Podcasts about PTO

Touch the same piece of information more than twice – fix the workflow. That's the kind of CFO-meets-COO thinking we get into in this episode of The Handbook, where Harv sits down with Lindsey Head to connect the dots between finance, ops, tech, and people – and what really changes when you standardise how the business runs. Lindsey helped scale a PR agency from 5 to 125 people and $750k to $25m in revenue, leading finance, ops, HR, tech, legal and M&A along the way – so she's seen where the cracks form, and how to close them.Here's what we dive into:• The case for “non-billable” hires early – why dedicated new-business and ops roles pay for themselves, and a simple admin-as-%-of-revenue rule of thumb (aim for ~7–8%).• Systems thinking > shiny tools – map the ideal information flow first, then pick tech to automate it. If you're touching the same data repeatedly, the process is broken.• Change management that actually works – phase rollouts, involve users early, test, train, and measure adoption before you “go live.”• Multi-entity without the migraines – standardise what you can across entities, respect local nuance (currency, tax, PTO), and use partners/EORs when expanding fast.• Run the business by the numbers – utilisation, gross margin by client, and labour % tell the truth; AI can accelerate FP&A and reporting, but you still sanity-check the outputs.If you're feeling buried under tools, processes, and hiring questions, Lindsey's final nudge is simple: pause, map “how it's going” vs “how it should go,” and focus this quarter on the single change that unlocks the most leverage.Additional Resources: 

In this episode of What Are You Made Of?, host Mike "C-Roc" sits down with financial advisor and podcast host Shari Rash for a candid and inspiring conversation about ambition, balance, and redefining success. Shari opens up about her relentless drive to achieve, the stress that often comes with it, and how therapy and self-awareness have helped her reshape her mindset. She shares how volunteering in her community and leading her kids' PTO has brought her fulfillment outside of business, creating a healthier balance between professional goals and personal satisfaction.Together, Mike "C-Roc" and Shari dig into topics like the connection between overachievement and stress, the importance of finding transformational rather than transactional success, and learning to delegate and let go of control in business. They also discuss mental health, the benefits of therapy in rewiring thought patterns, and what it means to create a mission-driven life.Full of humor, honesty, and practical insights, this episode is a reminder that growth isn't just about climbing higher in business—it's about finding joy, peace, and purpose along the way.Website-www.everyonestalkinmoney.com Social Media Links/handles:https://www.facebook.com/everyonestalkinmoneypodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/everyonestalkinmoney/https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-rash/https://x.com/MoneyChicShari

Jeremy Rutherford talks about Jordan Binnington's upcoming season, Milan Lucic's PTO, and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When employees hear “employee benefits,” they might think of healthcare, perks, wellness programs, PTO, 401(k) plans or disability coverage. But when HR professionals hear “employee benefits,” they're likely thinking about cost management, compensation strategies, open enrollment, and—most importantly—compliance. Compliance is a cornerstone of today's insurance landscape. With that in mind, let's dive into your September 2025 breakdown of Compliance in Motion.

Join Chris and Conrad as they discuss Milan Lucic's recent PTO with the St. Louis Blues, Marco Rossi inks a contract extension, and is Carey Price's contract about to be traded? All of this and much more!

Romero is back, Johnny Boy is present as always and the Guerreros cashed in their PTO. We get an update on where Romero has been and on his recent injury. Join us as we catch up and enjoy a drink with us.

Building Independence & Culture: Inside PHYT Collective with Ashley Speights In this episode, Danny sits down with Ashley Speights, PT Biz coach and founder of PHYT Collective in Washington, D.C. Ashley shares how she built her 4,000 sq ft practice during the pandemic, structured a unique contractor-based collective model, and created a culture of independence, collaboration, and empowerment. They explore the realities of running a clinic in a high-cost city, setting compensation models that work, and why listening deeply to patients creates lifelong loyalty.

The Yummy Mummy Podcast is evolving, babes. Welcome to Free the Moms—a new chapter, a new mission, and honestly, the most personal one I've ever shared.This first episode is raw, real, and probably the most vulnerable I've ever been on the mic. I tell the story of why this podcast had to shift.Here's the truth: my mom did everything “right.” She was the "Pinterest mom" before Pinterest existed—holidays, snacks, PTO, all of it. But she never put herself on the list. And the toll of that? It's heartbreaking. I share what happened, why I believe we have to stop disappearing from our own lives, and how this work is about healing not just for us—but for generations.This episode is your cautionary tale and your permission slip. Permission to say yes to yourself. To finally put yourself on the list. To stop playing by the outdated motherhood rulebook. To wake up excited for your day, and go to bed feeling fulfilled.Hit play to hear:Why I'm rebranding to Free the Moms (and what it means for YOU)The deeply personal story of my mom's mental health battleThe cautionary tale of what happens when moms never put themselves firstHow generational healing plays into this missionWhat “freedom” really means in everyday mom lifeThe challenge I'm creating for you to finally end mom guiltThis is just the beginning. We're doing this journey together—skipping, galloping, trampoline-jumping our way to freedom. I want to hear from you: DM me on Instagram @lauraconleycoaching, reply to my emails, tell me what's resonating. This isn't me talking at you—it's us, side by side, freeing ourselves together.And babe, don't miss the free challenge coming soon: The End of Your Mom Guilt Era. Follow me on IG for all the details, because this is the moment we stop waiting and start living.I love you. Welcome to Free the Moms. Let's go.

Scaling up means different things for different farms; hear from Grace Lam how Fivefork Farms has scaled up to the point where they are growing 60,000 dahlias both for flower and tuber sales and over 700 dahlia share members. They don't just grow dahlias though- there is a lot of practical info in this interview, including how to keep up with labor and water needs as the farm grows, when and how to mechanize, and specialty crop insurance programs that can help insure your growing farm. Learn how they keep their farmstand thriving and steps they have taken to make the farm more resilient in the face of increasingly extreme weather in this interview with host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice. Connect With Guest:Instagram: @fiveforkfarmsWebsite: fiveforkfarms.com Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand is the all-in-one virtual assistant created for CSA farmers. With five-star member support, custom websites, shop management, and seamless billing, Farmhand makes it effortless to market, manage, and grow a thriving CSA. Learn more and set up a demo with the founder at farmhand.partners/gfm. Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial 

This week on Anime Pulse we return from the dead, well, vacations galore as Andrew and Joseph finally make time for another episode. Up first Joseph goes over the goodies he got while in Florida for his Birthday, and Andrew goes over his time attending Versus Fighting. Then in the industry news Japan's postal service will no longer ship to the US, and how Japan is using AI to prepare for Fuji's next eruption. Finally a return to reviews, however short it may be, as Joseph finds a job that offer a 401k, dental, eye care, and 60 days of PTO and all he needs to do is manage a demon lord's army. Andrew meanwhile helps a little girl get over just a tiny bit of bullying, by taking her picture.

Are mission trips changing lives—or just locations? ✈️

EP812: Bryan gets hit with the late summer virus (AKA Back to school flu!). And with RFK Jr. doing his best to make us all as sick as possible, the team has to take a day or two PTO. But fear not, TCB Classic is here to save the day! The TCBC takes us all the way to back to....January?? That's right back in the days of ole! When a man was a man and we has a functioning government. (Wow! Mr.s Show notes is spicy today!) So sit back, relax and enjoy another PUA work his way to literacy! TCBits: Crabapple's #1 Micheal Jackson Impersonator Watch EP #821 on YouTube! Text us or leave us a voicemail: +1 (212) 433-3TCB FOLLOW US: Instagram:  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thecommercialbreak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/thecommercialbreak⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@tcbpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.tcbpodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CREDITS: Hosts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bryan Green⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Krissy Hoadley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Executive Producer: Bryan Green Producer: Astrid B. Green Voice Over: Rachel McGrath TCBits & TCB Tunes: Written, Voiced and Produced by Bryan Green. Rights Reserved To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Reeta and Chels break down the wild football headlines. From Jerry Jones proudly playing Ring Master of the Cowboys' circus—complete with Micah Parsons making appearances despite no contract—to the new Netflix doc that might just be Jerrah's true Super Bowl this season, it's clear: Dallas is the show. We also touch on the NFL quarterback carousel, with Anthony Richardson unexpectedly put on involuntary PTO while Daniel Jones reclaims the starter title. It's been a rough one for the Sanders brothers—Shilo gets waived and Shedeur takes five sacks in a tough outing. Then there's Cam Newton, still battling the world. Is he a jerk? Maybe. But he's earned his mic. Plus, we dive into College Football's Week 0 surprises and preview what's ahead in Week 1—highlighting the five must-watch matchups of the weekend. You know we had to light up the volcano for the season and you will be shocked to see you actually gets in Make sure you like, follow and rate us ..you know we are worth it!

