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Women Leaders Career Advancement: The 4-Relationship Framework and Personal Success Plan (2026) Executive Summary: Women leaders career advancement stalls most often at the relationship level, not the skill level. Women hold only 29% of C-suite roles despite representing nearly half the workforce. Former IBM VP Shelmina Babai Abji reveals the four strategic relationships that accelerate promotion and the Personal Success Plan that keeps you on track week after week. Quick Takeaways: Women leaders career advancement remains stalled at every pipeline level for the 11th consecutive year (McKinsey, 2025). The four relationships that accelerate promotion are: boss, peers, mentors, and sponsors — and all four must be intentionally built. Only 31% of entry-level women have a sponsor, vs. 45% of men — closing this gap is one of the highest-ROI actions you can take. Responding to bias with proof, not reaction, protects your power and changes minds more effectively than confrontation. A Personal Success Plan reviewed weekly keeps your business results, relationships, competencies, and leadership brand advancing together. Key 2025–2026 statistics on women leaders career advancement: the C-suite gap, the broken rung, and the sponsorship deficit. Women leaders career advancement has a number that should stop you: for every 100 men promoted to their first manager role, only 81 women make the same leap. That gap — what McKinsey researchers call the "broken rung" — has barely moved in years. And it is not primarily a skills gap. It is a visibility gap, a relationship gap, and a strategy gap. I'm Sabrina Braham, MA, MFT, PCC — executive leadership coach with over 30 years of experience and host of the Women's Leadership Success Podcast, ranked in the top 1.5% globally with over 950,000 downloads. In Part II of my interview with Shelmina Babai Abji — TEDx speaker, former IBM Vice President, and author of Show Your Worth — we go deep on the practical mechanics that drive women leaders career advancement forward. If you caught Part I, you already have Shelmina's Power Quotient framework for silencing self-doubt. This episode is what comes next: the external strategy. How do you intentionally build the four relationships that move careers forward? How do you handle a boss who doesn't see your value? How do you navigate workplace bias without giving your power away? And what is the weekly planning practice that keeps even the most overwhelmed leader — including single mothers carrying impossible loads — on a clear path to the C-suite? This is one of the most actionable episodes I have recorded in 19 years of podcasting. Let's get into it. Why Women Leaders Career Advancement Stalls: The Strategy Gap The McKinsey Women in the Workplace 2025 report — which surveyed approximately 10,000 employees across 124 organizations — found that women hold only 29% of C-suite roles, unchanged from 2024, and that women remain underrepresented at every level of the corporate pipeline for the eleventh consecutive year. Women of color face a steeper drop-off at every rung. The same research surfaces a critical sponsorship gap that most women don't know exists: only 31% of entry-level women have a sponsor, compared to 45% of men at the same level. Sponsorship — not mentorship — is the relationship that most reliably unlocks promotions, stretch assignments, and visibility with senior leaders. And women are starting from a 14-point deficit. Shelmina's response to this data is direct: "The reason the numbers are as bad as they are is we cannot wait for organizations to change, or for people to change. We have to be the change we want to see." That is not resignation to an unfair system. It is a strategic recognition that women leaders career advancement is not waiting for institutions to fix the pipeline — it is built deliberately, relationship by relationship, decision by decision, week by week. The Four Relationships That Accelerate Women Leaders Career Advancement Shelmina's book Show Your Worth dedicates an entire chapter to what she calls "intentional relationships" — the four categories of professional connection that, when built strategically, become the scaffolding of a senior career. She credits them with her own advancement from immigrant engineer to IBM Vice President. Relationship 1: Your Boss This is the most high-leverage relationship in your career, and the one most women invest in least strategically. "At the end of the day, you work for your boss, not an organization," Shelmina says. "It is up to you to build that relationship." The mechanism is not flattery or politics. It is a deliberate daily practice of contributing value that advances your boss's success — specifically, unique value that makes you essential. Shelmina describes this as "leaning into your authenticity and your uniqueness until you become essential to your boss's success." When you are essential to your boss's success, you are in a position of power to negotiate what you want — flexible boundaries, stretch assignments, sponsorship, promotion recommendations. Power in a workplace relationship is not seized; it is earned through indispensability. Practically, this means: Understanding your boss's most critical success metrics and aligning your work visibly to them Ensuring your boss has a "front-row seat" to your contributions — proactively, not passively Asking for help on stretch assignments (which demonstrates self-awareness, not weakness) Preparing thoroughly for performance reviews with documented, outcome-quantified contributions Relationship 2: Peers Peer relationships are the often-overlooked engine of influence. In 2026's increasingly matrixed organizations, influence flows horizontally as much as it flows vertically. Peers who trust you, advocate for you in rooms you're not in, and co-create solutions with you are a form of organizational capital that compounds over time. Shelmina notes that the same principle applies here as with the boss relationship: the foundation is contribution, not connection for its own sake. Peers who see you as someone who makes their work better — not someone who competes with them for credit — become your most organic advocates. Relationship 3: Mentors — The Right Ones, Not Just Any Here Shelmina offers a counterintuitive observation that stopped me when I heard it. She regularly asks women at conferences: "How many of you have mentors?" Almost every hand goes up. Then she asks: "How many of those mentors have pushed you, accelerated your success, made you significantly better personally or professionally?" Most hands go down. "We need to be intentional and strategic even when we look for mentors," she says. "We must know: why is this person the right mentor for me, at this point in time?" A mentor who is a perfect match for where you are today may be misaligned with where you need to go next. Great mentors: Have navigated the specific transition you are facing Will push you, not just validate you Are willing to give you honest, sometimes uncomfortable feedback Have relationships and visibility at levels above your current role Shelmina's own pivotal mentor was Susan Whitney — an IBM General Manager who, in the two minutes it took to walk from a roundtable back to an office, changed the entire direction of Shelmina's career by asking one question: "Where do you want to be in five years?" That question planted a seed. Shelmina did not have the answer — but she pursued Susan as a mentor, did whatever it took to get noticed and earn time with her, and eventually built the relationship that shifted her from "doing a great job in my current role" to "thinking strategically about what I want to do next, and next, and next." Relationship 4: Sponsors — Your Most Powerful Accelerant A mentor gives advice. A sponsor gives opportunity. This distinction is critical and widely misunderstood. Sponsors use their own political capital to advocate for you — in the rooms where promotions are decided, on the committees where assignments are distributed, in the conversations where names are put forward. A sponsor says your name when you are not in the room. A mentor helps you prepare for the room. Both matter. But only one moves the needle on the broken rung. Given that women enter careers with a 14-point sponsorship deficit compared to men, closing this gap is one of the highest-ROI investments you can make in your own career advancement. You earn a sponsor the same way you earn every other relationship: by making yourself visible, demonstrating your capability in high-stakes situations, and becoming someone whose success the sponsor wants to be associated with. Shelmina's guidance: identify one person at two levels above you who has both visibility with senior leadership and the willingness to advocate. Do the work to get in their orbit. When you are there, make their decision to sponsor you easy — by showing up with the kind of work that reflects well on anyone who recommends you. The four relationships that drive women leaders career advancement: boss, peers, mentors, and sponsors How to Navigate Workplace Bias Without Losing Your Power As a woman of color scaling the corporate ladder, Shelmina encountered both internal barriers — the self-doubt and fear of belonging described in Part I — and external barriers: leaders who did not automatically see her as a candidate for leadership roles, colleagues who underestimated her capabilities, and structural biases that filtered opportunity away from people who didn't fit the existing template. Her framework for navigating bias is one of the most strategically intelligent approaches I have encountered in 30 years of coaching. It has three operating principles: Principle 1: Don't React — Prove "When you react, you give your power away to them....
The AI Breakdown: Daily Artificial Intelligence News and Discussions
The AI race is entering a new phase as SpaceX turns its IPO momentum into AI leverage, Cursor becomes part of Elon Musk's broader strategy, and OpenAI's leaked financials tell a more complicated story than the skeptics suggest. In the headlines: the latest in the Anthropic-Washington fight over Fable 5, Mythos, and what's really behind the government's cybersecurity concerns.Check out the new https://aidailybrief.ai/Brought to you by:KPMG – Research from KPMG and the University of Texas at Austin shows the highest-impact AI users treat AI like a reasoning partner — and those skills can be taught at scale. Learn more at kpmg.com/us/SophisticatedBolt - Claim a free month of Bolt Pro - https://bolt.new/partner/aidb/Section - Section turns AI investment into workforce transformation and ROI - https://www.sectionai.com/Outsystems - Stop wondering how AI will change your business and start building the agents that will lead it - http://outsystems.com/Scrunch - The AI customer experience platform - https://scrunch.com/Zenflow Work - Agents for knowledge work - https://zenflow.free/Blitzy - Want to accelerate enterprise software development velocity by 5x? https://blitzy.com/AssemblyAI - The best way to build Voice AI apps - https://www.assemblyai.com/briefRobots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results https://robotsandpencils.com/The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614Our Newsletter is BACK: https://aidailybrief.beehiiv.com/Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@aidailybrief.ai
#953 You've built the campaign — now it's time to turn your content into a client-converting machine that works even while you sleep! In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Chelsea Quint of The Business Whisperer is back to walk us through the next critical steps of campaign-based selling, including how to choose your three core marketing channels (and why spreading yourself too thin is killing your ROI), how to create content that builds compounding authority over time — and actually gets picked up by AI search engines — and why the easiest sale you'll ever make is to someone who already bought from you. Chelsea also shares a powerful real-world example of how a back-end resonance campaign took a client from a $1,500/month retainer to a $50,000 project, and leaves us with a mindset shift every solopreneur needs to hear about rejection, resilience, and learning to trust that you have the skills to make money happen! What we discuss with Chelsea: + Three-channel marketing strategy + Campaign-based selling + Building trust with content + Long-form authority content + AI search visibility + Creating a content library + Backend revenue campaigns + Customer retention strategies + Overcoming sales fears + Sustainable business growth Thank you, Chelsea! Check out The Business Whisperer at Business-Whisperer.com. Follow Chelsea on Instagram. Email Chelsea at chelsea@business-whisperer.com. To get access to our FREE Business Training course go to MillionaireUniversity.com/training. To get exclusive offers mentioned in this episode and to support the show, visit millionaireuniversity.com/sponsors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The CPG Guys are joined on its 600th episode by Tony Rogers, CMO of Dollar General which serves as America's neighborhood general store. Founded in 1939, Dollar General lives its mission of Serving Others every day by providing access to affordable products and services for its customers, career opportunities for its employees, and literacy and education support for its hometown communities. As of May 1, 2026, the Company's 21,055 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico provide everyday essentials including food, health and wellness products, cleaning and laundry supplies, self-care and beauty items, and seasonal décor.Follow Tony on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyrogers1Follow Dollar General online at: https://investor.dollargeneral.com/Tony answers these questions:Dollar General has a very clear value proposition—convenience, everyday low prices, and a store that feels close to home. How would you articulate the brand promise today, and how has it evolved with changing consumer expectations over the last few years?Dollar General serves millions of daily shoppers. What consumer insights have most surprised you since you joined, and how do you translate those insights into marketing programs that scale across thousands of stores?Data is the backbone of modern marketing. How does Dollar General balance data-driven decision making with the realities of privacy, consent, and a broad shopper base? Can you share an example of a data-enabled campaign that delivered measurable impact?How has Dollar General's approach to e-commerce and omnichannel evolved, especially as more shoppers expect online ordering, curbside pickup, and ship-to-home options? What role does in-store activation play in that mix?Private brands has become a strategic driver for many retailers. What's Dollar General's approach to product assortment and private brands, and how do you decide which initiatives to invest in?With so many channels and touchpoints, how do you measure retail media marketing ROI at Dollar General? What metrics matter most, and how do you tie marketing investments to store traffic, basket size, and long-term loyalty?Dollar General has a distinctive presence in local communities. How do you weave community impact and social responsibility into your marketing strategy without compromising value for customers?Can you share your philosophy on creative that resonates with Dollar General's shopper base? Are there any campaigns in the last few years that you're particularly proud of, and what made them effective?Building a high-performing marketing organization in a discount retailer requires special talent and culture. How do you attract and retain top marketing talent, and what changes have you championed to keep the team energized and innovative?Looking ahead, what are the big bets for Dollar General in the next 3–5 years? How do you see the role of discount retailers evolving in the broader CPG ecosystem, and what should brands watch for when partnering with DG?CPG Guys Website: http://CPGguys.comFMCG Guys Website: http://FMCGguys.comSheCOMMERCE Website: https://shecommercepodcast.com/Rhea Raj's Website: http://rhearaj.comLara Raj in Katseye: https://www.katseye.world/DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from CPGGUYS, LLC or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by CPGGUYS, LLC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. CPGGUYS LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.
“Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can.” — Douglas Pagels We're halfway through the year and that means it's time for a recap of some legendary moments of the Win the Day podcast so far in 2026. Leave a comment on Spotify to let me know which one you'll be incorporating first.Without further ado, let's get into 8 Tips to Win the Day – the best highlights from the year so far…Onward,JamesPS — Join 25K+ other subscribers on YouTube
Ryan McCarthy — Board of Visitors Member at Virginia Tech — explains the power of athletics to bring positive global exposure to a university. Smart investments in athletics have the potential for as much as $1B in ROI, and universities like Virginia Tech are wisely making those investments for the future. Listen to the full episode here: https://nvgt.com/podcast?ppplayer=1e977ebc536a4f7840f232ca6e253547&ppepisode=344ead289d120de9f56f07165421bb56 For more insights, visit our LinkedIn page or learn more about Navigate at https://nvgt.com/.
Salesforce renamed Commerce Cloud to Agentforce Commerce and calls this its biggest release in years. Rebrand, or substance? Nitin Mangtani makes the case.Every enterprise vendor is bolting "agentic" onto its roadmap this year. Salesforce went further and renamed the whole product. Nitin Mangtani, who runs Commerce and Retail Cloud, came on to defend the release line by line.We get into Storefront Next, the new storefront meant to serve both the merchant who wants clicks and prompts out of the box and the developer writing code with AI-native tools. The agentic layer: a search engine built on shopper intent instead of keywords, native chat, a ChatGPT catalog integration going live in June, and a shopper agent that's supposed to behave like the associate you'd get in a good store. The B2B story the B2C headlines tend to bury, including round-trip quoting, multicart, and a buying flow that runs on WhatsApp. And modern POS, where the bet is that systems nobody has rethought in twenty years are finally worth rebuilding.Nitin came in through the PredictSpring acquisition two years ago and ran Google's shopping team back in the early 2000s, so he's watched the discovery layer move before. His line throughout: technology for its own sake is worthless. Tie it to ROI and a better customer experience, or don't ship it.So I pushed on the question every merchant on the platform is actually asking. Hear Agentforce Commerce, Storefront Next, and a ChatGPT integration in the same week, and what changes for you, and how soon? Listen and decide whether the rebrand earns the airtime.The Watson Weekly interview is sponsored by Avalara - the agentic AI platform automating global tax and compliance for leading eCommerce brands. For more details: https://avalaratax.watsonweekly.com.
Most entrepreneurs don't realize how much money they're losing through poor tax strategy. The problem isn't always revenue. It's what happens after the money comes in. In this episode, Rachel sits down with Peter Holtz, founder of one of the fastest-growing accounting firms in the country. With experience spanning Big 4 accounting, CFO leadership, and building a $10M-plus firm from the ground up, Peter shares why traditional accounting models are failing entrepreneurs and what founders should be doing instead. Peter explains how proactive tax planning, financial organization, and smarter business structures can dramatically improve profitability and help business owners build real long-term wealth. He also breaks down how entrepreneurs can legally reduce their tax burden, improve financial clarity, and turn accounting into one of the highest ROI investments in their business. Why Reactive Accounting Is Costing Founders Thousands Peter explains that most accountants operate as "box fillers," focused only on filing returns instead of helping business owners strategically reduce taxes year-round. He shares why accuracy, organization, and the right business structure are foundational to keeping more of what you earn. From separating business and personal expenses to optimizing entity structure, small changes can create a massive financial impact. Peter also dives into overlooked strategies many entrepreneurs miss, including the Augusta Rule, paying children through the business, vehicle deductions, and structuring travel expenses correctly. Building Wealth Through Financial Clarity Beyond taxes, this conversation explores the deeper connection between financial awareness and leadership. Peter reflects on building his firm from a small operation into an Inc. 5000 company by embracing cloud accounting, systems, and long-term thinking early. He also shares why he believes entrepreneurs are modern-day pioneers and why supporting business owners is central to his mission. Rachel and Peter also discuss personal branding, scaling a service-based business, and the evolution of authority in today's digital landscape. Enjoy this episode with Peter Holtz… Soundbytes 17:53–18:14 "The Augusta Rule lets you rent out your house at fair market value. You have to determine fair market value. You've got to create a lease between yourself and your business, and there's a lot of details you have to live with. But it could easily be anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 in tax-free income, depending on how you use it." 20:39–21:04 "I've said, you know, you should pay your kids, and I've heard, 'Well, we talked to our tax preparer, and they said it's a red flag.' It's not. I've been around for 40 years. I've been through audits. I've helped people that have come to me to get help with audits. The tax law is very clear that any child above age 7 can be paid a reasonable wage to help you in your business." Quotes "Most entrepreneurs are overpaying in taxes because no one ever showed them a better strategy." "A CPA should not be a cost center. They should be one of the highest ROI partners in your business." "When you don't commingle business and personal expenses, you're already telling the IRS you're organized." "The ultimate resource you can never get more of is time." "There's not a business problem that I can't solve anymore because after a while, you understand how businesses really work." Links mentioned in this episode: From Our Guest Website: https://www.peterholtzcpa.com/ Free Resource and Consultation: https://go.peterholtzcpa.com/rachel Connect with Peter Holtz on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/company/peterholtzcpa Follow Peter Holtz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterholtzcpa Connect with brandiD Find out how top leaders are increasing their authority, impact, and income online. Listen to our private podcast, The Professional Presence Podcast: https://thebrandid.com/professional-presence-podcast Ready to elevate your digital presence with a powerful brand or website? Contact us here: https://thebrandid.com/contact-form/
On the Schmooze Podcast: Leadership | Strategic Networking | Relationship Building
You're thinking about writing a book. You've got an idea, a message you care about, and a sense that becoming an author will elevate your credibility. But here's a question worth asking before you start writing. Will this book actually create opportunities for your business? Many speakers and coaches assume that simply having a book will be enough. That it will attract clients and lead to speaking engagements. But without a clear strategy behind it, a book can easily become a lot of effort with very little return. Before you write, it's important to step back and ask a few key questions: Who is this book really for? The answer can't be “everyone.” What problem does it solve? Does the reader KNOW they have this problem? How does the book connect to your offers? Do you need to rename them? And what do you want a reader to do after they finish it? If they love your book, how can they find you, and what can they do with you next? Those are exactly the kinds of questions we explore in the Author ROI Lab, a small group program designed to help entrepreneurs decide whether the book they're considering is worth writing and how to leverage it for real business results. To learn more, visit www.BookLaunchBrainstorm.com. And now, let's meet today's panelists. Amy Climer wrote "Deliberate Creative Teams: How to Lead for Innovative Results," a practical leadership guide that helps teams build the skills, mindset, and structures needed to consistently generate innovative ideas and turn them into meaningful results. Daria Rudnik wrote "CLICKING: A Team Building Strategy for Overloaded Leaders Who Want Stronger Team Trust, Better Results, and More Time," a results-driven framework that shows leaders how to strengthen trust, improve collaboration, and create more efficient, high-performing teams without adding more to their plate. Tissa Richards is the author of two books, including "Rethinking Resilience: Fueling Your Competitive Advantage," a strategic guide that challenges traditional views of resilience and shows leaders how to leverage it as a powerful driver of performance, adaptability, and long-term success. Please join me in welcoming Amy, Daria, and Tissa. In this episode, we discuss the following:
What if the secret to fixing your overwhelmed SDLC is not a better AI coding model, but a smarter productivity context engine? This week on Dev Interrupted, LinearB founders Ori Keren and Dan Lines join the show to discuss the messy middle of AI adoption and the painful transition from the traditional SDLC to the Agentic Development Life Cycle. They unpack why the era of cheap AI experimentation is over, how rising token costs are forcing engineering leaders to prioritize strict business ROI, and how autonomous tools are fundamentally changing the daily workflow of developers.Register here: for the June 25th workshop, Life Beyond Tokenmaxxing, to learn how to measure real AI impact and ROI across the SDLC.Follow the show:Subscribe to our Substack Follow us on LinkedInSubscribe to our YouTube ChannelLeave us a ReviewFollow the hosts:Follow AndrewFollow BenFollow DanFollow today's guest:LinearB: Learn how to transform your SDLC and build an engineering context engine at linearb.iogitStream: Explore LinearB's workflow automation tool for routing pull requests at linearb.io/platform/gitstreamFollow Ori and Dan on LinkedIn: Ori Keren | Dan LinesOFFERSStart Free Trial: Get started with LinearB's AI productivity platform for free.Book a Demo: Learn how you can ship faster, improve DevEx, and lead with confidence in the AI era.LEARN ABOUT LINEARBAI Code Reviews: Automate reviews to catch bugs, security risks, and performance issues before they hit production.AI & Productivity Insights: Go beyond DORA with AI-powered recommendations and dashboards to measure and improve performance.AI-Powered Workflow Automations: Use AI-generated PR descriptions, smart routing, and other automations to reduce developer toil.MCP Server: Interact with your engineering data using natural language to build custom reports and get answers on the fly.
The shift from traditional television to connected TV has accelerated rapidly, requiring publishers to offer both massive culture-shifting scale and ultra-precise targeting capabilities. In this deep dive, Netflix Advertising VP Nicolle Pangis pulls back the curtain on how the platform built an independent, proprietary ad server to give global brands the exact mix of automated programmatic buying and high-impact live events they need to drive measurable ROI. Key Highlights
Recorded live at the Pax8 Beyond 26 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, these back-to-back conversations with Chris Marks, VP of Marketplace Innovation, and Chance Weaver, Global Vice President of AI Adoption, offer a powerful glimpse into the future of the IT channel and the evolution from Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to Managed Intelligence Providers (MIPs). Together, they share how Pax8 is helping partners navigate one of the most significant technology shifts in decades by combining innovation, community, education, and practical AI adoption strategies. While Chris focuses on the vision, leadership, and marketplace transformation required to unlock new opportunities, Chance provides a tactical roadmap for turning AI into measurable business outcomes and recurring revenue streams. Discover why AI is not simply another tool, but a catalyst for deeper client relationships and strategic business transformation. Key themes include the importance of moving beyond technology conversations to business outcome discussions, embedding AI into workflows rather than treating it as a standalone solution, leveraging community to accelerate learning, and embracing curiosity, adaptability, and servant leadership in times of rapid change. Chris highlights the tremendous opportunity for MSPs to become trusted business advisors, while Chance demonstrates how partners can start immediately by having AI conversations with clients, identifying business challenges, delivering quick wins, and building long-term value. Together, their insights reinforce a powerful message: the future belongs to technology leaders willing to innovate, educate, and guide their clients. Key Highlights: The evolution from MSP to MIP and why business advisory services are becoming a critical differentiator. AI creates new opportunities for growth, efficiency, and recurring revenue when tied to measurable outcomes. Community, collaboration, and continuous learning are essential for navigating technological disruption. Practical strategies for introducing AI to clients, addressing governance concerns, and demonstrating ROI. Leadership lessons centered on curiosity, empowerment, servant leadership, and enabling teams to innovate. How Pax8 is building the programs, tools, and ecosystem partners need to thrive in the AI-driven economy. Be sure to register for Beyond 27 in San Diego, California, and visit pax8.com to learn more about the marketplace.
#136Josh and Mike sit down with Ming-Tai Huh, restaurateur, MIT graduate, former Toast and Square executive, and co-founder of Cambridge Street Hospitality Group. Ming shares the unlikely path that took him from management consulting and technology into the restaurant industry, beginning with a spontaneous decision to open a restaurant after becoming deeply involved in his local Cambridge community. He reflects on his early days at Toast, helping to build foundational products such as online ordering, loyalty, APIs, and partnerships, and explains how his experience as both an operator and a technologist shaped the way he thinks about restaurant software.The conversation dives into the future of restaurant technology, AI, SaaS, restaurant operations, and why supply chain management remains one of the industry's biggest unsolved problems. Ming discusses the rise of AI agents, the growing gap between experienced operators and first-time restaurateurs, the realities behind scaling restaurant software, and why he believes marketing attribution and ROI measurement remain major opportunities for innovation. Along the way, he shares stories about getting married inside an unfinished restaurant, building Puritan & Company from scratch, and what operators can learn from both the restaurant and technology worlds.Links and resources
What if the three things holding back your short-term rental revenue are hiding in plain sight?Kenny Bedwell, data-driven investor and STR educator, breaks down the amenities most investors miss, ones that are scientifically proven to spike your bookings and cash flow fast. Forget the gimmicks and “guru” advice. In this brutally practical episode, you'll hear real numbers, tactical breakdowns, and the overlooked upgrades that have delivered six-figure jumps for Kenny Bedwell and his clients.You will miss out on the bookings your comps are snatching up right now if you ignore these simple moves. Listen in and get the honest playbook for immediate results. No fluff. No hype. Just the uncommon upgrades that separate winning properties from the pack, only on Cash Flow Positive.Timestamped Highlights00:15 – The three revenue-slaying amenities every STR owner misses01:46 – Are you making this six-figure mistake with your amenities?04:39 – How a heated pool turned winter dead zones into year-round cash08:17 – Container pool case study. From $150K to $244K in a single year10:21 – The no-glamour upgrade that quietly adds $15K to your bottom line13:16 – Why full bathrooms are the untapped ROI secret in most markets20:08 – The lighting hack delivering 500 percent returns (not string lights)25:12 – One color tweak to your property lighting that boosts revenue 30 percentMentioned ResourcesAirbnbChatGPTImportant LinksWant us to find the deals for you? https://strinsights.com Get Top Markers for STRs (2025) - https://rebrand.ly/28b1df Instagram – @kenny_bedwellYouTube – Cash Flow PositiveLinkedIn – Kenneth BedwellCash Flow Positive is an original podcast hosted by Kenny Bedwell. Brought to you by STR Insights. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
In this episode, Dustan Biegler shares the ROI framework that helped him build and lead Apple Roofing into a $32 million company with a fleet of more than 70 trucks. What started as a conversation about trucks quickly became a masterclass in business ownership, profitability, leadership, and making smarter decisions with your money and time. Dustan explains how successful entrepreneurs evaluate purchases, avoid costly mistakes, calculate true return on investment, and focus on the activities that create the greatest impact in their business. In this episode, you'll learn: • How to calculate ROI before making major purchases • The hidden costs most business owners overlook • Why impulse buying hurts profitability • How successful entrepreneurs think differently about money • Why business owners should avoid low-value activities • The role coaching, mentorship, and books play in business growth • How paying attention to the small things creates long-term success
In this episode of The Dairy Podcast Show, Abbi Goldenberg, Director of Sales and Marketing at Farm Inc., explains hoof bath treatment protocols and their role in preventing lameness. She highlights hoof health management, footbath consistency, and economic considerations. Abbi highlights why consistent prevention delivers stronger returns over time. Listen now on all major platforms!"Preventing hoof health issues reduces the frequency and severity of lameness cases, supporting better consistency in dairy herd management systems."Meet the guest: Abbi Goldenberg serves as Director of Sales and Marketing at Farm Inc., bringing a lifelong background in dairy cattle and experience across genetics, herd monitoring, and hoof health management. Raised in a dairy family, her work focuses on improving cow mobility, consistency in hoof care, and operational efficiency. Learn more from Abbi Goldenberg on The Dairy Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.Liked this one? Don't stop now — Here's what we think you'll love!Martin Folkema: Rubber Flooring and Dairy Cow Comfort | Ep. 187What you'll learn:(00:00) Highlight(01:29) Introduction(03:32) Lameness impact(04:52) Prevention focus(06:06) Technology limits(08:25) Footbath variability(11:29) ROI evaluation(17:39) Final questionsThe Dairy Podcast Show is trusted and supported by innovative companies like:* Agri-Comfort* CowManager* Priority IAC* Evonik* Afimilk* Adisseo- dsm-firmenich- BoviSync- Chemlock Nutrition- Natural Biologics- Protekta- AHV- Agrarian Solutions- DietForge
Syngenta’s Jeremy Groeteke joins Margy Eckelkamp to discuss the shift from collecting data to taking action. Explore the three buckets of AI, the future of autonomous farming, and how retailers can overcome "data fatigue" to deliver real-world ROI and profitability to their grower customers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
No sales. Buyer objections. Mailers that seem to go nowhere. In this live call-in episode, Luke, Josh, and Stephen tackle three real business challenges and give the exact advice they'd use in their own businesses. From proving product-market fit before advertising to handling climate change objections and maximizing direct mail ROI, this episode is packed with practical strategies that can save you time, money, and frustration. Key Takeaways: Stop spending on ads until you've proven product-market fit. Get direct customer feedback before scaling your marketing. Become the subject matter expert when handling buyer objections. Use AI to practice objection handling and improve your sales conversations. Test direct mail for at least 90 days—and up to 12 months for farming campaigns. Combine branding efforts with direct outreach to generate faster results.
