Podcasts about operators

Grow A Small Business Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2026 65:32

USDC closed the gap between software and law in modern finance.On Grit, Jeremy Allaire discusses how fully reserved, dollar backed digital currency became part of the financial system after more than a decade of work.He also shares why for him grit is about sustaining belief through deep uncertainty, even when Circle faced the threat of bankruptcy in 2019.Guest: Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at CircleConnect with Jeremy AllaireX: https://x.com/jerallaireLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyallaire/Connect with JoubinX: https://x.com/JoubinmirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854/Email: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpgritFollow on X:https://x.com/KPGritLearn more about Kleiner Perkins:https://www.kleinerperkins.com/

From Concrete to $15M Online Sales: Matthew Stafford of Build Grow Scale on E-Commerce Growth, CRO+, Scaling Teams, Cash Flow Challenges, and the Real Mindset Behind Long-Term Business Success. (Episode 761 - Matthew Stafford)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2026 23:33

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast, host Troy Trewin interviews Matthew Stafford, founder of Build Grow Scale, shares his journey from running a commercial contracting business to generating over $15M in e-commerce sales. He explains how data, analytics, and user experience—not just CRO—drive predictable growth. Matthew opens up about cash flow stress, scaling teams, and hard lessons from rapid growth. He also dives into mindset, self-belief, and why the business owner is often the real bottleneck. A must-listen for entrepreneurs serious about sustainable, long-term success. Why would you wait any longer to start living the lifestyle you signed up for? Balance your health, wealth, relationships and business growth. And focus your time and energy and make the most of this year. Let's get into it by clicking here. Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice. And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions: What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business? Matthew Stafford shares that the hardest thing in growing a small business is staying resilient and persistent, as every stage of growth brings new challenges and the business owner often becomes the biggest bottleneck. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most? Matthew Stafford shares that his favorite business book is The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, which focuses on the power of small, consistent daily habits and long-term improvement. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business? Matthew Stafford shares that he recommends podcasts and learning resources like The Operators podcast and newsletter, where experienced entrepreneurs openly discuss real growth challenges, wins, and failures. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business? Matthew Stafford shares that the most valuable tool for growing a small business is Google Analytics along with Google Tag Manager, as they provide clear insights into customer behavior and data-driven decision-making. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business? Matthew Stafford shares that the advice he would give himself on day one is to commit for the long term, stay patient, and not quit too early, because success often comes right after the hardest phase. Book a 20-minute Growth Chat with Troy Trewin to see if you qualify for our upcoming course. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to new heights! Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey. Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest: Most business problems aren't strategy issues—they're mindset issues hiding in plain sight — Matthew Stafford The entrepreneurs who win are rarely the smartest—they're the ones who don't quit — Matthew Stafford If your business is stuck, look in the mirror first—that's usually where the real work begins — Matthew Stafford

Attitude over Experience

Warehouse and Operations as a Career

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2026 11:09

Welcome back to Warehouse and Operations as a Career. I'm your host, Marty T Hawkins. Today, I want to talk about something I've heard repeatedly over the years, but especially over the past few weeks, and that is the growing importance of, lets see, what am I going to call it, attitude over experience, in the light industrial world. We've spoke to attitude a couple of times recently but just this week, I had two different customers say almost the same thing to me. They both told me something like, yes, experience is important. But if you come across an applicant with a great attitude and a strong personality, set them up for an interview. That statement says a lot about where our industry is at, and it's what I'd like to talk about today. Now, everything we've learned over the course of the last 349 episodes, today is number 350 by the way, everything we've learned remains true. Our experience absolutely matters. Safety always matters and our skill and competency to perform our task matters. But what we're seeing more and more is that experience alone is no longer enough. For a long time, hiring in the fields of warehousing, manufacturing, and distribution was simple. We'd be asked if we could do the job? Had we done the job before? And could we hit the numbers? And if the answer was yes, you were probably getting hired. Today, that model doesn't always work. Like we discussed over the last quarter, operations have changed. Expectations have changed. And the type of associate who succeeds long-term has changed as well. Two weeks ago on one of our ask me anything shows, what was that title, Not my job and a raise. We discussed how Warehouses today are not one-task environments anymore. Associates are expected to communicate clearly, be willing to learn new processes, cross-train into other roles, be willing to help cover gaps when staffing is tight, basically, wear more than one hat. We learned the phrase that's not my job doesn't hold much weight anymore, and frankly, it can be a career limiter. Because of that shift, I believe adaptability and mindset have become critical. Operation teams feel you can train someone how to load a trailer, how to operate equipment, and train someone on picking procedures. But they feel, and they are correct, what's much harder to train is willingness, coachability, accountability, positivity and a strong work ethic. That's where attitude comes in. Now when managers talk about attitude, they're not talking about being overly cheerful or talkative. They're talking about things like showing up on time, being willing to learn, and this one is a big one, accepting feedback without getting defensive. What else did I write down, lets see, communicating clearly and professionally. And here's another thing we've spoken too, following safety rules even when no one is watching and helping teammates instead of competing against them. It's been realized that these behaviors directly affect safety, productivity, and culture. A highly experienced associate with a poor attitude can do more damage to the team than someone brand new who wants to learn. They may ignore procedures, resist change, create friction on the floor, influence others negatively, and even push back against leadership. On the other hand, an associate with limited experience but a strong attitude often becomes one of the most valuable people on the team within just a few months. I'm finding this is especially true in general labor roles, loading and unloading, order picking, packing and sorting, and any kind of material handling positions. These are physically demanding jobs. They require teamwork, pace, and focus. I'm seeing how a positive attitude in these roles shows up quickly with faster learning, better safety habits, better or consistent productivity, lower turnover, and stronger team morale. Many supervisors will tell you this straight out, they would rather train someone who wants to be there than manage someone who knows the job but doesn't care. Now, let's talk about skilled positions. Forklift operators, order selection, pallet runners, and production or manufacturing machine operators, these roles absolutely require training, experience, and a demonstrated skill. But even here, attitude matters more than many people realize. Operators today must communicate with leads and supervisors, follow system direction to a tee, and be able to adjust priorities throughout the shift, and again be willing to accept coaching, all while staying focused for long periods of time. Kind of like we said earlier, an operator with a great attitude is one that takes pride in their work, protects their equipment, respects safety rules, and helps the team succeed. I threw that one in again because I feel in this new world, a team environment, it's worth repeating! Those qualities are separating average operators from outstanding ones. And I want to make this statement again, and we as employees and employers need to learn it, is that communication is one of the biggest reasons attitude has become so important. Warehouses today rely on radios, text alerts, shift meetings, safety huddles, and performance coaching and hand-offs between shifts. I think we've always walked through the motions but today, our responsibilities are more and the expectations are higher. We're all learning, or maybe accepting, that associates who communicate well prevent problems before they happen. They ask questions. They speak up about safety. They clarify instructions and they don't just assume. An HR manager shared with me, that he felt, that good communication usually stems from the right attitude, a willingness to listen and engage. Another major shift of thought is the expectation that associates will continuously learn and want to learn. New systems, new customers, new equipment, and new processes mean the job is always evolving. The associates who succeed are the ones who embrace learning instead of resisting it. That same HR manager shared that a strong attitude toward learning looks like curiosity, patience during training, accepting mistakes as part of growth, and wanting to improve. He feels like experience without a learning mindset eventually becomes outdated. For recruiters and hiring managers, this shift changes how they evaluate candidates. Yep, resumes matter, but they don't tell the whole story. Behavioral questions matter more than ever. How do you handle learning something new? Tell me about a time you had to adapt. How do you respond to feedback? What motivates you at work? These kind of questions reveal mindset, and mindset predicts long-term success. We as applicants aren't used to these types of questions. I guess in a way there's our first opportunity to change our way of thinking! Ok, If you're listening and you're an applicant or associate, here's the good news. Your attitude is your competitive advantage. You don't need a perfect resume, and you may not need years of experience. But you do need or the new need is reliability, a willingness to learn, a strong respect for safety, and that professional communication, a positive mindset. Those behaviors get noticed quickly and they open doors. To wrap up, I know that experience will always matter in the light industrial world. But today, attitude often is a determining factor in who gets hired, who gets promoted, and who builds a long-term career. In an industry built on teamwork, safety, communication, and constant movement, mindset fuels everything else. And right now, a great attitude is more valuable than ever. If you enjoyed todays episode, share it with someone who's entering the industry or looking to grow within it. Maybe urge them to subscribe on their favorite pod catcher or join us on Facebook or Instagram. Today is a bit of a milestone for us, 350 episodes over about 7 years. We don't promote sponsors because I like talking about what you send us vs what advertisers want shared! We're operations folks, not audio experts but we try and do the best we can! Anyway, Thank you for listening and emailing your questions each week. By the way, we used to do quite a bit of interviewing on the show. Some software changed on us, but we're going back to that format occasionally here pretty soon and we're excited about that. Until next time, stay safe, stay professional, and keep learning. That's what it's all about.

career expectations safety operations attitude operation associates behavioral warehouses operators forklifts

CanREA Operators Summit Tackles Aging Fleets

The Uptime Wind Energy Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2026 23:44

