Podcasts about rto

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIn 2026's 'forever layoff' era, women leaders who master continuous improvement leadership outperform peers, reduce their layoff risk, and accelerate promotions. Olaf Boettger's 27-year Kaizen framework — courage, humility, discipline — turns daily small improvements into extraordinary career results.Key stat: Toyota workers are 2x more productive than competitors using this same system.? QUICK TAKEAWAYS•       Continuous improvement leadership doubles your career productivity vs. peers who stop learning•       The 3 capabilities every woman leader needs: courage to name problems, humility to keep learning, discipline to stay consistent•       Kaizen's daily 15-minute team meeting is directly applicable to your own career self-management•       GE's turnaround under Larry Culp proves CI works in any industry — finance, tech, healthcare, or your own career•       In 2026's 'forever layoff' climate, CI skills signal indispensable strategic value to any organizationIf you're a woman leader in 2026, the job market has changed dramatically — and not in your favor. Glassdoor's Worklife Trends report calls it the 'forever layoff': small, rolling cuts that never make headlines but keep talented executives in a constant state of anxiety. Meanwhile, AI is reshaping roles at every level, and the competition for standout positions has never been fiercer.As an executive coach with over 30 years of experience (MA, MFT, PCC) and host of the Women's Leadership Success Podcast — ranked in the top 1.5% globally with over 750,000 downloads — I've interviewed more than 144 of the world's top leadership experts. When I heard Olaf Boettger's approach to continuous improvement leadership, I immediately knew this was the missing framework most women leaders had never considered.Olaf spent 27 years at Procter & Gamble and Danaher — two of the most operationally excellent companies on earth — mastering the Japanese Kaizen philosophy. What he discovered translates directly to career acceleration: the same system that doubled Toyota's worker productivity and powered GE's biggest turnaround in American history can supercharge your leadership brand and make you the candidate no one can afford to pass over. The 2026 Career Reality: Why 'Working Hard' Is No Longer Enough The data is sobering for women leaders right now. According to Glassdoor's 2025 Workplace Trends report, small layoffs — under 50 people — now represent 51% of all job cuts, up from just 38% in 2015. These 'forever layoffs' create cultures of anxiety where talented women question their value daily.At the same time, female manager engagement dropped seven percentage points in 2025 alone — the steepest decline of any group, according to Gallup research. Women leaders are being asked to do more with less, carrying teams through AI disruption and RTO mandates, while their own career advancement stalls.The traditional answer — work harder, be more visible, volunteer for every high-profile project — simply isn't scaling. In a market where 45% of employers rate the job outlook as 'fair' at best, you need a completely different strategy. You need continuous improvement leadership. ? Ready to transform your career trajectory?  Download our FREE Leadership Branding Blueprint Accelerator and discover:•       A proven system to document your impact and accelerate promotions•       How to build a leadership brand that makes you the obvious choice•       A measurable framework for expanding your organizational influence•       Strategic positioning for high-visibility, career-defining initiatives•       The same approach Sabrina uses with Fortune 500 executives to 3x their promotion speed? GET YOUR FREE LEADERSHIP BRANDING BLUEPRINT ACCELERATOR What Is Continuous Improvement Leadership? The Kaizen Framework Explained Continuous improvement — known in Japanese as Kaizen, meaning 'change for the better' — originated at Toyota nearly 90 years ago. After World War II, with limited resources and a need to compete globally, Toyota developed a system to extract maximum quality and efficiency from every process. That system, now called the Toyota Production System, became the foundation of what we know as Lean, Six Sigma, and the Danaher Business System.For women leaders, continuous improvement leadership means applying these same principles to your career, your team, and your organization. It is not a one-time initiative or a January resolution. It is a daily practice — a permanent operating system.The Three Foundation PrinciplesOlaf distills continuous improvement leadership into three core principles:Kaizen — The belief that there is always a better way. This is not about being self-critical; it is about being growth-oriented. Every interaction, presentation, and leadership decision is an opportunity to iterate and improve.Go to Gemba — Go to the real place. Stop relying on slide decks and secondhand reports. As a leader, this means visiting your stakeholders, understanding what your team actually experiences day-to-day, and staying close to the work that creates value.Customer focus — Always anchor to what your 'customer' values. In a career context, your customers are your executive stakeholders, your team, and the business outcomes you're hired to deliver. Everything you do should be filtered through: does this add value for them?The Three Capabilities That Determine SuccessAccording to Olaf, your mindset determines everything. Leaders who succeed with continuous improvement possess three non-negotiable capabilities:CapabilityWhat It Looks Like in PracticeWhy Women Leaders Need It NowCOURAGEHonestly naming when your performance or your team's is 'red' — even when the culture rewards positivity over truth.In 2026's performance-pressured environment, leaders who surface problems first are seen as strategic — not weak.HUMILITYStaying open to learning regardless of your experience level. As Olaf says: the best leaders he's known, including P&G's CEO A.G. Lafley, were the most humble.Imposter syndrome tempts women to prove they already know everything. Humility is the counterintuitive superpower.DISCIPLINEShowing up for improvement consistently — not just in January. Committing to the decade, not the quarter.Career advancement compounds. The women who stand out in 2026 are those who have been quietly improving for years. The Business Case: What Continuous Improvement Leadership Actually Delivers For skeptics — and Olaf acknowledges that many leaders initially resist this approach — the numbers make a compelling argument. Toyota, the originator of this system, generates roughly twice the revenue per employee compared to its nearest competitors. Danaher, where Olaf spent the bulk of his career, has sustained approximately 15–16% compound annual growth for 40 consecutive years.The most visible example is GE's transformation under Larry Culp — the former Danaher CEO who took over when GE was in deep financial trouble. Using continuous improvement as the operating backbone, Culp and his teams executed what many consider one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in American business history, eventually splitting GE into three highly successful independent companies.On a practical level, Olaf shared a specific case study from a Danaher acquisition: a company delivering orders on time just 50% of the time. Using CI methodologies, that number rose to 95%. For context, if Amazon delivered your packages on time half the time, you'd stop using Amazon. A 45-percentage-point improvement is not incremental — it's transformational. TRY THIS NOW (10 Minutes)Apply Olaf's Red/Green method to your career right now: Identify one goal you have for your career this quarter (promotion, salary increase, high-visibility project).Set a specific target. Write your current actual. Color code it: are you green (on track) or red (below target)? If red — write one sentence explaining why.Then write one action you will take this week to close the gap. That's continuous improvement leadership in action. Do this every Monday.  How to Apply Continuous Improvement Leadership to Your Career in 2026 The beauty of Kaizen is that it scales from a Toyota factory floor to your personal career strategy. Here's how to translate Olaf's framework into your daily leadership practice:The 15-Minute Daily Leadership HuddleAt every Danaher facility, teams hold a 15-minute standing meeting every morning. They review five metrics — safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity — and ask: are we red or green? If red, why? Who does what by when?For your career, your five metrics might be: stakeholder relationships, project delivery, skill development, visibility, and team performance. A daily or weekly 10-minute self-check asking those same questions creates the discipline of continuous improvement at the individual level.Visual Management for Your CareerOlaf emphasizes making performance visible. In organizations, this means color-coded boards. For your career, this translates to maintaining a simple achievement tracker — a running document of your wins, metrics, and impact — that you review weekly. This directly feeds your Leadership Branding Blueprint and becomes the evidence base for promotion conversations.The Growth Mindset + Kaizen ConnectionOlaf's PhD research connected him deeply to Carol Dweck's work on fixed vs. growth mindsets. Dweck's research demonstrates that individuals who believe abilities can be developed through dedication consistently outperform those who believe talent is fixed. Continuous improvement is the operational expression of growth mindset — it gives you the system that turns that belief into measurable career results. Your 7-Step Continuous Improvement Career Action Plan Step 1 (10 min): Define your career target.

Michael Bull welcomes Max Sea, Senior Director of Strategy and Operations at VTS. They delve into the current state of the office market and discuss key insights from VTS's annual leasing prediction outlook.Discussions include valuable data on tenant demand trends in major markets like San Francisco and New York, highlighting expected growth rates and the influence of tech and finance sectors, and how the return to office (RTO) trends are shaping demand and the implications for landlords and tenants alike. Tune in for a comprehensive look at the evolving landscape of office leasing and what it means for the future.  TCN Worldwide Real Estate Services - A global network of over 1,500 leading commercial real estate professionals delivering integrated, expert sales, leasing, management and consulting services across 200 U.S. and global markets. https://www.tcnworldwide.com/ Buildout - Aconnected software platform built for commercial real estate brokerages—combining CRM, marketing, data, and back-office automation. https://www.buildout.com Bull Realty, TCN Worldwide - Commercial Real Estate Asset & Occupancy Solutions in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast U.S. https://www.bullrealty.com/ Commercial Agent Success Strategies - Twenty-one cloud accessed commercial broker training videos with slide deck action notes. Learn more at https://www.commercialagentsuccess.com/  

