Podcasts about processes

Ciprian Stan, M&A Integration Manager at SALESIANER Gruppe Most M&A deals fail because integration was "something to figure out later". By the time execution realities, cultural risks, and people impacts surface, the deal is locked, and teams must work around untested assumptions. In this episode of the M&A Science podcast, Ciprian Stan, M&A Integration Manager at SALESIANER Gruppe, explains that integration must be a strategic input to increase chances of success.  Things You'll Learn The importance of involving Integration early in the process Pre LOI preparations and expectations Cultural Diligence and what to look for How to communicate the deal the right way _____________________ Buyer-Led M&A™: The Framework is Now Available Traditional M&A is broken. Buyers chase auctions. Sellers control the process. It's reactive, inefficient, and exhausting. After 300+ episodes of M&A Science, I've taken insights from the world's top corp dev leaders and distilled them into a practical framework for taking control of your M&A pipeline—how to source deals directly, build relationships earlier, and stop being auction-chasers. If you'd like to build a proactive M&A program that founders actually want to engage with, you can grab your copy. https://dealroom.net/resources/ebooks/buyer-led-m-a-tm-the-framework ____________________ Episode Chapters  [00:08:00] – Processes vs. Technology: Discussion on managing the computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and standardized processes during early deals. [00:10:00] – Leveraging an Engineering Background: How a computer science background helps M&A leaders speak the language of IT teams while avoiding micromanagement. [00:13:00] – Proactive vs. Reactive Buying: Defining proactive buying as understanding the "why" and identifying specific gaps (geography, technology, etc.) before acquiring. [00:15:00] – Growth Strategies: Practical examples of buying for revenue growth versus strategic, deliberate footprint expansion. [00:20:25] Integration Should Shape the Deal Early – Integration leaders surface execution risks that strategy teams often overlook. [00:29:00] – Pre-LOI Must-Haves: Essential considerations including an integration thesis, timeline estimates, and financial constructs like earnouts. [00:35:00] – Identifying "Secret Sauce": The necessity of protecting what makes a target company successful during and after the transaction. [00:36:00] – Founder Dynamics: The pros and cons of keeping a founder on after the sale and how their intentions impact the company culture. [00:38:00] – Red Flags and Honest Negotiations: Warning against "pink glasses" during deals and the high cost of lying or tricking a seller during negotiations. [00:48:00] – Dealing with Write-Offs: A cautionary tale of a full investment write-off caused by ignored red flags and excluding integration experts from the deal table. [00:52:00] – Client and Supplier Risks: Why buyers must speak to a target's major clients to ensure the acquisition doesn't create a "single point of failure" risk. ____________________ Questions, comments, concerns? Follow Kison Patel for behind-the-scenes insights on modern M&A.

Astronomer Paul Kalas explains planetary formation in the Fomalhaut system twenty-five light years distant, revealing how observations of this nearby star illuminate the processes that create worlds around young suns.SATURN AND SYSTEM

"I'll just do it myself" sounds responsible — until it becomes the habit that traps you. Every time you step in, you trade time for control, energy for certainty, and short-term relief for long-term pressure. Doing everything yourself doesn't just slow growth — it builds a business that can't move without you. Knowledge stays in your head, systems never get documented, and your availability becomes the bottleneck. Over time, that creates exhaustion, resentment, and the feeling that your business is heavier than it should be. The shift doesn't start with hiring. It starts with a better question. Instead of "Who can I give this to?" ask: "What would need to exist for this not to need me?" Processes, standards, and simple systems make delegation safer — not riskier. Bottom line: You're not failing at leadership. You've just been paying a price no one warned you about — and now you get to choose differently. ✨   Stay Connected & Get Exclusive Access: Join the Private OmniSAM Community: omnisam.com.au/gsdgroup Facebook Group: gsdfb.omnisam.com.au Follow on Facebook: facebook.com/sallysparkscousins Watch the Live Stream & Subscribe for More Updates: OmniSAM YouTube: youtube.com/@omnisamsoftware Sally Sparks-Cousins YouTube: youtube.com/@sallysparkscousins

In this episode, Julia speaks with Geetanjali Sampemane about trust — and what it really takes to build systems that people are willing to rely on, even when they do not fully understand how those systems work. Geeta reflects on her early work helping connect institutions in India to the internet, and how mistrust of new technology gradually shifted through familiarity, experience, and positive outcomes. She shares how trust is rarely based on complete knowledge — it is a judgement call, shaped by risk, context, and past experience. The conversation explores why trust is fragile and difficult to rebuild once broken, and how negative experiences undermine not only our trust in systems, but also our confidence in our own judgement. Geeta also speaks about the role of those designing systems — the importance of clarity, reliability, predictability, and security — and why trust is strengthened when expectations are shared, behaviour is consistent, and mistakes are acknowledged rather than hidden. This episode is a reminder that trust is not blind belief. It is built through constant attention, thoughtful design, and the quiet work of making systems worthy of the people who depend on them. About the Guest: Geetanjali Sampemane is a software engineer at Google London, where she focuses on designing systems for security, privacy and transparency. She started her career helping countries get connected to the Internet, first in India with the ERNet project, and then with the UNDP's Sustainable Development Networking Programme. She got to see first-hand how people and organisations learn to trust new technology.

  DK joins Adrian for the first Techcast of 2026, diving deep into printing, from screens to sublimation. It's all there.   Support the show:   http://portraitkite.com   https://www.fantasykite.com   Contact me:   adrian@portraitkite.com   Follow me:   http://www.kitesurf365.com   https://www.instagram.com/kitesurf365/

Most agency owners don't struggle because they lack effort. They struggle because they lack a system that scales with them. Hosted by Daniel Metcalf with Mike Stromsoe, this episode breaks down the UPP Onyx Agency Operating System and explains why growth stalls when operations, accountability, and leadership aren't aligned. Together, they unpack the real structure behind consistent production, team ownership, and predictable profitability inside modern insurance agencies. You'll learn how to move from reactive management to operational control, why clarity beats hustle at every stage of growth, and how a defined operating system creates freedom without sacrificing performance. This conversation gives you a practical framework to simplify decisions, strengthen leadership, and build an agency that runs without constant firefighting. Highlights: Why most agencies plateau when growth outpaces structure, and how an operating system restores control. How clarity in roles and expectations eliminates friction and raises team accountability. Why leadership breakdowns usually show up as operational problems first. How to stop managing personalities and start managing processes. What it takes to build consistency without becoming the bottleneck. How systems create freedom instead of bureaucracy when built correctly. About the Host – Daniel Metcalf: Daniel Metcalf is a serial entrepreneur, AI strategist, and cybersecurity authority who operates at the intersection of technology, automation, and real-world business execution. For more than 15 years, Daniel has helped small and mid-sized businesses protect what they've built while scaling with confidence in an increasingly complex digital world. His expertise isn't academic—it's operational. Before co-founding CyberFin.ai, Daniel spent eight years applying AI and machine learning inside insurance distribution, driving performance and efficiency for dental and vision insurance programs at the MGA/VGA level. He understands insurance workflows, compliance pressures, and the operational friction that quietly limits growth. Co-Founder and leader of CyberFin.ai, Daniel delivers Fortune-100-level AI adoption, automation, and cybersecurity solutions specifically engineered for independent insurance agencies. His work focuses on eliminating wasted time, reducing human error, strengthening security, and turning technology into a competitive advantage—not an expense. Daniel is known for his high-energy, no-nonsense communication style. He has a rare ability to take complex topics like AI, automation, and cybersecurity—and make them practical, clear, and immediately actionable for agency owners and leadership teams. He doesn't sell tools. He builds systems that execute. When Daniel isn't helping agencies outpace cyber threats or reclaim hours through automation, you'll likely find him on the curling rink—where strategy, precision, and execution matter just as much as they do in business.   About Mike Stromsoe: Mike Stromsoe is one of the most respected and trusted voices in the independent insurance industry—and a relentless advocate for agency owners who want more than just incremental growth. With nearly four decades in the business, Mike began his career in 1986, learning the agency business from the ground up inside his family's firm. He didn't just inherit perspective—he earned it. Mike went on to build, scale, and operate his own multi-million-dollar independent agency for more than 35 years, alongside his wife, while simultaneously running additional successful businesses. What separates Mike is not theory—it's battle-tested execution. He is the creator of the Proven 3-Step Blueprint built on the legendary Three P's: People, Processes, and Promotion—a framework refined over decades of real-world agency ownership and leadership. Thousands of independent insurance agents across North America have implemented Mike's systems to grow profitably, strengthen culture, and reclaim their time. Mike is widely recognized as America's leading authority on independent agency business success, leadership development, and owner mindset transformation. His work focuses on the critical identity shift from operator to owner, helping agency principals build businesses that scale without burning them out. As a dynamic speaker, author, mentor, and executive coach, Mike has been featured at major industry conferences and publications, delivering direct, practical guidance that produces results—not hype. At his core, Mike's purpose is simple and unwavering: To impact people's lives personally and professionally—and to help agency owners build wealth, freedom, and legacy on their own terms. Until next time, get out there and make a difference, be unstoppable, and leave no regrets! Mike Stromsoe The Unstoppable Profit Producer Call 800-770-9984 Email: vip@upplife.com Website: http://unstoppableprofitproducer.com/ Live Events: http://uppmastermind.com/ Podcast: http://unstoppableprofitpodcast.com If you want to learn more about our Coaching & Mastermind Programs and how they can help you grow your agency business, schedule your private Agency Growth Session with Mike Stromsoe Now (click here)!

