Podcasts about proactive

In 2014, Collin Henderson was young, in shape, and had blood pressure in the 150s. Anxiety. Depression. Completely stuck. And no idea why. What broke it open wasn't a book or a seminar. Someone handed him a framework for his mind, the same way athletes get a framework for their body.  Proactive. Repeatable. Trained. That framework became the foundation of everything he teaches today. Collin Henderson is the founder of Master Your Mindset, a mental conditioning coach to Nike, Microsoft, Amazon, and Salesforce, and one of the most practical mindset teachers George has ever had on the show. This conversation is a masterclass in what it actually looks like to train your mind, not just hope it cooperates. What You'll Learn In This Episode: Why mindset is conditioning, not motivation and the difference between the training room and the weight room The 6,000 vs. 70,000 thought problem and why the untrained mind always loses The "What x3" coaching framework to get unstuck fast Why identity is the bullseye and how your words are either coding you to win or fail Collin's 4-minute HA Method daily mental workout The bison vs. cattle framework for navigating hard seasons with people by your side The Oz Method for influence, sales, and human connection What "victory goes to the vulnerable" actually looks like in practice Key Takeaways: ✔️If the mind is untrained, the thought will win. If the mind is trained, the thinker will win. ✔️80% of human thoughts are negative. 95% are recurring. You're not stuck because of circumstances, you're stuck because of cycles. ✔️You never outperform your self-image. Identity is the bullseye. Words are your wand. ✔️Prehab, not rehab. The mind gym is proactive work, not something you do after you're broken. ✔️Gratitude lowers cortisol by nearly 30%. It's not soft. It's science. ✔️The 4-minute HA Method: breathe (1 min), I Have, gratitude, I Am, self-talk, I See, visualization. Borrow the future to build the present. ✔️Fear loves isolation. Nobody should worry or win alone. Do you have bison people? ✔️Asking for help is not weakness. Hiding and trying to do it yourself is. ✔️Victory goes to the vulnerable, because the coward and the warrior both feel fear. The difference is what they do with it. Timestamps & Highlights: [00:03] — 2014: high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and the framework that broke it open [01:27] — Welcome: George's Yoda for mindset has entered the building [04:20] — Why knowing mindset matters and doing something about it are two completely different things [07:00] — The training room vs. weight room: what mental conditioning actually is [09:16] — 6,000 conscious vs. 70,000 subconscious thoughts — and why the untrained mind loses [13:07] — The "What x3" framework to get clarity when you're stuck [15:55] — Identity is the bullseye: how your words are literally coding your brain to fail or win [18:21] — Living by design vs. default — and your right to be average [28:00] — Designing places for your brain to go before pressure arrives [32:38] — It begins before it begins: the high-performance pre-game [35:01] — Victory goes to the vulnerable — and what the coward and warrior have in common [38:42] — The 4-minute HA Method: breathe, I have, I am, I see [44:00] — Gratitude: the research, the results, and why it's not optional [47:00] — Michael Phelps, decisive self-talk, and the number one driver of confident action [56:23] — The Oz Method book: connect with curiosity, clarify with story, collaborate on solutions [1:03:48] — The three Oz characters and the Scott story: from PIP to president's club in 11 months Connect with Collin Henderson He is the founder of Master Your Mindset, LLC, a two-sport Division I athlete, former top-ranked medical sales professional, and mental conditioning coach whose clients include Nike, Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon, Novartis, #1 NBA draft picks, and Heisman finalists.  He's authored seven books and hosts the Master Your Mindset podcast. His new book, The Oz Method, releases June 20th. Website: thecollinhenderson.com   Instagram: instagram.com/collinhenderson   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@collinhenderson6749 Quiet Mind Course: thecollinhenderson.com/quietmindcourse   The Oz Method: Available for pre-order on Amazon Your Challenge This Week: Pick one thing from this episode. One. Give it 90 days. Then connect with Collin, follow him on Instagram, try the Quiet Mind Course, or grab The Oz Method on Amazon. Follow George: @itsgeorgebryant Work with George:The Alliance — Community for entrepreneurs training their minds alongside their business.  1:1 Coaching — Limited spots. Apply at mindofgeorge.com/coaching-consulting/   Live Retreats — In-person experiences where mindset and strategy meet. Follow for dates.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:In this episode, Patrick Adams is joined by Brett Lesiewicz, Judd VanBergen, and Phil Ranck for a preview of their sessions at the 2026 Lean Solutions Summit. Together, they explore how stronger relationships, proactive planning, and better communication help organizations succeed in uncertain environments.The conversation highlights how Lean tools like the Last Planner System, takt planning, and visual management are transforming the construction industry by creating alignment, improving collaboration, and reducing uncertainty before work even begins. Phil also introduces the Seven Thinking Gears, a structured communication framework designed to make meetings more productive, uncover innovative ideas, and empower every team member to contribute to continuous improvement.Whether you're in construction, manufacturing, healthcare, or another industry, this episode offers practical insights into building stronger teams, improving communication, and creating more predictable results through Lean thinking.Key Takeaways:1. Strong relationships create certainty in uncertain environments2. Proactive planning prevents costly rework3. Better communication unlocks innovation4. Lean principles apply far beyond manufacturingLinks: https://www.findleansolutions.com/https://www.findleansolutions.com/lean-summit/

Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC (AIM:CMCL, NYSE-A:CMCL, VFEX:CMCL) CEO Mark Learmonth joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion with an encouraging production update from the Blanket Mine in Zimbabwe. Gold output rose to 17,360 ounces in Q2, up 18% from 14,767 ounces in Q1, as the company made progress in restoring access to higher-grade mining areas. Grades have been improving steadily since January, averaging 2.88 grams per tonne in Q2 and tracking at around 3.05g/t so far in July — a level Learmonth expects to hold for the rest of the year. Full-year guidance of 72,000 to 76,500 ounces remains firmly in place, with production expected to be weighted towards the second half. Three factors underpin that confidence: improving access to higher-grade ore, the completion of an elution plant upgrade from September, enabling the processing of stockpiled fine-grain loaded carbon, and additional ore processing capacity following the introduction of a seven-day working week from June. Learmonth said the measures taken to restore access to higher-grade ore are "gaining traction" and that the company remains confident in hitting its full-year target. The cautionary note concerning forward-looking information in the announcement applies to the content of this video. Please see the report here: https://polaris.brighterir.com/public/caledonia_mining/news/rns_tool/story/w1z0o3x For more interviews and market insights, visit the Proactive YouTube channel. Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications so you never miss future updates. #CaledoniaMining #GoldMining #Gold #Mining #Zimbabwe #BlanketMine #MarkLearmonth #GoldProduction #PreciousMetals #MiningStocks #SmallCapStocks #Investing #ResourceStocks #ProactiveInvestors

ReconAfrica CEO Brian Reinsborough joined Steve Darling from Proactive to discuss preliminary production testing results from the Kavango West 1X discovery well, where the company has successfully produced hydrocarbons to surface during testing of the Elandshoek formation. Production testing began on June 8, 2026, with the company completing tests on the three lowest zones in the Elandshoek formation. The uppermost of those zones flowed natural gas to surface during three separate flow tests, with gas samples collected for laboratory analysis while the remaining hydrocarbons were safely flared. Results from U.S. laboratory testing are expected in the coming weeks. The well's 1,657-metre Otavi section, including both the Huttenberg and Elandshoek formations, has been cased and cemented, allowing ReconAfrica to individually evaluate six optimized reservoir zones identified through well log analysis. Management noted that while the production casing is necessary for testing, it may limit access to naturally fractured reservoir rock. Testing equipment is now being moved to the three shallower Huttenberg zones, which will evaluate 182 metres of reservoir, including 76 net metres of hydrocarbon pay identified from well logs. The company expects each zone to require up to 10 days of testing, with the next operational update anticipated in late August. Reinsborough said the results mark a significant milestone, as the production test represents the first hydrocarbons ever produced to surface onshore Namibia. The company added that confirming naturally fractured carbonate reservoirs in the Elandshoek formation can support production further strengthens the potential of the Kavango Basin. #proactiveinvestors #reconnaissanceenergyafricaltd #tsxv #reco #otcqx #recaf #NamibiaOil #EnergyExploration #OilAndGas #OilAndGas #Namibia #Hydrocarbons #NaturalGas #Energy #Exploration #Hydrocarbons #KavangoBasin #EnergyNews #MiningNews

I'm diving deep into the debate on whether you should cycle your hormones, separating the facts from the dangerous myths often seen on social media. I make a strong medical case against postmenopausal hormone cycling, sharing how it forces women to take high doses of synthetic progesterone just to trigger an artificial bleed. If you want to work directly with me and my team for personalized, proactive midlife healthcare, head over to jointhecollaborative.com to join my private telemedicine practice.

Most people undergoing cancer treatments know to watch out for fatigue or hair loss, but far fewer expect the severe impact of oral mucositis. While it often begins as a painful side effect of chemotherapy or radiation, severe cases can rapidly cross the line into a critical oncology emergency.Learn why Stage 4 mucositis becomes a medical emergency and about life-threatening complications like sepsis, severe dehydration, and treatment interruptions. Then, we share a rebroadcast of our comprehensive guide with daily steps patients can take to protect their mouths, manage symptoms early, and preserve their quality of life.https://bit.ly/3Tqfl18 for helpful visuals, resources, and a mouth rinse recipeTimestamps:00:00 - Mucositis - What it is and Why it Can Become a Cancer Emergency07:34 - Intro S6E22 Mucositis with Cancer Treatment and How You can Prevent It09:18 - The Sharks of Rockaway Beach13:50 - Road Trip to Nebraska - Famous Murder Spree and Reuben Sandwich17:59 - Oral Mucositis - Common Symptom of Cancer Treatment21:24 - Why it is Important to be Proactive to Prevent Mucositis29:05 - Mucositis Discussion34:18 - Nutrition Tips for dehydration, taste changes and decreased appetite or pain while eating36:18 - Holly Butcher: Advice to World 24 Hours before She Died of Cancer38:16 - Outro with words from Killian Murphy#OncologyEmergency #OralMucositis #CancerCaregiver #ChemotherapySideEffects #CancerSupport #PatientEducation #SupportiveOncology #SepsisAwareness #MouthSoresSupport the show

Medicus Pharma CEO Dr Raza Bokhari joined Steve Darling from Proactive Medicus Pharma CEO Dr. Raza Bokhari joined Steve Darling from Proactive to discuss the company's receipt of written FDA feedback and central Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, with modifications, for its optimized Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating Teverelix® in men following a first episode of acute urinary retention (AUR). Bokhari said the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study, designated ANT-2111-02, will enroll approximately 126 patients to evaluate the effects of Teverelix DP, a long-acting GnRH antagonist, on prostate volume and urinary function after an initial episode of AUR. The FDA provided seven recommendations related to protocol implementation, safety monitoring, and study documentation, including updates to contraception reporting, injection-site blinding, alpha-blocker therapy tracking, race data collection, and clarification of a secondary endpoint. Importantly, Bokhari said the company believes the FDA's comments are operational in nature and can be addressed through protocol amendments without changing the study's scientific rationale, patient population, treatment arms, primary endpoint, or planned interim analysis. Medicus is now working with its regulatory, clinical, and contract research partners to incorporate both the FDA and IRB recommendations, finalize participating clinical sites, and complete the remaining start-up activities ahead of patient enrollment. Management believes the regulatory feedback represents another important milestone in advancing Teverelix as a potential treatment for men experiencing acute urinary retention associated with enlarged prostate disease. #proactiveinvestors #nasdaq #mdcx #tsxv #mdcx #pharma #Teverelix #ClinicalTrials #FDA #Biotech #Phase2 #Urology #DrugDevelopment #HealthcareInnovation #PharmaNews

Orthocell Ltd CEO and managing director Paul Anderson talked with Proactive about the company's record quarterly and full-year revenue, accelerating adoption of its Remplir™ nerve repair device and the outlook for further commercial growth in Australia, the United States and other international markets. Orthocell reported revenue of A$3.8 million for the June quarter, representing a 20% increase from the March quarter and a 36% rise compared with the corresponding period last year. FY2026 revenue increased by 44% to a record A$13.2 million, supported by growing sales of Remplir and Striate+™ across domestic and international markets. Anderson said product revenue was being generated across Australia and a growing number of international markets, including Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada and the United States. He added that the company had yet to see the full contribution from its US commercial rollout, describing the result as “great numbers with a whole heap of upside”. The interview also covered Orthocell's expanding US team, growing hospital access, increasing surgeon adoption and stronger distributor interest. With A$44 million in cash, Orthocell plans to continue investing in commercial expansion, manufacturing capability and its pathway towards cash flow break-even. Anderson said investors could expect a material increase in revenue as more surgeons, hospitals and distributors adopt the company's products. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more interviews and market updates. Give the video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content.

Defiance Investments chief strategy officer Brendan Cavanaugh joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to discuss the physical infrastructure behind AI's continued expansion and why investors may be missing the bigger opportunity. Cavanaugh argued that while most investors focus on AI software and models, the current buildout represents one of the largest physical infrastructure expansions in decades — driving demand for data centres, chip fabrication facilities, grid modernisation and power generation. Electricity, he said, is now the critical constraint. "It's not compute. It's not chips. It is really the sheer demand for power that's creating this entire bottleneck in the AI space." He highlighted the emerging "bring your own energy" model, where data-centre developers build dedicated power plants or mini-grids rather than relying on local utilities, creating potential roles for nuclear, clean energy, fuel cells, industrial batteries and small modular reactors. Cavanaugh outlined the Defiance AI & Power Infrastructure UCITS ETF (AIPO)'s picks-and-shovels investment approach focused on companies supplying infrastructure to the broader AI industry, which could benefit from data-centre construction and upgrades regardless of which technology company ultimately wins the AI race. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more interviews and market insights. Please give the video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content. Read Proactive's Editorial Policy here: https://www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk/pages/editorialPolicy #AIInfrastructure #ArtificialIntelligence #DataCenters #AIEnergy #EnergyInfrastructure #PowerDemand #PowerGrid #GridModernization #NuclearEnergy #FuelCells #IndustrialBatteries #InvestmentThemes #DefianceInvestments #InvestorInsights #Proactive

In this final episode of our four-part adolescent literacy miniseries, Susan Lamber, Ed.D., is joined by Kymyona Burk, Ed.D., a senior policy fellow for literacy at ExcelinEd and former Mississippi state literacy director and secondary English teacher. Together, Susan and Kymyona connect what we know from early literacy to the urgent needs of middle school reading, including the policies, professional development, and practices it will take to reach the adolescent readers who need us most. They also explore what comprehensive adolescent literacy policy must include, what other states' legislative momentum for secondary literacy can teach us, and why literacy belongs in every content-area classroom.Show notes:Check out our Science of Reading resources for grades 6–8.Read the Educator Preparation Program Literacy Policy Playbook.Learn more about the Advancing Adolescent Literacy Model Policy.Listen to Kymyona Burk's episode from Season 5.Learn more about Kymyona Burk.Connect with Kymyona Burk on LinkedIn.Get ready for Season 3 of the Amplify podcast Beyond My Years.Join our community Facebook group.Connect with Susan Lambert. Quotes:There's a literacy crisis in middle and high school, too." —Kymyona Burk"We've been ver proactive with early literacy, but more reactive, I believe, in adolescent literacy." —Kymyona Burk"Think more about what the students need in response to data instead of pacing." —Kymyona BurkTimestamps*:0:00 Introduction: Adolescent literacy policy, with Kymyona Burk, Ed.D. 5:00 "I knew how to teach English, but I did not know how to teach reading."7:00 Comparing and contrasting early literacy and adolescent literacy policy12:00 What good adolescent literacy policy looks like15:00 The case for universal screeners in middle school18:00 The Virginia Literacy Act and other states building momentum24:00 Professional development for middle and high school educators28:00 Advice for secondary educators33:00 "Think more about what students need in response to data instead of pacing"35:00 Educator preparation programs: the next frontier39:00 Closing thoughts*Timestamps are approximate

Matthew Pearson is the Founder and CEO of Excel Empire, a strategic tax-planning firm that helps business owners and real estate investors reduce tax exposure, strengthen profitability, and plan for growth or exit. An award-winning business coach and serial entrepreneur, Matt has spent more than two decades building, scaling, and advising companies, including a firm that surpassed $100 million in annual revenue. He specializes in proactive, ethical tax strategies, entity structuring, business transitions, and coordinated financial planning that helps owners keep more of what they earn. In this episode… Many business owners approach taxes as a once-a-year filing task instead of an ongoing part of their financial strategy. That mindset can limit cash flow, delay important decisions, and leave valuable opportunities unexplored. How can owners move from simply reporting the past to actively shaping what comes next? The shift begins with proactive tax planning, and Matthew Pearson, a business growth and tax strategy expert, explains how owners can reduce tax exposure while supporting their broader business goals. Among his recommendations are reviewing entity structure, seeking a second opinion, and balancing potential savings with financing, expansion, and exit plans. Matt emphasizes that tax decisions should reflect the owner's complete financial picture rather than exist in isolation. With the right coordination and foresight, planning becomes a tool for stronger growth, better transitions, and fewer costly surprises. In this episode of Owner's Profit Playbook, Pat Mancuso talks with Matthew Pearson, Founder and CEO of Excel Empire, about why proactive tax planning matters. Matt examines common tax mistakes, entity structure, and the value of a second opinion. He also touches on bookkeeping, fractional CFO support, succession, valuations, and tax-smart business exits.

Murder has been on the decline in New Orleans, but we've seen a recent uptick over the last couple weeks. Is it just a blip? And is there more violence in the summertime? We talk with former NOPD chief Ronal Serpas.