Atomic Eagle offers a compelling entry into the uranium bull market, backed by a proven team from Matador Capital—the original architects behind Boss Energy's success and Lotus Resources' recent mine restart. Through a strategic RTO of GovEx Uranium, they've acquired the advanced Muntanga project in mining-friendly Zambia: a 47.4M lb resource at 344 ppm U3O8, with a feasibility study showing robust economics at $90/lb uranium. But the current investment thesis is not that of a mine build story. Atomic Eagle's focus is on aggressive exploration to double resources via a current 50,000m drill program, targeting a 40-100M lb upside which conceptually could see a mega-mine producing 4-5M lbs/year through low-cost heap leaching (90%+ recovery with low acid consumption). Well-funded with ~A$20M cash, Atomic is undervalued when compared, on an enterprise value to pounds-in-the-ground basis, to ASX peers like Deep Yellow and Bannerman. Near-term catalysts: Resource upgrade (early March), feasibility re-release, and exploration drill results. Bonus optionality: Potential recovery of the world-class Madaouela asset in Niger (120M lbs at >1,300 ppm), if current talks with the Niger government are fruitful. In this MSE episode, listen to Atomic Eagle CEO Phil Hoskins explain the company's full investment thesis. https://atomiceagle.com.au/ ASX: AEU - OTCQB: AEUXF 00:00 Intro 00:34 Meet Atomic Eagle: ASX RTO of GoviEx & Who's Behind It 01:28 Matador's Uranium Track Record: Boss Energy to Lotus Restart Success 03:12 Why the GoviEx Deal Happened: ASX Valuation Comps & Timing 04:31 US OTCQB Listing: Tapping North American Uranium Investors 06:05 Friedland Connections & Geopolitics: US/China/Russia in Africa 08:26 The Muntanga Project Breakdown: Resource, Tenure & 2025 FS Context 10:08 Growth Strategy: New Drilling, Resource Upgrade & 4–5M lb/yr Heap Leach Concept 12:32 Funding & 2025 Drill Plan: 50,000m Program and Priority Targets 14:15 Zambia Advantage: Mining-Friendly Jurisdiction, Infrastructure & Export Route 17:12 The Niger Asset: Expropriation, Arbitration & Potential Upside 19:27 Near-Term Catalysts + Technical Upsides: Recovery, Acid Use, Permitting 21:42 Wrap-Up, Tickers, and Sponsor Coverage Ahead Sponsor Atomic Eagle pays MSE a United States dollar ten thousand per month coverage fee. The forward-looking statement disclaimer found in Atomic Eagle's most-recent company slide deck found at www.AtomicEagle.com.au applies to everything discussed in this interview. Mining Stock Education (MSE) offers informational content based on available data but it does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. It may not be appropriate for all situations or objectives. Readers and listeners should seek professional advice, make independent investigations and assessments before investing. MSE does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of its content and should not be solely relied upon for investment decisions. MSE and its owner may hold financial interests in the companies discussed and can trade such securities without notice. MSE is biased towards its advertising sponsors which make this platform possible. MSE is not liable for representations, warranties, or omissions in its content. By accessing MSE content, users agree that MSE and its affiliates bear no liability related to the information provided or the investment decisions you make. Full disclaimer: https://www.miningstockeducation.com/disclaimer/

Send a textSome sales advice hits like a fresh breeze on a hot lot. Meet Jerri Hayes—82 years young, razor-sharp, and the kind of pro who sells with heart, product knowledge, and a closer's calm. We're at Iguana Sheds in Florida with Peter Miller, unpacking how a relationship-first approach outperforms scripts, how rent-to-own opens doors for everyday buyers, and why knowing trusses, floor systems, and wind ratings turns skepticism into trust.Jerri walks us through her simple, strong process: greet with warmth, ask what they'll store, show more than they requested, and teach without jargon. We dig into the details that matter in Florida—southern yellow pine framing, 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove floors, hurricane strapping, and permitting that keeps getting tougher. Delivery is its own craft, so site checks, fence policies, and avoiding septic fields keep haulers happy and installs smooth. And when it's time to close, Jerri's line is clean and confident: “Cash, check, or card?” Then she lets silence work.We also explore the tension between CRMs and real human memory. Jerri's “original CRM” is names, stories, and consistent follow-up—“till they buy or die.” It's not bravado; it's service. For buyers who need a practical path to ownership, RTO offers flexibility and dignity, while sales teams who explain terms and limits clearly avoid headaches later. Add smart lot signage—RTO, financing, free delivery and setup—and keep inventory fresh and colors neutral to lower friction. Respect competitors, sell your strengths, and focus on fit.If you want actionable shed sales strategies, this conversation is packed: qualifying questions that reveal true needs, product specs that build credibility, clean delivery planning, and a fearless but friendly close. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review with your favorite Jerri-ism—what line will you use on your next lot walk?For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up on our website.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Shed ProThree Oaks Trading Co.Shed ChallengerLuxGuardMaking Sales Simple

Miss the weekly updates? We used the break to clear clutter, rebuild our studio, and sharpen a plan that actually moves you forward. This episode brings recognition, strategy, and a hard look at the small choices that add up—good and bad.We start by celebrating discipline you can see: the annual Committed Club and three new names on our 2,000 Visit Club. Those banners represent ten-plus years of showing up, proof that simple habits compounded over time beat hacks every time. We also fix a blind spot—missed check-ins. Sign up and check in so your work gets counted, our classes stay safe, and you show up on the lists you've earned.Then we dive into performance. As a HYROX affiliate, we tested a practical blend: regular CrossFit classes plus two to three targeted runs each week. The result? Better engines without abandoning strength. We share what worked, how to pace, and how to stack training with real-life schedules. That same blueprint now rolls into the CrossFit Open and the Reno Tahoe Odyssey. Expect running tracks in SugarWOD, a WhatsApp coaching group, and one-on-one planning for leg-specific demands like Dog Valley, Emerald Bay, and Kingsbury. Whether you're aiming for a first Open score or prepping for an ultra relay, we'll help you train with purpose.House rules matter too. Cubbies are day use; if you need storage, recovery room members can grab a locker so the shared space stays clean and usable. Curious about our Friday banger photos? There's no secret list—wear the brand, move well, and bring either grit or joy. Want a specific shot for a milestone? Ask and we'll bring the camera to your class.We close with a bigger lens: many people don't quit on health in one move—they erode by a thousand paper cuts. One skipped workout, one extra drink, one late night at a time. Flip it. Build a thousand reps of discipline—hydrate early, eat real food, lift often, run honest, sleep hard. Surround yourself with people who pull you up. That's how we avoid the midlife health cliff and keep building strength into our 40s, 50s, and 60s.If you're ready to move with intention, jump into the Open, join the HYROX and RTO tracks, or book a one-on-one to map your week. Subscribe, share this with a teammate, and leave a review telling us the one habit you're committing to this month. We'll meet you there.Follow us on Instagram here! https://www.instagram.com/doubleedgefitness/

Liz Bronson, VP of People at Skimmer, joined us on The Modern People Leader to talk about intentionally “flatlining” her career for a period of time to prioritize parenting. ----  Downloadable PDF with top takeaways: https://modernpeopleleader.kit.com/episode282Sponsor Links:

In a podcast recorded at ITEXPO / MSP EXPO, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Gregory Tellone, CEO of Cloud IBR, about simplifying disaster recovery (DR) testing and turning recoverability into a practical, recurring revenue opportunity for MSPs. Cloud IBR is a SaaS platform designed for organizations using Veeam backups. With a single click, the system provisions dedicated bare-metal cloud servers, installs operating systems, restores encrypted backup repositories, configures networking, VPN access, firewalls, and hands off a fully operational environment for either a live disaster or a scheduled recovery test. “Most backup products are great at backup,” Tellone explained. “The problem is knowing whether your backups are actually good and being able to test recovery easily.” The platform addresses a longstanding gap in the SMB market: the complexity and cost of maintaining secondary DR sites and conducting realistic recovery testing. Traditional DR requires duplicate infrastructure, bandwidth, replication management, and ongoing maintenance—often making full testing impractical. Cloud IBR automates that entire process in approximately 20 minutes of onboarding time, enabling monthly recovery testing by default and generating detailed PDF reports documenting every recovered server and recovery time objective (RTO). For MSPs, the opportunity is strategic. Starting at $299 per month, the service provides a low-barrier entry point into customer accounts while strengthening trust and expanding monthly recurring revenue. Tellone described it as a relationship builder: “It's always easier to sell to a customer than to a prospect. You start with something simple that works, and from there you grow.” With automated reporting suitable for cyber insurance applications and RFP responses, Cloud IBR transforms disaster recovery from a checkbox exercise into a demonstrable operational advantage. Visit https://cloudibr.com/

En 2026, le débat sur le télétravail n'est pas derrière nous.Il est devenu l'un des sujets les plus inflammables du monde du travail : le Return to Office (RTO).D'un côté, des directions qui poussent pour un retour en présentiel au nom de la culture d'entreprise.De l'autre, des salariés pour qui la flexibilité est désormais un acquis, au même titre que le salaire ou les congés.Dans cet épisode du Barbu qui parle RH, on décrypte le paradoxe du travail hybride et ses conséquences très concrètes sur l'engagement, la rétention et la performance.Au programme :Pourquoi l'inflexibilité est devenue un des premiers moteurs de démission en 2026Ce que disent vraiment les chiffres sur l'engagement en full remote, hybride et 100 % présentielLe coût réel d'un RTO rigide imposé sans explicationPourquoi le bureau de 2026 n'est plus un lieu de production individuelle, mais un hub social et créatifComment repenser la présence au bureau autour de moments collectifs à forte valeur ajoutéeEn quoi la flexibilité est aussi un levier d'équité et d'inclusionLes 3 clés RH pour réussir une politique hybride sans casser la confiance

Welcome to the Daily Compliance News. Each day, Tom Fox, the Voice of Compliance, brings you compliance-related stories to start your day. Sit back, enjoy a cup of morning coffee, and listen in to the Daily Compliance News. All, from the Compliance Podcast Network. Each day, we consider four stories from the business world, compliance, ethics, risk management, leadership, or general interest for the compliance professional. Top stories include: Prediction markets v. casinos at war over gambling. (NYT) Banks want ‘pound of flesh' in RTO. (FT) Who gets to decide when athletes should not compete? (Reuters) Google staff call for the company to cut ties with ICE. (BBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of NatChat, host Emma Simkin, Service Architect at Natilik, is joined by Adam Bonny, Group CTO, to unpack the realities of today's hybrid and multi‑cloud environments, and why sovereignty, resilience and assurance are now front‑of‑mind for organisations.Adam explores how Natilik's platform helps clients simplify increasingly complex cloud operating models, spanning on‑premise infrastructure, colocation, hyperscalers, SaaS and PaaS services. Together, they discuss the growing demand for sovereign cloud, driven by geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory pressure and heightened scrutiny over data ownership and control.The conversation dives into real‑world challenges organisations face around data availability, disaster recovery, scalability and network complexity, and how services such as Backup and Disaster Recover as a Service and Assurance Cloud are enabling measurable improvements in RPO, RTO and customer experience.From protecting critical data and de‑risking cloud contact centres to providing a secure fabric that connects diverse cloud ecosystems, this episode offers practical insight into how organisations can modernise with confidence - without sacrificing control, resilience or performance.