Struggling to find time for your business while working a 9-to-5 job? In this video, you'll learn actionable strategies to create more space in your schedule so you can grow your side hustle into something bigger. With unwavering belief and the right mindset shifts, you'll discover how to bet on yourself and prioritize what truly matters. Whether you're balancing work, personal commitments, or other obligations, these tips will help you take control of your time and invest in your growth. **KEY POINTS:** - **Renegotiate Your Workload:** Stop saying "yes" to tasks at your 9-to-5 that don't increase your pay. As the host says, “If it's not paying me more, it's eating into the time I could spend on what does.” - **Strategic Use of PTO:** Transform your paid time off into valuable hours for your business. “PTO exists for a reason—use it to serve your goals and dreams,” the host advises. - **Outsource Personal Tasks:** Free up your time by delegating chores like laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping. Tools like Instacart or services like wash-and-fold laundry can bring you joy and time back. - **Mindset Shifts for Time Management:** Time management isn't about cramming more into your schedule—it's about prioritizing and renegotiating your current commitments to focus on what brings value. This episode isn't just about managing your schedule; it's about building community, finding support, and aligning your time with what's most important to you. Remember, “We make time for what we value, and your business deserves your time.” If you're ready to take control of your time and make bold moves toward your goals, hit that subscribe button, like this video, and share it with someone who needs this inspiration. Let's continue building a community of resilient entrepreneurs together. See you in the comments! #howtomakemoneyonline #workfromhome #howtoearnmoneyonline #timemanagement #financialmanagement RESOURCES: [⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠MEET⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠] Are you an educator looking to start or grow your education consulting business? Click ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to book a call with our team and learn more about our programs! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[FREE]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't miss my free 5-Day 7-Figure Business School and learn the blueprint to grow a seven-figure education consulting business. I'm going to teach you the psychology of a millionaire, how to identify million-dollar problems, package and price your offers, master my seven-figure sales process, and identify leads to pitch immediately. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click HERE to sign up now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[LIVE EVENT]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join us at Seven Figure Educator Live, a three-day event in Atlanta, Georgia, where you'll experience unparalleled support, community, and fellowship with your fellow educators. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click HERE to grab your ticket now⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and let's make magic happen together in Atlanta!  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[FB COMMUNITY]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't miss out on your chance to connect with other education consultants in our free public Facebook group! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and find your 7-Figure community today. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dr. Erica Jordan-Thomas ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ IG | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@e_jordanthomas⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@erica-jordan-thomas-ed-l-d-86314764⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Facebook | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@EJTConsultingLLC⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Enjoyed this episode? Like, rate, and subscribe to Power Plays with Dr. EJT! 

Take care of yourselves, Esteemed Colleagues.  xo Jess Jess Lindgren 4465 E Genesee Street STE 114 Syracuse, NY 13214 Beginning September 8th, join me for the ongoing Monday Club inside the Leader Assistant community on Circle! Join the newsletter if you're feeling fancy: askanassistant.substack.com Patreon is another fancy option: https://www.patreon.com/jesslindgren I always love to hear from you: askanassistant.com Book a 1:1 with me: jesslindgren.com/coaching Lay your comments, questions, thoughts, and concerns on me.   #askjess #askanassistant

We apologize for the audio quality of this episode —- we had some issues with the settings on our microphones! Many thanks for listening. First up, Elmer and Gray address some recent news within the Harrison County Sheriff's Department and the commissioners regarding PTO. They are then joined by friends Rachel Kitterman and Stewart Penwell for a fun conversation on why it is so important to get involved with your community. THINGS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:“Harrison County Sheriff's deputies fight for more time off” via WHAS 11

Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) completed a series C funding round earlier this summer, raising a reported $40 million. The round was led by Saudi Arabia's SURJ Sports Investments, and supported by Cordillera, Verance Capital, and initial investor Sir Michael Moritz. Sam Renouf is the founder and CEO of PTO and the man who leads the organization's T100 series of triathlon events. He led the efforts to raise the money. He joins the Leaders Worth Knowing podcast this week to give us a step-by-step guide to the year-long process that led to the capital injection.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Professional Triathletes Organisation and many other rights holders from across global sport will be out in full force at Leaders Week London from 29 September - 2 October. To find out more and to secure your pass, visit leadersinsport.com/leadersweek

Be sure to download our "READY. AAIM. PHIRE!" takeaway sheet for all the key insights from this episode. Click the link below: https://tinyurl.com/mpbarn29  AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming how we work - but are they doing more harm than good? This week, Phil and Burt unpack the growing trend of overusing and over trusting AI in the workplace. From fabricated facts to blind faith in chatbots, we'll explore the risks that come with leaning too heavily on artificial intelligence. Are your employees using AI as a helpful assistant - or hiding behind it? Tune in for real-world examples, red flags to watch for, and practical steps every employer should take to stay protected. 00:00 – Welcome & opening remarks 01:25 – Live from SHRM Conference in Orlando 03:20 – Why AI “hallucinates” and how Amy Hart helps 04:50 – Playing the Reliable, Reasonable, or Ridiculous AI game 07:10 – Unlimited PTO: pros and cons 08:34 – Asking older employees about retirement 11:21 – Should remote workers get more PTO? 13:20 – Lawyer on the Clock: THC in the workplace 18:19 – Cracker Barrel logo backlash and DEI debate 24:30 – Illinois AI discrimination law  31:12 – Ready, Aim, Fire key takeaways download 32:07 – Upcoming Employment Law Update events

Jelle Geens is the reigning Ironman 70.3 World Champion, a three-time Olympian, and has multiple big wins across the World Triathlon Championship Series, T100 World Tour and Ironman 70.3 on his resume. We discuss Jelle's training in great detail in this episode, and we also cover other bits and pieces like his new training environment on the Gold Coast, how his training and life have changed since having a daughter, and tourism tips for Belgium. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: How Jelle got into triathlon, his short-course racing career, and his three Olympic experiencesTransitioning from short-course to middle-distance racing, getting used to the TT-bike, and Jelle's first (unsuccessful) DIY bike fitComparing the squad training environment in Girona with in-person coaching to more independent training with remote coaching (under Ben Reszel) on the Gold CoastJelle's training structure overall, and specifics across swim, bike and run (including typical key sessions)A breakdown of a full training week in preparation for T100 LondonHow Jelle tapers into races, and recovers after themJelle's Ironman and Kona plansNEW BASE TRAINING PLANS - 60% LAUNCH DISCOUNTWe have just launched a set of brand new base training plans. There is a low-volume (7 hours per week average), mid-volume (10 h/wk) and high-volume (14 h/wk) version available. For a limited time only, until the 31st of August 2025, these plans are available on a massive discount of 60%, meaning you can purchase a plan for 30$ instead of the regular price of 75$. Use the code "BASE1" at checkout to apply this discount code. The plans are only available on TrainingPeaks. You can learn more about each of the plans (and purchase them, if you so desire) through the links below. Low-volume Base Training PlanMid-volume Base Training PlanHigh-volume Base Training PlanDETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode.The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/tts470/LINKS AND RESOURCES: Jelle's Instagram, and results pages on the PTO (middle and long distance) and World Triathlon (short-course)WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes: World Champions keep things simple: training masterclass with Joel Filliol | EP#172Joel Filliol | EP#409Solveig Løvseth - Olympian and the fastest Ironman debut in history | EP#466Frederic Funk | EP#380You can find our full episode archives here, where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes, TTS Thursday episodes, and Beginner Tips episodes. LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON: The Scientific Triathlon website is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we doContact us through our contact form or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)Subscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on InstagramLearn more about our coaching, training plans, and training camps. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals.HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)? I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time. Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far!Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack.SPONSORS: Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout. NEW BASE TRAINING PLANS - 60% LAUNCH DISCOUNTWe have just launched a set of brand new base training plans. There is a low-volume (7 hours per week average), mid-volume (10 h/wk) and high-volume (14 h/wk) version available. For a limited time only, until the 31st of August 2025, these plans are available on a massive discount of 60%, meaning you can purchase a plan for 30$ instead of the regular price of 75$. Use the code "BASE1" at checkout to apply this discount code. The plans are only available on TrainingPeaks. You can learn more about each of the plans (and purchase them, if you so desire) through the links below. Low-volume Base Training PlanMid-volume Base Training PlanHigh-volume Base Training Plan

What's up and welcome back to the Something's Bruin Podcast! On today's episode Sully and Mel discuss their time spent in the offseason, a real sh*tty cruise, Bruins recent prospect rankings (Via the Athletic) who was snubbed, who was overvalued and close on potential PTO signings as we head into the pre-season. As always, thank you for listening and enjoy the show!

Go to ⁠https://cozyearth.com⁠ and use code HUMANHR for 40% off their best-selling sheets, pajamas, towels, and more. And if you get a post-purchase survey? Let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here.In this episode of the Bringing the Human Back to Human Resources podcast, Traci Chernoff and Bryan Driscoll return for this month's Policy Pulse segment to cover five timely HR developments.They kick things off by dissecting the political fallout over the July 2025 jobs report and the potential implications of altering or eliminating the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly release. Then, they dive into Texas's new law mandating binary gender classification and its compliance burden on multi-state employers, followed by a deep look into Colorado's strict new AI law and the risks it presents for hiring and automation tools. The conversation wraps with Rhode Island's new menopause discrimination protections and Illinois's “leave for any reason” law—both pushing the envelope on employee support policies.Chapters 00:00 Welcome to August's Policy Pulse 01:10 Controversy Over the July Jobs Report 06:49 Texas Mandates Binary Gender Classifications 14:50 Colorado's Landmark AI Legislation & Compliance Risks 24:00 Rhode Island Protects Menopausal Employees 28:15 Illinois's Leave-for-Any-Reason Law 30:50 PTO, Legal Loopholes & Employer Challenges 32:00 Final Thoughts & What to Watch in SeptemberDon't forget to rate, review, and subscribe! Plus, leave a comment if you're catching this episode on Spotify or YouTube.We hope you enjoyed this month's Policy Pulse episode. If you found our discussion insightful, we'd like you to take a moment to rate our podcast. Your feedback helps us grow and reach more listeners who are passionate about these topics. You can also leave a review and tell us what you loved or what you'd like to hear more of — we're all ears!Connect with Traci here: ⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/HRTraci⁠⁠Connect with Bryan: Website: ⁠https://bryanjdriscoll.com/ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanjohndriscoll/⁠Disclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed.Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