Learn how to use the AI Accelerator effect to scale smarter not faster into failure. In this episode, I break down the AI Accelerator principle and why it's the most misunderstood concept in business right now. While everyone rushes to automate everything, I reveal the dangerous trap most entrepreneurs fall into: accelerating broken processes, bad habits, and unmanaged systems. 2026 presents the biggest opportunity I've seen in my entire career, but only for those who understand that AI is an employee not a magic solution. I share a real conversation I had with a board member who wanted to use AI to fix his team's inability to follow processes, and why I told him that's exactly the wrong approach. Joining me is my COO and good friend, Joe Beecroft. Joe specializes in helping ambitious CEOs and founders overcome their biggest scaling challenges. As part of our team at Predictable Profits, he's helped us become the secret weapon behind some of the nation's fastest-growing 7- and 8-figure companies, with 15 making the Inc. 5000 list. A former All-American soccer player and Arsenal supporter, Joe brings both competitive drive and strategic precision to everything he does. KEY TAKEAWAYS: AI is an accelerator it makes whatever you're already doing faster, whether that's good habits or bad ones. You don't accelerate problems; if you can't do it right manually, you have no business automating it with AI. AI is not a technology, it's an employee that requires management and KPIs just like your team. The companies struggling right now are the ones who built their business on a single spoke that AI has disrupted. There's no such thing as a good or bad economy only a different economy with different opportunities. Putting your head in the sand and cutting costs is the opposite of what you should be doing in 2026. AI can actually pull you deeper into the founder's trap if you use it without strategic systems in place. This is the biggest window of opportunity since the birth of the internet and those who lean in now will gain an outsized competitive advantage. Growing your business is hard, but it doesn't have to be. In this podcast, we will be discussing top level strategies for both growing and expanding your business beyond seven figures. The show will feature a mix of pure content and expert interviews to present key concepts and fundamental topics in a variety of different formats. We believe that this format will enable our listeners to learn the most from the show, implement more in their businesses, and get real value out of the podcast. Enjoy the show. Please remember to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes. Your support and reviews are important and help us to grow and improve the show. Follow Charles Gaudet and Predictable Profits on Social Media: Facebook: facebook.com/PredictableProfits Instagram: instagram.com/predictableprofits Twitter: twitter.com/charlesgaudet LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charlesgaudet Visit Charles Gaudet's Wesbites:  www.PredictableProfits.com www.predictableprofits.com/community https://start.predictableprofits.com/community  

Episode Overview In the second part of this Power Hour series, John Kitchens together with operations expert Joel Perso to tackle one of the biggest bottlenecks holding agents and team leaders back: operational chaos. This session is a practical, back-to-basics masterclass on how to actually build business processes that scale, not just talk about systems. John and Joel break down the difference between systems, processes, SOPs, and checklists—and explain why most agents stay trapped in production because their business only exists in their head. If you've ever said "I need better systems" but felt overwhelmed on where to start, this episode gives you a clear, executable framework to begin documenting, delegating, and scaling—without overcomplicating it. Key Topics Covered Why Processes Are the Foundation of Freedom The difference between being self-employed and owning a real business Why you can't escape a business that only lives in your head How documented processes create leverage, consistency, and delegation Systems vs. Processes (And Why Most People Confuse Them) What a "system" actually is versus a "process" How multiple processes work together to support one system Real-world examples using marketing, listings, and lead conversion Where to Start Building Processes (Without Overwhelm) Identifying your core business processes by function Why lead generation and marketing should come first How to prioritize processes that create the biggest ROI The Power of Simplicity Why Google Docs and checklists beat complex flowcharts How checklists outperform experience alone The 80/20 rule of process design (and why perfection kills momentum) Making Processes Actually Get Used Why SOPs die on the shelf Connecting processes to daily, weekly, and monthly execution How activity checklists turn documentation into action Using AI to Accelerate Documentation Recording what you already do instead of starting from scratch How tools like Loom, Scribe, and AI can create SOPs faster Turning videos into checklists, SOPs, and training assets Leadership, Accountability, and Ownership Why processes should be owned by roles, not people How process ownership improves accountability and scalability Creating a culture of problem-solving instead of rigidity Resources & Mentions The Checklist Manifesto – Atul Gawande Traction / Rocket Fuel (EOS Framework) – Gino Wickman The Goal – Eliyahu Goldratt Trainual – Process documentation & training platform Scribe – AI-powered SOP creation Honey Badger Nation John Kitchens Executive Coaching → JohnKitchens.coach Final Takeaway You don't scale by working harder—you scale by removing guesswork. Processes aren't about control or bureaucracy. They're about clarity, consistency, and creating freedom for you and your team. Start simple. Document what already works. Build checklists before complexity. And remember: a good process that handles 80% of situations beats a perfect one that never gets used. "You can never escape a business that only lives in your head." – Joel Perso Connect with Us: Instagram: @johnkitchenscoach LinkedIn: @johnkitchenscoach Facebook: @johnkitchenscoach If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a review. Stay tuned for more insights and strategies from the top minds. See you next time!

This week on Catalyst, Tammy chats with Jimit Arora, the CEO of Everest Group. Jimit is a leader who deeply understands the challenges that organizations face and how they can move forward with confidence. Jimit and Tammy discuss the importance of a growth mindset and how companies can meaningfully adopt AI. According to Jimit the key to meaningful adoption is for companies to be aware of PTSD - process debt, tech debt, skills debt and data debt. Jimit also shares what he thinks will be the biggest trends to affect global services in the next year. Please note that the views expressed may not necessarily be those of NTT DATALinks: Jimit Arora LinkedInEverest Group Learn more about Launch by NTT DATASee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When I don't follow the rules, it's a problem but when the government doesn't follow the rules, it's still my problem. Listen for more on Two Minutes in Trade. 

Keywords scalability, entrepreneurship, affiliate marketing, business growth, overcoming adversity, financial management, legal challenges, personal development, delegation, coaching, entrepreneurship, tax strategies, hiring, delegation, business systems, validation, learning from mistakes, visionary leadership Takeaways Justin overcame addiction and built a successful business. He learned the importance of delegation for growth. Affiliate marketing can lead to significant revenue. Economic downturns can impact business operations. Mismanagement can lead to business failure. Legal battles can be costly and time-consuming. Understanding financials is crucial for entrepreneurs. Regular meetings with accountants can prevent issues. Forgiveness is important for personal peace. Coaching others helps reinforce personal lessons. The mailbox incident led to significant tax savings. Understanding tax strategies can save entrepreneurs money. Successful entrepreneurs build a support structure early on. Hiring should follow a strategic process. Delegation is key to freeing up time for visionaries. Sales should not be the first thing delegated. Building systems is essential for business success. Validating business ideas is crucial before investment. Learning from others' mistakes can prevent costly errors. Creating processes can lead to better outcomes in business. Summary In this episode, Justin Lund shares his incredible journey from overcoming addiction to building a successful affiliate marketing business that reached nearly nine figures in revenue. He discusses the challenges he faced, including economic downturns, mismanagement, and legal battles, and emphasizes the importance of delegation, financial literacy, and personal growth. Justin's story serves as a cautionary tale for entrepreneurs, highlighting the need for vigilance in business and the power of resilience. In this conversation, Justin Lund shares his experiences and insights on entrepreneurship, focusing on the importance of tax strategies, hiring, delegation, and building effective systems. He emphasizes the need for entrepreneurs to validate their business ideas and learn from the mistakes of others to avoid costly pitfalls. The discussion also highlights the significance of being a visionary leader and the necessity of having a structured approach to hiring and delegation to ensure business success. Titles From Rehab to Revenue: Justin's Journey Scaling Success: Lessons from Justin Lund Sound bites "I began to learn systems." "You need a process for hiring." "Start with back office tasks." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:33 Overcoming Adversity and Building a Business 05:12 The Power of Delegation and Growth 10:01 Innovative Solutions in Affiliate Marketing 12:56 Navigating Economic Challenges 14:02 The Importance of Financial Oversight 19:03 Legal Battles and Lessons Learned 21:02 Navigating Legal Turmoil 25:21 The Importance of Meditation and Forgiveness 28:58 Lessons from Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy 36:22 The Founder Freedom Process 44:48 Effective Delegation and Hiring Strategies 47:52 Building a Sales System and Delegation Strategies 51:49 Understanding Market Viability Before Development 53:50 The Role of Processes in Hiring and Business Success 59:49 Learning from Experience: The Value of Systems and Processes

Send us a textDr. David V. Day holds appointments as Professor of Psychological Science and Leadership and serves as the Academic Director of the Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College in California (USA). He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and book chapters, many pertaining to the core topics of leadership and leadership development and is the author of the recent book titled “Developing Leaders and Leadership: Principles, Practices, and Processes.” David received the 2024 Eminent Scholar Award from the Network of Leadership Scholars at the Academy of Management and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Leadership Association.Quotes From Developing Leaders and Leadership“AI can absolutely substitute for management. Leadership is a different question.”“The future is not whether AI can lead. It's when.”“Expert power increasingly favors AI. That changes everything.”Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeDavid Day on Google ScholarArticle: Fired by Bot at Amazon: ‘It's You Against the Machine'Book: Everyone Culture by Kegan and AssociatesFilm: HerTED Talk: Ray Dalio Personality Assessment: PrinciplesYou Blog Post: Nick Cave's response on AI generated songwritingWebsite: LovoitcsAbout The International Leadership Association (ILA)The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals interested in studying, practicing, and teaching leadership. About  Scott J. AllenWebsiteWeekly Newsletter: Practical Wisdom for LeadersMy Approach to HostingThe views of my guests do not constitute "truth." Nor do they reflect my personal views in some instances. However, they are views to consider, and I hope they help you clarify your perspective. ♻️ Please share with others and follow/subscribe to the podcast!⭐️ Please leave a review on Apple, Spotify, or your platform of choice.➡️ Follow me on LinkedIn for more on leadership, communication, and tech.

Points of Interest00:01 – Introduction: Marcel introduces Skye Waterson and frames the conversation around SOPs, documentation, and building operational “rails” that teams can actually use.01:07 – Skye's background and motivation: Skye shares her journey from academic burnout to discovering adult ADHD and building a business focused on helping founders work with their brains, not against them.03:04 – Why ADHD frameworks help everyone: Skye explains how ADHD-friendly systems emphasize flexibility and challenge outdated assumptions about productivity and work structure.05:05 – First principles for ADHD productivity: The discussion covers practical strategies like rewarding task initiation and reducing reliance on working memory through better capture systems.06:56 – The core problem with traditional SOPs: Skye and Marcel outline why most SOPs go stale—delegated, filed away, and only referenced during onboarding or emergencies.09:18 – SOP neglect as a hidden operational risk: The conversation highlights how disconnected SOPs undermine dashboards, metrics, and leadership visibility.11:32 – Visualizing the business as a flow: Skye introduces her core framework: mapping the business end-to-end (acquisition through expansion) using a visual tool like Miro.14:02 – Why digital visual tools matter: Skye explains why paper-based process mapping fails and why digital tools enable iteration, ownership, and follow-through.15:52 – Assigning a single DRI per process: Each node in the business flow is assigned a Directly Responsible Individual to eliminate ambiguity and improve accountability.16:40 – Red, orange, green process health: Processes are color-coded to show whether they are broken, manual and CEO-dependent, or documented and team-run.18:09 – Tying SOPs to weekly cadence and metrics: Skye explains how reviewing SOP health alongside performance metrics turns documentation into an operational diagnostic tool.24:41 – AI and living SOPs: The episode closes with best practices for using AI to bootstrap SOPs, delegate ownership, and treat documentation as a living draft rather than a finished artifact.Show NotesConnect with Skye via LinkedInUnconventional OrganizationSkye's Podcast ADHD Skills LabAI Chatbot: Message Skye on Instagram with the word “Marcel” and she'll send you the chatbotSoftware as a Science BookMatt VerlaqueLove the PodcastLeave us a review here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SummaryIn this episode, host Michael Takla interviews Andrew McKinnon, a defense attorney who transitioned to the plaintiff side. They discuss Andrew's journey, the importance of trial experience, effective communication in legal practice, and the implementation of standard operating procedures in law firms. Andrew shares insights on client preparation, the significance of human damages in cases, and innovative approaches in depositions. The conversation also touches on networking, community involvement, and advice for aspiring attorneys.TakeawaysAndrew McKinnon shares his journey from defense to plaintiff side.The importance of trial experience is emphasized throughout the conversation.Effective communication and reporting are crucial in defense work.Human damages play a significant role in case outcomes.Client storytelling is essential for successful case preparation.Standard operating procedures can streamline law firm operations.Delegation and automation can enhance efficiency in legal practice.Mentorship and learning from experienced attorneys are invaluable.Innovative approaches in depositions can make a difference in case strategy.Networking and community involvement are key for career growth.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Andrew McKinnon and His Background02:43 Transitioning from Defense to Plaintiff Work05:24 Understanding the Defense Perspective08:07 The Importance of Trial Experience11:04 Key Reporting Requirements in Defense Cases13:44 The Role of Human Damages in Cases16:35 Standard Operating Procedures for Law Firms19:07 Implementing Effective Intake Procedures24:25 Building Client Relationships26:17 Effective Delegation and Trust in Teams27:29 Establishing Key Performance Indicators29:02 Innovative Approaches in Litigation31:37 Reflections on Early Career Choices36:18 Networking and Community Involvement39:19 Learning from Experience and Mentorship