Sara Daw is Group CEO of The CFO Centre and The Liberti Group, and the author of Strategy and Leadership as Service – How the Access Economy Meets the C-Suite, which explores the fractional leadership trend and the impact on employees. The remote vs in-office workplace debate continues to burden leaders. Return-to-office mandates are on the rise, with the idea that they will boost engagement, productivity and collaboration. But do they? Worryingly, the opposite can be true. A recent Gartner survey found that among high-performing employees, their intent to stay was 16% lower with strict RTO mandates. Conversely, Gallup's latest State of the Global Workplace report reveals that remote workers are the most likely to be engaged at work (31%). Employees Work' Matters Less Than 'How They Work' While it is important for each company to decide what work arrangements work best for them – whether remote, hybrid, or in office full-time – this misses the overarching point. Instead of arguing over the 'where' of work, leaders should be focusing more on the 'how'. This is where "psychological ownership" comes in – our ability to feel that our job belongs to us. When employees feel psychologically tied to their roles, the more likely they are to be engaged and perform at their best. So how can leaders develop psychological ownership in their staff, regardless of where they work from? The Three Roots of Psychological Ownership There are three roots that underpin a sense of psychological ownership – efficacy, self-identity and having a place: 1. Efficacy – leaders, employees and their team members must understand each other's needs and feel confident that the relationship is working to meet desired goals. 2. Self-identity – work isn't just about completing tasks; it's about expressing individual skills, values and purpose. Employees need to feel that their role fits their identity and reflects who they are. 3. Having a place – individuals fundamentally want to belong. When teams work together, individuals feel part of a group of like-minded people with a shared mission, strengthening their commitment and engagement. These three roots are particularly important for a blended workforce, with employees split between working in-office and from home. So, what steps can leaders take to nurture these roots of psychological ownership in their staff? Create Control When staff have a say over their work, they achieve a sense of control in their role. This helps them to feel ownership of their tasks, boosting their motivation, engagement and performance. To increase feelings of control in employees, leaders should: Clarify the purpose and goals of staff's work but let them choose the best way to achieve them. Encourage staff to share their knowledge and insights with others – this strengthens their feeling of control by demonstrating their competence and confidence. Foster open communication channels by determining when individuals are and aren't available Build Intimacy Intimacy is a key ingredient for creating a positive and fulfilling work environment, particularly in a blended workforce. Intimacy leads to a stronger sense of belonging with colleagues, increases collaboration and conflict resolution, and deepens our appreciation of our role, its purpose and its impact. Leaders can build intimacy with and between employees by: Scheduling regular one-to-one meetings and informal catch-ups to check in on each other's well-being, goals, and challenges Be empathetic, actively listen and ask open-ended questions to show interest and understanding Arrange social events and activities that promote getting to know each other outside of work Build trust via transparency, sticking to commitments, and being consistent. Encourage self-investment How much employees invest themselves personally in their work influences their sense of ownership over their jobs. Investment can take many forms – time, skills, ideas, physical and psychological, and intellectual ener...

What if guilt—not ambition—is the real burnout driver for working mothers? In this powerful conversation, Ashish Kothari sits down with Mary Sheehan to unpack why high-performing women feel stuck in a no-win game—and how leaders and individuals can redesign work to truly flourish.This episode blends lived experience, leadership insight, and science-backed practices to help working parents move from exhaustion and self-blame to clarity, boundaries, and sustainable performance.Key Topics CoveredWhy guilt is the #1 struggle for working mothers—and how societal expectations amplify itValues-based decision making as a practical antidote to burnoutThe hidden cost of broken corporate systems: RTO mandates, inflexibility, childcare, and unpaid parental leaveLeadership's role in inclusion: why flexibility and outcomes-based work benefit everyoneMary's powerful concept of the “Minimum Viable Person (MVP)”—small daily practices that restore energy and identityMicro-practices for self-compassion, nervous system regulation, and resilienceHow leaders at every level can redesign teams to support parents without sacrificing performanceOnly ~20% of people are thriving at work—and working mothers are disproportionately paying the price. This conversation reframes flourishing not as a perk, but as a strategic leadership responsibility and a deeply human necessity.__________________________________________________Happiness Squad Website: https://happinesssquad.com/Ashish Kothari: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashishkothari1/YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MyHappinessSquadLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/happiness-squadFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/myhappinesssquad/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myhappinesssquad

Remote and hybrid work opened the door to greater autonomy, focus, and balance for millions of workers. Today, that door is closing as companies reinstate return-to-office mandates. What's fueling this reversal, and what are leaders overlooking? In this episode, Monica Browning Mitchell unpacks the latest research on RTO decisions and offers guidance on how leaders can approach them with intention, empathy, and purpose—without undermining performance or culture.Working on Purpose is broadcast live Tuesdays at 6PM ET and Music on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Working on Purpose is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).Working on Purpose Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-on-purpose--2643411/support.

The return-to-office debate has been hijacked by the wrong conversation. In this episode, Josh and Bob cut through the noise to reveal what's really driving RTO mandates—and it's not what most leaders will admit.There are two clouds hovering over every in-office decision: the Control Cloud and the Innovation Cloud. The Control Cloud is about distrust, micromanagement, and leaders who feel uneasy when they can't physically see butts in seats. The Innovation Cloud is about something entirely different—creating the conditions where teams can do their absolute best work together.Drawing from decades of experience building high-performing teams at companies like iContact, Teradata, and EMC, Josh and Bob make the case that co-located teams aren't just a preference—they're an innovation multiplier. They share stories of conference rooms turned into collaboration bootcamps, cube walls torn down with power drills, and the simple magic of a room erupting in applause when someone moves a sticky note to "Done."But this isn't about forcing people back to the office for control. It's about understanding what gets lost when we optimize purely for individual convenience over team collaboration. The watercooler conversations. The yelps from a frustrated tester that bring immediate help. The face-to-face tension that drives real innovation.Josh, who has debated this question with himself for fifteen years, finally lands on an answer: if he were building a team from scratch today, he'd build a co-located team of collaborative problem solvers. Not because remote can't work, but because the magic of true team collaboration is worth the commute.The question isn't whether you should return to office. The question is: which cloud is driving your decision? Stay Connected and Informed with Our NewslettersJosh Anderson's "Leadership Lighthouse"Dive deeper into the world of Agile leadership and management with Josh Anderson's "Leadership Lighthouse." This bi-weekly newsletter offers insights, tips, and personal stories to help you navigate the complexities of leadership in today's fast-paced tech environment. Whether you're a new manager or a seasoned leader, you'll find valuable guidance and practical advice to enhance your leadership skills. Subscribe to "Leadership Lighthouse" for the latest articles and exclusive content right to your inbox.Subscribe hereBob Galen's "Agile Moose"Bob Galen's "Agile Moose" is a must-read for anyone interested in Agile practices, team dynamics, and personal growth within the tech industry. The newsletter features in-depth analysis, case studies, and actionable tips to help you excel in your Agile journey. Bob brings his extensive experience and thoughtful perspectives directly to you, covering everything from foundational Agile concepts to advanced techniques. Join a community of Agile enthusiasts and practitioners by subscribing to "Agile Moose."Subscribe hereDo More Than Listen:We publish video versions of every episode and post them on our YouTube page.Help Us Spread The Word: Love our content? Help us out by sharing on social media, rating our podcast/episodes on iTunes, or by giving to our Patreon campaign. Every time you give,...

Send us a textWhat if one click could clean customer info, correct fuzzy data, and quietly cut a third of your skips before they happen? That's the promise Dan Jobrack of DataTrue brings to the shed and RTO world, where risk is high, margins are thin, and recovery costs pile up fast. We go deep on how front-end verification and back-end skip tracing can transform operations without ever touching a credit bureau.Dan explains why blacklists are a trap for RTO companies that promise “no credit checks,” and how real-time verification checks names, addresses, phones, and references across 40 sources to standardize decisions. We explore the cost math most owners overlook—crew time, truck rolls, dead-end calls—and how eliminating fuzzy data upfront prevents expensive charge-offs later. When contracts go sideways, we unpack Pursue for locating skips through properties and relatives, plus Skip Find Plus, a long-term “watch” tool that surfaces new addresses and employers years later.We also tackle thorny questions that shed pros keep asking. Should you use geotags to track buildings, or will trespass limits and device removal make them less useful than data-led recovery? Is it wise to label a returned building as a “repo,” or does “previously rented” protect both customer dignity and your reputation? Along the way, we highlight ethical referral marketing from verified contacts, seamless integrations with RTO platforms, and free training that makes clarity the default.If you sell, rent, or recover sheds, trailers, or portable buildings, this conversation will sharpen your process and protect your bottom line. Subscribe, share, and leave a review so more builders and dealers can find the tools that keep promises honest and assets where they belong.For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Shed ProSolar BlasterCardinal ManufacturingDigital Shed Builder

