritize by impact, not urgency: Inbox urgency is often an illusion. Instead, look for items tied to court deadlines, client deliverables, strategic decisions, or workflows that move a file forward. Map the work before you start the work: Most overwhelm happens because tasks aren't broken down. A project like "prepare discovery responses" contains 8 - 10 steps. Mapping creates clarity and reduces stress. Verify deadlines and assumptions every time: Asking clarifying questions isn't being difficult - it's being professional. Confirm deadlines, expectations, and whether a draft or final version is needed before you begin. Eliminate micro time wasters to reclaim hours: Small inefficiencies, repeated searches, rewriting emails, constant notifications, lack of templates, or unclear instructions add up quickly. System fixes unlock weekly time savings. You can't change the workload, but you can change your control over it. Heavy workloads are unavoidable, but overwhelm isn't. Skills and systems, not more hours, are what make the difference. Get the free Paralegal Survival Toolkit. The downloadable toolkit includes the workload clarity checklist, prioritization prompts, and a project-mapping template. It supports this episode and the seven episodes that follow. Access it at ParalegalToolkit.com. Get more free paralegal resources: https://paralegal-bootcamp.com/paralegal-resources For all of our paralegal podcast episodes: https://paralegal-bootcamp.com/
Episode 388 of RV Miles finds Jason and Abby diving into the sometimes-tricky world of holiday gifting for RVers. They chat through their favorite picks for all kinds of travelers—from camp kitchen essentials and practical gear to more personal, splurge-worthy ideas. They also break down earnings updates from Thor Industries and Winnebago, and what shifting demographics might mean for RV sales. Gift Guide Purchase Links: • Project Griddle – https://amzn.to/4piyA7W • Make It Easy – https://amzn.to/4pAc9uY • Hedley & Bennett Aprons — https://www.hedleyandbennett.com • Roastery Brew Bundle (coffee + mug) — https://theroasterie.com/products/bettys-brew-bundle?srsltid=AfmBOoq1X3k3s2N1_DQK1TNRtSBpwlsaeK0fn08XE8sCTtxtNe19R4Pa • BioLite Range HeadLamp https://www.bioliteenergy.com/collections/headlamps • BioLite Solar String Lights https://www.bioliteenergy.com/collections/lights • Barebones Vintage-Style Lanterns https://barebonesliving.com/collections/lighting • Rumpl Puffy Blanket – National Parks Series https://rumpl.com/collections/national-parks-blankets • Beddy's On-The-Go Blanket https://beddys.com/products/on-the-go • Solo Stove Roasting Sticks https://www.solostove.com/en-us/p/roasting-sticks • Rivet Supply Co. Board, Map, or Gift Card https://rivetsupplyco.com • Floating Metal Prints — https://www.mpix.com/wall-art/metal-prints • Yellowstone Forever Membership https://shop.yellowstone.org/membership • Lectric XP 4.0 https://lectricebikes.com/products/xp-4 Navarro Canoes https://navarrocanoes.com _____ *Become an RV Miles Mile Marker member and get your first month for $3 *Get your FREE weekly Road Signs Newsletter at https://rvmiles.com/mailinglist/ Support our Sponsors: * Harvest Hosts: Save 15% on a Harvest Hosts membership with MILES at https://harvesthosts.com *Check out all Blue Ox has to offer at https://BlueOx.com *Find all the RV parts and gear you need at etrailer: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle-finder.aspx?etam=p0001 *Find Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com/ *Get 25% Off RV Life Pro here: https://my.rvlife.com/bill/signup/3?s=rvtw&coupon=QE7KAHVF3E. *Find Liquified at https://liquifiedrv.com/ *Find the perfect RV Mattress and save 30% with code RVMILES at https://rvmattress.com/rvmiles Track SSTK_MUSIC_ID 437726– Monetization ID MONETIZATION_ID AMXDXB4BX5FLHUYE 00:00 Introduction 02:20 RV Industry News: Thor Industries Earnings Report 20:22 Gift Ideas for RV Enthusiasts 41:54 Unique and Practical Gifts for RV Enthusiasts 43:12 Creating and Preserving Memories 46:06 Adventure Board and Map for RV Stickers 50:02 Supporting National Parks with Memberships 54:37 Travel Day Essentials and Gift Ideas 58:20 Big Ticket Items: E-Bikes and Canoes 01:06:38 Fresh Tank/Black Tank
🧭 REBEL Rundown 🗝️ Key Points ❌ Don’t chase perfect numbers: Adequate and safe is often better than “perfect but harmful.”💨 Oxygenation levers: Start with FiO₂ and PEEP, but remember MAP is the true driver.🫁 Ventilation levers: Adjust RR and TV, tailored to underlying physiology.🚫 Watch your obstructive patients: Sometimes less RR is more. Click here for Direct Download of the Podcast. 📝 Introduction Ventilator management can feel overwhelming—there are so many knobs to turn, numbers to watch, and changes to make. But before adjusting any settings, it’s crucial to understand why the patient is in distress in the first place, because the right strategy depends on the underlying cause. In this episode, we’ll walk through three different cases to see how the approach changes depending on the problem at hand. ️ The 4 Main Ventilator Settings Tidal Volume (Vt) 🌬️ Amount of air delivered with each breath Typically set based on ideal body weight (6–8 mL/kg for lung protection) Respiratory Rate (RR) ⏱️ Number of breaths delivered per minute Adjusted to control minute ventilation and manage CO₂ FiO₂ (Fraction of Inspired Oxygen) ⛽ Percentage of oxygen delivered Adjusted to maintain adequate oxygenation (goal SpO₂ 92–96%, PaO₂ 55–80 mmHg). PEEP (Positive End-Expiratory Pressure) 🎈 Pressure maintained in the lungs at