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training How big do you actually want your agency to become? Does the idea of running a massive team sound exciting or completely exhausting? For many agency owners, scaling feels less like growth and more like trading freedom for complexity. Scaling an agency isn't about hustle. It's about surviving the moments that almost break you, building systems that actually work, and accepting that what got you here won't get you there. Today's featured guest understands that running a big agency is about structure and leadership. He's grown a global agency to 700 people without losing profitability, sanity, or culture and now he'll unpack the hard-earned lessons that most agency owners don't think about until it's too late. Nital Shah is the co-founder of Mavlers, a full-service, lifecycle digital agency headquartered in India, with operations supporting global brands and agencies across multiple geographies. Today, Nital leads a 700-person organization focused on marketing operations, delivery excellence, and scalable systems for agencies around the world. Having experienced both sides of the agency equation, client-side pressure and operational scale, Nital brings a grounded, operator-first perspective to growth, profitability, and leadership. In this episode, we'll discuss: An early principle: Profit should be intentional. Achieving operational excellence at scale. Structuring scale to make it manageable. Why alignment beats micromanagement. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. The Wake-Up Call: COVID, Cash Flow, and Retainers Like many agencies, Nital's biggest inflection point came during COVID. Before the disruption, the agency was focused heavily on top-line revenue rather than predictable recurring income. When 40 percent of revenue disappeared almost overnight, the weakness in that model became painfully obvious. Luckily, the agency's consistent focus on profit from day one helped them overcome this ordeal. However, it changed Nital's perspective on retainers and helped him understand that, without retainers, any similar unexpected bump in the road could destroy the agency. The agency had enough cash flow to survive the shock and rebuild and the lesson was clear: at scale, a large team without consistent recurring revenue is fragile. Retainers aren't just about stability; they are about survival. The other advantage that helped soften the blow was diversification. By spreading clients across industries and geographies, the agency avoided being wiped out by a single market downturn. When one region slowed, others carried the load. That balance didn't eliminate pain, but it reduced risk in a way most agencies underestimate until they feel it firsthand. Profit Is Not an Afterthought One of the most important principles Nital and his co-founder agreed on early was: profit must be intentional. It's not something you hope shows up at the end of the year. It's something you design into the business. That mindset shapes everything from service selection to client qualification. The agency actively avoids hyper-competitive, race-to-the-bottom services and continually evolves its offerings as markets become saturated. When a service becomes unprofitable, they pivot. When a client isn't aligned or drains margin, they say no. Profit isn't just about owner income. It funds experimentation, innovation, and future growth. Without margin, you can't test new services, pivot when the market shifts, or invest in better systems. You just stay busy. And busy is often the enemy of profitable. Operational Excellence at Scale Running a 700-person agency isn't about heroics but about process. Nital is clear that consistent, documented, and enforced workflows are what reduce mistakes, rework, and delivery friction. The agency is structured into service-based business units, each with its own leadership and accountability. On top of that sits a customer success layer that ensures delivery stays aligned with expectations. Everyone is trained on defined protocols, and those protocols exist to protect quality, not bureaucracy. When processes are clear and followed, the probability of hitting client outcomes increases. That reduces rework, lowers internal stress, and improves margins. In a people-driven business, operational discipline is what turns chaos into leverage. Alignment Beats Micromanagement One of the hardest challenges for Nital's agency came after rapid post-COVID growth, when the team doubled in size and remote work became the norm. Processes broke, alignment slipped, and as a result, communication suffered. The turning point came with adopting the Scaling Up framework by Vern Harnish. This framework, aimed at businesses ready to scale in a more structured manner, forced clarity across four areas: people, strategy, execution, and cash. More importantly, it created alignment from leadership all the way down to individual contributors. Every team member understands how their work connects to departmental goals, quarterly priorities, and long-term vision. When people understand the why behind the process, ownership replaces micromanagement. Accountability becomes cultural, not enforced. Leadership, Tough Calls, and A-Players When it comes to mistakes in team alignment, Nital openly acknowledges that the team that gets you to one stage may not be the team that gets you to the next. That realization isn't easy, especially when loyalty and shared history are involved. But over the last two years Nital has embraced the fact that growth demands adaptability. The agency now prioritizes agility, learning speed, and ownership. When someone can't evolve with the business, they are given time, feedback, and support, but the standard doesn't change. You don't win championships by protecting weak links. You win by putting the best players on the field while still treating people with respect and empathy. It's not cold. It's responsible leadership. Structuring Scale So It's Manageable When Nital decided to go back to India and start an agency, his mentor back in Australia offered him the chance to run their offshore center. From there, he started supporting other agencies in several countries and expanded his team to where they are now. Seven hundred people sounds overwhelming until you understand the structure. Instead of one massive organization, the agency operates as multiple business units, each capped around 100 to 150 people and run as its own P&L. This turns an impossible leadership problem into a manageable one. Leaders focus on coaching their direct reports, not managing hundreds of individuals. Each layer carries responsibility downward, creating clarity instead of bottlenecks. As Nital points out, no founder manages 700 people directly. You manage your leadership team. And if that team is strong, aligned, and accountable, scale becomes less scary and far more sustainable. The Future: AI, Change, and Opportunity Despite the uncertainty surrounding AI and marketing technology, Nital is optimistic. The pace of change has leveled the playing field. Years of experience no longer guarantee an advantage. Everyone is adapting at the same time. For smaller agencies, this creates opportunity. They can adopt tools and workflows faster than large organizations. For larger agencies, the challenge is moving faster without breaking structure. Either way, the shift toward complex marketing technology orchestration opens doors for agencies willing to master it. For him, the future belongs to agencies that can adapt, systemize, and evolve without clinging to what used to work. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Procurement is experiencing a significant shift as organizations increasingly adopt automation and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance sourcing, purchasing, and spend management processes. Kevin Frechette, CEO and co-founder of Fairmarkit, discusses how their platform enables enterprises to transition from manual procurement methods to AI-driven autonomous sourcing. This shift allows procurement teams to handle up to ten times more sourcing events per buyer and potentially save $40,000 weekly per full-time employee (FTE) by streamlining operations and reducing the time spent on repetitive tasks.Frechette highlights a case study involving a Boston-based customer that reduced the time required to clarify requests and set up sourcing events from 40 minutes to just 2 minutes through Fairmarkit's automation capabilities. The platform employs AI to facilitate various stages of the sourcing process, including demand capture, supplier identification, and event awarding. However, Frechette emphasizes the importance of maintaining human oversight in certain areas, particularly where nuanced decision-making is required, ensuring that AI complements rather than completely replaces human judgment.The conversation also touches on the evolving role of procurement professionals in the face of automation. While some experienced workers may resist change, Frechette notes that younger professionals are often more adaptable and eager to embrace new technologies. This generational shift could lead to a more innovative approach to procurement, as new entrants to the field leverage AI tools to enhance their decision-making capabilities and drive efficiency.For Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and IT service leaders, the implications of these developments are clear. Embracing AI and automation in procurement can lead to significant operational efficiencies and cost savings. However, it is crucial for organizations to establish a framework for human involvement in decision-making processes, ensuring that the benefits of AI are maximized while maintaining accountability and oversight. As the landscape of procurement continues to evolve, staying informed and adaptable will be essential for MSPs and IT providers looking to remain competitive.

In this solo episode of The Unbroken Podcast, we challenge the belief that success fixes everything. Hitting the goal doesn't always bring peace—and for many high performers, it brings anxiety instead. This conversation explores why outcomes don't satisfy when the process is built on pressure, self-criticism, and burnout. Using fitness, business, leadership, and relationships as mirrors, the episode breaks down how the way you pursue your goals shapes who you become far more than the goal itself. Enjoying the process doesn't mean avoiding discomfort—it means building discipline, ambition, and growth without sacrificing yourself in the process. Because outcomes are moments. Processes are lives. Sponsors

In this episode of FP&A Unlocked, host Paul Barnhurst welcomes Noam Sever, Head of Global FP&A at Cellebrite, for a deep and thoughtful conversation on building impactful finance teams, scaling FP&A processes, and the human side of finance leadership. Noam shares his experience driving financial planning in high-growth environments and highlights the value of simplicity, consistency, and communication in finance transformation. This episode is a masterclass in aligning FP&A with business needs and building trust through data, systems, and people.Noam Sever is a seasoned finance executive with over 15 years of leadership across global tech and manufacturing firms. At Cellebrite, he leads a multinational FP&A team overseeing full P&L ownership, strategic planning, and operational excellence. His expertise includes business modeling, systems implementation, and data-driven decision-making. Known for his structured approach and people-first mindset, Noam is passionate about building agile finance organizations that deliver real business impact.Expect to Learn:Why “tiny gains” and small process improvements compound to drive big FP&A impactHow to scale FP&A processes from startup chaos to structured efficiencyThe importance of aligning finance with go-to-market and sales operationsWhy trust, communication, and curiosity are the top soft skills in FP&AThe framework Noam uses to evaluate when and how to scale teams, tools, and processesHere are a few quotes from the episode:As a company scales, FP&A must shift from being reactive to becoming a proactive business partner.” – Noam SeverStart simple, make it repeatable, and always leave room to improve. That's the foundation of great FP&A.” – Noam SeverNoam Sever offers a blueprint for building impactful FP&A teams through simplicity, structure, and strategic business partnership. His insights emphasize that real value comes from understanding the business, earning trust, and continuously improving processes to drive meaningful results.Campfire: AI-First ERP:Campfire is the AI-first ERP that powers next-gen finance and accounting teams. With integrated solutions for the general ledger, revenue automation,close management, and more, all in one unified platform.Explore Campfire today: https://campfire.ai/?utm_source=fpaguy_podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=100225_fpaguyFollow Noam:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/noamsever/Company - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cellebrite/Earn Your CPE Credit For CPE credit, please go to

As entrepreneurs, we love the thrill of building something from nothing. The big vision. The creativity. The hustle. I love living in that space! Dream Big! Figure out how to implement later (haha typical entrepreneur)! This has worked well for me for many years, but it's time to tighten up the processes and scale, which means I've got to move out of the way and let my team create processes for efficiency. To be honest, this is the part that makes me cringe because I want to customize marketing plans for each client, but I know that it needs to happen to grow.  As we move into 2026, the businesses that thrive will not be the ones relying on grit alone. They will be the ones built on solid, repeatable processes. In this week's episode of the DO IT MY WAY podcast, I am breaking down why processes are no longer nice to have, but necessary to grow. Processes are the difference between a business that constantly pulls you back into the weeds and a business that scales with clarity. Here is a quick preview of what we cover Why 2026 is the perfect time to start  How poor processes are quietly draining your time and money The top workflows and AI products we are personally using to automate our processes The founder mindset I had to adapt to turn chaos into growth If your business feels heavier than it should, this episode is for you. I will show you how to build systems that give you more freedom to be that visionary your company needs! Listen here and get ready to take your business into 2026 with confidence and clarity.