Tooru PLC (AIM:TOO) CEO Scott Livingston talked with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion about the company's strong momentum following its AIM listing and strategic consolidation of subsidiaries. Livingston explained that the post-RTO period has been pivotal in aligning Tooru's challenger brands under one umbrella, generating synergies and improving cost efficiency. Highlighting the growing mainstream appeal of the "free-from" category, Livingston described it as a lifestyle choice beyond those with medical dietary needs. He sees a “massive opportunity to become more mainstream as free-from and good-for-you products,” noting that if executed well, “we should have exponential growth.” Among Tooru's brands, OAF stands out, with standout performance in Tesco stores. Livingston attributes its success to bold packaging, great taste, and organic social media buzz: “There's a lot of social media that is unpaid for, where people are sharing news about their new find.” He also hinted at conversations with other major UK retailers, suggesting that 2026 could be a breakout year for the brand. Pulsin continues to show resilience, posting positive EBITDA despite recent operational disruptions. Production is moving from Gloucester to Wales, aligning costs with demand as the brand continues to serve strong consumer demand in the protein, keto, and fibre bar segments. Looking ahead, Livingston revealed a two-pronged strategy: expanding into major retailers and entering international markets, while also exploring strategic acquisitions that align with Tooru's consumer base and operational capabilities. The aim is to build a large-scale bakery business that combines mass-market branding (via OAF) with prescription product stability (via Juvela). For more updates like this, visit Proactive's YouTube channel. Don't forget to like the video, subscribe to the channel, and enable notifications so you never miss future content. #TooruPLC #FreeFromFoods #ScottLivingston #OAFBrand #Pulsin #Juvela #RetailExpansion #FoodInnovation #HealthySnacking #AIMListing #ConsumerTrends #ProteinBars #TescoLaunch #InvestorUpdates #FoodBusiness

La Agencia Provincial de Seguridad Vial (APSV) detectó que, durante el primer mes del Operativo Verano, alrededor del 50% de los vehículos controlados no tenía la RTO al día. Solo un tercio de los autos radicados en la provincia cumple con la revisión.

They say it's about collaboration and face-to-face interactions - but you're still expected to join your virtual meeting in a private call booth.So, what's really behind these RTO mandates? If the research shows better work-life balance and productivity when employees have the option to work remotely, what's the big push for the big return? Does work-from-home still exist six years after the pandemic?Host Catherine Jette speaks to Kathy Chow, a Toronto-based writer who wrote a piece called "Welcome Back to the Office. You Won't Get Anything Done.". The two discuss corporate culture's inability to prioritize the employee, how women are disproportionately affected by RTO mandates, and how surrounding suburbs of big cities can fall victim to the return to the office. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at hello@thebigstorypodcast.ca Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky

professorjrod@gmail.comIn this episode of Technology Tap: CompTIA Study Guide, we dive deep into the concept of cybersecurity risk and why it's a critical factor in your IT skills development. Forget common myths and technical jargon — this episode breaks down risk into understandable elements: threat, vulnerability, likelihood, and impact. Perfect for CompTIA exam candidates, we provide practical IT certification tips that turn abstract fears into concrete strategies to protect your digital assets. Whether you're prepping for your CompTIA exam or interested in technology education, this discussion equips you with essential knowledge for effective tech exam prep.We walk through inherited risk (your baseline exposure) and residual risk (what remains after controls), and explain why zero risk is a dangerous fantasy. From there, we unpack the four response strategies—avoidance, mitigation, transfer, and acceptance—using clear examples you can bring to your Sec+, Net+, or A+ studies and your day job. You'll learn when quantitative numbers help, when qualitative scales are more honest, and how heat maps can mislead when assumptions go unchallenged.Because modern exposure doesn't end at your perimeter, we dive into vendor risk management: evaluating partners before you sign, setting expectations with NDAs, MSAs, SLAs, SOWs, and rules of engagement, and keeping continuous oversight to match changing realities. We also connect the dots to business impact analysis, translating risk into recovery targets with MTD, RTO, RPO, and WRT so you prioritize mission essential functions instead of treating every system the same. Finally, we clarify the role of internal and external assessments and demystify penetration testing as a snapshot that challenges assumptions rather than a guarantee of safety.If you want security that aligns with real-world priorities, this conversation gives you the mental model and vocabulary to make better decisions under uncertainty. Subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a review with one insight you're taking back to your org. What risk will you accept—and why?Support the showArt By Sarah/DesmondMusic by Joakim KarudLittle chacha ProductionsJuan Rodriguez can be reached atTikTok @ProfessorJrodProfessorJRod@gmail.com@Prof_JRodInstagram ProfessorJRod

Send us a textCheck us out at:  https://www.cisspcybertraining.com/Get access to 360 FREE CISSP Questions:  https://www.cisspcybertraining.com/offers/dzHKVcDB/checkoutGet access to my FREE CISSP Self-Study Essentials Videos:  https://www.cisspcybertraining.com/offers/KzBKKouvA quiet identity revolution is underway, and it's not about people. CrowdStrike's move to acquire Signal shines a light on the fastest‑growing attack surface in modern environments: non‑human identities. From AI agents and APIs to service and machine accounts, these credentials outnumber employees, hold powerful permissions, and often live outside traditional IAM hygiene. We unpack why this matters now, how it reshapes identity security strategy, and what it means for your Business Impact Analysis and continuity planning.We walk through a clear, exam‑ready BIA flow that translates risk into action. You'll learn how to frame impact categories, build time‑based escalation paths, and set realistic RTO, RPO, and maximum tolerable downtime in partnership with the business. We dig into prioritization drivers—safety of life, legal mandates, revenue exposure, and customer obligations—and show how to avoid the trap of “non‑essential” processes that quietly block recovery. Along the way, we map threats, vulnerabilities, and controls, then score risk with likelihood and impact using real sources like historical incidents and threat intelligence.From there, we get practical: process workarounds, technology redundancy, workforce continuity, and supply chain resilience with alternate vendors and stockpiles. We compare hot, warm, and cold sites to cloud‑based recovery, and we stress selection criteria like cost, risk tolerance, and whether strategies actually hit your recovery targets. Finally, we cover governance and communication: executive approvals, confidentiality of plans, testing from tabletop to full interruption, vital records protection, and smooth transitions from life safety to business operations. The throughline is simple and powerful: business impact drives recovery priorities, not technology. Subscribe, share with a teammate who owns service accounts, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.Gain exclusive access to 360 FREE CISSP Practice Questions at FreeCISSPQuestions.com and have them delivered directly to your inbox! Don't miss this valuable opportunity to strengthen your CISSP exam preparation and boost your chances of certification success. Join now and start your journey toward CISSP mastery today!

Kristian McCann sits down with John Ringis, Director of Physical Security, and Salik Makda, Director of Network Engineering at New Era Technologies, to unpack one of today's most urgent workplace challenges: how to bring employees back to the office—and keep them there.With hybrid work now the norm, John and Salik break down why workplace readiness matters more than ever, what “good” looks like, and how organizations can rebuild trust in the physical office through safer environments, smarter technology, and seamless user experiences.What does it take to create an office employees want to return to? In this conversation, New Era Technologies' experts explore the intersection of physical security, network performance, and space optimization—and how each contributes to productivity, satisfaction, and long-term RTO success.Key discussion points include:Workplace readiness defined: Why safety, reliable technology, and cultural clarity form the “three pillars” of a successful return-to-office strategy.Room, network, and space readiness: How everything from wireless density to huddle-room availability impacts daily employee experience.Hybrid challenges: The gap between modern at-home technology and outdated in-office infrastructure—and why network readiness is now non-negotiable.Best practices for scaling RTO: Standardizing security across locations, adopting mobile credentials, and using analytics to guide space planning.If you're planning or refining your RTO strategy:Conduct a full workplace and technology assessment.Evaluate your network's readiness for high-density, cloud-first collaboration.Explore modern physical security tools, especially mobile credentials and cloud-managed systems.Visit New Era Technologies to see how their solutions can make your RTO strategy a success

Send us a textDemand isn't dead; it's different. After a year where unit volumes stayed flat and consumer wallets tightened, we break down how the best manufacturers and dealers still grew by focusing on strategy over chance. We share what we're seeing across hundreds of conversations—why diversification beyond storage, smarter financing, and story-led marketing are separating the leaders from the pack—and how to apply those moves without burying cash in inventory.We look at display-first lots that use a few high-impact models and cutaway demos to showcase options like ventilation, doors, windows, insulation, and finish-outs, while 3D configurators do the heavy lifting. We unpack the role of RTO and consumer financing side by side, with simpler terms and broader approvals that remove friction at checkout. We also tackle the dealer model question—consignment versus wholesale—and outline hybrid approaches that improve margins, brand control, and the ROI of your marketing spend.From SEO-driven content to podcasts, customer walkthroughs, and on-lot video, we explain why clear buyer avatars and narrative proof are outrunning generic ads. We share our own plans too: refreshed consulting with industry veterans, a next-gen media kit for sponsors, and a local display-first lot to keep our hands dirty and our insights sharp. If you want to win in 2026, tighten your offers, simplify the path to purchase, and tell your story everywhere your buyers look.Enjoy the conversation and then take action—subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review so more builders and dealers can find it. What move will you test first?For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Shed ProShed SuiteThree Oaks Trading CoShed Challenger

People in Power Episode 20: Abigail Sawyer talks with Carrie Simpson, vice president of markets for the Southwest Power Pool, about her experience in energy, which goes back to the early 2000s when she worked as an energy trader for Enron. Since then Carrie has been involved in power markets in both the Western and Eastern Interconnection. She is anticipating the expansion of SPP's RTO—which will be the first organized wholesale market to operate in both interconnections—and also preparing for SPP's day-ahead market offering, Markets+, which will begin serving entities in the Western Interconnection in October 2027.

