Podcasts about ROI

MSP events are experiencing a notable shift, with a growing preference for smaller, localized gatherings over traditional mega-conferences. Jessica Davis, Principal Analyst at Omdia, highlights that this trend is driven by factors such as increased travel costs and a desire for more meaningful community interactions. Research indicates that MSPs are increasingly seeking value from events that foster peer connections and provide insights into vendor roadmaps, particularly in the realms of cybersecurity and automation. The acquisition of Channel Pro by Cyber Risk Alliance further underscores the industry's focus on cybersecurity, as it aims to integrate channel and cybersecurity insights.The analysis of 352 global channel events reveals that many MSPs are prioritizing local roadshows, which allow for easier access and more personalized engagement. The pandemic has also influenced this shift, as MSPs are eager to reconnect in person after extended periods of remote interaction. Davis notes that while larger events like IT Nation and Kaseya Connects have their place, the saturation of the event landscape has led to a dilution of value for attendees, prompting a reevaluation of which events are worth the investment of time and resources.In addition to the primary focus on event dynamics, the episode discusses the varying approaches vendors take to measure return on investment (ROI) from these events. While some vendors rely on gut feelings or anecdotal evidence, others employ systematic methods to assess lead generation and engagement quality. This disparity in measurement practices highlights the need for vendors to adopt more data-driven strategies to justify their event expenditures.For MSPs and IT service leaders, the evolving landscape of events presents both challenges and opportunities. As the industry transitions into what is termed MSP 3.0, there is a clear need for MSPs to align their event participation with their business goals, focusing on those that offer relevant insights and networking opportunities. Understanding the financial motivations behind events and seeking out vendor-neutral gatherings can enhance the value derived from these engagements, ultimately supporting better decision-making and growth strategies.

In this powerful episode of the Agents of Innovation podcast, Joe Gallagher—founder and CEO of Apastioli and a former Grammy-nominated musician—shares his remarkable journey from rising rock artist to surviving a devastating car accident, spiraling into addiction, facing legal battles, and ultimately finding faith, sobriety, and a new entrepreneurial purpose. Joe recounts how a simple batch of his grandmother's pasta sauce sparked the launch of Apastioli, a rapidly growing food and fragrance brand intertwined with his mission to help others in recovery. He also reveals his vision for a regenerative farm, upcoming film and TV projects based on his story, and why manifestation, service, and trusting God now guide his life and business. Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/BrUi_wDB3ug Learn more about him at: https://www.apastioli.com Find him on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/joegallagherjr/ Follow the Agents of Innovation podcast on: Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/innovationradio X: / https://x.com/agentinnovation Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/AgentsOfInnovationPodcast You can support this podcast and our Fearless Journeys community on our Patreon account: www.patreon.com/fearlessjourneys You can also join our network -- and our group trips -- through the Fearless Journeys community at: https://www.fearlessjourneys.org and subscribe to our free newsletter at: https://fearlessjourneys.substack.com 00:00 – Intro to Joe Gallagher and the Agents of Innovation podcast. 01:20 – Meeting Joe in Charleston 03:20 – The Fearless Journeys community & upcoming Chile–Argentina trip 04:24 – What is Apastioli? 04:59 – Grammy Nomination & The Car Accident 06:18 – Injuries, Recovery, and Identity Crisis 07:42 – Attempted Murder Charge 09:56 – DUI, Addiction, and Hitting Bottom; The downward spiral and legal consequences. 13:17 – Rock Bottom to Redemption. 14:30 – Pasta Sauce Sparks a Business; How feeding friends in recovery launched Apastioli. 21:41 – Packaging, FDA, and Scaling Challenges 23:10 – Vision for a Regenerative Farm 26:13 – Discovering the 1,700-acre Long Wing Plantation 27:38 – From Bars to Jars (the Book); Joe's first book and the storytelling strategy behind it. 28:36 – Angel Studios Reaches Out 29:38 – Writing the Fictional Sequel; A future vision in book form 31:28 – The Power of Storytelling in Entrepreneurship; How Joe's story builds brand connection. 32:14 – Angel Studios, The Chosen & Film Industry Insights 36:02 – The Apastioli Brand Expands to Fragrances; Moonshine lessons, oil extraction, and luxury fragrance development. 40:38 – Vision, Manifestation & Mapping the Future; Why Joe writes fiction to shape reality. 42:24 – The Letter to God That Came True; A year of manifestations unexpectedly becoming reality. 43:30 – How to Get Joe's Book, "From Bars to Jars," and where to find it online. 44:21 – Apastioli: Products, Website & Trademark Story; Where to buy Apastioli sauces and fragrances. 45:44 – Joe's Film/TV Development Team; Managers, agents, producers—full momentum ahead. 48:36 – The 1,700-Acre Farm Update: Why the owners are holding out for Joe's project. 49:36 – Investment Opportunity; Joe is open to investors and shares potential ROI. 50:17 – Joe's Message to Anyone Struggling: Why his phone number is public and how he wants to serve others. 51:30 – Closing Thoughts: Faith, manifestation, service, and Joe's gratitude.

Dr. Elizabeth Quillen, Ph.D. candidate in the History Department at The University Of Minnesota, joins the "ROI" team to discuss, "Medieval Nuns At War:  Rebellious, Resilient, And Rowdy Women."The host for the 636th edition is Jay Swords, and the history buffs are John Kealey and Brett Monnard.Opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and the guest(s), and not necessarily those of KALA-FM or St. Ambrose University. This program is recorded at KALA-FM, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, USA!

BONUS DISCUSSION:  Dr. Elizabeth Quillen, Ph.D. candidate in the History Department at The University Of Minnesota, joins the "ROI" team to discuss, "Medieval Nuns At War:  Rebellious, Resilient, And Rowdy Women."The host for the 636th edition is Jay Swords, and the history buffs are John Kealey and Brett Monnard.Opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and the guest(s), and not necessarily those of KALA-FM or St. Ambrose University. This program is recorded at KALA-FM, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, USA!

Ever find yourself grinding harder and harder in your business… yet still feeling like you're not scaling fast enough, earning enough, or leading at the level you know you're capable of? Like you're giving everything you've got—but something in your offer, your mindset, or your strategy just isn't hitting?In this episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, I'm resharing the Guest Guru Training that Bedros Keuilian delivered exclusively to our Happy Hustle Club and trust me, this is the kind of value most people pay five figures to access.If you don't already know Bedros, he's a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, the founder of the 500+ location Fit Body Bootcamp franchise, the creator of Trulean Wellness Shot (over 2M units sold), a serial investor, and one of the most in-demand high-performance coaches in the game. He's also a husband, father, and one of the rawest, realest entrepreneurs you will ever learn from.This training is all about money, meaning, and mindset and Bedros doesn't hold back. He breaks down the exact frameworks he's used to build and scale multiple 8–9 figure companies, the mistakes that nearly took him out, and the three principles that helped him generate hundreds of millions over the last 15 years.He shares what it really takes to structure irresistible offers, why most entrepreneurs are drowning in commodity pricing, and how to dominate your niche by becoming the recognized authority (and eventually, the celebrity) in your space. You'll hear behind-the-scenes stories from nearly exiting Fit Body Bootcamp right before the pandemic to cutting 90% of Trulene's product line and accidentally uncovering his most profitable product ever.Here are a few key takeaways from the episode:Irresistible offers aren't optional—they're the backbone of high-profit businesses. If your offer isn't a no-brainer, your customers won't buy.Kill your darlings. Most entrepreneurs cling to products or ideas that drain profit and focus. Letting go is how you scale.Avoid the race to the bottom. Competing on price is death. Differentiate or disappear.Authority creates demand. Stop hiding behind your work—talk about it, create content, get on stages, get on podcasts. Authority makes sales easy.Invest in yourself first. Before real estate, crypto, or anything else—you are the highest ROI asset in your business.Bedros brings the heat, the strategy, and the mindset shifts every entrepreneur needs. If you're ready to simplify your approach, dial in your offer, and scale with clarity and confidence.Connect with Cary!https://www.instagram.com/caryjack/https://www.facebook.com/SirCaryJackhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-jack-kendzior/https://twitter.com/thehappyhustlehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDNsD59tLxv2JfEuSsNMOQ/featured Get a free copy of his new book, The Happy Hustle, 10 Alignments to Avoid Burnout & Achieve Blissful Balance https://www.thehappyhustle.com/bookSign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Coursehttps://thehappyhustle.com/thejourney/Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventurehttps://thehappyhustle.com/mastermind/“It's time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!”Episode Sponsors:If you're ready to sleep like a baby, calm your nervous system, and optimize your recovery, go grab yours now at bioptimizers.com/happy and use code HAPPY10 for 10% OFF.99 Designs- Need a killer logo, stunning website, or next-level brand design?Stop DIY-ing and start delegating like a boss with 99designs by Vista! Neurable- If you're looking to level up your focus, productivity, and mental wellbeing all at once, do yourself a favor and check out Neurable. You get a special hookup—just use the code HAPPY at checkout and get $100 off.

In this week's solo episode, John Casmon steps away from guest interviews to break down one of the most misunderstood topics in multifamily investing: underwriting. After speaking at the Big Deal Summit in Columbus, John shares the real-world framework he uses to analyze deals—not just in spreadsheets, but in practice. From setting clear investment criteria to identifying operational inefficiencies, John walks through how successful investors combine vision, market insight, and execution to drive lasting results.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Underwriting isn't about the spreadsheet—it's about the vision, people, and execution Always define your buy box and end goals before analyzing numbers Focus on markets with both macro strength and micro-level renter desirability Investors don't pay premiums for plumbing or electric—focus on visible value Operational inefficiencies are gold if you know how to identify and fix them Don't assume you can operate better than a seasoned owner without proof Stress test your assumptions: What happens if the plan breaks?     Topics The Real Goal of Underwriting Spreadsheets don't reflect operations—real estate is about people, not numbers Get clarity on what kind of asset and community you're trying to build Defining Your Buy Box Understand your own criteria before chasing ROI or IRR Why Cincinnati and surrounding markets meet John's standards for long-term growth Macro and Micro Market Selection How renter desirability shapes submarket selection Population growth ≠ renter demand—context matters Value-Add the Right Way Tenants won't pay more for new pipes—focus on kitchens, lighting, appliances Target properties with updated mechanicals so your upgrades actually add value Operational Inefficiencies to Look For Low occupancy, slow turn times, bloated expenses, and misaligned staffing Why seasoned operators aren't always "mismanaging"—stay humble Creating vs. Assuming Value Ask questions before opening a spreadsheet—what is the business plan? Don't guess your way through the numbers; know what levers create value Stress Testing the Deal Underwrite break-even points and failure scenarios Real story: How one business plan unraveled when resident profiles clashed Final Thoughts on Strategy Vision before budget—start with what you want to create IRR matters, but timing and exit assumptions often fail Know your buyer—plan your renovations around future investor demand    

