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Website Marketing vs. SEO Marketing: The Complete Business Essentials Guide with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.This episode demystifies the relationship between website marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO), clarifying the critical distinction between the two. The discussion frames website marketing as the broad, all-encompassing "ecosystem" of a brand's online presence, including email, social media, and advertising. In contrast, SEO is presented as the tactical, high-performance "engine" that powers a website's visibility and drives targeted traffic within that ecosystem. Through foundational principles, practical strategies, and live consultations with business owners, this guide provides a comprehensive framework for building a powerful and effective digital identity.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!>> Join our exclusive SEO Marketing community>> Read SEO Articles>> Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike>> Subscribe to the We Don't PLAY Podcast--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Key Takeaways• Website Marketing is the Ecosystem, SEO is the Engine: Website marketing is the entire universe of your online activities, from email campaigns to social media posts. SEO is the specific, technical practice of optimizing your website to be found by search engines, giving your marketing efforts direction and power.• Your Website is Your Digital Identity: A website is more than a link or a digital storefront; it is the central hub for establishing your brand's credibility, trustworthiness, and authority, creating a lasting experience for both new and returning visitors.• Messaging Precedes Marketing: The effectiveness of any marketing tactic hinges on compelling messaging that connects with customer psychology. As demonstrated with the "strawberry" example, great marketing shifts a customer's mindset from a simple "need" to an emotional "want."• Storytelling Sells, Facts Only Tell: To convert visitors into customers, product descriptions must go beyond listing features and instead create an emotional connection. As speaker Mo advises:• Technical Health is Non-Negotiable: A website's foundational health depends on more than just load speed and hosting. Consistently publishing fresh content is critical because every update creates a new "tokenized" copy for search engines to crawl. A dormant site gives search engines no reason to return, while an active site signals relevance and forces re-evaluation, directly impacting rankings.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Detailed Episode Notes1. Defining the Landscape: Website Marketing vs. SEOTo build a successful online presence, it is vital to distinguish between the overarching platform of website marketing and the specific tactics of SEO. Website marketing represents your brand's total visibility and communication channels online. SEO, a critical component within that framework, is the deliberate set of actions taken to ensure your website is discovered by the right audience at the right time. Understanding this difference is the first step toward a coherent and effective digital strategy.Contrasting Key ConceptsWebsite Marketing (The Ecosystem)The Truck and Engine AnalogyThe relationship between these two concepts can be understood through a simple yet powerful analogy presented during the episode:"Think of your website like a truck. Website marketing is the truck itself—it exists, it's present, and it's visible. SEO is the engine that actually moves the truck forward, giving it the power, speed, and direction it needs to reach its destination."With these foundational definitions established, it's clear that the website itself serves as the strategic center of all marketing efforts.2. The Strategic Hub: Your Website's Core FunctionYour website is your most critical digital asset. It is the definitive online destination where you control the narrative and build direct relationships with your audience. Far more than just a place for transactions, it is the central hub for establishing trust, demonstrating expertise, and solidifying a brand identity that resonates with visitors long after they leave.The Four Pillars of a Trustworthy WebsiteFor a website to be effective, it must embody four key qualities for every visitor:1. Credible: The information is accurate, professional, and demonstrates authority.2. Resourceful: It provides value and answers the questions your audience is asking.3. Trustworthy: The site is secure, transparent, and operates with integrity.4. Accessible: It is easy to navigate and available to all users.Analyzing Visitor BehaviorEvery website serves two primary types of visitors: new visitors and returning visitors. Understanding their distinct behaviors through analytics is crucial for optimization. With over 1.1 billion websites online, simply existing is not enough; your site must be engineered to effectively engage both audiences and guide them toward a desired action.Key Website ComponentsA modern website is a multimedia platform composed of various elements that search engines index and users engage with:• Text (including body copy, headlines, and policies)• Images (with descriptive alt text for accessibility and SEO)• Audio (e.g., MP3 files for podcasts or sound clips)• Video (e.g., MP4 files for tutorials or product showcases)• Documents (e.g., PDFs for white papers or downloadable guides)A well-structured website, rich with these components, provides the perfect foundation for the tactical work of SEO to drive qualified traffic.3. Tactical Deep Dive: Activating Your SEOSEO is the disciplined practice of aligning your website's structure and content with the specific words and phrases your target audience uses in search engines like Google. It is not about tricking algorithms but about creating a valuable and relevant experience that naturally earns high visibility. This requires a consistent content engine, especially since blogs have a shelf life of 24 months. A single post can provide SEO value for up to two years, demonstrating the long-term ROI of a strategic content plan.The Content Creation EngineGenerating traffic starts with a simple question-and-answer flow. How do you generate traffic? By kickstarting the engine. How do you kickstart the engine? By creating content. How do you create effective content? By building links through publishing valuable posts like blogs, landing pages, and product pages.Uncovering SEO OpportunitiesA live demonstration in the episode revealed how to find high-intent keywords directly from Google's search suggestions—a reflection of real, frequent user queries.The strategic takeaway is clear: each of these suggestions represents a distinct user need. A single list of 10 terms can be transformed into 10 to 50 unique media assets, including blog posts, email newsletters, social media updates, and even podcast episodes. This moves SEO from theory to a practical, content-driven reality.4. Marketing in Action: Live Business ConsultationsApplying marketing theory to real-world businesses is the fastest path to clarity. This section analyzes the specific, actionable advice given to two entrepreneurs, providing a blueprint for any product-based business seeking to translate online presence into measurable results.5. Tools & Resources MentionedThe selection of a tool, particularly for email marketing, is not just a matter of features but also of technical performance. As discussed in the episode, platforms with strong server infrastructure (like Flodesk's partnership with Amazon SES) can significantly impact email deliverability, a key component of the overall marketing ecosystem.• AI Idea Generation: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, DeepSeek, Grok• Email Marketing Platforms: Constant Contact, Mailchimp, Flodesk (preferred), Aweber, Kit, Brevo• Website Hosting: GoDaddy, BlueHost, Hostinger, SiteGround• Website Builders: Webador• Social & Content Platforms: Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Clubhouse• E-commerce: AmazonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
We don't do AI predictions lightly. Everyday AI is trusted by millions each year to help guide them through the muddy AI waters. So in the same way you'd want transparency out of your AI models, we're rolling back the clock on our January 2025 AI predictions we dished with our Roadmap Review. We're busting out the receipts. At the time, these AI predictions seemed nutty. So, did we lead you astray? Or, did we pave the road to paydirt? Let's dive in y'all. 2025 AI Roadmap Rewind: From AI Agent Orchestrators to Deepfakes. The New Tech Order -- An Everyday AI Chat with Jordan WilsonNewsletter: Sign up for our free daily newsletterMore on this Episode: Episode PageJoin the discussion:Thoughts on this? Join the convo and connect with other AI leaders on LinkedIn.Upcoming Episodes: Check out the upcoming Everyday AI Livestream lineupWebsite: YourEverydayAI.comEmail The Show: info@youreverydayai.comConnect with Jordan on LinkedInTopics Covered in This Episode:AI Agent Orchestrators as Job TitleAI Agents in Company Hiring TrendsEnterprise Reasoning Data Collection GrowthAI Driving Professional Services Pricing CrisisUniversal Basic Income and AI Job LossOpen Source AI Models Surpassing ProprietaryChinese AI Model Global Market ImpactPerplexity Answers Engine Business PivotFrontier AI API Price DropsVC Funding Surge in Embodied AIAdvancements in AI Video Generation ToolsAI's Disruption of Traditional Internet ModelsSocial Media Deepfake Misinformation SurgeTimestamps:00:00 "2025 AI Predictions Explained"04:02 "2025 AI Predictions Insights"08:49 AI Agents Classified as Employees11:23 "Transformers vs. Reasoning Models"16:15 AI Impact on Consulting Jobs18:51 "AI Impacts Jobs, Spurs UBI"23:12 Open Models Surge in AI27:13 "Perplexity's AI Pivot Journey"29:23 "Embodied AI Sector Growth"31:36 "Embodied AI Transforms Logistics"36:42 "AI-Driven Internet Future"39:16 Deepfake Fraud Crisis Escalates42:25 AI Success Roadmap RevealedKeywords:Agent orchestrators, AI agent orchestration, AI job titles, orchestration engineer, AI agent architect, human-AI collaboration leader, Adobe agent orchestrator, AO, AI agents, digital FTEs, digital full time employees, AI agent hiring, agent compute costs, Agent Force, hiring digital labor, reasoning models, company reasoning data collection, reasoning token consumption, synthetic data generation, private reasoning engines, unstructured data, proprietary data, professional services pricing crisis, law sector AI disruption, consulting AI transformation, accounting Send Everyday AI and Jordan a text message. (We can't reply back unless you leave contact info) Ready for ROI on GenAI? Go to youreverydayai.com/partner
Special Guest: George Rivera https://buybacktimeformula.com Welcome back to the Profits Unleashed Podcast — where podcasting meets purpose and profit. In this powerful episode, I sat down with George Rivera, a father, founder, executive coach, and creator of the Buyback Time Formula. And honestly? This is one conversation every founder needs to hear. George has spent over 30 years in direct response marketing, e-commerce, and real estate coaching. From the outside, his success looked impressive — multi–seven figure businesses, scale, momentum. But behind the scenes, the cost was high: his health, his energy, and most importantly, his time with family. What really moved me was the story that sparked George's pivot. As a child, his father — a successful medical doctor — missed nearly all of his basketball games. Decades later, shortly before his father passed away, George received a simple but life-altering message: “Don't miss Leo's games.” That moment forced George to confront a hard truth — he was repeating the same pattern in his own life. Despite growing his business to $20M, George found himself trapped as the bottleneck, working 60–90 hour weeks, exhausted, resentful, and stuck in what he now calls “founder prison.” That breaking point led him to redesign his role, his team, and his systems — not to slow growth, but to accelerate it. The result? A business that scaled to nearly $50M while he reclaimed his time, worked fewer hours, and became fully present as a father. In this episode, we dive deep into the mindset shifts, delegation frameworks, and practical systems that allow founders to step out of the weeds and lead from their zone of genius — without guilt or fear. George doesn't sugarcoat it. Buying back time isn't magic. It's intentional, structured, and deeply personal. If you've built something powerful but feel trapped inside it, this conversation might just change everything. Key Takeaways (From My Perspective as Host): I learned that burnout isn't a badge of honor — it's a warning sign I saw how poor delegation creates bottlenecks, not protection I was reminded that 80% done by the right person often beats 100% done by me I realized time audits reveal freedom opportunities hiding in plain sight I believe scaling doesn't require sacrifice — it requires systems I'm convinced that buying back time is one of the highest ROI decisions a founder can make
What if you could make every job deeply meaningful — no matter the industry, title, or task?In this episode of The Flourishing Edge Podcast, host Ashish Kothari sits down with Tamara Myles, author, researcher, and founder of Keynote Speaker, to explore the science of meaningful work. Together, they reveal how leaders can turn workplaces into thriving communities where employees feel valued, challenged, and connected.From her groundbreaking research, Tamara shares the Three C's of Meaning — Community, Contribution, and Challenge — and how these elements can unlock performance, loyalty, and fulfillment across organizations.
It's YOUR time to #EdUp with Dr. Eric Klein, Assistant Provost, Doctoral Research & Student Success, American College of EducationIn this episode, part of our Academic Integrity Series, sponsored by Integrity4EducationYOUR cohost is Thomas Fetsch, CEO, Integrity4EducationYOUR host is Elvin FreytesHow does an online university grow enrollment by doubling every year for 5 years while maintaining 85% graduation rates & 95% student satisfaction without raising tuition since 2016?What happens when an institution refuses Title IV funding & offers master's degrees for under $10,000 & doctoral programs under $25,000 while delivering $19.20 in ROI for every $1 students invest?How does a focus on transparency & student centeredness through personalized pathways, immersive VR learning & clear job placement data prepare 12,000 students for lifelong learning in an AI enabled world?Listen in to #EdUpThank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp!Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - Elvin Freytes & Dr. Joe Sallustio● Join YOUR EdUp community at The EdUp ExperienceWe make education YOUR business!P.S. Want to get early, ad-free access & exclusive leadership content to help support the show? Then subscribe today to lock in YOUR $5.99/m lifetime supporters rate! This offer ends December 31, 2025!
On the Schmooze Podcast: Leadership | Strategic Networking | Relationship Building
Yet again, I helped one of my clients have the lightbulb moment that publishing a book isn't about selling copies. The benefit of a book is how it opens doors. The moment your book hits the world, it becomes a beacon, drawing opportunities you might never have considered. Many authors find that beyond book sales, their work leads to speaking engagements, networking breakthroughs, consulting roles, and other unexpected ways to grow their influence. Your book can position you as an expert, a thought leader, and a sought-after voice in your industry—all while building meaningful connections with those you can impact most. But you need to be ready to seize these opportunities. It's why I work with authors to develop strategies for maximizing the impact of their books—so every opportunity is met with intention and purpose. Want to talk more about how your book can open doors? Visit www.BookLaunchBrainstorm.com to schedule a complimentary 30-minute book launch (or relaunch) brainstorming session. Now, let's dive into the milestones reached and lessons learned by our panelists … Michelle Tillis Lederman wrote “The Connector's Advantage: 7 Mindsets to Grow Your Influence and Impact” to help guide you in building powerful, inclusive relationships that accelerate success, open doors, and create lasting impact, no matter your career stage or goals. Carlo Mahfouz wrote “Reality Check: In Pursuit of the Right Questions” to help leaders, innovators, and curious minds master the art of asking the right questions at the right time, unlocking clarity, self-awareness, and strategic insight in the face of change. Please join me in welcoming Carlo and Michelle. In this episode, we discuss the following:
Sam Liang worked on the team that built the "blue dot" for Google Maps and now he's transforming how we think about meetings with Otter.ai. Fresh off crossing $100M in ARR with a lean team of less than 200, Sam joins us to discuss how Otter evolved from passive transcription to active AI agents that participate in your meetings. Learn practical strategies for building reliable voice AI, implementing enterprise knowledge bases, and deploying AI agents that actually deliver ROI.Resources mentioned:• Otter.ai $100M ARR announcement: https://otter.ai/blog/otter-ai-breaks-100m-arr-barrier• HIPAA compliance: https://otter.ai/blog/otter-ai-achieves-hipaa-complianceSubscribe to The Neuron newsletter: https://theneuron.ai
Download the FREE Tech Stack Checklist: tiquehq.com/tech-stack?utm_source=Podcast+Episode+154&utm_medium=Podcast+Episode+154&utm_campaign=Tech+Stack If choosing a task management system feels overwhelming, this episode is for you! Jennifer chats with system strategist Sarah Wills, founder of HeySwillsy and the expert behind Tique's ClickUp Business Hub. Sarah explains what a task management system actually does for your business, how it differs from a CRM and email marketing platform, and why the right tool can completely transform the way you work. She shares the essential features to look for, and explains why some platforms fall short while others scale effortlessly with your business. You'll also hear what finally pushed her toward ClickUp, how she helps travel advisors customize their systems, and the surprising ways data tracking can save you time, money, and stress. Whether you're drowning in sticky notes, managing a growing team, or trying to keep client work from slipping through the cracks, this episode will help you understand the logic behind your systems so you can work smarter, not harder! Connect with Sarah Wills: heyswillsy.com instagram.com/heyswillsy Today we will cover: (01:30) Meet Sarah Wills; how she became a systems expert (03:45) What a task management system actually does (08:20) What to look for in a task management platform (10:25) Trello vs. Clickup (19:35) How Sarah uses Dubsado and ClickUp together (24:10) How advisors can see referrals, return clients, and true marketing ROI (29:15) How to reevaluate your process using time tracking (38:15) Team management inside ClickUp; onboarding team members or ICs (47:30) What not to use ClickUp for Check out the ClickUp Business Hub Template → tiquehq.com/shop/clickup-business-hub-template Listen to Episode 154: How To Organize And Store Industry Contacts with Kristen Heitman JOIN THE NICHE COMMUNITY VISIT THE TEMPLATE SHOP EXPLORE THE PROGRAMS FOLLOW ALONG ON INSTAGRAM @TiqueHQ Thanks to Our Tique Talks Sponsors: Cozy Earth - Use code COZYTIQUE for 20% off
Weird week in AI.
When you start a podcast from your passion, it's not uncommon to hit a stage where monetization becomes essential. You can be consistent with your podcast, deliver real value, and still need an aligned strategy to see an ROI. The issue isn't your content… it's the structure of how you leverage your brand. In episode 470 of Amplify Your Success Podcast, I'm coaching Angela Ross, host of SoCal Voices, on how to turn her podcast into a true visibility + revenue engine—without turning it into a "sales pitch" or forcing ads that don't fit her brand. We unpack why selling can feel sticky (especially when you care deeply about your audience), and I walk Angela through a cleaner, more powerful monetization path: building an ecosystem around the podcast, creating aligned partner packages (not "sponsors"), and using her existing platforms more strategically—so growth and revenue become a natural byproduct of the value she's already delivering. If you want podcast monetization strategies that feel aligned and actually move the needle—this episode gives you a clear roadmap. Key Takeaways: [02:46] Why becoming Un-Ignorable is the foundation of monetization—and how my 7-step framework supports that. [08:11] The real reason monetization stalls (even when your message is strong): no clear revenue structure behind the show. [09:43] Why "sponsors" can feel out of alignment—and the reframe that makes it easy: build aligned partners who share your values. [11:08] The mindset shift that unlocks premium monetization: your podcast can serve people and generate revenue without compromise. [13:49] Stop thinking "podcast" and start building an ecosystem—multiple touchpoints, deeper community, and clearer pathways to get paid. [17:50] How to make partner packages irresistible by focusing on outcomes you can help them create (PR angles, visibility, community access). [18:51] The strategic move that increases conversions: early-bird / founding partner offers that reward action and create momentum. [19:57] Why a LinkedIn newsletter becomes a simple, high-authority channel for visibility and monetization—without more content pressure. [24:46] The "focus expands" rule: how choosing one priority platform (IG) and optimizing your format/content creates measurable growth. [28:58] Why guesting on other podcasts is one of the fastest authority and partner-building moves you can make. Connect With Angela: Follow Angela on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/socalvoices/ Connect with Angela on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/socalvoices Listen To Angela's SoCal Voices Podcast - https://www.socalvoices.com/ Resources Mentioned in This Episode: FREE GUIDE & SCORECARD: Feel like the best-kept secret? My proven Un-Ignorable Expert Framework is your step-by-step guide to turning your expertise into consistent, high-value client attraction by borrowing authority-rich visibility streams. Discover how to collaborate so that you grow your reach, revenue and impact with strategic alliances. Get Details Here. https://melaniebenson.com/collaborate
In this episode, real estate CPA Katie Ripp joins us to reveal crucial tax strategies for female real estate investors. Katie debunks persistent myths—like the need for an LLC for more deductions—and explains why understanding depreciation is vital to avoid costly mistakes. She breaks down how to qualify for Real Estate Professional (REP) status and leverage it to offset income, details the “short-term rental loophole” for maximizing Airbnb tax benefits, and simplifies the 1031 exchange for deferring capital gains taxes. Whether you're overwhelmed by taxes or seeking proactive strategies, Katie offers clear, practical advice to stay organized and optimize your wealth. Listeners will also learn about the ongoing support and resources available through the WIIRE Community's quarterly CPA calls, designed specifically for real estate investors. If you're ready to master the tax game and grow your portfolio with confidence, this episode gives you the knowledge and encouragement you need. Resources:Simplify how you manage your rentals with TurboTenantGet in touch with Envy Investment GroupConnect with KatieMake 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
Marketing's leadership gap is widening across Fortune 500 companies. Kathryn Rathje, partner at McKinsey, reveals why only 66% of Fortune 500 companies retained CMOs last year and how marketing budgets dropped to 7.7% of revenue. She explains how CMOs can rebuild credibility by aligning metrics with CEO priorities, establishing clear ROI definitions with CFOs, and implementing full-funnel marketing measurement systems that connect brand investments to revenue outcomes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Most people wait for life to slow down… it never does. Everything changed for me when I started taking one weekend a year for a personal strategy retreat. No phone, no noise, no inputs… just time to think and reset. That silence exposed what mattered, what didn't, and where I was lying to myself. It became the single highest-ROI habit of my year. In this episode, I break down the simple structure I use, why it works, and how it's reshaped my goals, my energy, and my direction. If you're tired of drifting, this is the reset you've needed for a long time.Love This? Leave a ReviewHelp more pros find us and just take 10 seconds: • Apple Podcasts: [https://shorturl.at/Jhlez] • Spotify: [https://shorturl.at/8IeVM] Connect with Stephen Website: lifebuilder.co | LinkedIn: [linkedin.com/in/stephencourson] | YouTube: [youtube.com/@stephencourson] About Lifebuilder The Lifebuilder Podcast helps ambitious entrepreneurs and leaders gain clarity, eliminate distractions, and achieve their goals faster. Each episode gives practical strategies for personal growth, productivity, and building a meaningful life. If you want clear direction, better focus, and proven frameworks to win at life and work, this show gives you the tools to get unstuck and move forward.
You won't build a successful gym by guessing what people want. You just can't read minds—but every entrepreneur tries to do that, and it's costly.Today on “Run a Profitable Gym,” Two-Brain founder Chris Cooper provides the simple fix: Start using the “just ask method"—a proven way to boost every single metric in your gym.Chris walks through exactly which questions you must ask to improve your gym's marketing, sales, retention, pricing, ROI on expenses, staff development and net owner benefit.The key insight: Don't guess; just ask.For example, you might assume clients want a kettlebell class because you love kettlebells. If you meet with clients and ask what they want, you might discover 10 of them are training for running events, and you have a prime opportunity to boost average revenue per member with a race prep program.Or perhaps you can't hold onto staff people. What if you ask what they want to earn and accomplish, then show them how to do it? They'll stay longer and allow you to focus on building the business as the CEO.Watch to discover the questions top gym owners ask to improve every key performance indicator and build incredibly profitable businesses.Get Coop's “Exactly What to Say” guide in Gym Owners United, linked below.LinksGym Owners UnitedBook a Call0:01 - Stop guessing & just ask5:17 - Improve your marketing & sales13:25 - Boost client retention & value17:53 - Cut expenses & pay yourself more25:13 - Payoff of the “just ask” method
Specialty retailers keep asking us: handheld scanners or overhead readers? So we settled it the only way we know how: with a knockdown, dragout debate between two RFID experts. In this Retail Technology Spotlight, Anne Mezzenga moderates as Madalynn Lauria (Team Handheld) and Pareiya Gupta (Team Overhead) from GreyOrange make their cases for the best RFID solution. From proving ROI on a tight budget to cutting inventory counts from hours to minutes, this conversation tackles the real questions retailers are wrestling with as they decide how to track inventory in 2026. The verdict? It's not as simple as picking a side. Whether you're testing RFID for the first time or scaling across hundreds of stores, the right answer depends on your velocity, your budget, and what you're actually trying to solve. But one thing's clear: manual counts and mystery stockrooms aren't going to cut it anymore. Key Topics covered: • How to test RFID with minimal budget and staff • Cutting inventory counts from hours to under 20 minutes • Why some retailers are going hybrid (overhead + handheld) • Real-time shrink visibility and where product actually disappears • Tracking TikTok trends and moving inventory between stores in hours • The smart fitting room problem nobody talks about Music by hooksounds.com *Sponsored Content* #RFID #retailtech #inventorymanagement #omnitalk #retailinnovation #smartretail #retailpodcast #omnichannelretail #retailoperations #supplychain
We talk about confidence like it's a vibe. But the truth is, belief isn't a mindset hack—it's a leadership skill. In this episode of Your Big Next, I'm talking about one of the biggest bottlenecks I see in high-capacity founders (and yes, I've lived it too): deep, unconscious self-doubt.We're talking about belief at the cellular level, because the ROI of belief touches everything: → The way you lead → The way you sell → The way you partner, parent, and buildI'll walk you through:The CEO beliefs that silently stall growthWhy we can't “strategize” our way out of misalignmentHow to install new beliefs with what I call the Belief Installation ProtocolAnd what happens when you finally start leading from overflow, not overcompensationI want to help you see the cost of old belief systems and show you how to shift into a new era of conviction and clarity. If you're done being your own growth ceiling, let's go there.Resources from this episode:Your Big Next Book is Coming SOON! Get on the waitlist https://yourbignextbook.com/Leadership Advantage Assessment https://luminaryleadershipco.com/styleWatch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@elizhartkeShow notes: https://luminaryleadershipco.com/episode305Connect with me:Website: https://luminaryleadershipco.com/If there's a topic, a question or a guest you want to hear on the show or an idea you have for us, just reach out and share that at marketing@luminaryleadershipco.com. We'd love to chat!Connect with me on Instagram!Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here!
Ryan Connolly, Head of Marketing at Hidden Iceland, shares how his company transformed from serving all market segments to focusing exclusively on premium and luxury private tours. The pivotal decision to cut small group tours (which represented 50% of departures but only 10% of revenue) allowed Hidden Iceland to grow by 5% while improving quality and profitability. Ryan discusses how relationship marketing drives 70% of their bookings directly (without OTAs), why they lead with education when working with travel advisors, and how PR outperforms paid advertising for luxury sales. He also reveals his background working in finance before a three year journey across 40 countries led him to become a glacier guide in Iceland, where he met his wife on a tour and co-founded the company with two partners.Top 10 Takeaways for Tour Operators1. Cut unprofitable segments ruthlesslySmall group tours accounted for 50% of Hidden Iceland's departures but only 10% of revenue. After eliminating that segment, they grew 5% by focusing resources on premium and luxury private tours where margins are higher.2. Partner with competitors instead of viewing them as threatsWhen customers can't afford Hidden Iceland's luxury pricing, Ryan personally introduces them to partner companies that serve the budget segment. This maintains relationships and positions them as helpful experts rather than pushy salespeople.3. PR drives better ROI than paid ads for high ticket salesOver 450 articles in publications like Condé Nast, Forbes, and CNN have driven 70% direct bookings. For luxury trips ($20,000+), earned media builds trust better than Facebook or Google ads.4. Lead with personal story in first customer contactRyan's initial email starts: "Hello, my name is Ryan. I'm originally Scottish. I've lived in Iceland since 2016. I originally trained as a glacier guide..." This builds immediate trust and differentiates from transactional competitors.5. Educate travel advisors. Don't just sell to themHidden Iceland runs webinars teaching agents about Iceland's seasons, distances, and what each time of year offers. Not sales pitches. The education first approach builds meaningful advisor relationships that generate 30% of bookings.6. Vet activity partners on safety and environmental standardsBefore partnering with snowmobile companies, helicopter tours, or other providers, Hidden Iceland shares their own safety and environmental policies first, then asks partners to reciprocate. This creates collaboration, not just transactions.7. Train guides to be themselves, not follow scriptsInstead of teaching guides what to say at each stop, Hidden Iceland tells them: "Be yourself in the most authentic way possible and create genuine connections." This leads to reviews that praise the guide more than the destination.8. Choose conferences strategically. Avoid the herdRyan skips luxury travel conferences if more than 2 or 3 other Iceland companies will attend. Less competition means easier differentiation and more meaningful conversations with travel advisors.9. Keep the sales process low tech and high touchDespite having a CRM (LEMACS), Hidden Iceland puts key itinerary details in the body of emails and offers phone calls early. For luxury clients, human connection trumps slick automation.10. Build the business with partners you trust implicitlyRyan emphasizes: "Don't set up a company with anyone you don't trust inherently and that you believe will communicate effectively during the hardest times." Through pandemics and volcanic eruptions, Hidden Iceland's three owners have never shouted at each other because they chose partnership carefully.
Dave Schwartz had all the signs of worldly success. He was a high-level officer with a Fortune 500 company in the insurance and financial services industry for 25 years before starting a breakaway firm with a friend which grew to a hundred employees in three different states. Life was good. But after some deep, personal valleys—including two open-heart surgeries—God got Dave's attention in a powerful way and helped him to see that a check-the-box religion wasn't cutting it and something needed to change. Inspired by his now-wife's deep contentment and relationship with God, Dave also began to pursue a deeper relationship himself. Selling interest in the company he helped start, Dave transitioned to the nonprofit sector where he vetted partners and handled donor funds. He then was invited to lead the missions programs at their church. Little did Dave know that this was laying the foundations for a God-sized vision on the other side of the world. Dave and his wife became close with a Liberian family from their church, and in 2021, they had an opportunity to travel to Liberia, the eighth poorest country in the world. Experiencing the extreme poverty at an orphanage there planted a strong desire to do something to uplift the children of Liberia without just giving out hand-me-downs. Now, after a few years of divine connections and miraculous generosity, ground will soon be broken for the Agape Empowerment Center, a 15-acre campus designed to raise Christ-centered Liberian leaders through housing, education, and holistic care. If you've ever wondered what it's like to build a vision from scratch, this episode is for you. Major Topics Include: Becoming envious of contentment How the God-sized vision came together Governance, structure, and transparency Giving a hand up without creating a cycle of dependency Building a culture one grade at a time Involving locals in the mission A hopeful view of the next 5 to 10 years How this experience has deepened Dave's faith The vision for agricultural and manufacturing enterprise zones Building community through collaboration Examining the ROI of philanthropic dollars QUOTES TO REMEMBER “Laying in the hospital in 2012, recovering from my second open-heart surgery, I realized it was time to make a change.” “What is a true relationship with our Savior versus a religious ‘check-the-box'?” “As I started to change from religion to a relationship with Jesus, contentment started to creep into my life and I had never really experienced that before.” “Liberia is the eighth poorest country in the world. Per person income on an annual basis is $530 USD.” “I made the very Western throw-away comment of ‘Gosh, Honey, someone's gotta do something about this.' Without missing a beat, my wife says, ‘What about us?' And that's how the Agape Empowerment Center got started.” “If we want them to become the best and to be Christ-centered children, well-educated, then let's start treating them like the best and stop just giving them our hand-me-downs.” “In five or ten years, I see children with joy and hope in their lives.” “I have learned that I absolutely have no control. I think I do, but I don't. And at the end of the day, this is God's plan or it's not. I just hope to be able to help implement it.” “I'm not going to retire, I'm going to re-fire.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Agape Empowerment Center When Helping Hurts (see our interview with coauthor Brian Fikkert) Convoy of Hope The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Today's guest is Chris Joynt, Director of Product Marketing at Securiti. Securiti is a leader in AI-powered data security, privacy, and governance across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Chris joins Emerj Editorial Director Matthew DeMello to explore why trust in data remains the defining challenge for AI in financial services, and how institutions can modernize their architectures to enable safe, compliant, and scalable AI adoption. Chris also breaks down the practical workflows that reduce regulatory and cyber risk — mapping data flows, classifying unstructured data, preventing shadow AI — and shows how stronger governance ultimately accelerates ROI by enabling faster, more reliable AI deployment across the enterprise. Want to share your AI adoption story with executive peers? Click emerj.com/expert2 for more information and to be a potential future guest on the 'AI in Business' podcast! This episode is sponsored by Securiti.
Send us a textYour next contract is already researching vendors on LinkedIn, and today we show you how to be the profile they trust. We sit down with author and strategist Al Kushner to break down a practical, repeatable playbook tailored for builders, steel dealers, and manufacturers who want qualified leads without living on the phone. The shift is simple but powerful: speak to outcomes, not offerings; educate instead of pitch; and make your profile the clearest answer to a buyer's biggest questions.We dig into what actually moves the needle: outcome-based headlines and summaries that signal expertise, content pillars that balance education, project results, team credibility, and light promotions, plus the underrated force multiplier of LinkedIn newsletters that land in inboxes and bypass spam filters. You'll hear concrete examples—how to frame a 60x100 build as a schedule win, why decision makers respond to “how we saved three weeks” more than “look at our building,” and how one video can spawn ten posts when you slice by challenge, result, and process.Then we get operational. Al maps a lean weekly cadence any small team can sustain: 20 minutes a day for engagement, one to two hours a week to batch content, and simple analytics that prove ROI. We cover targeting by role, industry, and geography; using lead gen forms for higher conversion; and tagging sources in your CRM to see shorter sales cycles from pre-educated buyers. Along the way, AI shows up as a draft partner—not a replacement—to help you articulate value faster and keep your voice clear.If you've wondered whether LinkedIn is worth the effort, this conversation gives you the numbers, language, and steps to make it your always-on sales engine. Subscribe, share this episode with a teammate who needs the nudge, and leave a review with one LinkedIn question you want us to tackle next.Find his book at: The A.I. Linked AdvantageFor more information or to know more about the Shed Geek Podcast visit us at our website.Would you like to receive our weekly newsletter? Sign up here.Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube at the handle @shedgeekpodcast.To be a guest on the Shed Geek Podcast visit our website and fill out the "Contact Us" form.To suggest show topics or ask questions you want answered email us at info@shedgeek.com.This episodes Sponsors:Studio Sponsor: J Money LLC
Revenue Generator Podcast: Sales + Marketing + Product + Customer Success = Revenue Growth
Marketing's leadership gap is widening across Fortune 500 companies. Kathryn Rathje, partner at McKinsey, reveals why only 66% of Fortune 500 companies retained CMOs last year and how marketing budgets dropped to 7.7% of revenue. She explains how CMOs can rebuild credibility by aligning metrics with CEO priorities, establishing clear ROI definitions with CFOs, and implementing full-funnel marketing measurement systems that connect brand investments to revenue outcomes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ Gustafson sits down with Brian Brown, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at Rocket Companies, to unpack how Rocket has built a differentiated, full-stack fintech business far beyond its mortgage roots. The conversation explores Rocket's approach to long-tail monetization, the strategic importance of mortgage servicing, and how recapture rates become a durable competitive advantage in volatile rate environments. Brian shares lessons from leading complex M&A transactions, managing a business that reacts in real time to macro signals, and building a finance organization that prioritizes storytelling, strategy, and cross-functional thinking over pure accounting prowess. The result is a wide-ranging discussion on what traditional financial services companies can teach modern SaaS and fintech leaders about metrics, brand, and disciplined execution.—SPONSORS:Sage Intacct is a cloud financial management platform that replaces spreadsheets, automates workflows, and keeps your books audit-ready as you scale. It unifies accounting, ERP, and real-time reporting for finance, retail, logistics, tech, and professional services. With payback in under six months and up to 250% ROI, and eight years as the customer-satisfaction leader, Sage Intacct helps you take control of your growth: https://bit.ly/3Kn4YHtMercury is business banking built for builders, giving founders and finance pros a financial stack that actually works together. From sending wires to tracking balances and approving payments, Mercury makes it simple to scale without friction. Join the 200,000+ entrepreneurs who trust Mercury and apply online in minutes at https://www.mercury.comRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. For RevRec that auditors actually trust, visit https://www.rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Tipalti automates the entire payables process—from onboarding suppliers to executing global payouts—helping finance teams save time, eliminate costly errors, and scale confidently across 200+ countries and 120 currencies. More than 5,000 businesses already trust Tipalti to manage payments with built-in security and tax compliance. Visit https://www.tipalti.com/runthenumbers to learn more.Aleph automates 90% of manual, error-prone busywork, so you can focus on the strategic work you were hired to do. Minimize busywork and maximize impact with the power of a web app, the flexibility of spreadsheets, and the magic of AI. Get a personalised demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runFidelity Private Shares is the all-in-one equity management platform that keeps your cap table clean, your data room organized, and your equity story clear—so you never risk losing a fundraising round over messy records. Schedule a demo at https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com and mention Mostly Metrics to get 20% off.—LINKS:Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-brown-3aa37a8a/Rocket Companies: https://rocket.com/CJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:From $500M Losses to $500M Profits: The CFO Who Helped Major League Baseball Win off the Fieldhttps://youtu.be/7xw9qY2w5C4—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:02:30 Sponsors — Sage Intacct | Mercury | RightRev00:05:55 CJ's Rocket Mortgage Fanboy Moment00:07:13 How Rocket Mortgage Actually Makes Money00:12:06 Investing in Brand Trust for Infrequent but High-Stakes Decisions00:15:17 Mortgage Servicing as a Long-Term Relationship Engine00:17:17 Sponsors — Tipalti | Aleph | Fidelity Private Shares00:20:40 Why the Long Tail of Customer Relationships Is Underrated00:23:01 Recapture Rate and Why Mortgage Loyalty Is Broken00:25:23 Lower CAC Through Lifetime Value and Repeat Borrowers00:30:55 Financial Storytelling as a CFO's Real Job00:33:03 Why CFOs Must Sell the Story, Not Just the Numbers00:40:49 Public vs. Private M&A and Why Public Deals Are Harder00:45:21 Redfin Acquisition Thesis and Top-of-Funnel Strategy00:52:18 Being Swarmed by Merger Arb Funds Like Taylor Swift00:55:18 How Rocket Forecasts in a Volatile Interest Rate Environment00:58:04 Weekly Forecasting, Scenario Planning, and Avoiding Forecast Fatigue01:00:32 Finance Teams as Business Consultants and Strategic Partners01:02:23 Why CFOs Need a Seat at the Strategy Table01:04:19 Long-Ass Lightning Round: A Leadership Mistake and Building Teams01:05:58 Leadership Lessons on Team Size and Accountability01:07:33 Advice to Younger Self and Slowing Down01:08:49 Finance Software Stack and AI Tools01:11:31 Lessons from Working with Dan Gilbert01:16:58 Craziest Expense Story01:17:55 Outro#RunTheNumbersPodcast #CFOLeadership #FinanceStrategy #MergersAndAcquisitions #FinancialStorytelling This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com
Are stick swaps worth it? In today's age of cars where everyone cars about ROI, it's a question we get a ton, so let's discuss it.Resources/articles referenced in this episode:https://www.thedrive.com/news/he-turned-his-miata-into-a-side-hustle-by-teaching-enthusiasts-to-drive-stick-hell-pay-you-to-do-the-samehttps://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/distracted-driving-is-a-real-problem-for-teens-these-parents-think-theyve-found-the-solution-110001619.html?guccounter=2Flop of the week:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRi3MaggG38/Prop of the week:skoda-storyboard.com/en/skoda-world/rally-champion-fuel-efficiency-record-holder/Support us on Patreon for bonus, exclusive content + live stream access https://www.patreon.com/switchcastFor more information on SwitchCast & to submit vanity plates, check out our website: https://switchcast.live/Please visit our sponsors:https://sheffieldwatches.com/ - mention "SWITCHCAST"https://www.nuts4sticks.com/ - discount code "SWITCHCAST" for 10% discounthttps://switchcars.comhttps://epicvin.com/?a_aid=vvttz3hc9ogvd- the supplemental vehicle history reports you really need. Use our affiliate link!https://solonspine.com/ - Are you crooked? Solon Spine will straighten you out!Follow our socials:https://www.facebook.com/SwitchcarsInchttps://www.tiktok.com/@switchcarsdoughttps://www.instagram.com/switchcars
AI Unraveled: Latest AI News & Trends, Master GPT, Gemini, Generative AI, LLMs, Prompting, GPT Store
Episode Summary: The era of "Vibe Revenue"—valuations built on demos and FOMO—is officially over. In this special episode, we dissect a critical new report on Proving AI ROI Beyond Benchmarks. With OpenAI's GPT-5.2 Pro pricing reaching a staggering $168.00 per million output tokens, the days of treating intelligence as a cheap commodity are gone.We break down the "Great Chasm" facing the C-Suite: the gap between technical capability and actual profit. We also introduce the three defensive metrics you must track in 2026 to survive: Cost Per Successful Outcome (CPSO), Revenue Per Agent (RPA), and Agentic Workflow Displacement Rate (AWDR). Plus, we explain how Composite AI and Intelligent Model Routing can reduce your blended costs by up to 99%.Key Topics:The "Vibe Revenue" Bubble: Why 2025's "Gold Rush" mentality is crashing into economic reality.The GPT-5.2 Shock: Analysis of the "Pro" model pricing ($21 input / $168 output) and why it kills "vibe" adoption.Metric 1: CPSO (Cost Per Successful Outcome): Moving from "cost per token" to "cost per result".Metric 2: RPA (Revenue Per Agent): Treating AI agents as employees with quotas to measure top-line growth.Metric 3: AWDR (Agentic Workflow Displacement Rate): Measuring the % of tasks fully offloaded to AI, not just "assisted".The Solution: How Composite AI and Intelligent Model Routing allow you to use Llama-3 for easy tasks and GPT-5.2 only when necessary.The Audit: How to map your "Perceive-Act-Reason" loops to find high-ROI workflows.Links & Resources:Read the Paper: https://djamgatech.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Proving-AI-ROI-Beyond-Benchmarks.pdfKeywords: xVibe Revenue, AI ROI, Cost Per Successful Outcome (CPSO), Revenue Per Agent (RPA), Agentic Workflow Displacement Rate (AWDR), GPT-5.2, Intelligent Model Routing, Composite AI, AI Economics, Etienne Noumen, AI Unraveled
En el marco de Impactaland en EtMday, espacio que reunió a emprendedores, inversionistas y actores clave del ecosistema de innovación, se realizó este live podcast que conectó directamente los mundos del emprendimiento, el venture capital y la sostenibilidad.La conversación fue conducida por Jaime Sotomayor, host del podcast Innovación Sin Barreras, y contó con Felipe León, periodista y fundador de Diario Sustentable y del podcast El Club de la Sustentabilidad, como co–anfitrión.El invitado central fue Enrique Leikin de EY Chile, quien compartió su mirada sobre las tendencias que están marcando el futuro de los negocios con propósito en la región.
CEO coaching impact at Rydel → ex-CEO facilitator drove future-only focus, defined 8 KCIs tied to a 2031 revenue goal; owners present progress tomorrowOrg alignment → mitigate siloed thinking as team scales (3 → 120 relationships), assign single-threaded KCI owners, and demand outcome-focused, data-backed casesMarketing leadership → new head prioritizes reliable data, base ad-spend momentum, and annual ROI thinking; December 19 staffing gap forces ad budget decisionAlternative considered → split stations but run between each to simulate fatigue; consensus leans to true solo baselines firstCapability clarifications → Amer can complete 1,000m ski/row by pacing vs intervals; confidence-building needed via measured testsRole split in race → teams rarely go 50/50; align to strengths (e.g., sled push load feasibility), and choreograph transitions togetherPerformance goals → stretch: top 25; sub-60 min likely unrealistic given current run pace; use Ottawa trial to set aggressive but real targetsOttawa trial → Feb 15 in-person dry run to test pacing, transitions, and failure points safely; highest learning ROI vs individual practicePairing model → Adel matched with retired ex-CEO (Crayola/Hallmark) via profile of stage, personality, and challenges; 2 full-day team sessions/yearFacilitation craft → future-only framing with explicit yes from each attendee; redirected any past-focused remarks on the spot; met 1:1 at lunch to vent/close loopsTalk-time split → ~25% facilitator, 75% team; brief teaching blocks (~20 min) + moderated discussionIntake & agenda → anonymous prework surfaced strengths/weaknesses → day focused on defining top initiatives to “deserve” 2031 revenue goalKCI outcome → group debated 17 → 8 KCIs; each KCI has a single owner accountable for orchestration across silos; progress review meeting is tomorrowDecision hygiene → facilitator stayed neutral, pressed for objective business value, and required owners to translate passion into cross-functional outcomesRelationship explosion → management grew from 3 to 16; interaction lines grew 3 → 120 (N*(N−1)/2) → more conflict/coord needsWhole-thinking lens → consider each object's relationships to all others, not only “my function vs the thing”Meeting mechanism → everyone pitches priority initiatives; group selects few; single owner quarterbacks cross-functional executionStrong-but-timid ideas → owners expected to self-advocate; light prompting on outcomes; “natural selection” if the case lacks clarityEmotional spikes → facilitator acknowledged care, insisted on translation to business value; did not match energy; kept room groundedHiring journey → struggled to find autonomous marketing owner; new leader from a different industry is working due to depth on metrics + ownershipData discipline → focus on fewer, reliable, raw data points that tell a coherent city/trade/lead-cost story; avoid noisy inferred metricsSpend momentum → maintain base ad spend in off-season to preserve algorithm learning; annual ROI > monthly; educate franchisees at network scaleStakes ↑ → guidance affects 30+ owners; requires taking stands with clear whySeasonal wrinkle → Dec 19–early Jan sales capacity near-zero; must adjust ad budgets to avoid unserviceable lead inventory vs losing algo momentumProject management gap → difficulty isolating bottlenecks from noise; risk of over-involvement; needs sharper owners, milestones, scorecards, comp linkageSolver addiction → urge to fix everything reduces team self-advocacy; practicing boundaries to let owners own outcomesDefinitions matter → deepen rigor on integrity, responsibility, accountability; “how” now outweighs “what” at scaleIdentity vs results → over-attached to monthly sales; learning to accept short-term dips to grow managers and systemsAnxiety management → hired PA (Ben) for 2–3 hrs/week as prioritization sounding board; structured check-ins, guided questions, RICE scoring to de-conflict urgency vs impact
In this episode of Partnerships Unraveled, we sit down with Jana O'Connor, AVP of Global Strategic Partner Marketing at SentinelOne, to dissect the evolving role of partner marketing and what it takes to drive measurable impact in today's landscape. With nearly three decades of experience at industry giants like Palo Alto Networks and Symantec, Jana brings a wealth of insight into what partnership success looks like in an age of increased accountability, complexity, and ecosystem collaboration.We explore the shift from activity-based enablement to outcome-driven strategy, how MDF is being scrutinized like never before, and the importance of aligning go-to-market efforts across sales, marketing, and channel teams. Jana also shares what makes hyperscaler partnerships like SentinelOne's with AWS scale effectively, and why operationalizing transparency is the glue that holds high-performing partner strategies together. For those building or transforming partner marketing programs, this conversation offers a playbook of hard-won lessons and strategic frameworks.Tune in to learn what the modern partner marketing mandate looks like and how to deliver real ROI._________________________Learn more about Channext
If you've been looking for a way to hit or exceed your annual quota, qualify for President's Club, or simply earn a bigger paycheck or bonus, focusing on helping business owners reduce their tax burden by investing in your product, service or software in the final weeks of the year can give you the edge you need get more sales closed. Business Owners are Motivated to Reduce Taxes In the United States there are millions of SMBs and the vast majority of these businesses are what we call pass-through organizations for tax purposes. This means that the owners or partners in these businesses report the profits on their personal tax filings. Unlike big companies, small companies don't have the luxury of rolling profits over to the next year. So whatever they made this year, they have to pay taxes on. As the calendar winds down business owners are often motivated to invest in products, services, and software solutions in order to reduce taxable income. In other words, if a business has shown strong profits throughout the year, its owners might be keen to spend some of that money on improving their operations, expanding their capabilities, or streamlining their processes—right now—rather than hand over a large chunk of their profits to Uncle Sam come tax season. Business Owners Hate Paying Taxes To understand why this year-end period is so critical, let's get into the mindset of a small or medium-sized business owner. Unlike large enterprises with multiple departments and complex accounting strategies, SMB owners are often personally invested in the company's financial results because those results are essentially their income. It's how they pay their mortgage and put food on the table. For this reason, they watch their revenue and expenses closely. As the year comes to an end, they're looking at their bottom line and thinking about the upcoming tax bill. For many of these business owners, profit is a double-edged sword. Don't get me wrong, they want to make a profit. But at some point, too much profit triggers a much higher tax bill. If there is one thing I know about small and medium sized business owners its that they hate taxes. They are always looking for ways to legally minimize their tax liability. One easy and productive way to do this is to make fully or partially depreciable investments in the business before December 31st. That could mean buying new equipment, software, training packages, or services that will not only improve the business long-term but also reduce taxable income for the current year. An Urgent Need to Spend As a salesperson, the key takeaway here is that your prospects have a natural, time-bound incentive to spend. If you can position your product or service as the right investment at the right time, you might find it easier to close those deals that seemed just out of reach during the rest of the year. And by the way, if you are dealing with decision-makers who are pushing off decisions to next year, this is a great way to get past that objection. Framing Your Business Case I want to be clear though that most businesses are not going to spend money for the sake of spending money. Savvy business owners want to reduce taxes and do the right thing for their company. Therefore, you can't just be transactional. You still must follow the sales process and build a bridge to the value of tax savings AND business improvement when making your business case. It's all about framing your product or service as a strategic investment rather than a mere expense. For example: If you sell software tools that improve operational efficiency, make the case for how your solution will help them save on labor costs, reduce errors, and streamline workflows. If you're selling advertising, highlight how a year-end launch of a new campaign will lead to immediate results that set the stage for a strong Q1. If you sell capital equipment walk them through how the new equipment will make them more productive and help them expand their business in the new year. The key is to connect the value of your offering directly to the timing. Consider messaging like: “This is an opportune moment to upgrade your systems, so you'll enter the new year with a competitive edge and potentially lower your tax liabilities this season.” “By getting your campaign locked in before the year closes, you can reap immediate tax benefits while ensuring your advertising starts generating leads in January when you need them the most.” If we get the equipment ordered now it will be delivered in Q1 giving you plenty of time to get a high ROI next year. When you can tie the ROI of your product to both tangible improvements and the financial perks of year-end spending, the business case becomes much more compelling and you will sell more. Tailor Your Approach While the end-of-year tax incentive is a common denominator, not every SMB is identical. Some might be profitable but cash-constrained, while others have capital burning a hole in their pockets. Some may be in sectors that had a booming year, while others are just recovering from a difficult market. The more you understand the unique challenges and goals of each prospect you're targeting, the better you can tailor your approach. Before you pick up the phone, walk through their door, or send an email, do some research. Check out their recent announcements, whether they're hiring or expanding. Look into trends in their industry. Understanding these nuances will help you fine-tune your messaging. If you know a business is tight on cash, emphasize flexible payment plans or financing options. If the business is flush with profit, reinforce the immediate tax advantage and the strategic value of reinvesting those funds. Empathy and relevance are your allies here. Show that you understand their position and that your solution aligns perfectly with their current goals. That personal touch, combined with the natural urgency of year-end, is a powerful recipe for closing the deal. Lead With Urgency: Clear, Direct, Compelling I don't want to sweep under the rug how important timing and urgency are with this tactic. While you don't want to be completely transactional, you do want to be direct. As we approach the end of the year, many SMB owners have a long to-do list: Finalizing paperwork, inventory checks, reviewing vendor contracts, preparing for holiday promotions, and on and on. They're busy. They have limited time to spend on sales pitches. This means your outreach needs to be respectful of their schedule and also clear, direct, and compelling. Say right away: “I'm reaching out before the year ends because I have a solution that can help you maximize your tax benefits this year and help you grow your business next year." Being direct and to the point respects their time and sets the context immediately. If you need more help with direct and to-the-point messaging, grab your copy of my book Fanatical Prospecting and review Because Statements. It's crucial that you create and maintain a sense of urgency. Not the aggressive, pushy kind, but a natural urgency rooted in a real calendar event: The year-end. The clock is ticking, and if they don't make their purchase by December 31st, they miss out on the potential tax advantages. This deadline isn't artificial—it's a reality. Use it to frame your conversations. Urgency helps prospects prioritize your offer over other distractions in their busy schedule. Handling Objections You might encounter objections like: “We're too busy to consider new solutions right now,” or “We don't have enough budget.” In these cases, it's wise to highlight the cost-saving and tax benefits again. Stress that investing now can actually put them in a better position financially. Remind them that waiting until next year could mean missing out on an opportunity to reduce this year's taxable income. If time is an issue, propose a quick and efficient implementation plan. Show them that you can be agile and help them integrate the solution without massive downtime. If budget is a concern, consider promotions, discounts, or favorable financing terms. Sometimes, offering a small year-end incentive can tip the scales in your favor. The Five Keys to Selling More to SMBs at the End of the Year SMBs have a natural incentive to invest before year-end: They want to reduce their taxable income and set themselves up for a strong next year. Frame your product as a strategic investment: Highlight the value, ROI, and tax benefits that come with a year-end purchase. Avoid being transactional: Follow the sales process and position yourself as a partner who can help them navigate this critical period. Tailor your approach to each SMB's situation: Research their needs and adjust your prospecting message accordingly, showing empathy and relevance. Create urgency with a real deadline: The calendar itself is your ally; emphasize that the benefits come from acting before December 31st. Here's the deal though. Do not wait. Start this process now. The low-hanging fruit is out there but it will rot on the vine if you fail to pick before the sand runs out of the hourglass this year. Check out the BRAND NEW Jeb Blount Ultimate Sales Success Box Set. It's the perfect gift for the sales professional in your life!
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/ Jen Odess, Group Vice President of Partner Excellence at ServiceNow, joins Vince Menzione to discuss the company’s incredible transformation from an IT ticketing solution to a leading AI-native platform for business transformation. Jen dives deep into how ServiceNow has strategically invested in and infused AI into its unified platform over the last decade, enabling over a billion workflows daily. She also outlines the critical role of the partner ecosystem, which executes 87% of all implementations, and reveals the company’s strategic initiatives, including its commitment to the hyperscaler marketplaces, the goal to hit half a billion dollars in annual contract value for its Now Assist AI product, and the push for partners to adopt an ‘AI-native’ methodology to capitalize on the fact that customers still want over 70% of AI buying to be done through partners. Key Takeaways ServiceNow is an ‘AI-native’ company, having invested in and built AI directly into its unified platform for over a decade. The company’s core value today is in its unified AI platform, single data model, and leadership in workflows that connect the entire enterprise. ServiceNow will hit $500 million in annual contract value for its Now Assist AI products by the end of 2025, making it the fastest-growing product in company history. An astonishing 87% of all ServiceNow implementations are done by its global partner ecosystem, highlighting their crucial role. The company is leveraging the half-trillion-dollar opportunity of durable cloud budgets by driving marketplace transactions and helping customers burn down cloud commits using ServiceNow solutions. To win in the AI era, partners must adopt AI internally, co-innovate on the platform, and strategically differentiate themselves to rank higher in the forthcoming agentic matching system. Key Tags: ServiceNow, AI-native platform, Now Assist, Jen Odess, partner excellence, workflow leader, AI platform for business transformation, hyperscalers, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, AWS, marketplace transactions, cloud commits, AIDA model, agentic matching, F-Pattern, Z-Pattern, group vice president, MSP, GSI, co-innovation, autonomous implementation, technical constraints, visual hierarchy, UX, UI, responsive design. Ultimate Partner is the independent community for technology leaders navigating the tectonic shifts in cloud, AI, marketplaces, and co-selling. Through live events, UPX membership, advisory, and the Ultimate Guide to Partnering® podcast, we help organizations align with hyperscalers, accelerate growth, and achieve their greatest results through successful partnering. Transcript: Jen Odess Audio Podcast [00:00:00] Jen Odess: The AI platform for business transformation, and I love to say to people, it sounds like a handful of cliche words that just got stacked together. The AI platform for business transformation. Yeah. We all know these words, so many companies use ’em, but it is such deliberate language and I love to explain why. [00:00:20] Vince Menzione: Welcome to, or welcome back to The Ultimate Guide to Partnering. I’m Vince Menzi on your host, and my mission is to help leaders like you achieve your greatest results through successful partnering. Today we have a special leader, Jen Odes is the GVP for Partner Excellence at ServiceNow. And joins me here in the studio in Boca Raton. [00:00:40] Vince Menzione: Jen, welcome to the podcast. Thanks, Vince. It’s so great to be here. I am so thrilled to welcome you. To Boca Raton, Florida. Our podcast home look at this amazing background we have Here is this, and this is where we host our ultimate partner Winter retreat. Actually, in February, we’re gonna give that a plug. [00:00:58] Vince Menzione: Okay. I’d love to have you come back. I’d love to have an invite. And you flew in this morning from Washington DC [00:01:04] Jen Odess: I did. It was 20 degrees when I left my house this morning and this backdrop. Is definitely giving me, island South Florida like vibes. It’s fabulous. [00:01:13] Vince Menzione: And we’re gonna talk about ServiceNow. [00:01:14] Vince Menzione: And you’re also opening an office down here? We [00:01:17] Jen Odess: are [00:01:17] Vince Menzione: in West Palm Beach. Not too far from where we are. Yes. Later 2026. Yeah. I love that. And then so we’ll work on the recruiting year, but let’s dive in. Okay. So thrilled to have ServiceNow and to have you in the room. This has been an incredible time for your organization. [00:01:31] Vince Menzione: I have been watching, obviously I work with Microsoft. We’ve had Google. In the studio, Amazon onboard as well. And other than those three organizations, I can’t think of any other legacy organization that has embraced AI more succinctly than ServiceNow. And I thought we’d start there, but I really wanna spend some time getting to know you and getting to know your role, your mission, and your journey to this incredible. [00:01:57] Vince Menzione: Leadership role as a global vice president. We’ll talk about Or [00:02:01] Jen Odess: group. Group Vice president. I know it doesn’t roll off the tongue. I get it. A group vice president doesn’t roll. [00:02:05] Vince Menzione: G-V-P-G-V-P doesn’t roll off the time. And in some organizations it is global. It is in other organizations, it’s group. So let’s, you’re not [00:02:12] Jen Odess: the first to say global vice president. [00:02:14] Jen Odess: Okay. I’ll take either way. It’s fine. [00:02:15] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Yeah. And might be a promotion. Let’s talk. Let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about you and your career journey and your mission. [00:02:22] Jen Odess: Yeah, so I’ve been at ServiceNow for five years. In fact, January will be like the five year anniversary and then it will be the beginning of my sixth year. [00:02:31] Jen Odess: Amazing. And I actually got hired originally to build out the initial partner enablement function. So it didn’t really exist five years ago. There was certainly enablement that happened to Sure. All individuals that were. Using, consuming, buying ServiceNow, working with ServiceNow. But the partner enablement function from pre to post-sale, that whole life cycle didn’t exist yet. [00:02:54] Jen Odess: So that was my initial job. I got hired to run partner enablement and it before. And how big [00:02:59] Vince Menzione: was your partner organization at that point? It must have been pretty small. [00:03:01] Jen Odess: It was actually not as small as you would think. Gosh, that’s a great question. You’re challenging my memory from five years ago. [00:03:08] Jen Odess: I know that we’re over 2,500 partners today and we add hundreds every year, so it had to have been in the low one thousands. Wow. Is where we were five years ago. But the maturity of the ecosystem is grossly larger today than it was then. I can imagine. So back then there was less than 30,000 individuals that were skilled on ServiceNow to sell or solution or deliver. [00:03:34] Jen Odess: Today there’s almost a hundred thousand. Wow. So yeah that’s like the maturity in the capability within the ecosystem. But before I start on my ServiceNow and my group vice president. Which is a great role, by the way. Group Vice President. Yeah. Partner Excellence group. I’m very proud of it. [00:03:49] Jen Odess: But but let me tell you what brought me here, please. So I actually came from a partner, but not in the ServiceNow ecosystem. Okay. I won’t name the partner, but let’s just say it’s a competitor, a competitive ecosystem. And I worked for a services shop that today I would refer to as multinational. [00:04:11] Jen Odess: Kind of a boutique darling, but with over 1,500 consultants, so Okay. A behemoth as well? Yeah. Privately held. And we were a force to be reckoned with, and it was really fun. I held so many roles. I was a customer success manager. I led the data science practice at one point. I ran global alliances and partnerships. [00:04:35] Jen Odess: At one point I was the chief of staff to the CEO at the time that company was acquired. Big global si. And and then at one point I even spun off for the big global SI and helped run a culture initiative to transform co corporate culture. Wow. Very inside the whole organization. Wow. That is very, yeah. [00:04:54] Jen Odess: Really interesting set of roles. And the whole reason I came to ServiceNow is by the time I was concluding that journey in that ecosystem on the services side, I felt like. I didn’t fully understand what it meant to be on the software product side. And I often felt like I approached friction or moments of frustration and heartache with resentment for the software company. [00:05:20] Jen Odess: Sure. Or maybe just a lack of empathy for what they must be going through as well. It always felt like I was on the kind of [00:05:26] Vince Menzione: negative you were on the other side of the table. Totally. [00:05:27] Jen Odess: Yeah. And, or maybe like the redheaded stepchild kind of a concept as a partner. And so I sought out to. Learn more, which is probably a big piece of my journey is just constant curiosity. [00:05:38] Jen Odess: Nice. And I thought I think the thing I’m missing is seeing what it means firsthand to be on the software product side. And that was what led me to a career at ServiceNow. Five years strong. Yeah. So [00:05:50] Vince Menzione: talk about partner experience for those who don’t know what that means. [00:05:53] Jen Odess: Yeah. Today my role is partner excellence, but it used to be partner experience. [00:05:58] Jen Odess: Okay. And so the don’t. Yeah, that’s normal to say both things. And they actually mean two very different things. [00:06:04] Vince Menzione: Yeah, I would say so. [00:06:05] Jen Odess: And we deliberately changed the title about a year ago. So today, partner Excellence is about really ensuring that we build a vibrant AI led ecosystem. And that’s from the whole life cycle of the partner, from the day they choose to be a partner and onboard, and hopefully to the day they’re just. [00:06:23] Jen Odess: Thriving and growing like crazy, and then across the whole life cycle of the customer pre to post sale. So it’s, we are almost like the underpinning and the infras infrastructure. Someone once said it’s like we’re the insurance policy of all global partnerships and channels. That’s how we operate across global partnerships and channels and service Now. [00:06:42] Vince Menzione: And you have a very intimate relationship with those partners. We’re gonna dive in on that as well. Yes. But let’s talk about this time like no other. I talk about tectonic shifts at all of our events. People that listen to our podcasts know we talk about the acceleration of transformation, and it’s happening so fast. [00:06:58] Vince Menzione: It was happening fast even during COVID. But then. I’ll call this date or time period, the November 20, 22 time period when Chat GPT launched. Oh yeah. And that really changed the world in many respects, right? Yeah. Microsoft had already leaned in with chat, GPT, Google, we talked to Google about this. [00:07:17] Vince Menzione: Even having them in the room was like, they were caught flatfooted in a way, and they had a lot of the technology and they didn’t lean in. But it feels like ServiceNow was one of the first, certainly on the ISV side of the house and refer to the term ISV. Loosely, because hyperscalers are ISVs as well. [00:07:34] Vince Menzione: They were early to lean in and have leaned it in such a way from a business application perspective that I believe we haven’t seen embracing and infusing AI into your platform. I was hoping we could dive in a little bit on ServiceNow from a. Kinda legacy, what the organization was and is today. [00:07:56] Vince Menzione: And then also this infusion of AI into the platform. If you don’t mind, [00:07:59] Jen Odess: I love this topic. Okay. And I feel like it’s such a privilege to talk about ServiceNow on this topic because we really are a leader in the category. I’ll almost rewind back to over 20 years ago when the company was founded. [00:08:11] Jen Odess: Today, fast forward, we are so much more than an IT ticketing company. We are, [00:08:16] Vince Menzione: but that was the legacy. That’s how I knew service now 20 years ago. [00:08:19] Jen Odess: And what a beautiful legacy. Yeah. But we have expanded immensely beyond that. And that’s the beautiful story to tell customers. That’s so fun. [00:08:28] Jen Odess: But what what I love is that. So 20 years ago, that was where we started. And today, do you know that over a billion workflows are put to work every single day for our customers? A billion [00:08:38] Vince Menzione: workflows, over a billion workflows. That’s crazy. [00:08:40] Jen Odess: And 87% of all implementations for ServiceNow were done by partnerships. [00:08:46] Jen Odess: And channels. That’s fantastic. So you think about those billion plus workflows daily, all because of our partner ecosystem. This is my small plug. I’m just very proud 80, proud 86%. [00:08:56] Vince Menzione: Did you hear that? Part’s 86%. [00:08:57] Jen Odess: Amazing. And so that’s like what we’re, that’s what we’re a leader in the category. We are a leader in workflows categorically. [00:09:05] Jen Odess: But then over a decade ago, we started investing in ai. We started building it right into our platform, and this becomes the next kind of notch on our belt, which is we are a unified platform. Nothing is bolted on, nothing is just apid in. Yeah, it is a unified platform. So all of that AI that for the past decade we’ve been building in into our platform. [00:09:28] Jen Odess: Just in our AI platform, which is now what we are calling it, the AI platform. [00:09:34] Vince Menzione: And I would say that unless you were a startup starting up from scratch today and building on an LLM, we were building in a way I don’t think any other organization’s gonna actually state that [00:09:45] Jen Odess: what’s actually why we call ourselves AI native. [00:09:47] Jen Odess: Yeah, beca for that exact reason. And that’s who we’re competing with a lot these days, is the truly AI native startups where they didn’t have, the 20 years. Previously that we had, but that’s what makes us so unique in the situation, is that unified AI platform, a single data model that can connect to anything. [00:10:07] Jen Odess: And then the workflow leader. And when you put all those things together, AI plus data, plus workflows and that’s where the magic happens. Yeah. Across the enterprise. It’s pretty cool. [00:10:17] Vince Menzione: That is very cool. And you start thinking about, and we start talking about agent as a, as an example. Let’s talk about this for a second. [00:10:23] Vince Menzione: You, when what is this bolt-on, we could use the terms co-pilot, we could use Ag Agent ai, but they are generally bolted onto an existing application today. So take us through the 10 years and how it has become a portion or a significant portion. Of ServiceNow. [00:10:41] Jen Odess: When say the question a little bit more. [00:10:43] Jen Odess: Like when you say it’s, yeah, when which examples have bolted on? [00:10:47] Vince Menzione: So exa, we, what we see today is the hyperscalers coming out with their own solution sets, right? They’re taking and they’re offering it up to their ecosystem to infuse it into their product and portfolio. To me, those that look like bolted on in many respects, unless it’s an AI need as a native organization, a startup organization. [00:11:07] Vince Menzione: They’re mostly taking and re-engineering or bolting onto their existing solutions. [00:11:12] Jen Odess: I follow. Yeah. Thank you for giving me a little more context. So I call this our any problem. It’s like one of the best problems to have we can connect into. Anything, any cloud, any ai, any platform, any system, any data, any workflow, and that’s where any hyperscaler, and that’s the part that makes it so incredible. [00:11:32] Jen Odess: So your word is bolt on, and I use the word any the, any problem. Yeah. We’ve got this beautiful kind of stack visual that just, it’s like it just one on top of the other. Any. Any, and no one else can really say that. I gotta see [00:11:45] Vince Menzione: that visual. Yeah. Yeah. So talk about this a little bit more. So you’re uniquely positioned. [00:11:52] Vince Menzione: Let’s talk about how you position, you talked about being AI native. What does that imply and what does that mean in terms of the evolution of the platform? From ticketing to workflows to the business applications? What are the type of applications Yeah. Markets, industries that you’re starting to see. [00:12:08] Jen Odess: So I’ll actually answer this with, taking on a small, maybe marketing or positioning journey. So there was a time when our tagline would be The World Works with ServiceNow. There was a time when it was, we put AI to work for people and today and it, I think it was around Knowledge 2025, this came out. [00:12:28] Jen Odess: It was the AI platform for business transformation. And I love to say to people, it sounds like a handful of. Cliche words that just got stacked together. The AI platform for business transformation. Yeah. We all know these words, so many companies use ’em, but it is such deliberate language and I love to explain why. [00:12:46] Jen Odess: So the first is the AI platform is calling out that we are an AI native platform. We are a unified platform. It’s a chance to say all that goodness I already shared with you. Yeah. And the business transformation is actually telling the story of no longer being a solution. Point or no longer being an individual product that does X. [00:13:06] Jen Odess: It’s about saying. The ServiceNow platform can go north to south and east to west across your entire enterprise. Okay. Up and down the entire tech stack. Any. And then east to west, it can cut across the enterprise, the C-suite, the buying centers, all into one unified AI platform. With one data model. [00:13:26] Jen Odess: I love it. And so I love that AI platform for business transformation actually has so much purpose. [00:13:32] Vince Menzione: It does. So you’re going across the stack, so you’re going all the way from the bottom layer, all the way up to the top from the ue. Ui. And then you’re going across the organization, right? You’re going across the C-suite, you’re going across all the business functions of an organization. [00:13:46] Vince Menzione: Correct. And so the workflows are going across each of those business functions? [00:13:49] Jen Odess: Correct. And then our AI control tower is sitting at the very top, governing over all of it. [00:13:53] Vince Menzione: I love the control tower. [00:13:54] Jen Odess: I know the governance, security risk protocol, managing all the agents interoperability. Yeah. [00:14:01] Vince Menzione: And then data at the very bottom right. [00:14:03] Vince Menzione: Controlling all those elements and the governance of the data and the right, the cleanliness of the data and so on. Yeah. That’s incredible. I we could probably talk about business applications. I know one, in fact, I’ve had a person sit in this, your chair from we’ll call it a large GSIA very significant GSI one of the top five. [00:14:21] Vince Menzione: And they took ServiceNow and they applied it to their business partnering function. And they used, and we, you probably don’t know about this one, but I know that that’s a, an example of taking it and applying it all across all the workflows, across all the geographies of the organization and taking a lot of the process that was all done manually. [00:14:40] Vince Menzione: That was stove pipe business processes that were all stove piped and removing the stove pipe and making for a fluid organizational flow. [00:14:47] Jen Odess: And I’ll bet you the end user didn’t even realize ServiceNow was the backend. That’s some of the greatest examples actually. [00:14:53] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Yeah. So Jen, we work with all the hyperscalers. [00:14:56] Vince Menzione: We have a very strong relationship with Microsoft. Goes back many years, my back to my days at Microsoft and we’ve had Google in the room. We have AWS now as well. We bring them all together because we believe that partners work with, need to work with all three. And I know that you have had an interesting transformation at ServiceNow around the hyperscalers. [00:15:16] Vince Menzione: I was hoping you could dive in a little deeper with us. [00:15:19] Jen Odess: Yeah. We are so proud of our relationships with the hyperscalers, so the same three, so it’s Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and AWS. And really it’s it’s a strategic 360 partnership and our goal is really to drive marketplace transactions. [00:15:34] Jen Odess: So ServiceNow selling in all of their marketplaces and then. Burn down of our customers cloud commits. I love it. It’s really a beautiful story for our customers and for the hyperscalers and for ServiceNow. And so we’ve, it’s brand, it’s a brand new announcement from late in the year 2025. Love it. And we’re really excited about it. [00:15:51] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And then we, and we get all of the marketplace leaders in the room. So we’ve worked with all of those people. And one of the key points about this is there is over a half a trillion dollars in durable cloud budgets with customers that [00:16:08] Vince Menzione: Already committed to, I know, so that tam available, a half a trillion dollars is available to customers to burn down and utilize your solutions and professional services with partners as well in terms of driving a complete solution. [00:16:21] Jen Odess: That’s exactly the motion we’re pushing is to go and leverage those cloud commits to get on ServiceNow and in some cases, maybe even take out other products to go with ServiceNow and actually end up funding the transition to ServiceNow. Yeah. Yeah. [00:16:37] Vince Menzione: So you serve thousands of customers today, thousands of customers. [00:16:42] Vince Menzione: I can’t even. Fathom the exact number, but you have this partner ecosystem that you described, and their reach is even more incredible, like hundreds of thousands. Yeah. So tell us a little bit more about how you think about that, and then how do you drive the partner ecosystem in the right way to drive this partner excellence that you described. [00:17:02] Jen Odess: Yeah, that’s a great question. So yeah, thousands of ServiceNow customers and we’re barely scratching the surface in comparison to our partners customers. So we have over 2,500 partners Wow. In our ecosystem. And today they cut across what I would call five routes to market. That partners can go to market with ServiceNow. [00:17:21] Jen Odess: Okay. The first is consulting and implementation. This will be your classic kind of consulting shop or GSI approach. The second is resell, just like it sounds. Yep. [00:17:30] Vince Menzione: Transactional. [00:17:31] Jen Odess: Yep. The third is managed service provider. [00:17:33] Vince Menzione: Okay. [00:17:34] Jen Odess: The fourth is what we call build, which is. The ISV, strategic Tech partner realm, and then the fifth is hyperscaler. [00:17:43] Jen Odess: Those are the five routes to market. So partners can choose to be in one or all or two. It doesn’t matter. It’s whichever one fits the kind of business they want to go drive. Nice. Where they’re. Expertise lies. And then we’ve got partners that show up globally, partners that show up multinational and partners that show up regionally and then partners that show up locally, in country and that’s it. [00:18:06] Jen Odess: And we really want a diverse set of partners capable of delivering where any of our customers are. So it’s important that we have that dynamic ecosystem where we really push them. We’re actually trying hard to balance this. Yeah, you would’ve heard it from many of your other partners. This direct versus indirect. [00:18:24] Jen Odess: Yes. Motion. For anyone listening that doesn’t know the difference, right? Direct is ServiceNow is selling direct to a customer, there might be a partner involved influencing that will implement. Yeah, likely but ServiceNow is really driving the sale versus indirect where the whole thing routes through the partner. [00:18:39] Jen Odess: Right? Which is your classic reseller or managed service provider and often a an ISV. And you know that balance is never gonna be perfect ’cause we’re not gonna commit to go all direct or all indirect. We’re gonna continue to sit in this space where we’re trying to find a healthy balance. [00:18:56] Jen Odess: So I find a lot of our time trying to figure out how do you set all those parties up for success? Yeah. The parties are the ServiceNow field sellers? And then you’ve also got the partnerships and channels, so the ecosystem, and then you’ve got the people in global partnerships and channels. So my broader organization, and we’re all trying to figure out how to work harmoniously together and it’s a lot of, it is my job to get us there. [00:19:19] Jen Odess: And so we use lots of things like incentives and benefits and we will put in place gated entry, really strategic gated entry. What does [00:19:29] Vince Menzione: gated entry mean? [00:19:30] Jen Odess: Yeah. What I mean is if you want to have a chance at being matched with a customer Yeah. For a very specific deal. Or it’s really one of three to get matched. [00:19:41] Jen Odess: ‘Cause you can never match one-to-one. It has to be three or more. Okay. We have good compliance rules in place. Yeah. But in order to even. Like surface to the top of the list to be matched. There’s a gated entry, which is, you’ve gotta have validated practices. Okay. Which is how, it’s these various ways, as you described, you quantify and qualify the partner’s capabilities. [00:20:00] Vince Menzione: Yeah. So you have to meet these qualifications. Yes. And you could be one of three to enter and be. Potentially matched, considered significant or Yes. Match for this deal? [00:20:08] Jen Odess: Yes, that’s exactly right. So we use, various things like that. And then we try to carve what I would call dance card space reseller in commercial, try to sit here and like carve by geo, by region, by country dance card space as well to help the partners really know exactly where they can unleash versus, hey, this is the process and the rules of engagement. To go and sell alongside the direct org sales organization [00:20:33] Vince Menzione: and you’re gonna have multiple partners in the same opportunities. [00:20:37] Vince Menzione: Absolutely not. Not necessarily competing with each other. There’s three competing each with each other, but also you’re gonna have other partners that provide different capabilities as well. You might have that have some that are just transac. Those are gonna be those channel or reseller partners. [00:20:52] Vince Menzione: You might have an MSP that’s actually delivering, or at least providing some type of managed service on top of the stack. Like supporting the customer. Yeah. And then you might have an SI GSI an integration partner that’s also doing the con the consulting work around getting the solution to meet with the customer’s requirements. [00:21:12] Vince Menzione: Would you say [00:21:13] Jen Odess: so? That’s exactly right. Yeah. And actually in. AI era, we’re seeing more of it than ever. And even on the smaller deals, maybe not the GSIs on the smaller deals, but we’re seeing multiple partners come in to serve up their specific expertise, which is actually a best practice. That’s [00:21:33] Vince Menzione: terrific. [00:21:33] Jen Odess: We don’t want. If you’ve got an area that’s a blind spot and you’re a partner, but that’s something your customer is buying from you, there’s no harm in saying let’s bring in an expert in that category to deliver that piece of the business. That’s right. And we’ll maybe shadow and watch alongside. [00:21:46] Jen Odess: So we’re seeing more and more of it. And I actually think like the world of. Partnerships and ecosystems. If I go back to like my previous ecosystem as well, it’s become so much more communal than ever before. Yes. This idea that we can share and be more open and maybe even commiserate over the things, gosh, I can’t believe we have the same frustrations or we have the same. [00:22:09] Jen Odess: Wow, that’s amazing. And you’re in this country. And I’m in this country. And so we’re seeing more and more coming together on deals which I really respect a lot. ’cause So one of the new facts we’ve just learned actually, Vince, is that. Of all the ai buying that customers are doing out there, they actually still want over 70% of it to be done by partners. [00:22:32] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:22:33] Jen Odess: So even though it looks like it could be maybe set up easy configured, easy plug and play it. It to get, it’s not real ROI. You still need a partner with expertise in that industry or that domain, or in that location or in that language to come and bring the value to life. And we will certainly accelerate, help accelerate time to value with things that ServiceNow will do for our partners. [00:22:56] Jen Odess: But if over 70% is gonna go to partners and AI is so new, wouldn’t you want more than one partner Sometimes on a absolutely on a deal, at least while we’re all learning. I think we can keep ebbing and flowing [00:23:07] Vince Menzione: on this. We you, I dunno if Jay McBain, ’cause we’ve had him in the room here and he is a, he’s an analyst that does a lot of work around this topic. [00:23:14] Vince Menzione: And we talk about the seven seats at the table because there are, again, you need more you, first of all, you need to have your trusted, you need to have the organizations that you work with. And you also, in the world of ai, with all of the tectonic shifts, all the constant changing that’s going on right now, I need to make sure that I have the right. [00:23:31] Vince Menzione: People by my side that I can trust, they can help me deliver what I need to deliver. ’cause it might have changed from six months ago. And the technology is changing. Everything is changing so rapidly right now. So again, having all those right people I want to pick up on something ’cause we talked a little bit about MSPs and they’ve become a favorite topic of ours. [00:23:52] Vince Menzione: I have become acutely aware of the Ms P community recently. I kinda looked at them as well. There’s little small partners, but you’ve suggested this as well. They have regional expert, they have expertise in a specific area. And can be trusted, and maybe you’re integrating multiple solution sets for a customer. [00:24:11] Vince Menzione: But we’ve seen this MSP community become very vibrant lately, and I feel like they woke up to technology and to AI in such a big way. Can you comment on that? [00:24:20] Jen Odess: So we feel and see the same thing I’ve always valued what managed service providers bring to the table. It’s like that. [00:24:26] Jen Odess: Classic are you a transformation shop or are you a ta? The tail end or the run business shop? And so many partners are like we’re both, and I wanna be like, but are you? But now I feel like we finally are seeing the run business is so fruitful. So AI is innovating. All the time. [00:24:46] Jen Odess: We, we are innovating as a AI platform all the time. What used to be six month, every six months family releases of our software. Yeah. It became quarterly and now we’re practically seeing releases of new innovation every six to eight weeks. So why wouldn’t you want a managed service provider? Paying close attention to your whole instance on ServiceNow and taking into account all the latest innovation and building it into your existing instance, and then looking out for what new things you should be bringing in. [00:25:20] Jen Odess: So that’s the beauty of the, it’s almost partnerships, observing, and then suggesting how to keep. Doing better and more and better versus always jumping straight back to complete redesign and transformation. Yeah, and that’s one of the things I like about the MSPs in this space. [00:25:36] Vince Menzione: So let’s broaden out from this part of the conversation ’cause you’re giving specific guidance to the MSPs, but let’s think about this whole partner community. [00:25:43] Vince Menzione: And you’ve seen this transformation coming over to ServiceNow and even within ServiceNow these last five years. How do these organizations need to think differently? And how do they need to structure their services in this newent world? [00:25:58] Jen Odess: Great question. There’s really four things that I think they have to be thoughtful of. [00:26:02] Jen Odess: The first is maybe the most obvious they have to adopt AI as their own ways of doing work methodology. Delivery, whatever it is, because only through the, it’s not about taking out people in jobs, it’s about doing the job faster, right? It’s about getting the customer to value faster so that adoption of AI will make or break some partners. [00:26:24] Jen Odess: And our goal is that every partner comes on the other side of this AI journey, thriving and surviving. So we’re really pushing. This agenda. And maybe later I can talk to you a little bit more about this autonomous implementation concept. Please. ’cause I that will [00:26:37] Vince Menzione: resonate. So you’re saying they need to, we used to use the term eat their own dog food. [00:26:41] Vince Menzione: Now it’s drink your own champagne. Yeah. But they need to adopt it as well internally. [00:26:46] Jen Odess: Yeah. And I think whether they’re using, I hope they’re using ServiceNow as like a client, zero. To do some of that adoption. But there’s lots of other tools that are great AI tools that will make your job and your day-to-day life and the execution of that job easier. [00:26:59] Jen Odess: So we want them adopting all of that. The second is, we really need to see partners. Innovating on the ServiceNow platform. Yeah. And whether that’s building agents AI agents that go into the ServiceNow store, whether it’s building a really fantastic solution that we wanna joint jointly go to market with, or maybe it’s one of those embedded solutions you were commenting where the end user doesn’t even know that the backend, like a tax and audit solution that is actually just. [00:27:29] Jen Odess: The backend is all ServiceNow. Yeah. But that partner is going to market and selling it to all their customers. Exactly. So I think this co-innovation is gonna be a place that we will really win in market. The third is if a partner wants to stand out right now, they have to differentiate on paper too. [00:27:47] Jen Odess: It’s gotta like what does that mean? So if there’s 2,500 partners. And it’s not like we don’t walk around and just say, you should talk to this partner. Yeah. Or here’s my secret list. You should, we don’t do that. That’s not good business and it’s not compliant. So we have algorithms that take all the quantitative and qualitative data on our partners and they know all the data points ’cause it’s part of the partner program Nice. [00:28:10] Jen Odess: That they adhere to and then ranks them on status. And all those data points are what I’m referring to as on paper. You’ve gotta be differentiated. So whether or not you wanna be great at one thing or great across the whole thing, think about how all of those quantitative and qualitative data points are making you stand out, because that’s where those matches that I was referring to. [00:28:35] Jen Odess: Yes. That’s where that’s gonna come to life. And it’s skills, it’s capabilities. It’s deployments. So Proofpoint and deployments, customer success stories, csat, all the things. So [00:28:47] Vince Menzione: those are all the qualifi qualifiers for and more, but those are the types [00:28:49] Jen Odess: of qualifications. Yeah. [00:28:51] Vince Menzione: And then do your, does your sales organization do a match against that based on a customer’s requirements that they’re working with and who they work with and co-sell with? [00:29:00] Jen Odess: And I feel like you just lobbed me the greatest question. I didn’t even know you were gonna ask it, but I’m so glad you did. So today. Today there is something called a partner finder, which is which is nice, but it’s a little bit old school in a world of ai. Yeah. So you go to servicenow.com, you click partner from the top navigation, and then it says find a partner and you can literally type in the products you’re buying the country, you’re, that you’re headquartered out of. [00:29:26] Jen Odess: Whatever thing you’re looking for. And it will start to filter based on all those data points, the right partners, and you can actually click right there to be connected to a partner. So lead generation. Okay, interesting. But where we’re going is a agentic matching right in our CRM for the field. Oh. So those data points are gonna matter even more, and that’s where the gated. [00:29:48] Jen Odess: I say gated entry, which is probably too extreme, right? It’s really gated. If you wanna surface toward the top, there’s gated parameters to try to surface to the top, but those data points will feed the algorithm and it will genetically match right in our CRM for the field. Who are the best suited partners? [00:30:09] Jen Odess: Would you like to talk to them? [00:30:10] Vince Menzione: Okay. And so is it. Partner facing? Is it sales team facing [00:30:14] Jen Odess: Right now? It’s sales. It’ll, when it goes live, it will be sales team facing. Okay. But we have greater ambition for what partners can do with it. Yeah. Not just in the indirect motion, but also what partners may be able to do with it to interface with our field. [00:30:30] Jen Odess: The. [00:30:31] Vince Menzione: The, yeah the collaboration [00:30:33] Jen Odess: opportunity. Which is always a friction point that we’re working on [00:30:36] Vince Menzione: always because it’s very manual. It’s people intensive. Yeah. Partner development managers sitting on both sides of the equation and the interface between the sales organization and a partner organization is not always the. The easiest. So right. Automated, quite a bit of that. [00:30:49] Jen Odess: My boss is obsessed with the easy button, which I know is a phrase many of us in the US know from I think it’s an Office Depot, all these ways in which we can have easy button moments for the partner ecosystem is what we’re trying to focus on. [00:31:01] Jen Odess: I love the easy button. [00:31:02] Vince Menzione: Yeah. And I love your boss too. Yeah, he’s fabulous. Fabulous. So Michael and I go back like many years ago. You must have, [00:31:08] Jen Odess: yeah. You must have had paths crossing on numerous occasions. [00:31:12] Vince Menzione: Yeah we we worked together micro I’m going to hijack the session for a second here. [00:31:16] Vince Menzione: But when I first came to Microsoft, he was leading a, the se, a segment of the business, and he invited me to come to his event and interviewed me on stage at his event. [00:31:26] Jen Odess: No way. [00:31:26] Vince Menzione: And we got to know each other and yeah. So he was terrific. He was what a great find for, oh, he’s for service now. [00:31:32] Vince Menzione: He’s really [00:31:32] Jen Odess: has been a fantastic addition [00:31:34] Vince Menzione: to the global partnerships and channels team. And Michael, we have to have you on the podcast. Yes. Or cut down here in the studio at some point too with Jen and I. That’d be great. So this is terrific. We are getting it’s an incredible time. [00:31:44] Vince Menzione: It’s going so fast this time, 2022 was, seems like it was five, it feels like it was almost 10 years ago now. It wasn’t that we just started talking about it and you were implementing AI 10 years ago, but it wasn’t getting the attention that it’s getting today. And it really wasn’t until that moment that it really started to kick off in a way that everybody, yeah. It became pervasive overnight I would say. But now we’re starting 2026, like we’re at. This precipice of time and it’s continuing. I don’t even know what 2030 is gonna look like, right? So I’m a partner. [00:32:16] Vince Menzione: What are the one, two, or three things that I need to do now to win over and work with ServiceNow? [00:32:23] Jen Odess: One, two or three things? I’ll tell you the first thing. So today ServiceNow will end up hitting 500 million in annual contract value in our Now Assist, which is our AI products by the end of 2025, which is the fastest growing product in all of ServiceNow history. [00:32:37] Jen Odess: That’s one product that’s so there’s lots of SKUs. Yeah, but it is. It’s our AI product. Yeah. And it is, but yeah, because of all the various ways. [00:32:45] Vince Menzione: So half a billion dollars, [00:32:46] Jen Odess: half a billion by the end of 2025. And I think, someone’s gonna have to keep me honest here, but if memory serves me right, the first skews didn’t even launch until 2024. [00:32:54] Jen Odess: So we’re talking about wow, in a year it’s fast. Over 1,700 customers are live with our now assist products. Again, in a matter of, let’s call it over, a little over a year, 1,700 partners. So I think the first thing a partner needs to do is they’ve gotta get on this AI bandwagon, and they’ve gotta be selling and positioning AI use cases to their customers, because that’s the only way they’re gonna get. [00:33:20] Jen Odess: Experience and an opportunity to see what it feels like to deliver. So we have to do that. And I think you could sell a big use case like that big, we talked north, south, east, west, you could do that whole thing. Brilliant. But you could also start small. Go pick a single use case. Like a really simple example of something you wanna, some work you wanna drive productivity on. [00:33:41] Jen Odess: Yeah. And make sure you’ve got multiple stakeholders that love it and then go drive proving that use case. That’s what we’re telling a lot of partners. That’s the first thing. The second is they have got to build skills on AI and they have to keep up with it. And so we’re trying to really think about our broader learning and development team at ServiceNow is just next level. [00:34:00] Jen Odess: And they’re really re-imagining how to have more real time bite size. Training and enablement that will help individuals keep up with that pace of innovation. So individuals have got to get skilled. Yes. On AI today, of that a hundred thousand or so individuals in the ecosystem right now, about 35% of those individuals hold one or more AI credential. [00:34:25] Jen Odess: Again, that’s in a little over a year, which is the fastest growing skill development we’ve ever had, but it should be a hundred percent. Yeah. All of our goals should be that every account is being sold ai. ’cause that’s where the customer’s gonna get to value a ServiceNow is if they have the AI capabilities. [00:34:40] Jen Odess: And [00:34:41] Vince Menzione: how are you providing enablement and training? Is it all online? It’s, we have [00:34:44] Jen Odess: all sorts of ways of doing it. So that we have ServiceNow University, which is just a really robust, learning platform. Elba is our professor in residence. Very cool. Which is very cool. And they’re all content. [00:34:57] Jen Odess: Is free to partners. The training is free to partners that is on demand. Beyond that, partners can still get, instructor led training, whether that’s in person or virtual. And then my team offers enablement. That’s a little bit more, it’s like not formal training, it’s more like hands-on labs and experiences. [00:35:17] Jen Odess: We bring in lots of groups that sit around me that help and we very cool hands on with partners face-to-face. And do you do an annual event where you bring all these partners together? No, because we do we have three major milestones a year for partners. So the first is at sales kickoff, which is coming up the third week in January. [00:35:33] Jen Odess: And alongside sales kickoff is partner kickoff. Okay. And so we do a whole day of enabling them. So that’s your [00:35:39] Vince Menzione: partner kickoff? [00:35:40] Jen Odess: That’s partner kickoff. But of the, of all the partners in the ecosystem, it’s not like they can all make it. So we still also record and then live stream some of the content there. [00:35:49] Jen Odess: Then at Knowledge, there’s a whole partner track at Knowledge and same concept. Yeah, it’s like it’s all about customers and we wanna, build as much pipeline and wow as many customers as possible, but we also need to help our partners come along the journey. Then the third and final moment is in September, always, and it’s called our Global Partner Ecosystem Summit. [00:36:08] Jen Odess: We should have you, I’d love to join this next year. I love that. And it’s really, that’s the one time if sales kickoff is all about the sales motion in the field and knowledge is all about the customers and getting customers value. Global Partner Ecosystem Summit is only about the partners, what they need, why they need it, and what we’re doing to make their lives easier. [00:36:28] Jen Odess: I love it. Yeah. I’ll be there September. I love it. Dates yet set yet? I have to, it’s getting locked. I’ll get it to you. [00:36:34] Vince Menzione: Okay. All right. I’ll, we’ll be there. Okay. So you’ve been incredible. I just love having you. We could spend hours, honestly, and I want to have you back here. I’d love to, I have you back for a more meaningful conversation with the hyperscalers. [00:36:45] Vince Menzione: Talk to some of the partners that join us at Ultimate Partner events. We’ll find a way to do that, but I have this one question. It’s a favorite question of mine, and I love to ask all my guests this. Okay. You’re hosting a dinner party. And you could host a dinner party anywhere in the world. We could talk about great locations and where your favorite places are, and you can invite any three guests from the present or the past to this amazing dinner party. [00:37:11] Vince Menzione: We had one guest who wanted to do them in the future, like three people that hadn’t reached a future date. Whom would you invite Jen and why? [00:37:21] Jen Odess: Oh, first of all, you’re hitting home for me because I love to host dinner parties. I actually used to have a catering company. This is like one of those weird facts that, we didn’t talk about my pre services and ecosystem days, but I also had a catering company, so I love cooking and hosting dinner parties. [00:37:38] Jen Odess: So this is a great question. I feel like it’s a loaded question and I have to say my spouse. I love my husband dearly, but I have. To invite Lee to my dinner party. Okay. He’s in [00:37:47] Vince Menzione: Lee’s guest number one. Lee’s [00:37:49] Jen Odess: guest, number one. And the reason why is, first of all, I love him dearly, but he’s super interesting and he has such thought provoking topics to, to discuss and ways of viewing the world. [00:38:00] Jen Odess: He’s actually in security tech, so it’s like a tangential space, but not the same. [00:38:05] Vince Menzione: Yeah. But an important space right now, especially. Yeah. And [00:38:07] Jen Odess: he, yeah. And he’s, he’s just a delight to be around. So he’d be number one. Number two would be Frank Lloyd Wright. [00:38:15] Vince Menzione: Frank. Lloyd Wright. [00:38:17] Jen Odess: Yeah. I am an architecture and design junkie. [00:38:21] Jen Odess: Maybe I don’t do any of it myself, though. I dabble with friends that do it, and I try to apply it to my home life when I can. And Frank Lloyd Wright sort of embodies some of my favorite. Components of any kind of environment that you are experiencing, whether it’s a home or it’s an office building or it’s an outdoor space. [00:38:39] Jen Odess: I love the idea of minimalism and simplicity. I love the idea of monochromatic colors. I love the idea of spaces that can be used for multipurpose. And then I love the idea of the outside being in and the inside being out. I love it. So I would like love to pick his brain on some of his, how he came up with some of his ideas. [00:38:59] Jen Odess: Fascinating for some of his greatest. Yeah. Designs. Okay. That’s number two. Number three, I think it would be Pharrell Williams. Really? Yeah, I, Pharrell Williams. Yeah. I love fashion music and all things creativity. He’s got that, Annie’s philanthropic. He’s just yeah. The whole package of a good person. [00:39:26] Jen Odess: That’s super interesting and I very cool. I would love to pick his brain on what it was like to be behind the scenes on some of the fashion lines he’s collaborated with on some of his music collabs he’s had, and then just some of the work he’s doing around philanthropy. I would. I could just spend all night probably listening to him. [00:39:43] Jen Odess: This would be a [00:39:44] Vince Menzione: really cool conversation night. [00:39:45] Jen Odess: Don’t you wanna come to my dinner? Was gonna say, I’m sorry I didn’t invite you to identify. No [00:39:49] Vince Menzione: I was, can I bring dessert? [00:39:50] Jen Odess: Yeah. I come [00:39:50] Vince Menzione: for dessert. I, but it can’t, [00:39:51] Jen Odess: it has to be like a chocolate dessert. It’s gotta have [00:39:54] Vince Menzione: I love chocolate dessert. [00:39:55] Vince Menzione: Okay, great. So it would not be a problem for me, Jen. This is terrific. You have been absolutely amazing. So great to have you come here. Yeah. Such a busy time of year to have you make the trip here to Boca. We will have you back in the studio. I promise that I’ll have you back on stage. Stage. [00:40:10] Jen Odess: This is beautiful. [00:40:10] Jen Odess: Look at it. Yeah. This is [00:40:11] Vince Menzione: beautiful. And we transformed this into, to a room, basically a conference room. And then we also have our ultimate partner events. I would love to come, we would love to have you join us. Like I said, ServiceNow is such an impactful time. Your leadership in this segment market, and I wouldn’t say segment across all of AI in terms of all the use cases of AI is just so meaningful, especially for within the enterprise. [00:40:33] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Right now. So just really a jogger nut right now within the industry. So great to have you and have ServiceNow join us. So Jen, thank you so much for joining us. [00:40:42] Jen Odess: Thanks Vince. Appreciate the time. It’s a pleasure to be here. [00:40:44] Vince Menzione: Thank you very much. Thanks for tuning into this episode of Ultimate Eye to Partnering. [00:40:50] Vince Menzione: We’re bringing these episodes to you to help you level up your strategy. If you haven’t yet, now’s the time to take action and think about joining our community. We created a unique place, UPX or Ultimate partner experience. It’s more than a community. It’s your competitive edge with insider insights, real-time education, and direct access to people who are driving the ecosystem forward. [00:41:16] Vince Menzione: UPX helps you get results. And we’re just getting started as we’re taking this studio. And we’ll be hosting live stream and digital events here, including our January live stream, the Boca Winter Retreat, and more to come. So visit our website, the ultimate partner.com to learn more and join us. Now’s the time to take your partnerships to the next level.
In this episode of Innovation Meets Leadership, host Natalie Born welcomes back Ron Crabtree—founder and CEO of MetaOps and MetaExperts, global process improvement leader, and one of the most respected voices in Lean and operational excellence. This conversation takes a deep dive into value stream mapping, a powerful visual methodology that helps leaders uncover hidden inefficiencies, reduce cycle time, improve quality, and identify the smartest opportunities for digitization and AI.If you want a clearer view of where your business is wasting time, losing money, or missing value, this episode is your blueprint.[00:00 – 03:00] Why Value Stream Mapping Still MattersRon returns to discuss deeper layers of process improvement and Lean thinking.Deming's foundational principle: If you can't describe your work as a process, you don't know what you're doing.Value stream mapping as a visual + data-driven methodology to understand workflow end-to-end.[03:01 – 07:00] Defining the Mission: What Problem Are We Solving For?Understanding the organizational challenge: cost, quality, speed, or customer experience.Toyota's SQDCMP hierarchy (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Productivity, Morale).Selecting the scope and granularity of a mapping effort based on the business challenge.[07:01 – 10:00] Where Digitization and AI Fit InWhy not all automation opportunities are equally valuable.Using value stream mapping to identify high-ROI areas for digitization and AI.[10:01 – 14:00] Beyond Manufacturing: Value Stream Mapping for Any IndustryHow even non-technical environments—like historical sites—benefit from mapping their visitor and customer journey.[14:01 – 17:00] Swim Lanes, Roles & the Hidden Complexity in HR ProcessesUsing swim lane diagrams to visualize handoffs, approvals, and compliance requirements.A real-world hiring example showing a six-month cycle time inside a government agency.[17:01 – 20:00] The Power of Hard Numbers in Decision MakingWhy mapping requires both visuals and data to measure true performance.Ron's example from a defined benefits company: identifying the percentage of time spent on rework, verification, and corrections.[20:01 – 23:00] When Processes Are Physically InefficientHow spaghetti diagrams expose unnecessary movement, travel time, and equipment downtime.Distinguishing internal vs. external activities to reduce waste during machine setup or maintenance.[23:01 – 26:00] The University Email Story: From 17 Steps to ZeroA university's onboarding process involved 17 steps and two weeks of delays.A powerful demonstration of innovation + efficiency working hand in hand.[26:01 – 27:00] Efficiency vs. Innovation: Why Leaders Need BothMany companies over-index on either efficiency or innovation—but not both.Understanding your value stream helps leaders see where inefficiencies hinder innovation.Ron shares where listeners can find his work, his podcast, and how to connect.Quotes“If you can't describe what you're doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing.” – Ron Crabtree“Value stream mapping helps you see where to apply digitization and AI with laser focus.” – Ron CrabtreeConnect with Ron CrabtreeWebsite: metaexperts.comLinkedIn: Ron Crabtree, MetaOps & MetaExpertsPodcast: MetaExperts Workforce ExcellenceIf this conversation inspired you, leave a review and share this episode with a leader who's ready to rethink how their organization creates value.
Wondering what your marketing agency is actually doing, and whether it's truly bringing new clients through the door?In this episode of the Grow Your Clinic podcast, we unpack the must-know foundations clinic owners need before handing over a single marketing dollar. We break down the core definitions that shape every campaign - what a real conversion is, how to calculate your Client Acquisition Cost, why Lifetime Value matters, and what ROI should realistically look like for your clinic. You'll learn how to set clear expectations, ask the right questions, and avoid the common misalignment that leads to wasted spend and disappointing results.We also explore how to build a transparent, collaborative relationship with your agency, one where reporting is simple, next steps are clear, and both sides are accountable. If you want marketing that genuinely delivers new clients, not just pretty reports, this conversation will give you the clarity and confidence to get it right.Need to systemise your clinic? Start your free trial of Allie! https://www.allieclinics.com/ In This Episode You'll Learn:
L'histoire commence le 23 février 1981 à Madrid en Espagne lorsque des militaires pénètrent dans les Cortès où siègent les députés. Après quelques coups de feu, les députés sont pris en otage, ça ressemble à un coup d'état. Ce soir là, la couronne du roi d'Espagne vacille mais Juan Carlos 1er ne flanche pas. Il a payé trop cher pour monter sur le trône, pas question de se laisser faire par des généraux en mal d'autorité. En réalité, le règne de Juan Carlos 1er commence réellement ce soir du 23 février 1981 alors qu'officiellement, il a été proclamé roi en 1975. Le générique du podcast c'est toujours David Nilsson. Plus d'infos sur notre label Podcut et notre patreon : podcut.studio Merci pour vos contributions !sourcesdiscours du roi https://www.ina.fr/ina-eclaire-actu/video/caa8100329301/discours-juan-carlos (INA)Secrets d'histoire https://www.france.tv/france-3/secrets-d-histoire/saison-19/7762815-juan-carlos-la-gloire-et-l-exil.htmlHébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.
In this episode, Ben Lorica and Evangelos Simoudis of Synapse Partners explore the complex reality behind AI-driven layoffs, from automation and upskilling gaps to strategic shifts in R&D. They also dive into the massive capital investments in AI, discussing the growing pressure for ROI and the emergence of LLMOps as a form of financial management. The conversation highlights practical strategies for enterprises, emphasizing the need to break down organizational silos to succeed in the AI era.Subscribe to the Gradient Flow Newsletter
Send us a textWhat if authority wasn't about being the best closer, but about creating the safest decision for your buyer? Grant sits down with Doug Brown—CEO of CEO Sales Strategies—to explore how shared context, credible associations, and personal ROI can transform ordinary sales conversations into trust-driven commitments. From New England roots to global brands, Doug shows why familiarity is a strategic lever, not a vanity metric.We dig into the gap between “good” sales teams and those viewed as market authorities. The surprise: status and positioning can tilt the field before price is ever discussed. Using vivid examples—from first-class optics to iconic venues—Doug explains how perception amplifies pricing power. But he also grounds it in craft: speak to the business ROI and the personal ROI driving real human decisions, whether that's safety, reputation, or career risk. Buyers sign when they feel both the numbers and the nerves are addressed.The heart of the conversation is resilience. Doug recounts a costly client pivot that vaporized roughly $2M, then shares the mental and operational playbook that pulled him forward: stop treating symptoms, remove root causes, and take one meaningful step every day toward a clear North Star. We also get practical with a 90-day revenue plan that works without heroics—set a truthful target, do the math on KPIs, reengage dormant clients, increase touchpoints, and define your ideal right-fit buyer to align message and market. We close with a grounded take on AI: use it to accelerate research and outreach, but never outsource the human-to-human moments that make complex deals possible.If you're ready to sell with authority, protect your margins, and build pipeline you can trust, this conversation gives you the mindset and methods to start today. Subscribe, share with a teammate who needs a boost, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway—we read every one.Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Follow The Brand! We hope you enjoyed learning about the latest trends and strategies in Personal Branding, Business and Career Development, Financial Empowerment, Technology Innovation, and Executive Presence. To keep up with the latest insights and updates, visit 5starbdm.com. And don't miss Grant McGaugh's new book, First Light — a powerful guide to igniting your purpose and building a BRAVE brand that stands out in a changing world. - https://5starbdm.com/brave-masterclass/ See you next time on Follow The Brand!
Politically Entertaining with Evolving Randomness (PEER) by EllusionEmpire
Send us a textWe share a blunt playbook for leaders: stop chasing an all‑knowing AI, design for adoption, protect sensitive data, and turn time savings into measurable growth. Hunter Jensen explains why he pivoted from services to product and how to deploy AI safely at small and mid‑market companies.• framing AI for leadership, not hype• risks of the “oracle” model and access control• adoption as the driver of ROI• designing copilots for knowledge workers• small vs medium strategies for starting• using 365 Copilot and Gemini safely• defining success beyond hours saved• reinvesting time in revenue and innovation• building a cross‑functional AI team• Compass by Barefoot Labs for secure deploymentFollow Hunter Jensen at ...His websitehttps://www.barefootsolutions.com/Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/barefootsolutionsTwitterhttps://x.com/barefootsolnsLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterjensen/Support the showFollow your host atYouTube and Rumble for video contenthttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUxk1oJBVw-IAZTqChH70aghttps://rumble.com/c/c-4236474Facebook to receive updateshttps://www.facebook.com/EliasEllusion/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliasmarty/ Some free goodies Free website to help you and me https://thefreewebsiteguys.com/?js=15632463 New Paper https://thenewpaper.co/refer?r=srom1o9c4gl PodMatch https://podmatch.com/?ref=1626371560148x762843240939879000
Michael Richie, retired Lt. Colonel - U.S. Army - and blogger, joins the "ROI" team to discuss "The Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage."The host for the 639th edition in this series is Jay Swords, and the history buffs are Brett Monnard and Terri Toppler.Opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and the guest(s), and not necessarily those of KALA-FM or St. Ambrose University. This program is recorded at KALA-FM, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, USA!
BONUS DISCUSSION: Michael Richie, retired Lt. Colonel - U.S. Army - and blogger, joins the "ROI" team to discuss "The Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage."The host for the 639th edition in this series is Jay Swords, and the history buffs are Brett Monnard and Terri Toppler.Opinions expressed in this program are those of the hosts and the guest(s), and not necessarily those of KALA-FM or St. Ambrose University. This program is recorded at KALA-FM, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, USA!
Podcast diario para aprender español - Learn Spanish Daily Podcast
Hoy Paco y Roi comentan la canción de Rosalía, la Perla.
You don't need another strategy. You need to trust the truth that's already in you.In this soul-stirring conversation, George sits down with Gabriel Pinto, entrepreneur, author, coach, and soul-searcher, to explore what it really means to live and lead from alignment. This episode isn't about adding more noise to your head. It's about listening to what your heart already knows and learning to follow it with clarity, compassion, and courage.If you've ever felt like you're checking all the boxes but still feel off inside, this conversation is your compass.What You'll Learn in This Episode:How to shed inherited identity and step into your truthWhy slowing down is often the fastest way to growThe role of legacy, intention, and presence in leadershipHow to recognize and release survival-based patternsWhat to do when you know you're meant for more but feel stuck Key Takeaways:✔️What got you here won't get you there… Especially if it was built in survival.✔️You don't have to earn worthiness, it's inherent. Operate from that truth.✔️Honor your own internal pace. Someone else's timeline is not your truth.✔️Identity is a tool, not a cage… Let go of roles and titles that don't serve you.✔️Authenticity is your advantage. The most powerful strategy is your actual self. Timestamps & Highlights:[00:00] – Gabriel's origin story: from external success to internal search[07:30] – Realizing that the old version of you no longer fits[12:42] – Identity, approval addiction, and the role of self-awareness[18:25] – The danger of surviving success[24:33] – Why slowing down can lead to more aligned growth[32:50] – Living and creating from values, not validation[40:18] – The “remembering” process and reconnecting with truth[47:03] – How to hold legacy, identity, and ego with love, not shame[56:44] – Integration, peace, and the real ROI of doing the inner work[1:02:30] – Closing thoughts: it's already in you, just remember Connect with Gabriel Pinto:Website: https://www.gabrielpinto.io/Instagram: @glpintoYoutube: @GabrielPinto3Your Challenge This Week:What's one part of you you're ready to come home to?Tag @itsgeorgebryant and @glpinto on Instagram with your favorite insight or quote.Reflect: If you weren't trying to be “enough,” what would you create today?Join The Alliance: The Relationship Beats Algorithms™ community for entrepreneurs growing aligned, connected businesses.Apply for 1:1 Coaching: Ready to stop building someone else's dream and start living yours? mindofgeorge.com/coachingLive Events – Get in the room. Grow with heart: https://mindofgeorge.com/retreat/
Thanks to our Partners, NAPA TRACS, Today's Class, KUKUI, and Pit Crew Loyalty Watch Full Video Episode Recorded live at AAPEX 2025, ASE President Dave Johnson and AAPEX Shop of the Year winner Tom Palermo discuss the value, impact, and future of ASE certification. A major highlight: the U.S. Secret Service joined ASE on the AAPEX show floor, promoting technician careers and showcasing armored vehicles. Johnson notes that the Secret Service requires ASE certification for maintenance roles—proof that if it's “good enough for the president's car,” it matters for the whole industry. Key topics include ASE's updated test content based on real shop feedback, powerful data showing certification improves productivity and reduces comebacks and attrition, and the ongoing challenge of boosting consumer awareness. They also discuss increasing industry requirements for ASE, new certification efforts for Vehicle Security Specialists, and the continued push for professionalism in today's high-tech automotive field. Dave Johnson, President, ASE, National Institute For Automotive Service Excellence Tom Palermo, Preferred Automotive Specialists in Philadelphia, PA. Tom's previous episodes HERE Thanks to our Partner, NAPA TRACS NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Thanks to our Partner, Today's Class Optimize training with Today's Class: In just 5 minutes daily, boost knowledge retention and improve team performance. Find Today's Class on the web at https://www.todaysclass.com/ Thanks to our Partner, KUKUI Stop juggling multiple marketing tools. KUKUI's integrated platform delivers 4x better website conversions, automated follow-up, and real-time ROI tracking. Get industry-leading customer support with KUKUI at https://www.kukui.com/ Thanks to our Partner, Pit Crew Loyalty You're probably tired of chasing new customers who never return. We understand. Pit Crew Loyalty ends the one-and-done cycle, turning first visits into lasting, reliable revenue at https://www.pitcrewloyalty.com/ Connect with the Podcast: - Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ - Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters - Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 - Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto - Follow on...
How much money has water damage cost your owners? How much time and money could you save if you were able to detect issues within a property before they became a larger problem? In this episode of the #DoorGrowShow, property management growth expert Jason Hull sits down with Nadav Schnall to explore how innovative water and gas leak detection systems are transforming residential property management and to share how these technologies can prevent costly damage, protect tenants, and streamline maintenance operations for property managers. You'll Learn [1:14] Nadav Schnall's Background in Property Management [05:06] Innovative Solutions for Leak Detection [11:07] Understanding the Technology Behind Pro Sentry [17:25] Implementing Smart Detection Systems Quotables "If something goes unchecked, somebody's out of town, there's a water leak, I mean, it can just do massive damage." "The responsibility of a property manager is to make sure the building is operating properly, to make sure it's operating efficiently, to mitigate damages, to mitigate risks." "Time is of the essence when something like this happens." Resources DoorGrow and Scale Mastermind DoorGrow Academy DoorGrow on YouTube DoorGrowClub DoorGrowLive Transcript Nadav Schnall (00:00) No need for displacement, no need to wake up in the middle of the night, come back to a flooded home. So we can solve all that Jason Hull (00:05) All right. Welcome everybody. I am Jason Hull, the founder and CEO of DoorGrow, the world's leading and most comprehensive coaching and consulting firm for long-term residential property management entrepreneurs. For over a decade and a half, we have brought innovative strategies and optimization to the property management industry. We have spoken to thousands of property management business owners, coached, consulted, and cleaned up hundreds of businesses. helping them add doors, improve pricing, increase profits, simplify operations. And we run the leading property management mastermind with more video testimonials and reviews than any other coach or consultant in the industry. At DoorGrow, we believe that good property managers can change the world and that property management is the ultimate high trust gateway to real estate deals, relationships, and residual income. We are on a mission to transform property management business owners and their businesses. We want to transform the industry. eliminate the BS, build awareness, change perception, expand the market, and help the best property management entrepreneurs win. Now, let's get into the show. Today, my guest is Nadav Schnall. Welcome, Nadav Nadav Schnall (01:14) Thank you for having me, Jason. Jason Hull (01:15) All right, so your company is called ProSentry. We're going to be getting into that. But before we chat about our topic today, which is protect, prevent, perform smart leak detection for modern property managers, tell us a little bit about your background, how you got into entrepreneurism and what finally led you. Nadav Schnall (01:33) Sure, happy to provide some background. So my background is actually in property management. I was a property manager for about a decade for First Service Residential in New York City. I had their kind of luxury. group or luxury division. So I did a lot of consulting for developers and lot of property management, opening buildings, know, placing staff, making sure buildings kind of transition from construction to operation. So that was really the lion's share of my background as it relates to property management. Then I went into and opened another company that had to do with the service industry, kind of fire suppression systems, mechanicals, kind of the the heart of a building, so to speak. And that led me to connect with my co-founder and business partner, John Russ, who is a builder in New York City. I've known him for probably about 15 years. And we came together to do this idea. So really very much so kind of experiencing firsthand. what we are trying to solve and that's kind how I got into the world of entrepreneurship and into the world of ProSentry Jason Hull (02:35) Got it. All right. Thanks for the background. So you're an expert. This is your bio, an expert in smart building monitoring. We're going to chat about exploring how innovative water and gas leak detection systems are transforming residential property management and maybe share how these technologies can prevent costly damage, protect tenants, streamline maintenance operations for property managers from boosting safety to increasing operational efficiency. And in today's episode, you'll get to learn how smart monitoring is reshaping the way you care for your properties and your bottom line. So cool. I'm excited to get into this. So, so now, Nadav, where, where do we start? Nadav Schnall (03:15) Well, we can probably start in property management. And I can tell you how many times I would wake up in the morning and I'd be checking my phone and then find that I have emails from last night that there was a leak in the building or my super calling me at two o'clock in the morning saying, hey, we had a flood or someone, there was a construction going on and someone left a window open and some pipe froze. Jason Hull (03:19) Okay. Nadav Schnall (03:42) And so that's kind of where it started for me, kind of really looking into these operational issues, which in today's day and age with technology, you are able to solve. And so that's where the journey started for me is really trying to look at properties and saying, how can we help common day-to-day occurrences? More so you look at the insurance industries and that's one of the... biggest pluses that we try to bring to the table is trying to helping buildings with insurance. Water leaks are non-weather related water leaks are typically the top three causes for insurance claims. And many times it's the number one reason for insurance claims. And so you look at these things and you're saying, there is technology out there. There is ways to substantially reduce that. How do we do that, improve the day-to-day work of property managers? reduce insurance claims for buildings, reduce insurance rates and premiums, and also improve the life of the residents and tenants that live within. No need for displacement, no need to wake up in the middle of the night, come back to a flooded home. So we can solve all that and we focus in the multifamily. That's kind of our main focus. Jason Hull (04:53) Yeah, Yeah, I mean, if something goes unchecked, somebody's out of town, there's a water leak, I mean, it can just do massive damage. Yeah, so how do we mitigate that? Nadav Schnall (05:04) Yeah, so I can tell you a little bit about the technology and what we do and how we do it. first of all, traditional systems that existed so far were really based on Wi-Fi, which is a big difference. And they were more geared towards maybe something that you would do for your house or maybe something you would do for your apartment. But how do you resolve that in a multifamily world, right? Where even if I am the most responsible resident in the building and I put water leak detection and temperature and humidity and maybe gas, you put all detection technologies in your apartment, you can still get leaked on from your apartment above. Something can still happen. And you just said it, right? A resident that may be away. And we have this actually. is an actual... know, claim that we were able to avoid. In a building, someone, you know, it was a vacant apartment, a realtor came in to show the apartment, walked out to the terrace. It was a classic wintery day. Didn't close the door all the way. Realtor left, came in, blew the apartment door open and the temperatures started going down and going down and going down. Luckily that building had ProSentry and that building was notified when the temperatures hit about 50 degrees and the resident manager of that building got the notification today that doesn't sound right. Of course, checked the records, found out there was a vacant apartment, ran upstairs, saw that the door was open, was able to close the door, turn on the heat before frozen pipes. But otherwise you would have had frozen pipe and that could have easily knocked out 10 apartments insurance claims and so on and so forth. So I think that's kind of one of the biggest areas where we can save. And the nice part about that is insurance carriers are starting to recognize us and starting to recognize that we are actually reducing claims inside buildings. We're doing that across the board. We recently did a study across 18 months. We took a bunch of properties and we wanted to see what happened in those properties across an 18 month period. we alerted those properties to over 6,000 different types of water events, right? Whether it's water or, you know, could be some, some of it can be just be drizzling. Some of could be, you know, a condensate drain and an HVAC unit overflowing, right? So different types of leaks. And then we followed up with the properties. Not one of those buildings and any of those water events resulted in an insured claim. And so we were able to actually prove to the insurance world that this is a risk mitigative tool and actually the service that we provide, we like to call it risk mitigation as a service. ⁓ And by doing that, we've been able to help several buildings either move from kind of E &S, Excessive Surplus insurance policies over to admitted carriers, which of course are substantially cheaper. Jason Hull (07:27) Yeah. Nadav Schnall (07:41) or just simply being able to reduce insurance rates, right? You presented a certain risk before, now you present this risk. And so it can help properties both on the operation side, the maintenance side, but also on the insurance side. And I know I said a lot. Jason Hull (07:53) Yeah. No, that's, no, that sounds very fascinating. So I can see how this would be very important. So if the insurance companies are not having to do anything on these claims, then you would think they would be very incentivized to get people to implement this. Nadav Schnall (08:10) That's 100%. So in New York State, for example, where we have a lot of presidents, especially in New York City, we work with a number of carriers that provide anywhere from, this is on the homeowner side, but anywhere from 3 % up all the way up to 12 % premium reductions. year over year on your homeowners insurance policy. So if you have a building and let's say there's 100 apartments, if you happen to be insured with one of these insurance carriers, you will receive a discount on your premium year over year. their ROI is right there. And then of course we can help on the underlying building insurance policy as well. Jason Hull (08:50) Got it, okay. So what are the benefits for the, that's obviously a benefit for the property owner, right? What are the benefits for the property manager? Nadav Schnall (09:00) So, I mean, the obvious would be peace of mind, right? Because at the end of the day, the responsibility of a property manager is to make sure the building is operating properly, to make sure it's operating efficiently, to mitigate damages, to mitigate risks. And so the advantages of property managerial, first of all, you're able to see what happens in your entire building. So you'll have a dashboard. You'll be able to see each one of our sensing technologies. And I think we've heavily focused so far on water leak detection and maybe temperature detection, which is really, you know, these are one of our biggest sellers, but we do anything from water to gas to oil leaks, to mechanical malfunctions, environmental issues, even rodents. So we have a lot. know, thermostat. So we have different types of technologies all surrounded under our platform. And so the property manager will be able to see all these sensing, all these sensors across this entire building on one, on one dashboard. It will substantially reduce damages, right? So from a... to do share responsibility to the building. is very important, but more so it also gives peace of mind, right? That you know that this apartment or this building or this area, because a lot of our installations are mechanical equipment, right? We have a building that had a couple of leaks coming from the mechanical systems. Every time there was a leak there, it leaked into the elevators. The elevators went out, had to call the elevator company out, had to file another insurance claim. And every time that's there, the amount of time the property managers have to spend to deal with an incident like this, right? It doesn't only start with mitigating the damage itself. You gotta mitigate the damage, you gotta communicate with all the apartment owners, you gotta let them know what's going on. Then they have repairs, they have to coordinate with contractors, they have to file insurance claims, they have to file reports, they have to talk to their boards or their building owners. So there's a lot there. By installing a system like this, it gives you lot of peace of mind and saves you a lot of time. Jason Hull (10:46) So less damage, less work for the property manager, less stress in having to deal with frustrated owners, frustrated tenants. Yeah, so win-win all the way around. So you had mentioned a few things that this equipment can send for. So could you go over all those for us? Nadav Schnall (11:04) Yeah, sure. It's 100%. So we have, you maybe I started off a little bit in the beginning, we talked about Wi-Fi, but I really complete that thought. So I can start high level. So. First of all, what we use is use a technology called LoRaWAN. LoRaWAN stands for long range wide area network. So it's very similar to Wi-Fi in the sense that it is a wireless technology that we can communicate over this wireless network that it creates. But indifferent than Wi-Fi, has a couple of major differences, which is huge for buildings, huge for properties, right? Especially existing buildings where you're trying to retrofit a system, which of course you're very sensitive to, right? Because if you're... You know, if you're doing property management in a multifamily residential building and you have to access every single apartment, no one wants to like start running electricity or opening walls. It has to be really easy to deploy. You come in and come out under 10 minutes. That's what you're looking to do. So this technology, LoRaWAN, what it does is it is a very strong frequency. So the advantage is it can penetrate brick, mortar, you know. concrete, steel, whatever, whatever inside a building. And you can use one of these gateways. Gateways are similar to what we would call in the Wi-Fi world as like a router. So you would install one of those every maybe three to six floors, I would say, as opposed to a traditional router where you put it in an apartment, you have one for the entire apartment. The downside to it is that you can stream a lot of data on it. So it's great for the world of IoT and the world of sensors because you don't have to put on that. You just need to say, what is the temperature? I having a leak? Do I have this or do I have something else? So that is a very, very important advantage that this technology has over traditional systems, which rely on Wi-Fi. The other big thing it has is that it's extremely energy efficient. So each one of our sensors will last for about 10 years on battery life. Whereas traditional Wi-Fi systems, probably have to replace the battery once a year, once every two years, depending on the system. As far as our offering, so we have different liquid sensing technology, so oil and water. We also have gas detection. And for example, in New York City, they passed a law which was now tabled again, but they passed a law called Local Law 157. Every, you know, apartment or building in New York City that had gas, had to have gas detection. So we were able to help those buildings as well. And so buildings that already had our system had to now comply with a new law, easily just put it on the system, no problem. Temperature humidity, we spoke about. We have rodents. We have different types of sensing. For example, if you want to see the levels of different tanks. So for example, you have a big water storage tank or you want to know what the capacity is of trash or different. So we have devices that can sense distance. different sensors for different types of mechanical equipment to see where they go, what the status is, are they operating, are they not, are they in movement? Steam traps, we can tell you if a stream trap open. So there's a lot of stuff there. And I think one of the unique parts about ProSentry is that both me and my business partner, John, really come from the world. And so we meet with supers, we meet with property managers and they say, hey, you know, I really want to understand how I can better see this or how I can do that. And that's what we developed. And so we go out and we figure out what sensing to cloud booth exists for the world and we customize them for the buildings themselves. Jason Hull (14:15) Got it. Is this system also tie into some of the other sort of catastrophes besides water, like fire, smoke? ⁓ Nadav Schnall (14:23) So we have a smoke and vape detector, but it is not what you would call your traditional carbon-fiber monoxide type of sensor. And that is because, first of all, it's a very saturated market. There's a lot of companies out there that provide. We have the ability to interface into it. It was just a conscious choice not to get into that yet. Jason Hull (14:38) Yeah. Nadav Schnall (14:47) Just because you know, it's more of a niche market and that's more of a very wide market. There's also a lot of regular Jason Hull (14:52) Figure out smoking and vaping is another thing. Like, maybe four terms, stuff like this. Nadav Schnall (14:55) Yeah. So that we do have on the property, on the platform. that is a great sensing technology, especially for like rental buildings or buildings that have passed no smoking laws in the building. So it can do vaping, it could do marijuana, it could do cigarette smoke. And so we've had that. actually, one of the reasons we developed it, again, speaking to property managers and building owners, This is a West Coast property owner. he said, you know, one of my main reasons for non renewing leases in my building is because people smoke and people don't want to renew. And so that was one of the reasons we went out. came out with this, with a sensing technology and it can, you know, it kind of tattles on the smokers, but it works with that kind of building. Right. So if you sign into a building, which is a non-smoking building, you should have that same with hotels, et cetera, et cetera. Jason Hull (15:45) Cool. So I'm going to read a word from our sponsor and then I some more questions we'll get into. So this episode is sponsored by Vendoroo So many of you tell me that maintenance is probably the least enjoyable part of the property manager and definitely the most time consuming. But what if you could cut that workload by up to 85 %? That's exactly what Vendoroo has achieved. They've leveraged cutting edge AI technology to handle nearly all your maintenance tasks from initiating work orders and troubleshooting to coordinating with vendors and reporting. This AI doesn't just automate, it becomes your ideal employee, learning your preferences and executing tasks flawlessly, never needing a day off and never quitting. This frees up you to focus on the critical tasks that really move the needle for you and your business, whether that's refining operations, expanding your portfolio, or even just taking a well-deserved break. So over half the room at last year's DoorGrow Live. conference signed up with Vendoroo right then and there after hearing about it. A year later, they're not just satisfied. They're raving about how Vendoroo has transformed their business. Don't let maintenance drag you down. Step up your property management game with Vendoroo Visit vendero.ai. That's V-E-N-D-O-R-O-O.ai slash door grow today and make this the last maintenance hire you'll ever need. All right, cool. So back to... Back to what you were talking about, Nadeav. I'm curious, this sounds like a no-brainer. Is this expensive to get set up? Can this be turned into a profit center for property managers in some way? How does this typically work for property managers? Nadav Schnall (17:20) Yeah, sure. So, excellent questions. As far as the cost goes, it is very competitive in the marketplace. Sensors start at about $70 a sensor, depending on what it is. There is a cost for the network, but again, it is not a significant cost. The costs kind of vary based on the size of the building, and obviously there's volume discounts. But, you know, I think it, you know, from a Profit center, it's an interesting question, right? Because I don't know if you're actively going to make money from the building, from activating the system. However, you will get a return on your investment because again, you're able to, first of all, reduce repair costs. There's no question about that, right? we have... Examples examples examples of buildings that have installed our system and have caught dozens of water leaks some of which may have turned into Small things or maybe you and an overflowing club, but you caught that and you mopped that up But others are like these slow leaks behind walls and all kinds of areas like that that you otherwise would have not noticed and before it became mold and stuff so hundred percent you save money on that from a repair across perspective and Jason Hull (18:09) Yeah. Nadav Schnall (18:24) on insurance front, is really one of our biggest areas that we're focused on is trying to help buildings reduce insurance costs. And so in that sense, it does turn into a profit center, maybe not the traditional profit center as a fee for it, but you do save on other repairs on insurance costs. So in that sense, yes, you do make money on that. Jason Hull (18:42) So, Nadav, a question. So you've mentioned multifamily. There are a lot of people that listen to this podcast that also do single-family residential, or maybe they do individual condos, or they do short-term rentals or Airbnbs. Do you find that this makes sense for those scenarios as well? Nadav Schnall (19:03) 100 % it does. We focus... only on multi-dwelling, in other words, we're a B2B company in that sense, unless maybe there's a situation where there's someone who manages multiple individual condos, let's say, right? Or multiple Airbnbs and they want everything on kind of a dashboard and maybe that would make sense. There are solutions out there that focus on the single-family world, that are Wi-Fi based and they're meant for that. We are really more of a commercial grade. solution, right? And that's kind of how we set ourselves up. And that is really the big differentiator with us is that we're really focused on whole building solutions. We have automatic border shutoff valves, for example, which I haven't even mentioned before. But for example, we have a commercial building. where the building owners have no one at the building over the weekend and actually no one in the building after I think it's 7 or 8 p.m. till they come back at like 6 or 7 in the morning. So they proactively shut the water to the building when they leave and no one's there. So they don't even want to take the risk. Of course all of our sensors can connect to the automatic shutoff app and say hey if there is a leak we'll shut that off, we'll shut the water off. They just want to they just put it on a schedule and proactively shut it. So in that sense if you have single family or Airbnb managers, cetera, et cetera, you can all control it even from the app. You don't even have to be at the property. And you can just shut the valve off and shut the property. So if you're going to go away and let's say you want to winterize the property and shut the water off for a prolonged amount of time because you're not going to be there going on vacation. So you can do that with the system quite easily. Jason Hull (20:35) Interesting. for somebody that's like an Airbnb and they wanted to get this set up, and they wanted like maybe water, auto water shut off, some gas detection, you know, a couple of the most obvious important ones, what would it roughly cost for them to get that property outfit? Nadav Schnall (20:53) I mean, if it's a, if let's say we're talking about a single apartment, maybe like a one or two bedroom, you're probably talking about a one time cost of anywhere between 300 to $500. If you're in, if you're in that kind of situation, if it's slightly bigger, it all depends on the number of sensors. But again, if it's about $70 a sensor, how many points of water do you have in your, in your apartment? And then that's how you do the math. Jason Hull (21:18) Got it. So typically sensor per maybe bathroom or water. Nadav Schnall (21:22) Yeah, you'd put one to two per bathroom, right? Depending on how many, if you have a tub or a shower, we typically catch that with another sensor that would be placed nearby, maybe behind a toilet. Sensors are very sleek, non-invasive. They don't actually, many of them, this is actually a sensor. They don't even look that way. So it's good. They're discreet. They go behind toilets, under sinks and so on and so forth. And so it's very easy to deploy them as well. Jason Hull (21:48) Got it. And these don't have cameras on them, right? Nadav Schnall (21:51) No cameras. And as I mentioned, because we use LoRaWAN and it is unable to communicate or transmit large packets of data, it is impossible for me to record someone because the data packets are so small. The amount of data that would need to be transmitted just to record a sentence would take days and days and days. So it is impossible for us to do that. Jason Hull (22:04) Hmm. Got it. Got it. Okay, very cool. Well, what else should people know about this solution or whatever questions that people ask, maybe about ProSentry and then how can people get in touch with you? Nadav Schnall (22:29) So first of all, think the most important thing is, you know, we were built by real estate professionals. And so we really understand the industry and we're happy to consult. and speak to anyone who has any questions. There's no strings of ties. There's no cost for that. We're happy to give proposals. And every building is unique and every building has their unique set of challenges. And so I think it's important for your listeners to know that that's the world that we come from and we actually enjoy having conversations with real estate professionals. And so if anyone has any questions or wants to discuss, just feel free to reach out. Our website, which is www.prosentry.com. prosentry.com. Contact us or request a proposal. Very easy to get in touch with us. Or also info at prosentry.com. Jason Hull (23:14) Very cool. So one last question. If somebody goes to your website, they decide they want to get some of this stuff set up for the property, who actually comes out and gets all this stuff set up and installed? Do they have to get a contractor to do it? How does that work? Nadav Schnall (23:27) No, so it is extremely, extremely simple. So we have designed the system so that it is easy to be deployed by the building itself. And while we can provide recommendations for installers, 100%, I think there's one, I wouldn't say 100, I think 99%, I think it's one property that actually hired someone to do that. All of our properties, and I'm talking about hundreds of buildings, have installed the system by themselves. It is extremely easy. The system comes pre-configured. So the gateways are the only component that gets plugged in. Those are the routers, right? So you start by plugging those into the wall into regular outlet. They turn on in about a minute or so and start communicating. They automatically connect to cellular antennas. They automatically... create this internal private network only to that building. So there's no configuration, nothing else to do. And then you take the devices, the sensors themselves, you download our app, you scan a QR code on the device and all you do is you have a drop down menu and you say, I am in apartment 22B, it's already pre-configured, we'll configure the apartment, everything will be there. And you'll say, I'm placing it by the kitchen sink. That's it. That's all you gotta do. It automatically connects, the sensors automatically connect. And so, We do speak to some buildings and they're like, yeah, we don't want to take on. so I call it deployment because it's not even installation. It's not invasive. There's no drilling. There's nothing to do there. So we say, OK, we can give you a proposal for installation or connect you with someone who can do it for you. But then once they understand how they get a little bit of a demo and see how it's done, go, oh, this is it. It's very, very easy to install. one of the features that I neglected to, to, to, to mention, I think is important is we offer, live operator calls to buildings. And so a lot of providers out there will send you like an app notification or maybe an email or a text message, right. say, Hey, but again, property managers, right. We realize that at two o'clock in the morning, no one's looking at their phone to see if you got a text message. So we use an underwriter, laboratory certified call center with live people, not some robo call. Jason Hull (25:19) and Nadav Schnall (25:33) and they will actually call you and say, Jason, you have a leak in apartment 22 B in the kitchen. under the dishwasher, right? And if you happen not to be answering, we will call the next person online. We can have multiple people. And so we'll call the front desk. Front desk doesn't answer. Maybe the handyman, handyman doesn't answer. The resident manager, the property manager, the hotline, the board president, whoever you need. We can put that all under the platform. So that is an important feature and a differentiator, by the way, because there are not many companies that do that. But we do recognize that because time is of the essence when something like this happens, you need to make sure you can get in touch with Jason Hull (26:01) Mm. Nadav Schnall (26:09) someone before damage becomes something very small into something really big. ⁓ Jason Hull (26:13) Yeah, well, it sounds like a no brainer. Sounds very cool. And yeah, I recommend everybody check it out at prosentry.com. cool. Well, Nadav, thanks for coming and hanging out with us here on the DoorGrow show. Yeah, I appreciate it. So for those of you that maybe felt stuck or stagnant in your property management business, you want to take it to the next level, reach out to us at doorgrow.com. We can help. Nadav Schnall (26:27) Thanks for having me, Jason. This was fun. Jason Hull (26:40) And for a free training on how to get unlimited leads for free for your property management business, text the word leads to 512-648-4608. That's the word leads to 512-648-4608. Also be sure to join our free Facebook community just for property management business owners at doorgrowclub.com. And if you would like to get the best ideas in property management, you can join our newsletter. at doorgrow.com slash subscribe. And if you found this episode even a little bit helpful, don't forget to subscribe and leave us a review on whatever platform you saw this on. We'd really appreciate it. And until next time, remember the slowest path to growth is to do it alone. So let's grow together. Bye everyone.
Welcome to episode 309 of Grow Your Law Firm, hosted by Ken Hardison. In this episode, Ken sits down with Seth Deutsch, founder of Samson Partners Group, a seasoned operator, board member, and growth leader with deep experience in private equity, alternative business structures, and multi-market professional services. Seth has architected nine buy-and-build platforms, executed more than 70 acquisitions, and served as CEO and operating partner across public, private equity-backed, and founder-led companies. His firm advises legal organizations on the evolving ABS landscape across seven submarkets, helping practices navigate consolidation, competition, and long-term value creation. What you'll learn about in this episode: 1. Differentiation in Competitive Markets - Why "yelling louder" or copying competitors fails - How authentic brand positioning can outperform large market spenders 2. Understanding What Clients Actually Value - Extracting insights from real client sentiment - Identifying the traits that truly set your practice apart 3. Avoiding the "Gimmick Trap" - Why catchy nicknames and flashy identities rarely sustain long-term value - Ensuring your brand reflects who you really are 4. Smarter, Not Louder, Marketing - Building a media plan that generates revenue, not just impressions - Choosing channels based on audience, message, and ROI 5. Growth Through Mergers & Acquisitions - How to evaluate whether and how to merge brands - When to integrate two practices and when to keep identities separate Resources: Website: samsonpartnersgroup.com Book: a.co/d/08LZUUB LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sethdeutsch Additional Resources: https://www.pilmma.org/the-mastermind-effect https://www.pilmma.org/resources https://www.pilmma.org/mastermind AI for PI Expo: www.pilmma.org/ai-for-pi-expo
In this episode of Wharton Tech Toks, Kirk Hachigian (Wharton MBA '27) sits down with Justin Hannah, Senior Director of Marketing Technology and Automation at FanDuel Sports Network. Justin shares his career journey from a 40-person ad tech startup to leading MarTech at Hulu and FanDuel, breaking down the complex world of marketing technology.The conversation explores how customer data platforms and CRM systems power modern marketing, the challenges of multi-touch attribution in a privacy-first world, and FanDuel's innovative approaches to measuring campaign ROI. Justin discusses transitioning from streaming entertainment to real-time sports, balancing aggressive personalization with responsible gaming, and where AI is actually delivering value versus hype in MarTech today.
Send Rita a text with your thoughts!Finally work on your travel business at Summer Camp at Sea: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/Want to know exactly what I'd be looking at if you hired me as your Chief Marketing Officer? I'm walking you through my complete audit process, from reviewing your messaging and voice of customer research to evaluating your ROI and figuring out what's actually driving results in your travel business. This isn't about throwing spaghetti at the wall or doing all the marketing things because someone in a Facebook group said so. We're getting strategic, intentional, and making sure every marketing dollar and every hour you spend is actually moving the needle toward your 2026 goals. Questions this episode answers:What does a Chief Marketing Officer do for a travel business?How do I conduct a marketing audit for my travel agency?What should I review first when evaluating my travel business marketing?What is a Voice of Customer audit and why does it matter for travel advisors?How do I evaluate which marketing channels are working for my travel business?What marketing metrics should travel advisors be tracking?How do I know if I'm spending money in the right places for marketing?How do I audit my website copy and messaging as a travel advisor?How often should I update my brand photos and marketing assets?What should I include in my marketing matrix as a travel advisor?How do I evaluate my marketing ROI in my travel business?Which marketing investments are worth it for travel agency owners?How do I know when to stop using a marketing strategy that isn't working?How do I identify my ideal client for better marketing results?Should travel advisors attend marketing conferences or industry events?Enjoy (and take action)!---------------------------------------------------------------Check out EVERYTHING I offer to support your travel business journey: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/Say HI on Social:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/takethehelmvbsFB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/529490048073622 Direct EMAIL:rita@steeryourmarketing.com
When Matt Aulsbrook moved to Fort Worth, he was riding the bus to DWI classes and sleeping on a blow-up mattress. No license. No law degree. No safety net. Today, his firm is one of the most active trial teams in Tarrant County, with an eight-figure practice built on profit discipline, not vanity metrics. In this episode, Matt breaks down how he bootstrapped growth, survived the lean years, and uses a simple KPI stack to keep his PI shop healthy in a brutal market. You'll learn: The real ROI timelines behind digital, radio, and TV (and how to know if your spend is actually working) The simple KPI mix that reveals whether your firm is healthy, overstaffed, or running too thin What high-performing intake teams focus on to consistently convert wanted leads Ways firms are using AI and mass-tort diversification to stay resilient in unpredictable markets If you like what you hear, hit subscribe. We do this every week. Get Social! Personal Injury Mastermind (PIM) powered by Rankings.io is on Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
Experts say that word of mouth is one of the most powerful marketing channels—but in today's world, publishing a book uniquely establishes credibility and authority by showcasing your expertise.A book can work for you 24/7, build trust before you ever meet someone, and open doors that would otherwise remain closed. Yet most entrepreneurs delay writing one because they think they don't have the time, clarity, or expertise. Today's guest is an expert in eliminating those excuses and will show you why writing a book may be the highest-ROI move you can make for your business.Chandler Bolt is the founder & CEO of Self-Publishing School and SelfPublishing.com, one of the fastest-growing companies in the Inc. 5000. He's helped publish over 7,000 books, has become a multi-seven-figure entrepreneur, and built his entire business by helping people turn their ideas into authority-building books that generate leads, sales, and long-term assets.In our conversation, Chandler explains why a book can be the #1 leverage tool for entrepreneurs and investors, how self-publishing gives you all the upside and the freedom to release updated versions, and the biggest mistakes people make when marketing their book. In this episode, you'll learn: 1.) Why writing a book is the #1 authority-builder for entrepreneurs and investors—and how it can generate leads, sales, referrals, and high-quality deal flow on autopilot.2.) How Chandler scaled SelfPublishing.com into an eight-figure company and his framework for helping busy founders publish a high-impact book faster than they thought possible.3.) The hard money investing lessons Chandler learned, both wins and losses, that every entrepreneur should hear before partnering on deals and deploying capital.Show Notes: LifestyleInvestor.com/268Tax Strategy MasterclassIf you're interested in learning more about Tax Strategy and how YOU can apply 28 of the best, most effective strategies right away, check out our BRAND NEW Tax Strategy Masterclass: www.lifestyleinvestor.com/taxStrategy Session For a limited time, my team is hosting free, personalized consultation calls to learn more about your goals and determine which of our courses or masterminds will get you to the next level. To book your free session, visit LifestyleInvestor.com/consultationThe Lifestyle Investor InsiderJoin The Lifestyle Investor Insider, our brand new AI - curated newsletter - FREE for all podcast listeners for a limited time: www.lifestyleinvestor.com/insiderRate & ReviewIf you enjoyed today's episode of The Lifestyle Investor, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device. You can also help by providing an honest rating & review.Connect with Justin DonaldFacebookYouTubeInstagramLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
How do you make sense of an industry that is changing at a pace few predicted, especially with SIGNAL London still fresh in our minds and Twilio unveiling the next stage of its vision for customer engagement? That question sits at the heart of today's conversation with Peter Bell, VP of Marketing for EMEA at Twilio, who joined me to unpack what the past year has taught both companies and consumers about AI's role in shaping modern experiences. Peter begins by grounding everything in a single, striking shift. Only a year ago, AI-powered search barely registered in global traffic. Today it accounts for around a fifth of all searches. That leap signals a broader behavioral shift as consumers move instinctively toward conversational interfaces, which, in turn, leaves brands with a clear message. The clock has moved on. AI is no longer a nice-to-have. It is a direct response to how people now choose to discover, question, and buy. Our conversation turns to the gap between customer expectations and the experiences they receive. Peter discusses why brands often struggle to integrate channels, data, and AI coherently. He explains how first party data has become the anchor for any serious AI strategy, why generic public models cannot solve brand-specific tasks, and why the most successful teams start with simple, tightly scoped problems. A password reset may not sound glamorous, yet it is the kind of focused use case that teaches teams how to govern data, automate safely, and build confidence in the process. We also spend time on branded calling, RCS, and the evolution of voice. Peter breaks down what modern messaging now looks like and why trust sits at the center of every interaction. His explanation of Conversational Relay shows why natural voice exchanges finally feel within reach after years of frustration with rigid IVR systems. The thread running through all of this is clear. Consumers want speed and clarity, but they want reassurance too, and brands need to honor both sides of that equation. Later in the conversation, Peter makes one of the episode's most compelling points. Brand visibility has become harder, not easier, because much of the early research now occurs within AI tools. Buyers form opinions long before they speak with a sales rep. That shift explains why so many B2B companies are returning to high-impact brand channels, whether that is F1 sponsorships or other standout moments that keep them in the initial consideration set. We close with the topic that Peter believes will define the next stage of enterprise AI. Model Context Protocol. MCP has emerged as a quiet breakthrough, enabling LLMs to access data across CRM systems, files, and other software through a standard protocol. This removes one of the biggest blockers in AI projects: the practical challenge of connecting disparate data to a model built for a specific purpose. As Peter puts it, MCP gives companies a realistic way to make the special-purpose models that deliver reliable ROI. It is a wide-ranging conversation shaped by SIGNAL London's announcements, the evolving customer journey, and a year in which AI moved from curiosity to expectation. I would love to know what part stood out most to you. Are you seeing the same shifts Peter describes in your own business, and how are you preparing for the year ahead? Useful Links Interact with the Inside the Conversational AI Revolution report. Learn more about the Signal event Connect with Peter Bell, VP of Marketing for EMEA at Twilio. Tech Talks Daily is sponsored by Denodo
What happens when a career-ending injury becomes the catalyst for a completely new life? In today's episode, Ted Stern (@fitresponder) shares how snapping his ankle on duty pushed him into the online world — and how that single moment transformed him from a frustrated first responder into a multiple 6-figure fitness entrepreneur. Ted breaks down the exact steps he used to scale from making a few thousand a month to consistently hitting $100K+ months, why niching saved his business, how first responders sabotage their own potential, and what it really takes to build a winning culture and team in 2025. We also dive deep into limiting beliefs, environment, accountability, and the mindset every first responder needs if they want to level up their health, income, and identity. Whether you're in law enforcement, an entrepreneur, or someone ready for a transformation — this episode is loaded with real, tactical value. In This Episode You'll Learn:
In this Healthy Waves conversation from the Healthy Mind By Avik™ ecosystem, host Sana and guest Kristen Crabtree deconstruct the usual script on mental health, mental strength and resilience. They unpack what happens when you are praised for holding everything together while silently disappearing behind roles like good wife, good mother, good employee. Kristen shares how 22 years in a psychologically abusive marriage, a bipolar diagnosis and trauma therapy in 2021 forced a complete reboot of her inner operating system. Together they explore how real mental strength starts with identity excavation. Not more grinding, but finally hearing your own voice under family rules, cultural conditioning and performance masks. They talk about privilege and survival, why telling people to just align with their true self can sound unrealistic for single parents and people in unsafe situations, and why boundaries can be a pragmatic first step when you have zero capacity. If you are tired of confusing survival with living, this episode gives you a sharp, honest lens on mental health, women's resilience, boundaries and rebuilding life on your own terms. About the Guest: Kristen Crabtree is an author, creator of the Paramore Paradox ecosystem and a certified trauma informed divorce coach. After decades in a psychologically abusive marriage and a long journey with bipolar disorder, trauma therapy and meditation helped her reclaim her voice and identity. Her book Be the You That is More You Than You Have Ever Beenoffers a structured framework for excavating your own story, identifying the roles and artifacts that shape you and stepping into what she calls your True You 2.0. Today she helps people move from invisibility and self doubt into clarity, self trust and aligned decision making. Key Takeaways: Mental health often erodes when we shrink behind roles and expectations. Kristen explains how constantly performing as the responsible one while ignoring your own needs creates inner chaos and long term psychological strain. Most people mistake mental strength for holding everything together and never asking for help. Kristen reframes true mental resilience as hearing your inner voice, accepting it and making decisions that align with who you really are. Kristen's turning point came through trauma therapy and meditation. Both helped her recognize the psychological abuse in her marriage, process earlier sexual trauma and reconnect with a self she had buried for decades. Her book uses an excavation metaphor. You audit the artifacts of your life, roles, traumas and stories, then intentionally design your True You 2.0, a future identity that expresses your real values instead of inherited scripts. The conversation names privilege directly. Kristen acknowledges that some people do not have the time, money or safety to do deep identity work, and that telling them to just align with their true self can sound tone deaf. Boundaries show up as a practical first lever. Kristen describes learning to feel in her body when a boundary is crossed and how protecting that line built self worth, self respect and the stability required for bigger life changes. Both Sana and Kristen emphasize that humans are messy by default. You are not broken or something to fix. The work is stripping away noise, shame and other people's blueprints so you can design a life that actually fits you. If you're in immediate crisis, contact local emergency services or your regional suicide prevention helpline. Here are reliable, widely used crisis lines by region: United States : 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org (24/7). SAMHSA+1 Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741 (24/7). Crisis Text Line LGBTQ+ (The Trevor Project, youth) — call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678 (24/7). The Trevor Project+1 Trans Lifeline — US (877) 565-8860 (hours vary; peer support). translifeline.org+1 Canada : 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline — call or text 9-8-8 (24/7). 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline+1 Crisis Text Line (via Kids Help Phone) — text 686868 (24/7). Crisis Text Line Trans Lifeline — Canada (877) 330-6366 (hours vary). translifeline.org United Kingdom & Ireland: Samaritans (UK & ROI) — call 116 123 (free, 24/7). Samaritans+1 Shout (UK) – Crisis Text Line affiliate — text SHOUT to 85258 (24/7). Shout 85258+1 50808 / “Text About It” (Ireland) — text HELLO/TALK to 50808 (24/7). Text About It+1 Australia : Lifeline — call 13 11 14 (24/7) or chat online. Lifeline New Zealand : 1737 “Need to talk?” — call or text 1737 (24/7). How to Connect with Kristen Crabtree Website and community. Paramour Paradox ecosystem and free community: https://www.paramourparadox.com/ Work with Kristen. Learn more about her trauma informed divorce coaching and identity excavation work via the site. Book: Be the You That is More You Than You Have Ever Been is available through links on https://www.paramourparadox.com/ and on Amazon. Facebook Instagram Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM. Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed are the personal opinions of the guest and do not reflect the views of the host or Healthy Mind By Avik™️. We do not intend to harm, defame, or discredit any person, organization, brand, product, country, or profession mentioned. All third party media used remain the property of their respective owners and are used under fair use for informational purposes. By watching, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer. Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it has become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, wellness advocate, this channel shares powerful podcasts and soul nurturing conversations on: • Mental Health and Emotional Well being • Mindfulness and Spiritual Growth • Holistic Healing and Conscious Living • Trauma Recovery and Self Empowerment With over 4,400 plus episodes and 168.4K plus global listeners, join us as we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters. Subscribe and be part of this healing journey. Contact Brand: Healthy Mind By Avik™ Email: www.healthymindbyavik.com Based in: India and USA Open to collaborations, guest appearances, coaching, and strategic partnerships. Let's connect to create a ripple effect of positivity. 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