4pm: On this day in 2007, Steve Jobs debuts the iPhone // Microsoft layoff rumors ‘100 percent made up,’ exec says // Microsoft scoops up Redmond office space before RTO deadline //  ‘An incomprehensible nightmare’: grief turns to anger over Swiss bar fire as Le Constellation owner arrested // ‘Worst in Show’ CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbells 

6pm: On this day in 2007, Steve Jobs debuts the iPhone // Microsoft layoff rumors ‘100 percent made up,’ exec says // Microsoft scoops up Redmond office space before RTO deadline //  ‘An incomprehensible nightmare’: grief turns to anger over Swiss bar fire as Le Constellation owner arrested // ‘Worst in Show’ CES products include AI refrigerators, AI companions and AI doorbells 

Send us a textBuyers don't want homework; they want a simple way to say yes. We sat down with finance veteran Joel Oney to unpack how point‑of‑sale financing helps shed, post‑frame, and steel builders close more deals, protect margins, and keep sales moving through winter without slashing prices. From six‑month no interest, no payment promos to fast soft‑pull decisions at the lot, we break down the practical playbook that turns “I'll wait for my tax refund” into “Let's get it scheduled.”We get honest about the role of RTO and where it shines, then zoom in on the growing segment that prefers traditional loans—especially for bigger, anchored projects up to $100k. Joel shares why loans reduce repossession headaches, how underwriting tailored to this industry improves approvals, and what makes financing a true value add instead of an afterthought. If you're expanding into steel or post‑frame, this is your roadmap to funding complex builds and site prep with clarity.Macro matters, too. Housing has cooled and mortgage rates follow the bond market, not Fed headlines. That shift affects backyard storage demand and consumer confidence, which means your sales team needs better tools, not deeper discounts. We talk liquidity, price discipline, and leading through uncertainty—plus the simple sales flow that sets payments early, positions RTO and financing side by side, and removes friction at checkout. Walk away with concrete strategies to boost conversions, preserve margin, and stand out when every shed starts to look the same.Want more episodes like this? Subscribe, share with a teammate, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Got a question about adding financing to your lot? Drop us a note and tell us what you want us to cover next.For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Shed ProMaking Sales SimpleCALIFAB

Send us a textThe shed business isn't simple anymore—and that's a good thing if you know how to harness it. We take you behind the scenes of our five-year arc, share the wins and stumbles that pushed us to relaunch Shed Geek Marketing, and get practical about what actually moves revenue when buyers start online and finish on their terms.We dig into a hard question that reshapes everything: what is a lead for your model? If you run a high-volume, SEO-driven engine, a name and phone number can be enough when you have a team ready to engage within minutes. If you're a lot-based closer handling walk-ins and custom builds, you need richer context at the first touch—budget, timeline, use, and site constraints. Either way, speed-to-lead matters, but so does tone. Reaching out in thirty seconds can feel helpful or pushy, and the difference is your script, your offer, and whether the buyer asked for that help.You'll hear how we're aligning marketing and sales in a 2025 reality: clean websites with analytics, 3D configurators that convert, buyer guides that educate without pressure, and CRMs that automate qualification while keeping humans available when stakes rise. We talk partner tools that make proof visible—local delivery maps, photo galleries, and reviews tied to neighborhoods—because credibility is a growth multiplier. We also get honest about dealer economics: margin is thin, so disconnected tools are expensive. That's why we moved away from a pure white-label model to manage the customer experience in-house, coordinate specialists, and make sure ads, pages, and follow-up all point to the same goal.If you sell sheds, you're guiding one of the biggest purchases your customer will make. Clarity wins: pricing that makes sense, financing and RTO explained in plain English, timelines you can keep, and support that's one click away by phone, text, or live video. Ready to rethink your funnel, define your lead, and build a system that closes more of the right buyers? Follow the show, share this with your team, and leave a review with the one change you'll make this week.For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Shed ProThree Oaks Trading CoShed ChallengerLuxGuard

As an aging grid faces rising demand, increasing complexity, and more frequent stress events, one thing has become clear: we don't just need more power, we need power that can show up at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price. What's far less settled is how we get there. Should large energy users build their own power? Should they treat the grid as something to work around rather than work with? Or is there a way for new load to actively strengthen the grid by contributing capacity when it's needed most?This moment is being shaped by real market signals. Just two weeks ago, PJM, the largest power market in the U.S., cleared its latest capacity auction at the market cap yet again, underscoring how tight supply has become and how quickly affordability pressures are building. As data center demand accelerates, those pressures are no longer abstract, they're showing up in prices, planning decisions, and who ultimately pays.These questions have been a throughline for us this year on Watt It Takes. We've talked with founders working across the grid, from storage and interconnection to transmission and large-scale development. Today's conversation brings many of those threads together.Dana Guernsey and her team at Voltus are tackling that challenge at the intersection of demand and supply, turning customer-side flexibility into dependable grid capacity. Voltus sits between energy users and grid operators, aggregating flexible demand from sources like demand response, EV charging, batteries, and onsite generation, and translating it into dispatchable capacity that markets value and pay for. Voltus's business model is a value-share: the company monetizes that flexibility in energy markets and shares the resulting value with the customers providing it.Voltus operates across all major North American power markets, even in an industry where each ISO and RTO plays by different rules. Today, the company manages more than eight gigawatts of flexible capacity and supports tens of thousands of customer sites, with resources dispatched thousands of times each year.On this last episode of the year, I spoke with Dana Guernsey, Co-Founder and CEO of Voltus. We talked about her journey, from growing up in Queens, New York and coming of age around 9/11, to discovering energy markets during her time at EnerNOC, to founding Voltus while starting a family. That path shaped how Dana thinks about complexity, customers, and reliability, and ultimately led her to build Voltus into a platform designed to help make clean, affordable, and reliable power something we don't have to trade off against growth.About Powerhouse Innovation and Powerhouse VenturesPowerhouse Ventures backs seed stage startups developing innovative software to advance clean energy, mobility, and industry. If you are thinking about building something in this space, get in touch with our team.Powerhouse Innovation is a best in class consulting firm, powered by the strongest energy innovation network, data and team in our industry. We partner with world's leading corporations, investors, and utilities to source and evaluate disruptive startups shaping the future of energy and industry.To hear more stories of founders building our energy abundant future, hit the “subscribe” button and leave us a review.

Send us a textWhat does it take to turn three‑a‑day shed builds into a software platform that runs an entire industry? We sit down with Jason Graber to unpack that journey—starting in a Pickens, South Carolina shop and scaling to Shed Suite's vision of becoming the operating system for shed and carport businesses. Jason shares why you don't need to be a programmer to build meaningful software, how to turn field pain into product clarity, and why systems—not endless processes—unlock speed as you grow.We get tactical about the playbook: do the hard work manually first, then automate what you fully understand. Use AI not as a search engine, but as a thought partner to sharpen requirements, surface edge cases, and accelerate decision quality. From dispatch to e‑commerce and dealer management, we explore how openness and reliability beat feature lists, and why the true moat is a team's ability to innovate precisely and support customers relentlessly.You'll also hear what's next. Shed Suite is pushing into CAD‑driven configuration, material resource planning, and real per‑shed cost accounting—modeling components, labor, and consumption timing to deliver automatic job costing at scale. On the rental side, RTO Suite aims to replace legacy tools with an open API approach that closes the lifecycle loop: delivery, returns, repos, and resale routed cleanly through driver apps and inventory. Add in pragmatic features like order mapping for sharper marketing, and a services arm reserved for existing customers, and you get a focused path to modernize without chaos.If you lead a shed brand, carport operation, or RTO provider, this conversation offers a practical roadmap: think in systems, measure what matters, build for openness, and let innovation—not noise—set your pace. Subscribe, share this with a teammate who owns operations or finance, and leave a review telling us which workflow you're automating next.For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Shed ProThree Oaks Trading CoNewFound SolutionsCardinal ManufacturingShed Suite

In this episode from the archives, we remember remote work, wfh, wfa, etc. And what it took to provide floor support for your team.How does this change in the era or RTO?It doesn't.All the lessons you learned from managing remote or hybrid teams still apply. All the communication skills you learned are still valid. All the leadership lessons you learned still matter.This episode, at it's core is about providing resources and support to your team, it doesn't matter how close or how far away they are.Don't be dumb. Here's the LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/caffcx

I'm joined by Brian Turner and Kathleen Staks to unpack the details of the newly authorized Regional Organization for Western Energy (ROWE), a unique “à la carte” RTO designed to unify the western US grid without trampling on state independence. We discuss the transition from the existing imbalance market to a full day-ahead market, the safeguards built into the bylaws to protect state clean-energy policies, and the politics of getting 38 separate balancing authorities to cooperate. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

This week's full broadcast of Computer Talk Radio includes - 00:00 - Tech news for non-nerds - Microsoft, India, Apple, Crucial, New York, Netflix, AI toys - 11:00 - Prepping for Christmas - Benjamin gives tips for preparing for a tech Christmas - 22:00 - Cooling your laptops - Keith and Benjaminm discuss idea of cooling laptops down - 31:00 - Marty Winston's Wisdom - Marty praises home studio quality Mackie Monitor Speakers - 39:00 - Scam Series - trusted apps - Benjamin notes trusted apps can sometimes turn into problems - 44:00 - Keske on Khanmigo - Steve talks about Khanmigo, an AI assistant for Khan Academy - 56:00 - Dr Doreen Galli - drone trainers - Dr Galli tells of FlyGuys that teach how to start a drone business - 1:07:00 - Listener Q&A - USB devices sleep - Diane asks Benjamin why USB devices stop working after Sleep - 1:16:00 - IT Professional Series - 357 - Benjamin laments RTO based on reasoning of collaboration - 1:24:00 - Listener Q&A - Christmas prep - Devin's experience underscores idea of testing Christmas first

Strap in, kids — this week on The Chad & Cheese Podcast, the gang returns from skiing, globetrotting, and loudly judging their Spotify Wrapped to break down a blockbuster week in TA. First up: VONQ drops its biggest launch in years, rolling out its shiny new “Echo” platform like they're gunning for an Apple keynote. Did they finally build something the industry actually needs? Did they actually stick the landing? And is this the opening move in a coming acquisition play? We've got thoughts… lots of them. Then: Indeed pulls the ladder up — again. Anonymous job alerts? Gone. New walls? Higher. Data grabs? You bet your ass. We're diving into why job seekers are about to get screwed and why employers should be panicking yesterday. We're also hitting Instagram's five-day RTO mandate (spoiler: it's not about “saving employees from depression”), Australia's crackdown on under-16s on social media, and one of the most creative protest videos to hit Home Depot's parking lot. Plus: whiskey, fantasy football standings, union-staffing détente, and enough holiday chaos to make Santa call HR. It's spicy. It's snarky. It's peak Chad, JT, and Lieven. You've been warned.