Allen and Joel are joined by Mathieu Cōté from CanREA to preview the upcoming Operators Summit in Toronto. With many Canadian wind projects reaching 17-20 years old, the industry faces critical decisions about extending, repowering, or decommissioning assets. Register now! Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Welcome to Uptime Spotlight, shining Light on Wind. Energy’s brightest innovators. This is the Progress Powering tomorrow. Allen Hall: Matt, welcome to the program. Thanks for having me. Well, the theme of this Year’s Operator Summit is coming of age and. There’s a lot of things happening in the renewable side up in Canada. What does that mean for Canadian renewable energy operators right now? Mathieu Cōté: Well, we came up with coming of age because, um, the fleet in Canada is in a bit of a different space than it is in the States where, uh, right now we’ve got a lot of projects that are on the cusp of coming to their end of initial lifetime. Right. They’re in that. 17 to 20 year range. There’s some that are a little bit past, and so you, as an operator, you gotta be asking yourself, is this the time to extend this project? What do I have to do [00:01:00] if I need to extend? Um, or am I repowering, am I taking things down, putting them up? And I mean, there’s a lot of different variables there. Sometimes it’s just a re topping, sometimes it’s everything down to ground level and go again. Or it’s, maybe it’s a decommissioning and those decisions are on the cusp of being made in the operation space in Canada. So that’s, that’s a super important part of it. But the other side of it, and the reason we liked, uh, coming of age is from the industry perspective itself. We are no longer the new kid on the block, right? We are now a reliable, uh, professional industry that can deliver power when you need it. Uh, so that’s what we’re trying to, to convey with this coming of age. And, and we’ve got some really good speakers who are gonna talk about that, uh, from. The grid operator’s perspective saying, why is it that renewables are one of the first things they reach for now when they realize they need more power? Joel Saxum: I think it’s an interesting space and I think to, to [00:02:00]comment more deeply on that, right? That you guys are in that, you Mathieu Cōté: know, Joel Saxum: 2005, six you started installing a Mathieu Cōté: lot of the, a lot of wind assets. There was a curve of, as it as every year you get more and more. Trickle and then becomes a flood quite quickly. Joel Saxum: Yeah. And, and, and you know, from, from the operation standpoint, we deal with some of the wind farms in Canada. We love working with, uh, the operators up there because they do exude that professionalism. They’re on top of their game. They know they’ve gotta maintain these things. Whereas in the states, we’ve been a little bit nascent sometimes and, oh, we got PTC coming so we don’t have to do these certain things. Little bit more cowboy. Yeah. Yeah. And up in Canada, they’re, they’re, they’ve been doing the right things for a long time. Um, and I think it’s a good, good model to follow, but you’re a hundred percent correct. We’re coming to that time when it’s like decision time to be made here. And I think we, in our, in our uh, kind of off air chat, you had mentioned that, you know, repower in Canada is. Pretty early stages. I Mathieu Cōté: only know about Joel Saxum: one, Mathieu Cōté: to [00:03:00] be honest, and I try and keep track of these things, Joel Saxum: but that’s coming down the pipeline, Mathieu Cōté: right? So there’s gonna be more and more of these happening. And I mean, there are a lot of operators that have one foot on either side of the border, so some people have some operational experience on what steps you need to take, but it’s also from the regulatory side, like what is your grid operator gonna insist on? So on and so on. But, uh, so we’ve got some panels to talk about things like, one of my favorites is, uh, how much life is left in your machine? And that’s sort of a deeper dive from an engineering standpoint. Like what math do the engineers do to assess, is this foundation good to go for another 10 years? Is this tower gonna stand up to whatever? Should we replace the blades and all those components? We, we’ve got a foundation expert, uh, someone who does. Digital twin sort of things as well as, um, a panelist from, uh, Nordex, so the OEM sort of perspective as well, and how they assess how much [00:04:00] life is left in a machine. So like that’s the sort of panels that we’re trying to put together that we’re pretty excited about. Joel Saxum: Well, I think that’s a good one too, because I know Alan and I we’re talking around the industry globally. A lot of it is around CMS. And when we say CMS, we’re not just talking drive train anymore, we’re talking everything you can in the turbine, right? So the, the concept of remaining useful life, r ul, that always comes up, where are we at with this, right? Because from a global perspective in Europe, they have, you know, in Spanish wind farms are all, a lot of ’em are at that 25 year mark. What are we doing here? So you guys are bringing that conversation to the Canadian market at this operator summit in Toronto here in February. It’s, it’s timely, right? Because it’s February and everybody’s getting ready for spring, so you got a little bit of time to come to the conference. Mathieu Cōté: Well, and that’s one of the things that we actually used to do is show in April and we’ve moved it back after hearing feedback from our, from our audience that April’s almost too late, right? Like, if you’re doing your assessments for your [00:05:00] blades, it where? Where’s your manpower coming up? Coming from in the summertime? Those contracts are already signed. By the time you hit April, February, you’ve still got time. Your RFP might be out so you can meet all the proponents on site at once. It, it just makes a lot more sense for us to do it in February. Allen Hall: Well, there’s a wide range of technology in Canada in regards to wind to energy. That adds to the complexity where a lot of turbines, unlike the United States, are maybe even sub one megawatt, and with new turbines coming online, they’re gonna be in the five, six, maybe even seven megawatt range. That’s a huge dispersed. Industry to try to maintain massive range. Yeah. Right. And I, and, and I think one of the dilemmas about that is trying to find people who understand that tho all those different kinds of machines and the intricacies of each one of them and how to operate them more efficiently, which is where Canada is. Quite honestly. The, the thing [00:06:00] about that and the challenge for Canada Head, and this is why the conference is so important, is. If there’s someone in Canada that has the answer, as Joel and I have talked to a number of Canadian operators, you may not know them. I know it’s a smaller marketplace in general, but unless you’re talking to one another, you probably, uh, don’t realize there’s, there’s help within Canada. And these conferences really highlight that quite a bit. Wanna talk about some of the, sort of the interactions you guys create at the conference? Mathieu Cōté: Yeah. Oh, well, it’s one of the things that can RIA tries to do is play that connector role, right? Like, we don’t know everything, but like you say, we know someone who knows something and we can put you in touch with all. I know a guy who knows a guy. Um, but we’re, we’re always able to, to, to connect those dots. And I mean, we, we do a lot of, uh. Things like working groups and uh, regional meetings. And, uh, we’ve even got, uh, different summits for different things. Getting a little bit outside of operations, but like we [00:07:00] have an Atlantic operators group that gathers together and has a chat just sometimes, usually there’s a focus topic, but then we have, oh, how do you guys deal with the storm that came through? Or that sort of thing, or what, what do you do for if you need a new blade or has anyone got a good vendor for this thing or that thing? Those sorts of things always happen in the margins. And I mean, the ops summit is the, the best one of those because it’s the entire Canadian industry that gets together. We’ve got folks from bc, we’ve got folks from Atlantic Canada, there’s gonna be people from Quebec, and there’s vendors from all those places as well. Right? So. It’s covering all your bases and it’s the one place that you can talk to everybody and meet everybody in like a 48 hour period. Joel Saxum: Well, I think that if, you know, just doing a little bit of deep dive into the agenda and the program here, that’s one of the things that you guys are focusing on. Targeted networking. So morning breakfasts, evening receptions, there, you know, structured and informal, uh, opportunities to actually connect with the o and m [00:08:00] community. Um, one of them that you had mentioned was kind of, um. Hands-on demonstrations and, and for me, when, when I see these things, ’cause I’ve seen them kind of slightly not, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody do it perfectly well. I’m excited to see what you guys do. But you get, you get a group of people standing around, like you get people kind of standing around. Rubbing elbows going, like, what do you think about that? What is, does this, is this gonna work? And, and those to me are great, great conversations for networking and kind of figuring things out together. The collaboration part. Mathieu Cōté: Absolutely. Uh, well on those two points, the, the networking has always been a huge part of this show, and we’ve always built into the program. Okay. There’s some stuff on stage, but then there’s a break. And I mean, you can wander around the showroom floor and you can, but you can talk to the other people. And, uh, that’s a big part of this. That’s an important part of this. And then on the, the demonstrations and so on, we used to have what we called, uh, elevator pitches, uh, where, and we’ve done it various different ways where people get five minutes, one slide, you’re on [00:09:00] stage, you say your piece, you give us your elevator pitch, and then you get off and someone else gets up and talks. And we found that, that, and the feedback we got was that that was good because that condensed all of the salesy parts and kept it away from the panels. ’cause the panels, we want them to be informative, not. Selling you something. We want you to learn something. But the sales pitch is, there is some sense of like someone’s trying to sell you a thing. But we’re evolving that a little bit this year where we’re going towards demonstrations. So on the showroom floor, there will be someone who will have a tangible thing, whether it’s here’s the new fireproof coat that we’ve come up with, or here’s how this, uh, sling works, or here’s this piece of kit that fits on your machine that catches bolts when they break, or whatever it is. Here’s how it actually works, and they’ve got it in their hands and they can play with the go until it, uh, really, like you say, gets that light bulb moment that gets you to see how it works. And you can see that ROI [00:10:00] right away going, oh, okay. That if it catches the bolts when they break, then it doesn’t rattle around. And then I’ve gotta spend X amount less time fixing, missed out. Or the other thing, like it’s, it, it’s a, it’s a better way of doing it is, uh, what we feel. And like you say, then you get. Being on the showroom floor, it’s in amongst the booths. So people who are on the showroom floor can just sort of look over their shoulder, see that, okay, I really gotta go check out that guy. Joel Saxum: I like the idea of the format and there’s a couple other things like lessons learned track we talked about a little bit too. But one of the things for me for trade shows is when Alan and I went to ETC in Calgary a few years ago, two years ago I think. Yep. You actually had the. The conversations, the panel conversations, the discussions, the knowledge sharing happening on the showroom floor. I don’t like going to a conference where I have to go in, like I’m talking with some people, but, oh, I gotta run across this thing across over here, a mile away into some back room to listen to someone talk about something. I like, I like being where the information is [00:11:00] happening and sharing, and I can