Nine Mile Metals CEO Patrick Cruickshank joined Steve Darling from Proactive to discuss encouraging results from drill hole DDH WD-26-03 at the company's Wedge Mine project, where drilling continues to expand copper-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) mineralization. Cruickshank said the hole successfully intersected pyrite and chalcopyrite mineralization between 212.95 and 338.20 metres, extending mineralization identified in the previous WD-26-02 drill hole. The hole encountered multiple favourable geological units, including chlorite-altered sediments associated with sulphide mineralization—an important indicator of VMS footwall alteration. A significant felsic volcanic sequence also hosted widespread pyrite and chalcopyrite mineralization, along with traces of arsenopyrite, a recognized pathfinder element for gold. One of the key highlights was the intersection of 2.4 metres of massive sulphides between 309.60 and 312.00 metres, containing coarse visible chalcopyrite. Visual estimates indicate the interval contains approximately 40–50% pyrite and 4–7% chalcopyrite, with sulphide mineralization continuing to 338.20 metres. Cruickshank said each drill hole is being strategically fanned across the northern flank of the deposit under the guidance of Apex Geoscience, with every metre of core contributing to the company's evolving 3D geological model and NI 43-101 resource work. With the majority of its planned 10,000-metre drilling program still to come, the company is now awaiting analytical results from ALS Global while continuing exploration to further define and expand the Wedge Mine mineralized system. Management believes the latest drilling continues to demonstrate the scale and strength of the copper-dominant VMS system and supports the project's resource growth potential. #proactiveinvestors #ninemilemetlas #cse #nine #otc #vmxsxf #mining #wedgemine #CopperExploration #WedgeMine #VMS #MiningNews #CopperMining #NewBrunswickMining #CriticalMinerals #ExplorationDrilling #ResourceDiscovery

Blockmate Ventures Inc (TSX-V:MATE, OTCQB:MATEF, FRA:8MH) chairman Domenic Carosa joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to discuss the company's C$1 million capital raise and plans for its Wyoming AI Data Center project. Carosa said the funds will advance the proposed facility towards "shovel-ready" status over the next six to twelve months, with directors participating in 29% of the raise — a sign, he said, of the group's conviction in the project. The site covers approximately 100 acres, with zoning work underway with the local city as a key near-term milestone. The company is in discussions with potential partners, including hyperscalers and neoclouds, who could take over the facility post-construction. "Our objective over the next 6 to 12 months is to get at what is called shovel-ready," Carosa said. Following a Vancouver roadshow and with Toronto meetings ahead, Carosa acknowledged the company needs to communicate its story more actively in 2026 after a quieter 2025. The speed of the raise, he said, reflects growing investor interest — with the focus now firmly on execution. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more videos. Please give this video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content. #BlockmateVentures #WyomingAIDataCenter #AIDataCenter #AIInfrastructure #DataCenterDevelopment #Hyperscalers #Neoclouds #CapitalRaise #InstitutionalInvestors #InvestorRelations #Wyoming #Proactive

Galliford Try (LSE:GFRD) CFO Kris Hampson joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to discuss the company's full-year 2026 trading update, with adjusted profit before tax expected to reach the top end of market expectations at £53 million on revenue growth of approximately 3%. Hampson attributed the performance to disciplined project selection, strong execution, improved commercial terms and a growing contribution from higher-margin specialist businesses. "Our adjusted profit before tax will be at the top end of market expectations, or £53 million, well ahead of the revenue growth, which is exactly the story that we want to be telling," he said. Average monthly cash rose 21% during the year, with the company carrying no drawn bank debt or pension liabilities. Capital allocation included nearly £20 million in dividends, a £10 million share buyback and the acquisition of Nene Valley Fire, which is trading ahead of pre-acquisition expectations. Looking ahead, the order book has grown approximately 5% to £4.3 billion, with around 90% of its higher 2027 revenue target already secured. Key growth areas include AMP8 water investment, energy, defence, custodial construction and affordable housing. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more interviews and market updates. Please give the video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content. #GallifordTry #GFRD #KrisHampson #UKConstruction #ConstructionIndustry #InfrastructureInvestment #UKInfrastructure #TradingUpdate #FinancialResults #InvestorNews #StockMarketNews #AMP8 #AffordableHousing #CapitalAllocation #ProactiveInvestors

Talga Group Ltd (ASX:TLG, OTCQX:TLGRF, FRA:TGX) managing director Mark Thompson joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion to discuss the company's first commercial shipments of Talnode-C and what the milestone means for Western battery supply chains. Thompson explained that graphite-based anode material is the largest component of lithium-ion batteries, yet commercial production outside Asia remains extremely limited. Talga's vertically integrated operation combines its Swedish graphite mine with downstream purification, shaping and coating — producing foreign entity of concern-free material and offering customers a genuine alternative to Chinese supply. "This is very significant because not only is Talga listed on the stock exchanges here, but we also use all of our own production technology," he said. Growing demand from robotics, AI data centres, drones, energy storage and defence applications is driving interest in high-performance batteries requiring faster charging and rapid discharge capabilities — markets where Talga sees strong commercial potential. Looking ahead, the company is targeting additional customers, offtake agreements, financing partners and strategic investors to support the larger Vittangi anode project, with further commercial agreements and potential opportunities in the US, Europe and Japan on the horizon. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more interviews and market updates. Please like this video, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content. #TalgaGroup #TalnodeC #Vittangi #BatteryMaterials #GraphiteAnode #LithiumIonBatteries #CriticalMinerals #EnergyStorage #FastCharging #AIDataCentres #Robotics #EVBatteries #InvestorNews

Coinsilium Group (AQSE:COIN) CEO Eddy Travia joined Proactive's Stephen Gunnion alongside Predictive Labs CEO Johann Evrard to discuss the company's increased investment in Predictive Labs and the launch of Nijinn, a discovery terminal for prediction markets. Evrard explained that Nijinn is a data aggregation product rather than a trading platform — it doesn't handle money or execute trades. Instead, it sits above multiple prediction-market venues, pulling together pricing, fees and resolution rules into a single interface. "We turn all that noise into a clear signal," he said. The whitelist opens next month, followed by a free tier in September and a paid Pro tier in October, targeting arbitrage, market making and hedging professionals, with around five or six venues at launch. Travia said Predictive Labs fits within Coinsilium's broader strategy across blockchain, agentic AI and digital market infrastructure, with the company's role extending beyond capital to include strategy, partnerships and commercial growth. He also highlighted the company's Bitcoin treasury as a source of resilience and flexibility to support further venture-building opportunities. Visit Proactive's YouTube channel for more videos. Please give the video a like, subscribe to the channel and enable notifications for future content. #Coinsilium #PredictiveLabs #Nijinn #PredictionMarkets #MarketData #Fintech #Blockchain #DigitalAssets #ArtificialIntelligence #AgenticAI #BitcoinTreasury #VentureBuilding #FinancialMarkets #PriceDiscovery #InvestorNews

What if the part you approved in five minutes ends up costing your company ten million dollars down the line? What you'll learn… (00:12) Why the Bill of Materials is quietly one of the biggest risk factors in electronics engineering (02:23) Eric Rimkeit's path from semiconductor procurement to HP commodity management to SupplyFrame (03:15) Ryan Chan's 20 years in supply chain strategy — and how SupplyFrame joined Siemens (04:24) A day in the life of an engineer buried under vintage charts, build checkpoints, and redesign requests (09:06) The real cost curve of a bad part: $1,000 to swap it on paper vs. $10 million once it's in the field (16:24) Why engineering and procurement don't talk — and who ends up "picking up the tab" (20:29) The unauthorized-parts-swap story from an overseas contract manufacturer (22:46) The lead-fishing-weight-and-ivy stunt Eric used to shake a team out of denial (29:43) Real results: 14,000 engineering hours saved a month, and $14 million recovered on tail-end parts (38:20) The three AI shifts reshaping BOM analysis: AI fabric, AI as a design partner, and agentic automation (43:40) The crawl-walk-run approach to actually getting a resiliency program off the ground More about the episode… In this episode of the Printed Circuit Podcast, host Steph Chavez sits down with Eric Rimkeit, Director of Marketing at SupplyFrame, and Ryan Chan, Vice President of Solutions Consulting at SupplyFrame — a Siemens company focused on Bill of Materials risk. Eric spent his career in procurement, from a semiconductor fab through commodity management at HP; Ryan spent two decades guiding companies through supply chain strategy before joining SupplyFrame. The conversation traces what happens when a design gets released without accounting for what's coming downstream: part proliferation, geopolitical disruption, tariffs, and shifting compliance standards that can turn a thousand-dollar swap into a ten-million-dollar redesign. Eric and Ryan unpack why engineering and procurement talk past each other, and share real stories — from an unauthorized parts swap caught on a factory floor to a homemade stunt involving a lead fishing weight and fake ivy — that show what's at stake when teams don't share visibility into risk. They close on where AI is headed next: not replacing engineers, but becoming a design partner that folds supply chain context directly into part selection. Connect with Steph Chavez: LinkedIn Website Connect with Eric Rimkeit: LinkedIn Supplyframe Website Connect with Ryan Chan: LinkedIn

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework Premium fees don't come from better drawings. They come from a business that can win work on purpose. In this episode, Rion Willard continues the premium-fee framework by tackling the part most firms avoid: proactive prospecting and a real pipeline. You'll hear why "doing good work" is only the entry ticket, how to break the feast-or-famine cycle, and what it looks like to treat business development like a non-negotiable system. Rion also shares a practical way to look at pipeline value so you can spot false comfort in your forecast—without drowning in tools or busywork. On today's episode, you'll discover: The uncomfortable reason your pipeline can look strong… and still be a lie The mindset shift that makes outreach feel like service, not desperation The quiet weekly habit premium firms protect (and most small firms don't)

Love Your Career Podcast? Let us know!Most people don't expect a career crisis. Redundancy, restructuring, a change in leadership or the sudden realisation that your contribution is being overlooked can happen with very little warning. And when it does, important career decisions often need to be made at the worst possible time.In episode 283 of Your Career Podcast, I explain why proactive career planning matters and how giving regular attention to your career can help you avoid making rushed decisions under pressure.I share a personal story from my years in Singapore, when I arrived at the airport with my two-year-old daughter and discovered that my Australian passport had expired. What followed was a stressful race against time and a difficult arrival in Australia using my British passport without the correct visa.It was a powerful lesson in what happens when something important, but not urgent, is left unattended for too long.The Urgent Important MatrixI introduce the Urgent Important Matrix, a practical framework made famous by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and associated with former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.The matrix helps you separate tasks into four areas:urgent and importantimportant but not urgenturgent but not importantneither urgent nor importantCareer planning usually sits in the important but not urgent category.That is precisely why it is so easy to postpone.Your career does not send you a reminder when your industry is changing, your role is becoming vulnerable or your professional network is growing cold. By the time career planning feels urgent, you may already be facing redundancy, burnout or an unexpected career transition.What proactive career planning includesI discuss the career work that is best completed before you urgently need it:understanding and articulating your professional valuegaining clarity about the direction you want your career to takekeeping your resume, LinkedIn profile and other career assets currentmaintaining relationships and nurturing your professional networkreflecting on your achievements, skills and changing prioritiespreparing for career change before circumstances force the decisionProfessionals who manage redundancy or career change well are not necessarily luckier than everyone else. Often, they have already invested time in understanding who they are, what they offer and what they want next.This preparation gives them greater confidence, perspective and choice.A restructure may still be unsettling, but it is less likely to feel like a personal verdict when you already understand the value you bring.Take control before your career becomes urgentYou do not need to wait for a crisis to pay attention to your career.By setting aside time for the important but non-urgent work now, you can make better decisions later, strengthen your professional confidence and respond more effectively when change arrives.What have you done to proactively manage your career before redundancy looms?- - - - - - - -Welcome to Your Career Podcast with Jane Jackson where I help mid career professionals overcome self doubt and gain career clarity and the confidence to create the life and career they desire. Book a Zoom chat with me at janejacksoncoach.com - I'd love to meet you and discover what's happening in your career! Support the show- - - - - -To discover how to make a successful career change and land the job you'll LOVE, take the CAREER SUCCESS QUIZ and within 2 minutes you'll have your results, analysis and recommendations for career success.  https://careersuccess.scoreapp.com/   

Independent practice performance is under pressure. Refractions are down. Revenue is down. Exam-only behavior is climbing. And for many practices, the first half of 2026 has been much tougher than expected. In this week's episode of Power Hour, Eugene Shatsman sits down with Dr. Jason Lake, General Manager of PERC & Opti-Port, to examine real-time independent practice performance data and discuss what owners can do now to protect revenue, improve capture, and prepare for demand to return.

If your B2B sales process relies on one enthusiastic contact inside an organisation to champion your work, you are one resignation away from losing everything you have built. In this episode of the Selling to Corporate® podcast, Jess Lorimer makes the case that single champion selling is not just risky and is a strategy that actively limits the size of deal you can close and the speed at which you can close it. Jess explains the concept of multiple internal champions: who they are, why they matter, and how building relationships with three to five key people inside each target organisation transforms your lead generation, protects your pipeline, and unlocks bigger, more premium deals. This episode is essential listening for any coach, consultant, trainer, speaker, or done-for-you service provider who is serious about building sustainable B2B revenue in the second half of 2026. Who This Episode Is For Coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers, and done-for-you service providers selling to corporate clients Anyone whose B2B sales process depends on a single point of contact inside each organisation Those who have experienced a deal stalling or collapsing because a key contact left, went quiet, or was unable to get internal sign-off Anyone looking to close larger deals, including retainers, licensed content, premium speaking fees, with corporate clients Service providers who want to understand why corporate decision making takes longer than expected, and how to fix it Questions This Episode Answers What is single champion selling and why is it holding back my B2B sales? What is a multiple internal champions strategy and how does it work? Why do corporate deals take so long to sign, and how do I speed up the process? What happens to my sales pipeline when my main contact leaves an organisation? How do I identify and build relationships with multiple decision makers inside the same company? Why are bigger deals harder to close with just one contact, and what should I do differently? How do proactive and passive lead generation work together to support multi-champion selling? Key Takeaways from STC179 1. Single Champion Selling Is a High-Risk Strategy Relying on one internal contact to champion your work inside an organisation is one of the most common and costly mistakes coaches and consultants make when selling to companies. Jess is direct: if that person leaves, takes sick leave, is ghosted by their colleagues, or simply lacks the internal influence to push a decision through, your entire sales process resets to zero. This is not a rare scenario. Decision makers change jobs regularly, take on new roles, or move on to organisations that feel like a better fit. The risk is not theoretical, it is a pattern Jess sees consistently in the businesses of the coaches and consultants she works with. The solution is not to find a better champion. It is to build multiple ones. 2. What a Multiple Internal Champions Strategy Actually Means Multiple internal champions is a term Jess has used since early episodes of the Selling to Corporate® podcast. It refers to the practice of building relationships with three to five people inside each target organisation, not just the primary decision maker. Importantly, not every internal champion needs to control a budget or hold formal authority over the purchasing decision. What they need is relevance: they should be people who would feel the commercial impact of your work, who sit adjacent to the decision making process, or who could provide useful context, internal support, or continuity if something goes wrong. Examples of how internal champions add value: If your main contact is unavailable, another champion can receive a follow-up or help chase a proposal If your main contact leaves, a champion can help you identify who has taken on their responsibilities For larger deals, champions can help build internal consensus before the final decision is made Different champions often have visibility over different budget pots, enabling shared budget conversations that support more premium pricing 3. The Bigger the Deal, the More Decision Makers Are Involved For deals under approximately £15,000, a single decision maker with their own allocated budget and a clear commercial case may be sufficient to sign off. Above that threshold, organisations almost always involve additional stakeholders before committing. Jess frames this plainly: if a company is spending £40,000 or $100,000 on an external supplier, it would be unusual for one person to carry that decision alone. In the same way that a business owner would consult a partner, a financial advisor, or a trusted peer before making a large investment, corporate decision makers sense-check significant spend with colleagues. If those colleagues do not know you, they will go and research alternatives. And if you are not visible when they do, you lose ground even when your proposal is strong. This connects directly to the importance of passive lead generation: if secondary decision makers search for your specialism on Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude and you do not appear, your primary champion is left doing a much harder internal sales job on your behalf. 4. Lead Generation Is the First Point of Quality Control in Your Sales Process A core principle Jess returns to in this episode is that lead generation is not just about volume, it is about qualifying correctly from the very first touchpoint. A qualified lead in the corporate space meets two specific criteria: The person is responsible for your area of specialism within the organisation The person has authority over the budget to pay you Anyone who does not meet both criteria is not a qualified lead. They may be useful to your sales process in other ways, but time spent in extended conversations with unqualified contacts is time not spent building relationships with the people who can actually say yes. Jess is clear that this distinction is not about being dismissive of relationships, it is about protecting the efficiency and effectiveness of a sales process that has to produce consistent results. Lead generation done well sets the quality of everything that follows: business development, proposals, and delivery. Weak or unqualified lead generation makes every subsequent stage harder. 5. Why Deals Appear to 'Take Ages' in the Corporate Space: and the Real Reason One of the most common complaints Jess hears from coaches and consultants new to B2B sales is that corporate deals take too long. Jess challenges this directly: in most cases, slow decision making is not a feature of corporate sales. It is a symptom of talking to the wrong people. When a service provider is speaking to someone too junior to understand the commercial relevance of what they offer, or to someone who lacks the internal influence to advance the decision, the process stalls. It is not the organisation being slow. It is the wrong entry point. The solution is not to wait longer or follow up more aggressively. It is to qualify more rigorously at the lead generation stage and to build relationships with multiple internal champions who can help navigate the real decision making process inside the organisation. 6. Both Proactive and Passive Lead Generation Are Now Essential Jess closes the episode with a clear directive for the second half of 2026: coaches and consultants need both proactive and passive lead generation working simultaneously. Neither alone is sufficient. Proactive lead generation, including cold email outreach, LinkedIn outreach, and other active methods, puts you directly in front of decision makers in a controlled, measurable way. Passive lead generation, such as being featured in curated directories and building AI search visibility, ensures that when secondary decision makers go looking for you independently, they can find you. The risk of relying solely on proactive outreach and a single champion is that when that champion tries to build internal support for your proposal, the other stakeholders who search for you find nothing. At that moment, your champion is carrying the entire weight of selling you in, with no external evidence to support their case. The Selling to Corporate® Five Step Framework The Selling to Corporate® Five Step Framework is the structured sales process Jess teaches to coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers, and done-for-you service providers: Step 1: Clarity: Deciding who you are selling to and what transformation you are selling them Step 2: Lead Generation: The process of identifying, targeting, and approaching qualified decision makers to generate sales calls Step 3: Business Development: Building, maintaining, and leveraging relationships so they convert to revenue Step 4: Offers and Proposals: Creating solutions that meet the client's need and articulating them in a way that closes the contract Step 5: Delivery and Resell: Delivering a great client experience and maximising revenue through upsell and resell In this episode, Jess focuses on the intersection of lead generation and business development, specifically how building multiple internal champions at the lead generation stage makes every subsequent step faster, stronger, and more resilient. Key Quotes  "If you don't have multiple internal champions at an organisation, you're going to find that sales processes stall, go back to zero, and are much more difficult to be picked up." "The bigger the deal, the more decision makers who are involved. If a company is spending £40,000 or $100,000 on something, do you honestly think they're going to have one person who just says, yeah, cool, I'll make that decision?" "Lead generation is the first point of quality control in your sales process. A qualified lead is a decision maker who is responsible for your area of specialism and has authority over the budget to pay you. Anyone else is not a decision maker."   Key Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Expert Services Directory: Get listed and improve your AI search visibility with corporate buyers. Apply at expertservicesdirectory.com Amplify with AI workshop: A paid, interactive virtual masterclass on Friday 17th July showing coaches, consultants, speakers, and trainers exactly how to leverage generative engine optimization and AI-assisted lead generation in your B2B sales process. https://smartleaderssell.thrivecart.com/amplify-ai/ Join the B2B Sales Edit https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/988ac64b-5875-4924-9d10-50faad2aa4ad?email=%EMAIL% If you've enjoyed listening to Single champion selling is dead; replacing enthusiasm with strategic sales! Check out these episodes.   STC178: Why Corporate Buyers Can't Find You (Even When They're Looking) https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/stc178-why-corporate-buyers-cant-find-you-even-when-theyre-looking/ STC175: Two Types of B2B Lead Generation That Coaches + Consultants Need to Use! https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/two-types-of-b2b-lead-generation-that-coaches-consultants-need-to-use/ STC173: B2B Sales Trends for Q2: Which One Are You Actioning? https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/b2b-sales-trends-for-q2-which-one-are-you-actioning/   Episode sponsored by The Expert Services Directory: A key resource for coaches / consultants / trainers and done-for-you service providers to generate inbound leads. Access The Expert Services Directory here https://bit.ly/ExpertServicesDirectory and use code PODCAST for a special bonus.       Content Disclaimer The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article, video or audio are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article, video or audio. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article, video or audio. Jessica Lorimer disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article, video or audio.  

