Podcasts about retail distribution

Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society.   In this episode, Justin interviews Marya Propis about her career in retail brokerage, wholesale distribution, and executive leadership. Marya speaks of leaders who influenced her, how her leadership skills have changed in 30 years, and how emotional intelligence guides her as she helps young insurance professionals at RT Specialty. She also shares the importance of physical fitness and self-care in showing up at her best each day. Marya discusses the wholesale Excess and Surplus Lines marketplace in the U.S. She talks about her involvement in industry associations and the enthusiasm she has for helping students and new risk professionals. She shares information about the Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future 2026 Gala, where she will be one of two honorees. She serves as a Director of Distinction, acting as an ambassador for the Spencer Educational Foundation.   Listen for Marya's enthusiastic approach to persuasive leadership.   Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be rejoined by our friend Marya Propis, President of Retail Distribution at RT Specialty and honoree at this year's Spencer's Funding Their Future Gala in New York City on September 17th. There is a lot to catch up on. But first… [:47] RIMS Virtual Workshops. The next RIMS-CRMP-FED Exam Prep with AFERM will be held on June 16th and 17th. The next RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA will be held virtually on July 21st and 22nd. Links to registration are in this episode's notes. [:58] We have a summertime webinar. On July 16th, Zurich will present "Too Hot to Ignore: Heat-Related Injuries and Workers' Compensation." Register at RIMS.org/webinars and via the link in this episode's show notes. [1:13] You can enroll now in the RIMS CRO Certificate Program in Advanced Enterprise Risk Management hosted by the famous James Lam. Beginning July 15th, workshops will be held bi-weekly from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The registration link is in the show notes. [1:34] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. We want to hear from you. Submit a session proposal by June 19th to reach engaged practitioners, innovators, and leaders looking for guidance they can utilize right away. [1:52] Help define what's next for Enterprise Risk Management. Submit a session proposal by Friday, June 19th. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026. [2:02] Folks, through the generosity of its industry partners, RIMS has launched The Foundation for Risk Management™, which provides scholarships for early-career professionals to attend RIMS events like RIMS Texas Regional Conference, RIMS Canada Conference, and RISKWORLD. [2:21] The Foundation also helps beneficiaries earn their RIMS-CRMP and fund research projects. To learn more or contribute to the Foundation, visit RIMS.org/FRM and visit the link in this episode's show notes. [2:36] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:56] On with the Show! Marya Propis is rejoining us on RIMScast. She is the President of Retail Distribution at RT Specialty, and she will be honored this year at the Spencer Funding their Future Gala at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on September 17th. [3:17] We'll learn about Marya's career, her risk management philosophy, how her physical wellness fuels her progress as a risk and insurance professional, and why she feels it is critical to continue her support for women in the profession. We're going to have fun. Let's get to it! [3:39] Interview! Marya Propis, Welcome Back to RIMScast! [3:49] Since the last time Justin and Marya spoke, Marya has joined RT Specialty. She is coming up on her 6th anniversary with RT Specialty. It has been the most enjoyable and successful career chapter she has been fortunate to enjoy. [4:04] Marya says there are so many great things to talk about in terms of what's going on in the marketplace and at RT Specialty and how that pertains to Spencer. [4:20] Marya is President of Retail Distribution. She was promoted to that role several months ago. A dedicated group under her leadership is keeping a finger on the pulse of what's going on in the ultra-dynamic U.S. retail landscape. [4:47] They are always thinking of ways to be more client-centric, partner more fully with their retail clients, and think of all the places that their clients need RT to be as the top wholesale partner in the U.S. [5:08] Marya has six people on her team for a wholesaler that placed $32 billion of premium last year. But, actually, her team is the entirety of all the brokers and underwriters that work for RT Specialty. That's 1,500 people. [5:28] Marya's job is to make the brokers and underwriters who work for the team more successful every day. Her stakeholders are the market-facing, talented brokers and underwriters. They are her team. [5:46] Marya sets best practices and standards around compensation, conferences, and the way they engage. Client-centricity is very important, so Marya extends direction for it. [6:00] Marya explains how leadership style has evolved. In the first half of her career, it was all about command and control, from the top down. Telling everyone what to do has evolved positively. [6:19] Marya prides herself on having very good influence and leadership skills. She says people want to follow her direction. She had to learn a lot to go from telling people what to do to creating a path people want to follow. Being a command-and-control leader doesn't feel good. [7:00] Marya says that when we started talking about emotional intelligence as an important part of leadership, she realized she had it. She just hadn't been using it in any of her management or leadership roles. [7:11] It became more acceptable to use emotional intelligence to get your team aligned and get people thinking around the direction you need to go as a team or a firm. That's been very positive for Marya, but she couldn't flip that switch overnight. [7:30] Marya had to learn a lot to change her leadership style so people want to follow and feel that she is creating the right direction, so they can be more successful, not leading them down a path to doom and demise. [7:52] Marya says that an emphasis on emotional intelligence came hand in hand with the industry starting to pay attention to women in insurance and the lack of representation of female leadership in insurance. [8:09] Marya says that a decade ago the insurance industry started to be deliberate about realizing they didn't have many women in leadership and that there were obstacles in the industry to women being promoted and compensated at the same rate as their male colleagues. [8:31] Emotional intelligence came along with the recognition that women have a distinct and unique skill set. Emotional intelligence is a prevalent part of a woman's skill set. Women bring real value as leaders. The traits that come with that include emotional intelligence. [9:07] Justin says we have such a great group of rising risk professionals, particularly females, in the profession and the RIMScast listenership, so this is a great way to kick off this dialog.  [9:25] Marya says she has worked for a lot of great leaders. She was fortunate to work closely with many executives. You can watch a leader and learn a technique or a trait that you can add to the skill set you already have. Marya says she gets her best material from others. [10:14] Marya says Pat Ryan, who founded RT Specialty, is the absolute Superman of insurance. Any time she hears Pat Ryan talk, she leaves with a gem that she commits to do or think about, going forward. He uses an expression: "Do the right thing, because it's the right thing to do." [10:47] If you use that as a guiding principle for how you set your priorities and make decisions, based on what your retail clients need, then it's very obvious what you need to do. It has become a guiding principle for her in the way she makes decisions every day. [11:47] Marya says her scope of responsibility is just retail clients. Her colleague Leah Ohodnicki oversees carrier management. They talk all the time. There are so many of the same principles that they apply, just to different channels in the marketplace. [12:07] Marya has been a career salesperson. For her whole insurance career, she has sold stuff. She has sold capabilities and products. She sells and represents wholesale brokerage services. [12:27] Marya says no client is like another. You must see every client with fresh, objective eyes. Every client has something unique, or a competitive advantage, or something special about the way they've built their firm. Sometimes you have to look carefully to find it, but it's always there. [13:06] You have to be willing to put yourself in their shoes. How do they see the world? How is that retailer creating visibility and driving success? [13:26] Marya prides herself on being a student of who the retail client is and thinking about how to better frame partnership strategies to work with them as effectively as possible, rather than thinking about herself, RT Specialty, and all the stuff she can throw at any retail client. [13:48] In Marya's mind, the way to do it is to start by asking what they need. Where is the place that they will need RT Specialty to be more successful? Then she constructs an engagement approach around that. That's different from how she thought about it 20 years ago. [14:15] In any industry, Marya doesn't want to be a vendor. She wants to be a partner. There's a big difference in the way you have to think to be a trusted business partner. That's a very important part of Marya's personal and professional philosophy in creating partnerships. [15:13] Marya says she's very committed to the digital distribution model. It's been one of the more exciting and dynamic components of the retail channel. Marya doesn't use AI interchangeably with digital distribution. Digital distribution is where we sell things online. [15:41] Marya says AI is a technology enabler that helps us be more efficient in sales. RT Specialty has an online portal called RT Connector that has been trading E&S Specialty, Micro and Small Commercial P&C products for eight years on the digital distribution platform. [16:09] Marya says there's a newish type of retail agent in the U.S. marketplace called digital agencies. They want to trade as efficiently as possible. They want API connectivity. They're focused on a specific segment and industry, in terms of where they feel they can sell and trade. [16:31] Marya says even the way they acquire leads is very different than a traditional retail model. Marya says we're certainly not going to sell RT the same way to a digital agency as we do to a big Alpha house. They're very different. [16:51] Understand the model. Understand how that retail agent or broker is structured, and meet them where they are. With digital retail agents, it's a completely different type of retail partnership that they can build with them vs. other models they've worked successfully with. [17:18] Marya says our retail clients are always evolving and changing and buying lots of stuff, in mergers and acquisitions. They restructure. How they choose to go to market. How they're winning business. Marya loves all the learning that comes as the market and her clients evolve. [17:45] Marya says they're a wholesaler. Their digital platform will reflect the appetite and eligibility of the technology-enabled carriers that are represented on the RT Specialty platform as trading partners. [18:10] Marya says they have 130 talented binding authority teams across their U.S. platform. They know what their appetite is; they have the binding authority. That's human interaction. [18:28] Marya says RT Specialty mimics that same process with some of the same carrier partners by putting their product-specific appetite on their digital platform. [18:38] The same agent can either go to the RT binding authority underwriter or go through RT Connector. If it fits the appetite of the products on RT Connector, in five minutes, the agent can rate quote, bind, issue, e-deliver policies, surplus lines taxes, and finance premium. [19:02] Marya says she can ask agents how they want to trade the E&S specialty marketplace. There are a lot of paths they can follow that get them to the same place where they win. RT Specialty can put the right resources around that. [19:35] Marya says if a retail client brings a franchise opportunity to RT Specialty, if it's a franchise operation that's insured, RT Specialty will write it. They write lots of them in the U.S. Marya participates in risks her retail clients bring to RT. [19:52] Marya doesn't sell directly to franchises, but RT has a lot of franchises and programs in chains in their book of business. RT has the largest sports and entertainment practice in the wholesale segment in the U.S. It's a tough segment of the marketplace. [20:20] RT Specialty has invested a lot in terms of talent. RT Specialty owns the largest MGU in the marketplace. The sports are professional, amateur, and everything in between. It's a very successful market segment for RT Specialty. [20:41] Marya explains that an MGU is a Managing General Underwriter, which is different from an MGA (a Managing General Agency), which is different from a Program. Marya says this has been one of the fastest-growing segments of the specialty market in the United States. [21:09] Marya says you create a homogeneous appetite for a certain bulk of business, find a carrier partner, set up a Program, and open your storefront and either distribute through retailers or wholesalers. Some are direct-to-insureds [21:30] Managing General Underwriter means that we would create the appetite and the guidelines. Managing General Agent means that the carrier has already defined that, and they're allowing us to put a storefront in front of that. [21:54] That's different from some of the traditional carriers that RT Specialty works with, like Lexington Insurance Company or Westchester Insurance Company. Those are carriers. That is a different solution than when RT Specialty approaches an MGU on behalf of their retail client. [22:18] Marya says anytime you have a lot of people in one place at an event, there are lots of risks associated with that: gun violence, political violence, and means of evacuation response. We have seen that time and again. [22:43] When you have a lot of people congregating for a sporting event, a demonstration, a commemoration, or other event, it's gotten much riskier when you put a lot of humans in one place. That has made that segment of the marketplace much more challenging than ever. [23:10] Marya mentions boxing matches in Vegas or the number of active shooter incidents in Vegas. Marya believes the Excess and Surplus Lines market segment is the permanent home for high-hazard risks in the U.S. It's not an escape valve. [23:42] Marya says that in her lifetime, those types of risks will never swing back to the direct admitted standard carrier side. As a wholesale broker, RT Specialty is looking to partner with carriers that have the right type of appetite to support those risks. [23:59] RT Specialty builds products, so they own MGUs, MGAs, and Programs. They invest and build products when segments of the marketplace become very tough, so they have solutions available through their brokers and underwriters to write any risk in any class of business. [24:19] A Quick Break! There are so many other wonderful RIMS events coming up in 2026. The Annual Florida RIMS Educational Conference will be held from July 28th through August 1st at the lovely Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Florida. A link to the event is in this episode's show notes. [24:37] Register now for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. [24:48] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026, in Chicago. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [24:59] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. Registration is open, and you can also submit a session. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [25:16] Save the dates October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are already open. Earlybird registration is open now. [25:31] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [25:45] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. The deadline for educational content submissions is Friday, June 19th. Get submissions in now. The link is in this episode's show notes. Registration opens in July. [26:08] Let's Return to Our Interview with Marya Propis! [26:32] Justin asks about Marya incorporating workouts into her life so she can perform better as a risk and insurance professional. Justin also feels that he has missed out if he has not exercised or worked out for a certain time each week. [27:03] Mary has 35 years in the business. She travels every week. She flies a lot. She is very focused on her wellness routine. She has been an athlete her whole life, so working out is important to her. So is self-care. [27:34] Having gone through menopause and figuring out what was going sideways, physically and mentally, Marya feels good about where she is today, in her commitment to herself, supplements she takes, and understanding healthy brain function and the effects of hormones. [28:09] Marya says we know hormones have a significant impact on our ability to function, both for men and women. Marya says her lifestyle is not perfect. She eats at restaurants 80% of the time, and entertaining clients involves alcohol. [28:40] Marya loves the relationship-building, social, and personal connection side of the business. She's not going to skip drinks or dinner with anyone. But it's a place where there can be a lot of pitfalls. She doesn't subscribe to an austerity lifestyle. But she has to pick her spots, now. [29:10] Marya says she can't be dragging on Thursday morning. She still has two big days ahead of her to deliver. Marya talks about sleep quality, not just how much you get, which gets tough when you're sleeping in different hotel rooms. [29:35] Marya says, This is the way it is with the career I have chosen, and I love. She has to be much more deliberate and mindful and remind herself that in June, she is traveling 18 days. On the days she's not traveling, she knows what to do for working out and for her wellness routine. [30:24] Marya says she is open and willing to learn. She is open to trying and learning new things. She believes in supplements and vitamins. She takes different ones now than she would have taken a decade ago. You have to be a student of that, like everything else in life. [30:43] Marya says The second you start to lose the desire to learn, what's next? It's not really fun when people's mindsets change. [30:54] Marya has been a Yoga practitioner for 30 years. She does Power Vinyasa in an infrared studio. Marya says the benefits of infrared are scientifically not debatable. She says infrared is great for joints, skin, and healthy brain functioning. It amped up her Yoga routine. [31:15] Marya does TRX bodyweight exercises. Most of the hotel gyms today have a TRX setup. She loves that, since she spends a lot of time in hotels and hotel gyms. Marya does circuit training. She works with heavy weights three times a week to maintain skeletal strength. [31:53] Marya says it sounds like a lot. As an athlete, when you have to perform and deliver, it's part of the way you have to think. It's how Marya thinks. She has to show up and be her best self when she's representing RT Specialty in the marketplace. [32:14] Marya has a lot of people relying on her to be crisp and present with a great level of energy. You can't do that if you're dragging all the time. [32:40] Marya grew up in Buffalo, New York, so she's a skier. It was the first sport for her family. She played tennis in high school and college. She ran track as a sprinter. Her favorite sport is Yoga. A couple of genres of Yoga have world competitions. Mary likes vigorous, athletic Yoga. [33:34] Another Quick Break! The Spencer Educational Foundation's Risk Manager on Campus application period is now open, and it will close on June 30th. Grant awardees, colleges, and universities are typically notified in September. [34:05] General Grant applications are open, and the application deadline is July 30th. Internship Grant applications open on August 15th and close on October 15th. [34:16] Links to each of these grants are in this episode's show notes. Visit SpencerEd.org for more information. [34:24] Let's Conclude Our Interview with One of the Two Honorees of the Spencer Educational Foundation's Funding Their Future Gala 2026, Marya Propis! [34:48] Justin asks about associations Marya is plugged into that support empowering women in the risk and insurance industry, such as APIW and WISE. [35:01] Marya represents RT Specialty on two boards. One is CIAB (The Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers), an international organization known for its regulatory and lobbying efforts. [35:25] Marya spent a week in London last month with CIAB. There is so much going on in the London marketplace. That has been a lot of fun and a place to continue to learn. [34:47] The second board is WSIA (Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association), representing the wholesale specialty segment. There are specialty markets around the world, but the E&S lines market segment only exists in the United States. WSIA is a wonderful organization. [36:14] Marya says that what's great about both CIAB and WSIA is what they do to support young and developing insurance and risk management professionals. It's consistent with and complementary to the work, scope, and mission of the Spencer Educational Foundation. [36:32] Marya loves the way all of that comes together. Marya has been in the space developing, recruiting, and supporting emerging leaders and talent in the insurance and risk management marketplace for a long time. It's a space she loves to be in. [35:56] It all comes together nicely with Marya's board service and her commitments to foundations and causes. [37:10] Justin says the Spencer Funding Their Future Gala will be on Thursday, September 17th, at the world-famous Waldorf Astoria. Marya is one of the two honorees this year. Justin asks what this honor means to Marya. [37:35] Marya can't remember a time when she looked forward to something so much. First, she was surprised, and she feels really humbled. Marya had been a Spencer Board member and Chair of the Board, thinking about whom they would honor, every year for a decade. [38:05] It's really humbling to be considered, let alone this year, going back to the Waldorf Astoria. Marya remembers the Spencer Gala there, at which she spoke as Chair of the Fundraising Committee. [38:22] Marya just about passed out before going on stage, as she had never talked before so many people. She was hyperventilating. She didn't fall off the stage. She enjoyed herself a little bit. The Waldorf Astoria is one of the most storied hotels in the history of New York City. [39:06] Marya says Sierra Signorelli is the other honoree for the Gala. Sierra and Marya worked together early in their careers at AIG. They got a significant start to their careers then. They've known each other for a long time. Marya praises Sierra and is so happy to be doing this with her. [39:32] Justin notes that Sierra is the Zurich U.S. CEO and the Zurich Commercial Insurance CEO. Those are not easy titles to achieve. Zurich is a global insurance carrier. Marya admires Sierra's career trajectory and the leadership influence she has had on so many. [39:51] This is the first time there have been two female honorees in the history of the Spencer Gala. Marya says sharing that honor with Sierra, someone she knows, trusts, and respects so highly, makes it even more special and a night to look forward to. She can't wait! [40:17] Marya is now a Director of Distinction on the Spencer Board. Her RT Specialty colleague, Michael VanAcker, is on the Spencer Board today. Marya mentions that Pat Ryan was honored by Spencer at one of the first Galas. Tim Turner, RT Specialty CEO, introduced Pat that year. [40:53] RT Specialty has had a seat on the Spencer Board for years. Marya is a Director of Distinction as she is a former Board Chair. They ask her to be an advocate where Megan Miller needs her, and to be conversant on where Spencer continues to support and drive results. [41:18] Marya stays in touch and makes sure she knows what is going on with the programs and schools they are partnering with. Her role is to be informed, be an ambassador, and jump in at any place that Megan and the Spencer team would need her to influence, help, and support. [41:41] Marya spoke at the E&S Insurer conference. At the end of the conference, she brought Megan Miller in and introduced her to the writers' folks and asked if they could get a five-minute spotlight on Spencer next year. That is an example of where Marya can try to help. [42:15] Marya says Spencer scholars are so excited about their insurance career. There is nothing more infectious than their enthusiasm for the career path they have chosen. To talk to a young person who has their whole life in front of them is super energizing for Marya. [42:57] Marya says that when a young person wants to talk to her and spend time with her, she thinks it is great. Enthusiasm is infectious. [43:05] At the end of the day, Marya wants to leave the insurance industry in a much better place than it was when she came into the business. Spending time with young people who will be the leaders of our industry in the future, there's no better feeling. [43:30] Marya says that anything she can do to have influence, set an example, or help them think through something helps her to continue to feel wildly enthusiastic about her career. She loves when she gets to spend time with the young brokers and underwriters at RT Specialty. [43:52] Justin says that the scholarship recipients he has seen on stage at the Gala have been so impressive. They're in school, and they're so involved. They're a shining example of what we want the future of this profession to be. [44:10] Marya says that there was no way, when she was 22 years old, that she could have gotten up in front of a room of 800 people in her profession and spoken like that. She would never have been able to do that. Their ability to get up in front of that audience and talk is huge! [44:37] Marya is impressed by what they talk about, in terms of their careers, and what they've learned. [44:42] Marya is delighted that Spencer has basically kept the Gala format consistent. The focus is on the students and the benefits that Spencer funding drives for the industry. [44:56] It's a place where you can see real impact on real lives because of the fundraising dollars that the risk management and insurance industry has stepped up and invested. That's the focus. Then they have dinner. There are two honorees, and they wrap it up. [45:12] Marya loves that they have never complicated the program for Gala. It has kept the focus in the right place, which is what they are doing to fund the future leaders of the insurance and risk management industry. She's excited to meet the Spencer scholars who will speak at the Gala. [45:35] Marya says that lots of times the speakers bring their families. She says her Mom and Dad will be there. That will round out what's going to be a terrific and exciting evening. [45:47] Jason says, We look forward to seeing you there on September 17th at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Marya will be there with her old friend Sierra Signorelli. It's going to be a fantastic, tremendous time! The link to the Funding Their Future Gala is in this episode's notes. [46:08] Marya, we're very happy for you. Congratulations again! I can't wait to see you again in September. Marya looks forward to seeing Justin again and the team from RIMS, another long-standing, awesome, successful partnership between Spencer and RIMS. [46:27] Special thanks again to Marya Propis for rejoining us here on RIMScast! We congratulate her again in advance of her receiving the honor at the Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala, which will be held on September 17th at the Waldorf Astoria in NYC. [46:47] Visit SpencerEd.org for more information and to purchase your ticket and for sponsorship opportunities. Join us next week, as we will be joined by Spencer Board Chair Johnell Holley. We will learn all about his career journey and risk philosophies. [47:03] Plug Time! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. Links to sponsored episodes are in the show notes. [47:32] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! Contact pd@rims.org for more information. [47:50] Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [48:08] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [48:24] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [48:37] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [48:49] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support!   Links: Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala | Sept. 17, 2026 RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Session Submission Deadline: Friday, June 19 RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Advance Registration Open | Sponsorship Opportunities Available RIMScast on YouTube! 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In this episode of The Rainmaker Podcast, Gui Costin sits down with Keith VanOrden, Head of Retail Distribution for North America at TCW. Keith brings nearly 30 years of experience building and leading sales teams, including more than 13 years at BlackRock, most recently as the national sales manager for iShares, and earlier roles at Delaware Investments, Fidelity, and Putnam, where he started his career in Boston.The conversation opens with Keith's origin story growing up in Philadelphia, attending Syracuse where he met his wife Toby, and his early internship at Smith Barney that pointed him toward distribution. He shares how a literal steno notebook, started during his wholesaling years, became the blueprint for his approach to leadership. Tracking nine different sales managers across six years, he identified the two traits that mattered most: trust and having walked in the team's shoes.When Keith joined TCW three years ago, the firm had great active fixed income, concentrated equity portfolios, and a strong legacy in private credit and asset-backed finance but no retail sales team. He built one from scratch, drawing on the notes and patterns he'd been collecting for decades. Today the team includes 15 internals, 14 in the wirehouse and independent channels, 9 in RIA, and a wealth portfolio consulting team built around white-glove service.Keith and Gui dig into the channelization debate, agreeing that the right answer depends on team size, product breadth, and where revenue actually lives. They unpack TCW's sales process anchored in Sequoia training, transparent alignment between salesperson, client, and firm interests, and a disciplined follow-up cadence. They also break down CRM as the lifeblood of distribution, with Salesforce, voice-to-text dictation, automatic internal follow-ups, and 100% adoption. Keith shares a study that overturns the old 4–6 touchpoints-per-year rule the real number is 8–12 and explains why digital engagement signals have to feed into the CRM to capture the full picture of an account.On communication, Keith emphasizes Team chats over email, including channels he doesn't even know about, which he sees as a healthy sign. He runs annual "retirement parties" for bad ideas and standing meetings that have outlived their usefulness. Gui shares Dakota's check-in cadence short, momentum-driven, never about performing for the boss.Keith reflects on managing up after 14 years with the same boss, emphasizing that he never coasts on the relationship. He describes his leadership style as servant leadership and tells the Ed Harris / Gulf and Western story every time Harris got a big job, he asked his team what they needed to succeed, and then he gave it to them. Keith looks for four traits in salespeople: natural curiosity, work ethic, a development mindset, and genuine love for the business.He closes on his biggest challenge: knowing when to pivot versus when to stick with what's working. Sometimes the highest-leverage move is to keep doing exactly what's working and trust the discipline.Tired of chasing outdated leads? Book a demo to see how Dakota Marketplace simplifies your fundraising process with accurate, up-to-date investor data. 