stand off to the side and listen a bit and, and still engage. Um, and you guys are doing some more of that too through the lessons learned track. Um, can you explain that a little bit to us? Mathieu Cōté: Well, we’ve always had, uh, like a, some split in concurrent sessions and so on. But to your point of not running off to the other end, we’re in a pretty intimate space where we’ve got like a room for lunch and the plenaries, we’ve got a room for the exhibit hall, and then right next to it is any of the, uh, off to the side stuff. It’s all within a one minute walk of, of itself, which is much better. So we’ve got the concurrent, uh, sessions and. This year we split them instead of into two. We split ’em into three though that then we’ve got one for specific to wind. We’ve got one specific to solar and storage. ’cause we are renewable energy, not just wind. And then we’ve got one, uh, that’s a bit of a grab bag and it’s a bit of a different format. So instead of your traditional three [00:12:00] panelists plus a moderator, everyone’s got a slide, everyone’s gotta talk, blah, blah, blah. This thing, it, it’s much more focused. You’ve got one person who’s got a real important thing to say, whether it’s, here’s, uh, lessons learned on how our hub fell off and here’s what we learned from it. Here’s our root cause analysis, or here’s, uh, a much better way of doing, uh, our health and safety program has worked much better for us. Here’s what we gain from it, or whatever happens to be. And then one moderator to ask them some questions, pick apart. So this part, how to, uh, and get a bit of a, a flow there. So, and it’s much shorter. Instead of an hour long, it’s only a half hour. So then you don’t have to sit through two people. You don’t care about to listen to the one person that you do is the intent of these, uh, lessons learned? I, Joel Saxum: I do really like the concept simply because when I go to an event or like, um, putting something together, I want people to be able to go. Learn something, take it back to their respective [00:13:00] organization, be able to implement it tomorrow. And it sounds like you guys are really moving towards that with the lessons learned, the collaboration and the knowledge sharing. Mathieu Cōté: That’s, that’s the intent. And that, and that’s really what it is, is I, I’m, I think I’m a smart guy, but I don’t have all the answers. So we’re really trying to shine a light on the people who do, and like, here’s a thing that the industry as a whole should learn about. And give them some time to talk about it. And like you say, then you’ll get some of those conversations in the margins and in in between going, yeah, this guy had this thing to say. We get that sort of dialogue going. That’s, that’s the intent. It’s all about, uh, discussions and learning from each other. Joel Saxum: To me, it sounds like even, um, for lack of a, maybe a trip to get some poutine and maybe an American, American should go out there and listen to some of the stuff you guys have to say as well. Mathieu Cōté: Honestly, it’s, it’s worth it for, uh, Americans to come by and we do have a significant number, proportion of the, the audience comes from the states as well. Because like you say, it’s, it’s worth it and it’s good information and it’s a good [00:14:00] portion of the thing. And it’s really not that far. And I mean, um, not to put it lightly, we do tend to lean a little heavier on some of the more, uh, Canadian elements like weather. Like we do have a panel this year, um, on the solar side, solar operations and adverse conditions. And that one, um. Because that one came from, uh, I know a guy at, uh, natural Resources Canada, who was part of a working group at the International Energy Agency in their photovoltaic power systems group, where they came up with, uh, a report on operations in all kinds of adverse conditions around the world. So he’s gonna present that report and we’ll have a panel discussion. The other panelists there, we’ve got, um. Ben Power, the CEO of ves, who is the number one installer of solar in the Yukon, right next to Alaska. So they know a lot about adverse conditions and then, uh, polar racking, they’ve got a lot of experience, uh, with that sort of thing too. And they’ve got some data that they’re gonna bring to the [00:15:00] panel as well. So it should be a really good discussion about how do we deal with bad things happening in solar specifically. Allen Hall: Well, sure. Uh, Canada’s been running assets a lot longer than we have been in the States. In fact, to Joel’s earlier point, we’re repairing. Disassembling putting new stuff up all the time. Canada has been more focused on keeping existing equipment running in some crazy, harsh conditions. The US is moving that way. You wanna know about ice? We could tell you about ice. Exactly. Like how many times has the US run into trouble with icing on wind turbines and we should have been talking to, or her neighbors through the north, but in a lot of cases, yeah. The I, I find that the time I went. I learned a whole bunch about Canadian operations, how to think about some of these problems differently. That was the beauty of a attending a Kria event, and I know there’s gonna be a lot of people attending this event. Who is it for in general? Obviously [00:16:00] it’s for operators, but is there some value here for like asset managers? Some of the engineers, some of the service providers, Mathieu Cōté: yeah. That our, our core market, if you want, is your site managers and your technical people, but engineers, 100%, they will learn something. Your asset managers will definitely have some value in it, whether it’s learning about the technology or learning about, uh, the, the latest things coming out or even just. Best practices from other folks, right? We’ve also got, uh, more and more we’re getting people from the insurance industry getting involved because some of these, uh, lessons learned and so on, is really valuable to them. And we’re even running, um, if, if people are in insurance, we have a special meeting for insurance. The, the day before where we’ll be having a, a dialogue between the insurance industry and the operators and like, here’s how we deal with this. This is why the prices are that. And, uh, talk about that risk transfer type stuff. There are the odd developer who comes out. Um, but it’s more for the, [00:17:00] like, once it’s in the ground, the technical people, uh, the tooling manufacturers, the service providers, the, all, all of those folks. Joel Saxum: What about ISPs? Oh, a hundred percent. We know quite a few ISPs up in Canada. Every one of them that I’ve talked to is coming. So ev I’ve had the conversations and like I, you know, we’re, we’re doing some other things in February as well around here, and I was, Hey, what are you guys? Oh, we’re all going to the Candry Ops summit. We’re going to the Candry Ops summit, so to Toronto and February. Um, bring your warm jacket. I suppose it could be cold. Yeah, the, the ISPs will be there in, in full force. And so I think that. To me, it’s like the, the, the cousin to the A-C-P-O-M-S. We like OMS in the states because that’s where the real discussions happen around operations and maintenance. Mathieu Cōté: The technical stuff happens. Yeah. And it, I like to say it’s the, the, the younger cousin, if you will, and the maple syrup cousin. Allen Hall: Well, I do think though, that when we’re at, uh, o, M and S Joel, that [00:18:00] those discussions are a little bit different than what I see up at Kria. Like Kria is a. Community OMS is, yeah, we, we all know one another and maybe it’s just there’s this, a bigger event or more people, but it, I don’t feel the sort of connection I do when I’m at Kria. Like I know the people, I understand what’s going on at Kria. That’s what makes it fun that I get to see people that I, I know once in a while, but at the same time there is a huge, massive amount of. Sharing Mathieu Cōté: that community that you speak to, that that’s really what we’re trying to, to gather in. And there’s a difference of scale too. I mean, uh, the OMS is like 3000 people and we’re three to 400. So there, there’s a difference there. But that sort of intimacy leads to a fair bit more of that sharing that you’re talking about and like that Oh yeah, there’s that guy. Oh, there’s Derek from Capstone, or there’s Dan from EDF or there, you know, and then you. You run into them and then you, you catch [00:19:00] up on all the latest and, um, what’s going on, how are things going? And so on and so on. And there’s time for all of that in the, in the two day show that we have. Joel Saxum: Well, I think collaboration in a smaller, like the right size group is, is much easier and flows better. Right? Once you get to that thousand two, three, 4,000, it’s like, yeah, you’re there, you’re seeing the people, but like it’s just not the same. Mathieu Cōté: Et c is somewhere around 3000 people and it, it, it’s got that heft. It’s a different audience as well. Right? The o and m crowd isn’t there as much. It’s not quite as technical, so it it, it’s a speaking to a different group of people. Allen Hall: Well, Canada is on a growth spurt for renewables. There’s a lot of wind energy Mathieu Cōté: headed up towards Quebec. There are procurement’s open right now in Quebec, Nova Scotia, new Brunswick. Uh, Ontario, BC and Manitoba Joel Saxum: Plus, what was it? Fi what was it? Five offshore lease areas off of Nova Scotia. Mathieu Cōté: Yeah, they’re looking at up to five gigawatts offshore in Nova Scotia. We don’t have [00:20:00] any yet in Nova in, uh, offshore. And there’s some, they need to figure out what the offtake is and where the transmission goes. Uh, but there’s a lot of people working in the background on MA putting that together. So it’s growing. Oh, a hundred percent. It’s growing and across the board, right. And the. Wind or solar or storage or all three. And that, that a lot of the, the procurements these days are starting to move in a direction of, uh, sort of a technology agnostic where they say, we need megawatts. We don’t care how you make them. We just want electricity. Well, electricity, uh, but also electricity capacity. So in the one case we figure wind and solar will do quite well, and in the other we’ll figure the battery storage will do quite well. So no matter what and in the timelines that they’re asking for, we’re looking at if you want it in the next five years, it’s probably gonna be wind and solar because anything else is gonna be a seven plus year timeline to get into the ground. So [00:21:00] there, there’s a lot. There’s a lot coming. Allen Hall: Well, up to 20% of the energy, electricity in Canada nationally is gonna be generated by renewables in less than 10 years. Mathieu Cōté: Canada’s split up a lot, remember like, and Quebec is already at 90 plus with their hydro and bc same thing. Joel Saxum: And I, and I think that that’s something to be, to be shared as well here is from an o and m standpoint. The, the varied geographies of Canada and how spread apart it is, there’s specialized knowledge up there to, to, to, you know, till the cow come home. So it’s a great place to go and learn. I would encourage people, hey, if you’re, if you’re in anywhere around Michigan, the Great Lakes Toronto’s a three hour drive. Go there, do the conference and learn something, Mathieu Cōté: and hey, we’re right next to the airport. It’s quick flight. Almost anywhere from North America, right? So Toronto’s easy to get in and Allen Hall: out of, and this is gonna be a great event. The Can Operators Summit. It’s February 11th and 12th at the Delta Hotel by [00:22:00] Marriott, Toronto, right at the airport. So you, you can’t miss it. It’s easy to get in, easy to get out. You’re gonna have a great time. Matt, how do they connect and register for this event? Mathieu Cōté: We have a registration link that I’m sure we’ll put somewhere. Um, or come to our website, kenia.ca? Allen Hall: Yeah, just Google Can Operator Summit. That’s what I did. And that takes you right to the registration. Get signed up there. It’s inexpensive in Toronto is a really cool city. February 11th and 12th. At the Delta Hotels by Marriott, right at the airport. The Canary Operator Summer is going to be a lot of fun. Matt, thank you so much for being on the podcast. Really enjoyed having you. Well, thanks for having [00:23:00] me.