I'm excited to share the raw, unpublished findings from my "Menopause in 2026" survey, where I analyzed data from 766 women to identify the optimal "sweet spot" for testosterone levels in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Through these real-world insights, I break down why many women feel best at levels between 50 and 80 ng/dL and why I strongly caution against the permanent side effects and health risks associated with high-dose pellet therapy. Whether you're struggling with brain fog, mood changes, or joint pain, this video offers a holistic look at how to safely manage testosterone and navigate your menopausal journey with evidence-based guidance.

Clare pet owners are being urged to take proactive measures following an outbreak of a viral disease with a high mortality rate in the West of the county. It comes as an animal shelter in West Clare has been forced to close due to an outbreak of Panleucopaenia. The An Cat Dubh Sanctuary at Cloonlaheen, near Miltown Malbay has confirmed blood tests in the case of a number of deceased cats and kittens has detected the presence of Panleucopaenia. The Shelter has since closed, meaning it can't currently facilitate re-homing requests, admissions or rescues. It's founder Dr Rhona Lucas says they've implemented stringent infection controls in the wake of the incident and are working to determine the origin and extent of the outbreak. She says there's a huge body of work ahead. The airborne disease, which attacks white blood cells, is highly contagious and has a high mortality rate amongst kittens in particular. The symptoms include high fevers, profound lethargy, loss of appetite, severe vomiting and diarrhea. John Garrahy from Treaty Veterinary Clinic in Shannon says the disease can easily spread and is likely circulating in the local environment. He's told Clare FM, however, that hydration and anti-biotics are effective treatments and he's encouraging pet owners to consider a highly effective vaccine.