Most people only invest for retirement through their employer plan, which means if that plan is weak, your future could be too. But how do you actually know if it's bad, or if you just don't understand it yet?In this episode, we break down the three biggest signs your employer plan might be holding you back, and what to do about it.We'll get into:Why some 401(k) fund menus feel like a restaurant with no good options (and how to find the hidden gems)What “the match” really means, why it's not free money, and how to calculate its true impact on your paycheckThe ugly truth about vesting schedules, and why they're less about rewarding loyalty and more about saving your employer moneyHow to compare your retirement benefits across jobs the same way you'd compare rent prices or school districts before movingYour retirement plan is part of your compensation, just like salary, PTO, and health insurance. If you're ignoring it (or assuming it's fine) you could be leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars on the table.Take a closer look now so you can decide whether your plan is working for you, or if it's time to find a better path forward.Links: Ep 171: Why you need a brokerage account: The Swiss Army knife of investing Ep 105: Planning for your retirement Ep 108: Sparking your early retirement dreams: A guide to FIRE   Connect with Julien and Kiersten on our website, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.Join our email list to get updates from us, opportunities for discounts, freebies and a quick rundown on the relevant financial and career news impacting your life. Get our book Cashing Out: Win the Wealth Game by Walking Away, named 2023 best overall book about investing by Business Insider and one of the best personal finance books by ForbesIf you would like to learn more about investing, check out our newest class, Making Money Grow

Ready for a refreshingly REAL conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion? In this episode of The Inclusive AF Podcast, hosts Jackye Clayton and Katee Van Horn turn up the fun with a rapid-fire “Would You Rather: DEI Edition” game! They tackle everything from DEI budgets vs. CEO support, to potlucks vs. unlimited PTO, dealing with microaggressions, navigating DEI strategy in the workplace, and even imagining Beyoncé or Lizzo at your next ERG Summit. If you need laughs, honesty, and actionable DEI insights, this episode is for YOU. Whether you're a DEI pro, HR leader, or anyone passionate about creating more inclusive workspaces, you'll find plenty to think about—and laugh about—here. Plus, discover why Jackye is terrified of potlucks, why Katee hates explaining "we're like a family," and their takes on unconscious bias, pronoun etiquette, and AI in hiring. Hit LIKE if you're ready to play along, SUBSCRIBE for more real-talk on inclusion, and COMMENT with your own “Would You Rather” answers!

Dave Bidini, the mind behind the Summit 72 documentary, talks about making the documentary USSR vs. Canada - the 1972 Summit Series  Milan Lucic signs a PTO with the Blues AND MORE! Let's Go Blues Radio is your #1 Source for "Tellin' It Like It Is, In Your Face" St. Louis Blues hockey commentary... the fully vaccinated, often imitated, never duplicated, (we eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast) THE ORIGINAL St. Louis Blues Hockey Podcast, Let's Go Blues Radio! Please check out our fantastic sponsors! Mike Burgoyne Real Estate Broker - Email Mike at Mike@strikewithmike.com for the best realty service in St. Louis! For all of your home buying and selling needs. Six Zero Pickleball. http://www.sixzeropickleball.com. Go next level with Six Zero paddles, equipment, and apparel! Use PROMO CODE: CPRICE10 for 10% off!