the end of exhalation to prevent alveolar collapse and improve oxygenation 🧮 Modes of Ventilation AC/VC (Assist Control – Volume Control)How it Works: Delivers a set tidal volume with each breath (whether patient- or machine-triggered).When It’s Used / Pros: Most common initial mode; guarantees minute ventilation; good for patients with variable effort.Limitations / Cons: May cause patient–ventilator dyssynchrony if set volumes don’t match patient’s demand.AC/PC (Assist Control – Pressure Control)How it Works: Delivers a set inspiratory pressure for each breath; tidal volume varies depending on lung compliance/resistance.When It’s Used / Pros: Useful in ARDS (lung-protective strategy), limits peak airway pressures.Limitations / Cons: Tidal volume not guaranteed; must closely monitor volumes and minute ventilation.PRVC (Pressure-Regulated Volume Control)How it Works: Hybrid: set target tidal volume, ventilator adjusts inspiratory pressure breath-to-breath to achieve it (within limits).When It’s Used / Pros: Common default mode on newer vents; combines benefits of VC (guaranteed volume) + PC (pressure limitation).Limitations / Cons: Can increase pressures if compliance worsens.SIMV (Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation)How it Works: Delivers set breaths, but allows spontaneous patient breaths in between (without guaranteed volume).When It’s Used / Pros: Used for weaning; allows patient effort.Limitations / Cons: Risk of increased work of breathing if spontaneous breaths are inadequate.PSV (Pressure Support Ventilation)How it Works: Every breath is patient-initiated; ventilator provides preset pressure support to overcome airway resistance.When It’s Used / Pros: Weaning trials; patients with intact drive who just need assistance.Limitations / Cons: Not a full-support mode; not for unstable patients without spontaneous drive. ♟️ Ventilation Strategies Airway ProtectionLow GCS, seizure, strokeLoss of gag/cough reflexHigh aspiration risk (vomiting, GI bleed, poor mental status)Hypoxemic Respiratory FailureSevere pneumoniaARDSPulmonary edemaInhalation injuryVentilatory (Hypercapnic) Failure / Increased Ventilation DemandSevere metabolic acidosis (DKA, sepsis, renal failure) → need high minute ventilationCOPD, asthma (if decompensating)Neuromuscular weakness (myasthenia, Guillain–Barré, spinal cord injury)Airway Obstruction / Anticipated Loss of AirwayTumor, anaphylaxis, angioedemaFacial or airway traumaPre-op / anticipated deterioration Post Peer Reviewed By: Marco Propersi, DO (Twitter/X: @Marco_propersi), and Mark Ramzy, DO (X: @MRamzyDO) 👤 Show Notes Priyanka Ramesh, MD PGY 1 Internal Medicine Resident Cape Fear Valley Internal Medicine Residency Program Fayetteville NC Aspiring Pulmonary Critical Care Fellow 🔎 Your Deep-Dive Starts Here REBEL Core Cast – Pediatric Respiratory Emergencies: Beyond Viral Season Welcome to the Rebel Core Content Blog, where we delve ... Pediatrics Read More REBEL Core Cast 143.0–Ventilators Part 3: Oxygenation & Ventilation — Mastering the Balance on the Ventilator When you take the airway, you take the wheel and ... Thoracic and Respiratory Read More REBEL Core Cast 142.0–Ventilators Part 2: Simplifying Mechanical Ventilation – Most Common Ventilator Modes Mechanical ventilation can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with a ... Thoracic and Respiratory Read More REBEL Core Cast 141.0–Ventilators Part 1: Simplifying Mechanical Ventilation — Types of Breathes For many medical residents, the ICU can feel like stepping ... Thoracic and Respiratory Read More REBEL Core Cast 140.0: The Power and Limitations of Intraosseous Lines in Emergency Medicine The sicker the patient, the more likely an IO line ... Procedures and Skills Read More REBEL Core Cast 139.0: Pneumothorax Decompression On this episode of the Rebel Core Cast, Swami takes ... Procedures and Skills Read More The post REBEL Core Cast 146.0–Ventilators Part 4: Setting up the Ventilator appeared first on REBEL EM - Emergency Medicine Blog.
Rob Has a Podcast | Survivor / Big Brother / Amazing Race - RHAP
Know-It-Alls: Survivor 49 Ep 11 Recap Today, Rob and Stephen discuss Survivor 49 episode 11. Survivor is back, and so are the Survivor Know-It-Alls! Join Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach as they break down all the strategy, blindsides, and big moves from Survivor 49. To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com To pre-order Stephen’s novel Escape!, visit stephenfishbach.com To request a limited edition Escape! map, email proof of hardcover pre-order (within the US) to escapefishbach@gmail.com with the subject line MAP. Previous hardcover pre-orders are also eligible! Buy tickets for Stephen's book events here! stephenfishbach.com/events Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!
Know-It-Alls: Survivor 49 Ep 11 Recap Today, Rob and Stephen discuss Survivor 49 episode 11. Survivor is back, and so are the Survivor Know-It-Alls! Join Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach as they break down all the strategy, blindsides, and big moves from Survivor 49. To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com To pre-order Stephen’s novel Escape!, visit stephenfishbach.com To request a limited edition Escape! map, email proof of hardcover pre-order (within the US) to escapefishbach@gmail.com with the subject line MAP. Previous hardcover pre-orders are also eligible! Buy tickets for Stephen's book events here! stephenfishbach.com/events Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!