Feed Drop: Entry & Exit — How Operators Plan for Real Growth

Owned and Operated

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026 46:39 Transcription Available

Most security & life-safety companies don't get stuck because they lack hustle—they get stuck because they lack measurement.In this special feed drop of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble (Alarm Masters, Houston) walk through their 2026 planning process: how they set revenue/RMR/EBITDA goals, translate them into departmental KPIs, and use actuals vs. budget to decide when to invest, when to cut, and how to avoid “hope-based” growth.They unpack why so many firms stall around $3M in revenue (comfort + underinvestment), why “Talent Wins” became a non-negotiable, and how to think about emerging trends like AI the right way—starting with a solid tech foundation and the right people before chasing shiny tools.You'll also hear the core scorecard metrics they track across sales, marketing, finance, operations, and M&A, plus practical homework you can apply immediately in your own business.

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Ep440: The Operator.

All Moves

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 28:43

In this episode I break down the difference between people who study the ideas of life and the people who live them. Most people try to shortcut transformation by memorizing quotes, frameworks, and philosophies, but none of it means anything until you collide with reality and have to operate. Operators learn through nuance, the hidden factors you can't read, can't Google, and can't skip. You don't become solid by knowing the line, you become solid by solving the problem, adjusting under pressure, and doing what the moment demands.Buy my book Above the illusion. Above the Illusion: The blueprint for mental clarity, self-respect, and irreplaceable value" is a deep exploration into the hidden forces shaping our lives – the conditioning, beliefs, and stories we've unknowingly accepted as truth. This book exposes the psychological distractions that cloud our vision, keeping us blind, fearful, and stuck in cycles of limitation.Anthony Minaya challenges you to question the narratives that hold you back, illuminating the illusions that prevent you from seeing yourself clearly. From the self-imposed boundaries to the unconscious patterns dictating your choices, "Above the Illusion" guides you to break free from the mental fog and step into undeniable personal growth.This isn't just a book about change – it's about learning how to see. When you learn to recognize what is real and what is fabricated by fear and doubt, you gain the clarity, awareness, and self-respect necessary to reshape your life."Above the Illusion" will leave you more prepared, more conscious, and more powerful than ever before – ready to live with a sharpness that cuts through deception and a confidence rooted in truth.Buy now. https://a.co/d/8w516R7

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Cadence's Sherman Ikemoto on Digital Twins, Power Reality and Designing the AI Factory

The Data Center Frontier Show

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 35:16

AI data centers are no longer just buildings full of racks. They are tightly coupled systems where power, cooling, IT, and operations all depend on each other, and where bad assumptions get expensive fast. On the latest episode of The Data Center Frontier Show, Editor-in-Chief Matt Vincent talks with Sherman Ikemoto of Cadence about what it now takes to design an “AI factory” that actually works. Ikemoto explains that data center design has always been fragmented. Servers, cooling, and power are designed by different suppliers, and only at the end does the operator try to integrate everything into one system. That final integration phase has long relied on basic tools and rules of thumb, which is risky in today's GPU-dense world. Cadence is addressing this with what it calls “DC elements”: digitally validated building blocks that represent real systems, such as NVIDIA's DGX SuperPOD with GB200 GPUs. These are not just drawings; they model how systems really behave in terms of power, heat, airflow, and liquid cooling. Operators can assemble these elements in a digital twin and see how an AI factory will actually perform before it is built. A key shift is designing directly to service-level agreements. Traditional uncertainty forced engineers to add large safety margins, driving up cost and wasting power. With more accurate simulation, designers can shrink those margins while still hitting uptime and performance targets, critical as rack densities move from 10–20 kW to 50–100 kW and beyond. Cadence validates its digital elements using a star system. The highest level, five stars, requires deep validation and supplier sign-off. The GB200 DGX SuperPOD model reached that level through close collaboration with NVIDIA. Ikemoto says the biggest bottleneck in AI data center buildouts is not just utilities or equipment; it is knowledge. The industry is moving too fast for old design habits. Physical prototyping is slow and expensive, so virtual prototyping through simulation is becoming essential, much like in aerospace and automotive design. Cadence's Reality Digital Twin platform uses a custom CFD engine built specifically for data centers, capable of modeling both air and liquid cooling and how they interact. It supports “extreme co-design,” where power, cooling, IT layout, and operations are designed together rather than in silos. Integration with NVIDIA Omniverse is aimed at letting multiple design tools share data and catch conflicts early. Digital twins also extend beyond commissioning. Many operators now use them in live operations, connected to monitoring systems. They test upgrades, maintenance, and layout changes in the twin before touching the real facility. Over time, the digital twin becomes the operating platform for the data center. Running real AI and machine-learning workloads through these models reveals surprises. Some applications create short, sharp power spikes in specific areas. To be safe, facilities often over-provision power by 20–30%, leaving valuable capacity unused most of the time. By linking application behavior to hardware and facility power systems, simulation can reduce that waste, crucial in an era where power is the main bottleneck. The episode also looks at Cadence's new billion-cycle power analysis tools, which allow massive chip designs to be profiled with near-real accuracy, feeding better system- and facility-level models. Cadence and NVIDIA have worked together for decades at the chip level. Now that collaboration has expanded to servers, racks, and entire AI factories. As Ikemoto puts it, the data center is the ultimate system—where everything finally comes together—and it now needs to be designed with the same rigor as the silicon inside it.

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The New Ecommerce Playbook: DR Funnels, CRO, and Buyer Behavior

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 86:59

This week, the team sits down with Dylan Ander, founder of Heatmap and author of Billion Dollar Websites, to break down how modern ecommerce funnels are evolving and why many legacy playbooks are starting to crack. The conversation opens with Dylan's perspective on AI, trust, and synthetic content, and why brands may be heading back toward more human-led, harder-to-fake creative as AI becomes table stakes.From there, they unpack why traditional DR funnels are losing effectiveness, how homepage-style and “Trojan horse” landing pages are reshaping conversion behavior, and what operators need to rethink about how users actually move through sites today. Dylan shares lessons from Billion Dollar Websites, including how ecommerce brands can borrow from info funnels to monetize beyond products and increase LTV.The episode closes with a practical look at research and CRO systems - how to structure insights, prioritize tests, and turn qualitative signals into a clear experimentation roadmap - grounding the conversation in how operators can build strategies that reflect real buyer behavior as the landscape continues to shift.Check out the previous episode with Dylan: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3iwer8FNwuwzDDnAV5X7JV?si=3NJKr9aMQLun1qWQvegSYwFind more about Dylan: https://dylanander.com/Dylan's newsletter: https://dylanander.com/newsletterIf you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:03:47 - AI Hot Takes00:24:49 - Info Funnels & Monetizing the Customer Journey00:39:13 - Research & The Billion Dollar Data Funnel00:55:35 - Deepening Customer Feedback Analysis01:10:40 - Testing Strategy & Evolutionary RedesignPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsHaus.http://Haus.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CMxGOODTOB4zRbq5oHAVm?si=b295b9c03e9a407cSubscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3cqVNmmrYxgb5ohBhw8uvy?si=424001675b3b48faSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: ⁠https://9operators.com/⁠

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1.16.26: INSURRECTION talk, Operators are active and making BIG MOVES, corrupt Politicians continue EXPOSURE, Pray!

And We Know

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 70:35

Kimchi One from Brightcore – Health Starts in the Gut Get 25% off – Use Code: AWK at https://mybrightcore.com/AndWeKnow Or call 888-317-9941 for up to 50% OFF your order and Free Shipping! ——— Hunter's Blend Coffee: https://huntersblendcoffee.com/awk ————————— Protect your investments with And We Know http://andweknow.com/gold Or call 720-605-3900, Tell them “LT” sent you. ————————— AT sea with LT. 2026. Caribbean: https://www.inspirationtravel.com/event/lt-caribbean-cruise-2026 ————————— ➜ Our AWK Website: https://www.andweknow.com/ ➜ AWK Shirts and gifts: https://shop.andweknow.com/ —— *DONATIONS SITE: https://bit.ly/2Lgdrh5 *Mail your gift to: And We Know 30650 Rancho California Rd STE D406-123 (or D406-126) Temecula, CA 92591 ➜ AWK Shirts and gifts: https://shop.andweknow.com/ ➜ Audio Bible https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/1John.3.16 Connect with us in the following ways: + DISCORD Fellows: https://discord.gg/kMt8R2FC4z

Sneak PeekMBRS 76: Cancel Culture for Operators: Tim Kennedy, Shrek, and the Stolen Valor Circus

Ones Ready

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 19:28

Send us a textPeaches dives headfirst into the swamp of veteran drama—Tim Kennedy, Shrek McPhee, stolen valor call-outs, and the internet's obsession with dragging up skeletons. He calls BS on the witch hunts, breaks down how accusations wreck careers long before proof, and exposes the military justice system's shady double standards. From OSI horror stories to generals cashing in on their rank, nothing's off-limits. If you think this episode is about playing nice—you're already lost.⏱️ Timestamps: 0:00 – Peaches sets the stage: busy week, no fluff 1:10 – Nashville and Vegas OTS updates 2:30 – Tim Kennedy, Shrek, and stolen valor heat 5:00 – Why dragging old dirt ruins everyone 7:00 – OSI investigations and dirty tactics 10:00 – Sexual assault accusations gone sideways 13:00 – Wrong name, wrong career destroyed 15:00 – Drawing the line: stolen valor vs personal lives 16:00 – Goggins and the deadbeat dad smear 17:00 – Corrupt generals cashing in post-retirement 18:30 – Peaches signs off (for now)

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Danny Yeung, CEO of IM8 & Prenetics: Operators Titans E009

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 79:56

What does it take to go from high-school dropout to building a $100M+ brand with David Beckham?Brought to you by AppLovin. Get access to the Operators channel expansion playbook, online masterclass, and up to $5k in ad credits (terms apply).https://9operators.com/applovinMatt Bertulli and Sean Frank sit down with Danny Yeung, co-founder and CEO of IM8. Danny shares his journey from immigrating to San Francisco at age five, to telemarketing at fifteen, to partnering with one of the world's most famous athletes and building the fastest-growing supplement brand in history.The conversation covers Danny's scrappy early ventures in dessert franchises and hotel furniture, his bold move to Hong Kong to build a Groupon competitor that sold within six months, taking Prenetics public as Hong Kong's largest COVID testing provider, the gut-wrenching decision to cut 2,000 employees down to under 100, and finally landing David Beckham as a co-founder to launch IM8.

Let's Learn from Sonder: Insights for Owners, Operators, Brands & Tech Companies - Rob Blood, Lark

Hospitality Daily Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 15:54

Rob Blood, founder and chairman of Lark, joins the show to reflect on the collapse of Sonder and what it revealed for owners, operators, brands, and technology companies. Drawing from firsthand experience working with properties affected, Rob explains where the master lease model broke down and why control and transparency matter when hotels operate at scale. The conversation explores the right role of technology in hospitality, the limits of venture-driven growth, and how strong partnerships help hotels recover fast when things go wrong. For leaders across disciplines, this episode offers clear, practical lessons on building resilient hospitality businesses. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free. Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. If you want to advertise on Hospitality Daily, here are the ways we can work together. If you found this episode interesting or helpful, send it to someone on your team so you can turn the ideas into action and benefit your business and the people you serve! Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

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Are You Being a Professional? The Hidden Difference Between Average and Elite Operators with Ruben Kanya - Episode #352

Real Estate Experiment

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 16:48

Connect with me at https://experimentrealestate.com/connectGet the FREE Mid-Term Rental Insurance Blueprint: https://experimentrealestate.com/#blueprint In this sharp and self-reflective episode of In The Lab, Ruben breaks down one of the most uncomfortable — yet transformative — questions every entrepreneur must confront: Are you operating like a professional, or like an amateur hoping for professional results?Coming off an accountability call and stepping into a new year, Ruben unpacks why “professionalism” isn't about perfection — it's about preparation, detail, repetition, mastery, and the invisible work nobody sees. He compares the gap between good and great athletes, operators, and creators, showing how the slight edge comes from habits, systems, and a level of intentionality that compounds over time.Ruben highlights the common traps entrepreneurs fall into: copying highlights instead of understanding the process, wanting the championship without training like a champion, or expecting mastery without the thousands of unseen reps. From content creation to deal analysis, from running a business to building a brand, he walks through the mindset shifts required to raise your standards, commit to your craft, and step fully into professional territory.This episode is a wake-up call — a gut check that challenges you to examine the quality of your inputs, the rigor of your process, and the integrity of your ambition.Tune in now to learn how to adopt the mindset of a professional, build mastery through repetition, and elevate your standards so your results finally match your goals.#EntrepreneurMindset #Professionalism #HighStandards #BusinessGrowth #Mastery #ExperimentNation #RealEstateEntrepreneur #MindsetMatters #SuccessHabits #PersonalDevelopment

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Gambling operators to livestream World Cup matches this summer

RTÉ - Morning Ireland

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 6:25

Professor Colin O'Gara, Head of Addiction Services at St John of God Hospital, on football world governing body FIFA's move to stream World Cup matches on gambling websites.

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Our DTC 2026 Predictions & What 2025 Got Right and Wrong

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 89:00

This week, the hosts return for their annual predictions episode, starting by revisiting their 2025 forecasts and holding themselves accountable for what hit, what missed, and what changed faster than expected. From there, they transition into their 2026 predictions for DTC and eCommerce marketing, grounding each call in real performance data, platform behavior, and operator-level experience.The conversation centers on paid media and channel mix, with deep discussion on Meta's evolving ability to drive new customer growth, AppLovin's continued rise, renewed performance on X, and how brands should think about wallet share, prospecting vs. retargeting, and incrementality across channels. They also unpack how creative strategy and signal engineering are becoming more critical as platforms automate bidding and optimization.As the episode progresses, the discussion broadens into longer-term growth levers, including performance-driven organic social, brand awareness measurement, dynamic pricing and pre-orders, affiliate and social commerce strategies, and the growing need to connect marketing decisions with inventory, finance, and long-term brand value.A core takeaway from the episode is how operators can move beyond tactics and apply better measurement, accountability, and systems thinking heading into 2026.Watch last year's predictions episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CzkMlAHp7a2elLsIWO9qJ?si=wqbUJI_3QWqFLlOb5vN8awIf you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00:00 - Introduction00:04:33 - Reviewing 2025 Predictions00:18:58 - Brand Tracking and Awareness00:38:41 - AppLovin and Channel Predictions00:57:14 - Database Design and Data Fragmentation01:16:46 - AI Infrastructure and DocumentationPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here:https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here:https://9operators.com/

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Why We're Only Using 1% of AI | Glean CEO Arvind Jain

The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 58:37

Glean has grown into a $7.2B company by giving employees AI assistants and agents that extend their capabilities.CEO Arvind Jain is back on Grit alongside Joubin Mirzadegan. Here's what stood out:“My mindset by default is that if you build something last year, that it's got to be obsolete. There has to be a new way to do that thing better today. If not, then it's just lack of imagination.”“I have no doubts that AI capabilities are just going to increase more and more over the next few years. But even more important is this concept of how much are we even leveraging what AI can do today? I would say that we've not even used 1% of current capabilities of these models”“If you're trying to be everything to everyone, then you just cannot compete with somebody who's focused on a smaller problem and going deep into that.”You can also listen to Arvind's earlier episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIH0Qp6d6bg&list=PLRiWZFltuYPF8A6UGm74K2q29UwU-Kk9k&index=96Guest: Arvind Jain, founder and CEO, GleanConnect with Arvind JainX: https://x.com/jainarvindLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jain-arvind/Connect with JoubinX: https://x.com/JoubinmirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854/Email: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpgritFollow on X:https://x.com/KPGritLearn more about Kleiner Perkins:https://www.kleinerperkins.com/

Ep 576: How Silk & Snow Scaled to 10 Retail Stores by Focusing on Profitable CAC

DTC Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 45:33

Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAlbert Chow built Silk & Snow in the shadow of the DTC mattress wars—but instead of racing to burn VC cash, he played the long game. Today, Silk & Snow has grown into a full home brand with 10 retail stores, a thriving Canadian customer base, and a strong U.S. expansion roadmap.For DTC founders scaling from $5M to $50M...Why they skipped the mattress arms race and leaned into vertical integrationHow bundling less (and planting trees instead) saved $1.3MWhat they learned scaling from 1 to 10 retail stores in a yearThe metrics they track now that ROAS is irrelevantWhy launching a sofa was more about customer affinity than furnitureWho this is for: Operators scaling past one SKU or one channel—and looking for a sustainable path to growth.What to steal:Bundling with purpose (optional tree planting vs. free stuff)Bottom-up brand building: low-funnel mastery firstHow to use DTC data to drive brick-and-mortar strategyTimestamps00:00 Organic growth and surviving the DTC mattress crash02:00 Entering the crowded mattress market in 201704:00 Why Silk and Snow became a full home brand06:00 Factory-first supply chain and Canadian manufacturing08:00 Launching with Kickstarter and early traction10:00 The 2019 DTC apocalypse and sustainable growth12:00 Expanding beyond mattresses into sleep accessories14:00 Functional vs aspirational buying in home goods16:00 Becoming a multi-channel retailer18:00 Using customer data to choose store locations20:00 Canada vs US growth strategy22:00 Building brand from the bottom of the funnel24:00 Replacing bundles with tree planting26:00 Performance marketing roots and early Google28:00 Shifting into awareness and brand media30:00 Why ROAS isn't the real growth signal32:00 Retail partnerships and staying DTC34:00 Black Friday for big-ticket home products36:00 Fulfillment, returns, and sustainability38:00 Repeat customers and long-term LTV40:00 Sleep Country acquisition and retail scale42:00 Vancouver store and physical retail strategyHashtags#DTC #EcommercePodcast #SilkAndSnow #AlbertChow #DTCBrands #HomeGoods #MattressIndustry #BrandBuilding #RetailStrategy #DirectToConsumer #EcommerceGrowth #StartupPodcast #FounderStory #CanadianBrands #PerformanceMarketing #Omnichannel #RetailExpansion #DTCpodcast Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://dtcnews.link/pilothouseFollow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video

Building a Personal AI Model Map [AI Operators Bonus Episode]

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2026 12:17

This bonus AI Operators episode experiments with a skills-focused format inside the AI Daily Brief community, using the New Year's AI resolution program as a live case study. The episode walks through week two's “model mapping” challenge and why building a personal mental map of which models and tools excel at which tasks can be one of the biggest sources of practical AI leverage. It then goes hands-on with a newly vibe-coded Model Map Builder app, covering its use case library, testing workflow, scoring system, and model history views, alongside a candid look at how fast, low-stakes software gets built using tools like Lovable, Claude, and WhisperFlow. The broader takeaway is a shift from thinking about AI usage to continuously translating opportunities into small, living pieces of software, and how that mindset is becoming central to being an effective AI operator in 2026.Link to the model map: https://aidbmodelmap.com/Insanely cheesy theme music: created with Suno

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This Week in DX - 01/10/2026

The DX Mentor

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2026 14:39

The following DX information comes from Bernie, W3UR, editor of the DailyDX, the WeeklyDX, and the How's DX column in QST. If you would like a free 2-week trial of the DailyDX, your only source of real-time DX information, justdrop me a note at thedxmentor@gmail.comVP2V - British Virgin Islands - W5GI, Jonathan,has returned to Anegada Island in the British Virgin Islands and is QRV as VP2V/W5GI until January 20th. He is hopeful to work 1000 stations from POTA VG-0021. Listen for him on SSB and FT8 from both the park and his living QTH. He will be mainly on 20 meters but can also operate on 40, 17, 15, 12and 10 meters.ZD7 - St. Helena Island - AC1GQ, Casey,will be on St. Helena Island from January 10-24. He plans to operate with a QRP rig (QMX from QRP Labs) and an end-fed antenna (QRP Guys) on the 40m and 20m bands, if possible. Casey will bring a copy of his home amateur radio license and is seeking advice on applying for a ZD7 license. This one is right around the corner. “In collaboration with the Vieques Island Amateur Radio Club (NP3VI) and theManyana DXFoundation, we are proud to announce KP5/NP3VI, a landmark DXpedition to Desecheo Island (KP5), currently ranked by Club Log as the 14th most wantedDXCC entity worldwide. Located approximately 13 miles off the west coast of Puerto Rico, Desecheo Island has not been activated since 2009. This operation represents the first Puerto Rican-led DXpedition to Desecheo in 48 years,following the historic KP4AM/D activation in 1978. The primary mission of this DXpedition is to provide an All-Time New One (ATNO) to as many amateur radio operators worldwide as possible. Operators from Puerto Rico and international locations will participate to maximize coverage, band availability, and global accessibility. To ensure continuous, global on-air presence, two self-sustainedRemote Deployable Units (RDUs) provided by the Manyana DXFoundation will be deployed on the island. These stations will operate 24 hours per day for 30 consecutive days,utilizing state-of-the-art remote operating infrastructure from Remote Ham Radio (RHR). Operations will be livestreamed, and there will be real-time activityupdates via Club Log. NP4G, Dr. Otis Vicens, is DXpedition leader, and N2AJ, Stephen Hass, is media officer and pilot. DK6SP, Philipp, and DJ4MX, Sven, have announced the next adventure of the Next Generation DX Club. “This time, ouryoung and ambitious team will travel to the People's Republic of Bangladesh, better known as S2 to the amateur radio community…After bringing you 8R7X, Guyana in 2024 and V73WW, Marshall Islands last year, we are ready to make waves from one Asia's most exciting and under-activated locations.” More information about callsign, dates, andoperators will follow. XU - Cambodia - DL7BO, Tom, who is QRV until January 18, is using the callsign XU7O. He will be active on 160-6 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8, with a focus on the lower bands. QSLinformation remains direct to DJ4WK, or via LoTW, Club Log, or eQSL. FY - French Guiana - F4GPK, Peter, is QRV as TO2FY until January 15 from Kourou. C5YK, The Gambia – Andre, ON7YK, is QRV from The Gambia as C5YK until January 25. He is operating on SSB, RTTY, PSK,FT8, FT4, and some CW on 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10M. QSL only via LoTW, eQSL, or direct to ON7YK. He posts his logbook on his website. Z6 – Kosovo - HB9TSW, Gab, isQRV as Z68BG from Slatina Air Base, Kosovo, until January 28 using CW only. For direct QSL, send an SAE with 3 green stamps via HB9TSW.

operations puerto rico bernie sanders republic cw bangladesh sven philipp puerto rican kosovo gab 10m guyana operators s2 gambia dx sae marshall islands british virgin islands ssb kourou psk qrp lotw qsl qst ft4 rtty dxpeditions helena island ft8 qmx qth qrv qrp labs club log

95. Building Scalable Operations in High-Growth Businesses

The Ops Experts Club Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2026 22:44

SUMMARY: In this episode of Ops Experts Club, Aaron Hovivian and Terryn Turner discuss the critical difference between being a task taker and truly owning operations. Using real-world examples from high-growth launches, they explain how operators support visionary leaders by creating structure, managing teams, and thinking through the downstream impact of decisions—especially during fast-paced seasons like January. The conversation focuses on delegation, automation, and root-cause thinking, emphasizing that strong operators protect systems, speed, and margin. Rather than reacting to tasks, operators are challenged to lead with clarity, push back when needed, and act as the stabilizing force that allows visionary ideas to scale without chaos. Minute by Minute: 00:00 Navigating the Post-Holiday Vortex 03:05 The Role of Operators in Visionary Businesses 06:14 Transitioning from Task Taker to Operations Owner 08:54 The Importance of Delegation and Automation 11:51 Managing Systems and Decision-Making 14:54 Identifying Pain Points and Root Causes 18:07 The Value of Strategic Pushback 20:59 Building Effective Communication and Research Skills

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The Silent Injuries of SWCC Boat Operators: TBI, Mental Health, and Veteran Healing

Security Halt!