We've been running a bit of an Agent Cloud series surveying all the top inference/compute/cloud providers, from Databricks to Daytona to Railway and, even further back, E2B, but we're excited to conclude this series returning to Modal, which has just raised a monster $355M Series C.The cloud was built for developers. But agents are now changing that.The old infra stack was designed for a human who could read docs, reason through YAML, and understand dashboards to figure out what they need when something broke. While this was painful for developers, it worked since they could fill in missing context in their heads.However, agents don't have that luxury. Now in this new era of agents, everything has to be tighter.They need a place to write code, run it, inspect the output, change the environment, debug failures, and try again. Fast iteration and feedback loops with all the necessary context are crucial for agents to operate properly. Furthermore, sandboxes are a clear representation of this shift as agents can easily spin up isolated environments. This programmatic infra even extends to research:Two years ago, we were one of the first to cover Modal with CEO Erik Bernhardsson and Alessio designed our favorite LS thumbnail of all time:At the time, Modal was just a teeny little company with a $17M Series A.Today, fresh off their $355M Series C, Modal is one of the clearest examples of the agent cloud future being built in real time: a cloud platform moving past traditional web app assumptions toward the workloads AI actually creates such as elastic inference, sandboxes, GPU burst, post-training, background agents, and infrastructure that agents themselves can operate.In this episode, Modal CTO Akshat Bubna joins swyx and Vibhu to unpack why AI applications don't fit traditional cloud assumptions, why Kubernetes was never designed for bursty compute-heavy workloads, and why Modal is now shifting from developer experience to agent experience.We go deep on Modal's AI infra stack: serverless functions, decorator-based infrastructure, elastic inference for custom models, GPU snapshotting, DeFlash, speculative decoding, Auto Endpoints, sandboxes, persistent storage, networked containers, private IPv6, RDMA, multi-node training, and Modal's capacity pool across 17 cloud providers. Akshat also explains why RL rollouts can require 100,000 sandboxes, why production agents need hard guardrails, why observability may matter more than reading code, and why AI has made infrastructure exciting again.We discuss:* Why Kubernetes wasn't built for bursty AI workloads* How Modal started as a better runtime before becoming an AI cloud* Why Modal added GPUs before ChatGPT* The shift from developer experience to agent experience* Why observability matters when agents are writing the code* Elastic inference for custom models across audio, video, robotics, and comp bio* GPU snapshotting, cold starts, and why inference workloads are so bursty* Why RL rollouts can require 100,000 sandboxes* DeFlash, speculative decoding, and frontier-level inference performance* Auto Endpoints and making optimized inference easier to deploy* What Modal adds beyond vLLM, SGLang, and raw GPU rental* Modal's 17-cloud capacity pool and supercloud strategy* Networked sandboxes, sidecars, private IPv6, and RDMA* Serverless multi-node training for post-training and research workloads* Auto-research, model-guided sweeps, and agents launching GPU experiments* Compute strategy, capacity planning, and batch tiers* Why production agents need specialized sandboxes and hard guardrails* Modal's take on managed agents, CI, Gitpod/Ona, Python, TypeScript, and Modal BenchAkshat Bubna* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshat-bubna-188885103* X: https://x.com/akshat_bModal* Website: https://modal.comTimestamps00:00:00 Introduction00:00:39 Modal's origin and why Kubernetes wasn't enough00:04:32 Developer Experience → Agent Experience00:06:21 Modal's AI cloud primitives00:09:14 Sandboxes, agent loops, and proto-Cognition00:12:12 Elastic inference, GPU snapshotting, and 100,000 sandboxes00:15:24 DeFlash, speculative decoding, and Auto Endpoints00:19:59 Production-grade inference beyond raw GPUs00:22:00 Background agents, Ramp Inspect, and the agent lifecycle00:24:08 Modal's 17-cloud supercloud strategy00:26:40 Networked sandboxes, private IPv6, and RDMA00:32:48 Multi-node training, post-training, and auto research00:37:36 Compute strategy, capacity planning, and batch tiers00:40:55 Open models, real-time AI, and production agent infra00:43:06 Hard guardrails, managed agents, and specialized sandboxes00:46:06 Why AI made infrastructure exciting again00:48:30 Model APIs, differentiated products, and agentic video00:51:50 CI, coding-agent infra, SDKs, and Modal Bench00:57:28 Closing ThoughtsTranscriptIntroduction: Modal, Series C, and the Art PartySwyx [00:00:00]: We're here with Akshat, CTO of Modal, together with Vibhu. Congrats on your Series C.Akshat [00:00:10]: Thank you.Swyx [00:00:11]: Your party yesterday was amazing.Akshat [00:00:15]: Yeah.Swyx [00:00:15]: From all the photos and all the swag.Akshat [00:00:17]: We had a bunch of art installations, which was fun, seeing, like, our products on pedestals next to, like, Rodin.Swyx [00:00:25]: Very nice. Very nice. When you started, it was not the GPU inference company. Maybe it was in your mind. Take us back to the origin story.Modal's Origin: A New Runtime Beyond KubernetesAkshat [00:00:39]: I first met Eric, who's the CEO, through an investor. Back then Eric was already thinking about building, a new runtime, and he got there thinking through why are workflow orchestration products so hard to use. It's because you have to run them on Kubernetes. Kubernetes is hard to manage. It's not built for burstiness and, custom images,Swyx [00:01:03]: YeahAkshat [00:01:03]: It has a terrible developer experience.Swyx [00:01:05]: And I'll, I'll interjectAkshat [00:01:06]: YeahSwyx [00:01:07]: For listeners, who are new, we interviewed Eric two years ago, and there's a bit more of the story there from Spotify and all those things.Swyx [00:01:14]: And I came across Eric through Data Council because he did that talk on the serverless container stack that you guys did, which was like, that was my first like, “Okay, I need to take Modal very seriously” moment.Akshat [00:01:26]: Yeah.Swyx [00:01:26]: But it was still very unclear, like, do I need all this for just my data pipelines?Akshat [00:01:33]: Yeah. initially what we were thinking about was if we build a better runtime, it's a very useful primitive in itself. It's There's a lot of things that, get solved by serverless functions, like you can do, ETL stuff, you can do job queues, you can do all this, like, bursty processing, which it turns out every company had needs for. but then we also were thinking about this as like, this is a primitive that we can build a whole collection of products on, which are very verticalized. So perhaps data engineering would've been the first one, but we were thinking about inference. Back then it was more classical inference, like computer vision stuff and running XGBoosts and whatnot. But we added GPUs to the product a year before ChatGPT came out.From Serverless Containers to GPU WorkloadsSwyx [00:02:19]: Nice.Akshat [00:02:19]: We just didn't think it would be that big of a deal.Swyx [00:02:22]: Yeah, just like add A100.Vibhu [00:02:23]: Was there any, like, early key problem that really sparked off why you built it?Akshat [00:02:28]: Yeah. Primarily it's just, none of the tooling that was out there was built for, one, a really great developer experience, and also there's a general trend of, a lot of the workloads that we were seeing were very. I wish there was a better word for it, but compute-heavy. Like, they need, one, like, need a lot more resources, so you need to burst up and down a lot, versus like Kubernetes designed for, like, slow scaling and, more for, like, web server use cases. And also there's just a lot more specialization in, like, what kinds of environments these workloads run in. Like, we had sometimes they need accelerators, sometimes they need different kinds of images, and this is just like a consistent thing that we saw across a lot of companies. That would be the next step.Software-Defined Infrastructure and Decorator-Based DXSwyx [00:03:13]: Yeah. Yeah. Be nice. I don't know how much this factored into the early story, but I wrote a post when I was at Temporal about infrastructure, software-defined infrastructure or something like that.Akshat [00:03:22]: Yeah, the self-provisioningSwyx [00:03:23]: Self-provisioning.Akshat [00:03:24]: Yeah.Swyx [00:03:24]: Yeah. I can't even remember my own post.Swyx [00:03:26]: And then you put me on the landing page.Akshat [00:03:28]: Yeah. We really like, the term and so we stole it.Swyx [00:03:32]: Because you had the insight that everything can just be in decorators co-located with the code, right?Akshat [00:03:37]: Yeah.Swyx [00:03:37]: Was that a big part of the originalAkshat [00:03:39]: YesSwyx [00:03:39]: Story or it was just like a DX layer?Akshat [00:03:41]: That was, really important because we really didn't want people to spend, so much time, writing YAML, and it seemed like you could really condense the surface area of what you're doing, put it in code so you can operate on it just like you operate on other code, and like build stuff that's more expressive and dynamic. and so yeah, that was always a very important part.Swyx [00:04:04]: Then the pushback is this is a DSL.Akshat [00:04:07]: Yeah.Swyx [00:04:07]: It's you're closed source. I am locked into Modal.Akshat [00:04:11]: Yeah. We never really got pushback for that because the nice thing about Modal is you can bring whatever code you have, and sure, the DSL is at the configuration layer for, what hardware you're using, how you're scaling things up, but you still own the code.Akshat [00:04:27]: And that's, that's been an important, part of our story, even as we do inference now.Swyx [00:04:32]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:04:32]: How much of do you think still stays the same today? Like if you were to build something today, DevX very important, but I feel like, a lot of this has been changed with just hook it up to an agent, have Claude Code, have Codex implement a tool. there's very agent native primitives that are different than if I'm doing this myself, right?Developer Experience → Agent ExperienceAkshat [00:04:54]: We've changed our SDK team to think about agent experience instead of, developer experience and we think that the same benefits that apply for DX also apply for AX, which is why would you have an agent read through hundreds of Kubernetes files and like write YAML that's not even typed when it can make a couple of changes in a decorator and it gets this self-provisioning runtime of, being able to see its changes live in action? yeah, it just seems from the customers we talk to, they find Modal is much faster for agents to use versus operating on a different substrate.Swyx [00:05:34]: Yeah, because like you, again, you co-locate the infrastructure requirements to the code that runs it.Akshat [00:05:38]: Yeah.Swyx [00:05:38]: Well, the negative thesis now is that nobody's looking at their code anymore, so there's no point.Akshat [00:05:44]: Yeah, people aren't looking at code. one thing we still see is really important is observability.Swyx [00:05:51]: Yeah.Akshat [00:05:51]: Like how good is your dashboard? And of course, like we have, we push a lot of it to the CLI so the agents can do their own investigation, but you still need humans to go interpret what's going on and, make judgment calls and whatnot. and that's I feel like, Maybe more important now than looking at the code itself.Swyx [00:06:11]: Yes, because like, you can try to treat the code as a black box and then use, see the observable action that comes out of it, and then just prompt a change.What Modal Is For: AI Cloud PrimitivesAkshat [00:06:21]: Yeah.Swyx [00:06:22]: So I think it takes a bit of restraint to not specialize, to say, “I want to ship a new primitive,” and then just be general purpose.Swyx [00:06:31]: People ask you, “What are you for?” You're like, “ I don't know. We can do this, we can do that.”Vibhu [00:06:36]: Well, I'd be curious to see, like, okay, if we were to ask you, like, what is Modal for even at a high level? There's a lot you guys do, sandboxes, GPUs, everything. How do you answer?Akshat [00:06:46]: Modal is a cloud platform that's built for, where we've built the primitives from scratch for AI applications. and right now it covers, inference, training, batch processing, and sandbox workloads.Akshat [00:07:00]: But we're building a lot moreSwyx [00:07:02]: I noticed you didn't say web server, so there is still a role for, like, the always-on large-scale Kubernetes type things.Akshat [00:07:09]: Yeah, absolutely. We're, we're not trying to compete with the renders of the world, because yeah, we think the differentiator for us is the, are the workloads that need specialized compute, need to scale up and down a lot. yeah, they're, they're, they're just shaped differently.Working Alongside Frontier StartupsVibhu [00:07:26]: I think you're building a lot of it alongside the startups, right? They're innovating quite a bit, even in your, like, latest blog post. Like, even in the series C, the customers that you mention here, the cognitions, technical ones, ramps and whatnot, they're, they're innovating with you, right? And that's not something AWS is doing directly with.Akshat [00:07:45]: Yeah, absolutely. I think, this is again classic. We're a small team. We can move really fast. our engineers are working with our customers and figuring it out. Yeah.Swyx [00:07:54]: So my first week at Cognition, I walked in, there was someone wearing a Modal shirt. I was like, “What are you doing here?” They're like, “Yeah, I just. I am embedded inside of Cog.”Akshat [00:08:05]: Yeah, I think that was Peyton. We sent him overSwyx [00:08:07]: Yeah.Akshat [00:08:07]: Because, the latency of communication was too high otherwise.Swyx [00:08:12]: Yeah, distributed node, you have to - you have to place one and collocate.Vibhu [00:08:16]: Yeah.Swyx [00:08:16]: So I had a, I had direct personal experience, right? So I worked on smol developer three years ago. it was inspired by Claude 1. I think you onboarded me at some point, like, just before, and I was like, “Oh, like, I need some bursty compute. Like, I was just gonna try using Modal.” And it was a, it was a pretty pleasant experience. apparently, I showed up in the board meeting, like the analytics.smol developer, Sandboxes, and Proto-CognitionAkshat [00:08:39]: Yeah, you blew up on Hacker News and,Swyx [00:08:41]: YeahAkshat [00:08:41]: We got a big traffic spike. I. I think the way you used smol developer was Modal functions for running stuff, which was. Like, the, that was a good use case. but then, yeah.Swyx [00:08:53]: Yeah. That - So to me, that was proto-cognition.Akshat [00:08:55]: Right.Swyx [00:08:56]: If only I had, like, stuck to it.Swyx [00:08:58]: Like, that was like, if - did you say draw the tech treeAkshat [00:09:00]: AbsolutelySwyx [00:09:00]: You're just like, “Yeah, like, probably this will happen.”Akshat [00:09:02]: Yeah. Like, he was so close. You were just rebuilding upon usSwyx [00:09:04]: I just didn't realize.Akshat [00:09:05]: But the funny story there is at the same time, we were talking to a bunch of customers who needed something like sandboxing.Swyx [00:09:14]: Yeah.Akshat [00:09:14]: This is like twenty-three.Swyx [00:09:15]: Yeah.Akshat [00:09:16]: So we builtSwyx [00:09:17]: You introduced a new API right after that.Akshat [00:09:18]: Yeah.Swyx [00:09:19]: Yes.Akshat [00:09:19]: Like, we built sandboxes in May of twenty-three before anyone was even knew this was gonna be a thing. And the first example we published was, we took smol developerSwyx [00:09:28]: Smol developerAkshat [00:09:28]: And put it in a loop, so the agent can iterate on itself.Swyx [00:09:33]: Loops are hot these days.Vibhu [00:09:34]: It's the looper.Akshat [00:09:34]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:09:35]: Loops in. When was this, twenty-three?Akshat [00:09:38]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:09:39]: A small check.Akshat [00:09:39]: Yeah.Swyx [00:09:39]: It's like twenty-three. so the. the, those for listeners, like, the problem was the models are not built for any of this, right?Swyx [00:09:46]: Like, you're just trying to like. They're not post-training to understand, like, looping and, like, self-correction and tool calling was there, but, like, also not that great.Akshat [00:09:55]: Yeah.Akshat [00:09:55]: I don't remember if you used tool calling in this one, but yeah, the models would just diverge after like ten iterations and not produce anything meaningful.Swyx [00:10:03]: Yeah. But like, then. So okay, like now talking to myself three years ago, the answerVibhu [00:10:08]: Of course they will get betterSwyx [00:10:09]: Collect all the failures, build benchmark, and then collect all the, examples, build the RL environmentAkshat [00:10:15]: RightSwyx [00:10:15]: Sell it for like ten billion dollars to Meta.Swyx [00:10:17]: And then also train a model and then sell that for sixty billion dollars to Elon. And this isAkshat [00:10:23]: Yeah, of courseSwyx [00:10:23]: The funny machine. Like, it's like, it's about the hardware.Akshat [00:10:28]: It's hard to have that inherent conviction that the stuff will get that much better.Swyx [00:10:33]: In retrospect, it's so f*****g obvious.Akshat [00:10:36]: Fair enough.Swyx [00:10:37]: Like, what else were we doing back then? I don't know. anyway. Yeah. So this. That was the start of your sandboxing journey, right? I feel like it didn't blow up until, like, last year.Akshat [00:10:49]: Yeah.Swyx [00:10:50]: So there was like a couple years of quietness.Akshat [00:10:52]: Exactly, yeah. We wereVibhu [00:10:53]: I think very underrated product value. Like, my experience with Modal, Charles, before he had joined Modal, met this guy at a hackathon, and he really insisted we wanted to run some small model, not hosted anywhere, and he's like, “ there's this cool company, Modal. They'll like spin up a GPU sandbox, we can throw it on there. They'll take a Hugging Face link.” And like there's so much value just right there, right? Like instant hosting, spin it up, spin it down. It'll stay cold, but we run the demo a few days later, it'll come back up and like all this stuff in retrospect, like it's still what we needed like today.Akshat [00:11:27]: Yeah, it's still needed today. workload shapes have changed a lot as, we run stuff for people with really massive production scale and, there it's it's not about scaling from zero to one, but it's how do we scale really elastically, from like thousand to fifteen hundred GPUs very quickly in a given region. It's the same shape problem.Elastic Inference, GPU Autoscaling, and Custom ModelsVibhu [00:11:50]: Okay. So you look at, say, Cursor Composer, right?Akshat [00:11:53]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:11:53]: They had a. “We'll do RL on a model every couple hours.” you guys have a whole version of RL inference gym and whatnot.Vibhu [00:12:01]: When you look at workloads like that, you're doing train runs where you need to scale up, scale down every hour thousands of GPUs, right? That's the example for we do need it, right?Akshat [00:12:12]: Yeah. Well, so I'll, I'll take a step back and, maybe talk about like how people use Modal today. because our biggest use case is, elastic inference. And the thing we first found product market fit, with was inference for custom models. So we stayed away from the LLM space, and we were serving companies like Suno for audio, Runway for video, robotics, comp bio companies that train their own model elsewhere. But Modal is the best black box that for deployment, scaling to however many GPUs you need as your traffic pattern changes. And we saw all of them like have a very unpredict- predict- predictable, traffic pattern. it's like diurnal. It's Some days, like the company will do a launch and, they'll need like, way more. And it's not just one model that they deploy. They-- all these companies deploy, lots of different models in different regions, and so the autoscaling problem becomes even harder because then you have to scale within a certain region, and those cycles are offset. So different times you scale up in different regions.Akshat [00:13:20]: So that's like our sortVibhu [00:13:22]: And thatAkshat [00:13:22]: YeahVibhu [00:13:22]: That in and of itself is a huge category. There's a bunch of inference providers which, provide this fireworks, does this as a service together, whatnot, Base10. that's carved into its own niche for language models, at least right now.Akshat [00:13:36]: Yeah. the thing that we have specialized in is the autoscaling aspect.Vibhu [00:13:41]: Yeah.Akshat [00:13:41]: Because we found that it's not universally true that everyone else can autoscale, and we've gone deeper into it on the tech side by, we've incorporated GPU snapshotting into the product so we can take the GPU state, like your torch.compile model, snapshot it, and the next cold start is way faster. And so going back to your question, it's That's why you need a lot of burstiness for inference. But then people also do a lot of demand training, like for RL stuff, your rollouts are bursty, as you said. People also do a lot of batch jobs. So we'll see, a lot of companies, before they have a training run, they'll need thousands of GPUs to run encoding or something like that. And I think those things are much more bursty than. I agree that agents are not that bursty. sandboxes are, except when you're doing RL. RL is justRL, Batch Jobs, and 100,000 SandboxesVibhu [00:14:28]: Or commerceAkshat [00:14:28]: Insanely bursty.Vibhu [00:14:29]: Yeah.Akshat [00:14:30]: Yeah. Like when you're doing, rollouts, you sometimes need a hundred thousand sandboxes in your sandboxes.Vibhu [00:14:37]: Yeah. I'm curious if you've seen early sparks of continual learning. There are some people, like our friends, ngram, recently announced thisAkshat [00:14:45]: YeahVibhu [00:14:45]: They're, they're trying to do training. That also seems like a different workload, right? If you're doing training twenty-four/seven per se, there's a very weird dynamic of how you're using GPUs between people and whatnot, but seems like something you guys would work for.Akshat [00:15:00]: As you said, we're, we're fortunate to work with a number of, customers at the frontier and grab some of our customers. and they are taking the primitives we have, and trying to use them in very interesting ways, like continual learning. It's possible as the stuff gets better, some of that will be part of, our offering as well if, more people need it. but we're, we're just waiting to seeVibhu [00:15:23]: YeahAkshat [00:15:23]: How it shakes out.Vibhu [00:15:24]: Is there a primitive that you added after sandboxing that was the next step in the story?LLM Inference, DeFlash, and Speculative DecodingAkshat [00:15:32]: I guess we've been going much deeper into LLM inferenceVibhu [00:15:35]: YeahAkshat [00:15:35]: Because we realized that some of the advantages we have with like autoscaling, again, especially in different regions and whatnot, are, not present elsewhere. and the place where we had a gap was we weren't, working on the model layer itself. Like we were a black box. And, we realized that, we can get to frontier-level model performance, with, by having great people who work on this. And, we've been open sourcing a lot of our work, in terms of, Recently, we, shared our work on DeFlash, which is a block-based, speculator, and we've open sourced, all of it. So, you can - By using open source DeFlash, you can get the same performance as you would with one of the proprietary providers. And the next thing we're thinking about hereVibhu [00:16:23]: I thought this wasAkshat [00:16:24]: YeahVibhu [00:16:24]: An interesting blog post as well, right? Like, I think in here you make a claim that. Not a claim, just that how effective speculative deco-decoding really just get to.Akshat [00:16:33]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:16:33]: Anything you wanna point out from this around, what people should know?Akshat [00:16:39]: Yeah, absolutely. the high-level summary is, it would help to describe what speculative decoding is.Vibhu [00:16:44]: Yes.Akshat [00:16:44]: I will, yes.Vibhu [00:16:45]: I think, likeAkshat [00:16:46]: YeahVibhu [00:16:46]: So we've covered like Eagle and all thisAkshat [00:16:47]: YeahVibhu [00:16:47]: Like Hydra and all those things, but it was like two years ago.Akshat [00:16:51]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:16:51]: I think it doesn't hurt, right?Akshat [00:16:52]: Yeah. Speculative decoding is you have a smaller model, called a draft model, predict tokens ahead of the bigger model, and then you have the bigger model, verify all of this, all the tokens are predicted. And the reason it's faster is if you're predicting, one token at once, you're bound by memory bandwidth. But if you can batch the verification of, the draft model, then you're much more efficient using compute, and it's faster, and as long as your draft model is producing a lot of tokens that can get accepted, which is called the accept length, you can get a speed up that's, multiple times of, the original model speed. and well, that's what we highlight here. It's Like people talk a lot about we made these kernels faster and whatnot, but improving kernel will only give you like few percentage points of improvement, and, increasing accept length, literally is a multiplicative decreaseVibhu [00:17:47]: Like two to four X.Akshat [00:17:48]: Yeah, exactly.Vibhu [00:17:48]: Without much head-on performance.Akshat [00:17:50]: Yeah. I think it may - you are running a second model, right? So it may be something more expensive in the compute,Vibhu [00:17:57]: I meant quality performanceAkshat [00:17:58]: Probably not by muchVibhu [00:17:58]: But yeah. I thinkAkshat [00:17:59]: So there's no drop in quality performanceVibhu [00:18:01]: YeahAkshat [00:18:01]: Because you're always. You're never accepting a token that the big modelVibhu [00:18:04]: It's strictly betterAkshat [00:18:05]: YeahVibhu [00:18:05]: Or it's same.Akshat [00:18:06]: Exactly.Vibhu [00:18:07]: Right. Yeah.Akshat [00:18:08]: And so we've been working a bunch on DeFlash, which is a block-based speculator. so it's instead of predicting, one token at a time, it's predicting a block. And we've been open sourcing our work with it. The next thing for us here is for helping people train speculators and custom models. it's it's something that traditionally is very forward-deployed engineering driven, support deployed, engineer driven, like you work with customers and help them do that. And our vision for. This is why we launched Auto Endpoints, is we want to make frontier-level performance available to everyone. And so, we mentioned this in the announcement, we teased it. The next thing we're, we're launching is, as you run an auto endpoint, we shadow trafficAuto Endpoints and Frontier-Level PerformanceVibhu [00:18:54]: Do you want to explain what auto endpoints are?Akshat [00:18:57]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:18:57]: I lovely, yeah.Akshat [00:18:58]: Yeah. So, this is, I guess, going back to your Modal is you touch the code, but, sometimes people don't wanna touch the code, and they wanna get started with an endpoint that works and has all the great performance and, scalability that Modal has. So we've made that easier with, a way to create an endpoint from our UI, from the CLI, that has all of our optimizations that we talked about, like the DeFlash stuff already baked in, and there's full transparency. So we give you the code, you can go run it yourself, and if you want, you can eject out into the full Modal experience, which we see as people get sophisticated, they do wanna tweak the models, they wanna, fine-tune stuff. You can still do all of that. It's it's not a black box. And yeah, the next thing, as we teased later in the post, is how do we give you value even beyond this in terms of having your draft models evolve as your data distribution evolves, again, without having to talk to a person and, yeah.Vibhu [00:19:59]: I guess just to understand it directly, you have the GPUs, you have an endpoint that's compatible, you serve open model. If someone was to do this themselves, what's the delta that you guys provide? So you do a lot of open source great work on effective inference. how does it compare to, say, I take the same model, 5.2 FP8, take shelf inference engine, vLLM, SGLang, get compute of similar capacity, similar cost. What's the delta that plugging into something this, like this offers outside of the benefit of, scaling?Production Inference Beyond Raw GPUsAkshat [00:20:34]: It's interesting because we've taken the approach of open sourcing our contributions and upstreaming them. we work closely with the SGLang team. We want the improvements that our team, comes up with to be, there in open source for others to use, even outside of Modal. The benefit to us is we have a team that has significant expertise in terms of if you do have something that is not there, our team can help you get that performance, first. the other thing is with these endpoints, we are way more elastic, as you said, than, anyone else, and you have true scaling to zero. you have true, burstiness, and in practice, that matters a lot more to people than just finding, the GPU and, running Modal code on something.Vibhu [00:21:20]: Yeah. And I will say it's not that straightforward to just. like what I said is easier said than done, right?Akshat [00:21:26]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:21:27]: It's I think still for the average person, still hard to just gut check using different. There's, there's quite a bit of combinations you can make there. the trade-offs aren't really known at face value.Akshat [00:21:40]: Yeah. it's it's not just that. I think it's it's that running production-grade inference is a hard infer problem.Vibhu [00:21:49]: YeahAkshat [00:21:49]: Even if you subtract out the autoscalingVibhu [00:21:50]: YeahAkshat [00:21:51]: Is controlling things like tail latency and, making sure every, request is delivered at least once and whatnot.The Model and Agent LifecycleVibhu [00:22:00]: There's a lot of innovation that you can do here. I think, it's very interesting that you're starting to encroach on, like as you become a full cloud, you're starting to encroach on other people's turf.Vibhu [00:22:09]: What will you not do?Akshat [00:22:13]: Well, we wanna follow our users and, make sure they get like a platform that has everything that works well together. so right now we're focused on the model lifecycle and the agent, lifecycle. so both like going from data prep to training to inference, and then also if I want to deploy a background agent, let's say, sandbox, do persistent storage, a whole bunch of other stuff.Vibhu [00:22:38]: We talked to Cole, who did, OpenInspect. Yeah.Akshat [00:22:42]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:22:42]: And RealInspect also is on Modal.Akshat [00:22:44]: Yeah. So Ramp Inspect was a great example of a background agent that was really successful because they, were able to use some of the primitives like snapshotting and fast scaling to just have something that feels really reactive and works well.Ramp Inspect and Background AgentsVibhu [00:23:02]: Yeah. That's the new CTO of, Ramp right there.Akshat [00:23:05]: Yeah, Rahul.Vibhu [00:23:08]: It was really fun. yeah, okay, I think, all very bullish. Like, one of my reflections was also I did not originally. So when I met you guysThe Inference Inflection: CPU, GPU, and Co-LocationVibhu [00:23:19]: You weren't that much in the GPU game, and now you're all about, inference. And one of the points that I hinged on for Jensen's keynote at GTC this year was, what we're calling like the inference inflection, right? That let's say in AI workloads or machine learning workloads, it used to be like, let's call it eight to one GPU to CPU, and now it's more like one to one, which is like a interesting. Like, - because of how much agents are blocked or call out to this, to CPU heavy stuff the actual, like, limiting factor, like, swings back and forth from GPU to CPU a lot more than it used to be all GPU and then occasional CPU.Akshat [00:24:01]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:24:02]: GPU, CPU. And now it's like just