Money can so easily capture our hearts. It promises security, comfort, and control—but often leaves us anxious and striving for more. Yet when we give, something remarkable happens. We're declaring our dependence on God, not our bank accounts.Dr. Art Rainer—founder of the Institute for Christian Financial Health and author of Money in the Light of Eternity: What the Bible Says about Your Financial Purpose—joined us recently to explore how generosity becomes an act of trust that transforms our hearts and deepens our faith.Money Reveals the HeartLarry Burkett often said, “Every spending decision is a spiritual decision.” Dr. Rainer agrees.“Jesus said, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Art explained. “The Bible makes it clear—money management reflects heart management.”Scripture contains over 2,000 verses about money and possessions. Why? Because few things so clearly reveal what—or whom—we truly trust. For believers, the central question is this: Do we believe God's promises about provision, and are we willing to surrender this area of life to Him?Giving as an Act of TrustDr. Rainer describes giving as a tangible expression of faith. “God doesn't tell us to give and then leave us hanging,” he said. “He ties promises to generosity.”Those promises fall into three beautiful truths—God will provide, multiply, and enrich.1. God Promises to ProvideIn Malachi 3:10, the Lord declares:“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in. Try it! Put me to the test!”“God invites us to trust Him,” Art said. “He promises to pour out an abundance of blessings—not necessarily material wealth, but blessings that can be spiritual, relational, or emotional. Maybe it's the contentment you've been chasing for years, or the joy of being part of something far greater than yourself.”2. God Promises to MultiplyIn John 6, a young boy offers his five loaves and two fish to Jesus—hardly enough to feed five thousand hungry people. Yet Christ multiplies that small gift until everyone is satisfied, with twelve baskets left over.“Many of us feel like that boy,” Art said. “We look at our meager resources and wonder, What difference can this make? But God is a God of multiplication. He can take whatever you give and expand it to accomplish His purposes. That's His promise—but it requires trust.”3. God Promises to EnrichWho doesn't love a good return on investment—or ROI? “God does too,” Art said.In 2 Corinthians 9:11, Paul writes, “You will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous.”“God gives so that we can give,” Art continued. “He blesses so that we can bless others. He's looking for conduits of generosity—people through whom His blessings can flow. When we live that way, generosity becomes not just a habit, but a way of life.”Trusting God With Your MoneyAs Dr. Rainer summed it up:“Generosity is an act of trust. It shifts our hearts from reliance on ourselves and money to reliance on God. If you're a Christian, you've already trusted Him with your soul. It's time to trust Him with your money.”When we give generously, we're not losing—we're investing in eternity. We're saying, “Lord, I believe You are my provider.” And that's one of the clearest ways to live out genuine faith.Learn more about Dr. Art Rainer's work at ChristianMoneySolutions.com.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm 69 with no debt and considering a whole life insurance policy—$100,000 with premiums for 10 years—to leave tax-free money to my children. I already have a term policy that ends at 75. I also have $28,000 in an underperforming annuity with no surrender charge, and was advised to do a 1035 exchange into a new annuity at 4.65% for seven years. I've also invested in CDs at 4% and am considering high-yield savings accounts. What's the best strategy moving forward?My in-laws are around 80 and have fully matured savings bonds. When they used some for home upgrades, they faced a large tax bill. Is there any way to move or reinvest those bonds to delay or avoid taxes—perhaps into an IRA or Roth IRA?I manage finances for someone receiving annual settlement payments until 2036. He wants to create a trust now to support three families, but his lawyer recommends keeping the money in savings while he's alive. The payer says a trust can be set up after his death. Should he establish the trust now or wait?I'm debt-free and have my cash in a high-yield savings account, but rates are dropping. Should I invest some of it or find another way to protect and manage my money?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Money in the Light of Eternity: What the Bible Says about Your Financial Purpose by Dr. Art RainerThe Institute for Christian Financial HealthChristian Money SolutionsWise Women Managing Money: Expert Advice on Debt, Wealth, Budgeting, and More by Miriam Neff and Valerie Neff Hogan, JD. Christian Community Credit Union (CCCU)GainbridgeWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thanks to our Partners, NAPA TRACS, Today's Class, KUKUI, and Pit Crew Loyalty Watch Full Video Episode It's time to dig into real-world strategies for managing debt and strengthening the financial foundation of your auto repair business. Shiju Thomas,Hotchkiss Auto RepairDustin Brown,Brown Auto ExpertsHunt Demarest, CPA,Paar Melis and Associates The first big takeaway: Cash is king.Our panel emphasizes the power of maintaining healthy cash reserves—ideally three to six months of operating expenses—to safeguard your shop against unexpected disruptions. If the pandemic taught us anything, it's that cash on hand can be the difference between surviving and scrambling. Another core theme is recognizing the difference between good debt and “bad debt.” Good debt includes real estate and other collateral-backed loans that appreciate, add stability, and support long-term growth. Bad debt includes high-interest burdens like merchant cash advances or short-term credit card loans—products that drain cash flow fast and offer zero assets in return. The panel also addresses a common pain point: “Why doesn't my bank balance match my profit?”The answer lies in understanding the cash flow statement—specifically, that principal payments don't appear on the P&L, even though they hit your bank account hard. Their guidance: pay off high-interest debt first, but don't erase debt so aggressively that you end up “debt-free but cash-poor.” Cash matters just as much as debt reduction. Bottom line: Be intentional with your money. Understand your numbers. And approach debt reduction as a strategy, not a sprint. Additional Resources: - How to Grow Your Shop Without Losing Control [RR 1046]: https://remarkableresults.biz/remarkable-results-radio-podcast/e1046/ - Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/ 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

Aishah Iqbal is a first-time filmmaker and marketing executive who directed the award-winning film, #whitehairdontcare: A New Era in Beauty. The documentary challenges ageism in the beauty industry. With 15+ years in global analytics and advertising, she blends storytelling, strategy and social impact to empower women to embrace their natural aging process. The film explores the question: Who gets to define beauty?Aishah is a highly accomplished and results-driven Analytics & Data Operations leader with 15+ years of experience spearheading transformative initiatives for global organizations—most recently leading Global Analytics Operations for Google via Media Futures Group (EssenceMediacom). She brings proven expertise in designing scalable data strategies, automating complex workflows and nurturing high-performing, globally distributed analytics teams. Her passion lies in aligning data operations with business objectives to unlock efficiency, enable faster decision-making and deliver measurable ROI.Throughout her career, she has partnered with C-suite and EVP-level leadership to drive operational transformation across organizations, evolve team capabilities and lead impactful change management initiatives. She thrives in environments that demand both strategic vision and practical execution. Outside of work, she is the proud mother of a wonderful daughter who helps her prioritize the invaluable intangibles in life. She is deeply committed to creative storytelling and personal growth—sharing her journey and learnings as a filmmaker, writer, blogger and podcast contributor. In this episode, we talk about how she became a filmmaker, using TikTok and Reddit to float ideas, how to deal with online hate, single motherhood, ageism and more. She embraces her graying hair and is helping all of us learn to embrace our own choices, which may include natural aging.Website (for the film) - www.whitehairdontcarefilm.comSocial Media links - https://www.instagram.com/aishahiqbal/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aishahiqbal/https://www.instagram.com/whitehairdontcarefilm/TikTok: @grayloxx

Today's guest is Robert Kubin, Head of Sales for Central Europe at Amundi. Amundi is a European asset manager, ranked among the top 10 globally by assets under management. It provides savings and investment solutions across active and passive management, in both traditional and real assets. Its offering includes IT tools and services (Amundi Technology) that cover the savings value chain. Amundi is listed on the stock exchange and manages more than €2.3 trillion in assets. A senior executive with more than 20 years of international experience across asset management, insurance, and consulting, Robert brings deep expertise in investment strategy and operational leadership. He joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to discuss how AI can move beyond legacy technology to improve decision-making and automate manual processes in asset and wealth management. Robert also shares practical strategies for embedding AI into core workflows, reducing manual workload, and enabling smaller teams to operate at scale while driving measurable ROI. This episode is sponsored by FE fundinfo. Learn how brands work with Emerj and other Emerj Media options at emerj.com/ad1. Join an exclusive circle of AI executives shaping the conversation. Share your insights as a guest on the 'AI in Business' podcast and be recognized among peers driving innovation: emerj.com/expert2.

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1202: Day 2 from Automobility LA at the LA Auto Show, and we host Amit Chandarana, CEO of Curbee to talk about how there are now 16 independent repair shops to every 1 franchise dealership.. Plus, Paul and Kyle get gifts to welcome them to their first West Coast activation.This episode is brought to you by our Automobility LA Press and Content Partner Curbee, the fastest growing mobile service technology platform for dealerships.Dealers may be facing a bitter reality as new data reveals there are now 16 independent repair shops for every franchised dealership in the U.S.—and that gap is only growing.The 16:1 ratio highlights a major competitive disadvantage for dealerships in service accessibility.With over 300K independent shops and aging vehicles on the road, independents are winning on location, price, and speed.Dealership service appointments are down 6% YoY while consumer expectations around convenience continue rising.Mobile service is emerging as the top solution—dealers offering it see high ROI and retention gains.“The 16 is more than a ratio—it's a reality check,” says Curbee. “Convenience wins and accessibility is the new loyalty program.”Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/ JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

EqualAI president & CEO Miriam Vogel, co-author of the new book Governing the Machine, joins Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad for a timely conversation on AI trust, governance, and global competition. Vogel breaks down the surge in AI litigation, why companies are missing ROI without governance, and how workforce fears are shaping adoption. She argues that America's long-held advantage in brand trust may be its most powerful asset in the global AI race — if leaders act now.