In this episode of the Espace Montreal Podcast, Axel Monsaingeon sits down with Lloyd Cooper, Executive Vice Chair at Cushman & Wakefield, to unpack the new era of downtown Montreal's office market. With 40 years in the business and over 4,000 transactions under his belt, Lloyd explains why 2025 is a record year for office leasing, why work-from-home and hybrid models are being pushed back, and how a powerful "flight to quality" is reshaping which buildings win or lose. They dig into how law firms and banks are using high-end buildouts and rich amenity packages to attract top talent, why there is a critical shortage of true Triple-A space, and where the best redevelopment and mixed-use opportunities are emerging downtown. Lloyd also shares his take on Montreal's new administration, the importance of density and zoning flexibility, and how regulatory shifts, homelessness, and political uncertainty all play into investment decisions. If you want a clear, on-the-ground read of what's really happening in Montreal's office core—and where the next big towers should rise—this conversation is packed with insight.   Topics & Timestamps ⏱️ 00:01:03 – Lloyd's background & track record

December 4, 2025: In today's episode of Future Ready Today, I break down six major stories shaping the future of work. Nvidia's Jensen Huang pushes back on AI job doom while Geoffrey Hinton warns that massive unemployment may be unavoidable. AI is quietly restructuring the rhythm of the workweek, RTO mandates are tightening as employees turn to "microshifting," Microsoft moves aggressively toward an AI-native workforce, and Accenture partners with OpenAI to transform consulting at scale. Each story includes a futurist lens to help leaders decode the signals behind the headlines and build a truly future-ready organization.

Send us a textWant the truth about RTO, hybrid, and remote without the noise? We cut straight to the work: define how value is created, then choose the model that best serves it. With guest Nahed Khairallah, a veteran HR and scaling leader who's supported 150+ companies from seven to nine figures across multiple regions, we dismantle assumptions, expose the traps leaders fall into, and lay out a practical path to better outcomes.We start by flipping the debate. Instead of arguing over office days, we map work to value chains and ask which activities truly benefit from co-location and which thrive async. That lens reveals when hybrid can deliver leverage—and when it becomes an expensive way to sit on Zoom. We get specific: design collaboration rituals, align space and calendars to those rituals, and be transparent about why some roles are location-flexible while others must be anchored. We also unpack the perception risks of vague policies—how fairness gaps echo through morale, Glassdoor, recruiting, and even sales.Then we tackle hiring. Nahed shares repeat failure modes: rushing when overwhelmed, redefining roles mid-search, and running inconsistent interviews that can't compare candidates. We offer a concrete fix you can use today: gather stakeholders, define the role's place in your value chain, set observable success criteria for 30/90/180 days, separate must-haves from teachable skills, and build a structured assessment with a work sample and shared rubric. For roles outside your lane, bring in a subject matter expert to test depth and execution so you avoid buzzword hires and shrink ramp time.Finally, we talk culture—the compounding force most likely to make or break your growth. Culture isn't a handoff to HR. It's what leaders model, what they measure, and what they tolerate. Reverse a remote commitment or mandate office days without logic, and you teach the org that opinion beats evidence. Codify principles, connect them to planning and feedback, and keep decisions tied to outcomes like cycle time, quality, and revenue per head.If you're building fast and want your people practices to move faster, this conversation gives you a clear playbook. Subscribe, share with a founder who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest RTO or hiring myth—we'll tackle it in a future episode.Support the show

Send us a textUseful beats clever, every time. We open with the hard truth about why most content and sales conversations miss: they're built for the creator, not the customer. From there we get tactical. Shannon and Cord map the journey from problem unaware to purchase-ready, sharing practical ways to qualify buyer knowledge, read heat, and design messages that fit each stage. If you've ever watched a good lead go cold after a feature dump, this conversation offers a cleaner path: serve first, sell second, and match your offer to what the buyer is ready to hear.Cord's background adds weight to the playbook. Raised on a working farm, sharpened in big-agency work in Chicago, and proven through scaling a national franchise footprint, he brings an operator's eye to marketing. We talk about turning seasonal spikes into steady pipelines, finding adjacent offers your customers already want, and raising lifetime value by simply being more useful. One standout example: shifting “spring service” outreach to fall, bundling pickup, tune-ups, and trickle chargers to smooth demand and increase trust. Small changes in timing and framing can unlock meaningful revenue without more noise.We also share where Shed Geek is headed next. Expect more topical, timely episodes that spotlight what matters now, live ad reads that keep promotions current, and sponsored newsletter segments that deliver value first. We're bringing more consumer-facing moments into a B2B space so manufacturers, RTO partners, and suppliers can speak directly to shed buyers' real questions. As AI reshapes search and discovery, teams that educate clearly and show outcomes will win the clicks—and the customers.If this conversation sparked an idea you can use this week, tap follow, share it with a teammate, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps us build more content that serves you.For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: Shed ProCardinal ManufacturingSolar BlasterThree Oaks Trading CompanyNewFound Solutions

Comment on the Show by Sending Mark a Text Message.What happens when the biggest workplace experiment in modern history becomes admissible evidence? Five years after COVID reshaped how we work, we take a clear-eyed look at remote work's legacy—what it proved, who it protected, and why some employers are trying to forget the results. We trace the arc from lifeline to legal battleground, exposing how rigid return-to-office policies are pushing out the very people who kept companies alive: disabled workers, pregnant employees, caregivers, and older staff who thrived with reasonable flexibility.We dig into the details behind the headlines, from constructive discharge tactics and moving performance goalposts to the tech-driven surveillance that quietly captured mountains of unpaid labor. Along the way, we unpack real cases, including a federal jury award tied to remote feasibility and disability rights, and a new Manhattan complaint alleging revoked flexibility and weaponized metrics. The throughline is simple: when the work got done from home—consistently and measurably—that record matters. Blanket policies that ignore it aren't just shortsighted; they carry legal risk.Beyond the courtrooms, we talk about what ethical, effective design looks like now. Location should map to duties and outcomes, not vibes or nostalgia. Feasibility analyses, transparent criteria, and outcome-based metrics create clarity for teams while honoring the realities of health, parenting, and aging. Remote work is not a luxury for many; it is the difference between employment and exit, stability and crisis. If the experiment proved anything, it is that millions delivered under extraordinary strain—and that proof deserves respect.If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs the receipts, and leave a rating or review so more people can find it. Your stories shape where we take this next—what's your reality with remote, hybrid, or RTO? If you enjoyed this episode of the Employee Survival Guide please like us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We would really appreciate if you could leave a review of this podcast on your favorite podcast player such as Apple Podcasts. Leaving a review will inform other listeners you found the content on this podcast is important in the area of employment law in the United States. For more information, please contact our employment attorneys at Carey & Associates, P.C. at 203-255-4150, www.capclaw.com.Disclaimer: For educational use only, not intended to be legal advice.

Ep 57 - Potluck Politics- Why Showing Up Matters Even If You Hate RTOWelcome back to the Career Coaching Xs and Os podcast—the show where we uncover the strategies, challenges, and breakthroughs that shape meaningful career success. In this episode, we dive into the frustration surrounding the Return-To-Office policy and whether employees should participate in holiday potluck events. Let's be real—most of us don't wake up excited about the office potluck. Especially if you're already frustrated with the whole return‑to‑office push. But here's the truth: skipping that Thanksgiving potluck could cost you more than you think. Career growth isn't just about the work you do at your desk—it's about the relationships you build when no one's talking about deadlines or deliverables. That potluck? It's a low‑stakes arena where visibility, goodwill, and connection are on the table—literally. So before you roll your eyes and stay home, let's talk about why showing up, even for a plate of turkey and stuffing, might be the smartest career move you make this season.******************Want To Co-host An Episode of Career Coaching Xs and Os? If you want to be entered into a drawing where the winner(s) are offered the opportunity to co-host the Career Coaching Xs and Os podcast, please do the following:  Buy My Book - Career Coaching Xs and Os: How to Master the Game of Career Development from Amazon - https://a.co/d/f7irTMLWrite a review for my book on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=B0CXMM24R1Follow me on one of the following social media platforms:                    X.com       -    @ceyeroconsltg                  Instagram -    @ceyeroconsulting                   Facebook  -    @ceyeroconsulting    Post a message on one of the Social Media platforms above stating that you submitted a review on Amazon. We will randomly select the winner(s) from the list of reviewers on August 31, 2024.                                                                           **************Want to improve your negotiation skills? Take the 100 Days of Rejection Therapy Challenge. The goal of the 100 Days of Rejection Therapy Challenge is to desensitize yourself to the pain of rejection and to overcome fear. Check out the website at https://www.rejectiontherapy.com/100-days-of-rejection-therapy. I took several challenges. Click the links to see if I got rejected during my negotiations: (1) Rejection 7: Speak Over Costco's Intercom - https://youtu.be/AycKKgP21fQ (2) Rejection 43: Hug a Walmart Greeter - https://youtu.be/GSjyly_C8pM    Subscribe to Ceyero Consulting's YouTube Channel. Track my progress as I complete all 100Challenges.https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7lxMSEtBOAgNBOPrmA9O_w   Need help launching your startup or small business? Please check out my book, #Guerrillapreneur: Small Business Strategy for Davids Wanting to Defeat Goliath, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books.  If you like the Career Coaching Xs and Os podcast, you might also like my other business podcasts, #Guerrillapreneur: The Art of Waging Small Business Warfare (Mastermind Interviews with Entrepreneurs, Consultants, and Business Mavericks) and #Gigging: Everything and Sharing Economy (news and predictions about the Sharing Economy).BUY MY NEW BOOKSI have a new book!  It is called Career Coaching Xs and Os: How To Master the Game of Career Development.  Transform your career trajectory with insider knowledge and actionable advice, all packed into one game-changing guide.   Get your copy on Amazon at https://a.co/d/f7irTMLI have an old book! It is called Guerrillapreneur: Small Business Strategy For Davids Wanting To Defeat Goliaths. If you're a fan of the Gig and Sharing Economy, you'll love how I applied this thinking to outsmart corporate giants. Get your copy on Amazon.  SOURCESReturn-to-office policies are 'creeping up,' researcher says. Many workers would rather quitBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/career-coaching-xs-and-os--3047801/support.

Cali Williams Yost, CEO and Founder of Flex+Strategy Group, has pioneered workplace flexibility since 1995. Cali shares her journey from banking to becoming a flexibility strategist. She explains why flexible work is essential for business growth and attracting and retaining top talent. Cali explains the pitfalls of hybrid and flexible model policy-only approaches and the need for full operational system-wide integration. She urges leaders to rethink outdated work constructs and outlines practical steps for embedding flexibility into organizational culture for sustainable success.       TAKEAWAYS   Chapter 1: Origins of a Flexibility Strategist   [01:19] Cali studies English and Economics appealing to her two contrasting interests. [02:08] Cali's first job at a bank gives her training and allows her to go to New York City!   [02:43] Client relationships are key to success, but rigid systems cause Cali's colleagues to quit. [03:35] Cali sees flexible work as logical and proposes it, unsuccessfully to bank leadership. [04:30] A bank client CEO explains he offers flexible working to retain his employees long-term. [05:14] Urged by his business-driven reasoning, Cali leaves to become a flexibility strategist. [05:47] Cali gets an MBA to have credibility with business leaders about workplace innovation. [06:10] Cali joins Families and Work Institute, developing strategies to operationalize flexibility. [07:35] Workplace flexibility becomes an employee benefit part of policy, not operationalised. [08:45] Making policies operational, Cali develops 'work-life fit' and publishes her first book.   Chapter 2: Workplace Flexibility Before & During COVID   [10:13] Top down approaches are not effective so Cali dives deep into change management.   [11:15] Cali starts her own firm to take an operational, integrated approach to flexible working.   [12:26] Pre-2020, most companies had flexible work policies but they weren't operationalised. [13:50] Widespread flexibility was organic and inconsistent with more men working remotely.   [13:55] When COVID hit, companies with operationalised flexibility policies adapted easily. [14:19] Executives must reassess foundational work constructs and beliefs to adapt effectively. [17:00] The work challenges presented by leaders and younger employees "clash of contexts". [18:55] The upcoming demographic cliff makes flexible work necessary to attract and retain talent.   Chapter 3: Leading in the Modern Work Era   [19:26] Finding those ready to lead the change, challenge their context and hold space.   [19:48] Three change phases—assess, align, activate—are critical for embedding flexibility. [20:10] Leadership alignment is essential; one resistant leader can derail an entire initiative. [22:45] Employers investing in defining new working parameters unlock many benefits.   [23:59] Leaders need to be aware of what is and isn't working with employees.   [25:31] Critical willingness to hold space for change being messy and looking at work differently. [27:11] Mandating in-office days without data and strategic input erodes employee confidence. [27:52] Executives co-creating with employees to achieve aligned operational flexibility.   [29:55] Trust increases when employees participate in experimenting and defining the process.   Chapter 4: Intentional Future of Work Transformation   [32:11] Senior leaders must be intentional about work transformation.   [32:50] The sustainability of 5-day/week RTO policies especially for talent attraction/retention. [34:07] The significant, essential hurdle of stepping back and rethinking the old work model.   [35:12] Younger employees successfully create an intern integration program when empowered. [37:45] Talent shortages by 2032 make flexible models essential to business continuity. [38:33] AI will supplement, not replace, human workers—talent attraction remains vital. [39:42] Rigid workspace metrics must evolve to support dynamic, flexible workforce needs. [42:16] Organizational transformation requires change management and relationships with systems thinking.   IMMEDIATE ACTION TIP: Leaders need to assess their talent reality from now through 2030 – aligning the expectations of their workforce and the needs of the business.         RESOURCES   Cali Williams Yost on LinkedIn flex+strategy group website         QUOTES   Pre-pandemic "Flexibility was happening organically. It was happening inconsistently, and it was not optimized."   "The consistent recognition is - I need to do this differently. So what does that look like?"   "You have to be willing to hold the space because change is messy."   "This [flexibility] isn't a policy. This is a way of operating."   "We're getting ready to hit a historic labour cliff demographic cliff. There aren't gonna be people. The workers who are left? They are going to dictate how they're gonna work.  So you should be working right now on being employer of choice."  

Is return to office really about “culture”—or is it quietly draining families, energy, and trust?In this episode, I unpack what's actually happening in your mind and brain when RTO policies shrink your choices, stretch your days, and turn Sunday nights into dread. You'll learn why lost autonomy registers as threat, how that shows up as jaw tension, irritability, and exhaustion, and why none of this makes you weak or “not a team player”—it makes you human.We'll walk through the science of motivation (autonomy, competence, and connection), allostatic load, and how your brain's stress chemistry changes when your work rhythm stops matching your life rhythm. Then I'll show you how to use the 5-step Neurocycle to translate “return to office rage” into practical redesigns: small, repeatable choices that protect family rituals, restore a sense of control, and rebuild culture based on trust instead of attendance. This episode is for parents, new grads, managers, and leaders who feel torn between policy and people—and who want a healthier way forward for both work and home.

This episode is a little different. I was a guest on Catherine Jelinek's podcast, Breaking Through the Noise — and she generously allowed me to share the full conversation with you.We talk about leaving corporate, taking action, finding traction on TikTok, and the honest story behind building the Corporate Escapee movement. If you're stuck, burned out, or thinking about going solo, this one will hit home.In this episode, we cover:Why taking action is the #1 skill corporate trains out of youMy path from 25 years in corporate → consulting → fractional → building 10+ income streamsHow TikTok unexpectedly became the platform that changed everythingWhy 80% of my 76K TikTok followers are over 40The moment one video brought in 300+ strategy call requests in 48 hoursThe three stages of an escapee: Curious, Motivated, and LiberatedWhy your path out of corporate isn't a leap — it's a shiftThe reality of layoffs, RTO mandates, and the “profits over people” eraWhy authenticity beats production quality every timeThe mindset shift corporate doesn't prepare you forWhy this conversation mattersA lot of people want out of corporate, but they overthink the first step. This episode breaks down what actually works — and why you already have more than enough experience to start.Connect With CatherineCheck out Catherine Jelinek's podcast:

This month's Policy Pulse episode with Traci and co-host Bryan Driscoll is packed with the compliance updates every HR leader needs heading into 2026. With new EEOC leadership officially in place, federal enforcement is shifting, state protections are becoming more critical, and workplace culture decisions are getting harder to navigate.Spoiler alert: You're about to feel major whiplash as protections from the past four years (DEI initiatives, pregnancy accommodations, gender identity policies, and more) face rollbacks. But state laws might be your lifeline.This conversation covers everything from DEI audits and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to religious and gender identity protections, reverse discrimination claims, and a cultural reality check about office returns. You'll hear why one company's Halloween costume mishap revealed their broken culture, what managers actually need to know about anti-harassment training, and the single question every HR leader should ask before mandating people back to the office. Plus, Bryan walks through the most pressing questions he's getting from clients right now about navigating these changes without losing employee trust.What We CoverNew EEOC leadership and the anticipated rollbacks to DEI programs, pregnant workers protections, and gender identity policiesWhy auditing your DEI initiatives now isn't optional (it's survival)The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: expanded protections facing the axe and what state laws might save youReligious and gender identity conflicts: expect stronger protections for religious objections and narrower interpretations of gender identityWhen federal law disappears, state law is your safety net and some states have serious teethThe culture-killing move: mandating office returns without a legitimate business reasonHow convincing employees signals distrust and guarantees compliance theater instead of real engagementWhy one Halloween costume revealed everything wrong with a company's cultureAnti-harassment training for managers vs. company-wide training: why you need both and why most companies miss thisThe real question HR leaders should ask before sending that RTO mandate: would I come in for that reason?Key Quote"Your response or lack of response when someone crosses a line in your organization, that is your culture." - Bryan DriscollConnect with Bryan here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanjohndriscoll/ Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraciDisclaimer: 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.