constantly, and you just have to locate everything.Seventeen Clouds and the Supercloud StrategyAkshat [00:24:08]: Yeah. And that's one of the things that, again, we see as, something appealing about Modal, which is we've built this capacity pool that spans, 17 cloud providers, so we're, we're very good at Running on various kinds of cloud capacity across the worldSwyx [00:24:24]: You don't have your own data centers?Akshat [00:24:25]: We don't have our own data centers. We just run across a lot of neo cloudsSwyx [00:24:29]: Yeah. AreAkshat [00:24:30]: Metal providers.Swyx [00:24:30]: Yeah. Question mark.Swyx [00:24:31]: Yeah. You're, you're running the math, and you're like, “What's the cutover point where you're like.”Akshat [00:24:36]: Yeah, it's a good question. part of it is we see our differentiator in the software layer, and, being capital light and focusing on the software helps us move really fast. so far it's worked out well because there are so many other people building data centers that we're able to work effectively with them, and again, focus on what makes us, special.Swyx [00:24:55]: Yeah.Swyx [00:24:56]: 17 gets you into, like, the local providers sometimes. LikeAkshat [00:25:00]: The,Swyx [00:25:01]: Which was the most interesting one?Akshat [00:25:02]: There are a lot more neo clouds than you expect, and they all have various degrees of, various levels of reliability. And, that's why it's something we've invested a lot of time in, is building our own reliability layer on top. so if the GPU falls off the bus or something happens, we user workloads are not affected, and that lets us use a lot more capacity than,Swyx [00:25:30]: YeahAkshat [00:25:30]: You as a user would be able to.Swyx [00:25:32]: It's a useful thing to have because like now everyone knows, like, what layer you are and, like, you optimize for being the super cloud of all clouds.Akshat [00:25:41]: Yeah. That's, that's, that's the idea. and so I guess when you mentioned colocation, that's, that's another interesting thing where, one thing we've seen is people come to us when they want, very specifically located, CPUs or GPUs, like they wantSwyx [00:25:57]: Oh, they pin it in likeAkshat [00:25:58]: YeahSwyx [00:25:58]: EU?Akshat [00:25:59]: Exactly. Or EU, US.Swyx [00:26:01]: Right. Data resiliencyAkshat [00:26:02]: AustraliaSwyx [00:26:02]: Locality thing or performance or what?Akshat [00:26:04]: It's either data locality or latency, yeah.Swyx [00:26:07]: Yeah.Akshat [00:26:07]: Like, you want your. They're running sandboxes and model. They want them to be right next to aSwyx [00:26:10]: Yeah, it's easy thenAkshat [00:26:11]: YeahSwyx [00:26:12]: To. That is important in all those things. and so, like, you've accidentally, I don't know if it's accident, but, like, you've built the perfect primitive for agents to express themselves. And then, like, it's almost very funny how every extra development just involves more file system, just involves more CPU.Akshat [00:26:30]: Yeah.Swyx [00:26:31]: Just like the things that you already have. I don't know much about, if there's any, like, networking usages that are interesting, but you've also done some good work on networking.Networking, Sidecars, Private IPv6, and SandboxesAkshat [00:26:40]: Yeah, that's exactly right. Like, we're just taking compute storage and networking and building stuff on that layer, for, again, the stuff people need.Swyx [00:26:49]: YeahAkshat [00:26:50]: We see a few interesting networking things coming up. one is people want networked sandboxes. so we haveSwyx [00:26:57]: For like a Docker cluster type thing.Akshat [00:26:59]: Yeah.Swyx [00:26:59]: Sorry, Docker Swarm. Oh, f**k. What is it called?Akshat [00:27:02]: Compose.Swyx [00:27:03]: Compose type thing.Akshat [00:27:04]: Yeah. So if you want Docker Compose, our sandboxes now support, this thing called sidecars. So you can. A sandbox is a pod of containers, and you can run multiple containers in, a sandbox. also useful because, going back to networking, people want a lot of control over, outbound networking from a sandbox.Swyx [00:27:23]: Yeah.Akshat [00:27:23]: Like, they might wanna run a middle proxy for, like, maybe logging stuff for RL or, controlling how egress can happen to a domain, injecting credentials. and yeah. So we've, we've had to build a lot of that stuff ourselves.Swyx [00:27:38]: Yeah.Akshat [00:27:39]: But then also sometimes people want, sandboxes spanning multiple nodes to talk to each other, which is an emerging thing we're seeing. We have support for that for a different reason, and yeah, we'll see if that becomes stable.Swyx [00:27:52]: Like, just an open socket. It's a. This is directly like mTLS.Akshat [00:27:56]: We do support that, which is you can, expose a tunnel inside a sandbox.Swyx [00:28:01]: Yeah.Akshat [00:28:01]: And then you can either expose it to public internet or it can be, you can add like a HTTP, auth layer above it. But we have this thing called I6PN, which we haven't talked about, which is this, like, overlay network using IPv6 addresses. so if Modal containers, within the same workspace, when this is enabled, can address each other using this private IPv6 address, and no one else can.Akshat [00:28:28]: So it's like private networking, for containers. We built it because we needed it as a primitive for our distributed training product. so we have this other feature, which is you can add a decorator to a function, and you get a cluster of GPUs. and they have RDMA networking. so you can run a distributed training job, that's truly serverless. and we did the overlay network for that. But then we've seen that people are using it for other reasons, and, I'm intrigued to yeah, what would people do with it.Swyx [00:28:59]: Build primitives and let people figure it out, right?Akshat [00:29:01]: Yeah, exactly.Swyx [00:29:02]: You put out a pretty interestingAkshat [00:29:03]: They're like, they read the docs webpage. Let me use thatSwyx [00:29:06]: YeahAkshat [00:29:06]: Something they never intended to work. This is literally not even in our docs page. People somehow found it, and they're using it.RDMA, Memory Movement, and Distributed TrainingSwyx [00:29:12]: Huh.Swyx [00:29:14]: The way you portrayed it with, like, RDMA versus TCP, like, very well laid out, but just the transfer speed change at scale for RL, like yeah, you have it, you have it built in. I'm sure someone found it. It's found it to be a lot more efficient before you made a thing out of it, right?Akshat [00:29:32]: Yeah. And not to split hairs, I guess the overlay network is the TCP overlay network.Akshat [00:29:39]: The reason we have that is you need that to do the key exchange for RDMA before you set up the RDMA network on top of that. but then people found the TCP part.Swyx [00:29:48]: Can I tell you, this is like a big aha moment for me becauseAkshat [00:29:51]: YeahSwyx [00:29:51]: So I review 2,200 submissions for the World's Fair.Akshat [00:29:56]: Yeah.Swyx [00:29:57]: And then I got this from John OsterhoutAkshat [00:29:58]: HuhSwyx [00:29:59]: Who I don't know if. Do John Osterhout by name?Akshat [00:30:01]: The name sounds familiar.Swyx [00:30:02]: He published a. He's a well-known professor, published a lot of interesting software design books, and this is the talk he chose to submit, is on RDMA at Inference. And I'm like, you wouldn't think that this guy, who is like operating systems guy, would care about RDMA.Akshat [00:30:20]: I, it makes sense to me because I,Swyx [00:30:24]: This is the cloud, right? YeahAkshat [00:30:25]: Like, the way you move around your KV cache and how efficiently you can do it, how efficiently you move, your weights from your training GPUs to your inference GPUs in RL is there's a lot of degrees of freedom, and it is a systems problemSwyx [00:30:41]: YeahAkshat [00:30:41]: Moving memory aroundSwyx [00:30:42]: YeahAkshat [00:30:43]: Scheduling.Swyx [00:30:44]: This shows you how primitive my understanding of networking stuff is.Swyx [00:30:46]: Is this like the domain of WireGuard as well?Akshat [00:30:50]: Not quite.Swyx [00:30:51]: It's adjacent?Swyx [00:30:53]: Explain everything.Akshat [00:30:54]: Sure.Swyx [00:30:56]: How do we move memory around GPUs?Akshat [00:30:58]: Well, so sorry. Yeah, that is memory. Sorry, I was talking more, and maybe I was talking like five minutes back, about the private IPv6, addressing that you've set up.Swyx [00:31:09]: Yeah.Akshat [00:31:09]: Is it like it's a VPN?Swyx [00:31:10]: Yeah, it is like a VPN, and yeah, WireGuard is, yeah, you're right. It is,Akshat [00:31:16]: Right. Yeah, you already moved on to new topicsSwyx [00:31:17]: A similarAkshat [00:31:18]: OkaySwyx [00:31:19]: In the same space, WireGuard is, encrypted and this is,Akshat [00:31:23]: And you don't need encryption.Swyx [00:31:23]: Yeah.Akshat [00:31:24]: Yeah.Swyx [00:31:24]: This is not encrypted. that's the main difference. This is TCP and we have eBPF programs that will reject or allow the TCP connection based on whether you're allowed to do it.Akshat [00:31:35]: Used to involve a full sidecar, but now you have eBPF in the Linux kernel.Swyx [00:31:39]: Yeah.Akshat [00:31:40]: Yeah. I don't know if this is a natural follow-on to the topic of like my skepticism on distributed training is that while, like, people spend a lot of money on, like, cables to hook up GPUs, and even that is not, like, fast enough, and that's the bottleneck, is your networking fast enough?Swyx [00:31:59]: Yeah. So I guess you're talking about fully distributed training like, Dialog or something which is like cross data centerAkshat [00:32:06]: That would be, yes.Swyx [00:32:07]: That's the extreme.Akshat [00:32:08]: Yeah.Swyx [00:32:08]: You're in the middle, and then other people would have like the Mellanox cables up in, like, their actual data center.Akshat [00:32:14]: When you run multi-node training on Modal, RDMA, I think Mellanox, is, or InfiniBand is like a, is all seen as RDMA. but it's a way to bypass the TCP networking stack and, transfer, stuff much faster, between one node, to the other. And we have I think like 3 terabit per second, internal networkingSwyx [00:32:40]: OkayAkshat [00:32:40]: Which is the standard that's needed.Swyx [00:32:42]: Okay. So I misunderstood whatAkshat [00:32:43]: 50Swyx [00:32:43]: What part of the stack you wereAkshat [00:32:44]: 50 gigs overSwyx [00:32:45]: YeahAkshat [00:32:45]: If you wentSwyx [00:32:45]: YeahAkshat [00:32:46]: RDMA.Swyx [00:32:46]: Okay.Swyx [00:32:48]: Yeah. I, very impressive work.Multi-Node Training, Post-Training, and Auto ResearchSwyx [00:32:52]: So effectively you're extending like the model philosophy to the training cluster, like, yeah.Akshat [00:32:59]: Yeah. And we're, we're not going for like large scale training runs. the thing that we've built multi-node training for is, we see a lot of, smaller scale post-training. like, people are post-training like medium sized fund models, so they can, get higher quality on inference. this is a perfect fit, for something like that.Swyx [00:33:21]: Yeah. That is my impression of how a lot of these labs explore branches in post-training and then eventually merge whatever they find in.Akshat [00:33:31]: Yeah. The other use case we've seen for multi-node training is even if you have a big cluster, your researchers are still doing small runsSwyx [00:33:38]: YesAkshat [00:33:39]: Having elasticity thereSwyx [00:33:40]: Right, sureAkshat [00:33:40]: Matters a lot more.Swyx [00:33:41]: Yeah. the, like, this is like the current limiting factor for auto research, which is like you need to give your model some GPUs in order for it to completely run.Akshat [00:33:51]: We have a blog post on auto resource and model is,Swyx [00:33:55]: YeahAkshat [00:33:56]: Yeah, like, turns out to be pretty good substrate for that.Swyx [00:33:59]: So my impression is auto research means many things, likeAkshat [00:34:01]: YeahSwyx [00:34:01]: Anything that Andrej coins. Right now it's still science fair, right? Like not like, I don't know how many people are doing this.Akshat [00:34:08]: We're having a golf.Swyx [00:34:08]: Yeah.Akshat [00:34:09]: I thought the same thing.Swyx [00:34:11]: Yeah, you would know.Akshat [00:34:12]: We, like, our internal both training and inference teams use this the general shape of this quite a bit. like we have this one internal repo called auto inference, which essentially we've automated our own forward-deployed engineering efforts using, this harness, which is, the agent will just spin up a sweep of different things. It'll even run like, NVIDIA inside profiler and it'll like tweak configs and it'll arrive the right thing. it'll change your GPUs both from H200 to B200, and works really well.Swyx [00:34:47]: Nice.Akshat [00:34:47]: So yeah.Swyx [00:34:48]: By the way, I enjoy that your forward-deployed engineering is so technical that you have to do these things.Swyx [00:34:52]: It's very different from forward-deployed engineering from other people.Akshat [00:34:54]: Yeah. For our forward-deployed engineering team is, essentially they're like applied inference researchers or applied training researchers.Swyx [00:35:02]: Someone told me like they have to be able to build, but they also have to be able to sell. do they have to sell or are they like they're good, they're just like post-sale type of thing?Akshat [00:35:09]: It does, being able to talk to a customer and engage effectively with themSwyx [00:35:13]: YeahAkshat [00:35:13]: Matters a lot.Swyx [00:35:14]: They want the same thing.Akshat [00:35:15]: Yeah.Swyx [00:35:15]: ?Akshat [00:35:15]: But it's it's not really a sales, thing. We pair them with-- We have solution architects as well that are more on the sales side.Swyx [00:35:23]: Okay. Let's spend a bit more time on auto research. This is a big focus for for this year. Where does this go? like, have people explored enough? Like, there's all these beautiful charts of like improve and then level off a bit and then you find the next thing. Is this one abstraction up from normal training? Is that how we think about it, or do you think about it differently? Like model level training versus high, like driven hyperparameter search.Auto Inference and Modal BenchAkshat [00:35:51]: Yeah, like,Swyx [00:35:51]: Someone, some people call it like neural architecture search or whatever, right? Like.Akshat [00:35:54]: Yeah, - So the stuff I've seen people do with it is nowhere on the architecture level. It's pretty much tweaking parameters, but it's it's a hyperparameter sweep that's guided by some model intuition, so it's like much more efficient than, whatever other, sweep you would have.Swyx [00:36:12]: Yeah, it's just, it's just a question of where you want to spend your compute?Akshat [00:36:16]: Right.Swyx [00:36:16]: ‘Cause yeah, you can just throw infinite amounts of money on this and somehow you'll bang out Shakespeare?Akshat [00:36:22]: Yeah, infinite monkey.Swyx [00:36:24]: Yeah, so like the very good for model. and I think it's also very important that agents can spin up other agents, can spin up their infrastructure. Like very good for you. how good is our LLMs at generating model code? Like the benefit of existing LLMs is that you are in the data.Akshat [00:36:42]: Yeah. They're, they're surprisingly good. I think like pre Cloud 4 they were not, and then now they're able to shot, stuff out of the box. But we're playing around with releasing like a Modal Bench for like the harderSwyx [00:36:55]: YeahAkshat [00:36:55]: Things, that the LLMs cannot do yet and maybeSwyx [00:36:59]: What's an example of that?Akshat [00:37:01]: I think the things that- Sometimes agents struggle with, without right guidance and a skill is, how to, use the rest of our observability. Like how to. Something is failing, like how do you look at the logs and then update the right thing? It's reasoning about that. But they're able to shot, likeSwyx [00:37:23]: Yeah. You can just add a skill to it?Compute Strategy and Capacity PlanningAkshat [00:37:26]: Yeah. So we have a Modal skill now that. Which is why we built this Modal Bench. It's to find things like that, so we can address them in our tool.Swyx [00:37:35]: Tune a skill. Yeah.Akshat [00:37:36]: Yeah.Swyx [00:37:36]: No. it's it's good. are you facing any shortages? like we talk a lot about GPU shortages, but also CPU, also memory.Swyx [00:37:44]: Yeah.Akshat [00:37:45]: We have had a lot of growth, which means that, there's - we've had to be much better aboutSwyx [00:37:53]: PlanningAkshat [00:37:54]: Proactive capacity planning.Swyx [00:37:55]: Yeah.Akshat [00:37:55]: So we have,Swyx [00:37:57]: Which by the way, like it's like a MBA's like dreamAkshat [00:38:00]: YesSwyx [00:38:00]: Is like just planning this stuff. I think last time you and I talked about something maybe about this.Akshat [00:38:03]: Yeah. we have a really competent team of people that we call, The role is called compute strategy. so yeah, if anyone listening here or wants to work on thatSwyx [00:38:13]: Compute strategy?Akshat [00:38:13]: Yeah.Swyx [00:38:14]: I think,Akshat [00:38:14]: I feel like,Swyx [00:38:15]: I think the normies call it FP&A or something.Akshat [00:38:18]: Well, it's more It's it's not FP&A. It's it's There's a lot of interesting financial questions of like what is the blend between one year and three-year reservations? how do we forecast our own capacity? how do we. especially since our capacity is very fungible across different GPU types and different regions, like you have to model a lot of it. and you also have to have an opinion on how the supply chain is gonna evolve, and then you have to like, take bets,Swyx [00:38:49]: YeahAkshat [00:38:49]: Based on that.Swyx [00:38:50]: Tokenomics.Akshat [00:38:50]: Yeah.Swyx [00:38:51]: This is like probably a not a real point, but, I was trying to think about like what other industries. I was trying to think about like, we cannot be first to like these kinds of problems.Akshat [00:38:59]: Yeah.Swyx [00:39:00]: And what other industries have had this? And I was like, airlines with fuel and like they have to hedge their fuel and like, I think for a long time Southwest because they made like a hero fuel bet, they like were like super low cost becauseAkshat [00:39:12]: OhSwyx [00:39:12]: Compared to everyone else.Akshat [00:39:14]: Yeah. I hadn't thought about that.Vibhu [00:39:16]: We're at a fun time too?Akshat [00:39:18]: Yeah. It's. A lot of the compute business in general, for us is also about being very good about capacity management. That is how you have great unit, economics. but also over time it's how you can unlock more value for customers. Like, one of the things we're building now is like a way for customers to get, If they don't care about latency, like get much cheaper pricing and they'll get results back in like next 24 hours or something, like a batch tier essentially.Batch Tiers and Latency-Insensitive WorkloadsSwyx [00:39:47]: Yeah.Akshat [00:39:47]: And those are levers we have because we control the whole stack and scheduling and whatnot to give people a sufficientSwyx [00:39:53]: Yeah. I feel like they're not as popular. Like those, like the Frontier Labs have all those APIs. They're not as popular as they should be.Akshat [00:40:00]: The demand that we see for something like that is not for LLMs. although sometimes people wanna run evals andSwyx [00:40:08]: OkayAkshat [00:40:08]: Synthetic data prep and there it makes sense.Swyx [00:40:10]: Okay.Akshat [00:40:11]: But it's from a lot of LLM companies, like people who are doing computational bio, like they have to run really big batch jobs and they don't care about when they get it back.Swyx [00:40:22]: Yeah. And like they have a reasonable. It's it's also like a cousin to the stopping problem of like, will this finish in time?Akshat [00:40:30]: Yeah. You can bound it.Swyx [00:40:33]: Yeah.Akshat [00:40:33]: Like you can give peopleSwyx [00:40:34]: YeahAkshat [00:40:34]: SLAs on it.Swyx [00:40:35]: Yeah. I think what's, what's interesting is like the next phase of model.Swyx [00:40:38]: Like what, do people expect from you, now that you're established and you're like well-known compute player among all these leading companies. You had an inference launch week, and we talked a little bit about the launches. like what else? Like what else should people know?What Modal Builds NextAkshat [00:40:55]: We are building primitives that make our users' lives much easier. So, I think for example, with LLM inference, thousands more companies are gonna post-train their own models and, deploy open source models for inference. so we're thinking a lot about what is the best product shape for that. And, that involves everything from our training gym to, then, endpoints that get frontier-level performance. again, but I haven't talked to anyone. It looks somewhat different on other verticals. Like, we're also seeing a lot of real-time, audio-video stuff in there, which is why like, we're working on things like regional routing, with fallbacks. So you can get GPUs that are as close to users as possible. so you get like low latency for video streaming and whatnot. And then on the agent side, it's,Akshat [00:41:52]: We're still working very closely with our customers because stuff is changing so fast in terms of what they need. And, I think beyond sandboxes and persistent file systems, there's a lot of other things people will need from this agent stack as they build production agents. So yeah, we're thinking about those other things that fit in there.Swyx [00:42:13]: I want to ask what the other things are.Akshat [00:42:15]: Yeah. I probably should share right now.Swyx [00:42:17]: I think-- I think, okay, so, I do think a lot about the principal components of cloud, and you do talk about compute storage networking.Akshat [00:42:25]: Yeah.Swyx [00:42:25]: Because so far for me, it's fine. so far for the. the first couple generations of cloud, it's fine. What's different, qualitatively different about agents that you need some new permission level? Like a lot of people, okay, and I'll just kinda spew tokens at you until it like hopefully sparks something.Akshat [00:42:43]: Yeah.Swyx [00:42:44]: Like the new level now is whatever Claude Code does, which is dangerously scope permissions or like allow list by command or like whatever, right? And sometimes they're like, “Well, okay, we have like this adaptive thinking mode where like, just trust me, bro. I will make the calls for you.” Is that it? like mediated permissions.Hard Guardrails vs. LLM-Mediated PermissionsVibhu [00:43:03]: Now you're looping it with a goal and letting it roll.Akshat [00:43:06]: Yeah, I'm, I'm skeptical of LLM media permission for stuff that is at the sandbox level because you do want hard boundaries.Swyx [00:43:16]: Yeah.Akshat [00:43:16]: Otherwise, someone can exfiltrate stuff.Swyx [00:43:20]: But likeAkshat [00:43:20]: YeahSwyx [00:43:20]: Maybe that's old school thinking. Maybe we're the dinosaurs.Swyx [00:43:23]: Maybe the AI OS or the LLM OS is really the kernel is a goddamn LLM.Swyx [00:43:30]: Like it makes you feel uncomfortable.Akshat [00:43:31]: Yeah, I'm, I'm toldSwyx [00:43:32]: But that's what trusting the LLM is. Like imagine a spherical cow perfect LLM.Akshat [00:43:36]: Right.Swyx [00:43:37]: That it.Akshat [00:43:39]: Maybe.Swyx [00:43:41]: I wanna test the boundaries, right?Akshat [00:43:42]: Yeah.Swyx [00:43:42]: Like, and I don't believe that, but I wanna see where I'm wrong ‘cause that's, that's the consensus.Akshat [00:43:49]: Yeah. I think you always need hard guardrails when you want, And you can pair those with softer guardrails, right? And that's gonna be a lot of mediated.Managed Agents and Specialized SandboxesSwyx [00:44:00]: There. I'll also get you a end with a couple of your commentary on like the ecosystem outside of Modal. Manage agents. Everyone has one. Gemini, OpenAI, Claude, very useful for you, but also like it is their way of starting to edge into your space.Akshat [00:44:17]: Yeah.Swyx [00:44:17]: What's going on?Akshat [00:44:19]: Yeah, we're, very excited to partner with Anthropic and some of the other foundation labs, will not name who we're also working with. the way we see it is the manage agent thing is a great place to start if you're starting out building an agent and, But then when you get to, building something more production grade, like you're a company that's like Ramp that's building their own, Ramp also runs their accounting agent on us, so their external-facing agent. You need a lot more control over, your compute primitive on things like, what sort - how do you persist different files that the agent has access to, and how do you snapshot and restore? How do you control the networking? maybe you want GPUs. When you get to that point, you kinda want, a specialized sandbox provider, that gives you those things, and that's the role that we are trying to play.Swyx [00:45:15]: YeahAkshat [00:45:16]: We don't really have an opinion on the harness, whether it runs - it's a cloud-managed agent, and you hook it up to Model Sandbox, or you run the harness in Model Sandbox. We'll see where people converge with that.Swyx [00:45:26]: Yeah. Do you any opinions on like the meta harnesses, or just another layer on top of these things?Akshat [00:45:31]: You mean like the OpenPipeSwyx [00:45:33]: OpenPipe is one. I think Vercel had one, which I can't remember the name of right now. Fredshot had one. and then, to me, most recently was Data Databricks that had Omnigen. All these are meta harness. Like it's kinda pseudo agent cloud type things.Akshat [00:45:50]: I personally have not played around with them.Swyx [00:45:53]: Yeah.Akshat [00:45:53]: Build agents with them.Swyx [00:45:54]: Everything's bullish Modal, as long as it consumes more infra.Akshat [00:45:57]: That's why we're focusing on the infra layer. It's somewhere where our, relative competence is and, also it's a hard problem to solve.Swyx [00:46:06]: Yeah. I will say like just generally reflecting on that, I don't know if - if there's other topics on Modal, but like just generally reflecting as an infra person, not as intense as you, but in that field, this has like been the most exciting time in infra. Like it was boring for a while, and you couldn't really get people excited about data infrastructure. Like Eric would get on Data Console, everyone just watched the video and like say, “Look at how many sandboxes I can spin up,” and no one gave a crap.Why Infrastructure Became Exciting AgainAkshat [00:46:39]: Yeah.Swyx [00:46:40]: And like now everyone gives a crap.Akshat [00:46:42]: That's true. It is a very exciting time, and I think a lot of that's driven by just the amount of scale all of this stuff needs.Swyx [00:46:50]: I think the, like a lot of your initiatives or a lot of your like product directions make sense in retrospect, which is like the best kind, but I wouldn't necessarily have thought about it myself, which.Akshat [00:47:00]: We need the predictions.Swyx [00:47:02]: I think there's a lot that you just don't even see, right? Like you have the batch, you have the voice, you have the multimodal, but what else?Akshat [00:47:10]: What else is coming up for usSwyx [00:47:11]: Yeah. Where do you see things going?Akshat [00:47:13]: Yeah. I, in generalBiotech, Robotics, and Non-LLM AI WorkloadsAkshat [00:47:15]: It's it's clear that there's there's a huge shift happening. I think one thing that's not as obvious to people because LLM inference gets talked about so much and is also we work a lot of companies that are, doing things like drug discovery and computational bio, like the Chai Discoveries of the world. Big things are probably gonna happen there. we work a lot of robotics companies that are putting robots in like active deployments and getting good results out of them.Swyx [00:47:45]: Is there Air Gap Modal? Is there a version that is like prem air gapped whatever?Akshat [00:47:50]: No. We,Swyx [00:47:51]: You should cloud only.Akshat [00:47:51]: Yeah.Swyx [00:47:52]: Yeah. Okay. But yeah, so what you're saying is like because you're focused on primitives and they're good primitives, you find use cases in all these kinds of things.Akshat [00:48:01]: Yeah.Swyx [00:48:01]: Probably diversifies you a little bit away from LMS all the time.Akshat [00:48:05]: Yeah, absolutely. We're, we'- our goal isn't to only serve the LLM inference market.Swyx [00:48:10]: There are a lot just on the website, the audio,Akshat [00:48:12]: Yeah. We said both onSwyx [00:48:14]: Computational bio images. Yeah, there's a lot here. There's QTA TTS, customizing. Oh, Chatterbox. there was customizing Whisper.Akshat [00:48:24]: Okay. Yeah.Swyx [00:48:25]: This screen reminds me of a fallen competitor, which Replicate.Model APIs vs. Differentiated AI ProductsSwyx [00:48:31]: What's your postmortem on what happened?Akshat [00:48:34]: This is one thing we've stayed away from is providing an API for models because I think providing model APIs is some of it ends up serving like a really hobbyist market, which is much less sticky.Swyx [00:48:50]: Yeah.Akshat [00:48:50]: And we've always wanted to build for companies that are building products and need more flexibility that's not just an API.Swyx [00:48:57]: Which you can build an API for a model and this is clearly what it is. But you - but what you're saying, you can wrap it into a more fully functioning back end that you run.Akshat [00:49:06]: Yeah. So all of our examples, it's not that spin up this model, here's an API token, use it. They're all code.Swyx [00:49:13]: Okay.Akshat [00:49:13]: And so the point is that this is just an example.Swyx [00:49:16]: Starter code.Akshat [00:49:17]: Yeah. But you can tweak it however you want.Swyx [00:49:20]: Yeah.Akshat [00:49:21]: And if you're like a company building a product, like, computational bio whatnot, yeah.Swyx [00:49:26]: I guess I'm trying to tease out for listenersAkshat [00:49:28]: YeahSwyx [00:49:28]: When does it stop becoming, oh, you're just an API call and you're just a wrapper on API to becoming what you call a product, right?Swyx [00:49:36]: Like, what is that layer? Like what-- Like, more lines of code, but like beyond that, what is the substance that people add that qualifies it to be something more?Akshat [00:49:46]: I think there's a little bit of like a selection effect of like a lot of the companies who do wanna get deeper into that level are probably building something that's more differentiated. And, I think, an example is like - with LLM inference, originally we, worked with companies that were building their own post-training frameworks or they were, - Ramp early in the day was training their own tokenizer and like swapping out the tokenizer in Llama and whatnot. I'm not saying that's, that successful, in that case. But a better example is like, let's say Suno. because Suno, does not use Modal for training.Swyx [00:50:26]: Mikey on the pod. Yeah.Akshat [00:50:27]: But they use Modal for all their inference and that's because they have like a custom-- They have completely custom model architecture and that means that they have to be at the code level and tweak things that are not, just an API.Swyx [00:50:41]: It's interesting as well, like we had, Ethan, most recently on the xAI Groq team make a prediction that like the next tier in video gen is not a better video model, it's a better model or agent that orchestrates video models.Video Agents and Production WorkflowsAkshat [00:50:56]: Oh, interesting.Vibhu [00:50:56]: Language model backbone that can use toolsAkshat [00:50:58]: RightVibhu [00:50:59]: And write code.Akshat [00:51:00]: Like, yes, I can make my second video or my second video from Groq, but I want my minute video.Akshat [00:51:06]: And I'm not going there through normal video gen.Swyx [00:51:10]: Yeah, that's interesting. I - So we have GPU sandboxes and recently have seen a few companies doing agents that do video manipulation or,Akshat [00:51:22]: Yeah. Give it FFmpeg and just do it.Swyx [00:51:23]: Run FFmpeg. But likeAkshat [00:51:25]: That's not enough.Swyx [00:51:25]: Yeah.Akshat [00:51:26]: You need to give it Adobe.Swyx [00:51:27]: Yeah, I hadn't put it together with like it would be a video production thing. in my mind these things were going more towards editingAkshat [00:51:36]: Yeah.Vibhu [00:51:36]: Well, shout out Mantis.Akshat [00:51:37]: I think about this a lot.Swyx [00:51:38]: .Akshat [00:51:41]: Yeah. Sorry.Vibhu [00:51:41]: Luma. Luma Agent is a version of this for video production, but it's a off.Swyx [00:51:46]: I was gonna get your quick takes, on some other stuff that happensGitpod/Ona, CI, and Runtime SandboxesSwyx [00:51:50]: In recent news and just-just see if you have anything interesting. Gitpod, very li

Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga. We humans have shortcomings in common. Certain personal and professional imperfections—such as procrastination, impatience, and difficulty with public speaking, among others—that we naturally work to improve or manage. Maybe like me you've struggled to perfect your shortcomings only to discover that a better use of your energy might be to put them in service to self-awareness. Developing a habit of proactive personal growth identifies shortcomings without excessive self-shame and focuses on practical strategies for improvement, rather than dwelling on the weakness itself. No more “Should on you!” What if instead of focusing on what I'm not because of a standard set by someone else, I assess all I've done, accomplished, overcome, created, and become over the course of my life thus far because I learned how to fall down 7 and get up 8? What if I make up my mind to attend to projects and ideas that are achievable and meaningful to me despite my shortcomings—because I say so! Question: How are you incorporating your shortcomings to live the life you want, where you want, how you want, with whom you want, and for the reasons you want? We determine who we are, shortcomings and all! You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you'll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. AND!  Stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website during reconstruction, email me [info@quartermoonstoryarts.net] to arrange a no-obligation Discovery Call, and stay current with me as Quarter Moon Story Arts on Substack. Stories From Women Who Walk Production Team Podcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story Arts Music: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron Music ALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.

I'm Dr. Heather Hirsch, and in this week's video, I'm diving into the exciting news that Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) has been officially renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) to better reflect its nature as a lifelong metabolic condition. I'll explain why this name change is so validating for women and how it shifts our focus toward managing critical health factors like insulin resistance, heart disease risks, and long-term uterine health. If you're looking for personalized hormone care, I invite you to check the links in the description to book a discovery call at my telemedicine clinic, which currently serves patients in almost all 50 states.

What if the life lessons most adults learn through hardship could be taught to children before they face those challenges?Many adults develop confidence, resilience, and self-belief only after experiencing setbacks, failures, and difficult life circumstances. But what if parents could equip their children with those skills much earlier?In this Parenting Coaching and Personal Development episode of Coaching In Session, Michael Rearden sits down with mindset coach, speaker, and author Michal Gez to discuss how parents can raise confident, resilient, and emotionally empowered children.Drawing from her book, The Empowered Child, Michal shares practical parenting principles that help children develop independence, authenticity, and the ability to navigate life's challenges without relying on external validation. The conversation explores resilience, bullying, single-parent dynamics, peer pressure, and the importance of teaching children to trust themselves and make empowered choices.If you're a parent, educator, or someone interested in child development, this episode provides actionable insights to help children build confidence, emotional strength, and lifelong resilience.What You'll Learn from This Episode• How to teach confidence and resilience from an early age• Why children shouldn't have to learn every lesson through hardship• The importance of authenticity in child development• How parents can help children navigate bullying and peer pressure• Why empowering children creates long-term success and well-being• How proactive parenting helps prevent future strugglesKey Takeaways✅ Children can learn important life skills before facing major adversity✅ Authenticity helps children resist unhealthy peer pressure✅ Resilience is a skill that can be taught and strengthened✅ Parents should support children without fighting every battle for them✅ Confidence comes from within, not external approval✅ Single-parent households can successfully raise empowered children✅ Proactive parenting creates stronger long-term outcomes✅ Emotional resilience is one of the greatest gifts parents can provideGuest Links & ResourcesWebsite – https://www.michalgez.com/(Discover practical parenting principles designed to help children build confidence, resilience, independence, and emotional strength. Michal's book provides parents with actionable tools to help children navigate life's challenges while developing authentic self-belief and healthy decision-making skills.)Explore with Michael ReardenWebsite – https://revenconcepts.com/Podcast – https://coachinginsession.buzzsprout.com/Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/revenconcepts/Work with Michael Rearden - https://www.revenconcepts.com/Subscribe for more conversations on parenting, mindset, personal growth, and leadership to help you build stronger families, develop resilient children, and create lasting positive change.Send us a MessageSupport the showWebsite: www.Revenconcepts.comEmail: Coachinginsession@gmail.comYoutube: @RevenconceptsDon't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share the podcast with others who would benefit from it!

Amy Tomasso — Policy + Partnerships at Ivory Innovations — is in good traffic this week from Salt Lake City for a walkthrough of the Ivory Prize: a $1.5 million annual award celebrating housing innovation across policy, finance, construction, and design. Ivory Innovations operates as a nonprofit foundation connected to Utah's largest homebuilder, meaning that their awards fund housing solutions that scale tangibly.We also touch on: Amy's leadership in Vermont's Homes for All toolkit and pre-approved plan sets. Why off-site construction keeps failing (and how to fix it). The gap between policy wins and housing starts. Salt Lake City's missing middle zoning reforms. Philanthropic capital as an alternative to traditional grants. Why developer-public sector collaboration happens in some places and not others. The 2026 Ivory Prize Summit in Tempe, Arizona.Timeline:00:00 Intro.02:16 Amy Tomasso and the Ivory Prize.04:35 Founded 2018 by Clark Ivory and his daughter Abby.05:29 Nonprofit foundation rooted in a homebuilder's perspective.06:34 200+ innovators in the portfolio, $1.5 million dispersed.07:14 Early winners: Portland's Residential Infill Project, Villa Homes.08:47 Boston Acquisition Fund and Philadelphia housing programs.10:16 Why the East Coast and West Coast show different innovation patterns.11:33 Colorado's state-level support for off-site manufacturing.12:43 Amy's path from urbanism to housing work in Vermont.16:54 Homes for All toolkit: design guide, infill case studies.21:10 Pre-approved plan sets for statewide housing production.25:31 Vermont's collaborative approach with developers and regulators.28:27 Applying policy in Utah: Salt Lake City's missing middle districts.31:15 The gap between policy and actual housing starts.34:12 Philanthropic Capital Playbook launching in November.37:00 Operating foundation model as an alternative financing tool.40:15 Patient capital and subordinated debt approaches.43:03 2026 Ivory Prize Summit in Tempe, Arizona at ASU.46:33 Off-site construction manufacturers: why they fail and how to succeed.49:21 Production homebuilder convening around policy innovation.52:39 Why venture capital may not be the best source for housing.55:12 Liberty Wells: affordable housing infill in Salt Lake City.57:37 Proactive lot splitting for future homeownership conversion.59:35 The Philanthropic Capital Playbook goes public November.1:01:23 Salt Lake City's expansion housing options vote in October.1:03:02 Oversupply in multifamily rentals, still need for homeownership opportunities.1:05:26 The favorite commute: The Avenues to University of Utah.1:07:38 Wrapping up and part two teaser.Further context:Ivory Innovations.The 2026 Ivory Prize Summit in Tempe, Arizona.Follow Amy's work.

How well do we take care of our older adults? What can we do better? Well my guest Jennifer Thayer, RN is a Certified Senior Advisor and a Certified Dementia Practitioner and she shares valuable guidance on understanding senior living options, knowing when its's time to start the conversation, and reducing stress that often comes with making these important decisions.  Jennifer and I discuss early detection, new blood tests, differences between assisted living, personal care and memory care, when to consider a move, and the benefits of hospice and community support. This episode emphasizes being proactive, offers practical resources for families (including Assisted Living Locators and the Alzheimer's Association), and encourages conversations and planning to reduce stress and improve quality of life for older adults. For more information and to reach out to Jennifer Thayer at Assisted Living Locators contact https://north-pittsburgh.assistedlivinglocators.com/ or call 724-972-3202 Also to join Jennifer Thayer's team for the Walk to End Alzheimers find the link below.  http://act.alz.org/goto/jenniferthayer June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month and Jenny D would like to thank her Spotlight Supporters. Special thanks to Ed Meyer founder/CEO Tri-State Office Furniture understands the importance of education, advocacy, and community support for individuals and families navigating the challenges of memory loss. https://tristateofficefurniture.com/ Also, thank you to Dionne Malush owner of Realty ONE Group Gold Standard in Pittsburgh for your commitment to spreading awareness and supporting the community to bring hope, understanding and compassion to those affected by this disease. https://www.dionnemalush.com/ All episodes are available on all the major Audio Platforms as well as Jenny D's YouTube page. Make sure to Subscribe and Follow. http://www.youtube.com/@Spillwithmejennyd If you would like to be a guest or sponsor on Spill with Me Jenny D. Show please fill out the disclaimer at https://www.spillwithmejennyd.com/tell-your-story or email spillwithmejennyd@gmail.com Don't Forget to Subscribe & Follow. Thank you to our Community Partners! Note: "The views and conversations in this podcast are intended solely for informational and educational purposes. They do not constitute professional advice, and listeners are encouraged to seek their own guidance for any specific concerns." "Music Credit: Theme song, written and performed by Mark Ferrari"    markferrarimusic.com    

Send us Fan MailThe Hoops Through Life podcast is BACK! We have some great guests lined up for you all over the next couple of months!On today's episode, we have Coach Kuartez James. Kuartez is a program coordinator working with adults with autism, a licensed behavior technician, a published author, a national speaker, and the founder of "Recruit University”. He has nearly two decades of coaching and leadership experience at the youth and high school levels. Through Recruit University, he has helped hundreds of student-athletes earn millions in scholarships and opportunities at all levels: NCAA DI, DII, DIII, JUCO, and NAIA. On this episode, we discuss:Working backward to start the recruiting processWhen the recruiting process startsWhat parents can look out for as they navigate information about the recruiting processQuestions parents can ask coaches to assess if the coach is knowledgeable about the recruiting processThe power of being proactiveThe importance of sports performanceHow to get started in the recruiting processAnd much more!Recruit University WebsiteRecruiting 101: A Guide To Being Recruited For College SportsNCAA Eligibility CenterIf you have any questions for me or our future guests email hoopsthroughlife@gmail.comIf you're interested in connecting or working together, let's have a conversation - send me an email today - hoopsthroughlife@gmail.comCheck out Hoops Through Life on: Hoops Through Life WebsiteXInstagramFacebookThe views and opinions shared by coaches and other professionals on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Hoops Through Life. Hoops Through Life is an independent entity, not affiliated with any school or coach, and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by these individuals.

Sally Facinelli, growth strategist and franchise advisor with nearly 30 years in the industry, joins Brendon Dennewill to challenge the instinct to scale fast and instead make the case for intentional, systems-driven growth. From leadership transitions and organizational clarity to real-time data visibility and the accelerating impact of AI on franchise operations, Sally brings a practitioner's lens to the questions most brands avoid until it's too late. If your franchise is hitting a ceiling and you can't figure out why, this conversation will tell you exactly where to look.What You'll LearnWhy pausing momentum actually protects itThe leadership change most growing brands delay too longGrowth exposes problems, it doesn't create themBrand consistency requires more than standards documentsData without adoption is just expensive noiseWhy franchisee success is the real FranDev strategyAI as an efficiency multiplier, not a headcount replacementProactive vs. reactive brands: the COVID test caseResourcesFranchise Business Coaches (FBCs) IFA (International Franchise Association)  Sally Facinelli's upcoming book – In progress, focused on franchise leadership and sustainable growth (watch for release)Is your business ready to scale? Take the Growth Readiness Score to find out. In 5 minutes, you'll see: Benchmark data showing how you stack up to other organizationsA clear view of your operational maturity Whether your business is ready to scale (and what to do next if it's not)Let's ConnectSubscribe to the RevOps Champions NewsletterLinkedInYouTubeExplore the show at revopschampions.com. Ready to unite your teams with RevOps strategies that eliminate costly silos and drive growth? Let's talk!

Preventive medicine flips the script on how we usually handle our healthcare: Instead of waiting until something breaks, you catch issues earlier, when they're easier to address. In this episode, Rahul Iyengar, MD, explains why our current "sick care" system tends to wait for symptoms before stepping in — and what a more proactive model looks like.    He also shares why relationship-based care that gives providers more time with patients tends to lead to better outcomes, and how lasting health comes from sustainable habits rather than quick fixes. He offers a clear, practical look at taking charge of your health on your own terms.   Find the episode highlights, get related resources and view the transcript for this episode at https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/podcast/prevent-vs-react-why-taking-a-proactive-approach-to-your-health-matters-with-rahul-iyengar-md   Have thoughts you'd like to share or topic ideas for future episodes? Email us at lttalks@lt.life — we'd love to hear from you!   Follow us on Instagram: @lifetime.life   The information in this podcast is intended to provide broad understanding and knowledge of healthcare topics. This information is for educational purposes only and should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of advice from your physician or healthcare provider. We recommend you consult your physician or healthcare professional before beginning or altering your personal exercise, diet or supplementation program. 

The people in your life, on your team, and within your organization need your love. Jason Barger sits down with researcher and best-selling author, Marcus Buckingham, for a chat about designing love into the human experience. For Full Show Notes Visit: https://www.jasonvbarger.com/podcast/organizational-love-marcus-buckingham/ Jason is joined by world-renowned researcher and best-selling author Marcus Buckingham for a groundbreaking conversation about the empirical business case for operationalizing love within our teams and organizations. Please rate and review the podcast to help amplify these messages to others! Summary: In an era of hyper-optimized efficiency, cost-cutting, and automated human resource networks, why are employee engagement and trust hitting historic lows? In this episode of The Thermostat, Jason V Barger sits down with Marcus Buckingham, the global authority on strengths, human performance, and the co-creator of StrengthsFinder. Together, they challenge leaders to completely reframe the workplace ecosystem by introducing a metric often feared in boardrooms: love. This conversation moves past soft platitudes to deliver a rigorous, numbers-backed defense of extreme positive experiences. Marcus exposes the systematic pitfalls of the modern "loveless enterprise," where humans are reduced to financial variables like "headcount" or "FTEs." He introduces the curvilinear math of human behavior—the J-curve—proving that incremental improvements in satisfaction yield flatline results, while dramatic spikes in productivity and loyalty happen only when people encounter a top-box "Score 5" environment. Essential listening for C-Suite executives, HR directors, and operations managers committed to evolving their corporate culture, this episode provides a sequential tactical blueprint to reverse systemic disengagement and master the art of intentional leadership in teams. Episode Notes & Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Jason sets the stage for a conversation on why the world's best cultures proactively design love into their daily performance systems. [00:03] Meet Marcus Buckingham: An introduction to Marcus's 25-year history as a top global researcher, best-selling author, and developer of team-leader technology. [00:06] Testing the Wiring: Marcus shares his top five CliftonStrengths and explores how a leader's unique psychometric profile sets the baseline for their thermostat. [00:07] Experiences vs. Outcomes: Shifting management focus away from top-down directive goals toward actively shaping extreme positive experiences that change human behavior. [00:09] The Loveless Enterprise: A critical analysis of corporate structures that view people through an extractive financial lens rather than as whole human beings. [00:14] The J-Curve Math of Human Performance: Deconstructing behavioral data to show why "fours are effectively ones" and why true performance gains occur only when experiences hit a score of five. [00:23] Redefining Workplace Love: What humans actually mean when they say they love a brand or a mentor: the psychological safety to remove their armor and feel fully themselves. [00:26] Proactive vs. Reactive Leadership: Unpacking why reactive "caring" functions purely like a thermometer, while a loving manager exercises proactive thermostat adjustments to fit the person. [00:35] The Scarcity of Attention: A deep evaluation of healthcare data, illustrating how excessive spans of control systematically drop employee engagement and client outcomes. [00:43] Horizontal Experiences vs. Vertical Silos: How traditional, vertical business structures fragment horizontal employee and customer journeys, creating unloving handoffs. [00:46] The AI Relational Slop Trap: A blunt warning against using generative AI to automate human relational touchpoints, such as writing employee performance reviews. [00:56] The 5 Feelings Sequential Blueprint: Marcus outlines the practical, five-part method to operationalize love inside your immediate span of control: Control, Harmony, Significance, Warmth of Others, and Growth. Key Takeaways for Leaders: The J-Curve Reality: Stop pooling mediocre scores with excellent ones. Realize that driving productive human behavior requires focusing heavily on designing "Score 5" baseline environments. Eliminate Scarcity of Attention: Audit your operational structures and management spans of control to ensure your leaders have the actual bandwidth to pay attention to the humans they guide. The Blueprint Sequence: Operationalize care inside your team right now by systematically protecting your people's autonomy (Control), workflow predictability (Harmony), and individual purpose (Significance). Listen to the full episode and access show notes at: https://jasonvbarger.com/podcast/organizational-love-marcus-buckingham/ Bio: Jason Barger is a husband, father, speaker, and author who is passionate about business leadership and corporate culture. He believes that corporate culture is the "thermostat" of an organization, and that it can be used to drive performance, innovation, and engagement. The show features interviews with business leaders from a variety of industries, as well as solo episodes where Barger shares his own insights and advice. Connect: Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JasonVBarger Make Your 2026 Effective! Book Jason with your team at https://www.jasonvbarger.com Like or Follow Jason

UPDATE ON NATIONAL EQUESTRIAN CENTER - JOE BRAZIL ST. CHARLES COUNTY COUNTY MISSOURI COUNCILMANThe facts regarding the operation of the National Equestrian Center.Who is running the NEC? Why are the Board of Directors absent from community meetings regarding the future of the NEC? Proactive equestrian people need to serve to help run the NEC.Rodeos, Cowboy Mounted Shooting, Truck Shows, Car Shows, Horse and Mule Auctions, Wild West Shows to name a few can easily use the NEC; it is a huge venue of the Mid West with so much to offer! Mule Talk is an Every Cowgirl's Dream production -  www.EveryCowgirlsDream.Com www.MuleTalk.Net  Meredith Hodges Interviews: www.LuckyThreeRanch.Com/Podcast-Appearances/

In this episode of the Principles of Change podcast, presented by Raptor Technologies, host Dr. Amy Grosso sits down with Lynda Garinger, principal of Hopewell Middle School in Round Rock, Texas, to explore what school safety looks like throughout the entire school day. Their conversation examines the routines, systems, and relationships that support a safe learning environment.KEY POINTS:1. School safety is supported with consistent adult presence, clear routines, and supervision that help students feel protected throughout the day.2. Proactive strategies help students regulate emotions, reduce escalation, and stay engaged in learning.3. Safe school communities balance security with belonging so every student feels seen, valued, and supported.

In this episode of Selling to Corporate, Jess Lorimer explains why 66% of corporate decision makers are now using AI tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot to research and shortlist external suppliers before they visit a single website. If you are a coach, consultant, speaker, trainer, or done-for-you service provider selling to corporate clients, this episode covers what that shift means for your lead generation strategy and what you need to do right now to stay visible. Who this episode is for Coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers, and done-for-you service providers who sell services to corporate clients Anyone who has a strong reputation and great client results but is not generating consistent inbound enquiries Business owners who want to understand how AI search is changing the B2B buying process Those who rely heavily on referrals or proactive outreach and want to add a passive visibility layer to their lead generation Anyone preparing for a strong September who wants to be findable by active corporate buyers before the summer ends How are corporate buyers using AI to find coaches, consultants, and trainers? The way corporate buyers source external suppliers has changed significantly over the last 12 to 18 months. Traditionally, a decision maker would ask for internal referrals, then send a junior employee to Google to find and benchmark potential suppliers. That process has shifted. Corporate buyers are now going directly to AI tools and typing conversational queries such as "find me a leadership coach who works with financial services firms" rather than searching for short keywords. The AI platform does not return a list of website links to browse. It returns a shortlist of three to five named suppliers it considers relevant, credible, and well-documented. If you are not being indexed, cited, and recommended by AI, you are not part of that shortlist. You do not exist to that buyer, regardless of how good your website is or how often you post on LinkedIn. What is passive visibility and why does it matter for B2B coaches and consultants? Passive visibility is the ability to be found by corporate decision makers who are actively searching for what you offer, without you having to actively reach out to them at that moment. With the rise of AI-powered search, passive visibility has taken on new importance. When a buyer asks ChatGPT or Perplexity to recommend a consultant, coach, or trainer in your specialism, AI platforms surface experts based on structured, credible information it can find and verify about you across the web. This is different from passive income. Passive visibility means building the conditions so that when corporate buyers are actively looking, your name comes up, even while you sleep. What is generative engine optimization (GEO) and how does it help you sell to corporate? Generative engine optimization, or GEO, is the practice of structuring and distributing your content and professional information so that AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google Gemini can index, cite, and recommend you. It is different from traditional SEO (search engine optimization), which focuses on ranking on Google's results pages. GEO focuses on appearing in the AI-generated answers that corporate buyers are now receiving when they search for external suppliers. In practice, GEO involves creating structured, expert-led content that directly answers the questions your ideal corporate buyers are asking. It involves building a consistent presence across high-quality, curated platforms that AI tools trust and crawl regularly. One example of this is being listed in a specialist directory like the Expert Services Directory, where AI is actively crawling listings every day and surfacing relevant specialists to corporate buyers. Why isn't my website getting me found by corporate decision makers? Having a well-designed website is no longer enough to guarantee visibility with corporate buyers. Traditional search engine optimization was built for Google, and Google returns website links. AI-powered search platforms work differently. They synthesize information from multiple trusted sources and return a curated answer. If you are only relying on your website and social media posting to generate inbound enquiries from corporate clients, you are optimizing for a search behaviour that corporate buyers are increasingly moving away from. The coaches and consultants getting shortlisted by AI are those who have consistent, structured information across multiple authoritative sources. Your website is one piece of that picture. It is not the whole picture. Should coaches and consultants stop doing proactive outreach now that AI search exists? No. And in this episode, Jess is very clear about this. Proactive outreach remains the most predictable, measurable, and scalable way to identify and approach corporate decision makers. AI search and passive visibility are not a replacement for proactive lead generation. They are a complement to it. Proactive outreach gives you control over your pipeline. Passive visibility through AI search gives you additional inbound opportunities from buyers who are already actively looking to buy. The most effective B2B sales strategy for coaches and consultants in 2026 uses both together. How do I use AI in my B2B sales process without outsourcing my strategy? Jess is known for her strong views on AI usage in sales, and she addresses them directly in this episode. The issue is not AI itself. The issue is outsourcing your critical thinking, your creative strategy, and your outreach messaging to AI tools that are only as good as the generic, often poor-quality sales content that exists on the internet. Your methodology, your intellectual property, and your client relationships are not things AI can replicate. What AI can support is the manual, administrative, and research-heavy parts of your lead generation process. That includes improving your passive visibility so you are being found by active buyers, and targeting better qualified cold corporate contacts more efficiently. These are very specific, intentional uses. They are not a shortcut to replacing a proven B2B sales process. What is the Expert Services Directory and how does it help coaches get found by corporate buyers? The Expert Services Directory is a curated directory of specialist coaches, consultants, speakers, trainers, and done-for-you service providers who work with corporate organisations. It is limited to 10 specialists per category per location, which means it is a high-quality, structured resource that AI tools actively crawl and trust. Being listed in the Expert Services Directory means you are part of a curated platform that AI is already indexing and citing when corporate buyers search for external specialists in your area. This is one of the most straightforward ways to improve your passive visibility and start showing up in AI-generated shortlists for active corporate buyers. You can apply at expertservicesdirectory.com.   Key Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Expert Services Directory: Get listed and improve your AI search visibility with corporate buyers. Apply at expertservicesdirectory.com Amplify with AI workshop: A paid, interactive virtual masterclass on Friday 17th July showing coaches, consultants, speakers, and trainers exactly how to leverage generative engine optimization and AI-assisted lead generation in your B2B sales process. Use code PODCAST for a discount (valid until Monday). https://smartleaderssell.thrivecart.com/amplify-ai/ Join the B2B Sales Edit https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/988ac64b-5875-4924-9d10-50faad2aa4ad?email=%EMAIL% If you've enjoyed listening to Why Corporate Buyers Can't Find You (Even When They're Looking) check out these episodes.   STC175 - Two types of B2B lead generation that coaches + consultants need to use! https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/two-types-of-b2b-lead-generation-that-coaches-consultants-need-to-use/ STC173 - B2B sales trends for Q2: Which one are you actioning? https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/b2b-sales-trends-for-q2-which-one-are-you-actioning/ STC158 - Sharing insights: 2025 B2B sales trends for the second half of the year https://sellingtocorporate.com/podcast/sharing-insights-2025-b2b-sales-trends-for-the-second-half-of-the-year/ Episode sponsored by The Expert Services Directory: A key resource for coaches / consultants / trainers and done-for-you service providers to generate inbound leads.  About Selling to Corporate Selling to Corporate is the podcast for coaches, consultants, speakers, trainers, and done-for-you service providers who want to build a predictable, profitable pipeline of corporate clients. Hosted by Jess Lorimer, founder of Selling to Corporate® and the Expert Services Directory, the show covers B2B sales strategy, corporate lead generation, and how genuine experts can win consistent high-value contracts with corporate organisations in the UK and beyond. New episodes every week. Subscribe so you never miss one. Content Disclaimer The information contained above is provided for information purposes only. The contents of this article, video or audio are not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of this article, video or audio. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of this article, video or audio. Jessica Lorimer disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of this article, video or audio.  

