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BONUS: How AI Took the Boring Out of Agile Coaching—Where Scrum Masters Should Actually Start, With Michael Dougherty Today we speak with Michael Dougherty — "Agile Mike" — about how a 30-year veteran of solution development and product leadership made AI a working part of his Agile coaching practice. Michael walks us through the journey from early ChatGPT curiosity, to documentation as the first real win, to the personal-passion project that built his comfort with the tools, and finally to where every Scrum Master should start: the retrospective. From Curiosity to Toolbox: A Slow Burn That Started With User Stories "I tried, and I thought it sucked at that. I'd rather write this by hand."   Michael's AI journey started in late 2022 with ChatGPT — like most coaches, he tried to make it write user stories and acceptance criteria. It didn't work. The output wasn't usable, and he went back to writing them by hand. What looks like a failure was actually the first lesson: not every coaching task is a good fit for AI, and the way to find out is to try. He kept experimenting in the background through 2023 and 2024 — Claude, Grok, Perplexity — while keeping personal use and business use cleanly separated. The real shift came at the Department of Homeland Security, where he sat alongside ex-Googlers, ex-OpenAI people, and an Anthropic alumnus on the team building DHS's internal chatbot. Watching what AI could do inside a heavily-protected enterprise environment changed his frame: this wasn't a productivity hack anymore, it was infrastructure. The Boring, Tedious, Now Quicker: Documentation as the First Real Win "AI has taken all those boring, tedious tasks and made them quicker, more valuable, and more fun to boot."   The first AI practice that stuck was documentation — the part of Agile coaching nobody enjoys but every client demands. Michael had spent years writing SDLC docs from blank pages, and his co-author on Shift: From Product to People used to look at empty docs and ask for help getting started. AI removed that blank-page problem. He'd give the model the team context, the client's documentation requirements, and a template — and get a draft to edit. He stayed in the loop as the human, bringing context, judgment, and final shape, but he no longer started from zero. The same shift happened with presentations: instead of fighting PowerPoint spacing, he tells the AI to drop content into a template and gets back a formatted deck. Small tasks, but multiplied across a coaching week, they bought back real time. The Personal Project Trick: Find Something You Love First "Find something you have a passion with, something you really enjoy. That made me feel comfortable with AI so I could do more."   Michael's strongest advice for coaches who feel intimidated by AI isn't to start at work — it's to build something for yourself, in a domain you care about. His own example: the Nordic Metal Tour Tracker, a personal AI agent for tracking heavy metal bands across Northern Europe (and Spain and Portugal). It plays music. It maps tours by country. It exists purely because he loves heavy metal. The trick isn't the tool — it's that working on something he actually cared about removed the fear and built the muscle memory. Once the comfort was there, transferring it to work became a small step instead of a leap. He references the rundown AI as a daily input that keeps him aware of how others — even people in their 80s — are using AI for everything from gardening to balanced school lunches. A Week With Preppy Paul: Agents, Connectors, and the End of Inbox Drudgery "Preppy Paul gives me a list of all my meetings today and the top three items I should have on each one — based on my notes, my email, my calendar."   Michael's current weekly routine looks nothing like his Agile coaching week from three years ago. He works at Zion Cloud Solutions as a Tier 1 Google AI partner, splitting time across three roles: about 20–30% traditional Agile project management (coaching a Scrum Master on a state of Illinois project), and the rest as an AI Growth Engineer and AI delivery lead on short 4–6 week projects with 3–5 person teams. The backbone is Google Gemini Enterprise — a platform that lets him run Claude, ChatGPT, or any major model behind enterprise protection (Model Armor, the SAIF framework). Inside it, connectors pull in Gmail, Outlook, Calendar, Confluence, Jira, Slack, Teams, monday.com, and thousands of other tools — each agent inherits only the permissions the user already has. A few practical patterns he runs every week:   Preppy Paul — an agent that prepares him for the day's meetings, pulling top topics per meeting from his notes, email, and calendar. Meeting-to-email — AI records and summarises every meeting, and he asks the agent to draft updates to specific team members directly from the summary. LinkedIn drafts in his voice — hashtags, formatting, and tone all match his style; he edits lightly and posts.   The pattern across all of these: the agent isn't replacing the work. It's removing the friction between the meeting and the next conversation. The Retrospective: The Best Place for Every Scrum Master to Start "Don't have it be the same darn Jira spreadsheet of the same darn three questions every time. Go to AI and eat your heart out with it."   When pushed for one thing a Scrum Master could try tomorrow morning, Michael was clear: the retrospective. It's the one Scrum event where creativity is usually welcome, where format experimentation has a low cost, and where teams are already expecting something new. Ask AI for retrospective formats that fit the team's current situation — review five or ten options, pick one, run it. The signal you watch for within a week is double: how many improvements the team generated, and how many of them actually got done. The simpler signal is the team's reaction. If at the end someone says "that was fun" — and then you tell them you used AI to design the format — you've shown the team what AI is good for without a single slide or framework. It's the smallest possible experiment with the largest possible upside. Experiment Like a Scientist, Not a Spectator "Don't be afraid of it. Try whatever you can with it. Have the viewpoint of a scientist."   The trap Michael sees most coaches falling into is curiosity without commitment — reading about AI, watching demos, talking about it, but never building anything. His framing is the opposite: be a scientist. Run experiments. Some will fail (his user-story attempt did). Some will quietly become essential (documentation did). The way to find out which is which is to keep trying, in low-stakes contexts, with both personal projects and small work experiments. The coaches who'll be useful to their teams in 18 months aren't the ones who can describe AI accurately — they're the ones who've built enough small things to know what AI is bad at, what it's surprisingly good at, and where the human in the loop has to stay.   About Michael Dougherty   "Agile Mike" has over 30 years of experience with solution development and product leadership, working in nearly every IT role that exists and literally hundreds of companies during his career. Michael has taught multiple Agile courses to over 1000 people, spoken at multiple events and podcasts, written dozens of blogs, and has been recently serving the US Government. He is the other co-author of Shift: From Product to People.   You can link with Michael Dougherty on LinkedIn and find more about his work at shiftingpeople.com and AP8XGlobal.com.

AI is about to replace bloated SaaS, and most businesses are still only playing with chatbotsSean G Muller says the next wave of AI is not about better prompts or prettier copilots. It is about rebuilding business around context, agents, and what actually creates value - before your software stack becomes the expensive middleman.Mark Smth and Sean unpack why the last six months have been a genuine shift: agentic loops are now good enough to handle real business work, not just experiments. Sean explains how he moved from traditional technical architecture into building full application pipelines, MCP servers, and background agents that review email, track social signals, draft responses, and keep business moving without adding more human overhead.You'll discover why context is the missing ingredient in almost every failed AI project, how Sean uses a simple meal-planning example to explain it, and why companies that scatter knowledge across laptops, SharePoint, Google Cloud, and people's heads are sitting on hidden risk. Sean also breaks down the difference between AI as a feature and AI as a business transformation engine, including the mistake many firms make when they bolt chat onto old workflows and call it progress.We also get into the coming SaaS pocalypse - the idea that tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, Xero, Slack, and Atlassian may face a serious reckoning as businesses realize they can build leaner, custom, agent-first systems for less than the cost of endless licenses and modules. Sean shares how he built a headless, agent-driven CRM and why he thinks greenfield builds will replace expensive transformation projects much sooner than most executives expect. This conversation matters if you lead a business, run operations, own a small or mid-sized company, or simply suspect your current software is forcing you to work the wrong way. If you want to understand where AI is actually delivering leverage right now - and how to avoid wasting money on shallow pilots - this episode is essential listening.Mark Smth hosts the conversation and brings the enterprise and product lens, pushing Sean to get specific about what success looks like for real businesses in New Zealand.Sean G Muller is an AI and enterprise architecture specialist based in New Zealand, known for helping organizations build practical AI systems, implement agentic workflows, and rethink business process from the ground up.Resources1. The Cuckoo's Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage - https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/0385249462?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz2. Gemini: A Family of Highly Capable Multimodal Models — 2312.11805.pdf ⁠https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.118053. On the Measure of Intelligence — 1911.01547.pdf - https://arxiv.org/pdf/1911.01547Support the showIf you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.Thanks for listening

An overflowing task manager and a crowded-out calendar are rarely ever caused by using the wrong tools. The problem happened well before you entered the task or added the appointment to your task manager or calendar.  And that's what we're looking at this week.  Links: Email Me | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Linkedin   Learn more about my Productivity Academy Get Your Copy Of Your Time, Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived    Apollo 13 Lunar Module Start-up Procedures   The Working With… Weekly Newsletter Carl Pullein Learning Centre Carl's YouTube Channel Carl Pullein Coaching Programmes Subscribe to my Substack  The Working With… Podcast Previous episodes page Script |431 Hello, and welcome to episode 431 of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast. A podcast to answer all your questions about productivity, time management, self-development, and goal planning. My name is Carl Pullein, and I am your host of this show.  If you were to look at your appointments for tomorrow right now, how much time do you have that is not already committed? Two, three, four hours?  Now look at your task manager: how many tasks are overdue or scheduled for tomorrow?  In the uncommitted time you have tomorrow, are you confident you can complete all those tasks?  Most people who do this little exercise, if they are being honest with themselves, will answer “no chance”.  And this is the top reason why so many people are struggling with time management and productivity today. And there is a word for it: Overcommitted.  It's not the tools they use or any other complex reason. It's simply because they've allowed themselves to become overcommitted.  This week, I'm looking at how this happens and what you can do to unravel the problem so you are operating within your natural capacity, not overworked or under pressure, and not feeling like you are sinking under the weight of unrealistic deadlines and commitments.  So, to get us started, let me hand you over to the Mystery Podcast Voice for this week's question.  This week's question comes from Douglas. Douglas asks, “Hi, Carl, I know you tell people to keep their task manager clean and tight, but I find that impossible. I'm collecting 20 or more things into my inbox each day; I often have 4 or 5 hours of meetings, and I have to deal with at least 130 emails and messages each day. How would you get all that under control?” Hi Douglas, thank you for your question.  I did some quick maths on the numbers you provided and noticed that if you are collecting, on average, 25 new tasks a day, have 130 emails and messages to deal with and only have 3 ½ hours of non-meeting time each day, that would mean you would have only 1 minute and 13 seconds to spend on each item.  Yet those numbers assume you are not taking time for lunch or coffee or a glass of water. If you were to include a 30-minute lunch break and 15 minutes to get water and coffee each day, that would leave you with less than a minute available for each email, message, and task.  Is that realistic?  Based on that quick calculation, the issue here is one of capacity. You've no capacity left. All that's needed to completely destroy your day is an urgent, last-minute meeting request, an issue that prevents you from doing any of your planned work or simply an IT problem that doesn't allow you to do the work you planned.  I can assure you, Douglas, you are not alone here.  There are millions of people all around the world struggling with the same thing. They're overcommitted.  Which is why it's completely irrelevant what tools you're using.  The first thing I would advise someone in this situation is to do the maths I did above. Now, I know I do not have all the information. I don't know what work you do, your position in the company, or whether you lead a team.  But what I do know is you've gone beyond your natural capacity, and now you will be building up enormous backlogs. You will be struggling to meet your deadlines, and I bet when you get home you're exhausted.  This exercise will tell you how much capacity you have.  If the meetings you attend each day are non-negotiable, you will need to find a way to reduce the number of tasks you receive. Which means you will likely have to do something uncomfortable.  Reject requests.  Now I know this is very hard to do. Nobody likes disappointing someone. But the choice is: either you disappoint them when they ask, or you disappoint them when you cannot deliver what you promised on time. And I think failing to deliver on your commitments is the bigger disappointment. Think of it this way. If you say no and they ask someone else who can deliver, then you've actually helped them.  Sure, your pride may be slightly hurt, but this isn't about your pride. This is about setting yourself realistic expectations on what you can and cannot do.  However, there is another possible solution. Cap your daily meetings. If, when you do the little exercise on how much non-committed time you have, you realise that you will need four hours of meeting-free time each day, then you cap your meeting time at 3 hours per day.  This will then leave you with 4 or 5 hours for your tasks.  Now there are various ways to do this. You could use a calendar service such as Calendly or Acuity to open blocks of time for people to schedule meetings with you, or you could tell people that you've reached your meeting limit for the day and ask if you could meet on another day.  You will be surprised how accommodating people can be.  Another consideration is to reduce the meeting times to 30 minutes. This has the added advantage that people will get to the point much faster, and you'll find you still cover everything that needs to be covered.  I've learned many things over the years I've been coaching and helping people with their time management and productivity, but one of those lessons stands out: Every “yes” has an invisible “no”.  In other words, every time you accept another commitment, whether it is a meeting or a piece of work, you are saying no to something else you could have done with that time.  But it goes beyond that. Meetings have a nasty habit of generating more commitments. Another meeting, more emails and tasks, for example.  And pieces of work generate what Cal Newport calls “admin costs”; these are the little extra tasks, such as finding information, following up, and answering questions. They are the invisible “nos” rarely ever considered.  So in your situation, Douglas, there are a few questions to ask yourself: Do all your regular meetings require your presence? If not, perhaps you could drop one or two of them. If you can, don't allow the saved time to be replaced by other meetings. Protect that time. Save it for the things you have prioritised.  The goal here is to gradually withdraw from these meetings.  If you manage a team, perhaps you could delegate attendance at some of these meetings to one of your team members. They can then report back to you with a summary of what happened.  What are you collecting? You mentioned that you collect around 20 new items on average each day. That seems like a lot. What are you collecting?  There are some things that will need to be collected; you may need to contact someone for information or organise the purchase of new equipment.  But if you are collecting emails to respond to and articles to read, then your task manager is not the best place for them. Emails and messages have their own self-contained apps. Keep everything within these walls. For instance, if you have a Slack message to reply to but need to think about it first, flag the message. Or you can use Claude or ChatGPT to find all your unresponded messages for today. You could even set this up as an automation  With email, it's easier. You can create an Action folder for emails you need to respond to and drop them in there. Then give yourself some time later in the day to respond to them.  The goal here is to reduce the pressure on your capacity, and one of the fastest ways to do that is to reduce friction points.  For example, if you get an email you feel you should respond to and then move it to your task manager, that's a lot of additional time—remember “admin cost”? It's far faster to drag and drop it into an Action folder.  A great question to ask yourself is: What has to come out of my week to make it more realistic?  Juggling your current commitments around, fiddling with your task manager or trying new tools is not addressing the real issue.  The real issue is a capacity one. You're trying to do far more than you can do. You won't find the solution until you address that.  I would begin with: How much time do you need to stay on top of your work? That could be an extra five or six hours a week. Now you have something tangible to work with.  For those of you who have watched the film Apollo 13, there's a scene where the character Ken Mattingly is in the lunar module flight simulator, and they are trying to find a start-up procedure that would not draw more than 20 amps.  This meant they had to find out what they could turn on and what they could not.  After hours of testing, they finally had a start-up procedure that draws just under 20 amps.  I will put a link to the clip in the show notes, as it is a great illustration of what we sometimes have to do with the time we have. It's finite, and often the only things we can do are the essentials. There's no time for the “would like to do” or low-value tasks.  In many ways, an issue we all share is that we think time is infinite, when it's the opposite. It's finite, and how we allocate our time each day is largely our choice.  The key is understanding that there are always trade-offs and consequences when we allocate our time. If we say yes to one thing, we say no to another, whether we are consciously aware of it or not.  As I am writing this script, I am not responding to an urgent email or talking with my family. Equally, when I am chatting with my wife, I am not writing feedback for my coaching clients.  So, Douglas, look at your calendar. How are you allocating your time each week? What can you remove to free up time for the things you want to spend it on?  It won't be easy, and you will feel uncomfortable doing it. However, I can assure you that it is possible and when you have done it, you will feel lighter, more focused and appreciate your time in ways you've never considered. Plus, the bonus is that other people will begin respecting your time more than they do today.  Thank you for your question, and thank you to you too for listening. It just remains for me now to wish you all a very, very productive week.   

With trillions spent on digital ads to capture consumer attention, is the most powerful and effective channel for product discovery the one your brand is overlooking?Agility requires brands to move beyond a digital-only mindset and recognize that the modern customer journey fluidly moves between online and offline moments. It means building the capabilities to engage and measure impact in the physical world with the same precision we've come to expect from digital.Today, we're going to talk about the next evolution of retail media and why the physical store, far from being obsolete, is becoming the next great frontier for data-rich, high-impact customer engagement. We'll explore how brands can bridge the gap between their digital strategies and in-store realities to not only drive discovery but create measurable, full-funnel marketing moments.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Matt Eichorn, CEO and Co-Founder and Dilini Fernando, CMO at Freeosk.About Matt EichornVisionary entrepreneur Matt Eichorn has been at the forefront of evolving brand and shopper marketing experiences for the better part of 20 years. As the current CEO, President, and Co-Founder of Freeosk, Eichorn has built a one-of-a-kind technology platform to deliver multi-sensory experiences at scale. His foresight to digitize millions of real-world intent signals in-store, as they happen, is unlocking new insights and shaping the landscape of retail media 3.0 for brands, category managers, and retailers alike.Dilini Fernando is the Vice President, Marketing at Chicago-based Freeosk – the only omnichannel discovery platform with in-store automated sampling. Dilini joined Freeosk in October of 2020 to lead integrated marketing programs, including brand, product and partner initiatives. Prior to Freeosk, Dilini spent ten years at MolsonCoors in brand marketing, digital innovation, new product development, and portfolio strategy. Dilini received her BA from Brown University and her MBA from the University of Chicago. She is a previous recipient of Brand Innovators “40 Under 40”.LinkedIn: Matt EichornAbout Dilini FernandoDilini Fernando is the Vice President, Marketing at Chicago-based Freeosk – the only omnichannel discovery platform with in-store automated sampling. Dilini joined Freeosk in October of 2020 to lead integrated marketing programs, including brand, product and partner initiatives. Prior to Freeosk, Dilini spent ten years at MolsonCoors in brand marketing, digital innovation, new product development, and portfolio strategy. Dilini received her BA from Brown University and her MBA from the University of Chicago. She is a previous recipient of Brand Innovators “40 Under 40”.LinkedIn: Dilini Fernando---------- Resources ----------FreeoskThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save!Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit!Chaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose.Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off.Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show.Connect with Greg on LinkedInDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more.Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia—the wiki for marketing technology.Produced by Missing Link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join the Bloody Good Horror crew and guest Joe Ferry (Films at First Sight) for a deep dive into Buffet Infinity... a cosmic horror, found footage, comedy, satire, critique on capitalism and all around one of the weirdest movies we've ever covered. Plus, we hear directly from Buffet Infinity's director, Simon Glassman, on his inspirations for the film, and we pay tribute to horror legend Tim Curry after his recent passing. #BuffetInfinity #CosmicHorror #FoundFootageHorror

We all know that there is something fractured about the workplace, that makes it inefficient, and at times inhumane. If only someone was thinking deeply about those problems, and how to address them… Visit our Substack for the full episode: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/clay-parker-jones That's what Clay Parker Jones is working on right now. Clay has spent close to two decades on this problem — first at the consultancy undercurrent, and today as Head of Org Design and Development at Airbnb. He advocates for investment in creativity and humanity at work, something you might think would be obvious for any company, but sadly is eclipsed by short term thinking. His new book, Hidden Patterns: A Playbook for More Human Workplaces, is one of the most cohesive philosophies of organizational structure we've come across. And his diagnosis of what's broken is simple: there aren't enough real teams. Most of us work in what he calls “co-acting groups” — people who convene for a meeting and then scatter back to their actual work. In this conversation, we get into why psychological safety stays a platitude until you make it structural, what rule of law looks like inside a company, and how to break a manager's job into atomic pieces and hand away the parts you're bad at. We also chat about why the org chart is a design problem that designers should be at the table for. Bio Clay Parker Jones leads Organizational Design & Development at Airbnb, refining how a creativity-first company learns and ships new ideas. A former Chief Strategy Officer at Black Glass, co-founder of August, and transformation lead at R/GA, his work has been recognized by B Lab and profiled in a Harvard Business School case study. A former bike mechanic with a BA in Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College, Clay now resides in Brooklyn with his wife Emily and cat Ian. You can find him on the Fort Greene tennis courts in his spare time. *** Premium Episodes on Design Better This is a premium episode on Design Better. We release two premium episodes per month, along with two free episodes for everyone. New premium subscriber benefit: we've launched a private Slack workspace…join now to connect with designers, product leaders & creative practitioners in our community. And get a behind-the-scenes pass to every episode with The Roundup, where each week we bring you insights and actionable tactics from recent episodes. Premium subscribers get access to the documentary Design Disruptors and our growing library of books. You'll also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, and our monthly newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. And subscribers at the annual level now get access to the Design Better Toolkit, which gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. Upgrade to paid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Garren Hilow bootstrapped Abveris, an antibody discovery business doing $12 million in revenue, and sold it in 2021 for $150 million up front with another $40 million available in an earnout. His team came within one percent of the revenue target. The acquirer said they had missed it, refused to share the accounting behind that conclusion, and dared him to sue.  Rob Walling sold Drip with 40 percent of his purchase price tied to an earnout and collected all but a fraction of it.  In this episode of Built to Sell Radio, John Warrillow puts the two founders side by side to work out what actually separated the two outcomes, and you discover how to negotiate an earnout you have a chance of collecting.  You'll learn:  Why a revenue-based earnout hands the acquirer the calculator, including the right to change how your revenue is recognized partway through the year  Walling's ranking of earnout milestones from worst to best, and the one type he tells founders to refuse outright  Why taking more cash at close makes an acquirer less likely to fight you over the back end  What a private equity buyer admitted over dinner about how often his firm plans to replace the founder  The reporting clause Hilow left out of his agreement, and what its absence cost him  How old Slack messages and a verbal instruction to work from home became grounds for a termination with cause  Why an acquirer who intends to fold your company into theirs should not be offering an earnout at all 

Second Nature Listener Survey: https://surveymars.com/q/inCNkLas9 Alyssa Olenick, known online as Doc Lyss, has spent the last eight years building a seven-figure fitness and training business while simultaneously earning a PhD in exercise physiology. She started with $35-a-month one-on-one coaching over Google Sheets and a MacBook that literally overheated. Today she runs a training app, a coaching team, and a quarter-million-follower community built on a simple philosophy: talk to your customers, act fast, and never stop iterating. In this conversation, Alyssa breaks down what it actually took to build a business that didn't feel real until nearly a decade in, why she turned down far more brand deals than she accepted, and what "world-building" really means in modern marketing: the idea that people buy into an identity, not just a product. She also gets candid about the hardest season of her business, the difference between growing a business and running a company, and why she deliberately paused an entire second brand for years because she knew she couldn't do both well at once. This episode is supported by Popfly and Halo: Popfly for Brands: https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands Popfly for Creators: https://popf.ly/secondnaturecreators Halo: https://www.poweredbyhalo.com Show Notes: Alyssa Olenick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssaolenick/ DocLyssFitness: https://www.instagram.com/doclyssfitness/ The Lyss Method: https://quiz-thelyssmethod.com/ DocLyss Newsletter: https://substack.com/@doclyssfitness DocLyss YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@doclyssfitness Alex Hormozi: https://www.instagram.com/hormozi/?hl=en Shelby Sapp: https://shelbysapp.com/ Codie Sanchez: https://codiesanchez.com/ Yeti: https://www.backcountry.com/brand/yeti ShopMy - Alyssa's Storefront: https://shopmy.us/shop/doclyssfitness NoBull: https://nobullproject.com/ Ozlo Sleepbuds: https://ozlosleep.com/ BPC - Brand, Product, Content: SENIQ: https://seniqbrand.com/ Halfdays: https://www.halfdays.com/ Suunto Race 2: https://www.backcountry.com/suunto-race-2-sport-watch Courtney - Post Hardrock Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQYa_fTw01w HoverAir X1 ProMax: https://us.hoverair.com/products/hoverair-x1-self-flying-camera-combo Fun Stuff: Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-nature-media Meet us on Slack: https://www.launchpass.com/second-nature Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondnature.media Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.secondnature.media Subscribe to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@secondnaturemedia

Kiera gives three tactical shifts to help practice owners get their time, energy, and life back, while still maintaining a successful business. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: Kiera Dent- Dental A Team (00:00) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera. And today I want to talk about a fun topic that I think a lot of you deal with.   and that's burnout. And I know we've talked about it before, I know we've talked about it in the past, and I know it's not a fun topic, but I think it's a fun one to help people not have.   I think burnout, I was listening to I have a podcast that I really enjoy. It's   Life Wisdom   by Words of Taoism. And I just love different mindsets, different perspectives, and   I think this ties really heavily into today's topic. And he was talking about how, like, so many of us are per burnout, and it's this feeling of like, I'm just spent, I'm just exhausted, like I can't do one other thing. And they were talking about how oftentimes it's not just about the work that we're doing. A lot of times it's not actually the work, it's the mental load that we're carrying or the things that we're carrying behind. And it's that is what I want to talk about today is.   like the burnout and how we can get our life back without sacrificing all of it and what this looks like and work life balance and the cliche around it. But when I started thinking of like all the pieces that we do carry the stress of a team, the workload of actually doing it, stress of our families, conversations, replaying conversations in our mind, wondering if we did things correctly, like did I check the books? Did I talk to this team member correctly? D what do I need to do? There's so much weight.   thinking about how oftentimes like we build these businesses, not to be prisoners of them, but to actually have freedom from them. And I think sometimes it feels cliche and it feels like we're getting the exact opposite of that. And so I wanted to talk about like why we get the burnout similar to that. Like we're caring so much. It's not the workload. I don't think most of us, I think a lot of us are fine. I think it's the how much we're caring, it's the subconscious caring that doesn't ever leave us alone. And so what causes that shift in an   Hopefully just some like three tactical shifts that help you get your time, your energy, and your life back. And burnout is a lot of times a conversation we have with a lot of doctors. And I think having a coach, having a guide, having someone in your corner can help prevent that burnout sooner and quicker because we're gonna be listening to it, watching it. And I think having a safe space where you can say, like, I'm exhausted, I'm tired, like I don't physically think I can do that anymore. And then somebody questioning and saying, All right, like there's other, there's a thousand other paths to do it. Let's look and let's find that solution where you don't have to do it.   But we're able to have other people there with you. and I just I think that burnout, I think stress, I think carrying it, it's at every size of practice. So please don't think like, well, people don't deal with this. No, they do. No, like there's highs and lows, everybody has it, that we've got days we've got more of it, we've got days that we have less of it. and I don't think it's like needing more motivation. I think it's like w what what do I actually do? And so kind of just going through that Dental A Team, we work with hundreds of offices across the nation.   Like we've seen it across the board. I've dealt with it. I'm a business owner. I'm a multi-million dollar owner. I've built practices, I've run dental practices, I've started my own business. I've gone from scratch up. I've sold. I mergers and acquisitions, selling to DSOs, you name it. I've been there, I've done that, I've done it a lot. I've done it in my own personal life. I've built multiple multiple businesses in my own. I've built my own personal brand. The things like let's talk, let's talk as business owners, let's talk about these different things. And so I think one of the biggest things that can help prevent this burnout is to stop being the solution to every problem.   I think that we carry this weight constantly of feeling like, especially founders who have built up from the ground up, feel like they've got to be the solution. You were. That's who you were. You had a GSD to get there. But that doesn't mean that's who you need to continue to be. And I'm I'm guilty of this. I watch Slack and I watch myself. And how often do I just jump in and solve a problem? Or I'm sitting in meetings and I know the answer, but just because I know the answer doesn't mean I need to raise my hand and answer. I need to have a team that can create solutions. I need to have a team that genuinely can do it.   Because I genuinely believe one of the fastest paths is being the answer for everything. team members are like, how to know if this is the case is you got team members who are constantly coming to you. Every decision requires your approval and you are solving problems all day long, even minimal problems. And I know I'm guilty of this in my own company. I watch it and I'm like, why are they asking me for that? Like, how do I give them the permission to not need that? And I need to just let them be dependent. And   Let them be independent and not dependent on me. I think when I see teams very dependent on an owner, including myself, I think people being exhausted. I think the practice that can't function without you, can they handle these decisions without you? But also there you think there's a flip side of can you handle them making mistakes? Can you handle letting go of the control? Can you handle if things break? I remember me and a dear colleague, we were having a very spicy conversation and I was like, what?   You want me like sign off on these things and let our reputation get destroyed? I was very sassy that day. This was just like six months ago. You guys, this was not like young Kiera. This was real life Kiera. And she's like, no, Kiera, we're not like just gonna let our reputation fall apart. She said, but you do need to have things like she sent me a decision matrix and she said, You've got to make decisions like which ones really are going to destroy our business, and which ones do you need to realize are not going to destroy and you need to stop being involved in those.   And to have somebody who's willing to push back on me like that, I was so appreciative of because she's like, Kiera, you're sitting here making decisions about cards and branding. That isn't like we're not gonna destroy it. And she's like, I understand in the past that might not have been the case, but guess what? If something goes wrong, your team's gonna fix it. But you have to let them, you have to trust them. Otherwise, you're forever gonna be held in bottleneck, choke hold burnout. And I think when I hear that, I think about the monkey who.   puts their hand in the hole and they hold on to the nut and they can't get their hand out and they end up getting trapped. And I think about how many business owners with burnout have their hand holding on so tightly to control and wanting everything perfect that they don't let go of it that they end up suffocating themselves and burning out when it didn't necessarily need to be that way. So when I look at like doctors and how much are you answering and office managers, how much are you answering   versus how much is your team able to do? This doctor I was in, we were looking at like etching glass and the team found some cool things on Etsy and the doctor's like, yep, sign off stamp. You guys do it. I know you're gonna do a great job. And it's not something where they're gonna check over their shoulder. No, if it doesn't look good, of course they're gonna say something, but that's such a small decision with such small ramifications versus they're building out the entire construction of the business on the other side. Two very different pieces. Like what is the ramification long term? And so   When you're looking at it, I would say   But number one, when questions come to you, start to ask your team what solutions do you think are we can do for this? And then trust them and let them run with it. Second, for yourself, in meetings, stop being the answer to everything. And then third, just look to see like what's one, two, three, four items that you don't need to give an answer to. Just sit and watch and observe. And I think for me, I almost like have the visual putting my hands, like sitting on my hands and pretend or pretend my hands have glue on them and they're stuck together.   If I couldn't do anything, would my team be able to handle this without me? And I think it's a good test to see how much they're actually able to do. Anytime I go on vacation, I completely check out and I come back and I'm shocked at how good they can do. And I think reminding myself that my team wants to make me proud, that they can answer these things, that I don't need to answer it for them, trusting them they're gonna have better ideas than me. And again, them doing 80% of the work is better than me doing 100% of it. And so I think a great way for you to look at like,   Start asking your team to bring solutions. You can even roll it out that guys, I'm not, I'm not great at this. So please, like everybody, this is my ask. This is my goal for the next six months. Put a bracelet on, whatever you got to do to remind yourself. Like, I literally have a bracelet this year that says no. And that's to remind me, like, no, like, don't do that. Don't say yes to this. Like, let your team flourish. Let go of that control, trust. Because honestly, as a team member, that's the greatest thing your your boss can ever do for you, is to give you the trust and the confidence into.   Let you flourish. That's where people love to work. No one loves to work when they're being micromanaged. And I know I'm guilty of this. So my team listening, I'm sorry. And just know that I'm hyper aware of it, actively participating in letting go of that. And genuinely, I know my team will do far better than I ever. Like they want to make me proud. Our team is such a great team. And your team's the same way. So let them stop stopping the solution to every problem. The second thing to help prevent this burnout that's tactical is.   have boundaries around your time. And this is something I learned early on. I used to work sun up to sundown, seven days a week, on holidays, on weekends. And I think we protect our production time. Like you better believe I ask you for a meeting. Do you how many offices come in? They to coach and they want to solve their problems. But like, but don't do my calls during during production time. I'll talk to you on my drive home. And I'm like, hard pass? No. You're blocking out two hours a month during production time because I know you're gonna be way more proactive. And I'm probably gonna do like   In the morning. You are not running through our meetings and you better be on time to every single meeting. Otherwise, don't sign up for coaching. Like hard and fast. If you can't give me two hours to work on the business, you are not prepared to do coaching because you're not going to implement anything. I'm not talking to you on your drive home. Like, sorry, that's just not where it's going to be. You product your production time, but you don't product your personal time. And both are equally important in my opinion. So, like, are you working through lunch all the time? Are you answering messages at night? Are you h working every single weekend? Do you have this constant mental load that never shuts off on you?   And what I found is you gotta block CEO time where you work on the business during your week. Every time I'm getting stressed out, Marissa and I and Shelbi, we look at the schedule and it's like, Kiera had no time to work on the business. This is why she's stressed out. It's a non-negotiable for me. That is the rock. That is the number one thing that goes in the schedule. Non-negotiable. Then after that, like I have family time. I have a date night. And our team, we made it all like a very conscious effort that like after five, we don't do work. I'm not gonna say it's perfect and I'm not gonna say you have to have that because sometimes working.   Like sometimes I get up at three in the morning and I'm freaking lit and I'm jazzing. It's not depleting for me. That's not burnout. That's working and it's passionate. So it's not a like hard and fast, no one can work. Because sometimes we do want to, but there's there's a conscious shutoff. And so I look at it, I try hard not to send slacks after five o'clock at night. I can schedule those for the next morning. Like shut my email off, take it off of my phone. Don't have Slack and emails on your phone. And really truly be intentional. So   I actually have a box. This came from a friend. she has a really cool box, and that box no longer is being made, otherwise, I'd share it with you. So I bought a like nice $5 box from Target. It's a white box, it's pretty, it sits on my counter, and that's my phone box. So when I'm done with work, so at five o'clock and I have something where I've got to go, like go for a walk with my husband, have something that I'm looking forward to, have a set end time. my phone my watch comes off and my phone goes off and it goes in the box and I leave and I completely disconnect. Now, for a lot of us, I can feel like a heart palpitation.   There's also, I think it's called the brick where you can brick your phone where it turns back into like a brick phone, where honestly there's like calling and messaging, and that's all you have. There's no other apps or anything like that, and you can set it up. for me, I just stick it in the box. And what's really awesome is to be able to disconnect. On the weekends, phone's completely off. Like I'm a princess wife and my husband has his phone and he loves it. And I leave my phone. I leave it plugged in. I don't take it with me.   Because I need a complete disconnect. When I go on vacations, it's a hundred percent offline. I love to go out of the country for that reason because I'm out o offline and I know it's gonna charge me more to to talk to people. Now I know some of you have kiddos and whatnot, but the more you can have blocked family time, blocked CEO time, blocked personal recharge time, and you protect all three of those equally, you will actually feel like like even that, like I feel like this breath of fresh air.   It's and again, it's not about being perfect, it's about being consistent. So you might miss in one week you're gonna have a lot more. But our consultants, they're working for such long hours and we set a quarterly rock that all of us would get out at five o'clock. And every week we actually start asking, like, how is it? And it's shocking. We have seven consultants, and I've been watching all of them start to trend more and more and more to personal life. I've also watched happiness levels increase across our consultant team. I've watched burnout become less and less, and they're still able to take care of their clients, they're still able to work with their   Teams, they're still able to get their things done. We just consolidate. We also started having it where like every Monday people list off how many hours they have available for the week. Like, hey, how many hours do you have? Looking at the schedule, who's got time? And then we're using each other within the department to help each other out. So that way people aren't getting burnt out. We've got people who have hours of time. They're not as busy. You might have an assistant or a hygienist who's not as busy. What do people have on their workload? Can we share the workload with each other? Can we pass out the recare list, the reactivation list? Like, how can we do this to where we all get out at five? We're all committed to it.   Let's all work together as a team. Let's all get our pieces done so that way we're all together. But I think for you, don't answer messages at night. If you knew I'd pay you a million dollars for the next month, okay? Million dollars is on the line. For the next month, you didn't do any work after five. I'll give you till 5.15 because your patients might go. 515 and on the weekends you're not touching work. Would you do it for a month? A million dollars is on the line. And I know every one of you would say yes to me. So if you're gonna say yes to that,   Your life is worth more than a million dollars. Your health is worth more than a million dollars. So you do have a million dollars on the line for you. I'm not paying you. You're paying yourself this. So create those boundaries and dedicate this time. For me, I do have on the weekends. I've got one hour, two hours. I'm gonna block my week on Sundays. Like I do that. That's part of it. I'm okay with that. That's something that I don't take away from my family. Jason knows it. We're good. I've got it. But it allows me to decompress and I'm able to be there present with him. I literally.   Control my calendar. So my calendar doesn't control me. I am actively creating my life and man, I'm not managing my circumstances. I'm creating my life. So for you, I used to think like working harder was better. No, there's a place to work hard and there's a place to play hard and there's a place to sleep hard and there's a place to rest hard. All of those are important. So block your CEO time and guard that. Block your family time and guard that. Block your personal recharge time and block and like honor all three of those equally.   You're doing it with your production, so I know you're capable of doing it. Shut off, be done at five. Go give yourself that freedom. And like even me saying that, I feel this weight come off my shoulders. So I would say schedule those three non-negotiable blocks of time every single week. Treat it like production time, non-negotiable. You will be shocked at the life you will get back and the burnout will go away very quickly. Now, you might be like me, there was one summer I was completely burnt out. I sent I slept 17 hours a day for almost an entire month.   Sometimes we're so far into the burnout phase that we have to give some massive recharge. And like just taking this isn't going to be enough. You might have to schedule in a week off or you just sleep nonstop. But once we get to that point, and I'd say don't wait to that point. Like let's start doing some things proactively now. it is capable, it is doable. And these are some tactical things that I would say put it in now. Let's put some guardrails in and let's protect that very, very, very strongly. And then number three is build a practice that supports your life.   So and we always say that your business should serve your life, not the other way around. And so like I think you should just ask yourself and like it's okay, pull out the crayons, like let's get the canvas back out. What do you want your life to look like? And we do this with our doctors when they start with us, like how many days do you want to work? What kind of a schedule do you want? What role do you want long term, like in one year, three year, 10 year? And then let's put into place and start making your practice work for you. So if you tell me I only want three days, fantastic, let's work for it.   What is our bam? What's our production? Let's build this just a math equation. And I love because math always maths. So let's just build it. What does it need to look like? And what I've watched is when people are living their dream life when they're having it. Now, ego plays. For me, I keep saying, like, I only want to work three days. But my ego is so strong and she really wants to be just important. So I need something to fill that time that's equally as important. I have Jace and I now have a side gig that we do on Fridays together. And it makes it to where like I have a set thing that   full like fuels me, fuels my spouse. and we do it on Fridays together. And so I do. I've got I've got other CEO responsibilities that are not Dental A Team specific. But even if I didn't have something else, that's okay as a CEO. You're allowed to to have your business, serve your life. You do not need to work constantly. You are allowed to have whatever life you want. And so let's let's put those systems into place. Let's have leaders in place that are freaking thriving on it and they want to do this. Let's like make our decisions based on vision, not on guilt.   Like that's what we're gonna do. And so you can reduce your clinical days. We can hire people for that. me and a doctor were working and we just created this like awesome two year vision. I'm so pumped. I was like, okay, in two years, like let's build this. Like, what's your tenure? And I was like, sweet, let's build it into a two year. To be able to help people see it. Sometimes we can't see that. Sometimes we don't think we're worthy of it. Sometimes we I don't know. I think we just get in a rut and robotic and then we just forget that, like, no, no, no, we're the creators of our lives, not the managers of them. You get to create this.   You didn't build yourself a prison. You build yourself freedom. But it depends on which route you're gonna go and if you're actually gonna live it. So you've got to have your practice supporting your life, not the other way around. So I want you to look down, like what your, you can write down what your ideal work looks like, what it's gonna look like in one year, three years, ten years, and then like let's just work backwards. Some of you get so stuck and you're like, I don't know, how do I get my team bought into it? Your team wants you to thrive.   Your ego wants you to just survive. Like it's usually ego that keeps us there. It's not really our team. It's not all those excuses we tell ourselves. It's not that mental load that we're carrying constantly. That mental load is heavy. It's a constant guilt running and guilt's not serving. It's just keeping you stuck. So if you've been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, trapped, or even none of those, like I just want you to know you're not alone. Let's put into place these safeguards. Let's let's have this where number one, we're going to stop being the solution to every problem. Number two,   We're gonna create those boundaries around our personal time and we're gonna block them like we do our production time. We're gonna honor them, we're gonna value them. It's our CEO time, our family time, and our personal recharge time. Block those. And then we're gonna build a practice that truly supports our life. And we're gonna be so committed and know that we deserve every ounce of this. And we're we are so committed that we're gonna get it. Non-negotiable. Pretend a million dollars, billion dollars, whatever you want, your dream car, your dream vacation, whatever it is, it's on the line. If you'll just show up for yourself. I think so often burnout comes because we're not willing to.   Reduce the load. I think a lot of it is self-induced, and then I think a lot of it is just habit. We've been doing it for so long that we don't know a different path. But I will say that other path is always there. The HOV lane is always open. Let's get over into that HOV lane. Let's start doing things easier. You deserve it. You are a billion dollar asset. Treat yourself like it. You guys have this. You don't have to work harder. You just need to have it be a like we've had one formula and it's been running. There's nothing wrong with it. But if we want a different life, there's another formula that we can start running, and I'd encourage you to do so.   So that's what we do. We help you build leadership teams. We help you build your vision. We help get your team bought into that vision. We could give you the permission to shut off at five. We tell you, like, stop, grab a PA, like a personal assistant, hire this person. Like these things you don't have to do. You're welcome to keep doing it. There's no force on our side. There's no judgment on our side. There's just love and unconditional love to make sure you are taken care of. So reach out. I'd love to help you. You can grow your business and you don't have to sacrifice your life. It's not one or the other. It can be an and. And I hope you choose that. And I hope you know you're worthy of it. I hope you know you're worth it.   And I hope you know that it is possible. So come be a part of it. There's so many of our doctors that live their best lives. I got one doctor who's a million-dollar practice working three days a week, wants nothing more than that, and is so freaking happy and is an incredible leader. I have another doctor. They work four days a week. They got a three and a half million dollar practice. Incredible, incredible. They could build another location. They don't want to. We got it set up for their kids, their life. They're on vacation. They're able to serve and get back to their community. Whatever your life is, it's doable for you. I've got others that have like five locations and they're so happy with it.   Whatever your life is, it's doable. So let's make it, let's create it, let's not manage it. You guys, I'm proud of you. I'm proud of the life you're living. Reach out, Hello@TheDentalATeam.com. And as always, thanks for listening. I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast.  

Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Tiffany Funk now runs Flying Blue, and the first big change on her watch makes the cheapest business class awards look a lot like basic economy. We get into what got stripped out, why the fix conveniently runs through their status program, and why that status ladder makes Mark want to lie down. It is not just airlines either, and Caesars and Carnival both proved it this same week. Plus PenFed kills the free version of a card people were milking, Citi's AAdvantage Executive is at 125,000 miles with a family lounge perk nobody else offers anymore, inKind has another $50 off $100 in the links below, and Rakuten's card offers are back. Let us know in the comments if decoupling lounge access from awards is fair or just another devaluation. Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:23 Our Tiffany Funk Problem 2:28 Flying Blue Makes Business Class Awards Basic Economy 5:35 Status Is the Fix (and Flying Blue's Status Ladder Is a Mess) 8:00 Loyalty Programs Reward Spenders, Not Flyers 10:06 Melio: $230 Gift Card After a $500 Payment 11:33 PenFed Phases Out the Free Pathfinder 14:01 Citi AAdvantage Executive at 125K 17:12 inKind: $50 Off $100 Is Back 19:15 Rakuten Card Offers Return 21:43 Final Thoughts Links InKind - https://www.milestomemories.com/go/inkind  Penfed - https://milestomemories.com/penfed-credit-card/ Flying Blue status/changes - https://milestomemories.com/flying-blue-changes/ https://liveandletsfly.com/flying-blue-business-light-awards/ Rakuten offers - https://milestomemories.com/rakuten-credit-card-offers/ $50 off $100 InKind promo - https://milestomemories.com/inkind-offering-50-off-your-next-100-meal/ AA 125K - https://milestomemories.com/citi-aadvantage-executive-card-new-125k-bonus/ ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free

...  I got the power back on eventually with the help of DWP's Finest, Joaquin de Artola, who also happens to be the brother of the Penguin of Troy, Alicia de Artola!!! ... Enjoy the What's Bruin Show Network!Multiple shows to entertain you on one feed:Support WBS at Patreon.com/WhatsBruinShow for just $2/month and get exclusive content and access to our SLACK channel.Twitter/X: @whatsbruinshow        Instagram: @whatsbruinshowCall the What's Bruin Network Hotline at 805-399-4WBS (Suck it Reign of Troy)We are also on YouTube HEREGet Your WBSN MERCH - Go to our MyLocker Site by Clicking HEREWhat's Bruin Show- A conversation about all things Bruin over drinks with Bruin Report Online's @mikeregaladoLA, @wbjake68 and friends!Subscribe to the What's Bruin Show at whatsbruin.substack.comEmail us at: whatsbruinshow@gmail.comTweet us at: @whatsbruinshowWest Coast Bias - LA Sports (mostly Lakers, Dodgers and NFL) with Jamaal and JakeSubscribe to West Coast Bias at wbwestcoastbias.substack.comEmail us at: WB.westcoastbias@gmail.comTweet us at: @WBwestcoastbiasThe BEAR Minimum - Jake and his Daughter Megan talk about student life and Cal Sports during her first year attending UC Berkeley.Subscribe to The BEAR Minimum at thebearminimum.substack.comEmail us at: wb.bearminimum@gmail.comTweet us at: @WB_BearMinimumPlease rate and review us on whatever platform you listen on.

Welcome to The Unconventional Path: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Stories and Ideas! In this episode, hosts Bela Musits and Mike Wasserman sit down with software tech entrepreneur Menil Vukovic, live from Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.Building a business across geographical boundaries can feel like an impossible task. In this deep-dive interview, Menil shares his personal history running three tech companies—including his first product venture, Tinpu (a matchmaking social engine for recreational sports), and his current custom software development firm, Pier Shadow.Whether you are a software engineer dreaming of your first launch, a business owner struggling with communication in a remote or hybrid workforce, or an executive planning to expand into international markets, this episode delivers actionable advice on the realities of cross-border commerce.Key Topics Discussed in This EpisodeThe Reality of Failure and Product-Market Fit: Menil openly discusses how his first startup "crashed and burned." Learn why having a great idea or getting the legal paperwork registered first isn't enough if you don't truly understand your target country's mindset.How to Find B2B Clients via Referrals: Discover why 70% to 80% of Pier Shadow's business funnel relies heavily on organic referrals, ex-clients, partnerships, and former colleagues rather than traditional advertising.Cracking the Global Market Strategy: Moving into Europe, Asia, or the US? Bela, Mike, and Menil break down why you need to find a local liaison, grasp employment law differences, navigate currency fluctuations, and avoid expensive legal penalties.The "Fast Follower" Strategy: Bela reflects on his early career at General Electric (GE) and the strategic power of being a close second rather than a first-mover pioneer, allowing competitors to test out market risks first.Managing Hybrid and Remote Work Environments: Get an inside look at how Pier Shadow utilizes corporate communication stacks like Gmail, Slack, and Google Meet while intentionally fighting off productivity-killing "company spam." Menil shares his unique philosophy on practicing strict self-discipline, writing concise asynchronous notes, and knowing when to completely archive inactive communication channels.SEO Search TermsCross-Border Commerce, Software Engineering Startups, Global Market Strategy, Custom Software Development, Product Market Fit, Business Referrals, Fast Follower Strategy, Remote Team Management, Tech Entrepreneurship Podcast, Hybrid Workforce Productivity, International Business Development, Asynchronous Communication, Corporate Slack Tips, Tech Nerds in Business, Startup Failure Lessons.If you enjoyed learning about the intersection of technology, corporate culture, and international business, please support the show! Hit that Subscribe button on YouTube or your favorite podcast app to move us up the rankings so other creators can discover our archive.

Henry Tolbert was sitting at a fire pit behind a rental house, grilling hot dogs for his wife and four daughters because the insurance money for their flooded home was running out, when he finally said out loud what he had been avoiding for months: this isn't fine.A few years earlier, Henry had been leading a small church that grew from 40 people to nearly 200, and had been named bishop over 65 churches. Then, without warning, discord broke out with the leader who had brought him in, and he was forced to resign from everything at once. In that same season, an unidentified animal chewed through the water lines in the walls of his home, flooding the first floor and displacing his family for six weeks. He had no job, no income, and what he calls a broken sense of purpose.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Henry tells Lori Saitz the full arc: a high school football career derailed by one injury after another, a scholarship earned in just five games, an NFL tryout built on the wrong game tape, a Bible study intervention that redirected him into ministry, and the fire pit moment that gave him permission to stop building other people's dreams and finally build his own.What You'll Take AwayWhy a childhood dream pursued through repeated injury taught Henry more than an NFL career would haveHow losing his ministry role and his home in the same season forced an honest reckoning he had been avoiding for yearsWhy judging his life by lead goals, the inputs he controls, instead of lag goals, the outcomes he doesn't, changed how he shows up every dayWhat shifted when Henry stopped chasing clients and started inviting people insteadHow admitting he wasn't fine gave him permission to finally build something of his ownGuest BioHenry Tolbert spent years answering “How are you?” with “I'm fine” while quietly running on fumes, leading a church, building a business, and pretending he had it all together. Spoiler: he didn't. Now he's the Founder of Simple Systems Consulting, author of The Comeback Plan, and a recovering “I'm fine” addict who helps pastors and entrepreneurs stop white-knuckling their way through leadership and start building systems that actually let them breathe. He's also an Associate Pastor, podcast co-host, husband, dad of four, and a man who once grilled hot dogs over a fire pit in his backyard because life had completely fallen apart, and decided that was the last time he'd pretend everything was fine when it wasn't.Chapters & Key Timestamps00:00Opening and introductions — the Henry connection and generational names01:33The values that shaped him: faith and football in Birmingham, Alabama05:07A high school career derailed by injury after injury07:07Five games, one scholarship, and a record-setting career at Grambling State07:47What NFL scouts never saw: the tape from his best season08:47His grandmother's plea to walk away — and why he couldn't11:07The Bible study intervention that redirected him toward ministry13:47“There's a light around you” — the moment that sealed it14:47Becoming a bishop over 65 churches, then losing it overnight15:47The critters, the flooded house, and six weeks displaced with four daughters17:47The fire pit moment: admitting he wasn't fine21:07Why people of faith are so good at sweeping things under the rug25:47Lead goals vs. lag goals: judging life by inputs, not outcomes27:47The coaching advice that changed everything: invite, don't chase29:47Why the people who found him became his best clients31:47Building an audience by just showing up, even when only his wife was watching34:07In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins: Henry's walk-up song35:07Where to find Henry: getchurchsystems.com and mybusinesssystems.comResources MentionedBook: The Comeback Plan by Henry TolbertFree Resource: Get Church Systems — getchurchsystems.com (for ministry and church leaders)Free Resource: My Business Systems — mybusinesssystems.com (for business owners and entrepreneurs)Resource: The Mandate Method — themandatemethod.comSong: In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins — open.spotify.com/track/7Dbg5O9nNWu6SWxDjJ9qoqConnect With Henry TolbertCompany: Simple Systems ConsultingWebsite: getchurchsystems.comWebsite: mybusinesssystems.comWebsite: themandatemethod.comBook: The Comeback PlanLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/henry-tolbert-005a3943Facebook: facebook.com/htolbertInstagram: instagram.com/henry_tolbertContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 237: Scott Doggett — a leader who lost his role suddenly and rebuilt around a clearer sense of who he actually was.About FINE is a 4-Letter WordFINE is a 4-Letter Word is the show for leaders who are tired of pretending everything is fine. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially during the seasons when life and leadership feel anything but fine. Listen for honest conversations about how human connection influences innovation, retention, leadership, and real impact. New episodes every week.Follow FINE is a 4-Letter WordFollow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. If this conversation gave you something useful to think about, leave a review. Reviews help more people discover the show and join the conversation.

In this episode, we sit down with Brianna Keefe, founder and CEO of Toastique — a fresh, made-in-house cafe concept that started as a single 1,000 square foot store in Washington D.C. in 2018 and has grown to over 65 locations across 25 states, entirely through franchising and word of mouth. Brianna opened her first store at 24 with no formal marketing plan, no app, and no third party delivery — just a highly shareable product, a commitment to quality, and an instinct for community. She opens up about how grassroots marketing and in-person community building became the foundation of Toastique's entire growth strategy, what the pandemic taught her about the strength of the brand she had built, how she has had to evolve as a leader as the business scaled, and the customer service principles she swears by that any business in any industry can apply. Key Takeaways:// Word of mouth is still the most powerful marketing channel you have. Toastique spent nothing on marketing for its first year and a half. The product was shareable, the experience was memorable, and customers did the rest. Brianna's belief: if you focus on quality and experience from day one, that becomes embedded in the culture of the brand.// Grassroots marketing compounds over time. Before apps, third party delivery, or a formal strategy, Toastique built its presence by showing up in the community — catering office breakfasts, doing pop ups in residential buildings, and connecting with neighboring small businesses. That foundation still drives some of their strongest growth today.// Product presentation is a marketing decision. Toastique was built from the beginning around food that looks as good as it tastes because people eat with their eyes first. The visual shareability of the product meant customers were doing organic social marketing without being asked.// Be knowledgeable about what you sell, at every level of the team. Toastique requires every team member to pass an 80-question product knowledge quiz before working the register. If someone cannot answer a customer's question confidently, the experience breaks down — no matter how warm the greeting was.// Personalization at scale is still possible. Remembering names, orders, and personal details — and following up on them — is what turns a transaction into a relationship. In hospitality and in marketing, that memorability factor is what keeps people coming back.Connect with Brianna: LinkedIn____Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collectiveSay hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

How much of your marketing technology budget is quietly underperforming, not because the software is flawed, but because your teams can't, or won't, fully adopt it?Because real agility was never about buying faster tools. It's about having an operating model that can actually turn a tool's potential into results, and keep doing it as the tools keep changing.Today we're digging into the phase that quietly decides whether any martech investment pays off: what happens after the contract is signed with things like implementation and adoption. We'll get into:- Why rollouts stall — and why the real cause is usually the operating model, not the tool.- What it takes to move a team from "trained" to genuinely changed.- How to measure real value without fooling yourself with usage metrics.- And what shifts once the platform starts doing some of the work itself.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Kate Dalbey, Chief Client Officer at Qualified Digital.About Kate DalbeyAs CCO, Kate leads client management and growth initiatives at Qualified Digital, bringing over 20 years of digital marketing experience from both client-side and agency-side roles. She's responsible for driving organic and net new growth by leading multi-disciplinary teams who turn light-bulb ideas into fantastic outcomes for the brands QD works with. Kate is guided by the client philosophy that "we grow because they grow." Kate has consistently delivered year-over-year growth in her portfolio within fast-paced, high-growth start-up environments. She passionately believes that digital experiences can change people's lives for the better and works diligently to see these outcomes arrive in real time. In her daily life at QD, Kate enjoys what she calls "the relentless pursuit of better business results" and takes pride in building the teams that can create them, from idea to strategy to plan to execution and measurement. Because what's next isn't enough, it's what's north that really gets her excited. Kate's career experience is deeply rooted in healthcare, across provider, payer, and life sciences. The client roster she's managed includes category powerhouses CVS Health, CommonSpirit Health, Mayo Clinic, Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, Aetna, Sunrise Senior Living, Gelesis, UNCH, Jefferson Health, Cedars-Sinai, Spaulding Rehabilitation, UHS, and Wedgewood Pharmacy. She's also led digital transformation for AmeriGas, Hitachi Vantara, Thomson Reuters, ScanSource, U of Pennsylvania, and the Am. Board of Internal Medicine. When Kate isn't delivering her unique brand of magic at QD, she's with her husband and 2 sons. She loves cheering on Philly sports teams, coaching youth soccer with her husband, and traveling with her family.Kate Dalbey on LinkedIn---------- Resources ---------- Qualified DigitalThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save!Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit!Chaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off.Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show.Connect with Greg on LinkedInDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more.Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology.The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guys do some deep work. Prolific author and computer scientist Cal Newport joins the podcast. The gang talks about why email is a slog, what sparks human creativity, why the good life needs thoughtful deliberation, why Slack is a bummer, why the apocalyptic AI warnings are out of control, why productivity is different than […]

Watch Us On YouTube! Announcing a new, ongoing benefit for annual subscribers of our Slack community. Annual subscribers receive a free Points Path Alerts subscription OR a 30% discount on Points Path Pro. Who actually deserves that empty first-class seat—and should an airline ever downgrade a passenger to make room for its own crew? Ed and Richard kick things off with two very different upgrade situations on American Airlines. Richard found himself first on the upgrade list with two seats remaining, only to see those seats occupied by non-revenue flight attendants. That leads into a much bigger debate over a family reportedly downgraded from business class on a Miami–Milan flight to accommodate deadheading pilots. The guys discuss the important difference between deadheading and non-rev travel, whether award passengers should be more vulnerable to downgrades, and why these decisions can undermine airline loyalty. Then, Flying Blue is introducing Light, Standard and Flex award tickets, effectively bringing the unbundling trend to award travel. A Light business-class award can mean no advance seat assignment, no lounge access and no changes or refunds. Flying Blue elites retain some benefits, but Ed and Richard worry about what this trend means for everyone sitting on a pile of airline miles. They also react to Starlux selling miles for a whopping four cents apiece and do the math on whether buying enough for a business-class award could possibly make sense. Spoiler alert: they're not reaching for their wallets. Plus, Alaska Airlines is expanding its international ambitions with new Seattle flights to Paris and Athens, and the FAA has Ed and Richard debating one of the most pressing issues in aviation: apparently, your pre-departure beverage could be an evacuation hazard. Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community.  Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways. Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Follow Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/ Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/ ✈️ What We Cover in This Episode ✈️ Richard gets skipped on the upgrade list Two first-class seats remained Non-revenue flight attendants ended up sitting up front Why published elite benefits should actually be honored ✈️ Should passengers ever be downgraded for airline crews? Deadheading pilots versus non-rev employees A family downgraded on a Miami–Milan flight Award tickets versus cash tickets How these decisions affect customer loyalty ✈️ Flying Blue unbundles award tickets New Light, Standard and Flex awards Business class without lounge access or advance seat selection Change and refund restrictions Why this could function as an award-price increase ✈️ Flying Blue status becomes more valuable Elite benefits still apply to Light awards The advantage for travelers who matched status through Bilt Why status matters when airlines start stripping benefits from fares ✈️ Would you buy Starlux miles for four cents each? Roughly $6,000 for enough miles for a 150,000-mile award Why an expensive cash fare doesn't necessarily make that a bargain When buying miles can make sense ✈️ Alaska expands to Paris and Athens New service from Seattle Why Athens is becoming such a popular destination Greek islands and connecting leisure demand How much service the market can support ✈️ Alaska's 787 service challenges Flight attendants raise concerns about staffing Large premium cabins and additional service elements Comparing staffing with other long-haul carriers ✈️ The FAA comes for your pre-departure beverage Airline-provided cups must be collected before pushback Why Richard thinks the rule is ridiculous Ed's foolproof method for guaranteeing himself a pre-departure beverage ⏱️ Episode 451 Timestamps 10:16 – Richard gets skipped for a first-class upgrade 13:12 – Non-revs vs. deadheading crews: who should get the seat? 15:28 – Should an award passenger ever be downgraded for a pilot? 18:13 – Flying Blue introduces Light, Standard and Flex awards 19:23 – Business class without lounge access, seat selection or flexibility 22:30 – Starlux sells miles for an eye-popping four cents each 24:40 – Alaska adds Seattle–Paris and Seattle–Athens 28:40 – Alaska 787 flight attendants raise staffing concerns 30:14 – The FAA's new enforcement around pre-departure beverages

Nvidia will report earnings this Wednesday amid growing challenges for the AI industry, including the financial vulnerability of some of its biggest customers. WSJ's David Uberti breaks down what the chip giant is doing to shore up those potential weaknesses across the market. Plus, WSJ's Callum Borchers explains how companies are using AI to monitor worker productivity – and shares tips for evading the sneaky trackers. Isabelle Bousquette, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute, hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Richard McGirr is the co-founder and CEO of Property Llama and Property Llama Capital, an income focused fund sponsor that helps accredited investors move underperforming real estate equity into passively managed, cash flowing investments. He also hosts Unlimited Capital on the Best Ever CRE network, where he covers capital raising, fund operations, and the business of building an investment platform. Richard and his partner Chris Lopez launched their own firm roughly two years ago, after raising about $55 million in 18 months at a previous shop. The first twelve months were a grind. Today the firm runs about $42 million in its own debt fund, raised $24 million last year, and treats capital raising as a measurable sales and marketing operation rather than a relationship exercise. Richard McGirr returns for part two to open the books on capital raising. He starts with why debt funds reshaped his business. Carried interest is collected every month rather than at a sale, which turns a raise into recurring revenue instead of a run of acquisition fees. With rates elevated, investors have pulled in their time horizons, and a fund that distributes within 60 days is a far easier sell than an equity deal that pays on exit in year five. From there Richard walks through the machinery. He explains why launching his own firm nearly failed once the low hanging fruit ran out, why weekly dials are the leading indicator he manages against, and why he pays for access to trusted distribution instead of building an audience from scratch. He also lays out his full funnel, from a single webinar to a 50 email drip to a same day phone call triggered by a link click.       Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Debt fund carry is collected monthly, which turns a raise into recurring revenue Higher rates shorten investor time horizons and favor shorter lockups Manage weekly dials and new qualified leads, because both sit inside your control Buy access to trusted distribution rather than building an audience from scratch One webinar delivered repeatedly outperforms ten new ones Call every investor who clicks a link, the same day     Topics Why Debt Funds Became the Engine of the Business Carried interest is collected monthly, not at a sale About $42 million in the fund throws off just under $2 million a year in carry At their previous firm, the debt fund quietly covered company payroll Why Debt Funds Sell Faster Right Now Higher rates pull investor time preference in LPs receive a first distribution within 60 days Lockups run 18 to 24 months, with monthly loan payoffs providing liquidity Why the Launch Nearly Failed The easy network at the previous firm was already tapped Every personal network runs out eventually Messaging, product selection, sales management, and email drips all had to be rebuilt Dials Are the Metric You Control Sales results are input driven, and inputs are the only controllable variable Richard's team makes 200 calls a week Moving from 25 to 100 dials a week tripled soft commits within two weeks Lead Quality Over Lead Volume Minimums are $100,000, with no exceptions Two paid Best Ever webinars raised $1 million each, at roughly half a percent media cost of capital A webinar swap with an estate planner produced 600 registrants and zero closes Large audiences skew toward broad content and non-accredited viewers Brand Transfer From Paid Webinars Presenting on a trusted platform borrows that platform's credibility Investors arrive already willing to listen, so there is less convincing to do The result is a higher conversion rate in less time Earned Media vs. Paid Media Earned media costs nothing and converts well, but the ceiling is low Richard hosts on Best Ever CRE and Chris Lopez hosts on PassivePockets Paid webinars buy speed, volume, and control over timing One Webinar, Delivered Repeatedly The Intro to Private Lending webinar is the only one they run Staff are tasked with sourcing groups and pricing webinar slots Fear the operator who has delivered one webinar 10,000 times Go Where Buyers Already Gather Publishing content and waiting to be found rarely reaches your ideal investor Target communities built around passive income and financial independence Capital raising is a two sided market, and plenty of people are already looking to deploy Richard's Funnel, Start to Finish A webinar form on the site leads to the replay and a 50 email drip Any link click notifies the sales team on Slack and triggers a same day call Of 25,000 contacts, roughly 100 are actively in market at any given time Winning the Attention Battle Investors triage hundreds of emails a day, and your offering sits at the bottom Rank your list by opens and clicks before you start dialing Ask for a specific commitment, such as watching the webinar within three days Interested investors rarely call to say they are on the fence, they simply go quiet    

Get our anti-AI slop checklist: https://clickhubspot.com/lhug Most marketers have AI in the wrong order. Tool first, brain second. David Epstein, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Range, explains why that order is quietly making your work worse, and gives Kipp the one rule that flips it.David's new book, Inside the Box, argues that constraints are what make people and companies better. Kipp puts that to the test against the reality of marketing in 2026: infinite tools, infinite output, and a growing pile of AI slop nobody reads. What follows is a set of exercises real teams use to think before they build: write the press release first, prototype the box before the product, ask "if we had half the budget, how would we do it," run a subtraction audit every quarter, and treat AI as the second step, never the first. WHAT WE COVER:→ Why "think fast, act slow" is the pattern behind most failed projects (16,000 of them)→ How Pixar keeps directors in story development for years, on purpose→ Tony Fadell's rule: write the press release at the start, not the end→ The Nest box test: if it doesn't fit on the box, it's not a priority→ Why the internet stripped marketing of its healthy constraints→ Getting the pain up front so it doesn't cost you 10x later→ Nobody wants a drill, they want a hole (and AI is a broom with a laser pointer)→ The feature-dump epidemic and why simplicity wins in a world of abundance→ Why everyone assumes you already know what they know→ Explore vs exploit: how Range and Inside the Box fit together→ What to say to a team that says "we're not resourced for this"→ How NASA found water on the Moon with half the budget→ Why Amazon forces frugality on people with unlimited money→ Brooks' Law: adding people to a late project makes it later→ The legacy constraint: "if we were going out of business in two years"→ Kipp's reboot question (teams would stop 80% of what they do)→ Sunk cost, design freeze, and the featuritis that sank US shipbuilding→ HipChat vs Slack and the difference between sunk cost and opportunity cost→ How David actually uses AI (and why he doesn't write with it)→ AI is GPS for your brain: the early research on AI and learning→ Brain first, tool second: the rule that stops AI slop→ What an "AI slob" is and how to know if you're one→ The subtraction audit: cut one thing every quarter Host: Kipp BodnarGuest: David Epstein, author of Range, The Sports Gene, and Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better Loop: Outlearn. Outmarket. Outgrow ⁠https://www.hubspot.com/loop-marketing-book https://davidepstein.com/ Inside The Box https://a.co/d/06AsbsZ0 We're on Social Media! Follow us for everyday marketing wisdom straight to your feed YouTube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@matgpod⁠ Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/matgpod⁠  TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@marketingatg⁠  Thank you for tuning into Marketing Against The Grain! Don't forget to hit subscribe and follow us on Apple Podcasts (so you never miss an episode)! ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marketing-against-the-grain/id1616700934⁠   We really appreciate your support. Host Links: Kipp Bodnar, ⁠https://twitter.com/kippbodnar⁠   Kieran Flanagan, ⁠https://twitter.com/searchbrat⁠  ‘Marketing Against The Grain' is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by Hubspot Media // Produced by Darren Clarke.

See what the team at The Successful Bookkeeper has on right now → If you've been watching the AI wave roll in and wondering what it means for your bookkeeping practice, this episode is for you. Alex Lee, co-founder and CEO of Truewind, brings a clear-eyed perspective grounded in three and a half years of building AI tools specifically for accountants. His message is direct: the future of accounting has always been about you, and that isn't changing. Chapters [00:00] Opening: Fear and Opportunity [01:18] Alex Lee's Unlikely Path to AI [04:18] The Future Is Still You [08:00] Will AI Replace Bookkeepers? [12:00] Crawl, Walk, Run: Getting Started [16:30] AI Adoption Across the Profession [19:30] Data Privacy and Security Checklist [24:00] Vision for Accounting's Future [27:00] About Truewind The Work That Has Always Mattered Alex draws a useful historical line — from carving debits and credits in limestone, to paper ledgers, to file cabinets, to cloud software, and now AI. "I see AI as the next iteration of technology that may shape how accountants are doing the work," he says. "But ultimately, the work of the accountants is the same." What AI does is create space for bookkeepers to spend more time on the things that are genuinely hard to automate: being a trusted advisor, being a real business partner, and — as Alex puts it — shaking hands and looking someone in the eye. Those things don't disappear no matter how good the models get. The Spreadsheet Comparison Worth Remembering When the fear of replacement comes up — and it does — Alex points to a pattern that has played out before. When spreadsheets arrived, people predicted mass job losses in accounting. Instead, the profession grew. Some small business owners did start managing their own five-line chart of accounts, and some will use AI to handle basic recordkeeping themselves. But that's not your client. "As accountants, it puts you in a very unique position to elevate yourself in terms of your AI skills and demonstrate to businesses, I know how to use this tool exceptionally well." The expertise gap has always been the value. AI doesn't close that gap — it widens it in your favor if you lean in. A Crawl, Walk, Run Framework for Getting Started Alex is practical about adoption. Start by picking one AI tool you've already heard of — maybe tried once — and use it for everyday tasks: drafting a client email, writing a performance review, planning a trip. Get comfortable at that level before adding complexity. Walking looks like connecting your AI to your Slack, email, or call recordings and asking it to synthesize information — summarizing client pain points before a proposal, for example. Running is letting AI handle a meaningful portion of your day-to-day operations. "Just get started," Alex says. "Over time, get more sophisticated, and then over time, let it be the primary operating system for you." Handling Data Privacy the Right Way Financial data demands careful handling, and Alex doesn't gloss over it. His checklist for vetting any AI vendor: confirm they are SOC 2 Type 2 compliant with a reputable auditor (not a quick rubber-stamp), verify that data privacy agreements exist between your vendor and the underlying model providers like OpenAI or Anthropic, and look for a genuine philosophy of data protection — not just a claim on a website. For teams that are still nervous about connecting client data to AI tools, his advice mirrors the crawl-walk-run approach: start by using AI internally with your own team's Slack and shared drives. Build confidence there before expanding to client-facing workflows. A Bigger Demand for Accountants Is Coming Alex's outlook for the next one to five years is genuinely optimistic. He sees AI acting as a catalyst for what he calls a "Cambrian explosion of demand for accounting." As business models shift from billable hours toward fixed-fee engagements and technology enables firms to handle more clients with the same headcount, he expects more businesses — not fewer — to seek out qualified accounting professionals. "Accountants can get more done with less, driving an influx of demand for what accounting firms can provide." The firms positioning themselves now, building AI literacy and deepening client relationships, are the ones that will be ready to capture that demand. Links Mentioned Truewind — Alex's AI-powered accounting platform The Successful Bookkeeper — show resources and guest information PureBookkeeping — episode sponsor, proven system to grow your bookkeeping business About the Guest Alex Lee is the co-founder and CEO of Truewind, an AI-powered accounting platform built for accounting firms and corporate finance teams. Before founding Truewind, Alex worked as an aerospace engineer at Boeing, spent time in venture capital, and built a financial planning and analysis company. Truewind launched in the same month as ChatGPT and has spent the past three and a half years building what Alex describes as an "agentic workspace" for accountants — integrating with QuickBooks Online, Sage Intacct, and NetSuite to help teams cut close time by 30 to 50%. You can reach Alex directly on LinkedIn or learn more at truewind.ai. About the hostMichael PalmerMichael Palmer is the host of The Successful Bookkeeper podcast and co-founder of Pure Bookkeeping and The Successful Bookkeeper. He started this work because of his father — a brilliant electrical contractor who worked twice as hard as he should have had to, because nobody on the financial side was in his corner. That gap is what The Successful Bookkeeper exists to close. His view: bookkeepers are the most undervalued force in small business — and every bookkeeper who builds a real business changes two families: theirs, and their clients'.

OPINION: The enemy of my enemy: Why defeating the Duterte brand requires giving Marcos Jr. some slack | August 25, 2026.Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcherTune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein#TheManilaTimes#KeepUpWithTheTimes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kris and David are back as we discuss the week that was August 16-23, 1994. Topics of discussion include:Hulk Hogan giving a very candid interview to the Gainesville Sun newspaper talking about Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Vince McMahon, joining WCW, and more.The greatness of the Rhodes family vs. Stud Stable feud in Summer 1994.Jesse Ventura having issues as Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.Antonio Inoki & George Foreman negotiating for a super fight in North Korea in 1995.Super Vader winning the UWFi World Title from Nobuhiko Takada in one of the most famous bouts of the era.Konnan cements his rudo turn in AAA as Los Gringos Locos become a major force.The drama between ECW, Dennis Coralluzzo, and Jim Crockett regarding the NWA World Heavyweight Title tournament seems to be getting smoothed over as everyone comes to an agreement so the tournament can take place.Shane Douglas and Paul E. Dangerously cut promos ECW TV about the tournament, with Shane specifically targetting "Dick Flair."The Gangstas' first big show as main eventers flops and Dave Meltzer speculates on their future as New Jack calls out the Knoxville NAACP on SMW TV.Chris Candido and Tammy Fytch turn on Brian Lee after losing the SMW Tag Team Titles.Doug Gilbert gets suspended in the USWA, so he doesn't have to risk his mane in hair matches…yet.The greatness of Sid Vicious in the USWA and why he was so different there from anywhere else.Austin Idol returning to Memphis in grand fashion.Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler taking viewer phone calls on WWF Sunday Night Slam and what an experience that was.All of that plus so much more on an extremely fun episode of BTS!!!Timestamps:0:00:00 WCW1:03:39 Int'l: AJPW, NJPW, FMW, Michinoku Pro, RINGS, UWFi, JWP, Maharaj Promotions, CWA, AAA, CMLL, & UWA1:39:40 Classic Commercial Break1:43:46 Halftime2:31:07 Other USA: NWA, ECW, NWA Sabu, IWA (OH), SMW, USWA, Mid-South, & GWF4:10:27 WWFTo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to My AEW and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Thanks Pressable for supporting the show! Get your special hosting deal at https://pressable.com/wpminuteBecome a WP Minute Supporter & Slack member at https://thewpminute.com/supportOur July 2026 WP Minute Member Meetup was dedicated to all things WooCommerce. Developer Advocate Brian Coords joined us to demonstrate a variety of new and experimental features. He also shared Woo's plan to address the existing backlog of bugs and other issues. The goal is to produce a stable eCommerce platform that also meets modern demands.We also looked at AI's role in Woo and WordPress. Brian provided insight on the future of agentic commerce, store management features, and customer interactions.Takeaways:WooCommerce is focusing on cleaning up backlog issues to improve user experience.AI submissions in open source can be both beneficial and challenging.The goal is to reduce the number of open issues significantly.User experience is crucial for retaining customers in WooCommerce.WooCommerce aims to improve UI consistency across its extensions.Block themes are being developed to enhance the WooCommerce experience.AI integration is being explored for better store management and analytics.The future of e-commerce may involve AI-driven purchasing experiences.Important Links:Woo Developer BlogWooCommerce is the foundation of our entire ecosystemWooCommerce 11.0: What's coming for developersUnifying extension settings in WooCommerceThe WP Minute+ Podcast: thewpminute.com/subscribe ★ Support this podcast ★

Have you ever wondered if your time management and productivity issues might not be about the amount of work you have to do, but rather the way you think about that work?  That's what we're looking at today.   Links: Email Me | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Linkedin   Learn more about the Productivity Academy Get Your Copy Of Your Time, Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived Plan Your Week With Me: The Weekly Planning Matrix. The Working With… Weekly Newsletter Carl Pullein Learning Centre Carl's YouTube Channel Carl Pullein Coaching Programmes Subscribe to my Substack  The Working With… Podcast Previous episodes page   Script |430 Hello, and welcome to episode 430 of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast. A podcast to answer all your questions about productivity, time management, self-development, and goal planning. My name is Carl Pullein, and I am your host of this show.  Since I began helping people directly with time management and productivity, I would say that around 60% of people's struggles come down to the way they organise their work, around 35% come down to the way they think about it, and only 5% come down to the volume of work coming in.  Talk to practically anyone today, and they will tell you they are busy. It's almost like a badge of honour.  The number one reason people say they don't exercise is that they don't have enough time. Is that really true, or is it that they value doing something else more?  I'm reminded of something the legendary Jim Rohn used to say: “Don't mistake movement for achievement. It's easy to get faked out by being busy. The question is: Busy doing what?” If I look at my to-do list right now, I guess I am busy. I have this script, a newsletter and a long-form article to write. I also have to record three YouTube Shorts videos, edit them and record this podcast.  I have around five pieces of feedback to write for my coaching clients, do my exercise, take Louis for a walk, and cook dinner.  Yet, I don't feel busy. The reason is that I understand that it doesn't all have to be done today. All I have to do is decide what can be done today and do that.  The truth is, we all have far more to do than we can do at any one time. And equally true is that it doesn't have to be done right now or even today.  So, with all that said, let me hand you over to the Mystery Podcast Voice for this week's question.  This week's question comes from Elaine. Elaine asks, hi Carl, what advice would you give to someone who is always busy and never has time to do their most important work?  Hi Elaine, love the question. Short and sweet.  I would first refer you to the Jim Rohn question ” Busy doing what?”  If you feel constantly busy from the moment you wake up until you go to bed, the first thing I would suggest is to look at what you are doing during your waking hours.  Write down what you are doing over a period of 48 hours or so. Not just your professional work, but your personal things too.  I would also add that you write out what you would prefer to be doing instead. Write these down side by side. Draw a vertical line down the middle of a page, and on the left write what you spend your days doing, and on the right what you would prefer to be doing instead.  Be completely honest. If you discover, for example, that you spend 90 minutes a day on social media and a further 2 hours watching TV, write that down.  You're not going to necessarily remove those. Instead, what you want to be asking yourself is whether spending time on the activities you currently spend time on is worthwhile.  Initially, you will try to justify spending time on these activities. This is the same response we have when someone challenges one of our opinions. Our natural instinct is to defend ourselves.  When you first write down these activities. Don't judge. Just write them down. All you want to know is precisely where your time goes.  I've found that if you leave it for a few days and come back to it, you will begin to look at things a little more objectively. Instead of trying to justify the expense of your time, you begin to ask questions such as: Do I really need to do that? And is this regular event I attend worth all the extra work it produces?  Often, the problem for many people is that everything they want to do requires time. Just sitting and thinking requires time, as does making a cup of coffee. Time never stands still.  And the problem with time, or rather, the way we measure time, is that we have 24 hours each day. That's the one immovable part we have to deal with each day, but at least that gives us one constant. That can be worked with. If you were to study the habits and routines of highly productive people, you would notice that they all have strong barriers between the three basics of their lives.  There's time for work, time for family and social life, and time for self.  There's no discipline involved. It's just a strict division of time between the three.  Their wake-up time is consistent. For example, if they wake up at 7:30 am, they wake up at that time every day, including weekends. Then they do something that I find most unproductive people don't do. They follow the same routine.  It's their morning routine.  Morning routines are interesting because each person's is different.  Yet, the most stressed-out, overwhelmed and exhausted people I work with have no morning routine. They crawl out of bed, rush out the door and start on their work. There's no moment for themselves.  These are the people who immediately pick up their phones to check for messages and start replying.  No tea or coffee or even a bathroom break. Just open eyes, open phone, start the workday.  Think about what's happening there. You come into the conscious world, and before anything else, you allow other people's priorities to take control of your day.  And if you have young kids, when you leave the bedroom, your kids need attention; perhaps you need to get them ready for school, make their breakfast, all this with a brain full of all those messages you just read from your phone before you left the bedroom.  One of my favourite YouTube channels is Harry's Garage. The channel is about cars, and Harry often reviews very expensive Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Range Rovers, and Aston Martins.  These are highly tuned performance cars, yet Harry will always remind us that when you start a car cold, before you can put it through its paces, you need to give it time to reach optimal operating temperature.  Funnily enough, that's the same for you and me. You're not going to be at your best the moment you wake up, which means any decision you make first thing is unlikely to be the best decision you make.  So, try starting your day slowly. Give yourself thirty minutes and make sure those thirty minutes are focused on you.  When it comes to work, set a strict start time for yourself.  So, to keep the examples in line, let's imagine you start your work at 9:00 am. Then do not consider work before then. That may take a little adjusting to, but if you develop a strong set of morning routines, you won't be thinking about work until it's time for work.  Then, here's a trick. Do not allow anything to be scheduled for the first 30 minutes of your day. This is your getting a heads up on the day time. It's when you can say hello and chat with your co-workers, deal with any emergencies and check to make sure there are no fires lurking in your inbox.  Those thirty minutes are also a great time to review your plan for the day.  Now, when I say “plan,” I simply mean making sure you know where your appointments are and what your must-do tasks for the day are. It's a simple two-minute review and gives you time to map out your day.  Mapping out your day is just about deciding when you will do your must-do tasks. Your meetings are fixed, so what you are looking for is the gaps in between and deciding what you will do in those gaps.  Now here's the thing: just as it's important to have a strict start time, there also needs to be a strict closing time for work.  Let's imagine that you set 6:00 pm as your end-of-work time; this means that around 5:50 pm, you stop what you're doing, review what you've done, and reschedule anything you didn't get to.  Then look at what you have on your calendar for tomorrow, and decide on your two must-do tasks. That's it. Done.  Then it's family and social time.  Now, as you listen to these words, it may sound like a lot. But is it? What you are doing is automating as much as you can so you are not rushing around trying to decide what to do next. It's all this decision-making that's mentally exhausting you.  If you can automate these decisions by having a morning routine, a work closing-down sequence, and mapping out your workday, you'll find that you feel less busy, more in control and much less tired at the end of the day.  We feel so busy all the time because we tend to look at long lists of things to do. For example, if you look at your Slack messages or email, you are looking at each individual message. It's natural. It's a long list of stuff you feel you must attend to.  Yet, if you were to treat your Slack or Teams messages and email as one task, all you need to decide is when you will handle them.  For example, if you decide that at 4:30 pm you will work on your messages and spend an hour on them, then it doesn't matter how many messages you have in there. You will respond to as many as you can.  Another quick tip: start with the oldest first. These can often be dealt with much faster than messages that have just come in. Don't worry, if you stay consistent with this, you'll soon find yourself getting back on top of them.  Now, for those of you who tend to procrastinate, the science behind it is fascinating. Procrastination is a perfectly normal human reaction. It has nothing to do with laziness or any other human condition. It's actually what psychologists call an “emotional regulation response”. When you look at a long report or a messy inbox, your brain sees a threat. It anticipates boredom, failure, or making a fool of yourself. And so your brain sets off an alarm to protect you.  And how does it protect you? By pushing you towards easier tasks. Cleaning your desk or looking at social media, for example. (Or, in my case, cleaning a fountain pen and refilling it)  Incredibly productive people aren't immune to these negative emotions. Instead, what they have done is build systems and processes to do their work. “It's 4:30 pm, time to do my communications.” Oh, it's time to work on that report”.  These systems make it extremely difficult to not do the work.  This is why putting in place strict barriers around your personal, social and professional life works. You are not allowing your brain to set off an emotional response. You turn up, you know what to do and do it.  And this planning does not take much time. Planning the day may take 5 minutes; reviewing your plan in the first 30 minutes of your workday may take 2 minutes. That's it.  Then you follow your plan. Sure, there will be interruptions, distractions and other people's emergencies. Deal with them as best you can, then get back to your plan. If you have to revise your plan, do so. This does not mean you've failed. All it means is you've adjusted your plan.  I hope that helps, Elaine. Thank you for your question, and thank you to you too for listening.  It just remains for me now to wish you all a very, very productive week.   

What if the biggest barrier to scaling your retail media investment isn't technology, but a fundamental disagreement on what success even looks like?Agility requires not just adopting new tools, but also being willing to challenge the measurement frameworks we've grown accustomed to.Today, we're going to talk about the nuanced world of in-store retail media measurement and why the old rules no longer apply. Specifically, we'll cover:- Why the standard approach to measuring in-store media, often borrowed from digital, is creating friction and stalling budget growth.- How to create a unified measurement language that aligns brands, retailers, and agencies around a common definition of success.- Practical steps to move in-store media from experimental budgets to scalable, repeatable investments grounded in actual product movement.To help me discuss this topic and ISM and IAB's recent report, I'd like to welcome Paul Brenner, SVP, Global Retail Media and Partnerships at In-Store Marketplace (ISM) and Collin Colburn, Vice President, Commerce & Retail Media at IAB) and Collin Colburn, Vice President, Commerce & Retail Media at IAB.About Paul BrennerPaul Brenner is Senior Vice President of Retail Media and Partnerships with 25+ years of leadership in media, entertainment, and ad tech. He has led innovation in audio and broadcast, driving advancements in audience measurement, in-car experiences, and data attribution, and later scaling in-store audio advertising through strategic growth and partnerships. Known for identifying high-impact technology and revenue opportunities, Paul now focuses on evolving the in-store retail media landscape.Paul Brenner on LinkedInAbout Collin ColburnCollin Colburn serves as Vice President, Commerce & Retail Media at IAB where he leads the Commerce Center of Excellence. In this role, he drives innovation, education, and standards across the commerce ecosystem to help brands, retailers, and technology partners deliver better media opportunities, customer experiences, and business outcomes. Prior to IAB, Collin led Growth and Go-To-Market Strategy at Horizon Commerce and spent over a decade at Forrester, where he pioneered the firm's performance marketing and retail media practice. He partnered with B2B and B2C CMOs to advance their marketing strategies, while also expanding Forrester's Fortune 500 client portfolio. Collin's insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Digiday, and MediaPost. A popular industry speaker, Collin has keynoted global industry events in addition to being a quarterly guest on Bloomberg TV.Collin Colburn on LinkedIn---------- Resources ----------In-Store Marketplace (ISM)The Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems.Read the report mentioned in the show.We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save!Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit!Chaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose.Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off.Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show.Connect with Greg on LinkedInDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more.Check out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology.The Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phoebe Gates went to How To Rule The World class at Stanford, where apparently she learned to admit to potentially criminal activity in Slack. Repeatedly. Also, the network school moves countries, a FarmVille with perma-death, and Mark Zuckerberg has a go at manifesto writing. Get the full episode on Patreon here! RILEY ALERT Check out No Gods, No Mayors here! HUSSEIN ALERT Check out 10k Posts here! MILO ALERT Check out Milo's tour dates here: https://www.miloedwards.co.uk/liveshows NATE ALERT Nate's band Second Homes has just released their debut album and you can stream it for free here! Trashfuture are: Riley (@raaleh), Milo (@Milo_Edwards), Hussein (@HKesvani), Nate (@inthesedeserts), and November (@postoctobrist)

This week we're reviewing The End of Oak Street, a dinosaur horror movie disguised as a throwback 80s adventure. Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor star in David Robert Mitchell's (It Follows) new film where a suburban street is transported back 80 million years in the past. We break down why it's a classic monster movie at heart, Anne Hathaway's insane commitment to her role, and the ending that had the crew severely divided. Plus, we talk about the incredible career of SFX artist Screaming Mad George, horror fans mourning Hayden Panettiere's tragic death, and the latest in unhinged horror popcorn buckets.

A few years ago, Dropbox redesigned its website and revenue dropped by thirty percent. It was an all-hands-on-deck moment: people working weekends, everyone hunting for a systemic failure. Visit our Substack for bonus content and more: https://designbetterpodcast.com/p/angel-steger The culprit turned out to be a pricing page — specifically, the white space between the feature list items was slightly too generous. Angel Steger noticed that her eye kept landing on the white instead of the words. They tightened the gaps, and the revenue came back. That's the kind of thing Angel notices, and it's not an accident. Currently the VP of Design at Wealthfront, She trained as an architect at RISD, where the first question in her first architecture class wasn't about buildings. It was “What is a drawing?” — the sort of question that makes you realize every tool you reach for carries a point of view you probably haven't examined. Angel's path into tech was less deliberate. By her own account, she mouthed off to her boss, got fired, and spent the severance on O'Reilly books, taught herself to code, and became the first designer at MySpace — where the head of engineering proudly informed her that they had never had design and never would need it. She went on to become the first product designer at 23andMe, learned usability from Larry Tesler, and led design teams at Pinterest, Dropbox, and Meta before landing at Wealthfront. In this conversation, we get into what architecture teaches you about solving one problem at a time, why she tells her team to go lower fidelity, how a default chart setting can push someone into a financial decision they'll regret, and what she looks for in a portfolio — high craft, high intentionality, and no boiled broccoli. Bio Angel joined Wealthfront in November 2023 and leads product design, content design, and creative teams, bringing 20+ years of experience building and leading customer-centric, business-focused design and product teams. What makes her perspective rare is the through-line she draws between business model and design quality — she's a practitioner who built her career arguing that growth design, done with rigor and craft, isn't a compromise but the highest form of product work. Beyond Wealthfront, she holds advisory positions at AudiencePlus and Ameelio, and previously held leadership design roles at Meta, Dropbox, and Pinterest, where major growth and user engagement initiatives were implemented. She guided Wealthfront's design organization through its December 2025 IPO, in which Wealthfront's shares began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker "WLTH" — the first robo-advisor to go public. *** Premium Episodes on Design Better This ad-supported episode is available to everyone. If you'd like to hear it ad-free, upgrade to our premium subscription, where you'll get an additional 2 ad-free episodes per month (4 total). Premium subscribers also get access to the documentary Design Disruptors and our growing library of books. New premium subscriber benefit: we've launched a private Slack workspace…join now to connect with designers, product leaders & creative practitioners in our community. And get a behind-the-scenes pass to every episode with The Roundup, where each week we bring you insights and actionable tactics from recent episodes. You'll also get access to our monthly AMAs with former guests, ad-free episodes, discounts and early access to workshops, and our monthly newsletter The Brief that compiles salient insights, quotes, readings, and creative processes uncovered in the show. And subscribers at the annual level now get access to the Design Better Toolkit, which gets you major discounts and free access to tools and courses that will help you unlock new skills, make your workflow more efficient, and take your creativity further. Upgrade to paid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Second Nature Listener Survey: https://surveymars.com/q/inCNkLas9 Gary Vernon, Scott King, and Aimee Ross have been building what is now one of the most significant mountain bike destinations in the world. What started in 2006 as a five-mile trail system in Bentonville, Arkansas has grown into 600 miles of trail across the region, 1,200 miles statewide, and most recently, a lift-access bike park with its own chairlift, restaurant, and membership model. In this conversation, they walk through the design principles that made it work: building for beginners first, focusing on progression, and the decision to build within city limits rather than isolating trails on private land. They also break down the economics of trail building compared to traditional recreational infrastructure, what it actually took to build a 38-trail bike park in under two years, and the advice they give every community that calls asking "how do we become the next Bentonville"...which is, simply, don't try. Second Nature is proudly supported by Popfly and Halo: Popfly: https://popf.ly/secondnaturebrands Halo: https://www.poweredbyhalo.com Show Notes: Scott King: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j-scott-king-9991a4/ Aimee Ross: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aimeeross/ Gary Vernon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gary-vernon-ii-58253a7/ Tom Walton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-walton-40b9792ba/ OZ Bike Park: https://oztrailsbikepark.com/ OZ Trails: https://www.oztrails.com/ Discovery Loop: https://www.visitbentonville.com/blog/stories/post/ride-the-loop-bentonvilles-scenic-bike-route/ IMBA: https://www.imba.com/ Transform Your Community (Gary's TED Talk): https://youtu.be/yXJkWIeNP6g?si=p8frsQWhW7CzqJnB IMBA TrailLab: https://www.imba.com/trail-labs Gravity Logic: https://www.whistlergravitylogic.com/ BPC - Brand, Product, Content: Cone valve suspension: https://dirtbikemagazine.com/cone-valve-suspension/ Sierra Nevada NA: https://sierranevada.com/brews/trail-pass-ipa Triumph Daytona: https://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/motorcycles/sport/daytona-660 The Design Way (Book): https://amzn.to/4zjfoMS Marin Alpine Trail EXR (Aaron's Bike): https://marinbikes.com/collections/alpine-trail-e Fun Stuff: Join us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/second-nature-media Meet us on Slack: https://www.launchpass.com/second-nature Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/secondnature.media Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.secondnature.media Subscribe to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@secondnaturemedia

Stripe made the OpenRouter deal official at $7.5B. Unitree's Shanghai debut popped 460% past a $50B market cap, YouTube dangled millions to keep creators off Netflix, Slack launched Slack Code, and Binance turned AI agents loose on trading. Links Stripe agrees to acquire NYC-based OpenRouter; a source says Stripe is paying $7.5B, with $1.5B going to the startup's founders and $6B to its investors (The New York Times) Collison frames tokens as the central currency for companies building with AI, capping two years of Stripe buying the plumbing under AI spending, from Metronome to Bridge (SiliconANGLE) Hangzhou-based humanoid robot maker Unitree's stock surges 460% in its Shanghai trading debut, giving it a $50B+ market cap, after it raised ~$904M in its IPO (Bloomberg) Unitree says its new "Superman" humanoid can hit 12.66 meters per second, faster than Usain Bolt's top speed, and leap two meters, ahead of the World Humanoid Robot Games (Futurism) The 30-second video of Unitree's "Superman" robot jumping and sprinting down a track (Unitree Robotics on X) Sources: YouTube is offering top creators millions to post videos exclusively on YouTube for a period and will penalize those that post to Netflix concurrently (Bloomberg) Slack launches Slack Code, adding dedicated, project-specific channels that let teams collaborate with AI coding agents "like teammates" across all Slack plans (The Verge) Binance launches Agent OS, a platform that lets AI agents analyze markets and execute trades on users' behalf; users set limits on AI agents' access and trades (TechCrunch) Subscribe to the ad-free feed.

MileProtection - Your hard earned miles deserve protection. Join the waitlist! (sponsored) - https://milestomemories.com/go/mile-protection/ Chase quietly added language to the Sapphire Reserve hotel credit that would have killed a way people were using it, and then just as quietly took it back out. Somebody at JP Morgan even emailed us about the article. There are also targeted Sapphire offers floating around that are better than anything public, including 175,000 points, and if you were shut down by Capital One years ago you may want to go check whether your Discover account is still open. Plus Discover's $2 forgiveness is dead, weird new 48 month language nobody can explain, and a couple of no lifetime language links worth knowing about. Let us know in the comments if you have ever been targeted for one of these offers. Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:22 Back to School & Raising Polite Kids 5:56 The Social Media Cadence Problem 7:25 Why Honest Reviews Make People Angry 10:48 Chase Changes the Terms, Then Reverses 14:02 Targeted Sapphire Offers Up to 175K 17:58 Capital One Is Closing Discover Accounts 18:15 The $2 Forgiveness Is Gone 22:17 Discover's Strange 48 Month Language 26:58 First Credit Cards & the Flip-Out Keychain 28:37 Thrifty Traveler's 30% Off Sale 31:04 Coming Monday: Tokyo & Philippine Airlines 31:33 No Lifetime Language Bonvoy Links 34:45 Final Thoughts   Links Thrifty Traveler 30% off ends August 20, 2026 - https://milestomemories.com/go/thrifty-traveler/ Edit Credit - https://milestomemories.com/chase-updates-terms-for-back-to-back-the-edit-stays/ Chase targeted card offers up to 175K - https://milestomemories.com/targeted-increased-chase-sapphire-card-offers/ Cap One shutdowns - https://www.doctorofcredit.com/capital-one-shutdowns-can-cause-discover-shutdowns-ymmv/ Cap One Discover 48 month language - https://milestomemories.com/discover-48-month-language/ Amex Marriott no lifetime language - https://milestomemories.com/nll-links-for-amex-marriott-bonvoy-brilliant-and-bevy-cards/ ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free

Joshua McDonald: Scrum Master Success Means People Feel Heard, Respected, And Safe To Speak Up Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.   "I hope you can feel heard and respected at the end of the day." - Joshua McDonald   Joshua defines Scrum Master success through the team's comfort with self-organization, respectful pushback, and asking for help when they do not know what they do not know. For him, a successful team is not drama-free because nothing hard happens. It is low-drama because people can raise problems without fear, communicate openly, and keep moving forward even on bumpy roads. Joshua keeps himself honest by reviewing retrospective notes, one-on-one notes, and the commitments he made to follow up. He keeps a running to-do list from Slack messages, meetings, and team conversations so feedback does not disappear after someone shares it. Periodically, he brings past retrospectives back to the team and asks what they accomplished, what changed, and whether anything fell through. That ledger matters because Scrum Masters work through people. If people feel heard and respected, they are more likely to keep working with you, regardless of your title.   Self-reflection Question: What system do you use to make sure team feedback turns into visible follow-up? Featured Retrospective Format for the Week: Personalized AI-Themed Retrospectives Joshua's favorite retrospective format is never using the same format twice. He noticed teams getting bored and agitated when the same sailboat or standard board appeared every sprint. His answer was to personalize retrospectives around team members' interests: a BMW theme for a developer who liked cars, a beach theme after someone's vacation, or a TV-show theme tied to a person's hobby. He uses tools like Mural, Zoom whiteboards, Microsoft Teams, and AI-generated visual themes to make each retro feel like it was designed for someone in the team. The point is not decoration. The point is listening. When people recognize their interests in the retro, they feel seen as people before they reflect on the work.   [The Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast Recommends]

In this episode, Cassie and Ally are fresh off attending D23, Disney's biennial fan expo in Anaheim and one of the largest brand-driven community events in the world, and they're breaking down everything they observed through a marketing lens. From Crocs building a racetrack-themed booth to Marvel turning a line into a fully immersive story experience, to Disney transforming what could have been a standard press announcement into a 15,000-person live spectacle hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, this episode is packed with concrete, transferable lessons on experiential marketing, merchandise strategy, fan engagement, and community building at scale. Key Takeaways:// Exclusivity and urgency are your most powerful tools at a live event. The activations that drove the longest lines at D23 weren't just pretty,  they offered something you could only get there, only that weekend. Limited drops, early access, collectible items, and mystery products created genuine excitement and organic content without a single paid push.// Turn your announcements into experiences, not press releases. Disney could have dropped its park and film news on social media. Instead they put 15,000 fans in a room with live performances, a talk show format, and the actual people behind the projects. The fans became the news cycle. // Merch is a marketing signal, not just a revenue line. The resurgence of vintage Disney t-shirts under Bobby Kim isn't just a product strategy, it's a cultural statement about where the brand is going. Limited drops, nostalgia, accessibility, and wearability all work together to turn a t-shirt into a conversation starter. // Peeling back the curtain builds deeper brand loyalty. Disney's Imagineering booth let fans meet the people behind the parks, ask questions, and see physical models of projects still in development. Access to the process is one of the most underused tools in brand marketing.// Community is the most durable marketing engine you can build. D23 exists because of Disney's fan community, and that community does an enormous amount of Disney's marketing for free. Cassie and Ally are a perfect example — two marketers who attended, created content, and will talk about this event for weeks. Building a community that shows up for you, on and offline, is a long game worth investing in.// Maintaining the status quo is the riskiest thing you can do. Bob Iger's philosophy, that staying still is more dangerous than taking risks, is the through line of everything Disney presented at this event. New stories, new formats, new access, new product. The brands that keep pushing are the ones that keep their audiences leaning in.____Join the MHH Collective! The MHH Collective is a community for marketers and business owners to connect, ask real questions, and grow their careers together. Join for access to live Q&As with industry experts, a private Slack community, and ongoing resources: https://www.marketinghappyhr.com/mhh-collectiveSay hi! DM us on Instagram and let us know what content you want to hear on the show - We can't wait to hear from you! Please also consider rating the show and leaving a review, as that helps us tremendously as we move forward in this Marketing Happy Hour journey and create more content for all of you. ⁠Join the MHH Collective: ⁠Join now⁠Get the latest marketing trends, open jobs and MHH updates, straight to your inbox: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our email list!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow MHH on Social: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Content Note: This episode includes a brief, non-graphic reference to a personal crisis involving suicidal thoughts.Jim Morris grew up believing giving was the whole equation. His father taught him to give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it, and it showed up everywhere in his childhood, right down to the night his father pulled a stranger from a burning car outside their home.What Jim didn't learn for a long time was how to receive. It took a high-stakes business risk, a $240,000 self-funded conference that lost $112,000, and a moment of real personal crisis for him to finally ask for help directly.On this episode of FINE is a 4-Letter Word, Jim tells Lori Saitz about the Triple H method for actually supporting the people you love, and about four words from his two-year-old daughter that pulled him back from the lowest point of his life.What You'll Take AwayWhy guessing what someone needs, help, being heard, or a hug, is one of the most common ways people let each other downHow a single moment of connection can ripple outward in ways you'll never see or know aboutWhy anticipating the worst contractually protects relationships and business deals alikeThe Five Alive exercise: what's already sitting, untapped, in your last five text conversationsWhy Jim now treats a $112,000 loss as an investment, not a failureGuest BioJim Morris is a keynote speaker who helps organizations scale revenue and create deep belonging by centering their culture on integrity, connection, and intentional growth. He is the author of Connect or Die: How to Survive AI and serves as the CEO of Human Touch Publishing.Chapters & Key Timestamps03:00The night a car crashed outside his childhood home05:00His father pulling a stranger from a burning car, and the police officer's warning07:00The question that reframes everything: how are you at receiving?09:00The moment everything was on the line and he finally had to ask for help11:30The Triple H method: help, heard, or hugged, and why guessing wrong fails people17:47A period of profound personal crisis, interrupted by four words from his daughter26:30The confidant, ally, acquaintance bullseye exercise, and how to build it32:00The Five Alive exercise: what's already sitting in your text messages34:00The $240,000 conference, the sales team that walked out, and losing $112,00035:30The sign on the highway that said exactly what he needed to hear37:30Reframing failure as an investment, not a lossResources MentionedBook: Connect or Die: How to Survive AI by Jim Morris — a.co/d/00BVmyGxSong: Spinnin by Connor Price — youtu.be/UekfKh59KOwConnect With Jim MorrisCompany: Human Touch PublishingWebsite: realjimmorris.comBook: Connect or Die: How to Survive AI — a.co/d/00BVmyGxLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/realjimmorrisFacebook: facebook.com/therealjimmorrisInstagram: instagram.com/realjimmorrisContinue With LoriWebsite: zenrabbit.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Email: Lori@ZenRabbit.comInvitation From LoriThis episode is sponsored by Zen Rabbit. Trust is the foundation of all great workplaces, and in today's hybrid, fast-moving work culture, it's built through consistent, clear, human communication.Quarterly town halls, Slack messages, or team-building events are rarely enough to create the connection employees need. That's why forward-thinking companies are hiring Lori to create internal and private podcasts that bring leaders and employees together through authentic stories and real conversations.Think of it as the old-school company newsletter reinvented for the modern workplace.If your company wants to strengthen communication, connection, community, and culture, connect with Lori at Lori@ZenRabbit.com or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorisaitz/Related ConversationEpisode 240: Amanda Van Der Heiden — on resilience, boundaries, and what it costs to keep giving without receiving.About FINE is a 4-Letter WordFINE is a 4-Letter Word is the show for leaders who are tired of pretending everything is fine. We explore what it takes to lead with empathy, vulnerability, gratitude, and courage, especially during the seasons when life and leadership feel anything but fine. Listen for honest conversations about how human connection influences innovation, retention, leadership, and real impact. New episodes every week.Follow FINE is a 4-Letter WordFollow or subscribe so you never miss an episode. If this conversation gave you something useful to think about, leave a review. Reviews help more people discover the show and join the conversation.

What if the biggest screen in the home could be treated less like a billboard and more like a direct response channel?Agility requires moving beyond the "set it and forget it" mindset of traditional media. It means having the data and the tools to react to performance signals in real-time, whether that's on a social feed or a living room screen.Today, we're going to talk about unlocking the full potential of Connected TV. We'll explore how marketers can move beyond treating CTV as a simple awareness play and start leveraging it as a true performance channel, driven by first-party data and connected to a full-funnel measurement strategy.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Alison Clark, GTM/Strategy Lead at AdRoll. About Alison ClarkeAlison Clark is the Head of GTM Sales Strategy for AdRoll. She developed her career building and scaling advertising solutions across digital and programmatic, with a focus on driving real results for clients. She is the AdRoll customer's number one champion to inform CTV product priorities that solve your biggest challenges.Alison Clarke on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-clark-7566265/---------- Resources ---------- AdRoll: https://www.adroll.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch Us On YouTube! Announcing a new, ongoing benefit for annual subscribers of our Slack community. Annual subscribers receive a free Points Path Alerts subscription OR a 30% discount on Points Path Pro. Ed and Richard are back home after another exhausting stretch of travel, and Richard has survived Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas—barely. Before getting into the airline news, they recap the Vegas experience, including $25 asparagus, $34 cocktails, increasingly unfriendly casino odds, Bellagio's surprising food problem, and why "free parking" has somehow become a legitimate Las Vegas selling point. There's also some fresh Bilt news. Bilt has relaunched its partnership with Blade, allowing members to redeem Bilt Cash for up to two airport helicopter seats per year, along with the ability to use Bilt Points toward Blade flights. Ed also celebrates another year of Accor Platinum status through Bilt's returning status match. Then it's time to talk airlines. After some decidedly unimpressive United flights, Ed and Richard discuss American Airlines ending complimentary upgrades into premium economy on select three-cabin domestic routes. Is this actually a meaningful loss for elites—or just another acknowledgement that complimentary upgrades are already disappearing? Delta, meanwhile, is moving hard in the opposite direction when it comes to premium cabin capacity. Some A330-900neos will feature a whopping 56 Delta One suites, while new domestic aircraft will also feature substantially larger first-class cabins. But Richard raises an important question: if airlines add all those premium seats without adding crew, lavatories and galley capacity, will the experience actually feel premium? Plus, Ed recaps his first D23 experience, they revisit last week's Amanvari controversy after new details emerged, Richard questions what's happening with Delta's operational reliability, and Uber One announces an "improvement" that involves… giving members less. Get hydrated like Ed in Vegas with Nuun If you enjoy the podcast, I hope you'll take a moment to leave us a rating. That helps us grow our audience! If you're looking for a way to support the show, we'd love to have you join us in our Travel Slack Community.  Join me and other travel experts for informative conversations about the travel world, the best ways to use your miles and points, Zoom happy hours and exciting giveaways. Monthly access Annual access Personal consultation plus annual access We have witty, funny, sarcastic discussions about travel, for members only. My fellow travel experts are available to answer your questions and we host video chats multiple times per month. Follow Us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestogopodcast/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@milestogopodcast Ed Pizza: https://www.instagram.com/pizzainmotion/ Richard Kerr: https://www.instagram.com/kerrpoints/ ✈️ What We Cover in This Episode ✈️ Bilt Cash takes to the skies Bilt's revamped Blade partnership Using Bilt Cash for airport helicopter flights Redeeming Bilt Points toward Blade Accor Platinum status returns ✈️ Is Las Vegas getting too expensive? Free parking is now a selling point Resort fees and cheap room rates $25 asparagus and $34 cocktails Why Bellagio can be surprisingly difficult for a quick meal ✈️ United's aging aircraft problem Broken or nonexistent Wi-Fi Old entertainment systems Why SNA is still a fantastic alternative to LAX ✈️ Ed's first D23 New Disney attractions Fixing the Yeti New roller coasters The future of Figment Ed's take on Hyatt Regency Orange County ✈️ The Amanvari controversy gets more complicated New details about the canceled hotel stay What the original story left out Why opening-week hotel reviews remain a bad idea ✈️ American changes complimentary upgrades Premium economy on three-cabin domestic aircraft Routes where free upgrades are disappearing Why Richard thinks chasing status for domestic upgrades is already a losing game ✈️ Delta dramatically expands premium cabins 56 Delta One suites on select A330-900neos Bigger first-class cabins on domestic aircraft The potential problem with lavatories, galleys and staffing Why more premium seats may not mean cheaper premium fares ✈️ What's happening with Delta? Richard's recent delays Delta becoming his worst-performing airline this year Another missed Shake Shack burger ✈️ Uber One gives members an "improvement" Ride credits drop from 6% to 5% Why corporate messaging sometimes makes things worse ⏱️ Episode 450 Timestamps 0:48 – Surviving Virtuoso Travel Week and the Vegas heat 2:48 – Bilt Cash can now pay for Blade helicopter flights 5:59 – Vegas prices, free parking and Bellagio's food problem 14:05 – United's aging planes, broken Wi-Fi and the convenience of SNA 17:22 – Ed's first D23 and the biggest Disney announcements 22:48 – New details change the Amanvari hotel controversy 26:14 – American ends some complimentary premium-economy upgrades 31:01 – Delta dramatically increases premium cabin seating 36:24 – Richard asks: What is happening to Delta? 36:49 – Uber One's unusual definition of an "improvement"

Enjoy the What's Bruin Show Network!Multiple shows to entertain you on one feed:Support WBS at Patreon.com/WhatsBruinShow for just $2/month and get exclusive content and access to our SLACK channel.Twitter/X: @whatsbruinshow        Instagram: @whatsbruinshowCall the What's Bruin Network Hotline at 805-399-4WBS (Suck it Reign of Troy)We are also on YouTube HEREGet Your WBSN MERCH - Go to our MyLocker Site by Clicking HEREWhat's Bruin Show- A conversation about all things Bruin over drinks with Bruin Report Online's @mikeregaladoLA, @wbjake68 and friends!Subscribe to the What's Bruin Show at whatsbruin.substack.comEmail us at: whatsbruinshow@gmail.comTweet us at: @whatsbruinshowWest Coast Bias - LA Sports (mostly Lakers, Dodgers and NFL) with Jamaal and JakeSubscribe to West Coast Bias at wbwestcoastbias.substack.comEmail us at: WB.westcoastbias@gmail.comTweet us at: @WBwestcoastbiasThe BEAR Minimum - Jake and his Daughter Megan talk about student life and Cal Sports during her first year attending UC Berkeley.Subscribe to The BEAR Minimum at thebearminimum.substack.comEmail us at: wb.bearminimum@gmail.comTweet us at: @WB_BearMinimumPlease rate and review us on whatever platform you listen on.

What happens when your e-commerce platform treats your most valuable professional clients like everyday consumers?Agility means looking past a platform's out-of-the-box features and building an experience that reflects how your different customer segments actually do business.This episode is brought to you by The Office of Experience, a design-driven, digital-first, vertically integrated and collaborative agency that believes in the power of ideas and the strength of people. Learn more at www.officeofexperience.comToday, we're talking about the complexity of building a single e-commerce experience for two very different audiences. Specifically, we'll explore:- Balancing the distinct needs of B2B and B2C audiences on a single digital storefront.- Knowing when to lean on an e-commerce platform's native capabilities versus when to invest in custom development to close critical experience gaps.- Integrating physical retail and showroom data, like real-time local inventory, into a seamless digital experience.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Jenna Kennedy, Senior Director, Client Strategy & PMO at Office of Experience and William Webster, General Manager, Guy Gunter Home.Jenna Kennedy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennabkennedy/---------- Resources ----------: https://www.officeofexperience.comThis episode is brought to you by The Office of Experience, a design-driven, digital-first, vertically integrated and collaborative agency that believes in the power of ideas and the strength of people.We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

DR1THINGS WE MISSEDNERDY ESG STUFFL3Harris ousts CEO after investigation into conduct CARESL3Harris Technologies, the company that overhauled a Qatari plane now used as Air Force One, has replaced Christopher Kubasik as chairman and chief executive after an investigation determined he violated the defense contractor's code of conduct.Kubasik's alleged conduct didn't involve and has no impact on the Melbourne, Fla., company's financial reporting, controls, customer relationships or operational performance, L3Harris said Monday.The company didn't give details on when it received a report of the potential violation. With the aid of independent counsel, the board determined that Kubasik's removal would be in the company's best interest, L3Harris said. He will be allowed to retain and exercise some previously vested stock options but won't receive severance payments, benefits or accelerated stock-based awards.L3Harris Technologies Appoints Sam Mehta, Proven Aerospace and Defense Executive, as President and Chief Executive Officer“The Board determined that the Executive engaged in conduct that was not consistent with the values of the Company as outlined in its Code of Conduct.”Kubasik will still hold onto some of his options that can net him stock worth about $23 million, as well as more than 200,000 shares of stock in L3Harris that he already owns, valued at nearly $57 million. L3Harris has paid Kubasik compensation valued at $66.3 million during the past three years, including $25.6 million in fiscal 2025.The separation disclosure says the L3Harris board decided to reach a deal with Kubasik to get him to leave rather than trying to fire him for cause. Kubasik did not admit to any violation of the company code of conduct, and the deal expressively forbids any of the parties or their representatives from making public statements “inconsistent” with Monday's disclosure.Harvard reveals $2.2 billion SpaceX holding worth more than half its U.S. equity portfolio CARESBusting CEO Pay Curve in 2025, Musk Made Annual Salary of Average Tesla Worker Every 4.2 SecondsS&P 500 CEO pay jumps to record as Musk-inspired compensation plans spread: average S&P 500 CEO pay reached $340.1 millionUS SEC to keep hands off shareholder proposals, worrying activists CARESStaying Alive: ISS Continues Its Influence on 2026 Voting OutcomesISS recommended against fewer say-on-pay proposals than last year: 8.3% versus 9.2% in 2025.ISS supported fewer E&S proposals than in prior years, but investor votes more strongly tracked its recommendations. ISS backed 13% of social proposals in 2026, compared with 15% in 2025 and 46% in both 2023 and 2024. ISS supported 66% of governance shareholder proposals, up from 55% in 2025ISS opposed 3% of uncontested director nominees, up slightly from 2.5%.SEC data center ruling is removing a key guardrail from Nvidia's $500B AI financing push CARESA staff opinion from the SEC exempts some data center debt from Dodd-Frank risk retention rules, making AI infrastructure financing more attractive to sponsorsTreasury Scales Back Scrutiny of U.S. Shell CompaniesThe Trump administration will not enforce reporting requirements of the 2021 Corporate Transparency Act, which was intended to crack down on money laundering.25 groups urging Supreme Court to kill climate case have ties to oil companies, report saysA survey released Monday by the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog found that 25 of the 38 individuals and organizations that have filed friend of the court briefs on behalf of the industry have financial ties or other connections to the fossil fuel companies that are facing billions of dollars in potential damages for contributing to climate change. The report argues that many of briefs make “nearly identical legal arguments.”Activist Cevian calls for higher pay for UK board membersOne of Europe's largest activist investors, Cevian Capital, has called for higher pay for non-executive directors in UK boardrooms as part of efforts to revive growth at British companies and reverse the decline of the London market.The activist, which has stakes in companies including Smith & Nephew and Pearson, said that pay for non-executive directors (NEDs) should increase to attract and retain the best people including from international rivals. AI STUFFAnthropic is embedding invisible watermarks in Claude text and images CARESOpenAI's “Head of Ethics” Suddenly Leaves Company Under Mysterious Circumstances: Chloé Bakalar, less than a year after joining from Meta.OpenAI talent exodus raises ‘huge red flag' ahead of IPOCRO Denise DresserCOO Brad LightcapCEO of AGI Deployment Fidsji SImoChief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch Head of safety systems Johannes HeideckeAt least 12 executives in 2026Greg Brockman told CNBC the wave of senior exits is "not that atypical" and that scrutiny stems from OpenAI's high public profileBILLIONAIRE STUFFBob Iger and Josh Kushner are buying the Lakers for $12.5 billion CARES41-year-old Josh Kushner's World Cup privatization scheme fell apart. Then he became the Lakers co-owner days laterLiverpool owners sell minority stake to Jeff Bezos: hold option to purchase controlling stake in Liverpool per terms of deal CARESIt Seems Like Bill Gates' Daughter May Be in Serious Legal TroublePhoebe Gates (daughter of Bill Gates) and her shopping app startup, Phia, recently landed in hot water over allegations of a digital commission trick known as cookie stuffing.Cookie stuffing is essentially digital credit-stealing. An app secretly plants its tracking cookie into your browser without actually helping you find a deal or directing you to the websitePhia initially claimed the issue was an accidental software bug. However, leaked internal Slack messages showed Gates and her co-founder discussing auto-dropping cookies as far back as December to artificially boost revenueCookie stuffing isn't just breaking tech platform terms; US law treats it as federal wire fraudPhoebe Gates Took Secret Stanford Course on Controlling Society, Used It to Recruit for Her Startup That's Now Facing AccusationsMETA STUFFMeta faces ‘astronomical' consequences as legal fight reaches critical moment in California CARESThe trial involves a coalition of 29 state attorneys general in a unified case against Meta that was brought in 2023, and will be argued by lawyers representing California, Colorado, New Jersey and Kentucky. The stakes are enormous as leading government officials across the country push for Meta to be held accountable for allegedly violating federal and state laws, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, and various consumer protection statutes.Four state attorneys general are seeking up to $1.4 trillion in penalties and changes to how Meta operates its platformsMEANWHILE: OpenAI launches ChatGPT for TeensMeta Caught Paying Nazis to Post on FacebookMeta was paying out-and-out neo-Nazis to post on Facebook, an investigation from Australia's ABC News found.These pages and individual creators posted content that appeared to be in clear violation of Facebook's own hate speech policies. Nonetheless, they were able to earn money on their posts through the platform's “Content Monetization” program — which is invitation-only.Zuckerberg's Yacht Allegedly 'Refused' Coast Guard Calls To Help Stranded Boat Despite Being 'Closer' Zuckerberg: AI's biggest risk is one entity with too much controlZuckerberg Says Meta Will Give Billions a 24/7 Personal Superintelligence, Lays Out AI Vision in Lengthy EssayZuckerberg brings back the floating battle barge to spar with UFC fighter Merab DvalishviliSEGUE ALERT: Zuckerberg's Manifesto About the Glorious Freedoms AI Will Bring Was Completely Contradicted by His Own CTO During a Company MeetingMeta CTO Dismisses Vacation Requests: 'It's Very Dumb' to Ask for More Time OffDuring a July Q&A with staff, CTO Andrew Bosworth shut down an employee who asked if AI productivity gains could be used to revive “Meta Days,” a cancelled holiday program that once allowed staff to take more days off a year.Bosworth was apparently appalled at the idea, saying that “I hope that what we do with our extra time is do even more and cooler stuff for the users who use our products every day … We got billions of people using our products every day. I get an extra hour. You know what I do with it? I put it into that.”The executive then dug his heels even further, personally insulting the staffer for asking about work-life balance: “Go to your parents and ask them: hey, like every time I get a chance to talk to my boss, ask me if I can have more days off. Ask your parents what they think of that as a career strategy.” BLOWHARD INDEXCEO of $49 billion AI company says it's ‘mind-boggling' people think you can work 38 hours a week, have work-life balance, and be successful SHUT UPBill Ackman agrees with Jeff Bezos: Being a great CEO can do more for the world than philanthropy SHUT UPCorcoran Group CEO says Gen Z's housing market struggles mirror what boomers faced 30 years ago: ‘Stop buying Starbucks coffee,' she advises SHUT UP SHUT UPOpenAI's CFO insists AI won't replace judgment SAY MOREOpenAI Warns AI Models Can Automate Cyberattacks and Exploit Security Vulnerabilities SHUT UPSam Altman thinks working at Goldman Sachs ‘sounds unbelievably terrible now' and admits he was ‘peer pressured' into accepting an internship there SAY MORESam Altman says 4 years could be too long for college: ‘The way the world has evolved, college just shouldn't be as long as it is' SAY MOREKalshi's 30-year-old CEO says most business advice is ‘trash'—he doesn't read management books or listen to podcasts: ‘I'm gonna make it up as I go' SAY MOREParamount demands $1.9 billion from states, citing Warner deal delays SHUT UPAirbnb CEO Brian Chesky says AI writes 60% of its code—and sustaining ‘founder mode' is the key to winning in the age of AI SHUT UPFar-Right UK Politician Says People Should ‘Enjoy' Climate Change SAY MOREIn 1992, Richard Tice started working for the housebuilding and commercial property company founded by his grandfather, The Sunley Group. Tice was its joint chief executive officer (CEO) for 14 years before leaving the company in 2006.Mark Cuban tells Ro Khanna 'you don't understand business,' threatens investment shift over billionaire tax SHUT UPPEOPLE/THINGS NOT TO HATE?MacKenzie Scott has given away $26 billion and rarely speaks publicly. Now she's releasing a novel—but you won't find it on Amazon DON'T HATEAmazon's New AI Data Center Is So Enormous That It Appears It Will Become the Largest Single Source of Pollution in the United StatesBernie Sanders asked the leading AI CEOs to pause development. DON'T HATEUS firms that kept DEI policies despite ‘go woke, go broke' threats thrived DON'T HATEFrance bans unsolicited telemarketing calls DON'T HATECards Against Humanity Unveils 'Sad Little Bitch' Elon Musk Monument Near Texas Starbase DON'T HATEGen Z is bringing pen and paper back to the workplace

Enjoy the What's Bruin Show Network!Multiple shows to entertain you on one feed:Support WBS at Patreon.com/WhatsBruinShow for just $2/month and get exclusive content and access to our SLACK channel.Twitter/X: @whatsbruinshow        Instagram: @whatsbruinshowCall the What's Bruin Network Hotline at 805-399-4WBS (Suck it Reign of Troy)We are also on YouTube HEREGet Your WBSN MERCH - Go to our MyLocker Site by Clicking HEREWhat's Bruin Show- A conversation about all things Bruin over drinks with Bruin Report Online's @mikeregaladoLA, @wbjake68 and friends!Subscribe to the What's Bruin Show at whatsbruin.substack.comEmail us at: whatsbruinshow@gmail.comTweet us at: @whatsbruinshowWest Coast Bias - LA Sports (mostly Lakers, Dodgers and NFL) with Jamaal and JakeSubscribe to West Coast Bias at wbwestcoastbias.substack.comEmail us at: WB.westcoastbias@gmail.comTweet us at: @WBwestcoastbiasThe BEAR Minimum - Jake and his Daughter Megan talk about student life and Cal Sports during her first year attending UC Berkeley.Subscribe to The BEAR Minimum at thebearminimum.substack.comEmail us at: wb.bearminimum@gmail.comTweet us at: @WB_BearMinimumPlease rate and review us on whatever platform you listen on.

Welcome to episode 368 of The Cloud Pod, where the forecast is always cloudy! Justin, Matt, and Ryan are in the studio this week, and the major story is the GitHub outage – are you still digging out from that one too? We have MANY thoughts. Plus, we have news from EKS, CloudShell, and some major Microsoft changes to the Copilot ecosystem. There's a lot to cover, so let's get started!  Titles we almost went with this week Amazon Quick Crashes Microsoft’s Copilot Party Bin-Packing Pods Like a Kubernetes Tetris Champ AWS Agents Go GA and Grab Your Wallet AWS Finally Shows You The Money Trends AWS Hands Out Power (User Access) Like Candy AWS Builds Lofts, Developers Build Everything Else Front Door Now Checks IDs Before Letting Traffic In CloudShell Ditches Vim, Editors Rejoice Everywhere AWS Sign-In Gets a Facelift, Scripts Get Nervous Azure Front Door Gets Mutual TLS, Trust Issues Resolved One Copilot to Rule Work and Play GPT-5.6 Sol Hits Warp Speed With Cerebras OpenAI Ditches Overnight Batches for Ultrafast Gratification Ultrafast API Proves Speed and Smarts Aren’t Rivals Terraform Plans Meet Their IAM Autopilot Match AWS Autopilot Now Reads Your Terraform Tea Leaves A big thanks to this week's sponsors: We're sponsorless! Want to get your brand, company, or service in front of a very enthusiastic group of cloud news seekers? You've come to the right place! Send us an email or hit us up on our Slack channel for more info. Follow Up 01:02 Microsoft confirms GitHub is down worldwide GitHub confirmed a widespread Github outage starting at 9:40 AM EDT on August 17, 2026, affecting web, API, Actions, Pull Requests, Issues, Webhooks, and authentication services including SAML, OIDC, and SCIM. As of the 11:42 AM EDT update, GitHub has moved into mitigation mode, but error rates remain unchanged at roughly 20% for web and API traffic and approximately 50% for archive and raw repository content downloads. Copilot was added to the list of affected services at 10:31 AM EDT, extending impact beyond core Git functionality into GitHub’s AI coding tools. Git Operations, Packages, Pages, and Codespaces remain listed as operational, indicating the outage is concentrated in specific service areas rather than the entire platform. GitHub has not disclosed a root cause, and the incident remains under investigation, meaning listeners relying on CI/CD workflows through Actions should expect continued disruption until further updates are posted. Complicating factors that impeded recovery included a number of scraping attacks on codeload endpoints. To prevent recurrence, our follow-up actions include: Correcting autoscaling policies to account for service-mesh sidecar concurrency and capacity. Auditing Istio request, concurrency, and scaling limits across affected services. Reviewing retry limits and backoff behavior across gateways and clients. Addressing the VS Code retry behavior that amplified Copilot token traffic.

Glenn Solomon of Notable Capital joins Nick to discuss 3 Multi-Billion-Dollar Exits in 1 Year, Lessons from Airbnb, HashiCorp, Slack, and Square, The VC Case for Staying Small, and the Battle Between Open-Weight vs. Closed Models. In this episode we cover: Identifying Unique Investment Opportunities  The Impact of Fund Size on Investment Strategy  Challenges of Overfunding and Market Dynamics  Growth and Real Success in the AI Era  The Role of Hyperscalers and Frontier Labs  Public Market Sentiment and IPO Considerations  Future of Venture Capital and Notable's Strategy Investing in Anthropic and Market Dynamics  Guest Links: Glenn's LinkedIn Glenn's X Notable's LinkedIn Notable's Website The host of The Full Ratchet is Nick Moran of New Stack Ventures, a venture capital firm committed to investing in founders outside of the Bay Area. We're proud to partner with Ramp, the modern finance automation platform. Book a demo and get $150—no strings attached.   Want to keep up to date with The Full Ratchet? Follow us on social. You can learn more about New Stack Ventures by visiting our LinkedIn and Twitter.

Get a $230 gift card after your first payment of $500 with Melio (affiliate) - https://milestomemories.com/go/melio/ Mark figured out how to pull $400 in credits out of a single San Antonio trip, and it only works because of one thing most people never think to do. Amex also just added 350 properties to Fine Hotels and Resorts, including brands that never used to show up, and Resy quietly expanded into a whole new platform you have probably never heard of. Then there is LifeMiles, who sent Mark an email to resolve his refund and gave him 19 hours to respond before the case expired. Plus Bilt Cash finally works on Blade, and Shawn booked a five night cruise with free drinks for about $300 out the door. Let us know in the comments if you hate LifeMiles as much as Mark does. Episode Guide: 0:00 Welcome to MTM Travel 0:22 Hunting for FHR Under $300 3:04 The San Antonio Double Credit Trick 6:32 Booking Crockfords for a Birthday 8:28 Amex Adds 350 FHR Properties 9:34 Resy Expands Into Tock 11:03 Using inKind Without Embarrassing Yourself 14:55 Melio's $230 Offer  16:07 Why We're Done With LifeMiles 17:12 The 19 Hour Email 23:14 Bilt Cash Now Works on Blade 26:02 A Solo Cruise for $300 28:48 Final Thoughts Links FHR Resy expansion - https://milestomemories.com/two-popular-amex-credits-see-massive-expansion/ Bilt blade - https://milestomemories.com/bilt-members-can-book-blade-flights-with-bilt-cash/ ✈️ Track your travel credit cards for free

Kris and David are back as we discuss the week that was August 10-16, 2005. Topics of discussion include:WWE being in a total lame duck state with Spike TV as their contract is running out soon.SmackDown featuring the Eddy Guerrero/Rey Mysterio/Dominik Mysterio soap opera, guest starring MISS CRABTREE.Raw in Montreal, as Shawn Michaels is having the time of his life being the old HBK in front of a raucous crowd mocking Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan.Ashley Massaro winning the Diva Search over Leyla Milani.Ken Anderson becoming Mr. Kennedy.Masahiro Chono winning the G1 Climax as a tribute to Shinya Hashimoto.A wild angle in the WWC featuring Eddie Colon being imprisoned in the Dominican Republic.The Summer of Punk ends in ROH as he loses his title to James Gibson in Dayton and then loses his farewell match to Colt Cabana in Chicago Ridge.TNA Sacrifice on PPV and lots more TNA stuff in one of the most stable eras of that promotion's history thanks to Scott D'Amore's booking and the impending debut of Impact on Spike TV.That this was all 21 years ago is wild to think about. This was a really fun show, so check it out!!!Timestamps:0:00:00 WWE & OVW1:53:48 Int'l: NJPW, Riki Pro, CMLL, IWA Puerto Rico, & WWC2:14:17 Classic Commercial Break2:19:29 Halftime3:18:07 Other USA: Ballpark Brawl, CZW, & ROH3:50:10 TNATo support the show and get access to exclusive rewards like special members-only monthly themed shows, go to our Patreon page at Patreon.com/BetweenTheSheets and become an ongoing Patron. Becoming a Between the Sheets Patron will also get you exclusive access to not only the monthly themed episode of Between the Sheets, but also access to our new mailbag segment, a Patron-only chat room on Slack, and anything else we do outside of the main shows!If you're looking for the best deal on a VPN service—short for Virtual Private Network, it helps you get around regional restrictions as well as browse the internet more securely—then Private Internet Access is what you've been looking for. Not only will using our link help support Between The Sheets, but you'll get a special discount, with prices as low as $1.98/month if you go with a 40 month subscription. With numerous great features and even a TV-specific Android app to make streaming easier, there is no better choice if you're looking to subscribe to My AEW and other region-locked services.For the best in both current and classic indie wrestling streaming, make sure to check out IndependentWrestling.tv and use coupon code BTSPOD for a free 5 day trial! (You can also go directly to TinyURL.com/IWTVsheets to sign up that way.) If you convert to a paid subscriber, we get a kickback for referring you, allowing you to support both the show and the indie scene.To subscribe, you can find us on iTunes, Google Play, and just about every other podcast app's directory, or you can also paste Feeds.FeedBurner.com/BTSheets into your favorite podcast app using whatever “add feed manually” option it has.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Enjoy the What's Bruin Show Network!Multiple shows to entertain you on one feed:Support WBS at Patreon.com/WhatsBruinShow for just $2/month and get exclusive content and access to our SLACK channel.Twitter/X: @whatsbruinshow        Instagram: @whatsbruinshowCall the What's Bruin Network Hotline at 805-399-4WBS (Suck it Reign of Troy)We are also on YouTube HEREGet Your WBSN MERCH - Go to our MyLocker Site by Clicking HEREWhat's Bruin Show- A conversation about all things Bruin over drinks with Bruin Report Online's @mikeregaladoLA, @wbjake68 and friends!Subscribe to the What's Bruin Show at whatsbruin.substack.comEmail us at: whatsbruinshow@gmail.comTweet us at: @whatsbruinshowWest Coast Bias - LA Sports (mostly Lakers, Dodgers and NFL) with Jamaal and JakeSubscribe to West Coast Bias at wbwestcoastbias.substack.comEmail us at: WB.westcoastbias@gmail.comTweet us at: @WBwestcoastbiasThe BEAR Minimum - Jake and his Daughter Megan talk about student life and Cal Sports during her first year attending UC Berkeley.Subscribe to The BEAR Minimum at thebearminimum.substack.comEmail us at: wb.bearminimum@gmail.comTweet us at: @WB_BearMinimumPlease rate and review us on whatever platform you listen on.

Whose job is it to ensure the brand promise you market is the same one your customers and employees actually experience?Real agility isn't just rapid execution — it's a whole organization responding as one to what customers, employees, and the market actually need.Today, we're talking about "Total Experience" and what it takes to make brand, customer, and employee experience add up to one company, not three. Specifically:- How to orchestrate brand, customer, and employee experience so they reinforce each other instead of competing.- The operational shifts that turn siloed functions into a single, trustworthy experience.- Why the CMO is uniquely positioned to champion this, and where that means owning parts of the business marketing hasn't traditionally touched.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome Mack McGee, CMO at CareFirst, which was recently recognized at Forrester's CX Forum West as the top insurer in Total Experience.About Mack McGeeWith more than 20 years of experience in marketing and storytelling, Mack excels at connecting people and communicating impact in creative and meaningful ways. He also brings extensive fundraising experience, evidenced by his success in helping the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation raise nearly $5 million as chair of their annual Passion for Food and Wine event.Mack McGee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackmcgee/---------- Resources ----------: https://www.carefirst.comWe're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the AI tools you bought to make your team faster are quietly making that team harder to coordinate?Agility depends less on how quickly you adopt new technology and more on how well you understand the work that technology is supposed to improve.Today, we're going to talk about:- The operational costs buried inside customer-facing work — and why they're so hard to see, let alone measure.- Why layering more automation onto a coordination problem often makes the problem worse.- What it takes to build AI into core workflows so that efficiency and customer experience improve together instead of trading off against each other.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Kevin Yang, Director of AI at Front.About Kevin YangKevin Yang is the Director of AI at Front, the only customer operations platform built for B2B complexity, where he leads the company's AI strategy across automation, analytics, and customer insight. His work is grounded in the belief that the most valuable business intelligence lives inside customer conversations. At Front, Kevin is building AI systems that operate within real workflows—helping over 9,000 businesses better understand what their customers are saying and translate those insights into action with full visibilityKevin joined Front through the acquisition of Idiomatic, the AI-powered voice-of-the-customer platform he founded and led as CEO. Earlier in his career, Kevin worked in frontline support while building his first company, EAT Club, a leading virtual cafeteria serving over 1,000 companies, including Google, Netflix, and Tesla. Kevin Yang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yangkevin/---------- Resources ---------- Front: https://www.front.comFront is a customer operations platform that helps organizations manage customer communication across email, chat, voice, SMS, and other channels in one place. The platform is designed for teams handling complex customer relationships, where resolving an issue often requires coordination across multiple people, systems, and departments.We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens to a brand when the story it tells about its AI adoption moves faster than the results it can actually show?Agility isn't about telling that story faster. It's about being able to change what you say — repeatedly, as the technology changes — without losing the thread of what your company is actually for.Today, we're going to talk about the widening gap between AI ambition and business reality, and what that means for enterprise marketing leaders. Specifically, we'll cover:- The shift from selling an AI vision to proving tangible value.- How AI is pushing marketing into closer alignment with product and revenue.- What it takes to build trust — inside the company and out — when the outputs of AI systems are hard to explain.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Mark Abramowitz, Chief Marketing Officer at Dataiku.About Mark AbramowitzMark Abramowitz is Chief Marketing Officer at Dataiku, The Platform for AI Success. In his role, he oversees global brand and demand strategy, and is responsible for building awareness of Dataiku as the platform that unifies people, governance, and AI systems to deliver real results at scale.Mark brings extensive experience scaling enterprise platform businesses. Prior to Dataiku, he served as SVP of Product and Solutions Marketing at ServiceNow, leading product marketing as the company scaled from $6 billion to nearly $11 billion in revenue and spearheading the launch of Now Assist—the fastest-selling product in ServiceNow history. Before ServiceNow, Mark spent 15 years at Salesforce and 5 years as SVP of Product Marketing for Service Cloud.Mark Abramowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markabramowitz/---------- Resources ---------- Dataiku: https://www.dataiku.comThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.