In this season of Your Next Move, we're bringing you conversations with founders from the 2025 Inc. 5000 list, recorded at our Your Next Move booth at the Inc. 5000 Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, where entrepreneurs share what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain a growing business. In this episode, Inc. staff reporter Ali Donaldson speaks with JD Hayes, co-founder of Legacy Retail Solutions, a Bentonville-based company that helps CPG brands land and scale inside the world's largest retailers. Ranked number 899 on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list, Legacy has improved its ranking three years in a row — a rare feat in today's retail landscape.

Graham Rigby is the President and CEO of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the leading trade association for the herbal products industry. With 20 years of experience across startups and industry leadership—including serving as Chief Innovation Officer at Care/of—Graham has helped shape how modern supplement brands navigate regulation, formulation, and go-to-market strategy.In this episode of DTC Pod, Graham shares what it actually takes to launch and scale a supplement brand without getting burned by regulators. He breaks down exactly where the line is between claims that sell and claims that get you in trouble, why so many founders get blindsided by FDA and FTC enforcement, and how to work with contract manufacturers when you're just starting out. Graham also gets into the real opportunity in supplements right now—why clinical trials cost 90% less than they did two decades ago, how AI is changing the formulation game, and why a $70 billion market growing at 6.5% still has plenty of room for new entrants. Plus, his take on the brands that are doing it right, from AG1 to Ritual, and what founders can learn from their playbooks.Episode brought to you by StordInteract with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. The evolution and growth of the herbal supplement industry2. Key regulatory milestones: DSHEA, GMPs, and FDA compliance for supplements3. What founders must do to stay compliant when launching a supplement brand4. The distinction between pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and nutraceuticals5. Marketing, claims, and the importance of substantiation6. Emerging opportunities with clinical trials and claim innovation7. DTC, Amazon, TikTok, and brick-and-mortar distribution channels for wellness brands8. The practicalities and risks of supplement retail (and when to scale beyond DTC)9. Practitioner and non-traditional channels for supplement sales10. How Ingredient AI, Infinite Garden, and other platforms are applying AI to supplements11. Content creators, credentialed doctors, and the new face of trusted health advice12. The role of diagnostics, wearables, and personalization in driving supplement trends13. Growth outlook: Why the supplement market is just getting startedTimestamps00:00 Intro to DTC POD and Graham Rigby02:25 20 years of supplements: Startup vs. regulatory side03:00 The exponential growth of the herbal products market04:44 Regulatory basics: DSHEA, FDA oversight, and GMPs explained07:14 How AHPA helps brands navigate compliance and education08:03 Launching a supplement brand: Key compliance steps and best practices10:00 FDA's post-market regulatory process and founder responsibilities13:04 Supplements vs. pharmaceuticals: Safety, claims, and approvals17:32 Telling stories and using clinical research for marketing claims20:00 What marketers can and cannot say: Health vs. disease claims22:04 Substantiating claims and the importance of compliance for growth24:31 Label vs. online claims: How rules apply to different channels27:02 DTC vs. Amazon, TikTok, and expanding to retail and practitioner channels30:19 The risks and rewards of brick-and-mortar expansion35:14 AI and technology's role in supplement industry efficiency and safety40:47 The rise of content creators and doctors shaping supplement education46:34 Diagnostics, wearables, and the future of personalized wellness51:13 Supplement industry outlook and advice for emerging brands52:25 How to connect with Graham and AHPA, and upcoming founder programsShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokGraham Rigby - President & CEO of American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Martin Forde is the co-founder and partner at Highline Brands, a retail brokerage built for modern CPG and emerging brands. As the first sales hire at Dr. Squatch, he helped lead the brand's Walmart launch—which did over $50M in year one and set the foundation for a $1.5B exit to Unilever.In this episode of DTC Pod, Martin shares the full playbook for making the leap from DTC to retail. He breaks down how to evaluate which channels make sense, what buyers actually care about (hint: it's not your brand), how to pitch them, and how to choose the right brokerage partner. He also gets into the operational side: how deals are structured, why retail timelines take longer than most founders expect, and what actually drives velocity on shelf.Episode brought to you by StordInteract with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. When to consider retail (and when you're not ready)2. Independent retail vs. major retailers: where to start3. The old DTC-first playbook vs. the new hybrid approach4. Understanding your consumer and choosing the right retailer5. What buyers actually care about (hint: category growth, not your brand)6. Three ways to reach buyers: cold outreach, inbound, or through a broker7. Why and when to say no to a retailer8. How brokers work: deal structures, retainers vs. commission, red flags9. The 9-12 month timeline from first conversation to shelf10. Merchandising and digital tactics that drive velocity on shelfTimestamps00:00 Martin Forde's background and experience in CPG03:14 Launching and scaling brands into retail04:20 Key lessons from Dr. Squatch retail rollout07:30 Dr. Squatch's early days and pent-up retail demand09:39 Defining “why retail” and evaluating retail opportunities10:38 Understanding independent retail channels and platforms15:14 Retail supply chain basics: MOQs, case packs, and 3PLs17:46 Testing and iterating supply chain through small-scale channels18:56 Leveraging online marketplaces (Faire, Thrive, Bubble)23:33 Deciding when to break into retail; timing and strategy24:44 Comparing DTC-first and direct-to-retail playbooks29:28 Raising capital, prepping for retail, and first retail sale process30:57 How to approach retail buyers and pitch34:03 Different ways to reach retail buyers: direct outreach, inbound, brokerages39:51 Working with brokers: models, deal structures, and choosing a partner50:29 Preparing retail pitch materials and buyer presentations51:39 Identifying category white space and incremental value54:53 Merchandising and digital tactics for retail success57:06 Where to connect with Martin Forde and closing thoughtsShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokMartin Forde - Co-Founder of Highline BrandsBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

In this episode, Michael Raynor — author of The Strategy Paradox and co-author with Clayton Christensen of The Innovator's Solution — joins Aidan McCullen to explore why most strategies fail and how leaders can fix them. From the RAP (Resource Allocation Process) model to the real-world case of BCE's diversification journey, Raynor unpacks how strategy is shaped by resource allocation, risk, and CEO intervention. Learn how top leaders can navigate uncertainty, overcome divisional barriers, and unlock strategic synergies.

Natan Bershtel is the Director of Business Development at Pelagic, a fractional supply chain partner for growing brands and CPG companies. Before Pelagic, Natan spent nearly 20 years as a public school teacher before joining and eventually running his family's contract packaging business—where he worked with iconic names like Seed, Liquid IV, Celsius, and Element. After his company's exit, Natan teamed up with John Morgan to help brands avoid common operational pitfalls and build supply chains that scale.In this episode of DTC Pod, Natan breaks down what it takes to build a resilient supply chain at every stage of brand growth. He shares practical strategies to avoid common pitfalls, tips on sourcing the right partners, and insights on how successful brands approach manufacturing, fulfillment, and logistics. Natan also highlights why supply chain is core to a brand's success and how founders can create real competitive advantages by making supply chain decisions based on quality, relationships, and flexibility.Episode brought to you by StordInteract with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Importance of supply chain in DTC and omnichannel brands2. Key players: sourcing, manufacturing, co-packers, 3PLs, and fulfillment3. Differences in supply chain needs for emerging vs. established brands4. Supply chain pitfalls and how to avoid them5. Vetting, relationship-building, and collaboration with your supply chain partners6. Overlooked areas of supply chain where founders lose time/money7. How to approach minimum order quantities and negotiations8. When to outsource fulfillment vs. doing it yourself9. Logistics of manufacturing, packaging, and distribution10. The impact of scale on supply chain decisions11. Using data and timelines to make faster, smarter choices12. Leveraging agency and partner networks for supply chain speed13. Why in-person vendor relationships are crucial14. How truly great supply chains build brand moatsTimestamps00:00 Intro and the state of supply chain in DTC01:40 Natan Bershtel's background and path to Pelagic02:24 Lessons from growing a contract packaging family business04:11 Why supply chain is the backbone of every brand05:28 The role of execution vs. creative vision in CPG07:09 How to find and vet the best manufacturing/packaging partners11:15 The agency advantage: getting reps and sharing supply chain intel12:41 Core players in bringing a product to market15:04 Aligning supply chain strategy with brand vision and goals16:56 Two playbooks for scaling: bootstrap profit vs. capital-intensive growth19:48 Timelines—how to ask supply partners the right questions21:41 How and when to ask for what you need from partners26:32 End-to-end product launch: manufacturing, packaging, and fulfillment28:42 When to move fulfillment to a 3PL (and when to keep it in-house)33:15 Tech and process innovation at leading 3PLs35:14 Strategic decisions: packaging, location, and unit economics38:58 Challenging assumptions and reviewing supply chain regularly42:08 Supply chain as brand moat and advantage44:13 Final tips: Always go in-person and build real relationshipsShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokNatan Bershtel - Director of Business Development at PelagicBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

In this episode of the Scaling Japan Podcast, we welcome Bela Schweiger, President and CEO of Enter Japan K.K. Bela brings over 20 years of leadership experience at global firms including The Coca-Cola Company, Nokia, Häagen-Dazs, and L'Oréal.Bela shares essential insights on how retail distribution works in Japan, including the roles of trading houses, drugstores, convenience stores, and corporate buyers. He also provides practical strategies for handling Japanese distributor inquiries and how to pitch your brand effectively in a market known for its high standards and relationship-driven business culture.If you're aiming to launch or expand your consumer product in Japan, this episode is a must-listen for learning how to enter and grow in Japan's highly structured retail landscape.---AIM B2B – Integrated Marketing & PR in AsiaThis episode is sponsored by Custom Media, Tokyo's leading integrated marketing and PR agency since 2008, helping global brands expand across Japan and APAC.They can help you with:Localized storytelling to build trust in Asian marketsStrategic performance marketing for measurable growthAccount‑based marketing (ABM), paid media, GEO, and SEOHubSpot‑certified CRM & marketing automationData‑driven implementation with cultural expertiseLearn more about AIM B2BShow Notes:0:00 – Introduction1:11 – Overview of Retail Distribution in Japan8:03 – Major Beverage Brands of Japan15:35 – Role of Trading Houses (Sogo Shosha)26:01 – How to Handle Inquiries and Leads from Japanese Distributors33:57 – Comparing Corporate vs. Small Retail Partners37:18 – Growth of Drug Stores and Convenience Stores as Retail Channels40:21 – How to Localize Marketing for Japanese Consumers44:01 – Tips on How to Pitch Your Brand in Japan49:14 – Key Takeaways from Bela SchweigerLinks from Guest Appearance:

Russell Breuer, founder of Spot & Tango, shares the remarkable journey of building a $100+ million pet food company from a New York studio apartment in just seven years. What makes this story even more impressive? They've remained profitable while operating as a subscription-only, direct-to-consumer brand in the competitive pet food space. Russell reveals the strategic decisions that set them apart—from their innovative "Unkibble" fresh-dry process to building their own 70,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania. This conversation is packed with actionable insights on vertical integration, subscription model optimization, and performance marketing excellence.This episode is essential listening for any D2C founder looking to build sustainable, profitable growth while maintaining premium positioning in their market.—Sponsored by OMG Commerce - go to (https://www.omgcommerce.com/contact) and request your FREE strategy session today!—Chapters: (00:00) Introducing Spot & Tango: The Value Proposition of Fresh Pet Food(06:15) The Importance of Vertical Integration(11:56) Subscription-Only Model: A Strategic Choice(15:52) Key Lessons for Increasing Conversion Rates(19:03) The Role of Education in Customer Engagement & Relationships(23:09) Understanding Return on Invested Capital(28:58) Growth Levers & Marketing Strategies(32:29) The Role of AI in Performance Marketing(35:05) What's Next for Spot & Tango—Connect With Brett: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebrettcurry/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@omgcommerce Website: https://www.omgcommerce.com/ Relevant Links:Russell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-breuer-0b3b57Spot & Tango Website: https://spotandtango.com/_Past guests on eCommerce Evolution include Ezra Firestone, Steve Chou, Drew Sanocki, Jacques Spitzer, Jeremy Horowitz, Ryan Moran, Sean Frank, Andrew Youderian, Ryan McKenzie, Joseph Wilkins, Cody Wittick, Miki Agrawal, Justin Brooke, Nish Samantray, Kurt Elster, John Parkes, Chris Mercer, Rabah Rahil, Bear Handlon, JC Hite, Frederick Vallaeys, Preston Rutherford, Anthony Mink, Bill D'Allessandro, Jeff Oxford, Bryan Porter and more

Mariah Parsons hosts the "Retention Chronicles" podcast, sponsored by Malomo, a shipping update platform praised by Alicia, founder of Midstoppers. Guest Kate Kasch discusses her career in the food industry, from Wrigley to Mars Inc, and her transition to scaling brands like Good Pop and Muddy Bites. Kate highlights the challenges of translating consumer interest into retail distribution, emphasizing the importance of social media presence and retailer relationships. She shares a successful campaign by Good Pop, the "Good Pop Hotline," and discusses the significance of authenticity and consumer engagement in retention strategies.Episode Timestamps:Kate's Career Journey 3:22Kate shares her 20-year career in the food space, starting from her first job out of college with Wrigley.She describes her experience working for Mars Inc, including roles in logistics, sales, analytics, and marketing.Kate talks about her midlife career change, leaving Mars Inc to join a small, scaling brand, Good Pop.She highlights her role in scaling Good Pop and the challenges of competing with established brands.Introduction to Muddy Bites 7:06Kate explains her recent move to Muddy Bites, a brand focused on bringing fun and joy back to snacking and cookies.She describes Muddy Bites as a 3D cookie inspired by the best part of an ice cream cone.Kate shares the brand's history and the founders' vision of creating a unique, shelf-stable cookie.Mariah expresses her excitement about trying Muddy Bites and shares her personal experience with the product.Challenges of Scaling a Brand 9:48Kate discusses the differences between working at a large global brand and a small emerging brand.She highlights the challenges of translating consumer interest into retail shelf space.Kate shares the story of Muddy Bites' Kickstarter launch and the difficulty of securing retail distribution.She emphasizes the importance of building consumer demand and marketing efforts to prove the brand's value to retailers.Retail Distribution and Consumer Acquisition 12:52Mariah and Kate discuss the challenges of acquiring retail distribution and the role of social media in consumer acquisition.Kate shares examples of successful campaigns, including Good Pop's "Good Pop Hotline" and Disney's emotional advertising.They talk about the importance of virality and social media presence in attracting retail buyers.Kate explains the need for a strong social media presence to create brand love and drive retail sales.Retention Strategies for DTC and Retail 25:53Kate outlines the tactics for retaining consumers in DTC and retail channels.She emphasizes the importance of timely reminders, reviews, and discounts in DTC retention.Kate discusses the role of in-store promotions, shelf availability, and retailer relationships in retail retention.She highlights the need for a captive audience and effective communication with retailers to drive sales.Authenticity and Consumer Connection 30:11Kate and Mariah discuss the importance of authenticity and emotional connection in branding.Kate shares examples of how large brands leverage their history and family roots to create authenticity.They talk about the role of founder stories and consumer involvement in building brand loyalty.Kate emphasizes the need for small brands to create a sense of community and ownership among their consumers.Conclusion and Future Collaboration 35:03Mariah thanks Kate for sharing her insights and experiences on the podcast.They discuss the potential for future collaborations and additional episodes.Mariah encourages listeners to subscribe, follow the podcast on social media, and suggest future guests.The episode concludes with a shout-out to the podcast sponsor, Malomo, and its benefits for Shopify brands.

Chris Koch is the founder and CEO of VO/D, a venture studio that partners with massive talent celebrities to build enduring CPG brands across DTC, e-commerce, and retail. With a background in sports, investment banking, and talent management, Chris brings deep experience in identifying consumer needs, pairing them with the right creators, and executing product-first brand launches.In this episode of DTC Pod, Chris walks through Void's venture model, emphasizing the importance of strong products over mere celebrity endorsement. He shares the inside story of 1Up Candy's rapid national retail rollout and outlines key frameworks for structuring talent partnerships, screening for true product-market fit, and ensuring long-term profitability in the saturated creator-led brand space.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. VO/D's Venture Studio Model  2. Partnering with Celebrities and Creators  3. Product-First Versus Talent-First Approach  4. Identifying Consumer Problems 5. Selecting The Right Talent  6. Talent as a Marketing Utility  7. Challenges in Sourcing and Engaging Talent  8. Social Following vs Purchase Influence  9. Structuring Talent Partnerships  10. Brand Launch Funding and Operations  11. 1Up Candy Launch Story  12. Retail Distribution Partnerships  13. Inventory Financing and Cash Flow  14. Creator-Led Marketing Strategies  15. Legal and Contractual Safeguards  16. Tips for Talent-Led Brands  17. VO/D's Future Direction Timestamps00:00 Chris's background & intro to VO/D03:35 Why Void is product-first, not just talent-powered05:04 An inside look at VO/D's venture studio model06:55 Talent as a utility & making brands that stand alone10:31 Challenges matching creators to authentic product opportunities11:28 Assessing conversion, reach, and fit in creator partners13:40 How 1Up Candy with FaZe Rug came together17:31 Disrupting candy with innovation and viral challenges20:33 Breaking into 4,000 Walmart stores & key retail strategy23:30 Operational realities of scaling fast (financing, supply chain, DTC vs. retail)29:18 How to structure talent deals: equity, vesting, and incentives35:17 Red flags and protective provisions in creator agreements40:08 What's next for VO/D: new categories, creator partners, and acquisition opportunitiesShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokChris Koch - Founder of VO/DBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Welcome back to the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.Today's episode is with someone who is an expert on the RIA market and the wealth management business model.We talk with Karl Heckenberg, the President & Managing Partner of Constellation Wealth Capital, an investment firm that recently closed on a $1B debut fund dedicated to providing differentiated, long-term capital solutions to well-positioned independent wealth management firms in the $8T and growing wealth management sector.Karl's deep experience in wealth management as both an investor, from his time as the CEO of Emigrant Partners and its affiliated company, Fiduciary Network, and time on the advisor side at Merrill Lynch, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Wells Fargo, and Charles Schwab, puts him in a position to understand the inner workings of wealth management businesses. He's also sat on the boards of Sarasota Private Trust Company, New York Private Trust Company, and Cleveland Private Trust Company, and is currently on the board at Alternative Fund Advisors.CWC has made investments into some of the industry's leading wealth management firms, including AlTi Global, Cresset Partners, AlphaCore, Lido, and others.Karl and I had a fascinating conversation about the evolution of the wealth management industry and why it's become such an attractive investment opportunity. We discussed: The intricacies of business growth and serving clients.Why private markets are such a critical component to differentiating a wealth management firm.Why we'll see a $1T independent wealth management business in the coming years.The parallels between the business evolution of alternative asset managers and wealth managers.Thanks Karl for coming on the show to share your wisdom and expertise at the intersection of wealth management and private markets.Subscribe to Alt Goes Mainstream to receive the weekly newsletter every Sunday and all of AGM's podcasts.A word from AGM podcast sponsor, Ultimus Fund SolutionsThis episode of Alt Goes Mainstream is brought to you by Ultimus Fund Solutions, a leading full-service fund administrator for asset managers in private and public markets. As private markets continue to move into the mainstream, the industry requires infrastructure solutions that help funds and investors keep pace. In an increasingly sophisticated financial marketplace, investment managers must navigate a growing array of challenges: elaborate fund structures, specialized strategies, evolving compliance requirements, a growing need for sophisticated reporting, and intensifying demands for transparency.To assist with these challenging opportunities, more and more fund sponsors and asset managers are turning to Ultimus, a leading service provider that blends high tech and high touch in unique and customized fund administration and middle office solutions for a diverse and growing universe of over 450 clients and 1,800 funds, representing $500 billion assets under administration, all handled by a team of over 1,000 professionals. Ultimus offers a wide range of capabilities across registered funds, private funds and public plans, as well as outsourced middle office services. Delivering operational excellence, Ultimus helps firms manage the ever-changing regulatory environment while meeting the needs of their institutional and retail investors. Ultimus provides comprehensive operational support and fund governance services to help managers successfully launch retail alternative products.Visit www.ultimusfundsolutions.com to learn more about Ultimus' technology enhanced services and solutions or contact Ultimus Executive Vice President of Business Development Gary Harris on email at gharris@ultimusfundsolutions.com.We thank Ultimus for their support of alts going mainstream.Show Notes00:00 Introduction to our Sponsor, Ultimus Fund Solutions01:18 Podcast Opening Theme01:57 Introduction to Today's Guest: Karl Heckenberg03:57 Karl Heckenberg's Background and Career Journey06:10 Early Days of Wealth Management07:41 Post-GFC Evolution of RIAs08:59 Understanding the Independent Wealth Management Space10:15 Growth and Scale in Wealth Management12:17 Challenges and Opportunities in Wealth Management15:02 Importance of Client Experience19:34 Investment Strategies in Wealth Management20:07 Ownership and Equity Distribution20:54 Minority vs. Control Investments23:08 M&A in Wealth Management23:23 High-Quality Firms and Client Experience23:59 Capital Needs and Growth24:55 Advisory Services and Value Addition25:32 Comparisons with GP Stakes27:39 Durability and Resilience of Wealth Management Firms29:08 Exit Strategies and Public Market Potential29:40 Valuations and Capital Providers31:46 Future of Public Market Exits34:24 Compounding Growth and Returns35:05 Distribution and Liquidity35:34 Investment Grade Assets and Equity Returns35:47 Answering Key Investment Questions36:38 Investor Concerns and Market Dynamics36:59 Investment Buckets and Flexibility37:25 Private Wealth vs Institutional Investors38:02 Network Effects and Synergies38:27 Hesitations and Value Add of Constellation39:13 Collaborative Best Practices39:43 LP Side and Fundraising Timing40:08 Understanding the Wealth Channel40:24 Retail Distribution and Success Strategies41:05 Product Structuring and Client Diversification41:19 Impact of Technology on Wealth Management42:26 Importance of Private Markets Knowledge43:44 Diversification and Institutional Approach44:52 Challenges and Opportunities in Private Markets46:20 Advisors' Education and Differentiation48:26 Balancing Customization and Scalability49:32 Operational Efficiency and Retail Products51:16 Listening to Wealth Channel Needs51:30 Yield-Oriented Products and Diversification53:28 Educational Resources and Client Engagement54:14 Growth of Wealth Channel and Private Equity55:50 Consolidation and Future of Wealth Space58:35 Succession Planning and Client Experience01:04:37 Future of Wealth Management and Private Markets01:06:05 Closing Thoughts and Future Predictions Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant.

Mariah Parsons hosts a Retention Chronicles episode with Mara Smith, the founder and CEO of Inspiro Tequila. Mara shares her journey from a corporate lawyer to founding Inspiro Tequila in February 2020, highlighting the challenges of balancing work and life, especially during the pandemic. She discusses the inspiration behind the brand, focusing on female consumers and creating a clean, additive-free tequila. Mara emphasizes the importance of representation and intentionality in funding women-owned businesses. She also explains distribution strategies, customer retention challenges, and the significance of events and community engagement in building brand awareness. Looking ahead, Mara is excited about launching in California and personal milestones in 2025.Episode Timestamps: 2:31 Challenges and Surprises in Founding Inspiro Tequila Mara talks about the unexpected workload and lack of work-life balance in founding a company. Mariah recalls meeting Mara at a female founders collective event and highlights the benefits of smaller, intimate events. Mara emphasizes the importance of engaging, smaller events for networking and building relationships. Mariah and Mara discuss the significance of female purchasing power and the challenges women face in getting funding for their businesses. 4:56 Consumer-Centric Approach and Market Opportunities Mara explains her motivation for starting Inspiro Tequila, focusing on the female consumer and the lack of representation in the tequila market. Mara highlights the importance of creating a clean, additive-free tequila that resonates with discerning female consumers. Mariah and Mara discuss the potential of using Inspiro Tequila's branding for home decor and the importance of packaging in consumer perception. Mara shares insights on the buying power of households and the need for representation on store shelves for diverse consumers. 9:06 Navigating the World of Venture Capital and Investing Mara discusses the challenges women face in getting funding and the importance of having women in investment decision-making roles. Mara emphasizes the need for intentionality in supporting women-owned businesses and the role of women investors in growing the ecosystem. Mariah and Mara talk about the barriers women face in investing and the importance of education and opportunities for women to learn about investing. Mara highlights the need for more women to invest at all levels, including in bonds and securities, to grow their wealth. 20:42 Manufacturing and Production Challenges Mara shares her research process for finding the right distillery and master distiller for Inspiro Tequila. Mara discusses the importance of understanding the regulations and production methods in the spirits industry. Mara talks about the challenges of starting a new venture and the need for extensive research and legwork. Mara emphasizes the importance of building a community and network of support, especially for female founders. 27:00 Distribution and Retail Strategy Mara explains the three-tier distribution system in the alcohol industry and the importance of having distributor partners. Mara discusses the different marketing strategies for off-premise and on-premise accounts and the need for point-of-sale materials. Mara highlights the importance of building brand awareness with consumers and the role of events and demos in reaching potential customers. Mara shares her approach to using other people's audiences and collaborating with other women-owned brands to increase visibility. 30:51 Customer Retention and Data Challenges Mariah and Mara discuss the challenges of customer retention in a retail-focused business and the lack of direct customer data. Mara emphasizes the importance of customer loyalty and the need for feedback from consumer-facing events. Mara talks about the limitations of data available to small brands and the reliance on social media and in-person interactions for insights.

Michelle Cordeiro Grant is an accomplished entrepreneur with a passion for creating innovative, community-based businesses. In 2016, she founded the intimates brand LIVELY and sold it three years later for $105 million. Following this successful exit, she pivoted to her next venture: GORGIE, a wellness energy drink.In this episode of DTC Pod, Michelle shares valuable insights on building a successful DTC brand from the ground up. She discusses the importance of building a community around the brand, leveraging social media, and using data and customer feedback to drive product innovation.Michelle also touches on the strategic decisions behind GORGIE's retail expansion, partnering with influential creators, and creating a magazine to inspire and connect with customers. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes authenticity, quality, and customer-centricity as crucial elements in establishing a strong brand identity.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Brand and Community Building2. Data-Driven Product Development3. Nurturing Retail Partnerships4. Strategic Market Positioning5. Defining and Capturing Your ICP6. Organic Influencer Partnerships7. The Intersection of Fashion and CPGTimestamps00:00 Michelle Cordeiro Grant's background; the idea behind GORGIE03:46 How customer feedback factored in product and brand development for GORGIE07:40 Community as a buzzword vs as part of brand identity10:01 Community building as an integral part of brand building11:28 How to keep an online community engaged; consumer vs community funnel16:50 GORGIE's partnerships: Erewhon, Whole Foods, Sprouts, H-E-B, etc.20:05 Overlaps between two industries: fashion and CPG22:14 The story and vision behind GORGIE's magazine23:57 Defining GORGIE's ICP and building a brand around them26:54 GORGIE's growth channels, how they nurture top-of-funnel and retain customers29:42 Year two of GORGIE: online and retail initiatives31:19 Brand-creator partnerships and the importance of organic alignmentShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTok  Michelle Cordeiro Grant - Founder and CEO of GORGIEBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Tracy Holland is a founder, investor, and executive chairman who has made a significant impact in the beauty and wellness industry. She co-founded Hatch Beauty and has grown it into a global leader with 120 employees and 20 retail partnerships. She also founded Goodwill Brands LLC, which focuses on accelerating consumer brand growth through talent and acquisitions. Her innovative hair and skincare brand with products formulated for diverse patients, Be Serene Clean, is endorsed by numerous hospitals such as John's Hopkins, UCLA, and Cedars Sinai for its quality and customer satisfaction. She has numerous accolades, such as 2017's EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and the 2019 Fashion and Beauty Award for Beauty Service Provider for the Year. Listen in!   Timestamps: 01:27 About Tracy Holland 02:53 Tracy's Entrepreneurial Journey 06:02 Building Hatch Beauty 10:13 Challenges and Strategies in Retail Distribution 23:55 Innovations in Medical Supply Business 34:08 Daily Habits for Success 34:19 Growth Mindset Explained 36:05 Overcoming Business Challenges 40:10 Importance of Wellness 44:50 Listen to Nature 49:03 Inner Fifth 55:11 Advice for Women Entrepreneurs 57:37 Fun and Personal Insights 59:33 Gratitude   Links: Goodwill Brands: https://goodwillbrands.com/ Be Serene Clean: https://besereneclean.com/  

The TD Asset Management Inc. (TDAM) investment team brings value by providing answers to current questions about financial markets important to investors and advisors. On this new TDAM Talks podcast, Jason McIntyre, Vice President, Head of Retail Distribution, TDAM, and David Sykes, Chief Investment Officer, Head of Investments, TDAM and Senior Vice President, TD Bank Group, pick up several topical questions from TDAM's "mailbag": the interest rates environment, real estate market expectations, Canadian equity market drivers, Artificial Intelligence (AI) investment perspectives and the philosophy guiding the TDAM investment team.Highlights include:Interest rates outlook in Canada and the U.S. (2:00)How is AI impacting the investment space? (10:55)Market reactions to the upcoming U.S. election (14:47)TDAM's research philosophy that drives the investment team (18:40) For a full transcript in English and French, please visit the TD Asset Management Podcast page: https://www.td.com/ca/en/asset-management/insights/Please follow "TD Asset Management" on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/showcase/tdassetmanagement/X: @tdam_canada

This week's podcast features a delightful conversation I had with Doug Lennick and Chuck Wachendorfer from , a leadership development firm serving many industries. Together, they co-authored the book . Their experience and knowledge show readers how to be positive and impactful leaders. Doug and Chuck offer practical and evidence-based guidance through eight key principles that are essential to one's ability to lead others: Aim to be Yourself Know Your Real Self Ignite Integrity and Responsibility Embrace Empathy and Compassion Decide Wisely Let Go of What You Know Achieve Purposeful Goals Empower Others They share many examples and lessons learned from their experiences in financial services and the stories of leaders in various industries, illustrating the book's eight essential principles. Exercises and frameworks are threaded throughout each chapter, enabling the reader to explore their own leadership development and professional directions. Doug and Chuck conclude that the best leaders are “people-wise.” I wholeheartedly agree! In this week's learn about Chuck and Doug's journeys: Before founding think2perform, Doug Lennick, a certified financial planner (CFP), was Executive Vice President – Advice and Retail Distribution for American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial). In that capacity, he led an organization of 17,000 field and corporate associates to unprecedented success. Chuck Wachendorfer is a renowned leadership development professional who has worked with clients including American Express, Wells Fargo, Comerica Bank, TD Wealth of Canada, and Charles Schwab. His insights on leadership have been featured in CNN Money, Forbes, Fortune, and The Denver Post. Learn more and connect with Doug and Chuck here:     

The Portfolio Managers at TD Asset Management Inc. (TDAM) are always hard at work behind the scenes expanding our innovative offerings, and through their dedication TDAM continues to be one of the top asset managers in Canada1. With a focus on building and maintaining strong relationships, and a commitment to understanding the unique needs of retail and institutional investors, asset managers at TDAM are driven to provide competitive solutions to help our clients achieve their goals.Building on these strengths, we recently launched TD Global Investment Solutions (TDGIS), a new institutional identity bringing the combined multi-asset expertise of TDAM and Epoch Investment Partners, Inc. (TD Epoch) to the global investing community with the ability to expand our offerings in existing and new jurisdictions.In this episode  of our Breadth of Experience podcast series, Jason McIntyre, Vice President, Head of Retail Distribution, TDAM, welcomes Mark Cestnik, Managing Director, Head of Global Institutional Distribution, TDGIS, for a look at some of the challenges asset managers face in the current market environment of GICs and "safety-seeking" behaviors of investors, and provide a deeper dive into TDAM capabilities at both the retail and institutional level.Highlights include:What has enabled our asset management businesses to be successful in both the retail and institutional space? (0:42)What are some of our institutional Portfolio Managers' distinctive capabilities? (2:58)What are the main challenges for institutional asset management in the current market environment? (5:32)Perspectives on the launch of TD Global Investment Solutions (9:13) For a full transcript in English and French, please visit the TD Asset Management Podcast page: https://www.td.com/ca/en/asset-management/insights/Please follow "TD Asset Management" on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/showcase/tdassetmanagement/X: @tdam_canada

In this ENCORE episode of our Breadth of Experience podcast series, host Jason McIntyre, Vice President, Head of Retail Distribution, TD Asset management Inc. (TDAM), welcomes Damian Fernandes, Managing Director, TDAM, to discuss the current macro-economic environment, the pros and cons of different investment vehicles and what TDAM continues to focus on within the global equity space. For a full transcript in English and French, please visit the TD Asset Management Podcast page: https://www.td.com/ca/en/asset-management/insights/Please follow "TD Asset Management" on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/showcase/tdassetmanagement/X: @tdam_canada

Todd Davis, CEO of the Index Corporation and founder of CBD Unlimited, discusses the journey of getting CBD products into major drugstores and the challenges faced along the way. He emphasizes the importance of hiring the right people and collaborating with mass retail buyers to pave the way for CBD products to be accepted on store shelves. Todd also highlights the difficulties of advertising CBD products due to strict regulations and the limitations of social media platforms. Despite these challenges, CBD Unlimited has become a leading brand in the industry, with a high rebuy rate and a strong presence in major retailers. Todd also discusses the acquisition of Hyla, a non-nicotine vape company, and the potential growth of the CBD and vape markets.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In a rapidly changing economic environment, investors are grappling with mounting uncertainties. As this environment evolves, trust emerges as the bedrock of client-advisor relationships. Join us in this special episode as Gary Chateram, SVP and Head of Retail Distribution at Mackenzie, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with distinguished behavioural financial specialist, Herman Brodie, on the importance of trust and how to cultivate it. Gain valuable insights as Herman shares actionable strategies for financial advisors to build long lasting trust with clients. Discover the power of vulnerability, the role of shared values, and practical tips to navigate trust-building in today's evolving landscape. Whether you're a seasoned financial professional or new to the industry, this episode offers invaluable insights that you can apply immediately to enhance your relationship with your clients. This episode was recorded on August 10, 2023. For advisor use only.

Did you know there's an easy way to get your products sold in brick-and-mortar stores across the USA, and globally? WRD Global can handle all the heavy lifting, and they'll even get your products sold in top e-commerce stores. Schedule a free consultation at https://wholesaleretaildistribution.com/ WRD Global City: Tucson Address: 3776 N. 1ST AVENUE SUITE 200 Website https://wholesaleretaildistribution.com/ Phone +1 520 260 1353 Email contactus@wholesaleretaildistribution.com

According to Cerulli's research, “22% of wealth managers said consolidating to a unified managed household (UMH) is a significant priority, with half reporting it as a moderate priority for their firm moving forward.” This discovery is aligned with wealth managers shifting away from transactional brokerage relationships and prioritizing fee-based assets. The Unified Managed Household (UMH) goes further than the Unified Managed Account (UMA), which aggregates accounts at an individual level. The UMH takes into account not only the client's financial situation but also that of their entire household. This week, Jack Sharry talks with Matt Belnap, Associate Director of Retail Distribution at Cerulli Associates, about the latest research in household-level management. Cerulli is a financial services industry leader providing market intelligence and strategic business recommendations. Matt is involved in the development of research across various aspects of retail financial services, including wealth management, managed accounts, and product development. He is involved in creating nine Cerulli reports spanning three research practices and oversees The Cerulli Edge—U.S. Advisor quarterly publication. In this episode, Matt talks with Jack about key challenges managed account sponsors face, why clients should seek more holistic financial advice, and why the household-level approach will take time. Key Takeaways [01:18] - What does the research show about unified managed households? [03:42] - Cerulli's research philosophy. [07:57] - Key challenges managed account sponsors face. [11:53] - Points of entry for account openings. [16:03] - What will progress look like? [20:35] - What will it take for clients to seek more holistic advice? [23:57] - The power of tax-deferred. [25:25] - Matt's key takeaways. [27:33] - How Matt spends his time outside of work. Quotes [06:11] - “It's a complete reframing of the advisor-client relationship, and it's something that is going to be pretty important for these advisors as they look to differentiate their practices going forward.” ~ Matt Belnap [20:39] “I think there's questions for some of the firms that haven't begun anything yet of, ‘Where do we start? How do we even begin to begin? To move into doing something like this? How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, but where does that first bite go?' And I think that's something that a lot of firms are grappling with in terms of, ‘how does this happen?'” ~ Matt Belnap [26:56] - “Don't wait for the perfect time to completely flip to a household-level approach because it's not going to be there. It's going to have to be piece by piece.” ~ Matt Belnap Links Matt Belnap on LinkedIn Cerulli Associates Franklin Templeton Goals Optimization Engine (GOE®) | Franklin Templeton Merrill Lynch New York Life Insurance Northwestern Mutual Connect with our hosts LifeYield Jack Sharry on LinkedIn Jack Sharry on Twitter Subscribe and stay in touch Apple Podcasts Spotify LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

On today's episode, Kunle is joined by Jim Dorey, Senior VP of Inserra Supermarkets Inc., a supermarket chain owned by a family and works with ShopRite and PriceRite. Every big hit story starts with a simple one. Jim Dorey's success in working with two big retailers in the US started with him sitting in a corner of a small grocery store. Exposed to “people from all walks of life”, Jim became mindful and empathetic of people that come into the store and took the lessons he learned in building his life and his success. Equipped with discipline, lessons he learned early in his life, and the privilege of getting into Harvard Business School in an executive management program, Jim made his way up to being the president of PriceRite from being a Procurement Manager in Wakefern. He shares that it was self-discipline and a positive mindset that paved the way for him. Being able to recognize his mistakes and learn from other successful people's mistakes led him to write his book, Just Keep Swimming. It's a lesson-filled and inspiring episode as you'd hear Kunle and Jim talk about Jim's journey to success, efficient resource allocation, and distribution, getting your CPG brand or FMCG noticed, and tips on establishing a capital stack for entrepreneurs. They also talk about building connections, radiating positive energy to people, gratitude, as well as learning from others' mistakes.----------- SPONSORS:This episode is brought to you by:Klaviyo This episode is brought to you by Klaviyo – a growth marketing platform that powers over 25,000 online businesses. Direct-to-Consumer brands like ColourPop, Huckberry, and Custom Ink rely on Klaviyo. Klaviyo helps you own customer experience and grow high-value customer relationships right from a shopper's first impression through to each subsequent purchase, Klaviyo understands every single customer interaction and empowers brands to create more personalized marketing moments. Find out more on klaviyo.com/2x. Gorgias This episode is brought to you by Gorgias, the leading helpdesk for Shopify, Magento and BigCommerce merchants. Gorgias combines all your communication channels including email, SMS, social media, live chat, and phone into one platform. This saves your team hours per day & makes managing customer orders a breeze. It also integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack, so you can access customer information and even edit, return, refund, or create an order right from your helpdesk. Go to Gorgias.com and mention 2x eCommerce Podcast for two months free. Recharge This episode is brought to you by Recharge, the leading subscriptions payment solution for Shopify merchants. Recharge helps eCommerce merchants of all sizes launch and scale subscription offerings. Recharge powers the growth of over 15,000 subscription merchants and their communities—turning one-time transactions into long-term customer relationships. Turn transactions into relationships and experience seamless subscription commerce with Recharge. Find out more on rechargepayments.com/2x.  

On today's episode, Kunle is joined by Jordan Schindler, Founder & CEO of Nufabrx, an innovative healthwear that combines medicine and garments that solve patient compliance. It all started with a pillowcase problem. Jordan Schindler was having issues with his skin and had tried creams, pills, etc. to no avail. His dermatologist recommended that he wash his pillowcases 2 to 3 times a week. For Jordan and most people, that would not be doable. Thinking of how to create a solution to his personal problem, Nufabrx was conceptualized. Fabrics are around us and are one of the most unnoticed but affect our day-to-day living. We wear them, sit or sleep on them, and rub them on our bodies. Nufabrx's innovation created a one-stop shop for our garments and medicine as they create healthwear products that are researched, patented, and created with the best combination of scientific research, customer feedback, and data.  This episode is especially exciting as you'd hear Kunle and Jordan talk about product innovation that will interest not only entrepreneurs but consumers themselves. This is an amazing episode for consumer brands to learn about risk reduction, product research and development, and most importantly, creating better products through customer and expert feedback. ----------- SPONSORS: This episode is brought to you by:  Wayflyer As you continue to grow your eCommerce business, access to growth capital will increasingly play a significant role in achieving and surpassing your financial and social goals.Why should you give up equity or pay high interest rates to grow your business? There is a new way to access growth capital that transforms eCommerce businesses. Wayflyer has shaken the way eCommerce operators access working capital. With a dedication to only DTC eCommerce businesses, Wayflyer will fund you on a fairer “fund as you grow” model, meaning if your sales slow down, so does the amount you transfer back.. There is just a simple fee and the funds you need to grow are deposited to your account instantly. It's worth checking out – Wayflyer.com Klaviyo  This episode is brought to you by Klaviyo – a growth marketing platform that powers over 25,000 online businesses. Direct-to-Consumer brands like ColourPop, Huckberry, and Custom Ink rely on Klaviyo.  Klaviyo helps you own customer experience and grow high-value customer relationships right from a shopper's first impression through to each subsequent purchase, Klaviyo understands every single customer interaction and empowers brands to create more personalized marketing moments.  Find out more on klaviyo.com/2x. Gorgias  This episode is brought to you by Gorgias, the leading helpdesk for Shopify, Magento and BigCommerce merchants. Gorgias combines all your communication channels including email, SMS, social media, live chat, and phone into one platform.  This saves your team hours per day & makes managing customer orders a breeze. It also integrates seamlessly with your existing tech stack, so you can access customer information and even edit, return, refund, or create an order right from your helpdesk.  Go to Gorgias.com and mention 2x eCommerce Podcast for two months free. Recharge This episode is brought to you by Recharge, the leading subscriptions payment solution for Shopify merchants. Recharge helps eCommerce merchants of all sizes launch and scale subscription offerings. Recharge powers the growth of over 15,000 subscription merchants and their communities—turning one-time transactions into long-term customer relationships. Turn transactions into relationships and experience seamless subscription commerce with Recharge. Find out more on rechargepayments.com/2x.  

O discuție scurtă și la obiect despre #LaCeAjutaUnMBA cu Marian Ignat, Head of Retail Distribution BCR. În care poți să afli ce înseamnă pentru un manager de top din domeniul financiar knowledgeul obținut la MBAul realizat la City College University of York.

Somebody hand me my soap box cause I need it right now.   Going into formal retail chains without being prepared is the kiss of death or some very painful, expensive lessons!   20+ years of doing business with most every retail chain that sells beauty products and I have seen first hand how this game operates.   One of the secret weapons that indie beauty founders may enlist are the services of a sales management firm.   In today's episode of the podcast I sit down and chat with an industry heavy hitter, Demar Roberts, that has worked with 100s of brands as a sales rep.   He shares some of the major insights and strategies that are relevant for those wanting to meet with retailers and those that are currently in retail but want to improve. We talk about: Pricing structures Cost of being in retail distribution How to build a team that makes you look good to a retail buyer   This was an awesome conversation filled with sooooo much good information that I know will provide value.   Demar Roberts First Choice Sales & Marketing droberts@firstchoicesale.com @iamdemarlamont on IG 1-901-360-8967 office

GRAB PEN AND PAPER! You'll thank me later.Doug Lennick is a legend!"There is no end to better!""The human condition is such that we will always see problems and opportunities in our circumstances...and this is a gift!""We are all role-models. You don't the option NOT to be. You can only decide what type you you'll be!""Knowing is the enemy of learning!"Doug Lennick:CEO and co-founder of Think2PerformAuthor (and co-author) of:Moral Intelligence.Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence: At the Intersection of Money, Health and HappinessMoral Intelligence 2.0Financial Intelligence.The Simple Genius (You)How to Get What You Want and Remain True to Yourself.Keynote SpeakerThought-LeaderAnd So Much More!To learn more about the life-changing Alignment Model, simply click the link below:https://www.think2perform.com/or contact Doug at dlennick@think2perform.comDoug Lennick is CEO and co-founder of Think2Perform. He is legendary for his innovative approaches to developing high performance in individuals and organizations and is an expert at developing practical applications of the art and science of human behavior, financial and otherwise.Before founding think2perform, Doug, a certified financial planner (CFP), was Executive Vice President – Advice and Retail Distribution for American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial). In that capacity he led an organization of 17,000 field and corporate associates to unprecedented success.Doug and co-authors Ryan Goulart and the late Roy Geer recently released their newest book “Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence: At the Intersection of Money, Health and Happiness.” Doug had previously authored or co-authored five other books including and co-author Moral Intelligence 2.0: Enhancing Business Performance and Leadership Success in Turbulent Times, Financial Intelligence: How to Make Smart, Values-Based Decisions with Your Money and Your Life, Moral Intelligence, The Simple Genius (You) and How to Get What You Want and Remain True to Yourself.Doug is in high demand as a keynote speaker as well as an executive and organizational advisor. He has been quoted and referenced in many publications and books, including Daniel Goleman's seminal book, Working with Emotional Intelligence and Richard Leider's bestselling Power of Purpose.In November 2000, Doug was honored by Columbia University's Center for Social and Emotional Education and is a Fellow at the Carlson Executive Development Center, Carlson School of Management, and University of Minnesota. He is also a member of the prestigious Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations.Doug and his Wife, Beth Ann, reside in Edina, Minnesota. They have three amazing children: Joan, Mary, and Alan.Garden Basics with Farmer FredThe healthiest food you can eat is the food you grow yourself. We have the tips!Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

In this final episode we explore how Greg Newman is working with a number of business's principals to help them lean into their entrepreneurial mindset. Find out how HUB24 is empowering advisers to deliver better financial futures https://www.hub24.com.au/ Greg Newman Head of Retail Distribution at HUB24 Greg Newman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-newman-74213638/ HUB24 Website: https://www.hub24.com.au/ Join the XY platform: App Store: http://co.xyadviser.com/xyistore Google Play: http://co.xyadviser.com/xygplay Desktop: https://www.xyadviser.com/ General Disclaimer – https://www.xyadviser.com/disclaimer/

In this episode we start high-level as we discuss the evolving advice landscape, and how the difference between “thriving” or “surviving” is in the mental flexibility to see things with an entrepreneurial mindset. Find out how HUB24 is empowering advisers to deliver better financial futures https://www.hub24.com.au/ Adele Martin Certified Financial Planner, Managing Director of Firefly Wealth and Founder of My Money Buddy Adele Martin XY: https://www1.xyadviser.com/members/2403682 Adele Martin Website: https://www.adelemartin.com/ Vince Scully Financial Adviser, Author, Founder and Chief Sherpa at LifeSherpa Vince Scully LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincescully/ LifeSherpa Website: https://lifesherpa.com.au/ Nicola Beswick Senior Financial Adviser and Confidante at FMD Financial Nicola Beswick LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-beswick-financialplanner/ Pro Bono Advice Network: https://www.afa.asn.au/membership/pro-bono-financial-advice-network Nicola Beswick Website: https://www.nicolabeswick.com/ Greg Newman Head of Retail Distribution at HUB24 Greg Newman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-newman-74213638/ HUB24 Website: https://www.hub24.com.au/ Join the XY platform: App Store: http://co.xyadviser.com/xyistore Google Play: http://co.xyadviser.com/xygplay Desktop: https://www.xyadviser.com/ General Disclaimer – https://www.xyadviser.com/disclaimer/

On this edition of The Little Questions we're talking to Alison Brittain, the Chief Executive Officer of Whitbread - a company known for owning brands such as Premier Inn, Bar + Block and Beefeater.   Prior to joining Whitbread, Alison was Group Director of Lloyds Banking Group's Retail Division, with responsibility for the Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland retail branch networks, remote / intermediary channels / products and the business banking and UK wealth businesses. Before joining Lloyds Bank, Alison was Executive Director for Retail Distribution and Board Director at Santander UK PLC. She has held senior roles at Barclays Bank, was a Member of the Prime Minister's Advisory Group and a Non-executive Director of Marks & Spencer Plc. Alison has an MBA from the Judge Business School, Cambridge, was named ‘Business Woman of the Year 2017' in the Veuve Clicquot awards and awarded a CBE in the 2019 New Year's honours list.   On this edition of the podcast she talks to Apella Advisors Matt Young and Andrew Brown about the challenges of being a CEO, her successes and learning curves and the vagaries of media training.   We'd love to hear what you think. Get in touch on social media or email podcast@apellaadvisors.com   The Little Questions podcast is presented by Matt Young and Andrew Brown.   Matt Young is an Apella founder partner with 25 years of experience in corporate affairs. He was Corporate Affairs Director at Lloyds Banking Group, part of the senior team which rescued the bank and rebuilt its reputation following the financial crisis. Formerly communications director at Santander UK and board member of the BBA.   Apella partner Andrew Brown is a former Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Ageas Insurance. He has more than ten years' experience leading the corporate affairs functions for global firms across a range of regulated and unregulated sectors, developing considerable experience in issues, crisis and change management. Formerly Director of Communications at Drax Group plc and Group Corporate Affairs Director at Regus plc.   Find out more about Apella Advisors at www.apellaadvisors.com and you can get in touch by emailing podcast@apellaadvisors.com   This podcast was produced by the www.thepodcastcoach.co.uk

This week, CEO and Co-Founder of think2perform, Doug Lennick, joins the show to share his insights on moral intelligence and its influence on decision-making in leadership.This episode will share ideas you've never heard before for avoiding emotional decision-making and instead staying true to your moral compass when making decisions for your business.Are you stuck in a rut of accidentally immoral decision-making? Tune in as Doug Lennick shares his expertise. ABOUT DOUG LENNICKDoug's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/think2performDoug's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglennick/Doug's Instagram: @think2performDoug's Books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=doug+lennick&rh=n%3A283155&dc&crid=2MMTY4ALZBAS5&qid=1640765473&rnid=2941120011&sprefix=doug+lennick%2Caps%2C103&ref=sr_nr_n_1Doug Lennick is CEO and co-founder of think2perform. He is legendary for his innovative approaches to developing high performance in individuals and organizations and is an expert at developing practical applications of the art and science of human behavior, financial and otherwise.Before founding think2perform, Doug, a certified financial planner (CFP), was Executive Vice President – Advice and Retail Distribution for American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial). In that capacity he led an organization of 17,000 field and corporate associates to unprecedented success.Doug and co-authors Ryan Goulart and the late Roy Geer recently released their newest book “Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence: At the Intersection of Money, Health and Happiness.” Doug had previously authored or co-authored five other books including and co-author Moral Intelligence 2.0: Enhancing Business Performance and Leadership Success in Turbulent Times, Financial Intelligence: How to Make Smart, Values-Based Decisions with Your Money and Your Life, Moral Intelligence, The Simple Genius (You) and How to Get What You Want and Remain True to Yourself.Doug is in high demand as a keynote speaker as well as an executive and organizational advisor. He has been quoted and referenced in many publications and books, including Daniel Goleman's seminal book, Working with Emotional Intelligence and Richard Leider's bestselling Power of Purpose.In November 2000, Doug was honored by Columbia University's Center for Social and Emotional Education and is a Fellow at the Carlson Executive Development Center, Carlson School of Management, and University of Minnesota. He is also a member of the prestigious Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations.Doug and his Wife, Beth Ann, reside in Edina, Minnesota. Their youngest daughter, Joan, is the Executive Director Ebenzer Tower Apartments and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband Ryan. Their oldest daughter, Mary, is the Executive Director of Family Alternatives and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Doug's son, Alan, is a Regional Director and SVP for Hilltop Securities, and lives in Los Angeles with his actress wife Sari, and their son, Dylan.CONNECT WITH USInstagram: @decidedlypodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/decidedlypodcastShawn's Instagram: @ampadvisorSanger's Instagram: @sangersmithJoin us every Wednesday for a new episode as we DEFEAT bad decision-making – one episode at a time!

Today, we have a unique episode on Alt Goes Mainstream. We have our first episode with a founder and their lead investor from their Series B. We have the founder of leading alts fund investment platform, Moonfare, and their Series B lead investor, Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, on the podcast to talk about why both of them believe in the future of retail distribution in alts and the anatomy of their deal.Steffen Pauls, the founder of Moonfare, has had an illustrious career in the private equity world. Prior to founding Moonfare in 2016, Steffen was a MD at KKR where he was responsible for the firm's coverage of the German market. Prior to joining KKR, he was the CEO of firstfive AG. He also served on the Advisory Board of Versatel, Serbia Broadband, and Hertha BSC.Alokik Advani, who runs Fidelity International Strategic Ventures, is an expert in the financial market structure. He's been right in the middle of investing in many of the core technology solutions that have powered market structure evolutions across equities, fixed income, commodities, and now alternative assets. At Fidelity, Alokik invests into category defining FinTech companies. They've made a number of FinTech investments that have helped shape the alts space, including DriveWealth, Moonfare, Capdesk, PrimaryBid, and others. Prior to Fidelity, Alokik was a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where he invested out of the Principal Strategic Investments team into many companies that have shaped market structure evolutions across asset classes.It was fascinating to have the perspective from both founder and investor on the evolution of the world of alts. We discussed how investor demand has evolved from institutional investor to the retail and private wealth communities. Steffen and Alokik provided fascinating views on how the alts market structure has changed and how Moonfare and Fidelity are helping to shape the market.Thanks Steffen and Alokik for coming on the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast.

The Global Supply Chain is at a stand still. Joe Troy has years of experience working in Retail Distribution. So we asked him to explain it to us in Laymen's Terms because Pete Buttigeig is on Paternity Leave. What is the future for Trump? Can our government be fixed? Are the cargo ships off the coast of California really filled with Chinese Soldiers waiting to invade our shores? Has Tommy finally gone crazy? What is in store for 2024 and Cardi B or Nicki Minaj? All this and more in Season 2 Episode 21 of The Laymen's Terms Podcast! If you are offended by this or feel that we are crossing lines. Please know this is not our intention and we are lovers of all beings regardless of race, coloraturas or gender! With that being said, it doesn't mean we can't ask questions and try and understand what we see and feel in our everyday lives!  So Enjoy The Show! If you have any questions or comments please feel free to send them our way! Just remember to like, share, follow and review as we need all the help we can get! Follow us on Twitter @LTPShow Troll us on Instagram @laymens_terms Danny's Instagram @droppaduece  Tommy's Instagram @Tommy_k611 Visit Our Website www.laymensterms.net Send us a message producer@laymensterms.net Please be sure to let us know how bad we are doing! We encourage all feedback! Especially the bad kind!  

My 11th guest on S.O.S. epitomizes the "can do" spirit within us all! He is the Chief Executive Officer at Watson Distributing Corporation. DuWayne Watson has been a leader in executive management from start to finish for over 20 years having managed several national companies at a large scale while showing global profits for the economy.He focuses on helping entrepreneurs with Company IT Intelligence, Fintech, Digital Traffic, marketing and advertising, Sales Team Building, Retail Distribution, Supply Chain, New Brands, Lead Generation, Social Media Campaigns, Targeting, Network System Integrations, Network Management Systems, Consulting, Analytics, and Portfolio Management. His company's techniques use a specific market that is dedicated to an individual lifestyle brand that will attract that unique customer base. He builds brands and launches them from start to finish - crediting the ethos he learned while serving in the military as his foundation to where he is today.Find him here on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/watsondistributing/

Part 2 of our conversation with Dan Newberry of Lift for the 22.Do you want to get your products into the retail system? Do you want lucrative endorsement deals that help your brand? Do you want to garner next-level product sales and distribution?Of course you do.Learn how to take your business and brand to the next level with expert advice from a guy who has done all of the above.Questions? Comments? Continue the discussion by requesting access to our exclusive WVF Facebook Group.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Wisconsin Veterans Forward is brought to you by the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit organization that serves veterans and military families by supporting veteran owned and veteran-friendly businesses throughout the state. On behalf of our members, we serve as an advocate for Wisconsin’s veteran business community and promote economic opportunity for military veterans, military families, and veteran-friendly businesses.Follow us on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/Wivetschamber Opening theme: "I'm Not Shy" by Joy and the Boy

Do you want to get your products into the retail system? Do you want lucrative endorsement deals that help your brand? Do you want to garner next-level product sales and distribution?Of course you do.Learn how to take your business and brand to the next level with expert advice from a guy who has done all of the above: Dan Newberry of Lift for the 22.Questions? Comments? Continue the discussion by requesting access to our exclusive WVF Facebook Group.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Wisconsin Veterans Forward is brought to you by the Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit organization that serves veterans and military families by supporting veteran owned and veteran-friendly businesses throughout the state. On behalf of our members, we serve as an advocate for Wisconsin’s veteran business community and promote economic opportunity for military veterans, military families, and veteran-friendly businesses.Follow us on all platforms: https://linktr.ee/Wivetschamber Opening theme: "I'm Not Shy" by Joy and the Boy

You'll learn how Janell received her first national retailer contract, how she leaned on word of mouth marketing to grow her business from scratch, and how she became a beauty industry disrupter. For more on Camille Rose and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/camille-rose-organic-marketing   

Rick and I discuss the mechanics involved in the relationship between a food manufacturer, CPG distributor and retail chain. We touch on the inner workings of the grocery world, margins that need to be considered when developing your pricing model and other areas of value that are created for your business when partnering with a CPG distributor.  https://dovreimport.com/ If you have any questions, comments or feedback from today's episode please reach out : hayden@thepackheavypodcast.com

In order to reach your goals and align them with your values, you first need to have a firm foundation of understanding about your finances. Amar Shah discusses the intelligence pyramid with Lauren this week. Amar Shah is a wealth manager and business owner at Client First Capital, which he founded based on core principles of transparency, trustworthiness and thoughtful leadership. A former firefighter and engineer, Amar has a Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering. His interest in personal finance was piqued when he worked for American Express Financial Advisors. He then worked as vice president within J.P. Morgan’s wealth management division in New York City and then spent 8 years as a senior wealth manager at USAA. Amar has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and became a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®), practitioner. Amar is coached by industry veteran Doug Lennick, the former Executive Vice President of Advice and Retail Distribution of American Express Financial Advisors and manager of a business of over 17,000 individuals. Connect with Amar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClientFirstCap Book mentioned: Financial Intelligence by Doug Lennick

Here's part 2 of our interview with John Hayes from Vecna Robotics! Our host Rolf Agner has a co-host today - Bryan Duncan the National Sales Manager for Retail Distribution at SICK, Inc. He interviews John Hayes, Vice President of Sales at Vecna Robotics about some trends in AMRs and how it ties to Industry 4.0. Questions? Contact us at info@sick.com!

Rolf Agner has a co-host today with Bryan Duncan, National Sales Manager for Retail Distribution at SICK, Inc. Bryan has an interesting conversation with John Hayes, Vice President of Sales at Vecna Robotics. They discuss the flexibility of AMRs for the retail and distribution markets and what ROI you can see with AMRs. This is a two part episode so catch the second part of the interview in two weeks! As always, if you have questions, email us at info@sick.com!

Last Saturday's Hobby Hotline had many great moments (as a live show) - I encourage you to listen to the whole show with Drew Herndon, Texas Card Dude, Ziggy No, and me.

In this episode, CSB Director CB Bhattacharya is joined from Frankfurt, Germany by Carlo Vassallo, CEO of Ferrero Germany. Mr. Vassallo discusses the government response in Germany, the pandemic’s impact on retail and changing consumer behavior, and Ferrero’s commitment to sustainability: “Our duty, our commitment, is to continue to follow and work towards the sustainability goals, to help the consumer to keep these, and to continue on this path because otherwise our work will have even more troubles.” Sign up to receive weekly episodes right to your inbox: bit.ly/csbpodcastemail Submit your "Sustaining Sustainability" feedback and/or questions: bit.ly/csbpodcastfeedback This episode was researched, recorded, edited, and produced by Prof. CB Bhattacharya, Dr. Leslie Marshall, and Alyssa Martinec of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Sustainable Business. www.sustainablebusiness.pitt.edu Music: "Lively" by Dee Yan-Key From the Free Music Archive CC BY NC SA creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/legalcode

On this episode of the Funding the Dream on Kickstarter podcast, Salvador Briggman talks with James Takenaka, who has over 25 years of experience in the collectible and tabletop games industry. Apply to Be on the Show: Funding the Dream on KickstarterJames started selling at collectibles shows in 1990 and then was a co-owner of the Comix and Cardz Etc. hobby store. In 2001 he co-founded Hero Factory Inc. to produce licensed trading cards and served as a consultant for Bandai America Inc. in the collectible card game market.From 2007-2012 James served as Bandai’s Games Division Sales & Marketing Manager, working with hobby game distributors, overseeing their Organized Play Network and co-creating the Star Trek DBG. James joined Hit Point Sales in March 2012.https://www.hitpointsales.com/about-us

#22 Why Is Compassion So Important As A Leader? with Doug Lennick Doug Lennick is CEO and co-founder of think2perform. He is legendary for his innovative approaches to developing high performance in individuals and organizations and is an expert at developing practical applications of the art and science of human behavior, financial and otherwise.Before founding think2perform, Doug, a certified financial planner (CFP), was Executive Vice President – Advice and Retail Distribution for American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial). In that capacity he led an organization of 17,000 field and corporate associates to unprecedented success.Doug is in high demand as a keynote speaker as well as an executive and organizational advisor. He has been quoted and referenced in many publications and books, including Daniel Goleman's seminal book, Working with Emotional Intelligence and Richard Leider's bestselling Power of Purpose.[1:00] Who is Doug?[3:00] What's Doug's favorite part about what he does?[4:50] What is the common thread when it comes to impact?[6:55] Different styles of leadership.[13:20] Why don't old leadership styles work?[16:00] To manage big, you must lead small.[17:10] Leadership vs management [22:30] Results vs relationships[23:05] Leading with care [32:00] About Doug's books [33:00] "Leadership Intelligence" [38:00] It's always about the leader[43:00] Words of wisdom for people right now[48:50] To learn more about DougText LEADER to 617-393-5383 to receive The Top 10 Things That The Best Leaders Are Doing Right Now

All advisers have been witness to the frustration clients feel when faced with yet another steep annual premium increase. Insurance affordability is an increasing issue for Australians and is of particular to concern to one group in particular: APRA. With a rise in mental health claims, a changing employment landscape and insurance providers who have struggled to adapt with the times, is the life insurance as it stands, sustainable? In this episode, we speak to Niall McConville, General Manager of Retail Distribution at TAL and Gavin Teichner, Executive General Manager of Individual Life at TAL. We discuss how they have seen the advice landscape change over time, the issues currently facing the industry, and their predictions for the future of the life insurance space. We touch on the ramification of COVID-19, as well as discuss what we can expect to see changes to in the near future. This episode provides great insights into the complexities both Australia and international insurance companies face. Niall and Gavin provide some great food for thought and share some great insight into what the big players can do to ensure sustainable insurance products to consumers.  Resources:  To reach out to Gavin Teichner, please contact him via his LinkedIn profile. To reach out to Niall McConville, please contact him via his LinkedIn profile. What You'll Learn From This Episode: How coronavirus is impacting the life insurance industry How many losses are being made in certain insurances Why APRA is concerned about the financial position of life insurers Have product benefits been ‘too generous' over the years? How mental health has contributed to an already stretched market What the industry should do to give consumers certainty around cost Why a move towards simpler insurance products may help  How the industry needs to adapt to the ‘gig economy' How insurers are supporting those impacted by financial hardship due to COVID-19 How have new education standards affected risk adviser numbers? What will future insurance product development focus on? About Our Guest: Niall McConville is the General Manager of Retail Distribution at TAL. Gavin Teichner is the Executive General Manager of Individual Life at TAL. With a combined 40+ years experience in the life insurance industry, Niall and Gavin provide great insight into the minds of life insurers and the impact a challenged industry has on financial advisers. For more conversations with the thinkers and movers in the world of financial advice, go to Goals-Based Advice Podcast. You can also access more episodes on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. For updates, follow our Facebook page.  If you have more questions, don't forget to reach out to me on LinkedIn and to send an email at jacqui@adviceintelligence.com   Thanks for tuning in!

Jim DeBetta's product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide. As the founder of DeBetta Enterprises, which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products, Jim also heads up the Retail Distribution arm of Kevin Harrington's TV Goods corporation which today is fueled by the hit ABC reality show Shark Tank.

Jim DeBetta founder and President of WeKnowInventing which specializes in coaching and consulting for inventors and consumer products start-up companies. My firm assists clients with product development and engineering of consumer products as well as sales and marketing representation to major retailers for our select clients. Recently, I was VP of Retail Distribution for TV Goods which is owned by Kevin Harrington from the ABC show Shark Tank. I headed up a team of retail specialists that sold exciting new products to the world's most prestigious retailers and TV shopping networks including HSN and QVC.

Jim is the founder and President of WeKnowInventing which specializes in coaching and consulting for inventors and consumer products start-up companies. My firm assists clients with product development and engineering of consumer products as well as sales and marketing representation to major retailers for our select clients. Recently, I was VP of Retail Distribution for TV Goods which is owned by Kevin Harrington from the ABC show Shark Tank. I headed up a team of retail specialists that sold exciting new products to the world's most prestigious retailers and TV shopping networks including HSN and QVC.

IFA Livestock Chairman Angus Woods says protest of retail distribution could spread to Cork See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Stock Day Podcast welcomed CBD Unlimited, Inc. (EDXC)(“the Company”), a company that develops and distributes all-natural products from the cannabis sativa plant (hemp) with less than 0.01% THC. President and CEO of the Company, Todd Davis, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly. 

Meet Jim Jim DeBetta’s product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide. Jim’s career in retail began at an early age with the family business – a fireplace and home hardware company. After graduating from college, Jim went home to help expand the business from a small successful operation into a multi-million dollar business and became one of the most recognized and respected store of its kind on Long Island. Jim stimulated new business, purchased products from all over the world, and ran the overall daily operations. Jim decided it was time to grow and joined a start up firm that imported binoculars, telescopes, and optical products for children. His retail customers included a “who’s who” in retail such as Target, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, Sears, Michael’s, Cabelas, Home Shopping Network, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Discovery Channel Stores, Costco, and many others. Jim employed nearly 20 people inside and had dozens of sales reps all over the US, Canada, and Europe. Ultimately, Jim helped expand the company from virtually no significant revenue to a leading brand in the industry that has sold more than 50 million dollars of product since the mid 1990′s. When Jim was ready for a new adventure, he left the company as President and Chief Operating Officer. Jim decided he was ready for yet a bigger challenge and joined a leading premium incentive company as their National Key Accounts Manager. Jim represented major national brands for this $100 million a year premium incentive firm such as Toshiba, Sony, Nikon, Nautilus, Movado and others. The products were used to create various incentive programs for fortune 1,000 companies around the world. Jim’s experience has reached far and wide working with various products, retailers, manufactures, and factories. He knew it was time to help those that had a product in mind or ready for production. His goal was to teach others the process without unnecessary expense, time and red tape. That is how DeCavi Corp was born. As the founder of DeCavi Corp, Jim has helped thousands of inventors and start-ups learn how to get their products developed and sold to major retailers. Jim then merged his firm with the renowned Slingshot Product Development Group which employs a team of 35 engineers, designers, and marketing experts who help individual inventors and Fortune 500 firms alike. Both are recognized as leaders in the inventor product development and commercialization arena. Today, Jim continues to broaden his reach into the world of consumer products and has formed DeBetta Enterprises which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products. Jim also heads up the Retail Distribution arm of Kevin Harrington’s TV Goods corporation which today is fueled by the hit ABC reality show Shark Tank. Jim teaches inventors how to create sales and marketing strategies, understand the world of licensing, develop a product using CAD design, raising money to fund a business, and locating factories overseas to produce products. Jim is now reaching out to individuals who want to learn how to do it for themselves. Jim is a Professional Member of the United Inventors Association, a member of the Georgia Inventor’s Association, Rocky Mountain Inventors Association, and was the former co-host of the Launch Hour – a popular radio program for inventors and entrepreneurs. He is also the author of The Business of Inventing and has written hundreds of articles for industry publications, newspapers, and websites such as Inventor’s Digest, Georgia Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Jim also appears as a guest speaker for leading trade and consumer organizations, speaks at international conferences, and hosts forum and blog discussions on prominent invention and entrepreneurial websites.

Meet Jim   Jim DeBetta’s product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide. Jim’s career in retail began at an early age with the family business – a fireplace and home hardware company. After graduating from college, Jim went home to help expand the business from a small successful operation into a multi-million dollar business and became one of the most recognized and respected store of its kind on Long Island. Jim stimulated new business, purchased products from all over the world, and ran the overall daily operations. Jim decided it was time to grow and joined a start up firm that imported binoculars, telescopes, and optical products for children. His retail customers included a “who’s who” in retail such as Target, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, Sears, Michael’s, Cabelas, Home Shopping Network, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Discovery Channel Stores, Costco, and many others. Jim employed nearly 20 people inside and had dozens of sales reps all over the US, Canada, and Europe. Ultimately, Jim helped expand the company from virtually no significant revenue to a leading brand in the industry that has sold more than 50 million dollars of product since the mid 1990′s. When Jim was ready for a new adventure, he left the company as President and Chief Operating Officer. Jim decided he was ready for yet a bigger challenge and joined a leading premium incentive company as their National Key Accounts Manager. Jim represented major national brands for this $100 million a year premium incentive firm such as Toshiba, Sony, Nikon, Nautilus, Movado and others. The products were used to create various incentive programs for fortune 1,000 companies around the world. Jim’s experience has reached far and wide working with various products, retailers, manufactures, and factories. He knew it was time to help those that had a product in mind or ready for production. His goal was to teach others the process without unnecessary expense, time and red tape. That is how DeCavi Corp was born. As the founder of DeCavi Corp, Jim has helped thousands of inventors and start-ups learn how to get their products developed and sold to major retailers. Jim then merged his firm with the renowned Slingshot Product Development Group which employs a team of 35 engineers, designers, and marketing experts who help individual inventors and Fortune 500 firms alike. Both are recognized as leaders in the inventor product development and commercialization arena. Today, Jim continues to broaden his reach into the world of consumer products and has formed DeBetta Enterprises which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products. Jim also heads up the Retail Distribution arm of Kevin Harrington’s TV Goods corporation which today is fueled by the hit ABC reality show Shark Tank. The Inventors Launchpad Network – Is proud to present Go Big, Go Bold, Co-Hosted by J.D. Houvener, Registered USPTO Patent Attorney of Bold IP and Carmine Denisco, Managing Partner with Inventors Launchpad. His background in business and experience as an engineer and patent attorney empowers him to clearly communicate to a broad range of inventors about their immediate and long-term needs for patenting in order to protect assets, leverage opportunities, and limit liabilities. If you have any questions on the legal side of your invention then this podcast is sure to help! www.boldip.com This Podcast is brought to you by the Inventors Launchpad Network. www.inventorslaunchpad.com     

Benchmark indices ended lower on Thursday for the seventh straight session with heavyweights like Reliance Industries (RIL) and Coal India leading the list of losers even as United States and China prepare to start trade deal negotiations later in the day. RIL that slipped nearly 3.4 per cent on the BSE to Rs 1,255 levels and hit its lowest closing level in two months. In the process, TCS overtook the Mukesh Ambani-controlled RIL to become the ost valued company on market-capitaliasation (m-cap) basis.  At the index level, S&P BSE Sensex slipped 230 points, or 0.61 per cent, to end the day at 37,559. Out of the 30 index constituents, only 12 ended in the green. The broader Nifty50 index dipped 58 points, or 0.51 per cent, to finish at 11,302. "We remain cautious on the Indian markets and expect it to remain volatile in the near term on back of on-going Q4FY19 earnings season. Investors’ focus would be on domestic macro data (IIP) which is scheduled tomorrow," said Jayant Manglik, President - Retail Distribution, Religare Broking. Adding: "Globally, progress of trade talks between US and China, behavior of crude oil prices and fluctuation in currency will be on investor’s radar. Given uncertain market conditions, we advise traders & investors to be selective in stock picking." Among sectoral indices, Nifty Media was the biggest winner, up 3.58 per cent, while Nifty Metal index remained under pressure throughout the day and finished 1.4 per cent lower. In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index fell 28 points, or 0.19 per cent, at 14,355, while the S&P BSE SmallCap index ended 53 points, or 0.38 per cent, lower at 14,076. BUZZING STOCKS Shares of YES Bank fell about 2.5 per cent to Rs 157 on the BSE during the early morning trade on Thursday before ending the day six per cent higher at Rs 170.30 even though rating agency India Ratings (Ind-Ra) downgraded the bank’s long-term ratings even as it reaffirmed the short term rating.  Avadh Sugar & Energy shares surged 13 per cent to Rs 518 in early morning trade on the BSE on Thursday after the company announced that the board will meet on Monday (May 13) to consider maiden bonus issue. However, the share ended the day 8.75 per cent at Rs 499.75. 

Meet Jim   Jim DeBetta’s product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide. Jim’s career in retail began at an early age with the family business – a fireplace and home hardware company. After graduating from college, Jim went home to help expand the business from a small successful operation into a multi-million dollar business and became one of the most recognized and respected store of its kind on Long Island. Jim stimulated new business, purchased products from all over the world, and ran the overall daily operations. Jim decided it was time to grow and joined a start up firm that imported binoculars, telescopes, and optical products for children. His retail customers included a “who’s who” in retail such as Target, Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, Sears, Michael’s, Cabelas, Home Shopping Network, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Discovery Channel Stores, Costco, and many others. Jim employed nearly 20 people inside and had dozens of sales reps all over the US, Canada, and Europe. Ultimately, Jim helped expand the company from virtually no significant revenue to a leading brand in the industry that has sold more than 50 million dollars of product since the mid 1990′s. When Jim was ready for a new adventure, he left the company as President and Chief Operating Officer. Jim decided he was ready for yet a bigger challenge and joined a leading premium incentive company as their National Key Accounts Manager. Jim represented major national brands for this $100 million a year premium incentive firm such as Toshiba, Sony, Nikon, Nautilus, Movado and others. The products were used to create various incentive programs for fortune 1,000 companies around the world. Jim’s experience has reached far and wide working with various products, retailers, manufactures, and factories. He knew it was time to help those that had a product in mind or ready for production. His goal was to teach others the process without unnecessary expense, time and red tape. That is how DeCavi Corp was born. As the founder of DeCavi Corp, Jim has helped thousands of inventors and start-ups learn how to get their products developed and sold to major retailers. Jim then merged his firm with the renowned Slingshot Product Development Group which employs a team of 35 engineers, designers, and marketing experts who help individual inventors and Fortune 500 firms alike. Both are recognized as leaders in the inventor product development and commercialization arena. Today, Jim continues to broaden his reach into the world of consumer products and has formed DeBetta Enterprises which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products. Jim also heads up the Retail Distribution arm of Kevin Harrington’s TV Goods corporation which today is fueled by the hit ABC reality show Shark Tank. Jim teaches inventors how to create sales and marketing strategies, understand the world of licensing, develop a product using CAD design, raising money to fund a business, and locating factories overseas to produce products. Jim is now reaching out to individuals who want to learn how to do it for themselves. Jim is a Professional Member of the United Inventors Association, a member of the Georgia Inventor’s Association, Rocky Mountain Inventors Association, and was the former co-host of the Launch Hour – a popular radio program for inventors and entrepreneurs. He is also the author of The Business of Inventing and has written hundreds of articles for industry publications, newspapers, and websites such as Inventor’s Digest, Georgia Magazine, and Entrepreneur Magazine. Jim also appears as a guest speaker for leading trade and consumer organizations, speaks at international conferences, and hosts forum and blog discussions on prominent invention and entrepreneurial websites.

  Investors have embraced the world of index-tracking products on the back of comparatively low headline costs and the broad market exposures on offer. But the rise of alternatively constructed indexes, thematic ETFs and the client demand for more inclusion of responsible investment principles into their index funds has prompted a dramatic change in the investment landscape. Simon joins us this week to shine a light on the often weird and wonderful world of ETFs and other index funds and where investors are looking to incorporate these portfolio building blocks. Simon Hynes, Head of Retail Distribution, EMEA We want to hear from you! Email us at mark.chappel@lgim.com with your thoughts on the podcast and any suggestions of the types of content you’d like to see covered. This podcast is intended for investment professionals, and shouldn’t be shared with a non-professional audience. This podcast should not be taken as an invitation to deal in Legal & General investments. Any views expressed during this recording belong to the individuals and are based on market conditions at the time of recording, and do not reflect the views of Legal & General Investment Management. Legal & General Investment Management is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Legal & General Investment Management, One Coleman Street, London, EC2R 5AA. Register in England no. 2091894. All rights reserved. No part of this audio may be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Legal & General Investment Management.

This episode, Catriona Noble joins Rocky to give her take on retail innovation. Catriona is currently the MD of Retail Distribution at ANZ, but also has a long history with McDonalds in Australia, spending her final fours years there as CEO. She shares her insights across both roles, how the use of data is fuelling decision-making and innovation, and the importance in keeping the human factor in banking experiences.

As technology automates much of the “mechanics” of money, advisors need to evolve to the more emotional aspects of money. After all, simply helping rich people get richer isn’t usually a driving motivator for advisors—or clients. In my conversation with Doug Lennick, the co-founder of Think2Perform, an author, and former EVP of Advice and Retail Distribution for American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial), he shared four words that he believes underlie the real value financial advisors deliver.

In this episode we hear from Geoff Lloyd, CEO and MD of Perpetual Limited. ABOUT GEOFF Geoff joined Perpetual in August 2010 as Group Executive of Perpetual Private and led the development and implementation of the growth strategy for this business. He took on the additional responsibility of Head of Retail Distribution in September 2011 and was appointed Managing Director and CEO in February 2012. Geoff was previously General Manager of Advice and Private Banking at BT Financial Group following the Westpac Group merger with St.George Bank. Before the merger, he led St.George's wealth management portfolio. He held many senior positions at BT Financial Group, including Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Customer and Business Services Division. Geoff is the Chairman of the Financial Services Council, an Advisory board member of The Big Issue and the Patron of the Financial Industry Community Aid Program.   He is a Patron of Emerge Foundation and is also Chairman of the University of Technology Sydney Law Advisory board. Key Questions and Answers from Geoff (curated for clarification and brevity): What did you learn from the police force? In the police force, I got to learn a lot about people and what I still take with me is that you don't judge too quickly. Take the time to step back and see what else might be going on, what's driving an outcome, because what you see is normally just the surface of a thing. When it involves people in complex environments, there's always emotion. So that's something I've tried to take with me where I don't judge too quickly, stand back, ask questions and observe.   What did you learn from your first move interstate to Sydney with ASIC? It was the first time I learned about stretching myself out of what you might call a comfort zone, and how it can lead to just so many unforeseen, unplanned, unexpected outcomes. And so for me, that was probably the first time I've learned that as you actually stretch yourself and take real risk, it is not just a little bit that comes from that. It is quite amazing and you really don't know what you can achieve until you've tried.   What drives you internally? You're this,very aspirational man, you want to grow again and take your game to another level. What drives that? I've learned for a long time that there's always evidence of how you can keep getting better and you just don't know what you can achieve. And so having that mindset, of being curious…if you aren't finding evidence and keep getting better, then you're going to plateau. And so for me it's about that looking forward, being curious. If I don't have a 110 percent passion and energy for something, it becomes 50 percent and so I need to be operating at that level to truly find rewarding outcomes, whether it's philanthropic, social, business or family.   Do you have in moments when you doubt your abilities? What do you in do in those moments to keep going? Yeah, I do. You know, if you don't, if you can't look in the mirror and get a bit paranoid, then you're probably not able to really find evidence of how to keep getting better. I've tried to find different times in my career where I've hit inflection points and probably the most successful times the more paranoid I get. You've got to have enough confidence to know you're going to be able to follow on to what the  next challenge is… I get energy from others. So, getting access to and making sure I've got the right network, that's really important. But equally I've always had this philosophy that you've got to hire the best people you can listen to them, trust them, invest in them and then make sure you're having some fun along the way, you know, because it's, it's a very serious game that we play. If you can get that sort of talent around you then your job as a leader is really about being their guide and helping guide them rather than do or carry out the activity. Great leaders are able to step back and be able to motivate people through how they give them that guidance and help set direction and boundaries.   Why did you switch from General Counsel into other more broader roles and how did that lead to CEO level roles? I actually started to think differently about my career and stretch myself beyond being tall and skinny in a career or a profession to being broad. Think about it as the goal is to grow skills and experience over the next three to five years rather than, I want this job or that job. I think if you just go off the job titles, you might never know how good you can be and how different the work that you can do will be   Did anyone give you any feedback to you personally that, that really rang true for you? That was important for the young Geoff Lloyd to hear? BT was a very driven meritocracy, with enormous amount of opportunity. So running too fast can happen and it happened for me. And so learning about not stepping on others around you, but picking others up around you is what you're going to be judged for. And, that it takes time. Actually there's no shortcuts to hard work. I've tried lots of them. it's just about hard work. It's actually about focus and it's about making sure that you're true to yourself. Don't try to be somebody else. I've worked for some great leaders and I've picked up their characteristics and often said, ‘oh, well, if I can be like that'. And you can't be, you can pick up those characteristics and learn from them. But then you have got to be you again. Today we would talk about authentic leadership. You just have to be, you. How was the final step to CEO different? The step was quite different because as much as I've worked in large organizations, ran much bigger teams in the past than at perpetual, when you become the CEO, there's nobody else that's coming. It's words that we've used around the executive team that ‘nobody's coming'. It's us. You know, you run two and a half thousand people in a bank, there's always somebody else who can ask or the decision can go to. So the big gap is…Nobody's coming.   Does ‘Ownership Precedes Victory' resonate with you? I think you've got to have courage or otherwise you're not going to keep challenging yourself. If you don't you're not going to keep challenging your team, you're not going to take the right amount of risk and you won't see the other sides of the benefit that can come with that risk. So make sure you've got the courage is the key, that conviction of something you've started to create change. Maybe that's the words that gravitate more with me.   How do you stay focused? I suspect that at perpetual I will be remembered for at least two words. Hopefully it's clarity and focus. I think complexity kills businesses. I'm a big believer in that a quality businesses can't do lots of things. What are the few things that you can do incredibly well and be the leader at. And then once you become a leader at anything, it's very hard to stay there. Everyone's coming after you. For us at perpetual and for me it's about clarity on a few things. Do them really well and then move to the next few things. Try not to be distracted by a long list, we try to prioritise on what we can do and then draw a line under number three. And you know, often the team will hear me say, just tell me the top two. Actually, I'm not interested in the top three. We also had to try to focus on what we're not going to do and write that down because a lot of businesses are good at telling you what they do, but if you can articulate what you're not going to do, it brings more clarity to that focus around what you're going to do   Where do leaders in the middle and senior management waste their time and effort? I think often getting too much into the detail because if you're a leader, you've got to have sort of three hats. You've got to do work, improve your work and lead your team. And you've got to have, at least a third of each of those….So you've got to dedicate time and focus to leadership, not just doing. And I think it's easy to go back to the doing. You know, I had somebody put it in my mind a long time ago, a phrase called ‘being a guide, not a guru'. I think as you become more of a leader and your sole job, which is mine, is leading, not doing. So the job is to guide people not to be the technical guru. It took me a long time to learn that. As a lawyer, you want to be the smartest person in the room when it comes to the topic on ‘x of the law'. And that's not your job as even the general counsel, because my job was to hire the smartest people in the room, trust them, invest them, listen to them, guide them because it was their job to be that smart. It's not mine. And so that stuck with me for a long time. So maybe they should be more of a guide than a guru because your job is to hire the gurus as a leader.   How important is it for young people coming through and in middle management and senior executives to have a network? I think it's vital. You know, I also chair the Financial Services Council now, a leading industry body and one of the things we've reintroduced is a group called ‘the circuit'. I call it the 30 somethings and it's actually about bringing interesting topics to a forum of 40 to 100 of all of our members staff.   What was the most important thing you learned in Harvard? How bad Australians are at negotiation. I think that was a really big part of that program and you know, just seeing our cultural norms. We are ranked in the bottom five countries in the world in negotiation!   You've been CEO here for six years now, and the share price has gone from $19 to just shy of 50 which is a remarkable period of growth for the company. How important is it for individuals to build a track record, perhaps not as spectacular as that, but to keep thinking about change and transformation? I've worked with a gentlemen named Andy Meikle who has left a couple of thoughts with me over the years and one was, you know, high performers create a track record that you can leave on the table and they can leave the room and it speaks for itself. It is important to be able to think about not the way you would tell the story, how the story would tell itself. And that doesn't have to be about share price growth.   What is the difference between Change and Transformation? I had this view that change is what happens to you. Transformation is what you do to yourself. So with change, you react to your competitor, you're reacting to, it puts out a new product, you react. Transformations are where you have that honest, courageous look and say we're going to go from x to y and it's going to be tough and we're going to have to have clarity, courage, and control which are three woods, we used a lot. Clarity of what we would or wouldn't do, control because the market is going to tell us what's wrong and we also needed to keep the courage to hold the course because we couldn't possibly plan for everything to that level of detail.   How would you define a GREAT Chief? I think it's someone who is able to bring passion and energy to the way they communicate to people and the way they support and develop and grow everyone around them. It means you've able to motivate, support and nourish people in your community.   What is the final message of wisdom and hope you think is vital for the next generation of executives? I still believe that there's no shortcuts, it's all about hard work. But remaining really very curious, have curiosity in your life and you can define what that means and make sure you've got the courage.   Recommended Books by Geoff Lloyd. Repeatability : https://www.amazon.com/Repeatability-Enduring-Businesses-Constant-Change-ebook/dp/B0070YQQI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520487587&sr=8-1&keywords=repeatability Founders Mentality: https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Mentality-Overcome-Predictable-Crises-ebook/dp/B01BO6QMC8/ref=pd_sim_351_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WSXZ3BEMWMND0FWN22E7

In this episode, sponsored by Money Management Institute's Center for Distribution Excellence, we interview: Jeff Carlin, CFA, Senior Managing Director, Head of U.S. Retail Distribution at Nuveen. Jeff is Senior Managing Director and Head of U.S. Retail Distribution at Nuveen. He is responsible for leading the placement, distribution and support of all products through the retail distribution channel. Jeff is also a member of the Nuveen Business Leadership Team, which directs overall strategy, leads firm initiatives, and is accountable for the business results of our combined product and distribution teams, working closely with Nuveen affiliates to support and execute on our collective goals. Prior to that, Jeff held the roles of Head of Distribution for Structured Products, and National Sales Manager for the Wirehouse and Private Wealth channels at Nuveen. Prior to joining Nuveen, Jeff was National Sales Manager for IndexIQ, a leading innovator of Alternative Investment ETFs. Before that, he was General Manager and National Sales Manager of the Managed Accounts group at Charles Schwab & Co., and Regional Director in Northern California for Smith Barney's Consulting Group. Jeff has a B.S. in Business Administration, with an emphasis on Finance and Real Estate, from San Diego State University. He is a current member of the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) and was a member of the board of directors from 2008–2011. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the CFA Institute. This episode is brought to you by Money Management Institute and their Center for Distribution Excellence. Learn more at www.mminst.org Visit us to learn more about Wholesaler Masterminds® here.  

Todd Barnhart, Executive Vice President and Head of Retail Distribution with PNC Bank and CBA's Board Chairman for the upcoming year, sits down with CBA President and CEO Richard Hunt to discuss the Association's legislative and regulatory priorities as well as the changes the industry has undergone since the financial crisis.

This week we’ve got Zak Normandin, the Co Founder & CEO of Dirty Lemon Beverages Dirty Lemon make functional beverages designed to help you get better sleep, elevate your metabolism, or just look your best. Zak and the team have created a red-hot brand that’s been a hit with consumers. But as we learn in this interview, there’s so much more to it than that. Dirty Lemon is the first consumer brand in the world to offer products exclusively via text message.

Y'all this episode is pure FIRE. I'm bringing you the inside track on what retail buyers are looking for when assessing new brands. Karonda Cook is the former Director of Merchandising for Sally Beauty who successfully grew her beauty categories double digit while sitting in the driver's seat. She is teaching a full Master Class for FREE here. We talk brand owner misconceptions about retail distribution and what you can do NOW to make sure you are ready to sit before a retail buyer. Get your notepad ready for this one. You will thank me later.   Mrs Karonda Cook is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of The Jane Group, LLC., a consulting agency specializing in retail and brand strategic planning. Prior to founding The Jane Group, Karonda was Director of Merchandising for Sally Beauty and led merchandising initiatives for the multicultural hair care, styling tools and accessories categories.   Book recommendation is Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson. A super short, super easy read that gives perspective on how to move forward without fear. Follow Karonda on Instagram @Pixitivity her website janegroupllc.com.

In this episode we hear from Geoff Lloyd, CEO and MD of Perpetual Limited. SUPPORT GEOFF IN THE CEO COOK OFF FOR OZ HARVEST HERE ABOUT GEOFF Geoff joined Perpetual in August 2010 as Group Executive of Perpetual Private and led the development and implementation of the growth strategy for this business. He took on the additional responsibility of Head of Retail Distribution in September 2011 and was appointed Managing Director and CEO in February 2012. Geoff was previously General Manager of Advice and Private Banking at BT Financial Group following the Westpac Group merger with St.George Bank. Before the merger, he led St.George's wealth management portfolio. He held many senior positions at BT Financial Group, including Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Customer and Business Services Division. Geoff is the Chairman of the Financial Services Council, an Advisory board member of The Big Issue and the Patron of the Financial Industry Community Aid Program.   He is a Patron of Emerge Foundation and is also Chairman of the University of Technology Sydney Law Advisory board. Key Questions and Answers from Geoff (curated for clarification and brevity): What did you learn from the police force? In the police force, I got to learn a lot about people and what I still take with me is that you don't judge too quickly. Take the time to step back and see what else might be going on, what's driving an outcome, because what you see is normally just the surface of a thing. When it involves people in complex environments, there's always emotion. So that's something I've tried to take with me where I don't judge too quickly, stand back, ask questions and observe.   What did you learn from your first move interstate to Sydney with ASIC? It was the first time I learned about stretching myself out of what you might call a comfort zone, and how it can lead to just so many unforeseen, unplanned, unexpected outcomes. And so for me, that was probably the first time I've learned that as you actually stretch yourself and take real risk, it is not just a little bit that comes from that. It is quite amazing and you really don't know what you can achieve until you've tried.   What drives you internally? You're this,very aspirational man, you want to grow again and take your game to another level. What drives that? I've learned for a long time that there's always evidence of how you can keep getting better and you just don't know what you can achieve. And so having that mindset, of being curious…if you aren't finding evidence and keep getting better, then you're going to plateau. And so for me it's about that looking forward, being curious. If I don't have a 110 percent passion and energy for something, it becomes 50 percent and so I need to be operating at that level to truly find rewarding outcomes, whether it's philanthropic, social, business or family.   Do you have in moments when you doubt your abilities? What do you in do in those moments to keep going? Yeah, I do. You know, if you don't, if you can't look in the mirror and get a bit paranoid, then you're probably not able to really find evidence of how to keep getting better. I've tried to find different times in my career where I've hit inflection points and probably the most successful times the more paranoid I get. You've got to have enough confidence to know you're going to be able to follow on to what the  next challenge is… I get energy from others. So, getting access to and making sure I've got the right network, that's really important. But equally I've always had this philosophy that you've got to hire the best people you can listen to them, trust them, invest in them and then make sure you're having some fun along the way, you know, because it's, it's a very serious game that we play. If you can get that sort of talent around you then your job as a leader is really about being their guide and helping guide them rather than do or carry out the activity. Great leaders are able to step back and be able to motivate people through how they give them that guidance and help set direction and boundaries.   Why did you switch from General Counsel into other more broader roles and how did that lead to CEO level roles? I actually started to think differently about my career and stretch myself beyond being tall and skinny in a career or a profession to being broad. Think about it as the goal is to grow skills and experience over the next three to five years rather than, I want this job or that job. I think if you just go off the job titles, you might never know how good you can be and how different the work that you can do will be   Did anyone give you any feedback to you personally that, that really rang true for you? That was important for the young Geoff Lloyd to hear? BT was a very driven meritocracy, with enormous amount of opportunity. So running too fast can happen and it happened for me. And so learning about not stepping on others around you, but picking others up around you is what you're going to be judged for. And, that it takes time. Actually there's no shortcuts to hard work. I've tried lots of them. it's just about hard work. It's actually about focus and it's about making sure that you're true to yourself. Don't try to be somebody else. I've worked for some great leaders and I've picked up their characteristics and often said, ‘oh, well, if I can be like that'. And you can't be, you can pick up those characteristics and learn from them. But then you have got to be you again. Today we would talk about authentic leadership. You just have to be, you. How was the final step to CEO different? The step was quite different because as much as I've worked in large organizations, ran much bigger teams in the past than at perpetual, when you become the CEO, there's nobody else that's coming. It's words that we've used around the executive team that ‘nobody's coming'. It's us. You know, you run two and a half thousand people in a bank, there's always somebody else who can ask or the decision can go to. So the big gap is…Nobody's coming.   Does ‘Ownership Precedes Victory' resonate with you? I think you've got to have courage or otherwise you're not going to keep challenging yourself. If you don't you're not going to keep challenging your team, you're not going to take the right amount of risk and you won't see the other sides of the benefit that can come with that risk. So make sure you've got the courage is the key, that conviction of something you've started to create change. Maybe that's the words that gravitate more with me.   How do you stay focused? I suspect that at perpetual I will be remembered for at least two words. Hopefully it's clarity and focus. I think complexity kills businesses. I'm a big believer in that a quality businesses can't do lots of things. What are the few things that you can do incredibly well and be the leader at. And then once you become a leader at anything, it's very hard to stay there. Everyone's coming after you. For us at perpetual and for me it's about clarity on a few things. Do them really well and then move to the next few things. Try not to be distracted by a long list, we try to prioritise on what we can do and then draw a line under number three. And you know, often the team will hear me say, just tell me the top two. Actually, I'm not interested in the top three. We also had to try to focus on what we're not going to do and write that down because a lot of businesses are good at telling you what they do, but if you can articulate what you're not going to do, it brings more clarity to that focus around what you're going to do   Where do leaders in the middle and senior management waste their time and effort? I think often getting too much into the detail because if you're a leader, you've got to have sort of three hats. You've got to do work, improve your work and lead your team. And you've got to have, at least a third of each of those….So you've got to dedicate time and focus to leadership, not just doing. And I think it's easy to go back to the doing. You know, I had somebody put it in my mind a long time ago, a phrase called ‘being a guide, not a guru'. I think as you become more of a leader and your sole job, which is mine, is leading, not doing. So the job is to guide people not to be the technical guru. It took me a long time to learn that. As a lawyer, you want to be the smartest person in the room when it comes to the topic on ‘x of the law'. And that's not your job as even the general counsel, because my job was to hire the smartest people in the room, trust them, invest them, listen to them, guide them because it was their job to be that smart. It's not mine. And so that stuck with me for a long time. So maybe they should be more of a guide than a guru because your job is to hire the gurus as a leader.   How important is it for young people coming through and in middle management and senior executives to have a network? I think it's vital. You know, I also chair the Financial Services Council now, a leading industry body and one of the things we've reintroduced is a group called ‘the circuit'. I call it the 30 somethings and it's actually about bringing interesting topics to a forum of 40 to 100 of all of our members staff.   What was the most important thing you learned in Harvard? How bad Australians are at negotiation. I think that was a really big part of that program and you know, just seeing our cultural norms. We are ranked in the bottom five countries in the world in negotiation!   You've been CEO here for six years now, and the share price has gone from $19 to just shy of 50 which is a remarkable period of growth for the company. How important is it for individuals to build a track record, perhaps not as spectacular as that, but to keep thinking about change and transformation? I've worked with a gentlemen named Andy Meikle who has left a couple of thoughts with me over the years and one was, you know, high performers create a track record that you can leave on the table and they can leave the room and it speaks for itself. It is important to be able to think about not the way you would tell the story, how the story would tell itself. And that doesn't have to be about share price growth.   What is the difference between Change and Transformation? I had this view that change is what happens to you. Transformation is what you do to yourself. So with change, you react to your competitor, you're reacting to, it puts out a new product, you react. Transformations are where you have that honest, courageous look and say we're going to go from x to y and it's going to be tough and we're going to have to have clarity, courage, and control which are three woods, we used a lot. Clarity of what we would or wouldn't do, control because the market is going to tell us what's wrong and we also needed to keep the courage to hold the course because we couldn't possibly plan for everything to that level of detail.   How would you define a GREAT Chief? I think it's someone who is able to bring passion and energy to the way they communicate to people and the way they support and develop and grow everyone around them. It means you've able to motivate, support and nourish people in your community.   What is the final message of wisdom and hope you think is vital for the next generation of executives? I still believe that there's no shortcuts, it's all about hard work. But remaining really very curious, have curiosity in your life and you can define what that means and make sure you've got the courage.   SUPPORT GEOFF IN THE CEO COOK OFF HERE   Recommended Books by Geoff Lloyd. Repeatability : https://www.amazon.com/Repeatability-Enduring-Businesses-Constant-Change-ebook/dp/B0070YQQI4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520487587&sr=8-1&keywords=repeatability Founders Mentality: https://www.amazon.com/Founders-Mentality-Overcome-Predictable-Crises-ebook/dp/B01BO6QMC8/ref=pd_sim_351_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=WSXZ3BEMWMND0FWN22E7

"The most finite resource you have is your time and your team's time. So if we were to spin our wheels chasing this huge big box business, that would prevent us from spending our time to stuff that is hugely profitable and is continuing to work. So why take your eye off the ball?" - Bill D'Alessandro on abandoning the big box retail route "My products are in 5,000 Target stores." Admit it, at some point in your ecommerce entrepreneur life, you wished you could say those words. Or let's say you didn't, but imagine for a minute that you're at a party back home for Christmas and high school friends are asking what you're up to, and then you say those words. Yeah, we've all been there. But with all the allure of big box retail distribution comes headaches that you probably are not aware of. As an example, one big chain approached us about selling our coloring books on their shelves and we were psyched. But after running the numbers we realized that it's not even worth it. Today's guest, Bill D'Alessandro, has gone through the big box retail route when he acquired a business that already had a retail presence. He tells us in this interview the woes he encountered and why he ultimately decided to no longer pursue that route. Bill is the founder of Elements Brands, a company that acquires and scales consumer products brands. He has been buying businesses for 7 years now and currently owns 9 brands with over 130 products. He is not a stranger to this podcast and you can listen to a previous episode he has done with us about buying businesses vs. starting one from scratch. Some conversation points: The details of how Bill got into retail distribution The advantages of mom and pop shops over big box retail Treating mom and pop shops as big B2C customers The actual costs of going into retail What chains expect from a brand owner The ridiculous fees chains charge to get your product in their shelves What he plans to do moving forward Bill is currently on the lookout for good businesses to buy and add to his portfolio. If you are planning on selling, you can contact Bill at bill@rebelceo.com or hit him up on twitter at @billda Resources mentioned: Stamped.io AsiaInspection Thanks for listening to our 114th episode. Until the next one, happy selling!

Whether it is trying to raise money, build brand awareness or convince a buyer to stock your product on store shelves, knowing how to successfully pitch your company, and yourself, to potential business partners and consumers is essential. 

In this episode, I speak with authors Mel Joulwan and Dave Humphreys of the Well Fed cookbooks about retail distribution and book marketing.

Jim Debetta specializes in coaching and consulting for inventors and consumer products start-up companies. His firm also assists clients with product development and engineering of consumer products as well as sales and marketing representation to major retailers for some select clients. Recently, VP of Retail Distribution for TV Goods which is owned by Kevin Harrington from the ABC show Shark Tank. Jim carefully reviewed all products that were sent to the company to determine if they are suitable for an infomercial or retail distribution. He also headed up a team of retail specialists that called on the world's most prestigious retailers and TV shopping networks including HSN and QVC. www.jimdebetta.com The Inventors Launchpad Network – Is proud to present The Licensing Jungle, Co-Hosted by licensing expert Mr. Jeffrey Mangus of Product Coach USA and Carmine Denisco, Managing Partner with Inventors Launchpad. As a Product Licensing Coach Jeffrey’s greatest strength is that he can simplify what you would like to accomplish into an easily implementable step-by-step plan. Helping you without the need to for him have extensive knowledge in your product or area of expertise because you are the inventor, the expert. Jeffrey’s expertise is in knowing the product licensing process, the inventing sequence and how to move people forward, which usually involves overcoming many common obstacles. Let this Podcast help you get over the bumps, steer clear of the sharks and get you where you and your product deserve to be. www.productcoachusa.com This Podcast is brought to you by the Inventors Launchpad Network. www.inventorslaunchpad.com

Jim Debetta specializes in coaching and consulting for inventors and consumer products start-up companies. His firm also assists clients with product development and engineering of consumer products as well as sales and marketing representation to major retailers for some select clients. Recently, VP of Retail Distribution for TV Goods which is owned by Kevin Harrington from the ABC show Shark Tank. Jim carefully reviewed all products that were sent to the company to determine if they are suitable for an infomercial or retail distribution. He also headed up a team of retail specialists that called on the world's most prestigious retailers and TV shopping networks including HSN and QVC. www.jimdebetta.com The Inventors Launchpad – Roadmap to Success Series is presented by Inventors Launchpad in beautiful Tampa Bay, FL and hosted by Carmine Denisco. Carmine is an accomplished Author, Entrepreneur, Inventor and Co-founder/Managing Partner of Inventors Launchpad. Along with his business partner Rick Valderrama has changed the face of the invention industry and look forward to helping inventors from all over the world move their ideas forward. For more information please visit www.inventorslaunchpad.com

TERRY GREENE IS A PRODUCER, SINGER, SONGWRITER, WITH A FUNKY STYLE, A WARM AND FRIENDLY FLAMBOYANT GUY WHO PULLS HIS FANS INTO HIS MUSIC WITH INNOVATIVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH VOCALS, HIS ENERGETIC LYRICS ARE A MIXTURE OF SWEETNESS TEXTURED WITH SOUL, NEO-SOUL, FUNK, AND GOSPEL, ALL OF HIS FANS SAY WHEN WE HEAR HIS MUSIC IT MAKES US FILL LIKE DANCING AND SHOUTING IN 1986 TERRY HAD A HIT RECORD IN THE UK WITH HIS GROUP {LICKKE} THE SONG {AUTOMATIC DRIP} IS STILL SELLING TODAY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UK. NOW BASED OUT OF ATLANTA GA., FORMALLY LOS ANGELES CA., OAKLAND CA., NEW YORK, IN HIS SECULAR MUSIC CAREER HE WAS SIGNED TO TWO MAJOR RECORD LABELS OUT OF BOSTON MA, AND NEW JERSEY. HE HAS WORKED WITH {JOE CAPER,S-RIP J-JAMS RECORDING STUDIO} FOR TONY TONI TONE, MC HAMMER, SHEILA E, DIGITAL UNDERGROUND, PRODUCER {D'WAYNE WIGGINS} OF TONY, TONI, TONE, FOR DESTINY CHILD, KEYSHIA COLE, ALICIA KEYS, PRODUCER {WAYNE WALLACE} FOR CONFUNKSHUN, EARTH, WIND, AND FIRE, NADA M. WALDEN, SHEILA E., STEVIE WONDER, RAY CHARLES, {DANA JON CHAPPELLE} FOR MARIAH CAREY, JOE, CLARENCE CLEMONS, ARETHA FRANKLIN, NARADA M. WALDEN, [BOB CASTELL-BLANCH] FOR SISTER SLEDGE, STACY LATTISAW, PETE ESCOVEDO, SHEILA E, WAYNE WALLACE, NARADA M. WALDEN, {J. DANA MARS} FOR CHAKA KHAN, COLONEL ABRAMS, ROBERTA FLACK, BRAND NUBIAN, {LILIAN WHITE} FROM THE DREAM GIRLS CAST, AND SESAME STREET {ROSIE GAINES} FROM THE ARTIST PRINCE, {BRENDA VAUGH & THE BRENDA VAUGH BAND} {NADA M. WALDEN} PRODUCER FOR ARETHA FRANKLIN, WHITNEY HOUSTON, MARIAH CAREY, TEMPTATIONS, STEVIE WONDER, JUST TO NAME A FEW. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NEW MUSIC TRACKS FOR THE UPCOMING AND LONG AWAITED ALBUM FOR MUSIC LEGEND TERRY GREENE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER ARTIST FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS IN PROMOTION & MARKETING, RADIO, RETAIL DISTRIBUTION, PRODUCING PROJECTS AND MANAGEMENT, I

Former global leader of the Entrepreneurs Organisation, Jodie Dharmawan was the President and Director of PT Winner Garment Manufacturing, in which he leads 1500 employees. He was also the director of the Lee-Cooper Indonesia Clothing Company which contained over one hundred outlets worldwide and manufactures over 500,000 jeans per year!  Jody explains what it was like during the Asian Crisis in 1997 when Indonesia currencies depreciated sharply, experiencing drastic slowdowns in economic growth and loss of confidence by foreign investors. The effects of downward pressure on the rupiah by 800% lead to most Indonesian companies becoming insolvent and required restructuring.   Between August 1997 and December 1998, rapid job losses saw unemployment rise in Indonesia from 4.3 million to 13.7 million people.  Listen to how Jody explains his biggest challenges during this time and that having a peer to peer learning group helped him get past his fear.

Episode Description If you are with a manufacturing company, this is a can’t miss episode.  Be sure to listen for key points specific to manufacturing companies about industry trends that are impacting plan design, plan health and employee retirement readiness.  Also, my guest Scott Francolini shares great advice on how manufacturers can help recruit younger workers and help older workers make a successful and timely transition into retirement.  I hope you enjoy! Guest Bio Scott Francolini is Senior Vice President of Mid/Large Strategic Relationship Management at John Hancock Retirement Plan Services (JHRPS). He previously held the same role at New York Life Retirement Plan Services, which merged with JHRPS in April 2015. Scott joined our organization in 2009 and has more than 20 years of experience in financial services. He was previously Retirement Practice Lead for our Manufacturing, Materials, and Retail/Distribution industry practice, where he was responsible for establishing its strategic direction and overseeing execution through a team of Relationship Managers, ERISA Consultants, Strategic Communication Consultants, and Investment Specialists. Prior to joining our organization, he gained valuable retirement, brokerage, and advisory services experience at CIGNA Retirement & Investment Services, Prudential Financial, and Fidelity Investments. Scott received a B.S. in Finance from Bryant College and an M.B.A. from the University of Hartford. In addition, he maintains his FINRA Series 7, 26, and 63 registrations and is licensed with the State of Massachusetts Insurance Department. Outside of work, Scott enjoys traveling with his family, coaching youth soccer, and skiing.  401(k) Fridays Podcast Overview Offers companies of all sizes free strategic, educational and actionable content to improve  their retirement plans.  My name is Rick Unser and I am your host.  All episodes leverage my nearly two decades of experience working with employers to bring you candid interviews with industry experts to enhance Fiduciary Protection, streamline Plan Operations and improve employee Retirement Readiness.   For more information please visit www.401kfridays.com

TERRY GREENE IS A PRODUCER, SINGER, SONGWRITER, WITH A FUNKY STYLE, A WARM AND FRIENDLY FLAMBOYANT GUY WHO PULLS HIS FANS INTO HIS MUSIC WITH INNOVATIVE ARRANGEMENTS WITH VOCALS, HIS ENERGETIC LYRICS ARE A MIXTURE OF SWEETNESS TEXTURED WITH SOUL, NEO-SOUL, FUNK, AND GOSPEL, ALL OF HIS FANS SAY WHEN WE HEAR HIS MUSIC IT MAKES US FILL LIKE DANCING AND SHOUTING IN 1986 TERRY HAD A HIT RECORD IN THE UK WITH HIS GROUP {LICKKE} THE SONG {AUTOMATIC DRIP} IS STILL SELLING TODAY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE UK. NOW BASED OUT OF ATLANTA GA., FORMALLY LOS ANGELES CA., OAKLAND CA., NEW YORK, IN HIS SECULAR MUSIC CAREER HE WAS SIGNED TO TWO MAJOR RECORD LABELS OUT OF BOSTON MA, AND NEW JERSEY. HE HAS WORKED WITH {JOE CAPER,S-RIP J-JAMS RECORDING STUDIO} FOR TONY TONI TONE, MC HAMMER, SHEILA E, DIGITAL UNDERGROUND, PRODUCER {D'WAYNE WIGGINS} OF TONY, TONI, TONE, FOR DESTINY CHILD, KEYSHIA COLE, ALICIA KEYS, PRODUCER {WAYNE WALLACE} FOR CONFUNKSHUN, EARTH, WIND, AND FIRE, NADA M. WALDEN, SHEILA E., STEVIE WONDER, RAY CHARLES, {DANA JON CHAPPELLE} FOR MARIAH CAREY, JOE, CLARENCE CLEMONS, ARETHA FRANKLIN, NARADA M. WALDEN, [BOB CASTELL-BLANCH] FOR SISTER SLEDGE, STACY LATTISAW, PETE ESCOVEDO, SHEILA E, WAYNE WALLACE, NARADA M. WALDEN, {J. DANA MARS} FOR CHAKA KHAN, COLONEL ABRAMS, ROBERTA FLACK, BRAND NUBIAN, {LILIAN WHITE} FROM THE DREAM GIRLS CAST, AND SESAME STREET {ROSIE GAINES} FROM THE ARTIST PRINCE, {BRENDA VAUGH & THE BRENDA VAUGH BAND} {NADA M. WALDEN} PRODUCER FOR ARETHA FRANKLIN, WHITNEY HOUSTON, MARIAH CAREY, TEMPTATIONS, STEVIE WONDER, JUST TO NAME A FEW. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON NEW MUSIC TRACKS FOR THE UPCOMING AND LONG AWAITED ALBUM FOR MUSIC LEGEND TERRY GREENE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER ARTIST FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS IN PROMOTION & MARKETING, RADIO, RETAIL DISTRIBUTION, PRODUCING PROJECTS AND MANAGEMENT, I

The Empire Club of Canada Presents: Victor G. Dodig, President and Chief Executive Officer, CIBC With The Future of Banking: Importance of Innovation and Technology Victor Dodig is President and Chief Executive Officer of the CIBC group of companies, one of North America's largest financial services institutions. Mr. Dodig joined CIBC in 2005 as Executive Vice President, CIBC Wealth Management. In 2007, he became Executive Vice President, Retail Distribution, CIBC, where he led the bank's retail banking distribution and sales teams. He was appointed Group Head, Wealth Management in 2011, taking on responsibility for the bank's brokerage, private wealth, and asset management businesses in both Canada and the US. Mr. Dodig was named President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of CIBC's Board of Directors in September 2014. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the C.D. Howe Institute and is a member of the Catalyst Canada Advisory Board. Prior to joining CIBC, Mr. Dodig was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in Canada for UBS Global Asset Management. Earlier in his career, he spent five years as Managing Director in Canada, the US and the UK for Merrill Lynch and Company, where he gained international experience, following three years as a Management Consultant with McKinsey and Company. Mr. Dodig is a past recipient of Canada's Top 40 Under 40 award. He holds an MBA from Harvard University where he was a Baker Scholar, and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto, St. Michael's College. He also holds a Diploma from the Instituts d'études politiques in Paris. Speaker: Victor G. Dodig, President and Chief Executive Officer, CIBC *The content presented is free of charge but please note that the Empire Club of Canada retains copyright. Neither the speeches themselves nor any part of their content may be used for any purpose other than personal interest or research without the explicit permission of the Empire Club of Canada.* *Views and Opinions Expressed Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the speakers or panelists are those of the speakers or panelists and do not necessarily reflect or represent the official views and opinions, policy or position held by The Empire Club of Canada.*

The teams Mr. Wolfe has led and been a part of have added nearly $100,000,000 to companies in a variety of industries.  By aligning how companies operate with their marketplace.  Mr. Wolfe has helped improve the competitive position of companies in industries as diverse as Aircraft, Automotive, Bio-Med, Clothing and Textiles, Electronics, Machining, Professional Services, Retail Distribution, Space and Launch Systems, and Vitamins and Food Supplements.     www.christopherrausch.com  

The way in which the public pay for financial advice for is changing from the start of next year as part of a far-reaching reform known as the Retail Distribution Review or RDR. The UK's financial watchdog, the Financial Services Authority has decided that financial advisers have to change the way they charge for their services. Rather than receive commission from a fund manager or pension company they must now agree their charges with you, the client, under a system known as adviser charging. The watchdog has also increased the qualifications advisers must obtain before they are able to practice. The new system comes into to force on at the start of January. If you have an IFA or financial adviser already or are planning to consult one about your financial planning needs in the near future, it may have implications for you. In this podcast interview financial journalist John Lappin talks to pension firm Aegon UK’s RDR expert Steven Cameron about the reform and what it may mean for you

We look at how savers will be affected by the new round of quantitative easing and whether new rules will mean fund managers and platforms come clean on costs. Finally, why you'll only find the lowest loan rates at building societies. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

 Jim DeBetta’s product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide. As the founder of DeCavi Corp, Jim has helped thousands of inventors and start-ups learn how to get their products developed and sold to major retailers. Jim then merged his firm with the renowned Slingshot Product Development Group which employs a team of 35 engineers, designers, and marketing experts who help individual inventors and Fortune 500 firms alike. Today, Jim continues to broaden his reach into the world of consumer products and has formed DeBetta Enterprises which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products. Jim also heads up the Retail Distribution arm of Kevin Harrington’s TV Goods corporation which today is fueled by the hit ABC reality show Shark Tank.

 Jim DeBetta’s product development and sales experience has amassed millions of dollars within the retail selling world. Known nationally as a trusted coach and mentor to thousands of inventors and entrepreneurs, he knows how to take new ideas from a sketch on a napkin to selling the final product to major retailers worldwide. As the founder of DeCavi Corp, Jim has helped thousands of inventors and start-ups learn how to get their products developed and sold to major retailers. Jim then merged his firm with the renowned Slingshot Product Development Group which employs a team of 35 engineers, designers, and marketing experts who help individual inventors and Fortune 500 firms alike. Today, Jim continues to broaden his reach into the world of consumer products and has formed DeBetta Enterprises which is a private consultancy that coaches and advises inventors and entrepreneurs on everything from manufacturing to sales and marketing of consumer products. Jim also heads up the Retail Distribution arm of Kevin Harrington’s TV Goods corporation which today is fueled by the hit ABC reality show Shark Tank.

With the Retail Distribution Review only months away, in the first of a series of interviews, financial journalist John Lappin talks to Aegon's head of regulatory strategy Steven Cameron to get his thoughts on the RDR and what Independent Financial Advisers should be considering as they finalise their plans for next year.