Podcasts about ROI

Amy Simmons is the founder of Amy's Ice Creams—a beloved Austin institution with 19 locations built over 41 years—not through franchising or rapid expansion, but through deep community roots, creative culture, and an unshakeable commitment to people first.  In this conversation, Amy shares how she grew the company without franchising, avoided national rollout, and even allowed each store to operate with its own personality. We get into the role theatrical customer service plays in the brand, how open-book management teaches financial literacy and strengthens decision-making, and why staying regional became a strategic advantage. We also talk about real estate, vertical integration, and how hyper-local partnerships helped turn Amy's into a fixture of Austin rather than just another ice cream shop.  If you're interested in the kind of business that grows deeper instead of wider, Amy's story offers a very different—and very successful—approach to scale.   Key Takeaways 00:00 Intro 01:10 What Makes Amy's Ice Cream Different 02:54 Small Community Gifts That Drive Big Returns 04:01 Why 350 Rotating Flavors Actually Work 08:39 Prioritizing Customer Feedback Over Sales Data 11:32 The Secret Behind Amy's #1 Top-Selling Flavor 13:52 Managing Supply Chain Shortages Without Losing Quality 15:14 The One Flavor Austin Refused to Let Her Remove 16:05 Hiring With Creativity: The Paper Bag Application 19:14 How Amy Identifies the Right People for Her Culture 21:15 The Experience Matters More Than the Ice Cream 21:47 How Showmanship Became an Amy's Trademark 24:44 The System Behind Amy's Creative Culture 27:55 The Power of Open Financials in a Small Business 33:53 The ROI of Teaching Money Skills to Employees 36:27 Why Amy Refused to Franchise or Expand Globally 46:35 Growing Deeper, Not Wider: Amy's Approach to Expansion 52:59 How Your Business Can Increase Real Estate Value 57:22 The Moat That Protects Amy's From National Chains 58:43 Advice for Entrepreneurs Facing Imposter Syndrome 1:00:00 Amy's Take on Austin's Growing Pains     Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gU5eigqFtns      Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook

When new people find the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, they ask, "Where do I start?" While we'd love for you to go back to the beginning and take them all in, this is for those who need a quick catch-up. We're doing a Rapid Replay Series of condensed episodes, including the most popular episodes according to streams and downloads, as well as a few of our team's personal favorites.  This episode is a condensed version of Episode 004: Bioindividuality - A Freedom You've Never Known. (Click ⁠HERE⁠ for the full, original version instead.) In this episode, host Jamie Belz, FNTP, MHC, explains what "bioindividuality" is and how it entails the understanding, acceptance, and embodiment of the truth. There is no "one-size-fits-all" cookie-cutter approach to health and well-being. Each person is unique and, accordingly, in their approach to and pursuit of optimal wellness. Jamie then walks you through:  1.) Finding a trusted health liaison 2.) Doing a personal audit/health audit using the prompts (below) 3.) Setting goals 4.) Making an action plan/determining action steps 5.) Documenting what you're doing and tracking your findings This episode offers an alternative approach to traditional "New Year's resolutions" and the endless pit of programs, packages, and purchases you can make in pursuit of your wellness goals. This is so simple, it sounds complicated. Don't let it be! Grab a pen and paper, hit PLAY, and get started.  _______________ Your Personal Health Inventory / Health Audit (Listen to the audio first) Areas of Consideration Prompts Health Physical Mental/Emotional Spiritual Relationships Spouse/Significant Other/Life Partner Children Parents Siblings Extended Family Friends Neighbors Coworkers/Colleagues/Professional Associates Children's Networks (Teachers, Coaches, Friends' Parents) Environment Home Clean-Tidy Clean-Toxic (Mold, Cleaners, Off-Gassing, Wildfires, etc.) Enjoyable Comfortable Safe Lonely Overwhelming Affordable Hard Work Work Neighborhood Community Digital Space Finances Stability Relationship with money Debt Income Assets Retirement Insurance Charitable giving/Generosity Ability to Provide Career As Employee Job - Satisfaction, Enjoyment, Feel Appreciated, Feel Challenged, Income, Stress, Hours, Coworkers, Supervisor, Purpose, Challenge, Longevity, etc. Confidence, Satisfaction, Quality of Life Impact, Financials, Progress, etc. Education Exercise Diet Sleep Stress Sex Time Management Confidence Physically, Intellectually, Life Stage/Progress/Accomplishments, Productively, Relationally, etc.   Points of Consideration/Questions (for everything!) What's going well? What's not? How does it impact my energy? Is it draining or energizing? Does this increase or decrease stress? What am I proud of? What do I need more of? Less of? How am I feeling about that? What brings me the most joy? What seems to come naturally? Do I still need some healing in that area? Why do I avoid that? How satisfied am I with my performance on that? Is something too time consuming? What's the ROI on that? What feels unsettled? Where and when do I feel welcome? Appreciated? Loved? Encouraged? What should I be doing? What should I stop doing? Where am I seeing patterns? Why does that prompt negative self-talk? Who is getting the best of me? Worst of me? Why does that subject draw anxiety? When do I feel most inspired? ...now replace the "what" with "WHO" in these. ____________________ Please remember to subscribe, leave a review, and connect with us! We appreciate you!  

Happy New Year, friends!

Bet you didn't know you could do THAT in Google Sheets.

The part your nervous system plays in getting the "more" you say you want || In this nugget episode, Monica asks one of the most important and powerful questions you'll face on your feminine leadership journey: “How am I being my own bottleneck?” ... aka how am I holding myself back from what I want? If you're feeling any sort of resistance in your business, your healing, your relationship, or your expansion… this one could change everything. INSIDE THE EPISODE:

The best (and worst) ROI.     To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://www.advertisecast.com/TheJeffWardShow

As we step into a new year, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking growth means creating more - more offers, more funnels, more complexity. In this episode of It's Your Offer, I'm inviting you to do the opposite. Instead of starting from scratch, I walk you through how to optimize what you already have so your business can grow with more ease, leverage, and profitability in 2026.   I break down why most entrepreneurs are already sitting on a gold mine and how small, strategic shifts can create massive momentum without burnout. We dive into the profit levers that actually move the needle - optimizing your best offers, reactivating warm audiences, and simplifying your offer ecosystem so it works harder for you.   If you want 2026 to be about higher ROI, fewer decisions, and more freedom (not more work), this episode will help you shift your focus from "new" to better. Mentioned in this episode Optimize What You Have: Your 2026 Profit Strategy Offer Optimization Scorecard Leave a Podcast Review Subscribe   Work/Connect with me: Offer Optimization Scorecard Book a Call   Tune in to start taking your business and life to the next level today and don't forget to subscribe or follow the podcast to make sure you don't miss any future episodes. Visit https://jessicamillercoaching.com/ to learn more. You can also follow me on Instagram (@jessicadioguardimiller) and Facebook.

Is SEO still worth your time as a therapist in a world dominated by AI and constant algorithm changes? In this replay of one of our most downloaded episodes of the year, I sit down with SEO expert Chris Morin from Moonraker to break down what actually moves the needle when it comes to getting your private practice website to rank on Google. We talk honestly about whether Google is still relevant, how AI fits into modern SEO (without turning your website into generic fluff), and why content creation is still one of the most powerful and accessible marketing strategies for therapists today. In this conversation, Chris shares a refreshingly practical approach to SEO that feels doable even if you're juggling a full caseload. We dive into how people are really searching for therapy, the biggest mistakes therapists make with service pages, and how to structure your site so Google actually understands what you do, who you help, and where you're located. If SEO has ever felt overwhelming, confusing, or like a total black hole of effort, this episode will help you see a clear path forward and remind you that you don't need to do everything to see results. Topics Covered in This Episode: 3:58 - Why Google rankings are far from "dead" (even with ChatGPT in the mix) 7:14 - The single SEO strategy that delivers the biggest ROI for therapists 9:32 - How clients actually search for therapy (and why "individual therapy" might be hurting you) 12:48 - The surprising power of modality-based pages like EMDR, CBT, and IFS 15:41 - How to use AI strategically without publishing generic, low-value content 21:44 - The hidden SEO mistake almost everyone makes inside their blog posts 24:03 - What backlinks really do and how many you actually need 29:10 - The trust signal Google cares about most (and how to build it ethically) If you're ready to stop guessing and start building a marketing strategy that actually supports your practice growth, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in, take notes, and then choose one thing you can implement this month. And if this conversation clicks for you, join us in the Practice Accelerator and get started for $100 off using our special promo code for podcast listeners, ALLIN!   Resources Mentioned: Needing more private pay clients in the New Year and wanting to dive in deeper on SEO? Join the Practice Accelerator here to get started with our podcast listeners getting $100 off using the code ALLIN! https://www.theentrepreneurialtherapist.com/practice-accelerator-sales-page  Find out more about Alma here: helloalma.com/danielle Take 50% off your first 4 months of Simple Practice + a 7 day free trial using the link: simplepractice.com/danielle

In this episode, we break down why venture capitalists are once again claiming that next year will finally be the turning point for enterprise AI adoption. In this episode, we look at the data showing why most companies still aren't seeing ROI from AI, and whether 2026 is genuinely different or just another repeat prediction.Try Delve: https://delve.co/Get the top 40+ AI Models for $20 at AI Box: ⁠⁠https://aibox.aiJoin my AI Hustle Community: https://www.skool.com/aihustle-See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send me a messageMost companies say they're tackling Scope 3. Then they rely on averages and hope for the best. That's not decarbonisation. That's denial with spreadsheets.In this episode, I'm joined by Paul Byrnes, CEO of Mavarick AI, to dig into one of the most stubborn blockers to real emissions reduction: bad data across global supply chains. Paul brings a rare mix to the table. Deep manufacturing roots, serious machine learning expertise, and a refreshingly low tolerance for AI theatre. We focus squarely on the climate challenge that keeps executives awake at night. How to cut Scope 3 emissions when suppliers are overloaded, data is unreliable, and margins are thin.You'll hear why most Scope 3 programmes stall before they deliver a single tonne of abatement. We dig into how spend-based accounting can introduce error rates of up to 40%, masking risk instead of revealing it. And why primary supplier data is fast becoming table stakes for any credible net zero strategy.We also unpack where AI genuinely helps emissions reduction, and where it doesn't. From cleaning contaminated data sets, to identifying real decarbonisation levers with financial and environmental ROI, this conversation is about using technology to move from reporting to action.You might be surprised to learn why supplier engagement only works when there's a clear win for suppliers themselves, and why emissions reduction scales fastest when it also improves cost, efficiency, or resilience. No greenwash. No magic bullets. Just physics, data, and incentives aligned.

When marketing and sales work together, they both win at events.In this episode, Haley Kaplan sits down with Erin Biesanz from Arctic Wolf to explore how aligning sales and marketing teams can create an unstoppable event-driven powerhouse.Erin shares her strategies for setting shared goals and fostering collaboration to ensure that events drive leads, boost ROI, and optimize the sales pipeline. By the end of this episode, both sales and marketing teams will gain practical insights on how to make events more impactful and drive real results together.Tune in to learn:Signs your sales and marketing teams aren't aligned and how to fix itKey metrics that prove event impact to sales and leadershipTactics for sales enablement before, during, and after eventsEpisode outline:(00:00) Meet Erin Biesanz(03:10) Why sales and marketing misalignment happens(10:33) Arctic Wolf's revenue team structure(15:01) Communication and buy-in from sales(21:50) Workflows that support event success(26:31) Scaling your event playbook for success(35:03) Key metrics that matter for virtual events(41:39) Building relationships for cross-collaboration___________________________________________________________________If you enjoyed today's episode, let us know. Support our show by subscribing and leaving us a rating. If you would like to get in touch with our team or be a guest on our show, please email us at podcast@splashthat.com. We'd love to hear from you.Learn more about Splash: https://www.splashthat.comFollow Splash on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/splashthat-comTell us what you thought about the episode

Top 5 Topics:- ***What TikTok Isn't Telling You About Your Teeth***- Why Smart Dentists Are Quitting Corporate Dentistry- This Is Why Your Dental Bill Feels Like a Scam:- Veneers, Crowns, and the Internet True/False Information About Your Teeth- Treatment Planning Before Procedure Selection Prevents Future MistakesQuotes & Wisdom:(00:30) “We need more diagnosticians. We need more people who focus on treatment planning… and work collaboratively with specialists to give people the best treatment.”(06:14) “The order of treatment planning is crucial. If you skip steps or try to do something too fast, that could really compromise something later down the road.”(10:04) “I never want to work 5 days clinically. I think 4 is plenty.”(10:25) “You've got to respect your team and you want them to get home to their families.”(28:35) “The same wave… that happened in medicine is happening in dentistry.”(28:35) “ROI isn't just money… ROI could be working four days a week… time with friends, family, travel… ROI is what you make of it.”(31:39) “You can't put a number on [time with the patient]. It's not just checking off a list—it's the art of forming the treatment plan.”(36:41) “You have to have thick skin… ‘I hate the dentist' isn't you—it's their prior experience.”(38:13) “The most important thing to be successful in dentistry is how well you can communicate.”Questions:(01:33) “How would you phase that?” (complex case: multiple RCT teeth + wisdom teeth + malalignment)(03:58) “Did he go to Mexico or Turkey for that treatment?”(09:59) “Why'd you pick Wednesday for your off-day in the week?”(12:08) “When did you start this? I want to know more about your background.”(15:14) “Still thinking about moving, or are you locked down in California now?”(18:55) “What initiated that start… and then you decided USC? What got you to look over there for residency?”(27:21) “Did either of those doctors you shadowed own their own practices? And what were the specifics of why they said ‘don't go into medicine'?”(58:20) “What is your take on this cavitation surgery?”Now available on:- Dr. Gallagher's Podcast & YouTube Channel- Dose of Dental Podcast #201My watch in this episode = Tag Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 16 Chrono- 11.2025

How prepared is your board for the speed of change with AI?There is no single AI tool that works across an organization. Employees may already be experimenting with non-sanctioned AI LLMs, often without leadership visibility or governance oversight.Listen in as host Natalie Benamou is joined by Beth Grimm, an AI Governance and Risk Expert. Beth has extensive experience in life sciences, quality, and risk management. She brings a practical, grounded perspective on what boards and senior leaders need to understand about AI literacy, oversight, and accountability as adoption accelerates.Together, they discuss why AI governance is about enabling growth while managing risk. From defining use cases before selecting platforms to recognizing where exposure shows up when employees adopt tools informally, this conversation ties AI decisions directly to board oversight, trust, and long-term value creation.This episode is essential listening for board members, executives, and leaders navigating AI decisions that carry long-term strategic and fiduciary impact.3 Key Takeaways:AI strategy begins with the problem, not the toolLeaders must define use cases, business outcomes, and KPIs before selecting platforms or signing enterprise contracts.AI governance cannot sit with one personEffective oversight requires cross-functional champions across legal, IT, business, HR, and risk, not a single owner working in isolation.Oversight is continuous, not one-and-doneAI systems require ongoing human review, monitoring, and ROI measurement to ensure they behave as intended and deliver value.You are invited to attend Assessing and Building Trust in Unregulated AI World.Join Beth Grimm, Janice C. Haith and Lisa Agapis on January 2, 2026, 12 PM CT.REGISTER Keep shining your light bright. The world needs you.Thank you Beth for being a guest and valued member of HerCsuite® and NEXT2LEAD AI.About Beth GrimmBeth Grimm works with organizations to successfully navigate complex risk landscapes and foster leadership growth. Beth is a certified AI Governance Professional through the International Association of Privacy Professionals. She builds upon a career with roles in risk management and medical governance at a major pharmaceutical company. Beth is a trained coach and volunteers as leadership coach to prepare college students to land a strong first job after graduation.Connect with Natalie BenamouNatalie Benamou is Founder of HerCsuite®, women's leadership network and portfolio career company. She also serves as President and CEO of HER HEALTHX, a nonprofit bridging the care communication gap and improving health outcomes for women.

In this episode of The Money Mondays Podcast, Dan Fleyshman sits down in Las Vegas with Bradley Sugars, founder of ActionCOACH, one of the world's largest business coaching organizations operating in 85+ countries and responsible for billions in client revenue.Brad shares decades of hard-earned wisdom on what truly separates struggling operators from successful business owners. From why most entrepreneurs stay stuck doing $20/hour tasks to how real wealth is built through systems, coaching, and accountability, this conversation pulls back the curtain on money, mindset, and scale.They dive deep into:Why business coaching delivers a 6–7x ROI and how to know if you're actually coachableThe difference between being a great operator vs. a true ownerWhy “how” kills most goals — and what to focus on insteadHow to think about investing once you've made money (businesses, real estate, and rules)Why talking about money openly is essential — especially with friends and familyThe real purpose of wealth, legacy, and giving backBrad also breaks down his philosophy on goal-setting, investing only where you're an expert, and why most people would rather look rich than be rich. This is a masterclass in business thinking, long-term wealth, and building a life that actually feels successful.If you want to make more money, invest smarter, and understand wealth at a deeper level, this episode is required listening.Like this episode? Watch more like it

What if the only way to build a company and a life with true resilience was to let everything break? Are you burned out, questioning leadership, or stuck in a plateau while everyone expects you to “scale perfectly”?In this episode, host Sivana Brewer sits down with Matt Rhodes, COO of The Phoenix Method and co-founder of Polaris Capital Investments. Matt shares his raw story of rising from rock bottom, both in business and marriage, using a radical combination of systems, self-accountability, and explosive mindset shifts.Discover how Matt and his wife Jen rebuilt trust, transformed company culture, and mastered the uncomfortable art of letting go… all while weathering the chaos of COVID and scaling new ventures.Skip the endless analysis and unlock the real, actionable playbook for bouncing back stronger. Tune in now or risk staying stuck in mediocrity. This episode is an exclusive masterclass for COOs tired of perfection and ready for exceptional impact.Timestamped Highlights[00:00] – Why COOs must “let systems break” to escape perfection traps[01:16] – The harsh wake-up call that shattered business—and marriage[04:01] – How COVID exposed fragile culture—and forced total reinvention[07:07] – The critical hiring shift: moving from sales stars to customer-first teams[10:33] – Letting go, delegation, and the painful process that actually fueled growth[13:52] – Fresh eyes: Why bringing in outsiders is the hidden superpower in scaling[15:17] – The vital metrics Matt tracks weekly to prevent disaster before it hits[19:07] – How Matt and Jen divided CEO/COO roles to leverage their strengths[24:02] – Why top COOs never go it alone—the ROI (and resistance) of world-class coaching[32:12] – Breaking isolation: Why environment and peer groups are every COO's money-making secret[36:43] – The one mindset shift that transformed results, inside and outAbout the GuestMatt Rhodes is the COO of The Phoenix Method and co-founder of Polaris Capital Investments, with over 25 years of leadership experience across corporate America, fitness franchises, and strategic investing. Known for his real-world resilience and trailblazing company culture turnarounds, Matt is a go-to coach for leaders intent on transforming challenges into growth opportunities. His current roles reflect his commitment to systems-led scaling, paired with the uncommon honesty few executives dare to share.

One of the scariest parts of AI?

As we wrap up the year, I'm joined by Kevin Johnson, Max Ceron, and Frankie Vargas for our annual end-of-year cross-pod roundtable. We talk candidly about FabTech, the real ROI of in-person podcasting, and why live shows don't always move the needle the way people expect. Kevin breaks down what went into this year's Fabricator Olympics, what he learned running a large-scale event, and why organization and efficiency matter just as much in events as they do in fabrication shops. We also dig into arc-on time, shop inefficiencies, and why welding is often only a small percentage of what a welder actually does day to day. The conversation shifts into the welding labor shortage and skills gap—where those numbers come from, whether they're accurate, and why retention, culture, apprenticeships, and shop conditions matter just as much as recruiting new welders. We also cover why so many welders leave the hood for other roles, how benefits factor into pay decisions, and what schools and employers need to change if they want people to stay in the trade. This is an honest, unscripted conversation about where the industry really is—and where it needs to go next.   Arc Junkies Podcast: Instagram: @Arcjunkiespodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arcjunkiespodcast9253 Email: Show@arcjunkies.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-becker-45407b72?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BKipEwR3uQXCmCjaEfNzo6w%3D%3D Arc Junkies Website: https://arcjunkies.com Arc junkies Merch: https://shop.threadmob.com/arcjunkie/shop/home Underground Metal Works: https://www.underground-metalworks.com/   Friends of the Show: American Welding Society Conferences Inspection Expo and Conference https://www.aws.org/community-and-events/conferences-and-events/inspection-expo-and-conference/ Use ARCJUNKIES at Checkout and get a free gift at the event.   Outlaw Leather LLC Outlawleather.com Instagram: @outlawleatherusa Use ARCJUNKIES for 15% off all in-stock leather goods     Everlast Welders Instagram: @everlastwelders  YouTube: Everlast Welders         Online: https://bit.ly/37xJstI Use Codeword ARCJUNKIES at checkout to get upgraded to a free Nova Foot Pedal and TIG Torch with the purchase of any machine that comes with a stock foot pedal and TIG Torch. Fronius: Instagram: @FroniusUSA Website: https://bakersgas.com/collections/fronius-accupocket ISOTUNES: Instagram: @isotunesaudio Online: https://shop.isotunes.com/arcjunkies10.  Use ARCJUNKIES10 at checkout and save $10 on your purchase    

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1917: Sherice Jacob breaks down the misunderstood concept of data quality, emphasizing that perfection isn't the goal, relevance, accuracy, and consistency are. Through clear steps like data profiling, error management, and adherence to key quality dimensions, she offers a practical roadmap for businesses to improve decisions, customer experience, and ROI. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://neilpatel.com/blog/data-quality/ Quotes to ponder: "Data quality is very much a delicate balancing act, juggling and judging accuracy and completeness." "The first step toward successful integration is seeing where the data is and then combining that data in a way that's consistent." "Taking the time now to map out what data quality means to your company or organization can create a ripple-effect of improved customer service, a better customer experience, a higher conversion rate and longer customer retention."  

Most producers say they want to dominate 2026, yet many are still waiting for permission. Waiting for the “right time” to invest in themselves. Waiting to see if someone else will sign off on it. That mindset quietly keeps people stuck—and it's far more common than most want to admit.In this episode, I sit down with my client and friend, Andy Neary, for an honest, no-fluff conversation about what actually holds high performers back. We talk about why driven professionals often struggle with self-worth, why chasing a “guaranteed ROI” can sabotage momentum, and how confidence isn't something you wait to feel—it's something you build by consistently showing up for yourself.This is a real conversation about responsibility, ownership, and what it takes to stop playing small as the new year approaches.About The Guest: Andy Neary is a speaker, author, podcast host, and coach dedicated to helping professionals build the mindset, habits, and strategies needed to excel in business and life. A former professional baseball player in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, Andy leveraged discipline, unshakeable drive, and consistent daily habits to succeed at the highest level — despite being undersized for his position. Andy Neary - Speaker, Author, ConsultantToday, he applies those same lessons off the field through Complete Game Consulting, a coaching and training company he founded in 2019, where he advises insurance professionals and agencies on mindset, marketing, branding, and performance. Andy is also host of Bullpen Sessions, a podcast for driven professionals focused on mindset and tactics for success. He's a contributing author to the Amazon best-selling book Breaking Through the Status Quo and is a sought-after keynote speaker for events and podcasts. Andy lives in south-central Wisconsin.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating  and leave us a comment on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser and Castbox about what you'd like us to talk about that will help you realize that at any moment, any day, you too can decide, it's your turn! 

In this bonus epsiode, Dielle shares exactly how she learned to never wastes a five figure coaching investment and how to always get a major ROI, especially in a large investment in your business. 

This is our 2025 wrap episode. If 2025 had a soundtrack, it would be pressure: pressure on systems, on people, on animals, on land.Heat. Drought. Fire. Flood. Repeating across regions and headlines.But this year we also paid attention to what doesn't always make the news. We spent time in real conversations with farmers testing new practices in their fields, scientists challenging outdated models, investors reassessing what risk really means, and builders putting regenerative ideas into practice. Online and in person, we saw regeneration moving from theory into action.As 2025 comes to a close, the picture is still complex but clearer. The evidence is growing. Regeneration works, and the path forward is becoming more defined. Tune in to listen to what 2025 inside regenerative food and agriculture taught us.More about this episode.==========================In Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food podcast show we talk to the pioneers in the regenerative food and agriculture space to learn more on how to put our money to work to regenerate soil, people, local communities and ecosystems while making an appropriate and fair return. Hosted by Koen van Seijen.==========================

Can intentional design actually boost your short-term rental profits?Find out in this week's episode featuring Vacation Rental Design Strategist Erica Dike. We dive into why the most successful rentals combine eye-catching style with smart strategies for ROI.Erica shares her journey from student Airbnb host to expert designer, offering actionable tips for balancing personal taste with guest appeal, all while maximizing profitability.Whether you're an investor, homeowner, or design enthusiast, this episode is packed with stories, expert advice, and practical insights you can use for your next project. Subscribe and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode!Things we discussed in this episode:The importance of strategy and intention in short-term rental design, beyond aesthetics.Erica DK's journey from Airbnb host to professional designer and her “Designing for Dollars” formula.Balancing guest needs with owner preferences to maximize occupancy and profitability.How to design for your target guest and create a strong, appealing property identity.Managing design challenges on a tight budget and prioritizing ROI-driven upgrades.The role of color and local inspiration in making properties stand out.Systematizing design project implementation from sourcing to setup for smooth execution.Common design mistakes and pet peeves in short-term rentals, like poor layout or missing essentials.Client experiences and success stories, including the “tilted oak” lake house project.Insights into evolving trends and the value of working with a professional designer or “design coach.”Get in touch with Erica:Linkedin - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/erica-dike/Website - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericaooh.com/#SmartStayShow #realestate #realestateinvestor #realestateagent #RealEstateInvesting #ShortTermRentals #BusinessPartnership #VacationRental #Entrepreneurship#PropertyManagement #TeamBuilding #STRBusiness#RealEstateInvesting #WorkLifeBalance #RentalSuccessFollow Us!Join Jason Muth of Prideaway Stays and Straightforward Short-Term Rentals and Real Estate Attorney / Broker Rory Gill for the first episode of SmartStay Show!Following and subscribing to SmartStay Show not only ensures that you'll get instant updates whenever we release a new episode, but it also helps us reach more people who could benefit from the valuable content that we provide.SmartStay Show ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Prideaway Stays ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Straightforward Short-Term Rentals ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Attorney Rory Gill ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jason Muth on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Highly engaging music can double your return on media investment. Yet most brands treat music as an afterthought, leaving millions on the table.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Roscoe Williamson, Global Strategy Director at MassiveMusic. Together, they dig into groundbreaking research proving music is a tangible driver of marketing effectiveness. Roscoe shares findings from a study with the IPA that tested hundreds of UK TV ads and reveals which types of music increase brand fame, willingness to pay, and campaign ROI.Topics covered: [01:00] The history of music in advertising from jingles to sonic ecosystems[09:00] Why longer-form music has been a black hole in effectiveness research[14:00] How engaging music can double return on media investment[17:00] Examples of brands using music to drive effectiveness[23:00] Why CMOs should mandate music testing for campaigns over $1 million[27:00] The future of sonic branding and generative AI music  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: IPA & Massive Music Report: https://resources.massivemusic.com/sound-science-whitepaperRoscoe Williamson's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roscoewilliamson/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you want to grow in 2026, you cannot rely on outdated playbooks or wait for a perfect case study to tell you what to do. In this two-part series, I'm breaking down the real fundraising trends I'm seeing across every organization in my ecosystem, not theory, not headlines, not generic Google wisdom. These trends are based on live data, donor behavior, digital strategy sessions, leadership conversations, and thousands of campaigns across my programs, and they're already reshaping how nonprofits grow.In Part 1, I cover six strategic and visibility shifts that will define the highest-performing organizations in 2026, from audience growth as a core revenue engine to the rise of laptop fundraising, human amplifiers, scrappy leader-driven content, superfan retention, and the ROI of LinkedIn thought leadership. If you want to reduce lag time, lead with clarity, and raise more with less friction, this episode provides the roadmap.Topics:Audience growth as a primary revenue engine for 2026The rise of laptop fundraising and email-first digital campaignsShort, fast “sprint” campaigns outperforming long, traditional plansThe power of human amplifiers and Social Street Teams®Why authenticity-driven, “break the fourth wall” content converts betterCreating long-term superfans instead of one-time donorsLinkedIn is the most underutilized high-ROI visibility channelWhy clarity, action, and visibility will outperform caution in 2026For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.Resources: Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser's Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more. May contain affiliate links

Are you terrified of sinking your cash into a dying market or worse, following the herd off a financial cliff? In this masterclass episode, Kenny Bedwell rips the lid off his 2026 Top STR Markets Report, arming you with the real numbers, raw pitfalls, and hidden opportunities no one else will dare mention. You'll hear the unbiased, hard-hitting truth: where data says to buy, where strict regulations ruin even the prettiest towns, and razor-sharp strategies to squeeze maximum ROI in a landscape rocked by new rules and unpredictability. Kenny reveals not only the top 10 investable markets, but exactly why they're worth your attention (and why some previous darlings are falling off).Do not wait. Miss this, and you're risking real money, real time, and watching your freedom slip away, while others secure the deals that change their financial destiny. This episode gives you numbers, biases called out, and actionable steps you won't get anywhere else.Timestamped Highlights[00:01] – Why most “top STR market” lists are wrong (and what everyone's missing)[00:10] – The wild, thrilling impact of new regulations and market shakeups—this year's biggest surprises revealed[00:23] – Kenny's ultra-candid red light, green light analysis: Where you really should be scared (and where to pounce)[00:46] – The shocking climb of Mohican State Park and the overlooked cash cows in rural regions[01:13] – Dirty little secrets behind high-grossing mountain and lake towns (and why access and permits matter more than hype)[01:38] – Are you sitting on cash? Kenny reveals the uncommon ways budget transforms your deal-finding lens (with 4 ROI-driven categories)[01:57] – How to beat city restrictions with region plays and advanced location hunting—no more bureaucratic land mines[02:15] – The final, blunt warning: What happens if you listen to influencers over the data... and why you can't skip this downloadMentioned ResourcesSTR Scale Summit (event)Airdna (STR market data)BiggerPocketsInterview reference: "Part 2: How to make over $500k on one STR with Jeff Usner” episode, August/September 2024Important LinksWant us to find the deals for you? https://strinsights.com Get Top Markers for STRs (2025) - https://rebrand.ly/28b1df Instagram – @kenny_bedwellYouTube – Cash Flow Positive

Most producers claim they want to dominate in 2026, but they are waiting for permission. They wait for the "perfect time" to invest in themselves, or worse, they wait to see if their "boss will pay for it." This mindset is a one-way ticket to mediocrity. If you aren't willing to bet on yourself when the chips are down, why should anyone else?In this special joint episode, I am joined by my own mindset and performance coach, Christina Lecuyer. We strip away the fluff and deliver the hard truths you need to hear before the new year. We discuss why high achievers struggle so much with self-worth, the danger of waiting for a "guaranteed ROI" before taking action, and why confidence isn't a feeling - it's a muscle you build by keeping promises to yourself. This is the wake-up call you need to stop playing small.▶▶ Sign Up For Your Free Discovery Callhttps://calendly.com/aneary/strategy-sessionKEY MOMENTS(00:00:00) Bet On Yourself: The Mindset You Need to Win in 2026 (00:03:48) The Moment I Stopped Playing Small (00:06:45) Why Money Without Health is Failure (00:18:19) The High Achiever's Curse: Perfectionism vs. Progress (00:24:36) The Litmus Test: "Will My Boss Pay For It?" (00:33:00) Confidence is a Muscle You Build, Not a FeelingCONNECT WITH ANDY NEARY

What happens when the founder of Mint.com takes on one of healthcare's most broken experiences—patient communication? In this episode of Bright Spots in Healthcare, Eric Glazer sits down with Aaron Patzer, Founder and CEO of Vital, to explore how simplicity, clarity, and human-centered design can drive real impact in healthcare. Drawing from his journey building Mint, Aaron shares why most healthcare technology misses the mark, how better communication improves outcomes and ROI, and what leaders must do to design experiences people actually use. The conversation goes deep on: Why simplifying complexity—not adding more tech—is the real innovation How better patient communication drives measurable ROI for hospitals What healthcare leaders can learn from consumer tech about trust, adoption, and engagement The leadership principles Aaron relies on when innovating inside highly regulated, slow-moving systems If you're a healthcare leader navigating digital transformation, AI investment decisions, or experience strategy, this episode offers clear thinking, hard-earned lessons, and proof that when you make it easier for people to understand what's happening, everything works better.   References: Book Reference - The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman About Aaron: Aaron Patzer is a renowned entrepreneur, engineer, and innovator best known as the founder of Mint.com, the personal finance platform that revolutionized money management for millions of users. After launching Mint in 2007, Patzer led it to rapid success, growing the user base to over 25 million and overseeing its acquisition by Intuit in 2009. A passionate advocate for user-centered design and simplicity in complex systems, Patzer built Mint.com by combining his technical acumen with a deep understanding of user experience and behavioral finance. He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and a Master's from Princeton University. Following Mint, Patzer continued to push boundaries in tech and health innovation. He co-founded Vital, a healthcare startup focused on improving hospital emergency room, urgent care, and inpatient experiences using AI and design thinking. Ranked by KLAS as #1 in patient experience, Vital achieves concrete results: 30–50% fewer LWOBS/AMA, 10–15% higher NPS, stronger HCAHPS scores, reduced ED bounce- back, and 10% lower 30-day readmissions. Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing EHR systems, Vital provides a user-friendly interface that engages patients, resulting in 60%+ adoption rates, 5-10x higher than the competition. View our product overview. Partner with Bright Spots Ventures: If you are interested in speaking with the Bright Spots Ventures team to brainstorm how we can help you grow your business via content and relationships, email hkrish@brightspotsventures.com   About Bright Spots Ventures: Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation. We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the "bright spots" in healthcare—proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Visit our website:  www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com. Follow Bright Spots in Healthcare: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shared-purpose-connect/

Today, we are thrilled to welcome another entrepreneur from our industry. Nataly Horan is the founder and CEO of Authentic Meetings and Incentives. With experience across several ventures, she joins us to share her journey, the challenges she has faced within the industry, and her hopes and dreams for what lies ahead. Nataly's Journey Nataly entered the meetings and incentives industry quite unexpectedly. She trained as an interior designer at the University of Florida, then moved into the space after helping with graphic design, quickly connecting with the people and energy of live events. She eventually stepped away from interior design, moving entirely into conference planning and developing a unique perspective by working closely with both suppliers and buyers. Building Authentic Meetings and Incentives Authentic Meetings and Incentives focuses on sourcing and supplier visibility. Nataly supports planners with cruise and venue sourcing while helping suppliers, particularly cruise lines, reach North American planners through social media and email. Her growing online presence bridges the gap between limited in-person events and complete year-round visibility. Choosing Entrepreneurship Nataly reached a point where her growth within someone else's company felt capped. Buyers were already coming to her for sourcing support, making the transition to her own business a natural step rather than a risky leap. Early Focus and Mindset In the early months, Nataly avoided long-term pressure by setting short-term, achievable goals. Focusing on weekly progress kept the business manageable and prevented overwhelm. Vision and Personal Goals Rather than focusing on rigid industry forecasts, Nataly prioritizes her personal goals, such as living in Italy and potentially pursuing a full-time career as an artist. With AI rapidly transforming the industry, staying adaptable is more important for her than long-term predictions. LinkedIn Nataly built her LinkedIn following organically by sharing what she was learning as a newcomer. Her honest, behind-the-scenes insights resonated, turning LinkedIn into a powerful marketing tool with strong ROI. Sourcing, Relationships, and Cruises Nataly's sourcing work emphasizes fit, reliability, and simplicity, particularly through cruise programs and charters. Nataly explains that in-person relationships remain critical for large-group events, where trust and quick problem-solving can make or break the experience. AI, Delegation, and Sustainability Nataly strongly believes in delegation, using a virtual assistant and systems like Canva to scale sustainably while avoiding burnout. AI acts as an assistant, streamlining RFPs and marketing content without replacing human judgment. Creativity Beyond Business Alongside running her company and raising two children, Nataly enjoys painting. Her personal goal for the year is to exhibit her art in a gallery, something she values as much as professional success. Bio: Nataly Horan Nataly Horan leads AUTHENTIC Meetings & Incentives® as its Founder and CEO, steering cruise lines and destinations toward the audiences that shape the North American MICE market. Her background from the University of Florida and her work across sourcing and brand storytelling inform AUTHENTIC's signature point of view, seen in series such as MICE Bites® and In Good Company. She also serves as Vice President of SITE Florida & Caribbean. Away from the office, Nataly is a visual artist, creating work that echoes the themes she champions in travel: intention, culture, and human connection. Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Listen to The Business of Meetings podcast Subscribe to The Business of Meetings newsletter Connect with Nataly Horan On her website LinkedIn Email Nataly: Nataly@authenticmice.com   

Go to www.LearningLeader.com for full show notes The Learning Leader Show with Ryan Hawk This is brought to you by Insight Global. If you need to hire one person, hire a team of people, or transform your business through Talent or Technical Services, Insight Global's team of 30,000 people around the world has the hustle and grit to deliver. My Guest: Brian Kelly is the founder of The Points Guy, which he built from a side hustle blog into a travel media empire that he sold for $28 million. At 42, he's now an angel investor in 15+ companies, including Bilt (valued at $11 billion). In this conversation, he shares lessons on manifestation, selling too early, building yourself into the brand, and why vulnerability beats wins in interviews. Key Learnings (in Brian's words) In 1995, I was 12 years old, and I was great with computers, so I started booking all of my dad's travel for work. He'd pay me $10 per booking. Then it turned into points, when my dad showed me all the American and US Air miles he had. "If you can figure out how to use all of them, we can go on a family trip."  And the rest is history. That was my first real, oh wait, this points thing is amazing. Points were a way for us to live a fabulous lifestyle.  I grew up thinking we were poor, but I really wanted to live a fabulous life. My parents were very humble and did not spend money lavishly. For me I always wanted to travel. When I was a kid, I would spin the globe and be like, This is where I'm going. I would actually research Oman. Somehow genetically, I got this gene of I need to be rich and travel the world. I used to call Mercedes, get all of their glossy pamphlets for all their new cars, and I would cut them out and stick them on my wall.  Manifesting alone won't make you wealthy, but visioning helps. I do believe being able to visualize what it looks like and taste it and get close to it helps you take the smaller steps to actually achieve it. When I think of my investments, I actually envision what they're gonna be. I envision that they're multi-billion-dollar companies. I believe it unlocks a level of pushing you to reach these mini steps that you can't see throughout the process. I started The Points Guy in 2010, but there were already Titan bloggers. I for sure felt imposter syndrome, but I saw that what they lacked was creativity. Points and miles are very clinical. Very few people were translating that for an audience. I knew I had an opportunity. I'm in my twenties, living in New York City. I'm gonna explain what everyday people need to know. Building a media brand became my moat. No one else in the points world was doing media. Doing media's frightening. While it was scary going on TV the first couple times (I almost fainted), I knew that each time I did it, I got better. That was the moat I would build. I would build The Points Guy into a brand more so than any of the others who had come before me. I saw from the beginning to double and triple down on that strategy of building something that's more than just a blog, but a lifestyle that people want to achieve. "I made a million bucks in my first six months of just blogging, but using affiliate links." In 2011, within six months of learning about affiliate marketing, I made six figures a month using the credit card links in my blog.  I was still working at Morgan Stanley. My mom was like, this sounds too good to be true. You can't leave Morgan Stanley. I was making like $300,000 a month in affiliate. Meanwhile, at Morgan Stanley, my salary is $70,000 a year. But it didn't pay right away. My parents actually lent me $10,000 just to pay my rent. I remember where I was in Madrid when that first Chase deposit of $490,000 hit from months of back pay on the blog. I sold for $28 million because I thought the industry would collapse. When Bankrate offered me $28 million in May 2012, I kind of had this negative mindset over where the industry was going. About a hundred blogs started when people knew they could make money on affiliates. Most bloggers have zero business sense. They were writing stuff like, "Cancel your Amex, cancel your Chase, cancel, cancel. Then get new cards." I saw this really bad business sense, very shortsighted greediness. I'm watching this thinking they're gonna pull the rug. Do I regret selling? Yes, the company is way more than what I sold it for. But at the time, you always have to remember what the landscape was. We're coming out of the recession. There were still a lot of weak indicators. Building myself into the brand gave me leverage. I had a three and a half year earnout. Over that time, the business really started to grow, but then I realized, well, I am also the business. So, the more press I did, when I negotiated with that parent company to stay on, they paid me a lot of money and still a cut of the business to grow it as CEO. It's kind of crazy to think 13 years after selling, I'm still here. But because I built myself as a core part of the business as The Points Guy, I've been able to stay on with less risk, getting paid well to do what I love. I'm more of the brand visionary, the consumer person. I'm very much an ideas person. When we're speaking with our longtime clients or pitching new ones, that's really where my special sauce is used and not in the day-to-day. People are not mind readers. In 2020, I had this breakdown where I thought I would actually leave. I went to the owners, and I was like, I just can't do it anymore. They said, "Brian, we've been waiting for you to say that. You don't need to be CEO. We have plenty of smart people." It was this aha moment. I think in life we often think polar, black or white. That's advice I give to people. Whether it's your parent company, your boss, your mentor, people are not mind readers. While there is risk to leveling with someone and saying, "Hey, this role is just killing me," more often than not in my career, the more vulnerable I was, the more it turned out to be such a blessing. Check Your Spam Email Frequently: In 2011, I was featured in the New York Times, but the email came to my spam email. At that time, the narrative that points were dead, blackout dates, etc. I was the only blogger putting a positive spin on points. And I tried to do it in an informative and fun way. I'm 6'7", so putting my personal angle on my travel reviews had a huge impact on being the face of this industry.  As a founder, I was a tough boss because it was so personal. If I look back at my time as CEO, I still took it very personally. I do take the integrity of this site. As we expand, we can't forego quality. In hindsight, I didn't highlight enough of the wins. I would focus too much on mistakes. That's advice I would give if I could do it all back over again, to just be much more positive reinforcement over negative. Founders need someone who can check them. You need to have someone around you, a leadership team, someone that can check you. I didn't have that for a very long time, and that's my fault. Making sure you have good people on your team that can be honest with you, and you create an environment of inviting that feedback and not freaking out when they give it to you, is important. I know I would be a much different CEO today if I did it again. Stop BSing in the interview process. Too many people take jobs not knowing what is going on whatsoever at the company. Far too many senior executives walk into positions and they're like, oh wait a minute. I like to be brutally honest in the interview process. Truth-telling is the beginning of having a great relationship because I want you to understand exactly what's in front of you. If you don't want to take it, that's so much better than hiring a senior exec and six months later, you just lost a year. Stop telling me the wins. In the interview process, stop telling me the wins because anyone can make their job look successful. "Oh, 200% ROI, this, that the other." In an interview, you're not gonna be able to fact-check any of this. We all know people can cherry-pick the data. It's really just diving deep into vulnerable moments about their leadership, the challenges as leaders they had with their teams. I'll tell them my challenges when I was CEO. I want people to be real and allow me to understand how they think, the type of leader they are. Charismatic people can trick you. The problem is that very charismatic people can trick you easily. I've been blinded by a great interview, especially when you're exhausted as a CEO and then someone's bantering with you. You're like, oh, that was fun. But I've hired plenty of people who are all talk.  I don't want personality hires. I'm the personality. My engineering team, I really need people to ship updates. I still wake up in the middle of the night asking if my bills are paid. I still have imposter syndrome about "is this crazy what I've built?" It's for sure not about the car, but I will say investing in a home that's beautiful and makes you feel really good is important. For a long time, I was traveling a lot. I never put roots down, and I always felt like I was in transit. Now I have this beautiful farm with animals and horses in New Hope, Pennsylvania. It takes my blood pressure down immediately. Angel investing has basically become an addiction. In 2020, I opened up a space where I decided I wanted to have kids even though I was single, and also started investing and advising in relevant companies. The first one was Encore Jane, who was building Built, a credit card loyalty platform for renters. I'd always thought, how cool would it be to earn points on rent? I said, You're crazy, but if it does work, it'll be massive. Built is now at $11 billion valuation. I'll make more money now, probably on Built than I will at The Points Guy, which is wild to me. I have probably about 15 other companies I put my personal money in. I love it because I can help advise founders on everything I've done, and help open doors. Using that to build wealth has become an addiction. Relentlessness is what I see in leaders who sustain excellence. I am amazed at Encore's ability to push. If he's got 10 major things impacting his business, most CEOs will start with one or two, put the others on the back burner. He will relentlessly push for excellence. I don't wanna work for Encore, but to be in the room and strategize, every time I leave a meeting with him it keeps me fresh and active.  Find mentors, not just companies. For recent college grads, find people, even at a company where you might not see your future. Find someone at that company that you connect with. If you're looking for a job, interview until you find that hiring manager that you feel is on an upward rise and that you can learn from. We often focus too much on the line of work or the company. Stop focusing on that and look at that manager or the CMO whose organization you would join. If they've done amazing things, get in right away and start networking. Put time on the CMO or CEO's calendar. Be bold. Every senior executive loves to see people come in with eagerness to learn. Show up and do extracurriculars at work. Go to the lunch and learn with the senior executive and actually get face time with them. Make sure they know your name. Those are the things that matter because when it comes time for compensation and reviews, the senior person may not work with you day-to-day, but they're like, oh yeah, that's the person I really like. They are a future leader. That's how you get ahead. Even if that boss leaves to another company, they might take you. Reflection Questions Brian says manifesting alone won't make you wealthy, but visioning what it looks like helps you take the smaller steps to achieve it. What specific vision do you have for your future that you could make more tangible (like his Mercedes pictures on the bedroom wall)? How might making it more concrete change your daily actions? He emphasizes that in interviews, he wants people to stop telling him the wins and instead dive deep into vulnerable moments about their leadership and challenges with their teams. If you were in an interview tomorrow, what's one vulnerable leadership moment you could share that would demonstrate how you think rather than just what you've accomplished? Brian realized he needed to tell his parent company, "I just can't do it anymore" as CEO, and they responded with relief, offering him a better role. What conversation are you avoiding right now because you assume the answer will be no, when the other person might actually be waiting for you to speak up? More Learning #525 - Frank Slootman: Hypergrowth Leadership #540 - Alex Hormozi: Let Go of the Need of Approval #510 - Ramit Sethi: Live Your Rich Life

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3404: Craig Stephens reflects on his ambitious plan to retire by age 55, beating his father by one year, and the financial realities that threaten that goal. With his children's college expenses looming in the same year as his intended retirement, he explores the deep impact of generational choices, personal sacrifice, and the ROI of higher education. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.retirebeforedad.com/greatest-risk-to-retirement-goal/ Quotes to ponder: "I reject the notion that because younger generations are statistically more likely to live longer than our parents, we will need to work longer." "More than a decade ago when my Dad retired from his teaching career at age 56, I told him my retirement goal was to beat him and stop working at age 55." "According to a recent study by Alicia H. Munnell at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, the average age of retirement for men in the US is 64." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A $20 billion AI deal while you were away?

Keith shares a mindset-shifting quote from John D. Rockefeller that challenges the idea of trading time for money.  He revisits some of the year's most powerful real estate investing lessons, and breaks down the big forces shaping today's housing market—affordability, supply & demand, demographics, and interest rates.  All of this sets the stage for his data-driven national home price outlook for next year—without the usual crash-and-doom hype. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/586 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  1-937-795-8989 to speak with a freedom coach Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com or text 'GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Keith Weinhold  0:00   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, learn from a quote attributed to the world's first billionaire, it will change how you see wealth building. I'll explain why national home prices have never crashed. Then it's gre, 2026, home price appreciation forecast. You'll learn the future the exact percent that home prices will appreciate or depreciate next year. Today on get rich education   Speaker 1  0:29   since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests include top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki. Get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with the get rich education podcast. Sign up now for the get rich education podcast, or visit get rich education.com   Corey Coates  1:14   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education.   Keith Weinhold  1:30   Welcome to GRE from Lake Huron, Michigan to Lake Tahoe, California and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you're listening to get rich education. You know something I love, quotes that shift your entire mindset, paradigm, and once your mind is shifted, actions follow. Actions develop into patterns. Those patterns become habits, and habits become the new, transformed you few quotes hit harder than the one from resource tycoon John D Rockefeller. He lived from 1839 to 1937 in fact, Rockefeller is widely regarded as the world's first billionaire. His quote, you might have heard it before. It is this, he who works all day has no time to make money. That sounds paradoxical, even provocative. It's sort of like it's inviting you to come in and want to learn more about it. And this is because most people's concept of income generating is to work 40 hours a week for a salary or an hourly wage. But what does that quote really mean? He who works all day has no time to make money, and be sure to capture the all day part of that quote that ties right back into the show that I did with you two weeks ago about the K shaped economy breakdown, where you learned about how capital compounds labor doesn't most people sell their time for dollars, but trading time for money makes you too busy to actually build Wealth. Working and building wealth. Those things are two separate distinct activities in how you're investing your time and energy. Now, most people start out with a wage or a salary job. I surely worked by pushing brooms and cubicle dwelling before investing in my first rental property. But if you're working all day in a job, physically or mentally well, then you're consumed by tasks that only pay you. Once you're occupied, you can often get exhausted and you're only concerned with short term output. You're focused on the next deadline, not the next decade, when all your hours are spent on labor, you have no bandwidth to do what you need to do, which is, create vision, acquire assets, build a portfolio, develop systems, learn tax strategy, evaluate investment deals, network with like minded investors, or refine your strategy with a GRE investment coach. Be cognizant that labor only pays today. Wealth building pays forever. Even if your work a day job, salary doubled, you would have to ask, how would that even build wealth? You could retire earlier, but you would have to keep working the hours, and let's remember that wealth equals freedom. You can't architect a wealth plan from the assembly line. Now, that's something that Rockefeller would have agreed with. Wealth requires less. Leverage and labor has none. So working all day means no leverage. You are the engine instead making money, that means using leverage, and instead of you being the engine, well, the engine is something else, like assets, systems, technology, other people's time, other people's money, and borrowing to inflation profit. Rockefeller believed and proved that leverage beats labor 100 to one. He's not discouraging work. In fact, it's just the wrong type of work, because he was one of the hardest working people alive. And really the bottom line here, with this quote, he who works all day has no time to make money, is that Rockefeller meant that if you spend your life doing tasks, you'll never rise high enough to own things that pay you for life. Earning a living is a different activity than building wealth, and once your mindset is shifted, actions follow, yep, actions develop into patterns, and those patterns become the new you. well as the last episode of the year on the show here, 52 weeks worth, I sure hope that I've helped you think, learn and grow your wealth, as have our guest contributors here early in the year, the father of Reaganomics was here, a man that frequently advised a president inside the White House. He told us how much he dislikes tariffs. Tariffs block free trade, and trade improves our lives. Major apartment investor, Ken McElroy, was here this year, and he predicted that the American home ownership rate will fall below 60% that would be major it's currently at 65 if the home ownership rate falls to 60% that would unleash millions of new renters into the market, and it has not been that low in decades, if ever you got a lot of mortgage insights with chailey Ridge, including learning how you can qualify for income property loans without a w2 job, without a pay stub or without tax returns by instead getting a DSCR loan. You'll recall this year that I discussed 50 year mortgages, and I did that before it even hit the news cycle, telling you that it could be coming and that it could be proposed. I explained why I like 50 year mortgages more than 30 year loans, but be aware it is not imminent that they're coming. Also this year, economist Richard Duncan and commentator Doug Casey discussed the Fed. Richard told us how the President is trying to totally restructure who serves on the Fed, trying to get low interest rate pushers in there. And then just last week, Doug and I discussed how fed decisions just keep hollowing out the middle class. A and E television star Todd drillette told us how to negotiate. I had four good discussions with our own investment coach, nuresh this year, more than usual, a pastor and I discussed a rare topic, what the Bible says about money. You learned how to use AI in your real estate investing and when not to. We had a few episodes about that. But above all the shows this year, they were about you, probably more than any other year that we've had here. I did more listener question episodes where I answered your questions as you wrote in, and I also had more listeners come right onto the show and tell me how this show has personally built their wealth. And of course, this year, I got to meet more of you in person when I served as a faculty member on the terrific real estate guys Investor Summit to see and I got to meet you personally for more than just a handshake. The event was set up so that chances are you had dinner with me as well. So rather than this show being a one way chat from me to you this year was more of a dialog between you and I and more two way communication. A lot of new topics are coming for next year, both me teaching and some great guests. If there's something on the show that you'd like to hear more of or less of, let us know. Write into us or use your voice to tell us either way you can do that. At get rich education.com/contact, let us know what you want to hear more of or less of. Do you like shorter term tactics like when and how to increase the rent? Or do you like mid range tactics like how to constantly do cash out refinances and get a tax free windfall from your properties every year. Or do you like more of the long term strategies like specifically how you profit from inflation? Let us know what you like again, at get rich education.com/contact, now, even if you're listening 10 years. Years from now, which I know you very well. May, I'm going to break down next year's home price appreciation forecast, but I'll do it in a way where you'll learn how to analyze a market for all time coming up. It's gre 2026, national home price appreciation forecast. Learn the future to the exact percent. First listen to this from Freedom family investments and Ridge lending group, because I'm a client of both myself and they can help you. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold   Keith Weinhold  10:29   you know, most people think they're playing it safe with their liquid money, but they're actually losing savings accounts and bonds don't keep up when true inflation eats six or 7% of your wealth. Every single year I invest my liquidity with FFI freedom family investments in their flagship program. Why fixed 10 to 12% returns have been predictable and paid quarterly. There's real world security backed by needs based real estate like affordable housing, Senior Living and health care. Ask about the freedom flagship program. When you speak to a freedom coach there, and that's just one part of their family of products, they've got workshops, webinars and seminars designed to educate you before you invest. Start with as little as 25k and finally, get your money working as hard as you do. Get started at Freedom, family, investments.com/gre, or send a text now it's 1-937-795-8989, yep, text their freedom coach, directly. Again, 1-937-795-8989,   Speaker 2  11:40   the same place where I get my own mortgage loans is where you can get yours. Ridge lending group and MLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than anyone because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequel and even chat with President Caeli Ridge personally. While it's on your mind, start at Ridge lending group.com that's Ridge lending group.com   Robert Kiyosaki  12:14   this is our Rich Dad, Poor Dad. Author Robert Kiyosaki. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold. And there is, I respect Kate. He's a very strong, smart, bright young man.   Keith Weinhold  12:35   Welcome back to get rich education. It's episode 586 the last show of the year. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, I am proud to present to you in this segment of the show gre 2026, national home price appreciation forecast, where I use my insight and experience so that you'll learn the exact percent that national home prices will either appreciate or depreciate next year. It's the fifth consecutive year that we're doing this. I nailed the first three spot on and then this year happened. I'll get to reviewing my track record, total accountability. First understand something, real estate values have never crashed in your entire lifetime, even if you're 90 years old, to grab eyeballs, slack jawed, tick tock. Call them crash talk. Economists keep making awful predictions about a housing price crash, and none of them have been worse than one that published last month in Newsweek, which outlines a as it's called, correction worse than 2008 and says national home prices will fall 50% five zero, starting as soon as next year. That's absurd, and I can't believe that a respectable publication would platform a view from an analyst like that, and I'm not going to call out that Doomsayer analyst's name. That's not my style. I'm sure you can find it that crash is about as likely as one social media post changing your political affiliation later today. Look, doomsayers don't care about you. They make dire predictions because they care about them. It elevates their clicks, their followers and their name recognition, and they never hang around to follow up on that prediction, but it harms you, because you miss out on the equity gains, and that's the real damage. In fact, this particular analyst also called for this year to have the second largest home price decline since World War Two. Well, national home prices have only fallen twice in that time period. In fact, going further back. Back to the 1930s Great Depression. They've only fallen twice. Yes, that means home prices have risen every single year since the 1930s except for two periods, a small decline of less than 1% around 1990 and then, of course, the severe downturn from the housing bubble and great recession from 2007 to 2011 or 2012 that's where prices dropped in total, 25 to 26% from peak to trough. Now why do I say that that period around 2008 was not a housing price crash. Well, because it wasn't. Instead, it was a slow bleed. The definition of financial crash is a sudden, sharp and widespread drop in prices. That's the definition. Well that can happen in some other asset classes like stocks or Bitcoin or perhaps even precious metals, but not real estate. It is neither sudden nor sharp. The worst year, 2008 saw home prices drop 12% in that one year and some of the other years bracketing it, home prices fell three to 4% in each of those years. So then during this time period of price attrition, during the global financial crisis, each month, real estate values fell just a few tenths of 1% maybe half of 1% or even one full percent, not a crash, a slow bleed. This means that it took about five years for values to fall, a total of near 25% I mean, that makes it really clear that it's not a crash. And again, this period was about 2007 to 2012 don't get me wrong, it was bad. I was a real estate investor both before and during 2008 but to call it a crash is hyperbolic, and that is because words mean things. I think a lot of media consumers get so conditioned to mass media sensationalism that they've forgotten what a crash even means. At some point, it begins to bend our very lexicon back around 2007 I remember I frequently checked a website called implode meter. Yeah, that's the name of it. It tracks, failing banks. I looked the other day and implodemeter.com is still in existence, even though it's not nearly as spicy as it used to be during the GFC, because lending has been pretty stable for a long time, and loans are well and carefully underwritten. So home prices are unusually stable over time, because, in a sense, housing is not a normal market. It is slow, regulated, credit driven, and it's emotionally sticky, even though rental property is less emotional. Well, the values of one to four unit property are tied to primary residence values, and that's where the emotion exists. So if you put all those together, you get prices that creep upward most years and rarely fall at all. Nationally. The real estate market moves too gradually to be crash susceptible. It is the place for real wealth building values also are not going to double annually if you want to scroll for dopamine hits from the couch. Well, you can do that with a prediction market like call she or in crypto with altcoins, while your real estate keeps leveraging dollars in a stable way in the background. That's how you can think about it. All right, so we've established since the Great Depression, home values have fallen twice and once substantially. Well, right now, home prices are up about 2% year over year. Most places have appreciated, especially the more affordable markets. Not only has home price growth been slow, though, rent growth has been slow as well. Single Family rents are up 1% per totality. Apartment rents are down one to 2% per Zumper. But back to our focus today, forecasting national home prices. Everything we're discussing is nominal price change, meaning not inflation adjusted, and it's single family homes up to fourplexes. Well, as we use context to build up to the big reveal today, where I'll tell you the exact percent that home prices will rise or fall next year. Could 2008 happen again any time soon? Let's isolate that out. It's important to look at history rather than. Having some uninformed hunch in both periods with price attrition around 1990 and 2008 these two falls have some attributes in common. So let's look at that. What led to these rare falls in home prices, irresponsible lending, forced selling, a vacancy issue and overbuilding. All four of those factors were in place during those two periods now leading up to 1990 the irresponsible lending was on the commercial side. That was the savings and loan crisis, but it did trickle into the residential market, and then in 2008 it was on the residential side. But of all four of those factors, none of them are in place today. Zero borrowers are strongly underwritten because they've got those full documentation loans, and virtually no one is forced to sell in a fire sale. In fact, homeowners still have these record equity positions of about 300k fewer than 3% of homeowners have a negative equity position, and there is no vacancy issue. Because, in fact, we've been under building. We'll look at that. So for next year, no substantial price of drawdown is coming. None's expected. We can isolate that out. Since I was investing directly in real estate through 2008 I know what happened is that when people walked away from properties, they did so because the economy got rough, their variable rate mortgages rose, they couldn't make their payments, or they just had no motivation to make their payments because they were underwater and had zero protective equity. In a lot of cases, it's almost impossible for that to happen today, homeowners can make their payments, and they're motivated to do so because they have that erstwhile equity to protect, like I said last week, through the Census Bureau data and realtor.com we know a couple things. Four in 10 homeowners have no mortgage at all. They own their property free and clear. Among the group with mortgages, 70% of borrowers still have a mortgage rate locked in at under 5% and blending those together for you means that then 82% of borrowers either have no mortgage or they've got a rate under 5% this translates to really affordable payments, along with The protective equity, even if inflation heats up again, it still cannot touch a borrower's mortgage payment amount because it is fixed. As we're leading up to the big reveal of next year's number, we're about to look at affordability, supply, demand and the effect of mortgage rates on prices. Of course, that word affordability, that has been the most central word to home buying for a couple years now, affordability will improve in three main ways. If either home prices fall, mortgage rates fall, or wages rise, it takes at least one of those three things, the good news is that this year, wages have been rising faster than both stated inflation and home prices. Wages have been rising close to 4% that looks to continue at least into the early part of next year. Well that improved affordability allows home prices to move up, and it gives room for rents to move up as well. Now when it comes to mortgage rates, if you're new to listening to me, it will be groundbreaking for you to realize that today, mortgage rates are low, and increases to mortgage rates usually lead to increases in home prices, not decreases. If you're new here, both of those facts might leave you saying what I thought it was the opposite. How can that be? I won't spend much time on this because longtime listeners already know these two things, but they do go into the forecast the long term 30 year fixed rate mortgage averages 7.7% per Freddie Mac thirst, that set goes back to 1971 and rates are lower than that now, and mortgage rates have risen 1% or more seven different times since 1994 and home prices increased all Seven times right alongside those rising mortgage rates. In fact, when rates more than doubled in 2022 what happened? Home prices soared to their highest appreciation year in a long time. It reinforced this so, yes, way higher rates equaled way. Higher prices. It's not that one directly causes the other. This is correlation versus causation. It's because rate increases confirm that the economy is doing well. I have discussed that extensively in previous episodes, so mortgage rates actually don't have that much to do with home prices, and that's why it is hardly going into the forecast for next year. I'll tell you what trying to forecast mortgage rates to then use that to predict home prices, that is a fantastic way to waste your time. Now, 1x factor that could make that different for next year is that this President, he imposes his will to make rates low no matter what. So even if the economy is good, which typically leads to higher rates, wholesale push to make rates low, and that's an artificial phenomenon. Wouldn't that make home prices boom if we had a strong economy and low rates? The fact that affordability is still historically low today, though, we appear to be off the bottom. Affordability is still historically low today, that has less to do with mortgage rates than most people think, since, again, rates are low when they're in the low sixes, like they currently are. Instead, affordability is soured, because over the long term, decades, wages haven't kept up with true inflation. That's what's really going on with affordability and what everybody misses, and because affordability is still strained, home prices cannot rise a lot, say 10 or 12% next year. That can't happen on a national basis next year, now, a bill is advancing through Congress now to make housing more affordable. It's got bipartisan support relaxing zoning requirements in such a bill that could help build more homes, but if the government tries to help by making access to loans easier, that is going to lead to even higher prices and really will not help with affordability beyond the short term. In fact, just this month, the Fed has resumed QE quantitative easing. And that effectively means that it is ramping up the number of dollars being printed. And these are just more dollars in existence coming in to chase real estate and every other assets values higher we look at the employment picture. Although unemployment has been ticking up lately, it is still low at under 5% what about housing supply versus demand? And future supply versus demand? Well, this is basic econ and it will totally affect future prices. Actually visited the home of the father of economics, Adam Smith in Scotland this year, the man that nearly invented the supply demand concept starting with supply. I think anyone in real estate knows that generally, over six months of housing supply is too much. Under six months is too little. Six months is sort of that balanced point. What does that really mean? Well, months of supply is how long it would take to sell all the homes currently for sale if no new listings came on the market. All right, that's all that means. Well, currently, that level is 4.2 months that is low, and that puts some upward pressure on prices as well. Another way to think about it is with the active listing count of single family homes and condos. All this means is the number of homes currently for sale and available to buy right now. That's what active listing count means when you see that statistic out there? Well, one and a half to 2 million is the normal level of units needed to adequately house our growing population, for single family homes and condos. Well, that figure bottomed out in 2022 and it's only hovered around one or 1.1 million for a few months now, we are under supplied, and it takes a long time to build our way out of it. Now, apartment buildings are a different story. They are oversupplied, but again, today, we're here focused on the future price direction of one to four unit properties. So that's supply, not as tight as it was, but still on the tight side, and then demand. Where is demand coming from? It comes from us. There's more of us. As our population keeps growing, there is a lot of housing demand coming. Not only is there pent up demand from those trying to afford a home as soon as they can, but more broadly. Demographically, I will point back to that period where there was a surge of us births from 1990 to 2010 there were over 4 million births every single one of those years, births peaked in 2007 if you add 40 years to that, because 40 years is now the average age of the first time homebuyer. That's still a mind blowing figure to me, 40 years the average age of the first time homebuyer. You add that to 2007 that peak birth rate year, and this demand won't even peak until about 2047   Speaker 2  30:36   and this doesn't even include additions from immigration, demand, demand, demand, propping up prices for decades, but for next year, improved affordability, which is expected that boosts the demand for those that have the capacity to pay. Well, considering everything we've covered, I'm about to reveal the number for next year. But first, I mean, gosh, don't you wish everyone actually followed up on their past forecasts, like I'm about to I don't think I've ever seen a price crash predictor follow up, because they're always wrong. Well, what is the track record of get rich, education, home, price appreciation forecasts. It's the fifth straight year I'm doing this, and I always release the forecast in the final days of the year in anticipation of the coming year, just like you and I are doing together now. For 2022 I said that prices would rise nine to 10% the year ended, and they came in at 10% 2023 a lot of people said home prices would fall because they had just seen a terrific run up. I said a price fall would not happen, largely due to that jaw droppingly low supply that we had then. I said zero, there wouldn't be any change. They came in at exactly zero. There was no price change in 2023 for 2024 I forecast 4% they came in at exactly 4% this is all documented. You can go back and listen to those episodes. They're all near year end. So yes, three straight years, I nailed it to the exact percent. How about this year? Just before the year began? Do you remember what my forecast figure was from listening here about a year ago, it was 5% home price appreciation. The year is not over yet, and real estate statistics move pretty slowly. Figures lag, but we pretty much know where it's going to end up. And as we look at this same stat set that I consistently use, which is the NARS national median existing single family home price, it is 2.2% as of late in the year, and it's almost certainly going to end up at 2% appreciation. So I would call that a miss, probably not a terrible call, but far enough apart to call that a miss, 5% forecast versus 2% actual for this year. That's the track record. So before I reveal the number for next year, in the last four I've nailed three of them spot on, and why was appreciation less than I expected for this year? Well, a few reasons. One of them is that inflationary pressure from tariffs was postponed. That Tariff Schedule was changed more times than anyone could have possibly forecast, and affordability stayed stubbornly low too. And here we go for 2026 how much home price appreciation or depreciation do I expect? Well, I haven't said this in any of the previous forecasts, because it's the easiest thing to say, and I often avoid saying the easiest thing, but this is just what I see coming, and that is, I expect more of the same. It's the first time I've said more of the same, which is drumroll here, 2% home price appreciation for next year. No wild figure or hyperbolic material here, in order to attract attention that is my best target for the truth, I'm here to do my best to be accurate and help you make the most informed decision, 2% for next year. So a 500k property today should cost you about 10,000 more dollars next year, and as we know, with a figure like 2% which is less appreciation than the long run historic 5% or so, with this 2% appreciation on new purchases, you leverage that five to one with your 80% loan, and you get a 10% return on your down payment. And you add in the other four ways real estate pays to your 10% leverage appreciation and at historic norms, you can end up with a 29% total ROI. That's realistic. I outlined the math of that in an earlier episode this year when I discussed how real estate pays five ways in a slow market, there you have it, 2% forecast home price appreciation for next year. If you want the charts that support the forecast and more, there's a way for you to get a hold of that, and also the best real estate maps, stories and investment opportunities that you won't see in any headlines. They are all in my free weekly newsletter. The newsletter also gives you access to my free real estate pays five ways. Video, course, that is it. GRE letter.com Get it all at one easy place. Gre letter.com I look forward to talking to you in the new year. I'm Keith Weinhold, don't quit your daydrem   Speaker 3  36:06   nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC, exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  36:34   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building, GetRichEducation.com  

Is your sales strategy built around how buyers should behave—or how they actually behave? Imagine walking into a store and seeing a shirt for $50. Fine. Unremarkable. You might buy it, you might not. Now imagine seeing that same shirt with a tag that reads: $100 NOW $50. Suddenly, you're interested. You found a deal. You beat the system. You're a hero. Same price. Same shirt. Completely different emotional response. That psychological gap between logic and emotion cost JCPenney roughly $1 billion and offers one of the most important lessons in sales psychology you'll ever learn: people don't buy with logic—they buy with emotion and justify with logic later. The Fair and Square Disaster In 2012, JCPenney hired Ron Johnson as CEO. Johnson was a retail rock star, the architect behind Apple Store's legendary success. He walked into JCPenney and saw chaos: endless coupons, manufactured "original prices," and constant sales cycles. His solution? Kill it all. Johnson launched "Fair and Square"—a radically transparent pricing model. No games. No coupons. No inflated prices marked down. Just one everyday low price on everything. That $100 shirt marked down to $50? Now it was simply $50. Honest. Logical. Clean. The market's response was brutal. Within one year, sales dropped 25%. The company lost nearly $1 billion. Stock price went into freefall. Johnson was fired. What Johnson Got Wrong About Sales Psychology Johnson made a catastrophic assumption: he believed customers were rational economic actors who would reward transparency and honesty. He was dead wrong. For decades, JCPenney's customers had been playing a game. They clipped coupons, timed sales, scrutinized flyers, and planned shopping trips around promotions. The weekly coupon wasn't just a discount—it was a ritual. Their insider advantage, their badge of savvy shopping honor. Johnson stripped away their emotional satisfaction and replaced it with sterile efficiency. Without the "$100 now $50" comparison, the flat $50 price lost all psychological weight. No thrill. No victory. No story to share. Same price. Different feeling. The Sales Psychology Principle You're Ignoring Loss aversion is twice as powerful as gain motivation. Your prospects don't just want to gain something—they want to feel like they won, like they're in control, like they made a smart decision that will impress their boss. When you strip away their buying process, when you force them into your "more efficient" workflow without their input, they don't see the gain. They experience loss. You've taken away their control, their ritual, their power, their role as the hero. In sales, that feeling is deadly. Your Customers Have Rituals Too Think about your best accounts. What do they actually value? It's probably not your features or your ROI calculator. It's the rep they've worked with for years. It's the quarterly business review they rely on. It's the reporting cadence that makes them look good internally. It's the buying process that lets them feel competent and in control. That's their ritual. When you try to "streamline" their process, when you push them toward a different point of contact, when you change the reporting structure they trust—you're doing exactly what Ron Johnson did. You're selling logic when they're buying a feeling. Stop Leading With Features and Benefits Most salespeople lose deals before they even start because they lead with logical arguments: "Our platform reduces processing time by 40%." "We integrate with 200+ systems." "Our customer support response time is under 2 hours." All logical. All true. All useless if your buyer doesn't feel something first. Your prospect doesn't wake up excited about efficiency gains. They wake up stressed about looking good in front of their VP, avoiding mistakes, and maintaining control of their budget. Research is clear: emotional decisions get made first, then logic comes in to justify them. Your job isn't to build a logical case. Your job is to help your buyer feel like a hero, then give them the logical ammunition to defend that emotional decision internally. How to Apply This Starting Today Identify Their Rituals Watch how your customers actually operate. Do they need three stakeholders in every meeting? Do they always loop in procurement at a specific stage? Do they have a preferred communication cadence? Don't fight it. Work with it. Their process is their psychological anchor for stability. Frame the Win They Can Own Frame your solution so the customer feels in control and gets the credit. Instead of: "Our platform will solve your problem." Try: “This approach could help you demonstrate a 30% cost reduction in Q2—giving your team clear wins to share with leadership.” Make them the hero of their own story. Highlight Emotional Outcomes, Not Just Logical Ones Don't just talk about what your product does. Talk about how it makes them feel. "You'll have complete visibility so you're never caught off guard in executive meetings." "Your team will finally have the data they need to look proactive instead of reactive." "You'll be the person who solved the problem everyone else said was impossible." Guide, Don't Force Lead your prospects toward better outcomes without stripping away their sense of control. Instead of forcing a complete switch to your system, collaborate on how your solution enhances their existing trusted process. Make them feel like a collaborator, not a passenger. The Takeaway Ron Johnson wasn't wrong that consumers should prefer transparent, honest pricing. He wasn't wrong that the coupon game was exhausting and complicated. He was wrong about what people actually buy. They buy feelings. Control. Victory. Status. The story they tell themselves about being smart. Your prospects are no different. They're not buying your SaaS platform, your consulting services, or your enterprise solution. They're buying the feeling of being competent, in control, and successful. The difference between average salespeople and top performers isn't product knowledge or work ethic. It's understanding the sales psychology behind how buyers actually make decisions. When you appeal to emotion first and back it up with logic second, you stop losing deals to “no decision” and start winning consistently. Because at the end of the day, sales isn't about having the best product. It's about making your customer feel like they made the best decision. Ready to master buyer psychology and close more deals? Download the ACED Buyer Style Playbook and discover how to match your sales approach to the four core buyer personalities. Stop selling logic. Start selling the way your customers actually buy.

In this episode, Gene Hammett interviews AJ Cassata, founder of Revenue Boost, about AI-driven lead generation in B2B marketing. AJ emphasizes the collaborative use of AI in sales, warns against full outsourcing, and explains his "10-80-10 rule." He discusses the effectiveness of outbound strategies like cold emailing and LinkedIn messaging, stressing the importance of personalization and audience segmentation. AJ recommends tools like Clay.com for automating outreach and concludes with key factors for successful campaigns, urging listeners to embrace AI while maintaining human oversight and persistence. Episode Highlights & Time Stamps 1:15 The Power of AI in Sales 2:57 Challenges in B2B Sales 5:10 Email vs. LinkedIn Effectiveness 8:35 Standing Out on LinkedIn 11:24 Leveraging AI for Personalization 14:18 Common Mistakes in AI Outbound 17:13 The Future of AI in Outbound 20:33 Enhancing Sales with AI 21:57 Key Takeaways for CEOs AI in Modern Sales — Collaboration Over Automation Gene speaks with AJ Cassata, founder of Revenue Boost, about using AI in B2B outbound sales. AJ explains that AI should be treated as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement for human judgment. He cautions against fully outsourcing sales and marketing to AI due to its tendency to "hallucinate" or generate inaccuracies. AJ introduces his "10-80-10 rule," where humans control strategy and final review while AI handles execution at scale. Why Outbound Sales Still Works AJ breaks down why outbound sales, cold email, cold calling, and LinkedIn outreach remain a highly effective and cost-efficient lead generation channel. He emphasizes the importance of testing different approaches and targeting specific industries or companies to generate high-quality leads. The conversation compares email and LinkedIn outreach, noting LinkedIn's higher response rates but lower scalability versus email's broader reach and lower engagement. Personalization, Empathy, and Common Mistakes The discussion turns to practical outreach tactics, with AJ stressing the importance of deep personalization through prospect research and industry understanding. He advises focusing messaging on the prospect's needs rather than promoting services. AJ outlines common AI-powered outbound mistakes, including low outreach volume, generic messaging, and poor audience segmentation, reinforcing that tailored messaging is critical for resonance. Tools, Strategy, and Keys to Success AJ highlights tools like Clay.com that support AI-driven lead research and personalized outreach. He discusses AI's evolving role in sales, particularly for tasks like scheduling and qualification, while underscoring the continued need for human oversight. As the episode concludes, AJ shares five key drivers of outbound success: list quality, messaging, offer strength, outreach volume, and email deliverability. He encourages leaders to experiment, iterate, and remain patient when leveraging AI-powered outbound strategies to grow their sales pipeline. Key Takeaways AI is a force multiplier, not a replacement. AI delivers the best results when paired with human strategy, oversight, and decision-making rather than fully automating sales and marketing functions. Outbound sales remains a high-ROI growth channel. Cold email, cold calling, and LinkedIn outreach continue to produce quality leads at a lower cost compared to many inbound or paid marketing channels. Strategy should follow the 10-80-10 rule. CEOs should stay involved in setting direction and reviewing outcomes while leveraging AI for scalable execution in the middle. Personalization drives performance. Outreach that demonstrates understanding of a prospect's business and challenges consistently outperforms generic, AI-generated messaging. Volume and focus both matter. Effective outbound requires sufficient outreach volume paired with clear segmentation and targeted messaging to avoid diminishing returns. Technology enables scale, not shortcuts. Tools like AI-powered research and personalization platforms can accelerate outbound efforts, but poor inputs still lead to poor results. Human oversight reduces AI risk. AI can hallucinate or make incorrect assumptions, making review and refinement essential before deployment. Five factors determine outbound success. List quality, messaging clarity, offer strength, outreach volume, and email deliverability must all work together for consistent results. Iteration beats perfection. Sustainable outbound success comes from continuous testing, learning, and refinement rather than one-time campaign execution. Leadership mindset matters. CEOs who embrace AI experimentation while maintaining accountability and patience are better positioned to build predictable, scalable pipelines. Resources & Next Steps Ready to take your leadership energy to the next level? Explore free training and resources at training.coreelevation.com to help you identify energy leaks, strengthen your leadership presence, and elevate your team's performance. Explore More: training.coreelevation.com Listen to the Full Episode: Growth Think Tank Podcast

This week, we are having an honest and heartfelt conversation about the sacrifices that come with building a life through real estate investing. We reflect on our individual financial journeys and the lifestyle changes we made early on—living below our means, rethinking spending habits, and strengthening our personal financial foundations before taking on larger investments. We share what it looked like during our DIY era, the risks we embraced as entrepreneurs, and the lessons we learned by building something from the ground up. While those seasons required hard choices, they also clarified our values and helped us align our lives with what truly mattered.We also talk about the rewards that come from those sacrifices and how intentional living has allowed us to create both financial freedom and personal fulfillment. We discuss the motivation that comes from milestones like receiving a first rent payment, the importance of community and surrounding ourselves with like-minded women, and why sacrifice doesn't have to mean a joyless life. Travel, self-care, and finding joy in small moments remain priorities for us, even as we continue to grow. Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that it's okay to quit, pivot, and try again—and that with patience, alignment, and support, real estate investing can lead to a life that feels purposeful, balanced, and deeply rewarding.  Resources:Simplify how you manage your rentals with TurboTenantGet in touch with Envy Investment GroupGrab our property management checklistMake sure your name is on the list to secure your spot in The WIIRE Community Leave us a review on Apple PodcastsLeave us a review on SpotifyJoin our private Facebook CommunityConnect with us on Instagram

Jack Scoville, Price Futures Group, with perspective on what host Chip Flory called "a defensive day" in the grain markets. Chip talked with Chris Barron from AgView Solutions about working ad hoc payments into the 2025 farm financials and about looking for opportunities to cut expenses and to keep a thin, but positive, ROI in 2026. Cary Artac with a chart update.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get featured on the show by leaving us a Voice Mail: https://bit.ly/MIPVM How frontier firms rethink processes with AI, not bolt it on. Samuel Boulanger shares practical ways to drive Copilot adoption: educate, empower champions, and start from scratch to redesign workflows. He shows how agents and workflow automation unlock meaningful ROI, and why applied, hands‑on skill beats theory. Clear guidance for tech pros: use it everywhere, iterate fast, and let the people closest to the work surface the highest‑impact use cases. 

Your “source of truth” for customer acquisition isn't GA4. It's what people tell you when they sign up — and right now, that story is changing fast.In this episode, we unpack a simple but brutally effective tactic: adding a required “How did you hear about us?” field to your signup form — and using that data to understand where real discovery is happening. The surprise? More and more B2B customers are saying social media, even when analytics tools claim otherwise.But here's the deeper shift: organic social is hard to measure… unless you track the right trailing indicator. That indicator is branded search.You'll learn how to use Google Search Console to track brand-name impressions over time, why it's becoming the only KPI that matters for modern founder-led marketing, and how branded search creates a defensible moat competitors can't easily steal.If you're planning your marketing strategy for 2026, this is the measurement system you need.What You'll LearnWhy signup form attribution is often more reliable than your analytics dashboardsThe biggest B2B acquisition shift happening right now: from search → socialWhy organic social is nearly impossible to ROI… and how to measure it anywayThe “branded search” metric that acts as a trailing indicator for social discoveryWhy branded search is a marketing moat your competitors can't take from youHow to build a branded-search chart using Google Search Console in minutesThe exact prompt to pull branded impressions by query and track them over timeTimestamps00:00:00 - Customer Discovery Starts at Signup00:00:10 - The Shift: Search → Social00:00:31 - Why Organic Social Now Matters Most00:00:52 - The Measurement Problem (and the Fix)00:01:12 - Branded Search = Your Trailing Indicator00:01:33 - Why Branded Search Is a Moat00:01:54 - Where to Invest Time, Money, and Energy00:02:04 - The 2026 Strategy: Grow Brand Searches00:02:15 - How to Track Branded Search in GSC00:02:25 - Building the Branded Impressions Chart00:02:46 - Live Demo: Google Search Console Setup00:03:07 - Final ThoughtsKey Topics & Insights1. Signup Attribution Beats Analytics (Almost Every Time)One of the fastest ways to understand how customers actually found you is simple: add a required “How did you hear about us?” field in your signup form.Why it works:It captures customer intent in their wordsIt reveals channels analytics often misattributesIt shows the real discovery story (not the last-click story)And the punchline: it often contradicts what GA4 says.2. The B2B Discovery Shift: Search → SocialIf you've been paying attention to the data, something big is happening:People aren't discovering new software products through search anymore. They're discovering them on social — then Googling them afterward.This shift has accelerated over the past 12–18 months. Even in B2B, where trends typically lag behind DTC.What this means:SEO is no longer the first touchpointSocial is becoming the top-of-funnel discovery engineSearch is evolving into a validation channel3. Organic Social Has a Measurement ProblemThe hardest part about investing in organic social is that it's difficult to tie to ROI.Whether you're doing:Founder-led contentCreator sponsorshipsCommunity distributionOrganic growth loops…it doesn't fit neatly into traditional attribution.So instead of forcing bad ROI models, track the trailing indicator that proves social discovery is working.4. Branded Search Is the Trailing Indicator That MattersHere's the key idea:When someone discovers your product on social, they don't click your link. They Google your name.That branded search becomes the measurable proof:A discovery event happenedPeople care enough to look you upYour brand is entering the market's memoryThis is why branded search growth is one of the strongest indicators of momentum.If branded search is increasing month-over-month, your brand is winning.5. Branded Search Creates a Defensible MoatThis is where it becomes more than measurement — it becomes strategy.Branded search is difficult for competitors to steal. Once people are searching your name, you own that demand.The only way competitors can interfere:They bid on your brand in Google AdsThey try to outspend youOr they attempt to confuse the marketBut that's expensive, obvious, and usually temporary.So branded search is not only a KPI — it's defensibility.6. How to Track Branded Search in Google Search ConsoleThis is the tactical part.To track branded search over time, you want a chart that shows:Impressions over timeFor queries containing your brand nameCaptured in every format your audience might type itAnd this is surprisingly easy to pull from Google Search Console.7. The Exact Chart & Prompt to Build ItThe goal is to extract Search Console impressions where queries include your brand name.Example prompt:“Build a chart showing total impressions over time for queries containing ‘YOURBRAND'.”Then your job becomes simple:Increase branded impressions month-over-month through:social contentdistributioncreator partnershipspodcast mentionsrepeated brand exposureconsistent visibilityThis becomes the clearest signal that marketing is compounding.Action Steps (Do This Today)Add a required “How did you hear about us?” field on signupReview responses weekly (and compare against analytics)Use Google Search Console to track branded query impressionsCreate a monthly KPI: branded impressions growthUse branded search growth as the scoreboard for your organic social effortsSponsorToday's episode is brought to you by Graphed – an AI data analyst & BI platform.With Graphed you can:Connect data like GA4, Facebook Ads, HubSpot, Google Ads, Search Console, AmplitudeBuild interactive dashboards just by chatting (no Looker Studio/Tableau learning curve)Use it as your ETL + data warehouse + BI layer in one placeAsk:“Build me a stacked bar chart of new users vs. all users over time from GA4”…and Graphed just builds it for you.

Start making $150k - $200k+ in your first year of medical sales. Stop chasing crowded "old school" roles like Orthopedics and Spine. The real money—and the life-saving innovation—is in Oncology and Specialty Pharma. Today, I reveal the exact blueprint to reinvent your career and break into the most lucrative sector of healthcare. Whether you're a nurse, a teacher, or stuck in a "middle-class mindset," this episode breaks down why your background doesn't matter. Only your preparation does.I share my personal journey from a non-profit minister making $70k to a high-level oncology rep, and explain why "casual advice" from friends will get you rejected. If you want to master the interview, crush your clinical knowledge, and build a 6-figure life, this is the masterclass you need.WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:- The "Gold Rush" Shift: Why you should ignore Orthopedics and focus entirely on Oncology, Diagnostics, and Genetic Testing.- The 3 Essential Mindset Shifts: How to move from "winging it" to becoming an obsessively prepared candidate.- Real Success Stories: How Kanika (immigrant to Dallas), Sydney (nurse), and others went from zero experience to $200k roles.- The "Ride-Along" Trap: Why you need a brutal coach, not a nice mentor.- The HEART Framework: The 5 character traits (Humility, Energy, Active Listening, Resilience, Trust) that hiring managers look for.- Confidence vs. Arrogance: How to show "grit" without sounding like a jerk.- Daily Habits of Top 1% Earners: The 5 AM club, the "20 LinkedIn adds" rule, and why your degree (MBA) has a lower ROI than coaching.- The Michael Jordan Rule: Why even the greatest of all time hired coaches for their specific weaknesses.TIMESTAMPS00:00 - Introduction: The Program Focus (Oncology vs. Orthopedics)01:34 - Dave's Story: Reinventing Career from Ministry to Medical Sales03:44 - Success Stories: How Nurses & Immigrants Got Hired (Kanika, Sydney)06:47 - Mindset Shift #1: Be Coachable (Why Friends Can't Help You)09:20 - Mastering Virtual Interviews (Lighting, Camera & Background)10:32 - Mindset Shift #2: Be Curious (Understanding Clinical Trials & FDA)12:32 - Salary Reality: Device Associate ($80k) vs. Oncology ($155k+)13:55 - Mindset Shift #3: Collaboration (Working with MSLs & Nurse Navigators)16:28 - Confidence vs. Arrogance (The "Grit" Trap)18:02 - The H.E.A.R.T. Framework (Humility, Energy, Listening, Resilience, Trust)19:00 - Daily Habits: 5 AM Wake-ups, LinkedIn Strategy & Handling Rejection20:00 - The"Middle Class Mindset" Trap: Why Degrees Have Low ROI22:25 - Using AI for Resumes Without Sounding Like a Robot25:55 - The "Why": Patient Outcomes & Life-Extending Impact29:35 - The 3 Questions You Must Ask Yourself31:01 - The Michael Jordan Analogy: Why Even the Best Hire Coaches.ABOUT MEDICAL SALES U: Medical Sales U is the premier training program for professionals looking to break into high-paying careers in Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, and Genetic Testing sales. We turn "outsiders" into top 1% candidates.CONNECT WITH US: Learn more about coaching and career support at medicalsalesu.com/#MedicalSales #OncologySales #CareerPivot #SalesCoaching #HighIncomeSkills #DaveSterrett #MedicalSalesYou #InterviewTips #SalesJobs #PharmaceuticalSales

Anthropic's Tobias Harrison Noonan shares the enterprise AI playbook: why coding leads to broader AI adoption, practical tips for getting started, and why you shouldn't wait for perfection.Topics Include:Tobias from Anthropic's Applied AI team discusses enterprise AI adoption trends and insights.Anthropic founded four years ago balancing AI safety mission with world's most intelligent models.Remarkable velocity: Claude 3.7 and Claude Code both shipped just in 2025 alone.Three-layer partnership: foundation models, enterprise capabilities, and end-user platforms like Claude Code.Anthropic leads in agentic coding for eighteen months, now number one enterprise AI market share.Claude Opus 4.5 launched last week, again tops software engineering benchmark for complex tasks.Claude Code enables thirty-hour autonomous coding sessions, ships features five times faster than before.Next frontier expands beyond coding into data-heavy knowledge work like financial and legal analysis.AI adoption maturity curve: employee workflows, internal processes, core products, then AI-native products.Thomson Reuters started with Claude Code for development team doing code modernization and refactoring.They expanded to Claude.ai for sales, marketing, and finance teams after seeing tangible ROI.Built Claude into core products including co-counsel legal platform and fraud prevention systems strategically.Today Thomson Reuters has eight different product lines powered by Claude across their portfolio.AWS partnership offers safe, secure, scalable deployment from POC to production in existing environments.Don't wait for perfection: AI today is dumbest it'll ever be, start prototyping now.Participants:Tobias Harrison-Noonan: Member of Technical Staff, AnthropicSee how Amazon Web Services gives you the freedom to migrate, innovate, and scale your software company at https://aws.amazon.com/isv/

Internal communications is not about messages.It's about alignment.In this episode, Chris Willis talks with Keith Berman about how internal communications creates real business impact, even when attribution is messy. They unpack why alignment drives retention, productivity, and customer experience, how communicators act as the connective tissue of the business, and what leaders actually listen for when evaluating ROI.They also tackle AI. What it helps with. What it cannot replace. And why the hype cycle feels familiar to anyone who lived through the early 5G promises.For communicators who want to prove value, not volume.

The Geek in Review closes 2025 with Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer welcoming back Sarah Glassmeyer and Niki Black for round two of the annual scorecard, equal parts receipts, reality check, and forward look into 2026. The conversation opens with a heartfelt remembrance of Kim Stein, a beloved KM community builder whose generosity showed up in conference dinners, happy hours, and day to day support across vendors and firms. With Kim's spirit in mind, the panel steps into the year-end ritual: name the surprises, own the misses, and offer a few grounded bets for what comes next.Last year's thesis predicted a shift from novelty to utility, yet 2025 felt closer to a rolling hype loop. Glassmeyer frames generative AI as a multi-purpose knife dropped on every desk at once, which left many teams unsure where to start, even when budgets already committed. Black brings the data lens: general-purpose gen AI use surged among lawyers, especially solos and small firms, while law firm adoption rose fast compared with earlier waves such as cloud computing, which crawled for years before pandemic pressure moved the needle. The group also flags a new social dynamic, status-driven tool chasing, plus a quiet trend toward business-tier ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude as practical options for many matters when price tags for legal-only platforms sit out of reach for smaller shops.Hallucinations stay on the agenda, with the panel resisting both extremes: doom posts and fan club hype. Glassmeyer recounts a founder's quip, “hallucinations are a feature, not a bug,” then pivots to an older lesson from KeyCite and Shepard's training: verification never goes away, and lawyers always owed diligence, even before LLMs. Black adds a cautionary tale from recent sanctions, where a lawyer ran the same research through a stack of tools, creating a telephone effect and a document nobody fully controlled. Lambert notes a bright spot from the past six months: legal research outputs improved as vendors paired vector retrieval with legal hierarchy data, including court relationships and citation treatment, reducing off-target answers even while perfection stays out of reach.From there, the conversation turns to mashups across the market. Clio's acquisition of vLex becomes a headline example, raising questions about platform ecosystems, pricing power, and whether law drifts toward an Apple versus Android split. Black predicts integration work across billing, practice management, and research will matter as much as M&A, with general tech giants looming behind the scenes. Glassmeyer cheers broader access for smaller firms, while still warning about consolidation scars from legal publishing history and the risk of feature decay once startups enter corporate layers. The panel lands on a simple preference: interoperability, standards, and clean APIs beat a future where a handful of owners dictate terms.On governance, Black rejects surveillance fantasies and argues for damage control, strong training, and safe experimentation spaces, since shadow usage already happens on personal devices. Gebauer pushes for clearer value stories, and the guests agree early ROI shows up first in back office workflows, with longer-run upside tied to pricing models, AFAs, and buyer pushback on inflated hours. For staying oriented amid fractured social channels, the crew trades resources: AI Law Librarians, Legal Tech Week, Carolyn Elefant's how-to posts, Moonshots, Nate B. Jones, plus Ed Zitron's newsletter for a wider business lens. The crystal ball segment closes with a shared unease around AI finance, a likely shakeout among thinly funded tools, and a reminder to keep the human network strong as 2026 arrives. 

As the year comes to a close, we thought you would enjoy a throwback to one of our most popular episodes of 2025. In this episode of Value-Based Care Insights, host Daniel Marino explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in population health. As AI continues to dominate industry conversations and drive vendor offerings, healthcare leaders are faced with questions: What is real, what is hype, and where does the value lie? Dr. David Nash, Founding Dean Emeritus of Jefferson College of Population Health and a nationally recognized thought leader in value-based care and population health, join the conversation. Additionally, Rick Howard, a seasoned Chief Data Officer and AI Strategist contributes to the conversation with his deep expertise in driving data-driven innovation across healthcare organizations. Together, they break down common misconceptions, highlight the most promising AI applications in care delivery, and offer practical insights into how health systems, providers, and payers can responsibly integrate AI to drive meaningful outcomes and return on investment (ROI).

In this episode, Brandon Pierpont moderates a Residential Painting Success Panel on what will actually work in 2026. Hear the exact, ROI-driven plays: disciplined speed-to-lead follow-up, in-home review capture with QR codes, value builders like free touch-ups for life and color consults, smart upsells after the sale, ethical downsells, and a balanced mix of direct mail, local outreach, and paid ads to keep pipeline and profit strong.

My guest this week is Michael Stuart - Impact & Data Manager at Social Traders, and one of the leading voices pushing Australia's social enterprise sector toward a more evidence-driven future. Michael has spent more than a decade helping organisations make sense of their data, and today, he oversees how Social Traders captures, measures, and interprets impact across hundreds of enterprises. His work sits at the intersection of social purpose and hard numbers, ensuring decision-makers have the evidence they need to drive real, scalable change. In this conversation, we unpack why the sector is “data starved,” how better insights can strengthen policy, funding, and procurement, and why accessible analysis is one of the most powerful tools for social impact. Recorded live at Convene 2025, this episode comes with a little social enterprise sector chatter that refused to be silenced. We've mostly cleaned it up, but you might hear a few patches and some quirky voice distortion from noise cancellation - rustic audio, modern insights! Part of our Short Takes on Purpose series with Social Traders, spotlighting bold thinkers reshaping business for good.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3404: Craig Stephens reflects on his ambitious plan to retire by age 55, beating his father by one year, and the financial realities that threaten that goal. With his children's college expenses looming in the same year as his intended retirement, he explores the deep impact of generational choices, personal sacrifice, and the ROI of higher education. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.retirebeforedad.com/greatest-risk-to-retirement-goal/ Quotes to ponder: "I reject the notion that because younger generations are statistically more likely to live longer than our parents, we will need to work longer." "More than a decade ago when my Dad retired from his teaching career at age 56, I told him my retirement goal was to beat him and stop working at age 55." "According to a recent study by Alicia H. Munnell at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, the average age of retirement for men in the US is 64." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ready to trade a packed calendar for real progress? We unpack a simple year-end audit that helps you measure ROI beyond money—think time, energy, focus, and bandwidth—and use those insights to shape a stronger start to the new year. Instead of chasing more goals, we focus on doing less, better, and protecting your best hours for the work that actually moves the needle.We start by reframing the classic productivity trap: being busy isn't the same as being effective. You'll hear how filling every gap can stall future growth, and how to spot the quiet drains that erode momentum—meetings that never change anything, legacy processes no one questions, and relationships where you're over-supporting instead of developing. Then we get tactical. We share how shifting from weekly one-on-ones to purposeful async check-ins improved clarity while clearing the calendar, and how to evaluate tasks based on real return so you can delegate or delete with confidence.From there, we dig into the habits that compound: team development, focused learning, consistent training, and carving out deep work during your peak energy window. High performers aren't superhuman—they're selective. By eliminating low-return tasks and reinvesting time into activities that build leverage, you create results that stack week after week. We close with a concrete challenge: pick one habit, meeting, or responsibility to pause or remove in January, and use that reclaimed time to build the future rather than just maintain the present.If you're ready to step into the new year with clarity and momentum, this mini sode is your reset. Listen, make one decisive cut, and tell us what you're removing. Subscribe for more mini sodes this week as we sharpen focus, set smart boundaries, and build habits that actually compound.

Welcome back to the Ultimate Guide to Partnering® Podcast. AI agents are your next customers. Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX:https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ https://youtu.be/vEdq8rpBM3I In this data-rich keynote, Jay McBain deconstructs the tectonic shifts reshaping the $5.3 trillion global technology industry, arguing that we are entering a new 20-year cycle where traditional direct sales models are obsolete. McBain explains why 96% of the industry is now surrounded by partners and how successful companies must pivot from “flywheels and theory” to a granular strategy focused on the seven specific partners present in every deal. From the explosion of agentic AI and the $163 billion marketplace revolution to the specific mechanics of multiplier economics, this discussion provides a roadmap for navigating the “decade of the ecosystem” where influence, trust, and integration—not just product—determine winners and losers. Key Takeaways Half of today's Fortune 500 companies will likely vanish in the next 20 years due to the shift toward AI and ecosystem-led models. Every B2B deal now involves an average of seven trusted partners who influence the decision before a vendor even knows a deal exists. Microsoft has outpaced AWS growth for 26 consecutive quarters largely because of a superior partner-led geographic strategy. Marketplaces are projected to grow to $163 billion by 2030, with nearly 60% of deals involving partner funding or private offers. The “Multiplier Effect” is the new ROI, where partners can make up to $8.45 for every dollar of vendor product sold. Future dominance relies on five key pillars: Platform, Service Partnerships, Channel Partnerships, Alliances, and Go-to-Market orchestration. If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Keywords: Jay McBain, Canalys, partner ecosystem, channel chief, agentic AI, marketplace growth, multiplier economics, B2B sales trends, tech industry forecast, service partnerships, strategic alliances, Microsoft vs AWS, distribution transformation, managed services growth, SaaS platforms, customer journey mapping, 28 moments of truth, future of reselling, technology spending 2025, ecosystem orchestration, partner multipliers. T Transcript: Jay McBain WORKFILE FOR TRANSCRIPT [00:00:00] Vince Menzione: Just up from, did you Puerto Rico last night? Puerto Rico, yes. Puerto Rico. He dodged the hurricane. Um, you all know him. Uh, let him introduce himself for those of you who don’t, but just thrilled to have on the stage, again, somebody who knows more about what’s going on in, in the, and has the pulse on this industry probably than just about anybody I know personally. [00:00:21] Vince Menzione: J Jay McBain. Jay, great to see you my friend. Alright, thank you. We have to come all the way. We live, we live uh, about 20 minutes from each other. We have to come all the way to Reston, Virginia to see each other, right? That’s right. Very good. Well, uh, that’s all over to you, sir. Thank you. [00:00:35] Jay McBain: Alright, well thank you so much. [00:00:36] Jay McBain: I went from 85 degrees yesterday to 45 today, but I was able to dodge that, uh, that hurricane, uh, that we kind of had to fly through the northern edge of, uh, wanna talk today about our industry, about the ultimate partner. I’m gonna try to frame up the ultimate partner as I walk through the data and the latest research that, uh, that we’ve been doing in the market. [00:00:56] Jay McBain: But I wanted to start here ’cause our industry moves in 20 year cycles, and if you look at the Fortune 500 and dial back 20 years from today, 52% of them no longer exist. As we step into the next 20 year AI era, half of the companies that we know and love today are not gonna exist. So we look at this, and by the way, if you’re not in the Fortune 500 and you don’t have deep pockets to buy your way outta problems, 71% of tech companies fail over the course of 10 years. [00:01:30] Jay McBain: Those are statistics from the US government. So I start to look at our industry and you know, you may look at the, you know, mainframe era from the sixties and seventies, mini computers, August the 12th, 1981, that first IBM, PC with Microsoft dos, version one, you know, triggered. A new 20 year era of client server. [00:01:51] Jay McBain: It was the time and I worked at IBM for 17 years, but there was a time where Bill Gates flew into Boca Raton, Florida and met with the IBM team and did that, you know, fancy licensing agreement. But after, you know, 20 years of being the most valuable company in the world and 13 years of antitrust and getting broken up, almost like at and TIBM almost didn’t make payroll. [00:02:14] Jay McBain: 13 years after meeting Bill Gates. Yeah, that’s how quickly things change in these eras. In 1999, a small company outta San Francisco called salesforce.com got its start. About 10 years later, Jeff Bezos asked a question in a boardroom, could we rent out our excess capacity and would other companies buy it? [00:02:35] Jay McBain: Which, you know, most people in the room laughed at ’em at the time. But it created a 20 year cloud era when our friends, our neighbors, our family. Saw Chachi PT for the first time in March of 2023. They saw the deep fakes, they saw the poetry, they saw the music. They came to us as tech people and said, did we just light up Skynet? [00:02:58] Jay McBain: And that consumer trend has triggered this next 20 years. I could walk through the richest people in the world through those trends. I could walk through the most valuable companies. It all aligns. ’cause by the way, Apple’s no longer at the top. Nvidia is at the top, Microsoft. Second, things change really quickly. [00:03:17] Jay McBain: So in that course of time, you start to look at our industry and as people are talking about a six and a half or $7 trillion build out of ai, that’s open AI and Microsoft numbers, that is bigger than our industry that’s taken over 50 years to build. This year, we’re gonna finish the year at $5.3 trillion. [00:03:36] Jay McBain: That’s from the smallest flower shop to the biggest bank. Biggest governments that Caresoft would, uh, serve biggest customer in the world is actually the federal government of the us. But you look at this pie chart and you look at the changes that we’re gonna go through over the next 20 years, there’s about a trillion dollars in hardware. [00:03:54] Jay McBain: There’s about a trillion dollars in software. If you look forward through all of the merging trends, quantum computing, humanoid robots, all the things that are coming that dollar to dollar software to hardware will continue to exist all the way through. We see services making up almost two thirds of this pie. [00:04:13] Jay McBain: Yesterday I was in a telco conference with at and t and Verizon and T-Mobile and some of the biggest wireless players and IT services, which happen to be growing faster than products. At the moment, there is more work to be done wrapping around the deal than the actual products that the customer is buying. [00:04:32] Jay McBain: So in an industry that’s growing at 7%. On top of the world economy that’s grown at 2.2. This is the fastest growing industry, and it will be at least for the next 10 years, if not 2070 0.1% of this entire $5 trillion gets transacted through partners. While what we’re talking to today about the ultimate partner, 96% of this industry is surrounded by partners in one way or another. [00:05:01] Jay McBain: They’re there before the deal. They’re there at the deal. They’re there after the deal. Two thirds of our industry is now subscription consumption based. So every 30 days forever, and a customer for life becomes everything. So if every deal in medium, mid-market, and higher has seven partners, according to McKinsey, who are those seven people trying to get into the deal? [00:05:25] Jay McBain: While there’s millions of companies that have come into tech over the last 10 to 20 years. Digital agencies, accountants, legal firms, everybody’s come in. The 250,000 SaaS companies, a million emerging tech companies, there’s a big fight to be one of those seven trusted people at the table. So millions of companies and tens of millions of people our competing for these slots. [00:05:49] Jay McBain: So one of the pieces of research I’m most proud of, uh, in my analyst career is this. And this took over two years to build. It’s a lot of logos. Not this PowerPoint slide, but the actual data. Thousands of people hours. Because guess what? When you look at partners from the top down, the top 1000 partners, by capability and capacity, not by resale. [00:06:15] Jay McBain: It’s not a ranking of CDW and insight and resale numbers. It is the surrounding. Consulting, design, architecture, implementations, integrations, managed services, all the pieces that’s gonna make the next 20 years run. So when you start to look at this, 98% of these companies are private, so very difficult to get to those numbers and, uh, a ton of research and help from AI and other things to get this. [00:06:41] Jay McBain: But this is it. And if you look at this list, there’s a thousand logos out of the million companies. There’s a thousand logos that drive two thirds of all tech services in the world. $1.07 trillion gets delivered by a thousand companies, but here’s where it gets fun. Those companies in the middle, in blue, the 30 of them deliver more tech services than the next 970. [00:07:08] Jay McBain: Combined the 970 combined in white deliver more tech services. Then the next million combined. So if you think we live in an 80 20 rule or maybe a 99, a 95 5 rule, or a 99 1 rule, we actually live in a 99.9 0.1 parallel principle. These companies spread around the world evenly split across the uh, different regions. [00:07:35] Jay McBain: South Africa, Latin America, they’re all over. They split. They split among types. All of the Venn diagram I just showed from GSIs to VARs to MSPs, to agencies and other types of companies. But this is a really rich list and it’s public. So every company in the world now, if you’re looking at Transactable data, if you’re looking at quantifiable data that you can go put your revenue numbers against, it represents 70 to 80% of every company in this room’s Tam. [00:08:08] Jay McBain: In one piece of research. So what do you do below that? How do you cover a million companies that you can’t afford to put a channel account manager? You can’t afford to write programs directly for well after the top down analysis and all the wallet share and you know exactly where the lowest hanging fruit is for most of your tam. [00:08:28] Jay McBain: The available markets. The obtainable markets. You gotta start from the community level grassroots up. So you need to ask the question for the million companies and the maybe a hundred thousand companies out there, partner companies that are surrounding your customer. These are the seven partners that surround your customer. [00:08:48] Jay McBain: What do they read, where do they go, and who do they follow? Interestingly enough, our industry globally equates to only a thousand watering holes, a thousand companies at the top, a thousand places at the bottom. 35% of this audience we’re talking. Millions of people here love events and there’s 352 of them like this one that they love to go to. [00:09:13] Jay McBain: They love the hallway chats, they love the hotel lobby bar, you know, in a time reminded by the pandemic. They love to be in person. It’s the number one way they’re influenced. So if you don’t have a solid event strategy and you don’t have a community team out giving out socks every week, your competitors might beat you. [00:09:31] Jay McBain: 12% of this audience loves podcasts. It’s the Joe Rogan effect of our industry. And while you know, you may not think the 121 podcasts out there are important, well, you’re missing 12% of your audience. It’s over a million people. If you’re not on a weekly podcast in one of these podcasts in the world, there’s still people that read one of the 106 magazines in the world. [00:09:55] Jay McBain: There are people that love peer groups, associations, they wanna be part of this. There’s 15 different ways people are influenced. And a solid grassroots strategy is how you make this happen. In the last 10 years, we’ve created a number of billionaires. Bottom up. They never had to go talk to la large enterprise. [00:10:15] Jay McBain: They never had to go build out a mid-market strategy. They just went and give away socks and new community marketing. And this has created, I could rip through a bunch of names that became unicorns just in the last couple of years, bottoms up. You go back to your board walking into next year, top down, bottom up. [00:10:34] Jay McBain: You’ve covered a hundred percent of your tam, and now you’ve covered it with names, faces, and places. You haven’t covered it with a flywheel or a theory. And for 44 years, we have gone to our board every fourth quarter with flywheels and theory. Trust me, partners are important. The channel is key to us. [00:10:57] Jay McBain: Well, let’s talk at the point of this granularity, and now we’re getting supported by technology 261 entrepreneurs. Many of them in the room actually here that are driving this ability to succeed with seven partners in every deal to exchange data to be able to exchange telemetry of these prospects to be able to see twice or three times in terms of pipeline of your target addressable market. [00:11:26] Jay McBain: All these ai, um, technologies, agentic technologies are coming into this. It’s all about data. It’s all about quantifiable names, faces, and places. Now none of us should be walking around with flywheels, so let’s flip the flywheels. No. Uh, so we also look at, and I sold PCs for 17 years and that was in the high times of 40% margins for partners. [00:11:55] Jay McBain: But one interesting thing when you study the p and l for broad base of partners around the world, it’s changed pretty significantly in this last 20 year era. What the cloud era did is dropped hardware from what used to be 84% plus the break fix and things that wrap around it of the p and l to now 16% of every partner in the world. [00:12:16] Jay McBain: 84% of their p and l is now software and services. And if you look at profitability, it’s worse. It’s actually 87% is profitability wise. They’ve completely shifted in terms of where they go. Now we look at other parts of our market. I could go through every part of the pie of the slide, but we’re watching each of the companies, and if you can see here, this is what we want to talk about in terms of ultimate partner. [00:12:43] Jay McBain: Microsoft has outgrown AWS for 26 straight quarters. They don’t have a better product. They don’t have a better price, they don’t have better promotion. It’s all place. And I’ll explain why you guess here in the light green line. Exactly. The day that Google went a hundred percent all in partner, every deal, even if a deal didn’t have a partner, one of the 4% of deals that didn’t have a partner, they injected a partner. [00:13:09] Jay McBain: You can see on the left side exactly where they did it. They got to the point of a hundred percent partner driven. Rebuilt their programs, rebuilt their marketplace. Their marketplace is actually larger than Microsoft’s, and they grew faster than Microsoft. A couple of those quarters. It is a partner driven future, and now I have Oracle, which I just walked by as I walked from the hotel. [00:13:31] Jay McBain: Oracle with their RPOs will start to join. Maybe the list of three hyperscalers becomes the list of four in future slides, but that’s a growth slide. Market share is different. AWS early and commanding lead. And it plays out, uh, plays out this way. But we’re at an interesting moment and I stood up six years ago talking about the decade of the ecosystem after we went through a decade of sales starting in 1999 when we all thought we were born to be salespeople. [00:14:02] Jay McBain: We managed territories with our gut. The sales tech stack would have it different, that sales was a science, and we ended the decade 2009, looking at sales very differently in 2009. I remember being at cocktail parties where CMOs would be joking around that 50% of their marketing dollars were wasted. They just didn’t know which 50%. [00:14:23] Jay McBain: And I’ll tell you, that was really funny. In 2009 till every 58-year-old CMO got replaced by a 38-year-old growth hacker who walked in with 15,348 SaaS companies in their MarTech and ad tech stack to solve the problem, every nickel of marketing by 2019 was tracked. Marketo, Eloqua, Pardot, HubSpot, driving this industry. [00:14:50] Jay McBain: Now, we stood up and said the 28 moments that come before a sale are pretty much all partner driven. In the best case scenario, a vendor might see four of the moments. They might come to your website, maybe they read an ebook, maybe they have a salesperson or a demo that comes in. That’s four outta 28 moments. [00:15:10] Jay McBain: The other 24 are done by partners. Yeah, in the worst case scenario and the majority scenario, you don’t see any of the moments. All 28 happen and you lose a deal without knowing there ever was a deal. So this is it. We need to partner in these moments and we need to inject partners into sales and marketing, like no time before, and this was the time to do it. [00:15:33] Jay McBain: And we got some feedback in the Salesforce state of sales report, which doesn’t involve any partnerships or, or. Channel Chiefs or anything else. This is 5,500 of the biggest CROs in the world that obviously use Salesforce. 89% of salespeople today use partners every day. For the 11% who don’t, 58% plan two within a year. [00:15:57] Jay McBain: If you add those two numbers together, that’s magically the 96% number. They recognize that every deal has partners in it. In 2024, last year, half of the salespeople in the world, every industry, every country. Miss their numbers. For the minority who made their numbers, 84 point percent pointed to partners as the reason why they made their numbers. [00:16:21] Jay McBain: It was the cheat code for sales, so that modern salesperson that knows how to orchestrate a deal, orchestrate the 28 moments with the seven partners and get to that final spot is the winning formula. HubSpot’s number in separate research was 84% in marketing. So we’re starting to see partners in here. We don’t have to shout from the mountaintops. [00:16:44] Jay McBain: These communities like ultimate Partner are working and we’re getting this to the highest levels in the board. And I’ll say that, you know, when 20 years from now half of the companies we know and love fail after we’re done writing the book and blaming the CEO for inventing the thing that ended up killing them, blaming the board for fiduciary responsibility and letting it happen. [00:17:06] Jay McBain: What are the other chapters of the book? And I think it’s all in one slide. We are in this platform economy and the. [00:17:31] Jay McBain: So your battery’s fine. Check, check, check, check. Alright, I’ll, I’ll just hold this in case, but the companies that execute on all five of these areas, well. Not only today become the trillion dollar valued companies, but they become the companies of tomorrow. These will be the fastest growing companies at every level. [00:17:50] Jay McBain: Not only running a platform business, but participating in other platforms. So this is how it breaks out, and there are people at very senior levels, at very big companies that have this now posted in the office of the CEO winning on integrations is everything. We just went through a demographic shift this year where 51% of our buyers are born after 1982. [00:18:15] Jay McBain: Millennials are the number one buyer of the $5 trillion. Their number one buying criteria is not service. Support your price, your brand reputation, it’s integrations. The buy a product, 80% is good as the next one if it works better in their environment. 79% of us won’t buy a car unless it has CarPlay or Android Auto. [00:18:34] Jay McBain: This is an integration world. The company with the most integrations win. Second, there are seven partners that surround the customer. Highly trusted partners. We’re talking, coaching the customer’s, kids soccer team, having a cottage together up at the lake. You know, best men, bate of honors at weddings type of relationships. [00:18:57] Jay McBain: You can’t maybe have all seven, but how does Microsoft beat AWS? They might have had two, three, or four of them saying nice things about them instead of the competition. Winning in service partnerships and channel partnerships changes by category. If you’re selling MarTech, only 10% of it today is resold, so you build more on service partnerships. [00:19:18] Jay McBain: If you’re in cybersecurity today, 91.6% of it is resold. Transacted through partners. So you build a lot of channel partnerships, plus the service partnerships, whatever the mix is in your category, you have to have two or three of those seven people. Saying nice things about you at every stage of the customer journey. [00:19:38] Jay McBain: Now move over to alliances. We have already built the platforms at the hyperscale level. We’ve built the platforms within SaaS, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday, Marketo, NetSuite, HubSpot. Every buyer has a set of platforms that they buy. We’ve now built them in cybersecurity this year out of 6,500 as high as cyber companies, the top five are starting to separate. [00:20:02] Jay McBain: We built it in distribution, which I’ll show in a minute. We’re building it in Telco. This is a platform economy and alliances win and you have alliances with your competitors ’cause you compete in the morning, but you’re best friends by the afternoon. Winning in other platforms is just as important as driving your own. [00:20:20] Jay McBain: And probably the most important part of this is go to market. That sales, that marketing, the 28 moments, the every 30 days forever become all a partner strategy. So there’s still CEOs out there that believe platform is a UI or UX on a bunch of disparate products and things you’ve acquired. There’s still CFOs out there that Think platform is a pricing model, a bundle model of just getting everything under one, you know, subscription price or consumption price. [00:20:51] Jay McBain: And it’s not, platforms are synonymous with partnerships. This is the way forward and there’s no conversation around ai. That doesn’t involve Nvidia over there, an open AI over here and a hyperscaler over there and a SaaS company over here. The seven layer stack wins every single time, and the companies that get this will be the ones that survive this cycle. [00:21:16] Jay McBain: Now, flipping over to marketplaces. So we had written research that, um, about five years ago that marketplaces were going to grow at 82% compounded. Yeah, probably one of the most accurate predictions we ever made, because it happened, we, we predicted that, uh, we were gonna get up to about $85 billion. Well, now we’ve extended that to 2030, so we’re gonna get up to $163 billion, and the thing that we’re watching is in green. [00:21:46] Jay McBain: If 96% of these deals are partner assisted in some way, how is the economics of partnering going to work? We predicted that 50% of deals by 2027. Would be partner funded in some way. Private offers multi-partner offers distributor sellers of record, and now that extends to 59% by 2030, the most senior leader of the biggest marketplace AWS, just said to us they’re gonna probably make these numbers on their own. [00:22:14] Jay McBain: And he asked what their two competitors are doing. So he’s telling us that we under called this. Now when you look at each of the press releases, and this is the AWS Billion Dollar Club. Every one of the companies on the left have issued a press release that they’re in the billion dollar club. Some of them are in the multi-billions, but I want you to double click on this press release. [00:22:35] Jay McBain: I’m quoted in here somewhere, but as CrowdStrike is building the marketplace at 91% compounded, they’re almost doubling their revenue every single year. They’re growing the partner funding, in this case, distributor funding by 3548%. Almost triple digit growth in marketplace is translating into almost quadruple digit growth in funding. [00:23:01] Jay McBain: And you see that over and over again as, as Splunk hit three, uh, billion dollars. The same. Salesforce hit $2 billion on AWS in Ulti, 18 months. They joined in October 20, 23, and 18 months later, they’re already at $2 billion. But now you’re seeing at Salesforce, which by the way. Grew up to $40 billion in revenue direct, almost not a nickel in resell. [00:23:28] Jay McBain: Made it really difficult for VARs and managed service providers to work with Salesforce because they couldn’t understand how to add services to something they didn’t book the revenue for. While $40 billion companies now seeing 70% of their deals come through partners. So this is just the world that we’re in. [00:23:44] Jay McBain: It doesn’t matter who you are and what industry you’re in, this takes place. But now we’re starting to see for the first time. Partners join the billion dollar club. So you wonder about partnering and all this funding and everything that’s working through Now you’re seeing press releases and companies that are redoing their LinkedIn branding about joining this illustrious club without a product to sell and all the services that wrap around it. [00:24:10] Jay McBain: So the opening session on Microsoft was interesting because there’s been a number of changes that Microsoft has done just in the last 30 days. One is they cut distribution by two thirds going from 180 distributors to 62. They cut out any small partner lower than a thousand dollars, and that doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s over a hundred thousand partners that get deed tightening the long tail. [00:24:38] Jay McBain: They we’re the first to really put a global point system in place three years ago. They went to the new commerce experience. If you remember, all kinds of changes being led by. The biggest company for the channel. And so when we’re studying marketplaces, we’re not just studying the three hyperscalers, we’re studying what TD Cynic is doing with Stream One Ingram’s doing with Advant Advantage Aerosphere. [00:25:01] Jay McBain: Also, we’re watching what PAX eight, who by the way, is the 365 bestseller for Microsoft in the world. They are the cybersecurity leader for Microsoft in the world and the copilot. Leader in the world for Microsoft and Partner of the Year for Microsoft. So we’re watching what the cloud platforms are doing, watching what the Telco are doing, which is 25 cents out of every dollar, if you remember that pie chart, watching what the biggest resellers are converting themselves into. [00:25:30] Jay McBain: Vince just mentioned, you know, SHI in the changes there watching the managed services market and the leaders there, what they’re doing in terms of how this industry’s moving forward. By the way, managed services at $608 billion this year. Is one and a half times larger than the SaaS industry overall. [00:25:48] Jay McBain: It’s also one and a half times larger than all the hyperscalers combined. Oracle, Alibaba, IBM, all the way down. This is a massive market and it makes up 15 to 20 cents of every dollar the customer spend. We’re watching that industry hit a trillion dollars by the end of the decade, and we’re watching 150 different marketplace development platforms, the distribution of our industry, which today is 70.1% indirect. [00:26:13] Jay McBain: We’re starting to see that number, uh, solidify in terms of marketplaces as well. Watching distributors go from that linear warehouse in a bank to this orchestration model, watching some of the biggest players as the world comes around, platforms, it tightens around the place. So Caresoft, uh, from from here is the sixth biggest distributor in the world. [00:26:40] Jay McBain: Just shows you how big the. You know, biggest client in the world is that they serve. But understand that we’re publishing the distributor 500 list, but it’ll be the same thing. That little group in blue in the middle today, you know, drives almost two thirds of the market. So what happens in all this next stage in terms of where the dollars change hands. [00:27:07] Jay McBain: And the economics of partnering themselves are going through the most radical shift that we’ve seen ever. So back to the nineties, and, and for those of you that have been channel chiefs and running programs, we went to work every day. You know, everything’s on fire. We’re trying to check hundred boxes, trying to make our program 10% better than our competitors. [00:27:30] Jay McBain: Hey, we gotta fix our deal registration program today, and our incentives are outta whack or training programs or. You know, not where they need to be. Our certification, you know, this was the life of, uh, of a channel chief. Everybody thought we were just out drinking in the Caribbean with our best partners, but we were under the weight of this. [00:27:49] Jay McBain: But something interesting has happened is that we turned around and put the customer at the middle of our programs to say that those 28 moments in green before the sale are really, really important. And the seven partners who participate are really important. Understanding. The customer’s gonna buy a seven layer stack. [00:28:09] Jay McBain: They’re gonna buy it With these seven partners, the procurement stage is much different. The growth of marketplaces, the growth of direct in some of these areas, and then long term every 30 days forever in a managed service, implementations, integrations, how you upsell, cross-sell, enrich a deal changes. So how would you build a program that’s wrapped around the customer instead of the vendor? [00:28:35] Jay McBain: And we’re starting to hear our partners shout back to us. These are global surveys, big numbers, but over half of our partners, regardless of type, are selling consulting to their customer. Over half are designing architecting deals. A third of them are trying to be system integrators showing up at those implementation integration moments. [00:28:55] Jay McBain: Two thirds of them are doing managed services, but the shocking one here is 44% of our partners, regardless of type, are coding. They’re building agents and they’re out helping their customer at that level. So this is the modern partner that says, don’t typecast me. You may have thought of me in your program. [00:29:14] Jay McBain: You might have me slotted as a var. Well, I do 3.2 things, and if I don’t get access to those resources, if you don’t walk me to that room, I’m not gonna do them with you. You may have me as a managed service provider that’s only in the morning. By the afternoon I’m coding, and by the next morning I’m implementing and consulting. [00:29:33] Jay McBain: So again, a partner’s not a partner. That Venn diagram is a very loose one now, as every partner on there is doing 3.2 different business models. And again, they’re telling us for 43 years, they said, I want more leads this year it changed. For the first time, I want to be recognized and incentivized as more than just a cash register for you. [00:29:57] Jay McBain: I want you to recognize when I’m consulting, when I’m designing, when you’re winning deals, because of my wonderful services, by the way, we asked the follow up question, well, where should we spend our money with you? And they overwhelmingly say, in the consulting stage, you win and lose deals. Not at moment 28. [00:30:18] Jay McBain: We’re not buying a pack of gum at the gas station. This is a considered purchase. You win deals from moment 12 through 16 and I’m gonna show you a picture of that later, and they say, you better be spending your money there, or you’re not gonna win your fair share or more than your fair share of deals. [00:30:36] Jay McBain: The shocking thing about this is that Microsoft, when they went to the point system, lifted two thirds of all the money, tens of billions of dollars, and put it post-sale, and we were all scratching our heads going. Well, if the partners are asking for it there, and it seems like to beat your biggest competitors, you want to win there. [00:30:54] Jay McBain: Why would you spend the money on renewal? Well, they went to Wall Street and Goldman Sachs and the people who lift trillions of dollars of pension funds and said, if we renew deals at 108%, we become a cash machine for you. And we think that’s more valuable than a company coming out with a new cell phone in September and selling a lot of them by Christmas every year. [00:31:18] Jay McBain: The industry. And by the way, wall Street responded, Microsoft has been more valuable than Apple since. So we talk in this now multiplier language, and these are reports that we write, uh, at AMIA at canals. But talking about the partner opportunity in that customer cycle, the $6 and 40 cents you can make for every dollar of consumption, or the $7 and 5 cents you can make the $8 and 45 cents you can make. [00:31:46] Jay McBain: There’s over 24 companies speaking at this level now, and guess what? It’s not just cloud or software companies. Hardware companies are starting to speak in this language, and on January 25th, Cisco, you know, probably second to Microsoft in terms of trust built with the channel globally is moving to a full point system. [00:32:09] Jay McBain: So these are the changes that happen fast. But your QBR with your partners now less about drinking beers at the hotel lobby bar and talking dollar by dollar where these opportunities are. So if you’re doing 3.2 of these things, let’s build out a, uh, a play where you can make $3 for every dollar that we make. [00:32:28] Jay McBain: And you make that profitably. You make it in sticky, highly retained business, and that’s the model. ’cause if you make $3 for every dollar. We make, you’re gonna win Partner of the year, and if you win partner of the year, that piece of glass that you win on stage, by the time you get back to your table, you’re gonna have three offers to buy your business. [00:32:51] Jay McBain: CDW just bought a w. S’s Partner of the Year. Insight bought Google’s eight time partner of the year. Presidio bought ServiceNow’s, partner of the year over and over and over again. So I’m at Octane, I’m at CrowdStrike, I’m at all these events in Vegas every week. I’m watching these partners of the year. [00:33:05] Jay McBain: And I’m watching as the big resellers. I’m watching as the GSIs and the m and a folks are surrounding their table after, and they’re selling their businesses for SaaS level valuations. Not the one-to-one service valuation. They’re getting multiples because this is the new future of our industry. This is platform economics. [00:33:25] Jay McBain: This is winning and platforms for partners. Now, like Vince, I spent 20 minutes without talking about ai, but we have to talk about ai. So the next 20 years as it plays out is gonna play out in phases. And the first thing you know to get it out of the way. The first two years since that March of 23, has been underwhelming, to say the least. [00:33:47] Jay McBain: It’s been disappointing. All the companies that should have won the biggest in AI have been the most disappointing. It’s underperformed the s and p by a considerable amount in terms of where we are. And it goes back to this. We always overestimate the first two years, but we underestimate the first 10. [00:34:07] Jay McBain: If you wanna be the point in time person and go look at that 1983 PC or the 1995 internet or that 2007 iPhone or that whatever point in time you wanna look at, or if you want to talk about hallucinations or where chat chip ET version five is version, as opposed to where it’s going to be as it improves every six months here on in. [00:34:30] Jay McBain: But the fact of the matter is, it’s been a consumer trend. Nvidia got to be the most valuable company in the world. OpenAI was the first company to 2 billion users, uh, in that amount of speed. It’s the fastest growing product ever in history, and it’s been a consumer win this trillions of dollars to get it thrown around in the press releases. [00:34:49] Jay McBain: They’re going out every day, you know, open ai, signing up somebody new or Nvidia, investing in somebody new almost every single day in hundreds of billions of dollars. It is all happening really on the consumer side. So we got a little bit worried and said, is that 96% of surround gonna work in ag agentic ai? [00:35:10] Jay McBain: So we went and asked, and the good news is 88% of end customers are using partners to work through their ag agentic strategy. Even though they’re moving slow, they’re actually using partners. But what’s interesting from a partner perspective, and this is new research that out till 2030. This is the number one services opportunity in the entire tech or telco industry. [00:35:34] Jay McBain: 35.3% compounded growth ending at $267 billion in services. Companies are rebuilding themselves, building out practices, and getting on this train and figuring out which vendors they should hook their caboose to as those trains leave the station. But it kind of plays out like this. So in the next three to five years, we’re in this generative, moving into agentic phase. [00:36:01] Jay McBain: Every partner thinks internally first, the sales and marketing. They’re thinking about their invoicing and billing. They’re thinking about their service tickets. They’re thinking about creating a business that’s 10% better than their competitors, taking that knowledge into their customers and drive in business. [00:36:17] Jay McBain: But we understand that ag agentic AI, as it’s going to play out is not a product. A couple of years ago, we thought maybe a copilot or an agent force or something was going to be the product that everybody needed to buy, and it’s not a product, it’s gonna show up as a feature. So you go back in the history of feature ads and it’s gonna show up in software. [00:36:38] Jay McBain: So if you’re calling in SMB, maybe you’re calling on a restaurant. The restaurant isn’t gonna call OpenAI or call Microsoft or call Nvidia directly. They’re running their restaurant. And they may have chosen a platform like Toast Square, Clover, whatever iPads people are running around with, runs on a platform that does everything in their business, does staffing, does food ordering, works with Uber Eats, does everything end to end? [00:37:08] Jay McBain: They’re gonna wait to one of those platforms, dries out agent AI for them, and can run the restaurant more effectively, less human capital and more consistently, but they wait for the SaaS platform as you get larger. A hundred, 150 people. You have vice presidents. Each of those vice presidents already have a SaaS stack. [00:37:28] Jay McBain: I talked about Salesforce, ServiceNow, Workday, et cetera. They’ve already built that seven layer model and in some cases it’s 70 layers. But the fact is, is they’re gonna wait for those SaaS layers to deliver ag agentic to them. So this is how it’s gonna play out for the next three and a half, three to five years. [00:37:45] Jay McBain: And partners are realizing that many of them were slow to pick up SaaS ’cause they didn’t resell it. Well now to win in this next three to half, three to five years, you’re gonna have to play in this environment. When you start looking out from here, the next generation, you know, kind of five through 15 years gets interesting in more of a physical sense. [00:38:06] Jay McBain: Where I was yesterday talking about every IOT device that now is internet access, starts to get access to large language models. Every little sensor, every camera, everything that’s out there starts to get smart. But there’s a point. The first trillionaire, I believe, will be created here. Elon’s already halfway there. [00:38:24] Jay McBain: Um, but when Bill Gates thought there was gonna be a PC in every home, and IBM thought they were gonna sell 10,000 to hobbyists, that created the richest person in the world for 20 years, there will be a humanoid in every home. There’s gonna be a point in time that you’re out having drinks with your friends, and somebody’s gonna say, the early adopter of your friends is gonna say. [00:38:46] Jay McBain: I haven’t done the dishes in six weeks. I haven’t done the laundry. I haven’t made my bed. I haven’t mowed the lawn. When they say that, you’re gonna say, well, how? And they’re gonna say, well, this year I didn’t buy a new car, but I went to the car dealership and I bought this. So we’re very close to the dexterity needed. [00:39:05] Jay McBain: We’ve got the large language models. Now. The chat, GPT version 10 by then is going to make an insane, and every house is gonna have one of the. [00:39:17] Jay McBain: This is the promise of ai. It’s not humanoid robots, it’s not agents. It’s this. 99% of the world’s business data has not been trained or tuned into models yet. Again, this is the slow moving business. If you want to think about the 99% of business data, every flight we’ve all taken in this room sits on a saber system that was put in place in 1964. [00:39:43] Jay McBain: Every banking transaction, we’ve all made, every withdrawal, every deposit sits on an IBM mainframe put in place in the sixties or seventies. 83% of this data sits in cold storage at the edge. It’s not ready to be moved. It’s not cleansed, it’s not, um, indexed. It’s not in any format or sitting on any infrastructure that a large language model will be able to gobble up the data. [00:40:10] Jay McBain: None of the workflows, none of the programming on top of that data is yet ready. So this is your 10 to 20 year arc of this era that chat bot today when they cancel your flight is cute. It’s empathetic, it feels bad for you, or at least it seems to, but it can’t do anything. It can’t book you the Marriott and get you an Uber and then a 5:00 AM flight the next morning. [00:40:34] Jay McBain: It can’t do any of that. But more importantly, it doesn’t know who you are. I’ve got 53 years of flights under my belt and they, I’m the person that get me within six hours of my kids and get me a one-way Hertz rental. You know, if there’s bad weather in Miami, get me to Tampa, get me a Hertz, I’m driving home, I’m gonna make it home. [00:40:56] Jay McBain: I’m not the 5:00 AM get me a hotel person. They would know that if they picked up the flights that I’ve taken in the past. Each of us are different. When you get access to the business data and you become ag agentic, everything changes. Every industry changes because of this around the customers. When you ask about this 35% growth, working on that data, working in traditional consulting and design and implementation, working in the $7 trillion of infrastructure, storage, compute, networking, that’s gonna be around, this is a massive opportunity. [00:41:30] Jay McBain: Services are gonna continue to outgrow products. Probably for the next five to 10 years because of this, and I’m gonna finish here. So we talked a lot about quantifying names, faces, places, and I think where we failed the most as ultimate partners is underneath the tam, which every one of our CEOs knows to the decimal point underneath the TAM that our board thinks they’re chasing. [00:41:59] Jay McBain: We’ve done a very poor job. Of talking about the available markets and obtainable markets underneath it, we, we’ve shown them theory. We’ve shown them a bunch of, you know, really smart stuff, and PowerPoint slides up the wazoo, but we’ve never quantified it for them. If they wanna win, if they want to get access, if they want to double their pipeline, triple their pipeline, if they wanna start winning more deals, if they wanna win deals that are three times larger, they close two times faster. [00:42:31] Jay McBain: And they renew 15% larger. They have to get into the available and obtainable markets. So just in the last couple weeks I spoke at Cribble, I spoke at Octane, I spoke at CrowdStrike Falcon. All three of those companies at the CEO level, main stage use those exact three numbers, three x, two x, 15%. That’s the language of platforms, and they’re investing millions and millions and millions of dollars on teams. [00:42:59] Jay McBain: To go build out the Sam Andal in name spaces and places. So you’ve heard me talk about these 28 moments a lot. They’re the ones that you spend when you buy a car. Some people spend one moment and they drive to the Cadillac dealership. ’cause Larry’s been, you know, taking care of the family for 50 years. [00:43:18] Jay McBain: Some people spend 50 moments like I do, watching every YouTube video and every, you know, thing on the internet. I clear the internet cover to cover. But the fact is, is every deal averages around these 28 moments. Your customer, there’s 13 members of the buying committee today. There’s seven partners and they’re buying seven things. [00:43:37] Jay McBain: There’s 27 things orchestrating inside these 28 moments. And where and how they all take place is a story of partnering. So a couple of years ago, canals. Latin for channel was acquired by amia, which is a part of Informa Tech Target, which is majority owned by Informa. All that being said, there’s hundreds of magazines that we have. [00:44:00] Jay McBain: There’s hundreds of events that we run. If somebody’s buying cybersecurity, they probably went to Black Hat or they probably went to GI Tech. One of these events we run, or one of the magazines. So we pick up these signals, these buyer intent signals as a company. Why did they wanna, um, buy a, uh, a Canals, which was a, you know, a small analyst firm around channels? [00:44:22] Jay McBain: They understood this as well. The 28 moments look a lot like this when marketers and salespeople are busy filling in the spots of every deal. And by the way, this is a real deal. AstraZeneca came in to spend millions of dollars on ASAP transformation, and you can start to see as the customer got smart. [00:44:45] Jay McBain: The eBooks, they read the podcasts, they listened to the events they went to. You start to see how this played out over the long term. But the thing we’ve never had in our industry is the light blue boxes. This deal was won and lost in December. In this particular case, NTT software won and Yash came in and sold the customer five projects. [00:45:07] Jay McBain: The millions of dollars that were going to be spent were solved here. The design and architecture work was all done here. A couple of ISVs You see in light blue came in right at the end, deal was closed in April. You see the six month cycle. But what if you could fill in every one of the 28 boxes in every single customer prospect that your sales and marketing team have? [00:45:30] Jay McBain: But here’s the brilliance of this. Those light blue boxes didn’t win the deals there. They won the deals months before that. So when NTT and Software one walked into this deal. They probably won the deal back in October and they had to go through the redlining. They had to go through the contracting, they had to go through all the stuff and the Gantt chart to get started. [00:45:54] Jay McBain: But while your CMO is getting all excited about somebody reading an ebook and triggering an MQL that the sales team doesn’t want, ’cause it’s not qualified, it’s not sales qualified, you walk in and say, no, no. This is a multimillion deal, dollar deal. It’s AstraZeneca. I know the five partners that are coming in in December to solidify the seven layers, and you’re walking in at the same time as the CMOs bragging about an ebook. [00:46:21] Jay McBain: This changes everything. If we could get to this level of data about every dollar of our tam, we not only outgrow our competitors, we become the platforms of the next generation. Partnering and ultimate partnering is all here. And this is what we’re doing in this room. This is what we’re doing over these couple of days, and this is what, uh, the mission that Vince is leading. [00:46:43] Jay McBain: Thank you so much. [00:46:47] Vince Menzione: Woo. Day in the house. Good to see you my friend. Good to see you. Oh, we’re gonna spend a couple minutes. Um, I’m put you in the second seat. We’re gonna put, we’re gonna make it sit fireside for a minute. Uh, that was intense. It was pretty incredible actually, Jay. And so I’m, I think I wanna open it up ’cause we only have a few minutes just to, any questions? [00:47:06] Vince Menzione: I’m sure people are just digesting. We already have one up here. See, [00:47:09] Question: Jay knows I’m [00:47:10] Vince Menzione: a question. I love it. We, I don’t think we have any I can grab a mic, a roving mic. I could be a roving mic person. Hold on. We can do this. This is not on. [00:47:25] Vince Menzione: Test, test. Yes it is. Yeah. [00:47:26] Question: Theresa Carriol dared me to ask a question and I say, you don’t have to dare me. You know, I’m going to Anyway. Um, so Jay, of the point of view that with all of the new AI players that strategic alliances is again having a moment, and I was curious your point of view on what you’re seeing around this emergence and trend of strategic alliances and strategic alliance management. [00:47:52] Question: As compared to channel management. And what are you seeing in terms of large vendors like AWS investing in that strategic alliance role versus that channel role training, enablement, measurement, all that good stuff? [00:48:06] Jay McBain: Yeah, it’s, it’s a great question. So when I told the story about toast at the restaurant or Square or Clover, they’re not call, they’re not gonna call open AI or Nvidia themselves either. [00:48:17] Jay McBain: When you look out at the 250,000 ISVs. That make up this AI stack, there is the layers that happen there. So the Alliance with AWS, the alliance they have with Microsoft or Google is going to be how they generate agent AI in their platforms. So when I talk about a seven layer stack, the average deal being seven layers, AI is gonna drive this to nine, and then 11, then probably 13. [00:48:44] Jay McBain: So in terms of how alliances work, I had it up there as one of the five core strategies, and I think it’s pretty even. You can have the best alliances in the world, but if the seven partners trusted by the customer don’t know what that alliance is and the benefits to the customer and never mention it, it’s all for Naugh. [00:49:00] Jay McBain: If you’re go-to market, you’re co-selling, your co-marketing strategies are not built around that alliance. It’s all for naught. If the integration and the co-innovation, the co-development, the all the co-creation work that’s done inside these alliances isn’t translated to customer outcomes, it’s all for naugh. [00:49:17] Jay McBain: These are all five parallel swim lanes. All five are absolutely critically needed. And I think they’re all five pretty equally weighted in terms of needing each other. Yes. To be successful in the era of platforms. Yeah. [00:49:32] Vince Menzione: And the problem is they’re all stove pipe today. If, if at all. Yeah. Maintained, right. [00:49:36] Vince Menzione: Alliances is an example. Channels and other example. They don’t talk to one another. Judge any, we’ve got a mic up here if anybody else has. Yep. We have some questions here, Jacqueline. [00:49:51] Question: So when we’re developing our channel programs, any advice on, you know, what’s the shift that we should make six months from now, a year from now? The historical has been bronze, silver, gold, right? And you’ve got your deal registration, but what’s the future look like? [00:50:05] Jay McBain: Yeah, so I mean, the programs are, are changing to, to the point where the customer should be in the middle and realizing the seven partners you need to win the deal. [00:50:15] Jay McBain: And depending on what category of product you’re in, security, how much you rely on resell, 91.6%. You know, the channel partners are gonna be critical where the customer spends the money. And if you’re adding friction to that process, you’re adding friction in terms of your growth. So you know, if you’re in cybersecurity, you have to have a pretty wide open reseller model. [00:50:39] Jay McBain: You have to have a wide open distribution model, and you have to make sure you’re there at that point of sale. While at the same time, considering the other six partners at moment 12 who are in either saying nice things about you or not, the customer might even be starting with you. ’cause there is actually one thing that I didn’t mention when I showed the 28 moments filled in. [00:51:00] Jay McBain: You’ll notice that the customer went to AWS twice direct. AWS lost the deal. Microsoft won the deal software. One is Microsoft’s biggest reseller in the world. They just acquired crayon. NTT who, who loves both had their Microsoft team go in. [00:51:18] Question: Mm. [00:51:19] Jay McBain: So I think that they went to AWS thinking it was A-W-S-S-A-P, you know, kind of starting this seven layer stack. [00:51:25] Jay McBain: I think they finished those, you know, critical moments in the middle looking at it. And then they went back to AWS kind of going probably WWTF. Yeah. What we thought was happening isn’t actually the outcome that was painted by our most trusted people. So, you know, to answer your question, listen to your partners. [00:51:43] Jay McBain: They want to be recognized for the other things they’re doing. You can’t be spending a hundred percent of the dollars at the point of sale. You gotta have a point of system that recognizes the point of sale, maybe even gold, silver, bronze, but recognizing that you’re paying for these other moments as well. [00:51:57] Jay McBain: Paying for alliances, paying for integrations and everything else, uh, in the cyber stack. And, um, you know, recognizing also the top 1000. So if I took your tam. And I overlaid those thousand logos. I would be walking into 2026 the best I could of showing my company logo by logo, where 80% of our TAM sits as wallet share, not by revenue. [00:52:25] Jay McBain: Remember, a million dollar partner is not a million dollar partner. One of them sells 1.2 million in our category. We should buy them a baseball cap and have ’em sit in the front row of our event. One of them sells $10 million and only sells our stuff if the customer asks. So my company should be looking at that $9 million opportunity and making sure my programs are writing the checks and my coverage. [00:52:48] Jay McBain: My capacity and capability planning is getting obsessed over that $9 million. My farmers can go over there, my hunters can go over here, and I should be submitting a list of a thousand sorted in descending order of opportunity. Of where my company can write program dollars into. [00:53:07] Vince Menzione: Great answer. All right. I, I do wanna be cognizant of time and the, all the other sessions we have. [00:53:14] Vince Menzione: So we’ll just take one other question if there are any here and if not, we’ll let I know. Jay, you’re gonna be mingling around for a little while before your flight. I’m [00:53:21] Jay McBain: here the whole day. [00:53:22] Vince Menzione: You, you’re the whole day. I see that Jay’s here the whole day. So if you have any other questions and, and, uh, sharing the deck is that. [00:53:29] Vince Menzione: Yep. Alright. We have permission to share the deck with the each of you as well. [00:53:34] Jay McBain: Alright, well thank you very much everyone. Jay. Great to have you.

The deal isn't closed by force; it's closed by clarity. In the high-stakes environment of global enterprise, we are trained to monitor external metrics: ROI, market volatility, and competitive leverage. However, most leaders are operating with significant internal friction, drowning out the very signals they need to navigate complex terrain. Michael McAdams, author of An Angel Told Me So, joins the show to reframe our understanding of guidance and high-performance coherence. This episode is a masterclass in expanding your internal bandwidth to receive the strategic intelligence already available to you. Regulation is the new competitive advantage. Most professionals are "white-knuckling" their way through the day, unaware that their own internal noise—a chaotic "mini solar system" of thought—is blocking the frequency of the "Spirit Teachers" and advisors that exist adjacent to our physical plane. Michael demonstrates that when we quiet the nervous system, we move from a state of force to a state of flow, allowing us to operate with less friction and more resonance. Key takeaways from this session include: The Physics of Filtering: How to use specific affirmations as a biological "aura of protection" to ensure only high-vibrational, positive signals reach your mind. Navigating the Veil: Understanding that we are not the sole property of ourselves and that our spirit guides are invested in our recognition of their existence. The Graduation Perspective: Reframing "success" and "death" through the lens of continuity and evaluation rather than finality or punishment. Psychometry and Sensory Intelligence: The mechanics of tapping into objects and environments to read the energetic resonance of a situation. Stop trying to override the system with sheer willpower. Learn to regulate, listen, and access the "Spirit of the Deal" through the quiet power of human physics. Michael McAdams provides the blueprint for shifting from a frantic search for success to a coherent state of being where the student is always ready and the teacher always appears.   www.spiritspeaks.com Facebook

In this episode, Robin Merttens is joined by Dr Thomas Kuhnt (HDI Global SE), Ed Ackerman (Qover) and Vincent De Ponthaud (AXA) for a rare C-suite perspective on Agentic AI — what it is, how it's being deployed and why senior leaders are walking a tightrope between bold innovation and operational risk. Agentic AI promises transformative value, but for decision-makers at the top, it also brings real uncertainty. What do you build vs. buy? How do you prove ROI? And how do you prevent over-trusting agents that are inherently probabilistic? In this conversation, Thomas, Ed and Vincent share: Why Agentic AI is different from past tech trends and why this one feels real The cultural and leadership challenge of balancing excitement with governance How AXA and HDI are enabling safe experimentation at scale across complex organisations How Qover is building 20+ AI agents to automate claims micro-tasks — and when they build vs. buy What customers really think about AI agents  and why nearly none opt out The risks of shadow AI and why IT needs to move faster than ever Why “human in the loop” is flawed and how user trust in AI could become a blind spot What's missing: industry standards, agent evaluation tools and new roles like “agent managers” The case for cautious iteration, deep collaboration and constant re-evaluation Sign up to the InsTech newsletter for a fresh view on the world every Wednesday morning.