Podcasts about smes

My guest today is Eric Rice – back for his second appearance on the podcast.When we first spoke, he was running one of the only public equity funds in the impact space available to retail investors. Now, that fund has been shut down, the capital returned, and Eric has moved to private equity – specifically, to SEAF, an investor in emerging market SMEs.This time, we talked about what happened, why it happened, and what it says about the current state of impact.Eric's core thesis hasn't changed. The theory of change he developed at Wellington and BlackRock was simple: invest in companies doing socially useful work – even if they don't realize it yet – and help them grow into that identity.This was never ESG, and Eric is clear on the difference. ESG, he says, is about how a company operates. Impact is about what it does. “We weren't ESG investors by any means. We were thematic investors – we only invested in companies solving social or environmental problems.”That distinction got lost. Once the political backlash against ESG took hold, especially in the U.S., nuance didn't matter.Texas and a group of red states targeted a handful of BlackRock funds they deemed “too woke” to qualify for state investment. Among the six funds flagged, three were ones Eric had led. The result was that legitimate impact strategies became collateral damage in a culture war that had little to do with what those funds were actually doing.As Eric puts it, they were “a different animal from the beginning”, but their message got hijacked.After that, the pivot to private markets wasn't just strategic – it was necessary.At SEAF (Small Enterprise Assistance Funds), Eric is focused on small enterprises in emerging Europe, particularly in agriculture and food. Why? Because productivity in that sector is 40% of Western Europe's – and no one has modernized it.Eric and I talked about the limits of measurement frameworks, the role of trust in evaluating managers, and why so many funds labeled “impact” aren't actually doing anything different.This conversation is about what happens when a theory of change collides with political reality. It's about staying true to the work in an industry that often prioritizes marketing. And it's about the shift from public markets to private ones – not because it's easier, but because it offers more clarity, more control, and maybe even more impact.Listen to the full story.—Connect with SRI360°:Sign up for the free weekly email updateVisit the SRI360° PODCASTVisit the SRI360° WEBSITEFollow SRI360° on XFollow SRI360° on FACEBOOK—Additional Resources:

Igor Neumann, co-founder of Firefish, discusses the innovative approach of their Bitcoin lending platform. Firefish operates as a decentralized marketplace connecting borrowers and lenders, allowing users to leverage their Bitcoin as collateral for loans. Igor explains the unique features of their protocol, the loan terms, user demographics, and the growing interest in Bitcoin collateralized loans. He also addresses the technical aspects of their platform, including liquidation processes and compliance with regulations, while highlighting the evolving landscape of Bitcoin lending in the EU.Takeaways

Intercom's CPO Paul Adams joins The Product Experience to talk about how the company has radically transformed its approach in the wake of AI's acceleration. From ripping up roadmaps and reorganising teams to reinventing pricing models, Paul shares what it really takes to adapt—fast.Key takeaways"You're not selling users anymore. You're selling work."AI has shifted Intercom's business model from seat-based to outcome-based pricing—charging per resolution, not per person."We ripped up our strategy five days after ChatGPT launched."Intercom made a bold, immediate pivot to reorient its product and vision around AI, including launching a new website and scrapping existing roadmaps."The only thing that's persisted is our principles."While teams, triads and structures were dismantled, Intercom kept its core product principles intact—like 'start with the problem'."This isn't evolution—it's a new species of company."Intercom now compares itself to AI-native startups, not its former self. It has rebuilt the product team into flexible, role-fluid workstreams."People have left because it's not for them."The pace of change has human costs. Leadership must communicate directly and honestly to support people through radical transformation."I worry I'll be left behind too."Even senior leaders are actively relearning—Paul admits to using tools like Replit and Lovable to stay current with AI-native UX trends.Chapters00:00 – Opening thoughts: fear of being left behind in the AI era00:18 – Introduction to the episode and Paul Adams01:00 – Paul's journey from Google and Facebook to Intercom01:51 – What it's like to witness Intercom evolve over 11+ years02:22 – The energy and disruption brought on by AI03:17 – From seat-based to value-based pricing: the big shift05:06 – Why AI made Intercom rethink everything, fast07:58 – Sales team challenges: retraining to sell a new model09:43 – The business impact: Fin's rapid growth and dual-model tension11:02 – What it means to “sell work” instead of licences12:58 – New kinds of jobs emerging around AI tooling14:45 – Ripping up process: how Intercom builds products now16:00 – Competing with AI-native startups, not legacy Intercom17:49 – The one thing that stayed: Intercom's product principles18:54 – Why starting with the problOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.

Daniel Gore is a Founding Partner of Orthogonal Partners, a boutique asset manager investing in "next generation" alternative investment strategies.  He has had an extensive career in investing, including time spent in angel investing, in a family office and in film finance. He is currently pursuing opportunities in small and mid market UK firms.   Our conversation starts with the path that Dan took to this point, which included numerous different opportunities for learning – and we hear about the importance of trust and integrity as values that transcend different investment areas. Dan reflects on his unconventional career, gaining a broad understanding of different asset classes and the importance of backing the right teams. Moving now to Orthogonal partners, we speak about its range, and why it is a source of unconventional returns, and we discuss the structural funding gap in the UK SME market and the government's efforts to address it through the British Business Bank. We dive in to some details of the UK SME market, which presents a meaningful opportunity set with 5.6 million SMEs accounting for 99% of all businesses and 60% of private sector jobs.  We conclude with some reflections on the power of networking and the value of building relationships from the start of one's career. Thank you Eagle Point Credit and Benefit Street Partners for supporting this series!With over $12 billion of AUM, Eagle Point Credit Management is a premier investment firm focused on generating strong returns for its clients through sourcing, evaluating and executing investments in CLOs, Portfolio Debt Securities and other credit investments that it believes shave the potential to outperform their respective markets generally.Benefit Street Partners is a leading global alternative credit asset manager offering clients investment solutions across a broad range of complementary credit strategies, including direct lending, special situations, structured credit, high yield bonds, leveraged loans and commercial real estate debt and equity. As of December 31, 2024, BSP-Alcentra had $76 billion of assets under management.

Over the years there has been a large change in retirement fund regulation, adding a significant burden to the administration process for smaller businesses – Niki Giles, Prescient Fund Services.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to be at a disadvantage when it comes to cybersecurity—not because the risks are unclear, but because the means to address them remain out of reach for many. In this episode, Professor Steven Furnell of the University of Nottingham highlights the real barriers SMEs face and shares the thinking behind a new approach: creating cybersecurity communities of support.The research behind this project, supported by the University and its partners, explores how different types of SMEs—micro, small, and medium-sized—struggle with limited time, budget, and expertise. Many rely on third-party service providers, but often don't have enough cybersecurity knowledge to evaluate what “good” looks like. It's not just a resource problem—it's a visibility and literacy problem.Furnell emphasizes the potential of automation to lift some of the burden, from automated updates to scheduled malware scans. But he also makes it clear that automated tools can't fully replace the need for human judgment, especially in scenarios like phishing or social engineering attacks. People still need cybersecurity literacy to recognize and resist threats.That's where the idea of communities of support comes in. Rather than each SME navigating cybersecurity alone, the goal is to create local or sector-based communities where businesses and cybersecurity practitioners can engage in open, non-commercial conversations. These communities would offer SMEs a space to ask questions, share challenges, and exchange practical advice—without pressure, cost, or fear of judgment.The initiative isn't about replacing regulation or mandating compliance. It's about raising the baseline first. Communities of support can serve as a step toward greater awareness and capability—something that's especially critical in a world where supply chains are interconnected, and security failures in one small link can ripple outward.The message is clear: cybersecurity isn't just a technical issue—it's a social one. And it starts by creating room for dialogue, connection, and shared responsibility. Want to know what this model could look like in your community? Tune in to find out.__________________________________Guest: Steven Furnell | Professor of Cyber Security at University of Nottinghamhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenfurnell/Hosts:Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast [@RedefiningCyber] | On ITSPmagazine:  https://www.itspmagazine.com/sean-martinMarco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast & Audio Signals Podcast | On ITSPmagazine: https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli____________________________This Episode's SponsorsThreatLocker: https://itspm.ag/threatlocker-r974____________________________ResourcesLearn more and catch more stories from Infosecurity Europe 2025 London coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/infosec25____________________________Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More

Superpowers for Good should not be considered investment advice. Seek counsel before making investment decisions. When you purchase an item, launch a campaign or create an investment account after clicking a link here, we may earn a fee. Engage to support our work.Watch the show on television by downloading the e360tv channel app to your Roku, AppleTV or AmazonFireTV. You can also see it on YouTube.Devin: What is your superpower?Cameron: Ability to foster collaboration and build meaningful connections.Peter: Courage to speak truth, even when facing potential backlash.A major obstacle to global prosperity is the chronic underfunding of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in emerging markets. In this episode of Superpowers for Good, Cameron Neil, CEO of LendForGood, and Peter Rostovsky, CEO of Raiseway, discussed their new collaboration that aims to close that gap. Together, they're making it easier for impact-driven businesses to raise capital and for everyday people to lend across borders.LendForGood is already empowering impact enterprises in places like Asia, Africa, Latin America, and beyond to access much-needed debt financing from a global pool of lenders. Now, with Raiseway's support, these entrepreneurs will have access to tools that make running a crowdfunding campaign simpler, more efficient and more likely to succeed.Peter explained, "There are so many elements to a crowdfunding campaign...this is super challenging even for large organizations...we want to be that platform that supports the campaign throughout the process."The two companies align not just in function, but in values. Cameron emphasized that "the gap for small business capital access is significant...it's a real growing problem" that requires global infrastructure and collaboration to solve. The World Bank and UN have estimated that SMEs in emerging markets face an annual $5 trillion funding shortfall. The traditional financial system simply isn't built to serve them effectively. As banks consolidate, smaller loans become less profitable and more scarce.Raiseway and LendForGood aim to fill that void. Their shared belief in the potential of debt crowdfunding—versus equity financing, which isn't ideal for most small businesses—fuels their work. As Peter noted, "Your community is never going to foreclose you."Though not currently raising capital through a regulated investment crowdfunding campaign, both platforms are building the infrastructure and momentum for an ecosystem where everyday investors can meaningfully support small businesses doing good in the world.This collaboration underscores the power of mission-aligned tech partnerships to tackle some of the world's most stubborn problems. By streamlining access to impact capital, they're helping to rewrite the rules of small business finance—on a global scale.tl;dr:LendForGood and Raiseway collaborate to simplify cross-border impact crowdfunding and support small businesses globally.Cameron explains how LendForGood connects global lenders with impact enterprises needing debt financing.Peter shares Raiseway's role in streamlining campaigns and making crowdfunding more accessible and effective.Cameron and Peter discuss the massive global SME funding gap and why crowd lending is a vital solution.They reveal their superpowers—collaboration and courage—and offer tips on using them to drive meaningful impact.How to Develop Collaboration and Connectivity As a SuperpowerCameron Neil's superpower lies in his ability to foster collaboration and build meaningful connections. Reflecting on his approach, he shared, “I have found an ability to… build collaborative initiatives, to build posses… or a network to form.” Cameron's knack for bringing people together with shared goals and inspiring them to work collectively has been a cornerstone of his success. He credits this skill with driving impactful projects like LendForGood's partnership with Raiseway.Illustrative Anecdote:Cameron's collaboration with Peter Rostovsky is a testament to his superpower. By recognizing the synergy between LendForGood and Raiseway, Cameron initiated a partnership that equips impact enterprises with tools to succeed in crowdfunding. Reflecting on this collaboration, he explained, “Peter and I connected and we took it somewhere… bringing our organizations and others on this journey.”Tips for Developing the Superpower:Visualize Outcomes: Identify a future state or goal that requires collective effort to achieve.Seek Alignment: Find individuals or organizations that share your objectives and values.Inspire Participation: Use your vision to motivate others to join and contribute meaningfully.Build Trust: Focus on integrity and mutual respect to strengthen collaborative relationships.Embrace Diversity: Collaborate with people who bring complementary skills and perspectives.By following Cameron's example and advice, you can make collaboration and connectivity a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.How to Develop Courage to Speak Truth As a SuperpowerPeter Rostovsky's superpower is his courage to speak truth, even when facing potential backlash. Reflecting on a life-changing moment, Peter shared, “Something drastic really changed… I started being far more open about my views.” This courage to express his convictions, even at the cost of venture investor interest, has strengthened his connection with supporters and colleagues. His openness has inspired others, creating a space for dialogue and solidarity.Illustrative Anecdote:Peter's courage was tested following October 7th, when he began publicly sharing his views on Israel's policy in Gaza. Despite knowing that his candidness would alienate venture investors, Peter chose integrity over business interests. This bold stance not only demonstrated his values but also attracted a supportive community that shares his vision for Raiseway.Tips for Developing the Superpower:Find Supportive Allies: Surround yourself with people who encourage and respect your honesty.Prioritize Integrity: Focus on values over short-term gains to build lasting trust.Practice Courage: Start by sharing your beliefs in safe spaces before expanding to larger platforms.Embrace Vulnerability: Accept the risks of being open as a necessary part of authentic communication.By following Peter's example and advice, you can make courage to speak truth a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!Guest ProfileCameron Neil (he/him):Co-Founder and CEO, LendForGoodAbout LendForGood: LendForGood is a global impact loan syndication platform mobilising millions in impact finance for the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Entrepreneur support organisations, accelerators, incubators, venture studios and early stage investors use LendForGood to run campaigns and raise impact debt from both our individual and organisational lender community and the supporters of their portfolio enterprises who are borrowing. Investors use LendForGood to efficiently discover and deploy capital to courageous impact enterprises helping to deliver the SDGs around the world. Website: lendforgood.ioBiographical Information: Cameron Neil is the co-founder, director and CEO of LendForGood, an impact loan syndication platform that is mobilising millions of dollars to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Has has three decades of experience in the impact sector, working across and between finance, business, technology, international development, corporate advisory and startups. Cameron played a pioneering role in the Fairtrade movement in the region, as well as the early days of B-Corp and Shared Value. His work now focuses on capital entrepreneurship and innovative finance to meet the challenges of the 21st century. As demonstrated through LendForGood, Cameron believes strongly in the power of people to come together in solidarity and through collaboration to create the communities and world that they want - 'all of us' is the largest untapped impact investment fund in the world!Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/lendforgoodGuest ProfilePeter Rostovsky (he/him):Co-Founder and CEO, RaisewayAbout Raiseway: Raiseway is developing an affordable SaaS platform to equip businesses with AI-enabled tools to execute effective crowdfunding campaigns on platforms like LendForGood.Website: raiseway.appCompany Facebook Page: facebook.com/raisewayappBiographical Information: Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia, Peter moved to New York at the age of 16. Peter studied political science and economics at CUNY Hunter College. Before joining the crowdfunding industry, he worked as a capital markets intelligence salesman. Personal Facebook Profile: facebook.com/peter.rostovsky.7Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/peter-rostovskyInstagram Handle: @pool_breadSupport Our SponsorsOur generous sponsors make our work possible, serving impact investors, social entrepreneurs, community builders and diverse founders. Today's advertisers include FundingHope, KribSavUp, SuperCrowd25, and Crowdfunding Made Simple. Learn more about advertising with us here.Max-Impact MembersThe following Max-Impact Members provide valuable financial support:Carol Fineagan, Independent Consultant | Lory Moore, Lory Moore Law | Marcia Brinton, High Desert Gear | Paul Lovejoy, Stakeholder Enterprise | Pearl Wright, Global Changemaker | Ralf Mandt, Next Pitch | Scott Thorpe, Philanthropist | Matthew Mead, Hempitecture | Michael Pratt, Qnetic | Sharon Samjitsingh, Health Care Originals | Add Your Name HereUpcoming SuperCrowd Event CalendarIf a location is not noted, the events below are virtual.Impact Cherub Club Meeting hosted by The Super Crowd, Inc., a public benefit corporation, on May 20, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Each month, the Club meets to review new offerings for investment consideration and to conduct due diligence on previously screened deals. To join the Impact Cherub Club, become an Impact Member of the SuperCrowd.SuperCrowdHour, May 21, 2025, at 1:00 PM Eastern. Devin Thorpe, Champion of Social Good and CEO of The Super Crowd, Inc., will lead a session on "The Secret to Higher Investment Returns via Impact Crowdfunding." He'll share powerful strategies and real-world examples that show how aligning your investments with your values can lead to strong financial and social returns. If you're an investor looking to maximize impact or curious about the growing world of impact crowdfunding, this is a session you won't want to miss! Don't miss it!SuperCrowd25, August 21st and 22nd: This two-day virtual event is an annual tradition but with big upgrades for 2025! We'll be streaming live across the web and on TV via e360tv. Soon, we'll open a process for nominating speakers. Check back!Community Event CalendarSuccessful Funding with Karl Dakin, Tuesdays at 10:00 AM ET - Click on Events.African Diaspora Investment Symposium 2025 (ADIS25), Wednesday–Friday, May 28–30, 2025, at George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA.Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2025, Crowdfunding Professional Association, Washington DC, October 21-22, 2025.Call for community action:Please show your support for a tax credit for investments made via Regulation Crowdfunding, benefiting both the investors and the small businesses that receive the investments. Learn more here.If you would like to submit an event for us to share with the 9,000+ changemakers, investors and entrepreneurs who are members of the SuperCrowd, click here.We use AI to help us write compelling recaps of each episode.Manage the volume of emails you receive from us by clicking here. Get full access to Superpowers for Good at www.superpowers4good.com/subscribe

Google, in partnership with Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Local Enterprise Offices (LEO), has today announced Lahinch Surf Shop as the overall winner of this year's You're the Business competition. Situated on the picturesque prom in Lahinch Co Clare, the family-founded business was selected for its innovative use of digital tools to grow and evolve its operations. As the top winner, Lahinch Surf Shop will receive a truly unique prize: a custom AI-powered advertising campaign developed by Google AI in collaboration with a team of AI experts. You're the Business programme In addition to the overall winner, 23 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across Ireland, spanning a range of industries from print studios and food producers to bespoke cabinet makers have been awarded an exclusive, money-can't-buy prize as part of the You're the Business campaign. Those selected will receive a digital support package from Google which includes a one-year Google Workspace Business subscription with access to AI-powered tools like Gemini Advanced and NotebookLM and a one-to-one consultation from Google experts on how to get the best out of Google Workspace. Winners will also receive a You're the Business trophy and digital assets and are invited to attend a dedicated Winners event in Google's EMEA HQ in Dublin. Speaking about the competition Eileesh Buckley, co-owner of Lahinch Surf Shop in Clare said: "It's an incredible honour to be recognised as part of the You're the Business campaign. At Lahinch Surf Shop, we've always believed in leveraging the power of digital tools to connect with our customers in meaningful ways. Being selected for this bespoke AI-powered advertising campaign is an exciting step forward, and we're really looking forward to working with Google's team to take our digital presence to the next level." Cera Ward, Managing Director, Large Customer Solutions, Google Ireland said: "SMEs comprise 90% of all enterprises in Ireland. Businesses like Lahinch Surf Shop and all those we are celebrating today are an integral part of the economy generating employment and providing services across the country. Through You're the Business we want to help founders leverage a range of digital tools, including AI, to help them reach their growth potential. We've been proud to partner with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices in the delivery of the programme and I want to congratulate all the winners announced today." Delivered by Google in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Office, You're the Business is an online platform offering digital training and tools to businesses in Ireland free of charge. Now in its third year, the initiative has taken on a new AI-focus with the online platform offering new training modules where users can explore AI tools and learn how AI can help them prepare for the future. The competition element rewards businesses that have demonstrated a commitment to digital at different stages of their journey. Entrants were asked to submit a written entry telling their story around how they've utilised or enhanced digital skills in order to help their business grow or succeed online. Kieran Comerford, Chair of the Local Enterprise Offices, said; "The role of digital in the evolution and growth of any SME has never been so keenly felt than over the past number of years. Giving them access to Google's in-depth expertise through the You're the Business programme is a fantastic step to help these companies maximise their online presence. This programme along with the suite of online supports through the Local Enterprise Offices and Enterprise Ireland to help businesses digitise, is helping give them a competitive advantage both here and internationally. Congratulations to all the winners today and we look forward to continuing to support them as they grow over the coming years." For further information on the winners and the You're The Business initiative, please visit...

In this episode of Accountants Minute Podcast, Peter Towers, founder of ESS BIZTOOLS, challenges accountants, bookkeepers, and business advisors to rethink their role with SME clients. It's time to move beyond tax returns and embrace the full potential of business advisory services. Peter explores how tools like the SME Needs Analysis, Business Plus+ newsletters, and Predictive Accounting Reports can empower accountants to deliver real impact – helping clients manage cash flow, reduce debtors days outstanding, plan for succession and raise capital. He also reflects on why many SMEs are missing out on critical advice and how accountants can step into the gap as trusted business advisors. If you're ready to broaden your services, deepen client relationships, and future-proof your firm, this episode is essential listening.

We talk to Ciarán Murray from Olas, a seasoned veteran of the blockchain industry and a former employee of BSkyB, about what does the future hold for Ireland's local media sector. He argues that local media serves as a cornerstone of community life in Ireland, providing trusted news that keeps people together. Today local media continues to be among the most trusted news sources in Ireland, with up to 70% relying on local newspapers and radio for information. He is concerned, however, about the decline in local journalism in Ireland and warns of the formation of news deserts if we don't do something about it.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

Kaushal Verma, Head of Global Banking CoE, Newgen SoftwareTechnology has revolutionised lending and the loan origination process. Increasing speed of approval is a huge advantage. SMEs may now access the funds they need almost instantly. Modern digital lending platforms are more flexible, lending practices are more transparent – as examples of this, Kaushal Verma, Head of Global Banking CoE for Newgen Software cites the changing lending market in the UAE. In conversation with Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence, he also highlights how the use of AI in lending decision-making may help narrow the SME funding gap. 

In this episode of The Product Experience podcast, we sit down with Product Consultant Joca Torres, whose work at Gympass is featured in Marty Cagan's book Transformed. Joca shares the four core principles of successful digital transformation—principles he's applied in both high-growth startups and century-old corporations.We unpack what it really takes to shift a company from a delivery mindset to a product-led culture, the traps of discovery theatre, and how empowered teams actually behave. Key takeaways— Discovery should be fast and focused. Avoid drawn-out discovery phases that confirm what you already know. Good discovery is grounded in existing insights and validated quickly.— The Four Principles of Product Culture:Deliver Early and Often – Frequent releases drive learning and responsiveness.Focus on the Problem – Avoid premature solutions. Spend time understanding what really needs solving.Deliver Results – Products are a means, not an end. Success is measured in impact, not output.Ecosystem Mindset – Recognise the full range of users and stakeholders. Product is about balancing value across them.— Transformation is behavioural, not technical. Digital tools are important, but they won't matter if people and processes don't change with them.— Executive sponsorship is essential. Cultural shifts only take hold when the leadership team actively supports and models them.— Beware of product theatre. Following the right rituals doesn't mean you're creating value. Focus on outcomes, not optics.— Empowered teams are responsible teams. True empowerment means owning the problem, the solution, and the results. It isn't for everyone.Chapters00:00 – The Problem with “Discovery”01:00 – Introducing Joca Torres02:30 – A Surprising Need for Digital Transformation04:00 – What Makes a True Digital Transformation08:00 – The Four Pillars of Change13:00 – Thinking Beyond the End User17:00 – From Feature Delivery to Outcome OwnershipOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.

ABOUT THE GUEST AND WHAT'S IN STORE FOR YOU.Today you can discover how to deliver unforgettable customer experiences with Vance Morris, a former Disney leader who mastered the art of "Disnifying" businesses. Drawing on his time at Disney, Vance shares proven strategies to help SMEs create magical customer moments on a budget, recover from service failures, and scale without losing their service edge. Learn how attention to detail, culture-building, and practical systems can transform your business into a loyalty-driving powerhouse. If you're an SME owner or professional eager to stand out with superior customer service, this episode is a must-listen!To learn more from Vance, why not check out these links and don't forget to purchase his books!:https://www.deliverservicenow.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/vancemorris/https://www.facebook.com/vance.morris.9/https://www.instagram.com/morrisvance/https://www.youtube.com/@DeliverservicenowABOUT THE HOSTMy name is Dave Barr and I am the Founder and Owner of RLB Purchasing Consultancy Limited.I have been working in Procurement for over 25 years and have had the joy of working in a number of global manufacturing and service industries throughout this time.I am passionate about self development, business improvement, saving money, buying quality goods and services, developing positive and effective working relationships with suppliers and colleagues, and driving improvement through out the supply chain.CONTACT DETAILS@The Real Life BuyerEmail: david@thereallifebuyer.co.ukWebsite: https://linktr.ee/thereallifebuyerFor Purchasing Consultancy services:https://rlbpurchasingconsultancy.co.uk/Email: contact@rlbpurchasingconsultancy.co.ukFind and Follow me @reallifebuyer on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads and TikTok.

Recorded on the evening of May 12th, China time, as the news broke, Renaud breaks down the implications of the tariff adjustments announced by the U.S. administration. With tariffs previously skyrocketing to up to around 150%, recent talks in Switzerland between the USA and China have resulted in a significant reduction, providing a temporary window of relief for businesses relying on Chinese imports. The episode provides a detailed overview of the tariff situation, exploring the background of the recent tariff hikes linked to fentanyl and other geopolitical factors. Renaud analyzes the impact of these changes on retailers and brands, offering insights into how major companies like Walmart and Target are reacting to the news. He will also discuss the strategic moves by both large corporations and SMEs in anticipation of these tariff modifications and the potential outcomes for the supply chain, particularly in the lead-up to the busy Christmas season. You will also get some insight into how tariffs affect logistics, shipping capacity, and the bullwhip effect within the global supply chain, as well as the long-term considerations for American companies concerned about manufacturing in China (with backup plans and diversification into other Asian countries like India and Malaysia touched on).   Related content... ‘This is not normal': U.S., China agree to 90-day tariff pause but 30% is ‘still a big deal' - CNBC What Have the U.S. and China Agreed on Trade? Where Are Tariffs Now? - WSJ   Get in touch with us Connect with us on LinkedIn Contact us via Sofeast's contact page Subscribe to our YouTube channel Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB Get in touch with us Connect with us on LinkedIn Contact us via Sofeast's contact page Subscribe to our YouTube channel Prefer Facebook? Check us out on FB

SMEs are looking to save money & time wherever they can, but is artificial intelligence the solution?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder how to truly get business and IT on the same page, moving beyond strategy documents to real project success? In this latest episode, Anuya Sheorey of Nikola Automotive joins Mustansir Saifuddin to dive into how to lead teams across diverse landscapes, focusing on how to bridge that critical gap between high-level goals and daily execution. Anuya shares firsthand experiences and the framework used to align everyone from the C-suite to the front lines. It's more about the people than the technology. Anuya Sheorey is the Head of Program Strategy & Enterprise Solutions at Nikola where she leads high performing teams to enable rapid scale-up through ongoing delivery of critical capabilities across manufacturing, operations, finance, sales and service. As a strategic technology leader, she is passionate about connecting business strategy with technology execution and has a proven track record in orchestrating enterprise-wide digital transformations in diverse industries such as insurance, transportation, electronics and utilities to drive growth and operational excellence. Connect with Us: LinkedIn: Anuya Sheorey Mustansir Saifuddin Innovative Solution Partners Twitter:  @Mmsaifuddin YouTube or learn more about our sponsor Innovative Solution Partners to schedule a free consultation.    Episode Transcript: [00:00:00] Mustansir Saifuddin: Welcome to Tech Driven Business, brought to you by Innovative Solution Partners. I'm honored to have Anuya Sheorey of Nikola Automotive, join me to discuss how she leads teams across diverse landscapes, focusing on how to bridge that critical gap between high level goals and daily execution. Listen in as Anuya shares a framework she uses to align everyone from the C-Suite to the front lines. [00:00:31] Welcome to Tech Business. How are you? [00:00:34] Anuya Sheorey: I am doing great, Mustansir. Very good to see you. [00:00:37] Mustansir Saifuddin: Thank you. I'm so excited to have you on our show . We'll be focusing on or talking about leading teams and working across business and IT landscapes, and I know that's your sweet spot. That's your area of expertise and how this all relates to a project success. [00:00:56] I would like to discuss your real life examples. It would be good to, to get some insights into that. [00:01:02] Anuya Sheorey: Absolutely glad to be here and talk with you about my experiences. Will be wonderful. Thanks. [00:01:08] Mustansir Saifuddin: Alright, I think one of the things that I always like to, to start with is your experiences. Based on your experience. You've seen a lot it can be very challenging to get business and IT folks on the same page. Right. Especially your C-level strategy team how you align them with the folks who are actually doing the work. [00:01:32] What are some of the ways you have been able to break through those silos and bring those projects to fruition? [00:01:39] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah, so as a company, and when we were smaller, Nikola was smaller. We were very agile and nimble, right? It was very easy for us to just have a strategy in place and make sure that those strategies are executed. As we started down the path of scaling rapidly it was important for us to make sure that we maintain that nimbleness, but at the same time, we wanted to make sure that we were able to bridge that gap between strategy and execution that you just spoke about. [00:02:08] Right? How do we make sure that there is end-to-end ownership and improved line of sight? For the enterprise goals, right? The project was successful, but how do we make sure that it's, moving the needle in terms of what the organization is trying to achieve? You know, do we have buyin from cross-functional teams? [00:02:26] Are they prioritizing the work? All of them working in the same direction and drawing in the same direction, if you will. And so the other thing to that to add is also are we focusing on the outcomes as opposed to individual tasks? Oftentimes, teams get so focused on individual tasks and individual KPIs. [00:02:48] So just to give you a soccer analogy, for example, are we measuring how many times the ball was passed or are we measuring how many goals were made? You know, so all of that has to come together very nicely as well. And so to help with solving some of these challenges, we decided to shift our operating model [00:03:09] from a project to a product centric framework. Now, this is used often in software product companies, right? But how do we use that kind of a framework in a company like Nikola was the challenge that we kind of were working through. And so we created these self-organizing cross-functional teams. That were perpetual, constantly working on business outcomes and continuous improvements. [00:03:34] And so the way we define these product teams were in terms of value streams. Now, some of your listeners may be familiar with this value stream, kind of a framework which is used in manufacturing and Lean Sigma kind of a model. And the way we define value streams for the purpose of our product stream was a sequence of activities [00:03:56] that were, that are needed to be taken to respond to a customer [00:04:00] need or to deliver value to the customer. And so in our case, we defined three distinct journeys. We defined a truck journey, a customer journey, and an energy journey because Nikola is a truck manufacturing company and also we dispense hydrogen. [00:04:17] We are an energy company as well. If you look at the truck journey, what are some of the operational processes needed to support manufacturing a truck? So right from designing a truck to when it rolls off the factory floor, that's the truck journey. Similarly we identified right from the initial contact to the customer to when we service the customer, [00:04:39] that's the customer journey. And similarly for hydrogen dispensing capabilities, we identified the energy journey. So we created 11 to 12, I am gonna say different product value stream kind of teams that spanned across the enterprise. And we had an owner from the business. It was staffed with SMEs who were actually cross-functional. [00:05:01] So it was not bound by organizational structure or divisions within the company, but it was defined by the value stream really, and of course IT as well. Then this team was responsible for maintaining a backlog of items, and improvements that they worked on, whether it was training needed, whether it's a enhancement from an IT perspective needed or just ways of working that needed to be improved to continue to work on the improvements in value stream. [00:05:30] So that was kind of the framework that we used. To bridge that gap between strategy and execution and the role that the governance. So we had a governance committee that worked along with these different value stream enterprise wide. They were responsible for communicating the strategy. Where do we want to see the organization go? [00:05:51] And these product value streams then decided. How do these, their value streams contribute towards that enterprise goal? So that's kind of the bridge between the enterprise goals and the goals of the value streams. And so the product owner then was really the voice of the customer or the subject matter expert that decided what needed to be done to achieve those metrics. [00:06:13] And then the IT team took that on and decided how to deliver. [00:06:19] Mustansir Saifuddin: I think you mentioned a couple of very good points. You know, focus on teams. And, and you know, based on some of the experiences I've had I know cross-functional teams is a great way to get things done because now we are knowledge based from all the different parts of the organization. But how do you keep that balance between who makes the call and how this call is executed across the business and IT teams? [00:06:48] Because, you may have, sometimes the business may take a lot more focus, or, their focus can be a, a bit different than a technology perspective. Or IT may have a different view on that. Did you run into any of those challenges during your journey? [00:07:05] Anuya Sheorey: So I think the beauty of this whole framework was that there is no longer business and IT here, right? It's a value stream team. So it's a team that is working on challenges to make the value stream more effective. So they would map out the as is business process for that value stream and say, okay, what are some ways to improve things here? [00:07:26] Then that really drove the backlog for the team and I think the product owners were responsible, the one person responsible for prioritizing, this is the thing that we will focus on. But then what drove the constraints for how they would prioritize was the goals that came from the enterprise. [00:07:45] Right? Why should we be doing this came from the governance committee, and so that helped align the different teams as well, because oftentimes we also had initiatives that span beyond a value stream, not just one value stream. So how do you make [00:08:00] sure that you are aligning all the different value streams to work and draw in the same direction? [00:08:05] That was the goals framework that helped with that. [00:08:09] Mustansir Saifuddin: Yeah, absolutely. And I was about to go to that point that, you know, your value streams can crisscross, and when you have, those overlaps is where the friction comes into play, and how do you manage all those, all those challenges. Right? So, great, great answer. Kind of leads me into my next ask over here. [00:08:25] More than often you find yourself as part of their decision making process. Data and analytics is front and center of this, because that's what allows you to make those decisions based on the information you have available. What are some of the top factors that stick out for you when you look at having an SAP S/4 system and, you know, wanting to do analytics and reporting solution for your organization? [00:08:51] What is your take on it? [00:08:53] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah. At Nikola, initially our priority was just enabling the core functionality that would help with the rapid, rapid scale up and transformation of the business. So we quickly realized that if we had to grow as an organization, we needed a more robust data and analytic strategy in place as well. [00:09:10] And so while SAP was our backbone for operational data finance, manufacturing, inventory, we did have peripheral systems and sources of data as well. And I think that's what got us talking to Mustansir when we initially met, is how do we go about doing this? You were a great partner and we talked about, how have you seen this play through you know, several options we were considering at that time? [00:09:33] How do we make sure that we are able to democratize access to the data and at the same time ensure that we are not constantly having to touch it every time we change something in SAP because that's not the easiest thing to do. And so that's kind of was our thinking for deciding which solution to go forward with and what should be our strategy long term from that point on. [00:09:57] Mustansir Saifuddin: Yeah, I think that's a great view of that situation. 'cause , I remember when we had that discussion and I find myself a lot of times in those conversations where you have your backbone system, SAP or any other ERP systems for that matter, but you also got to have other peripheral systems from CRM to any other manufacturing system, et cetera in your landscape. [00:10:22] And the goal or the challenge usually for businesses, I'm looking at the overall organizational data and I, I want to do some analytics on top of that, not my financial system or my supply chain system alone. It's a mix of information that I'm looking at, so it feels like you are able to look at a collective data set and then make those decisions. [00:10:46] Anuya Sheorey: absolutely. [00:10:48] Mustansir Saifuddin: That makes sense and that's good because, based on your experience, I know you've worked in a variety of industries and technologies, How have you been successful leveraging third party resources to support your teams? What is the formula that you use? [00:11:04] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah, unfortunately it's not a formula, but it's more a partnership. I've worked in diverse industries. Insurance, transportation, electronics, utilities. One of the key differentiating factors for extended partner relationships that have worked for me in the past have been the ones where companies have stepped up to co-create the innovative solutions with us. [00:11:25] They are able to bring in best practices to the table, guide discussions, make themselves trusted advisors in the process. These are the companies that have embodied, true partnerships for us, and we've built long-term relationships with some of these companies. [00:11:42] Mustansir Saifuddin: I think that's super interesting. You use the word partnership more often it gets overlooked when you are working with customers, a lot of times the conversation comes up as, the SI is doing the implementation or the or an outside third party is being brought in to help us with this [00:12:00] technology transformation. [00:12:01] But the concept of partnership kind of sets aside that whole idea of a third party. Working as a team trying to create something. And you saw that partnership successful based on your past experiences? [00:12:15] Anuya Sheorey: Yes, and I have seen that is the only kind of relationships that have been successful because oftentimes if you think about companies as SIs that there is a lot of things that get lost in the translation. There is handoff and a lot of communication challenges that come to it. [00:12:33] Whereas if they are involved from the beginning, they are true partners in the success of the initiative that makes it a successful partnership and a program, and it's a win-win for both really. [00:12:44] Mustansir Saifuddin: Absolutely. I think the the end of the day is it's not about the technology, it's about the actual business benefit of it. And the way you, you described , the relationship I think is what really comes out , as a finished product at the end of the day. Right. From the business perspective. [00:13:03] So, so I know we've been talking about technology and business and all that. We all know we are living in the, this AI world. Everything is moving super fast. The world is changing by day by hour. How do you stay on top of everything that's going on? [00:13:22] Anuya Sheorey: I love doing it, that's why. So I am an avid learner. I am a continuous learner and a reader as well, so I tend to take up assignments that I know nothing about with the objective of learning, because that drives me. Personally I'm always on the lookout for classes reading, whether it's books or podcasts or blog posts newsletters of some leaders, thought leaders that I follow. [00:13:46] And so that's kind of what I do for my teams. I have followed a similar thing that I've been asking them questions. What did you learn today? Do that even at home where we have that conversation. Dinner table, what did you learn today? Whether it's from your day-to-day work or whether you read something interesting. [00:14:02] And I think that's kind of what helps me stay up to date as well. [00:14:08] Mustansir Saifuddin: Do you think that that that learning is allowing you to get to your next level faster than you anticipated? Or have you seen that, that drive in learning helping you move forward? [00:14:21] Anuya Sheorey: I would link, I would like to think so. But I think it also helps me do a better job at whatever role that I'm operating in or whatever task that I'm undertaking as well, because I have heard perspectives of other people who've gone through similar things, learn from their lessons. I have a wider pool of mentors to draw from, from that perspective as well. [00:14:43] Mustansir Saifuddin: It always helps to have a mentor, right? So that's, that's one thing that you can always appreciate when you're going through your journey. I know we talked about a lot of different things today. As we coming to the end of our session, I, I'd like to have one key takeaway that you want to leave our listeners with today. [00:15:00] Anuya Sheorey: Yeah, so as we think about how to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, which has kind of been the theme of this podcast here. The way I look at it is any transformation effort at the end of the day, is all about people. You need inputs from them , they are closest to the work being performed. [00:15:17] You need collaboration and buy-in cross-functionally across the organization for people who are going to execute on some of those strategies. And you need them motivated and ready to embrace the change that goes along with any transformation effort. As we saw in the example of the product framework of what that did, was it empowered people to take on some of the work to take on some of those challenges, and it had a two-pronged benefit as well. [00:15:43] They were the ones identifying the changes that were needed. And also since they were involved in the decision making process, it's kind of the IKEA effect, right? People, if they're involved in making a product, they have pride in it and that is easier buy-in from those people as well. And [00:16:00] so any transformation is less about technology. [00:16:02] It's more about people. [00:16:06] Mustansir Saifuddin: I think I, I don't often hear this thing and this idea about it. and, and everybody's excited about the transformation and the technology, and of course it's exciting but we tend to leave the people part out [00:16:21] Anuya Sheorey: Mm-hmm. [00:16:21] Mustansir Saifuddin: or, or minimize that. But I think what I'm hearing from you is you keep the people upfront and center, then everything around it kind of blends in or kind of smoothly moves forward. [00:16:35] Anuya Sheorey: Absolutely. [00:16:37] Mustansir Saifuddin: Well thank you so much for joining me today. I would love to continue the conversation, but we gotta come to our end. So thank you so much. [00:16:44] Anuya Sheorey: Thank you, Mustansir. Glad to be here. [00:16:46] Mustansir Saifuddin: Thank you for listening to Tech Driven Business brought to you by Innovative Solution Partners. Breaking silos and bridging strategy and execution can be challenging for any organization. A new US key takeaway. Any transformation is less about technology and is more about people. We would love to hear from you. [00:17:10] Continue the conversation by connecting with me on LinkedIn or X. Learn more about Innovative Solution Partners and schedule a free consultation by visiting isolutionpartners.com. Never miss a podcast by subscribing to our YouTube channel. Information is in the show notes.

A new report commissioned by InterTradeIreland highlights the scale of the economic opportunity in offshore wind for SMEs across the island of Ireland. With world-class wind resources and growing net-zero commitments, both governments have set ambitious targets for offshore renewables. This report from specialist renewables consultancy Everoze provides, for the first time, an all-island picture of firm-level capability, mapping over 160 companies across 12 supply chain sectors. The findings show strong potential to develop a globally competitive offshore wind supply chain, particularly if efforts are aligned across the island. The report identifies complementary strengths in areas such as engineering, logistics, vessels and cables, and highlights the economic value of collaboration. It also outlines challenges such as infrastructure capacity and skills shortages. These are best tackled through joined-up action on an all-island basis to ensure local firms can fully participate in this once-in-a-generation opportunity. Margaret Hearty, InterTradeIreland's Chief Executive, said: "This is the first time that SME capability in the renewable energy sector has been mapped across the island. There is a real opportunity for indigenous SMEs to enter the supply chain, which can be fully realised by working together on an all-island level. There are a number of recommendations that we, working with partners can help deliver, including supporting SME engagement through cluster development, procurement guidance, skills alignment and R&D collaboration across the island." Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment said: "I warmly welcome this report commissioned for InterTradeIreland. Following my Department's launch of 'Powering Prosperity' - Ireland's first Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy - this report will support our ongoing efforts to build a successful offshore wind energy industry. The government is committed to accelerating investment, both public and private, to ensure we have the conditions in place to achieve our ambitious energy transition, while also protecting the competitiveness of the Irish economy. Dr Caoimhe Archibald, Minister for the Economy, said: "My Department's Energy Strategy 'The Path to Net Zero Energy' is focused on delivering secure, affordable, clean energy and enhancing skills to grow the low-carbon economy. A decarbonised energy system presents huge economic opportunities for the island and underpins my economic priorities of creating more good jobs, increasing productivity and improving regional balance. "The findings on SME supply chain readiness reinforce my objectives to grow a globally competitive and sustainable economy. We will continue working closely with InterTradeIreland and other stakeholders across the island to ensure SMEs have the support, market intelligence, and tools they need to access and scale in the renewable energy sector." Drawing lessons from international leaders like Esbjerg in Denmark, the report sets out a strategic roadmap focused on supporting collaboration, developing a robust local supply chain, aligning R&D, and building skills capability. InterTradeIreland will work with partners across the island to build on these insights, developing shared solutions, growing local capabilities, and helping SMEs navigate and access emerging opportunities in offshore renewables. Paul Reynolds, Partner at Everoze, said: "This study provides a crucial roadmap for an all-island approach to the offshore wind sector, driving economic growth and sustainability. The recommendations outlined in this report will help InterTradeIreland and its partners to support cross-border collaboration and maximise the opportunities for SMEs in the renewable energy sector across the island." To read the report and its recommendations, visit https://research.intertradeireland.com/offshore-wind-and-hydrogen-opportunities-for-the-island-of-ireland

On today's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Chris Hakala and Dr. Leslie Cramblet Alvarez as we discuss the folks who work at teaching and learning centers. They wrote a tremendous new book called, "Understanding Educational Developers: Tales from the Center." In this book and in our conversation, we explore the diverse pathways into educational development, the role of teaching and learning centers, and the skills necessary for success in this field. They share insights on the impact of AI, the importance of student engagement, and the future of educational development amidst challenges in higher education. 

Send us a textWelcome to What's Up in Business Travel for Week 17 of 2025.  This is a weekly podcast where we update you on what's up this week in the world of business travel.  This podcast is great for those who need to know what's happening all in under 15 minutes.Topics covered during this podcast -Plane tickets are getting cheaperAir passenger demand grows in MarchInbound US Business Travel steadyHilton sees that SMEs are resilientJetBlue negotiates partnership with United AirlinesAmerican sues JetBlueMarriott acquires citizenMSabre sells hospitality businessDelta partners with UberEtihad & China Eastern to JVDelta & Latam add Argentina to JVUnited opens expanded Polaris at O'HareEtihad launches Etihad for BusinessSouthwest to rebrand fare bundlesSingapore Airlines partners with OpenAISabre adds Iberia NDC ContentAmadeus to distribute Frontier NDC contentYou can subscribe to this podcast by searching 'BusinessTravel360' on your favorite podcast player or visiting BusinessTravel360.comThis podcast was created, edited and distributed by BusinessTravel360.  Be sure to sign up for regular updates at BusinessTravel360.com - Enjoy!Support the show

As startups grow, product teams often find themselves caught between speed and structure. In this episode of The Product Experience, Charlotte King, Lead Product Manager at eBay, shares practical insights from her work leading teams through this transition at companies including Moonpig, Flipdish, and ThoughtWorks. Charlotte unpacks how to define product's role during scaleup, build team structure around strategic value, and use tools like Wardley Mapping and Team Topologies to support organisational change. She also introduces the DHM model (Delightful, Hard to copy, Margin-enhancing) and discusses how to make strategy tangible for cross-functional teams. This conversation is especially useful for product leaders, heads of product, and founders navigating scale.Chapters1:13 – Charlotte's background2:36 – Product's role in startups, scaleups and enterprises4:35 – What product teams need to succeed during scale6:42 – Defining product's role as the company grows9:00 – Using Wardley Mapping to assess team maturity14:30 – Creating and communicating guiding principles20:30 – Using the DHM model to prioritise value25:48 – Structuring teams with Team Topologies29:03 – Multidisciplinary collaboration in practice30:41 – Lessons from leading transformation32:30 – Final reflections and takeawaysFeatured Links: Follow Charlotte on LinkedIn | eBay | Wardley Maps | What we learned at #mtpcon London 2025' feature by Kent McDonald and Louron PrattOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.

รมว.คลัง ส่งสัญญาณเตรียมรีดเก็บ VAT ผู้ประกอบการรายได้ต่ำกว่า 1.8 ล้านบาทต่อปี คาดโกยรายได้เข้ารัฐ 2 แสนล้านบาทต่อปี ฟากนักวิชาการจุฬาฯ ห่วง SMEs อาจจงใจหยุดโตเพื่อเลี่ยงภาษี รายละเอียดเป็นอย่างไร สงครามการค้ารอบใหม่ ท่าทีเจรจาสหรัฐฯ ใครเดินเกมอย่างไร พูดคุยกับ ดร.ฐิติมา ชูเชิด, ผู้อำนวยการอาวุโส ผู้บริหารฝ่ายวิจัยเศรษฐกิจมหภาค, ศูนย์วิจัยเศรษฐกิจและธุรกิจ (SCB EIC)

The age of globally optimized supply chains is ending—and distributors are at the forefront of a tectonic shift toward regionalization.In this episode, we unpack the forces unraveling the traditional globalization playbook, from geopolitical instability and supply chain breakdowns to reshoring trends and changing customer expectations. Based on the article Distribution's regional reckoning: The end of globalization as we knew it, this conversation explores how companies are navigating this transformation by building agile, regionally focused networks—and how distributors are redefining their role in the process.For distribution leaders, this episode is a must-listen guide to building resilience, unlocking local relevance, and future-proofing operations in a fractured global landscape.What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Doug Bennett interviews Rohit Maini, an award-winning business leader and fellow podcast host. Rohit shares his approach to business, combining compliance work with consultancy that truly helps clients grow. He talks about how he creates a trust based environment for his clients, why holistic goal setting is important and why self-care is a necessity for entrepreneurs and business leaders. KEY TAKEAWAYS Rohit focuses on being a business growth partner rather than just handling compliance, actively helping clients with business strategy, acquisitions, and fundraising. Creating a relaxed, trust-based environment is central to effective client relationships; Rohit designs his office for comfort and conversation rather than formal meetings, allowing clients to openly share concerns and ambitions. Rohit's big hairy audacious goal is to make every SME in the world 1% better, recognising that the 5.5 million SMEs in the UK (99.8% of all companies) need greater support and representation on the global business stage. Effective goal setting must be holistic, connecting business targets to personal purpose; entrepreneurs should question the why behind numerical targets to ensure sustainable growth aligned with their true motivations. Small habit changes can trigger major lifestyle improvements, as Rohit discovered when a simple 30-minute morning walk created a cascade effect improving his mental clarity, work efficiency, eating habits, and overall motivation. Taking time for self-care isn't selfish but necessary. You can't give from an empty cup, and personal health enables better service to clients and family. Delegation is a critical skill for business growth, many entrepreneurs struggle with relinquishing control, but without delegating, they can't scale their business. Sharing both successes and challenges creates authentic connections, entrepreneurs should talk about their struggles alongside their highlight reels. BEST MOMENTS "We're certainly not stuffy accountants... We actually enjoy what we do, and we don't just file forms." "I see myself as someone who's trying to help the business grow into the next level, not just sort of file and be the tax guy." "For me it was that walk at 6 AM in the morning. It sounds a bit scary getting up that early, but to be honest with you, once you're out of your bed and you kind of walk, you kind of sleepwalk anyway." "None of us are that important. To be fair, there's only a few really important people out there in the world. They tend to be brain surgeons, I would imagine, right?" ABOUT THE GUEST https://businessclan.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-maini-a96b4b69/ https://www.facebook.com/people/Everyday-Empires-by-Rohit-the-Accountant/61567195332080/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Website: http://dougbennett.co.uk/ Email: doug@dougbennett.co.uk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialdoug/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FinancialDoug Facebook Wealth Tribe: https://join.dougbennett.co.uk/ Download Your "Ten-Step Guide To Financial Freedom" Here: https://bit.ly/Struggle-Success BOOKS: Goals Do Come True is now live and available to buy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3phcy6Z Think Simple, Win Big is now live and available to buy on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Think-Simple-Win-Big-Business/ Enjoy, and come back for the latest podcast each Wednesday. Thank you for listening.

รมว.คลัง ส่งสัญญาณเตรียมรีดเก็บ VAT ผู้ประกอบการรายได้ต่ำกว่า 1.8 ล้านบาทต่อปี คาดโกยรายได้เข้ารัฐ 2 แสนล้านบาทต่อปี ฟากนักวิชาการจุฬาฯ ห่วง SMEs อาจจงใจหยุดโตเพื่อเลี่ยงภาษี รายละเอียดเป็นอย่างไรสงครามการค้ารอบใหม่ ท่าทีเจรจาสหรัฐฯ ใครเดินเกมอย่างไร พูดคุยกับ ดร.ฐิติมา ชูเชิด, ผู้อำนวยการอาวุโส ผู้บริหารฝ่ายวิจัยเศรษฐกิจมหภาค, ศูนย์วิจัยเศรษฐกิจและธุรกิจ (SCB EIC)

In episode 48 of the Vietnam Innovators podcast, we sit down with Dave Tong, Co-Founder & Chief Product Technology Officer of Employment Hero – a global leader in HR management solutions.In conversation with host Hảo Trần, Dave shares his career journey, from his early days at InterSystems to co-founding Employment Hero with Ben Thompson in 2014, with the goal of revolutionizing recruitment and HR management processes for businesses.Employment Hero is a comprehensive HR management platform that helps businesses simplify recruitment, performance management, payroll, and benefits, all integrated into one system. Aiming to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in improving operational efficiency, Employment Hero leverages advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, to optimize HR processes and enable data-driven decision-making.The platform currently serves over 300,000 businesses and more than 2 million users globally, with a strong presence in many countries, including Vietnam.Listen to this episode on YoutubeAnd explore many amazing articles about the pioneers at: https://vietcetera.com/vn/bo-suu-tap/vietnam-innovatorFeel free to leave any questions or invitations for business cooperation at hello@vietnaminnovators.com

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Big Food Redesign Challenge set out to demonstrate how redesigning products in line with circular economy principles, can create a food system that allows nature to thrive.In this episode, hear from one of those redesigners, Chloe Stewart from Nibs etc, alongside Katie Carson, Director of Corporate Affairs for Food and Climate Policy at Tetra Pak, to learn more about:The role of upcycled ingredients in designing brand new food productsThe challenges startups and SMEs face in the food industryThe importance of collaboration across the food industry to implement circular design for food principlesWhat enablers and resources are needed to scale food that keeps nature in mindHow larger organisations can support small start-ups and SMEs to foster innovationFind out more about the Big Food Redesign Challenge.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review or a comment on Spotify or YouTube. Your support helps us to spread the word about the circular economy. 

John Maytham speaks to Nick Mills, Co-Founder of Community Wolf, about how the South African tech platform is using AI and WhatsApp to transform the way private security SMEs operate. Follow us on:CapeTalk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapeTalkCapeTalk on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@capetalkCapeTalk on Instagram: www.instagram.com/capetalkzaCapeTalk on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567CapeTalk on X: www.x.com/CapeTalkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does the future look like for recruitment agency owners? In this episode, I'm joined by DeeDee Doke, Editor-in-Chief of Recruiter magazine. With over 20 years in the role, DeeDee has a unique view of the industry, both in the UK and globally. We recorded this live at the Recruitment Agency Expo in London, and talked about how recruitment is changing — fast. Whether it's AI, M&A trends, or the shift from start-up to scale-up, we cover what agency leaders need to know to prepare for the next five years. Episode Outline and Highlights [03:00] DeeDee's journey from Seattle to London — and 20 years leading Recruiter magazine [08:00] Discussion on doing business in the US in 2025 from the perspective of UK recruitment companies. [09:30] US events and the economy impact the UK recruitment market. [19:04] The differentiator between the UK recruitment industry and the US [27:00] AI and the future of recruitment. [34:47] Advocating the professionalism and pride of the recruiting profession. [40:29] Redefining recruitment: professional pride, upskilling, and smarter hiring Innovation is King - Especially in a Saturated Market DeeDee and I had a very interesting conversation on the similarities and differences between the UK and US recruitment markets. One of the key differences I pointed out is how saturated the UK market is compared to the US, while the US offers more profitable potential due to fees generated from higher salaries. DeeDee pointed out one thing that sets apart the UK market as a differentiator - she believes that the UK recruitment agencies, especially SMEs, are often more innovative than their US counterparts, not because of scale, but because saturation forces creativity. The US tends to focus on scale, while UK firms focus on differentiation and doing things differently. But the key takeaway is this: You don't need to be the biggest—you just need to do things differently, and better. Innovation is now a competitive requirement, not a nice-to-have. AI and the Future of Recruitment You will also enjoy DeeDee's insightful take on the advent of AI and how it will impact recruiters globally. We agree that AI will be useful in freeing recruiters from administrative tasks to focus on human interaction and strategies. The integration of AI tools can also improve the candidate experience by providing timely updates and personalized communication, fostering a more engaging and supportive recruitment process. With the streamlining and efficiency potentials AI can offer, it is also important to shift the focus from the old model of scaling, where you would need to add more people. With AI tools evolving fast, firms may no longer need as many people to get the same—or better—results. Efficiency and smart use of tech will define the next wave of growth. It's Time to Champion the Value of Recruitment DeeDee has always advocated the value and importance of the recruitment profession. Too often, recruiters don't get credit for the work they do—whether it's helping someone into a new career, reskilling talent, or supporting growth in client businesses. DeeDee encourages agency leaders to enter awards, tell their stories, and raise standards across the profession. Doing your part means being proud of what you do as a recruiter or recruitment business owner by making others know of the impact you are making. Is there value in doing so? Indeed, this can attract better clients and talent in the long run. DeeDee Doke Bio and Contact Info Long-time editor of Recruiter magazine, DeeDee has more than 20 years of experience as a recruitment/HR specialist journalist and editor. She also has significant international experience as a defence and aviation journalist and in entertainment (theatre, contemporary music) reporting and editing. Originally from Seattle in the US, she has been a proud UK subject/citizen since 2007. DeeDee on LinkedIn Recruiter Magazine website link Recruiter Awards website link Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

CyberQuest, a joint venture between Data Edge, REIM Training Solutions, and CJHNetwork, is pleased to announce a free, one-hour cybersecurity webinar for Irish SMEs. NIS2 & cybersecurity - What Irish SMEs need to know now This interactive online event is specifically designed for SME leaders, IT decision-makers, and business owners seeking to improve their cybersecurity posture while navigating the upcoming NIS2 directive. Why attend? Learn about real-life cyberattacks and vulnerabilities experienced by Irish SMEs. Get clarity on the NIS2 directive and whether it applies to your business. Discover how to access funding and Enterprise Ireland grants to support your cybersecurity initiatives. Explore free and affordable tools other SMEs are using to protect their networks. Ask your questions directly in an interactive session with experts. Speaker panel: Eimear Murphy, Founder & Director, REIM Training Solutions Sandra Richardson, Director of Training, REIM Training Solutions Colm Hyland, Owner, CJHNetwork Omer Mukhtar, Cybersecurity Specialist, Data Edge "Cybersecurity often gets sidelined in busy SMEs, especially when business owners wear multiple hats," says Eimear Murphy. "This session is about making cybersecurity manageable and showing that you don't need to be an expert to protect your business." Sandra Richardson adds: "We want to break NIS2 down into something understandable and actionable. It's about giving SMEs the tools, support, and confidence to act." Colm Hyland will share insights on aligning cybersecurity strategies with business goals while working within the real-world constraints of SME life. Omer Mukhtar offers an industry-wide perspective, drawing on his strong background in defensive security. Cybersecurity doesn't have to be complicated and in this session, Omer will share practical insights from recent cyber reviews using tools like CyberScope and Link-Live, offering actionable steps any business can take to reduce cyber risk using the right tools and methodology. Participants will also have the opportunity to book a no-cost cybersecurity review to identify risks in their infrastructure. Register now: https://reimtrainingsolutions.com/cyberquest-webinar/ See more stories here.

The UK Digital Twin Centre has officially opened in Belfast, marking a major milestone in the UK's digital innovation landscape. Delivered by Digital Catapult and funded by the Belfast Region City Deal and Innovate UK, the project is set to drive the next wave of industrial transformation by accelerating the adoption of digital twin technology across the UK's critical sectors, projected to reach £62million in GVA for the economy over the next decade. A Digital Twin is a dynamic virtual representation ('twin') of a physical asset, process, or system, bridging the physical and digital worlds. They turn data into real-time insights that can optimise performance, reduce costs, and predict outcomes before they happen. Since funding for the project was announced, Digital Catapult has brought together industry and innovators to identify adoption barriers and strategic interventions. At the Centre's opening, the project's co-investing industry partners - Artemis Technologies, Spirit AeroSystems, and Thales UK - utilised the cutting-edge facilities, including the 360-degree immersive space and advanced technology lab, to demonstrate how digital twins are helping to solve complex operational challenges. These early-stage use cases emphasise the power of cross-sector collaboration to create scalable, practical solutions while building expertise that can be shared across industries, ultimately improving product design, building supply chain resilience, and decarbonising operations. Programmes delivered by the UK Digital Twin Centre will help businesses across the UK to demystify, demonstrate, and deploy digital twins. With expert support, test environments and tools to experiment and validate, combined with shared learnings from industry use cases, it offers a practical route to adoption. The Centre has convened capabilities across digital twins six enabling technology areas - intelligence, data services, immersive and UX, cyber-physical systems, integration, and security - to make this emerging technology more accessible and interoperable across sectors and suppliers. "The UK Digital Twin Centre marks a major step for Belfast, driving innovation in high-growth sectors like advanced manufacturing," said the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray. "Through the Belfast Region City Deal and with Digital Catapult's UK-wide reach, we're connecting our SMEs to a powerful network, unlocking access to new markets, collaboration opportunities, and cutting-edge technologies. This will boost local businesses, create high-skilled jobs, and drive real economic impact for the region." The Centre's first six-month Accelerator Programme, now open for pre-application expressions of interest, will support partnerships between tech SMEs and industry to fast-track digital twin adoption in maritime, aerospace, and defence. Alongside Innovate UK funding, participants will also gain access to mentorship, workshops, and specialist support to develop proofs of concept for enabling technologies - such as IoT, data integration, and simulation tools - bringing their solutions closer to real-world deployment. "The UK Digital Twin Centre brings together our technical expertise, facilities, and networks to unlock the power of deep technologies,' said Susan Bowen, CEO of Digital Catapult. "By connecting industries with cutting-edge technology through our programmes, we are enabling businesses to harness the full potential of digital twins-driving operational efficiencies, advancing sustainability, and sharpening the competitive edge of UK businesses." Dean Cook, Executive Director for Place and Global?at Innovate UK, added, "Seeing real-world use cases coming to life at the UK Digital Twin Centre is a powerful demonstration of how digital twins can deliver tangible advances for UK industry. These cutting-edge tools will solve complex business challenges in aerospace, maritime, and defence. "It's a testament to how we are leveraging the strengths of local inno...

Kibit Solutions Ltd is launching in Ireland at this year's Dublin Tech Summit. Kibit Solutions is building software with the best people and provide software development teams to help you with any IT projects that you might be planning in the future. Based in their global headquarters in Budapest, Kibit Solutions has assembled a complete team tailored to your needs, comprising roles such as Scrum Master and Quality Assurance, who adhere to your functional requirements. This team is overseen by Kibit Solutions, ensuring a smooth operation, whilst also delivering meticulously tested solutions to meet your goals. Kibit Solutions team, consists of Business Analysts and seasoned professionals, assists in clarifying your needs, drafting detailed functional specifications, assembling a suitable team, and ultimately delivering thoroughly tested solutions to meet your objectives. Kibit Solutions Irish Business Advisor Ronan Leonard said: "We are looking forward to entering the Irish market, offering our unique development solutions to startups and SMEs. It is a privilege to launch at Dublin Tech Summit, one of Europe's fastest growing international tech conferences." Kibit Solutions launch is taking place at an after party on May 29th between 5:30 and 7:30 In Madigan Square Gardens, the outdoor area of the Horseshoe House, just across the road from the RDS where the Dublin Tech Summit is taking place. Attendees will hear how Kibit Solutions can help with any upcoming I.T. projects that they may have. Places are limited, so to confirm attendance at the after party or to get more information on Kibit Solutions please email ronan.leonard@kibitsolutions.com See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Motheo Khoaripe speaks to Bulelani Balabala, Business Speaker -Media Contributor -Township Entrepreneur TEA, about the Township Entrepreneurs Agency's Kasi Pitching Challenge, which has awarded over R1.7 million to 33 winners nationwide and is set to visit more than 12 townships across South Africa. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape. Thank you for listening to The Money Show podcast. Listen live - The Money Show with Stephen Grootes is broadcast weekdays between 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) on 702 and CapeTalk. There’s more from the show at www.themoneyshow.co.za Subscribe to the Money Show daily and weekly newsletters The Money Show is brought to you by Absa. Follow us on: 702 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: www.instagram.com/talkradio702 702 on X: www.x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@radio702 CapeTalk on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: www.instagram.com/capetalkza CapeTalk on X: www.x.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode on The Product Experience, we welcome back Matt LeMay—author, consultant, and champion of no-nonsense product thinking. We dig deep into the ideas behind his new book Impact First Product Teams and explore how teams can focus on what really matters: delivering business impact.Featured Links: Follow Matt on LinkedIn and his website | Buy Matt's new book 'Impact-first Product Teams' | Sudden Compass | Randeep Sidhu's episode on The Product Experience: 'Lessons from building the UK's test and trace app'Chapters00:00 – The Myth of Rational Business01:03 – Matt's Accidental Journey into Product02:20 – What Are “Impact-First” Teams, Really?04:50 – Why OKRs Are Often Just Theatre07:12 – Best Practices ≠ Business Value10:00 – Who's on the Product Team, and Why It Matters12:30 – Dealing With Cross-Team Goal Conflicts15:00 – Culture Change via Strategic Goal Alignment17:00 – Proactive Conversations About Impact20:00 – Commercial Awareness for Product Teams24:00 – Platform Teams & Measuring Amplified Impact27:00 – What Do Good Impact-First Teams Look Like?31:00 – Customer-Centricity vs. Business Impact34:00 – Discovery, Metrics & Mission-Critical Goals36:00 – Culture, Strategy & Individual Leverage41:00 – BAU vs. Innovation: Set Clear Expectations44:00 – The Ego Trap in Product Work46:00 – Matt's Final Zinger on Capital and FeelingsOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.

As Australia's small and medium-sized enterprises navigate myriad challenges, brokers are playing an important role in charting a course to finance solutions. In this episode of In Focus, we sit down with Guy Callaghan, chief executive officer of Banjo Loans, to unpack key insights from the SME lending specialist's latest SME Compass report, and what's keeping the engine room of the Australian economy turning. Tune in to find out: What's next on the horizon for Australia's SMEs. The opportunity for brokers to help support this segment. How to leverage networks and partnerships to win more deals. And much more!

Did you know that the term 'Sustainability Examples' is searched 170,000 times globally per month (circa 5,000 in Ireland per month). Did you also know that 99.8% of Irish businesses are SMEs. Individually, they have small carbon footprints, but collectively, they account for 38% of Ireland's CO2 emissions (63% in Europe). While many SMEs are taking action, they struggle to gain awareness, recognition and measurable commercial advantages for taking action. This is why Andrew Sheehan built a sustainability engagement platform (sustainabilityexamples.com) to change that. Ronan recently spoke to Andrew about his background, what sustainabilityexamples.com does, three ways of changing behaviour and more .More about sustainabilityexamples.com:There are two types of users on the platform: Champions and Doers. The platform helps Irish SMEs driving climate action (doers) gain more visibility, greater recognition and a faster ROI for taking action by providing a platform where they can launch, share, and compete for prominence on the homepage leaderboard through community engagement with climate-engaged supporters (champions). By providing impact leaders with measurable recognition and data-backed commercial advantages for launching examples of their initiatives and solutions on the platform, the platform's purpose is to encourage more SMEs to also start taking action. 

Did you know that the term 'Sustainability Examples' is searched 170,000 times globally per month (circa 5,000 in Ireland per month). Did you also know that 99.8% of Irish businesses are SMEs. Individually, they have small carbon footprints, but collectively, they account for 38% of Ireland's CO2 emissions (63% in Europe). While many SMEs are taking action, they struggle to gain awareness, recognition and measurable commercial advantages for taking action. This is why Andrew Sheehan built a sustainability engagement platform (sustainabilityexamples.com) to change that. Ronan recently spoke to Andrew about his background, what sustainabilityexamples.com does, three ways of changing behaviour and more. More about sustainabilityexamples.com: There are two types of users on the platform: Champions and Doers. The platform helps Irish SMEs driving climate action (doers) gain more visibility, greater recognition and a faster ROI for taking action by providing a platform where they can launch, share, and compete for prominence on the homepage leaderboard through community engagement with climate-engaged supporters (champions). By providing impact leaders with measurable recognition and data-backed commercial advantages for launching examples of their initiatives and solutions on the platform, the platform's purpose is to encourage more SMEs to also start taking action. See more stories here. More about Irish Tech News Irish Tech News are Ireland's No. 1 Online Tech Publication and often Ireland's No.1 Tech Podcast too. You can find hundreds of fantastic previous episodes and subscribe using whatever platform you like via our Anchor.fm page here: https://anchor.fm/irish-tech-news If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming Podcast email us at Simon@IrishTechNews.ie now to discuss. Irish Tech News have a range of services available to help promote your business. Why not drop us a line at Info@IrishTechNews.ie now to find out more about how we can help you reach our audience. You can also find and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat.

Episode 172 with Abiola Jimoh, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of XchangeBox, the company behind PayRep, a platform supporting payments, collections, and access to financial products for SMEs, farmers, and traders across Nigeria.XchangeBox focuses on improving access to financial services for underserved communities through its PayRep platform. By offering services such as health insurance, pension savings, microcredit, and digital payments, the company supports the growth and stability of local economies. With a Super Agent licence, a PSSP, and a Microfinance Bank, XchangeBox works to complement government efforts to promote financial inclusion, particularly in rural and northern regions of Nigeria.In this episode, we discuss the challenges and opportunities in building financial services for underserved markets, the role of regulation in shaping the fintech sector, and the potential for a more coordinated e-commerce framework across Africa.What We Discuss With AbiolaThe operational strategies that have enabled XchangeBox to scale transaction volumes and build trust at agent locations across rural Nigeria.Navigating regulatory frameworks in Nigeria's fintech sector and securing multiple licences.The importance of localising services while maintaining a unified product experience across different Nigerian regions.Why Africa needs a more intentional and synergised e-commerce framework to unlock the continent's full potential.Future expansion opportunities across African markets and the need for greater cross-border fintech collaboration.Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss AI and Solar: Why Financing Is the Missing Piece in Africa's Clean Energy Puzzle? Make sure to check it out!Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with Abiola:LinkedIn - Abiola JimohTwitter - @rajabiolaDo you want to do business in Africa? Explore the vast business opportunities in African markets and increase your success with ETK Group. Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.ukSubscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content, behind-the-scenes insights, and bonus material - Unlocking Africa Newsletter

CeADAR, Ireland's Centre for AI, will visit Kerry next month to host an information and networking event for companies and public sector organisations aiming to transform their operations with Artificial Intelligence. The technology hub is offering the free event as part of its EDIH for AI Programme, an initiative to provide data science expertise and resources to support start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and public sector organisations, as they seek to digitalise their operations in pursuit of greater productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability. The event will take place at the RDI Hub in Killorglin, Co. Kerry, on Thursday, May 1, from 1pm until 2pm. Attendees will hear how organisations can access CeADAR's fully funded EDIH for AI services, including digital maturity assessments and advisory services, specialist training and upskilling, and prototype development and testing. Speakers will outline a range of case studies across sectors that illustrate outcomes from past collaborations, while the event will also provide an opportunity for attendees to meet with CeADAR's data science team to discuss their specific business needs and understand how AI can be used to respond to those challenges. The EDIH is a €700m European initiative comprising more than 150 tech hubs across 30 countries. CeADAR's selection as the EDIH for AI in Ireland came with an initial funding boost of €6 million over three years. The award is jointly supported by the EU and the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland. CeADAR CEO John Lonsdale will be attending the event along with EDIH Programme Manager Laura Plunkett and other EDIH staff. EDIH Programme Manager Laura Plunkett says: "We're delighted to collaborate with the RDI Hub in Killorglin on this event, and look forward to hosting start-ups, SMEs and PSOs for an afternoon of information sharing and networking. Events such as this are vital to our mission, to empower Irish organisations to explore and experiment with AI and drive digital transformation in Ireland." CeADAR CEO John Lonsdale says: "EDIH for AI events such as this hosted at the RDI Hub on May 1 provide Irish enterprise and public sector workers with the information and contacts necessary to transform their operations. While innovations in technology are making domestic and international business more competitive than ever before, they also provide significant opportunities for start-ups and SMEs to scale quickly, and for public sector organisations to streamline their processes to maximise their efficiency. CeADAR is delighted to be playing a central role in this mission, and we look forward to hosting more EDIH for AI events in the future." RDI Hub CEO Liam Cronin says: "We are proud to welcome CeADAR to the RDI Hub on Thursday May 1 and we are looking forward to the insights and case studies on how AI can enhance performance, strategy, and engagement. The RDI Hub has a strong connection with AI, fostering a collaborative environment where entrepreneurs and innovators can harness cutting-edge technology to drive progress in various sectors. Our mission is to position the South West of Ireland as a global leader in technology and innovation, and the collaboration with CeADAR is testament to that vision." See more stories here.

What if discovering your neurodivergent could unlock a deeper sense of purpose—and make your recruitment business more impactful? In this episode, Adam Tobias shares how getting diagnosed with ADHD and autism in his 40s reshaped not only how he works, but why he works. That discovery ignited a new mission: helping organizations remove the hidden barriers that exclude brilliant, underrepresented talent. Adam Tobias is the co-founder of Inventum Group, a purpose-driven recruitment and consulting firm based in London and Johannesburg. With over 25 years in the industry, Adam has built a company that's as values-led as it is commercially successful. Today, he advises clients ranging from FTSE 100 companies to fast-growth SMEs on how to recruit inclusively and build more resilient teams. Episode Outline and Highlights [02:40] How Adam got into recruiting, leading to his 20-year-old recruitment firm. [07:50] Avoiding ego-based growth: What Adam considers his lessons and learnings in his recruitment journey. [15:04] Key elements to success. [17:55] How finding out about his neurodivergence became a stepping-stone for inclusive consulting. [24:40] Adam's discovery of his neurodivergence. [34:46] Strategies that help Adam manage ADHD and autism at work. [38:33] Channeling Adam's advocacy as a differentiator. [45:57] Inventum's business model. [48:38] The top hiring barriers for underrepresented candidates—and how to fix them. [56:39] Discussion on behaviour, cultures, and values. [59:00] The value of candidate experience. Turning Purpose into a Differentiator Being diagnosed with autism and ADHD past 40, Adam had a renewed perspective on how to help clients be more inclusive in their hiring process. Once he uncovered his neurodivergence, he stopped trying to fit a mold and started building around what actually worked for him, leading with empathy, structure, and a culture where people could just be themselves. This inspired him to develop The Inclusive Recruiter, a CPD-certified training program that's now core to Inventum's offering. It's not just an add-on; it's embedded into how they hire, train, and work with clients. “So what we're doing now is helping clients fix their hiring processes—not just make placements,” Adam shared. “It's not about how well someone interviews. It's about how well they'll perform over time.” How did this benefit Adam's recruitment firm? The ROI of Inclusive Hiring Adam believes that inclusive recruitment is more than a moral imperative—it's a business advantage. Structured, unbiased interviews. Clearer job specs. Candidate experience that makes people want to re-engage. These aren't just “nice-to-haves”—they improve long-term placement success. They also turned this mission into a consulting arm of the business. Inventum has added new revenue streams while deepening client relationships. Whether it's through advisory, workshops, or training, Adam's team is proving that purpose can drive profit. “I think we've done well in a tough market because we've stayed true to who we are,” he said. “That's what's made us resilient.” Top Hiring Barriers for Underrepresented Candidates Adam shared insights on the commonly observed barriers when it comes to underrepresented groups and how they would advise their clients in terms of solutions. Below are outlined common challenges and recommended solutions: Challenges • Limited Outreach & Narrow Channels • Overloaded Job Descriptions • Masculine-Coded Language in Job Ads • Reliance on Outdated Job Descriptions • Unclear Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-Haves • Unstructured Interview Processes • Culture Fit Bias Solutions • Proactive Candidate Engagement • Simplify Job Descriptions • Audit Job Ad Language • Start from Scratch with Job Specs • Ditch the “Desirable” List • Structured Interviews with Scoring • Reduces bias and makes evaluations more objective. • Use Multiple Independent Interviewers • Focus on Values, Not "Culture Fit" • Client Education & Conversations Adam Tobias Bio and Contact Info Adam is the co-founder of Inventum Group, a boutique recruitment and consulting firm focused on building inclusive workplaces. With teams in London and Johannesburg, Inventum partners with companies across finance, marketing, legal, and HR to deliver talent with purpose. Adam is also the creator of The Inclusive Recruiter—a CPD-certified training program—and a passionate advocate for neurodiversity and equity in the workplace. • Adam on LinkedIn• Inventum Group websitePeople and Resources Mentioned • The Inclusive Recruiter (CPD Certified)• Pinnacle Society Connect with Mark Whitby • Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call • Mark on LinkedIn• Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby • Mark on Facebook • Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter

QFF: Quick Fire Friday – Your 20-Minute Growth Powerhouse!   Welcome to Quick Fire Friday, the Grow A Small Business podcast series that is designed to deliver simple, focused and actionable insights and key takeaways in less than 20 minutes a week.   Every Friday, we bring you business owners and experts who share their top strategies for growing yourself, your team and your small business. Get ready for a dose of inspiration, one action you can implement and quotable quotes that will stick with you long after the episode ends!   In this episode of Quick Fire Friday, host Amanda Jones interviews Nathan McGrath, founder of Outside The Square Accounting, Nathan shares his experience as a small business owner and highlights the importance of anticipating future needs and automating finances for success. He advises businesses to seek the right advice early and focus on forward planning rather than dwelling on past issues. McGrath also touches upon key financial documents like the balance sheet and forecast, and the value of open communication with an accountant without fear of judgement. Key Takeaways for Small Business Owners: Don't Delay, Get Advice Early: Successful businesses seek the right advice before making decisions—not after. Engage your accountant early to help you anticipate challenges and opportunities.   Automate Your Finances: Save time and reduce errors by automating financial reporting and processes. Let important insights land in your inbox without lifting a finger.   Know Your Numbers Weekly: Spend at least 15 minutes a week reviewing your financials—especially actuals vs. forecasts. This keeps you aligned and helps you catch issues before they escalate. Our hero crafts outstanding reviews following the experience of listening to our special guests. Are you the one we've been waiting for? Financial Documents That Matter: Focus on the balance sheet (your GPS), a forecast (your roadmap), and track ATO and super obligations. These provide clarity and prevent future surprises.   Your Financial Data is Just Facts – No Shame: Don't fear judgment over debt or messy records. A great accountant sees these as facts to work with—not flaws to criticize. The goal is solutions, not shame.   Use Tools That Talk to Each Other: When choosing software, ensure it integrates well with your existing systems. Time-saving connections—like syncing customer info across tools—can be game-changers. One action small business owners can take: One action small business owners can take, according to Nathan McGrath, is to start forecasting now. Rather than only reflecting on past performance, looking ahead with a simple financial forecast helps anticipate tax obligations, manage cash flow, and make smarter business decisions with confidence. Do you have 2 minutes every Friday? Sign up to the Weekly Leadership Email. It's free and we can help you to maximize your time. Enjoyed the podcast? Please leave a review on iTunes or your preferred platform. Your feedback helps more small business owners discover our podcast and embark on their business growth journey.

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special co-host Claire Fincham continue the “Supply Chain Leadership Across Africa” series with guest Marietjie Brown, Sustainability and Government Affairs Lead at CHEP for Africa, the Middle East, and Turkey. Marietjie shares how CHEP is leading the charge in regenerative supply chain initiatives—from ensuring zero waste to landfills to bringing clean running water to communities that have never had it.She also explains how CHEP's closed-loop model is rooted in circular economy principles, and why feeding the world's most vulnerable people isn't a corporate goal—it's part of the company's DNA. The conversation highlights the power of connecting global multinationals with local SMEs, overcoming infrastructure and economic hurdles in Africa, and using supply chains as engines for social, environmental, and business transformation.Plus, with the SAPICS Conference just around the corner, the episode spotlights the role of community, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration in shaping the future of supply chain on the continent.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(03:52) Marietjie Brown and her passion for sustainability(11:58) Regenerative supply chain initiatives in Africa(16:06) Bringing running water to underserved communities(18:28) Inside CHEP's circular economy model(27:23) Sustainability goals: planting trees and feeding millions(32:48) Challenges and solutions in African supply chains(37:41) Supporting small enterprises and unlocking growth(41:21) Looking ahead to the SAPICS Conference(46:03) What's next for CHEP and the global supply chainAdditional Links & ResourcesConnect with Marietjie Brown: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marietjie-coertzen-brown-543a1327/?originalSubdomain=zaLearn more about CHEP: https://www.chep.com/Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now's NEW Media Kit: https://bit.ly/3XH6OVkThis episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Claire Fincham and produced by Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com

Sunsetting features is rarely a celebrated milestone in product, but it's often one of the most critical. In this episode, Ronie Ben Aharon CPO and CTO of Craft.io, joins Lily and Randy to share how his team made the tough call to retire a key feature—and what they learned in the process.Ronie walks us through a real-world example of removing Craft.io's visual spec tool, why trying to compete with established platforms like Figma didn't make sense, and how they approached the transition with both technical rigour and user empathy. He also explains what happens when a sunset strategy goes wrong, and the lingering costs of keeping legacy features alive.Key takeaways- Sunsetting is about creating space for more impactful product work.- Features that seem harmless because they're underused often introduce hidden costs, especially when they complicate onboarding, UX, and development cycles.- Data-related features are the hardest to retire. Plan for thoughtful migration and clear communication with users.- Soft approaches, like “feature starvation,” can backfire and prolong technical debt.- Strong collaboration between product, customer success, and engineering is key to pulling off a successful sunset.Chapters0:00 – Why announcing a feature sunset is rarely met with applause1:58 – What makes sunsetting necessary, and why underused features are a risk5:01 – How to recognise when it's time to kill a feature6:10 – The story behind Craft.io's visual spec feature and why they let it go9:01 – Navigating the difficult conversations with users who still rely on a dying feature12:27 – Handling data migration without compromising user trust14:04 – A sunset that didn't go as planned: learning from the feedback portal misstep22:44 – Managing engineering expectations and avoiding unnecessary rebuilds24:38 – How sunsetting shapes the way new features are designed26:11 – Final reflections on doing it right—and why it's worth itFeatured Link: Follow Roni on LinkedIn | Craft.io | Figma | 'Sunsetting success: How to strategically phase out products in the digital age' feature by Balaji Ananthanpilla and Sabah Qazi at Mind The ProductOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.

Darius Ross is a pro arbitrager, business consultant, and motivational speaker with 30+ years of entrepreneurial experience behind him. How did your experiences growing up in inner-city Chicago shape your entrepreneurial journey? How can the right mentality help entrepreneurs overcome challenges and seize opportunities? What key traits define true leadership? What strategies have helped you crack high-stakes deals while fostering a strong business culture? What advice would you give your younger self? Darius Ross Darius Ross is a pro arbitrager, business consultant, and motivational speaker with 30+ years of entrepreneurial experience behind him. Darius recently co-authored Leadership DNA, a USA National Bestseller that brings together expert insights on mastering the art of leadership. The anthology explores how to cultivate a thriving business culture, drive meaningful change, and build high-performing teams. Additionally, he is working on the upcoming book Dealing with the Entrepreneurial Mindset, which taps into his journey as a self-starter and includes strategies for leadership. His expertise covers the scope of SMEs and large businesses, and he has cracked deals in the range of $250K to $1B+. In his role as a business consultant, Darius has advised top-ranking corporate leaders on deals worth $100B+. Excellent Executive Coaching Podcast If you have enjoyed this episode, subscribe to our podcast on iTunes. We would love for you to leave a review. The EEC podcasts are sponsored by MKB Excellent Executive Coaching that helps you get from where you are to where you want to be with customized leadership and coaching development programs. MKB Excellent Executive Coaching offers leadership development programs to generate action, learning, and change that is aligned with your authentic self and values. Transform your dreams into reality and invest in yourself by scheduling a discovery session with Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC to reach your goals. Your host is Dr. Katrina Burrus, MCC, founder and general manager of Excellent Executive Coaching a company that specializes in leadership development.

On this new series from the Engage team, take a moment to get the highlights from the Delta MEC's week. Learn about ongoing hot topics, news, and events. This new series will also feature occasional quick takes from guests, including committee chairs, SMEs, and your MEC leadership.To learn more about these topics, please read our weekly MEC News. Don't forget to subscribe and send the Communications Committee a DART for topic ideas and your take on our episodes!

What is the relationship like between faculty and instructional designers? In this episode, we'll hear from Ian August, Assistant Director of Online Learning and Adjunct Professor at St. John's University. Ian shares his research findings from speaking with both IDs and faculty about the course design and revision process. 

What happens when we flip the urban planning script — putting people, not cars, at the heart of our cities and regions? In this 15-minute episode, Professor Carlos Moreno - creator of the “15-minute city” and now a leading voice behind the “30-minute region” - joins the OECD's Soo-Jin Kim to explore how we can build more inclusive, connected and resilient places. From the sidewalks of Paris to rural areas reimagining public services, Carlos shares a bold vision of proximity, empowerment, and local opportunity. Tune in to hear how the future of urban and regional development might be just around the corner — literally. Host: Shayne MacLachlan, Public Affairs and Communications Manager at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities Guests: Carlos Moreno is a Franco-Colombian researcher and Professor at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, internationally recognised for developing the 15-minute city concept. He is currently expanding his work through the “30-minute region,” a model designed to bring proximity and accessibility to entire territories beyond urban centres. Carlos serves as Scientific Director of the ETI Chair (“Entrepreneurship – Territory – Innovation”) and advises cities and international organisations on urban innovation and sustainable planning. Soo-Jin Kim is Head of the Urban Policies and Reviews Unit at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities. Her work focuses on helping national and local governments shape more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities. She leads cross-country reviews, develops policy guidance, and brings international perspectives to urban development challenges. To learn more about policy area: https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/urban-development.html To learn more about the OECD, our global reach, and how to join us, go to https://www.oecd.org/en/about.html To keep up with latest at the OECD, visit https://www.oecd.org/ Get the latest OECD content delivered directly to your inbox! Subscribe to our newsletters: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/newsletters.html

What happens when First Nations take the lead in shaping the future of clean energy and infrastructure in Indigenous communities? In this episode, we hear from Mark Podlasly, CEO of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) and member of the Nlaka'pamux Nation in British Columbia. He speaks with Sinead Teevan from the OECD about how the coalition is helping First Nations secure ownership in major energy and infrastructure projects. The FNMPC, now representing 175 communities across Canada, focuses on the economic, environmental, and public policy interests of its members. Together, they explore the power of Indigenous consent, the importance of equitable partnerships, and why integrating Indigenous values into policy and investment decisions isn't just the right thing to do, it's essential for reaching climate goals and long-term prosperity. With real-world examples, from clean energy projects to revenue-sharing agreements, this conversation highlights how economic reconciliation is not only possible, but already underway in Canada. Looking ahead, Mark shares a bold vision: Indigenous communities not only participating in, but leading, global investment through Indigenous-controlled capital. And the world is taking notice. Groups from Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Latin America are reaching out to learn how First Nations in Canada are achieving results. Host: Shayne MacLachlan, Public Affairs and Communications Manager at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities Guests: Sinead Teevan is currently working as a Policy Consultant at the OECD, working on regional, rural and urban development. She is Indigenous from Curve Lake First Nation in Ontario, and has gained valuable experience in various roles, including as a Policy Intern at the Ministry of Energy in Ontario. Additionally, she been an active member of the Indigenous Student Association at Western University. Mark Podlasly, a member of the Nlaka'pamux Nation in British Columbia, is CEO of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) in Canada. FNMPC is a national organization of 175+ Indigenous communities working to ensure environmental and economic values are reflected in major projects on traditional territories. He has global experience leading large-scale energy and infrastructure projects and has delivered strategy programs for companies like Unilever and Goldman Sachs. A frequent contributor on Indigenous-industry economic reconciliation, his work spans ESG, climate policy, and governance. To learn more about policy area: https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/regional-rural-and-urban-development.html To learn more about the OECD, our global reach, and how to join us, go to https://www.oecd.org/en/about.html To keep up with latest at the OECD, visit https://www.oecd.org/ Get the latest OECD content delivered directly to your inbox! Subscribe to our newsletters: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/newsletters.html

Most organisations dream of building products that delight users. But what happens when the users are your internal teams—and the product is the business itself? In this episode of The Product Experience, Randy Silver sits down with Jo Wickremasinghe, Chief Product & Technology Officer at BPP, to talk about leading transformation at scale.Featured Links: Follow Jo on LinkedIn | BPP | 'What we learned at #mtpcon London 2025' feature by Kent McDonald and Louron PrattOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.

Learn more about NetSuite Customer Success: https://tinyurl.com/kyuapfmn   In this episode of the NetSuite Podcast, cohost Megan O'Brien is joined by NetSuite's own Alexandra Wright, senior education and user adoption consultant, and Jessica Jennings, senior program manager, to discuss change management. They start by giving an overview of the change management topic [5:37] and how those implementing or expanding their NetSuite instance can incorporate it. Jessica and Alexandra then delve into NetSuite's specific methodology for change management [11:35]. They discuss the role of learning in change management [29:04] and conclude the episode with advice on where listeners can learn more [33:03].   NetSuite Change Management Vlogs: https://tinyurl.com/296ah7r7 Free Learning and Change Management Content: https://tinyurl.com/bdcdsn7n   Follow Us Here: Alexandra Wright: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrawright4/ Jessica Jennings: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicahannusch/   Contact NetSuite Sales - https://social.ora.cl/6009wKalv Learn More about NetSuite ERP - https://social.ora.cl/6003wKaxv Learn More about NetSuite HCM - https://social.ora.cl/6007c4Kih Learn More about NetSuite Analytics & Reporting - https://social.ora.cl/6007c4znL NetSuite Customer Success Stories - https://social.ora.cl/6005c4zt9   Follow us here: LinkedIn: https://social.ora.cl/6000wKFhC X (Twitter): https://social.ora.cl/6007wK2zD Instagram: https://social.ora.cl/6003wK2Hv Facebook: https://social.ora.cl/6005wK2Dv   #NetSuite #NetSuiteLCS #ChangeManagement #NetSuiteERP #ErpImplementation #SoftwareImplementation ---------------------------------------------------------------   Episode Transcript: 00:00:00:00 - 00:00:36:14  Unknown  Hey Suite listeners. Welcome to the NetSuite podcast. I'm Megan O'Brien, a co-host of the podcast, and today I'm excited to continue our Listen and Learn series. We started this podcast series with the goal of giving customers useful tips and tricks that will help them get more out of NetSuite. For part three of this series, we'retalking change management and how you can use it as a strategic lever to maximize your ERP software and create a more agile, responsive organization.    00:00:36:16 - 00:01:00:17  Unknown  So today we have two guests joining us, Alexandra Wright, who is a senior education and user adoption consultant, and Jessica Jennings, a senior education program manager, both from NetSuite. You actually might remember Jessica from a network podcast episode about a year and a half ago. We're so excited that she came back on the show in this episode.    00:01:00:18 - 00:01:34:10  Unknown  These two change gurus highlight the critical role of change management and aligning people and processes with new systems, ensuring sustained user adoption. They cover key factors like communication strategies, leadership engagement, and structured methodologies to drive success. So stay tuned. We're jumping into all this and more next. You are listening to the NetSuite Podcast, where we discuss what's happening within NetSuite, why we're doing it, and where we're heading in the future.    00:01:34:12 - 00:02:02:06  Unknown  We'll dive into the details about the software and the people at NetSuite who are behind all the moving parts. We'll also feature customer growth stories discussing the ups and downs of running a company and how one integrated system can help your business continue to scale. And welcome Alexandra and Jessica. We're so excited to have you on today to talk about something we hear a lot about in the software world, change management.    00:02:02:08 - 00:02:25:16  Unknown  We're excited to be here. So where are the two of you joining us from today? So I am joining you again from Austin, Texas. I had been on the podcast once before and loved it, so I'm glad to be back. But I'm still here in good old Austin, Texas. Yeah, and I'm joining from San Diego, California. Wow, look at you both in sunny, warm places.    00:02:25:17 - 00:02:54:12  Unknown  That sounds great. It really is. It is. I can't complain. Well, to start out, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves and your role in that suite? Yeah, I'd be happy to jump in here. My name is Alexandra. As mentioned, I have been with NetSuite for going on four years. And my background is actually in organization psychology, which is a super niche area of psychology.    00:02:54:13 - 00:03:25:10  Unknown  That's actually one of the fastest growing spaces in business, which is imaginable as we're in a point in time where it feels like everything is changing as rapidly as possible. So my job here at NetSuite is an education and user adoption consultant. And like I mentioned, I started here going on four years ago. And the business has evolved a lot and so has my role.    00:03:25:10 - 00:03:54:07  Unknown  And so a lot of the work that I do now is really focused on change management, helping our customers succeed with their not suite implementations, as well as working on some internal work. And, I'll follow up with that. And, that's great. I didn't I don't even think I have, as many fun things to share, but, I did have to pull up my calculator because I was like, shoot, I don't know how many years I've been with NetSuite at this point, but it's almost eight.    00:03:54:07 - 00:04:14:05  Unknown  I started at Oracle Customer Success and then moved into working at NetSuite. I actually supported a lot of our customers directly as a consultant and change management for quite a long time. But now I serve the team more in developing our change management content services, the program all around that.    00:04:14:07 - 00:04:34:15  Unknown  And it's such a passion area for me. So it's just a super fun area of work for me to come in and do every day. And I guess it keeps me loving my job, because now it's been almost eight years. So you're a part of NetSuite Education Services and Learning Cloud Support or LCS. Could you remind our listeners what your team does?    00:04:34:17 - 00:05:06:00  Unknown  Yes. So we're in LCS or Learning Cloud Support is a lot of times what you'll hear. So we are a part of the NetSuite Customer Success ecosystem. And our role is really serving NetSuite customers throughout their journey with learning and change management services, tools, content, you name it. To really just help them unlock more value out of their software and using NetSuite in their extended kind of, expansions and add ons, and also foster long-term adoption for their users long term.    00:05:06:02 - 00:05:33:23  Unknown  Now, for those who don't know, this marks another episode in our series of Listen and Learn with LCS. This is actually our third episode. I believe the other topics were NetSuite dashboards with IB, which I'm sure was a super fun session and reporting capabilities with Mark. So two phenomenal knowledge sources. Your listeners should definitely add that to your listening queue if they haven't already.    00:05:34:04 - 00:06:01:17  Unknown  Well, I can't wait to dive in a bit more. Can you tell us more about our topic of change management today? Yeah, absolutely. You know, I always like to start with when we're going through a digital transformation. It's so easy and, good to have a strong focus on the technology side of things. But in reality, we also, when going through a digital transformation, have this people side that's impacted too.    00:06:01:22 - 00:06:28:07  Unknown  And that's just as, if not more important than focusing on the technology change. If we don't have balance between managing the tech side and managing the people side through a change, having successful user adoption is honestly likely impossible. And it is just easy because your eyes just kind of turn to it to focus on the tech side. When you're maybe implementing something new or adding on additional modules to a software.    00:06:28:12 - 00:06:47:21  Unknown  But since that's what we are actively making decisions for, we want to remind, the listeners of this podcast that there are so many things that you could do to support the people side of your business during this time to and when you're including change management in your software initiatives, a big impact that we can make is risk mitigation.    00:06:47:23 - 00:07:13:20  Unknown  And because so much of the risk with digital transformations is really not actually the software working technically or not working in its technical state, but more that the software is not being adopted by the people.And I think, there is a crazy stat that I read the other day that said something like around 80 something percent of individual users are reluctant to buy in and accept a new software system, and that's a lot.    00:07:13:21 - 00:07:34:17  Unknown  So by taking the time to actually focus on that as well, and put as much energy and effort into setting our people up for success alongside our technology, up for success, that's really why, we want to be here to talk about that today. Who do you think we'll find the most benefit from today's topic? I mean, I would say everyone.    00:07:34:17 - 00:08:03:06  Unknown  Right? But specifically, our project leaders are managers and change drivers. The people who are really supporting the folks who are going to make or break the success of the change initiative. That makes a lot of sense. So if I am a customer considering NetSuite, implementing the system, or adding on to my existing NetSuite solution, what can I do now to consider change management?    00:08:03:11 - 00:08:37:04  Unknown  So that's a great question. And what I really want to start off by thinking about, especially if you are in those intro moments of implementing NetSuite, maybe you're in your initial conversations, or maybe you're adding on a new module with NetSuite where you're really great at the beginning. I think that a really important place to start off and to think about is that this is going to be a challenge, right?    00:08:37:04 - 00:09:10:05  Unknown  We're asking or our folks or our team members to not only do their day-to day-work, but also add on this other component of bringing in a new add on or even, you know, completely implementing NetSuite. And so having that moment of understanding that this is going to be a challenge is our first moment where we can really sit with the idea that we are managing change, not just managing a system transformation or a digital transformation.    00:09:10:09 - 00:09:35:00  Unknown  One of the things that I love to talk about when I'm talking to people about change management really is this concept of the valley of despair. And so it is, to make a title Valley. Yeah, I know it sounds it sounds scary and it is. No, but it's it is a really good, concept to think about.    00:09:35:00 - 00:09:52:20  Unknown  And so, like to try and create the visual in your head of what this valley of despair is. It's like a bell curve, but upside down. And so it starts off with your NetSuite implementation like at that mid level. And then it drops down. It's like this really really harsh curve down. And then it's our upward trajectory up.    00:09:52:20 - 00:10:15:20  Unknown  I'm literally drawing it with my fingers in front of me right now. And so this concept is that as you are going through a change specifically like let's talk about implementing NetSuite or a new module. There's this period of time where you're very excited. Everybody is like riding a high of like, okay, we're going to have this new thing, and then that curve drops down, right?    00:10:15:20 - 00:10:41:21  Unknown  And that is that valley of despair where you're not yet seeing the the results and the benefits of this change, where really it just feels hard. And and this is where and scary. Yes. And like this is where we take that moment of having empathy for everyone involved, but also being able to find the ways to continue to support the people to the upward trajectory.    00:10:41:21 - 00:11:08:23  Unknown  Right. So going from like we are in the pit of misery, we're like, our worst stage possible, but there is the upward trajectory where we're reaching success, where we're seeing those benefits. But we have to get through this period of time where it is a struggle and we are, you know, we're we're being challenged in new ways and we're seeing new ways of of doing our job and showing up to work every day.    00:11:08:23 - 00:11:29:18  Unknown  But also, like there is that upward trajectory and where we're going to see the benefits. And so this is the first thing I love to talk to people about because I'm like, you're not alone. Especially if you're in the midst of the valley of despair. I'm like, you're not alone. Like every every single customer feels this at some point or another.    00:11:29:20 - 00:11:53:20  Unknown  But it's that upward trajectory that we're working towards. Oh man, I feel like so many people can relate to this on a lot of different levels, actually. So can you tell us more about. NetSuite's methodology that can help address this? Yeah. So the Valley of Despair don't be despaired. Well, we can help get you out of it.    00:11:53:21 - 00:12:18:08  Unknown  But. Okay, so thinking back to Alexandria, drawing that upside down ball with with her finger, that upward trajectory we have a methodology that we use here at Night Suite for Change Management that follows five key focus areas that really help drive or define the actions and activities that you can take over that course of the change to really get to that place and that sweet spot.    00:12:18:08 - 00:12:40:18  Unknown  And then just kind of, I don't know, after the after the curve, just kind of keep going forward. And have that long term adoption and success. So I mentioned there were five key focus areas. So we'll talk more about those today. The first one that we're going to focus on is awareness. So when we are approaching a new change, the first thing we want to focus on is driving awareness about the coming change.    00:12:40:20 - 00:13:02:23  Unknown  What do we know now and what can we expect during this time or this project? This is the important time to have introductory information or introductory content that we can really drive to focus on awareness for any impacted, parties or people in regards to the change. The second one, so that's one. There's five. The second one is focusing on desire.    00:13:03:00 - 00:13:21:06  Unknown  We really want to answer the question at this point of and this is in kind of quotations. What's in it for me for both the target audience and our business as a whole. And this gives us the opportunity to tap into what'smeaningful to users, but also instill a sense of desire for the change overall across people individually.    00:13:21:11 - 00:13:55:02  Unknown  And third, we focus on understanding. So first we're focusing on awareness, then we're focusing on desire. And now we can focus on understanding. So how can we grant the impacted stakeholders not just the whybehind the transition, but start talking about the how. So we've given them what we know now, what they can expect, what's coming. We've answered the question of what's in it for them as an individual tool, by caring about the change and being attentive to helping during this project.    00:13:55:04 - 00:14:24:06  Unknown  Then when we get to understanding, this is where we can find more things like enablement or training or tool, or begin developing tools to give people what they need for success. And that brings me to empower, which is our fourth one. So awareness, desire, understanding and empower or empowerment. And this is the point where we want to equip our people with the tools and materials knowledge, SMEs or subject matter experts and support to be set up for success.    00:14:24:06 - 00:14:48:14  Unknown  And this really comes from analyzing what's our current state today. So before not tweet or before we're adding on, NSA to our system, what is our state today? And then also identifying what that future state is going to be like. So once we've started doing a lot of our design and we have more of a picture of what we are developing, then let's compare the two.    00:14:48:14 - 00:15:14:08  Unknown  So current versus future state that helps us identify key impacts. It also helps us identify, things that we can start communicating to whoever the impacted audience is. A lot of times those things can be benefits, but also it can be kind of going back to our awareness, thoughts of letting people know, like, hey, this is what you'reused to doing today in Nazi reporting capabilities with NSA.    00:15:14:09 - 00:15:35:18  Unknown  We're going to have X, Y, Z available in the reports, or the time to receive your information is X many times faster. Whatever it would be, and begin to communicate that out. Also doing this during the empower phase, it gives us a chance to just ensure that we're not missing any gaps before we get to our final step, which is ownership.    00:15:35:20 - 00:15:59:00  Unknown  So we've talked about awareness, desire, understanding, empowerment and then ownership. So we want to foster a sense of ownership among our team. And when individuals feel that they are ready to make it their own and best for themselves, we this is where we've really achieve strong adoption. And really, I mean, our businesses and our teams and our NetSuite system can really only look to grow and expand from here.    00:15:59:02 - 00:16:25:07  Unknown  The only final thing I'll say, I know that was five, but, everything that I talked about before, it's also encompassed by plugging in reward and recognition, throughout. So that just is really important to make sure we are proactively generating a positive culture around the change. And, I think a key word is kind of reinforcing, we're reinforcing the behaviors and the attitudes that we want to see for the change.    00:16:25:12 - 00:16:55:02  Unknown  So one last time we've got awareness, desire, understanding, empowerment and ownership. NetSuite by Oracle. The number one cloud financial system is everything you need to grow all in one place: financials,inventory, HR and more. Make better decisions faster. So you can do more and spend less. See how at NetSuite.com/pod. What is one of the biggest mistakes you see when it comes to change management for a technology transition?    00:16:55:04 - 00:17:18:06  Unknown  Oh, this one's easy. I don't have to consider this one too much at all. It is. The biggest mistake I see is just completely looking past focusing on the people side of change, and just being reactive to our change impacts versus proactively. Now, what are ways listeners can begin to apply those proactive change management strategies to their business?    00:17:18:08 - 00:17:44:08  Unknown  So to be proactive with applying change management, I would really say that the key is to starting early. Even just thinking about the people and the way they are being impacted by the change. If you're looking at your project plan on day one, let's start looking at our change management and plan on day one. How can we, you know, communicate?    00:17:44:08 - 00:18:23:12  Unknown  How can we analyze what's changing and looking to align the methodology that just just shared around awareness and desire and understanding and empowerment and ownership? Because what we're doing here the entire time, from start to finish, is we're driving adoption through ownership through each of these different buckets. And so even though our end goal is ownership, right where we're also working to really reinforce this behavior that we want to see for the long term, we need to start it from the get go with the way that we consider the folks that are going to be impacted by this transition.    00:18:23:14 - 00:18:51:00  Unknown  But with that being said, it's also never too late to start. You really cannot go wrong investing energy into supporting the people when there is a change happening in your organization. So even if it's not at the very beginning of your project, as soon as that notion comes into play, start moving with it and start driving with your team around how you can support your team members through these changes and these transitions.    00:18:51:00 - 00:19:22:13  Unknown  And actually, funnily enough, just when you mentioned earlier that you had read a statistic that I think it was like an 80% statistic, I recently read a statistic as well that mentioned that around 80% of businesses are going through some sort of change every 2 to 5 years, which means that every 2 to 5 years, we're having an opportunity to really align with our team members, to make them feel supported.    00:19:22:15 - 00:19:46:01  Unknown  And whether this be, software transformation or this is new process, use that you're putting in play as you have become comfortable on the system and you have greater insights into what works and what doesn't, regardless of what that changes, we can always consider the folks from our organization that are being impacted by that change. That's so true.    00:19:46:01 - 00:20:09:00  Unknown  I feel like and I don't know, maybe it's just my age or something, but I feel like the world is just changing faster and faster. Like especially obviously in the technology space. I think that's a no brainer, but it really is. And, you know, us as businesses with our processes and our people, like we have to keep up somehow 100%.    00:20:09:00 - 00:20:38:03  Unknown  I feel like this is the hill that I that I will die on. I'm like, we are changing at the most rapid pace that we ever have in, in like our history. And it's not just it's not just, you know, digital change. It's just like rapid change in the world. And so being in consideration of these ideas and this whole science behind the people side of change is just so important because, you know, we are the people who are driving the change.    00:20:38:03 - 00:20:59:18  Unknown  It's you can have a system, but the system's not going anywhere if you don't have users that are using it. So yeah, I'm with you on that one. Josh. Yeah, and honestly, it stresses me out when I hear you say that like every 2 to 3 or. But what our listeners can hear today, I think, is that it's all about having a strategy in place to address it.    00:20:59:18 - 00:21:28:17  Unknown  And so that's where it kind of takes us back to those five focus areas, is that is a strategy that we can proactively plan for to to help address this. So thinking about awareness, why is this the first important focus here. So awareness is really a key component in driving change just across the board. And when we'refocusing on this phase or an awareness phase, there's two main things that we need to think about.    00:21:28:17 - 00:21:50:22  Unknown  One why are we changing. And then two what's the risk of not changing. So one why are we changing. What'sthe business need for this? Why does this need to happen? What are some of those benefits? Right. But then second, what's the risk of not changing? So what is kind of at stake for the business or for our individual stakeholders?    00:21:51:00 - 00:22:37:13  Unknown  For if they're if they're not changing? Next, you said to focus on driving desire for the end users or the impacted stakeholders. What kind of things would fall into this? Yeah. Good question. So we've all said this statement or in one way or another, what's in it for me. And in order to have a buy in from our team or change drivers and our leaders, we need to ensure they know how this will benefit their role, especially for people managers actually, when they're supporting their team through these changes, being able to reiterate what's in it for them around the changes, it's not just going to be beneficial for the organization to have a platform    00:22:37:13 - 00:23:15:03  Unknown  to expand on, but also how is this going to streamline the day to day work and make our folks jobs easier in one way or another? And so really honing in on what is going to excite people to want to change. Also, this is really where when you have visible and active sponsorship, that's really, really key. So if you have leadership or strong influencers within your organization out there navigating the change positively, actively caring for the individuals impacts, it can really create influence and a positive culture on the change.    00:23:15:03 - 00:23:46:04  Unknown  So for you leaders and sponsors out there listening, be present. Be vocal. It may not always feel like it, but you really are leading by example through change and not just the words that you say through communication planning, but your actions speak loudly. And the critical goal of really overall the desire phase is getting stakeholder buy it and making sure that people are buying into the change or else they won't really invest their time, effort, or care.    00:23:46:06 - 00:24:11:07  Unknown  Additionally, it's also a critical time to think about all of the negative feelings or the concerns that people are having about the change that's coming. So we kind of start tapping into that during awareness by maybe mitigating those risks from a broad perspective. But then once we get into desire, that's where we can start focusing on individual stakeholder groups or people, as individuals.    00:24:11:07 - 00:24:42:12  Unknown  And, you know, what are your concerns? What are your areas of of risk? Or, you know, change instills fear in all of us, and it's just a way for us to address it. And, you know, one of the things I always like to add when we think about this, too, is that when somebody is resistant or reluctant to change, it's not necessarily always a bad thing because what we can do is take those concerns and those fears that they're having and actually turn them into outcomes or actions that we take to improve the system.    00:24:42:12 - 00:25:12:10  Unknown  So, you know, maybe they love the way that something was done in their prior ERP system, or maybe something was horrible and they're just afraid this isn't even going to fix that. Let's address it now. Let'sactively start looking at that specific process area and how we can improve it for the better. Once we're goingthrough our, kind of development or installation of our different NetSuite pieces after desire, the next focus was understanding what happens there.    00:25:12:12 - 00:25:45:06  Unknown  So understanding combines those two key components. It's that knowledge of what's changing and the training on how to change. I feel like and I'll add Alexander to that. Like that's rarely where our LCS team steps in for NetSuite changes in particular to really weave learning and change management together for one outcome adoption. And and yes, we can kind of see that specifically in the understanding phase.    00:25:45:06 - 00:26:07:21  Unknown  We can really see it across all of these activities that we do. But a lot of that learning step comes here. And and I just want to say, you know, working in LCS for so many years, we've got learning labs. We've got these awesome podcasts. We have live webinars, all these different things happening across the board. There's a lot of tools that we have that can, help this understanding.    00:26:07:21 - 00:26:36:02  Unknown  Phase two. And honestly, it's why I love our user adoption toolbox so much, because it really lays out this plan in a way that feels consumable and gets you on the right track at the right time, with the different pieces that are not just going to drive the understanding and desire piece, but are also going to really dive in to, how people will change.    00:26:36:02 - 00:26:56:04  Unknown  Because that's the biggest question that everybody has when they go through a change initiative or any sort of change that's happening is like, how will I change? Like, what is that going to look like? And having that guidance and those resources available is just key to, really supporting our team and our folks through any sort of transformation.    00:26:56:06 - 00:27:26:19  Unknown  Totally. It's so overwhelming. And it's like, but we're here to help with that. So let us know. We have so many things that can help with that. Well, next we have empowerment, which we love that word at NetSuite. How is that different than understanding? So empowerment is a little bit different because it's giving this concentrated time and space to provide people the time to feel comfortable with the change, and that's what helps them transition to the next focus, which not to jump ahead is ownership.    00:27:27:00 - 00:27:52:00  Unknown  So from understanding to ownership, we want them to begin to feel empowered. And when we give them the opportunity to practice what they've learned in training, apply their knowledge in practice or mentoring others, this is also a good time to when coaching comes in so we can, work with individuals to to improve their proficiencies, give feedback where needed, or provide feedback where it's needed.    00:27:52:02 - 00:28:14:23  Unknown  And then also I mentioned this before, but it's the time that we have materials. Job aids, all those types of things that really can give people the tools to be successful on their own. That's what happens during empower. And the last focus area you mentioned was ownership. What does this mean? So I did mention it before I got ahead of myself.    00:28:14:23 - 00:28:38:08  Unknown  But ownership is that keeps we're working towards throughout the entire process. So the key aspect in sustained adoption is when our users feel a sense of ownership in the success of the change. And so this is where each level is holding themselves accountable for maintaining the change. And this is important to us that ownership doesn't end at go live.    00:28:38:10 - 00:29:05:23  Unknown  It does require that ongoing monitoring, those feedback loops and those continuous iterations to optimizeadoption. And so when we say that ownership is the last piece in our methodology, it doesn't mean that it stops at go live. This is actually where ownership starts and where it continues for the long term to sustain the change. Is learning or training a key part of change management?    00:29:06:00 - 00:29:25:04  Unknown  How does that play a role? 100%? I mean, any time something new comes up, learning's a key part of it, right? You know, let's say you get a new cell phone and you're used to the version or I don't know, when our phones get an update and we're used to the last version or versions like three ago.    00:29:25:06 - 00:29:53:23  Unknown  Without learning, it's hard to feel that sense of ownership or comfortability with what's new. And so learning is such a vital part of change management. But it's not the only piece communicating, planning, proactively analyzing impacts and understanding where the gaps might be and preparing for that. That's also a part of change management. But without learning, we're not really empowering our users with the knowledge that they need to be successful on their own.    00:29:54:00 - 00:30:18:07  Unknown  So it's totally, totally a part of it. Do you have any change management strategies for rolling out training to end users? Yeah, I that's a big question, but I'm going to answer it more short for this podcast. But it there is totally a strategy for the way to roll out training to end users. And I feel like Alexandra and I could both talk about this all day.    00:30:18:09 - 00:30:38:23  Unknown  We really and we kind of do. But don't. So in short, I think a way to think of it as is begin with communicating enough that they know what they're going to be seeing. So starting at the beginning, here's a visual of the system. Maybe, there could be an online video about what, the interface looks like.    00:30:39:04 - 00:31:01:14  Unknown  Or maybe you could share screenshots, right. If you were, like, learning that something's going to change. Oh, you're moving to this new apartment, but you weren't even given a look of the floor plan, or you weren't given a look of, what the wall colors are inside. You'd be dying to know. So that's how people feel when we don'tempower them from a project perspective with the information up front.    00:31:01:16 - 00:31:27:19  Unknown  And that's learning in itself. But then you actually want to go into introductory learning, understanding best practices of the system, core ways that you can make it your own. But then it gets a little more advanced. You have to understand how to do your business processes in the system. So if you work in finance or accounting and you need to deeply dive into these reports, that's vital for your job and something that you care about and do all the time, every day.    00:31:28:00 - 00:31:56:14  Unknown  And so having proper learning around that not only gives you the knowledge you need, but it also gives you the comfortable, comfortable to take it to the next step from there. And so that strategy is is gradual. And I think that's kind of straightforward if you think of it that way. But it starts early. And I think that's what I want to say here so much, is that we have to start communicating things early on, for the learning and training to be effective at a later time.    00:31:56:16 - 00:32:41:18  Unknown  Now, what about testing the system? Is user acceptance testing a part of change management? Oh, definitely. It's a really important time, for ownership and risk mitigation. So this is really where we're kind of passing the ownership to the end users to validate the system and to provide that feedback. That's critical for the system to be successful. And one thing I'll add to that, Alexandra, that I love is I feel like user acceptance testing gives individuals the opportunity to kind of make it their own, so they can make sure that the system works, you know, for their own day to day tasks.    00:32:41:18 - 00:33:05:04  Unknown  Every day they can address the issues that arise. And, and they really get the chance to have a voice and confirm that the setup is either sufficient or insufficient for their line of work that they do every day. So, like I said, this is the time for their voice and their influence to make a direct impact on the change, which can reallyultimately drive more change champions and end user satisfaction across the board.    00:33:05:06 - 00:33:33:23  Unknown  Well, from everything you shared, learning and change management seem like a critical step for your success with technology. For our listeners out there who don't feel like they have the time or the tools to drive this, can NetSuite LCS help with everything we talked about today? Absolutely, Megan, our LCS advisors are here to provide those consumable tools as well as content and learning strategies.    00:33:34:01 - 00:34:03:01  Unknown  Our adoption toolbox to help support organizations. From a learning and a change management perspective, I'm assuming we're just scratching the surface of this topic today. How or where can those listening in go to learn more? Sort of a learning platform? Learn the change management, e-learning and vlogs are linked in the podcast description. Perfect. Well, Alexandra and Jessica, thank you so much for joining us today.    00:34:03:02 - 00:34:12:05  Unknown  I learned a lot and I hope our listeners did too. Thanks. Megan is so fun to be here. Bye for now.    00:34:12:07 - 00:34:38:08  Unknown  That brings us to the end of another great episode. So often when we think of implementing or ramping up a software system, we're so focused on the technological side of things and not really focused enough on the people component. You can have the best system in the world, but it doesn't matter if no one's using it. Big thanks to Alexandra and Jessica for joining us on today's episode of the podcast.    00:34:38:10 - 00:35:08:15  Unknown  I also want to thank our editing crew at Oracle and as always, all of you for tuning. Then if you want more episodes just like this one, make sure you subscribe to our channel and give us a rating and review. Thanks so much and talk soon! You just listen to the NetSuite Podcast. Be sure to tune in every week with more NetSuitedevelopments, stories and insights into the benefits of one integrated system to help you run your business.