Send us a textReady to turn slow season into rocket fuel for spring? We dig into the single biggest lever for shed and steel pros—process—and show how a smarter system can unlock more sales, faster delivery, and fewer headaches. With Tristan from CAL, we walk through a clean, unified workflow that pulls orders from Idea Room or Shed Pro, covers cash or RTO in one checkout, and tracks each building from production to delivery in real time.We talk straight about the real pain: corrupted spreadsheets, double entry, dealers guessing at status, and RTO that drags for days while customers cool off. CAL compresses that chaos into minutes—select the RTO partner, surface 24/36/48/60-month payments, auto-generate contracts, and send for e-sign without leaving the dashboard. It's built for how buyers actually decide, and it keeps your team in sync whether you're on the lot, in the shop, or checking in from the road.Inventory visibility and dealer-manufacturer alignment are the quiet superpowers here. With one source of truth, your customer service team can answer “where is my building?” instantly, dealers can move deals forward without waiting on callbacks, and owners can see the day's pipeline at a glance. Pricing stays practical too: plans starting around $300 per month with a simple $10 per deal, a cost you can pass through, absorb, or treat as the price of speed and accuracy.If you sell sheds, steel buildings, playsets, or mixed lines, this conversation lays out a proven path to scale without adding office staff. Replace spreadsheets with a system that actually sells. Subscribe, share this with your team, and leave a review with your biggest bottleneck—we'll tackle it in a future episode.For more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter?  Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: J Money LLCIdentigrowMobeno

Most IT teams can't meet their recovery time objective—and they don't even know it. In this episode of The Backup Wrap-up, Curtis and Prasanna explain why your RTO is probably fantasy, who should actually be setting it (hint: not you), and what recovery time actual really means. We cover the critical difference between objectives and reality, why testing is non-negotiable, and how to have honest conversations with business leadership about what's achievable. Learn about DR drills, chaos engineering, tabletop exercises, and why measuring your actual recovery times is the only way to close the gap. Stop feeling like a failure and start building realistic, tested recovery plans that actually work when disaster strikes.

Get stuck in – Michael Bourgeois, CWT How do standards get written in ways that working water treaters can actually meet? In this conversation, AWT Past President, current Related Trade Organization (RTO) Committee Chair, and Chemco Products Company Operations Manager, Michael Bourgeois CWT, explains how AWT's liaisons collaborate with peer organizations, so guidance reflects field reality—operations, risk, and achievable compliance.  From Field Bags to Board Rooms: Why RTOs Matter  Bourgeois outlines the purpose of AWT's RTO structure: volunteer liaisons track and influence work at groups whose missions overlap with industrial water—CTI, ABMA, ASHRAE, AWWA, ASHE, and others. The aim is simple and practical: make sure member voices are heard so guidance advances health outcomes (e.g., Legionella control) and day-to-day feasibility for service providers and suppliers.  Turning Reaction into Proaction  Historically, the industry learned about new rules after they landed. Bourgeois details how AWT is shifting to co-authoring cooling-water guidelines with CTI and re-engaging ABMA, so boiler-water limits and methods reflect current technologies and operations. The model: clarify shared goals, contribute content expertise, and formalize collaboration so members get usable documents at member pricing.  Concrete Moves: Boiler Water, Healthcare, and More  Examples include AWT's role on ABMA's Boiler Expo steering committee (with a focused water-treatment training block) and early conversations with ASHE on pathogen control in building and healthcare water systems. He describes how liaisons feed updates into a formal committee cadence, so the AWT Board and members see progress—not just headlines.  When working professionals help write the playbook, outcomes improve clients, operators, and public health—and members stop "reacting" to standards they had no hand in shaping.  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below.   Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!     Timestamps   00:02:28 - Trace Blackmore shares his AWT excitement & community shout-outs  00:05:16 - Water You Know with James McDonald  00:06:44 - The magic of the Scaling Up buttons (why & how to use them)  00:20:25 - North Metal Quarterly Magazine (Grab physical copy by visiting Booth 212)  00:27:00 - Interview starts: Mike Bourgeois (Chemco; AWT Past President; RTO Chair)  00:33:58 - What is the RTO Committee and why it exists  00:36:31 - The 10 formal collaborators + 4–6 informal  00:36:43 - AWWA/ASDWA (Joe Hannigan); Premise plumbing link  00:38:19 - ASHE (healthcare engineering) early wins (Reid Hutchinson)  00:38:47 - ABMA (boilers) momentum (Steve Jobin) + Women of Boilers  00:40:28 - CTI (Mike); CDC (Patsy Root); WEF (Brian Liotta)  00:40:46 - AMPP (formerly NACE) (Jay Farmerie); WQA (Chuck Hamrick)  00:41:19 - ASHRAE (Bill Pearson) & the impact on Std 188  00:45:26 - Principle: Be proactive so standards are achievable for members  00:47:34 - Boiler Expo: half-day on water treatment (economics, pretreatment, failures, regs)  00:50:56 - Where to learn about RTO work  00:54:19 - Volunteers needed: attributes of great liaisons  00:58:48 - Breakthrough: ABMA boiler water guideline refresh (toward ASME alignment)  01:01:02 - Potential collaboration with ASHE on pathogen control guidance  01:01:39 - What Mike's most excited to see at the Broadmoor  01:02:22 - Mike's session: new OSHA walk-around rules  01:02:51 - Theme of the conversation: "Get stuck in" (join committees)    Quotes  "The button is magic—it breaks the ice for you and starts real conversations."  "Talk to every single booth. A year from now, you'll remember exactly who can help."   "RTO stands for Related Trade Organization—our way to shape the standards that shape us."   "Why write a standard no one can achieve? AWT's role is to make it achievable."   "If you want to help AWT, get stuck in. Volunteer. It pays back 10 to 100-fold."   "AWT's RTO liaisons keep members' interests represented before rules and guidelines are finalized—so they're practical and achievable."  "Look for committees aligned with your strengths."    Connect with Michael Bourgeois Email: mbourgeois@chemcoprod.com   Website: Home | Chemco Products Company  LinkedIn: Michael Bourgeois, CWT | LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/company/chemco-products-company/     Guest Resources Mentioned   ABMA's Boiler Water Quality Requirements and Associated Steam Quality for Industrial/Commercial and Institutional Boilers  Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Ed.) Hardcover – April 21, 2005 by Ayn Rand  AWT Committee  AWT Get Involved  Cancer Ward: A Novel (FSG Classics) Paperback – April 14, 2015 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (Author)  Cooling Technology Institute (CTI)  Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas--Not Less Hardcover – by Alex Epstein   Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design Paperback – Illustrated, June 22, 2010 by Stephen C. Meyer  WTG-126: The Use of Non-Oxidizing Biocides in Cooling Water Systems    Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  380 The WOW Effect: Women Leading Transformation in the Water Industry  447 Unlocking Team Potential with Culture Index with Randi Fargen  ASHE's "Water Management in Health Care Facilities: Complying with ASHRAE Standard 188"  ASPE's Engineering Methodologies to Reduce the Risk of Legionella in Premise Plumbing Systems  ASSE 12080 Training & Certification, Get certified to the ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI 12080 Standard: Professional Qualifications Standard for Legionella Water Safety and Management Personnel  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)   AWT's Legionella 2019: A Position Statement and Guidance Document  North Metal & Chemical Co Quarterly Magazine Issue 3 -page 8 for Trace Blackmore Story  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Start with Why Simon Sinek - TedTalk  Submit a Show Idea  The 6 Types of Working Genius  The Rising Tide Mastermind    Water You Know with James Questions: What do you call the physical property of matter that is defined as the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree?    2025 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.   

Dave Kellogg, EIR at Balderton Capital, wrote an explosive piece on the reality of modern startups in 2025. Dave walks us through the winners and losers in the AI era. Read Dave's Article Here: https://topline.beehiiv.com/p/the-era-of-haves-and-have-nots Thanks for tuning in! Catch new episodes every Sunday Subscribe to Topline Newsletter. Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!   Chapters: 00:47 Introduction & editorial setup 03:03 Defining winning: market share as goal 07:09 Marathon vs sprint; growth tradeoffs 12:02 Switching costs, returns, and herd dynamics 21:42 Disruption resets order; capital to #1 25:06 Easy-come growth vs durable ARR 28:18 Creative destruction and incentives 33:31 Winning by ownership type 36:39 Strategy over grind; #2 playbook 40:33 Labor leverage, RTO, and 9-9-6 culture 53:31 Stalled SaaS: valuations, NRR, and growth 1:01:00 Consolidation, moats, domain expertise 1:04:45 Outro & where to follow  

Darren Murph, a leading voice on distributed work and former leader at GitLab, Zillow, and Andela returned to the show.We dug into the remote first maturity scale, the four-pillar operating model (knowledge, project, self, performance), and how to build an “org brain.”---- Sponsor Links:

Today's agenda:  Inappropriate meeting invite Cringe corporate speak: get granular Hot topic: all things remote work: what does it mean these days and did we fumble it? The RTO trend The early days of working from home and why some organizations may have trouble trusting their remote workers The importance of face time and social interaction is pushing Gen Z towards hybrid work How can leaders support remote workers? The keyword is boundaries Remote work doesn't fit into every organisation's work culture and can't ultimately fix employee burnout Questions/Comments  Your To-Do List: Grab merch, submit Questions & Comments, and make sure that you're the first to know about our In-Person Meetings (events!) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hrbesties.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Follow your Besties across the socials and check out our resumes here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hrbesties.com/about⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Subscribe to the HR Besties Newsletter - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://hr-besties.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We look forward to seeing you in our next meeting - don't worry, we'll have a hard stop! Yours in Business + Bullsh*t,  Leigh, Jamie & Ashley Follow Bestie Leigh! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@hrmanifesto⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/hrmanifesto⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.hrmanifesto.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Bestie Ashley! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@managermethod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/managermethod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyherd/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://managermethod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Bestie Jamie! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.millennialmisery.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Humorous Resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Millennial Misery: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Horrendous HR: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tune in to “HR Besties,” a business, work and management podcast hosted by Leigh Elena Henderson (HRManifesto), Ashley Herd (ManagerMethod) and Jamie Jackson (Humorous_Resources), where we navigate the labyrinth of corporate culture, from cringe corporate speak to toxic leadership. Whether you're in Human Resources or not, corporate or small business, we offer sneak peeks into surviving work, hiring strategies, and making the employee experience better for all. Tune in for real talk on employee engagement, green flags in the workplace, and how to turn red flags into real change. Don't miss our chats about leadership, career coaching, and takes from work travel and watercooler gossip. Get new episodes every Wednesday, follow us on socials for the latest updates, and join us at our virtual happy hours to share your HR stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices