Podcasts about smbs

The rules of hiring have changed—and many small business owners are still playing by an outdated talent playbook. In this episode, John Jantsch sits down with Rob Levin to explore how to upskill employees for AI, navigate the ongoing talent shift, and build a future-ready team for small and midsize businesses. They discuss why culture and KPIs matter more than ever, how to redesign workflows with an AI-first mindset, and what it really takes to manage AI instead of being replaced by it. If you want to create a resilient organization that thrives amid rapid technological change, this conversation is your roadmap. Today we discussed: 00:00 The New Talent Playbook Explained 05:43 The Hidden Talent Crisis for SMBs 07:12 AI Upskilling for Small Business Teams 12:00 Building Culture in Remote Teams 14:56 Over-Communication and KPI Clarity 17:30 Using AI to Design Smarter KPIs 20:28 AI, Job Security, and Team Buy-In 22:00 Book, Resources, and Final Thoughts Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today!

Add backs. How to use Math and Logic: 1 - Does it make logical sense? 2 - Is there a paper trail? Documented? - A real add-back has receipts + it shows up cleanly in the books/bank. 3 - Is this a re-occurring expense or 1-time? 4 - Is this Tax Fraud?   SMBs are the biggest target for cyber attacks. Protect your business with Inzo Technologies. Check out....www.inzotechnologies.com, I-N-Z-O, or email Nick directly at nick@inzotechnologies.com. ****** Join the last cohort for a while. **How to Buy a Business Live Cohort** - April 2026 https://www.letsbuyabusiness.com/

Send a textThis week's enterprise software announcements reflect a broad, coordinated push toward AI-native experiences layered across collaboration, operations, finance, and core business platforms. Salesforce's latest version of Slack, Oracle's role-based AI agents for Fusion Cloud, and SAP's extension of its business suite all signal that hyperscalers are embedding AI directly into day-to-day workflows rather than positioning it as a standalone add-on. In parallel, Sprinklr's new AI capabilities and Upstream Works' enhanced agent desktop extend this trend into customer experience and contact center operations, while Kantata's new AI platform targets the specialized needs of professional services firms. NetSuite's “Next” roadmap reinforces Oracle's mid-market modernization strategy, and ScienceLogic's reimagined applications highlight how observability and IT operations are also being reshaped by AI-first design principles. Rounding out the picture, Cleo's invoice payment and financing solution underscores growing pressure to modernize B2B financial operations, while Sage's acquisition of Criterion signals continued consolidation in the HCM space—together illustrating a market that is rapidly standardizing on AI-driven interaction layers even as vendors compete to redefine their category boundaries.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-5FOS9QamYQuestions for Panelists?

Send a textWhen evaluating WMS systems for 2026, it is essential to recognize that this is a structurally best-of-breed category rather than an extension of ERP or eCommerce platforms. This analysis deliberately excludes lightweight warehouse workflows embedded in broader systems, which are primarily designed to pass transactions downstream into a true WMS and lack the functional depth, orchestration complexity, and automation readiness required by serious distribution operations. True WMS platforms represent a category in their own right, with broader suites, richer integration patterns, and materially different architectural demands. Compounding this complexity is the diversity of operational models the category must support, from 3PL-centric environments focused on billing logic, client segregation, SLAs, and rapid customer onboarding, to manufacturing- and retail-centric value chains that prioritize production staging, kitting, reverse logistics, store replenishment, and omnichannel fulfillment. These differences are further reinforced by the technical segmentation of the category into WMS, WCS, and WES layers, with some vendors offering unified suites and others remaining purely transactional without deep integration into ASRS, robotics, conveyors, or advanced warehouse technologies—distinctions that materially affect long-term system fit and scalability.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top WMS systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these WMS systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each WMS system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78YHLvbCbuARead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-wms-systems/Questions for Panelists?

We help B2B brands launch shows that turn their point of view into pipeline. If you're launching a podcast (or have one already) and are not sure how it can hit your bottom line, book a meeting with Jason: https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/jason-bradwell/youtube-meeting-link -- Adam Holmgren turned three years of consistent LinkedIn posting into a $700K ARR SaaS business—without cold outbound, without a sales team, and with 80% of growth coming from organic content amplified by thought leader ads. In this episode of Pipe Dream, Adam Holmgren, co-founder and CEO of Fibbler, breaks down exactly how he built an attribution platform for SMBs by first building an audience of 25,000 marketers. Before launching Fibbler in May 2024, Adam spent years developing his point of view on demand generation, paid advertising, and attribution whilst at GetAccept—publishing consistently, giving value, and never asking for anything in return. When he finally launched his product, his audience was ready. Within two months, he had 50 paying customers purely from his network. But Adam didn't stop there. He shares the pivot that changed everything: shifting from organic-only to investing 50% of revenue into thought leader ads, specifically targeting the US market where LinkedIn ad spend is highest. The result? 400-500 signups per month, with 80% directly attributed to organic content plus paid amplification. Adam also reveals his weekend content system, his four content pillars (paid ads, brand building, founder-led growth, and personal), and why he believes distribution and brand are now the only real moats in a world where AI makes product features commoditised. Key Takeaways How to validate demand before launching: Build an audience first by giving value for years without asking for anything—then when you finally ask, conversion rates skyrocket. Why thought leader ads outperform traditional LinkedIn ads: Organic posts that already resonate are "battle-tested"—amplifying them with paid reach to new audiences dramatically improves ROI compared to brand account ads with CTAs. How to structure a sustainable content system: Plan content on weekends around 3-4 clear content pillars, schedule posts for the week, then stay active in comments during weekdays instead of writing on the fly. Why founder-led brands win in crowded markets: With 250,000-300,000 martech solutions available, distribution and brand are the only defensible moats—features alone won't differentiate you. How to convince sceptical executives to invest in brand: Start small, prove early signals (engagement from ICP, content mentioned in sales calls), then scale once you demonstrate pipeline impact over 3-6 months. The perfect LinkedIn post formula: Strong hook that creates curiosity or promises value + tactical insight or lesson learnt + no product pitch (let people discover you organically). Relevant Links and Resources Connect with Adam Holmgren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-holmgren/Learn more about Fibbler: https://fibbler.co What's Next If you're building a B2B brand and struggling to justify investment in owned media, start by building one person's audience consistently for 90 days—then amplify what works. The compounding effect is real. Useful Links Connect with Jason Bradwell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbradwell/Listen to Pipe Dream on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/pipe-dreamLearn more about B2B Better: https://www.b2b-better.com

Should small businesses request a penetration test? Is the threat to SMBs significant enough to justify it? Tune in to find out why an enterprise-grade service is increasingly making its way into smaller operations.Learn more at https://www.feemcotech.solutions/ Feemco Technologies City: Red Oak Address: 225 Richard Lane Website: https://www.feemcotech.solutions

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari, where we explore how Canadian businesses turn complexity into competitive advantage. Today's episode focuses on inclusive digital strategy and why accessibility, performance, and execution are now core drivers of growth rather than optional enhancements. In this conversation, Karine Simard, Director of the Inclusive Digital Studio at Ciao Technologies, breaks down how SMBs can modernize their digital presence with clarity and confidence. The discussion covers accessibility as a business strategy, common e-commerce pitfalls, scalable IT execution models, and why building for extreme environments reshapes how digital success is measured. Key Highlights Digital Accessibility as Strategy: Why inclusive design directly improves growth, efficiency, and reach.   E-commerce Execution Gaps: How to avoid friction that breaks the customer journey at checkout.   Squad as a Service: Why this delivery model outperforms traditional outsourcing for SMEs.   Security and Speed: Lessons learned from building for extreme environments.   Practical Roadmaps: First steps leaders can take to audit accessibility and drive inclusion. Special Thanks to Our Partners: UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWA Google: https://www.google.ca/ A1 Global College: https://a1globalcollege.ca/ ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspx For more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age! Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Why is iterating hardware so difficult and what would we do if it came time to start a business.In Episode #515 of 'Meanderings', Juan & I discuss: Clayton Christensen's 'The Innovator's Dilemma' book, why incumbents like IBM and Blockbuster struggled with disruptive shifts, how spin-outs can help large firms explore new markets, whether today's tech giants (NVIDIA, Amazon, Alphabet) are genuinely pivoting faster than past eras, the trap of single‑thesis bets (e.g., x402 via Coinbase/Circle), the difference between wealth and money via Paul Graham's classic essay, my slow‑ship shift toward building something around livestreaming/value-for-value/OpenClaw-style agents, Juan's practical plan to buy and streamline existing local service businesses and the enduring challenge of measuring value in a world awash with AI-generated content. No boostagrams but we do appreciate the streaming!Stan Link: https://stan.store/meremortalsTimeline:(00:00:00) Intro(00:00:36) The Innovator's Dilemma book(00:05:20) From hardware to software: DiSASSter(00:10:58) CapEx arms race: Nvidia up, Apple lagging(00:15:04) Incumbents can't buy their way out every time(00:19:13) Is AI truly disruptive? Capital, energy, and hype checks(00:24:50) Business cycles repeat: pivots, exits, and getting left behind(00:29:34) Investing today: concentration, tech dominance, and copper(00:34:05) Investing is prediction: outcomes vs decisions(00:38:02) Finding exposure: beware tiny bets inside behemoths(00:41:01) Boostagram Lounge and supporter shout-outs(00:42:04) Micropayments, value, and streaming money(00:45:19) Why Lightning may not fit continuous payments(00:49:53) Two paths: analogue community vs full-tilt AI grind(00:53:41) A niche edge: 'human-made' as a selling point(01:03:31) A creator's plan: livestreaming with OpenClaw automation(01:08:02) Work futures: lifestyle businesses and human uniqueness(01:14:58) Zero-to-one vs sustainment: knowing your role(01:20:04) Juan's near-term play: buy, streamline, and bundle SMBs(01:23:40) Wrap-up and sign-off Connect with Mere Mortals:Website: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/jjfq9eGReUTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/meremortalspodsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/meremortalspodcasts/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@meremortalspodcastsValue 4 Value Support:Boostagram: https://www.meremortalspodcasts.com/supportPaypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/meremortalspodcast

Cybersecurity advice is everywhere — frameworks, standards, best practices, expert opinions — enough PDFs to last you the rest of the year. But for small and mid-sized businesses, the real question isn't "What guidance exists?" It's "What should we actually do that lowers our chances of having a really bad cyber day?" If you've ever looked at a massive cybersecurity framework and thought, "This feels like studying for a final exam I didn't sign up for," you're not alone. That's where CISA's updated Cybersecurity Performance Goals (Version 2.0) come in. Designed to be practical, prioritized, and actually usable, this streamlined approach may be the clearest cybersecurity foundation SMBs have seen yet. In this episode, we break down what changed, why it matters, and how to use it. More info at HelpMeWithHIPAA.com/548

Where traditional SEO techniques once rules, AI has now taken over. While these new systems don't invalidate the old marketing methods, they do add a critical new dimension to the market landscape that all successful SMBs must keep in mind. Read more at https://holisticmarketinglab.com/ HolisticMarketingLab City: Bad Segeberg Address: Am Weinhof 7 Website: https://holisticmarketinglab.com

Businesses are implementing AI faster than most entrepreneurs realize. But the best opportunities aren't always in cutting-edge startups. In many cases, the best returns are in legacy businesses that haven't kept pace with the innovation curve. Understanding that gap—and how to close it—has defined the career of today's guest.Bill Tyndall is the founder of Tynrose, a holding company focused on modernizing legacy businesses through digital transformation, data, cybersecurity, and AI. After launching Electric in 2016, which revolutionized IT support for SMBs, he had a billion-dollar exit just four years later. You'll hear how Bill's newest venture, Tynrose, builds platforms that don't just implement technology; they reimagine it and help companies move beyond patchwork solutions and into scalable solutions that are built to last in the digital world. His approach challenges outdated models and reframes what's possible when businesses stabilize their technology, leverage clean data, and deploy AI with intention.In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ How SMBs and legacy businesses may offer better AI-driven returns than tech startups.✅ Why Bill decided to start a new business after his billion-dollar exit, and what creating a legacy with his businesses means to him. ✅ Why AI is really just a capacity expander for humans and what the future holds for IT and cybersecurity in an AI-driven world.Show Notes: LifestyleInvestor.com/278Tax Strategy MasterclassIf you're interested in learning more about Tax Strategy and how YOU can apply 28 of the best, most effective strategies right away, check out our BRAND NEW Tax Strategy Masterclass: www.lifestyleinvestor.com/taxStrategy Session For a limited time, my team is hosting free, personalized consultation calls to learn more about your goals and determine which of our courses or masterminds will get you to the next level. To book your free session, visit LifestyleInvestor.com/consultationThe Lifestyle Investor InsiderJoin The Lifestyle Investor Insider, our brand new AI - curated newsletter - FREE for all podcast listeners for a limited time: www.lifestyleinvestor.com/insiderRate & ReviewIf you enjoyed today's episode of The Lifestyle Investor, hit the subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen, so future episodes are automatically downloaded directly to your device. You can also help by providing an honest rating & review.Connect with Justin DonaldFacebookYouTubeInstagramLinkedInTwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Payments leaders are feeling the squeeze of shrinking margins, price-driven churn, and rising expectations from merchants who want funding that feels as seamless as a card transaction. We sat down with Aarati Soman, Head of Product at Parafin, and Jaron Ruckman, Product Manager at NMI, to map the new playbook: embedded lending that meets merchants where they already work, backed by real-time data, AI-driven underwriting, and modular infrastructure that launches fast and scales cleanly.We unpack how moving capital inside your existing workflows changes the relationship with your merchants. Instead of sending them to third-party portals or closed ecosystems, you present pre-underwritten offers based on sales data, bank transactions, and relevant third-party signals. Machine learning models spot revenue patterns, seasonality, refunds, disputes, and expense profiles; LLMs structure unstructured data to speed decisions. The impact is tangible: faster approvals, fairer pricing, higher eligibility for SMBs that banks often overlook, and the kind of stickiness that turns payment processing from a commodity into a growth engine.Aarati outlines how Parafin carries the heavy lifts - capital, risk, servicing, and compliance so partners can focus on distribution and experience. Jaron shares how NMI's API-first approach and embeddable components get partners live with offers before any deep development, with the option to integrate more tightly over time. We explore strategic positioning against Stripe and Square, why contextual placement at the point of pain drives adoption, and where product innovation is headed: fit-for-purpose capital for inventory spikes, equipment, payroll, and beyond. We close with practical advice on choosing partners - breadth of products, ease of integration, transparency, and program durability so you avoid costly rip-and-replace cycles and deliver fast funding your merchants trust.

Why fundamental security best-practices are overlooked by SMBs despite advanced threatsAddressing the unmanageable digital exposure surface - identifying critical assets to prioritise for investmentScalable actions that enable smaller IT teams to transition from reactive incident response to targeted, proactive cyber defenceThom Langford, Host, teissTalkhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thomlangford/Steven Furnell, Professor of Cyber Security, University of Nottinghamhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenfurnell/Edd Hardy, Director Cyber Security, AlixPartnershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eddhardySuvi Silvanto, Director, Product Marketing, WithSecurehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/suvi-silvanto/

Welcome to the CanadianSME Small Business Podcast, hosted by Maheen Bari, where we explore the strategies helping Canadian businesses drive measurable and sustainable growth. In a digital landscape filled with noise, data has become the most powerful tool for replacing guesswork with confident, informed decision making.In this episode, Warren Thompson, Co Founder and Managing Director of Ollo Metrics, breaks down how SMBs can use analytics, strategy-first thinking, and clarity-driven frameworks to fuel real growth. The conversation covers marketing priorities for 2026, the evolution of search and AEO, and a real-world example of how data-led strategy delivers lasting results.Key HighlightsTurning Data into Decisions: How small businesses can focus on meaningful metrics instead of wasting budget. Why Strategy Comes First: The difference between running tactics and building sustainable growth engines. Marketing Capabilities for 2026: Preparing for AEO and AI-driven search changes. Real Growth in Action: A Canadian SMB case study powered by data and strategy. Leadership and Vision: Building resilient, clarity-driven marketing systems for the future.Special Thanks to Our Partners:UPS: https://solutions.ups.com/ca-beunstoppable.html?WT.mc_id=BUSMEWAGoogle: https://www.google.ca/A1 Global College: https://a1globalcollege.ca/ADP Canada: https://www.adp.ca/en.aspxFor more expert insights, visit www.canadiansme.ca and subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Stay innovative, stay informed, and thrive in the digital age!Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as direct financial or business advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.

Chad Petersen has done A LOT of deals. We dive into his accidental entrepreneur journey....started mowing lawns at 13, realized ownership = freedom, then built + sold his first company at 19 and kept repeating the "build cash flow → sell for a liquidity jump" playbook (six of his own). * What buyers do wrong with brokers (and how to stand out): the market has more motivated buyers; buyers kill deals by showing entitlement, fighting NDAs, and not having a personal financial statement ready. * Real-world examples: a CPA bought an ~$8M drywall business by staying patient/emotionally steady (and spent about $2.5k on legal) SMBs are the biggest target for cyber attacks. Protect your business with Inzo Technologies. Check out....www.inzotechnologies.com, I-N-Z-O, or email Nick directly at nick@inzotechnologies.com. ===== Find more about Chad at his website below. https://chadpeterson.com/ ===== Join the next **How to Buy a Business Live Cohort** - April 2026 https://www.letsbuyabusiness.com/

Send a textThis week's enterprise software developments underscore a widening gap between rapid AI-driven platform innovation and the unresolved execution risks embedded in large-scale ERP programs. On one side of the ledger, Mendix and OutSystems both advanced their agentic AI roadmaps with new releases aimed at operationalizing autonomous workflows, while ServiceNow's unveiling of its AI Experience, Sprinklr's new AI capabilities, and Braze's product enhancements at Forge 2025 reinforce how aggressively vendors across ITSM, CX, and marketing automation are repositioning around AI-first interaction layers. Salesforce's latest Slack updates and Upstream Works' enhanced agent desktop further extend this trend into collaboration and contact center operations, signaling that AI augmentation is now table stakes across front-office and service environments. In parallel, Plex's expanded connected worker integrations highlight how these same concepts are being pushed into manufacturing execution and workforce enablement, while Cleo's invoice payment and financing solution reflects growing pressure to modernize B2B financial operations. Yet this innovation narrative is tempered by Daedong USA's loss of an injunction in its ERP dispute—placing its $11.4 billion suit in jeopardy—which serves as a reminder that beneath the AI acceleration, legacy implementation failures, legal exposure, and governance breakdowns continue to create material risk for enterprises betting on large transformation programs.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Arr9GjwOBsQuestions for Panelists?

In this episode of Practical Cybersecurity, host Jen Stone talks with Curt Dukes, EVP and GM of Security Best Practices at the Center for Internet Security (CIS). Drawing on his 30-year career at the NSA, Dukes breaks down how small and medium businesses (SMBs) can implement "good enough" security without unlimited resources. The conversation focuses on Implementation Group 1 (IG1)—a prioritized set of safeguards that provide essential "cyber hygiene". Dukes introduces free resources like the CSAT (Controls Self-Assessment Tool) and CIS Workbench to help leaders move past the intimidation of technical jargon and establish a "standard of reasonableness" for their organization's defense.CIS ResourcesCIS (Center for Internet Security): The nonprofit organization that creates the global standards discussed in this episode.NSA (National Security Agency): The U.S. intelligence agency where Curt Dukes led defensive security efforts for 30+ years.IG1 (Implementation Group 1): The essential "Cyber Hygiene" tier of the CIS Controls designed for small businesses.CSAT (Controls Self-Assessment Tool): A free web-based application to track and measure your security progress.CIS Workbench: A collaborative platform to ask technical questions and get help from the security community.CIS RAM (Risk Assessment Method): A free methodology to identify security gaps and prioritize investments based on risk.CIS Benchmarks: Free, consensus-based configuration recommendations for OS and network devices.MS-ISAC (Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center): The division of CIS providing threat intelligence for state and local governments.EI-ISAC (Elections Infrastructure ISAC): A dedicated team at CIS focused on securing election-related systems.The Community Defense Model (CDM): A data-driven report proving the effectiveness of the Controls against top cyber attacks.The Cost of Cyber Defense: A breakdown of the financial investment needed for various security models.Request a Quote for a PCI Audit ► https://www.securitymetrics.com/pci-audit Request a Quote for a Penetration Test ► https://www.securitymetrics.com/penetration-testing Get the Guide to PCI DSS compliance ► https://www.securitymetrics.com/lp/pci/pci-guide Get FREE security and compliance training ► https://academy.securitymetrics.com/ Get in touch with SecurityMetrics' Sales Team ► https://www.securitymetrics.com/contact/lets-get-you-to-the-right-place

Send a textHCM operates under a different operational gravity, shaped by higher data sensitivity, greater regulatory exposure, and people-centric workflows that do not map cleanly to financial or supply chain logic. HR data carries a uniquely elevated risk profile, and processes such as payroll, benefits, compliance, recruiting, onboarding, training, and performance management introduce specialized data models and integration needs that demand purpose-built platforms. Adoption also follows a different maturity curve, with most organizations starting from basic payroll—often via a PEO or standalone system—and gradually layering in more strategic HR capabilities as workforce size and complexity increase. Because HCM spans multiple micro-segments and specialization layers that vary materially by industry, geography, and workforce composition, it must be evaluated as its own architectural layer, not merely as an ERP add-on, to ensure long-term system fit and operational resilience.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top HCM software in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these HCM software. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each HCM software.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVe9TBkCoG0Read: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-hcm-software/Questions for Panelists?

Future-Proofing B2B Marketing: AI, Omnichannel Strategies, and Decades of Wisdom with Melih OztalayIn this episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Podcast, host Josh Elledge sits down with Melih Oztalay, the CEO of SmartFinds Marketing, to explore the seismic shifts currently reshaping the B2B landscape. With a marketing career spanning back to 1987, Melih offers a rare perspective on how to bridge the gap between traditional advertising principles and the hyper-accelerated world of AI-driven engagement. This conversation serves as a strategic roadmap for leaders looking to move beyond single-channel tactics and embrace a holistic, 360-degree approach that leverages cutting-edge technology to drive measurable business growth and long-term client loyalty.Navigating the Convergence of AI and Human-Centric MarketingThe transition from being a traditional agency to an AI-powered marketing powerhouse requires a fundamental shift in how business leaders view their digital presence. Melih explains that the current era of B2B marketing is defined by the rise of "AI Agents"—sophisticated chatbots that act as 24/7 sales representatives, capable of nurturing leads through complex buying cycles before a human ever enters the conversation. By integrating these tools, companies can transform their websites from static brochures into dynamic engagement hubs that qualify prospects based on real-time behavior. This shift doesn't just improve efficiency; it meets the modern buyer's expectation for immediate, accurate information, which can increase conversion rates from a standard 10% to upwards of 30%.To truly thrive, however, these technological tools must be housed within a robust omnichannel strategy that ensures a brand is visible wherever a prospect chooses to engage. Melih emphasizes that "cherry-picking" channels or focusing solely on lead generation without sales alignment is a recipe for stagnation. A successful strategy integrates PR, social media, email, and intent-based platforms into a unified message that builds trust over time. When marketing and sales teams are perfectly aligned, the data gathered from digital touchpoints informs every step of the outreach, ensuring that no lead is wasted and every interaction is personalized to the buyer's specific stage in their journey.Building these systems requires a commitment to long-term investment rather than short-term "quick fixes," a lesson Melih has distilled over nearly four decades in the industry. For SMBs and large enterprises alike, the goal is to create a marketing ecosystem that is both resilient and adaptable. This means automating mundane, repetitive tasks through AI to free up human talent for high-value strategic work. By auditing current channels and focusing on technical integrations that connect CRM data to front-end engagement, organizations can build a sustainable competitive advantage that outlasts the latest marketing fads.About Melih OztalayMelih Oztalay is the CEO and founder of SmartFinds Marketing, a Detroit-based agency with a legacy of innovation dating back to 1987. A pioneer in the digital space, Melih has spent his career helping B2B organizations navigate the evolution of the internet, specialized in omnichannel strategies and the practical implementation of AI in marketing.About SmartFinds MarketingSmartFinds Marketing is a full-service B2B omnichannel agency that specializes in delivering 360-degree marketing solutions. The agency focuses on integrating AI technology, lead optimization, and strategic content to help both Fortune 500 companies and growing SMBs maximize their digital reach and ROI.Links Mentioned in This Episode

In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Jamison, CEO and Co-Founder of Extend, one of fintech's most exciting startups reshaping how businesses manage spend and expense. From his early career leading B2B product innovation at American Express to raising over $70M and scaling Extend into a trusted payments infrastructure partner, Andrew shares the real story behind building a business at the intersection of digital payments, virtual cards, and banking ecosystems.

What does sustainable sales growth really look like?In this powerful episode of #BusinessInfluencers, the President of Growth Plan Partners John Noonan shares 35 plus years of real world experience in building, leading, and transforming sales organizations.Chris Salem explore how business owners can move from inconsistent results to predictable growth by strengthening accountability, refining strategy, targeting the right customers, and building high performing sales teams.If you are serious about unlocking the next level in your business, this episode is packed with clarity, strategy, and actionable insights.#TALRadioenglish #SalesGrowth #BusinessLeadership #SMB #RevenueStrategy #Entrepreneurship #SalesCoaching #PodcastLaunch #GrowthMindset

In addition to buying his own business, Evan DiLeonardi trades buy-side services for equity in other SMB acquisitions.Topics in Evan's interview:Entering the Airbnb spaceJoining Ben Kelly's acquisition groupBuying a commercial cleaning businessBeing a remote “workaholic”Realizing he bought a business in distressFirst year in survival modeGetting a team of great managers in placeHis “Equity in Kind” partner modelEnjoying search more than operationsBuilding a holding companyReferences and how to contact Evan:LinkedInQuality Cleaning ServiceGail Hamilton Azodo on Acquiring Minds: Buying to $4m Across 7 Sites in 3 YearsMeridian Peak CapitalWork with an SBA loan team focused exclusively on helping entrepreneurs buy businesses:Pioneer Capital AdvisoryGet a complimentary IT audit of your target business:Email Nick Akers at nick@inzotechnologies.com, and tell him you're a searcherGet a free review of your books & financial ops from System Six (a $500 value):Book a call with Tim or hello@systemsix.com and mention Acquiring MindsConnect with Acquiring Minds:See past + future interviews on the YouTube channelConnect with host Will Smith on LinkedInFollow Will on TwitterEdited by Anton RohozovProduced by Pam Cameron

Ty Wang, cofounder and CEO of Angle Health, breaks down what it means to give back through public service, then shows how that same mindset drives his mission to modernize healthcare for small and midsize businesses. We get into why legacy health plans feel opaque and painful, what an AI native health plan actually changes behind the scenes, and how better data and workflows can create real cost stability for employers.Ty shares his path from a federal scholarship and national service work to Palantir, and why he chose one of the most regulated, least glamorous industries to build in. If you have ever wondered why healthcare feels impossible to navigate, or why renewals can blindside a company, this conversation will give you a clear mental model of the problem and a practical view of what modernization looks like when it actually ships. Key TakeawaysHealthcare feels broken because the infrastructure is fragmented, data is siloed, and even basic questions become hard to answer across inconsistent systemsModernizing healthcare is not just about a new app, it is about rebuilding the operational core so workflows, claims, underwriting, and member experience can run on integrated dataSmall and midsize businesses are hit hardest by cost volatility because they lack transparency, predictability, and negotiating leverage, yet health insurance is often a top line item after payrollA strong approach to regulated markets is collaborative, treat regulators as partners in consumer protection, not obstacles to work aroundMission and impact can be a recruiting advantage, especially when the technical problems are genuinely hard and the outcomes touch real people fastTimestamped Highlights00:40 What Angle Health is, and what AI native means in a real health plan02:05 The scholarship path that pulled Ty into public service and set his trajectory04:06 The personal story behind the mission, the American dream, and why access matters09:38 Why healthcare infrastructure is so complex, and how siloed systems create bad experiences11:33 Why SMBs get squeezed, and how manual administration blocks customization at scale13:20 The real pain point for employers, cost volatility and zero predictability before renewal16:55 Why the tech can expand beyond SMBs, but why the SMB market is already massive19:51 Lessons from building in a regulated industry, and why credibility and funding matter22:26 Hiring for high agency, mission driven talent in a world full of AI companiesA line that sticks“Unless you are lucky enough to work for a big company, these modern healthcare services are still largely inaccessible to the vast majority of Americans.”Pro Tips for tech operators and buildersIf you are modernizing a legacy industry, start with the infrastructure layer, fix the data model, integrate the systems, then automate workflowsIn regulated markets, build relationships early, show how your product improves consumer outcomes, and make compliance a design constraint, not a bolt onWhen selling into SMBs, predictability beats perfection, give customers a clear breakdown of what drives costs and what they can controlWhat's next:If this episode helped you see healthcare and legacy modernization more clearly, follow the show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and subscribe so you do not miss the next conversation. Also, share it with one operator or builder who is trying to modernize a messy industry.

In a podcast recorded at ITEXPO / MSP EXPO, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Gregory Tellone, CEO of Cloud IBR, about simplifying disaster recovery (DR) testing and turning recoverability into a practical, recurring revenue opportunity for MSPs. Cloud IBR is a SaaS platform designed for organizations using Veeam backups. With a single click, the system provisions dedicated bare-metal cloud servers, installs operating systems, restores encrypted backup repositories, configures networking, VPN access, firewalls, and hands off a fully operational environment for either a live disaster or a scheduled recovery test. “Most backup products are great at backup,” Tellone explained. “The problem is knowing whether your backups are actually good and being able to test recovery easily.” The platform addresses a longstanding gap in the SMB market: the complexity and cost of maintaining secondary DR sites and conducting realistic recovery testing. Traditional DR requires duplicate infrastructure, bandwidth, replication management, and ongoing maintenance—often making full testing impractical. Cloud IBR automates that entire process in approximately 20 minutes of onboarding time, enabling monthly recovery testing by default and generating detailed PDF reports documenting every recovered server and recovery time objective (RTO). For MSPs, the opportunity is strategic. Starting at $299 per month, the service provides a low-barrier entry point into customer accounts while strengthening trust and expanding monthly recurring revenue. Tellone described it as a relationship builder: “It's always easier to sell to a customer than to a prospect. You start with something simple that works, and from there you grow.” With automated reporting suitable for cyber insurance applications and RFP responses, Cloud IBR transforms disaster recovery from a checkbox exercise into a demonstrable operational advantage. Visit https://cloudibr.com/

In a podcast recorded at ITEXPO / MSP EXPO, Doug Green, Publisher of Technology Reseller News, spoke with Tomas Sjostrom, CISSP and President of Technology Services at James Moore Co., about how cybersecurity and compliance priorities are evolving for small and mid-sized businesses. Sjostrom explained that James Moore is a long-established CPA firm with more than 60 years of experience serving Florida-based organizations, and nearly three decades delivering IT managed services alongside traditional financial and audit work. As cybersecurity threats increase and regulatory requirements expand, SMBs are showing greater interest in both protecting their environments and demonstrating compliance—often driven by cyber insurance requirements, customer demands, or new business opportunities. A key theme of the discussion focused on how organizations assess and manage cybersecurity risk. Sjostrom emphasized that the process begins with understanding what is motivating a customer's concern, whether it is insurance questionnaires, data protection issues, or compliance mandates tied to industries such as defense contracting. From there, James Moore leverages onboarding and automated discovery tools to establish a baseline and support continuous compliance. “Customers want to meet new requirements as fast as possible, reliably, and without spending excessive time or money,” Sjostrom noted, highlighting the need for scalable and automated approaches. The conversation also touched on AI adoption and compliance readiness. Sjostrom observed that less mature organizations often start with questions around data protection and privacy, while more advanced companies already understand where their critical assets reside and can move more quickly toward compliant AI deployments. As cybersecurity, compliance, and AI increasingly intersect, Sjostrom positioned proactive risk monitoring as a strategic advantage for SMBs working with trusted MSP and advisory partners. Visit https://www.jmco.com/

~ 30% of your new hires will leave before the 90-day mark.Unless you onboard properly. You've already done a lot: you spent thousands on recruitment, vetting, and interviewing. You will pay for them and their training. But without a solid onboarding process, there is a high chance that your investment will walk out the door.Onboarding is quite possibly the easiest and most cost-effective retention activity you can do, yet so many businesses treat it as an afterthought. Or a tedious activity they avoid. So watch the video and make sure you do it! Onboarding isn't just a "nice-to-have" - it's a key bottom-line retention strategy.I'm an HR Consultant to SMBs. Find me at:https://thehrhub.cahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-adams1/

Top Story: Launch emails that convert https://blog.bookbaby.com/how-to-promote-your-book/book-promotion/high-converting-author-newsletter-examples If you think you're bad at email newsletters, you're not alone, says BookBaby. Many don't seem to know what to say, or when to say it, which often leads to not sending at all, even when they're launching a new book. "Before we get into the examples, it's worth knowing why these [book launch] newsletters convert," says BookBaby. "No matter your genre, [effective book launch] newsletters have five things in common." The first is a reason to open the email; that means a strong, relevant subject line. Once opened, it answers the reader's question of "What's in it for me?" It should help them, give them a sneak peek, or give them something useful. Next, be authentic. Write like an author, not a marketer. "You create deeper connections with your readers by wrapping their hopes, pain, and questions into the narrative and share how your book fits in." Then, give them just the relevant links to your upcoming launch or pre-order, plus maybe a timely link to your most popular series or seasonal promotion they can buy now. The last thing these successful launch emails have is timing; An email newsletter is perfect for teasing your upcoming launch, but don't forget that additional emails are good on launch day, not to mention follow-up emails with bonuses or reminders. Not everyone clicks (or even sees) your first email. BookBaby's simplest example doesn't overthink things. "The subject line can be as simple as 'Preorders open,' while the email body includes a brief story about why you wrote the book. Highlight the benefit to the reader and include the preorder link." If you're featuring limited time bonuses for early buyers or pre-orders, add that, too. Finally, a call-to-action (CTA) suggests that they "Preorder now in your preferred format." Because it's an email, you can includes a P.S., too, with a last-minute reason to purchase, like telling them why they'll enjoy your novel, or fixing a pain point for non-fiction. "This speaks directly to your reader while giving them a simple path to purchase."    Trixie Silvertale is here! https://trixiesilvertale.com/

Warehouse operations often highlight the gap between business strategy and execution, particularly as small and mid-sized companies grow. Challenges like fulfillment pressure, inventory inaccuracies, and manual workarounds can turn warehouses into bottlenecks that hinder organizational efficiency. When teams lose confidence in their data, scaling becomes more difficult, leaving leadership reactive instead of proactive.In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott W. Luton speaks with Kurt Heusner, CEO of Endpoint Automation Solutions, about warehouse execution in the SMB market. Kurt discusses his experience with growth-focused businesses and emphasizes the importance of time-to-value, adoption, and simplicity over complexity. He explains how trust in systems affects team performance and why warehouses often reveal operational challenges first.The conversation also addresses ERP warehouse modules versus standalone WMS solutions as complexity grows, modular implementation approaches, the ongoing significance of barcoding, and how newer technologies fit into modernization strategies. The episode concludes with insights into Endpoint's peer communities and grant programs designed to enhance warehouse execution without disrupting daily operations.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(01:36) Meet Kurt Heusner: career and insights(02:52) Kurt Heusner's passion for music explained(04:58) Kurt's journey in SMB technology industry(06:22) Warehouse automation: SMBs' needs and insights(10:46) Cultural impact on technology implementation(11:31) Serving SMBs: key challenges uncovered(14:56) Evolution of endpoint automation solutions explained(17:16) Modular approach to WMS for success(19:30) Final thoughts on SMB problem-solving(23:56) Experience and continuous learning in tech(24:36) The history and evolution of barcoding(26:05) Barcoding's role in modern supply chains(29:06) Integrating technologies with barcoding in operations(31:39) Signs your ERP system needs upgrading(34:05) Building trust in tech and teams(39:33) Peer communities and learning program value(43:00) Grant programs for small manufacturers explainedAdditional Links & Resources:Connect with Kurt Heusner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtheusner/Learn more about Endpoint Automation Solutions: https://endpointas.com/Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.comLearn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/aboutWatch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-nowSubscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform:

America's Credit Unions CEO Scott Simpson reflects on his first 90 days in the role and offers a preview of March's Government Affairs Conference. Barlow Research Managing Partner Sandy Hanson shares new and unexpected insights on how SMBs prefer to engage with financial providers.  Also- PayPal's plunge brings another of our 2025 BIGgo squares back into play, and an insider's uncommon take on FTX.   Links related to this episode: America's Credit Unions: https://www.americascreditunions.org/ The Government Affairs Conference, March 1-5 in Washington DC- breakout sessions now announced: https://www.americascreditunions.org/events-training/conference/governmental-affairs-conference/breakout-sessions Barlow Research: https://barlowresearch.com/ Deluxe Exchange: https://www.deluxe.com/deluxe-exchange/ Yahoo Finance on PayPal's earnings miss and Elon Musk rumors: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/paypal-tanks-earnings-miss-could-165640023.html  Join us for our next CU Town Hall- Wednesday February 18 at 3pm ET/Noon PT- a live and lively interactive conversation tackling the major issues facing credit unions today. This month's session will feature guest Brian Bodell, CEO of Movemint (formerly Digital Storefront). The Town Hall is free to attend, but advance registration is required:  https://www.cutownhall.com/   Check out CU Unplugged, an unscripted, participant-powered gathering designed to foster unfiltered conversation on the topics participants most critical. The event is open to all credit union leaders, but the group will be kept intentionally small for maximum impact. Join us March 30 – April 2 at Visa's Market Support Center in San Francisco: Visit https://www.cu-unplugged.com/  to learn more and register.     Follow us on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

Send a textThis week's enterprise software headlines highlight a market simultaneously accelerating into agentic AI while still wrestling with the structural and legal fallout of past transformation failures. On the innovation front, Genstore's $10M seed round, Tray.ai's launch of the Tray Agent Hub, and new agentic releases from Mendix and OutSystems underscore how aggressively vendors are repositioning around autonomous workflows and AI-first orchestration layers. ServiceNow's unveiling of its AI Experience and Plex's connected worker integration push the same narrative into IT service management and manufacturing operations, signaling that agentic concepts are no longer confined to experimental edges of the stack. At the same time, a parallel storyline of governance and execution risk is playing out, with Zimmer Biomet's $172M ERP lawsuit against Deloitte, Europe's continued delays fixing a troubled Oracle system, Daedong USA's faltering ERP injunction, and the EU Commission's investigation into SAP's practices reinforcing how fragile large-scale enterprise transformations remain. Together, these developments paint a bifurcated 2026 landscape: rapid platform innovation driven by AI ambition on one side, and unresolved accountability, regulatory scrutiny, and implementation risk on the other.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3VmbEsy5uQQuestions for Panelists?

Most B2B marketing fails for one simple reason: it forgets how persuasion actually works.That's why Mad Men still hits. Beneath the suits, pitches, and personal drama, it's a masterclass in what actually moves people. In this episode, we break down its B2B marketing takeaways with the help of our special guest  Fahad Muhammad, Former VP of Marketing at TealBook.Together, we explore why fundamentals matter more than tactics, why emotion drives demand, and how originality is the only real advantage left in modern B2B marketing.About our guest, Fahad MuhammadFahad is a revenue-centric and data-driven marketing leader with 17 years of experience in strategic marketing at severalSaaS/Tech companies ranging from start-ups, SMBs to enterprise organizations. Specializing in demand creation and generation, he takes a data driven approach to identify unique growth opportunities in order to drive revenue and foster meaningful connections with customers. He is a diehard college football fan (Sun Devil for life!) and attends ASU's homecoming game each fall. An avid reader, he loves to read with a cup of his favorite coffee in hand.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Mad Men:Anchor on positioning before you touch tactics. Fahad's biggest takeaway from Mad Men is that modern B2B often skips the hard thinking and jumps straight to execution. The show strips marketing back to its core, and the lesson is uncomfortable in its simplicity. As he puts it, “This discipline is around three core things. It's about positioning, it's about having a very compelling piece of creative… and then the last piece is really understanding who your audience is.” The danger for B2B teams is mistaking activity for strategy. If positioning is fuzzy, no amount of optimization will save it. Get the foundation right first, or everything else is just noise.Emotion is the real differentiator. Fahad makes it clear that cutting through the noise is about resonance. He says, “Something that does speak to us, no matter what medium [it's in], is always going to cut through the noise.” Mad Men works because it understands human psychology hasn't changed, even if the channels have. For B2B marketers, the lesson is simple: logic might justify the purchase, but emotion earns attention. If your message doesn't connect at a human level, it won't survive the noise long enough to matter.Originality beats borrowed playbooks. Fahad warns that one of the fastest ways for B2B brands to disappear is by copying what already worked for someone else. Mad Men celebrates originality because it shows how differentiation is built through conviction, not consensus. As Fahad puts it, “They're not taking the shortcut route of copy pasting or referencing creative… they are elevating themselves and going through their own version of creative.” In a world where everyone has access to the same tools, the only sustainable advantage is saying something true in a way only you can. That's what people remember.Quote“  Everybody has the same access to the tools now. They can do the same thing. And the playing field is more level than ever. So how do you now cut through the noise? It still goes back to the core elements of: How strong is your positioning? How strong is your creative? Are you really thinking [that] this is going to cut through the noise and is it going to move people?”Time Stamps[00:55] Meet Fahad Muhammad, Former VP of Marketing at TealBook[01:37] Why Mad Men?[04:28] Role of VP of Marketing at TealBook[05:20] Behind-the-Scenes of Mad Men[09:21] B2B Marketing Takeaways from Mad Men[32:08] The Role of AI in Marketing[42:43] How to Connect Content to Your Marketing Strategy[45:44] Advice for First-Time VPs of Marketing[47:19] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Fahad on LinkedInLearn more about TealBookAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discover why 2026 is the breakout year for software affiliates. We unpack twenty billion dollar projections, recurring commission models, AI personalization trends, and how SMBs are fueling explosive SaaS adoption. Learn which niches JVs should target now. MunchEye City: London Address: London Office 15 Harwood Road, , London, England United Kingdom Website: https://muncheye.com/

Send us a textWhile most modern CRMs offer basic marketing automation, those native modules are typically optimized for simple campaign execution and lead nurturing and often lack the depth, specialization, and innovation velocity of dedicated platforms. This list therefore prioritizes best-of-breed systems that function as a true operational hub for marketing teams and demonstrate meaningful ecosystem penetration across data platforms, content systems, ad-tech tools, and analytics layers. Because integration complexity in this category is generally lower than in core transactional systems, a best-of-breed strategy is structurally viable, ensuring the platforms included are tightly aligned with the real-world needs of modern marketing organizations rather than serving as secondary feature sets within sales- or service-centric suites.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top marketing automation systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these marketing automation systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each marketing automation system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88hYJ_rw3v4Read: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-marketing-automation-systems/Questions for Panelists?

In this episode, Gordon Borrell and Corey Elliott put their own assumptions about local advertisers to the test by bringing in Shannon Kinney, founder of Dream Local Digital, who has worked with more than 90,000 businesses. Together, they unpack what SMBs really think about marketing today: deep skepticism toward inflated audience claims, an obsession with proving ROI, and a pragmatic—if still uneven—embrace of AI as a “happy intern” rather than an all-knowing oracle. The conversation challenges the idea that email and traditional media are dead, showing instead that targeted newsletters and branded content can still perform, while underscoring that scattered, low-budget tactics are often the real culprit behind disappointing results. The episode ultimately lands on a nuanced truth: local advertisers aren't anti-media or blindly pro-digital—they're searching for trust, clarity, and partners who can help them connect the dots between marketing effort and real business outcomes. Stay in the loop with all things Borrell when you join our Research Alert Lists.As always, thank you for listening. If you like the episode, leave us a review! Want to join the conversation? Share your comments at borrellassociates.com/podcast.

Learn how small businesses are using AI-powered content strategies to dominate search results and compete with industry giants. From three-hundred-percent ROI boosts to capturing substantial traffic, this episode reveals the automation secrets leveling the digital playing field. To read more, visit https://ampifire.com/blog/what-is-multicasting-the-future-of-content-repurposing-syndication/?utm_source=chatgpt.com AmpiFire City: London Address: London Office 15 Harwood Road, , London, England United Kingdom Website: https://ampifire.com/

Welcome to Open Tech Talks. Quick note before we start, thank you. The messages, the feedback, the "keep this practical" reminders… they've been incredibly helpful. Open Tech Talks has always been a weekly sandbox for technology insights, experimentation, and inspiration—with one objective: learn, test, and share what's real. Now, a personal moment from this week. A few days ago, I sat with a business owner who said something that stuck with me: "AI is everywhere… but I don't know where to start without breaking my business." And that's the truth for most companies, especially small businesses. Because "start with AI" sounds simple… until it touches real operations: leads that go cold, follow-ups that don't happen, teams that feel overwhelmed, tools that multiply, processes that nobody can explain clearly. Most AI projects don't fail because the model is weak. They fail because the process is unclear, the team is overloaded, and the strategy is missing. Let's begin. Episode # 182 Today's Guest: Mindaugas (Min) Maciulis, Founder & CEO of Strategic AI Advisors He works with CEOs, COOs, and operating partners in the $20M–$250M range who are ready to go beyond pilots and turn AI into real EBITDA growth. His proven 90-day sprint framework, AImpact OS, delivers measurable lifts across productivity, customer service, and sales. Website: Strategic Advisors What Listeners Will Learn: Identify the best "starting point" for AI using business pain, not hype Understand why AI pilots fail mostly due to adoption (not technology) Learn a practical approach to simplify workflows before adding automation See how SMBs can move faster than enterprises in the AI era Understand the difference between augmentation and transformation with AI Learn how to avoid tool overload and focus on measurable outcomes Resources: Strategic Advisors

The Operator's Guide to AI Tool Selection (Before Your CEO Buys Another One) Your entrepreneur is excited about another AI tool, but before you add it to your tech stack, you need to know this: MIT research shows that 95% of AI investments have produced zero returns at the company level.  The Salesforce disaster is the perfect case study: they laid off 4,000 employees to pivot to AI (after promising it wouldn't impact jobs), then had to pivot back when the large language models proved unreliable and experienced drift.  As operators and Seconds-In-Command, you're fielding these AI tool requests constantly, but most SMBs aren't ready for agentic AI or even vibe-coded applications that pose serious security risks (60% of businesses shut down after a cyber attack). In this episode, host Megan Long covers some basic frameworks and points of skepticism to be aware of before adopting any AI tool - agentic or vide-coded.  Beyond ROI concerns, there are real ethical considerations. Being intentional about AI tool selection isn't just about avoiding wasted budget; it's about building efficiencies responsibly without compromising security or causing harm. You'll hear all about: 00:29 - Introduction: The plethora of AI tools promising the world and how operators are fielding these from excited CEOs 00:59 - Origin story: Second First Mastermind quarterly cohort meetings and how vendor selection became a hot topic 01:49 - The 6 critical questions to ask before purchasing any software or tool (pull up your notes app!) 02:57 - The overwhelming answer: Yes, we've all wasted significant time and money on failed software purchases 03:14 - The AI reality check: MIT research shows 95% of AI investments have produced zero returns 03:36 - The nuance: Individuals find personal efficiencies, but company-level P&L shows no benefits 03:45 - Surprising finding: Most AI investments go to Sales & Marketing instead of Operations 03:59 - Salesforce case study: Laid off 4,000 employees for AI, then had to pivot back when it failed 04:40 - Vibe coding concerns: Security and compliance risks when beginners code their own apps 05:18 - The scary stat: 60% of businesses shut down following a cyber attack 05:43 - What is agentic AI and why it sounds so promising (systems that act autonomously on your behalf) 06:14 - Why most SMBs aren't ready: Clean your house before inviting the AI guest over 06:52 - Four guidelines for selecting AI tools: Start low-cost, tie to value creation, plan to scale, use KYA framework 08:11 - The Know Your Agent (KYA) framework: Capability, behaviors, decision tracing, abuse prevention, sandboxes, and human overrides 09:15 - Soapbox moment: Using AI ethically and understanding why people are anti-AI 09:50 - The creative industry impact: Animation directors, musicians, and the elimination of royalties 10:27 - Other ethical concerns: Deepfakes, surveillance, misinformation, environmental harm in rural communities   Rate, review & follow on Apple Podcasts Click Here to Listen! OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE If you haven't already done so, follow the podcast to make sure you never miss a value-packed episode. Links mentioned in the episode: Second First Membership Second First One-on-One Coaching Second First on Instagram Second First on LinkedIn Megan Long on LinkedIn

Send us a textAI-native ERP platforms are fundamentally redefining what buyers should expect from enterprise systems, not just in how they automate work, but in how they are architected, implemented, and governed over time. In this independent, evidence-based review of DualEntry—one of the most visible AI-first ERP platforms—we move beyond vendor marketing to evaluate its data model, product design philosophy, investor alignment, market positioning, customer narratives, and community discourse, all through the lens of a real-world ERP selection project. The analysis then benchmarks DualEntry against both AI-native peers and traditional ERP platforms to surface where these systems deliver material advantages, where structural tradeoffs emerge, and what long-term risks may be accumulating beneath the innovation narrative. Designed for executives and ERP selection teams, the session provides a selection-ready framework to determine whether AI-native ERP platforms like DualEntry genuinely fit your business model, industry complexity, and growth trajectory.In this episode, Sam Gupta and Shrestha Dash from ElevatIQ, Andy Pratico from Essential Software Solutions, and Phil Coerper from Ringling Business Solutions conduct an in-depth independent review of a leading AI-native platform DualEntry.Video: https://www.elevatiq.com/events-and-webinars/dualentry-an-ai-native-erp-platform-an-independent-in-depth-review/Questions for Panelists?

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper talk with Kevin Thomas and Drew Hyatt, co-founders of Omniga, about solving persistent issues in bookkeeping and the monthly close process for small and mid-sized businesses. They discuss how finance leaders often struggle with unreliable data and how Omniga is creating a more structured, review-ready accounting workflow.Kevin Thomas brings a background in corporate FP&A and a CFA perspective. His hands-on experience with messy books and data integrity problems in SMBs led him to co-found Omniga. Drew Hyatt is a technology leader with a background in FinTech integrations and data pipelines. He previously worked in construction finance and medical supply chains, building systems that manage high-volume, rule-based transactions.In this episode, you will discover:Why clean financial data is essential for any finance function to scale.What makes SMB accounting workflows difficult and how Omniga is addressing it.How Omniga uses automation to classify, normalize, and escalate accounting entries.The structure of a scalable, review-focused operating system for fractional CFOs.Kevin and Drew share how Omniga is tackling the core challenges of bookkeeping and monthly close for SMBs. Their approach brings structure, control, and scalability to finance operations where it's needed most.Follow Kevin:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-a-thomas/Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/omniga-ai/Follow Drew:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-a-hyatt/Follow Glenn:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiiiFollow Paul:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguyFollow QFlow.AI:Website - https://bit.ly/4i1EkjgFuture Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai. Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.In Today's Episode:[00:15] - Meet Kevin and Drew[01:28] - Why Omniga Started[04:38] - Drew's Tech Background[07:04] - The Name “Omniga”[10:33] - Controlling AI Output[13:57] - Guardrails and Escalation[16:18] - Final Thoughts

In this episode of Hustle & Flowchart, host Joe Fier sits down with entrepreneur and systems expert Brad Hart. Together, they explore how AI and robotics are transforming business and why now is the most exciting (and urgent) time for entrepreneurs to leverage these tools. Brad Hart shares his journey—what he'd do if starting over, how to build systems for true leverage, and why small businesses must lead the coming wave of technological change. From real-life success stories to actionable frameworks, this conversation is packed with forward-thinking strategies for building scalable, future-ready businesses.Topics DiscussedA New Era of Abundance: Brad Hart discusses the potential for AI and robotics to solve age-old challenges and what a “utopia” could mean for business and society.Why Small Businesses Matter: The gap between big tech's focus and the real needs of small and medium businesses—and why SMBs can't be left behind.Building Leverage with AI: Steps to identifying processes you can automate, from onboarding to operations, and freeing up human potential.Framework for Scaling: Brad Hart unveils his 4 Ps for system-building: Plan, Prompt, Produce, Polish (and a fifth: Platformatize).Tribe Coding vs. Vibe Coding: The power of collective learning, why masterminds matter, and how “tribe coding” accelerates innovation.Real-World Case Studies: How automating a medical onboarding process cut work from 120 hours to less than one—and what that means for scale.Mindset Shift for the Future: Why every industry is about to be disrupted, how to lead change (not follow it), and the new rules for staying in business past 2030.Introducing Optimus & the Mastermind: Brad Hart's platform to connect, automate, and scale business operations without coding.The Human Element: Why it's not about replacing humans, but empowering them to be more creative, impactful, and fulfilled.Resources MentionedSee what Brad is building over at Optimus: https://buildwithoptimus.com/Get some FREE Training from Brad: https://buildwithoptimus.com/trainings/Connect with Joe Fier

Send us a textThis week's enterprise software news highlights a widening gap between glossy innovation narratives and the hard operational and governance realities shaping buyer risk. On the innovation side, BlackLine's launch of Verity for the Office of the CFO, Tray.ai's Agent Hub, Genstore's $10M seed round, and Blue Yonder's new TMS features underscore the accelerating push toward AI-enabled automation and orchestration layers across finance, integration, and supply chain. Versori's partnership with Fluent Commerce and Acumatica's 2025 R2 update further signal growing emphasis on ecosystem connectivity and incremental platform modernization. At the same time, the darker counterpoint is impossible to ignore: Zimmer Biomet's $172M ERP lawsuit against Deloitte, a major European city council's continued delays in fixing a failed Oracle system, and the EU Commission's investigation into SAP's practices reinforce how execution risk, vendor governance, and regulatory scrutiny are now front-and-center issues for enterprise buyers. Taken together, these developments reflect a market bifurcating between rapid AI-driven experimentation and escalating consequences for large-scale ERP missteps—raising the strategic stakes for both technology selection and transformation leadership.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tFlYu6W_iwQuestions for Panelists?

Welcome to The SaaS CFO Podcast! In this episode, host Ben Murray sits down with Vadim Rogovskiy, CEO and co-founder of Eve, an AI-powered sales enablement tool designed specifically for founders and small business owners. Vadim Rogovskiy shares his unique journey as a serial entrepreneur—from selling and exiting previous startups to launching Eve after discovering the challenges small businesses face managing leads without traditional CRMs. Together, Ben Murray and Vadim Rogovskiy dive into Eve's early days, its customer-first approach, the founding story, and how AI is transforming sales for SMBs. You'll hear insights on fundraising in today's fast-moving AI market, lessons learned across multiple ventures, and how grassroots, founder-led marketing is key in cutting through industry noise. Whether you're scaling your SaaS startup or curious about AI's impact on modern sales and revenue models, this episode is packed with real-world advice and thoughtful analysis on building and growing a successful tech company. Let's jump into the conversation! Show Notes: 00:00 "Building EVE from Event Insights" 03:09 "Startup CRM Challenges and Demand" 08:59 "Sustainable Growth Over Hype" 10:46 "Prioritize IRL and Founder-Led Growth" 14:27 "Founder Discusses Early Fundraising Journey" 18:10 "Qualitative KPIs and User Growth" 20:53 "Achieving Product Market Fit" Links: SaaS Fundraising Stories: https://www.thesaasnews.com/news/eve-raises-2-million-in-pre-seed-round Vadim Rogovskiy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vadim-rogovskiy/ Eve AI's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joineveai/ Eve AI's Website: https://joineve.ai/ To learn more about Ben check out the links below: Subscribe to Ben's daily metrics newsletter: https://saasmetricsschool.beehiiv.com/subscribe Subscribe to Ben's SaaS newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/df1db6bf8bca/the-saas-cfo-sign-up-landing-page SaaS Metrics courses here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/ Join Ben's SaaS community here: https://www.thesaasacademy.com/offers/ivNjwYDx/checkout Follow Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benrmurray

Send us a textThe top retail digital transformation trends for 2026 capture a fundamental shift from incremental modernization to structural re-architecture, driven by the collision of macroeconomic headwinds and on-the-ground operational strain. Geopolitical volatility, persistent inflation, and a cooling global economy are tightening capital discipline and reshaping risk tolerance, while margin compression, rising fulfillment complexity, and escalating customer expectations are forcing retailers to reengineer how work actually gets executed across merchandising, supply chain, and customer operations. This framework is intentionally practical, not theoretical: it helps retail buyers diagnose architectural fragility and sequence modernization investments with economic reality in mind; it signals to software vendors where R&D will generate durable market pull rather than novelty-driven noise; and it gives executives a forward-looking map of which platforms, data strategies, and functional ecosystems are accumulating strategic gravity as the industry resets.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 retail digital transformation trends in 2026. He also discusses how these trends would impact business models and the specific steps executives need to take as they plan their retail transformation initiatives. Finally, he shares the advantages for these strategies and how they would help navigate current macroeconomic headwinds.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN8BupegUZ4Read: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-retail-digital-transformation-trends/Questions for Panelists?

In this episode, Lex speaks with John Caplan — CEO of Payoneer, a public fintech company driving over $85 billion in annual cross-border payment volume. With roots as a prepaid card provider, Payoneer has evolved into a global financial operating platform serving 2 million entrepreneurs across 190 countries.Caplan shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey—from building OpenSky and scaling it to $50 million in revenue before its acquisition by Alibaba, to now leading Payoneer's transformation into a full-service banking alternative for global SMBs.We explore how Payoneer is addressing the complex financial needs of international businesses, competing in a dynamic payments landscape, and preparing for a future that includes stablecoins, workforce management, and potentially $1 trillion in annual volume.NOTABLE DISCUSSION POINTS:Payoneer's Strategic Evolution from Payout Processor to Global SMB Bank AlternativeUnder John Caplan's leadership, Payoneer expanded beyond marketplace payouts to become a comprehensive cross-border financial platform, offering AR/AP, intra-network transfers, cards, and global workforce management. This shift has significantly increased customer retention, take rate, and profitability—highlighting how product expansion and upmarket focus can unlock durable growth in fintech.Execution Over Hype in Global Fintech InfrastructurePayoneer operates in 190 countries with 100+ banking partners and 7,000 payment routes—demonstrating the importance of deep regulatory compliance, local licensing, and multi-entity support in building resilient cross-border infrastructure. Unlike crypto-native entrants, Payoneer emphasizes last-mile utility and customer trust as core differentiators for scaling in complex markets.Profitable Scale and Global Demand for SMB Financial ServicesWith $1B+ revenue, $200M+ EBITDA, and $7.5B in customer funds held, Payoneer is proving that serving cross-border SMBs is not just a mission, but a highly profitable business. Their customer base spans from Bangladeshi freelancers to European firms doing $1M+ in volume, signaling massive, underserved global demand for modern financial tools outside the traditional banking system.TOPICSPayoneer, Alibaba, OpenSky, Stripe, Wise, Airwallex, Mercury, NuBank, digital banking, embedded finance, stablecoins, blockchain, regtech, B2B payments, SPAC, supple chain, ecommerce ABOUT THE FINTECH BLUEPRINT

Learn how to adapt and evolve your business to thrive through market disruptions and scale beyond seven figures. I sit down with Itai Sadan to explore why the ability to adapt and evolve separates good entrepreneurs from exceptional ones. Itai shares the raw story of building Duda from a garage startup to a company hosting over one million websites, including the pivotal moment when declining revenues forced a complete product pivot. From escaping the founder's trap to navigating the mobile revolution and now AI disruption, this conversation delivers hard-won lessons on staying ahead of market shifts, persuading your team through change, and why you don't have to be first to win. Itai Sadan is the co-founder and CEO of Duda, a white-label website builder serving digital marketing agencies and SaaS platforms worldwide. He launched the company in 2008 from his garage in Mountain View with his high school friend Amir Glatt after recognizing the shift toward mobile internet. Prior to Duda, Itai held positions at SAP and Amdocs and founded InterSight, a data storage startup, at age 21. His insights on SMBs, digital agencies, and online marketing have been featured in USA Today, TechCrunch, The Huffington Post, and more. Itai holds a BSc in Computer Science and Mathematics from Ben Gurion University in Israel. KEY TAKEAWAYS: The founder's trap happens when everything depends on you, and escaping it requires hiring for your weaknesses first. Building a business is an ultra-marathon, not a sprint, so find a sustainable pace that allows for continuous learning. Market dynamics will thrust challenges upon you regardless of revenue milestones, so stay attuned to shifts beyond your control. When pivoting, use data and customer feedback to persuade your team rather than pulling rank as the boss. AI won't take your job, but a competitor using AI better than you will. You don't have to be first to market because Google, Facebook, and others all came after early movers and still won. Niching down and being crystal clear on who you serve positions you perfectly for the AI-forward buyer's journey. Surround yourself with mentors and smart people to play intellectual ping pong and spot blind spots you'd miss alone. Connect with Itai Sadan: Website: https://www.duda.co LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itaisadan Growing your business is hard, but it doesn't have to be. In this podcast, we will be discussing top level strategies for both growing and expanding your business beyond seven figures. The show will feature a mix of pure content and expert interviews to present key concepts and fundamental topics in a variety of different formats. We believe that this format will enable our listeners to learn the most from the show, implement more in their businesses, and get real value out of the podcast. Enjoy the show. Please remember to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any future episodes. Your support and reviews are important and help us to grow and improve the show. Follow Charles Gaudet and Predictable Profits on Social Media: Facebook: facebook.com/PredictableProfits Instagram: instagram.com/predictableprofits Twitter: twitter.com/charlesgaudet LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charlesgaudet Visit Charles Gaudet's Wesbites:  www.PredictableProfits.com www.predictableprofits.com/community https://start.predictableprofits.com/community  

In this episode of Future Finance, hosts Paul Barnhurst and Glenn Hopper sit down with Kevin A.Thomas and Drew Hyatt, the co-founders of Omniga, to discuss the often-overlooked but critical challenges facing small business finance teams. While enterprise companies get most of the attention, Kevin and Drew are focused on the backbone of the economy, businesses under $30 million in revenue—and the unique struggles they face when it comes to closing the books, managing data, and generating strategic insight.Kevin A.Thomas, CFA, is the founder of Omniga and a seasoned strategic finance leader focused on scaling digital businesses. Kevin is passionate about rebuilding the back office to help businesses make smarter decisions, faster. Drew Hyatt is the Co-Founder and CTO of Omniga. He plays a key role in architecting Omniga's infrastructure, translating complex workflows into scalable technology for finance teams.In this episode, you will discover:Why clean books are the foundation for strong financial decisionsThe hidden risks in small business bookkeeping and how to fix themThe difference between replacing tasks and supporting human judgmentHow to expand from bookkeeping to full finance strategy supportHow to structure a finance workflow that scales with your businessKevin and Drew leave us with a clear message: better finance starts with a stronger foundation. By focusing on clean books and scalable workflows, Omniga is reshaping how small businesses manage finance. It's not about replacing people, it's about empowering them to do more with less.Join hosts Glenn and Paul as they unravel the complexities of AI in finance.Follow Kevin:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-a-thomas/Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/omniga-ai/Follow Drew:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-a-hyatt/Follow Glenn:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbhopperiiiFollow Paul:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thefpandaguyFollow QFlow.AI:Website - https://bit.ly/4i1EkjgFuture Finance is sponsored by QFlow.ai, the strategic finance platform solving the toughest part of planning and analysis: B2B revenue. Align sales, marketing, and finance, speed up decision-making, and lock in accountability with QFlow.ai. Stay tuned for a deeper understanding of how AI is shaping the future of finance and what it means for businesses and individuals alike.In Today's Episode:[00:00] –Trailer[03:39] – Why They Started Omniga[07:11] – Drew's Tech Journey[09:28] – What...

Send us a textThis cluster of announcements illustrates how enterprise software vendors are converging on monetizable AI, composable ecosystems, and domain-specific depth rather than headline platform reinvention. Product expansions such as BillingPlatform's RevenueIQ suite, Epicor's outcomes-based ERP AI agent, and BlackLine's Verity for the CFO signal a shift toward AI that is tightly anchored to measurable financial and operational outcomes. At the same time, M&A and alliances—including IFS acquiring 7bridges, Salesforce's planned acquisition of Regrello, QAD partnering with Esker, and Versori partnering with Fluent Commerce—reinforce a strategy of filling execution gaps through targeted capabilities rather than broad-suite sprawl. Underpinning much of this activity, Oracle's deployment of GPT-5 across its database and SaaS portfolio underscores how foundational AI services are becoming embedded infrastructure, while workforce and go-to-market expansions from ActivTrak and Capacity's acquisition of KLaunch highlight continued investment in productivity, adoption, and execution at the edges of the enterprise stack.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds, including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendor. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdCqxl1NXBIQuestions for Panelists?

Send us a textWhen evaluating the CRM category, our analysis intentionally moves beyond CRM modules embedded within ERP systems and instead focuses on best-of-breed CRM platforms and the full spectrum of capabilities that define modern customer engagement. This includes not only core operational CRM functions such as sales force automation and pipeline management, but also upstream marketing automation, downstream customer experience and service workflows, contact center operations, events, search, and the increasing convergence with CMS and website capabilities that anchor the digital customer journey. While vendors may brand these pillars as Sales Cloud, Marketing Cloud, or reposition them around AI- and agentic-workflow narratives, the underlying architecture remains consistent, and strategic orientation matters: some platforms are designed for specific micro-verticals with tightly integrated suites, while others pursue broad horizontal coverage. These choices materially affect extensibility, process design, and long-term fit, particularly across B2B versus B2C use cases, where many CRM systems struggle with complex B2B sales cycles—driving continued demand for low-code and no-code customization and deeper integration across CRM, eCommerce, and CMS ecosystems.In this episode, our host Sam Gupta discusses the top 10 CRM systems in 2026. He also discusses several variables that influence the rankings of these CRM systems. Finally, he shares the pros and cons of each CRM system.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBLUBdDuWQcRead: https://www.elevatiq.com/post/top-erp-systems/Questions for Panelists?

Send us a textEnterprise software vendors are tightening execution around AI enablement, workflow depth, and operational recovery rather than pursuing broad platform reinvention. Acquisition activity—from Sage moving to acquire Fyle, to SYSPRO acquiring DATASCOPE, Zendesk completing its acquisition of HyperArc, and Contentsquare acquiring Loris AI—signals a continued emphasis on capability-led expansion tightly aligned to core use cases. In parallel, AI product announcements from NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Zoho, and Zendesk emphasize connectors, agents, and embedded intelligence designed to improve productivity within existing workflows rather than displace them. Finally, the case of AAON underscores the operational reality behind these trends: ERP value is ultimately realized not through announcements or AI features alone, but through disciplined execution, stabilization, and long-term operational turnarounds—particularly in complex manufacturing environments where recovery often matters more than rapid transformation.In today's episode, we invited a panel of industry analysts for a live discussion on LinkedIn to analyze current enterprise software stories. We covered many grounds including the direction and roadmaps of each enterprise software vendors. Finally, we analyzed future trends and how they might shape the enterprise software industry.Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOdEBRue0MMQuestions for Panelists?