This week, we pull back the curtain on Amelia's newest acquisition: an 11-unit apartment building in a B+ suburb of Des Moines. This candid conversation is packed with insights for female real estate investors who want to scale beyond single-family rentals without taking on 100-unit syndications. You'll hear how Amelia: Spotted this off-market CBRE pocket listing and knew instantly it was a killer deal Analyzed the numbers, negotiated the price from $750K to $735K, and structured a 50/50 partnership with her mom Plans to boost returns by converting select units to mid-term rentals (MTRs) for traveling nurses Uses local market expertise, not endless spreadsheets, to move fast and confidently Projects over $200K in debt paydown, $160K in appreciation, and $308K in cash flow over 10 years We also dive into: Why sticking to one market can be your biggest competitive edge How to balance risk, reserves, and anxiety as you level up What “total return” really means for your net worth and lifestyle design If you're a woman ready to grow from a few doors to a scalable portfolio, this episode shows you exactly how one thoughtful 11-unit deal can be life-changing. Resources: Book your spot at WIIRE Summer Camp before it fills up Simplify how you manage your rentals with TurboTenant Make sure your name is on the list to secure your spot in The WIIRE Community Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts Leave us a review on Spotify Join our private Facebook Community Connect with us on Instagram
Home Staging for Real Estate Investors: How Presentation Affects Sale Price, Days on Market, and ROI Home staging is one of the most underused tools in a real estate investor's toolkit. Most investors treat it as an optional expense. The ones who understand it treat it as a marketing strategy that directly affects what a property sells for and how fast it sells. In this episode, Alisa Sparks, founder and CEO of Linden Creek, breaks down the business case for professional home staging, what it actually costs, and what investors consistently get wrong when they try to do it themselves. About Alisa Sparks Alisa Sparks is the Founder and CEO of Linden Creek, a luxury interior design and home staging franchise with 22 locations across the country. Before founding Linden Creek, Alisa worked in corporate and military finance. She brings a data-first approach to staging, focusing on ROI, days on market, and the psychology of how buyers experience a property. What We Cover in This Episode Why vacant homes sell slower and for less than staged homes The psychology of staged vs. unstaged properties and how buyer behavior changes The $50,000 difference: a real A/B case study using two identical townhouse floor plans What home staging actually costs ($4,000 to $10,000) versus furnishing a property yourself ($15,000 to $60,000) How stagers think about MLS photography, buyer traffic flow, and storytelling in a space The difference between staging for sale and designing for a homeowner Why virtual staging falls short when buyers walk through the door Common DIY staging mistakes: wrong furniture scale, mismatched quality, poor accessorizing How to use staging to offset property flaws that can't be fixed (small kitchens, awkward layouts, neighbor issues) When to bring in a stager during the selling process and how long to keep furniture in place The competitive advantage of staging in markets where only 20% of listings do it How Linden Creek uses AI tools to scale marketing output with a small team Key Insight Two identical townhouse units. Same floor plan, same location, same everything. One sat vacant and sold in four months for around $600,000. The other was staged. It sold within the first week for $50,000 more. That one variable — staging — was the only thing that changed. Alisa has collected dozens of case studies like this across eight years and hundreds of properties. Why This Episode Matters Most real estate investors focus their capital on what's inside the walls — HVAC, plumbing, flooring. Alisa's argument is that the last 5% of the budget, spent on how the property looks and feels on the day it hits the market, often has the highest return. If you're flipping houses, selling rentals, or trying to lease model units faster, this episode gives you a framework for making that decision with real numbers. Find Out More Website: www.linden-creek.com Instagram: @lindencreek_ Instagram: @Alisa_Sparks LinkedIn (Company): www.linkedin.com/company/linden-creek LinkedIn (Alisa Sparks): www.linkedin.com/in/alisasparkslc/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@LindenCreek Sponsors Today's episode is brought to you by Green Property Management, managing everything from single family homes to apartment complexes in the West Michigan area. https://www.livegreenlocal.com And RCB & Associates, helping Michigan-based real estate investors and small business owners navigate the complex world of health insurance and Medicare benefits. https://www.rcbassociatesllc.com
Our guest this episode is Samson Tam talking about district energy, ROI, cathedral thinking, current state of play and much more.If you enjoy this episode, share it with friends and give us a review, it helps more than you know.In this episode, we discuss: Avoiding unnecessary brain damageHow electrical systems are district systemAddition via subtractionConverting ideas into actionAnd much more…….More on SamsonSamson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samsontam/Corix: https://www.corix.com/BioSamson Tam is a licensed professional engineer specializing in District Energy Infrastructure Development & Strategy.As Vice President of Development at Corix, Samson leads the origination and execution of district energy projects that support master-planned communities, institutional campuses, and major urban redevelopments. His work focuses on leading district energy developments, ensuring financial and operational viability across diverse markets, and aligning stakeholders from the public and private sectors.#edificecomplexpodcast #bluerithm #BPV #ProjectManagement #podcast #CxM #Cx #RICS #PMI #PMP #smartbuildings #ESG #training #systems #resiliance #builtenvironment #LEED #netzero #MEP #ASHRAE #CIBSE #buildingservices #BECx #facades #BPVGlobal #bluerithm #environment #LEED #netzero #MEP #ASHRAE #CIBSE #sustainability #AESG
Most executives treat sleep as a variable. Something to compress when things get busy. Something to fix later. That's the ROI brain talking: Sleep is overhead, not output.The science disagrees. One in three people globally struggle with sleep, and the effects are not limited to grogginess. Poor sleep is linked to cognitive decline, impaired decision making, elevated anxiety, weakened immunity, and early onset dementia. If you aren't sleeping well, you aren't operating well. Full stop.This is the market that Somnee is building into. The company was founded by four UC Berkeley neuroscientists, including Matt Walker, arguably the world's leading expert on sleep science. Its product is a headband, worn for 15 minutes before bed, which reads your brainwave activity through clinical-grade EEG sensors on your frontal cortex, then uses neurostimulation to recalibrate your brain toward sleep-ready states.Tim Rosa, Somnee's CEO, describes it simply: If stress has your brain running at the equivalent of 220 beats per minute, the device reads that and brings it back to 90. It's not a sleeping pill. It's not a sleep tracker. It is the first consumer device that reads your brain and rewrites it.“Sleep is foundational to overall health,” Rosa told me. “Not getting enough of it creates a cascade of problems. And you're starting to see more research connecting poor sleep quality to cognitive decline as you age.”The NBA invested in Somnee and ran a research pilot. The results: 31 additional minutes of sleep per night across the cohort. Time to fall asleep dropped from 24 minutes to eight minutes. The NFL Players Association invited Somnee to pitch during Super Bowl week. They won. Conversations are now active with the players union covering roughly 2,400 active players and more than 14,000 retired ones.Elite athletes are the early adopters here because they understand that recovery is performance. But Rosa makes clear the product's reach goes well beyond sports: “Whether you're an executive, middle management, or showing up to work on time consistently, sleep affects everything.”Support the show
Automation as Core Strategy: Aarin Bailey on RPA, AI, and Scaling MSP OperationsOn the Evolved Radio podcast, Todd interviews Aarin Bailey, COO at Webit Services and former COO at MSP Bots, about treating automation as a core MSP operating strategy. Aarin describes how his automation focus accelerated around COVID by chaining PowerShell scripts, later expanding into Python, GUIs, and modular systems connected via RESTful APIs, with much of the computation running outside the RMM on servers (including SQL and Python) while the RMM remains mainly a monitoring and job-push layer. They discuss whether RMM is a “zombie product,” the ongoing role of PSA/ticketing as a system of record, and managing complexity through separate modules and staff literacy in Python/RPA. Aarin explains build-vs-buy decisions driven by ROI and fit, cites automated triage/dispatch with ~98% accuracy and shifting token costs, argues AI should augment rather than replace humans, and emphasizes documentation, playbooks, and focusing on operational “bad” anomalies. They also cover client tolerance for AI, limiting client-facing AI after hallucinated ticket notes, skepticism about voice AI, and concerns about AI economics and subsidies.This episode is brought to you by Opsleader Pro. A place for MSP owners and managers to get the systems and tools they need to build a stable and growing MSP. Part group coaching, part peer group, everything you need to run a successful MSP. (00:00) - Automation First Mindset (01:10) - Aaron Origin Story (05:04) - From Scripts to Platforms (05:41) - Beyond the RMM Beehive (08:35) - Is RMM a Zombie (12:14) - Managing Complexity Safely (14:33) - Build vs Buy ROI (19:39) - Token Costs and Pair Coding (23:49) - AI Security Reality Check (27:34) - Scaling with Playbooks (30:12) - Hunt the Bad Stuff (30:59) - Blueprints Before Automation (32:46) - Ticket Volume and Vision (33:32) - Saying No as Integrator (35:44) - Healthy Disagreement Dynamics (37:08) - Client Facing vs Backend AI (40:05) - AI Hallucinations and Guardrails (43:05) - Voice AI and Live Answer (46:06) - Costs and Subsidized AI Era (49:26) - Outcome First and RPA Focus (51:36) - Wrap Up and Thanks
Unmet generative AI promises, flatlining ROI dashboards, and a relentless corporate appetite for unguided technological progress. By all logic, one would assume we'd take a strategic pause to change course and build foundational human competence. Instead, in a desperate panic, we're witnessing the birth of "AI agent sprawl,” autonomous activity deployed without a map, GPS, or off-switch. This week, I examine what happens when companies try to use autonomous AI as a strategic shortcut to force unfulfilled promises into reality, and how it's fracturing their operational architectures and budgets. You'll see why we have to move past the open-ended rollout hype, put a full stop on unmanaged agental capabilities, and install strict human oversight mandates before these tools trigger a catastrophic bottom-line crisis. My goal is to get you off cruise control by highlighting the following opportunities to protect yourself and your organization:Deconstructing the Autonomy Sliding Scale: We need to stop treating AI agents like a mythical, binary technology that just arrived from space. Autonomy is a volume knob we've been turning up for decades. The real danger occurs when you spin that dial to a ten, completely relinquishing task-by-task control to a digital intern running continuously on autopilot without verifying if your structural architecture can handle the noise. Exposing the SharePoint Trap with Fangs: In the cloud migration era, corporate America turned on SharePoint thinking "what's the harm," only to create an unmanaged jungle of duplicate data and orphaned sites that acted as a silent productivity torpedo. Agent sprawl is that exact same mistake on steroids because a messy SharePoint folder couldn't rewrite your product codebase, communicate with your clients, or execute legally binding corporate spend decisions. Agents can, and left running on autopilot after an employee leaves, they become an invisible, permanent liability. Halting the Autopilot Spend Shock: The financial consequences of ungoverned agent loops are hitting corporate balance sheets hard, mimicking the familiar spend shock of dictionary-thick cell phone bills from the early 2000s. I highlight some recent examples like Uber vaporizing its entire annual AI budget in four months due to recursive agent rework loops, Microsoft aggressively clawing back developer licenses, and a jaw-dropping $500 million single-month bill racked up by an enterprise trapped in an infinite loop. By the end, I hope you're convinced the solution isn't about stopping technology. It's about halting the wide-scale rollouts to reinvest heavily in human AI competence. We must move past the vendor hype, place the right people in the right loops at the right times, and establish the disciplined guardrails required to surgically agentize our operations safely. ⸻If this conversation was helpful, make sure to like, share, and subscribe. You can also support the show by buying me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/christopherlind And if your organization is wrestling with how to balance performance, technology, and people, see how I can help at https://christopherlind.co ⸻Chapters00:00 – From Tokenmaxxing to the Silent Epidemic of Agent Sprawl03:00 – The Strategic Shortcut: Why More AI Doesn't Fix Flatline Hype04:30 – Demystifying the "Agent" Tech Jargon10:30 – The SharePoint History Lesson: Anarchy in the Cloud16:15 – The 2026 Spend Shock: Inside the Uber and Microsoft Budget Crises19:50 – The Contrarian Position: Why I Discourage Wide Agent Rollouts21:45 – Action 1: Applying the Full Stop to Enterprise Agental Capabilities23:00 – Action 2: Shifting Tech Budgets to Human AI Competence24:15 – Action 3: Involving Power Users for Surgical Agentization27:00 – Conclusion: Autonomous Operational Self-Termination #AgentSprawl #AIStrategy #OpEx #TechTrends #FutureFocused
C'est le fils tant attendu de Napoléon Ier et de Marie-Louise d'Autriche. Né en 1811, le Roi de Rome hérite d'un destin trop grand pour lui. Elevé en Autriche comme un Habsbourg, loin de son père, sous le nom de Duc de Reichstadt, il ne sera empereur que quelques jours, sous le nom de Napoléon II. Découvrez le destin tragique de celui qu'Edmond Rostand rebaptisera l'Aiglon, cet héritier qui n'a jamais pu prendre son envol. Crédits : Lorànt Deutsch, Bruno Deltombe.Hébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
Resources and Next Steps: ✅ Take The Great Wealth Assessment! →https://linktr.ee/kingdomroi
Sean Cannell is one of the leading voices in YouTube education and online video strategy. As the founder of Think Media and a creator with millions of subscribers across his channels, Sean has spent years helping entrepreneurs, business owners, and creators leverage video to grow their brands and businesses. In this episode, Sean shares practical strategies for creating more content with less effort, building a sustainable content system, and using YouTube as a long-term asset that continues delivering value years after publication. On this episode we talk about: How one podcast or interview can fuel an entire week's content calendar Why short-form clips often outperform full-length content Common mistakes creators make when launching a YouTube channel Why content creation has become a team sport for business owners Building evergreen YouTube content that generates long-term revenue Top 3 Takeaways One long-form piece of content can be repurposed into dozens of clips, shorts, and social media posts, creating a highly efficient content engine. Consistency beats perfection. Most creators spend too much time obsessing over branding, thumbnails, and equipment instead of publishing and learning from real-world feedback. Evergreen YouTube content can become a valuable business asset, generating views, leads, and revenue years after it's published. Notable Quotes "One show can fuel your entire content calendar." "The clips are often worth more than the interview itself." "The ROI is in showing up consistently—not in perfecting the setup before you start." Connect with Sean Cannell: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seancannell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seancannell Other: https://www.thinkmedia.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThinkMediaTV A Word from Our Sponsors: - Are you ready to start your own creatorjourney and make it big? Visitwww.fanvue.com today and launch yourcareer! - To learn more about Mode Mobile and its investor community, go to https://invest.modemobile.com/travismakesmoney -Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Step into Episode 216 of On The Delo as Delo sits down with Roland Wood III — a Phoenix-born, west-side-raised finance veteran who went from staff accountant to CFO across some of Arizona's most recognized restaurant concepts, including Grimaldi's and Square One. Roland pulls back the curtain on what a CFO actually does, why the best ones never win a popularity contest, and how "if the math doesn't math" sometimes the answer just has to be no.From navigating 50 Grimaldi's locations during a financial restructuring and securing $6–7M in COVID relief programs for Square One, to breaking down food cost management, inventory tech, marketing ROI, and the real value of fractional CFO services for growing hospitality groups — this conversation is packed with honest, practical perspective that operators, owners, and industry professionals rarely get to hear. Roland also unpacks why cutting quality to save margin is a long-game trap, how to use fixed pricing agreements to avoid supply volatility, and why "you will never save your way to prosperity."Chapter Guide (Timestamps):(0:00 - 1:50) Delo's New Book: Risky Business & Intro to Roland Wood III(1:51 - 5:06) Roland's Background, West Side Phoenix & the Restaurant Scene(5:07 - 9:28) School, ASU, Early Career & How Roland Landed in Restaurants(9:29 - 13:54) What a CFO Actually Does: Banking, Cash Flow & Hard Conversations(13:55 - 17:22) Grimaldi's: 50 Locations, Capital Structure & Food Cost Differences(17:23 - 21:38) Inventory Tech, ERP Systems, Cogswell, Craftable & Portion Decisions(21:39 - 25:09) Food Pricing Strategy, Fixed Agreements & Hedging Against Volatility(25:10 - 27:52) Marketing ROI: How Finance Holds Marketing Accountable for Traffic(27:53 - 32:28) Square One: COVID-Era Entry, Multi-Concept Finance & Barrett's Portfolio(32:29 - 34:47) Fractional CFO Services: Who It's For, Ideal Client & the Value Proposition(34:48 - 42:21) Rapid Fire + Roland's Finance Philosophy: Invest, Don't Just Cut(42:22 - 42:43) Delo's Close, Book Promo & Podcast Sponsor Mention
The response to the first two episodes in this series was incredible, so we're back with Part 3. In this episode, Roger shares exactly what he'd focus on if he owned your restaurant today. From labor controls and inventory systems to menu profitability, recruiting, marketing, catering, mug clubs, and daily break-even analysis, this episode is packed with practical strategies to help operators protect margins and increase profits. You'll learn: • Why busy restaurants still struggle with profitability • How to identify hidden profit leaks • Labor management strategies that control costs • Inventory systems that keep food costs in line • The menu engineering mistakes that cost operators thousands • Why recruiting beats hiring • Marketing tactics that deliver measurable ROI • How catering, events, and strategic partnerships can drive revenue If you're working hard but not seeing the profits you deserve, this episode is for you. Thanks to Our Sponsors Owner.com Owner.com runs automated marketing campaigns for your restaurant that send personalized offers, order reminders, promotions, and new menu announcements automatically to your guests—so your marketing works for you every single day. Even better, Owner.com gives your restaurant its own branded app, helping you increase repeat business, loyalty, and direct online orders. Learn more at owner.com/rockstars Smithfield Culinary Smithfield Culinary serves up perfect proteins for every dish and every daypart, including Smithfield's new Ready-to-Eat Select Bacon. It's premium, ready-to-cook bacon that saves labor, reduces back-of-house costs, and delivers the quality your guests expect. Learn more at smithfieldselect.com ZivZo Marketing, Advertising & Video Production ZivZo is a full-service marketing agency specializing in restaurants. From advertising and digital marketing to animation and video production, ZivZo helps bring restaurant brands to life and drive measurable results. Learn more at zivzo.com Restaurant Rockstars Podcast RestaurantRockstars.com
In just twelve months, the conversation around Agentic AI in insurance has changed dramatically. What began as curiosity about autonomous AI agents has evolved into a much more practical discussion about implementation, governance, economics and competitive advantage. In this special solo episode, InsTech's Zoja Wojcik reflects on the developments that have shaped the market since InsTech's first Agentic AI event in November 2025. Drawing on conversations with insurers, brokers, MGAs, technology providers and industry leaders, she explores how the industry has moved beyond experimentation and towards a more challenging question: where does the commercial value actually come from? Along the way, you'll hear insights from Simon Torrance, Erdal Atakan, Gina Gill, Elena Maran, Max Richter and Ian Thompson, alongside examples of how organisations including CFC, McGill & Partners, AIG, Duck Creek and hyperexponential are bringing Agentic AI into real insurance operations. Whether you're still trying to understand what Agentic AI means for insurance or already evaluating deployment opportunities, this episode offers a practical snapshot of where the market stands today and the questions leaders should be asking next. Want to continue the conversation? Join us in London on July 7 for 'The age of Agentic AI: from strategy to commercial value'. In this episode: 00:00 - What is Agentic AI and why has it become one of insurance's most discussed technologies? 03:15 - Looking back at the industry's first major Agentic AI event in November 2025 05:45 - Simon Torrance on why Agentic AI should be viewed as a new workforce, not simply another software tool 06:20 - Early deployment examples from across the insurance market: CFC's Lane Assist McGill & Partners and Salesforce Agentforce AIG's AI-driven underwriting initiatives Federato's agentic underwriting platform hyperexponential and Banyan Risk Duck Creek's insurance-native Agentic AI platform 08:15 - Why moving from pilot projects to production remains difficult 10:00 - The defining question of 2026: proving commercial value and ROI 12:15 - Intelligence Capital, competitive advantage and why buying AI tools may only create parity 13:30 - Orchestration, governance and maintaining trust in agentic systems 15:00 - Workforce transformation and practical lessons for insurance leaders 16:00 - What questions should insurance organisations be asking next? Key takeaways: The industry conversation has shifted from experimentation towards implementation and measurable business outcomes. Many of the biggest barriers to adoption are organisational rather than technical. Boards increasingly expect clear economic justification for AI investment. Competitive advantage may come less from AI models themselves and more from institutional knowledge and decision-making expertise. Governance frameworks must evolve alongside increasingly autonomous systems. Organisations that focus on specific business problems are more likely to succeed than those pursuing AI for its own sake. Featured contributors: Simon Torrance, AI Risk Erdal Atakan, Inigo Gina Gill, Apollo Elena Maran, Alethesis AI Max Richter, Mea platform Ian Thompson, IMT Advisory Further reading: For listeners looking to explore the themes discussed in this episode: Agentic AI & insurance Podcast episode: Where is the industry today? – a view from the C-suite (A rare C-suite perspective on Agentic AI: what it is, how it's being deployed and why senior leaders are walking a tightrope between bold innovation and operational risk.) CFC launches Lane Assist, a live agentic underwriting pilot McGill & Partners becomes first London Market broker to deploy Agentic AI McGill + AIG collaboration using AI-driven underwriting Duck Creek launches insurance-native Agentic AI Platform Federato RiskOps and Agentic underwriting platform MGA Banyan Risk deploys hx's full agentic underwriting suite Strategy & commercial value Simon Torrance's work on Intelligence Capital AI Risk research on Agentic AI and enterprise transformation InsTech & ServiceNow New York event: The future of insurance will be orchestrated, not built Governance & Responsible AI Article: The New Frontier: Managing and insuring generative and agentic AI risks with Edinburgh Futures Institute Podcast episode: Creating a new kind of assurance & insurance framework for AI-related risks (This episode unpacks one of the most ambitious research initiatives currently shaping the future of AI risk in insurance.)
If your top reps are stuck training new hires instead of closing deals, this AI sales enablement playbook will help. Enterprise seller Vernon Ross joins Mike Allton to show how to scale your best performers' knowledge without stealing their selling time, and why that "teaching jail" is quietly costing you around $30K a month per rep. Vernon has carried quota, closed enterprise deals, and built the AI training tools that make other sellers faster. Inside, he shares the one diagnostic question that finds your highest-ROI automation, why AI pilots die the moment they add friction instead of removing it, and how he uses NotebookLM, private podcasts, and voice cloning to cut top-rep onboarding from 30 hours down to 10. He and Mike also get tactical on where AI belongs inside a MEDDPICC deal, how to tie content consumption to real revenue, and the one automation any team can build this quarter without a six-figure budget. Vernon Ross drove 75 to 85% increases in new client acquisition at a 32% conversion rate, closed deals with Procter & Gamble, GE, and AT&T, and has generated over $500,000 in enterprise SaaS sales. As president of Vernon Ross Consulting and an enterprise podcaster, he now advises Fortune 1000 companies on AI-driven learning. The hard truth: you cannot clone your top performers. So you stay stuck in an endless loop of manual knowledge transfer while your competitors build AI-powered learning engines that run around the clock. This episode is how you break the loop. Still letting shadow AI run unmanaged on your sales floor? Download the free Executive Guide to Shadow AI at theaihat.com/shadow-ai. Chapters: 00:00 Top Rep Pain Points 00:59 Podcast Theme Intro 02:08 Show Mission Setup 03:15 Guest Vernon Ross 05:11 Sales Enablement Gap 07:34 AI Adoption That Sticks 10:58 AI Hosted Training Podcasts 13:46 NotebookLM And Voice Clones 16:28 MEDDPICC With AI 18:52 Onboarding Without Teaching Jail 21:25 Shadow AI Sponsor Break 22:33 Measuring Podcast ROI 28:38 Fast Time To Value 30:37 Compliance And Risk 33:48 First Automation To Build 36:34 Where To Find Vernon 37:18 Final Wrap Up Resources: Vernon Ross: linkedin.com/in/vernonross | vernonross.com | enterprisepodcaster.com | aiplanner.com Mentioned in this episode: Wondercraft.ai, Google NotebookLM, Wispr Flow, ZoomInfo, Apollo, HubSpot, Otter.ai, Claude Code, Gemini, Supporting Cast, MEDDPICC Connect with Mike Allton: linkedin.com/in/mikeallton | Newsletter theaihat.com/newsletter | Podcast theaihat.com/podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Neste episódio do Agro Resenha, a conversa gira em torno de um ponto decisivo para a inovação no agronegócio: tecnologia só tem valor quando resolve uma dor real no campo. Falamos sobre agricultura de precisão, aplicação localizada, economia de insumos, fusão de empresas, empreendedorismo no agro e os desafios de transformar boas ideias em soluções que geram ROI para o produtor. Um episódio para quem atua com gestão, tecnologia, máquinas, insumos e quer entender como conectar inovação, operação e resultado dentro da fazenda. PARCEIROS DESTE EPISÓDIO Este episódio foi gravado diretamente de uma das maiores feiras agrícolas do Brasil, a AGRISHOW em Ribeirão Preto/SP, em uma parceria do Agro Resenha com o Grupo Piccin. O Grupo Piccin, que hoje contempla o foco de trabalho em equipamentos, componentes e inovação, começou com o trabalho de um homem, Santo Piccin. Com a evolução da agricultura, os desafios se tornaram mais complexos, exigindo a utilização de implementos agrícolas mais eficientes. Grupo Piccin: excelente em produzir o melhor para o campo. Site: https://piccin.com.br/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grupopiccinFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/grupopiccinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/piccin-máquinas-agrícolas-ltdaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk4BdnkZnq7gObUiR0XQR7g Este episódio também foi trazido até você pela SCADIAgro! A SCADIAgro trabalha diariamente com o compromisso de garantir aos produtores rurais as informações que tornem a gestão econômica e fiscal de suas propriedades mais sustentável e eficiente. Com mais de 30 anos no mercado, a empresa desenvolve soluções de gestão para produtores rurais espalhados pelo Brasil através de seu software. SCADIAgro: Simplificando a Gestão para o Produtor Rural Site: https://scadiagro.com.br/Podcast Gestão Rural: https://open.spotify.com/show/7cSnKbi7Ad3bcZV9nExfMi?si=766354cb313f4785Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scadiagro/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scadiagroYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxErIaU0zBkCAmFqkMohcQ E por fim, esse episódio também tem apoio da Nutripura Nutrição e Pastagem! A Nutripura, que tem como base valores como honestidade, qualidade e inovação nos produtos e excelência no atendimento, atua há mais de 20 anos no segmento pecuário, oferecendo os melhores produtos e serviços aos pecuaristas. Fique ligado nos artigos que saem no Blog Canivete e no podcast CaniveteCast! Com certeza é o melhor conteúdo sobre pecuária que você irá encontrar na internet. Nutripura: O produto certo, na hora certa. Site: http://www.nutripura.com.brBlog Canivete: https://www.nutripura.com.br/pub/blog-canivete/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutripura/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nutripura/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nutripura/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TvNutripura INTERAJA COM O AGRO RESENHAInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/agroresenhaTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/agroresenhaFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/agroresenhaYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/agroresenhaCanal do Telegram: https://t.me/agroresenhaCanal do WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/arp-zap-01 E-MAILSe você tem alguma sugestão de pauta, reclamação ou dúvida envie um e-mail para contato@agroresenha.com.br QUERO PATROCINARSe você deseja posicionar sua marca junto ao Agro Resenha Podcast, envie um e-mail para contato@agroresenha.com.br FICHA TÉCNICAApresentação: Paulo OzakiProdução: Agro ResenhaConvidado: Franz PavluEdição: Will Oliveira See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, we take you inside the world of elite bike fitting with Ivan O'Gorman, a world-renowned fitter based in Niwot, Colorado who works with top professional triathletes and cyclists. We break down why a professional fit is one of the highest ROI investments you can make—impacting comfort, power, aerodynamics, and injury prevention. Ivan shares his approach to assessing athletes, the technology behind modern fitting, and real-world examples of how small positional changes drive big performance gains. Whether you're new to the sport or chasing your next PR, this episode will help you understand what it takes to ride like the pros.Vespa Power Endurance helps you tap into steady, clean energy—so you stay strong, focused, and in the zone longer. Vespa isn't fuel—it's a metabolic catalyst that helps your body use more fat and spare precious glycogen.Whether you're training for your next PR or racing long, Vespa helps you go the distance with sustained energy and faster recovery.Home of Vespa Power Products | Optimizing Your Fat MetabolismUse discount code 303endurance20Grit2Greatness Links & Calls to Action Website: Grit2Greatness Endurance Coaching Facebook: @grit2greatnessendurance Instagram: @grit2greatness_endurance Ambassador Application: https://forms.gle/mQjPbyzjAmmBhM6m9 Become a Team Member: Getting Started with Grit2Greatness - Google Forms Podcast Subscription: Grit2Greatness Endurance - Podcast - Apple Podcasts
Are you prepared to smash your watch and enter the hustle season? In this episode, Brent Daniels breaks down the exact, un-sugarcoated math of using a cold calling center to land your first wholesale deal. If you are operating on a marketing budget under $2,000 a month, this is your blueprint. Brent reveals the precise numbers you need to know: 15,000 phone numbers, 1,000 contacts, and 100 leads to close one deal.But it doesn't stop at generating leads. Brent explains why outsourcing your follow-up too early is a fatal mistake, detailing the aggressive "triple tap" sequence you must use to convert those 100 leads into massive paydays. Featuring incredible case studies, including a $137,000 deal from a single cold call, this episode proves that while the volume is high, the ROI is absolutely bananas. Be a part of the TTP training program now.---------Show notes:(0:00) Beginning of today's episode(1:32) Why your first 90 days in real estate must be treated as the ultimate "hustle season"(2:35) The exact metrics for hiring a call center (15,000 numbers, 1,000 contacts, and 100 leads)(4:30) Calculating the upfront costs and expected hours required to close one cold call deal(6:11) Why outsourcing your lead follow-up too early will absolutely destroy your business(7:23) Understanding the realistic 90 to 120-day sales cycle for cold call leads(9:35) "Triple tap" follow-up sequence and how to engage a brand new lead in the first 48 hours(12:59) How Brandon Morales turned one cold call lead into a $137,000 wholesale fee(14:43) Securing an $83,000 wholesale fee on a hoarder property in just two days(16:36) The 5-step roadmap from finding your tribe to firing yourself and buying assets----------Resources:Wholesaling Launch BookCall GeeksDealMachineCEO Pulse CRMInstagram: @realbrentdanielsTo speak with Brent or one of our other expert coaches call (281) 835-4201 or schedule your free discovery call here to learn about our mentorship programs and become part of the TribeGo to Wholesalingincgroup.com to become part of one of the fastest growing Facebook communities in the Wholesaling space. Get all of your burning Wholesaling questions answered, gain access to JV partnerships, and connect with other "success minded" Rhinos in the community.It's 100% free to join. The opportunities in this community are endless, what are you waiting for?
Podcast diario para aprender español - Learn Spanish Daily Podcast
Hoy Paco y Roi hablan del mundial de fútbol que acaba de empezar.
Thanks to our Partners, NAPA TRACS, Today's Class, KUKUI, and Pit Crew Loyalty Watch Full Video Episode Is there really a motor oil shortage, or is the industry caught up in another wave of panic buying? In this episode of Remarkable Results Radio, host Carm Capriotto welcomes automotive expert Lauren Fix and Deckman Oil Territory Sales Manager Lee Rhodus to separate fact from fiction surrounding today's motor oil supply concerns. Together, they examine what's driving skyrocketing oil prices, why certain synthetic oils are becoming harder to source, and how fear-driven purchasing is creating additional strain throughout the supply chain. Most importantly, they discuss what repair shops and vehicle owners can do to navigate the uncertainty without making costly mistakes. What You'll Learn Why the world is not actually running out of motor oilHow global shortages of base oils and additives are impacting the availability of ultra-low viscosity synthetic oils such as 0W-8, 0W-12, and 0W-16.The role panic buying plays in creating artificial shortages and driving prices even higher.Why motor oil prices are increasing at unprecedented rates and what that means for repair shops and consumers.The risks of delaying routine maintenance as oil changes become more expensive.Practical advice for shop owners on managing inventory and communicating with customers during periods of market uncertainty. The current motor oil situation is real, but panic is making it worse. While supply constraints and rising prices are creating challenges across the automotive industry, experts agree that hoarding inventory and delaying maintenance are not the answers. Patience, informed decision-making, and a focus on preventative maintenance remain the best strategies for both repair shops and vehicle owners. As supply chains stabilize, those who avoid fear-based decisions today will likely be in the strongest position tomorrow. Lee Rhodus, Territory Sales Manager, Deckman Oil. Lauren Fix, Car Coach Reports, The Drive Podcast, is an automotive expert and analyst based in Buffalo, NY. She is an established television and radio personality with over 30 years experience in the auto industry as a journalist, consumer advocate, and race car driver. She was Oprah's Auto Expert and is currently a regular contributor and reporter to Fox News, CNN, Inside Edition, and the Weather Channel. Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Thanks to our Partner, Today's Class Optimize training with Today's Class: In just 5 minutes daily, boost knowledge retention and improve team performance. Find Today's Class on the web at https://www.todaysclass.com/ Thanks to our Partner, KUKUI Stop juggling multiple marketing tools. KUKUI's integrated platform delivers 4x better website conversions, automated follow-up, and real-time ROI tracking. Get industry-leading customer support with KUKUI at https://www.kukui.com/ Thanks to our Partner, Pit Crew Loyalty You're probably tired of chasing new customers who never return. We understand. Pit Crew Loyalty ends the one-and-done cycle, turning first visits into lasting, reliable revenue at https://www.pitcrewloyalty.com/ Connect with the Podcast: Visit the Website:https://remarkableresults.biz/Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriottoFollow on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/Follow on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club:https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersJoin Our Private Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976Join our Insider List:https://remarkableresults.biz/insiderAll books mentioned on our podcasts:https://remarkableresults.biz/booksOur Classroom page for personal or team learning:https://remarkableresults.biz/classroomBuy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carmSpecial episode collections:https://remarkableresults.biz/collections The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results...
In this episode, we break down the massive wave of M&A activity hitting the industry, featuring our returning guest, Chris Kolquist from Koliway LLC! With tons of headlines about large companies looking to acquire businesses, we dive into what it takes to survive the freight recession and come out on top. We also cover the impact of the recent SCOTUS ruling on carrier decisions, how to transition from a founder-led business to a scalable organizational structure, and the future for boutique brokerages utilizing AI and automation! If you want to know what makes a brokerage truly appealing to buyers and how to protect your life's work, you don't want to miss this conversation! About Chris Kolquist Throughout his career, senior executive and strategic leader Chris Kolquist has been a catalyst in driving commercial growth, positive financial results, and maximum shareholder value in challenging and hyper-competitive markets. He has built a noteworthy reputation for understanding investments, delivering ROI objectives, managing massive change, and building highly effective cultures. In 2021, Chris launched Koliway LLC, an investment and advisory firm specializing in investments, M&A transactions, board service, and advisory executive logistics work. Chris began his career with Arthur Andersen, where he served as Senior Auditor from 1998 to 2001, conducting audits, M&A transaction support, and financial due diligence for buy-side and sell-side clients. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1998 and obtained his CPA license in 2001 (now inactive). Connect with Chris Website: https://koliway.com/ Email: ckolquist@koliway.com
He Interrupted Her Mid-Sentence and Said "I Don't Agree." She Asked: "How Many Recruitment Drives Have You Led?" CHRO Deepashri on Standing Your Ground It was her first day in a new role. The leadership team was deep into planning the launch of a major production system. She raised her hand and asked: "What about the people strategy?" Everyone looked at her like she was speaking a different language. "What does people have to do with this? It's a manufacturing system." She asked again. Still dismissed. Still polite. Still ignored. She could have let it go. Instead, she spent six months building an irrefutable business case. She spoke to the consultants. She researched the ROI. She calculated exactly what would be lost if people failed to adopt the system. She pre-worked the stakeholders she already had relationships with, one by one, so she would not be the only voice in the room when the moment came. Then she walked into a meeting with the global head of manufacturing, the global head of HR, and the other senior sponsors. She was the only woman in the room. She was a nervous wreck. She had her game face on. She got the budget. She got the resources. She built a people pillar that outlasted her, survived an acquisition, and is still running today. Deepashri is Chief Human Resources Officer at 8th Ave Food and Provisions. In this episode, she shares two very different stories of standing her ground at work — one strategic and six months in the making, one instinctive and decided in seconds — and what she learned from both. You'll learn: Why she refused to use HR buzzwords like "empathy" or "doing the right thing" when pitching to hard-nosed manufacturing executives, and what she said instead to make her idea impossible to ignore. The pre-meeting strategy she uses before any high-stakes pitch: influence the people you already have relationships with one-on-one first, so you are never the only advocate in the room. How she walked into the biggest pitch of her career feeling like a nervous wreck, knowing that if she failed, she would be "just another person on the leadership team with no voice." The investment banker who interrupted her mid-sentence and said "I don't agree." What she said back, why she still calls him a friend today, and what happened when she pulled it off. Why she thought she was being assertive in a conversation that completely failed to land, what her coach told her, and the three-part technique she developed to deliver the most difficult messages in a way that registered clearly without feeling disrespectful. Why assertiveness looks and sounds different across cultures, and how she learned to calibrate between India's indirect communication style and the blunt directness expected in U.S. corporate environments. Her best career compliment: "Deeps will tell you the most difficult things in the nicest possible way." About Deepashri: Chief Human Resources Officer at 8th Ave Food and Provisions, Deepashri has built her career across global HR, change management, and organizational transformation roles in India and the United States. She is a coach, storyteller, and advocate for assertive communication across cultures.
Send us Fan MailDiscover how prioritizing happiness can transform your business and personal life. Join me as I sit down with Edwin Edebiri, the visionary behind the TEDx talk on making happiness a business asset, to explore the ROI of joy, networking strategies, and cultivating a thriving community.In this episode, you'll learn:Why wellbeing is your greatest competitive advantage in businessHow to flip the usual networking model to foster authentic connectionsPractical ways to incorporate happiness as a skill, not just an emotionThe impact of a happy team, customer, and leader on revenueStrategies for small businesses to build a community of well-being and growthHappreneurs Business Community | Where Happiness Meets Business™If you want to grow your business and enjoy your life, come experience Happreneurs. Register at Happreneurs™ Business Community (HBC) · Events CalendarEdwin's TedX Talk at U.N.L.V.Stay Connected
Subscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupMost brands are quietly killing themselves with growth hacks. Swapping button colors, chasing this week's ROI, discounting to hit the number.Duncan, Strategy Lead at Pilothouse, makes the case that this is the worst creative strategy there is, and walks through what actually builds a brand that lasts.Duncan runs strategy at Pilothouse, where brand and performance are treated as one system instead of warring departments. He explains why Meta's Andromeda shift is quietly ending the era of high-volume AI slop creative, and what replaces it.What you will learn:Why the growth-hack mentality leads to a discount death spiral and erodes brand valueWhat Meta's Andromeda infrastructure changed, and why it forces advertisers toward thoughtful creative over high-frequency iterationHow to integrate brand and performance instead of picking oneWhy siloed agencies fight over attribution while the customer journey falls through the cracksThe one question to ask any agency before you hire them: "Where will growth come from this year?"Who this is for: DTC founders, brand and growth leads, and anyone choosing between agencies or trying to make brand and performance work together.What to steal: the agency-selection test. If a partner can only answer with optimizations, they are a vendor. If they can tell you where growth comes from this year, they are a strategist.Timestamps:00:00 Why Growth Hacking Is Breaking Brands03:00 Meta Andromeda Changed Creative Strategy06:00 The Problem With Optimizing Only for ROAS12:00 Building Customer Journeys Beyond Attribution20:00 Measuring Channels by Their Actual JobSubscribe to DTC Newsletter - https://dtcnews.link/signupAdvertise on DTC - https://dtcnews.link/advertiseWork with Pilothouse - https://www.pilothouse.co/?utm_source=AKNF619Follow us on Instagram & Twitter - @dtcnewsletterWatch this interview on YouTube - https://dtcnews.link/video
Part two of Kiera's conversation with Howard Farran on the Dentaltown podcast. As a business owner, the greatest gift you can give yourself is to get systems in place so you are not dependent on core people. This second part of Kiera's conversation with Howard is about determining your weaknesses as a practice, building systems to fix those weaknesses, and letting your practice hum regardless of who's sitting in the seats. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:02) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and quick heads up, today's episode is a special repost from a podcast I joined as a guest. It is a great conversation for practice owners who want to progress without carrying everything. I cannot wait for you to hear it. Let's dive right in. speaker-0 (00:16) And you know, I was doing a million dollars in the eighties, a million dollar practice, and I went to two and and I I thought I actually think I had a higher treatment plan acceptance rate than my buddies on just measuring the same day. My clothes is always like, you don't want to come back. I mean, we could you know, I'm when I'm doing the hygiene check, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna leave. The hygienist gonna Denise Missy, they'll numb me up. speaker-1 (00:21) They're like eight million now there, Howard. speaker-0 (00:44) And and then and then move her to room eight and we'll we'll we'll knock this out in 30 minutes because you don't want to drive all way from work and then kid and school. You just pulled your kid out of school, now you want to do it twice. It I just always s insisted on just the same day because if we do this because from my perspective, if we do this filling a day, it's two fifty. If you walk out that door, half of you never come back until it hurts, and then it's a twenty five hundred dollar root connected crown. speaker-1 (00:50) Amen. speaker-0 (01:12) It's only one tenth the price to do the filling. I got a room. The hygienist can numb you up. And then I always hit the hygienist on the show and said, You should have numbed her up before I got here and I could be doing it right now. And she laughed and she said, but that's illegal. I said, I'm not a lawyer. I'm a dentist. Let's get this done. But just by really leaning on same day. And I really think that was a huge part of our success. speaker-1 (01:37) Well, and Howard, I think what you said is like going back to the COVID crank, I think so many business businesses right now have lost that like customer service and let's make it easy. Like, as you said, one of our core values in Dental A Team is ease. And I'm always like, How can you make it easy for everybody? Because that's what people want. Like you said, like no one wants to take time off for the dentist. I'm switching dentists right now and they're like, So you're gonna come in for a hour appointment and then we'll bring you back in like three months for your hygienist. And I told my assistant, I was like, just call them back. I was like, tell them no, no, no, like Make it easy. I don't want to come back. And so I think when offices take on the mentality, I have grown practices 10, 20, $30,000 a month just by same day treatment. Like just get it done. Let's train our team. Like, let's be quick. Let's have that quick turnaround time. Now, of course, doctors, you've got to be like Howard can get that done and he can rock it out and he's great. If you're a dentist that is not quite that quick, like we do not want to scale back all your patients. So maybe you do like add, add on an extra filling that's already in the quad that you're getting numb. Like, where can we do it? Can we add that fluoride in today? Can we add in this thing? Can we take the scan today? Because you're right, no patient wants to take time off of work to come to the dentist. So like let's just rock it out, make them a raving fan because we went above and beyond to make them happy. speaker-0 (02:49) And and and it also is a good variance counterbalance to no shows and cancellations. You know, she said yes, and then your next patient didn't show up as opposed to reschedule this one a week from now and then then this doesn't show up. But hey, I want to ask you, I'm gonna hold your feet to the fire on this. True. Would you rather build a dental office on rock star employees or rock star systems? speaker-1 (03:16) ⁓ this one is I think the this it's ⁓ it's interesting because I think that there's space for both. However, Rockstar employees can walk out that door and then you are left. And I say that this to me is where as a business owner, you're shackled and you're always going to feel scared. You're gonna feel scared to hold accountability, you're gonna feel scared to ask people to do their job because you're so afraid of them leaving. Whereas if you have systems, I'm not here to say be a jerk, like that's not what we're here for, but it becomes so much easier to just plug and play. And then also for team members, they tend to stay longer because they understand they've got clear systems. And people get really weird on systems, Howard. And I think they feel like systems are so hard. And it's like, I'd rather just bring someone in who knows what they're doing. And I'm like, but make that repeatable. So if they're out and I make my rock stars go on vacation for a week. I'm like, absolutely. And people are like, no, no, no. I don't want them to leave. And I'm like, you need them to leave because you need to see where it breaks down and you need to build systems. But I will say as a business owner, the greatest gift you can give yourself is to get systems in place where you are not dependent on those core people. Like I want great team members that love my patience and do what they have, but I want it to be a repeatable process that every time, no matter if I've got Susie, Sarah, Jenny, Mike, John, anybody, we're giving the exact same experience. Like I look at Chick-fil-A and it's the same amazing experience. Every time I walk in there, they say the same thing and none of us are annoyed by that. And teams are super happy and thriving. I interviewed a guy who's a big wig in Chick-fil-A and I was Fascinated by the culture. I was like, tell me more about this. And he's like, we have systems. We have buddy systems. We have it built on systems. That is the core to great success. And it's the core to like less stress in your business. Like obsessively, I am so obsessed about simple systems. I've been called the Dr. Seuss of systems. Make it so simple that anyone can do it. And then hire amazing talent that treats your patients with the great culture that you want. speaker-0 (05:08) Yeah, and if the systems are so good, they don't even have to have dental experience. I mean, I the best receptionist I had was the the teller at Chase Bank next to me and I absolutely said her, I said, You are so dang good. You're always happy, always you remember my name. I said, What do I have to do to get you to work for me? And she she told me and she's been here for you know, over a decade. just the same things. speaker-1 (05:36) Howard, I want to highlight, I hope dentists listen to you. ⁓ there are not a lot of dentists that are scrap like you. And that's something I love about you. And this is just like a little, it's not intentional, like boost your ego, but like please take it. Like it's a good boost. You are so scrap, right? It's like, let's just get that done. Like again, like let's do same-day treatment. My best employee in the company was my next door neighbor. I knocked on her door. She like took care of my plants when I traveled. She's like, those things are gonna die. I was like, the fact that someone as a neighbor just watered my plants to be nice to me. She's been amazing. She's been with me five years, best incredible EA I've ever had. You ask the bank teller. We look for great talent. You build on systems. And I just hope the dentists realize like, just saying yes and GSDing, like, let's just get it done. That is something that I think so many people have like lost that art. And truly, that's what impresses me with your podcast, with who you are. And I just hope that people here, you don't have to go for perfect. You don't have to find this perfect person. You just gotta be scrappy and gritty. And your practice will grow and you'll have great team members with you. Like it's not actually hard. And I think we make it hard, but just hearing your examples, I hope people listen as a dentist, this is what makes successful dentists in dental offices and great team culture as well. That is the core vote values that he's got. And it is why he's so successful. And I hope dentists can learn from that. speaker-0 (06:53) Well, thank you. And I got did I ever tell you a story about the third hygienist they hired? I I already had my two full time hygienists, everything was great. And ⁓ this ⁓ young girl walked in, just graduated straight out of hygiene school, and I could hear someone giggling up front and they said I was busy, you know, she wanted to talk to me and then she just took it upon herself just to just to walk through the office and I I er and anyway, long story short, I finally got done. I broke, I met her. speaker-1 (06:57) Tell me, I'm ready. speaker-0 (07:20) And had no opening for hygiene, and she was so into the office, and she's asking all the right. I can just feel her energy, she's like sucking out my soul. And I and the first thought I said is she's from Alwatukee, she lives in Alwatuki. Do you want to compete against this girl for the next 40 years? Or you know you want her on your team, you don't have room for her on their team, but she ain't gonna end up across the street. I hired her and told everybody we'll just have to figure it out because this is a rock star personality. I mean, you know, she just walking through like she owned the place and probably probably one of the top two or three, her and Jan, probably the best employees I ever had. I mean, unbelievable. ⁓ how do you get the dentist to stop being the limit to his own growth? I mean, it's it seems like I don't know about dental school curriculums, and it seems like shooting yourself in the foot has got to be the first and the last course they teach you there. How do you get the dentist to quit being the ceiling to their own practice? speaker-1 (08:21) Think it's a I actually want to just like shout out a lot of the dentists. I feel that the new generation of dentists coming through actually are very prone and open to understanding business and recognizing there's so many books out there that talk about like CEOs and owners of businesses are the bottleneck to their success. And so I just want to say, like, I think a lot are starting to recognize that, but I think that there's still a lot that don't. And I I usually help people say, like, When the pain is bad enough is usually when people change. Or you can recognize that you need to get yourself out of the weeds. You need to become the CEO of your business. You need to be working at the highest level of your ⁓ license. And everybody in your practice needs to be doing the same. And if you're not, like I do a delegation exercise. I just did it with our doctors on Tuesday. I was like, write down everything that you're working on right now, everything on your to-do list, everything there. And then I want you to go back through it and I want you to literally look at that and like only things that you can do. And like, please don't like Boost your ego, but what are the things that only you could do? And I had a group of 50 doctors the other night and they were like, really, it's like vision, culture, and profitability. Like everything else can be someone else can do. And so when doctors recognize like that is your sweet spot and no one else is doing that, you need to have other people in there. Like you're welcome to hold it all yourself. But there's also another path where you can elevate people around you. You do great dentistry and you own the visionary and the CEO seat. Be obsessive in there. But I think so many of them want to just do everything. I'm like, that's great, but you're gonna run right into burnout really quickly. So it's a helping them realize, go look at your to-do list. Honestly, of that, who can you delegate this to? Who can do it better than you? And who's gonna be somebody that's gonna light up and be excited about it and get yourself continually moving towards that CEO seat? I think so many dentists don't realize that they are a CEO of a multi-million dollar business. And I think, like, look at Jeff Bezos, look at some of these really prominent people. That are great CEOs. What are they doing all day long? They are not answering emails. They're not responding to these things. Like they're not doing any of that. They've got teams around them that are incredible at that. How can you get yourself closer to that? Because that is where the practice flourishes. But if you're sitting there doing every single thing, you're stopping it constantly. It's truly a bottleneck. ⁓ and I think that's when people are ready for it, when people actually recognize that, there's there's two types of dentists. There's the one who calls when they're absolutely burnout, exhausted, and they can't see like past like one foot in front of them. There's the other dentist that realizes I don't want to be that. I've seen too many dentists like that. And I want you to coach me into how to become like not there. And I say, like, life's so much easier. I have a dentist hired us two months before he started his practice. As a brand new practice owner, this year he should be clearing 2.5 million. And I'm like, why? Because he recognized, get out of the way, have these other people do it, train my team. I'm going to bottleneck this. I don't want to be burnt out. I want to be present for my kids. Teach me how to be the CEO of my practice and empower my team. And so I'm like, again, it's choose your hard. Which path do you want to live? It's all in Wonderland. There's both, there's paths. It's just what path do you want to go on? And also what mentors and what people be the CEO of your practice. Do not be the operator that's doing it all. speaker-0 (11:35) You know, I always call a great idea is I always call them a giraffe. I'll never forget when I took my kids ⁓ to a ⁓ Serengeti and the guide was so funny, he would he would all of a sudden he'd stop. Well he stopped for a reason. He's giving us a guide and and it was one of these long tour to trucks where you'd stand up in the middle and you look out, and after about five minutes, we just said, What? What? And he's like, It's right in front of you and we're just like, Well, we're looking all around, my boy, everybody's gonna find it. And he says, Are you kidding me? Look at that tree. Look at to the left of that tree. And it was a giraffe standing right next to the tree. Totally camouflage. And that that's what I mean when I say, you know, they can't see the giraffe. And here's a missing giraffe for 40 years. Remember the great Jennifer D. St. George? She's still out there. I love her to death. And she had this lecture on schedule. It's called Rocks, Sand and Water. She goes, You gotta schedule your rocks first. Do all your rocks. And then she'd fill up a glass with rocks. And then she say, Then you can do your sand. And she'd pour like a half glass of sand on top of the rocks and you still didn't have a full. And then she'd say, and then the water, then she'd take like a full bottle water and pour it in the sand and and it was still full. And I already know when you talked about block scheduling, I already know that at least fifty to a hundred and fifty percent of the dentists said, ⁓ I don't care if I do a root canal in the morning or night. I they they don't understand block scheduling. They don't understand rock, standing water. They haven't for 40 years. Jennifer lectured for 40 years and and I still don't think anybody saw the giraffe. Can you just slow down and talk about you just made the example about how all you did was change the scheduling and you got the it up. So show that giraffe. What what does that giraffe look like? speaker-1 (13:23) Well, thank you, Howard, because I do love giraffes. I do have freckles and have I've definitely been like and have a very long neck and I'm very tall. So I do love giraffes in and of itself. So thank you. Like let's just talk about it. ⁓ but I I agree. It's so I don't know. I think as a team member, you just get obsessed with making puzzles. And like for me, I'm like, how can I maximize and squeeze more juice out of your lemon tree? Like, let's just do it. It's gonna be a great time. ⁓ and so what I love to do is. Like, let's just go through and build you a perfect day. And I love to build my rocks. And I used to do like high production. And then I learned it was even more fun if I put a dollar amount on those high production blocks. Because as a team member, like, hi, Kiera, I'm Kiera. I sit up front. I am now looking for puzzle pieces that are coming through my puzzle. And instead of just filling your day with a bunch of water, aka no production, I'm actually able to like fill you full. Make sure I've got you up to production and then I move on to my next day. And then as I have my little water that comes through, I just fill in the gaps. And you, doctor, are so happy. And I did this with an office and the doctor was like used to making five, seven thousand dollars a day max. We got him to a twelve thousand dollar day and he walked out the door at four o'clock. And normally he was there till 536. And he's like, Here, how'd you do it? And I was like, Because we actually put in blocks, we actually scheduled it of what's the most efficient way to use your time. And it's playing seduco in a schedule is how you really do it. It's like perfect. Where is the doctor? And then where does doctor need to be for hygiene exams? What does my hygienist need to be producing? How much period do I have? How many new patients do I have? Let's block those so I can get those people in on our schedule. Make sure my hygienists are up to goal every single day. So, like, what are they supposed to be producing? Usually three times their pay is typical. And then on the doctor side, doctors, what do we want to be producing for the year? What do we need to be producing per day? Let's build in those dollar amounts. That is going to make you feel so easy to get through to get to exams where you're not running behind. And now let's figure this out. And when we go through, and I look to see how much procedures cost, how much like on average, how many new patients we need, how many SRPs we need, how many perio maintenance we need. And then you take those pieces, those are your rocks, and I'm gonna go build a schedule to where it actually flows really, really well. And then from there, I'm gonna duplicate that over every single week. And what's crazy about it is when you do this, people realize they're gonna be walking out with $10 to $12,000 days, getting out on time. We're doing the easy stuff in the afternoon, the harder stuff in the morning or whatever you like to work. I don't care. And when people see how much they can produce with minimal effort, no extra patience and no extra time, like usually that's how it builds. You're able to, like you said, see the draft, but it's crazy because you're a happier dentist, you're not running behind all day long, and you're actually profitable. We hold those blocks, I usually say for 24 hours as team members. And me as a treatment coordinator, I am scanning my canvas, I'm scanning my own scheduled treatment to find something of that dollar amount or that rock to fill in my blocks. And I'm not gonna put multiples in there. We're gonna make sure if you only have one root canal system, we're not putting two next to each other. If you have one implant system, I'm not doing two back to back. Like you just have it to where the day flows and 85% of your days will be great. And the other like, you know, 15% are like, shoot, we couldn't get anybody in it. We just fill it with whatever we can, get you up to that, put emergencies in there. But that's how you do it. And it's so, it's so satisfying. I've got an office that they lost two doctors. So I've only got two doctors. We are producing as much as they were on four doctors with better blocks, better scheduling. And it's just incredible to see how much more efficient you can be with your time without more patience, more effort. And it's very, very fun and fulfilling. And when people follow it, they're shocked at how much their practice grows without any, like hardly any extra effort. speaker-0 (17:07) Tell me, tell me this. Why do my DSO buddies, who have hundreds of office locations, tell me that that when someone calls their office, they can convert 70 to 80% of the people on the phone to getting their butt physically measured in the chair? And that in private practice, it routinely shows up at about 42%. How can Heartland close seventy to eighty percent of the callers as measured by you called on the phone and now your butt is sitting in a chair in private practice forty two percent. What do you think explains that the most? speaker-1 (17:44) I think Howard, it's they're obsessive about numbers. I have an office that works for Aspen and I've just watched like they are obsessive about KPIs and tracking and measuring. And I feel like in private practice, we don't track and measure nearly as much as they do. Like they've got metrics, they've got numbers, they're looking at it. And so what they do in Heartland and corporate, they're smart businesses. They look to see where is our leaky hole and how are we going to fix it. So I know what they're doing is they're watching their call conversions. They're talking to their offices and they're setting this of like your goal is 75%. And this is the training and the verbiage. And we're going to track this and we're going to measure it because what we track and measure improves. And I like tell me a private practice out there that's like, we know our call percentage rate. None of them could probably tell us, but you ask a DSO and you better believe they're going to know all their metrics. And that's where I love like so many offices are obsessed about systems and what system do I put into place and how do I grow my practice? And I'm like, Number one, let's figure out where you want to go and what's your vision. I call that why. And then E is earnings and profitability. Like based on those two things, based on where you want to go and what the profitability and our our numbers are, then you determine the systems. And then we look at those metrics of the profitability and our KPIs and the metrics, and you put systems into place for that. So these DSOs are so good at tracking and measuring. And like I've got a practice doing 29 million. And what we do is we have a scorecard. They know. We just hit the most important things that are going to drive the needle forward and we watch those numbers like a hawk and that's all we coach and focus on. You coach and focus on those items, your practice will grow. But I promise you it's because they're tracking, measuring, and training to that and having metrics of what they need to hit. They're not better than us. They're just better at measuring and then improving those numbers. speaker-0 (19:24) Well, they they say that just by weighing yourself at the same time every day will start bringing your weight down just because you're focusing on it. Totally. And things like that. ⁓ I want you to do the same thing to treatment plan. Why do you think most patients are saying no? And what's the draft that one of my homies could listen to right now that could help him increase his treatment plan acceptance rate? speaker-1 (19:46) I think the no is just surface level. And what you gotta hear is what they're not saying. And I also would say a lot of people, they're like, it's about money. And I'm like, again, you're looking for reasons and you're gonna continue to find that. So for me, my mantra, and this is a great thing for the homies out there, my mantra is everybody says yes to me and everybody loves me. Like, no joke, I say that every time I'm going into a treatment plan. Why am I sitting here thinking about my gosh, they can't afford it or they can't do this? You're creating more of that. Rather than going in with a confidence, they're buying your confidence. Like hands down, I can I can close a fifty thousand dollar case same day. Let's swipe a credit card, like let's buy a boat. But it's confidence. And I'm walking in there of like, we're doing this, we're doing it now. My job is just to figure out how you're paying for it. And so when we look at that case acceptance, I've coached an office and we've added, I've got five locations. All I do is train their treatment coordinators. I just rep them. We are constantly going through reps. We add One to two million annually amongst those five offices just by focusing on it. And I'm like, it's 80% psychology. What are you thinking about? You walk in there, everybody loves me, everybody says yes to me, and let's make this happen. And I do it in a way where I love them. I give them like a warm virtual hug, like I'm not actually hugging. I want them to feel so comfortable, so confident. But then I also say, like, watch out. How are you using words? Words are free, Howard. Like, I'm not going to lead with, do you want to get this done? No, I'm going to assume they want to get this done. Hey Howard, let's get that treatment done. So I'm gonna schedule you. Doctor is really busy. So I'm gonna do Monday or Wednesday, which works best for you. ⁓ Kiera, I want to talk about fees. Howard, absolutely, I'm gonna talk about fees. Let's just make sure we get this time locked in. I've got Monday or Wednesday, which do you prefer? We schedule you on Wednesday. You're already halfway there for me. I've got you scheduled. Perfect. So treatment's gonna be this amount. This is what the total will be. This is what our insurance estimates are, this is what our total will be when I see you on Wednesday. What questions do you have for me? Howard then asked me. I'm not gonna say I'm like, so do you want to talk about money? Do you want to get scheduled? Like, why? Why am I bringing this up? Like, let them come up with it. Give them the time. Have the things. Don't bombard them, but be so confident. If I've got a great dentist that I know has great dentistry, they diagnose my job is to close and let's have that type of attitude. Walk in their doctors, don't be like, I don't know if they want to do this. Like, what if they can't afford? No, be the freaking clinician that's like amazing and like they all love you. They say yes to you. Diagnose them. Stop scrimping on them. Like morally, that is your job is to tell me what's going on. Your job is to diagnose for me and then I get to make the decision from there. But truly it's eighty percent psychology. What are you thinking about? What's your mantra? And then twenty percent is skill, but get that confidence because they're buying your confidence, they're not buying dentistry. speaker-0 (22:18) Then I want you to pontificate on ⁓ this. ⁓ I watch this in my own eyes. ⁓ every American I know that's as old as me, ⁓ or by the time they die, has bought one new car in their lifetime. Am I right? You know any do you know anybody that lived to be 80 that never bought a new car? Yeah, yeah. And right now the average new car is 50,000. speaker-1 (22:41) They all do it. speaker-0 (22:45) And I would say ninety-five percent of all the dentists go to retirement and they never sold one case for the price of a new car, which would be fifty thousand dollars a day. And then I watched Clear Choice, my favorite DSO, because they rolled out a hundred locations, and the only thing they sell is fifty thousand dollar two arcs all on fours, twenty-five thousand dollars an arch. They rolled into Phoenix and all the world surgeons and paradox, like, I don't know, I don't know if I like this. And they start doing all these infomercials. Remember, remember, orthodontists have always been ahead of general dentists in advertising. All the orthodontists were advertising before 10% of the flipping general dentists were. And when the general dentists finally got to like two or three percent, the orthodontists were at five. And now all my two million dollar dental orthodontist offices on up are spending eight percent on marketing. Here's clear choice. You go through the channels, they got all these 30 minute infomercials and and all this stuff like that. No, I never I never had heard of an all on four until I heard it on a clear choice deal. And then all my paces were coming in saying, Do you do all on four? I'm like, what are you even talking about? Then then they tell me, and then because I I would have called it a you know, four implant. You know, I didn't think of four, say whatever. And and then the next thing you knew. Every oral surgeon and peridonist in the valley of Arizona was doing more cases because they were selling it to so many people that our pace that we were benefiting from it. So I just want to hold your feet to fire. How come ClearChoice with a hundred locations? Don't tell me it's demographics. They're in the hundred biggest cities in America. And and in each one of those cities, 95% of the dentists will retire without selling a single $50,000 case. And ClearChoice is doing it in their backyard. Every single day of the week. Explain that to me. speaker-1 (24:42) gosh. I I don't disagree with you. And I think there's I I ⁓ to me it's kind of like the four minute mile, right? Like so many people did not think that they could do it. And then once the four minute mile broke, it was like, my gosh, now all these people can do it. I still cannot run a four minute mile mark. Like I'm still working on that, Howard. So I get it. There's like limitations still. But I think a lot of dentists I watch, a lot of them get weird. Like they get uncomfortable. They feel like, well, do they really need it? Should I really offer this? Like They get into this weird space in their head rather than just like, why don't I just offer it? Like I have a dentist who literally presents $250,000 treatment plans consistently. And they do all like full cosmetic. I have another doctor. It's 75 per arch, 75k per arch, and they're closing them consistently. And I think there's a space of like, why are we not doing this? And like you said, clear choice is doing it in their backyard. I think there's a My background's marriage and family therapy as well. So I studied that when I was in college. And so I love the psychology of it. And I think so many people are truly afraid of rejection. And so they're like, I'm just not going to offer it. And they like justify it in their brain of why, like, I don't need to do that. Like other people can do that. Like, I want to make sure I'm taking care of my patients. And they live in this world that's their own reality. And I think that we all create our own reality. And clear choice is like, no, there are patients out there that do this. My client that does 250,000 consistently. My other client who does 150,000 consistently, that's just their level of comfort, right? And so, how can dentists get to a higher level of comfort? I think one, be confident in your clinical skills. If you know you're the best dentist out there and you can do this, like for me, I feel like that's my moral obligation to make sure that patients are getting the best dentistry because they don't know if Howard or John or Sarah or Tom is a better dentist than you. So if you aren't confident that you are a dang good dentist, Your job is to make sure that those patients know that. The second thing is get more confident presenting larger cases. and I tell all the offices I coach on these large cases, like please drop the mindset of a large case. I think we psych ourselves out by being like, ⁓ it's like a $30,000. Like, no, it's just a case. There's no big, there's no small. It's just a case. And I'm going to present what this patient needs and I'm going to present it to them. And I'm going to believe that they want this and I'm doing the best thing. And then we get to decide from there. And our job is to make this to where it's easy. We follow up. There are so many people that want to do this, but I think people hold themselves back and they live in lies that they choose to tell themselves, but they believe are truth. But they're only the truth to you because there's other people doing it just like the four-minute mile, and you can too. So I think it's a matter of why not? And so when dentists are nervous about this, the way I usually am able to break it is like going from a $5,000 treatment plan to a $50,000 treatment might feel a little scary. And so I'm like, perfect. Let's just diagnose one more thing or let's present one treatment that we normally wouldn't. And let's start to like build that confidence for you. And whether they choose to say yes or no, you just got to work on your presenting, like presenting skills. It's not like they're not saying yes or no to you. It's just how are we presenting it? How are we using the words? Are we assuming the yes? Are we assuming that they want to do it? There's so many ways that you can present treatment better. Like it's an art, it's not a skill. But I think people choose like Howard, they They just want to live in this world and they believe that that's the world. And so I'm like, until you choose to get uncomfortable, it's like we've got a little thermometer in our world and in our world. Like if I say that I am comfortable at 75 degrees, if the temperature goes up to 78, I'm like, this is out of control. Get it back to 75. If it drops down to 70, I'm like, it feels uncomfortable. So how can we take it to where I can get comfortable getting out of my 75 degrees and move me to the next level of whatever that is, to where that becomes my new norm. And then I move myself up to the new norm. There are people doing 35, 75, 150,000. And I don't say that for you to like belittle yourself, but to see that's possible. Other people are doing it. Believe in yourself. If you're the best dentist, be confident in that. And then truly, please, for the love of everything, I am a patient. No hygienist offers me fluoride Howard. No dentist offers me emphasizaline. I would say yes to both of you, but you are selfish. And I'm saying this with like love and respect. You are selfish by not giving me the chance to say yes or no to you. And I would say give more people the opportunity to say yes to you, offer it, get better at it, check to see why they're saying no to you, refine that and keep offering. I love my offices that set it a 35% case acceptance because I know that they're presenting 50, 2000, like they're sending 10,000, 15,000, $50,000 cases consistently because they know that the more things that they say yes to with great dentistry and great confidence, the more people will say yes to them. But like get out of your own way. nudge it up a little bit more, get uncomfortable, but truly do great dentistry, offer to patients and stop like holding back and assuming that they don't want to do it because more patients want to than you believe that they do. speaker-0 (29:37) And you know, a lot of dentists don't like the blood and guts. They don't want to place implants. They don't want to play certain modes. I get it. But you know what? I know a handful of dentists, at ⁓ five at least. I think the sixth one might have retired, but one of the reasons they're probably so big, they didn't they didn't like blood and guts either. But they would always tell ladies, they go, Well, I'll tell you what, before you go back to your twenty fifth wedding ⁓ school high school anniversary or or whatever, I mean tell you what, you always remember For 50 grand, the price of a new car, what we do here is we take everything out, every filling and crown comes out, we put it all back in in the most beautiful portion. You'll leave with a Hollywood movie star smile. I know it's a lot of money, it's 50 grand, but you gotta think about that. And he and they both tell me they say, Well, you know, if you say that 10 times a month, yes, someone always always says it. And they go, Really? I'd have a movie star smile, and I'd say, Absolut flipping Lutley, man. We take all that old crap out and veneers, inlays, onlays. I mean, when you're done, you'll look like a movie star. And and and I got a a a couple that is in not so rich areas of town like Tempe and Chandler Mesa. And they say that they have to say that about 10 times ⁓ to get one or two to do it. And in North Scottsdale Paradise Valley, ⁓ boulder area, ⁓ they they they say it's about a one in three close rate. If they just say it right like, Be because when when someone gets a new car, what do they do? They drive around, they show it to everybody, you know, they just they they just love it. So I we're over an hour and we try to keep it under hour. So I wanna ask you one question. But first you said your background's a marriage advice and I just wanna tell you the best marriage advice you can have. Just like you're saying, it's all in your attitude. You don't you know, you start every day. When you wake up, the first thing you do is you tell your wife, I love you. Not you again. And ⁓ speaker-1 (31:35) I agree. speaker-0 (31:35) If you if if you just drop the U again and it's so last question. What are ⁓ the one or two KPIs that ⁓ you think every dentist should be reviewing every single week? And what should they stop tracking? That's my final question. speaker-1 (31:49) Hmm, this is a great one. ⁓ KPIs for dentists to be tracking specifically. ⁓ I really feel like the things that are gonna move you forward on a weekly basis are we've talked a lot about them. Your case acceptance is gonna drive you fast, like forward the best. Like track that, look at that, review it, get really good with that. And then I also really like to look at my hygiene. How is my hygiene doing? What's my what are they producing? And then if you wanna add a third, like look at your schedule maximization and optimization. Like those are gonna be like really big, like heavy hitters for you constantly. And then I'm gonna throw in one on a monthly basis because I'm really big on I prefer weekly, but I get most aren't obsessive with me. I call it like my mind and my money. So every morning I meditate and I look at my money. So that's like my mantra of how I do it. But if you wanna do it at least monthly, you've gotta be looking at your overhead and your PNL and like what you're producing, what you're collecting, and what you're spending. ⁓ Just if you look at it alone, you're gonna get better. So it's like weighing ourselves. Now things for them to stop tracking. Gosh, there's like to me, I actually feel like really I don't want to say everything, like keep tracking, but I actually think people over track on a lot of things that don't move the needle forward. Like we want to track on, I don't know, I just see people like, well, we're gonna track on this and this and this. And like it's just like it feels like it's such a smorgasborg of items. But I'm like, what really is gonna move your practice forward? Production collections, new patients, case acceptance, our scheduling optimization or overhead. Like those things and like sure you can look at like dollar amount per patient if you want, like so our marketing ROI. But like that's like really the core. And the more you can simplify it down, the easier it is for you. Cause like you can get lost in data, like buried in it, and actually not be able to execute on what really is gonna move you forward. And I'm like, I've got offices and I'm just a broken record. I say profit and production, profit and production, and that ties to collections. If you focus on that, your practice will grow. So those would be the things that I'd end with. speaker-0 (33:42) Garrett, you are a gift to dentistry. Thank you so much for all that you do for dentistry and thank you so much for coming back on the show. You gotta promise you'll come back again before the dirt nap. Gonna come back on again. speaker-1 (33:52) I will. I will. Don't take a dirt nap anytime soon, Howard. The world needs you and I'm grateful to be a part of it. So thank you. speaker-0 (34:00) ⁓ thanks for all you do. It was an honor to podcast you. speaker-1 (34:03) Likewise, thank you so much. The Dental A Team (34:05) And that wraps up today's guest interview. If you liked this style of episode, let us know and we'll be sure to share more of them. For more resources, events, next steps, head on over to TheDentalATeam.com. And as always, thanks for listening. We'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast.
Are your book sales stuck? Maybe sales have slowed. Maybe your launch never took off. Or maybe you're spending money on ads without seeing results.This week on Novel Marketing, Amazon ad specialist Bryan Canter explains how "promo stacking" can revive a struggling book and put it in front of new readers.You'll learn:What promo stacking is and why it worksWhich promotions deliver the best ROI for your genreThe ideal order and timing for each promotionHow promo stacking can generate more reader reviewsWhether your book launched last month or five years ago, you'll learn how promo stacking can rescue a dead book and reach new readers when you listen in or read the blog version.Blog Link: https://www.authormedia.com/how-to-revive-a-dead-book-with-a-promo-stacking/AuthorMedia Social Link: https://authormedia.social/c/novel-marketing/how-to-revive-a-dead-book-with-promo-stackingYouTube Link: https://youtu.be/v2KN46pdbRwNovelMarketing.com/patron Support the show
In this special and exclusive live podcast episode recorded at Shoptalk Europe 2026, Chris Walton is joined by Rebecca Bemhena (Shoptalk VP Content Luxe), Adam Plom (Shoptalk VP Content Europe), and Ben Miller (Shoptalk VP Original Content) for a rapid-fire breakdown of the show's biggest moments, boldest stats, and most memorable quotes. From agentic commerce and GLP-1 disruption to channel pragmatism and the future of brand cachet, this is your essential debrief from one of retail's smartest global gatherings. If you want to know what actually moved the needle at Shoptalk Europe 2026, and what it means for the year ahead, this episode is for you.
In this episode of the Cause+Effect Podcast, Trent Dunham, President+CEO of Dunham+Co, sits down with Josh Crowther, VP of Dunham+Co, to unpack the real reasons donors lapse. Some reasons are outside an organization's control, like personal financial pressure, economic uncertainty, or shifting cultural attitudes toward generosity. But many causes are self-inflicted — including silence, poor communication, overused urgency, and fundraising tactics that prioritize immediate ROI over long-term relationship.Trent and Josh discuss how organizations can identify lapsed donors, avoid common retention mistakes, and build stronger communication strategies that re-engage supporters. They also explore why lapsed donors often still see themselves as connected to your mission — and why that should change the way nonprofits communicate with them. For nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and ministry teams, this conversation offers practical insight into donor retention, reactivation, and building lasting relationships with the people who make your mission possible. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction01:12 – Why donors stop giving02:00 – Economic uncertainty and donor confidence04:38 – The decline in charitable giving07:05 – Why silence causes donors to lapse10:36 – The problem with constant urgency13:18 – Treating donors like wallets15:28 – How to re-engage lapsed donors
How Speed to Lead Unlocks More Revenue From Every Lead SourceMost contractors think they need more leads. According to Tyson Chen, co-founder of Avoca, most home service companies actually need a better system for capturing, contacting, and converting the leads they already have.In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Tyson Chen to break down the speed-to-lead systems that are helping home service companies double revenue, improve booking rates, and make channels like Angi, Yelp, Meta, Thumbtack, and Google LSA profitable. They discuss the exact follow-up cadence used by top-performing contractors, why most businesses leave revenue on the table, and how AI, outbound calling, and automation are changing lead conversion in the trades.They also explore how private equity-backed platforms are using speed-to-lead to create entirely new revenue streams, why response time directly impacts lead quality and platform rankings, and what contractors need to do to maximize ROI from every marketing channel.What You'll Learn:→ Why most home service companies don't actually have a lead problem → The speed-to-lead process that helps contractors convert more opportunities → Why calling leads beats relying on text messages alone → The ideal follow-up cadence for lead aggregators and paid leads → How AI and automation improve response times and booking rates → Why channels like Angi, Yelp, Meta, and Google LSA work when lead handling is done correctly————————————————
In this episode of the He Said, She Said: Razor Branding™ Podcast, Jaci and Michael sit down with Wendy Gugora, Director of Marketing at Prairie Capital Advisors, to talk about what it really takes to market a boutique investment banking firm in a space where the service is deeply personal, the sales cycle is long, and most business owners do not fully understand what they are being sold. Wendy shares how Prairie has built its brand around thought leadership and education rather than traditional sales tactics, using more than 20 webinars a year, books, client storytelling, and conference speaking to help business owners understand their ownership transition options long before they are ready to act. She also talks about growing her marketing team from a team of one to a team of six, navigating a brand name challenge in a crowded Chicago market, and how a recent logo refresh energized the entire firm right in time for their 30th anniversary. From maximizing conference ROI to measuring what is actually working and cutting what is not, this is a smart and practical conversation about doing professional services marketing the right way. Key Takeaways Thought leadership and education are more powerful than sales tactics when the service is complex, high-stakes, and once-in-a-career for most clients Telling client stories in their own words builds far more trust than any promotional content a firm could create about itself Maximizing conference ROI requires a clear pre-event, during-event, and post-event strategy – not just a booth and a hope Evaluating every marketing initiative against clear goals ensures resources are spent on what is actually working and dropped when they are not A logo refresh done right energizes internal teams just as much as it strengthens external brand perception LinkedIn is the right platform for a B2B professional services audience – knowing where your audience lives and focusing there beats being everywhere at once Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at razorbranding.org
A coaching client this week was grinding four hours a night, sitting on six ASINs he'd already vetted, and still couldn't pull the trigger. His words: "There's gotta be something I'm missing here." He wasn't missing a tool. He was missing permission to act. In this episode, Brian and Robin Joy take you inside an actual coaching call where Robin turned three "pass on it" ASINs into two she'd test in real time. The fix wasn't a new filter or a secret tactic. It was learning to read the right number instead of the one every calculator shoves to the front page. Why the current buy box, the price you can buy it at right now, never once entered Robin's decision. Why a $1.79 product that nets 50 cents isn't too small, it's 28% ROI and the cheapest belief-builder you'll ever buy. Why you should start your price at the highest evidence you have and let the test, not the other sellers, tell you what it's worth. And what Robin hunts for on every red ASIN that most people close the tab on. The client said it himself: "I have to get out of my own head." Teddy Roosevelt said it better. In any moment of decision, the worst thing you can do is nothing. You didn't fail to find five ASINs. You just kept disqualifying products for failing a test you never ran. Let's go test more ASINs. Special guest at the conclusion of today's show, Jeff Schick of JeffSchick.com answers the question: "Can Jeff help me with trademarks and LLC eastablishment?" Use coupon code "MISTAKE" to get your first month of services for only $1 with Jeff and his team! Watch this episode on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/VsTzelW6Gos Show note LINKS: 3pmercury.com/friends - The best pricing on 3pMercury software! ProvenAmazonCourse.com - The comprehensive course that contains ALL our Amazon training modules, recorded events and a steady stream of latest cutting edge training including of course the most popular starting point, the REPLENS selling model. The PAC is updated free for life! SilentJim.com/kickstart - If you want a shortcut to learning all you need to get started, then get the Proven Amazon Course and go through Kickstart. TheProvenConference.com - Learn more about our upcoming August 2026 event! The longest running annual event for Amazon sellers in the world! SilentSalesMachine.com - Text the word "free" to 507-800-0090 to get a free copy of Jim's latest book in audio about building multiple income streams online (US only) or visit SilentJim.com/free11 SilentJim.com/bookacall - Schedule a FREE, customized and insightful consultation with my team or me (Jim) to discuss your e-commerce goals and options. My Silent Team Facebook group. 100% FREE! Facebook.com/groups/mysilentteam - Join 83,000 + Facebook members from around the world who are using the internet creatively every day to launch and grow multiple income streams through our exciting PROVEN strategies! There's no support community like this one anywhere else in the world!
Ryan Gibson is a former 17-year Delta and Alaska Airlines pilot turned self-storage mogul, now operating as one of the 29th largest self-storage operators in the country with over $1 billion in assets and 7.5 million square feet under management through his company, Spartan Investors. In this first of a two-part series, Ryan joins host Chris Pre to break down why self-storage is one of the most recession-resilient asset classes available, how to use seller financing to acquire deals without banks, and what it really looks like to build a 200-person business while still flying commercial jets — and then finally walk away on your own terms. Key Talking Points of the Episode 00:00 Introduction 01:08 Passive Income Pilots podcast 02:20 How Ryan and Tait met and started Passive Income Pilots 04:48 The importance of financial and time freedom for pilots 06:03 The 3 Paydays System 08:33 Deep dive into self-storage as an asset class 10:09 Why more Americans use self-storage than fly on airplanes 11:08 The 5 Ds of self-storage demand 13:29 Opportunities for mom-and-pop owned facilities 14:02 Competing with "big money" in smaller markets 15:48 Building trust and uncollateralizing notes 17:12 Typical terms for syndicated real estate deals 19:20 Advice for W-2 employees considering the jump into business 21:07 The psychological benefits of maintaining a professional career 24:42 Preview of part 2: Diversification with Tait Duryea 26:40 3 Paydays Live Event 5 Key Takeaways Self-Storage Wins in Any Economy — The five D's (Death, Displacement, Downsizing, Divorce, Diapers) drive self-storage demand through recessions, COVID, and market downturns alike. Occupancy often increases during economic disruption — not despite it. Avoid Institutional Competition by Going Small — Big money chases 100,000+ sq ft facilities in core markets. The 10,000–20,000 sq ft mom-and-pop space is largely ignored by institutions, which means less competition and far more seller-financing opportunities for individual investors. Seller Financing Is About Aligning Motivations — Ryan's first seller didn't want the note paid off because of capital gains exposure. Understanding why a seller needs what they need — not convincing them — is what makes creative financing work. Authentic outreach and trust over time unlocked a $1.1M carry-back note that followed them to the next deal. Keep Your W-2 While You Build — Ryan flew commercially for 8 to 9 years while building a 200-person company. For airline pilots with flexible schedules, there's little reason to abandon high W-2 income early. Use the schedule, build with urgency during off days, and only step away when the business demands it. ROI on Life Matters as Much as ROI on Investment — Ryan shifted from active flipping to passive investing vehicles because he wanted to give other pilots a great return without sacrificing their time. The goal isn't just financial — it's building a portfolio that gives you back control of how you spend your days. Links 3 Paydays® Live https://3paydayslive.com/podcast Free Discovery Call https://smartrealestatecoachpodcast.com/discovery 3 Paydays® System Mastery Course - Use coupon code for 50% off https://smartrealestatecoach.com/qls Coupon code: pod Apprentice Program 3PaydaysApprentice.com/Podcast Masterclass https://smartrealestatecoach.com/masterspodcast 3 Paydays Books https://3paydaysbooks.com/podcast Partners https://smartrealestatecoach.com/podcastresources
In Part 2 of our June series with Nick Koumalatsos, we dive into a topic affecting millions of men but rarely discussed openly: testosterone.Nick shares his personal experience navigating hormone health, why testosterone levels are declining across the population, and the ripple effect it has on energy, confidence, relationships, and society as a whole. The conversation expands beyond hormones into parenting, trauma, fitness, recovery, and what it means to become the kind of man your family can depend on.Whether you're curious about TRT, peptides, men's health, or simply trying to become a better father and leader, this episode offers a candid look at the factors shaping modern masculinity.00:00 – Understanding Testosterone and Its Importance05:47 – The Role of Hormones in Men's Health12:01 – The Testosterone Epidemic and Its Causes15:30 – The Ripple Effect of Men's Health on Society18:26 – The Science of Recovery and Health Supplements19:48 – The Future of Peptides and Health Protocols22:23 – Regulatory Changes in the Peptide Industry23:55 – The Cost of Health: TRT vs. Pharmaceuticals26:30 – Parenting and Life Lessons Through Fitness30:00 – The Importance of Validation in Parenting32:19 – Unpacking Trauma and Its Long-Term Effects36:23 – Communicating with the Next Generation39:44 – The ROI of Sports and Jiu-Jitsu Training45:20 – Looking Ahead in the SeriesListen now and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss the rest of this month's conversations with Nick.Thanks for tuning in to the Jason Khalipa Podcast!
Most high earners follow the traditional path, but true financial freedom comes from earning, saving, and strategically leveraging money. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Ryan D. Lee, Founder of Wealth Outside Wall Street, who shares his journey from a six-figure corporate career to building a system for financial freedom. He also explains the three engines of wealth: earning, protecting, and generating passive income. He discusses the difference between investing and speculating, using the tax code strategically, and building a pathway to financial independence. Key Takeaways:→ The three engines of wealth are income, capital, and passive assets. → Making money is only one part; keeping money is equally critical. → Passive income converts saved capital into sustainable cash flow. → Speculating is risky; investing prioritizes safety and predictable returns.→ Success is measured by income-generating assets, not just net worth or ROI. Ryan D. Lee's journey to financial freedom began with frustration and loss. A six-figure salary and a maxed-out 401(k) weren't enough to shield him from the devastating effects of the 2008 financial crisis. Determined to find a better path, Ryan discovered a powerful combination of real estate and high-cash-value life insurance—now known as the Passive Income Machine. Today, Ryan is a trusted mentor and speaker who has helped thousands achieve financial independence. As the co-founder of Wealth Outside Wall Street, he's on a mission to teach individuals how to build cash-flowing assets, break free from conventional financial systems, and live a life of purpose and freedom. Connect With Ryan:Website: https://wealthoutsidewallstreet.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theryandlee/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ryan_d_lee Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wealthoutsidewallstreet/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-d-lee-31838b304/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WealthOutsideWallStreet