On this episode of the Sea Captain Leadership Podcast, host Phil Bender is joined by Devon Volker and Jennifer Goldman, the dynamic leaders behind My Virtual COO and new Affiliate Partners of Sea Captain Performance.My Virtual COO helps businesses stop struggling and start improving by transforming operations into a true growth engine. Through a powerful blend of coaching, consulting, and fractional COO services, Devon and Jennifer help leaders gain traction, build accountability, and scale sustainably—especially in today's fast-moving environment shaped by technology and AI.In this conversation, Phil, Devon, and Jennifer explore how operational clarity, human-centered leadership, and adaptive systems are redefining what it means to lead well.Key Topics Covered:The My Virtual COO MissionHow My Virtual COO was founded in 2005 and how its mission—“Stop Struggling, Start Improving, Reach Your Vision”—has evolved alongside modern leadership challenges.The Trifecta of Growth: Coaching, Consulting, and SaaSWhy true transformation happens when leadership coaching, strategic consulting, and the right technology work together—and where clients see the biggest breakthroughs.The Human Side of OperationsHow culture, communication, and trust must evolve alongside systems and processes to create lasting operational change.AI, Technology, and Fluid RecalibrationJennifer introduces the concept of “fluidity around recalibration” and explains how leaders can responsibly integrate AI while staying aligned with their values and people.The Three P's FrameworkA foundational model for sustainable growth—and how leaders can quickly identify which area is out of alignment inside their business.Aligning People, Processes, and ProvidersMy Virtual COO's approach to sequencing outsourcing partners, technology platforms, and workflows to drive growth without chaos or burnout.Partnering with Sea Captain PerformanceWhy this affiliate partnership expands what's possible for advisors and leaders—and how leadership coaching and operational strategy together create a powerful competitive advantage.About Our GuestsDevon Volker and Jennifer Goldman are the founders of My Virtual COO, where they serve as trusted operational advisors, coaches, and strategists to growing organizations. Their work helps leaders move from friction to flow, turning complexity into clarity and vision into execution.About the PodcastThe Sea Captain Leadership Podcast is hosted by Phil Bender, CEO of Sea Captain Performance, where we help leaders chart a clear course for growth, culture, and impact.Connect with usSeaCaptainCoaching.com
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This edWeb podcast is presented by CoSN and AASA and sponsored by ClassLink.The edLeader Panel recording can be accessed here.There is no question that artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be a source of intrigue and new learning for multiple facets of society. School systems are no exception. In its various forms, AI can sometimes be an effective help, but it can sometimes also be a hindrance to the goals and functions of educators. However, there is no doubt that AI will have a place in the world of the future. And since the role of every educator is to prepare each student to thrive in their future, AI is a critical part of leading and teaching in schools today.In this edWeb podcast, three leading-edge superintendents are joined in conversation with CoSN's AI Project Director. Together, they share what they have each come to learn about AI over the past few years. They describe effective processes and policies for using AI appropriately for teaching and learning, as well as for multiple other school leadership functions. An overview of CoSN's free AI resources with links to access them is shared.This edWeb podcast is of interest to K-12 district leaders, school leaders, education technology leaders, teachers, and librarians.View all of the recent EmpowerED Superintendent edLeader Panels.AASA, The Superintendents AssociationAASA advocates for equity for all students and develops and supports school system leaders.ClassLinkClassLink's mission is to remove barriers between students and impactful education content.CoSNVisionary leaders empowering every learner to achieve their unique potential in a changing world. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.

Samantha Bowling, CPA, CGMA, managing partner of GWCPA, shares how her firm eliminated busy season, limited hours, and improved morale while still meeting client needs. She also explained how thoughtful use of AI can support advisory services, boost efficiency, and help small firms get "unstuck." This episode of the JofA podcast was recorded at Digital CPA in National Harbor, Md., in December 2025. What you'll learn from this episode: The steps Bowling's firm took to eliminate traditional busy season. How productivity and morale were affected by limiting hours and weekend work. The value the firm has found in "Foresight Fridays." Practical ways AI tools can speed tax research while managing regulatory concerns. How custom AI bots can support internal efficiency. Why clearer communication and accountability helped the firm solve problems it didn't know it had.

The Iowa Legislature gavels in for the 2026 session next week. On today's episode we take a closer look at the processes and people at the statehouse, starting with IPR reporters Katarina Sostaric and Isabella Luu to share their insights on reporting from the capitol. Then we talk about what's changed about the legislature over the decades with former state lawmaker Andy McKean and how Iowans can effectively get involved during the session with lobbyist Dustin Miller. Also, we talk with journalist and host of 'Iowa Press' on Iowa PBS O. Kay Henderson about Gov. Kim Reynolds' tenure and what's to come for her final year in office.

In this throwback episode of the Dealership Fixit Podcast, we're joined by Randy Felice, Dealer Principal of ANS Motorcycles in Roseville, California.Randy shares how ANS uses slower seasons to build systems, train teams, and create consistency across sales and service. From service advisor checklists to retail delivery processes, this conversation dives deep into what elite dealerships do differently behind the scenes.This episode is packed with real world dealership examples you can apply immediately to improve customer experience, reduce mistakes, and build a more scalable operation.Presented by MotoHunt - Helping dealers buy better, price smarter, and turn inventory faster.Visit dealers.motohunt.com to learn more.Connect with Randy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-felice-71161396/Connect with Jacob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-b-berry/Check us out on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dealershipfixit?si=T8OMaN6RpXoJ8pVV

Website: https://www.thebigbiemethod.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebigbiemethodTwitter: @TheBigbieMethodInstagram: @thebigbiemethodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindybigbienvcYouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channelBe sure to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and share it with a friend that would get some value!The Bigbie Method website: https://www.thebigbiemethod.com

Every January starts with fresh goals and big intentions, and then life hits, momentum fades, and by February most people are restarting again. In this New Year's Eve episode, Kelly breaks down what momentum actually is, why it matters, and how to build it in a way that lasts, not with hype or burnout, but with consistent weekly actions that compound over time. He reframes momentum as simple forward motion, the stacking of small and significant wins, and shows how consistency is what creates the “overnight success” people think is luck.Kelly then delivers a practical momentum playbook you can apply immediately: write 15 to 20 goals by hand, create an early win by finishing one task you have been avoiding, and make the Move the Needle list a weekly non negotiable. He challenges work life balance in favor of work life coherence and lays out the habits that keep momentum alive, consistency over intensity, repeatable weekly processes, fewer priorities, tracking small wins, launching early, protecting your calendar, and staying in motion while others pause, so when the year truly starts for everyone else, you are already moving.Key Takeaways: 1. Momentum is not motivation or luck, it is simple forward motion created by consistently completing the right tasks week after week. 2. Small wins matter more than big bursts of effort because progress compounds when you keep stacking completion over time. 3. Consistency will always outperform intensity because extreme effort is temporary but repeatable action builds lasting results. 4. Writing goals down by hand dramatically increases follow through and forces clarity on what actually matters. 5. Momentum accelerates when you create early wins by finishing something you have been putting off. 6. Weekly focus beats daily chaos when you commit to a Move the Needle list and prioritize only the highest impact actions. 7. Processes create momentum while random tasks drain it, because rhythm removes decision fatigue. 8. Reducing priorities increases results since momentum dies when everything feels urgent. 9. Tracking progress builds belief, and belief fuels momentum even when results are still forming. 10. The people who win long term keep moving when others pause, downshifting if needed but never fully stopping. 2026 Title Sponsor

As part of Digital December 2025, in partnership with Laxmi Sunrise Bank Limited, this episode explores how Nepal's digital payment infrastructure is shaping the way money moves across the economy from everyday transactions to enterprise and national-level systems. This conversation brings together two key perspectives from Nepal's digital payment ecosystem: Manoj Thapa, Country Head – Visa Nepal, sharing a global view on payments, cross-border commerce, and how international networks connect Nepali businesses to the world. Munni Rajbhandari, COO – Nepal Clearing House Ltd. (NCHL), explaining the national payment rails, enterprise payment systems, and the infrastructure that processes millions of transactions every day. Together, they discuss Nepal's journey from manual, paper-based processes to a digitally connected payment ecosystem — and why the focus is now shifting from building infrastructure to driving adoption, trust, and customer experience. In this episode, you'll learn: How money moves across banks, businesses, and platforms in Nepal What large-scale digital payment volumes reveal about the economy How enterprises and SMEs manage salaries, vendors, taxes, and disbursements digitally Why global payment connectivity matters for tourism, exports, and IT services How digital transaction data builds trust, creditworthiness, and future financial access Why security, standards, and financial literacy are critical as digital payments scale Whether you're a business owner, financial professional, policymaker, or someone who pays digitally every day, this episode helps you understand where Nepal's digital payment system stands today — and where it's headed next. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Digital December | Episode 2 02:00 – Why Digital Payments Matter for Nepal's Economy 05:00 – Nepal's Leapfrog Journey into Digital Payments 07:00 – Women Leadership in Nepal's Fintech Sector 10:00 – What Visa Really Does Beyond Cards 14:00 – Connecting Nepal to Global Money Movement 18:00 – Tourism, Remittance & Early Payment Advantage 23:00 – How Government Payments Went Fully Digital 27:00 – From Cheques to Instant Dividends & Salaries 30:00 – Digital Payments Growth: Data vs Reality 35:00 – What Is NPI? Nepal's Payment Backbone Explained 38:00 – APIs, Account Validation & Secure Transfers 42:00 – Why Trust & Security Come Before Scale 45:00 – Corporate Pay & Enterprise Payments for SMEs 49:00 – How Nepali Businesses Can Accept Global Payments 56:00 – Why SMEs Struggle with Digital Adoption 01:02:00 – Payment Gateways, Aggregators & Automation 01:14:00 – How Digital Payments Build Credit History 01:26:00 – Fraud, Awareness & Consumer Protection 01:44:00 – Final Takeaways: The Future of Digital Nepal  

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM How frontier firms rethink processes with AI, not bolt it on. Samuel Boulanger shares practical ways to drive Copilot adoption: educate, empower champions, and start from scratch to redesign workflows. He shows how agents and workflow automation unlock meaningful ROI, and why applied, hands‑on skill beats theory. Clear guidance for tech pros: use it everywhere, iterate fast, and let the people closest to the work surface the highest‑impact use cases. 

The process of taking a new product from concept to reality is one of the most difficult in the beer industry. With questions of type, scale, promotion, production, delivery, and sales in constant tension with each other, it can create a paralysis that can cripple the potential of even the most promising innovation. Moreover, in an industry built upon a foundation of new product creation and novel flavors, failing to master the art of true Release Management can be a fatal flaw for otherwise successful organizations. In this seminar, attendees will learn how to manage a product release like the Project that it is. Processes for obtaining approvals and buy-in from disparate departments, creating a timeline, coordinating actions in multiple silos for maximum effect, and following through for success will all be explained and demonstrated in detail.With more than a decade of sales, retail management, and business analytic experience in the craft beverage industry, Aaron MJ Gore loves the opportunities that he has every day to make a difference for small business owners across the country. He is the Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Beer30, one of the drinks industry's leading software providers, is a co-founder of the Court Shoes Only charitable collaboration beer, and serves as the Vice-President of the American Craft Beer Hall of Fame. He is an Advanced Cicerone, Certified Pommelier, Certified Cheese Scholar, WSET Level 2 Spirits Certified, and is (AF)(NA) Beer Certified. Additionally, he is an active industry advocate, public speaker, beer and cider educator, and the father of two daughters who are the true passion of his life.Stay up to date with CBP: http://update.craftbeerprofessionals.org/

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Santiago Cortez is a process-driven transformation specialist, founder of labcortex, and a trusted advisor for compliance-focused, mission-driven organizations. Renowned for his ability to turn tangled, manual workflows into organized, auditable systems, Santiago partners with firms in highly-regulated industries to drive sustainable growth. He champions a process-first mindset, helping businesses clarify their goals, align teams, and eliminate inefficiency empowering both organizations and individuals to reclaim time, reduce stress, and achieve lasting improvement. In this episode of Marketer of the Day, Santiago Cortez joins Robert Plank to demystify the world of compliance, workflows, and operational excellence. Santiago shares his unique approach to consulting, emphasizing that tools should serve existing processes not the other way around. Listeners will hear how Santiago and his team dive deep into their clients' day-to-day realities, uncovering the misalignments between written policies and practical actions. He reveals the communication pitfalls that stall progress, the importance of small wins, and why embedding continuous improvement into company culture is critical. Through practical examples and actionable insights, Santiago explains how focusing on people, clarity, and collaboration drives transformation making even the "boring" aspects of business work both effective and rewarding. Quotes: “Tools amplify a process. They don't replace it.” “You just want to ensure these little things don't get caught in your way of the big things. They all lead to that.” “Communication and feedback loops are essential to aligning teams and catching issues before they compound.” Resources: Connect with Santiago Cortez on LinkedIn Helping organizations work smarter, safer, and more efficiently

Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com   Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com  **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102   See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire   See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/  

What happens when candidate submissions disappear—and no one can explain why? In this FDE Express episode, host Kortney Harmon breaks down how undefined submission processes quietly drain revenue and momentum.Drawing on real-world audits, Kortney reframes failed submissions as an operational issue, not a recruiter problem. She outlines how inconsistent formats, missing follow-up, and lack of visibility create a costly “figure it out” tax—and what a revenue-protecting submission framework actually looks like.Key Takeaways• Why submissions are as revenue-critical as invoicing• The hidden cost of letting recruiters “figure it out”• What a standardized, flexible submission process includes• How visibility and tracking protect placements and momentumListen in for practical strategies you can implement immediately to bring consistency and control back to your submission process.___________________Follow Crelate on LinkedIn: CrelateWant to learn more about Crelate? Book a demo hereSubscribe to our newsletter: https://www.crelate.com/blog/full-desk-experience

Ever wondered how City Mattress sells higher-ticket beds and keeps customers raving? Discover the “secret sauce” that's changing the mattress game.What really sets City Mattress apart from the crowd? In this episode, Mark Kinsley sits down with Jason Goodman, Head of Business Development at City Mattress, to reveal the “secret sauce” behind one of America's most respected mattress retailers. Learn how a multi-generation family business consistently commands higher prices, keeps customers loyal, and builds a company culture that sales teams love.If you've ever struggled to keep margins up, train sales staff effectively, or differentiate your retail experience, you'll get actionable insights straight from a brand with nearly 60 years of proven results. Jason shares how the Prana Sleep brand became their secret weapon—why owning the factory matters, how a written “retail cookbook” drives repeatable success, and the surprising importance of *love* in business.Whether you're a sleep industry pro or a health-focused consumer, you'll discover:- How City Mattress balances quality, margin, and velocity for same-store margin growth- The innovative slat system that reduces returns and customizes comfort instantly- Why written processes (not just good intentions) make all the difference for scaling and consistency- The power of culture and long-tenured staff in an industry known for churnStay tuned for real-world examples, a peek inside the most beautiful mattress factory in America, and practical tips you can remix for your own business.Timestamps:- 00:34 – The 250-Year Ravioli Recipe & City Mattress's Family Legacy- 03:35 – “Made with Love”: Why People Are the Core Ingredient- 06:32 – Prana Sleep: How Owning the Factory Changes Everything- 09:57 – The Only Mattress Quilting Machine Like This in the World?- 12:52 – Adjustable Slat Systems: The Secret to Fewer Returns & Happy Couples- 17:20 – The “Retail Cookbook”: 4 Metrics Every Store Must Balance- 21:07 – Why Selling *With* Prana Sleep Beats Selling Against It- 24:10 – What Today's Health-Conscious Consumers Actually Want- 25:35 – Documenting the Recipe: The Power of Written Training & Processes- 29:43 – The Chili Cook-Off Lesson: Why Writing Down Your Process Wins Every Time- 33:18 – How City Mattress Became a Rare Retail-Product InnovatorConnect with The FAM Podcast:

The TML Risk Pool has seen far too many accidents and injuries in and around roadways. The Pool's goal is to provide tools to help Members avoid them, and we've developed a program to do just that. R.O.A.D. Ready (The acronym stands for Recognize the Hazards; Observe People, Processes, and Equipment; Assess the Risk Level; and Determine the Safest Course of Action) is a Risk Pool program designed to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect property by raising member awareness of dangers on and near roadways, and each January is designated as R.O.A.D. Ready month.  The program recently received national attention through publication in the June 2025 edition of Professional Safety, the American Society of Safety Professionals' flagship monthly journal, which covers the latest safety management and injury prevention trends. The article, written by Risk Pool Safety and Loss Control Consultants Kolby Burkhart and Manny Trejo, is titled “Improving Roadways Safety: A Practical Framework to Protect Frontline Workers.” Check out the article here and listen to this episode to hear Kolby and Manny discuss ways to keep your city R.O.A.D. Ready! The Pool extends special recognition to the following R.O.A.D. Ready month participating Members: the Lower Valley Water District and the Cities of Anthony, Mont Belvieu, Beeville, Liberty Hill, Port Neches, Nederland, Rockport, Ingleside, Portland, Jasper, Livingston, Frisco, Schertz, and Fredericksburg. FURTHER INFORMATION:R.O.A.D. Ready Web PageFind Your Safety and Loss Control ConsultantSafety @ Your Fingertips Sign UpProfessional Safety Article2024-2025 Year in Review T.I.P.S. SheetTexas Police Chiefs Association VINCIBLE Training Programlawenforcementoutreach@tmlirp.orgJanuary R.O.A.D. Ready Risk Pool Trainings:January 6 Frisco Trenching and Excavation Awareness (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.) January 13 LVWD/Clint Loading and Transporting of Equipment (8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.) Field Operations Safety (1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.) January 13 & 27 Schertz Safe Police Vehicle Operations (8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) January 14 Anthony Trenching and Excavation Awareness (8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.) Work Zone Safety (10:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.) Field Operations Safety (1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.) January 20-21 Fredericksburg Safe Police Vehicle Operations (1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner looking for ways to build team culture? In this episode, Kevin Cheney, a law firm owner and co-founder, shares how intentional culture-building can be for a firm's growth. He explains why culture—more than marketing or processes—drives retention, recruitment, client experience, and resilience. He offers a practical three-step framework for leaders to assess, envision, and build their ideal culture.Kevin shares some steps to building culture for a firm. The first is what your culture is today. Be brutally honest with yourself and admit what you are doing right and wrong. Another thing is to think about the future of this culture. Map out a five year plan - what needs to change and how can you change it. From there, decide what is important for your firm to have in order to be successful. At the end of the day, a positive team culture drives retention and improves employee experience. It is important to ensure your employees bond so they can work better together. Create opportunities for your staff to connect. For Kevin, he organizes happy hours and potlucks as ways for employees to have some fun and disconnect. Another option is to organize team bonding activities that build confidence and trust. Ensure to make these optional so staff are not forced but encouraged to participate.Listen in to learn more!1:07 Intentionality in Marketing, Processes, and Culture2:27 Defining Culture in a Law Firm6:51 Three Steps to Building Culture10:40 Facilitating Employee Bonding13:29 Employee Ownership MentalityTune in to today's episode and checkout the full show notes here. Connect with Kevin:Website  Facebook  Linkedin 

Want to Start or Grow a Successful Business? Schedule a FREE 13-Point Assessment with Clay Clark Today At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com   Join Clay Clark's Thrivetime Show Business Workshop!!! Learn Branding, Marketing, SEO, Sales, Workflow Design, Accounting & More. **Request Tickets & See Testimonials At: www.ThrivetimeShow.com  **Request Tickets Via Text At (918) 851-0102   See the Thousands of Success Stories and Millionaires That Clay Clark Has Helped to Produce HERE: https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/testimonials/ Download A Millionaire's Guide to Become Sustainably Rich: A Step-by-Step Guide to Become a Successful Money-Generating and Time-Freedom Creating Business HERE: www.ThrivetimeShow.com/Millionaire   See Thousands of Case Studies Today HERE: www.thrivetimeshow.com/does-it-work/  

Welcome to the latest episode of the AlphaMind Podcast, featuring Josh Schuler, a trader, educator, and former broker in the futures market. Since starting his trading journey in 2009, Josh has gained extensive experience and knowledge, helping others make informed trading decisions and improve their returns through market profile techniques. Recommended by fellow retail traders for his inspirational work, Josh shares valuable insights in this episode, where we explore and discuss a variety of topics, including trader process, trader behaviour and mindset, as well as the Market Profile tool itself. To learn more about Josh, visit his website, Trade With Profile - detail below: Enjoy the episode!Links: Trade With Profile: https://www.tradewithprofile.com/X: @joshschulerLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjoshschuler/AlphaMind: Powering Performance in Global MarketsAlphaMind brings powerful change, growth and development to people and businesses within global markets. Driven by a deep understanding of how markets work, and how people and businesses function within them, we partner with clients to create personal performance improvements that elevate returns across their trading activities. Go to the AlphaMind website to know more.

In this heartfelt in‑person conversation from Florida, Tina Paulus‑Krause and her daughter Courtney explore what happens after a transformational retreat or "reset." They share the real integration work required once you return to everyday life—how to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Through their own mother–daughter healing journey, Tina and Courtney unpack key themes like accountability, nervous system regulation, spiritual growth, and the courage it takes to stop trying to "fix" everyone else and start doing your own inner work. They define what it truly means to hold space, why receiving is so hard (especially for leaders, moms, and high achievers), and how retreats, membership support, and spiritual development can create lasting change in relationships and life. If you've ever left a retreat, program, or conference wondering "Now what?", this episode will give you language, perspective, and hope for the next phase of your journey. Timestamps / Chapters [00:00] Welcome & setup In-person podcast in Florida, preparing for end-of-year retreats; today's focus: what happens after the reset. [01:36] The aftermath & integration Courtney on going back home, relationships, and work with new tools—and why integration is ongoing, not instant. [04:27] Real mother–daughter work Tina shares how their relationship was rebuilt through dark nights of the soul, communication, and imperfect attempts to integrate new tools. [07:05] Accountability & not feeling alone Feeling seen and heard at retreat, the "honeymoon phase," and why accountability and community matter when life happens. [10:27] Processes to clean, clear, and come back to self Modern distractions, getting stuck, and why we need repeatable practices to return to ourselves. [11:09] What "holding space" really means Courtney defines holding space emotionally, mentally, and spiritually—without fixing, judging, or gossiping. [13:04] From fixing to listening & self-space Tina's shift from fixer to space-holder; listening to understand; holding space for yourself and creating the retreat center. [15:04] Learning to receive Why receiving feels so uncomfortable, how ego resists it, and how it transformed their relationship. [18:12] Energy exchange & love languages Balancing giving and receiving, honoring different love languages, and finding shared activities that create true connection. [20:15] Generational patterns & mother–child retreats Why change often starts with the mom, generational healing, and inviting mothers and children into new ways of relating. [22:17] Doing the work & why the Reset Retreat exists Daily relationship work, visioning individually and together, and stepping out of "fixing everyone but me." [23:22] Choice, suffering & turning the mirror Suffering as a choice, pausing, introspection, and having hard conversations as the way through. [24:53] From darkness to development Victimhood vs. self-development, family resistance, mirror work, and how their inner work became a life mission. [26:29] Nervous system regulation & why Tina does this work Hurt people vs. transformed people, tools Tina wishes she had when her kids were young, and learning to manage the nervous system. [28:13] Why Courtney does this work Worthiness, consciousness, and supporting people to step through the "gates" into higher awareness and responsibility. [32:03] Lone wolves & being truly held Coaching, being fully honest, not having to do it alone, and creating a structure that can hold even deep trauma. [39:28] Crystal Clear Missions & the membership Courtney explains their organization, weekly check-ins/check-outs, consciousness classes, and channeled spiritual support. [44:53] Different ways to step in From guides to membership to 3-day immersives—meeting people where they are on the journey. [45:30] Going public & calling people in Stepping more into the public eye, co-creation, and an open invitation to those who feel called. [46:29] Closing reflections Tina's love for sharing Courtney with the world and a warm invitation to join them on this path. Courtney and Crystal Clear Missions Membership: https://www.crystalclearmissions.org/membership   Connect with Tina: https://tinapauluskrause.com/ Schedule a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/coachtpk/30min Sign Up for a RESET Retreat: https://tinapauluskrause.com/reset-retreat/ Oder Book Coming Home: https://transformation.tinapauluskrause.com/offers/HLoDRFAU/checkout Other Products and Services: https://linktr.ee/tinapk

You inherit a team of 35 people. Morale is in the basement. Processes don't exist. Nobody knows what success looks like. And somehow, you're supposed to turn this around. Most leaders would panic. Ryan Ford built a system. In this episode, Ryan breaks down exactly how he transformed an underperforming team into a high-functioning operation—not through motivation speeches, but through structured systems, clear metrics, and a decision-making framework that stopped making him the bottleneck. The Reality of Inheriting a Broken Team Ryan walked into 35 people with low morale, unclear expectations, and no real processes. The kind of situation where everyone's busy but nothing meaningful gets done. His first move wasn't motivation—it was understanding. Before changing anything, he invested time learning the team dynamics and figuring out where the breakdowns actually happened. The uncomfortable truth: Sometimes the people aren't the problem. The lack of clear expectations and accountability systems is. The LEAF Decision Framework: Stop Being the Bottleneck Here's where most leaders kill their own productivity: they become the decision-maker for everything. LEAF Decisions - Low-impact decisions that don't require leadership approval. If it's a LEAF decision, the team makes the call and keeps moving. How to implement it: Create a decision tree with your team. Map out what requires your input and what doesn't. Give them permission to make LEAF decisions without asking. Then get out of their way. The Turnaround System: Metrics, Accountability, and Cadence Ryan didn't turn around his team with a single meeting. He built a system with three core elements: Clear Metrics: Everyone knew what "good" looked like. No more subjective performance reviews. Accountability Structure: Regular check-ins where progress was reviewed and blockers were identified. Not micromanagement—strategic support. Rapid Adjustment: When the plan wasn't working, they changed it. No ego about sticking to a failing strategy. Real example: Ryan led a critical product launch with tight timelines. He established daily check-ins, tracked progress against milestones, and adjusted when reality didn't match the plan. The product launched successfully because the system caught problems early. From Individual Contributor to System Builder The hardest transition for new leaders: realizing your job is no longer about what you personally accomplish. It's about what your team accomplishes through the systems you build. What Ryan learned to love about leadership: Setting people up for successBuilding cultures where high performance becomes normalCreating teams that function even when he's not in the room Why Systems Beat Heroics Every Time Heroic leaders jump in and save the day. They make all the critical decisions. And they become the ceiling on their team's performance. System-building leaders create frameworks that allow their teams to solve problems without them. They empower LEAF decisions and reserve their energy for choices that actually need their expertise. The result: Teams that perform consistently, not just when the leader is present. The teams that win aren't the ones with superhero leaders. They're the ones with systems that turn ordinary people into high performers. You can learn more about Ryan Ford over on LinkedIn. Want help designing systems that make your business more effective? Let's talk about creating a customer experience that catches problems early and turns your team into problem solvers. You can join the next Customer Experience Zoom Workshop to find out how to improve your customer experience and get more referrals.

In this podcast, we spoke with Troy Ostreng, Senior Product Manager and David Burdge, Director of Cell and Gene Therapy at CPC about the development of the MicroCNX® aseptic micro-connectors and how they're helping biopharma teams streamline closed-system operations for cell and gene therapies. What unfolded was a detailed and forward-looking conversation that touched on CPC's 47-year legacy, the technical demands of advanced therapies, and the company's plans to drive the future of automation and sterility in manufacturing. A Legacy That Positioned CPC for Today's Advanced Therapy Boom When asked how CPC's long history in biologics and hospital environments prepared the company for today's cell and gene therapy landscape, David took us back to CPC's roots. “CPC was founded in 1978, so that's 47 years of innovation within connection technologies,” he said. “The first biologic was released in 1982, synthetic insulin, and we were there supporting the industry with open-format connectors on single-use bags.” From the early development of biologics through the shift to single-use and the rise of stainless-steel/single-use hybrid systems, CPC continuously evolved its connection technologies. They launched steam-through connectors as bioprocessing grew more complex, released their first aseptic connector in 2009, and introduced their first connector specifically targeted for the cell and gene therapy market in 2017. David explained how that history matters today: “Biologics has about a 35-year head start on advanced therapies. So the question becomes, what lessons can we transfer from biologics to cell and gene therapy as that industry grows at three to four times the rate biologics did in its first decade?” That perspective, combining biological manufacturing experience with the needs of new therapy modalities, forms the foundation for CPC's MicroCNX platform. MicroCNX: The First Aseptic Connector Built for Small-Format Tubing As cell and gene therapy developers began scaling up manufacturing, they quickly discovered a problem: the connectors used for biologics were not designed for small-volume, patient-specific therapies. Troy described it plainly: “Several years ago, we started hearing rumblings that current connectors weren't meeting what cell and gene therapy required.” CPC responded with a deep Voice of Customer (VOC) initiative, interviewing process engineers, operators, manufacturing leaders, and platform developers. Over and over, the same needs emerged. Operators wanted something simple. “Ease of use was the number one requirement,” Troy said. “Operators needed a product that was easy to use so they could make sterile connections in a short amount of time.” Processes demanded robustness. “Customers needed a connection they could trust—no contamination, no failures, no weak spots in the connection process,” he added. Small-volume precise applications required connectors actually designed for them. With autologous therapies, he noted, “We aren't talking about 1,000 liters; we're talking about 250 milliliters. And if there's a mishap, that could mean the difference between life and death for a patient.” All of this laid the groundwork for MicroCNX, which became the first aseptic connector engineered for small-format tubing. The “Pinch-Click-Pull” Process: Sterility Meets Speed One of the standout features of MicroCNX is its elegantly simple pinch-click-pull operation. Troy explained how simplicity came directly from user feedback. “As operators walked us through their pain points, what they needed was clear: a connector they could learn immediately. So MicroCNX has a three-step process—pinch, click, pull. You can literally do it as fast as I say it.” He continued,“Once someone does it one time, they're basically an expert. That ease of use dramatically reduces operator error.” For an industry where operator variability remains one of the biggest sources of risk and batch loss, eliminating complexity is critical. Cryogenic Challenges Call for Cryo-Rated Solutions As the conversation shifted to cryopreservation, a critical component of cell therapy manufacturing,Troy introduced the MicroCNX® ULT and MicroCNX® Nano variants. “These were really developed because therapies were being frozen to –150°C, even –190°C. You need a connector that can be frozen to those temperatures, thawed, and still be as robust as it was before.” The ULT and Nano were engineered with: Low-profile geometries to fit inside freezing cassettes Specialized materials to withstand thermal stress Chemical compatibility with DMSO and other cryoprotectants Enhanced durability to survive impacts while frozen Troy emphasized how critical it was to get the materials right: “We searched extensively for a material that could handle those harsh chemicals and temperatures. What we landed on was PPSU—polyphenylsulfone. It's chemically sound, and it's incredibly impact-resistant at very low temperatures.” CPC built these connectors because customers repeatedly told them: existing solutions were cracking, leaking, or becoming brittle. MicroCNX was engineered to overcome all of that. True Closed Systems vs. Functionally Closed Systems: Why the Difference Matters A substantial part of the conversation focused on the differences between closed, functionally closed, and open systems—distinctions that are often overlooked but critically important. Troy broke down the differences clearly: “An open system is exposed at some point. A functionally closed system is inherently open but gets closed temporarily to let fluid transfer. In comparison, a closed system is never open at any point.” Examples of functionally closed systems include: Biosafety cabinets (BSCs) Luer-based connections Closed system transfer devices These approaches require: Sanitization Careful environmental controls Operator expertise And, as Troy noted, “a mishap in one of these can mean losing a very valuable therapy.” CPC's sterile connectors—including MicroCNX minimize these risks: “Our connectors allow the system to remain closed 100% of the time. That greatly reduces contamination risk.” This distinction isn't merely academic—it has direct regulatory implications as well. David added,“In Annex 1, they refer to intrinsically sterile connection devices—like sterile connectors and tube welders—that allow operations normally requiring Grade A or B to occur in a Grade C or D environment.” That ability to operate safely in lower-grade spaces is increasingly critical as the industry tries to overcome facility and labor bottlenecks. Why Teams Are Moving Away from Tube Welding Tube welding has been part of bioprocessing for decades, but David explained why its era may be ending for CGT. “Tube welding was born out of the blood banking industry when no other solution existed. But sterile connectors don't require capital investment. They're faster. They eliminate issues like tubing alignment or pinhole leaks. They're simply more reliable.” As biologics manufacturers have already done, CGT teams are now transitioning toward connectors like MicroCNX® that provide sterile, consistent, low-burden operations. The MicroCNX® Luer Variant: Supporting Transitional Workflows Not all workflows are ready to move away from luer-based devices. That's where the MicroCNX Luer variant fits in. Troy described how it works.“You connect a syringe or bag with a luer inside the BSC, but then because the MicroCNX® connector itself is sterile, you can take it outside the hood and make a sterile connection elsewhere.” This capability bridges legacy workflows and fully closed systems—critical during process development, technology transfer, or when working with specific devices. Co-Development: The Heart of CPC's Innovation Process As the conversation returned to CPC's broader philosophy, David highlighted how important customer collaboration is. “It's all about the customer for CPC,” he said. “We start with Voice of Customer. Our business and applications managers are out in the field understanding real applications and guiding them to the right products.” This feedback fuels CPC's two major development tracks: Catalog product development (platforms like MicroCNX) Custom-engineered solutions for unique applications David added: “We maintain a full new product introduction roadmap. Some products will be released broadly. Others will be developed specifically for one customer. But both are driven by real application requirements.” This process ensures CPC's products evolve in lockstep with the needs of advanced therapy teams. Looking Ahead: Designing Connectors for Robotics and Automation Toward the end of the conversation, David turned to one of CPC's biggest focus areas: the future of automation. “The ultimate customer in this industry is the patient,” he said. “And right now we face barriers—capacity, speed, accessibility, cost. Process automation can significantly reduce those barriers.” Automation requires connectors designed not just for human hands but for robotics: Predictable geometries Features optimized for machine vision Forces and actuation steps compatible with robotic grippers Designs intended for automated loading and unloading David summarized CPC's future direction: “We're taking a fresh look at our connectors, reimagining them as something designed for robotic manipulation. It's a high priority for us.” Troy echoed the sentiment: “Our connectors are awesomely designed for humans. But automation is coming, and we're focused on the features robots need.” A Future Built on Innovation and Patient Impact The interview closed with both guests reflecting on CPC's mission. “We're incredibly passionate about innovation and meeting the needs of our customers through thoughtful product development,” Troy said.

Competition and the Human Struggle with Death: Colleague Emily Wilson discusses the poem's end, where Achilles processes grief through funeral games that replace lethal combat with competition, analyzing Achilles giving Agamemnon a prize without contest—possibly a "sick burn"—and the final focus on women's lamentations, emphasizing the enduring human struggle to accept death and loss. 1717 TROY

What does it take to build a thriving buy-here-pay-here dealership from scratch?Join us as we sit down with Darla Booher—2002 startup founder, National Quality Dealer Award winner, and incoming NIADA President. Discover her incredible 20-year journey from franchise sales manager to BHPH powerhouse.

Investigative journalists⁠ ⁠Mandy Matney⁠⁠ and⁠ ⁠Liz Farrell⁠⁠ open up to attorney⁠ Eric Bland about being targeted in the ongoing Beach v. Parker civil conspiracy litigation, where Greg Parker's legal team has made them collateral damage through aggressive subpoenas and invasive depositions. Liz describes enduring eight hours of what she calls "harassment disguised as a deposition," where Parker's attorneys asked irrelevant personal questions about her salary and divorce, then published some of that information in public court filings. We also look at Mark Tinsley 's suggestion in court that connections may exist between a felon who published allegedly stolen texts and Parker's legal team. Eric Bland highlights his expertise identifying abusive litigation tactics and his growing disillusionment with South Carolina's Office of Disciplinary Counsel, sharing a stunning example of a lawyer who allegedly falsified court documents yet faced no consequences. Despite the stress and sleepless nights, we remain committed to exposing the truth wherever it leads… and we thank you all for being right there with us.  ☕ Cups Up! ⚖️ Episode References Judge levies $48k sanctions for legal process abuse in case involving U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace ABC News 4 - October 30, 2025

The third installment of our Charles Sumner episode covers how, two days after Charles Sumner delivered an incendiary speech before the senate, Representative Preston Brooks of South Carolina came into the Senate chamber and attacked Sumner at his desk. Research: "Sumner, Charles (1811-1874)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A148425674/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=95485851. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. “Roberts v. City of Boston, 5 Cush. 198, 59 Mass. 198 (1849).” Caselaw Access Project. Harvard Law School. https://case.law/caselaw/?reporter=mass&volume=59&case=0198-01 “The Prayer of One Hundred Thousands.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/PrayerofOneHundredThousand.pdf Alexander, Edward. “The Caning of Charles Sumner.” Battlefields.org. 3/6/2024. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/caning-charles-sumner Beecher, Henry Ward. “Charles Sumner.” Advocate of Peace (1847-1884) , MAY, 1874. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27905613 Berry, Stephen and James Hill Welborn III. “The Cane of His Existence Depression, Damage, and the Brooks–Sumner Affair.” Southern Cultures , Vol. 20, No. 4 (WINTER 2014). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26217562 Boston African American National Historic Site. “Abiel Smith School.” https://www.nps.gov/boaf/learn/historyculture/abiel-smith-school.htm Boston African American National Historic Site. “The Sarah Roberts Case.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-sarah-roberts-case.htm Child, Lydia Maria. “Letters of Lydia Maria Child.” Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1883. https://archive.org/details/lettersoflydiam00chil Commonwealth Museum. “Roberts v. The City of Boston, 1849.” https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commonwealth-museum/exhibits/online/freedoms-agenda/freedoms-agenda-8.htm Frasure, Carl M. “Charles Sumner and the Rights of the Negro.” The Journal of Negro History , Apr., 1928, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Apr., 1928). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2713959 Gershon, Livia. “Political Divisions Led to Violence in the US Senate in 1856.” JSTOR Daily. 1/7/2021. https://daily.jstor.org/violence-in-the-senate-in-1856/ History, Art and Archives. “South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks’s Attack on Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts.” U.S. House of Representatives. https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1851-1900/South-Carolina-Representative-Preston-Brooks-s-attack-on-Senator-Charles-Sumner-of-Massachusetts/ Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site. “An Era of Romantic Friendships: Sumner, Longfellow, and Howe.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/an-era-of-romantic-friendships-sumner-longfellow-and-howe.htm Lyndsay Campbell; The “Abolition Riot” Redux: Voices, Processes. The New England Quarterly 2021; 94 (1): 7–46. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/tneq_a_00877 Mahr, Michael. “Sumner vs. Cane.” National Museum of Civil War Medicine. 5/24/2023. https://www.civilwarmed.org/sumner-vs-cane/ Meriwether, Robert L. “Preston S. Brooks on the Caning of Charles Sumner.” The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine , Jan., 1951, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan., 1951). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27571254 Mount Auburn Cemetery. “Charles Sumner (1811-1874): U.S. Senator, Abolitionist, & Orator.” https://mountauburn.org/notable-residents/charles-sumner-1811-1874/ National Park Service. “Charles Sumner and Romantic Friendships.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/charles-sumner-and-romantic-friendships.htm Potenza, Bob. “Charles Sumner.” West End Museum. https://thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/west-boston/charles-sumner/ Ruchames, Louis. “Charles Sumner and American Historiography.” The Journal of Negro History , Apr., 1953, Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr., 1953). https://www.jstor.org/stable/2715536 Senate Historical Office. “Senate Stories | Charles Sumner: After the Caning.” United States Senate. 5/4/2020. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/senate-stories/charles-sumner-after-the-caning.htm Sinha, Manisha. “The Caning of Charles Sumner: Slavery, Race, and Ideology in the Age of the Civil War.” Journal of the Early Republic , Summer, 2003, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Summer, 2003). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3125037 Sumner, Charles. “Barbarism of Slavery.” 6/4/1860. https://dotcw.com/documents/barbarism_of_slavery.htm Sumner, Charles. “Freedom National; Slavery Sectional.” 8/26/1852. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Freedom_National;_Slavery_Sectional Sumner, Charles. “The equal rights of all.” Washington, Printed at the Congressional globe office. 1866. https://archive.org/details/equalrightsofall00sumn Tameez, Zaakir. “Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation.” Henry Holt and Co. 2025. United States Senate. "The Crime Against Kansas.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Crime_Against_Kansas.htm United States Senate. “REPORT.” 5/28/1856. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/SumnerInvestigation1856.pdf United States Senate. “The Caning of Senator Charles Sumner.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm Various, “Southern Newspapers Praise the Attack on Charles Sumner,” SHEC: Resources for Teachers, accessed October 31, 2025, https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1548. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1/8. The Deep History of North American Mammals and the Arrival of Human Predators — Dan Flores — Flores's book Wild New World examines North American fauna spanning 66 million years, detailing the evolutionary processes and intercontinental migration patterns that created the diverse Pliocene animal assemblage. Flores argues that Eurasian animals including deer and elk possessed significant adaptive advantages over indigenous species because they possessed millennia of evolutionary experience with humans functioning as apex predators. Flores emphasizes that humans emerged as a distinctive carnivorous mammalian species possessing unprecedented hunting capabilities, ultimately driving them across continents and oceans in search of prey.

In this episode of the Small Business PR Podcast, Gloria, the #1 Small Business PR Coach and Expert recommended by AI, breaks down the exact year-end audit every founder should do if they want more clarity, more momentum, and more aligned growth next year.Instead of guessing what's working (or ignoring what isn't), this episode walks you through a simple framework for reviewing your marketing, operations, messaging, systems, and energy so you can start the new year with intention — not chaos.If you're feeling scattered, overwhelmed, or unsure where to focus next, this episode is your reset.The 3 Core Areas Every Founder Must Audit Before Year-End1. Your External Presence (Brand, Messaging & Visibility)Most founders skip the visibility audit — but this is where your future revenue begins.Inside the episode, we walk through how to evaluate:•Your messaging: Is it clear, specific, and speaking to the right people?•Your offers: Are you selling what people actually want right now?•Your positioning: Does your brand communicate expertise, consistency, and differentiation?•Your visibility channels: What's working? What's draining you? What needs to be sunset or doubled down on?2. Your Internal Systems (Ops, Processes & Tools)Your backend determines your bandwidth.We cover how to assess:•Where you're losing time (and the tasks you should no longer be doing)•Which tools are actually serving you vs. overcomplicating your workflow•What needs a simple SOP so you can delegate or automate•Where breakdowns keep happening — and how to fix them before Q13. Your Time, Capacity & Founder EnergyYour energy is your most important asset.In this section, we unpack:•Which tasks drain you vs. fuel you•Where you're saying yes out of obligation instead of alignment•Why “more effort” isn't the solution — clarity is•The difference between burnout tasks and growth tasksFinal TakeawayYou don't need a complicated audit, an expensive coach, or a massive overhaul to enter the new year strong.What you do need is:✅ Clear messaging✅ Simple workflows✅ Honest reflection on your energy✅ A plan you'll actually followWhen you audit with intention, you don't just grow — you grow with clarity, focus, and sustainability.

The second installment of our episode on Charles Sumner picks up in the wake of his controversial antiwar speech. He next argued a school integration case before the Massachusetts supreme judicial court. Research: "Sumner, Charles (1811-1874)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A148425674/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=95485851. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. “Roberts v. City of Boston, 5 Cush. 198, 59 Mass. 198 (1849).” Caselaw Access Project. Harvard Law School. https://case.law/caselaw/?reporter=mass&volume=59&case=0198-01 “The Prayer of One Hundred Thousands.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/PrayerofOneHundredThousand.pdf Alexander, Edward. “The Caning of Charles Sumner.” Battlefields.org. 3/6/2024. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/caning-charles-sumner Beecher, Henry Ward. “Charles Sumner.” Advocate of Peace (1847-1884) , MAY, 1874. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27905613 Berry, Stephen and James Hill Welborn III. “The Cane of His Existence Depression, Damage, and the Brooks–Sumner Affair.” Southern Cultures , Vol. 20, No. 4 (WINTER 2014). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26217562 Boston African American National Historic Site. “Abiel Smith School.” https://www.nps.gov/boaf/learn/historyculture/abiel-smith-school.htm Boston African American National Historic Site. “The Sarah Roberts Case.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-sarah-roberts-case.htm Child, Lydia Maria. “Letters of Lydia Maria Child.” Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1883. https://archive.org/details/lettersoflydiam00chil Commonwealth Museum. “Roberts v. The City of Boston, 1849.” https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commonwealth-museum/exhibits/online/freedoms-agenda/freedoms-agenda-8.htm Frasure, Carl M. “Charles Sumner and the Rights of the Negro.” The Journal of Negro History , Apr., 1928, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Apr., 1928). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2713959 Gershon, Livia. “Political Divisions Led to Violence in the US Senate in 1856.” JSTOR Daily. 1/7/2021. https://daily.jstor.org/violence-in-the-senate-in-1856/ History, Art and Archives. “South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks’s Attack on Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts.” U.S. House of Representatives. https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1851-1900/South-Carolina-Representative-Preston-Brooks-s-attack-on-Senator-Charles-Sumner-of-Massachusetts/ Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site. “An Era of Romantic Friendships: Sumner, Longfellow, and Howe.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/an-era-of-romantic-friendships-sumner-longfellow-and-howe.htm Lyndsay Campbell; The “Abolition Riot” Redux: Voices, Processes. The New England Quarterly 2021; 94 (1): 7–46. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/tneq_a_00877 Mahr, Michael. “Sumner vs. Cane.” National Museum of Civil War Medicine. 5/24/2023. https://www.civilwarmed.org/sumner-vs-cane/ Meriwether, Robert L. “Preston S. Brooks on the Caning of Charles Sumner.” The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine , Jan., 1951, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan., 1951). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27571254 Mount Auburn Cemetery. “Charles Sumner (1811-1874): U.S. Senator, Abolitionist, & Orator.” https://mountauburn.org/notable-residents/charles-sumner-1811-1874/ National Park Service. “Charles Sumner and Romantic Friendships.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/charles-sumner-and-romantic-friendships.htm Potenza, Bob. “Charles Sumner.” West End Museum. https://thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/west-boston/charles-sumner/ Ruchames, Louis. “Charles Sumner and American Historiography.” The Journal of Negro History , Apr., 1953, Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr., 1953). https://www.jstor.org/stable/2715536 Senate Historical Office. “Senate Stories | Charles Sumner: After the Caning.” United States Senate. 5/4/2020. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/senate-stories/charles-sumner-after-the-caning.htm Sinha, Manisha. “The Caning of Charles Sumner: Slavery, Race, and Ideology in the Age of the Civil War.” Journal of the Early Republic , Summer, 2003, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Summer, 2003). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3125037 Sumner, Charles. “Barbarism of Slavery.” 6/4/1860. https://dotcw.com/documents/barbarism_of_slavery.htm Sumner, Charles. “Freedom National; Slavery Sectional.” 8/26/1852. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Freedom_National;_Slavery_Sectional Sumner, Charles. “The equal rights of all.” Washington, Printed at the Congressional globe office. 1866. https://archive.org/details/equalrightsofall00sumn Tameez, Zaakir. “Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation.” Henry Holt and Co. 2025. United States Senate. "The Crime Against Kansas.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Crime_Against_Kansas.htm United States Senate. “REPORT.” 5/28/1856. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/SumnerInvestigation1856.pdf United States Senate. “The Caning of Senator Charles Sumner.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm Various, “Southern Newspapers Praise the Attack on Charles Sumner,” SHEC: Resources for Teachers, accessed October 31, 2025, https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1548. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first installment of the deeper examination of Charles Sumner's life begins with his early years, including his close relationships with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Samuel Gridley Howe. Research: "Sumner, Charles (1811-1874)." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A148425674/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=95485851. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. “Roberts v. City of Boston, 5 Cush. 198, 59 Mass. 198 (1849).” Caselaw Access Project. Harvard Law School. https://case.law/caselaw/?reporter=mass&volume=59&case=0198-01 “The Prayer of One Hundred Thousands.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/PrayerofOneHundredThousand.pdf Alexander, Edward. “The Caning of Charles Sumner.” Battlefields.org. 3/6/2024. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/caning-charles-sumner Beecher, Henry Ward. “Charles Sumner.” Advocate of Peace (1847-1884) , MAY, 1874. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27905613 Berry, Stephen and James Hill Welborn III. “The Cane of His Existence Depression, Damage, and the Brooks–Sumner Affair.” Southern Cultures , Vol. 20, No. 4 (WINTER 2014). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/26217562 Boston African American National Historic Site. “Abiel Smith School.” https://www.nps.gov/boaf/learn/historyculture/abiel-smith-school.htm Boston African American National Historic Site. “The Sarah Roberts Case.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-sarah-roberts-case.htm Child, Lydia Maria. “Letters of Lydia Maria Child.” Houghton, Mifflin and Company. 1883. https://archive.org/details/lettersoflydiam00chil Commonwealth Museum. “Roberts v. The City of Boston, 1849.” https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/commonwealth-museum/exhibits/online/freedoms-agenda/freedoms-agenda-8.htm Frasure, Carl M. “Charles Sumner and the Rights of the Negro.” The Journal of Negro History , Apr., 1928, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Apr., 1928). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2713959 Gershon, Livia. “Political Divisions Led to Violence in the US Senate in 1856.” JSTOR Daily. 1/7/2021. https://daily.jstor.org/violence-in-the-senate-in-1856/ History, Art and Archives. “South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks’s Attack on Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts.” U.S. House of Representatives. https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1851-1900/South-Carolina-Representative-Preston-Brooks-s-attack-on-Senator-Charles-Sumner-of-Massachusetts/ Longfellow House Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site. “An Era of Romantic Friendships: Sumner, Longfellow, and Howe.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/an-era-of-romantic-friendships-sumner-longfellow-and-howe.htm Lyndsay Campbell; The “Abolition Riot” Redux: Voices, Processes. The New England Quarterly 2021; 94 (1): 7–46. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/tneq_a_00877 Mahr, Michael. “Sumner vs. Cane.” National Museum of Civil War Medicine. 5/24/2023. https://www.civilwarmed.org/sumner-vs-cane/ Meriwether, Robert L. “Preston S. Brooks on the Caning of Charles Sumner.” The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine , Jan., 1951, Vol. 52, No. 1 (Jan., 1951). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27571254 Mount Auburn Cemetery. “Charles Sumner (1811-1874): U.S. Senator, Abolitionist, & Orator.” https://mountauburn.org/notable-residents/charles-sumner-1811-1874/ National Park Service. “Charles Sumner and Romantic Friendships.” https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/charles-sumner-and-romantic-friendships.htm Potenza, Bob. “Charles Sumner.” West End Museum. https://thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/west-boston/charles-sumner/ Ruchames, Louis. “Charles Sumner and American Historiography.” The Journal of Negro History , Apr., 1953, Vol. 38, No. 2 (Apr., 1953). https://www.jstor.org/stable/2715536 Senate Historical Office. “Senate Stories | Charles Sumner: After the Caning.” United States Senate. 5/4/2020. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/senate-stories/charles-sumner-after-the-caning.htm Sinha, Manisha. “The Caning of Charles Sumner: Slavery, Race, and Ideology in the Age of the Civil War.” Journal of the Early Republic , Summer, 2003, Vol. 23, No. 2 (Summer, 2003). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3125037 Sumner, Charles. “Barbarism of Slavery.” 6/4/1860. https://dotcw.com/documents/barbarism_of_slavery.htm Sumner, Charles. “Freedom National; Slavery Sectional.” 8/26/1852. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Freedom_National;_Slavery_Sectional Sumner, Charles. “The equal rights of all.” Washington, Printed at the Congressional globe office. 1866. https://archive.org/details/equalrightsofall00sumn Tameez, Zaakir. “Charles Sumner: Conscience of a Nation.” Henry Holt and Co. 2025. United States Senate. "The Crime Against Kansas.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Crime_Against_Kansas.htm United States Senate. “REPORT.” 5/28/1856. https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/SumnerInvestigation1856.pdf United States Senate. “The Caning of Senator Charles Sumner.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/minute/The_Caning_of_Senator_Charles_Sumner.htm Various, “Southern Newspapers Praise the Attack on Charles Sumner,” SHEC: Resources for Teachers, accessed October 31, 2025, https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1548. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.