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2026 57:26 Transcription Available

Let us know what you think! Text us!SPONSORED BY: PURE LIBERTY LABS, PRECISION WELLNESS GROUP, and THE SPECIAL FORCES FOUNDATION In this episode of Security Halt!, host Deny Caballero interviews Anthony Smith about health issues faced by military personnel, focusing on Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC)boat operations and support roles. They discuss how repetitive head trauma, sleep loss, and blast exposure often lead to misdiagnosed traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and mental health problems.The conversation highlights shortcomings in military and VA recognition of TBI, frequent misattribution of symptoms, and the need for improved research and advocacy. Anthony also describes the 40G Reboot Foundation, which assists veterans with treatments like Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for TBI and PTSD.Overall, this episode urges greater awareness and better care for veterans coping with invisible injuries.

One Year After The Palisades Fire: Has Anything Changed, What Have We Learned? We need to let operators operate.

The Hotshot Wake Up

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 59:12

On Today's Show: To support and subscribe

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Loaded and Rolling | How AI & Cloud TMS Are Giving Fleet Operators Their Time Back

FreightCasts

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 27:05

Fleet operations are moving faster than ever — and legacy systems can't keep up. In this interview from the Trimble Insights Conference, Trimble CEO Rob Painter explains how cloud-based TMS platforms, agentic AI, and connected workflows are helping fleets cut hours of manual work down to minutes. The conversation covers real operational pain points like roadside breakdowns, tender processing, cybersecurity threats, and why AI should quietly solve problems instead of becoming another buzzword. If you run or support trucking operations, this is a must-watch. ⁠Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast⁠ ⁠Other FreightWaves Shows⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How AI & Cloud TMS Are Giving Fleet Operators Their Time Back

Loaded And Rolling

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 27:05

Fleet operations are moving faster than ever — and legacy systems can't keep up. In this interview from the Trimble Insights Conference, Trimble CEO Rob Painter explains how cloud-based TMS platforms, agentic AI, and connected workflows are helping fleets cut hours of manual work down to minutes. The conversation covers real operational pain points like roadside breakdowns, tender processing, cybersecurity threats, and why AI should quietly solve problems instead of becoming another buzzword. If you run or support trucking operations, this is a must-watch. Follow the Loaded and Rolling Podcast Other FreightWaves Shows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ai giving cloud loaded fleet operators tms

From Brand Moments to Revenue: How Halfdays Drives Growth - with Liz Anthony, Chief of Staff

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 89:07

This week, we're joined by Liz Anthony, Chief of Staff at Halfdays, the fast-growing women's outdoor apparel brand redefining performance skiwear. Liz breaks down how Halfdays balances brand and performance marketing to scale a highly seasonal DTC business, including the role of founder-led content, creative diversity, and standout collaborations like HOKA in driving Q4 momentum.From there, the group digs into how the Chief of Staff role acts as a force multiplier across marketing, product, and strategy - pulling from Liz's consulting background to explore how strong operators create leverage in fast-moving brands.We wrap with a collaborative discussion on KPI ownership, dashboards, and forecasting, covering how teams use simple tools like Google Sheets to track leading indicators, align cross-functional teams, and connect marketing execution to real business outcomes.If you're scaling a seasonal brand, building cross-functional clarity, or trying to connect brand moments to measurable growth, this episode is packed with practical insight.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Find out more about the Halfdays brand in another MOperators Episode: How Halfdays Turned Community into a Growth Engine - with CEO Ariana FerwerdaChapters:00:00:00 – Introducing Liz and Halfdays' Brand Story00:03:10 – Finding Product-Market Fit in Women's Ski Wear00:08:00 – Expanding Beyond Ski: Year-Round and Omnichannel Growth00:13:30 – Defining “Her”: Core Customer, Persona, and Positioning00:19:00 – Chief of Staff Role: KPIs, Strategy, and Cross-Functional Glue00:24:10 – Liz's Operator Background and Translating Consulting Skills to DTC00:30:20 – Building the Team, Ownership Culture, and Management Style00:36:20 – Q4 and Black Friday: Hoka Collab, List Growth, and Demand00:44:30 – Content Engine, Community, and Always-On Brand Marketing00:52:30 – Channel Mix, Out-of-Home Bets, and Retargeting Strategy01:01:00 – 2026 Roadmap: New Franchises, Launch “Moments,” and Playbooks01:11:30 – Data Stack, KPIs, and Using Analytics to Drive DecisionsPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsHaus.http://Haus.io/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

Raw to Grade ROI + Collector vs Operator Lens + When to Deploy Capital

Sports Cards Live

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2026 51:07

Shohei Ohtani is the entry point for a wider conversation about strategy, timing, and identity in the modern hobby. Leighton Sheldon puts Paul Hickey on the spot with a question many collectors think about but rarely articulate clearly: if you have $1,000 or $10,000 to spend on Ohtani, what's the smartest way to approach it right now? Paul answers from an unapologetic Operator perspective, explaining why Ohtani behaves differently than almost any other modern athlete, how raw-to-grade math actually works, and why early January can be one of the least crowded decision windows of the year. From there, the discussion expands into bigger hobby dynamics, including grading labels versus true condition, friction between Purists and Operators, and why Paul deliberately caps his premium community to protect both value and signal. This episode stands on its own whether you're a collector, an investor, or somewhere in between. In this episode: A practical Ohtani buying framework for $1,000 vs $10,000 budgets One big card versus multiple plays, and how risk tolerance changes the answer Why Ohtani is a data anomaly in modern cards Raw-to-grade strategy explained without hype Timing buys around grading backlogs and the MLB calendar The grading company versus card condition debate Why Operator and Purist perspectives clash and why both still matter How community size can quietly impact markets If you want to go deeper: Follow Sports Cards Live and leave a rating or review on your podcast platform of choice Take the Hobby Spectrum assessment at HobbySpectrum.com to see where you land Opt into the Spectrum Directory to connect with collectors who think like you Explore Paul Hickey's work at NoOffSeason.com and the Sports Card Strategy Show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The ORP Dashboard

Talking Pools Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2026 51:23

Pool Pros text questions hereIn this episode, Rudy discusses the complexities of pool chemistry, focusing on the importance of understanding oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and its implications for effective pool management. He emphasizes the need to shift focus from merely adding chemicals to understanding the real-time capabilities of water, particularly in relation to pH and cyanuric acid. Through a case study of the Olympic dive pool incident, he illustrates the potential pitfalls of misinterpreting ORP readings and stresses the importance of continuous monitoring and adjustment in pool maintenance.takeawaysThe first Friday of 2026 marks a new beginning.Understanding the difference between what is added and what the water can do is crucial.ORP is a key indicator of water's oxidative power.pH affects chlorine behavior but is not the only factor.Cyanuric acid plays a significant role in chlorine effectiveness.The Olympic dive pool incident highlights the importance of ORP understanding.ORP should not be treated as a standalone measure.Continuous monitoring of ORP is essential for effective pool management.Chlorine's effectiveness is influenced by various factors, including sunlight and bather load.Operators must interrogate the system rather than rely solely on ORP readings.Sound Bites"pH always matters!""ORP does not clean pools!""Interrogate the system!"Chapters00:00Welcome to 2026: A New Beginning01:48Understanding Water Chemistry: The Shift in Focus03:31The Importance of ORP in Pool Management07:59Clarifying Misconceptions: pH, CYA, and ORP13:36The Role of Cyanuric Acid in Pool Chemistry19:12Case Study: The Olympic Dive Pool Incident24:11Interpreting ORP: A Tool for Pool Operators Support the showThank you so much for listening! You can find us on social media: Facebook Instagram Tik Tok Email us: talkingpools@gmail.com

Operators Titans E008: DUDE Wipes (with Sean Riley)

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Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2026 97:26

“I'm building memories, not sales.” What if everything you thought you knew about creating a consumer brand was wrong?Matt Bertulli and Sean Frank sit down with Sean Riley, Co-Founder and Chief DUDE (CEO) of DUDE Wipes, to discuss how he and his co-founders grew to hundreds of millions in revenue — without relying on traditional ads.From going viral through gorilla marketing to landing a deal with Mark Cuban on Shark Tank to being students of culture, Sean reveals why doing what's fun can be your competitive advantage.Brought to you by Fulfil, the only cloud ERP designed to efficiently scale 8–9 figure DTC brands: https://bit.ly/3pAp2vu

085 I Present Leadership: Why Great Operators Win Anywhere with Brian Zimmerman

Leadership on the Links

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2025 39:58

Book a Free Talent Strategy Call In this engaging conversation, Brian Zimmerman, CEO of Cleveland Metro Parks, shares his journey from a young golf enthusiast to a leader overseeing a vast network of parks and recreational facilities. He discusses the challenges and rewards of managing such a large organization, the importance of teamwork and leadership, and the evolving expectations in the golf industry. Brian emphasizes the significance of community engagement, workforce development, and the need for aspiring professionals to be detail-oriented and proactive in their careers. He also reflects on the hidden gems of Cleveland Metro Parks and his aspirations for future projects that will leave a lasting legacy. What You'll Learn Why "managing to an outcome" isn't the same as leading expectations and why that distinction matters The real differences (and misconceptions) between municipal and private golf experience How Cleveland Metroparks thinks about standards, reinvestment, and long-term stewardship Brian's "present leadership" approach: being visible when things are hard, great, or average What he looks for in candidates immediately (shoes, handshake, eye contact, preparation) How to handle post-COVID realities: play up, maintenance windows down, and expectations rising Practical operating moves that improved customer experience (ex: 10-minute tee times, time-ticketing) Career advice for superintendents who want to move up: look the part, do the part, build exposure A reminder leaders forget: don't burn ladders on the way up or down Links Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-m-zimmerman-34072b43/

covid-19 ceo leadership career practical operators brian zimmerman

From Grand Slams to Flatlines: Inside the Operator Playbook for Surviving Stalled Growth

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2025 64:21

“What do you do when you stop winning?”In this episode, Sean and Matt drop the highlight reel and talk candidly about what it actually feels like when a once high-flying brand stalls, hits flat revenue, or even starts shrinking.They unpack why every business has a “natural size,” why top-line obsession is the laziest definition of winning, and how to think more clearly about margin compression, momentum, and your own financial security as a founder.From redefining success beyond horsepower-style revenue numbers, to product, channel, and positioning pivots, to doing the brutal “Fog of War” cuts instead of slow bleeding out, this is a tactical, psychologically honest roadmap for operators trying to diagnose stalled growth and decide whether to push for the next level or intentionally right-size the business and finally take money off the table.Chapters00:00 – Cold open: what it feels like when winning stops02:20 – Why this episode matters: growth stalls, failure, and the messy middle04:06 – Defining “winning”: growth vs profit, lifestyle, and the natural size of a business07:18 – Survival first: financial security, changing goals, and evolving definitions of success12:51 – Diagnosing stalled growth: macro forces, misalignment, and internal blind spots17:42 – Tactical vs strategic stalls: product, category limits, and being in the wrong vehicle23:48 – Playing by the rules of the game: CAC, channels, and market realities33:13 – Diversification as defense: why building on rented land is dangerous39:00 – When winning tactics stop working: SEO hits, waves crashing, and preparing for stall-outs44:00 – Operating paranoid: assuming stalls, diversifying early, and the tradeoff of leaving money on the table50:00 – Changing the business: adding new product lines, multiple business units, and hedging inside your own brand56:00 – Rented land warning: Facebook media, platform dependency, and why omnichannel is non-negotiablePowered ByFulfil.iohttps://bit.ly/3pAp2vuThe Only Cloud ERP Designed to Efficiently Scale 8 and 9-Figure Brands.Northbeamhttps://www.northbeam.io/Richpanelhttps://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=9O&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescSarashttps://bit.ly/9OP-YtdescRivohttps://www.rivo.io/operatorsSubscribeSubscribe to The Marketing Operators Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingOperatorsSubscribe to The Finance Operators:https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS — Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter:https://9operators.com/

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AppLovin Bull vs. Bear Case: What Operators Know That Investors Don't

GameMakers

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2025 111:20

AppLovin just crossed $250 billion in market cap. Stock up 127% YTD. EBITDA margins at 82%. Is this the beginning—or the top?We assembled the most qualified panel possible to break it down: an operator running millions through AppLovin's platform, a gaming-focused financial analyst, and an institutional investor who's seen these cycles before.What emerged isn't your typical bull-bear debate. It's a breakdown of how dominance actually works in ad tech—and what could break it.IN THIS EPISODE→ Why AppLovin doesn't need to be better than competitors—just 95% as good→ The MAX/Axon lock-in that keeps publishers captive→ E-commerce expansion: AppLovin is beating Google on Android→ The SEC investigation and deplatforming risk (how worried should you be?)→ What one operator's portfolio data reveals about where the cracks are forming→ Each panelist's prediction for AppLovin in 2026SPEAKERSJosh Chandley — President & CEO, WildCard GamesMatthew Kanterman, CFA — Director of Research, Blue River Financial GroupBrian Peganoff — Former TMT Investor, Founder Timber AdvisorsJoseph Kim — CEO, Lila GamesTIMESTAMPS[00:00] Introduction & Panel Overview[01:22] AppLovin Financial Recap: 127% YTD, 82% Margins[04:52] Valuation Analysis: Is Growth Priced In?[07:15] The Bull Case: Infrastructure Lock-In[10:30] How MAX & Axon Create Publisher Dependency[15:45] E-Commerce Expansion: Beating Google on Android[22:10] Why Meta & Google Can't Compete on iOS[28:40] The Bear Case: Five Risks[35:20] SEC Investigation & Deplatforming Risk[42:15] The Infrastructure Risk Nobody Discusses[48:30] Competitive Landscape: Unity, Moloco, Meta[58:20] Connected TV: Wild Card or Dead End?[1:05:40] Panel Predictions for 2026[1:15:30] Key TakeawaysLINKSNewsletter: https://www.gamemakers.comFull article: https://www.gamemakers.com/p/applovin-bull-bear-casePixels & Profits is a GameMakers series covering the business and investing side of the gaming industry.

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The Influencer Marketing Playbook - with Lily Comba, Founder & CEO of Superbloom

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Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2025 76:54

This week, we're joined by Lily Comba, Founder & CEO of Superbloom, who opens up about how she got her start in influencer marketing and why she approaches influencer through a performance lens. Lily shares her journey from building in-house programs to launching Superbloom, and what she learned scaling influencer across some of the most recognizable consumer brands.From there, we go deep on measurement, attribution, and negotiations. Lily breaks down how to think about ROAS, CPA, multipliers, and code leakage, along with how she models performance upfront to negotiate smarter creator deals and build paid usage rights and whitelisting into every partnership. We talk through practical frameworks for forecasting results, setting realistic KPIs, and holding influencer partnerships accountable without burning relationships.We also dive into YouTube and channel expansion, including why YouTube is one of the most underrated influencer channels, how to negotiate effective integrations, and what longer-form creator content unlocks for both performance and brand lift. We wrap with how influencer fits into the broader media mix, common mistakes brands make when launching programs, and what operators should be focused on if they want to scale influencer the right way.If you're trying to make influencer more measurable, negotiate better deals, and turn creator content into high-performing paid media, you're gonna love this one.If you have a question for the MOperators Hotline, click the link to be in with a chance of it being discussed on the show: https://forms.gle/1W7nKoNK5Zakm1Xv6Chapters:00:00:00 – Scaling Influencer Spend and Proving ROI00:03:53 – Lily's Background and Building Super Bloom00:08:45 – From Seed Health to Launching an Agency00:13:05 – Brands, Categories, and Who Influencer Marketing Works For00:14:03 – Performance-First Influencer Programs and Service SKUs00:19:31 – Organic Influencer KPIs vs Paid Performance Metrics00:22:01 – Full-Funnel Impact, Halo Effects, and AOV Considerations00:25:16 – Discount Code Leakage and Attribution Challenges00:30:13 – Using Multipliers to Translate Influencer Performance00:34:38 – Modeling ROAS, Click-Through Rates, and Incrementality00:41:31 – Awareness vs Performance Across Different Brand Types00:47:19 – Influencer Negotiation Frameworks and Deal Structuring00:52:47 – High-AOV Products, Long Consideration Cycles, and Measurement LimitsPowered by:Motion.⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/pricing?utm_source=marketing-operators-podcast&utm_medium=paidsponsor&utm_campaign=march-2024-ad-reads⁠⁠⁠https://motionapp.com/creative-trendsRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsPrescient AI.⁠⁠⁠https://www.prescientai.com/operatorsRichpanel.⁠⁠⁠https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=MO&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescAftersell.https://www.aftersell.com/operatorsSubscribe to the 9 Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@Operators9Subscribe to the Finance Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPSSign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

The Grittiest Conversations of 2025: AI, Business & Beyond

Retirement Tax Services Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 41:01

In this recap episode, we highlight the best moments from our 2025 interviews and reflect on the ideas that defined the year.Featuring:David Rubenstein (co-founder of Carlyle) - From White House to Wall Street: David RubensteinYamini Rangan (CEO of HubSpot) - HubSpot CEO on the Future of SaaS, AI, & Leading Through ChangeBen Chestnut (co-founder of Mailchimp) - Bootstrapped to 12B: Mailchimp's Ben Chestnut on Life After the ExitWinston Weinberg (co-founder and CEO of Harvey) - I Raised $300M To Bring AI To Laywers | Winston Weinberg & HarveyGarrett Lord (co-founder of Handshake) - The Expert Network Behind Handshake AI's Model Training w/ Garrett Lord & Mamoon HamidAidan Gomez (co-founder and CEO of Cohere) - Synthetic Data and the Future of AI | Cohere CEO Aidan GomezMichelle Zatlyn (co-founder of Cloudflare) - Building Cloudflare for the Next 50 Years | Co-founder Cloudflare Michelle ZatlynEvan Spiegel (co-founder and CEO of Snap) - How Snap Plans to Win the AR Race | Evan Spiegel on SpectaclesConnect with JoubinX: https://x.com/JoubinmirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854/Email: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpgritFollow on X:https://x.com/KPGritLearn more about Kleiner Perkins: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/

Tax Tools and Operators with Justin Boatman

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 28:25

One of the most common questions Steven hears from financial advisors is "What software can I use to help with that?". In this week's episode, Steven is joined by Nitrogen's Chief Product Officer, Justin Boatman, to discuss the latest entry into the tax software category: Nitrogen's AI Tax Center. Justin shares the background of why Nitrogen picked taxes as the topic for their newest tool and shares how they have designed the tool to enhance the client experience, not simply do math. Steven and Justin discuss the importance of taxes in any financial planning conversation and the overlap of needing great operators regardless of how great a tool something is.

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085 I Present Leadership: Why Great Operators Win Anywhere with Brian Zimmerman

Leadership on the Links

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 39:58

Summary Book a Free Talent Strategy Call In this engaging conversation, Brian Zimmerman, CEO of Cleveland Metro Parks, shares his journey from a young golf enthusiast to a leader overseeing a vast network of parks and recreational facilities. He discusses the challenges and rewards of managing such a large organization, the importance of teamwork and leadership, and the evolving expectations in the golf industry. Brian emphasizes the significance of community engagement, workforce development, and the need for aspiring professionals to be detail-oriented and proactive in their careers. He also reflects on the hidden gems of Cleveland Metro Parks and his aspirations for future projects that will leave a lasting legacy. What You'll Learn Why "managing to an outcome" isn't the same as leading expectations and why that distinction matters The real differences (and misconceptions) between municipal and private golf experience How Cleveland Metroparks thinks about standards, reinvestment, and long-term stewardship Brian's "present leadership" approach: being visible when things are hard, great, or average What he looks for in candidates immediately (shoes, handshake, eye contact, preparation) How to handle post-COVID realities: play up, maintenance windows down, and expectations rising Practical operating moves that improved customer experience (ex: 10-minute tee times, time-ticketing) Career advice for superintendents who want to move up: look the part, do the part, build exposure A reminder leaders forget: don't burn ladders on the way up or down Links Connect with Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-m-zimmerman-34072b43/

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Operators Titans E007: Utopia Deals (With CEO Jabran Niaz)

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Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 97:03

How do you build one of the top-five Amazon businesses in the world? Matt and Mike sit down with Jabran Niaz, co-founder of Utopia Deals and Utopia Industries. From packing boxes by hand for less than $15 an hour to running a global manufacturing operation with $770M in annual revenue and +15k employees, all without outside capital or taking on debt.This is the largest brand we've ever had on the show. They get into the early days of Amazon, why Utopia focused on value instead of premium pricing, how product design and packaging became a competitive edge, and what it takes to keep growing when competition never stops. Jabran also explains why brand matters in some categories but counts for nothing in others.Brought to you by Richpanel.Chapters00:00:09 - From Bankruptcy to a $770M Business00:11:02 - When It Was Finally Time to Quit the Job00:15:08 - Why Utopia Refused to Focus on One Category00:19:07 - Winning on Price via Packaging & FBA Fees00:22:14 - Scaling With No Investors & Zero Debt00:25:04 - The Personal Sacrifices Behind Growth00:28:13 - Packing Boxes by Hand Before FBA00:32:25 - Why Most Early Amazon Sellers Failed00:39:02 - Is Amazon Still Worth It Today? With Tactics00:45:59 - Why Brand Is Overrated in Most Categories00:53:55 - Building a Nearly $1B Empire Remotely01:03:00 - The Biggest Mistake: People Over Machines01:16:13 - The Future: Robotics Will Disrupt Logistics01:25:04 - Creating 15,000 Jobs vs Traditional Charity01:28:17 - Titans 10 Wrap: Lessons From Massive Scale

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A WPM With Magz Christmas Classics

WolfPussy Monologues

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2025 2:03

E145: From Affiliate Hustler to Hydration Empire: Inside Instant Hydration's Growth Engine

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2025 68:33

“You make your money on the customer, not the acquisition.” In this episode, Sean sits down with Jordan, the media-buyer-turned-founder behind Instant Hydration, to unpack how he went from affiliate marketer—only eating what he killed—to helping scale multiple 8‑figure CPG brands into 9‑figure powerhouses using Meta ads, tight payback models, and a true growth engine mindset. They talk about why red‑ocean markets like electrolytes are actually a signal of demand, how to think about LTV, subscriptions and time-to-second-purchase, what really happens when a founder tries to steal your team, and the wild IP and trademark journey that led to the Instant Hydration brand.Chapters:00:00 – Cold open: “You make your money on the customer, not the acquisition”02:40 – Jordan's story: from almost-lawyer to Facebook affiliate marketer15:30 – Scaling 8‑figure CPG brands to 9‑figures with Meta ads28:10 – Why consumables, LTV and payback periods win over “one-and-done” products41:45 – The Instant Hydration origin story and trademark/IP battle55:20 – Building a true growth engine: subscriptions, email/SMS, and sending it on ad spendPowered By:Fulfil.io.https://bit.ly/3pAp2vuThe Only Cloud ERP Designed to Efficiently Scale 8 and 9-Figure Brands. Northbeam.https://www.northbeam.io/Richpanel.https://www.richpanel.com/?utm_source=9O&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ytdescSaras.https://bit.ly/9OP-YtdescRivo.https://www.rivo.io/operatorsSubscribe to The Marketing Operators Podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@MarketingOperatorsSubscribe to The Finance Operators here: https://www.youtube.com/@FinanceOperatorsFOPS Sign up to the 9 Operators newsletter here: https://9operators.com/

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How Brands Stay Visible When AI Decides | Profound CEO James Cadwallader

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Play Episode Listen Later Dec 22, 2025 50:25

What happens when AI becomes your most influential referrer?As consumers turn to ChatGPT for answers, James Cadwallader and his team at Profound help brands like Eight Sleep and MongoDB gain visibility and leverage inside AI models.On this episode of Grit, he explains why brand narrative has shifted away from content, and why Profound is scaling globally ahead of traditional SaaS timelines.Guest: James Cadwallader, co-founder and CEO of Profound and Ilya Fushman, partner at Kleiner PerkinsConnect with James CadwalladerX: https://x.com/thejamescad?lang=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsca/Connect with Ilya FushmanX: https://x.com/ilyafLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilyafushman/Connect with JoubinX: https://x.com/JoubinmirLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854/Email: grit@kleinerperkins.comFollow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpgritFollow on X:https://x.com/KPGritLearn more about Kleiner Perkins: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/

Hour 4: Celebrating Board Operators After Flyers Hot-Mic Moment

The Tom and Curley Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2025 29:58

6pm: Court vindicates professor investigated for parodying university’s ‘land acknowledgment’ on syllabus // White House seeking privateers to seize cartel boats, assets // Harvard Professor of Economics Ken Rogoff on November inflation coming in WAY BELOW expectations. // Walter Kirn shares my Spielberg “Disclosure” theory // Brown U. and MIT professor shootings are linked; suspect found dead, officials say // Tipster using Reddit was key in cracking Brown University shooting case, police say // Celebrating Board Operators After Flyers Hot-Mic Moment

#213 Don't Fix Your Ads, Fix Your Fulfillment… Why Speed Is Beating Marketing

High Voltage Business Builders

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2025 7:02

Everyone loves talking about marketing.New creatives. New channels. New funnels.But if a customer can get the same product in one hour, three-day shipping feels broken.Not inconvenient. Broken.And when ads stop converting, most sellers blame marketing.This episode explains why that is usually the wrong diagnosis.In this Week in Review, Neil breaks down why fulfillment speed is no longer a backend operation. It is a growth lever. Platforms like Amazon and Shopify already understand this shift, even if most brands do not. Marketing creates attention. Fulfillment decides if attention turns into revenue.

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S8 Ep211: CALIFORNIA JOB LOSSES AND CHINA'S ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN AMID RETAIL SEASON Colleague Chris Riegel. California's new wage mandates have triggered significant job losses in the fast-food sector, forcing operators to move to lower-tax states. Interna

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2025 10:45

CALIFORNIA JOB LOSSES AND CHINA'S ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN AMID RETAIL SEASON Colleague Chris Riegel. California's new wage mandates have triggered significant job losses in the fast-food sector, forcing operators to move to lower-tax states. Internationally, while China boasts of leads in AI and EVs, these sectors rely on unsustainable subsidies, masking a deep consumer recession and deflation in the property market. NUMBER 3 1848 SAN DIEGO

293. What's Working Right Now for Operators

The Ops Authority

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 31:22

What if the strategies you needed to finish 2025 strong were already being proven by operators just like you? In this final episode of the year, I'm pulling back the curtain on the three approaches that are generating the most momentum for our community right now. These aren't theories or trends; they're real-world tactics that service providers are using to land clients, increase revenue, and build sustainable businesses. If you're planning for 2026 or looking to close out this year with clarity and confidence, this episode will show you exactly what's working for business operators in the trenches. For full show notes, check out www.TheOpsAuthority.com/podcast/293 Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

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#138 - How to Vet Deals, Operators, and Advisors the Right Way with Mat Sorensen

Passive Income Pilots

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 52:04

Tait Duryea and Ryan Gibson sit down with Mat Sorensen of Directed IRA to tackle one of the most common investor questions: Who do you actually trust when investing in alternative assets? The conversation breaks down how to vet operators, assess risk, understand leverage, and use self-directed retirement accounts responsibly. Mat shares real-world insight from seeing thousands of deals flow through his firm, explains why advisors often avoid alternatives, and outlines practical rules for due diligence, alignment, and saying no to bad opportunities.Mat Sorensen is a nationally recognized authority on self-directed retirement investing and the CEO of Directed IRA. A tax and business attorney with over 20 years of experience, Mat has helped thousands of investors use IRAs and 401(k)s to invest in alternative assets like real estate, private equity, and startups. He is the author of The Self-Directed IRA Handbook and co-hosts educational events and podcasts focused on empowering investors to take control of their retirement capital.Show notes:(0:00) Intro(0:29) Understanding investment risk(4:54) What custodians do and don't do(6:01) Why advisors avoid alternatives(9:09) How wealthy investors allocate capital(13:55) What you pay a self-directed custodian for(18:16) The “bring your own deal” reality(25:05) Identifying an operator's real edge(33:07) Debt as the biggest risk factor(48:28) Learning when to say no(51:57) OutroConnect with Mat Sorensen:Website: https://directedira.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MatSorensen/videos Learn more about: Alternative Asset Investor Summit - https://altassetsummit.com/ Episodes Mentioned:1. #124 - $44 Trillion and the Future of Retirement Investing with Mat Sorensen2. #110 - The IRA Club Advantage: The Self-Directed IRA Strategy for Pilots with Ramez Fakhoury 3. #36 - Decoding the Untapped Potential and Complex World of Self-Directed IRAs with Derreck Long 4. #9 - Demystifying IRAs: Transfers Vs. Rollovers with Carrie Cook —If you're interested in participating, the latest institutional-quality self-storage portfolio is available for investment now at: https://turbinecap.investnext.com/portal/offerings/8449/houston-storage/ — You've found the number one resource for financial education for aviators! Please consider leaving a rating and sharing this podcast with your colleagues in the aviation community, as it can serve as a valuable resource for all those involved in the industry.Remember to subscribe for more insights at PassiveIncomePilots.com! https://passiveincomepilots.com/ Join our growing community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passivepilotsCheck us out on Instagram @PassiveIncomePilots: https://www.instagram.com/passiveincomepilots/Follow us on X @IncomePilots: https://twitter.com/IncomePilotsGet our updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passive-income-pilots/Do you have questions or want to discuss this episode? Contact us at ask@passiveincomepilots.com *Legal Disclaimer*The content of this podcast is provided solely for educational and informational purposes. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts, Tait Duryea and Ryan Gibson, and do not reflect those of any organization they are associated with, including Turbine Capital or Spartan Investment Group. The opinions of our guests are their own and should not be construed as financial advice. This podcast does not offer tax, legal, or investment advice. Listeners are advised to consult with their own legal or financial counsel and to conduct their own due diligence before making any financial decisions.

226: Part 2: Rob D'Amico – FBI undercover ops and HRT missions with elite military operators

Game of Crimes

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2025 60:18

Murph continues his discussion with Rob D'Amico, a 26-year FBI special agent, former Marine, and one of the most battle-tested patriots to ever wear a badge. This episode delivers a gripping, unfiltered look into the world of undercover mafia operations, elite counterterror missions, and the real-life heroism that drives America's frontline defenders.

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How Evan Spiegel Is Building the Future of Computing