Milan Lucic signs a PTO with the St.Louis Blues

Building a successful business often means solving problems nobody else sees coming. In this episode of Building Texas Business, I sit down with Merrilee Kick, founder of BuzzBallz, to talk about how she transformed a poolside idea into a ready-to-drink cocktail empire she sold to Sazerac in 2024. Merrilee shares her journey from high school teacher to manufacturing pioneer who bootstrapped through engineering challenges and suppliers who refused to sell her essential components. Her approach demonstrates that when traditional paths close, entrepreneurs must forge their own. We explore how Merrilee built a family-like culture with minimal turnover through practical benefits like daily cooked meals and extended holiday breaks. She discusses why fairness matters more than equality in building loyal teams. During COVID, she created an on-site school for employees' children and manufactured hand sanitizer for hospitals, showing how adaptability serves both business continuity and community needs. Merrilee reflects on mistakes that shaped her success, from coconut cream that solidified at room temperature to trusting the wrong people. She emphasizes that entrepreneurs must trust their gut instincts and move quickly when something isn't working. Her discussion about selling to Sazerac reveals the cultural shifts that come with acquisition and why selecting the right buyer matters as much as the price. The conversation reveals how a teacher's frustration with glass by the pool became a multi-million dollar business through relentless problem-solving and genuine employee care. Listen to discover why sometimes the best business education comes from cleaning your own warehouse bathrooms. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS "S#@t doesn't smell any better with age" - why firing fast is critical to maintaining culture and performance When suppliers demand hundreds of thousands for R&D, sometimes you have to source from Canada and figure it out yourself A $10 daily lunch investment eliminated production delays and built the family culture that kept turnover near zero Creating an on-site school during COVID kept the production lines running when competitors shut down People quit managers, not companies - know your employees' kids' names and eat lunch with them Trust your gut over resumes - the West Point MIT grad who couldn't deliver taught her that credentials don't guarantee performance LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About BuzzBallz GUESTS Merrilee KickAbout Merrilee TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode, you'll meet Merrilee Kick, founder of BuzzBallz. Merrilee shares her story of going from a high school teacher grading papers to a multimillion dollar manufacturer of ready to drink cocktails by trusting her instincts, being honest and fair, and keeping sales concepts funny. Merrilee, I want to welcome you to Building Texas Business. Thank you for taking the time to come on in the podcast. Merrilee: Thanks Chris. Chris: So let's start. You founded a very interesting company called BuzzBallz. Love the name. Tell the listeners what is BuzzBallz, what is the company and what's it known for? Merrilee: So BuzzBallz is a ready to drink cocktail company. It's a manufacturing company based in Texas, and I started it back in 2009. Our first sale was in 2010 and I sold it. I ran it for 15 years and then I sold it last year, may of 2024 to Sazerac, a big company, one of the world's largest manufacturers of bourbon and alcoholic spirits. And they were very interested in us because it was the convenience store channel and it was ready to drink. And so it was a little bit different twist for them. Chris: Very good. So what was the inspiration for you in 2009 to start a alcoholic beverage company? Merrilee: I was going through some hard times with my marriage and I was a high school teacher at the time and I wanted to be more financially independent. And my high school that I was working at said that they would give me a teacher's enrichment program to where I could go get my master's in administration and be a principal. And I was like, oh my God, no, I don't want to be a principal. No, I want to go into my own field, which was business because I taught entrepreneurship, business law, international business marketing, computer science, all those kinds of wonderful subjects to high school kids, and I wanted to get my degree and get my MBA in that. So I convinced them to let me do it. Got my MBA and BuzzBallz was my master's degree thesis project. I was grading papers by the pool thinking of what should my project be for my capstone, my final project for my MBA and I had a little vo of candle with me and drinking a cocktail like a good teacher would, and I should probably not have a glass glass out here by the pool where I'm grading papers. I need to have something plastic. So I came up with the idea and the concept of a little party ball, a little ready to drink cocktail in a ball shape. Then my family and I, we sat down at dinner and we came up with the name Buzzballz. I love it. So catchy. And so that's where it came from and it stuck, you know, and it's one of those names you don't forget. So, that's the genesis of it all. Chris: What a great story. So high school teacher grading papers by the pool comes up with a cocktail and turns it into a wildly successful business. That is a coolest story I think I've ever heard. Merrilee: Yeah, we started out with six different flavors and they were pretty edgy. I'm a pretty edgy person, I guess. So, we came out with names like OJ Screamer because it was right when OJ Simpson was on trial and we had an orange juice and vodka screwdriver and we thought, okay, this will be funny, and funny sells, and it makes people laugh again. It makes it fun. So, We came up with some funny, funny names, strawberry Rum job, you know, like kind of edgy, dirty names, but funny and people loved it. Since then, it's kind of calmed the waves a little bit. We've mellowed it down a little bit, toned it down for the general grocery store shoppers, and more more family focused. But we've been through many renditions, many different flavors and sizes and things over the years. Yeah, Chris: It is really cool. Let's go back to kind of that 2009 or maybe time period. So I guess you had your MBA and you had this idea, but what did you do to get this off the ground and what kind of hurdles were you facing in order to do that? There Merrilee: Was so many hurdles. I didn't know anything manufacturing. I didn't know anything business. I was told by bankers all around Texas that I've applied for loans with that you're just a teacher, you don't have any experience, you don't have any collateral, you don't have any knowledge of manufacturing, how are you going to pull this off? And I just googled everything. Google was a really good friend, but I was looking at how many pounds per square inch does a Coke have on the inner walls of its container and will my container hold that and will this plastic have BPA in it and will it leach into my product? And what is the oxygen scavenging ratio of will oxygen permeate this plastic and degrade the product and what kind of petaloid base do I need on this? So there's a lot of engineering involved to create the container because it is a custom container. And then I was almost to the finish line and then a company, I wanted to put these metal lids on the container and a company came to me and they said, we want you to pay us hundreds of thousands of dollars so that we can r and d and see if your product really can be a good product for the market. And I couldn't afford it, so I just did it myself and I had to launch it myself and they said they wouldn't sell me any lids because of it. So I had to buy 'em from Canada. I had to buy 'em from overseas and then do it myself. So one of the things I learned is you just have to do everything yourself. You have to clean the bathrooms, you have to clean the warehouse, you have to set up the equipment, you have to do all the QuickBooks, you have to do the shipping, you have to do the billing, you have to understand all the details of this business inside now before you can pass it on to anybody. Chris: That's a very common theme amongst entrepreneurs, especially in the startup. You have an inspiration or a passion or something or idea that you believe so much in and are so passionate about that despite all the hurdles you run into, you just figure out ways over the hurdles. Merrilee: That's because if you don't, your failure to do anything and try to get it right means bankruptcy. And most entrepreneurs are going on their last thread, maxed out their credit cards. They can't afford a complete and utter failure. They can afford mistakes, but they quickly pivot and fix it and keep going. They keep swimming Chris: To that point. So you said you have to be able to do everything to get it going. Those are early days. How do you then transition once you've got some legs underneath it to start letting go of some things and bringing people in because it's your baby and you have to learn to trust some people to take care of it, Merrilee: And you make a lot of mistakes trusting people too. So you'll have a lot of duds people that you hire, some family and friends I would steer away from as much as possible unless that family is under your control, like cousins, aunts, uncles, those are more difficult to work with than your own sons because your sons will do whatever you tell 'em to do. Chris: And I know you have your sons in the business, Merrilee: But it was difficult when I hired friends because they were entitled. They thought they would be able to have more. So it's very different when you're having to hire people that are friends, Chris: That's having a strong team around you is so critical to the success of any business. What did you learn along the way? And aside from maybe don't hire friends to really hone in on your process to improve your hit rate on making sure you were hiring people that you could trust and they could do the job Merrilee: Well, sometimes you hire somebody based on their resume or their referrals or whatever, and that's a good first step, but you're going to still make mistakes. I remember I had a guy that had all the accolades in the world. He was a West Point grad, he was MIT, he had all these accolades, but he couldn't seem to get anything done and talk about delegation. I had to have my son because I was out of town. I was like, Hey, you get to fire this guy and here's this guy that's 30 years his senior and my son has never fired anyone before. And he had to have that experience. It was difficult. But one thing I've learned is crap doesn't smell any better with age. So you've got to get rid of people that are toxic or that even if you have a relationship, a friendly relationship with them, sometimes it just isn't going to work for whatever reason. Either something legal that they did or something that was immoral that they did or just basic laziness or in capability to get the job done. So sometimes if you don't feel it, it's almost like a gut feel. If it's not working right, then there's something wrong and you got to make moves. A Chris: Couple of things there, right? First I think the adage of hire slow fire fast is very true. Easier said than done. I Merrilee: Don't hire slow. I don't like that. I don't like that saying because I think sometimes you hire fast and it's okay. I think the important thing is fire fast if you have grounds to do so and try to get somebody to replace them as quickly as possible. You got to do everything fast when you're an entrepreneur. Chris: So on the fire fast side, right? I mean I think it's whether it's performance or cultural fit, if it's not working, the sooner you move, the better your organization's going to be. Merrilee: But on the cultural fit too, that's a big one because they may have the capability to do it, but maybe at their own pace or maybe not at your pace or maybe they just have a different idea of work altogether. Chris: And one of the things we say here, it doesn't necessarily make 'em a bad person. This isn't the right organization for them and they need to go find that organization that will fit them better. But speaking of culture, how would you describe the culture that you built at BuzzBallz? Merrilee: Okay, so my culture at BuzzBallz, we hardly had any turnover because I treated it like family. I think that people quit managers, and I've heard that before, but people do quit, managers and they quit companies that don't believe in them. And I think that is a big cultural learning. You've got to do things together, you got to take them to lunch, you got to talk to them, you got to get involved with their family life, know their kids' names. You need to know something about the people that report to you. Now when you have a thousand people reporting to you can't possibly do all that, but you can have parties and you can have celebrations and you can recognize people at every level of the totem pole. And I think some of the things to do to build culture, we would have a cook on staff that cooked for everybody every day because that $10 a day savings meant more to, and it meant a lot to me because they could start the lines on time. I didn't have to wait for somebody to go get a burrito down the street and come back. They could just go ahead and keep together. And it built culture that way too. They started to trust each other, they started to rely on each other. And the other thing that we did was we all rolled up our sleeves. It didn't matter whether you were the lead accountant or if you were the CEO, if something needed to get done, you go do it. Chris: I think Merrilee: That's great. So it's not that it's above you or it's somebody else's job. Chris: Yeah. Kind of lead by example, right? No task is above anyone. It's all about getting the job done. Merrilee: Correct. Chris: And I think to your point of knowing your people as best you can, when you start to scale the business as you did, I think it breaks into tier. So within your direct reports or a level or two, you have the ability to get to really know them. And then I think it's important to teach them that they take it another level down and really have good connections within their direct reports and then you can layer that through the organization so that people feel connected. And so Merrilee: One thing I learned too, Chris, is I learned that people are better managers than me. I'm more of an inventor. I'm an entrepreneur. I'm not really a good manager of people. I'm a good people person and I'm a good salesperson, but I don't like doing the management of the day to day of my car broke down or I'm sick or I need PTO approved or I need blah, blah, blah, blah. I don't like doing any of that. All the administrative stuff that comes with management I'm terrible at. It's not that I'm terrible, it's just that I don't want to do it. I would rather have somebody that's better at it do it. I think that it's really important that people see your genuine self and that you're honest and fair to them more than equal. Equality is different than fairness. And I think fairness trumps equality, fairness. Somebody who comes to work every day works their butt off every day, takes care of you, always says they're going to get it done. That person is a person I want to hire versus somebody who's complaining and moaning about equality. If you gave them a day off, I want a day off, I need a PTO day just because I just need a de-stress day, it's buzz off. I don't need you to complain about your daily work. Chris: Everybody has stuff. So despite that, we still have to get a job done and that gets lost sometimes. And that just goes back to the hiring process and making sure, and I agree with you, no hiring process is perfect. It's more of an art than a science, but if you really focus on some of the right things, you're going to have better hits. But again, like we said earlier, once you realize you've made a mistake, you got to make a move. Merrilee: And also about the speed of hiring. When you said hire slow, I've been with companies that hire too slow and they drag prospective employees on for so long doing too many rounds and they lose them Chris: For sure. I guess it slows relative, but yes, if you drag it out immersively long, if you have a good process, you know what you're looking for. And within a couple rounds of an interview, you should know whether that person's going to hit fit or not. We talked a little bit about culture and I guess one thing would be interesting is how do you believe that you've been through a transition in the last 12 months? Has that culture been impacted by that Merrilee: Tremendously? Yeah. Culture is completely different with a big company versus a small entrepreneurial company. Entrepreneur companies are more freewheeling, more giving in terms of the things they allow people to do. They help people more. Bigger companies are more rigid. They have more rules because they have to, they're just bound by more legal problems if I could say. So just they've got more issues to have to Chris: Worry, maybe legal hurdles and regulations and such, Merrilee: And they have just a bigger spotlight on them. So people are always looking at them trying to find fault and trying to sue them for anything possible. There's rules and regulations that they have to abide by that I didn't. So culture has changed also with they had to let go a lot of people and that was really hard because these are people that I loved and people that I cared very dearly about that helped me build the business, but they had their own internal structure and people already filling some of those roles so it didn't make financial sense or business sense to string them along and have two people doing the same thing. So there were some business decisions that were made that affected culture. Yes, Chris: It's almost inevitable when that type of combination happens, right? Because there's going to be some overlap and a business has to run efficiently and can't have two people doing the same thing Merrilee: And they just run it differently. It's not that one's better or one's worse. They just are different. And I tried to pick a company to buy us that would be as close as possible to our culture and I tried to pick one that was privately owned and family owned and manufacturing instead of some other kind of company. I didn't want private equity or anything like that. I wanted somebody that held some of the same beliefs I did and I think I did a good job with this company. I really like them and I think they have a lot of great ideas, but it's different than how I would've done it. Chris: Hello friends. This is Chris Hanzlik, your building Texas business host. Did you know that Boyer Miller, the producer of this podcast is a business law firm that works with entrepreneurs, corporations and business leaders. Our team of attorneys serve as strategic partners to businesses by providing legal guidance to organizations of all sizes. Get to know the firm@boermiller.com and thanks for listening to the show. So let's talk a little bit about innovation because what you did there was nothing like it on the market. Obviously the initial concept seems unique and novel As you grew the company over those 15 years, how did you incorporate or encouraged innovation within the company to keep it going? Merrilee: We would have so much fun together. We always had happy hours after work and we would sit and brainstorm with a cocktail in our hand and just anything goes. We would talk about anything and everything and we would do fun marketing things too. Things that were a little edgy maybe too far. Like we had Buzz Ball condoms for spring break and we had crazy stuff for marketing and now the marketing is a little more toned down because it's going to the general populace instead of just craziness. So I think that that's changed for sure. Tell me again what you were asking about Chris: Kind of incorporating innovation into Merrilee: Innovation. Yeah, so it's just Chris: Propelling success. Merrilee: We would try different flavors and this tastes gross or this tastes like medicine or no, I don't like it or I don't like the color of it or whatever. So we had an r and d team and they were fun people and that was really important to me. I wanted the ability to have the science aspect of it, but I also wanted the ability, we had a good formulation going so that we could do that. Now, one thing we decided when it was around, I don't know, four or five years in, we were thinking, oh, sales are starting to slump a little bit, wonder what's going on. We should start our own vodka and our own rum and our own gin and our own bourbon and start making those. We could do that. And so we started doing that. The thing we didn't do well was marketing of those products. So those products felt flat over two or three years. We had distribution, but we didn't know how to sell it because we had been selling in a different channel in a different way. So we went back and focused on our core learning from that mistake, just innovation is something else. Do you want to make things in a different shaped container? So we came out with the biggie, the giant biggie, and I had always wanted to make a big bowling ball sized buzz ball and everywhere I went, they were like, no, the Chris: Party size, we Merrilee: Can't do it party size, we can't do it. That's what they kept saying, you can't do it, you can't make it. It won't work. We found a way to make it work and it's one of the coolest looking things on the market and we've got witches potion coming out pretty soon. We've got biggie, BuzzBallz everywhere. Chris: I think one of the things you mentioned there, just it's okay to try new things and expand, but you've got to stay on top of 'em and I guess you said with the vodka and the bourbon and whatnot, eventually we're not as good at this. So you have to know just higher or firing fast, you have to know when to cut that off and go back to your core to really just focus on what you're good at and be the best at that. Merrilee: And so what we did with all that excess booze that we made is we just drank it in our bar. We had it at our bar at work. We had a nice big bar at work, so we would Chris: Some cost savings. We had to go buy support Merrilee: Our habits. Chris: So I'd be interested to know, you said you were in the Dallas area when you started this company. Do you feel that being in Texas as a entrepreneur and startup business had its advantages that allowed you to achieve the success that you have? Merrilee: I knew that Texas is a little bit cheaper than some of the other big cities out there, la, New York, and it's centrally located, so that helps a lot in terms of shipping, but I don't think that Texas particularly helped me other than this is where I grew my family and it was home Chris: Cheaper real estate. I think typically a legislature at the state level that's business friendly. Merrilee: Yeah, yeah, it is. I think that the other thing I wanted to make a point of is we have a big labor pool, not necessarily good though, it's a big labor pool, but sometimes you have to go through a bunch of people to find the right kind of people. What's that work ethic thing? Chris: Of course. So let's talk a little bit then about leadership and how you would describe your leadership style and how you think that evolved over time. Merrilee: I'm a hugger. I walk down the hall, I smile at everybody, I talk to everybody. I give them a hug, I eat lunch with 'em. It's an open door. So I think that is one thing that's different about me. I care about my employees so much. When COVID hit, one of the things we did that I'm especially proud of was we started our own little school. So I knew I needed employees to show up for a manufacturing plant, but how could they do that if they had to stay home to take care of their kids? Their kids' school was closed, so I was like, I'll start a school. And so I started a school onsite, a buzz ball school, hired a Texas education, the agency teacher and an aide, so a TE, a certified teacher and an aide, and we converted a conference room, big conference room into a kids learning center and we got headphones and we had them get their PCs from all their different schools. We had kids' books, we had play mats, we had tents, we had all kinds of stuff. We cooked breakfast for 'em, we cooked lunch for 'em, we gave them a snack, we helped them with their homework and then their parents could bring 'em to work at 6:00 AM before school starts, but 6:00 AM We had somebody there to greet those kids when their shift started, the people working and we'd help the kids, give them a snack, give them their homework, make sure they got everything done, and then their parents could eat lunch with them if they wanted to during that day and then pick 'em up at two or three o'clock in the afternoon when their shift was over. But that's one of the things I'm really proud of. That's like a different thing that we had to do for COVID. So we did a lot of things like the lunches, the free lunches. We also gave everybody time off between Christmas and New Year's, right around December 22nd to January 2nd, I just said everybody gets that time off because of when I was a teacher. That was really important to have that family time and when you're working your job for your first year when you're out of college, or even if you never went to college, you get two weeks vacation. That's not enough for the whole year. So two weeks vacation plus a week of PTO for sick time, and then you get this extra 10 days off paid and you don't have to come to work. You can make that plan and go to New York for your family. And then we also give them a bonus at Christmas so that they could buy some Christmas presents. Some of them were paycheck to paycheck and so it meant lot. Yeah, just little celebrations, chili cook-offs and dinosaur races and silly stuff, but it was good. It was a good relationship, good culture. Chris: What you just mentioned about the school during COVID is fascinating to me and brilliant by the way, so kudos to you that would fit within my definition of innovation. Thinking outside the box and going, one, you have to keep your business going and so how can I do this given what my workforce is dealing with? And you found that is an amazing solution. Merrilee: We also decided that we would be an essential business, so we made BuzzBallz, hand sanitizer, we took some of our spirit based vodka and rum and gin and put these little toppers on them instead of the 50 ml size that's on the airplane that had a screw cap, put these tops on 'em and then made hand sanitizer, gave it out to all the lab corps, all the hospitals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, all of the grocery stores, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, spirit Airlines, we gave it out to so many people and all the hospitals and everything. So that was one way that we could stay in business made us essential. Chris: It's funny, I had some clients do some similar things with hand sanitizers during that time. Of course, looking back, if you remember the spike in alcohol cells during COVID, it seems like it would've been a natural essential business anyway, right? Merrilee: Straight answer from any kind of government saying essential business or not. I was like, we're going to make ourselves essential, and people wanted to buy our hand sanitizer and I'm like, no, we're giving it for free. We're not doing it for money. We're doing it for the betterment of mankind. Chris: At that point, it was so uncertain, right? Merrilee: Yeah, we thought we were going to die, we're going to all Chris: Die. Thank goodness that didn't happen. We've suffered that. I think there's been a slow progression back to normalcy in the business world as a result of COVID. You see it more and more the work remote versus now just this year a lot more about five days a week back in the office, which four or five years ago, you never thought that would happen. Merrilee: That really made me mad too, that everybody was expecting to work from home forever, and I was just like, that's not real life people. You need to collaborate with other people. You need to get things done. And you can't do it in a bubble unless you're like a computer programmer and that's all you do all day is sit in front of your pc. It doesn't make any sense if you're in a people oriented business. Chris: I couldn't agree with you more. And that's what our firm is, people oriented, customer service, customer facing professional services, and we say we're better together and the collaboration is key. It's where learning and training and development come from, and we think where our best client service comes from. So we got to be together. We actually got back in the office in May of 2020 in a smart and safe way, but it was that critical. Merrilee: It's changed time and leveraging technology. I've just noticed such a flowing in customer service and an accountability and when you call somebody to set up an appointment for something, you get some robot on the phone and you push one and you push two and then you push one and then you push three and then you get somebody that's a voicemail or whatever. It's so frustrating. There is such a decline in accountability. It's like somebody's always passing the buck to somebody else or that's not my department. I don't do that. And companies have gotten so big, and I'm talking about the big at ts, the big companies that don't ever answer their phone, they don't have a human that answers their phone. You can't get support. And I think that when it's just so refreshing when you have a company that actually answers their phone, that actually responds to your email that you sent, even if it's a complaint, somebody listened. Somebody responded, oh crap, I'll buy their stuff forever because of that. I was mad, but now I'm happy. Chris: So true. So you mentioned something, it was a while back, but you talked about making mistakes along the way. Can you give us an example of maybe one or two where you're like failure or mistake, but that you learned through persevered through made you better because you had that experience? Merrilee: Yeah, so I had so many mistakes. I think that it's so important to make mistakes because you don't get better unless you make mistakes. Mistakes don't mean failure. Overall. Mistakes mean it's an opportunity to change it for the better, to make your product better, to make it more solid. One of the things early on that I did was I was making a pina colada and I was using real coconut cream. A lot of these entrepreneurs come to me, I'm going to do everything with real stuff. It's healthy, it's this, it's that. It's whatever. I'm not going to use anything artificial. That's great. Okay, go for it. Is it shelf stable? Was it going to rot on the shelf? All those kinds of questions I have that come up when you do a commercial product. But anyway, I was making this pina colada coconut cream. What I didn't know, what I didn't Google was that coconut cream freezes and turns solid at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. So I'm sitting here making this coconut cream. Oh my gosh, taste is so good. The pina coladas were so awesome. And then after that sat there on the shelf for about two or three months, it started to clump up and it looked like cottage cheese in the container. So when people would open it up, they're like, so that was one mistake that I learned from and had to fix, and we did and it's awesome. Another mistake I made was I was using real orange juice in my, instead of triple suck, I was using some orange juice in my tequila, Rita, it was a margarita, and I wanted just a little tad of orange juice in there. That orange juice pulp turned brown over time and you don't notice it when you make it. You don't notice it when you test it, but it looked like fish food floating around in the bottom of my container. You could see through my container Chris: Once it goes on the shelf and sits for a while right then, Merrilee: And people are going, I'm shaking it and there's brown specks going around in here. What is that? So these were all early lessons learned, just things you learned just by running the machinery or by cleaning products or by making the containers. I can't even tell you how many mistakes I've made, but I think most of my mistakes were later on more with people than with product And also just learning who to trust. Trusting your gut instinct I think is one of the most important things entrepreneurs have to do. When you feel something's wrong, it is wrong. Even if you meet somebody that seems to be nice or really important, they might just be weird or they might have a problem. So got to keep your distance. Chris: That's good. On that point, any advice you received along the way from someone that really stuck with you and helped you through the journey? Merrilee: There was lots of times I had advice, but it wasn't really framed in terms of advice. I remember when it was pretty early on, my dad came to see me and it was before we knew any level of success and he sat there and he looked at the buzz ball and he goes, I think you might have something here. And that just felt so good to me to hear that from someone else. And it wasn't because he was my dad, it was just like he was just a normal person looking at a normal product and he was judging it and I thought, wow, okay. He said that. Another one that comes to mind is Blair Casey. He was an original distributor for me, and he was the first guy to bring in my buzz ball product into Texas. He worked for Glazer's at the time, and then I hired him in 2017. He came on board and became my head of sales. Anyway, this guy was always positive. I relate him to Ted Lasso, but he's just so positive. But he always was, glass is always half full with that guy, and I always remember his way of being more than him saying the glass is half full, but the glass was always half full with Blair. And even when you focus on how it's half empty, you got to remember that it's also half full. Chris: Look for the positives in the learning though. That's great. Great stuff. Merrilee really appreciate your insights and sharing your story. A couple of things just to maybe wrap things up more Texas specific. Is there anything, having been in Texas for a long time, any traditions or things that you and your family like to do in the state or in the dallas Fort Worth area? Merrilee: I like to go to Stars games and things like that. My husband loves to play golf. My kids, I've got five grandkids now, so home is special to me. My home is the most important place to me and there isn't really, I can't say I like State Fair of Texas or the PBR Rodeo or anything like that is sticking out in my mind. I like to go occasionally, but I like to stay home a lot and I like to spend time at work a lot and I love Christmas holiday lights. Just the holiday season, seeing all the lights, it just warm my heart. It just makes me feel good. Chris: That's great. Okay. Here's a question for you. Do you prefer TexMex or barbecue? Merrilee: TexMex with lots of cheese. Chris: Lots of cheese. I can relate to that. Merrilee. This has been great. I really appreciate your time. Congratulations on just what a cool story coming from a teacher to a very successful alcoholic beverage manufacturer. Merrilee: Oh, thank you. Thank you. I'm on my new things now and I'm actually making some barbecue sauce and doing some other things with gourmet land that's a completely different new products, new company, and that's where I'm spending a lot of my time now. And RAC is carrying the torch for BuzzBallz and they're doing a great job. Chris: Well, it sounds like you meet the definition of some of my favorite people, which is serial entrepreneur onto the next thing. Merrilee: Can't stop. Chris: I love it. I love it. This has been a pleasure. Thanks again and wishy continued success. Merrilee: Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Chris: And there we have it. Another great episode. Don't forget to check out the show notes at boyer miller.com/podcast and you can find out more about all the ways our firm can help you@boyermiller.com. That's it for this episode. Have a great week and we'll talk to you next time. Special Guest: Merrilee Kick.

Matt & Ty return with a new episode covering some interesting new stories related to the Boston Bruins. They get into some movie talk to kick things off, before diving in on the sports... 11:23 -- The Bruins are reportedly looking to move on from Fabian Lysell. The guys go over the forward's time in Boston, what went wrong, and what it says about both him and the team. 28:28 -- Matt & Ty react to the reinstatement and return to the NHL of former Bruin Milan Lucic, who is reunited with Jim Montgomery for a PTO in St. Louis. 40:51 -- Charlie McAvoy continues to slide down the NHL Network defensemen rankings, but the expectations and demands for him have never been higher. Subscribe to the Sports Hub Underground wherever you get your podcasts. Apple: https://apple.co/3AICTPR Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3j5ibDR YouTube: https://bit.ly/43PmhYV RSS: https://bit.ly/3tSKABs

Let's do this! The Cult of Hockey podcast. By the Faithful and for the Faithful. Today Kurt Leavins and David Staples of the Edmonton Journal dig into the McDavid contract, the Oilers being in cap hell, prospect and PTO talk.

Ailish Forfar and Justin Cuthbert kick things off with the Blue Jays announcing that Eric Lauer is being moved to the bullpen to make room for Shane Bieber. Then, St. Louis Blues and Team Canada Olympic GM Doug Armstrong joins the show (5:35). They discuss the upcoming orientation camp for team Canada ahead of the Olympics, what it means to have Crosby, MacKinnon, and McDavid don the Maple Leaf at the Four Nations ahead of the Olympics, what he is looking for when putting together an Olympic roster, and much more. After, they discuss his expectations for the Blues this season, potential offer sheets following last year's additions of Broberg and Holloway, the decision to sign Milan Lucic to the PTO for a “second chance”, and more. Later, David Samson joins the show (29:00) to discuss the idea of division realignment in the MLB, which cities could be in the running for an expansion team, and much more.The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Sports & Media or any affiliates.

[Note: This episode was recorded Monday evening, prior to the reports breaking that the Pride were in advanced talks to finalize a deal for Lizbeth Ovalle, so there is no mention of that on the show.]The Orlando Pride extended their winless skid to four matches with a scoreless draw at the Kansas City Current. However, there's a big difference between home draws against Utah and Louisville and a road stalemate with the league leaders. What was troubling about the draw was that Orlando didn't score a goal and Barbra Banda had to leave the game due to injury after landing awkwardly following a shot attempt. The Current, unlike Louisville a week ago, did not score a goal against themselves for the Pride. That was rude, but it's also why the Current lead the NWSL. The match itself was a defensive battle and neither side created much all night. Whether the three-and-a-half-hour delay for extreme heat had anything to do with stifling the offenses is debatable, but ultimately the Pride will take that point from Kansas City and move on.We looked back at our pessimistic score predictions, discussed the game, and made our selections for Player of the Match. No attackers were chosen.This week's mailbagbox asked us about the Pride's offensive struggles, and how much of them can be attributed to a myriad of different players being deployed by Seb Hines this season. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We'd also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we'll find them easily and read them on the show.We previewed the Pride's trip to Los Angeles to face Angel City FC in a rare Thursday night match. It'll be a late one Thursday, as it kicks off at 10:30 p.m. our time, so take some PTO from work so you can get some rest. We looked at the series history, provided our key matchups, and made our final score predictions.Finally, we spoke a bit about the Pride signing goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to a new contract through 2027.If you'd like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we'd love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.Here's how Episode 97 went down:0:15 – The Pride haven't scored a goal for themselves in two matches. It's concerning, but a draw on the road against the first-place Kansas City Current is a good result.11:36 - The mailbagbox went from large last week to more compact this week, but listeners are concerned with the lack of goals.18:07 - The Pride head even further west to take on Angel City FC.

It's Hernan Salas, Joaquin Gage and Matt Kassian giving you this edition of 2 Guys & A Goalie! The guys will talk about possible wingers for McDavid this season. Are Nuge and Hyman his best wingers, or can RNH play a different role? The boys also look elsewhere, hitting on Milan Lucic getting a PTO in St. Louis and Lane Hutson being left off the USA's Olympic orientation camp. And for GS Construction, the boys play Hired or Fired!   2 Guys & a Goalie is presented by GS Construction!

In this empowering episode of Agents of Nonprofit, I chat with Shannon Bowen, a former nonprofit executive turned career and leadership coach. From navigating career pivots to confidently negotiating job offers, Shannon reveals how nonprofit workers can build fulfilling, sustainable careers by embracing her bold mantra: Be picky, be expensive, be brilliant.Topics We Cover:Why Shannon transitioned from nonprofit leadership to career coachingHow nonprofit professionals can earn competitive (even six-figure) salariesThe difference between soft pivots and hard pivots when changing sectorsQuestions that reveal an organization's true culture during interviewsHow to negotiate more than salary—think PTO, flexibility, and bonusesThe risks of relying on verbal promises in job offersHow systemic pay inequity affects women and people of color in nonprofitsShannon's career mantra and how to apply it to your next job searchTo Learn More and Connect with Shannon:Shannon Bowen on LinkedInDream Job Coaching with Monsoon LeadershipSupport the show

Calling all San Antonio moms, businesswomen, and adventure-seekers!

Live from Elsie's, Russo and LaPanta explain why the #mnwild signed Jack Johnson to a PTO, plus go in depth on, guess who, Rossi and Kaprizov.   from Aquarius Home Services Studio (www.aquariushomeservices.com) Supported by: Aquarius Home Services (www.aquariushomeservices.com/) Royal Credit Union (www.rcu.org/) Twill Edina Galleria & OnX Maps (www.onxmaps.com/) Gigli THC Beverages (www.gigli.com)

School supply shopping is a marker of summer winding down and a new year of learning about to begin. For many kids, it is also a chance to express themselves through the stuff they pick out.But many families are concerned about the price of that fresh start. Several years of inflation has pinched budgets, and there is concern that tariffs will drive up prices further. A survey by the National Retail Federation found more families started their shopping early this year because of that worry.For the latest in the Minnesota Now series Professional Help, Minnesota Now producer Alanna Elder talked with Julie Granning, PTO president for Valley View Elementary School in Columbia Heights, as well as Sarah Lancaster, who teaches first grade in Onamia and was named Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2022.Lancaster noted there are school supply giveaways across the state, including one happening Tuesday at Onamia Public Schools. The blog “Thrifty Minnesota” rounded up a list of other events in the state. And the Little Canada-based organization Kids in Need Foundation also provides supplies to eligible students and teachers.Our ask: Help me shop for school supplies on a budgetOur guests: Julie Granning, PTO president for Valley View Elementary School, and Sarah Lancaster, a first grade teacher in Onamia and 2022 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

Ever feel like you're counting down the minutes to Friday? You're not alone—but it doesn't have to be that way! This week, JVN is joined by Bree Groff: workplace transformation expert and sought-after consultant for companies like Google, Microsoft, and Calvin Klein. Bree offers tools for navigating toxic bosses, seven game-changing rules to live by to actually enjoy your workday, and the reasons why you should absolutely go ahead and take the PTO.  Her new book, Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously), is out now. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Bree Groff on Instagram @bree_groff Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Anne Currie and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cette semaine, je reçois Pénélope Harvey, une nageuse de longue distance qui vient tout juste de traverser le lac Saint-Jean : 32 km dans une eau glacée et des vagues. C'est, selon moi, l'une des épreuves d'une journée les plus difficiles au monde.Magasinez dès maintenant chez Altitude Sports et profitez d'un rabais jusqu'à 20% sur votre première commande avec le code promo : UPIKA. Cliquez ici pour commander

Over more than 30 years, Featherstone Farm has grown their CSA and wholesaling to the point where they are now growing on 135 acres and have scaled up some of their major crops- for one example, they are storing 120 tons or more of carrots every year. These are distributed through their CSA and wholesaling. Though Featherstone has gotten a lot bigger over the years, they have remained committed to high agricultural standards with a Real Organic Project certification and high standards for the nearly 50 farm workers that they employ.Jack Hedin started the farm with his wife in 1994, and Abby Benson is the farm's production manager and part of the leadership team. In this interview with host Katie Kulla, Jack and Abby discuss overcoming the production and logistics challenges that saw the farm grow from a much smaller size to having as many as 1400 CSA members in some years. Farming is never without a challenge, though, and they discuss how changing weather patterns are resulting in prolonged wet periods that threaten many of their crops with increased disease pressure, and how they are planning for other challenges to keep the farm healthy into the future.Connect With Guest:Instagram: @featherstonefarmmnWebsite: featherstonefarm.com Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support: Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more. BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand is the all-in-one virtual assistant created for CSA farmers. With five-star member support, custom websites, shop management, and seamless billing, Farmhand makes it effortless to market, manage, and grow a thriving CSA. Learn more and set up a demo with the founder at farmhand.partners/gfm.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

"No one from Dance Moms has ever talked about this, so this is like real behind the scenes tea." remarks Christi, so you know it's going to be a must-listen. But even more enticing is the fact that Kelly's back! And just in time to cover the first half of "The Understudies" as Abby's continued insults results in the moms keeping a running tally.After Maddie's surprise solo appearance at last week's competition, Abby sticks her right back at the top of the pyramid. Abby could have given Nia (who led the group to 1st) the top spot but some habits die hard I guess. Abby is more preoccupied with the fact the ALDC is facing off against Cathy's Candy Apples this week and her star player is preoccupied with other media appearances. Just in case Maddie's schedule might wisk her away to Miami, Chloe and Kendall are assigned as her understudies. Chloe also gets the rough end of Abby's barbs during group rehearsal after coming to practice injured, but there's also more to that story the cameras couldn't capture.Of course Abby doesn't miss a chance to brag about Maddie's good fortune, but her bragging quickly leads to more insults towards the other girls. Fed up with the negative comparisons to Maddie, the moms begin a running tally of how often each girl get unfavorably compared to her. But after production supplies a physical scoreboard for the mom to mark-up, Abby quickly catches on and things unsurprisingly begin to spiral.Quotes“You're allowed to take some days off, you have some built up PTO. you went through an entire year and a half of cancer and never missed a podcast!" (09:43-09:51 | Christi)“My favorite pill story is when you took all your pills in the back of the van with a big chug of vodka on accident. I might jsut have to start doing that, make it easier to take them!" (18:47-19:03 | Christi & Kelly)“They had taken, and are you ready for this because I'm not exaggerating vials of blood that day." (34:28-20:22 | Christi)“Are we cheesy? I guess so! I didn't know!" (41:33-41:36 | Christi & Kelly)LinksSubscribe to us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC50aSBAYXH_9yU2YkKyXZ0w Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/backtothebarreThank you to Ashley Jana for allowing us to use Electricity!! Follow her on IG HERE: https://instagram.com/ashleyjanamusic?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Download Electricity HERE: https://music.apple.com/us/album/electricity/1497482509?i=1497482510Follow Christi on IG: www.instagram.com/christilukasiakFollow Kelly on IG: www.instagram.com/kellylhyland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When employees hear “employee benefits,” they might think of healthcare, perks, wellness programs, PTO, 401(k) plans or disability coverage. But when HR professionals hear “employee benefits,” they're likely thinking about cost management, compensation strategies, open enrollment, and—most importantly—compliance. Compliance is a cornerstone of today's insurance landscape. With that in mind, let's dive into your August 2025 breakdown of Compliance in Motion.

Feeling trapped in agency work because of the benefits?   In today's Ask Allison, I'm breaking down what it really looks like to leave an agency job for private practice when health insurance, PTO, and retirement plans feel like the golden handcuffs.   We'll look at the actual numbers—using conservative national averages—so you can see how your take-home pay, time off, and quality of life can change when you're in control. I'll also cover how to replace your benefits, what an S Corp can save you in taxes, and why “free” perks at your agency might be costing you more than you think.   By the end, you'll have a clear picture of what's possible—and the steps you can take right now to get there.   Sponsored by TherapyNotes®: Use promo code Abundant for 2 months free    Grab our free tools to grow your practice—weekly worksheets, the Tasky Checklist, and more: www.abundancepracticebuilding.com/links   Ready to fill your practice faster? Join the Abundance Party today and get 75% off your first month with promo code ASK: www.abundancepracticebuilding.com/abundanceparty  Have a question for me about practice building? Submit it via our Ask Allison form, and I'll add it to the queue: https://www.abundancepracticebuilding.com/ask_allison ▶️ Prefer video? This episode is also available to stream on our YouTube channel!

This week, we discuss cloud earnings, what's driving valuations, and why AWS says it's still early innings for cloud. Plus, Coté does a deep dive on Shipley Donuts. Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode (https://www.youtube.com/live/7Bvu6GKJLPQ?si=Ibj_0pHyLrYJgr14) 532 (https://www.youtube.com/live/7Bvu6GKJLPQ?si=Ibj_0pHyLrYJgr14) Runner-up Titles Dangerous to do things in bed Free Donut Holes Dark Fiber BET A man can not believe anything that devalues their index funds. They just open sourced last year's homework. It doesn't use as many emdashes Anchorman Vibes Rundown AI & Cloud Trends for July 2025 (https://www.thecloudcast.net/2025/08/ai-cloud-trends-for-july-2025.html) Cloud Earnings Microsoft posts Q4 beat on top and bottom line on cloud, AI strength (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-posts-q4-beat-on-top-and-bottom-line-on-cloud-ai-strength-200602195.html) Clouded Judgement 8.1.25 - The AI Operating Model (https://cloudedjudgement.substack.com/p/clouded-judgement-8125-the-ai-operating?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=56878&post_id=169283604&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=2l9&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email) Richard Seroter's Architecture Musings (https://seroter.com/) AI OpenAI's new waited model whatever (https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-oss/) Simon Willson says local tool calling might be better (https://simonwillison.net/2025/Aug/5/gpt-oss/) Exclusive: OpenAI Secures Another Giant Funding Deal (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/01/business/dealbook/openai-ai-mega-funding-deal.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare) OpenAI has made $5.25 billion in 2025 so far, and Anthropic $1.5bn. In both cases, I have found a pattern of deceptive leaks of annualized revenues to suggest they're making far more. (https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com/post/3lve3kmvt722p) Relevant to your Interests How Olipop is sweetening the PTO deal for employees (https://www.fooddive.com/news/olipop-summer-recharge-time-travel-agency/756145/) Anaconda Secures $150M Funding, Hits $1.5B Valuation (https://www.webpronews.com/anaconda-secures-150m-funding-hits-1-5b-valuation/) Figma raises $1.2 billion, creating new playbook for going public in the summer (https://www.axios.com/2025/07/31/figma-ipo-stock-adobe) AI vs. AI: Prophet Security raises $30M to replace human analysts with autonomous defenders (https://venturebeat.com/ai/ai-vs-ai-prophet-security-raises-30m-to-replace-human-analysts-with-autonomous-defenders/) API Simulation Reduces MCP Server, Microservices Overload (https://thenewstack.io/api-simulation-reduces-mcp-server-microservices-overload/) Google loses appeal in antitrust battle with Fortnite maker (https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-android-apps-appeal-ceba472d6882c413967f512f2dc56067) Exclusive: More details emerge on how Windsurf's VCs and founders got paid from the Google deal (https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/01/more-details-emerge-on-how-windsurfs-vcs-and-founders-got-paid-from-the-google-deal/) OpenAI is teasing a GPT-5 release. (https://www.theverge.com/news/718147/openai-teasing-gpt-5-release) Cloud Software Group to Acquire Arctera (https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250804310158/en/Cloud-Software-Group-to-Acquire-Arctera) For the first time, OpenAI models are available on AWS | TechCrunch (https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/05/for-the-first-time-openai-models-are-available-on-aws/) Agents or Bots? Making Sense of AI on the Open Web (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/agents-bots-making-sense-ai-open-web-perplexity-ai-rom0c/?trackingId=WQJoQHyfuX91F3i7ywZwtw%3D%3D) Three weeks after acquiring Windsurf, Cognition offers staff the exit door (https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/05/three-weeks-after-acquiring-windsurf-cognition-offers-staff-the-exit-door/) Apple has now shipped 3 billion iPhones (https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-has-now-shipped-3-billion-iphones-030851439.html) Apple Growth Rebounds on Strength of iPhone 16 Line, China (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-31/apple-revenue-tops-estimates-on-strength-of-iphone-china-market?embedded-checkout=true) Apple Earnings; Cook's AI Comments; Apple's AI Strategy, Redux (https://stratechery.com/2025/apple-earnings-cooks-ai-comments-apples-ai-strategy-redux/) Nonsense Microsoft's Windows XP Crocs are no joke (https://www.theverge.com/microsoft/717965/microsoft-crocs-windows-xp-bliss-wallpaper-theme) Listener Feedback JD recommends Charm (https://github.com/charmbracelet/crush) Conferences SpringOne (https://www.vmware.com/explore/us/springone?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cote), Las Vegas, August 25th to 28th, 2025. See Coté's pitch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_xOudsmUmk). Explore 2025 US (https://www.vmware.com/explore/us?utm_source=organic&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cote), Las Vegas, August 25th to 28th, 2025. See Coté's pitch (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-COoeIJcFN4). Wiz Capture the Flag (https://www.wiz.io/events/capture-the-flag-brisbane-august-2025), Brisbane, August 26. Matt will be there. SREDay London (https://sreday.com/2025-london-q3/), Coté speaking, September 18th and 19th. Civo Navigate London (https://www.civo.com/navigate/london/2025), Coté speaking, September 30th. Texas Linux Fest (https://2025.texaslinuxfest.org), Austin, October 3rd to 4th. CF Day EU (https://events.linuxfoundation.org/cloud-foundry-day-europe/), Frankfurt, October 7th, 2025. AI for the Rest of Us (https://aifortherestofus.live/london-2025), Coté speaking, October 15th to 16th, London. SDT News & Community Join our Slack community (https://softwaredefinedtalk.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-1hn55iv5d-UTfN7mVX1D9D5ExRt3ZJYQ#/shared-invite/email) Email the show: questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:questions@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Free stickers: Email your address to stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:stickers@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Follow us on social media: Twitter (https://twitter.com/softwaredeftalk), Threads (https://www.threads.net/@softwaredefinedtalk), Mastodon (https://hachyderm.io/@softwaredefinedtalk), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/software-defined-talk/), BlueSky (https://bsky.app/profile/softwaredefinedtalk.com) Watch us on: Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/sdtpodcast), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi3OJPV6h9tp-hbsGBLGsDQ/featured), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/softwaredefinedtalk/), TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@softwaredefinedtalk) Book offer: Use code SDT for $20 off "Digital WTF" by Coté (https://leanpub.com/digitalwtf/c/sdt) Sponsor the show (https://www.softwaredefinedtalk.com/ads): ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com (mailto:ads@softwaredefinedtalk.com) Recommendations Brandon: CalDigit TS4 (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=caldigit+ts4&hvadid=732096899979&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9028322&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=7941701857307590927--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7941701857307590927&hvtargid=kwd-1436081580619&hydadcr=24768_13517487&mcid=c0ce64ca6a893d599e949f0f42851542&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_5zzuafk2xr_e_p67). Coté: Sunday roast at Mount St. Restaurant, London (https://mountstrestaurant.com). Internal developer platform marketing series: part one (https://thenewstack.io/driving-platform-adoption-the-missed-opportunity-of-marketing/), part two (https://thenewstack.io/driving-platform-adoption-part-2-yes-create-t-shirts-to-tout-your-brand/), and part three (https://thenewstack.io/driving-platform-adoption-community-is-your-value/). Photo Credits Header (https://unsplash.com/photos/doughnuts-on-box-7lAMbAh_Je4)

We are back with another big week in triathlon. Jan Frodeno is lining up for UTMB and we talk about what that means for his post-triathlon career. The T100 London start list is stacked with names like Hayden Wilde, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Lucy Charles-Barclay and Jelle Geens. We break down the field and who we think could take the win. The 2028 WTCS Grand Final has been awarded to New Zealand and we talk about what this means for the sport. There is big news from the PTO with confirmation of a 40 million investment and we discuss how that could shape the future of triathlon. Next weekend Ironman Kalmar features Chelsea Sodaro and Nikki Bartlett while over in Copenhagen Joe Skipper and Emil Holm headline the men's race. To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon Use "TALKINGTRIATHLON" at the www.therunningalgorithm.com  To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2  Or check us out on Social Media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14

You got the offer—now what? Chapters00:00 – Welcome to the Conscious Professional Podcast 00:52 – Why offer anxiety is normal (and what it signals) 01:38 – Signs you're ready for a bigger opportunity 02:27 – That moment when the job offer hits your inbox 03:12 – A real job offer story (and the inner conflict) 03:55 – When honesty and clarity feel uncomfortable 04:43 – Reframing negotiation: A new way to think about it 05:33 – It's not just about salary or benefits 06:24 – Why fear shows up during big transitions 07:09 – Negotiating without being pushy or awkward 07:54 – The “default yes” trap and how to avoid it 08:42 – You earned this offer—now own it 09:34 – Still feeling unsure? Start with these 2 questions 10:13 – The power of practicing your ask 10:58 – Ask these 2 questions before accepting an offer 11:48 – Why this negotiation strategy actually works 12:40 – Your ask signals clarity, strategy, and value 13:23 – A client story: Jess' turning point in negotiation 14:14 – What happens when you *do* ask 15:03 – Ready to stop guessing and start growing? 15:53 – Final thoughts and encouragement for your journeyIf you've ever felt awkward asking for more money, afraid to “mess it up,” or unsure how to even begin the conversation… this episode is for you. Renee Frey, executive recruiter and founder of TalentQ, is breaking down exactly what to say, how to say it, and why negotiating doesn't make you pushy—it makes you powerful. In this episode, you'll learn: What hiring managers actually expect when they extend an offer The psychology behind why we freeze up when it's time to negotiate Simple mindset shifts that make you feel confident and calm Exact scripts you can use for salary, PTO, and more A reflection exercise to help you get clear on what you really want Whether you're negotiating your first offer or your tenth, this is the episode that will change the way you advocate for yourself—starting today.

Anne Massie and Virginia Pleasant share how they've grown Region Roots Local Farm and Food Hub to increase opportunities for famers to feed their regional communities. “The Region” is how the area of Northwest Indiana where they are based is known locally. Both co-executive directors of the NWI (Northwest Indiana) Food Council, they tell us how they've rapidly grown their grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a just and regenerative food system.They discuss considerations including how big of a population can be supported by a food hub, effective programs, how to get funding, and how they've been dealing with the cancellation of promised funding by the federal government this year. This food hub is really helping open up markets for farmers and getting more local food into the community, and the conversation emphasizes how to actually get community collaboration, farmer support, and public policy to work together to shape food policy.Connect With Guest:Instagram: @region_roots_food_hubWebsite: regionroots.org Podcast Sponsors: Huge thanks to our podcast sponsors as they make this podcast FREE to everyone with their generous support:BCS two-wheel tractors are designed and built in Italy where small-scale farming has been a way of life for generations. Discover the beauty of BCS on your farm with PTO-driven implements for soil-working, shredding cover crops, spreading compost, mowing under fences, clearing snow, and more – all powered by a single, gear-driven machine that's tailored to the size and scale of your operation. To learn more, view sale pricing, or locate your nearest dealer, visit BCS America. Farmhand is the all-in-one virtual assistant created for CSA farmers. With five-star member support, custom websites, shop management, and seamless billing, Farmhand makes it effortless to market, manage, and grow a thriving CSA. Learn more and set up a demo with the founder at farmhand.partners/gfm. Nifty Hoops builds complete gothic high tunnels that are easy to install and built to last. Their bolt-together construction makes setup straightforward and efficient, whether it's a small backyard hoophouse, or a dozen large production-scale high tunnels- especially through their community build option, where professional builders work alongside your crew, family, or neighbors to build each structure- usually in a single day. Visit niftyhoops.com to learn more.Subscribe To Our Magazine -all new subscriptions include a FREE 28-Day Trial

As more companies push for a return to the office, one thing is clear: workplace etiquette has never felt murkier. What's the right way to navigate a hybrid schedule, an in-person meeting full of “old-school” colleagues, or a toxic work environment that feels impossible to escape? In this special HerMoney Mailbag episode, Jean Chatzky is joined by Lizzie Post, great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and co-author of the new book Emily Post's Business Etiquette. Lizzie brings clarity to the confusion with thoughtful, modern advice on everything from salary negotiations to how to speak up in a room full of senior men. Together, they answer your real-world questions, including: How to take credit for your ideas without sounding arrogant What to say when you're being seen as "the daughter" instead of the professional Whether that shiny new job offer is worth the pay cut (or worth leaving your current one) How unlimited PTO really works (and if it's too good to be true) If more financial confidence sounds good to you, then you might want to try… ⁠4-Week Coaching Program⁠: Identify and understand your spending, build a strategic plan, and take control of your money. ⁠6-Week Pre-Retirement Program⁠: We'll help you prepare financially and emotionally for this exciting milestone.

Russ Cox is the man with the data when it comes to Kona and 70.3 Worlds qualification. In this episode we discuss the new qualification system announced by Ironman in July 2025, and the implications for athletes wanting to qualify. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: A detailed view on the inner workings of the new qualification system workHow do the "Kona standard" and "70.3 standard" (coefficients for normalised age-graded times) work? Common misconceptions about the new systemPros and cons of the new qualification system FairnessAre there winners and losers with the new system? Implications of the new system for athletes wanting to qualify for Kona or 70.3 WorldsCan you predict the time needed to qualify? Optimising race selection under the new qualification systemDETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode.  The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/tts467/LINKS AND RESOURCES: Russ' website - coachcox.co.ukRuss' Instagram and FacebookWHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes: Christophe Balestra – Obstri, PTO, and Fantasy Tri | EP#431 - another interview with a man who's built great resources for the benefit of the triathlon communityKona qualification: what it takes (in hard numbers) with Russell Cox | EP#76 - the original interview with Russ from November 2017You can find our full episode archives here, where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes, TTS Thursday episodes, and Beginner Tips episodes. LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON: The Scientific Triathlon website is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we doContact us through our contact form or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)Subscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on InstagramLearn more about our coaching, training plans, and training camps. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals. HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)? I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time. Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far! Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack. SPONSORS: Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.

(Bonus episode! Relive the live RSL episode of Jersey Swap in audio form.) With their biggest win in the past, FC Cincinnati focus again on the present with a suddenly-mammoth three-point challenge at Real Salt Lake Saturday. The hunter now becomes the hunted, as RSL have gone five matches unbeaten. Another change of pace—Mr. “No Days Off” took PTO this week, so Jason Ashcraft steps in for a special Jersey Swap with Scott Omer from Designated Pundits. While the primary focus will be on Diego Luna after his USMNT breakout, can the Orange & Blue return to their away form without any letdowns? Tune in and trade threads with us! #MLS #FCCincinnati #soccer Become a Patron! Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk Don't forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We're also available in the Google Play Store and NOW ON SPOTIFY! As always we'd love your feedback about our podcast! You can email the show at feedback@cincinnatisoccertalk.com. We'd love for you to join us on our Facebook page as well! Like us at Facebook.com/CincinnatiSoccerTalk.

Expert on China-Iran relations William Figueroa joins PTO to talk about the relationship between China and Iran in the wake of the twelve day war between Iran and Israel. We chatted about why China's backing for Iran has been - and is likely to continue to be - relatively limited as China balances support for Iran with its other interest in West Asia. We also talked about the extent to which Xi Jinping and the Chinese leadership are happy to see the US bogged down in the Middle East, and we spoke about whether the scale of Israeli violence and expansionism may lead China to take a more overtly pro-Iran position.

Hi Mamas, Today's episode is a throwback with extra bonus tips... and is your official permission slip to log off, power down, and actually enjoy your vacation. Whether you're heading off for a week at the beach, a big international trip like our Ireland adventure, or just a staycation with your people—this episode is for every mom who wants to be fully present without checking her inbox under the beach umbrella. I'm walking you through 15 practical tips to help you prep, protect your peace, and actually enjoy your time off without guilt, work FOMO, or that awful “I should just check one thing really quick” spiral. ✨ What You'll Learn: ✅ How to prep your team, manager, and projects in advance so you can truly unplug ✅ The exact language to set boundaries (and how to deal with managers who push back) ✅ What to include in your out-of-office reply so you don't come back to chaos ✅ Why deleting your work apps from your phone is a total game-changer ✅ How to leave your future self a return plan that reduces re-entry anxiety ✅ BONUS: How to set a gratitude intention to stay grounded during your trip (especially when your kids start fighting over who touched who first