Podcasts about silicon valley business journal

What happens when you reach the top—and realize it's not what you wanted? Angela Hwang had the résumé, the accolades, and the paycheck, but behind the scenes, her health was deteriorating and her happiness was nowhere to be found. In this honest and eye-opening episode, Angela shares how a health scare, motherhood, and burnout collided to spark a total life reset. If you've ever wondered whether there's more to life than climbing the next rung, this conversation is for you.Guest Bio Angela Hwang has more than 18 years of experience in marketing and business development. Angela has helped to raise more than $150M in direct investments for real estate fund managers since 2020 and contributed to significant revenue growth for various tech startups since 2016. She has a wide array of experience across multiple industries including financial services, real estate, legal and technology. In 2021, Angela was selected as one of 40 under 40 by Silicon Valley Business Journal for her marketing leadership. Angela graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Mass Communications and a B.A. in Sociology and earned her M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.Turning 40 and unlearning the American DreamAngela Hwang checked every box on the “successful life” checklist her parents handed her, and then realized none of it was making her happy. Born in South Korea and raised in the U.S., Angela spent decades chasing stability, prestige, and approval—especially from her parents, who had sacrificed everything for the American Dream. She climbed through the corporate ranks, earned accolades like Silicon Valley's 40 Under 40, and reached the coveted C-suite. But behind the scenes, she was unraveling. It wasn't until a terrifying health scare and the sobering clarity of new motherhood that Angela finally began to question the life she had built—and discovered the strength to redefine it.Episode Highlights:Angela's upbringing as a first-generation Korean-American and internalizing a success script rooted in her parents' fear, thus the immense pressure to achieve “safe” success.Climbing the corporate ladder—and the personal cost of doing so while hiding burnout and physical symptoms.The turning point: how becoming a mother and experiencing a health crisis forced Angela to reevaluate her priorities.Breaking generational narratives around work, safety, and entrepreneurship.The shift from external validation (titles, salaries, luxury goods) to internal fulfillment and presence.Selling off her designer wardrobe, trading Silicon Valley hustle for quiet comfort—and finding her true self in the process.How sleep, stillness, and finally listening to her own voice laid the foundation for shedding her parents' fears and starting her own business.In this deeply honest conversation, Angela Hwang shares what it's like to reach the top of the ladder your parents built for you—and realize it's leaning against the wrong wall. Her story is an invitation to question the narratives we inherit, especially when they're rooted in fear, sacrifice, and survival. If you've ever wondered whose life you're really living, this episode will leave you thinking—and maybe even reimagining what your next chapter could be.If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to rate, follow, and share The Big Four Oh with a friend who might need a little inspiration of their own.Guest ResourcesAngela is offering TBFO listeners a FREE Complementary Strategy SessionDo you have the Midlife Ick? Download Stephanie's guide to the Ick to diagnose whether you or someone you love is suffering from this insidious midlife malaise.

On this episode of the Invest In Her Podcast, host Catherine Gray sits down with Harmony Oswald, founder and CEO of Legalucy, the world's leading pre-lawyer legal platform. A trailblazer in legal tech, Harmony developed Legalucy to guide business owners through legal issues before hiring a lawyer, utilizing their proprietary Domain Specific Language Model and Culture Powered AI. A Silicon Valley finance attorney, U.S. Army veteran, and award-winning legal mind, Harmony has been honored by Entrepreneur Magazine, the Silicon Valley Business Journal, and The LegalTech Fund for her contributions to innovation and leadership in law. Catherine and Harmony explore how Legalucy is revolutionizing legal access for entrepreneurs by offering step-by-step legal guidance, document access, and the ability to hire vetted lawyers—all from one platform. Harmony shares the inspiration behind the company, her journey from military leadership to legal entrepreneurship, and how Legalucy is creating more equitable access to justice for small business owners. This episode offers invaluable insights for founders navigating legal complexities and looking for affordable, innovative solutions. https://legalucy.com/ https://www.showherthemoneymovie.com https://svwomenfoundersfund.vc www.sheangelinvestors.com    Follow Us On Social Facebook @sheangelinvestors Twitter (X) @sheangelsinvest Instagram @sheangelinvestors & @catherinegray_investinher LinkedIn @catherinelgray & @sheangels  

Janaki Kumar is Chief Design Officer at JPMorgan Chase & Co., a thought leader, innovator, and author who was named a Women of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2016. Janaki is a proven leader in building, coaching and inspiring high performance design teams, leveraging design-thinking, customer empathy, and co-innovation. She is the co-author of Gamification at Work – Designing Engaging Business Software. She was a co-instructor at Stanford's Graduate School Business LEAD course and inventor on over 20 patents. During our interview, she shared how she became CDO, how to prove your value to C-suite executives and what skills to develop to become CDO. For more leadership insights check our Design Leaders Programme. Learn more

In this episode of 'Regarding Consciousness,' host Jennifer K. Hill discusses the significance of human connection and the art of sharing with two-time bestselling author, Bryan Kramer. Known as the 'Zen Master to Digital Marketers,' Kramer introduces concepts from his books 'Human to Human' and 'Shareology,' emphasizing how sharing bolsters human connection. He explores how societal shifts towards AI and automation make authentic, human interactions more crucial than ever. You'll hear Bryan outline the different sharing types and the importance of empathy, simplicity, and imperfection in building human connections. Finally, we'll hear a call to embrace authenticity and humanize interactions in personal and professional environments.In this interview with Bryan, you'll discover:00:45 Meet Bryan Kramer: The Zen Master to Digital Marketers02:07 The Essence of Shareology: Why Sharing Matters07:43 Types of Sharers: Understanding Different Sharing Styles17:43 The Importance of Human Connection in the Digital Age26:16 Final Thoughts and How to Connect with Brian KramerAbout the guest:Connect on LinkedInCalled the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author and Forbes contributor.He is CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.Bryan's first book “There Is No B2B or B2C: It's Human to Human H2H” started a global movement about how to be more human, selling over 15,000 books and keynoting in over 30+ countries.His second book, “Shareology: How Sharing is Powering the Human Economy” published by Morgan James, made The USA Today's Top 150 Book List the week of its release and has been translated into 6 languages, selling over 40,000 books.OptiMatchAre you ready to stop struggling with high churn rates, decreased satisfaction, and financial losses due to poor matches in your business? See how the power of our SaaS algorithm delivers proven increases in satisfaction, higher retention rates, and increased revenue for businesses and marketplaces.OptiMatch is designed to be integrated into your existing recruitment process and used alongside your other tools.Our cutting-edge algorithms facilitate successful matches between employees and employers or customers and practitioners, resulting in proven increased satisfaction, effective sessions, higher retention rates, and increased revenue.Say goodbye to the friction, frustration, and inefficiency of poor matches, and hello to success with OptiMatch.

Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author and Forbes contributor. He is CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.  Bryan talks about how humanizing yourself and your business gives you an advantage in the market, getting and maintaining clients, dealing with burnout, and much more!

Jessica speaks with Dr. Maya Ackerman, a world-renowned researcher in generative AI and CEO & co-founder of WaveAI. A pioneer in the artificial intelligence field, Maya has been researching generative AI models for text, music and art since 2014. She was an early advocate for human-centered gen AI, and brought awareness to the power of AI to profoundly elevate human creativity. She has over 50 peer reviewed research publications and her research has been cited in over 1200 publications. She's been named a “Woman of Influence” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, and she's spoken in interviews on NBC News, NPR, and international television stations and stages across the globe. She earned her PhD from the University of Waterloo, held postdoc fellowships at Caltech and UC San Diego and sits on the faculty of the Computer Science and Engineering at Santa Clara University. Maya is also a singer, composer and music producer.  Follow Maya's work at https://maya-ackerman.com/ or find her on LinkedIn Watch and listen to the full Ave Maria (Electronic Opera) video  ~ Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? For high-achieving professionals, Jessica Wan's executive coaching services stand out as a rare gem. She provides strategic guidance and practical solutions, a unique offering that not only propels her clients' careers forward but also builds their capacity for significant leadership roles in their respective sectors. Her innovative coaching techniques and personalized approach set her apart from the rest. BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠⁠ Follow Jessica on LinkedIn  Credits Produced and Hosted by ⁠⁠Jessica Wan⁠⁠ Co-produced, edited, and sound design by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Carlos Schmitt⁠ Music credits: Ave Maria based on original composition by Franz Schubert Theme music by ⁠⁠Denys Kyshchuk⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Stockaudios⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠Pixaba⁠y⁠

Ep #235: Becoming a Woman of Influence with Shari BegunYou can't be what you can't see. If you want to be a thriving executive leader, you need to learn from badass executive leaders who are claiming the title and compensation they deserve while also having an impact and giving back in big and inspiring ways. Which is exactly why I can't wait to introduce you to Shari Begun. Not only is Shari an incredibly accomplished Global Sales Executive and the Vice President of Worldwide IoT Sales at Renesas Electronics, she has also blended her ambition with a commitment to empowering women in STEM and sales and is creating a more inclusive future as a result. Shari is also a long-time member of my mastermind coaching program, The Leadership Table, an empathetic and inclusive leader to her team, and was just named a Woman of Influence in the Silicon Valley Business Journal's 2024 Women of Influence awards. In this episode, Shari and I dive into many of her secrets to success, including the importance of curiosity and strategic thinking, her unique approach to mentorship, and how she's managed to thrive and help others thrive while working in a male-dominated industry.Unlock the missing piece in your leadership development. Take the quiz: www.ReadytoBePromoted.com

In this Episode on Today's Culture Challenges - What Keeps HR Up at Night? - The Unique work culture challenges in hospitality - Biggest work culture challenges for HR directors - Key HR career insights on work culture - Post-COVID changes for HR professionals - Managing stress as an HR director - HR technical skills for work culture - Growth mindset advice for HR leaders   HR departments face significant cultural challenges, including balancing remote, hybrid, and in-office work, reimagining employee well-being, and enhancing the employee value proposition (EVP). They must create solutions to keep all employees connected, prioritize a supportive work culture, and offer competitive compensation and growth opportunities.  But also, HR professionals also experience stress from an evolving workplace, staffing shortages, and handling sensitive issues like layoffs, requiring them to stay updated on trends and adapt their skills. About My Guest: Jackie Dacanay She is the Director of Organizational Culture & Belonging at Fairmont San Francisco. Jackie has received numerous accolades, including the Silicon Valley YWCA Tribute to Women Executive Leadership Award and the Silicon Valley Business Journal 40 under 40. Know more about Jackie on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-dacanay-8b0a8a34/ or reach out on jackie.dacanay@fairmont.com   **** Sign up for the Simply Human Newsletter (monthly email newsletter): https://simplyhuman.substack.com For show notes and past guests on the Growth Hacking Culture Podcast: https://www.peoplekult.com/podcast-work-culture Follow Ivan Palomino on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ivanpalomino_ Follow Ivan Palomino on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ipalomino/    About the Growth Hacking Culture Podcast The Growth Hacking Culture Podcast is a series of insightful interviews with prominent experts on mindsets, skills and mental resources to grow individually, lead motivated teams and create human-centric work cultures. These episodes are about thought provoking ideas to scale up and growth hack human-centric and performing work cultures. Hosted by Ivan Palomino.    

In this episode, Amir hosts Healey Cypher, CEO at BoomPop and COO at Atomic. The discussion covers various aspects of being a good and successful founder, what makes an idea backable, and the differences between successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs. Healey shares his background as a serial entrepreneur and gives insights into his companies, BoomPop and Atomic. The conversation includes key considerations for making a business VC backable, understanding total addressable market size, the importance of trust in entrepreneurship, and tips on identifying your strengths and complementing them with the right team. Healey also emphasizes continuous learning and practical financial knowledge for entrepreneurs. Highlights 00:35 Background and Career Journey 01:43 The Rise of BoomPop 04:02 What Makes a Good Founder? 06:23 VC Backable Ideas vs. Lifestyle Businesses 12:05 Execution and Skill Development for Founders 18:43 Building Trust as a Founder Healey Cypher is the CEO of BoomPop, and Chief Operating Officer / Partner of Atomic. He has spent his career building and selling companies that center around great customer experience. Healey sold his last two companies: ZIVELO which he sold to Verifone in 2019 after 15 months of taking the reins as CEO, and Oak Labs, which he sold to Zivelo in 2018. Before that, Healey was the Head of Retail Innovation at eBay. Chief of Staff to the CTO of eBay, and lead all business development for milo.com  which he helped sell to ebay in 2010. He has been recognized as Silicon Valley Business Journal's “40 under 40,” WWD's “Ten of Tomorrow,” and one of Goldman Sach's “Top 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs.” He has also done dozens of keynotes and live TV (most nerve-wracking: CNBC Closing Bell, for sure.) ---- Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek. We would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

Because buildings run on guesswork, and energy analysis is hard, there is so much waste. While buildings themselves and the complexity of their electrical load have significantly changed over the past two decades, the tools and processes to manage them haven't evolved to keep up. Verdigris has developed advanced sensor technology that can be quickly and easily installed into any building's electrical panels to get granular data down to the circuit level. Their proprietary AI algorithms enrich the data streams, and analytics reveal clear actions to take to increase the efficiency and reliability of the electrically-run equipment in the building. Adaptive automation takes those insights one step further, saving money effortlessly. In today's episode, I'm joined by Mark Chung, Co-Founder and CEO of Verdigris. Mark is a seasoned engineer with more than 25 years of experience. In his career, Mark has served as principal engineer at a number of famed Silicon Valley startups including NexGen, Pasemi, RMI, and NetLogic. Mark has also co-developed some of the world's most successful chips such as Opteron, XLP, and A7, among others. Mark is an advisor to several startups and was recognized as one of the “40 under 40” in 2017 by Silicon Valley Business Journal. Mark holds BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. Show Notes: [1:13] - Mark shares the inspiration for founding Verdigris and the mission behind his work. [2:48] - Verdigris is a leader in AI based energy management. Mark explains what that means and what sets the company apart. [4:19] - Verdigris has the most sophisticated enterprise quality tools. [5:41] - Algorithms improve as you provide more and more data. This led Verdigris, in the early days, to race to this network effect more quickly. [8:22] - One of the biggest challenges a business faces is managing the reliability of their electrical data and making sure it is reliable, accessible, and accurate. [10:32] - Mark explains the trend around data centers and cryptocurrency driving demand. [12:42] - There's a growing awareness around two particular things that make huge differences on carbon impact. [14:30] - We're starting to see the benefit of scaled data and transforming an environment. [15:51] - We need to grow the capability of business processes and electricity footprint in a way that becomes carbon-neutral. [17:40] - Mark discusses some of the valuable lessons he learned from his time as an engineer that he was able to take with him as an entrepreneur in this space. Links and Resources: Verdigris Website

Lisa V. Sellers, PhD, CEO of Vector Laboratories, is an accomplished leader and mentor in life sciences with more than 20 years of experience in the industry. Sellers drives expansion and business strategies for Vector Laboratories, a trusted reagent and critical component manufacturing partner that empowers biopharma, life science tools and diagnostics companies to accelerate their ability to provide value to their customers. Sellers has a stellar track record of spearheading successful business strategies based on unmet market opportunities, while prioritizing the development of a people-first work environment. This winning combination has created unstoppable forward momentum at Vector Laboratories. Before joining Vector Laboratories, Sellers provided consulting services for numerous life science companies to guide them in accelerating product development and commercialization to enter new markets. Sellers has served in executive and senior management roles in marketing, sales, and specific product lines for companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, 10x Genomics, Life Technologies, and Applied Biosystems, among others.  While Sellers has earned notable success as a top life science industry expert, she has always believed in the importance of giving back. Sellers serves as an Advisory Board Member with the LEAD Scholars Program at Santa Clara University, a board member with Notre Dame Belmont High School, and an Advisory Board Member, Master of Biotechnology at San Jose State University. She has a personal passion for coaching professionals to navigate job choices in STEM to achieve their potential and to provide the utmost in career fulfillment. As such, Sellers has been a speaker at ISPE, Navigating Your Career Amidst Uncertainty in Dec 2020; Women in Product, SF Bay Area, for Go-to Market Series in May 2019; and was featured in CMO.com, Best Leadership Advice I Ever Received publication in Feb 2019. Sellers was also named A Women of Influence in 2022 by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.  Sellers earned a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BS in Chemistry, ACS Certified from Santa Clara University. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/freeman-means-business/support

Episode page My guest for Episode #501 of the Lean Blog Interviews Podcast is Marcia Daszko, a speaker, workshop facilitator, and consultant. For more than 25 years, she has passionately been speaking, consulting, and guiding executive teams in Fortune 500/private corporations; education, the U.S. Navy; and non-profits to achieve exponential success.  Mentored by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, she is nominated for the International Deming Prize; and writes a leadership column for the Silicon Valley Business Journal. She has taught MBA classes at six universities. Marcia's author of the book Pivot Disrupt Transform: How Leaders Beat the Odds and Survive. She was also co-author of Turning Ideas into Impact: Insights from 16 Silicon Valley Consultants. Questions, Notes, and Highlights: How did you get connected to W. Edwards Deming? What was it like spending time with Dr. Deming?  Not just statistics? Challenging ideas like performance appraisals “Change management is another management fad” Tell us more about the consulting work that you've done and do? “Identify your problems accurately to problem-solve”?? Helping leaders with “Accelerate efficient, effective data-driven decision-making”?? Accountability and responsibility — big difference Am I blaming executives unfairly??? 3 Fundamental Business Strategies? “Hope is not a business strategy” Continual vs. Continuous? The podcast is brought to you by Stiles Associates, the premier executive search firm specializing in the placement of Lean Transformation executives. With a track record of success spanning over 30 years, it's been the trusted partner for the manufacturing, private equity, and healthcare sectors. Learn more. This podcast is part of the #LeanCommunicators network. 

She was absolutely determined to succeed. Hear how you can be too! I always want to bring interesting people to On the Brink with Andi Simon. You will love this interview with Maryles Casto. Her journey has been extraordinary, largely because of her ability to listen carefully, understand people's needs, and create solutions that are part of her personal style and amazing business savvy. Thanks to an unquenchable can-do attitude and sheer hard work, Maryles made her travel agency the go-to travel company in Silicon Valley, serving the biggest names in tech and beyond. Listen to her story, get inspired, and please share. Watch and listen to our conversation here About Maryles: “Asian hospitality with Yankee business sense” Born in the Philippines, Maryles Casto is a pioneering travel industry executive and entrepreneur with 47 years of experience founding and leading companies to profitability. A former Philippine Airlines flight attendant, Casto created and helmed Silicon Valley-based Casto Travel, the West Coast's largest privately owned travel management agency. (Casto Travel was frequently ranked among the Top 100 Fastest Growing Businesses in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, and ranked second in revenues among Silicon Valley women-owned businesses by Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2006.) In 2019, she sold the company to Flight Centre Travel Group of Australia. She is also the founder and owner of Casto Travel Philippines, Inc., as well as chairwoman and CEO of MVC Solutions, which provides travel industry businesses with back-office support, accounting and other services. Maryles has served on many business, civic and philanthropic boards, including the Commonwealth Club of California. She has been International Chair of the Committee of 200, an invitation-only group for the world's most successful entrepreneurs, and she is a founding member of the Northern California branch of the International Women's Forum. You can connect with Maryles on LinkedIn and her website, or email her at maryles.casto@castotravel.ph. Key takeaways from our interview: Business is all about anticipating the client's needs. If you can't believe in what you or your company is, how can you go out and sell? It's not what you do. It's what the clients are asking for. “There is a hole in the cloud, and whatever I do, I always have a hole in the cloud to get out.” It's time for us to be kind to each other. More stories of women who dreamed big and achieved success in business:  Debra Clary—Yes, You Can Become The Curious Leader You Were Meant To Be! Roseann and Clara Sunwoo—How Did Roseann And Clara Sunwoo Build A Successful Women's Fashion Brand? Gemma Toner—An Exciting Woman Took A Moment Of Inspiration To Transform Other Women Additional resources for you My two award-winning books: Rethink: Smashing The Myths of Women in Business and On the Brink: A Fresh Lens to Take Your Business to New Heights Our new book, Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success, co-authored by Edie Fraser, Robyn Freedman Spizman and Andi Simon, PhD Our website: Simon Associates Management Consultants Read the transcript of our podcast here  Andi Simon: We're giggling. But welcome to On the Brink With Andi Simon. I'm here to help you see, feel and think in new ways. My job is to get you off the brink, and our podcasts are here to bring people to you whom you might not know or meet people who have stories to share that are going to help you change your story. Now remember, every time you hear someone's story, your own brain begins to shift things around until you go, oh, I can do that! Or wow, what a great idea. And so the whole idea of a podcast, whether you visualize it and see it or you listen to it, is to help you see, feel and think in new ways so that you can soar. And that's why I bring wonderful people here, and people bring wonderful people to me. To be here today is just going to start out a little bit different. The co-author of our book, Edie Frazier, who is on the bottom of our screen here, she and I wrote Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success. And it's been quite a journey. And as Maryles Casto, who's come to us through Edie has said, is that turning a page and changing your life is really amazing. But that's what we wanted to do. And I wanted Edie to introduce Maryles to you, because she's very important in her own life. And then Maryles will talk about her own journey so that you can learn from it, because there's wisdom here that is going to be difficult to get from reading her bio or looking at her great website. So this is an opportunity for us to share. And in sharing, we can all grow together. Edie, thank you for joining us. Please, I can introduce Maryles Casto when you're done more formally, but this is so special for you. Please tell us about your experiences with Maryles Casto and why it makes you smile so.   Edie Frazier: A joy to say thank you to a dear friend, Maryles Casto, because we go years without talking to each other. But when we get together and reminisce, we think of the qualities of a leader, a true trailblazer, and the best of friends. You know, Maryles wrote her book A Hole In The Clouds: From Flight Attendant to Silicon Valley CEO. And she did it. And she built this major travel business where she was the icon, and she knew all the founders in Silicon Valley who trusted her, respected her, and built with her. And she built that business across the US and world and runs the business now in the Philippines from her home there. But she gives joy and support, and she's the best you can find and firm of that word trust and respect and caring and she lives a legacy. So Maryles, I just want to say thank you for the friendship and know your spirit is in each of us who have gotten to know you, adore you, and we've got years ahead to salute one another. But I just say to Maryles Casto, you are the true blue of the hole in the sky.  Andi Simon: Oh. Maryles Casto: I love you, too. Andi Simon: Edie, that's beautiful. Maryles, do you want to respond to Edie before she takes off?  Maryles Casto: That's what friends are for is our song. Keep smiling and that's what friends are for. And, Edie, I just want you to know, can I plug this? This is my book.  Andi Simon: Yes, of course.  Maryles Casto: That's for you. And I want to talk about why this cover. We can talk about it later because it's natural. It happened. And the world needs to read that book on the sky and the hole in the sky. We love you, buddy.  Andi Simon: This is such a wonderful way to introduce you. And maybe we will start almost with the book for a moment. But for my listeners, you know, before we jump in, I just want to give you a little context. Maryles Casto was born in the Philippines and lives in the United States and has for most of her life. She's a successful leader. But when you hear her story, she really is an explorer. And there's something about the way she has tackled her life and built something really special that's so important to share. But here's a quote that I think captures it. And remember, I'm an explorer. Sometimes I'm a philosopher or a futurist. But Maryles, listen, I care a great deal because we've been to 37 countries, not to the Philippines yet, but this is the way we discover. I've yet to see a problem where the best solution is to hide or be ignorant. It's only through contact with other cultures and peoples, and in their contact with us, that we can hope to bridge the divide between people of the world. As an anthropologist, my job is to help people see and feel and think in new ways through a fresh lens. And today, that's just what we're going to do. So I'm not going to read your bio, but I'm going to ask you to talk to our audience about your own journey. You started in the Philippines. You came here. You capture it much better than I could ever. And then what we'll do is, we'll sort of migrate into the lessons learned, the things that you, the wisdoms, you want others to understand. The kind of sharing person that you are and the kind of glorious life that you've lived. Maryles, please. Who's Maryles and how is this book been sort of this triumph of what's happened? Because we'll come back to your book.  Maryles Casto: Okay. So let me tell you a story. I was born in the Philippines, and I was raised on a sugar plantation. So that was my background with my family and I think my inspiration really comes from my mother because she was always so kind and because we were privileged. My friends were all the workers, the children of the workers. So I developed a kind of relationship where there was no class basis for me. I mean, everybody is the same. And so I really valued that. But also, my father was my closest friend. And I learned a lot from my father as well. And my father was very competitive. I remember one time, and this was when I was growing up in the Philippines, we have a fair every year, and so I was entered as one of the contestants. I wanted to be the queen. I wanted to win. It really started about wanting to win. We arranged it. There were three candidates. And the big dinner that night, it was a gala dinner, and they were contributing money in the ballot box. And I was watching my father, and I was competing with the Chinese woman. The father was very wealthy, and the father kept putting some money into the ballot box and my father was doing nothing and I thought, doesn't he realize I need to win. But what I did not realize, and this is my father's competition. You never let the competition know what you're doing. But he had already positioned somebody who was standing very close to the ballot box. And at the very last minute, maybe a minute before it closed, he drops this whole bundle of money. That's when I became the queen.  Andi Simon: Uh, that was not deception, but that was smart.  Maryles Casto: Smart because he knew that he had to do it this way. And so I learned that, and that I was one of my first lessons in my business. I can be very open, but also never give, you know, everything that you can in the competition. I never liked schooI because I always wanted to be outside. I get very bored, especially when they tell you to do number one, number two, number three. And all I could think about is, why not do number ten? What do we have to go through this whole process of developing? And I also couldn't pay attention. I didn't realize at that time that my world was outside and I was very mischievous. And I remembered one time when they were trying, it was a Catholic school run by the nuns who were very strict. Of course, the rebel in me already said, I don't like to lose. I don't like this, and I don't like you in a way. I was in class and I was doing something mischievous. And anyway, I was reported. And so they punished me. They punished me by walking around with this garbage can on my head. And so what did I do? I went into the classrooms and then I started dancing. So they didn't know what to do with me. But I created the whole fiesta. So I was already learning through all these things that I was doing, and I think I applied a lot of that in my business world because I never saw the challenges. I always just went. And I thought that, you know, I'm going to try it.  So I was in the Philippines. I ended up being a flight stewardess, and at the time, being a flight stewardess was the top of the field because when you were traveling, you were entertaining. And I learned so much when you were a flight attendant at that time. It took two months to train. You had to learn about the client's needs. It was very much anticipating the client's needs. A passenger came on board. That was your responsibility to make sure that they remembered what the flight was about. And you remembered everything about the passenger. So I was very focused on the passenger's relationship and how they felt. I was in the Philippines a long time, and I had never dated an American, and I was introduced to this American. And needless to say, after two days, I decided I was going to marry him. Of course, he didn't know anything about it. But when we have a mindset, he couldn't say no because I was determined. So needless to say, after that he fell in love with me, of course. And so we got married and I had to break this news to my father. Ah. My father. My father's Spanish, my mother's half Swiss. And he thought that this was just going to be one of those little romances. He had no idea that I was going to get married and move to this country. And it just broke his heart. But I was determined to come to this country, and I did. But my husband did not have any money. We had money, but my husband did not. And so it came to fruition when we were on our honeymoon, when all of a sudden we had to go on that $5 a day. Remember that book? And I thought, this is not going to work, because if I was hungry, I wanted to have this restaurant here. Now, we had to walk for 20 minutes to find a restaurant that was in that book. I hated that book. And then I realized that this was changing my life. And when we arrived in the United States, I had nothing. You couldn't fly as an airline stewardess if you were married. So I knew I had to do something. I remember one time we were going into this grocery store, and my husband was showing me comparison shopping, and I thought, why? And even now, I'm sorry to laugh. No, but, honey, I'm reading my book, and I'm laughing because I remember all this. I remember looking at this mayonnaise and he would say, well, what mayonnaise should you buy because of the ounces? And I thought, I have no idea. All I know is, it's my level. But I think my message is, I was having so much fun. Everything I did, I enjoyed. I was too passionate and so finally he said, you have to find a job. And so I thought, well, I don't have any experience. So he said, well what about Avon. And then I read something about Avon. So I thought, I can do that. So first I had to learn about cold calling because I'd never done anything cold calling. So we would practice. And this is so much fun, I mean, reliving what we had to go through. So I went on a cold call and I was petrified, I wouldn't get out of the car. I would knock on the door. Finally, I ended up buying all my things. And so I did not make any money and that was not my job. So I quit that and then ended up working for Macy's in the gift department, wrapped all the gifts, and I was so bad they fired me. So I thought, I've got to do something. And then a girlfriend said, why don't you become a travel agent? And that is how my world opened up. And when I started working for agencies, my first client in one agency that I worked with was Intel, and they were just a hundred people. And then I had GE. And so I started working in the corporate market. But I didn't last long because the owner was horrible. One thing I learned is, he did not take care of the employees. It was all about him and his family. But none of us were able to participate on trips. So I learned a lot about what not to do from him. And so, my girlfriend and I were running the corporate department. She was running the vacations, and I was getting so frustrated. And my husband said, why don't you start your own. I was petrified, I'd never done anything like this. But, you know, you try it. And with $1500 each, we partnered together and we opened this agency. But I did not tell anybody where we were going. I did not tell our clients. And so we opened this little agency in Los Altos. We had no money. We had Repo Depot, I mean, you know, name it. It's the same Silicon Valley how it started up, holding the hole in the ceiling. And I waited and waited and there was no clients because I had not told anybody. So I decided I was going to go cold calling, things that I hated the most. But I was dressed to the hilt, I had on my high heels, and I started walking around in the Silicon Valley park, and I was walking. And then I saw this gentleman that was standing, uh, it was a company called Rome Rollin. And of course they were bought by IBM. Very, very big now. And there was the owner, I think was in there in one of the corner suites with a glass window. And he was looking at me because I was pacing back and forth and he thought I was a street walker. You can not say the first street walker. And all of a sudden my heel broke. And so I'm limping towards this receptionist and I said, I need to see that man in the corner. And at that time, in the valley, you don't need reservations, you don't need appointments. Everybody could just walk in. So I walked in and he came out and then we became friends. And that was really the start of the whole Silicon Valley movement, because he was one of the founders. And through him, I started getting more and more business and then I got Steve Jobs and I got Apple. So it went crazy. And then again, I could talk about my story, but I know that there might be questions you might probably want to ask me.   Andi Simon: Well, but you see, in some ways you've given us a nice foundation for how to begin the challenges of, I don't know how to do that, and I really don't like to do this, but I tried that. And next thing you know, you and your friend and you still have to find some customers. And this isn't sort of it. They don't drop into your lap. Although I must confess that if you hang out, all of a sudden things begin to happen. You were talking to them and learning from them. You began to craft something other than booking a ticket on a plane to go somewhere. And what I loved about what you did was that you created something far bigger. And I have a hunch you began to see things that they would ask for and you'd figure out how to do. But I'm putting words into your mouth. So how did you grow? Because you didn't grow a little. You grow with a whole different mindset completely.  Maryles Casto: It was so fast. And I think there were so many. We were growing so fast. We couldn't control our growth. And, you know, since I was, and we talk about how you felt as being the first woman because there really was no one, there was no other woman. There were men in my industry, but I never even thought about it. All I knew was that I was not going to fail. I was going to do whatever it took to be successful, and I was damn good. I was very, very good. And I believed in that. Yes, because if you can't believe in what you or your company is, how can you even go out and sell? So I knew I would be pitching. I'd go in and before, I would pitch directly to the vice president or the presidents. But as it changed, you have to go through purchasing, you have to go through all this. So the dynamics change. But on a 1:1, give me the CEO. And I was a CEO and I would always say, I'm in the same seat as you are. If I founded this company with $1,500, and I would have this argument with Steve because I said, if you weren't given the $200 million, where would you be? So I was very respectful of them. But I also thought, you know, tell me when you have started your company on your own with the seat of your pants, and then I'll respect you more. So don't get any baloney about all this, you know, because anyway, I just went ahead. I just focused and I thought, I will make this happen. And again the growth. But then we also suffered because we couldn't perform as much as we wanted to because we were making mistakes. And finally I said, stop it. We're not accepting any clients. We have to figure out what is wrong with our company, because there definitely was something wrong. We were not delivering the product we talked about. We were not paying attention to the customer. So I decided we would clean house and we were hiring people we shouldn't have hired, I learned. And so gradually when we started saying, we can't accept the account, we can't accept. And then they respected me for that. And then gradually we started fixing. We did our own training. I'm very focused on customer service. For me it is my religion. And you have to pay attention. And it's not what you do. It's what the clients are asking for. And even long before that, I started doing profiles. Each of my clients that had this black book, I would write everything. Who wanted coffee, what kind of newspaper they had, every single detail. This was before anybody thought about putting it all down, but I did. And then I also came up with a new service. I decided I was going to do my own Visa passport. I did not want anything touching my client except me. So anything they needed, not just the travel part of it, it's how you get to the airport. So I had airport service, people with uniforms. They're all in the yellow necktie. I had a limo service that would pick up all my VIP clients. They didn't have to ask me. I anticipated every move they made because my responsibility is, one, they call Casto.  I was responsible for them from when they left for the airport or when they left their home until I brought them home. I was sitting on that flight with them. I was getting in the car with them. I was in the hotel with them. I thought about only the clients, so. And I made sure everyone in our company understood that we don't survive without our clients, but we have to think ahead and anticipate whatever they need.  Andi Simon: Let's think about it, though, because nobody came and said to you, you're missing a major part of the business. You're selling. You weren't selling anything, really. What you had done is become a colleague of your clients, right? An extraordinarily important part of their experiences. You were and it's really a beautiful story about, it's not a travel ticket. It's not a limousine. It's this whole experience where I don't want you to have to worry about a thing. And I understand the whole. So you didn't even have to tell them, do you want this or do you want that? You said, I got it all mapped out for you. You don't have to worry.  Maryles Casto: One call.  Andi Simon: One call. Now, how did you begin to scale? Because often I have entrepreneurs who arrive at 10 million or 20 million and want to scale to 100 million, and they're not sure how to do that. You scaled and you started to talk about training. I mean, that's really what we're talking about here, is scaling. How did you do it?  Maryles Casto: Well, I started buying agencies again. Recession, remember when we had this major recession. And I thought, this is an opportunity, I can buy now. And I decided I was buying agencies, but strategically, I had 15 offices all over the United States because it had to be a very strategic move. And by the time, we had offices everywhere, but we were also very strategic. I did not want to just be Silicon Valley. I would be putting all my eggs in one basket. So my offices were in San Jose, in Palo Alto. I decided I needed a different kind of a base. I needed the banks. I needed a government contract. So I went to San Francisco and expanded my business there. And then I decided I needed 24 hour service because a client doesn't end at 5:30. When they travel, what happens? You know, they have to have a way of calling us. I didn't want them to call the airlines. They were my clients. They were my responsibility. I couldn't grow in Silicon Valley anymore because we were all looking for the same, we needed people. So I was having lunch with one of the senators who had come to the Valley for a business opportunity, and he was the senator from South Dakota. And he said to me, you know, South Dakota, we could use some business. So I had never been to South Dakota, Rapid City. So I flew there with him. He said, let's just check it out. So we put a blind ad to just say that we were coming for interviews. We got 500. Work for you.  Andi Simon: Wow.  Maryles Casto: There is a market here. But what I wanted to do was put my training there. But I also wanted my 24 hour service. No one was offering 24 hour service at that time. The airlines were, but not any travel agency. So these were all the things. I shouldn't say I, because there were a lot of people involved. But I would say I had the vision that you have to look at and say, what now? What else can you do? How can you enhance your service? But what is it that the clients need? And so as we were developing the corporate market, there was no one who could touch us in the corporate market because we had every account there was. And I also worked very closely with a lot of the venture people. So when they were funding companies, of course, for travel, I owned it. Andi Simon: Branded you, right? They endorsed you and you just came along.  Maryles Casto: Yeah. I would say, you know, you're funding this company. How do you know they're protecting you? You know, travel is the second largest expense. Working with me, I will guarantee you, because I also bought stock for all these companies because I thought we have to be investors as well. So even if it's small. But I felt that every flight I was looking at that as a shareholder. Andi Simon: You are so wise. And so it's fascinating listening to you because once you got going, nothing stopped. You just keep figuring out pieces. You said something important, though, and it's not a bad time to sort of migrate into the team. How did you support yourself around you with smart people? And what were you looking for in that team? They gave you the ability to multiply. They were your multipliers. What kinds of folks came in and how? One of the things that I read was that you treated this like a family.   Maryles Casto: I wanted them to feel proud. I bought my partner out after two years, I felt like she was so worried about expanding. She was so worried about losing money. And I thought, you know what, we're still very small. If we lost money, if we went belly up, I want to build it up myself. I don't want to drag her down. So I bought her out. And then we had to come up with a name because at that time, I think we had nine employees. When I bought her out, she wanted to do the vacation side only. She was not interested in the rest of it. So I had to come up with them and I said, okay, what is our name going to be? Because our original name was Travel Experience. And so we had this powwow and they said, well, why don't we call it Casto, it's your name. And I thought, no, I have to be very careful because if I give you my name, you have to guarantee you're going to back it up. It's not just about me, it's about all of us. So I then created this where they had to belong to this elite group, which happened to be customer travel. So I had all of us in uniform. They helped design this uniform, and we would go to all the functions in our uniform.  Andi Simon: But you know the symbolic meaning of that. You know, you're a meaning maker and the symbolism is not inconsequential. They belonged. People wanted to belong. And therefore they knew how to behave, how to think. And they took it home to their families, and they were part of something much bigger than just having a job. Correct?  Maryles Casto: Yeah. I made them very proud of being part of us. I said, it's not me, it's us. The Casto is you together. Of course, everybody thought it was Castro. And they look at me and say, oh, Castro. No. There's no answer. But you know what it was. I mean, we had so much fun. We really did. We put events together and the company would come in with different hats. We come in with different costumes. And, I couldn't wait to get into the office. And they felt the same way. There was so much joy. Lots of sorrow, too. I mean, we cry. I mean, we all shared a divorce. But we were together.  Andi Simon: Yes.  Maryles Casto: And that is very important.  Andi Simon: Amazing, amazing, amazing because you did it and it worked. And it became something well beyond itself. I want to get to your book, but also you grew it and then you added new services and then you began to see it grow, and then you finally sold it. What was the impetus?  Maryles Casto: Well, you know, when we started the business, about five years later, we got a big offer. This company, and in fact, this is a funny story because this company was a very large company, and they were interested in buying us because they wanted to get into the Silicon Valley when it was just starting. It was getting a lot of attention. And so, they made an offer and I said, no, I didn't want to, but anyway. And he and I  had a good relationship because when Intel became such a big company, purchasing people came in, and then they decided I was too small now. And they were concerned about my capacity to service them. So he was very, very large, one of the largest agency in the United States. So they gave him the business. So we partnered together. And so that's when he really wanted to take my business. And me, I said, no, it wasn't going to work. So that was the first venture. And the second one was a company that was from Omaha, Nebraska, another very large company. And at that time we had Andy Grove, who became chairman of Intel. And Andy became a very good friend because, again, he was a client and he became a friend because I knew everything about his travel. And he was so paranoid that if I wasn't going to take care of him, something would happen to his travel. So the second offer came in and we said, okay, we'll take it seriously. The gentleman flew in from Omaha and somewhere, somehow, I just did not feel that they were the right partners. They didn't understand Silicon Valley. And I just felt that it's not going to grow. It didn't have the same spirit, they weren't willing to be, it takes a different personality. So we thought the deal was done. And at the last minute I had to call them to say, okay, you know, we've arranged it. I picked up the phone and I couldn't say yes. I said no, and oh my God, both my son and Andy were furious with me because I said no. And I said, it just can't work. So I knew that we had to do something. And because of my son, the offer came in and it was a really good offer, and we knew that the time would come that we would have to exit. And so we sold it two years ago. We sold it a month before the pandemic.  Andi Simon: Oh, my, timing is everything.   Maryles Casto: And now I'm a rich woman.  Andi Simon: But, you know, I have a hunch you've been rich through this whole journey, haven't you?  Maryles Casto: Yeah, I have, I have, yeah.  Andi Simon: You know, the financial richness is nice, but at the end of the day, I'm not sure you worked for work's sake. I think you worked for the absolute... Maryles Casto: Love of it.  Andi Simon: For the love, you know, for the joy that you gave others, for the way in which you helped their lives do better. Am I misreading that? And this was spiritual and almost religious on your part, right? Correct.  Maryles Casto: Yes. It was, it is, and it still is. I still communicate with the people that, when we sold the company, we always kept the Philippines. The Philippines when we were growing so fast and we knew that we had to expand. I wanted to expand internationally, and I knew it was either India or the Philippines, and I knew the Philippines because I was from the Philippines and I knew the customer service, all the technology driven, because our business was very technology driven. I knew it was about personal travel and I knew that hospitality. It's like somebody said, it's Asian hospitality with Yankee business sense. That's how somebody describes me.  Andi Simon: Well, that's terrific, but that's a great image of it, right? I mean, because you blended all of these together in such a way that you created a whole new way of doing things. But, my goodness, it worked, and it's really brilliant listening to you talk about it. Talk about the book. Was this a way of capturing this and having a legacy as a book about this journey that you just shared or something different?  Maryles Casto: You know, it was something that I knew that I felt like there was a book in the making. I just never got the chance to sit down. And this was after we sold the company, and I was in the house and I was meeting with some friends, and just all of a sudden it just came to me. I had to write my book. I said, I'm ready for that. And I thought the story had to be told. I wanted other people to read what I went through and how much I have enjoyed my life. And I wondered, my grandchildren, maybe not now, but later on when they're older. Of course I dedicated the book for them, but I don't think they fully understood the challenges. But when they're grown. And maybe one day when they have a business, they can look at my book and say, you know what, Grandma did something.  And I have to share the coverage. And remember, I was covered.  Andi Simon: Yeah. Tell us about the cover.  Maryles Casto: This cover was an actual one. And when I decided when we were doing so well and I thought, we needed exposure now. We wanted people to know more about Casto Travel, not just in the Valley, but other areas as well. And so I had this girlfriend who started her own business, a PR business. And so I called her as a brand and said, listen, I'm ready to do something. I want the exposure of Casto more globally or more internationally or more regionally. And so she said, okay. So San Jose Mercury News was going to do an article and the photographer said, I can do your shot, but I don't want to do it here. I have an idea. Meet me at the airport at 6:00 in the morning and we'll do a shoot. And I said, oh my God, what is this about? So I met him at the airport and he had this truck, and in this truck was this desk. And he told me, bring the thing that you really want to put on the table. And I said, okay. But I thought, well, maybe it's just at the airport. So I brought these two doves or two birds, because Casto Travel is all about birds because that was my logo. I want to fly. I want to spread my wings. So I brought these two birds and then I thought, where are we going? He said, just follow me. And at that time, nobody can tell you, there's no security, no nothing. So he drove this guy and his truck to the runway, and he put the desk in. He said, no, we'll stay here. Let's get this all organized and let's wait for the plane. I said, wait for the plane. It took three hours to get just the angle.  Andi Simon: Oh, God.  Maryles Casto: I'll put it up. I thought I had to use this book.  Andi Simon: Just come in so we can see it, put it up again and hold it there for a second. Ah, so that's you. And that's the plane over you and this story is as beautiful as the cover of the book. We would not know why that book cover is so important, but that is cool. That captures you, doesn't it?   Maryles Casto: And, you know, the flying was because my father, when we were little, when I was little, and I was growing up, my father had an airplane. He had a small airplane, and he would be traveling from different farms. I always loved to fly. And so my father and I would go up flying. And he would say, okay, Maryles, watch. Look for the hole in the clouds so that we could get in and we could fly higher, and then we would do our maneuvers. And that was in tribute to my father. There is a hole in the cloud, and whatever I do, I always have a hole in the cloud to get out.  Andi Simon: Yeah, but your whole life has been finding that hole in the clouds and soaring up through this to get on top. This is something. Sometimes I ask the people I'm interviewing about some lessons that you wish someone had told you then. But I think that your story isn't easy to capture in a lesson or two. Unless there's something you think your younger self wishes somebody had told you. Is there something that you can share?  Maryles Casto: Oh gosh, somebody told me and so many people told me things. I don't know. For me, it's maybe kindness. For me, it's not a word we use a lot, and it's time for us to be kind to each other. And you don't have to be a jerk. No, really, and I, this was my actual experience. I was invited by United Airlines to go to the Academy Awards. At the time, we were big producers of United. And so I went. And then that night, this was Pretty Woman. Remember that, Julia Roberts? Anyway, we were staying at this beautiful hotel, and when we were being picked up in the limo, they were invited too, Larry Allison was invited with his girlfriend, and she was just fantastic looking. And then John Chambers from Cisco, so we were all going together. And when we got down, the limo was there, the door opened, and Larry Allison came in and he closed the door. He says, I don't share my limo. This is an actual story. I don't share my room. And so we just looked at him because at that time, you can't find any limo, especially Academy Awards night. So he drove off and we had to find another limo. And that's when it's the yin and yang. And I said, you know, you really are a jerk. And here's John Chambers. He was so sweet. I mean, the difference between the personalities. And again, I just feel like, if you could just show a little bit more kindness and don't get into your ego. The ego is nothing. What does it really mean?   Andi Simon: Yeah. That's beautiful. The joy that you can give, the kindness that you can show elevates you and someone else. And then an act of kindness that stayed in your mind as a moment that you never want to do again. How can I be kind? Correct.  Maryles Casto: Okay. And that's why I think I'm doing what I'm doing now. I suppose I mentioned to you that I'm starting my foundation because that is what it is really about. I've been so fortunate. And look at me. I'm now into my old age and I love it. I love what I've lived, and I mean that I love it. For me, aging is not a disease. It's something to celebrate. How many of us can say, I've lived it.  Andi Simon: I know, but that's so important because it's true. We're at a point now where we can be. We don't have to become. We can just enjoy the moment.   Maryles Casto: Exactly. I love the whole process of aging. My body is what it is now, and I celebrate everything I have. I celebrate my hair. I no longer am going to dye my hair because I just love being white. I'm doing it. And I think that probably my message is just as we all go through our lives, enjoy the moments you have and don't worry about the rest of the nonsense. There's so much of that.  Andi Simon: I'm going to I wish I didn't have to, but we're going to say goodbye and I'm going to thank you. Thank you for joining me today. Thank you, Edie, for introducing you. But I can understand why her friendship and yours transformed both of you over time. Because Edie is quite remarkable. This has been a gift to me and to our listeners. So thank you. So I'm going to say to our listeners, thank you for coming to On the Brink. I know that today has taken you off the brink. And then we're going to all soar. But the message is kindness and acts of kindness bring joy. So let's not just be nice, help each other also. In our book Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success that Edie Frazier and myself have written with 102 women about their wisdoms. And like what you heard today from Maryles Casto, the wisdoms help change your own lives. And I will tell you that every event that we're running, people share their wisdom a little like this podcast. And when they do, they are changing. And I've had people who keep coming back and saying, let me tell you what I heard and what I want to share again, and what I care about and what I'm now becoming. I had one woman who had yellow marks on the whole book, and I went, oh my goodness, and couldn't wait to show me her yellow marks. She says, I'm a better leader today. And I went, man, can a book do that? It can. And Maryles Casto, thank you for joining us. So I'm going to thank you so much. Remember everybody to take your ideas, your observations, turn them into innovations. And you too can soar, like Maryles says.  Maryles Casto: Bye bye.   WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS® is a registered trademark of the National Association of Women Business Owners® (NAWBO)

This January, Milldam Public Relations announced the launch of its Data Center Community Relations Service, which the company's President and Founder Adam Waitkunas claims is the first community relations service exclusively serving the data center space and the digital infrastructure sector.  In addition to tailormade communication strategies, Adam contends that data center community relations will require coalition building and garnering influence with local officials and stakeholders. He says the new service has been launched in response to the recent widespread backlash to data center development and the lack of tools to combat this within the data center industry.  Personally overseeing the new service offering, Adam is a public relations professional with nearly twenty years of data center industry experience and a background in politics and public affairs, including extensive experience in media relations, marketing strategy, business development and strategic partnerships.  Prior to founding Milldam Public Relations in 2005, Adam was the manager of Doug Stevenson's 14th Middlesex District State Representative campaign, which set a record for fundraising for a challenger in a Massachusetts State Representative race. Concord, Massachusetts-based Milldam Public Relations is a full-service public relations firm that provides competitively priced strategic communications, media-relations and event management to a diverse array of clients throughout the country.  The firm has solidified its position as the go-to public relations firm for companies in the critical infrastructure space. Clients from Boston to Los Angeles include: The Association of Information Technology Professionals-Los Angeles, OpTerra Energy Services, The Critical Facilities Summit, Hurricane Electric, Instor Solutions, Inc., and RF Code. Under Adam's direction, Milldam has helped technology clients across the country secure articles in publications such as: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CFO Magazine, Data Center Knowledge, Green Tech Media, The Boston Business Journal, Mission Critical Magazine, The Silicon Valley Business Journal and Capacity Magazine, among others.  Additionally, in his career Adam has helped businesses become thought leaders in their fields and a valued resource for industry-specific media, helping them to increase sales, promote awareness and become attractive targets for M&A.    Data Center Community Relations Service The new service is premised on the reality that, for many years, the data center industry has frequently operated under the radar, but has become more visible within the last few years. Certain communities throughout North America have taken notice and have started pushing back municipally against proposed developments, most notably in Virginia and Arizona.  For example, in recent months, a number of Virginia environmental groups formed a coalition calling s for more oversight of the data center industry. And in January, King George County, Virginia officials voted to renegotiate a prior agreement for a large cloud provider's $6B Virginia data center campus.  The reversal is partly due to growing local political opposition to data center development. With the launch of Milldam's Data Center Community Relations Service, Waitkunas contends that the digital infrastructure sector now has access to an offering that will equip them with the tools necessary to articulate the benefits of data centers to the local community while proactively addressing local concerns such as traffic infrastructure management and noise, helping to ensure a smoother path to success for the development.  Critical infrastructure plays a predominant role in most people's daily lives throughout North America, driving the need for data center operators. Waitkunas points out that strong community engagement is essential for data centers to properly communicate their value and successfully navigate the complexity of community relations.  To help data center developers achieve their goals, Milldam's community relations practice offers the following services:  •    Establishing partnerships with third-party organizations such as Chambers of Commerce. •    Communicating the numerous benefits of data centers in the community, including economic development, infrastructure improvements, and job creation. •    Developing and providing key talking points. •    Ensuring that local decision-makers hear the client's messages. •    Implementing a wide variety of grassroots campaigns and community outreach.  •    Enabling local supporters to serve as ambassadors and equipping them with the tools to communicate the benefits of proposed developments.  •    Building coalitions. •    Garnering the pulse of public opinion. "If the industry fails to properly engage with localities, years of industry progress will be in jeopardy," said Waitkunas. "It's imperative that developers and operators implement community relations to help ensure a seamless development process." Here's a timeline of key discussion points on the podcast: 2:35 - Adam explains that the idea for the practice came from his background in public affairs and politics, and that it involves building coalitions and partnerships with third party organizations to help data centers overcome obstacles they face when moving into suburban areas. 4:41 - Adam discusses the importance of having individual community members form coalitions with data center developers to speak on their behalf and push issues forward. 8:09 - Adam reveals that the firm is currently working with two developers and has proposals out to other organizations since launching the practice in mid-January. 9:16 - On the importance of timing in getting ahead of community concerns and identifying cheerleaders for data center projects. 10:37 - The PR practice wants the local community to be the main cheerleader for data center projects and will help manage the coalition. 13:01 - Adam notes there is still a lot of community education needed on data centers regarding the ins and outs of countering noise and environmental concerns. 15:10 - Adam explains how the PR practice has been doing outreach to large players in the data center industry and tailoring campaigns for each community's concerns. 23:18 - On the necessity for developers to put together community relations plans and crisis communications plans for their data center projects. Here are links to some related DCF articles: The NIMBY Challenge: A Way Forward for the Data Center Industry Rezoning for PW Digital Gateway Data Centers Approved By Virginia's Prince William County Supervisors Keeping Your Cool While Getting Your Work Done iMasons Sharpen Focus on the Community Impact of Data Centers Being a Good Neighbor Means Considering Community Impact During Site Selection Data Center Development Spurs More Debate in Prince William County

In this episode of High Value Discussions, we are honored to welcome Kathy, a luminary in the realm of SaaS engineering and a pivotal figure in the tech industry. Kathy currently holds the esteemed position of Senior Vice President at Nutanix. In this role, she spearheads a team dedicated to delivering secure and scalable SaaS applications, systems, and data assets, integral to Nutanix's innovative multi-cloud subscription strategy. Kathy's journey in tech spans over 25 years, marked by significant roles and remarkable achievements. Before joining Nutanix, she was at the forefront of worldwide Sales Strategy and Operations at VMware, where her focus was on go-to-market strategy, corporate intelligence, and sales operations. Kathy's expertise extends across diverse areas, including SaaS Engineering, R&D Operations, Strategic Partnerships, Customer Success, Sales Operations, Supply Chain, and Values Centered Leadership. Her career is dotted with outstanding highlights: leading a SaaS/Subscription transformation with an ARR exceeding $2 billion, being named one of the top 100 most influential women by Silicon Valley Business Journal, earning the prestigious Stanford Medal, and receiving the 2020 YWCA Women Leadership Award. Kathy's commitment to giving back is evident in her roles as Vice Chair of the Stanford International Research Institute in Social Sciences (iRiSS) and her involvement on the Board of Regents and Engineering Advisory Board at Santa Clara University. Kathy is also renowned for her insightful contributions as a speaker, shedding light on topics like business transformation, technology, leadership, and breaking the “bamboo ceiling.” She has graced platforms at events like the Alexander Group's Chief Executive Sales Forum, Women in Technology (WITI), the Watermark Conference, and many more. Join us as we delve into a conversation with Kathy, exploring the depths of her experiences, insights, and the impactful journey she has navigated in the high-tech world. Follow High Value Discussions Socials: YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@HighValueDiscussions/videos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highvaluediscussions/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@highvaluediscussions X: https://twitter.com/Dan_J_Gonzalez Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-value-discussions/id1704921472 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55cxAJO4lPphznNGTTo1A8?si=3UUTWKePQomeFZqQ2eg9vQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-gonzalez-4b21a72b1/ Connect with Kathy Chou: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathychou1/

Today, we are honored to have Chandra Brooks, a luminary in the realms of entrepreneurship and leadership. Chandra Brooks, a name synonymous with excellence and inspiration, is a best-selling author and a dynamic TEDx speaker. She has earned multiple awards for her entrepreneurial acumen, including the prestigious Leadership in Business Award from The California State Assembly and The California Black Chamber of Commerce and State Leaders. Her exceptional contributions to the business community have set her apart as a beacon of success and innovation. As the founder of The Powerhouse Academy™ and The Powerhouse Women™, Chandra has not only created a transformative program but also sparked a movement. Her mission is clear: to empower women leaders with a compelling message, a powerful movement, and innovative business ideas. She aims to propel them into the ranks of Influential Women and Full-Time Entrepreneurs, making her an icon of female empowerment. Chandra's journey is marked with significant milestones, including being named one of the Most Influential Women in Silicon Valley by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and receiving the esteemed Latina with Vision Award from New York Life. These accolades reflect her profound impact in both the business and community spheres. In August 2022, Chandra launched Scrublyfe Uniforms, a venture that showcased her business prowess. Within a year, she achieved remarkable growth, all while managing her Business Coaching and Consulting enterprise. Her ability to drive success in multiple ventures simultaneously is nothing short of extraordinary. Chandra Brooks is a true trailblazer in business and entrepreneurship. Her dedication to empowering women and her remarkable achievements make her an inspiring figure. Join us as we delve into the insights and experiences of this influential leader, right here on High Value Discussions. Follow High Value Discussions Socials: YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/@HighValueDiscussions/videos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highvaluediscussions/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@highvaluediscussions X: https://twitter.com/Dan_J_Gonzalez Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-value-discussions/id1704921472 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55cxAJO4lPphznNGTTo1A8?si=3UUTWKePQomeFZqQ2eg9vQ Connect with Chandra: Website: https://www.chandra-brooks.com/ Leave Your 9 to 5 Resource: https://chandra-brooks.lpages.co/leave-your-9-to-5/ Book a Call with Chandra: https://chandra-brooks.lpages.co/leave-your-9-to-5/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thechandrabrooks/videos TEDx Talks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8jHgupIMJ4 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thechandrabrooks/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thepowerhouse823 Silicon Valley Business Network Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/silicon-valley-business-network-entrepreneur-unhinged-speaker-series-tickets-756409911407

In this episode, we hear from Kim Stevenson. Kim has led world-class technology teams at some of the most iconic brands in the industry such as IBM, HP, Intel, Lenovo and most recently, NetApp, and has served as an advocate for women in technology. Kim has been the recipient of numerous awards such as Forbes CIO Innovation Award and Silicon Valley Business Journal's Best CIO. She was named #19 on Technology Magazine's Top 100 Women in Technology 2021 Tune in as Kim provides a glimpse into the journey of her career -- from being the first in her family to graduate from college to working on the first failed portable personal computer and ultimately advancing to the C-suite of a Fortune 500 company. Kim highlights some of the keys that drove her success as a leader in tech and a trusted advisor, as well as addresses some of the challenges that exist for women today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, two-time bestselling author including a TOP 150 USA best-selling book, and Forbes contributor. Bryan also created a global movement and is known for his keynotes, book, and talks on “There Is No B2B or B2C: It's Human-to-Human, H2H. He is the CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.

Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author and Forbes contributor.He is CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.https://bryankramer.com/ https://www.facebook.com/TheRealBryanKramer https://www.instagram.com/bryankramer1/https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanjkramer/ https://twitter.com/bryankramer https://www.youtube.com/c/BryanKramer

We can all find success by using what we have at our disposal at any given time. To be honest that's the only way. But Myke gives a great example of this sharing how he got started with no cell phone, worked his way up to a little cheap one and eventually on to better creator tools. But a lack of resources never held him back from becoming a great content creator and eventually business owner.We talked about creativity, personal branding, and living your core values. We discussed how Myke got into content creation, digital marketing and ultimately becoming a leader in business. And he shared some incredible tips on networking and the entrepreneurial mindset.Our interview was full of incredible advice on achieving your goals, regardless of the industry. Myke shares incredible analogies and strategies for building confidence so that you can live the life you want to live. For example, reminding us that we are the only ones holding ourselves back. Or the incredible notion that we can still cut through a tree with a dull axe. It might take longer, but once we get there no one can debate we've done it.11 Tips To Be Great At NetworkingReplace the word networking with “build relationships” in the same way you would think about dating.If you want to be associated in a different circle, then you have to have the courage to associate yourself with that circle first.Imagine it's just a game and you have to put forward a case in a year, or two from now as to why you should be viewed as a credible figure in a particular category.Understand the fundamental truth that people simply want to stay connected to people that they are simply interested in staying connected to, there are no “tricks, or hacks”.Buidling a network of people will lead to a compound effect.It's not so much about exchanging business cards, random contact info, it's about building a reputation on brand and trust.The gift of gab is underrated. Listen well and make genuine connections that last in people's memory because you are engaged in learning from them.Allocate your connecting time to engaging in ways and with people that you are genuinely interested in.People are naturally more inclined to pay attention when they hear their own name, or things specific to them, so don't worry about yourself when connecting with people.Don't have overthink a “niche” but be sure to create credibility where people confidently know you for something or things. Be professional and never stop improving your listening and communication skills.9 Parts Of Developing An Entrepreneurial MindsetStrive to make sure you're never the smartest person in the room.Reaching our potential begins with striving to get clarity, and continuing to make progress.Compare yourself in a healthy way by asking “Who am I? Who is someone similar to who I aspire to be? And what does that person have, or do that I could learn from in my own way?”Try to be more uncomfortable and incompetent to just the right amount. Find the balance of creating things you love, so that you will overcome the low points, but also that is proven to gain traction for an audience.Strive toward crazy dreams and the business leader you want to be.Remember there is no excuse for not getting started if you truly want it.Focus on building confidence, connections and overcoming procrastination by building habits and systems.Keep going.Memorable Quotes“Create content you'd be happy with even if no one else saw it.”“Don't attach your self worth to views, or likes.”“It doesn't take money to make money in a grassroots fashion.”“Nobody enjoys being seen by others at the beginning, but it's worth overcoming that ego to take the first step.”“Be blissfully ignorant and naive to keep putting in the work toward the vision that you have.”“Be authentic by serving your audience, but not at the sacrifice of yourself.Guest BioMyke Metzger is an American entrepreneur, author, and speaker. He was born in Long Island, New York in 1989. Myke was featured as one of “The Top 10 Most Influential People of 2018” by Entrepreneur Magazine. He has been featured on MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal, FOX, CBS, ABC, Silicon Valley Business Journal, The CW, and more. Myke is a well-known digital marketing consultant that works with influencers, athletes celebrities, and companies. He is the CEO and Founder of “Stoqd”, a Top 100 branding agency on the east coast. He is also CEO of BRWLRZ, a fight game media company. Both ventures reach success by focusing on 3 things: world-class sites, social media presence, and digital advertising campaigns.Myke has shared the stage with some of the top high-performance entrepreneurs in the world. He's also worked as an influencer with nationally recognized brands such as Cash App and Fiverr. With his talent for content creation, he helps these brands promote their products and services to his own audience.FOLLOW MykeInstagram -@mykemetzgerYouTube - Myke M YoutubeLinkedIn - @mykemetzgerFOLLOW JUSTIN (JustTries)Website - JustTriesHOMEInstagram - @JustTriesYouTube - Just TriesTwitter - @JustTries_Tiktok -  @justtriesPinterest - JustTriesFacebook - Just TriesCONNECT WITH JUST KEEP LEARNINGWebsite - JKLHOMEInstagram - @JustKeepLearning.CaTiktok -  @justkeeplearning.caFacebook - Just Keep LearningFree Group - JKL Goal Setting CommunityWe appreciate you being here! Be sure to leave the podcast, “Just Keep Learning” ratings and reviews because it will help people who need it be better able to find it. Also, if you want a shoutout, simply share an image of the episode, you listening, or your takeaways and share it @JustTries anywhere on social!

Jeannette is joined by Bryan Kramer, Proud Father of Human-to-Human: H2H. Executive Coach, Keynote Speaker, Investor, Virtual & In-Person Global Keynote Speaker, CEO of 2 Companies, and TEDTalker, for a discussion about how he achieved the success he's found. They discuss creating a more human brand, focusing on impact before why, the impact of AI and how to improve your public speaking. KEY TAKEAWAYS People make purchasing decisions based on emotion, which is why you must connect with them as a human. Keeping things simple makes it easier for people to see and understand what you offer and for you to deliver outstanding service. Be honest, share your challenges and imperfections. People face the similar issues and more readily connect with others who are open in this way. Be clear about the impact you want to have. Let go of who you think you are or are told to be. Replace it with who you really are. BEST MOMENTS 'Create the most human brand' 'The thing that we buy the most of is emotion' 'Put the person first' This is the perfect time to get focused on what YOU want to really achieve in your business, career, and life. It's never too late to be BRAVE and BOLD and unlock your inner BRILLIANCE. If you'd like to jump on a free mentoring session just DM Jeannette at info@jeannettelinfootassociates.com or sign up via Jeannette's linktree https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot VALUABLE RESOURCES Brave, Bold, Brilliant podcast series - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/brave-bold-brilliant-podcast/id1524278970     ABOUT THE GUEST Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, two-time bestselling author including a TOP 150 USA best-selling book, and Forbes contributor. Bryan also created a global movement and is known for his keynotes, book, and talks on “There Is No BtoB or B2C: It's Human-to-Human, H2H. He is the CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Social Media HandlesFacebookTwitterLinkedInInstagram   Start with Why - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Start-Why-Leaders-Inspire-Everyone/dp/B09J5FTXCS/ ABOUT THE HOST Jeannette Linfoot is a highly regarded senior executive, property investor, board advisor, and business mentor with over 25 years of global professional business experience across the travel, leisure, hospitality, and property sectors. Having bought, ran, and sold businesses all over the world, Jeannette now has a portfolio of her own businesses and also advises and mentors other business leaders to drive forward their strategies as well as their own personal development. Jeannette is a down-to-earth leader, a passionate champion for diversity & inclusion, and a huge advocate of nurturing talent so every person can unleash their full potential and live their dreams.  CONTACT THE HOST Jeannette's linktree - https://linktr.ee/JLinfoot https://www.jeannettelinfootassociates.com/ YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtsU57ZGoPhm55_X0qF16_Q LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jeannettelinfoot Facebook - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jeannettelinfoot Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jeannette.linfoot/ Email - info@jeannettelinfootassociates.com Podcast Description Jeannette Linfoot talks to incredible people about their experiences of being Brave, Bold & Brilliant, which have allowed them to unleash their full potential in business, their careers, and life in general. From the boardroom tables of ‘big' international businesses to the dining room tables of entrepreneurial start-ups, how to overcome challenges, embrace opportunities and take risks, whilst staying ‘true' to yourself is the order of the day. Travel, Bold, Brilliant, business, growth, scale, marketing, investment, investing, entrepreneurship, coach, consultant, mindset, six figures, seven figures, travel, industry, ROI, B2B, inspirational: https://linktr.ee/JLinfootThis show was brought to you by Progressive Media

For most of its history, Santa Clara based company Nvidia has been known primarily as a designer of computer parts meant for video games. But in recent years, those parts have become a crucial part of artificial intelligence programs. Now, Nvidia dominates the market of graphics processing units, or GPUs, meant for AI at a time when interest in AI is exploding. Skyrocketing demand for these GPUs have raised stock prices for Nvidia, giving the company a rare market valuation of more than$1 trillion, a distinction shared by only four other U.S. companies: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Alphabet. We'll talk about Nvidia's history in Silicon Valley, its recent climb to elite status, and what the rise of AI might mean for the Bay Area. Guests: Cade Metz, technology reporter, the New York Times; author, “Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought A.I. to Google, Facebook, and The World” Margaret O'Mara, Scott and Dorothy Bullitt professor of American History, the University of Washington; author, "The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America" Max A. Cherney, senior tech reporter, the Silicon Valley Business Journal

Few people with a cause walk the talk as boldly and graciously as Christine Von Raesfeld, founder and CEO of People with Empathy. Christine is a pillar of patient advocacy and allyship in the rare and chronic disease community. Through the lens of her lived experiences in healthcare, she has become a champion for patient voices, diversity and inclusion in clinical research, and equitable patient-sponsor partnerships. Christine has brought her unique perspective and honed expertise to countless roles as a featured speaker for numerous conferences on topics ranging from clinical trial recruitment to data & digital rights, from a true patient perspective. She serves as an e-patient scholar with Stanford MedicineX and a Technical Expert Panelist with CMS among other roles. Wherever possible, Christine generates momentum toward progress along her patient advocacy interests and has become a thought leader worldwide, stimulating dialog on a range of topics relevant to patients, clinicians, and industry. As a patient advisor, Christine has assisted several initiatives including the Stanford "Humanwide" Precision Medicine Program and the NIH All of Us Research Program and serves as a board member/advisor to multiple organizations and startups. For her many contributions to the field, she has been named one of the top 100 Women of Influence by Silicon Valley Business Journal, a member of the 2021 HIMSS Future50, and one of Medika Life's 50 most influential voices in healthcare among other distinctions. www.peoplewithempathy.org/

Few people with a cause walk the talk as boldly and graciously as Christine Von Raesfeld, founder and CEO of People with Empathy. Christine is a pillar of patient advocacy and allyship in the rare and chronic disease community. Through the lens of her lived experiences in healthcare, she has become a champion for patient voices, diversity and inclusion in clinical research, and equitable patient-sponsor partnerships. Christine has brought her unique perspective and honed expertise to countless roles as a featured speaker for numerous conferences on topics ranging from clinical trial recruitment to data & digital rights, from a true patient perspective. She serves as an e-patient scholar with Stanford MedicineX and a Technical Expert Panelist with CMS among other roles. Wherever possible, Christine generates momentum toward progress along her patient advocacy interests and has become a thought leader worldwide, stimulating dialog on a range of topics relevant to patients, clinicians, and industry. As a patient advisor, Christine has assisted several initiatives including the Stanford "Humanwide" Precision Medicine Program and the NIH All of Us Research Program and serves as a board member/advisor to multiple organizations and startups. For her many contributions to the field, she has been named one of the top 100 Women of Influence by Silicon Valley Business Journal, a member of the 2021 HIMSS Future50, and one of Medika Life's 50 most influential voices in healthcare among other distinctions. www.peoplewithempathy.org/ Behnaz Disclaimer: These are my personal views and opinions, and I am not speaking on behalf of Castle Biosciences, Inc.

After a failed business venture with only $500 bucks to his name, our guest today has now hit the Inc. 5000 two years in a row with his affiliate marketing business. This year, his company is growing even more with 50 million dollars in revenue. In today's episode, we have the wonderful Ruben Resendez, president of adHere, internet marketing thought leader, family man, and recognized by Silicon Valley Business Journal's 40 Under 40 making a difference. Listen to how he overcame adversity and is using his story to motivate other entrepreneurs fighting to get their businesses in the millions. His philosophy is "Help others get where they want to go, and eventually, you will get where you want to go." Connect with Ruben Resendez: Website Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Connect with Us:  Sign Up For Our EMAIL list HERE: http://www.7figureentp.com/  Follow Us On Instagram HERE: https://goo.gl/x2SjTX  Join Our Private Group HERE: https://goo.gl/LjCz2W 

Human to Human Bryan Kramer, H2H Companies   – The Sharkpreneur podcast with Seth Greene Episode 898 Bryan Kramer Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, two-time bestselling author including a TOP 150 USA best-selling book, and Forbes contributor. Bryan also created a global movement and is known for his keynotes, book, and talks on “There Is No BtoB or B2C: It's Human-to-Human, H2H. He is the CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.   Listen to this informative Sharkpreneur episode with Brian Kramer about how B2B sales and B2C sales are really human-to-human sales. Here are some of the beneficial topics covered on this week's show: - How it's important to find a way to communicate with customers without using automation. - Why more moments of truth allow your customer to feel seen and heard.  - How it's easier to have someone show you your blind spots instead of finding them on your own. - Why social media has changed the way customers interact with companies. - How all business owners, whether they are entrepreneurial or well-funded need to find a way to remain human without burning out.   Connect with Bryan: Guest Contact Info Twitter @BryanKramer Instagram @bryankramer1 Facebook facebook.com/TheRealBryanKramer LinkedIn Linkedin.com/in/bryanjkramer   Links Mentioned: bryankramer.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shownotes for Maya Acherman PHD   Professor Ackerman is a world-renowned researcher in generative AI and CEO/co-founder of WaveAI. A pioneer in the space, Ackerman has been researching generative AI models for text, music and art since 2014. Dr. Ackerman was an early advocate for human-centered generative AI, bringing awareness to the power of AI to profoundly elevate human creativity. Ackerman has over 50 peer reviewed research publications and her research has been cited in over 1200 publications.   Named “Woman of Influence” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, interviews with Dr. Ackerman appear on NBC News, New Scientist, NPR, Grammy.com, SiriusXM and international television stations across the globe. Dr. Ackerman is a member of the Steering Committee of the Association on Computational Creativity and has been on the program and reviewing committees of twenty different AI journals and conferences. A sought-after speaker, she appeared on many top stages, including the United Nations, IBM Research, Microsoft and Stanford University.   Dr. Ackerman is the recipient of awards from the Association of Computational Creativity, Office of Naval Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and more. She earned her PhD from the University of Waterloo, held postdoctoral fellowships at Caltech and UC San Diego and is on the faculty of the Computer Science and Engineering Department at Santa Clara University.   Personal website: http://www.maya-ackerman.com   We talk about What is generative Artificial Intelligence? How are Chat GPT and Open AI changing the world? Is Chat GPT the Google search killer such as what is being mentioned in the new? What are the next steps for this technology?   And much more…   Connect with Maya Acherman   https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackerma/ Websites wave-ai.net (Company) maya-ackerman.com (Personal) Email ackermanmaya@gmail.com

In today's episode, Brigit and Don seek out the expertise of Allie Ottoboni as they dive into trust-based philanthropy and its unique approach, eBay Foundation's strategic planning focus on equitable entrepreneurship and what this entails, her career journey that led to earning the Woman of Influence award from the Silicon Valley Business Journal, and her outlook on the future of philanthropy.

Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author, and Forbes contributor.He is CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.https://bryankramer.com/h2h-business-accelerator/ Support the showYou can connect with Keith Haney on his website. This is the link where people can find his podcast, resources for leadership development, and resources for help with Becoming a Bridge to change.https://www.becomingbridgebuilder.org/

When you think about your career path, does it take you to the boardroom? Getting a board position is a great way to gain visibility, credibility, and experience. However, it can be difficult to understand the landscape and know where you fit. Coco Brown joins Kevin to discuss the ins and outs of boards. There are several types of boards, and it is up to you to understand the culture and the roles and responsibilities of board members. Key Points Coco Brown shares some myths about being on a board of directors.  She discusses the benefits of a board position and how to prepare.  She advises on preparing your network as a means to a board seat. Meet Coco Name: Coco Brown Her Story: Coco Brown is the founder, CEO, and board member of The Athena Alliance, a game-changing executive firm helping to position the top 10% of executive women for advancement and board opportunities while also transforming the boardroom towards a modern composition model. Since founding Athena in the Spring of 2016, she has led the organization to a network of over 1000 C-Level women, VCs, and CEOs from over 150 companies including Accenture, Cisco, Microsoft, Intuit, Autodesk, and Alphabet / Google. She was asked to become an Insights Council member with the prestigious Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence in 2022. Worth Mentioning: Coco's background includes serving on 10 for-profit and nonprofit boards/advisory boards and her executive experience includes founding and building two companies and serving as the President and COO of a leading tech company. In addition to guiding and supporting executive leaders and boards, she is a sought-after speaker and writer and is frequently interviewed by business and industry publications. She has been quoted and featured in Bloomberg, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fortune, InformationWeek, NACD Directorship, Nasdaq.com, Silicon Valley Business Journal, The Cube, The Street, and WSJ. https://www.athenaalliance.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/cocobrown/ This episode is brought to you by... Remarkable Masterclasses. Each masterclass is designed to help you become the remarkable leader and human you were born to be. Details on how to get on board for a specific skill or get discounts each month can be found on our website. Related Episodes Networking for People Who Hate Networking with Devora Zack The Power of Communities with Jono Bacon

This week Bryan Kramer shares how he helps corporations and entrepreneurs identify and communicate their value to their audiences. Listen in as Deborah and Bryan discuss understanding how the world sees you, how Bryan experienced burn out in a corporate role and established a new set of rules to live by, and how to identify your non-negotiables when creating goals. Bryan also shares the different between transactions and relationships, and three tips for beating imposter syndrome.   About Bryan Kramer: Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author and Forbes contributor.   He is CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.   Whether you are a C-Suite Leader of today or tomorrow, take charge of your career with confidence and leverage the insights of The CEO's Compass: Your Guide to Get Back on Track.  To learn more about The CEO's Compass, you can get your copy here: https://amzn.to/3AKiflR    Other episodes you'll enjoy: C-Suite Goal Setting: How To Create A Roadmap For Your Career Success - http://bit.ly/3XwI55n Natalya Berdikyan: Investing in Yourself to Serve Others on Apple Podcasts -http://bit.ly/3ZMx8yw Questions to Guarantee You Accomplish Your Goals - http://bit.ly/3QASvymSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of The Remarkable Project Jay speaks with business strategist, speaker and author Bryan Kramer, about why authenticity is a personal perception, how important simplicity is in brand building, and the power of creating community intimacy.Once described as the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, two-time bestselling author including a TOP 150 USA best-selling book, and Forbes contributor.Bryan also created a global movement and is known for his keynotes, book, and talks on the H2H concept, stating “There is no B2B or B2C, it's Human-to-Human, H2H.”He is the CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Becoming a global leader in Digital and Influencer Marketing space, PureMatter works with some of the world's most notable brands and helps modern businesses speak “human”Even with 33 years of business experience under his belt, Bryan still calls himself a “relentless entrepreneur” and an optimist.Remarkable Takeaways Why authenticity means something different to everybody, and what to do with that knowledge when it comes to business.How important it is to lean into simplicity and avoid inward-facing jargon as you look to scale and strengthen brand love.The power of creating intimacy and truly committing to what's in it for “them” rather than you when building out communities.Connect with Bryan Find him on LinkedinLearn more about him and his businesses at his website

Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author and Forbes contributor. He is CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. For more, go to https://bryankramer.com/

Even the most ingenious technologies won't go far without a solid legal foundation and a forward thinking framework that will help it scale,  and this episode's guest knows all about that. Cindy Hess is a corporate partner at Fenwick and for over 10 years she's served as the co-chair of the firm's startup and venture capital group. Over the course of her practice, Cindy has counseled technology companies on a broad range of corporate transactional matters. She's worked with a wide range of high tech clients including some of the hottest and most innovative companies in mobile SaaS and social media.Cindy has had numerous industry honors, including being named as one of the Recorder's Top 10 Most Trusted Corporate Counselors, and one of the Top Women Leaders in Tech Law. She was also named to the Legal 500's Hall of Fame of the Venture Capital and Emerging Companies category. Cindy was the recipient of the Women in Business Law Award for Best in Technology, and the Silicon Valley Business Journal named her as one of the leading women of influence in Silicon Valley. She's a member of the State Bar of California and of New York. She received her undergraduate degree from Princeton, and her J.D. from Cornell.We sat down to talk about Cindy's incredible career working on some of the biggest deals in history, and what she sees for big tech deals in 2023 and beyond.Highlights: How Cindy got her start with Fenwick (3:24) What Fenwick does and why it's different than other firms (4:14) Cindy's client base (7:58) The part of the practice that Cindy thinks is strongest right now (9:17) How Cindy got into law (10:06) Cindy talks about some of the biggest deals at Fenwick (11:19) The deal that was most transformative for Cindy's career (13:21) Cindy talks about her experience as a woman in this field over the length of her career (14:36) Mentors that have helped along the way (15:27) Cindy's predictions for capital markets in 2023 (17:08) Cindy discusses the findings of the latest edition of Fenwick's Silicon Valley Venture Capital survey (19:20) Cindy's advice to founders going through the early stages of development, and what to consider when going public (23:05) What's next for emerging companies looking to grow their business (24:16) Links:ICR TwitterICR LinkedInICR WebsiteCindy Hess Bio FenwickCindy Hess LinkedInCindy Hess TwitterFenwick websiteFenwick LinkedInFenwick TwitterFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, marion@lowerstreet.co.

In this episode, Shweta Saraf, Head Of Engineering, Edge Infrastructure Services Engineering at Equinix, talks about how she handles hiring for a niche skill set and things you can do to help find the right talent. Key takeaways: Focus on optimizing the talent pipeline Removing the requirements friction Have existing staff find opportunities to grow skill sets Training from within What happens when you can't check the boxes Everything is now engineering About today's guest: see below ⬇️ Shweta Saraf is the Head of Engineering for Edge Infrastructure Services at Equinix. She leads the teams responsible for two of the highest-growing digital products - Equinix Metal and Network Edge. Shweta was recognized on Silicon Valley Business Journal's 40 under 40 list for 2022. She actively mentors tech leaders to give back to the community. She has previously held leadership positions at Packet, DigitalOcean, and Cisco. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shwetasaraf/ Twitter: @shwetahari ___ Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Tech Trek, and we would appreciate it if you would take a minute to rate and review us on your favorite podcast player. Want to learn more about us? Head over at https://www.elevano.com Have questions or want to cover specific topics with our future guests? Please message me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirbormand (Amir Bormand)

Anna Counselman is co-founder at Upstart (NASDAQ: UPST), a leading AI lending marketplace that partners with banks to improve access to affordable credit. Upstart helps millions of consumers who don't have access to credit, pay too much for it, or take on credit they can't ultimately afford. Anna leads business operations where she drives focus on operational scalability, employee experience, and culture-strategy alignment. Since co-founding Upstart, Anna has led Operations, People/HR, and myriad other initiatives before taking on Business Operations. Prior to Upstart, Anna led Gmail Consumer Operations as the business grew from 150 million to 450 million users and launched the global Enterprise Customer Programs team. Anna received a White House Champion of Change award and was recognized as one of Silicon Valley Business Journal's 40 under 40. Anna graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston University with a BA in Finance and Entrepreneurship.Anna joins me today to talk about a lot of great topics, including the best advice she got for mentors, how to scale yourself as a founder, changes in culture and operations when you run a public company versus startup. But how do you keep running at the same speed just as fast as a startup as your larger company? And how do you stay together as a co-founding team for the long term.“Make sure you keep a problem space that you are deeply interested in. Startups take longer than you expect. And so making sure that you select something that makes enough of a difference in the world, that it will keep you engaged and going as your business model might change.” - Anna CounselmanToday on Startups for Good we cover:Running a company after is goes publicManaging regulatory riskShifting the vision of the productPreparing for the founders experienceFacing challenges during an economic downturnConnect with Anna on LinkedInSubscribe, Rate & Share Your Favorite Episodes!Thanks for tuning into today's episode of Startups For Good with your host, Miles Lasater. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on your favorite podcast listening app.Don't forget to visit our website, connect with Miles on Twitter or LinkedIn, and share your favorite episodes across social media. For more information about Purpose Built visit our website.

Tricia Montalvo Timm is a board director, venture investor, speaker and author. She is a first-generation Latina who rose through the ranks of Silicon Valley advising high-tech companies big and small, culminating in the sale of data analytics software company Looker to Google for $2.6 billion. Tricia is one of the few Latinas to have attained the triple achievement of reaching the C-suite, joining the boardroom and cracking the venture capital ceiling. Tricia's industry recognitions include the 2020 Women of Influence and Latino Business Leadership awards from Silicon Valley Business Journal and the title of Diversity Champion from the SVBJ Corporate Counsel Awards. With her new book, Embrace the Power of You, she hopes to inspire anyone who has ever felt like an “other” in the workplace to embrace their true selves, owns their identity, and achieve success and fulfillment in their life and career. Website: triciatimm.com , embrace-the-power-of-you LinkedIn: ptimm Twitter: tricia_timm Instagram: pmontalvotimm Facebook: triciamontalvotimm

You know that saying about people doing business with people they know, like, and trust? Well, in this episode we explore how that idea plays out through marketing in a connected (and at the same time disconnected) digital world. Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, two-time bestselling author including a TOP 150 USA best-selling book, and Forbes contributor. Bryan also created a global movement and is known for his keynotes, book, and talks on “There Is No BtoB or B2C: It's Human-to-Human, H2H. Brian is the CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Learn more about Brian at bryankramer.com

Kelli Richards is recognized as a leader and a trailblazer in the world of digital media and music/tech. Richards is considered a “super-connector” with unprecedented access, and was a long-time Apple exec in charge of music and entertainment. She's worked with creatives, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs to re-imagine content creation, monetization, and distribution; as well as served as a coach and trusted advisor. Richards was an early podcast host of her own show (“All Access Radio”), has published several books and articles, and has been honored as a “Top 100 Woman of Influence” by Silicon Valley Business Journal. https://www.kellirichards.com Laurel Mintz, founder and CEO of award-winning marketing agency Elevate My Brand, explores some of the most exciting new and growing brands in Los Angeles and the US at large. Each week, the Elevate Your Brand podcast features an entrepreneurial special guest to discuss the past, present and future of their brand.

#BreakTheBias Wishing you a happy #womensday2022! Here's to all the wonderful women in my life. “To tell a woman everything she cannot do is to tell her what she can.” YOU'VE GOT THIS GIRL! She is also a startup marketing strategist, tech enthusiast, speaker & mentor. She was also the Silicon Valley Business Journal's Woman of Influence 2021!

The old ways of marketing your brand and selling your product are over. Brands need consumers to survive, but they have long disregarded the human side of business. Humans crave connection, and are not so easily reached by a catchy slogan or product description filled with industry words. Since the pandemic, people are now even less willing to spend time and money on a brand that doesn't know them. Humans want to trust, feel understood, and bond over shared flaws. In terms of sales, we relate to simplicity, empathy, imperfection, and intimacy. How does this translate into business practices? Bryan Kramer is on the show today to share how aiming for authenticity and creating moments that matter can give your brand that competitive edge. Called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes, Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, investor, and Forbes contributor. He created the #H2H movement and is known for his best-selling books, including Shareology: How Sharing is Powering the Human Economy, which made the USA Today's Top 150 Book List. Bryan is also CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” three years in a row by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Combined with his portfolio working with Fortune 500 businesses such as IBM, Dell and Intuit, Bryan is the man to go to for help on humanizing your business. On today's episode, he's sharing his knowledge and advice to build a stronger brand by connecting with your audience. Tune in to change the way you think about sales, marketing, and communication in business! Topics discussed in this episode: Bryan describes the H2H movement Is technology getting in the way of human connection? Good and bad examples of using AI Changes in consumer behavior post-pandemic Brands that embrace human traits in their business Where “the magic happens” in the human marketing funnel Examples of organizations creating intimacy How much does leadership or culture play a role? Bryan recommends first steps to embrace the H2H movement Building a community with $Human Coin Bryan shares his favorite brand, podcast, tools, and quote Check out Bryan's free 15-minute Business Accelerator Training: https://bryankramer.com/h2h-business-accelerator/ Find more information with Bryan's best-selling books, There Is No BtoB or B2C: It's Human-to-Human #H2H and Shareology: How Sharing is Powering the Human Economy Connect with Paul Copcutt: Website http://www.paulcopcutt.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulcopcutt/ Email paul@paulcopcutt.com

In this episode, we speak to Leila Modarres, the CMO of Apexon, a digital-first technology services firm focused on accelerating business transformation and delivering human-centric digital experiences. We talk about how Leila reached the CMO suite, her experience rebranding the company, working with Gen Z, and bringing human into customer experience.  For over 18 years, Apexon has been meeting customers wherever they are in the digital lifecycle and helping them outperform their competition through speed and innovation.At Apexon, Leila pioneered a marketing-as-a-service approach where she harnessed the expertise of her expertly curated team to deliver value to customers and give them another reason to choose to work with Apexon. That has included the creation of the award-winning YouTube channel, DTV, where she interviews customers, partners, and other luminaries to profile their thought leadership and digital expertise.Leila oversees Apexon's global branding and communications, covering everything from market positioning and awareness-building to employer branding and demand generation initiatives.Prior to Apexon, she headed marketing at Cumulus Networks where she helped launch the company and define its position in the emerging software-defined networking market. Before that, Leila was the VP of Marketing at DeviceAnywhere, a pioneer in mobile application development and testing. There, she helped establish DeviceAnywhere's category leadership and subsequent acquisition by Keynote Systems. Additionally, Leila has held key roles at emerging technology companies Virtual Iron (acquired by Oracle) and PanGo Networks (acquired by InnerWireless).Leila regularly speaks at events and has received industry recognition for leadership, marketing best practices, and mentoring of female leaders. She was recognized as a Woman of Influence by Silicon Valley Business Journal in 2020.Leila holds a BA in communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Learn more about Leila ModarresLearn more about ApexonFollow Peter Mahoney on Twitter and LinkedInLearn more about PlannuhJoin The Next CMO CommunityRecommend a guest for The Next CMO podcastProduced by PodForte

Today's Guest Expert: Coco Brown     Coco Brown has a BA in psychology from UPenn. She is an Insights Council member with the prestigious Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence, and a sought-after speaker and writer who is frequently interviewed by the WSJ, Bloomberg, and the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Coco's background includes serving on […] The post How to Turn Imposter Syndrome Into Success appeared first on Jake A Carlson.

Ep 148 Building Communities with Nicholas Adams   Nicholas E. Adams is a national award-winning publicist, strategist, and advisor. He has served as president and ceo of NINICO Communications® since 2011 and champions the motto Power of Partnership®. For more than a decade, the firm has created campaigns, developed messaging, and served as publicist to some of California's most storied brands and business leaders. Mr. Adams is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and board member of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce and Symphony San Jose. He is an active member of the Silicon Valley Capital Club, Sovereign Order of the Knights of St. John, and Rotary Club of San Jose – the region's oldest service organization. In 2009, he took the oath of office and was appointed to the San Jose Arts Commission, where he served as cultural ambassador on behalf of Northern California's largest city for eight years. In 2019, the Silicon Valley Business Journal named Mr. Adams among the 40 most influential people in the region under the age of 40. Mr. Adams has been featured as an industry thought leader in stories by NBC, ABC, The Mercury News, Crunchbase News, VentureBeat, PR Week and the US Chamber of Commerce. Under Mr. Adams' leadership, both the Silicon Valley and Los Angeles Business Journals have named NINICO Communications® among the top public relations agencies throughout the regions. Hailed a Power Player by Silicon Valley Magazine in 2021, Mr. Adams has been recognized for his professional accomplishments and stewardship of the PR and Ad industry and wider community by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, Association of Marketing Communication Professionals and Public Relations Society of America. In 2022, Mr. Adams cofounded Voyage Capital, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm which invests in diverse entrepreneurs and technical innovators in the FinTech and GreenTech spaces.     We talk about what are the rules of doing business? What is really a company's brand, is it a logo or name or more? To start a business, a team is so important. How do you know you have the right people on board? What is the red-carpet treatment for PR And much more     Connect with Nicholas Adams https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholaseadams/  NINICO Communications na@ninico.com

Ken West.  CEO of Regional Medical Center in San Jose, a Healthgrades Top 250 Hospitals.  A 40 under 40 Honoree chosen by Silicon Valley Business Journal.  Avid LSU Tigers fan.  Beyond the titles and honors, Ken is an outstanding person, loving father and husband, and mentor the guys at Off the Box.  They could not be more thrilled to have him on the show.The guys talk about the healthcare industry, leadership, executive growth, family, education, and even share a few laughs along the way.  Ken is extremely insightful, thoughtful, and provides great anecdotes about his life, career path, and how he elevates a work culture that will no doubt be studied and written about in future MBA courses, leadership institutes, or remarked in his acceptance speech at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (speculation and hope on behalf of the guys, not a spoiler alert from Ken).  We hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we did making it – we look forward to the inspiration it will no doubt create.  Email the guys at offtheboxpodcast@gmail.comFollow us on IG!

Interview with Bryan Kramer, who is called the “Zen Master to Digital Marketers” by Forbes. Bryan Kramer is a renowned business strategist, global keynote speaker, executive trainer and coach, two-time bestselling author and Forbes contributor. He is CEO of H2H Companies, an executive coaching company, and co-owner of PureMatter, a Silicon Valley marketing agency founded in 2001, which earned a spot as one of the “Fastest Growing Companies” by the Silicon Valley Business Journal. His web site is http://bryankramer.com

This episode features the 10X Growth Strategies host Preethy Padmanabhan as the guest. The episode was recorded for Pitch Cafe, is a fantastic podcast hosted Vida Patil.  In this exciting podcast, Preethy spills her beans of wisdom on how she charted a course from her humble beginnings to making it to Silicon Valley Business Journal's Woman of Influence 2021. She also spells out her people-centric strategies in driving engagement and revenues. Preethy has contributed extensively in women and community empowerment roles at Chief creating ecosystems where like minded women leaders can come together. Listen on...all the way to the end ...

Vanessa Yanez joins the show this week. An accomplished communications leader whose experience in the industry and passion for social justice and women's issues has likely made her the most tireless PR professional historically, she's also a mom of teen daughters. Yanez is president of PRSA Silicon Valley and was named a 2021 Woman of Influence Honoree. She also oversees content for the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Yanez says she is at her best when providing real business value based on a unique perspective grounded in the agency, corporate, and start-up experience. Her award-winning marketing and communications expertise fuels her passion for supporting businesses with corporate communications initiatives, global project rollouts, and various mutually beneficial partnerships. In addition to all she's able to accomplish in a single business day, she somehow gets 8 hours of sleep each night! Plus, she's up, and productive by 6 am and exercises daily.  In this episode, she cops to having owned five gym memberships at one point during the pandemic. “How does she do it all?” has become a cliched query in 2022 - Just ask Yanez! She'll shoot that question down quickly for you. 

In this episode Thom Singer talks to Business Strategist and Author Marcia Daszko about how to think differently. She is a "Pivot Provocateur" who tries to shake up how people think. She helps people achieve more than they ever dreamed.  About Marcia Daszko Marcia Daszko is a global business strategist and leadership transformation consultant in the Deming philosophy of management for 30 years. She guides executive teams and Boards of Directors to transform their thinking, achieve their competitive edge, and achieve results never before imagined. Bestselling author of Pivot Disrupt Transform: How Leaders Beat the Odds and Succeed, Marcia is a keynote speaker across all sectors. She writes a weekly Q&A column for the Silicon Valley Business Journal and has taught MBA classes at six universities from Fordham to UC-Berkeley and SJSU. Https://thomsinger.com/marcia-daszko Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Startups today have more opportunities than ever before, with funding available to match their ambitions.  In this episode of The Yield, Yieldstreet CFA Peter Kerr welcomes Mary Ann Azevedo, Senior Reporter at TechCrunch, for a discussion on the latest trends in the startup and fintech space. Mary Ann is currently a senior reporter at TechCrunch covering startups and investing with a focus on fintech, proptech and LatAm. She has more than 20 years of business reporting and editing experience for publications such as Crunchbase News, Crain, Forbes and Silicon Valley Business Journal. Key Takeaways:[1:20] Mary Ann's insights into the potential for another tech bubble.  [5:00] Repercussions surrounding sustainability, innovation, transparency, and exit strategies.[9:03] The impact of the pandemic on startups and the need to pivot business strategies. [11:58] A five year look into the future of fintech startups. [16:02] The positive and negative impact of the distributed team approach. [20:10] Growing startup areas across the US have a few things in common. [25:21] Fintech startups on the global stage. [26:56] Risks and opportunities associated with cryptocurrencies and NFTs.  [31:34] The impact that startups can have on VC investments. Mentioned in This Episode:Yieldstreet