Podcasts about most promising companies

Cleve Adams is Founder of the Trestles Group, Inc. His specialty is building and selling tech companies and has had 8 M&A Exits. Cleve has been fortunate enough to be named one of the Top 50 Non-Technical Founders In Tech Industry History, and to be Co-Founder and CEO of the #2 Company in Forbes's Most Promising Companies in America. He is also featured in the new Bestselling books "Cyberminds" and "Right Leaders, Right Time." Cleve is a 5-time award-winning VC/PE-backed Transactional CEO managing companies from pre-revenue to over $2 billion and has been hired by VC/PE firms to build and sell their portfolio companies. Cleve's average return to investors is 21x. He helped start, build and manage the largest company in the SaaS/Cloud cybersecurity software market from pre-revenue to a $1.0B IPO, the largest in San Diego county history and the first Cybersecurity Unicorn.  Cleve has over 20+ years of senior management, operations, sales and marketing experience in Security software, AI, Mobile, Wireless, SaaS/Cloud, Mobile security, digital and social media and Fintech. He has built a successful sales and marketing channel of 1100 resellers and distributors in 82 countries. Cleve has expertise in raising capital and has raised over $300M from tier-one VC's for multiple companies. Cleve led the team that started security titan Websense and grew them from pre-revenue to a $1 Billion IPO in less than 3 years. The company was subsequently sold to Raytheon for $2 billion. Cleve has been honored to serve as a software industry expert and speaker at numerous conferences, universities and corporations including the Harvard Alumni Assoc, Amazon, Investor Conferences, Cyber Security and Smart City Conferences. He has been quoted in top business publications including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and many more. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Ricky Joshi is the co-founder and chief strategy officer of Saatva, a direct-to-consumer luxury mattress and bedroom company that earns more than $400M in revenue and has been named to the Forbes Top 100 Most Promising Companies list. While going mattress shopping for himself one day, Ricky noticed a few shortcomings from mattress retailers. Confusing messaging. Bad customer service. No core values. Ricky thought he could do better, and in 2011, Saatva became one of the world's first DTC brands.  In this episode, Ricky shares Saatva's success secrets, including effective marketing strategies, key metrics to focus on, and brand awareness tips for entrepreneurs in the DTC space.  You'll also hear about how Saatva created an in-store experience that leads to greater than 50% conversions, how competition helped Saatva 3x its sales in one year, and how companies can decide when it's time to branch out and launch new product offerings. Key Takeaways with Ricky Joshi How increased competition helped Saatva grow from sales of $9.5M to $28.7M in one year. What are the best and worst things Saatva has done in marketing? How Saatva's brick-and-mortar retail stores have a conversion rate higher than 50%. How selling a product with a high AOV can lead to a better customer experience. Two core components to building growth and success. How Saatva has branched out to having more than 42% of its buyers coming from a non-mattress product. The major advantage small companies have over big companies when it comes to marketing.     How is AI impacting marketing right now? Why established brands and large companies often struggle in the DTC space. How to weigh investing in brand awareness with the growth trajectory of your company. When do you know if it's time to branch out and start selling new items alongside your flagship product? Balancing your consumer's awareness level when choosing which platform —like TikTok, Facebook or Google Ad Words — to market on. How entrepreneurs can analyze SEO traffic to determine alternative revenue streams. Subscribe to the Podcast We hope you enjoy this episode and that you find some golden nuggets within this interview. Trust us, it's there! If you want episodes delivered straight to your inbox, consider subscribing to the show and we'll email you each time a new episode is released! Thanks for tuning it & keep being awesome. BAM!

Will Perry, Founder & CEO of Worldwide Power Products, is the latest featured guest on the Building Texas Business podcast. Based in Houston, TX, Worldwide Power Products is a full-service power-generation equipment provider that has been making waves in the industry for its exceptional services and top-of-the-line products. Will shares his entrepreneurial journey, from the inception of his company to being named one of Forbes Magazine's 100 Most Promising Companies in 2011, and earning a spot in the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America for four consecutive years (2012-15). Will shares insights on his leadership style, the challenges he faced in building a successful business, and how he navigated the ever-evolving power-generation industry. LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About Worldwide Power Products GUESTS Will Perry About Will Special Guest: Will Perry.

Dan Weeden is the President of Fidelity Energy & Sustainability (FES). He provides strategic direction, oversees the organization's financial aspects, and leads FES's efforts to deliver solutions that provide measurable results in energy cost savings and greenhouse gas reduction for buildings in commercial and industrial markets.A veteran of the energy industry, Dan was most recently the Founder, President, and CEO of ENERActive Solutions LLC, an independent, full-service energy advising and consulting firm specializing in the assessment, design, development, and implementation of energy and sustainability projects for commercial, industrial, institutional, and pharmaceutical clients throughout the United States. His direction helped establish ENERActive as a leader in the energy space and earn significant industry awards and distinctions, including ranking No. 24 on the Forbes list of America's Most Promising Companies and being named to the NJ Biz list of Fastest Growing Companies.With a strong balance between engineering, sales/marketing, and leadership skills, Dan began his career in the nuclear power industry before moving into energy efficiency. In addition to ENERActive, Dan held leadership positions at Dome-Tech Energy Solutions and Comfort Systems USA.Dan graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) and an Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. A dedicated philanthropist, Dan sits on the board of the Asbury Park Music Foundation and is a founding member of the One More Tri Event for the New Jersey Special Olympics, the first triathlon that brings together special Olympians and ordinary athletes in the same event.Our services for both our clients and candidates can be found below✔️For Employers: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/for-employers/✔️For Candidates: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/career-opportunities/✔️Consulting: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/consulting-services/✔️Executive Search: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/executive-search/Nenni and Associates on Social Media:► Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nenni-and-associates/► Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nenniandassoc/► Email Listing: https://www.nenniandassoc.com/join-email-list/► Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/NenniAssociates 

This episode features a conversation with Tom Coburn, the founder and CEO of Jebbit.com. We discuss how quizzes can be used to increase engagement, conversions, and revenue.Tom has been named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 and Jebbit has been named one of the Top 25 Most Promising Companies in the World by CNBC. Tom is also co-founded two nonprofits: The Enjoy Life Leadership Academy, focusing on youth leadership empowerment, and the Soaring Startup Circle, helping Boston College entrepreneurs launch their companies.On the Show Today You'll Learn:How quizzes increase conversion rates on ShopifyHow to capture the visitor's attentionHow to use quizzes effectivelyThe importance of selecting the right quiz topic and designAnd moreLinks & ResourcesWebsite: https://bit.ly/3T0zhCpInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jebbit_inc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jebbitincLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/jebbit/Tom LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomcoburn/ Subscribe & Listen Everywhere:Listen On: ​clauslauter.com | Apple Podcasts/iTunes | Spotify | Amazon Music/Audible | Stitcher | Deezer | Google PodcastBy rating and reviewing the show in the app that you are listening to, you will enable us to invite bigger and more impactful guests.Please also remember to subscribe to our podcast and switch on the notifications to never miss an episode.Tag the podcast on Instagram @clauslauter and let me know what you like about it.If you like the content and would like to support the podcast, you can buy me a coffee here.Become part of our ECOM MERCHANT PRO community to get actionable advice from other Shopify merchants who already have achieved what you are aiming for. Join here: https://www.clauslauter.com/ecom-merchant-pro/Support the show

Today's guest, Molly Fienning is the Co-Founder and CEO of Red Clay Hot Sauce + Babiators Prior to Red Clay, Molly Fienning co-founded and served as Co-CEO of Babiators, one of Forbes' 100 Most Promising Companies and the leading sunglasses brand for babies & kids. Babiators sunglasses have been featured in Vogue, the Ellen Degeneres Show, People Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and Inc Magazine. Her next venture, Red Clay, is a modern, Southern hot sauce and hot honey brand named "Tabasco for the 21st century" by Food & Wine Magazine and "a hot honey to elevate your meal" by The New York Times. Also featured on The Today Show, Southern Living, Martha Stewart Living, and more. Red Clay's mission is to craft delicious hot sauces using sustainable practices and the highest-quality ingredients available for chefs, foodies, and home cooks nationwide. Listeners will enjoy learning more about Molly, who graduated from Harvard University with a BA in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, her life postgrad, and the stories behind her successful businesses. Molly lives in Charleston with her husband Ted and their two wonderful boys, Sawyer and Fox.  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/howdshedothat/support

We could have been calling Tom Coburn, Dr. Coburn because he only wanted to follow in his grandfather's footsteps as a biology student at Boston College. Instead, in 2011 while still students, Tom and his buddies entered a business plan competition in hopes of winning ten thousand dollars. On their second try, they won by presenting a version of what became Jebbit based on an “aha” moment Tom had while ignoring an ad during a television show on Hulu. That led to distinctions, awards, recognition such as being named one CNBC's Top 25 Most Promising Companies, Best Tech Culture in Boston in 2016. Coburn was named a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Oh, and Jebbit succeeded in gathering $92 million in funding. Not bad for a bunch of college kids. What does Jebbit do? Its mission is to make digital experiences fun, engaging, and value driven by capturing the consumer's data, intentions, motivations, and preferences with consent. First came the enterprise clients who needed to get in touch with their customers across all genders and demographics. Eventually, a free version was released to help non-enterprise businesses capture consumer engagement. Because privacy laws are changing, gathering usable and effective data has become a matter of consent. Coburn's team at Jebbit has found an interactive way to get that consent that translates into real-time information companies can leverage into making marketing better now and into the future. Coburn's story of learning CEO-manship as a “ten-year overnight success” is fascinating. He admits he made all the cliché startup mistakes but maintains that the foundation of Jebbit's culture starts with a very basic mantra – what you put in is what you get out. Coburn relates that he's had eight jobs over the past ten years because his role as a CEO is always changing and he's determined to keep learning and doing better. Tom Coburn is proud of Jebbit's position in the industry – the right side of history in helping brands engage customers directly with their permission. Learn more about Tom Coburn and https://www.jebbit.com/ (Jebbit) You can find more information on all our episodes at https://my.captivate.fm/verticalelevation.com/podcasts (Vertical Elevation), and you can find Carol on Twitter https://twitter.com/CarolBSchultz (@carolbschultz )or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolbschultz/).

Ryan Simonetti is the CEO and co-founder of Convene. Convene creates dynamic work experiences through a network of 25+ premium meeting, event, and office locations and digital meeting technology. Founded in 2009 to help planners focus less on logistics and more on having great meetings, Convene has since expanded into flexible workplace locations, Virtual Meetings, and Hybrid Meetings. Convene combines beautiful designs, technology, and a focus on hospitality to create your best day of work, wherever it happens. The company has been named one of America's 100 Most Promising Companies by Forbes and a Best Workplace by both Inc. and Fortune Magazine. https://convene.com/

Welcome back to The More We Know Podcast- Because the more we know, the more we grow! Your mentor today: Chuck Runyon. Chuck Runyon is the co-founder and CEO of Anytime Fitness, the world's largest co-ed fitness club franchise. Think of them like the Mcdonald's of fitness! With MILLIONS worldwide at 4000+ gyms, the company does BILLIONS of revenue a year. With more than 20 years of experience managing, owning and franchising health clubs, Chuck Runyon has distinguished himself as a leading authority in the field of fitness. Runyon revolutionized the fitness industry when he and Dave Mortensen co-founded Anytime Fitness – an alternative to big-box gyms which typically feature expensive “frills” that few members actually use or need. Under Runyon's leadership, Anytime Fitness has earned numerous industry accolades, including the #1 Franchise on the planet, according to Entrepreneur magazine in 2015 & 2016, “One of America's Most Promising Companies,” according to Forbes, and the “Fastest-Growing Fitness Club in the world,” according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). Additionally, Anytime Fitness has been honored as a “Top Franchise for Minorities” and “The Best Place to Work in Minnesota” three years in a row. In 2012, Self Esteem Brands, the parent company of Anytime Fitness, acquired Waxing the City under Chuck's leadership. Waxing the City specializes in providing outstanding, high-quality facial and body waxing services for women and men. Waxing the City has been named in Entrepreneur Magazine's “Top New Franchise” list. Also owns  The Bar Method and Basecamp Fitness You are in for a treat with one of the rare few who succeed with building a billion dollar empire, and still serve as CEO. One of my favorite interviews. Listen To The More We Know ⇨ https://www.buzzsprout.com/1134704​Subscribe ⇨https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvfd5ddf72Btbck8SdeyBwFollow my Instagram ⇨ https://www.instagram.com/sameer.sawaqed/?hl=enFollow my Twitter ⇨ https://twitter.com/commitwithmeerCheck out Chuck's company: https://www.anytimefitness.com/ . His firm today  serves millions of people in 40 countries. More about Self Esteem Brands here: https://www.sebrands.com

Molly Fienning is the co-founder and CEO of Red Clay, a fast-growing, Southern food business, crafting delicious hot sauces, hot honeys and specialty salts. And when I say fast-growing, they have grown 3-4X year over year in gross revenue these past three years and have rolled Red Clay out to The Fresh Market, Whole Foods Market, Publix, Food 52 and more. Incredibly impressive! Prior to Red Clay, Molly was Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Babiators, one of Forbes' 100 Most Promising Companies and the leading sunglasses brand for babies & kids (with 4+ million pairs sold). In this episode, Molly shares her experience and advice for the marathon that is starting and successfully growing a product-based business. We cover: The different avenues for starting a business and the one thing they all have in commonWhy the “Irrational Offer” worksRaising capital and the different ways to view itWays Red Clay pivoted quickly to reach their revenue goals during the pandemic and how they ended up surpassing themHer most valuable advice to early stage entrepreneurs...And so much more (as always)!For more about Molly:@mollyfienning @redclayhotsauce redclayhotsauce.com @babiators  babiators.com For more about Trove: @trovebusiness www.trovebusiness.comFor more about Austin (Host) and Gush & Grow:@gushandgrowwww.gushandgrow.com

Tom Coburn is the co-founder and CEO of Jebbit, a Boston-based startup. The Jebbit platform enables marketers to quickly build beautiful interactive experiences and drives high engagement by providing consumers with immediate value in exchange for relevant information about their motivations, interests and preferences. During this live session Q&A, Tom will reveal how Jebbit found more success after its transition from a sales-led enterprise to a product-led organization. Show Notes [01:08] An overview of Jebbit and how it went from startup to working with big brands [08:08] How Tom's PLG Task Force gradually created an onboarding flow that the company was comfortable with [12:20] On finding a specific use case [14:09] The initial steps Jebbit took to introduce the free version of its product [17:57] The challenges they had to overcome during beta testing [20:00] Analytics help them discover points where they need improvement [23:00] The start of Jebbit's success and the developments that took place after that [28:46] How pricing has shifted since Jebbit became product-led [31:02] The differences between Jebbit's free and premium versions [33:36] On having open dialogues with customers and how Jebbit's sales team reaches out [38:34] Tom's advice for sales-led businesses that want to become product-led About Tom Coburn Tom Coburn is the co-founder and CEO of Jebbit. The digital marketing startup created the world's first declared data platform. It was named one of the Top 25 Most Promising Companies in the World by CNBC, and its clients include Procter & Gamble, NFL, and Bliss Cosmetics. Tom is a student entrepreneur who honed his experiences while doing his undergraduate in Boston College. He is also “Settlers of Catan” enthusiast who made it to the 2015 Forbes' 30 Under 30 list together with Jebbit co-founder Jonathan Lacoste. Links Mentioned On Starting and Scaling HubSpot HubSpot Shopify Profile Jebbit Tom Coburn on LinkedIn Tom Coburn's email

Ryan Simonetti, CEO of Brookfield-backed Convene, joins Bold Founder, Caleb Parker in an inspiring episode on leadership and optimism on the future of commercial real estate. Ryan shares the core values that’s helped make Convene successful over the last decade, what’s enabled him to take decisive action during the Covid pandemic, why he believes we’re in the middle of “The Great Accelerator", how office as an asset class is going through a transformation and why buildings without Space-as-as-Service will struggle in the future. Connect with Ryan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rwsimonetti Connect with Caleb on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Caleb_Parker   If you have any questions or feedback on this episode, email podcast@workbold.co Questions asked in this episode You were quoted a couple years ago with saying that only 2 things keep you up at night: your 2 year old and your company’s culture. Can you talk about the culture you’ve built at Convene?  Often business leaders keep quiet on topics that become politically polarized, but you’ve been vocal on social media sharing what you believe. Is that risky? Do you think more business leaders should take a stance? You made the decision early on to close all Convene locations, even before the Government mandated lockdowns. What drove that decision?  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​It’s an understatement to say this is a difficult time - how do you balance maintaining optimism with facing the realities of today? What makes you optimistic about the future of our industry? You’ve been talking a lot about hybrid and virtual events - do you expect this to last long-term? How is this going to affect occupancy or vacancy rates in commercial assets? How do you think our industry needs to evolve to keep up with the growing demand for SPaaS? Do you think #CRE needs an asset class for Space-as-a-Service? What is your advice to commercial real estate leaders who are not convinced that SPaaS is the future of #CRE? Value Bombs and tweetables Leadership At the core of a company's culture is a set of beliefs and values - core non-negotiables. Core values are the high bar for which a company hires talent and the lens through which all decisions are made. GRIT as a core value stands for: Genuine, Relentless, Integrity, Teamwork, and is required for any disruptive company to succeed. Integrity is the most important core value. Business is the greatest team sport of all. We’ll see more companies and executives take a proactive stance to have a positive impact on societal issues. “As the leader of a company I need to speak out on behalf of our team, and what we believe as a company is the right thing to do.” The decisions that companies make during this pandemic will impact their value for decades to come. Future of #CRE This crisis will be seen as the great accelerator for the Future of Work and Space-as-a-Service trends we’ve been seeing. Many of these trends that were expected to take 15-20 years for change to take effect will now happen in 3-5 years. Hybrid and virtual events and work is here to stay long-term. Talent wants choice, flexibility and experience. Shift toward the individual, not the company, being in control specific to when, where and how we work Remote work will make up 25-35% of a company’s workforce #CRE needs to support people working in the HQ and remotely If an asset doesn’t offer Space-as-a-Service it’s going to struggle   About Ryan Simonetti Ryan Simonetti is the CEO and co-founder of Convene, the company that designs and services premium places to work, meet, and host inspiring events. His unique expertise in real estate acquisitions, development, and structured finance has helped catapult Convene to become a pioneer in the commercial real estate industry. Ryan co-founded Convene in 2009 with the intention of disrupting the commercial real estate industry and transforming the workplace experience by capitalizing on converging trends in real estate, technology, and hospitality. His vision - to infuse hotel-style services into meetings, events and flexible office spaces - has been Convene’s guiding force for the last 11 years, during which they have expanded to 32 locations across the US and UK. With Ryan at the helm, Convene has raised $410M in funding to date, and has been named one of America’s 100 Most Promising Companies by Forbes and a Best Workplace by both Inc. and Fortune Magazine. Ryan has been recognized for his transformative achievements on Real Estate Forum’s 50 Under 40 list, Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30,” a list of America’s Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs, was named “Top Entrepreneur” by Crain’s New York, and a finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year® New York Awards. Ryan, the first in his family to attend college, graduated from Villanova University, where he developed the concepts for and ran several “start-up” companies designed for students. His professional career began as a real estate banking analyst in the global real estate group at Lehman Brothers, where he focused on the structuring and securitization of commercial mortgage-backed securities. Following Lehman Brothers, Ryan joined Gramercy Capital Corp. as a vice president where he was responsible for the restructuring of a billion dollar loan portfolio including $600 million of hospitality related real estate investments. Ryan is an active supporter of the Urban Land Institute, CoreNet Global, IACC and was selected to be a member of New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Small Business Working Group. In addition, he is an active venture investor and advisor to several start-up technology companies and their founders. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, fishing, reading and thinking of the next ‘big idea.’ Ryan and his wife Lisa live in New York with their children Riley and Harley. Sponsors Fortune Favours the Bold Bold helps commercial real estate create & manage flexible spaces to dream, create, share, and succeed in. Now part of NewFlex (www.workbold.co) Future Proof Your Portfolio with NewFlex NewFlex delivers and manages a range of branded solutions for every type of building, in every type of location, for every type of occupier. Including the flexibility to develop your own brand. All enabled by flexible management contracts where we are invested in making money for you. (www.newflex.com) Launch Your Own Podcast A Podcast Company is the leading podcast production company for brands, organizations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right equipment, training, and guidance to ensure you sound amazing. (https://www.apodcastcompany.com and www.podcastsyndicator.com) Subscribe to the #WorkBold Podcast Apple | Spotify | Google | Stitcher | Podbean

The speaker for the April 8th Association for Corporate Growth luncheon in Austin was to be Alan Knitowski, CEO and co-founder of Phunware.  Because of the COVID-19 situation, ACG Austin/San Antonio had to cancel their live events for the short term, but they wanted to ensure they could still provide quality local content to their members and extended community.   This interview with Alan is an hour long masterclass in success. In this conversation he talks about his career path, the building of Phunware and taking the company public, plus he shares his advice for business leaders on how to handle crisis and uncertainty.  . ACG Austin/San Antonio is grateful to Alan for taking the time to do this interview. His support of the business community in Austin, Texas, the US, and the world is clearly evident in the message he shares.  ACG ASA looks forward to having Alan speak in-person at a future event, but in the meantime, please enjoy this podcast interview. . ***Disclosure:  Thom Singer, host of “Cool Things Entrepreneurs Do” is the husband of Sara Singer, the Chapter Executive of the ACG Austin/San Antonio Chapter.   About Alan Knitowski, CEO & Co-Founder, of Phunware   Alan is a successful serial entrepreneur with multiple exits over a 15 year period to companies including Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Level 3 Communications (NASDAQ: LVLT) and Internet Security Systems (now NYSE: IBM). He is a 2014 Finalist for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award for Central Texas and has been a Founder, Executive, Angel Investor and Fund Manager throughout his career in the private sector after serving in the United States Army as an Airborne, Air Assault and Ranger qualified Captain in the Corps of Engineers.   Alan has also built and managed companies that have won both regional and national awards for growth, including # 4 on the 2014 Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for North America, # 82 on the 2014 Inc. list of the 500 Fastest Growing Companies in the United States (and # 40 on the 2013 list), # 36 on the 2014 Forbes list of America’s Most Promising Companies, # 1 on the 2013 ABJ Fast50 list of the 50 Fastest Growing Companies in Central Texas and # 2 on the 2008 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 for Orange County.   As a mobile and multiscreen industry expert, Alan is frequently quoted in trade publications, serves as a panelist at industry events and writes for the Wall Street Journal’s Accelerators Blog.   Previously, Alan was President of Alternative Investments for Curo Capital LLC and Managing Director for Trymetris Capital Management LLC. In the past, he was a Co-Founder and Director of Telverse Communications, a next-generation advanced services ASP focused on wholesale communications services for carriers and service providers, which was acquired in July 2003 by Level 3 Communications.   Before this time, Alan was Director of Marketing for the Voice Technology Group at Cisco Systems and was responsible for business, market and community development, including business planning and strategy for Cisco’s global packet communications initiatives. In November 2000, Alan joined Cisco as part of the Vovida Networks acquisition, where he served as Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer and led the company from idea conception through its eventual acquisition by Cisco.   Alan holds an MSIE degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, an MBA degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a BSIE degree from The U. He lives in Austin, Texas, and serves on the President’s Council at the University of Miami (FL).   About ACG   Founded in 1954, the Association for Corporate Growth has chapters worldwide representing 15,000+ members. ACG serves 90,000 investors, executives, lenders and advisers to growing middle-market companies. ACG’s Mission is to drive Middle Market growth with content, access to capital, & connections in the Middle Market.   https://thomsinger.com/podcast/acgasa-alan-knitowski

With more than 20 years of experience managing, owning and franchising health clubs, Chuck Runyon has distinguished himself as a leading authority in the field of fitness. Chuck revolutionized the fitness industry when he and Dave Mortensen co-founded Anytime Fitness – an alternative to big-box gyms which typically feature expensive “frills” that few members actually use or need. Under his leadership, Anytime Fitness has earned numerous industry accolades, including the #1 Franchise on the planet, according to Entrepreneur magazine, “One of America’s Most Promising Companies,” according to Forbes, and the “Fastest-Growing Fitness Club in the world,” according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). Last Sunday, the trophy wall at Anytime Fitness and Self Esteem Brands took on yet another crowning honor, when the International Franchise Association presented Chuck and his co-founder and President, Dave Mortensen, it’s coveted Entrepreneur of the Year Award in front of 4,000 people, in attendance at its 60th Annual Convention, in Orlando.  Chuck Runyon talks about it all, on Franchise Today.  .  

This week’s guest, together with his co-founder Chuck Runyon, made the bold decision to reinvent the culture of work in their business. Today their company, Anytime Fitness, is the world’s largest and fastest-growing coed fitness club franchise and has earned numerous industry awards including Top Global Franchise and one of America’s Most Promising Companies. Dave Mortensen is the President of Self Esteem Brands, the parent company of Anytime Fitness. He has been featured on ABC’s Secret Millionaire and Be The Boss Canada. He is a sought after speaker on leadership culture and employee engagement. He and his partner have also written a book, Love Work, about how to inspire a high performing culture at the center of people, purpose, profits and play. Marcel says that Dave and Chuck have revolutionized the fitness industry. He asks Dave to share how they did it. Dave replies they saw a gap in the industry and thought about how they fill that need by making fitness more accessible to people. He describes the changes they made to help their members make fitness a part of their lifestyle. Their franchise operates in 35 countries today and continues to grow. [4:52] “If you can’t lead the same way you want to be an example of your life, then how can you call yourself a leader?” Dave asks. [8:43] We all have challenging moments and those times impact our ability to be productive. Dave says that your team should be able to share their personal and work-related challenges so that you can help them grow in life. [9:45] Real love is being willing to provide some tough love along the way. When you love someone enough to be willing to tell someone what they need to hear, it’s amazing what they will do for themselves, which will, in turn, help you build a great organization. [12:39] Dave says that their business is built around the four P’s:  People: The most important part of the business is their staff. They invest 50% of time and energy on performance. The other 50% centers around their staff’s personal development. [14:52] Purpose: People want to work in an organization with a purpose. Start living out your purpose one person at a time, and it will spread until you have a movement. Speak your purpose, act on it, and live it. [15:46] Profits: A business cannot survive without profits. If you can drive profits, you can make a difference. Profit can be emotional as well as financial. Dave talks about ROEI - Return on Emotional Investment. You should invest your time in something that you love doing and you’re happy with. [16:40] Play: Don’t take yourself too seriously, Dave says. [17:47] Marcel asks: “Is it appropriate to express that much emotion in the workplace…?” Dave responds that it’s appropriate to be who you are as a person. People filter information either with their head first or their heart first. No matter which is true for you, the important thing is to be authentic. [20:38] Vulnerability is being open about the challenges you face. You grow and learn by being real about them. If a leader is vulnerable with his or her team, they will reciprocate. You can’t force vulnerability though. You can only ask great questions to draw vulnerability out of others. [22:54] Dave shares why he thinks there is still so much fear-based leadership in the workplace. He also gives advice about how to combat the fear. [25:04] People don’t give themselves enough credit, Dave finds. He wants to help people see themselves as great people that bring a lot in life. He urges listeners to put love in action, to believe in themselves and to love themselves first. “You’ll find great things that surround you,” he promises. [31:00] Marcel comments, “A healthy ROEI makes for a healthy bottom line and that is what creates a strong and healthy culture that's able to grow into the future.” [33:08]

A new phenomenon has started to rise in workplaces around the world: hiring contract workers for temporary management positions. Hosts Peter Cappelli and Dan O'Meara talk with Jody Miller, a pioneer in the field of high-level contracting, to find out more about this emerging trend.Jody Greenstone Miller is the Co-Founder and CEO of Business Talent Group (BTG), the premier marketplace for high-end, on-demand talent. An outspoken thought leader, Jody has been cited as a disrupter of the traditional consulting model by Clay Christensen in the Harvard Business Review, a “workplace innovator” (Fast Company), and “A Pioneering Voice for Super Temps” (Forbes). With her leadership as CEO of BTG, she is helping to redefine the future of work by unlocking the full potential of the “gig economy” for the benefit of top companies and skilled talent alike. BTG, which Jody co-founded in 2006, is leading the next generation of the gig economy with 40% of the F100 relying on them to curate, vet, and deliver independent management consultants, subject matter experts and executives to help solve their biggest business challenges and fuel growth, innovation, and performance improvement.BTG was most named to Inc. Magazine’s prestigious list of the 5000 fastest-growing companies in America three years in a row. The company was also named to the Forbes list of “100 Most Promising Companies,” one of only four female-led companies. Fortune magazine named Miller one of its ten “Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs.” and as one of twelve of EY’s “Entrepreneurial Winning Women” in North America. Along with her husband, Matt Miller, Jody wrote “The Rise of the Supertemp,” a Big Idea feature for the Harvard Business Review which observers cite as the definitive analysis of the alternative professional services trend. Jody’s thought leadership on the evolving talent marketplace has also been featured in outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Fortune, Fast Company, Forbes, Business Insider, The Economist, The Financial Times, CNN, Stanford University, Fox Business and Bloomberg.Learn More about Business Talent Grouphttps://businesstalentgroup.com/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Show #409.   Can You Help Me Fight The Fossils? Read More About Patreon here EVne.ws/patreon   Read today’s show notes on https://www.evnewsdaily.com   Good morning, good afternoon and good evening wherever you are in the world, welcome to EV News Daily for Friday 8th March 2019. It’s Martyn Lee here and I’ve been through every EV story I could find today, and picked out the best ones to save you time.   Thank you to MYEV.com for helping make this show, they’ve built the first marketplace specifically for Electric Vehicles. It’s a totally free marketplace that simplifies the buying and selling process, and help you learn about EVs along the way too.   IN HORSEPOWER WAR, RIMAC C_TWO PROVES ELECTRIC CARS CAN’T BE MATCHED "The struggle to squeeze increasing amounts of horsepower into high-performance automobiles continues unabated, even in the face of stricter environmental regulations." Says Domenick for InsideEVs.com: “Nowhere is that perhaps more noticeable than at the Geneva Motor Show. The top eighteen machines share an astounding 17,000 ponies between them — that’s an average of 900 horsepower per — and battery power reigns supreme with the top two both being fully electric. the Rimac C_Two. It silently boasts 1,914 hp and 1,696 pound-feet of torque. The car with the second-highest amount of horse force is the gorgeous Pininfarina Battista."   Check out the gallery of Hypercars, I'll put a link in the show notes.   https://insideevs.com/horsepower-war-rimac-c_two-geneva/   VOLVO TO RELEASE POLESTAR 3 ALL-ELECTRIC COUPE-STYLE SUV IN 2021 "Volvo brand Polestar will introduce a new all-electric Polestar 3 SUV by the end of 2021, a company executive said." Reports Phil for Electric: "Following the recent unveiling of its Polestar 2 all-electric sedan, the company’s Polestar 3 will be a “coupe-style SUV,” Digital Trends reports. Polestar COO Jonathan Goodman said the new model will be released “in the back end” of 2021. Goodman also said Polestar will continue to expand its models throughout the next decade, and the company looks to keep its simple naming convention. Therefore, following the Polestar 3 would be a Polestar 4, and so on."   https://electrek.co/2019/03/08/volvo-polestar-3-suv/   TESLA MODEL 3 LAUNCHES IN MEXICO Meanwhile Steven Loveday at InsideEVs has the lowdown on Tesla moving into another country: "We already knew Tesla was pushing its hugely popular Model 3 midsize sedan to overseas markets, but to see it hit Mexico is a welcome surprise. Reportedly, the automaker sent invitations out for an open house in the country, as well as information about the electric car’s official launch. Today, Tesla will host the unveiling at its Mexico city store. Once again, Tesla proves that it’s branching out globally into a myriad of locales. While many naysayers will continue to assert that demand is limited and U.S. deliveries are lackluster, we can see where the Silicon Valley automaker’s newfound focus lies."   https://insideevs.com/tesla-model-3-launches-in-mexico/   NISSAN EXPANDS BEST-SELLING LEAF EV OFFER IN EUROPE Nissan has announced a wave of new versions and upgrades to the Nissan LEAF electric vehicle range, making Europe’s top-selling 100% electric car more appealing than ever. Following the runaway success of the LEAF e+ 3.ZERO Limited Edition, Nissan has made its longer range version available as a permanent addition in the Tekna grade. The LEAF will also offer a series of connectivity and technology upgrades to enhance the user experience. Coupled with the all-new Nissan Connect Services app, the new model’s navigation system gains TomTom LIVE premium traffic and route optimisation, providing comprehensive navigation assistance including door-to-door navigation. The all new Nissan Connect smartphone app will also include several remote control functions for charging and battery status. The Nissan LEAF variants are available to order now, with deliveries expected in summer 2019.   TESLA’S ONLINE-ONLY SALES MODEL DEFENDED BY USED CAR DEALER CARVANA CEO Simon at Teslarati has a story today on Tesla online sales. "Tesla’s decision to adopt an online-only model to sell its electric cars was recently defended by Carvana CEO Ernie Garcia, who went on CNBC’s Squawk Alley to discuss the electric car maker’s new sales strategy. Garcia noted that while Tesla will face challenges resulting from the shift in its sales model, the company’s return policy will likely be a difference maker for some buyers." Simon goes on to say: "Garcia’s views on Tesla is coming from a well-established position, as Carvana currently stands as one of the United States’ premier online used car dealers. Carvana sells, finances, and buys back used cars through its website, and its growth has been so impressive that the company ranked as 5th in Forbes‘s list of America’s Most Promising Companies in 2015. "   https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-online-sale-model-carvana-ceo/   TESLA MODEL 3 REGISTRATIONS IN NORWAY SOAR TO 800 IN FEBRUARY Mark Kane for InsideEVs goes to Norway next: "In February, about 5,924 new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in Norway, which is 33.2% more than a year ago, at a world-leading 53.3% market share! It was the best February ever. The month of February was the first for volume deliveries of the Tesla Model 3. The month closed with 791 new registrations, which is second only to the Volkswagen Golf (all versions), which probably means that Model 3 is ahead of the Volkswagen e-Golf."   https://insideevs.com/800-tesla-model-3-registered-norway/   ERIK BUELL TRADES PETROL FOR PROTONS WITH NEW E-BIKE STARTUP FUELL’s “urban mobility” positioning led to the creation of several machines to cover all the needs and styles of those who choose two-wheeled electric mobility. FUELL’s offer is centered around two products: FLOW – an electric motorcycle available in 11kW (125cc equivalent) or 35kW (motorcycle license) versions, combining practical aspects for the urban journey (integrated 50 liter/13 gallon internal storage), technological innovations (proprietary wheel-motor1, connected dashboard) and unparalleled driving pleasure thanks to its acceleration and low center of gravity. FLUID – a robust and elegant electric bike, with exceptional range (up to 125 miles thanks to its 2 removable batteries with a total of 1,000Wh) and generous torque (100Nm), virtually maintenance-free with its carbon belt and internal hub gears. Fluid is offered as a Pedelec (max 20 mph) or S-Pedelec (max 28 mph, requiring helmet and insurance in most States). Every step from design to manufacture had accessibility in mind: competitive prices (starting from $3,295 for Fluid and $10,995 for Flow), financing options that favor usage over ownership (credit, leasing, battery leasing), and a clear emphasis on easy handling and riding. These e-vehicles are upgradeable (battery, wheel-motor, charger,…) and are among the best performing on the market. They have a great autonomy (125 city miles for Flow), and recharge easily (at home for Fluid, in less than 30 minutes on a public charger for Flow). They also offer connectivity and security options, and are infinitely customizable.   COMMUNITY And thanks to MYEV.com they’ve set us another Question Of The Week. Keep your comments coming in on email and YouTube…   How do you feel about Tesla’s move to online-only sales? Do you want to test drive a car first? What about if you have to arrange finance to buy it, even tho Tesla say you can return it?     I want to say a heartfelt thank you to the 197 patrons of this podcast whose generosity means I get to keep making this show, which aims to entertain and inform thousands of listeners every day about a brighter future. By no means do you have to check out Patreon but if it’s something you’ve been thinking about, by all means look at patreon.com/evnewsdaily     PHIL ROBERTS / ELECTRIC FUTURE (PREMIUM PARTNER) ELECTRICMOTORING.NET (PREMIUM PARTNER) BRAD CROSBY (PREMIUM PARTNER)   DAVID ALLEN (PARTNER) OEM AUDIO OF NEW ZEALAND AND EVPOWER.CO.NZ (PARTNER) SASCHA PALLENBERG (PARTNER) JON BEARDY MCBEARDFACE / KENT EVs (PARTNER) PAUL O’CONNER (PARTNER) ALAN ROBSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) ALEX BANAHENE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) ALEXANDER FRANK @ https://www.youtube.com/c/alexsuniverse42 ARILD GEIR SKAALSVEEN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) ASHLEY HILL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BÅRD FJUKSTAD (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BARRY PENISTON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BOB MUIR / GINGERCOMPUTERS.COM IN DUNDEE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BORISLAV BORISOV (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BRENT KINGSFORD (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BRIAN THOMPSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BRIAN WEATHERALL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) BRYAN YOUNG / CONFT.SHOW PODCAST (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) CESAR TRUJILLO (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) CHRIS BENSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) CHRIS HOPKINS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) CRAIG COLES (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) CRAIG ROGERS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DAMIEN DAVIS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DARREN BYRD (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DARREN SANT (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DAVE DEWSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DAVID BARKMAN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DAVID FINCH (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DAVID PARTINGTON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DAVID PRESCOTT (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DIRK RUTSATZ (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) DON MCALLISTER / SCREENCASTSONLINE.COM (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) ENRICO STEPHAN-SCHILOW (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) FREDRIK ROVIK (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) GEORGE CLARGO (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JACK OAKLEY (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JAMES STORR (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JASON FAN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JEFF ERBES (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JERRY ALLISON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JOHN BAILEY (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JON KNODEL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JON TIMMIS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) JUAN GONZALEZ (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) KEN MORRIS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) KEVIN MEYERSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) LARS DAHLAGER (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) LAURENCE D ALLEN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) LESZEK GRZYL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) LOUIS HOPKIN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) LUKE CULLEY (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MARCEL LOHMANN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MARCEL WARD (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MARTIN CROFT (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MATT PISCIONE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MATTHEW ELLIS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MATTHEW GROOBY (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MAZ SHAR (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MICHAEL PASTRONE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MIKE ROGERS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) MIKE WINTER (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) NEIL E ROBERTS FROM SUSSEX EVS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) PAUL SEAGER-SMITH (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) PAUL STEPHENSON (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) PETE GLASS (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)  PHIL MOUCHET (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) PHILIPPE CALVE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) RAJ BADWAL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) RAJEEV NARAYAN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) RENÉ SCHNEIDER (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) ROD JAMES (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) RUPERT MITCHELL (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) SARAH MCCANN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) SCOTT CALLAHAN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) SEIKI PAYNE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) STEVE JOHN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) STUART HANNAH (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) THE LIMOUSINE LINE SYDNEY (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) WALTER MACVANE (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) ZACK HURST (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)     You can listen to all 408 previous episodes of this this for free, where you get your podcasts from, plus the blog https://www.evnewsdaily.com/ – remember to subscribe, which means you don’t have to think about downloading the show each day, plus you get it first and free and automatically. It would mean a lot if you could take 2mins to leave a quick review on whichever platform you download the podcast. And if you have an Amazon Echo, download our Alexa Skill, search for EV News Daily and add it as a flash briefing. Come and say hi on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter just search EV News Daily, have a wonderful day, I’ll catch you tomorrow and remember…there’s no such thing as a self-charging hybrid.   CONNECT WITH ME! EVne.ws/itunes EVne.ws/tunein EVne.ws/googleplay EVne.ws/stitcher EVne.ws/youtube EVne.ws/iheart EVne.ws/blog EVne.ws/patreon   Check out MYEV.com for more details:

As Co-Founder and CEO of Convene, Ryan Simonetti has been recognized for his transformative achievements on Real Estate Forum’s 50 Under 40 list and Inc. Magazine’s “30 Under 30,” a list of America’s Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs. He was also named “Top Entrepreneur” by Crain’s New York, and was a finalist in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year® New York Awards. With Ryan at the helm, Convene has been named one of America’s 100 Most Promising Companies by Forbes and a Best Workplace by both Inc. and Fortune Magazine. Before co-founding Convene, Ryan was a vice president at Gramercy Capital Corp., where he was in charge of the restructuring of a billion-dollar loan portfolio, including $600 million of real estate and hospitality investments.

Jonathan Lacoste is an American internet entrepreneur currently living in Boston, Massachusetts. In 2011, Lacoste along with classmate and friend Tom Coburn, co-founded Jebbit, an enterprise software company in the mobile marketing and consumer data space. Lacoste currently serves as the company's President and sits on the Board of Directors. Lacoste was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio to John and Jane Lacoste along with two younger brothers. He received his high school diploma from St. Edward High School, a private, all-male Catholic, college-preparatory high school located in Cleveland, Ohio. Growing up, Lacoste was a nationally ranked ice hockey goaltender. At the World Hockey Cup, Lacoste was awarded the ""Bästa Målvakt"" or ""Best Goaltender"" Award in Stockholm, Sweden. He also became the youngest goaltender to win a game in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) at the age of 16 years, 3 months for the Alpena IceDiggers. Lacoste started his academic career at Boston College, however, ended up dropping out of school after his third semester. While at Boston College, Lacoste launched Jebbit with classmates Tom Coburn and Chase McAleese. Lacoste's co-founder, Tom Coburn, received the initial inspiration for Jebbit in an airport as he observed a Hulu TV show on his laptop and realized how infrequently he paid attention to online advertising. Coburn began tinkering around with the idea on his own and eventually entered it into the Boston College Venture Competition under the working name, Additupp. After tying for first place, Coburn teamed up with Lacoste, and together they renamed the company Jebbit and built out a team of Boston College students before ultimately leaving school early. Jebbit customers have included Dell, eBay, Cathay Pacific, Volkswagen, NFL, Live Nation, Keurig, Harvard University and many more. By mid-2013, Jebbit had raised more than $1.8 million of venture capital from firms such as Data Point Capital and Boston Seed Capital, as well as entrepreneurs including HubSpot Founder Dharmesh Shah and Acquia Founder Jay Batson. Jebbit was recognized by CNBC as one of the ""Top 25 Most Promising Companies in the World"" as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2013. In addition, Jebbit has received industry awards at the Marketer's Choice Awards and by the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council for innovation in the digital marketing and advertising industry. In 2013, Lacoste became one of the youngest entrepreneurs to ever receive funding from a venture capital firm, at the age of 19. In addition, Lacoste and the Jebbit team have been profiled in such publications and shows as Forbes, CNBC, The Boston Globe, The Boston Business Journal and others. Following his inclusion in the 2015 edition of Forbes 30 Under 30, Lacoste appeared on CNBC's Squawk Box to discuss Jebbit and the challenges of being a millennial entrepreneur. Watch the full episode here: https://projectegg.co/the-future-of-the-big-data-industry
 About Project EGG: Founded by Ben Gothard in 2016. Project EGG is a video talk show with interviews of entrepreneurs who are changing the world. Our mission is to help you build your business, create your dream life, and build a world we're proud of, together. We feature incredible guests with amazing stories and paths to success. Join us our journey through the lives of entrepreneurs chasing their dreams and hopefully you can get the inspiration you need to start turn your dreams into reality. Become A Project EGG Patron: https://projectegg.co/become-a-patron/ Don't miss our new episodes, hit subscribe: iTunes: https://projectegg.co/SubscribeToProjectEGGiTunes YouTube: https://projectegg.co/SubscribeToProjectEGGYouTube --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/projectegg/support

John Arrow of Mutual Mobile kicked off his career as an innovator and entrepreneur at the young age of 22. Taking his company onto the Fortune 2011 Most Promising Companies list, at number one in the state of Texas, it has quickly expanded from the college dorm to over 300 employees. John has a way of seeing gaps in the market and making unique things happen. This week Dan talks to John about where he started, and how he has learned from success and failures in his career.Guests: John ArrowHost: Dan DillardProducer: Myrriah GossettAudio Engineer: Jake WallaceMusic by: Scott HolmsFounding AustinMasters and Founders Facebook Group See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Matt's guest is Author of Top of Mind and he is the Co-founder and CEO of Influence & Company. Business is never “just” business. It's always about relationships. It's always about a human connection. When you're viewed as a valuable, trustworthy partner, the opportunities are endless. Position yourself for success by establishing and developing content-driven relationships that keep you and your brand Top of Mind. This will be a great conversation for you to walk away with tips and nuggets. Join us. John Hall is the co-founder and CEO of Influence & Co., a company focused on helping brands and individuals extract and leverage their expertise to create, publish, and distribute content to gain influence, visibility, and credibility with their key audiences. In less than three years, John has grown Influence & Co. into one of the largest providers of high-quality expert content to the world's top publications, ranking No. 72 on Forbes' “Most Promising Companies in America” list and named Empact's “Best Marketing and Advertising Company of 2014” at the United Nations. John has a weekly column for Forbes and Inc. and has contributed to more than 50 publications, including Business Insider, The Washington Post, and Harvard Business Review. He is the author of the best-selling book, 'Top of Mind'.

Chuck Runyon was honored by Chief Executive magazine with its inaugural “Leadership” award for his commitment to investing in people and relationships. That made him a perfect guest for this podcast.  Specifically noted were Runyon’s efforts to help his employees become not merely more productive workers, but better people. Central to his leadership philosophy is the concept of “ROEI” – the return on emotional investment Under Runyon’s leadership, Anytime Fitness has earned numerous industry accolades, including the #1 Franchise in the world, according to Entrepreneur magazine, and “One of America’s Most Promising Companies,” according to Forbes. Additionally, Anytime Fitness has been honored as a “Top Franchise for Minorities” and “The Best Place to Work in Minnesota” four years in a row.   You’ll discover:   Five levels of the corporate “hierarchy of needs” for your employees Level 1: The “Pay and Benefits” Company Level 2: The “Perks” Company Level 3: The “Purpose” Company Level 4: The “Reinvestment” Company Level 5; The “Enlightened” Company   For more information about Anytime Fitness: Anytime Fitness on Facebook Anytime Fitness on Twitter Anytime Fitness on LinkedIn Anytime Fitness on Instagram Book - Love Work Businesses That Care on C-Suite Radio iTunes - Subscribe, Rate and Review Listen on Podbean

Molly Fienning is a Co-Founder of Babiators, one of Forbes' 100 Most Promising Companies and the leading sunglasses brand for babies & kids. Molly manages the e-commerce, marketing, p.r., social media and brand strategy for the company, which has sold over 2 million pairs of shades. Prior to Babiators, Molly has worked at IBM and Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet & Society. Molly graduated from Harvard University with a BA in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science. She lives in Charleston, SC with her husband Ted and sons, Sawyer and Fox.

Chuck Runyon is the CEO at Self Esteem Brands: Anytime Fitness & Waxing The City. With more than 20 years of experience managing, owning and franchising health clubs, Chuck Runyon has distinguished himself as a leading authority in the field of fitness. Runyon revolutionized the fitness industry when he and Dave Mortensen co-founded Anytime Fitness – an alternative to big-box gyms which typically feature expensive “frills” that few members actually use or need. Under Runyon's leadership, Anytime Fitness has earned numerous industry accolades, including the #1 Franchise on the planet, according to Entrepreneur magazine in 2015 & 2016, “One of America's Most Promising Companies,” according to Forbes, and the “Fastest-Growing Fitness Club in the world,” according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). Additionally, Anytime Fitness has been honored as a “Top Franchise for Minorities” and “The Best Place to Work in Minnesota” three years in a row. In 2012, Self Esteem Brands, the parent company of Anytime Fitness, acquired Waxing the City under Chuck's leadership. Waxing the City specializes in providing outstanding, high-quality facial and body waxing services for women and men. Waxing the City has been named in Entrepreneur Magazine's “Top New Franchise” list. Show Highlights: A business can do more than just make money. - Chuck RunyonThis is more than just treadmills running 24/7. It is really about changing lives. - Chuck RunyonROEI: Return on Emotional Investment. - Chuck RunyonWe want to help people get to their best selves. - Chuck RunyonThe 4 P's are a formula that must be linked together. - Chuck RunyonMost small businesses aren't very good at financial strategic planning. - Chuck RunyonIf your business didn't exist, who would be impacted? - Chuck RunyonThe role of leadership is to share the story of the organization and the transformation you provide. - Chuck RunyonTake work seriously without taking ourselves seriously. - Chuck RunyonBe transparent, vulnerable, and connect with your team. - Chuck Runyon The Action Catalyst is a weekly podcast hosted by Dan Moore, President of Southwestern Advantage, the oldest direct-sales company in America, and Partner with Southwestern Consulting. With more than 45 years in sales leadership and marketing management, Dan has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to make better use of time to achieve life, sales, and other business goals. Each week, he interviews some of the nation's top thought leaders and experts, sharing meaningful tips and advice. Subscribe on iTunes and please leave a rating and review!

John Hall, CEO of Influence and Co, and author of the new book, Top of Mind: Use Content to Unleash Your Influence and Engage Those Who Matter to You joins us on the podcast today. We talk about how every person and brand can have an online content strategy and how to do it the right way. John is an expert on building credibility, authority positioning, and humanizing businesses in the online world.   John and his company’s strategies have personally helped me do things like: write for Forbes, be flown to judge Startup Weekend with a panel of esteemed judges, grow my following on LinkedIn and help get the right people talking about Under30Experiences. John is a huge believer in taking time off to think, reflect, and surrounding yourself with the right people.  He’s also been Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year and has led his company to Forbes’ America’s Most Promising Companies list…. Listen up!

Matt's guest is Author of Top of Mind and he is the Co-founder and CEO of Influence & Company. Business is never “just” business. It's always about relationships. It's always about a human connection. When you're viewed as a valuable, trustworthy partner, the opportunities are endless. Position yourself for success by establishing and developing content-driven relationships that keep you and your brand Top of Mind. This will be a great conversation for you to walk away with tips and nuggets. Join us. John Hall is the co-founder and CEO of Influence & Co., a company focused on helping brands and individuals extract and leverage their expertise to create, publish, and distribute content to gain influence, visibility, and credibility with their key audiences. In less than three years, John has grown Influence & Co. into one of the largest providers of high-quality expert content to the world's top publications, ranking No. 72 on Forbes' “Most Promising Companies in America” list and named Empact's “Best Marketing and Advertising Company of 2014” at the United Nations. John has a weekly column for Forbes and Inc. and has contributed to more than 50 publications, including Business Insider, The Washington Post, and Harvard Business Review. He is the author of the best-selling book, 'Top of Mind'.

Kerrin Mitchell is a woman who aligns herself with managers who are mavericks. And, we feel it takes one to know one. As the co-founder of Fluxx, a company by philanthropists for philanthropists, that makes software to manage the grants process for foundations, nonprofits and government agencies, Kerrin is a woman truly making a difference. Fluxx strives to elevate grantmakers, empower grantseekers and help change the world one grant at a time. The company, which has experienced triple-digit annual growth for the past four years – has a client list that includes Citibank’s Citi Foundation, charity: water, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and even the government of New Zealand, which manages all of its grants through the company’s software. In fact, 7 of the 11 largest foundations globally use Fluxx for their grants process. “I feel lucky. I think oftentimes the industries people get into don’t have that sense of community that my industry has innately … [we’re] people and service-oriented individuals,” Kerrin says. “I always liked the idea of social enterprise. Then we started getting into it and I realized, ‘Wow, this is a pretty unique and special environment.’ People are really trying to help each other and build something big.” And Kerrin, who’s been named one of the top 13 female founders by Forbes on its America’s Most Promising Companies list, is one of those women who likes to go big or go home. In episode 10 of I Want Her Job: The Podcast, we speak with Kerrin about co-founding Fluxx in 2010, her formula for building a successful career and the importance of being deliberate with time. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN TODAY'S SHOW: On Making A Change: “If I was going to work as hard as I know I work, I wanted to at least do it for something where I felt like at the end of the day I could ground myself in social good.” Chapter By Chapter: Kerrin’s thoughts on scaling Fluxx from a handful of employees to more than 70 and how that growth changed the business On Personal Fulfillment: “It’s really fun as an entrepreneur to see an idea that was truly just an idea, come to life in front of you and be so enrolled in what it is. But then, being able to actually tell that story and find that the same value that you find that’s important, other people are finding to be [just] as exciting.” Maverick Mentorship: “I’ve always aligned myself with someone who I’ve thought is a bit of a maverick who was pushing the envelope.” Bucking The Status Quo: “I’ve always aligned myself with someone who’s influential, that I could learn from and I took a role that may not have been the sexiest role of my peers … but I realized if you can align yourself with someone who’s really interesting and challenging the status quo, you can learn a lot more in a very quick matter of time.” #ThatCorporateLife: A shout-out to those of us in corporate jobs, Kerrin credits her time at Cisco in giving her the experience to understand how to provide structure and get things done at her growing startup Time (For) Travel: How travel grounds Kerrin and affects how she sees the world On Women Entrepreneurs: Why empowering future female entrepreneurs might be next up on Kerrin’s career dossier Maintainng Motivation: Why – and how – Kerrin schedules “wins” throughout her day-to-day On Growing A Company: Kerrin shares her thoughts on why the highs become higher and the lows become lower as a company grows and why you can’t let the lows that do happen “eat you alive” Hit ‘Search’: How Google can be an entrepreneur’s best friend Hey, Coach: Why Kerrin uses an executive coach to help her become a better leader Learn More: fluxx.io On Twitter: Follow @FluxxLabs

Americans spend more than $29 billion a year on crafting, according to the Craft & Hobby Association. Seizing upon this is Craftsy, a Colorado-based tech company that offers interactive online video classes on cooking and crafting, now watched by around 3 million viewers. Launched in 2010, the booming online school pulled in revenue of $23 million in 2013, pushing it into the number 19 spot on Forbes America’s Most Promising Companies. From their offices in Denver, Co. CEO John Levisay joins Marly Bird to talk about Craftsy and how it has grown since the last time he was on the show.  Find our more about Marly at www.MarlyBird.com  Sponsored by: Knitter's MagazineCraftsyLoLo by Bar-MaidsDecade by Drew EmborskyBijou Basin RanchKnitCrateErin.Lane BagsKristin Omdahl Bamboo So FineBuffalo Wool Co.Green Mountain Spinnery

Annie Lawless, Co-Founder of Suja Juice and Certified Holistic Health Coach (CHHC), is a health and wellness guru, who embodies Suja’s underlying message that encourages people to live a long, beautiful life. She plays a key role at Suja, bringing years of experience and firsthand knowledge in holistic nutrition and well being to every aspect of the company. Annie developed a passion for health and nutrition as a teenager after years of managing her own food sensitivities. She saw her health vastly improve when she began juicing and following a modified organic diet. She later strengthened her knowledge for health and nutrition through her work as a yoga instructor and during her training at the Integrative Institute for Nutrition, where she spent time studying the health benefits of dietary and physical influences on the body and mind. She not only serves as a brand spokesperson, but also speaks regularly on the topics of juicing, natural health and wellness at some of the nation’s leading conferences and events, including TEDx. In 2014, Annie was honored by Forbes magazine as one of only 13 female founders on the magazine’s list of America’s Most Promising Companies. When not in the kitchen helping develop Suja’s latest juice recipe concepts, or on the road, Annie spearheads consumer education for Suja, including blogging on behalf of the brand and sharing her innovative recipe creations with Suja fans on the company’s social media platforms. On Today's show Annie will share: - How and why she got into juicing - How social media is helping Suja Juice expand their brand - How she and Eric found investors - Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs - Plus much more...

Kim Whittemore, Managing Director Kim founded GUIDE ISLAND LLC in 2008 after building a successful career as a C-level strategic marketing, business development and product development executive in both early-stage companies and Fortune 50 environments. Her track record includes successes in start-ups, turnarounds, joint ventures and strategic alliances.Kim has over 10 years of international experience including 3 years living and working in Europe. Kim also serves as Managing Director of Miller Communications Group in San Francisco,with emphasis on life sciences and healthcare technology clients. She is one of 13 Experts for Forbes “America's Most Promising Companies” program and a designated Expert in strategy, marketing, product development and general management for Michael Milken's Bizmore.com venture. Kim is personally committed to women's health and in particular,women's sexual health. Kim serves on the Board of Directors of the Institute for Sexual Medicine, has participated in San Diego Sexual Medicine's quarterly patient panel as part of its “Sex in our City”series. She recently appeared on Discovery Health TV and in EmpowHER women's health website videos dealing with women's sexual health. Kim is also active in the American Red Cross Aphaeresis donor program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, attended graduate courses in Computer Science at MIT. Kim is a member of the Advisory Board for the Master of Science in Organization Leadership Program at Cabrini College, a member of the MIT Enterprise Forum (San Diego), Forte Foundation and an Advisory Board member for two of her privately-held clients as well as a co-founder of the Schmincke Research Alliance in Baltimore, MD.