This episode explores financial management strategies tailored for physical therapy practice owners, highlighting how behavioral finance principles can lead to more sustainable and profitable practices. Dr. Stephanie Weyrauch speaks with Craig Dacy and shares actionable insights on building cash reserves, setting equitable owner compensation, and fostering a long-term profitability mindset—key considerations especially relevant in a landscape of changing reimbursement policies.  In this episode: ·       How practice owners can implement the Profit First system to improve cash flow and profitability ·       Strategies for paying PT owners and team members competitively while maintaining business health ·       The importance of behavioral finance and habit formation in managing healthcare business finances ·       Building cash cushions to buffer the impact of delayed insurance reimbursements ·       Transitioning from solo to multi-location practice: financial and strategic shifts ·       Insights on hiring and retaining staff in a competitive employment market, including creative compensation models ·       Special considerations for insurance-based PT practices and handling delayed payments ·       The role of long-term thinking in promoting lifelong patient engagement with physical therapy ·       Craig's journey to authoring a book tailored to physical therapists on financial management Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and host introduction to Craig Dacy 00:14 - Craig's background and link with Ramsey Solutions 01:05 - Transition from teaching to financial coaching, motivated by personal debt freedom 02:04 - Connecting personal finances with managing a healthcare practice 02:26 - The link between physical therapy and finance, and the need for early financial education 03:22 - Why focus on physical therapists and their unique financial challenges 03:57 - Short-term engagement models and their impact on PT practice finances 04:37 - Promoting lifelong physical therapy and long-term patient relationships 05:05 - Expanding services and revenue streams beyond injury-based care 06:01 - Overcoming scarcity mindset in insurance-reliant practices 06:35 - Owner compensation strategies and making practices more sustainable 07:18 - Implementing profit-based accounting to manage personal and business finances 08:36 - The role of budgeting and behavioral finance in practice management 09:57 - The Envelope system adapted for business accounts 10:23 - Building a practice on a lean budget and avoiding debt 11:04 - Managing delayed insurance payments and cash flow buffers 12:02 - Percentage-based budgeting and cash cushion strategies 12:47 - Tailoring Profit First principles for healthcare settings 13:31 - Different financial strategies for growing practices 14:01 - Prioritizing payroll and managing equipment expenses 14:38 - Challenges of hiring in a competitive market and offering competitive salaries 15:06 - How to determine sustainable compensation—percentages and alternative pay models 15:56 - Profit sharing and creating ownership culture for employee retention 16:50 - Boosting practice profitability through mindset shifts 17:31 - The importance of profit in business health and longevity 18:30 - Transitioning from solo to multi-location practices and financial planning 19:19 - Growth phases and financial shifts at different revenue levels 20:48 - Proactive planning to fund expansion and staffing 21:20 - Behavioral changes needed for practice profitability and culture 22:07 - How profitability benefits the team, patients, and business sustainability 23:04 - Making profit a priority by shifting financial behaviors 24:18 - Small habits for long-lasting financial health—starting with just 1% into profit 25:00 - Speaking at Web PT's Ascend conference, and the growth mindset around money 26:20 - Craig's journey to writing a book for PTs on financial systems 27:53 - Inspiration behind the book and the process of writing 29:22 - Advice to younger self: embrace authenticity and risk-taking 30:18 - Connecting with Craig and upcoming resources for practice owners 31:23 - Final tips: opening a profit account and celebrating profitability 32:05 - Closing remarks and encouragement to adopt financial habits Resources & Links: ·       Profit First by Mike Michalowicz ·       pf4pt.com — Book landing page and pre-order info ·       Dacy Coaching — Practice financial consulting Connect with Craig: ·       Website ·       Schedule a coaching session ·       Craig on Instagram ·       Craig on LinkedIn ·       Craig on YouTube More About Craig Dacy: Craig Dacy, owner of DACY Financial Coaching, has helped hundreds of small businesses, with a focus on Physical Therapists, find confidence and clarity in their finances. After spending over a decade as an educator, Craig combines his knack for small business and love for teaching to help make the overly complicated concept of business finances incredibly simple to understand.  Craig lives in Austin, TX with his wife and 2 kids. When he's not spending time with his family, he can be found reliving "the good old days" as the lead singer and bass player for his 90s cover band, Zoodust. Jane Sponsorship Information: Book a one-on-one demo here Mention the code LITZY1MO for a free month   Follow Dr. Karen Litzy on Social Media: Karen's Instagram Karen's LinkedIn   Subscribe to Healthy, Wealthy & Smart: YouTube Website Apple Podcast Spotify SoundCloud Stitcher iHeart Radio

If your days feel jam-packed but your dental practice still isn't improving, the problem usually isn't effort. It's urgency. The loudest problems in a practice always win, and they trick us into believing we'll work on systems, leadership, and growth “once things slow down.” They don't slow down, and that's exactly why so many practice owners feel stuck, overworked, and quietly frustrated.We unpack the real difference between reactive work and proactive work in dental practice management. Reactive work is the constant stream of fires: insurance denials, upset patients, schedule chaos, staffing surprises, and equipment problems. It keeps the lights on, but it doesn't build the future. Proactive work is what creates a practice that runs without you: onboarding systems, checklists, phone scripts, KPI scoreboards, P&L review, and leader development that prevents issues before they explode.We also talk about why this matters for your key leaders, especially the office manager. Many office managers spend their whole day reacting like a highly skilled admin employee, when what you really need is protected time for true management. I share the shift I had to make when I hit a breaking point, and how blocking and defending CEO time became the turning point for building momentum again.If you're ready to stop living in reaction mode and start building a calmer, more profitable practice, listen now, share this with a colleague, and subscribe so you don't miss what comes next. And if you want help installing systems and protecting proactive time, book a free strategy call at dentalpracticeheroes.com/slash strategy, then leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.Invest in your Team and the Leaders you Need at the DPH Leadership Intensive Here Join our Newest and Best Coaching Program, Click Here for More InformationTake Control of Your Practice and Your LifeWe help dentists take more time off while making more money through systematization, team empowerment, and creating leadership teams.Ready to build a practice that works for you? Visit www.DentalPracticeHeroes.com to learn more.

What if your customers like your software, but don't have the time to use it? Farzad Rashidi learned this the hard way. Back in college, he cold emailed the founder of Visme, offered to work for free, and eventually became the company's first marketing hire. He helped grow the bootstrapped platform to eight figures and learned one major lesson along the way: backlinks could drive serious organic growth, but the outreach process was painfully time-consuming. That insight eventually led him to co-found Respona, an outreach platform built to make the process easier. At first, the software gained traction. But over time, Farzad and his team ran into a frustrating problem. Customers did not leave because the product was bad. They left because they did not have the bandwidth to actually use it. In this episode of The Rising Tide Startups, Farzad shares how one conversation with an Australian client helped them rethink the entire business. That moment pushed Responda from DIY software into a productized service, and helped unlock 5x revenue growth in just twelve months. Key Takeaways: Action Produces Information. Taking any step forward yields the critical data points required to make the right move. Focus on Outcomes. Customers care about tangible results and deliverables, not just being handed a toolset they have to manage themselves. Build a Surround Sound Strategy. Modern AI search visibility requires replicating citations across authoritative lookalike publications. Position Yourself to Get Lucky. Proactive, direct initiative throws enough spaghetti at the wall until something sticks. Productize Your Services. Scale manual workflows by turning human operations into a standardized, predictable assembly line. Lower the Bar to Execution. With minimal technical overhead required today, launching an early project beats staying trapped in the idea stage. Seize Exponential Shifts. Capitalizing on moments when technology and user behaviors fundamentally change creates an immediate competitive edge.   Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups  Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR  Connect with Farzad: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farzadrashidi/ Website: https://respona.com/ Closing Thought If you haven't started yet, that first project's goal is just to give you the data point to know what to do next. And so if you're going with that mindset of not being afraid of losing... what do you have to lose is a few hours of your time. — Farzad Rashidi Shoutout to our Great Sponsors:  Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Check out https://naviqus.com now to jumpstart your business for 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own podcast for your company or brand?  Podbrandmedia.com can help.  Affordable and effective in content creation and lead generation!

Mastering your relationship with food is one of the ultimate tests of discipline, but controlling your eating empowers you to take control of every other area of your life. Chris and Angela tackle the concept of "mindful eating, "the tenth rule of Il Il Shin. Instead of advocating for restrictive diets or overwhelming meal prep, they champion the philosophy of making small, intentional adjustments. The episode is a powerful perspective shift on how to approach nutrition, discipline, and healthy living without the heavy burden of guilt. If you're a business owner, entrepreneur or building a demanding career, find out how mindful eating can give you an edge personally and professionally. Mindful Eating Discussion Points The Pillars of Mindful Eating: Slowing down to listen to your body's fullness cues, avoiding reactive eating when starving, and truly experiencing the flavors and textures of your food. The Impact of a Scarcity Mindset: How early life experiences with tight finances can subconsciously cause a person to view food strictly as fuel to be consumed quickly, rather than an experience to be appreciated. Proactive vs. Reactive Planning: The value of simple meal planning to eliminate daily cooking stress, and utilizing modern grocery apps to save time and mental energy. Shifting from Elimination to Addition: Why you should stop focusing on what you need to cut out, like cupcakes or cookies, and instead focus on adding nutritious, healthy foods to your plate. Building Discipline and Appreciation: How intentional practices like fasting or consistent workout routines can heighten your appreciation for food and build ultimate self-discipline.

Why does customer loyalty seem harder to earn than ever before?Customers have more choices, higher expectations, and less patience than ever. At the same time, many organizations are struggling to understand why customers aren't as loyal as they once were.In this episode, I sit down with customer experience expert, keynote speaker, and author Jeannie Walters to discuss her new book, Experience Is Everything: Making Every Moment Count in the Age of Customer Expectations, and why customer loyalty has become so fragile.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy customer loyalty is becoming more fragile than ever beforeThe exercise that helps align an entire organization around customer experienceThe difference between reactive customer service and proactive customer experienceWhy emotions play a bigger role in customer loyalty than many organizations realizeWhy small moments often have a bigger impact than big momentsThe role intentional leadership plays in creating a better customer experienceChapters00:00 Introduction to Experience Is Everything05:10 Creating a Customer Experience Mission Statement11:13 The Importance of Internal Alignment15:03 Bridging the Gap in Customer Loyalty and Customer Expectations18:57 Proactive vs. Reactive Customer Experience21:03 Managing Negative Emotions in Customer Experience25:25 The Power of Small Moments32:23 Jeannie's Experience Is Everything 5-Song PlaylistAbout Jeannie WaltersJeannie Walters is an award-winning customer experience expert, keynote speaker, founder of Experience Investigators, and author of Experience Is Everything: Making Every Moment Count in the Age of Customer Expectations. Through her consulting and speaking, she helps organizations improve customer loyalty, increase retention, and create more customer-centric experiences. Connect with Jeannie WaltersJeannie's Website Experience Investigators Jeannie's Book - Experience Is Everything: Making Every Moment Count in the Age of Customer Expectations Jeannie on LinkedIn Connect with Matt LylesCheck Matt's speaking availability Subscribe on YouTubeMatt on LinkedIn Matt on Instagram Subscribe to Matt's newsletterSubscribe and listen on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen on Spotify

Bill and Brandon talk about how systematic routines like daily KPI checks and proactive resident engagement transform chaos into consistent growth. Bill shares how a background in manufacturing and construction translates into sharper maintenance standards, standardized toolkits, and faster work order turnarounds cutting response times to less than 24 hours. Brandon and Bill discuss the importance of in-person resident conversations post-acquisition, building trust that leads to higher renewal rates and fewer vacancies. Bill Ray Asset Manager in VSF Investments Based in: Celina, Ohio Where to find them: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-ray-5430b51a3/ Brandon Virgallito Managing Member of Real Estate Alpha Based in: Dayton Metropolitan Area Where to find them: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bvirgallito/ Book your free demo today at bill.com/bestever and get a $100 Amazon gift card. Visit https://malabarhillcapital.com/ for more info. Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're celebrating PFN's birthday by shining a light on the partners who have been part of our journey toward people-first leadership, meaningful work, and purpose-driven impact. This special feature from Unlocked with Skot Waldron captures the heart of their work and the shared mission that brings us together. Enjoy! — Work can either drain people or deepen their sense of purpose. It's time to design workplaces that do the latter. Skot sits down with Mindy Honcoop, founder of Agile in HR and longtime people leader, to explore what it really means to put humans at the center of business strategy. With over 20 years in HR leadership, Mindy shares why organizations must move from reactive problem-solving to proactive, people-first design, especially when it comes to role clarity, onboarding, culture, employee experience, and organizational alignment. Together, Skot and Mindy unpack how leaders can listen better, ask better questions, and connect the employee story to the customer story. From reducing workplace churn to creating emotional loyalty, this conversation is a powerful reminder that when people feel seen, supported, and connected to purpose, organizations thrive.   Additional Resources: Connect with Skot on LinkedIn Listen to Unlocked wherever you get your podcasts! Subscribe to the PFN YouTube Channel for daily leadership insights! Follow PeopleForward Network on LinkedIn Learn more about PeopleForward Network   Key Takeaways: Put people at the center of strategy. Proactive leadership creates healthier workplace cultures. Employee stories reveal the real problems. Loyalty grows when people feel deeply cared for. Small, curious questions can spark meaningful change.

In this episode of Paradigm Shifting Books, hosts Stephen and Britain Covey explore Habit 1, Be Proactive, from their grandfather Stephen R. Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Featuring archival audio clips of their grandfather teaching in the 1980s and 90s, this "Power Principle" episode reveals the difference between proactive and reactive living. Dr. Covey shares Viktor Frankl's discovery of the "last human freedom," the power to choose your response to any circumstance, and the story of a nurse who realized she had chosen her own misery and could therefore choose otherwise.In the second clip, Dr. Covey introduces the Circle of Influence vs. Circle of Concern through the story of Ben, an employee who transformed his organization by focusing on what he could control. Stephen and Britain reflect on why taking responsibility is not daunting but deeply empowering and why this timeless wisdom is more urgent than ever.Tune in to hear Stephen R. Covey's own voice teach these powerful principles and discover how one simple shift in focus can change everything.What We Discuss[00:00] Introduction[00:40] What makes this episode different[01:58] Habit 1 explained[02:26] The opposite of proactive[03:18] Viktor Frankl and the last human freedom[05:20] The nurse story: from prison to liberation[07:26] Why taking ownership feels daunting but is ultimately empowering[08:56] The circle of influence and circle of concern[09:19] Where proactive vs. reactive people focus their energy[12:00] The story of Ben[14:24] ConclusionResourcesParadigm Shifting BooksPodcastInstagram YouTube BookThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. CoveyStephen R. CoveyLinkedInInstagramBritain CoveyLinkedIn InstagramStephen H. CoveyLinkedInMentioned EpisodeViktor Frankl – Man's Search for Meaning

Bill Ray and Brandon Virgallito have a conversation about the insider strategies that have transformed his company's approach to property makeovers. You'll discover how a laser-focused pre-moveout inspection starts the process months before tenants leave, enabling faster scheduling and fewer down days. Brandon breaks down the critical importance of standardized materials and clear checklists that keep quality high even when managing nearly a thousand units across multiple properties. Bill Ray Asset Manager in VSF Investments Based in: Celina, Ohio Where to find them: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-ray-5430b51a3/ Brandon Virgallito Managing Member of Real Estate Alpha Based in: Dayton Metropolitan Area Where to find them: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bvirgallito/ Book your free demo today at bill.com/bestever and get a $100 Amazon gift card. Visit https://malabarhillcapital.com/ for more info. Podcast production done by⁠ ⁠Outlier Audio⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed D. Renee Smith. A transformational life coach and mental wellness advocate:

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed D. Renee Smith. A transformational life coach and mental wellness advocate: