Podcasts about simplify

"Send Ben a text"How to Simplify Parenting by Fixing Only Two ProblemsParenting often feels overwhelming—like you've got 117 things to fix at once. But what if the secret to real change wasn't fixing everything… but focusing on just two?In this episode, Ben shares how a lesson from football and his time as a high school principal transformed into a powerful parenting principle. You'll learn how to:Identify the two core problems driving most of the chaos at homeStop wasting energy trying to fix all 117 little issuesEmpower your teen by involving them in finding solutionsMake parenting simpler, less stressful, and way more effectiveListen now and discover how simplifying your focus can transform your family.Are You Caught in the Parent Trap? Discover the hidden patterns that are keeping you stuck—and how to break free. Take this quick (and eye-opening) quiz to uncover which common parenting trap you're falling into with your teen. Get a personalized roadmap to help you parent with more clarity, confidence, and connection—starting today. https://benpughcoaching.com/parenttrapquiz

Get registered for the ASTA Expo 2025 at the Raleigh Convention Center: https://geni.us/ASTA2025 Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2025Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityMake sure you mention: CTISUMMER to get FREE data migration!If you're ready to make a real change in your shop's success, join Shop Marketing Pros' Plan With the Pros workshop this October to connect with them and other shop owners. You'll leave with your entire year for 2026 planned out. Click here to register: https://geni.us/PlanWithTheProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into one sleek, digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Lucas and David are joined by Greg Schuler, Christian Beyer, Chad Kaemingk, and Joseph Augustine to discuss the realities of shop ownership and what they wish they'd known from the start. Joseph shares his experience with the pitfalls of hiring friends and family, stressing the benefits of implementing production-based pay for technicians and clear roles for staff. Greg emphasizes the importance of establishing systems and processes, particularly when transitioning leadership and ensuring team members understand what success looks like. The conversation also touches on the changing expectations of today's workforce and the value of leadership that goes beyond simply “fixing cars.”00:00 "From Engineering to Maintenance Leadership"06:50 Unexpected Journey into Family Business07:14 Family Business Challenges and Changes14:20 Scaling Challenges with Specialized Business19:35 Struggling with Multiple Roles20:21 Struggling to Find Work-Life Balance28:46 "Proven Business Methodology Essential"30:39 Operational Protocols and Responsibilities33:47 "Accountability Requires Clear Standards"38:06 "10-Year System Development Insights"43:01 Lack of Business Systems Leads to Fraud43:41 Implement Systems for Success49:23 "Don't Hire Apprentices First"54:15 Business Chaos Without Clear Financials56:28 Lack of Business Knowledge58:22 "Daughter's Crochet Creations Soar"

You've tried every checklist. You've sorted, purged, and folded your clothes KonMari-style. You've even whispered sweet nothings to your donation bin.

Why do we think things have to be perfect? What are we trying to avoid in our attempts to make things perfect? Co-founder of Sister I'm With You Jess Johnston is on the AllMomDoes podcast with Julie Lyles Carr to talk about why we are afraid to show up as our true selves, what role boundaries play in authenticity, and why letting go of perfectionism can be the best thing you can do to find community.Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4kwu6au 

In this episode, I open up about a deeply personal experience and how it's prompted me to slow down, prioritize rest, and focus on nervous system regulation. I share the mindset shifts and practical changes I'm making to simplify both my personal and professional life. On the business side, I'm excited to announce upcoming changes to the Simplify program, including a free training at the end of September, new monthly courses, reorganized bite-sized content, and more co-working calls. Join me as I embrace clarity, say no more often, and create space for what truly matters. Free Resources:Join 30 Day Calendar Blocking Blueprint and finally feel in control. ​Click here to join the next round. ​Are you a business owner making $100,000+ and still wearing all the hats? ​Click here​ to learn about my upcoming 12-week Outsourcing Mastermind.Are you an aspiring or newer business owner who needs some accountability and clarity on the next steps? ​Click here​ to join my 6-month accountability group - Simplify.

Description:Drift off into a peaceful sleep with 10 hours of gentle thunderstorm sounds designed to help you unwind, relax, and rest deeply. In this episode, you'll be surrounded by the soothing rumble of distant thunder and the calming rhythm of rainfall—perfect for bedtime, meditation, or whenever you need a moment of tranquility. Let these natural sounds create a restful atmosphere and support your journey to better sleep.Take a break from the busyness of life, settle in, and let the calming storm guide you to a night of restorative rest.Tune in next time as we continue sharing sounds and tips to help you find calm and relaxation in every day.DISCLAIMER

Kankelfritz & Friends chat about things adults actually enjoy now that they did when they were kids. Also, Author Julia Ubbenga shares how to simplify life in crazy times.

TABLE OF CONTENTSPreface & Introduction 1️⃣ Chapter 1 2️⃣ Chapter 2 3️⃣ Chapter 3 4️⃣ Chapter 4 5️⃣ Chapter 5 6️⃣ Chapter 6 7️⃣ Chapter 7 8️⃣ Chapter 8 9️⃣ Chapter 9 1️⃣0️⃣ Chapter 10 1️⃣1️⃣ 1️⃣2️⃣ Chapter 12 1️⃣3️⃣ Chapter 13 (You Are Here) 1️⃣4️⃣ Chapter 14 (

Welcome to Day 2704 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2704 – Ecclesiastes 3 - "Life isn't Just One Thing - It's Everything" Welcome to Putnam Congregational Church - August 24, 2025! This week, we enjoyed a special speaker, Nathniel Miller, on a lesson from Ecclesiastes 3 - "Life isn't Just One Thing - It's Everything" 1. Walking Through Life's Battlefields 2. The Key isn't control - it's acceptance 3. Simplify, Connect, Be Honest, Stay Present 4. Enjoy the Little Things - They are the Big Things Join us next Sunday, August 31st, at 10:15 a.m., and we will continue our exploration of 1 John. Our message for next week is “A Clean Life – Strong Warnings About The World." Our Core verses for next week will be: 1 John 2:12-17

In this Social Media Decoded episode, strategist and “operations unicorn” Steph Rubio shares how to combine mindset + operations to stop undercharging, clarify your offer suite, and show up online with confidence. We dig into specificity and simplicity—the two levers that make your messaging convert—plus the systems that keep your business running like a well-oiled machine while you sell. Steph gets real about imposter syndrome, visibility fears, and the gritty choices that built her resilience and results. What You'll Learn Specificity > wide nets: how clear positioning attracts the right buyers fast Simplify to scale: streamline your offer suite so people instantly “get it” Visibility without the ick: show up, sell, and stay authentic on social Mindset that moves money: ditch self-limiting beliefs and price with confidence Operations that support sales: practical systems for delivery, follow-up, and consistency Who It's For Women entrepreneurs, coaches, and creatives who are ready to be seen, charge their worth, and scale sustainably without complicated funnels. Guest Resources Website: stephrubio.comInstagram: @virtually_stephrubio Let's Connect & Get Your Freebie! Stay inspired and get daily visibility tips—follow Michelle everywhere: Instagram: @michellelthames Threads: @michellelthames LinkedIn: Michelle L Thames YouTube: Michelle L Thames Podcast: Social Media Decoded Ready to increase your Visibility? Join the FREE 7-Day Visibility Challenge HERE show up online, visibility strategy, simplify your offers, offer suite clarity, specificity and simplicity, pricing confidence, stop undercharging, operations for small business, systems for entrepreneurs, mindset for women entrepreneurs, imposter syndrome in business, authentic selling on social media, messaging that converts, content that sells, sustainable scaling strategies

In this episode, host Jeff Wieland welcomes Danielle Boerger, owner of Simplify In Style, a professional organizing company she started 10 years ago after leaving her career as a teacher. What began with helping fellow teachers organize their classrooms has grown into a thriving business with a team of 15 organizers serving families across Cincinnati.Danielle shares how her team transforms everything from closets to kitchens, garages, and even playrooms always with the goal of creating organizing systems that families can actually maintain. She emphasizes the importance of space planning and taking inventory before building or moving into a new home, highlighting how her team often collaborates with designers and builders to ensure functionality from the start.Throughout the conversation, Danielle and Jeff dive into:How Danielle and her team recently helped a Wieland Builders client organize several areas of their new custom home.Why communication and trust are essential for successful organizing projects.The differences between organizing in new homes vs. existing homes.Strategies for decluttering, teaching kids organization skills, and reducing stress during moves.Common misconceptions about organizing (hint: it's not all about picture-perfect spaces, it's about function).Her favorite organizational solutions and how her team stays on top of new trends and products.Danielle also offers practical advice for anyone looking to get organized: start small, take inventory, and build systems that fit your lifestyle.To learn more about Danielle and her team's work, visit Simplify In Style online or follow them on social media for behind-the-scenes inspiration.Learn more about Simplify In Style Website, Instagram, YouTubeEmail Jeff your comments, questions, and topic requests, or be a guest on The WB Download.Email: WBDOWNLOAD@wielandbuilders.comWieland Builders Blog 11 Smart Spaces Every Luxury Homes Needs For Back To School OrganizationSee Wieland Builders custom home gallery  www.wielandbuilders.comWieland Builders Homes in Progress Website Page See podcast behind the scenes photosFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Houzz or Pinterest

In this episode of The Profitable Play Podcast, I share a recorded coaching call with Jan from Kinderland Play Cafe in Hendersonville, TN that covers the exact questions so many indoor playground and play café owners face when setting up their systems and preparing their business for growth—or even a future sale.My guest's long-term plan is to eventually sell their business, so every decision they make now is with that end goal in mind. During our conversation, we dig into:How to realistically set up and enforce cleaning procedures with staff so you don't need to rely as much on outside cleanersWhen and how to delegate customer communication—whether that's email or social media messages—without losing controlWhether to implement different pay grades for staff, and how that impacts team harmonyHandling tricky operational details and bottlenecks that present themselves as you go through your first weeks and months of operationHow to navigate software costs and adjustments as your customer base growsAnd finally, how to streamline the entire party booking process—from the initial reservation all the way through confirmations, reminders, and follow-upsIf you're in the trenches of creating processes, figuring out how much to delegate, or looking to build a business that's scalable and eventually sellable, this episode is packed with actionable advice.Kinderland Website: https://www.kinderland-hendersonville.com/Kinderland IG: https://www.instagram.com/kinderland.hendersonvilleOTHER RESOURCES:Play Cafe Academy & Play Makers SocietyGetting Started With Your Play Cafe [YouTube Video Playlist]What's Working In The Indoor Play Industry 2025 GuideFund Your Indoor Play Business [Free Training]Indoor Play Courses & 1:1 Consulting WaitlistMichele's InstagramMichele's WebsitePlay Cafe Academy YouTube ChannelETSY Template ShopPrepare Your Indoor Playground For a RecessionPlay Cafe Academy & Play Makers SocietyQuestions and Support: Support@michelecaruana.com Play Cafe Academy & Play Makers Society: http://bit.ly/3HES7fDQuestions and Support: Support@michelecaruana.com Simplify and Scale with 50% OFF WellnessLiving: https://discover.wellnessliving.com/playcafeacademy

Get registered for the ASTA Expo 2025 at the Raleigh Convention Center: https://geni.us/ASTA2025 Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2025Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityMake sure you mention: CTISUMMER to get FREE data migration!If you're ready to make a real change in your shop's success, join Shop Marketing Pros' Plan With the Pros workshop this October to connect with them and other shop owners. You'll leave with your entire year for 2026 planned out. Click here to register: https://geni.us/PlanWithTheProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into one sleek, digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Lucas and David are joined by Lauralee Schmidt at Vision. Lauralee opens up about the challenges she faced with a former shop manager who, she later learned, had attempted to bankrupt her shop to buy it at a low price. The hosts and Lauralee also discuss the importance of processes and policies in running a successful automotive business, including Lauralee's recent experience teaching a class on this topic. The conversation takes a lighthearted turn as the group delves into industry relationships, social media habits, and the challenges of balancing business ownership with family life.00:00 "Shop Spotlight Ambitions"10:41 "Workshop Dynamics and Adaptation"15:58 Uncovering a Manager's Hidden Scheme22:03 Suspicious Cash Deposits27:29 Messy Eater Confession30:57 Social Media and Self-Worth Discussion35:36 Gideon Ridge: Scenic Mountain Dining39:40 Family Homestead Dream49:57 DIY Disaster and Eviction54:49 "Rent Out Multi-Unit Properties"57:31 Living Large, Spending Small01:01:18 Sugar Restrictions in Childhood Memories

Are you tired of endlessly Googling “easy dinners” and still ending up overwhelmed at 5 PM with no plan?

IntroductionI discovered another AI app that you can use to create slide show presentations (and videos like the one above). The app, Microsoft Copilot, allows you to create slide shows using PowerPoint. Both Copilot and PowerPoint are part of a Microsoft 365 subscription ($99 per year, personal edition).I started with three lines of information, as shown below. I entered these lines into the Create with Copilot option that comes up when you start up PowerPoint. Within a few minutes, Copilot and PowerPoint generated a sixteen-slide presentation that became the basis for the above video.Writer's Block: In Case of an Emergency, Break the GlassThere really is no such thing as writer's block or any other block to getting things done. Blocks only exist if you let them. If you move on, they melt away.As the blue collar comedians, say, “Get ‘er done!” Move on!The text for the video is showcased below. Note how Copilot took three lines and made sixteen slides with the following extensive content.Microsoft Copilot and PowerPointToday I'm showcasing another presentation program you can use, Microsoft PowerPoint combined with Copilot, to create another version of my writer's block information.So we're going to talk about understanding the concept of writer's block, debunking the myth, the reality of writer's block, practical strategies to overcome perceived blocks, and cultivating long-term productivity and creativity.Writer's block is commonly defined as an inability to generate new ideas or work, causing creative paralysis.These beliefs influence how writers view their creative struggles and shape their response to overcoming challenges.The creative blocks such as this are often portrayed in literature, where creative blocks are often depicted as a mysterious curse impacting writers, especially novelists, symbolizing an insurmountable barrier to creativity.Film and media portray creative blocks as unavoidable challenges that dramatically affect artists and writers' work.Anxiety can cause mental blocks by creating fear and stress that hinder creative thinking and writing flow.Perfectionism leads to unrealistic standards that prevent progress and increase fear of failure in writing tasks.Also, unrealistic expectations create pressure that can block creativity and cause frustration during the writing process.Writer's block is basically a myth.Many experts believe blocks are not a real condition but misconceptions about creativity. Creative pauses are often temporary challenges, not permanent stoppages in writing or creative ability. Also, lack of motivation can cause writing delays mistaken for writer's block.Prolific writers maintain consistent work habits, regardless of obstacles, highlighting consistency over inspiration.Discipline is crucial in overcoming challenges and driving steady creative output among successful creators.Persistence outweighs mysterious creative blocks, enabling writers to produce work consistent with their story.Viewing creative struggles as normal helps writers maintain motivation and reduces frustration during the process.Believing challenges are solvable fosters resilience and encourages persistent effort towards progress.A positive mindset helps sustain continuous progress despite encountering creative blocks.Practical strategies to overcome perceived blocks.Embrace imperfection. By accepting imperfection allows progress by reducing the pressure of perfectionism in creative work.Avoid overthinking. Moving on without over analyzing every detail prevents stagnation and fosters creativity.Set goals. Some of the techniques for maintaining momentum is to set goals.Break tasks into small goals to sustain momentum and make progress manageable and rewarding.Use timed writing sessions to reduce pressure and encourage focused, consistent work intervals.Employ free writing techniques that promote creativity and flow by removing constraints and allowing spontaneous ideas to emerge.Use humor. Humor eases stress and makes creative work more enjoyable, helping to overcome mental blocks.Simplify tasks, reducing overwhelm and making creative work easier and more approachable.Cultivate long-term productivity and creativity.Build resilient writing habits, first by establishing consistent writing routines to help you maintain discipline and overcome creative challenges effectively.Develop writing habits that anchor productivity by creating dependable pathways to sustain creativity and output.Embrace imperfection and continuous progress. Recognize that first drafts are not perfect and that helps reduce pressure and fosters creativity. Be ready to do ongoing revisions to help refine your ideas and improve the quality of work over time.Embrace imperfection enables sustained effort and growth in creative projects.Learn the lessons from blue-collar comedians. Get her done. Blue-collar comedians embody a straightforward practical mindset focused on action rather than excessive planning. The key lesson is to begin tasks promptly to overcome procrastination and build momentum.ConclusionEmphasize completion without overthinking to ensure productivity and success in any endeavor.Recognize that writer's blocks is often a mental barrier rather than an actual inability to write.Dispel common misconceptions about writer's block to foster a healthier writing mindset.And then implement actionable techniques—practical strategies to unlock your productivity and sustain creativity in writing.Gamma Vs. Microsoft Copilot and PowerPointBoth programs produced informative slide show presentations and videos. Personally I preferred the output from Gamma because it included actual examples and stories that enlivened the presentation.Book Marketing Success is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.Websites: https://BookAuthorAuthority.com and https://www.BookMarket.com/bookstore This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bookmarketing.substack.com/subscribe

I am going to start this marketing monologue with a story.  I'm going to start with a story. I was about four years old and I went into a bakery with my dad. And while he was ordering breads and pastries, I was standing there looking in the glass counter at these beautiful pastries. Eventually, my dad looked down and he says, Lanie, do you want one? Yes, Daddy. So the woman reaches behind the counter and she gets me a Charlotte Russe. Now, if you're not from New York, you may not know what a Charlotte Russe pastry is. It's a little piece of pound cake stuffed inside a tube about the size of a toilet paper roll filled with whipped cream. And then on the very top, there's a cherry. She hands it to me, and I say thank you—because I was a very polite child. I ate the cherry off the top and as we were leaving, the pastry falls to the ground. Before I had a chance to say anything, the woman came running out from behind the counter and said, Don't cry, sweetie, I'll get you another one. Lanie, do you want another one? Yes, Daddy. And so the woman gave me another pastry. This time, as we were leaving, I ate the cherry off the top, and—yep—you guessed it. I dropped the pastry on the floor. Why did you do that? my father asked. And I probably should mention right about now that my dad was not a patient person. I said, I only wanted the cherry. What we had was a failure to communicate. My dad was talking about pastries. I was talking about cherries. Anyone who has spent time with children knows this feeling—talking about something and realizing halfway through the child has no idea what you mean. That's because children come into a conversation with a smaller worldview. They don't have the same vocabulary, experience, or context. So they focus on the parts that make sense and miss the bigger picture. But here's the thing: adults do the exact same thing. Every networking event, every pitch, every sales call—people nod politely while you talk about your process, your platform, or your proprietary system… but if you're not speaking their language, they check out. They're thinking about their next meeting. Or dinner. Or pastries. So how do you keep them with you? How do you connect, especially when your work is a little technical or complex? Here's how: 1. Simplify your message. Strip out the jargon. Ditch the 12-step framework. Lead with the cherry—the one irresistible thing you know they'll understand and care about. 2. Use familiar comparisons. Find a metaphor, an analogy, something from their world. Talk about what you do the way you'd explain it to a 10-year-old—without being condescending. Just clear. 3. Test your message before the real thing. Before your next networking event or client meeting, practice explaining what you do to a non-marketing friend. Or your kid. Or even out loud in the mirror. If you can't make it land simply, it's too complicated. 4. Lead with benefits, not process. You help clients get more leads, increase visibility, or stop spinning their wheels online. That's what they want to hear. The platform, the tools, the magic—save that for later. 5. Watch for confused faces—and adjust. If someone looks puzzled or politely disengaged, pause. Ask a question. Reframe. Don't just keep steamrolling through your pitch. That's how pastries get dropped. The bottom line? If you want better conversations and better results :Say less. Make it clearer. Make it about them. And when you do, you just might walk away with more sales, more referrals… and the occasional cherry on top. If this sparked an idea or reminded you of your own “cherry on top” moment, I'd love to hear about it. Hit the “Let's Chat” button on all my social profiles or drop by morethanafewwords.com.

In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones sits down with K.C. Knudson, MTSS Coordinator at the Northwest Educational Service District, to explore the critical distinction between coaching and evaluation in education. Drawing on research and real-world experience, K.C. shares why 98% of teachers need coaching—not evaluation—and how shifting from a culture of grading to one of growth can transform schools. The conversation covers the pitfalls of traditional evaluation systems, the power of collective efficacy, and practical strategies for principals to foster collaborative, learner-centered environments. Listeners will gain actionable insights on building effective teams, de-privatizing instructional practice, and making professional learning communities truly impactful.Coaching vs. EvaluationPennsylvania training and assistance networkPennsylvania data - 98% of teachers are rated proficientGrow vs. Grade - 98% of your staff want to grow and get better. Gates foundation spent $212 Million to state that teacher evaluations do not provide meaningful growth, retain teachers, or help with student achievementWashington - research-based evaluation - targeted vs. comprehensive evaluationNeed to teach our principals how to coach more effectively. Don't spend a lot of time talking about quality instructionPrecision over profusion - trying to add more seat time is profusionWhat do we need our teachers to be really good at. Instructional floor - Anthony MuhammedWe've got to be good at our craft to get to the student learning part of it. Learner objectives - produce kids that know how to be seen and heard, how to function, how to thrive in the world. The Principal is PrincipleSchools change life trajectoriesCommunity Creates EquityPrincipal as the center of a wagon wheel vs. the principal as a node of a networkSupportive leadership in the service of empowered teachersHow to be a transformative principal? Deprivatize teaching: Sit down for 30 minutes and do a teams audit: When do I have people sitting down and focusing on student learning?About K.C. KnudsonK. C. Knudson is currently the MTSS Coordinator at the Northwest Educational Service District. Prior to this role, he served as a Senior Educational Consultant, where he focused on facilitating the establishment of inclusive classrooms, schools, and districts to effectively cater to the diverse needs of all students. This work is deeply rooted in the strategic utilization of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines and the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework. K. C. has extensive experience in providing professional learning, coaching, and technical assistance specifically aimed at supporting the implementation of inclusive practices using UDL and MTSS. His background in education leadership includes significant roles such as Director of Teaching and Learning, Assistant Superintendent, Executive Director, Principal, Assistant Principal, and Teacher. Join the Transformative Mastermind Today and work on your school, not just in it. Apply today. We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

After a two-year break, I'm back with a brand-new direction for the Simplify and Thrive Podcast. In this episode, I share why I decided to rename and rebrand the podcast, what's shifting in my business, and the new direction I'm taking with this podcast. I also open up about my personal journey with social media—how I became addicted to constantly checking my phone, how it drained my creativity, and why I'm now choosing a more intentional and focused approach to creating content. You'll hear about: Why simplicity and focus are the key to growing your business and sales. The importance of long-form content to stand apart from the noise on social media. Why you need to create more human connection in your marketing. How I'm aligning my brand, business, and lifestyle around creativity and depth. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the noise online and want a more sustainable, creative way to grow your business, this episode is for you. Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.almabradford.com/

Tired of feeling left behind by today's tech? It's not your fault. I'll look at why computers aren't getting any simpler, what basic devices exist, and how the right attitude and support can make all the difference.

Welcome to Day 21 of the Double Your Profit SeriesThe go-to series for contractors, home service owners, and small business entrepreneurs.Today, we're tackling a silent bottleneck of growth: Over-qualifying what you already know.The truth is simple: speed wins. Most businesses don't fail because they made a wrong call — they fail because they got stuck waiting for the perfect call. Analysis paralysis keeps you stuck while competitors take action.

Ever find yourself thinking “I should be better with money,” but you're too tired to track one more thing or clip another coupon? This episode is for you, friend. I'm joined by my long-time money mindset coach and financial strategist, Brie Sodano, and we're pulling back the curtain on the real reason budgeting doesn't work for so many smart, capable women. Spoiler: it's not about spreadsheets, it's about the mental load you're already carrying. And no, it's not your fault. We're diving into the patterns, habits, and “money bleeds” that quietly drain your bank account—and your energy. If you've ever opened your credit card bill and wondered, “Where did all our money go?” this episode will hit home in the best way. Let's shift the way you think about budgeting, spending, and what it really means to steward your money without shame or overwhelm.

We are so excited about this summer series. If you are headed out on a road trip or lounging in the yard, get those ear buds in and fill yourself up with this content. We want you to have all this in one place.She runs a successful estate sales business in Austin, TX. And she's learned some fascinating things about how we move through our seasons of life and what it has to do with all of our stuff. Allison Armstrong joins AllMomDoes host Julie Lyles Carr on the podcast!Show Notes: https://bit.ly/4nIta5S 

Every time I give a session on executive functioning, I have clinicians and teachers ask me the same thing:“How can I motivate students who don't seem to care or don't want to try new things?”Or something like “How can I convince students why this (insert task) is going to be important to them in the future?”The short answer is that you don't “convince” them of anything. At least not in the moment. Instead, you create the experiences and opportunities that are going to help the student acquire the skills, experience the consequences, and develop the confidence to deal with uncertainty/unfamiliar situations. When students appear resistant to try things, or seem to “not learn from past mistakes”, this can often be tied to weak episodic memory. Episodic memory—the ability to see a mental picture of a past event, allows students to think back on past experiences and use them to prepare for the future. When you struggle to do this, it's difficult to recall past mistakes or feedback in the moment. It's also difficult to think back on past experiences when you might have done something well, which may make you feel less prepared for tasks that are challenging or less familiar. This may cause nervousness or resistance toward difficult tasks if you can't “see” back into the past (episode memory) or think into the future to know what you should be doing now (future pacing). Unfortunately, on the surface, this may look like defiance, apathy, or lack of motivation. That's why in fourth episode in my “Five Skills to Create Your Executive Functioning Intervention Framework”, I discuss the fourth skill: Episodic Memory What I'll uncover in this episode:✅ The critical role episodic memory plays in executive functioning: applying prior knowledge, anticipating consequences, and adjusting behavior.✅ How difficulties with episodic memory impact a student's confidence and willingness to try new things, or their persistence with challenging tasks. ✅ Why episodic memory interacts with other executive functioning skills, including future pacing, time perception, and self-talk.In this episode, I mentioned my free training for school leaders who want to create a research-based executive functioning implementation plan for their school teams. You can sign up for the training here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

Get registered for the ASTA Expo 2025 at the Raleigh Convention Center: https://geni.us/ASTA2025 Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2025Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityMake sure you mention: CTISUMMER to get FREE data migration!If you're ready to make a real change in your shop's success, join Shop Marketing Pros' Plan With the Pros workshop this October to connect with them and other shop owners. You'll leave with your entire year for 2026 planned out. Click here to register: https://geni.us/PlanWithTheProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into one sleek, digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Lucas and David are joined by Tom Ham, Ryan Snow, and Eric Mrozinski to discuss the pivotal lessons they have learned in shop ownership and management. Tom shares the importance of hiring "nice" people and the critical role of setting and knowing your shop's numbers. Eric highlights how implementing a robust shop management system transformed their workflow and overall business efficiency. Ryan and the group discuss the challenges of acquiring versus starting a shop, as well as the necessity of strong processes, people, and incremental improvements in building a successful business.00:00 Transmission Shop Workflow Challenges05:45 Career-Changing Aha Moments07:18 "Embracing Change and Growth"11:26 Software Integration Aha Moment14:17 Leadership Challenges in Established Business18:23 Navigating Family Business Leadership Shift22:13 Service Advisor to Business Partner26:45 Insights on Experience and Perspectives27:51 Strategic Acquisition and Hiring Plan32:31 "Deciding the Shop's Future"37:15 Adapting Pricing Strategy for Success40:16 Value of Replica Car Repairs42:12 Mercedes Repair Cost Expectations48:04 "Financial Literacy for Business Owners"50:31 Unexpected Encounter During Riots54:37 Luxury Car Client Expectations56:28 Shift to Human-Centric Investments59:37 "Slow Changes for Business Success"

Ready to simplify your life? In this episode, I share my 15 minute declutter challenge to help you organize your home, digital files, and mental space—no full day required! I reveal how a quick, focused declutter session can boost productivity, reduce stress, and create lasting clarity. Whether you're tackling a kitchen drawer, your computer desktop, or your inbox, you'll find practical tips to make decluttering easy and manageable. Join me as I walk you through time management strategies and micro habits that fit into any busy schedule. Take the challenge: pick one area, set a timer for 15 minutes, and start decluttering today. Don't forget to share your progress on Instagram and tag me @simplifywithamandab! Free Resources:Join 30 Day Calendar Blocking Blueprint and finally feel in control. ​Click here to join the next round. ​Are you a business owner making $100,000+ and still wearing all the hats? ​Click here​ to learn about my upcoming 12-week Outsourcing Mastermind.Are you an aspiring or newer business owner who needs some accountability and clarity on the next steps? ​Click here​ to join my 6-month accountability group - Simplify.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3253: Sara explains how Dividend Reinvestment Programs (DRIPs) allow investors to buy company stock directly and automatically reinvest dividends, bypassing brokerage fees and enabling small, consistent contributions over time. She highlights their simplicity, low costs, and power for long-term growth, while noting the importance of diversification and careful company selection. This approach is ideal for those who want a low-maintenance, cost-effective way to steadily build wealth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.getrichslowly.org/simplify-your-investing-an-introduction-to-drips/ Quotes to ponder: "DRIPs are hands-down the easiest way to invest in individual company holdings." "You don't have to invest thousands at a time. Some programs let you invest as little as $10 per month." "If you like simple solutions and are a long-term investor, DRIPs are worth a look." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today's noisy, fast-paced world, complexity is killing businesses. Too many tools, too many channels, and too many over-engineered systems are slowing you down, frustrating your customers, and burning out your team.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3253: Sara explains how Dividend Reinvestment Programs (DRIPs) allow investors to buy company stock directly and automatically reinvest dividends, bypassing brokerage fees and enabling small, consistent contributions over time. She highlights their simplicity, low costs, and power for long-term growth, while noting the importance of diversification and careful company selection. This approach is ideal for those who want a low-maintenance, cost-effective way to steadily build wealth. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.getrichslowly.org/simplify-your-investing-an-introduction-to-drips/ Quotes to ponder: "DRIPs are hands-down the easiest way to invest in individual company holdings." "You don't have to invest thousands at a time. Some programs let you invest as little as $10 per month." "If you like simple solutions and are a long-term investor, DRIPs are worth a look." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This talk was given by Matthew Brensilver on 2025.08.18 at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. ******* Video of this talk is available at: https://www.youtube.com/live/JV6AHoOB2KY?si=QIG5kp3WVTNceeEc. ******* For more talks like this, visit AudioDharma.org ******* If you have enjoyed this talk, please consider supporting AudioDharma with a donation at https://www.audiodharma.org/donate/. ******* This talk is licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License

Get registered for the ASTA Expo 2025 at the Raleigh Convention Center: https://geni.us/ASTA2025 Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2025Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityMake sure you mention: CTISUMMER to get FREE data migration!If you're ready to make a real change in your shop's success, join Shop Marketing Pros' Plan With the Pros workshop this October to connect with them and other shop owners. You'll leave with your entire year for 2026 planned out. Click here to register: https://geni.us/PlanWithTheProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into one sleek, digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Lucas and David are joined by David Veldman at Vision KC 2025. David Veldman shares the real-world challenges of shop ownership, from the struggles of expanding to a larger location to the tough decisions involved in managing staff. The conversation covers the impact of team dynamics on shop culture, the complexities of setting boundaries between personal and professional relationships, and the ongoing battle with financial management as a business grows.00:00 Joe Rogan's Ad-Filled Show09:00 Shop Challenges and Staffing Issues13:22 Employee's Troubling Decline Noticeably Ends21:12 Ultimatum for Managing Attendance Issues24:55 Struggling with Staff Turnover27:23 Technical Troubleshooting Leadership Insights34:47 Unexpected Movement Caught on Camera42:14 Urgent End-of-Day Money Deadline44:07 Financial Planning Tool Consideration53:20 Struggles with ADHD and Meth57:33 Dangerous Drug Behavior Spread59:34 Managing Drug Side Effects01:08:17 Read Food Labels, Choose Wisely01:09:50 Modern Wheat Causes Gluten Issues

Hey CX Nation,In this week's episode of The CXChronicles Podcast #263, we welcomed Maxime Marchand, Senior Director of Product Management at GoTo based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. As the leader in cloud communications and IT, GoTo addresses real-world challenges with practical innovations and a customer-first mindset. They offer secure, reliable, and AI-enabled solutions that are simple to adopt for small and midsize businesses and scalable to enterprises worldwide. Customers around the world rely on our products—GoTo Connect, LogMeIn Rescue, LogMeIn Resolve, GoTo Webinar, Grasshopper, and more—for consistent high performance and unbeatable uptime on any device.In this episode, Maxime and Adrian chat through the Four CX Pillars: Team, Tools, Process & Feedback. Plus share some of the ideas that his team at GoTo think through on a daily basis to build world class customer experiences.**Episode #263 Highlight Reel:**1. Organizational alignment through product management  2. The journey from engineer to CX leader  3. How speed, alignment & focus create growth opportunities 4. One-stop platform for managing customer communications 5. Constant customer listening to drive growth Click here to learn more about Maxime MarchandClick here to learn more about GoToHuge thanks to Max for coming on The CXChronicles Podcast and featuring his work and efforts in pushing the customer experience & customer success space into the future.If you enjoy The CXChronicles Podcast, stop by your favorite podcast player hit the follow button and leave us a review today.For our Spotify friends, make sure you are following CXC & please leave a 5 star review so we can find new listeners & members of our community.For our Apple friends, same deal -- follow CXCP and leave us a review letting folks know why you love our customer focused content.You know what would be even better?Go tell one of your friends or teammates about CXC's content,  strategic partners (Hubspot, Intercom, & Zendesk) & On-Demand services & invite them to join the CX Nation!Want to see how your customer experience stacks up to others, ask us about the CXC Healthzone, an intelligence platform that shares benchmarks & insights from companies across the world. Huge thanks for being apart of the "CX Nation" and helping customer focused business leaders across the world make happiness a habit!Reach Out To CXC Today!Support the showContact CXChronicles Today Tweet us @cxchronicles Check out our Instagram @cxchronicles Click here to checkout the CXC website Email us at info@cxchronicles.com Remember To Make Happiness A Habit!!

In this episode of Transformative Principal, host Jethro Jones interviews Kristian Golick, founder of EduCreative, about how schools can stand out by uncovering and communicating their unique culture and emotional truth. They discuss the importance of storytelling in school marketing, the process of identifying a school's key differentiator, and how a clear, emotionally resonant message attracts both families and staff who are the right fit. Kristian shares insights on the value of external perspective, the impact of belonging and engagement on students, and practical steps for principals to start collecting stories that define their school's identity. The episode emphasizes that when a school's message is clear and authentic, it fosters community, increases enrollment, and creates a virtuous cycle of pride and participation among students, staff, and families.Culture is just another word for reputationHow do you figure out what the key differentiator of your school. Tell me a time when you were so proud to work at your school.Emotions and key ideasKids will love school - Why?Your school is creating a sense of belonging in your students and families. Where kids want to congregate, rather than have to congregate. How having a good vision for your school helps recruit teachersIt can be hard to see what is good in your school when you're in the thick of itAnything created is a representation of your school's experience. How to be a transformative principal? What's an amazing thing that happened this week?About Kristian GolickAt EduCreative, we help schools stop sounding like everyone else. Most schools talk about programs and preparation—but parents don't choose schools based on that. They choose based on connection. We uncover the emotional truth behind what makes your school different, and turn that into strategic, story-driven video content, that resonates with the right families. Because when your message is clear and your story connects, enrollment follows. Join the Transformative Mastermind Today and work on your school, not just in it. Apply today. We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

TABLE OF CONTENTSPreface & Introduction 1️⃣ Chapter 1 2️⃣ Chapter 2 3️⃣ Chapter 3 4️⃣ Chapter 4 5️⃣ Chapter 5 6️⃣ Chapter 6 7️⃣ Chapter 7 8️⃣ Chapter 8 9️⃣ Chapter 9 1️⃣0️⃣ Chapter 10 1️⃣1️⃣ Chapter 11 1️⃣2️⃣ Chapter 12 (You Are Here) 1️⃣3️⃣ Chapter 13 (

Send us a textFeeling stuck, burned out, or boxed in at work? Career strategist Julia Toothacre (Ride The Tide Collective) breaks down how neurodivergent professionals can own their careers—without masking or burning out. We cover smart pivots (without “starting over”), asking for accommodations that actually help, navigating toxic managers, handling feedback without spiraling, and building influence in ways that fit your brain.In this episodeHow to spot misfit roles vs. misfit cultures—and what to do nextPractical accommodations (agendas, debriefs, flexible hours) that boost performanceManager conflict: scripts, documentation, and when to loop in HRCareer pivots that don't send you back to entry-levelAdvocacy without oversharing: lead with strengths like pattern recognitionBurnout cues, recovery, and sustainable advancementAbout JuliaJulia Toothacre is a strategic career consultant, coach, and host of the Control Your Career podcast. She's guided thousands of high-achieving professionals with a 5-phase framework to clarify goals, build influence, and move up—minus the burnout.Links & resources

Steve and Mercedes break down a meta-study examining various fasting styles and their impact on body weight, while emphasizing the importance of simplicity and awareness. They share insights on intermittent fasting, the role of protein, and why you can't out-train a poor diet. Ideal for athletes and individuals seeking to improve their health and performance. An important note: Steve and Mercedes aren't saying that fasting is the correct form of dieting; instead, what you can learn from simplifying your diet. Here's the link to the study: https://examine.com/research-feed/study/9K2OM0/?utm_source=newsletter-weekly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=insiders-top5ss-250206&utm_content=top5ss-alternate-day-fasting-moderate-intensity-continuous-training-is-especially-effective-for-weight-loss Join Modus Training with this 3 month membership special! https://www.modusathletica.com/offers/C5hDL5aq If you'd like to work one-on-one with me, visit my website for more details https://www.modusathletica.com/coaching Intro To Training Masterclass is free way to work with me: https://www.modusathletica.com/masterclass 00:00 Introduction to Simplifying Nutrition 02:47 Understanding Intermittent Fasting 06:07 The Role of Exercise in Nutrition 09:08 The Importance of Nutrition in Weight Loss 12:03 Building Healthy Eating Habits 14:54 The Significance of Protein Intake 17:47 Hydration and Its Impact on Nutrition 20:48 Fiber Intake and Digestive Health 24:06 Long-Term Nutrition Strategies 26:55 Balancing Performance and Body Composition 30:01 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Protect Your Retirement with a PHYSICAL Gold and/or Silver IRA https://www.sgtreportgold.com/ CALL( 877) 646-5347 - You Can Trust Noble Gold. Dr. Peter McCullough returns to SGT Report to discuss the most harmful product ever devised by man, it's responsible for innumerable injuries and millions of deaths around the world and it's till on the market. In fact, the spike protein may be clotting YOUR blood whether you took this product or not. Join us to learn about the problem AND the fix.   Simplify (& MAXIMIZE) your HSA/FSA account & reimbursements HERE: https://wellnesspay.com/sgt   Get HEALTH CARE from HONEST Doctors at The Wellness Center: https://www.TWC.health/SGT GET the Zinc, Quercetin, Vitamin C & D we all NEED in Z-Stack: www.zstacklife.com/sgtreport Remove MAC codes, heavy metals, graphene oxide & nanotech from your blood w/ MaterPeace: https://masterpeacebyhcs.com/?ref=4094 https://rumble.com/embed/v6vbe7i/?pub=2peuz

Let's talk time, mental load, and why “we all have the same 24 hours” is one of the biggest lies women are told. In this episode, I'm joined by the incredible Megan Sumrell—time management expert and creator of Planapalooza—for a deep, honest conversation on why traditional productivity advice doesn't work for most women. And spoiler: it's not because you're doing it wrong. It's because you've been trying to use systems that were never designed for your brain, your season, or your life. We get into the neuroscience behind why women process time, planning, and decision-making differently—and how to finally build a schedule that works with your brain instead of against it. Whether you've been feeling scattered, behind on your goals, or just overwhelmed by the mental load that comes with life, kids, clutter, and expectations—you are going to love this one. ✨ What You'll Learn: Why women experience “squirrel brain” (and why it's not a flaw) The science behind mental load—and how to take control of it One simple shift that can instantly reduce overwhelm and bring clarity Why you haven't hit your goals this year (and what to do next) The truth about “same 24 hours” productivity culture (and how to opt out) How to plan your time in a way that reflects real life, not just appointments

Send us a textn this episode of Adulting with Autism, host April Ratchford sits down with Murphy Monroe to explore how neurodivergent adults can thrive without compromising their authenticity. From practical self-advocacy tools to navigating relationships and careers, Murphy shares real-world strategies for building a life that works for you—not against you.

Stress is a part of every day life. We're never going to outrun it. But that doesn't mean it has to take us down. Barb Roose joins Julie Lyles Carr on the AllMomDoes podcast for an in-depth look at what stress is, how to know when you're headed for overwhelm, and how you can be stronger than stress.Show Notes: https://bit.ly/40GFo4T 

Students with executive functioning challenges often intend to complete tasks or meet expectations—but struggle to execute consistently. The reason? They aren't mentally envisioning future scenarios, predicting the steps needed to reach a goal, and thinking about what they need to be doing NOW in order to meet that goal. This cognitive skill, called future pacing, allows students to visualize the process and outcome of their actions, building a critical link between planning and follow-through.In the third episode in my “Five Skills to Create Your Executive Functioning Intervention Framework”, I break it down in detail. What I'll uncover in this episode:✅ What future pacing is—and why it's essential for supporting goal-directed behavior and flexible thinking.✅ How future pacing interacts with skills like time perception, self-talk, and episodic memory.✅ Why students with executive functioning deficits often struggle to anticipate obstacles, sequence steps, or understand how present actions impact future outcomes.✅ Practical ways to teach students how to mentally rehearse tasks—bridging the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it.✅ How building future pacing into interventions improves self-regulation, motivation, and task persistence.In this episode, I mentioned my upcoming free live virtual training hosted by Parallel Learning that's coming up on August 14, 2025 from 6:30-8:00 PM EST. It's called “Executive Functioning: Beyond Checklists and Planners”. You'll earn a free CEU, get to learn about a company that offers remote work opportunities, and get to learn some of the concepts I teach in my paid programs. You can sign up for the training here: https://parallellearning-20474008.hs-sites.com/ashakickoffwebinar25?utm_source=partnership&utm_medium=partner_karen_dudek&utm_campaign=webinar_ashadrkaren_8.14.2025&utm_content=blankI also mentioned my free training for school leaders who want to create a research-based executive functioning implementation plan for their school teams. You can sign up for the training here: https://drkarendudekbrannan.com/efleadership We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

In this episode, I share my personal strategies for navigating the back-to-school transition and resetting routines after the summer slowdown. I discuss how I adjust our family schedule, implement time blocking, and streamline household systems to boost productivity and reduce stress. I also dive into setting boundaries with work and family, revisiting business goals for the second half of the year, and the importance of carving out time for self-care. Whether you're a mom, entrepreneur, or anyone seeking a smoother routine, you'll find actionable tips for creating structure, protecting your energy, and making space for what matters most.  Free Resources:Join 30 Day Calendar Blocking Blueprint and finally feel in control. ​Click here to join the next round. ​Are you a business owner making $100,000+ and still wearing all the hats? ​Click here​ to learn about my upcoming 12-week Outsourcing Mastermind.Are you an aspiring or newer business owner who needs some accountability and clarity on the next steps? ​Click here​ to join my 6-month accountability group - Simplify.

Join Brian and Scott Dunn as they unpack what “buy-in” actually means and what it takes to move from surface-level support to genuine commitment in this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast. Overview In this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast, Brian is joined once again by Scott Dunn to tackle a listener-chosen topic: how to get real buy-in for Agile initiatives, especially when shifting from a non-Scrum environment. They explore why buy-in isn’t about enthusiastic cheerleading or deep Agile knowledge, but about leaders and teams aligning on desired outcomes. From the cost of performative support to the emotional side of change, Brian and Scott share practical strategies for securing support at all levels of the organization. Along the way, they dive into influence tactics, the importance of shared purpose, and how co-creation—not compliance—drives lasting change. Whether you're guiding a large transformation or simply trying to influence up, this episode will help you rethink how to earn trust, build alignment, and inspire meaningful momentum. References and resources mentioned in the show: Scott Dunn Elements of Agile Assessment Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is SVP of coaching and training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Scott Dunn is a Certified Enterprise Coach and Scrum Trainer with over 20 years of experience coaching and training companies like NASA, EMC/Dell Technologies, Yahoo!, Technicolor, and eBay to transition to an agile approach using Scrum. Auto-generated Transcript: Brian Milner (00:01) Welcome in Agile Mentors. We're back for another episode of the Agile Mentors podcast. I'm with you as always, Brian Milner. And I also have with me today someone that you probably know pretty well because he took over this podcast for about a month there. Mr. Scott Dunn is with us. Welcome in, Scott. Scott Dunn (00:19) Hey, thanks Brian. Yes, that podcast takeover was a lot of fun. So thank you for that opportunity. That was a hoot. Had a great time. Brian Milner (00:25) Absolutely. Well, I don't think I publicly thanked you for that. just ⁓ a public thanks. Scott Dunn (00:28) No, you didn't. No, not even an email. Not even a Slack message. Brian Milner (00:33) Well, very public thanks to you for doing that. Those episodes were great. I enjoyed them and it was fun to be a listener. It was fun to listen to it and just kind of hear the conversations and be a fly on the wall for those. So thanks again for doing that. Scott Dunn (00:47) Yeah. Yeah. It's a real treat. Brian Milner (00:48) We're having Scott on we kind of ran an experiment on this one because we were Scott was teaching a class for mountain goat and We thought maybe we'll just see what the class thinks so we pulled the class to see what topic do you want us to talk about and We thought we'd just go with the winner the winner that came out of that class was how to get buy-in How do you get buy-in in a? move from a non-scrum place to a Scrum kind of way of working. How do you get buy-in in the organization and buy-in from others? So when I was thinking about this as a topic, I think the first thing that popped in my head Scott about this was What do we mean by buy-in? So what does that mean to you? Scott Dunn (01:33) Right. So sometimes what I'm hearing is people saying like, buy in, you know, they, I would hear a common complaint, like they don't get it. They don't understand. don't, for me, buy in isn't that they need to understand agile or scrum and these types of things and how it works. Buy in is they get, they give their support kind of regardless. So my favorite example of that is walking into, this is a multi vendor effort we're doing on a Salesforce implementation. And we'd asked for the VP of the whole thing to come down and say some words before we had our first retrospective. You can imagine it's going to be kind of heated with different vendors trying to make each other look bad or whatever. And he'd said, yes. So we're coming down into this, you know, big high stakes meeting. And I just remember him saying, you know, I'm so excited to be doing this for you all. It's great. And he kind of falls in and looks at me says, what am I doing again? Cause he didn't, he didn't know, he didn't know what a retrospective was. He just knew he was asked to come and do something around that. And to me, Brian, Brian Milner (02:21) Ha Scott Dunn (02:28) That's fine. He's showing up. He's letting everyone know this way of working is important. It's important to me. It's important to success. And he probably couldn't tell you any of the meetings or artifacts or anything in scrum, right? But that's still what we need. Brian Milner (02:39) So. Yeah, I think that's a good way to think about it because I think a lot of people sometimes think of buy-in, like everyone's clapping and waving scrum flags around and all that stuff. And I don't think that's really buy-in. I think it's just the willingness to honestly try it, to give it a shot and be open about what would work and what doesn't work. The opposite of that is the resistance, know, of just being resistant to it and saying, I'm gonna put up hurdles and walls in the way of this being successful. That's, think, what needs to be avoided. Scott Dunn (03:18) Right, right. think that some of what was helped is to give them the, for me, the mindset of their buy-in isn't about doing things right. They're not saying, we're really wanted. We really want a new process. We were getting asked to come in because they're not getting the results they want. So buy-in for me from their perspective is how to help get the results that they're looking for. And they'll support us to get those results. So I don't talk to them about some of the aspects of an empirical process or any of that. I sort of say, you in order to get things faster or in order to improve quality, right? And that's how they get behind that. I think sometimes people are preaching some of the process part, even if they could understand that's not really what they're about. But I think they even struggle to understand what we're talking about. So yeah, it's hard for them to get behind and support us when they're not tracking. They simply know there's a pain point we're having. Can we talk about that and how to get what we need and what do you need from me to get that? Great. But I think we We can do ourselves a favor by helping point to the same target, make sure we're aligned with the same target they want. And maybe they'll give us more support if they feel like, yeah, you're tracking with me. I want to come in talk about, you know, more collaboration. Like we already have enough meetings. That's what, that's what I heard. Right. But I'll come and talk about faster time to market. Well, yeah, now they're interested in talking about what they need to do, you know, that I'm asking them to get behind that. I think that's fair. Brian Milner (04:28) Right. Yeah, I think there's also an element there, because I know we're both kind of fans of and users of kind of the path to agility framework from our friend David Hawks. And I love the part of that that's trying to establish the motivation, the purpose from the outset to try to say, What's the thing we hope to get out of this? And I think that's really crucial in getting buy-in that you can't just tell people, hey, we're gonna be a Scrum organization now. Why? Because I tell you that's what we're gonna do, because we're gonna check off the box and say that we're now Scrum. That's not motivating to anyone. if I can say, no, we're gonna... go through this change because here's the end result. Here's what we're trying to get to. Here's what we think will be better. If I can lay that out, then I've got a purpose behind it. And now I have motivation to go forward with this difficult change and learning what's expected of me and all that stuff. But if that's not done, I feel like that's a crucial misstep in that. Scott Dunn (05:44) Yeah, I wanted to add to that, that that point about the clarity of the goals is really something that has sticking power. And we had a client, I came and was working with him this year that he had remembered from the last year as the CTO. He's remembering from last year that we had done that same exercise or what are the goals that leadership has. And he remembered it was quality and customer satisfaction. That had been over a year since we had done that, but that not only stuck with him, but we came back to the group and kind of had a fun poll. Like, everyone remember? They remembered. And so every time we're having a decision we're trying to make about should it be this way or that way on the process, the different, were doing the race, the matrix work, et cetera, people kept coming back to, well, is that going to help us in terms of quality? Is that going to help us in terms of customer staff? We're not going into the nuts and bolts of Scrum or these other approaches. It's simply what's the business goal. will that help us hit the goal? And when the leader hears you using their language that they get, like that's my goal, they're feeling like, okay, whatever you need to do, sounds like you understand what I'm after, right? It's really powerful. But I like that you mentioned that, because when we go through that exercise, always super clear, we don't get confused. Times when we lead with, especially on the executives trying to lead with explaining Scrum, you can tell sometimes they're not really tracking or they're following along, okay, so what's the point? Brian Milner (06:59) Yeah. Scott Dunn (06:59) Yeah, you start off with what's their goals. They're like, great, this is exactly what I want to talk about. And then, Hey, you're not doing the things you need to do to hit those goals. Oh, okay. What are they? I mean, I remember one time a couple of years back, literally when the coach was presenting the results of that assessment towards their goals, they cut them off in the middle of his presentation. Just says, well, why, why is it, you why is that red? Why are we not hitting the goal? What do need to do? And they just started solving the problem right then he couldn't even finish his presentation. Talk about getting support. And he had been there six years saying, Brian Milner (07:23) Wow. Scott Dunn (07:27) Scott, they're not gonna buy into doing this transformation team and the scrum work. He couldn't even finish, I think, a couple of slides and they gave him everything he wanted, right? Powerful, powerful. Brian Milner (07:36) Yeah. Yeah. I think that's a good point. I also think one of the reasons that there's, you know, and that kind of parallels it. One of the reasons there's a lack of buy-in in general is that it's sort of targeted to just one area. You know, like this is a team thing. The teams are going to get trained, but the leaders have no idea really what's going on. They're kind of separated off from this. And I think that's a big part of the problem as well is you get buy-in when they see the leaders have bought in. So are the leaders bought in? Are the leaders on board with this? If they're not, then the rest of the group isn't going to be bought in either. Scott Dunn (08:18) People are smart. They're watching which way the wind's blowing. to be honest, Brian, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I tell people, I don't even care if they genuinely believe in that or not. If they're getting behind it because that's the way the politics are going, hey, they're getting out of the way. We're getting things done. Fine by me. Right. So partly when we're getting that by now, so make sure leaders, are you communicating this clearly? Because some of your people are either not on board or they're kind of waiting to see, this a fad or is this going to blow over? I need you to really communicate that clearly, et cetera, to see if people are get on board with that or not. Or, and on the other side, if I feel like some of these folks are not on board and I do feel like I have leadership support, I need to escalate that pretty quickly and make sure you understand, know, because they might get mad at you or me for talking about scrum and changing things. I'm like, I didn't knock down the door and come in myself. I was asked to come in here by someone who has authority. So maybe you need to clarify that with them, whether we're doing this or not. But don't get mad at me. Brian Milner (09:04) Right. Scott Dunn (09:11) So I will check them on that and clarify with the leadership to say, let's make sure your people are in alignment as well. If we do have that buy-in for sure. Brian Milner (09:20) Yeah. I saw another kind of quote about this that really got my brain working a little bit. Cause it was talking about the cost of fake buy-in and it was, it was kind of saying, you know, performative buy-in might actually, you know, it was asking the question, is performative buy-in worse than just outright resistance? And I don't know. Let me ask you that. What do you think? Do you think performative buy-in is worse than just someone who's resistant? Scott Dunn (09:28) Interesting. Yeah. As someone that just gave an example of performative buy-in. So if you would ask me a week ago, I might have gave a different answer, but someone was talking about this is a wildly different aspect of this, but you did ask me to join. So you get what you get. ⁓ They're talking about the difference of discrimination in the US versus South Africa. And they said, what's the difference? And they said in South Africa, it was blatant. no, you're a person of color. You cannot buy property here. That's how it is. Here, it's more like Brian Milner (09:59) You Scott Dunn (10:14) Yeah, we're looking at your loan application and I don't know if you can buy in this way. So it's subtle. And this person actually said, I'll take the outright blatant discrimination of South Africa, where at least you know what the issue is versus the subtle one. So maybe to that point with what you're saying, maybe it is better to have outright resistance and then say, well, at least I know who's on board or not. Rather than the person says they're on board, but every time they're in a meeting, they come out meeting and we don't get the decisions made we need. That's funny. Brian Milner (10:39) Yeah. Yeah. When I read this and started to think about it, I kind of had that same conclusion that like when someone's being outright resistant, yeah, it's an obstacle, but it's honest. And, you know, I'd rather have the honesty because they're trying to, they're still acting their way because they have a belief that their way is the right way to do it. And so they're throwing up a resistance because they're honestly resistant to it. Whereas someone who just sort of nods in meetings and claps along and, know, oh yeah, sure, great. But then they're kind of in the quiet, you know, behind the scenes and the hallway conversations. That's insidious. That's something that I can't really deal with. And it's like, you know, let's have the discussion. Let's talk about it. And, you know, if you win, then great. Why not have the courage to just have the conversation and see which idea wins? Scott Dunn (11:39) Right. on that note, think for everyone's sake, Brian, if we could be honest for a moment, not that we haven't been honest in these other podcasts, but in this, in this moment, we're really going to be honest. Would you, would, do you feel at times that our culture, our company cultures actually teach people to do just what you said to not be honest, but then like be like, you know, politically savvy, don't say what you really think, but then you're going to kind of be subversive and undermine that thing. And I've dealt with that so many times, I'll show up to a meeting like, I would have swore we were on board. had that one-on-one and now you're not saying in the meeting that you go on board with that. So people might've gotten coached. It's actually not safe to be honest and have good clear spirited debate because there's a price to pay if they do that. And they maybe 10 years in corporate can kind of teach you don't be honest or they're trying to read the tea leaves about what you think it's going to be. And so, yeah, I definitely would rather take it. Maybe it's part of the mindset of trying to really check, you know, where people are at. If I go back to my early days of coaching, those one-on-ones of having the level of honesty to really know where people are at. That was, think, some of the power. And I think some of that came from genuinely caring about the people, wanting them to succeed, wanting them win, even if it wasn't going to be at this company because of all the change or whatever. I did feel people felt like I really was open and honest with them and transparent and had their back. I would hear some real things about how they really felt because they didn't feel like there was a payback for that. And that allowed me to actually say, well, you know what, if you're really not on board, let's see what we can do as far as another opportunity. Maybe it's a positional switch we can do or whatever that was. Because I mean, this did affect people's jobs in some ways. And I think maybe if I don't have those one-on-ones, they're probably just going to give lip service because they don't know if anyone there really has their back in a turbulent time of change. AI is a great example of that, right? Hey, we want to move forward with AI. Well, what's the impact of my job if we do? But no one's really talking about that, right? It's all positive and all that. So I think people are trying to read that too. But you bring up a good point. I think I would take the direct as long as they feel like they can safely be open and honest. Brian Milner (13:31) Yeah. Yeah, well, even that question, right? What effect is AI gonna have on my job? And the honest answer I think that someone has to give right now is, don't know. I feel like I understand what it is today, but I don't know that that's gonna be the same way tomorrow because this technology changes so fast, so I can't promise anything. But here's what it is today and this is the paradigm we're trying to live in. So I think that there's an honesty component there that you've got a mirror to say, hey, I'm going to be honest with you. You be honest with me about this. And we'll be upfront with each other as we make our way through this. yeah, so yeah, think that kind of being honest and taking that approach, I think, is the right way to go. I also think that being kind of a reverting back before you get into things like, here's what a Scrum Master is, here's what a product owner is. You've got to start with the basics and mindset kind of culture things. You have to start with transparency, inspection, adaptation. That's really the way to go. And if we buy into those sorts of things initially, then we can start to say, well, here's a practice that supports that. Now you understand why we're doing this practice because it does this thing. Without it, it's just sort of one of those things of do as I tell you, you know, and that doesn't get buy-in. We've got to see the why behind it. Scott Dunn (14:48) Yes. Yeah, I think so. That's a great point. I was just making a note because sometimes we come in about agile. Some of the folks when I'm sharing this, it's maybe is new to them that I try to really present it. I want what you want. So even down to the words and then I kind of map back to that. So for example, if if we have quality problems now, I might believe in say an agile practice like mob programming, but I don't want to bring up like, hey, we should try mobbing. because it's cool or because you know, whatever, they don't care about that. But oh, they have a quality concern. Hey, boss, I've been thinking about, you know, these quality issues. I got an idea that I think it really could help with quality. But if I was to ask you, Brian, is is Bobby gonna, does Bobby help with quality? Does Bobby help me with, you know, cross training and tearing down knowledge silos and sharing learning? And I think, well, it does a lot of things, I pitch it towards what management wants. So agile as a means to an end. So I want what you want. And if I can't get that clarity that I want what you want, I need to be listening more because if I feel like I come to them talking, I've seen from my own experience, I come talking about better collaboration. That's not what's on their mind. I'm literally losing credit with them because they're like, why are you bringing this up? Like this isn't even our concern right now. Right. So I'm losing trust. I'm losing political capital. So I listen intently what their concerns are, the things I think that are important or that can get that. Then I'm going to pitch it. I'm going to pitch it in that language even like, you know, that what these are the things that would help on. I want what you want. Brian Milner (16:00) Yeah. Scott Dunn (16:18) the sport, I'll even research stuff to find out. So maybe I gave an example recently, when I was a manager for a web development, team that they wanted bigger monitors, of course, and I couldn't get approval for the bigger monitors. so I went and researched, I knew that always we had pressure to deliver more. I researched until I found somewhere someone had to study the show that larger monitors help productivity. And then I brought that to him and like, Hey, I'm looking for ways to improve the team productivity. I think I found something. What is it Scott? Brian Milner (16:30) Mm-hmm. Scott Dunn (16:46) Well, larger monitors, you can tell us, Smollick, really? You've been asking for this for months. I said, no, there's a study that proves it. Now he approved it right then. But partly I wonder, Brian, is I was also giving him air cover for when he gets flack from the other departments. Why does Scott's team get the special monitors? Well, it improves productivity. And right. He's got a reason now. Otherwise, it looks like maybe he's just playing favorites or something else. Right. We're all watching costs. So I will do the research to say, hey, I want what you want. I'll go and I'll go and dig it up. Brian Milner (17:04) Yeah. Scott Dunn (17:13) Someone somewhere must've said it's gonna help. So I'll bring that to them. It ⁓ worked. Brian Milner (17:17) Yeah. Yeah, I think you're right. you're giving him the why behind it. You're telling him, hey, here's something that's in. It's the old outcome argument that the outcome from having larger monitors is this, that we have this productivity. I know you want greater productivity, so here's a means to do that. And I think that's kind of the way that this, you in a nutshell, what we're trying to say here is, you know, I can't go into a company, your boss comes into your company tomorrow and says, hey everyone, we're switching to pens that write in green ink, because we're a green ink company. We just, we want to be known as the green ink company from now on, because it's better. So everyone, make sure you switch to green ink. I mean, they do it. But there's a difference between compliance and real commitment. ⁓ And that's the difference, I think, is, all right, you wanted to switch to green ink, but why? What's the point behind it? I'll do it, but I'll be committed to it if you tell me, well, studies show that when people read in green ink. I mean, that kind of thing can make an impact. But otherwise, it's like you're Scott Dunn (18:08) Yes. ⁓ Absolutely. Brian Milner (18:31) It's almost like an insult to the intelligence of someone, you know, to say, we're going to do this crazy new thing called a standup, you know, or daily scrum or whatever. And well, why are we doing that? I don't know. Cause right. That they tell us that's what we're supposed to do. Well, we have to stand up for a meeting. Why are we standing up? Why aren't we just sitting down? It's more comfortable. I don't know, but that's what you do in a daily scrum is you stand up. Right. I mean, it's, it's, it's that kind of a thing that I think. Scott Dunn (18:34) yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Brian Milner (18:58) if you don't lay the groundwork of here's why, then they're gonna just react with the way that you would switch to green ink. ⁓ Scott Dunn (19:05) I love that example. love that. And we've all been there, right? When someone says, why would we do this? I'm like, I actually don't know. It's a terrible feeling. I don't know. We go through all this effort to do just that. And you mentioned that compliance, compliance will never have their heart and soul and energy into this. So think that that's a big deal for them as well. When leaders are, we had something happen where it's a large financial institution and their data engineering group. Brian Milner (19:11) You're right. Yeah. Scott Dunn (19:33) You're like, yeah, AI is not really, you know, for us, not important to us. Which is interesting, right? Then the next week, like that, the head of that group, their boss's boss says, we need to be using, AI. Well, guess who makes it announced at the very next week. We need to get going with AI, So some of this is like, look, if they're pushing those things, we also want to make sure that they're in a position to look good for their bosses, those types of things. Right? So one, you know, giving them air cover, but two, listen to the winds of those things. If we make them successful, I mean, this is old school, right? Make your boss look good. My goodness. If they feel like that's happening, then you're going to get a lot more support. And this is a good example of a radical change for a whole data engineering team, just because the boss's boss says so. So now we're going to do it. I think looking for even those opportunities and following through on what that might be bringing them ideas that make them look good and generating that as well. I love the green ink one. just now it makes me want to be that we're the green ink company. You're we're going to be known for this. Brian Milner (20:23) Yeah. Scott Dunn (20:29) ⁓ But why? Brian Milner (20:30) Yeah. I think it's also kind of important that you acknowledge that there is an emotional impact here. And this gets into kind of the idea of the whole Satir model of change and that kind of thing. And so I think maybe part of the equation of getting buy-in is really comprehending and understanding that you're not going to get buy-in right away. ⁓ Scott Dunn (20:56) Hmm. Brian Milner (20:57) you know, there's going to be chaos and resistance. There's going to be a point where people are going to be resistant to it. And if you do the rest of it well, then that they'll turn that corner. But what makes them turn that corner is, is that they're connected to the purpose behind it. And so if you're, if you're going to try to implement this, if you're to try to do a change, and just expect it's gonna be, know, hunky dory from day one, you're fooling yourself. Humans don't take to change well. It's got an emotional aspect to it. I love the way David Hawks used to always say this. You know, I knew how to be a hero the old way, and I have no idea how to be a hero in this new thing. So I don't feel comfortable with this change because I don't know how to win. Scott Dunn (21:41) So true. Brian Milner (21:47) And I think that is a really accurate reflection of that emotional kind of impact of it. Everyone wants to do their job well and be seen as a smart person at work and everything else. And I knew how to do that before, but now I don't know how. And so I'm afraid I'm gonna look bad. Scott Dunn (22:02) Right? And I think that lack of awareness or knowledge is some of the things that we're asking them to do. Like you said, uncomfortable or new doesn't feel good. And we kind of think that, oh, if I don't feel good, this must be bad. It's just uncomfortable. But I think I love what you're saying. We can map it out and say, by the way, it's going to look like this as we go through that. And that hero part, a lot of our management, like 90 % of the management is going to be in that, you what we call expert or achiever. Like they're the smartest ones in the room, or they're ones that coordinate everything and they know who to talk to. you're trying to introduce something to someone who thinks they already know all the things. So how we're presenting that to them, including the fact that they're human too, right? They're gonna feel some things and maybe uncomfortable. It wouldn't hurt to explain a bit more, even if they're not gonna necessarily admit it, but like, hey, it's gonna feel different. The people might push back on this. So even when you're first beginning that, it reminded me of how I just knew I'd need to ask my boss like five times. Look, lots of people are asking him for stuff. They're partly just going by the simplest way of Who keeps coming to my office the most? And maybe on time five, like, wow, Scott, this sounds like a problem. Well, yeah, I've been here five times. Because they're kind of waiting, like, is it really a problem or do you just come in once or twice? So repeating that and then maybe framing it to say, and doing the change looks like this and that, giving them information so they don't have to admit that they don't know if they're priding themselves on knowing all the things. I really think that's a great addition to that. The Satir change model, knowing that it's going to get uncomfortable. I've seen execs jettison this just because people are bothered or upset or they're uncomfortable. So therefore this must be a bad idea. So I think we can do ourselves a favor by explaining a little bit like it's going to look like this moving forward as far as their support. Some people may not like it and here's why, but here's how I would answer those people. Like you're literally feeding them the responses. And I'll also do the get behind the expert and say, well, this is, this is what Harvard business review says, or this is what this expert says. You might be surprised because Again, back to them being experts, if you ask them what they think they know about Agile, I might have mentioned before, they score themselves on average about 8.5 out of 10. But their people would score them about 4.5 out of 10, right? It was what I've seen when I did the study, the surveys. So they think they know, so they're not gonna admit they don't know, but go ahead and give them the information they wish. If you know they don't know, I like what you're saying, kind of shrink the chain so they can understand, it's gonna look like this and feel like this. People might ask this way. But here's how I'd respond to them. know, remember this is where, you know, 90 % of the companies are doing X, Y, and Z. So they have backing. They can answer to the people. We kind of set them up for success. Otherwise that satiric change curve is going to hit them. They won't have answers. That feels really awkward. This must be a bad idea. And they're going to undo what you just asked for. Right. I've seen that happen. You just got approval and then a week or two later it got put on hold or undone. Brian Milner (24:44) Yeah, no, I agree. one of the areas, one of the other kind of things that I found in thinking about this in advance was a quote that was from the five dysfunctions of a team book that we all talk about quite a bit. But there's a quote from that that says, people don't weigh in, they won't buy in. And I love that. And I thought, you know, that really is a good point that there, it's not about Scott Dunn (25:00) Woo! Brian Milner (25:08) people need to feel like they're co-creating with you. And to do that, you need to be able to listen to them. If they don't feel like they have a voice, mean, put yourself in their shoes. If you felt like there was a big change happening and you had no say in it, that would feel pretty oppressive. But if they felt like they're building the change with you, then I think then that's what kind of can turn people around and say, no, I have a say in this, I'm a part of this. and I get to shape a little bit about what this is going to look like. They're going to shape it a lot. I mean, that's part of just the Azure way of working is that, hey, we're going to individualize this for this company, for this team. It has to fit here. And the more we can help people see, no, you're a co-creator in this. You're not just being told, but you're going to shape this with us. Scott Dunn (25:54) Right? Even with the leadership, I mean, it's easy. think everyone listening would agree. If you look at the common leaders, that's, even the, let's say director level and above personality types, right? For, for disc, it's going to be a high D for a strange pattern would be like command, um, computing values framework. They're going to be blue, get results, make it happen. But we need it to be, we need to be their decision for some of these folks. So when I would come to one of my bosses and say, I think we should do X every time he'd say like, yeah, let me think about. I'll get back to you. I kept thinking like, I don't understand because these are my people. I thought you trusted me. I realized, it has to be his decision. So part of what you're saying is invite him into the solution. So then I'd say, hey, we've got three options, good, better, best. What do you think we should do? Or I'd say, hey, I've done all the research, option A looks great, option B looks terrible. What do you think we should do? I mean, I try to simplify it. I tried to make it obvious, but I couldn't tell him I need to do X or we need this from you. It needed to be his input and to decide. Brian Milner (26:44) Right. Scott Dunn (26:51) once I framed it that way, he agreed every single time. I simply frame it, put it right in front of him so it's kind of an obvious decision, but I had to let him have that voice to decide. I'm really glad you brought that up. That one literally went from zero to 100 % if I changed my approach of how I had addressed it to let him be the one to decide and weigh in on that. Or even pitch it as a sales. Hey, I think it'd be great to move forward. What would that look like to you? Well, now he's talking about moving that change forward. without even realizing it, because you said to move forward, what would we need to do? And now he is co-creating, but it's already a yes, right? But by default, a little bit of sales, a little bit of sales effort there. Brian Milner (27:24) Yeah. Yeah, no, that's a, that's a good example. And that's a good example, I think for like the scrum masters listening and other people out here that are, feel like, you know, I'm not the leader in the organization. I'm not way up here and I can't, you know, have my decisions trickle down to other people, but, you know, kind of the, influencing up kind of mentality there. Yeah. It might sound like a little bit of a trick, but you know, if you can help. the boss co-create with you, right? Here's the problem. I've done some research. Here's some solutions. How would this look for you? Or what do you think of these options? Which one do you think sounds best? If I'm a boss and someone comes to me and says that I've researched this, here's the solutions that are possible. Which one do you think sounds best? That's really a service to me because you've just done a lot of work for me and I know that I'm doing my job by making the decision, but you've presented it and now I don't have to do anything but make the call. Yeah. Scott Dunn (28:24) Yeah, yeah. Simplify the decision-making or frame the decision-making is, think we might actually be kind of, I don't want to say teasing. I just hear some feedback from people at times like, leadership's was like, bright, shiny squirrel, right? And they get frustrated. But in some ways I'm thinking, well, at least someone in the org is decisive. I'll take that. But we can help them leverage that decisive trait they have. Brian Milner (28:43) Yeah. Scott Dunn (28:48) But for the good, instead of these random crazy things, you know, when the leader's like, I love Agile, I can change my mind all the time. We can, we can, we can guide them to better decision-making too. I love the influence both up and down what you're saying the Scrum Master can do. I think we miss, that we all have that ability to try to influence decision-making and shape some of this. Maybe there's more agency than we realized, I think for some of these folks, Scrum Masters, product owners, cetera, that you might be surprised. Like run an experiment, try some of these things out that we're talking about and see for yourself. I mean, all these personality types are different and your orgs are different. I totally understand that. Do something, inspect and adapt and see what you get. might, cause once you strike gold, you're like, you know, you're set on getting influence and buy-in from folks. It's really powerful network. Cause we don't need to give you a title or change the org chart in order to have results happen with you involved if you're that kind of a person. And I think you can really write your ticket in your career if you're able to do that soft skill of influence and buy-in up and down. It's great. Brian Milner (29:43) Yeah, yeah, that's awesome. Well, I hope that for at least the people that were in your class, this is is hit it right on the nail on the head for what it is they were they were thinking this would be about. But I think this is good. I think this is a good conversation and it's important, I think at all levels, because there's you know, this this affects us whether we're doing a massive transformation in an organization or Scott Dunn (29:51) Yeah. Brian Milner (30:06) We're just trying to influence up a tiny bit, you know, the food chain. Scott Dunn (30:10) Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I hope that for the folks who were in that class, you better let us know if that was it. If anyone else is interested in other things, absolutely. We love hearing what your what those topics would be and bring on the right people. I will say that Brian, you brought in so many different voices. It's really, really great. So again, influence us. You can practice what we're talking about by putting those ideas up there. Other folks that we'd love to hear, because I love the the slated speakers you brought in. Brian's been really awesome. Thanks for this opportunity. Brian Milner (30:34) Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for coming on again, Scott.

Feeling like your brain has 47 tabs open as the school year begins? Between forms, supplies, carpool schedules, and last-minute errands, it's no wonder you're exhausted before the first bell even rings.In just 30 minutes, you'll know exactly what to tackle, what to delegate, and what to drop—so you head into the school year organized, confident, and stress-free. Plus, get a peek at Diana's Simplify the School Year guide with 20+ quick systems and 36 weeks of lunch ideas.By following Diana's simple four-step process, you'll:Clear the noise in your head and free up mental space.Sort through what to do, what to delegate, and what to delete.Prioritize with confidence so you're never scrambling at the last minute.Create a reusable weekly habit that keeps you feeling steady all year long.Grab your free Minimalish Planner today!Get the Brain Release and complete Back to School Systems here!What can you expect from this podcast and future episodes?15-20 minute episodes to help you tackle your to-do listHow to declutter in an effective and efficient wayGuest interviewsDeep dives on specific topicsFind Diana Rene on social media:Instagram: @the.decluttered.momFacebook: @the.decluttered.momPinterest: @DianaRene Are you ready for a peaceful and clutter-free home? Watch my FREE training video “Chaos to Calm” to learn how it's possible! And find all of my resources here.

It's the most difficult, but also the most rewarding part of my job. Learn how to make a complicated message easy to understand. #ThePitch #INICIVOX #VirtualMentorship

Get registered for the ASTA Expo 2025 at the Raleigh Convention Center: https://geni.us/ASTA2025 Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2025Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityMake sure you mention: CTISUMMER to get FREE data migration!If you're ready to make a real change in your shop's success, join Shop Marketing Pros' Plan With the Pros workshop this October to connect with them and other shop owners. You'll leave with your entire year for 2026 planned out. Click here to register: https://geni.us/PlanWithTheProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into one sleek, digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Lucas and David are joined by Connor Tracy and Elijah McMillan at VisionKC 2025. Elijah shares the unique challenges of operating an auto repair shop in a rural community with just 2,500 households and discusses his considerations for relocating to a larger market. Connor and the hosts discuss the common pitfalls shop owners face when expanding or acquiring existing businesses, emphasizing the importance of due diligence and understanding capital outlays. The group also explores evolving marketing strategies and the growing role of technology—like AI-driven analytics—in helping shops attract and retain customers.00:00 Potential Shop Relocation Doubtful05:57 Financial Consultant Exposes Shop Fraud15:00 "Rejected Skullet Idea"18:34 From Hobby to Profession23:02 "Unexpected Walgreens Encounter"28:12 Houston Hip Hop: Lean Culture35:34 Faulty Fuel System Issues43:30 Shop Relocation Strategy45:12 Christmas Tree Fleet Operations49:32 AI Call Conversion Analysis57:18 Optimizing Appointment Attendance Revenue01:01:32 Tool Effectively Analyzes Customer Feedback01:06:18 Trampoline Park Conference Blunder

In this episode, Jethro Jones welcomes Patrick Mongrain, a middle school teacher, instructional coach, and restorative justice specialist, to discuss building sustainable systems in education. Patrick shares his “Moneyball” approach—leveraging data and analytics to improve classroom instruction and teacher support. He emphasizes the importance of moving beyond quick fixes and initiative fatigue by focusing on eight key practices that create hope and clarity for educators.Moneyball - Billy Bean developed a system of analytics to make a better system. Judging people based on unimportant data and perceptions. Applying a similar approach to how we teach. Spending time in different areas that see what great things are happening all over the place. Stop throwing shiny objects at the problem. The Key Performance Indicators: Class RoutineCommunity DataCorrective FeedbackInformed SupervisionOpportunities To RespondPositive FeedbackPositive Feedback RangeStudent To Teacher TimeTeaching ExpectationSystems = hopeKnowing what to do next gives people hope. That's how systems create hope. 2% of teachers need to be evaluated, 98% of teachers need to be coached. Evaluation as a hoop to jump through. Teachers are so incredible, having an evaluation system that is so complex makes it difficult. Repeating is not the same as creating. Two injustices against teachers - evaluations Evaluation systems seem intentionally overwhelming.Initiative FatigueTrust Based Observations Edchanger Pro app - Make observations like a How to be a transformative principal? Relationships - taking the time to connect with them. Self-care is working in a system that you feel confident in. About Patrick MongrainPatrick Mongrain is a certified teacher currently serving in a TOSA role. He taught middle school history and leadership for 10 years and has spent another 10 years as a district-level instructional coach and restorative justice specialist. In his current position within the professional learning department, he divides his time evenly between teaching in classrooms, supporting school leaders in building systems, and working on district wide improvement. Patrick believes teachers are incredible, and to truly support them, we must move beyond quick fixes and do the hard work of building and sustaining systems. In this spirit, he has created a coherent instructional framework that applies a “Moneyball” approach, leveraging data and analytics on key performance indicators. He's written a book Theory Can Only Take You So Far and developed a data collection app called Edchanger Pro that brings this system to life.Contact: E-mail: pmongrain65@comcast.netWebpage: https://www.youtube.com/@EdChanger and www.EdChanger.comApp: EdChanger Pro: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/edchanger-pro/id6741165826 LinkedIn: Patrick Mongrain Join the Transformative Mastermind Today and work on your school, not just in it. Apply today. We're thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. IXL's comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers' timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments

In this 291st episode — and the first under our new name, Take Flight Weekly — we're kicking off a more strategic, more intentional season of business growth. This isn't about maintaining the status quo. It's about evolving. Mastering your next level. And building your 2026 business starting now.

Nick Turley is Head of ChatGPT, the fastest-growing product in history, with 700 million weekly active users (10% of the world's population). He was part of the original hackathon team that shipped ChatGPT in just 10 days, helped it grow from zero to billions in revenue, and leads product for what may be the most consequential product of our time. We recorded this the day before GPT-5 launched.We discuss:1. The 10-day sprint from deciding to ship ChatGPT to Sam Altman's tweet (and why it was originally called “Chat with GPT-3.5”)2. How they ran a willingness-to-pay Van Westendorp survey in their Discord to decide on the $20/month price point that everyone copied3. The “Is it maximally accelerated?” philosophy that drives OpenAI's insane shipping velocity4. Why ChatGPT's retention curve “smiles”—users leave, then come back months later using it more5. The accidental decisions that changed history, including not having a waitlist6. The impact ChatGPT will have on SEO and product growth7. The counterintuitive reason why shipping unpolished AI features beats waiting for perfection8. Why ChatGPT intentionally shipped with that “ugly” model-chooser dropdown9. How TikTok comments became a primary user research channel early on—Brought to you by:Orkes—The enterprise platform for reliable applications and agentic workflows: https://www.orkes.io/Vanta—Automate compliance. Simplify security: https://vanta.com/lennyPostHog—How developers build successful products: https://posthog.com/lenny—Transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-chatgpt-nick-turley—My biggest takeaways (for paid newsletter subscribers): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/i/170411252/my-biggest-takeaways-from-this-conversation—Where to find Nick Turley• X: https://x.com/nickaturley• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasturley/• Website: https://nickturley.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Introduction to Nick Turley(04:52) GPT-5 launch(09:13) The vision for ChatGPT and AI assistants(13:52) The early days of ChatGPT(17:14) The success and impact of ChatGPT(20:44) Product development and iteration(23:11) Maximally accelerated: the OpenAI approach(26:17) Retention and user engagement(33:42) The future of chat interfaces(36:31) The evolution of ChatGPT(38:52) Subscription model and pricing strategies(42:10) Enterprise adoption and challenges(44:10) Balancing multiple product lines(52:13) Emergent use cases and user feedback(01:02:15) OpenAI's unique product development approach(01:05:07) The importance of team composition(01:08:50) Balancing speed and quality in AI development(01:14:23) The role of evals in product development(01:16:13) The future of AI-driven content and GPTs(01:21:51) Philosophy and product leadership(01:23:47) Career journey and advice(01:27:49) Lightning round and final thoughts—References: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/inside-chatgpt-nick-turley—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com

Overwhelmed by chaos? The real cheat code is simplification. Streamline your process, systemize your flow, and watch everything multiply.Get access to our real estate community, coaching, courses, and events at Wealthy University https://www.wealthyuniversity.com/Join our FREE community, weekly calls, and bible studies for Christian entrepreneurs and business people. https://www.wealthykingdom.com/ If you want to level up, text me at 725-527-7783!--- About Ryan Pineda: Ryan Pineda has been in the real estate industry since 2010 and has invested in over $100,000,000 of real estate. He has completed over 700 flips and wholesales, and he owns over 650 rental units. As an entrepreneur, he has founded seven different businesses that have generated 7-8 figures of revenue. Ryan has amassed over 2 million followers on social media and has generat...