How One Practice Grew EBITDA by 300% with Expert Consulting Guest: Lisa Lickstein — Award-Winning Practice Owner & Visionary Leader Host: Terri Ross, Founder & CEO of Terri Ross Consulting Guest Spotlight: Lisa Lickstein, MSW, MBA Co-owner, Lickstein Plastic Surgery & Medical Spa Founder, Women in Business Mentorship Academy Certified Coach + Speaker in Unreasonable Hospitality Lisa Lickstein is the co-owner of Lickstein Plastic Surgery and Medical Spa, with two locations in South Florida and a thriving team of 40. With dual degrees in social work and finance, Lisa brings a rare mix of emotional intelligence and business acumen to her leadership. Their practice was recently named 2024 Business of the Year by the Palm Beach North Chamber of Commerce — but even with that level of success, Lisa knew something had to shift behind the scenes and she was not above seeking out expert help from TRC. Episode Overview: In this transparent and insightful episode, Lisa opens up about the real challenges aesthetic practices face as they grow — especially when rapid success exposes operational blind spots. She shares: How a failed acquisition deal became a turning point. Why the non-surgical side of their practice needed TRC's expertise.  The tension between managing day-to-day operations and planning for scale. And ultimately, why she chose to work with Terri Ross Consulting to course-correct and accelerate growth. Lisa and Terri dive into the mindset shift that must happen when a practice is struggling or outgrows its existing systems — and how expert consulting gave her the tools, clarity, and partnership she needed to align both sides of the business for future success. Key Takeaways: Success Without Strategy Creates Stagnation Even top-tier practices with strong culture and revenue can stall if they're not built for scale. Lisa shares how, despite earning just over 8 figures annually, her practice had room to grow — and needed expert guidance to help her achieve this Leadership Doesn't Mean Doing It Alone Lisa reveals the decision to seek outside help wasn't a weakness, but a strategic strength. Working with TRC signaled to her team, partners, and potential buyers that she was serious about intentional growth. Realized 300% ROI from TRC on EBITDA Growth, Realigned Teams, and a Profitable Exit Through TRC's Business Evaluation and ongoing consulting, The Medical Spa team at Lickstein Plastic Surgery saw EBITDA increase by $300,000 – a massive 300% return on their investment with TRC — while realigning internal teams, improving treatment planning, and setting the foundation for a major acquisition. Collaboration, Not Replacement Lisa applauds TRC's collaborative approach — working seamlessly with existing consultants and ensuring every partner brought their best to the table. The Emotional Side of Business Describing the consulting experience as "business therapy," Lisa shares how TRC helped restore balance between the surgical and non-surgical sides of the practice — keeping both teams valued and aligned. The Results:

The November 21 edition of the AgNet News Hour closed out the week with a powerful, wide-ranging interview featuring Jason Gianelli, fourth-generation Kern County farmer and Director of Farming for Old River Farming Company and RNG Finucchi. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill called it one of the most honest and energizing conversations of the month, as Gianelli broke down everything from water policy to automation to the future of dairy support crops in California. Gianelli, whose family has farmed in Kern County for five generations, oversees roughly 30,000 acres of corn silage, wheat silage, and feed crops stretching from Bakersfield north to Kings County. He laughed as he recalled the enormous size of his family—both in acreage and height—and the agricultural heritage passed down through generations. “I don't cowboy up,” he joked. “I farmer down.” But the challenges facing today's farmers aren't funny. Gianelli described how quickly the landscape has changed, especially with towns expanding into farmland and new layers of regulation making even basic decisions more complex. “We're still here,” he said, “but California doesn't make it easy.” On water, Gianelli was blunt: farmers pay for 100 percent of their allocation but rarely receive it. Even strong districts aren't getting full deliveries, and SGMA-driven pumping limits are forcing growers to rethink cropping patterns. “You can't conserve your way out of a drought,” he said. “But you can be smart. Automation is going to help us turn valves on and off, monitor leaks, and use every drop wisely.” Gianelli believes ROI—not hype—will determine which technologies survive. Some tools pay for themselves in three years; others take ten and aren't worth it. “Everything is a tool in the toolbox,” he said. “But you still need eyes on the ground. I'll never stop checking fields with a shovel.” He also emphasized the role of dairy innovation, calling California dairies “one of the most efficient systems in the world.” From methane digesters to manure-water recycling, he praised dairies for making sure nothing goes to waste. “We'll use water three or four times before it leaves the ranch,” he said. On regulations and politics, Gianelli didn't hold back. He criticized lawmakers who pass laws without understanding agriculture and voters who read headlines instead of full articles. “If you voted yes on Prop 50, you voted against agriculture,” he said plainly. “People are removed from the farm. They don't know where their food comes from.” Still, Gianelli remains hopeful—not because the system is easy, but because farmers don't quit. “California can be great again,” he said. “Bad policy hurts everyone, but people will wake up. Farming is still the greatest job in the world.” He lit up when talking about bringing his young children into the field. “They drive tractors with me. They learn about insects, seeds, and soil. I want them to love this life the way I do.” Papagni closed the interview by calling Gianelli “one of California's strongest farm voices,” while McGill said what many listeners were thinking: “Farmers are the real environmentalists. They take care of the land like family.”

ClearCOGS is creating a new category in restaurant technology by bringing predictive analytics to an industry that operates almost entirely on retrospective data. With $3.8 million raised, the company analyzes 100 million data points daily per restaurant to forecast demand and optimize prep decisions. In a recent episode of Category Visionaries, we sat down with Matt Wampler, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearCOGS, to explore how his experience turning around failing Jimmy John's franchises led him to build forecasting software that's fundamentally changing how restaurants operate—and how he's defining a category that doesn't yet exist. Topics Discussed: Matt's transition from 21-year-old Jimmy John's franchisee working 110-hour weeks to identifying systematic inefficiencies in food prep decisions across five locations Why restaurants remain stuck in reactive mode while sports betting and fantasy football have sophisticated predictive analytics ClearCOGS's data infrastructure processing 100 million variables daily—from 15-minute POS intervals and weather patterns to dew point and local events The product discovery process where Matt's co-founder kept asking "why" until every feature request collapsed into one core problem: uncertainty about tomorrow's demand Category creation through the Restaurant AI podcast despite no clear attribution model Building in public on LinkedIn as an enterprise lead generation channel that landed major brands within six weeks The ICP evolution from enterprise fast-casual chains (15-1,000 locations) to a freemium Toast integration targeting independents GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Let outsiders interrogate your domain expertise: Matt wanted to build dashboards restaurant operators requested. His technical co-founder repeatedly asked "why do you want that dashboard?" then "why do you need to see that?" Every answer eventually reached the same root cause: operators didn't know who would walk in tomorrow, making food prep, ordering, and staffing decisions inefficient. This pattern held across dozens of restaurant brands. The yin-yang of insider knowledge plus relentless outside questioning revealed the actual problem worth solving versus building a feature graveyard of requested tools. Reframe category education through familiar high-stakes analogies: "Predictive analytics" meant nothing to restaurant operators. Matt's breakthrough was pointing out the cognitive dissonance in their lives: they studied dozens of variables and probabilistic forecasts for fantasy football lineups but ran six-figure businesses on Excel sheets and gut instinct. This wasn't explaining predictive analytics—it was exposing the absurdity of having better forecasting tools for fantasy sports than for their livelihood, making the gap visceral and the solution obvious. Convert forecast errors into customer intelligence touchpoints: When ClearCOGS's predictions missed, the team initially spent weeks reoptimizing algorithms. The pivot: immediately call the customer, acknowledge the miss, and say "we're on it." Customers didn't expect perfection from a system replacing Excel and guesswork—they valued having someone actually watching their operation. In a software landscape where vendors disappear post-sale, proactive error acknowledgment became relationship acceleration. Every miss became an opportunity to demonstrate attentiveness that competitors couldn't match. Segment messaging by incentive structure, not org chart: ClearCOGS discovered the messaging split wasn't finance versus operations—it was franchisors versus franchisees. Franchisors earning royalties on top-line revenue needed consistency and scalability messaging. Franchisees and on-ground operators living on bottom-line profitability needed waste reduction and margin improvement messaging. The same product solving the same problem required different value propositions based on how buyers were compensated, not what department they sat in. Test public vulnerability as enterprise sales acceleration: Matt had zero social media presence before ClearCOGS. He started posting about struggles and failures on LinkedIn. Within six weeks, a major restaurant brand reached out for partnership discussions. Later, he posted their first website draft asking for brutal feedback—50 people responded with detailed reviews, video walkthroughs, and unsolicited legal advice. When he launched the Restaurant AI podcast with unclear ROI, he treated it as category education infrastructure. In oversaturated B2B markets, authentic struggle documentation cuts through polished competitor noise and creates asymmetric enterprise access that paid channels can't replicate. //  Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role.  Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

Join Dr. Jay and Brad as they interview Stephanie Dove Blake on this week's episode!Stephanie Dove Blake is an out-of-the-box computer connoisseur and industry-leading advertising agency founder that focuses on serving chiropractors. People are her passion, and technology is her love language. After nearly a decade in online business, Stephanie has retained her people skills despite the depth of her extensive training and obsession with all things tech and marketing. Stephanie's goal is to show visionary entrepreneurs how to grow a business that facilitates the life of positive impact they always dreamed of. She loves to see people succeed while taking the stress and mystery out of the tech so that the product/message can reach its full reach for maximum ROI.To connect with Stephanie, visit her website at https://socialsparrow.com/

RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING ....WITH AI AGENTS?   We may look back at 2025 has a pivotal year in online job advertising. Economic chaos, investment uncertainty, rise of AI, has made employers change how they think about headcount and are increasingly scrutinising the ROI of traditional job distribution. The flood of irrelevant applications has more or less killed the ppc model - what other iterations do we expect to see over the next 12 months?   We're going to be speaking with the C-level team at VONQ to better understand state of market.   - Recruitment Advertising 2025 - What are the available job advertising models? - Which ones seem to be on the rise / on the decline? - Niche vs Generalised Job Board advertising and relationship with business models - AI-enabled Job Applications, how big an impact on job advertising? - How does this force job advertising vendors to adapt? - What are the mitigation strategies? - AI Agents, verticalised vs generalised - What can they do - How does this impact candidate acquisition? - What does Recruitment Advertising look like over the next 12 months?     We're with Ritu Mohanka, CEO & Bill Fischer, CTO, (VONQ) & friends on Friday 21st November, 2pm GMT. Register by clicking on the green button (save my spot) and follow the channel here (recommended) to be noticed when we go live.     Ep345 is sponsored by VONQ   Transform recruitment advertising by leveraging AI-driven technology, deep ATS integrations, and expertise to deliver high-quality candidates to the shortlist while elevating employer brands. Our solution is now available via over 100 Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and Human Capital Management (HCM) platforms, accessible to over 80% of the US and EU talent acquisition teams.   We have a +5000 global media channels network and back our solutions with reliable automation, data-driven recommendations, recruitment marketing expertise, programmatic advertising, and meaningful reporting.   Need to get more qualified, relevant and motivated job candidates at the top of the funnel? Get in touch with VONQ here

Brandon Rhoten is the Chief Marketing Officer at GroundTruth, an advertising platform that uses real-world location and purchase data to show how media drives store visits and revenue. As the former CMO at Wendy's, Papa John's, and Potbelly, Brandon was instrumental in building Wendy's groundbreaking digital and social marketing programs, contributing to 40 consecutive quarters of growth for the brand. In addition to his executive experience, he is a tech investor, advisor, and recognized trailblazer in blending art and science to drive marketing ROI. In this episode… Marketing was supposed to get easier once everything went digital, yet many teams feel more overwhelmed than ever. With endless dashboards and touchpoints to untangle, proving what actually drives revenue has become its own full-time job. So in a world where every impression is technically "trackable," why are so many companies still flying blind? According to Brandon Rhoten, a longtime marketing leader known for marrying creativity with accountability, the real issue isn't a lack of data; it's that most organizations still treat marketing like a black box instead of a measurable driver of business results. He explains that the shift begins with embracing both sides of the craft — the art that earns attention and the science that proves impact. He points to everything from funnel complexity to outdated buying habits as reasons leaders still struggle with attribution. But when companies learn to connect media exposure to real-world behavior, the fog lifts. The bigger payoff, Brandon says, is a marketing function that's finally seen as an investment rather than a cost. In this episode of the Revenue Engine Podcast, host Alex Gluz is joined by Brandon Rhoten, Chief Marketing Officer at GroundTruth, to discuss how modern marketers can finally link advertising to tangible business outcomes. You'll hear why attribution is still broken, how to rethink media through an omnichannel lens, and what it takes to align marketing with the CFO's expectations. Brandon also shares practical advice on using AI to sharpen both strategy and creative execution.

Scott and Hayley first start with co-founders of The Desire Company Judith and Eric on how they have built out this "expert" content enterprise while still being married with kids! Such great advice and so relatable. We then get into how Retail Media affects video content. Why and how the retailers and brands are finding the ROI on what The Desire Company is producing. Influencers are an important part of ecommerce, the numbers are there, having expert videos is not an either or situation, so we find out how and why! Enjoy Always Off Brand is always a Laugh & Learn!    FEEDSPOT TOP 10 Retail Podcast! https://podcast.feedspot.com/retail_podcasts/?feedid=5770554&_src=f2_featured_email Guest: Judith Levey Sheinkop LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judith-levey/ The Desire Company -https://thedesirecompany.com/    Guest: Eric Sheinkop LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericsheinkop/ The Desire Company -https://thedesirecompany.com/   TAP INTO AN EXPERT PODCAST: https://thedesirecompany.com/tap-into-an-expert-podcast QUICKFIRE Info:   Website: https://www.quickfirenow.com/ Email the Show: info@quickfirenow.com  Talk to us on Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/quickfireproductions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quickfire__/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@quickfiremarketing LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/quickfire-productions-llc/about/ Sports podcast Scott has been doing since 2017, Scott & Tim Sports Show part of Somethin About Nothin:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/somethin-about-nothin/id1306950451 HOSTS: Summer Jubelirer has been in digital commerce and marketing for over 17 years. After spending many years working for digital and ecommerce agencies working with multi-million dollar brands and running teams of Account Managers, she is now the Amazon Manager at OLLY PBC.   LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/summerjubelirer/   Scott Ohsman has been working with brands for over 30 years in retail, online and has launched over 200 brands on Amazon. Mr. Ohsman has been managing brands on Amazon for 19yrs. Owning his own sales and marketing agency in the Pacific NW, is now VP of Digital Commerce for Quickfire LLC. Producer and Co-Host for the top 5 retail podcast, Always Off Brand. He also produces the Brain Driven Brands Podcast featuring leading Consumer Behaviorist Sarah Levinger. Scott has been a featured speaker at national trade shows and has developed distribution strategies for many top brands. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-ohsman-861196a6/   Hayley Brucker has been working in retail and with Amazon for years. Hayley has extensive experience in digital advertising, both seller and vendor central on Amazon. Hayley lives in North Carolina.  LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-brucker-1945bb229/   Huge thanks to Cytrus our show theme music "Office Party" available wherever you get your music. Check them out here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cytrusmusic Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cytrusmusic/ Twitter https://twitter.com/cytrusmusic SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6VrNLN6Thj1iUMsiL4Yt5q?si=MeRsjqYfQiafl0f021kHwg APPLE MUSIC https://music.apple.com/us/artist/cytrus/1462321449   "Always Off Brand" is part of the Quickfire Podcast Network and produced by Quickfire LLC.  

Today I'm joined by Jim Keffer, CEO of Keffer Auto Group. We break down his radical 10-year buyout model, why he hunts “unicorn” operators instead of centralizing, and how underperforming rooftops become high-ROI assets. Jim also explains the math behind buying broken stores, the traits that separate true owner-operators, and the coming shakeups he sees from Carvana, CarMax, and digital retailing. It's a candid, transparent look at a model most dealers never get to see up close. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Lotlinx - What if ChatGPT actually spoke dealer? Meet LotGPT — the first AI chatbot built just for car dealers. Fluent in your market, your dealership, and your inventory, LotGPT delivers instant insights to help you merchandise smarter, move inventory faster, and maximize profit. It pulls from your live inventory, CRM, and Google Analytics to give VIN-specific recommendations, helping dealers price vehicles accurately, spot wasted spend, and uncover the hottest opportunities — all in seconds. LotGPT is free for dealers, but invite-only. Join the waitlist now @ Lotlinx.com/LotGPT 2. vAuto - The average car sits 45 days before getting shipped to another store — hoping it'll sell faster somewhere else. But guess what? Once it lands there, it usually sits another 30 days. On paper, that looks fine. In reality, that car's been tying up capital for 75 days — bleeding margin the whole time. The fix? Get the car to the right store on day one — or move it before the clock runs out. Because every day you wait, you're losing gross you'll never get back. Check out vAuto's new guide on centralized inventory management @ ⁠https://www.vauto.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ 3. CDG Circles - A modern peer group for auto dealers. Private dealer chats. Real insights — confidential, compliant, no travel required. Visit @ https://cdgcircles.com/ to learn more. Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff: For dealers: CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/ Industry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dealership recruiting ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgrecruiting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Fix your dealership's social media ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.trynomad.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Request to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For industry vendors: Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgpartner.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Industry job board ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://jobs.dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Request to be a podcast guest ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.cdgguest.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Topics: 00:08 Biggest challenge in the car business? 00:52 How does the decentralized model work? 03:41 What is the buyout model? 07:08 How to find the right operators? 32:48 How does goodwill depreciation work? 33:15 How to identify and hire talent? 34:01 Biggest used car sales challenge? 37:45 Balancing sales efficiency with customer experience? 58:18 Future of car dealerships? Car Dealership Guy Socials: X ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠x.com/GuyDealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/cardealershipguy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@guydealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠threads.net/@cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Everything else ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠dealershipguy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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The promise of agentic AI has been massive, autonomous systems that act, reason, and make business decisions, but most enterprises are still struggling to see results.In this episode, host Chris Brandt sits down with Sumeet Arora, Chief Product Officer at Teradata, to unpack why the gap exists between AI hype and actual impact, and what it takes to make AI scale, explainable, and ROI-driven.From the shift toward “AI with ROI” to the new era of human + AI systems and data quality challenges, Sumeet shares how leading enterprises are moving from flashy demos to measurable value and trust in the next phase of AI. CHAPTER MARKERS00:00 The AI Hackathon Era03:10 Hype vs Reality in Agentic AI06:05 Redesigning the Human AI Interface09:15 From Demos to Real Economic Outcomes12:20 Why Scaling AI Still Fails15:05 The Importance of AI Ready Knowledge18:10 Data Quality and the Biggest Bottleneck20:46 Building the Customer 360 Knowledge Layer23:35 Push vs Pull Systems in Modern AI26:15 Rethinking Enterprise Workflows29:20 AI Agents and Outcome Driven Design32:45 Where Agentic AI Works Today36:10 What Enterprises Still Get Wrong39:30 How AI Changes Engineering Priorities55:49 The Future of GPUs and Efficiency Challenges -- This episode of IT Visionaries is brought to you by Meter - the company building better networks. Businesses today are frustrated with outdated providers, rigid pricing, and fragmented tools. Meter changes that with a single integrated solution that covers everything wired, wireless, and even cellular networking. They design the hardware, write the firmware, build the software, and manage it all so your team doesn't have to.That means you get fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of juggling multiple providers. Thanks to meter for sponsoring. Go to meter.com/itv to book a demo.---IT Visionaries is made by the team at Mission.org. Learn more about our media studio and network of podcasts at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hunter and Kevin join Jessey to talk about what's really working right now in land—from cold calling to custom mailers, market selection, follow-up, and why land investors' "laziness" is your biggest competitive advantage.Both run separate land businesses but teamed up to create a community-focused course aimed at helping people scale smarter. In this episode, they break down the tools, tactics, and realities of growing a land business in 2025.What you'll learn:• Why mailing is back and still performing• The ROI of custom mailers vs bulk volume• Cold calling and texting tips from a house-flipping background• Why most land investors don't follow up (and how to win by doing it)• How to train VAs for market selection, data scrubbing, and pricing• Building a lean team with clear roles (Hunter's setup)• How to find good realtors and build long-term relationships• The one thing they'd do differently if starting over today• A behind-the-scenes look at their Plot Profit Academy course

In this episode, John Wilson sits down with Richard Dunbar of FieldPulse to dig into one of the most important — and often overlooked — levers for scaling a home service company: modernizing your operational platform. Whether you're running HVAC, plumbing, electrical, restoration, or any specialty trade, the shift from legacy tools to a true field service management system (FSM) is one of the highest-ROI moves you can make. Richard and John break down how contractors are ditching whiteboards, Excel boards, paper invoices, and manual dispatching in favor of flat-rate pricing systems, centralized pricebooks, technician-friendly workflows, real-time visibility, and true operational clarity.What You'll LearnWhy legacy systems cap your growthHow flat-rate pricing really worksWhere the real ROI of FSM software comes fromHow to remove friction from the entire customer journey The #1 mistake contractors make when trying to scale revenue 

What if your company stopped chasing quarterly goals and spent an entire month training every employee on AI? That's exactly what AppsFlyer did, and it completely transformed how they approach innovation.In this episode, AppsFlyer down with Barak Witkovsky, Chief Product Officer of AppsFlyer, to discuss one of the boldest AI transformation experiments I've ever heard of. For four weeks, they paused regular business objectives and put all 1,300 employees through an AI builder course. Not on top of their work. AS their work.What We Cover:1. Why AppsFlyer stopped chasing OKRs to invest in AI education across the entire company2. How AppsFlyer's CEO and CPO learn about AI from their own employees (including marketers who know more than developers at other companies)3. How AppsFlyer evolved from a measurement platform into a modern marketing cloud with autonomous AI agents4. How do you get marketers to trust AI when they're deploying tens of millions in ad spend?5. Why AppsFlyer is betting on an open AI ecosystem with MCP and Agent Hub6. Are marketers becoming obsolete or are they about to become "bosses of agents"?7. Why executives are bullish on AI while directors and managers feel anxious (and what to do about it)Timestamps:00:00 AI Integration at AppsFlyer04:15 The ROI of AI Investments05:14 Evolution to a Modern Marketing Cloud16:30 Challenges of Omnichannel Measurement22:26 AI Agents in Marketing27:01 Becoming an AI-First Company31:29 The Role of AppsFlyer in the AI Ecosystem44:38 The Ultimate Growth Machine Vision47:18 Final Thoughts

Send us a textAre we preparing young people to follow instructions or to solve real problems? We explore a better path with Barry Garapedian—financial advisor, mentor, and author of Winning the Game of Life—who makes a compelling case for teaching value creation as the antidote to uncertainty, inflation, and the AI upheaval. Together, we unpack the hidden curriculum, why compliance still shadows classrooms, and how to build graduates who contribute, not just compete.Barry maps out his Seven Fs—family, faith, friends, fitness, financial, fun, philanthropy—as a practical life blueprint. We dig into the systems that turn big ideas into daily progress: mentors over guesswork, a color-coded calendar, KPIs for sleep and routines, and 90-day goals across work, personal growth, and wellness. He shares the “impossible goal” that raises your baseline, plus a decision-board approach that keeps your aspirations visible and actionable.We go tactical with micro-leadership: “practice going first,” replace weasel words, and learn to hold “third vault” conversations that create trust and impact. Barry reframes ADHD as a superpower when paired with structure, and offers an anxiety playbook—never worry alone, get the facts, make a plan. For parents and educators, we lay out how to allow healthy struggle while opening doors to mentors and networks. For students, we emphasize AQ—adaptability—as the new edge in an AI-powered economy, backed by four reliability habits anyone can master.By the end, you'll have a toolkit to help young adults measure ROI as return on impact, choose better books and better rooms, and codify shared values with a family constitution. Ready to shift from achievement to contribution and help the next generation become confident problem solvers? Follow the show, share with someone who needs a nudge, and leave a review to help more listeners find us.Great News! The Brighter Side of Education is now CPD Accredited! Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily. Head to the show notes to find if this episode is CPD eligible and details on how to claim your CPD certification!Sponsored by Dr. Gregg Hassler Jr., DMDTrusted dental care for healthy smiles and stronger communities—building brighter futures daily.Support the showIf you have a story about what's working in your schools that you'd like to share, email me at lisa@drlisahassler.com or visit www.drlisahassler.com. Subscribe, tell a friend, and consider becoming a supporter by clicking the link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2048018/support. The music in this podcast was written and performed by Brandon Picciolini of the Lonesome Family Band. Visit and follow him on Instagram.

Send us a textAre you wasting money on marketing vendors who don't get private practice? In this Quick Tip episode we break down exactly how to find, vet, and manage the right marketing partners — and avoid the ones who drain your budget without delivering ROI. From red flags to smart strategies, Brandon shares a transparent, step-by-step approach to choosing vendors who understand healthcare, compliance, and real patient acquisition. You'll learn how to evaluate proposals, compare budgets, measure ROI, demand transparency, and identify which vendors actually invest in your success — not just your retainer. Whether you're running a growing therapy clinic, wellness center, or private healthcare practice, this episode will help you stop guessing and start managing marketing like a CEO. 

Your podcast is live, but now the real journey begins. Growth is where your show becomes a brand, a business asset, and a tool that compounds in visibility and authority.In this episode of As It Relates to Podcasting, host Simona Costantini wraps up the 10-week launch series by diving into the strategies that take your show beyond day one. You'll learn how to interpret your podcast analytics, measure the right KPIs, refine your content with intention, and evolve your show based on listener behavior and performance trends.Simona also dives into how to build a powerful guest strategy, how to track ROI, how to use completion rates and retention to shape future episodes, and why iteration turns your podcast into a platform that grows your authority and revenue over time.If you're ready to scale your podcast with clarity and consistent momentum, this episode gives you everything you need to strengthen your direction, refine your voice, and grow your show with strategy instead of guesswork.Inside this episode:The analytics that matter most for long-term podcast growthDownloads, completion rate, and subscriber trends explainedHow retention reveals your strongest topics and formatsWhy audience behavior guides your future contentHow to refine your show for longevity and authorityWhat agile creators do differently to stay relevantBuilding a strategic guest lineup that expands your networkHow cross-promotion doubles your reachHow to nurture relationships that lead to ROIWhy iteration is the secret advantage of top podcastersHow your podcast becomes a business asset, not a weekly taskInvitation to join the Launch Your Podcast in 8 Weeks courseIf you're ready to launch your podcast with clarity, confidence, and a strategy that actually gets you seen, this episode will show you exactly how.✨ Free Resource: Download my Podcast Launch Blueprint, the 5-step system to plan, record, and launch a professional show in just 8 weeks.https://voltproductions.co/podcast-launch-blueprint-2025 Launch Your Podcast in 8 Weeks Course: https://voltproductions.co/launch-podcast-8-weeks-course-offer #PodcastGrowth #PodcastStrategy #PodcastAnalytics #PodcastingTips #PodcastEducation #AsItRelatesToPodcasting #SimonaCostantini #VOLTProductions #PodcastMonetization #PodcastLaunchTips #PodcastContentStrategy #GrowYourPodcast #PodcastGuests #PodcastForBusiness #PodcastMarketing #SpotifyPodcasters #YouTubePodcasts #PodcastWorkflow #PodcastPerformanceLearn about:00:00 Launching versus growing your podcast00:40 Why post-launch strategy determines long-term success01:20 Going deeper with the 8-week podcast launch course02:00 Understanding analytics without overwhelm03:00 Downloads per episode and what they actually signal04:00 Why completion rate reveals true listener quality04:30 How subscriber growth boosts discoverability05:00 Tracking leads, traffic, and inquiries05:45 Using retention to guide future content06:30 Refining your format for longevity07:00 How your audience shapes your evolution08:00 Spotting patterns that influence your message09:00 Using guest strategy as a powerful growth lever10:00 Cross-promotion and expanding your reach11:00 Relationship-building as a podcast growth engine12:00 Tracking guest ROI for long-term collaboration13:00 Iteration and how it creates industry...

In this episode of The Metrics Brothers, Ray “Growth” Rike and Dave “CAC” Kellogg break down one of the emerging metrics in the Agentic AI era: Containment Rate - the percentage of tasks an AI agent completes (resolves) end-to-end without human intervention.They explore multiple aspects of the Containment Rate Metric including:How containment rate differs from classic chatbot metric - deflection rateWhy defining “resolved” and/or "completed" is essential to calculating containment rateHow the metric connects directly to ROIWhy ROI needs to include both the benefit (cost-savings) and the investment (expense) for the AI AgentRay and Dave also trace the history of containment from IVR to Chatbots to LLM-powered agents, debate common misconceptions, and outline benchmarks across customer support, IT, HR, and back-office agentic AI workflows.If you're building, buying, or benchmarking AI agents - or trying to turn AI investments into measurable ROI — this episode delivers the context, clarity, and humor only The Metrics Brothers can provide.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Data in Biotech, host Ross Katz sits down with John Liberty, Senior Bioanalysis Technical Sales Consultant at Thermo Fisher Scientific. They dive deep into how Watson LIMS™ supports regulated bioanalysis workflows, the evolving role of lab automation, and how Connect Enterprise aims to unify biotech digital ecosystems. What you'll learn in this episode: >> Why Watson LIMS is purpose-built for bioanalysis and how it enhances compliance and data traceability. >> The role of lab automation in boosting productivity and reducing manual tasks. >> How Connect Enterprise integrates lab systems across vendors into a seamless workflow.  >> Key considerations for implementing LIMS in startup versus established biotech environments. >> The ROI of digital lab solutions in supporting scalable, compliant biotech operations. Meet Our Guests John Liberty is a GMP-trained scientist with a strong focus on ELISA method development, validation, and transfer. He pairs his hands-on scientific background with experience in project management, CRO coordination, data analysis, and training, making him someone who really understands how work moves from the lab bench to real-world application. John has also spent time on the product and customer side, doing technical sales and demos for Watson LIMS™ software, giving him a rare blend of technical depth and communication skills. About The Host Ross Katz is Principal and Data Science Lead at CorrDyn. Ross specializes in building intelligent data systems that empower biotech and healthcare organizations to extract insights and drive innovation. Connect with Our Guest: Sponsor: CorrDyn, a data consultancyConnect with John Liberty  on LinkedIn  Connect with Us: Follow the podcast for more insightful discussions on the latest in biotech and data science.Subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode!Connect with Ross Katz on LinkedIn Sponsored by… This episode is brought to you by CorrDyn, the leader in data-driven solutions for biotech and healthcare. Discover how CorrDyn is helping organizations turn data into breakthroughs at CorrDyn.

About Nikhil Buduma:Nikhil Buduma is a San Francisco–based entrepreneur, scientist, and engineer working at the cutting edge of AI and healthcare. He is the co-founder and CEO of Ambience Healthcare, an AI platform built to supercharge every healthcare worker with intelligent automation. Under his leadership, Ambience has grown into one of the most well-funded AI healthcare startups in the world, raising over $343 million from top investors, including a16z, OpenAI, Kleiner Perkins, Oak HC/FT, Optum Ventures, and industry pioneers such as Jeff Dean and Pieter Abbeel. Before becoming CEO, Nikhil served as Ambience's Chief Scientist, leading the development of its core AI systems that streamline documentation, coding, and clinical workflows for healthcare systems, including the Cleveland Clinic and St. Luke's.Prior to Ambience, Nikhil co-founded Remedy Health, where he applied machine learning to advance value-based care models, backed by Khosla Ventures and Greylock. He also co-founded Lean On Me, a nonprofit organization that supports mental health and wellness across U.S. college campuses through anonymous peer-to-peer text support networks at institutions such as MIT, Duke, and UC Berkeley.A graduate and valedictorian of Bellarmine College Preparatory, Nikhil earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science and engineering from MIT. His career reflects a rare blend of technical mastery, compassion, and vision—using AI not to replace clinicians, but to restore the human joy in the practice of medicine.Things You'll Learn:Health systems often see low real-world usage of ambient tools; when daily adoption crosses most clinicians and visits, the ROI conversation becomes meaningful. This requires solving fundamentals across specialties, not just shipping features.If AI generates notes that don't align with payer rules and codes, organizations incur rework and risk. Integrating HCC, ICD-10, and CPT selection, along with supporting language, at the point of care helps prevent denials.Revenue integrity upside: Bringing CDI intelligence forward can reclaim large sums from work already done but not credited. This strengthens both financial sustainability and compliance posture.Continuous third-party auditing and domain-specific modeling are essential because general reasoning models often struggle with the nuances of revenue cycles. Independent validation builds organizational trust.Patient Summary anticipates questions and data needs before the visit, while Chart Chat answers complex, EHR-aware queries in seconds, helping to democratize top-tier standards of care in rural settings.Resources:Connect with and follow Nikhil Buduma on LinkedIn.Follow Ambience Healthcare on LinkedIn and visit their website. 

The decision to move from a manual to an automated process has historically been a laborious, lengthy, and capital-intensive endeavor. Calculating the return on investment (ROI) of such a project is critical to the decision-making process. Companies beginning their automation journey tend to look at robots as a 1 to 1 replacement for their workforce leading to expensive over tooled and over automated processes. Focusing solely on labor replacement can lead companies to vastly undervalue some of the less obvious cost savings created by the switch to robotics. In this presentation, we will be discussing some of the best practices and common pitfalls to avoid when calculating the ROI of a robotic implementation, including: Efficient system design for a high-mix manufacturing environment Cost benefits from increased production and decreased waste Indirect cost benefits generated from increased worker satisfaction and safety Long term cost savings from greater traceability, product consistency and redeployability  By considering these concepts, we can move toward considering robots as part of an overall process improvement opportunity versus simply as a direct replacement to workers. Doing so brings into consideration improvements to the production environment, increased product quality, and enhanced company profitability. Ultimately a refocused ROI calculation will help companies pivot from mid-line labor expenses to top-line revenue and bottom-line profitability. Speakers: James Shimano: Product Manager, Epson Robots Sponsored by: EPSON Visit https://advancedmanufacturing.org/webinars for more webinars and an interactive experience with visuals.  

Defense technology has shifted from a social liability in Silicon Valley to commanding 35-40% of venture capital allocation—up from a historical 10%. This isn't just trend-following; it reflects fundamental market dynamics as SaaS becomes hypercompetitive and AI lowers barriers to entry, pushing capital toward deep tech where moats still exist. Blacklake, a defense holdco based in Austin, helps emerging defense companies navigate government procurement and expand into Europe, Asia-Pacific, and allied markets. In this episode, Jeff Crusey, EVP of Technology & Acquisition at Blacklake, reveals the emerging defense tech playbook, explains why lobbying ROI dwarfs traditional GTM spending, and details what actually matters when hardware meets government procurement. Topics Discussed: Why VC capital is rotating from SaaS to deep tech and defense The defense tech go-to-market playbook versus enterprise SaaS mechanics SBIR grant programs as non-dilutive capital for hardware development Lobbying and appropriations as core revenue drivers, not nice-to-haves Field deployment and operator feedback as the only viable iteration strategy Investor evaluation criteria for hardware-intensive defense businesses Emerging threat vectors in Arctic defense and orbital domain awareness GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Launch lobbying concurrent with SBIR Phase 1 applications: Companies initiating lobbying and appropriations work at the moment they apply for SBIR grants hit revenue milestones materially faster than those treating government affairs as a later-stage function. This means seed-stage companies maintain Capitol Hill presence—a pattern that didn't exist five years ago. The talent profile matters: government affairs hires need proven relationships within specific congressional committees and appropriations staff. Initial engagements typically involve external lobbying advisors with established networks, transitioning in-house at Series A when contract pipeline justifies dedicated headcount. This is consistently the highest-ROI channel in defense GTM. Optimize for deployment speed over system perfection: Modern conflict operates as continuous technological adaptation where capabilities become obsolete within weeks, not years. Companies achieving persistent field presence with operators—not laboratory perfection—win iterative cycles. The tactical approach: deploy minimum viable hardware to operational environments, capture real-world performance data and failure modes, then rapidly incorporate feedback into next iterations. This contradicts traditional defense procurement assumptions about "exquisite systems" and requires founders to resist over-engineering before battlefield validation. Solve the prototype funding problem through non-dilutive capital: Defense investors require working prototypes before capital deployment due to hardware risk profiles—fundamentally different from software's low marginal cost of iteration. This creates a chicken-and-egg problem: prototypes require capital, but capital requires prototypes. The solution path combines bootstrapping to early proof-of-concept, then leveraging SBIR Phase 1 grants (tens of thousands) to reach demonstrable prototype stage. Phase 2 awards (single-digit millions) fund production validation. Strategic founders pursue direct-to-Phase-2 pathways when possible, compressing the timeline from concept to validated demand signal. Strip technical complexity from investor communications: Defense founders with deep domain expertise consistently over-index on technical sophistication during fundraising conversations, losing investor attention before reaching commercial traction narratives. VCs evaluate market timing, defensibility, and path to scale—not engineering elegance. The correction: communicate technology at middle-school comprehension levels. This isn't condescension; it's recognizing that capital allocators optimize for portfolio construction, not technical peer review. Founders often feel they're "dumbing down" their innovations, but clarity on problem-solution fit and market size matters infinitely more than technical specifications during early fundraising stages. Treat SBIR phases as progressive demand validation, not just funding: The phased SBIR structure functions as government-backed demand signaling: Phase 1 validates concept feasibility, Phase 2 confirms development viability, Phase 3 demonstrates production readiness for potential program of record status. Investors decode these phases as risk reduction milestones. Phase 1 awards indicate government interest; Phase 2 awards (especially direct-to-Phase-2 or enhanced Phase 2) signal validated customer pull; Phase 3 contracts position companies for program of record awards worth hundreds of millions annually. Beyond capital, SBIR progression provides founder-market fit evidence and customer commitment that traditional LOIs cannot match in defense contexts. // Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe. www.GlobalTalent.co // Don't Miss: New Podcast Series — How I Hire Senior GTM leaders share the tactical hiring frameworks they use to build winning revenue teams. Hosted by Andy Mowat, who scaled 4 unicorns from $10M to $100M+ ARR and launched Whispered to help executives find their next role. Subscribe here: https://open.spotify.com/show/53yCHlPfLSMFimtv0riPyM

This edWeb podcast is sponsored by BookNook.The edLeader Panel recording can be accessed here.As education leaders face increasing pressure to show measurable impact from recovery funding, outcomes-based contracts (OBCs) are emerging as a promising path forward. This edWeb podcast explores how districts and partners are redefining accountability by tying dollars directly to student learning outcomes rather than service delivery.Listeners hear from leaders who are implementing OBCs in real time, including representatives from The Center for Outcomes Based Contracting, BookNook, and Hamburg School District (AR). Together, they unpack what OBCs are—and aren't—while sharing lessons learned from early pilots and best practices for building strong, data-driven partnerships.Learning objectives include:Understand the core principles and structure of outcomes-based contractsExamine how OBCs can improve transparency, impact measurement, and ROI for tutoring and other interventionsIdentify readiness indicators and first steps for districts interested in exploring OBCsLearn from a district's firsthand experience implementing an OBC modelListeners leave with practical insights and actionable strategies to begin conversations in their own districts about paying for what matters most—student learning. This edWeb podcast is of interest to K-12 school leaders, district leaders, and State Education Agencies.BookNookBookNook offers K–8 high-impact virtual tutoring in reading and math through live, online sessions.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more about viewing live edWeb presentations and on-demand recordings, earning CE certificates, and using accessibility features.

From being at the center of some of the most significant shifts in U.S. healthcare policy over the past two decades, Liz Fowler can offer valuable perspective in uncertain times. In her most recent government role, Liz served as director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), an organization she helped create a decade earlier. As Chief Health Counsel at the Senate Finance Committee, Liz played a major role in the drafting and passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, which established CMMI. She then served as special assistant to President Obama on health care and economic policy at the National Economic Council to implement the ACA. She also played a key role drafting the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA).Liz says she's a public servant at heart, but credits her time in the private sector at Johnson & Johnson and WellPoint (now Elevance) for making her a more effective government leader. Today, Liz provides guidance, insight, and strategy for a broad array of health care stakeholders, including payers, health systems and providers, trade associations, technology companies and more as co-founder and managing partner of Health Transformation Strategies.Liz talked to Keith Figlioli for this episode of Healthcare is Hard to share insight and perspective as healthcare organizations navigate changing regulations, including those in the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Topics they discussed include:The ROI of CMMI. Liz explained the difficulties tracking the savings that CMMI generates. She believes the mechanisms for measuring CMMI are too narrowly defined, making it hard to capture the full impact of its work. She advocates for a broader definition of success, emphasizing that innovation is a process—one where failure can provide just as much impact and opportunity for learning.Limited bandwidth for innovation. It's a challenging time for healthcare organizations that are scrambling to meet deadlines and ensure they're in compliance with various regulations, including provisions of the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Liz believes this is pulling time and attention away from innovation and slowing progress toward advancing value-based care. Despite the overall constraints Liz sees with the current regulatory environment, she's optimistic about rural health transformation funding and how that could spark some innovation.The revolution that's not coming. Throughout the conversation, Liz reiterated that “healthcare is hard.” She cautioned against expecting sweeping, revolutionary change, noting that progress in healthcare is incremental. Drawing on her 25+ years in health policy, Liz encouraged listeners to celebrate small victories and keep pushing forward, as real transformation happens step by step.To hear Liz and Keith discuss these topics and more, listen to this episode of Healthcare is Hard: A Podcast for Insiders.

As regulatory pressures intensify and the demand for measurable ROI grows, health care organizations are rethinking how they approach risk adjustment. The landscape is shifting—from retrospective reviews to real-time, proactive strategies powered by smarter technology and deeper clinical insight.In this 38-minute episode of RISE Radio, senior leaders from Cotiviti and Edifecs share how their recent partnership is fueling a new era of innovation across the full risk adjustment lifecycle. From Medicare Advantage to Medicaid and ACA markets, they explore how scalable tech, strategic foresight, and clinical expertise are helping organizations stay ahead of compliance demands and financial pressures.About the speakersBranka Sustic, vice president of risk and quality solutions, Cotiviti, provides leadership and oversight into product and business development, client program management, and strategy to assist health plans in meeting their quality and risk adjustment goals, optimization of revenue, and risk mitigation. She is a leader with more than two decades of health care experience, blending a strong customer service and analytic foundation with experience leading change management throughout her career. Sustic is known for creating and establishing operational and support plans leading to increased client satisfaction and performance. Dr. Summerpal Kahlon, chief medical officer at Edifecs, a Cotiviti business, works across products and functions to guide clinical strategies and policies. His career spans over 20 years of experience in diverse health care settings, businesses, and markets. Dr. Kahlon has deep expertise in value-based care and risk adjustment, and brings unique insight to help customers make the most comprehensive, informed, and clinically relevant decisions for their populations. He is a practicing physician with Veterans Affairs and an assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Central Florida. About CotivitiCotiviti is a leading solutions and analytics company that is reshaping the economics of health care, helping its clients uncover new opportunities to unlock value. Cotiviti's solutions are a critical foundation for health care payers in their mission to lower health care costs and improve quality through higher performing payment accuracy, quality improvement, risk adjustment, consumer engagement, and network performance 

Most education organizations are under pressure to do more with less. Teams are lean, hiring is frozen, and yet the demand for leads, pipeline, and proof of ROI keeps growing. At the same time, the buying cycle in K12 has never felt more compressed or more high stakes. You cannot afford to waste effort on campaigns, events, or RFPs that do not convert.That is where fractional marketing leadership comes in. When you only have a limited number of hours, every decision has to count. You have to land quickly, read the politics, find the true priorities, and show impact fast while still building a sustainable system behind the scenes.In this episode, long time marketing leader and fractional strategist Allison Maudlin joins Elana to talk about what it really takes to step into an education company, stabilize the chaos, and create momentum. They dig into how to start when leadership only cares about “more leads now,” where the real low hanging fruit usually hides, and why RFPs are a strategic marketing channel, not just paperwork for sales to handle.They also get tactical about landing pages, forms, and workflows that quietly kill conversion, how to think about state specific strategy, and why the future of education marketing is people plus AI, not one or the other.Read the rest of the show notes here. Mentioned in this episode:EdTech Planner 2026Planning a full year of education marketing takes time, and you need a clear path that helps you stay relevant, consistent, and aligned with the moments that matter. Ready to make 2026 your most intentional (and effective!) year yet in education marketing? What The EdTech Marketer's 2026 Planner helps you do: Focus on what matters most to your brand and audience Plan campaigns around key education events Use proven strategies tailored to K–12 and higher ed Build a system that fuels visibility, engagement, and leads For six years, thousands of education and EdTech marketers have used this planner to guide their yearly campaigns and stay aligned with the school calendar. Download here: https://www.leoniconsultinggroup.com/edtech-marketers-planner

A surprise $10,000 can feel like a gift and a puzzle at the same time. Do you save it, invest it, or wipe out debt? We break the decision down with real numbers, simple rules, and the human factors that make money choices stick, so you can act with clarity instead of guesswork.We start by using interest rates as the compass. With forward-looking return estimates around five to six percent for a balanced portfolio, many debts at eight to eighteen percent are hard to beat. You will hear why high-rate credit cards should be paid off first, why carrying a balance does not boost your credit score, and how eliminating interest is a guaranteed return that frees cash flow and lowers stress. Then we step into a nuanced case: a 60-year-old with a 4 percent car loan and three years left. On paper, investing can edge out early payoff. In real life, the emotional ROI of fewer bills, simpler budgets, and pre-retirement calm can matter more than a few extra dollars of expected growth.We also map out a practical decision tree: above 6.5 percent, prioritize payoff; below 4 percent, choose based on goals and risk; in the 4 to 6.5 percent band, let context guide you. Emergency funds, income stability, and upcoming expenses can tilt the scales. And if you hold a mortgage under 3.5 percent, we explain why preserving liquidity and investing may outscore prepayment, especially when tapping home equity later could cost six to seven percent. Throughout, we stress the sleep-at-night premium: that mix of certainty, control, and confidence that turns a good financial move into a sustainable habit.If you found this helpful, follow the show, share it with a friend who just got a bonus, and leave a quick review to help others find clear, calm guidance for their next money decision. Envision Financial Planning. 5100 Poplar Avenue, Suite 2428, Memphis, TN 38137. (901) 422-7526. This communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the United States. Advisory Services offered through Envision Financial Planning, a Registered Investment Adviser.

Send us a textIn this special episode of Soulful Self-Care Conversations, Pearl sits down with her longtime friend and business partner Crystal Fox, founder of Fox Business Marketing AI, a Chicago-based digital marketing consultancy helping small businesses automate, optimize, and grow.From meeting on Clubhouse during the pandemic to building powerful collaborations, Pearl and Crystal dive deep into how entrepreneurs can find harmony instead of hustle by creating systems that support both business and life. Crystal shares her inspiring personal story of resilience — from losing her mother at 13 to overcoming fear and finding her voice — and how that shaped her purpose to empower others through digital strategy and marketing clarity.This episode is packed with wisdom for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and creatives who are ready to stop playing busy and start growing intentionally.What You'll Hear in This Episode

Last week I talked about breaking down business silos and getting different departments to work together on user experience. That kind of cross-functional collaboration can feel like an uphill battle, especially when you're trying to shift organizational culture. So, today I want to share a powerful shortcut that can make your life considerably easier: building your credibility internally by looking outside your organization.I know that sounds counterintuitive. When you're fighting to change culture from within, why would you spend time looking outward? But external validation can accelerate your progress in ways that internal efforts alone cannot.Two ways external focus builds internal credibilityExternal validation falls into two broad categories, and both matter.First, when you're making arguments about how things should be done, external evidence adds weight. Every time you express an opinion or recommend a direction, you want data, case studies, or expert quotes backing you up. This transforms your suggestion from "here's what I think" into "here's what the evidence shows."Second, your personal reputation matters. If people outside your organization respect you, people inside your organization will take you more seriously. An external reputation builds internal credibility faster than almost anything else.Let me walk you through practical ways to leverage both of these categories, starting with that first one: backing up your arguments with external evidence.Use AI to back up your argumentsI use Perplexity constantly to find supporting evidence for positions I'm taking. I've even done quick searches during meetings before expressing an opinion. Whether you're in a presentation, a meeting, or writing a report, never just state something and expect people to accept it.Try a prompt like "provide me with statistics that reinforce the argument that UX design provides tangible business benefits." In seconds, you'll have credible sources to cite, especially if selecting academic sources as the search parameter.The principle applies to any argument you're making. Always have evidence ready.But data and research aren't the only forms of external validation you can leverage. Sometimes the most powerful external voice is an actual person.Bring in external experts strategicallyAs a UX consultant, I'm often brought into organizations where the internal UX team is just as skilled as I am, sometimes more so. Yet they still hire someone like me. I've thought hard about why that happens, and I see three reasons external experts add value:Authority from cost. Your salary is a hidden expense that nobody sees regularly. When leadership hires an external consultant, that cost is visible and immediate. Because they've just spent money, people feel they need to listen. It's not entirely rational, but it's real.Second opinions carry weight. When an internal team member and an external expert share the same view, that consensus matters to senior management. Two voices saying the same thing are harder to dismiss.Impartiality on sensitive topics. If you're asking for more resources or budget, you might appear self-interested. An external expert making the same recommendation seems objective.If you don't have budget for consultants, you can still reference external experts. People like me publish content constantly, and you can cite that work to reinforce your arguments.Expert voices carry weight, but they're still qualitative. If you want to make an argument that's truly hard to dismiss, you need numbers that show how you stack up against the competition.Benchmark against competitorsExternal benchmarking gives you objective comparisons that stakeholders understand. This works the same way NPS scores do in marketing: they let you measure your performance against competitors in your sector and beyond.For user experience specifically, I recommend the System Usability Scale. You can run this standardized test on your own website and your competitors' sites, then compare scores. This creates a compelling, numbers-based argument that cuts through subjective debate.Recognized benchmarking tools give you credibility that opinion alone cannot provide.Outie's AsideEverything I've shared so far applies whether you're in-house or external, but if you're a freelancer or agency working with clients, external validation becomes even more critical because you don't have the luxury of building credibility over months or years in-house.When you walk into a client project, bring evidence with you from day one. Reference industry benchmarks, cite recognized experts, and show case studies from similar organizations. Your clients are paying you precisely because you have that external perspective, so lean into it.The System Usability Scale I mentioned works brilliantly in client work. You can demonstrate objectively where their site stands compared to competitors, which makes conversations about improvements much easier. Numbers cut through internal politics in ways that opinions cannot.Now, all of these tactics rely on external sources and voices you're borrowing. But the most powerful form of external credibility is the kind you build yourself.Share your expertise publiclyI'd encourage you to go further and start building your external reputation actively. Publish that digital playbook you've been working on. Gov.uk did exactly this, and when people across the industry started referencing and discussing their work, it built massive credibility for them internally.They took it a step further by entering their website for awards. When they won the Design award in the UK, one of the most prestigious design awards in the world and a first for a website, their internal credibility skyrocketed.Think about ways to get external recognition. Speak at meetups. Write articles. Share your work publicly. That external visibility translates directly into internal influence.When you combine external credibility with the internal relationship-building and culture change work we've been discussing, you create momentum that's hard to stop. You're not just one voice inside the organization anymore. You become someone whose expertise is recognized beyond your company's walls, and that changes how leadership sees you.Next week I'll tackle a question that inevitably comes up once you start building this credibility and pushing for change: how do you actually prove that UX work delivers value? We'll look at practical ways to quantify your impact and show ROI to stakeholders who care about numbers.Paul

Why are lighting controls still such a tough sell? Kyle Hemmi from CLEAResult joins the podcast to unpack nearly 30 years of experience in energy efficiency, lighting, and HVAC integration — and he's not sugarcoating it. In this episode, we dive into:⚡ The real-world friction points for lighting controls adoption 

AI-Enhanced Email Marketing: The ROI Revolution with Matthew Montoya | Constant Contact InterviewMost small businesses are leaving money on the table with their email marketing. Matthew Montoya from Constant Contact knows better. In this episode of the Business Growth Podcast, powered by ActionCoach UK, we reveal the strategies that actually work for business owners and entrepreneurs looking to maximise their digital marketing ROI.Matthew brings 15 years of experience from the world's number one email marketing platform, having taught over 14,000 small businesses face-to-face. His insights? Email marketing delivers £36 return for every £1 spent, with an average 2% conversion rate that outperforms nearly every other marketing channel at a fraction of the cost.Discover why click-through rate is the ultimate KPI that matters, not open rates. Learn the exact email structure that captures attention in just 9 seconds: no more than 25 lines of text, 3 images maximum, and 3 calls to action. Understand why 80% of your content should educate and only 20% should promote, and how this balance keeps your audience engaged rather than teaching them to ignore you.Matthew debunks the biggest myth in digital marketing: that email is dead. Despite the flashiness of TikTok and social media, email marketing has thrived for 30 years because it works. The secret? Strategy, segmentation, and understanding that your audience is talking back to you through their behaviour. Are you smart enough to listen?This episode reveals how AI has transformed email marketing from an eight-hour manual process into a minutes-long strategic exercise. Constant Contact's AI builds entire omnichannel campaigns, identifies target segments, determines optimal send times, and creates content that mirrors your brand voice. The friction that once prevented small businesses from competing with large corporations has been removed.Learn why you should never buy email lists, how to grow your database organically, and why owning your email contacts gives you control that social media platforms never will. Understand the critical importance of relevance, timing, and personalisation in an era where audiences expect tailored content and have increasingly short attention spans.Whether you're a small business owner just starting with digital marketing, an entrepreneur looking to optimise your email strategy, or a content creator seeking better engagement, this episode provides the blueprint for email marketing success from real experience growing campaigns to millions of subscribers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if just 40 seconds of genuine compassion could tangibly lower a cancer patient's anxiety—and what if this "wonder drug" holds the key not just for healthcare, but for every leader who wants to create more fulfilling workplaces and customer experiences? The impact of this question is profound. On this episode of the Delighted Customers podcast, I sat down with Dr. Stephen Trzeciak ("Dr. T"), whose groundbreaking research proves that compassion isn't just good for our conscience—it's scientifically measurable, essential, and transformative for both the receiver and the giver. Whether you lead a care team, a corporate department, or simply want more meaning in your professional interactions, Dr. T's work illustrates how compassion can drive loyalty, improve outcomes, and even keep your best people from walking out the door. You should listen to Dr. T because his expertise bridges the gap between touching stories and hard data. With two acclaimed books—Compassionomics and Wonder Drug—plus clinical leadership at the front lines of healthcare, Dr. T demonstrates how compassion delivers ROI. He shares evidenced-based tactics any leader can use to operationalize compassion, strengthen teams, and create unforgettable customer moments—even in high-stress, time-pressured environments. Here are three compelling questions Dr. T answers on this episode: How can business leaders operationalize compassion without losing authenticity or making it "just another initiative"? What simple, proven behaviors can leaders implement today to measurably improve compassion in their teams? What's the REAL ROI of building a compassionate culture, and how can you quantify its impact to win executive buy-in? If you're ready to transform the way you serve customers—and keep your teams thriving—listen and subscribe to the Delighted Customers podcast now! Find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. We're available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Meet Dr. Stephen Trzeciak ("Dr. T") Dr. Stephen Trzeciak is a physician scientist, intensive care doctor, and the Chief of Medicine at Cooper University Health Care in Camden, New Jersey. He is Professor and Chair of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. With over two decades of clinical and research experience, Dr. T is renowned for his work in linking compassion with improved clinical outcomes and the science behind "Compassionomics." He's co-authored two widely acclaimed books: Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring Makes a Difference and Wonder Drug: 7 Scientifically Proven Ways that Serving Others is the Best Medicine for Yourself. His TEDx talks and keynote appearances have inspired audiences worldwide, urging leaders inside and outside healthcare to harness the measurable power of serving others. Dr. T's research focuses on the biological effects of compassion (on both patients and care providers), strategies for building compassionate cultures, and proven methodolgies for measuring and teaching compassion. He is passionate about helping organizations—from hospitals to global corporations—improve their outcomes by focusing on the human dimension of care and leadership. Connect with Dr. T on LinkedIn. Show Notes & References Compassionomics: The Revolutionary Scientific Evidence that Caring Makes a Difference Wonder Drug: 7 Scientifically Proven Ways Serving Others Is the Best Medicine for Yourself Study: "The Power of 40 Seconds" and compassion intervention research (Journal of General Internal Medicine) JAMA Psychiatry study on compassion phone interventions for loneliness in elderly populations Gallup Report: What Followers Want From Leaders (2025) McKinsey & Company Research on Attrition in Healthcare Dr. T's LinkedIn Podcast on Apple Podcast on Spotify

Is the increasing investment in marketing by SMBs a sign of growth and optimism, or is it masking a deeper struggle with confidence and effectiveness? Agility requires not only adapting to the rapid pace of technological change but also understanding the core challenges faced by your customers, like SMBs struggling to measure marketing ROI. It also demands a willingness to simplify complex tools and processes, empowering businesses to achieve more with less. Today, we're going to talk about the evolving landscape of marketing for small and medium-sized businesses, the challenges they face, and how B2B marketers can become essential partners in their success. To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Frank Vella, CEO at Constant Contact. About Frank Vella I am the CEO of Constant Contact, a comprehensive digital and ecommerce marketing platform that makes it simple and effective for a business to market or sell their idea in today's complex online marketing world. We strive to anticipate our customers' needs and provide them with the tools and support they need to improve their businesses. Because when they succeed, we succeed.Prior to joining Constant Contact, I built best-in-class operations at various sized tech firms across the globe, including top-tier companies like Microsoft, GE Capital, HP Enterprise and Xerox. I have led companies through growth, transformation and successful exits while remaining focused on building a terrific culture and keeping a company's product and presence ahead of the crowd. I'm a proud Canadian expat now living in New York City, and in my free time I enjoy traveling with my family. Frank Vella on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-vella/ Resources Constant Contact: https://www.constantcontact.com The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://www.teksystems.com/versionnextnow Catch the future of e-commerce at eTail Palm Springs, Feb 23-26 in Palm Springs, CA. Go here for more details: https://etailwest.wbresearch.com/ Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://www.theagilebrand.showCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.com The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company

In part two, I press into a word we throw around too loosely in college athletics: development. Rashard and I sort out the differences between strength and conditioning, scholar-athlete development across leadership, career, life skills and community, player development for team ROI, and capital or NIL fundraising. We also talk brass tacks on funding: start with your head coach and your development office, get everyone at the same table, and design experiences that help athletes grow while giving donors and corporate partners something meaningful to support. Rashard is clear that the NIL and portal era affects a small slice of athletes, while most still want to be led, challenged, and exposed to real world opportunities. That hunger shows up powerfully at D2, D3, and HBCU programs when you bring them access. Rashard walks through his book, Scholar Athlete Elite, a practical four-quarter guide from freshman to senior year that tackles NIL, academics, mental health, redshirting, and more. He explains his company like a career agency for athletes, identifying talent, developing it through micro-internships and curated trips, and placing athletes on winning teams in business, with a nonprofit arm to open doors for underserved schools. We finish on his vision for NIL ownership, giving athletes micro experiences in entrepreneurship, and a look back at how his own yes to opportunities set the foundation. If you lead athletes, this is a blueprint for building people first, then watching performance follow. Shoutout to Sorinex and EliteForm for making these episodes possible!

All content from the Sons of UCF is brought to you by the law office of Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia. With a combined 70+ years of legal experience, WHG specialize in personal injury, workers comp, veteran disability, and SSI/SSDI cases. For more information, contact them at wernerhoffman.com, or call 1-800-320-HELP Join Eric Lopez and Trace Trylko as they debate some of the current topics surrounding UCF Sports. In this episode, Scott Frost that the season all comes down to this weekend, but how did we get here? Plus: will 2025 end up being a lost year in the rebuild process? Also: hoops with a big win, Tech CFP and ROI, soccer moves on (again), and charge on, or charge off. Be sure to subscribe to our channel to watch future episodes of Around the Kingdom, with a new drop each week.  #goknights #ucfknights #ucf #ucffootball #big12 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can we advocate for a people-first economy?Artificial intelligence is disrupting our vocational and social worlds — and as it starts to dominate industries, more people are trying to discern its proper limits and boundaries. Intuitively, we are hesitant about the increasing growth of AI. But why? Is it because we sense that people should do our work? In this episode, Bob weaves together two articles to discuss the contrast between building an AI-first culture and a people-first culture. Along the way, we consider the importance of a Christian anthropology, the growing questions about AI's economic impact, and how Christians can be champions of others in their lives and workspaces.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: What Do We Do about AI?(5:39) We're Heading Toward an AI-First World(11:04) Choose the Person over the Non-Person(15:46) A Principle for Engaging AI(21:57) The ROI on AI(27:49) A People-First ApproachArticles & Resources:https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-financial-page/the-ai-profits-drought-and-the-lessons-of-historyhttps://mereorthodoxy.com/wendell-berrys-unanswered-question

For something that we do every single day, and something that has the power to change every aspect of our life, we sure don't focus on, train, or develop it. And, that thing is conversation. Nothing great ever happened in your life without, first, a conversation – no promotions, no jobs, no clients, no dates, nothing. My guest today, Payam Pakmanesh (known as "The Convo Guy") is here to explain why and, more importantly, how we can build and develop our ability to communicate more effectively. We cover the proper principles of communication, Adlerian Psychology and how it helps you focus on what you can control, the "Zoom Flow" model for deeper connection, how to make yourself more approachable, and becoming aware of how others perceive you. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Conversation as a Life-Changing Tool 01:06 - Why Men Struggle With Communication 02:33 - Nature vs. Nurture in Your Voice 03:18 - How Environment Shapes Language & Identity 04:19 - Film Yourself: The First Breakthrough Exercise 05:30 - Pausing, Filler Words & Leadership Presence 06:55 - Listening Critically to Yourself 07:48 - Buying Time vs. Fear of Silence 09:18 - Authenticity vs. Performance 11:03 - Why Humans Detect Inauthenticity 12:20 - Reading Engagement & Disengagement Cues 13:51 - The Power of Real Listening 15:10 - Faces, Interpretation & Owning Your Identity 16:28 - Getting Out of Your Own Head 17:55 - Fear of Judgement & Perfectionism 18:34 - Social Masks & Status Games 20:32 - Adlerian Psychology & Letting Go of Others' Opinions 21:43 - Book Structure & Thoughts on "Courage to Be Disliked" 22:06 - Biggest Communication Mistakes Men Make 24:25 - Auditing Your Stories & Mental Frameworks 25:19 - Choose Stories that Serve You 27:45 - Tracking Thoughts & Fact-Checking Beliefs 30:18 - Inner Peace as the ROI of Self-Development 31:22 - Misreading Signals from Others 33:44 - Why Hard Conversations Must Be Live 34:50 - Growth Through Discomfort 35:17 - Why Men Avoid Difficult Conversations 37:06 - Nice Guys, Suppressed Emotions & Blowups 38:10 - Joker Example: From Nice to Extreme 40:12 - Standards vs. Expectations 41:14 - Make the Implicit Explicit 42:26 - Experimenting Like a Scientist 43:31 - Everyone Is Human-Even High Status People 44:04 - Scripts vs. Flow in Communication 47:32 - Headphones, Avoidance & Missed Opportunities 48:27 - Disagreement Statements That Build Trust 50:37 - Context Creates Empathy 52:19 - Why Courage Earns Respect 54:01 - The Value of Small Talk 55:48 - The Elevator Test 57:06 - Why Communication Creates Opportunities 58:29 - Movie Character Communication Breakdown 59:55 - How to Work With Payam Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready