Podcasts about smes

If you're considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I'm happy to compare options with you: professorgame.com/chat The biggest impact of gamification often happens in the least obvious places. In this episode, Rob Alvarez talks with David Dand about using game-inspired strategies in recruitment, leadership, and employee experience to attract better-fit talent, reduce churn, and build stronger, more human organizations, even in highly traditional sectors. David is the Founder and Managing Director of Coreus, a boutique hiring services provider based in Brighton. Coreus specialises in helping professional SMEs tackle critical talent challenges and is experienced in the complexities of recruiting in skilled, competitive, and often highly regulated markets. David is a CIPD-qualified HR and recruitment expert with a career spanning global firms such as EY, AXA, and Roche, with a focus on cultural fit, leadership assessment, and career coaching. He lives in the South Downs near Brighton, UK, with his wife and their three mischievous children. His interests include music, travel, and sport. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Website: Gamification in Recruitment | Coreus LinkedIn: Personal: David Dand | LinkedIn Company: Coreus Instagram: @coreus_talentacquisition   Links to episode mentions: Recommended book: Hiring Success by Jerome Ternynck Favorite game: Chess and Football   Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project Start Your Community on Skool for Free YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

My co-host Ken Suzan and I are welcoming you to episode 171 of our podcast IP Fridays! Today's interview guest is the president of the German Patent and Trademark Office Eva Schewior! But before we jump into this very interesting interview, I have news for you: The US Supreme Court has taken up an important patent law case concerning so-called “skinny labels” for generic drugs. Specifically, the highest US court is reviewing a case in which Amarin accuses generic drug manufacturer Hikma of inciting doctors to use the cholesterol drug Vascepa in violation of patents by providing a limited package insert. In two landmark decisions, the UPC Court of Appeal clarified the criteria for inventive step and essentially confirmed the EPO’s typical “problem-solution” approach (Amgen v Sanofi and Meril v Edwards). However, experts are not entirely sure whether the Court of Appeal’s decisions, particularly those relating to the determination of the closest prior art, deviate from EPO practice. As a result of Brexit, mutual recognition of trademark use between the EU and the UK will cease to apply from January 1, 2026. Use of a trademark only in the UK will then no longer count as use of an EU trademark for the purpose of maintaining rights – and conversely, EU use will no longer count for British trademarks. Bayer is attacking several mRNA vaccine manufacturers in the US (Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, and J&J separately). The core allegation: patent infringements relating to old (Monsanto) patents on mRNA stabilization; Bayer is seeking damages, not sales bans. DISCO Pharmaceuticals from Cologne signs an exclusive license agreement with Amgen (potentially up to USD 618 million plus royalties) for novel cancer therapies targeting surface structures. Relevant from an IP perspective: license scope, milestones, data/know-how allocation. And now let's jump into the interview with Eva Schewior! The German IP System in Transition: Key Insights from DPMA President Eva Schewior In an in-depth conversation on the IP Fridays podcast, Eva Schewior, President of the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), outlined how Germany's IP system is responding to rising demand, technological change, and a fundamentally altered European patent landscape. The interview offers valuable insights for innovators, companies, and IP professionals navigating patent, trademark, and design protection in Europe. Sustained Demand and Procedural Efficiency Despite the introduction of the Unitary Patent system, national German IP rights continue to see strong and growing demand. According to Schewior, application numbers at the DPMA have been increasing for years, which she views as a strong vote of confidence in the quality and reliability of German IP rights. At the same time, this success creates pressure on examination capacity. The average duration of patent proceedings at the DPMA is currently around three years and two months from filing to grant, provided applicants request examination early and avoid extensions. Internationally, this timeframe remains competitive. Nevertheless, shortening procedures remains a strategic priority. Search requests alone have risen by almost 50% over the past decade, yet the DPMA still delivers search reports on time in around 90% of cases. To better reflect applicant needs, the DPMA distinguishes between two main user groups: applicants seeking a rapid grant, often as a basis for international filings, and applicants primarily interested in a fast, high-quality initial assessment through search or first examination. Future procedural adjustments are being considered to better serve both groups. The Role of Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence already plays a practical role at the DPMA, particularly in patent search, classification, and the translation of Asian patent literature. Schewior emphasized that the office is closely monitoring rapid developments in AI to assess where these tools can further improve efficiency. However, she made clear that AI will remain a supporting technology. In public administration, and especially in IP examination, final decisions must always be taken and reviewed by humans. AI is seen as a way to relieve examiners of routine tasks so they can focus on substantive examination and quality. Maintaining and Monitoring Examination Quality Quality assurance is a central pillar of the DPMA's work. Schewior reported consistently positive feedback from users, but stressed that maintaining quality is a continuous task. The office applies systematic double checks for grants and refusals and uses internal quality management tools to randomly review searches and first office actions during ongoing proceedings. External feedback is equally important. The DPMA's User Advisory Board, which includes patent attorneys, startups, and patent information centers, plays a key role in identifying issues and suggesting improvements. Several of its recommendations have already been implemented. Trademark Filings and Bad-Faith Applications The trademark side of the DPMA has experienced particularly strong growth. In 2025, the office received around 95,000 trademark applications, an increase of approximately 18% compared to the previous year. Much of this growth came from abroad, especially from China. While new trademark types such as sound marks, multimedia marks, and holograms have so far seen only moderate uptake, word marks and figurative marks remain dominant. A growing challenge, however, is the rise in bad-faith trademark filings. The DPMA has responded by intensively training examiners to identify and handle such cases. Procedural reforms following EU trademark law modernization have also shifted competencies. Applicants can now choose whether to bring revocation and invalidity actions before the courts or directly before the DPMA. While courts may act faster, proceedings before the DPMA involve significantly lower financial risk, as each party generally bears its own costs. Accelerated Examination as a Practical Tool Despite rising filing numbers, the DPMA aims to avoid significant delays in trademark proceedings. Organizational restructuring within the trademark department is intended to balance workloads across teams. Schewior highlighted the option of accelerated trademark examination, available for a relatively modest additional fee. In practice, this can lead to registration within a matter of weeks, without affecting priority, since the filing date remains decisive. New Protection for Geographical Indications A major recent development is the extension of EU-wide protection for geographical indications to craft and industrial products. Since late 2025, the DPMA acts as the national authority for German applications in this area. The first application has already been filed, notably for a traditional German product. Under the new system, applications undergo a national examination phase at the DPMA before being forwarded to the EUIPO for final decision. Products eligible for protection must originate from a specific region and derive their quality or reputation from that origin, with at least one production step taking place there. The EU estimates that around 40 German products may qualify. Outreach, SMEs, and Education Schewior underlined the DPMA's statutory duty to inform the public about IP rights, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. The office has significantly expanded its presence on platforms such as LinkedIn and YouTube, offering accessible and practical IP content. Studies show that fewer than 10% of European SMEs use IP rights, despite evidence that IP-owning companies generate higher revenues. To address this gap, the DPMA is expanding outreach formats, strengthening cooperation with educational institutions, and publishing new empirical studies, including a forthcoming analysis of patenting behavior among innovative German startups conducted with WIPO. Strategic Challenges Ahead Looking forward, Schewior identified several key challenges: insufficient awareness of IP protection among SMEs and startups, a tendency in some sectors to rely solely on trade secrets, and the growing problem of product and trademark piracy linked to organized crime. From an institutional perspective, the DPMA must remain attractive and competitive in a European system offering multiple routes to protection. This requires legally robust decisions, efficient procedures, qualified staff, and continuous investment in IT and training. Careers at the DPMA Finally, Schewior highlighted recruitment as a strategic priority. The DPMA recently hired around 50 new patent examiners and continues to seek experts in fields such as electrical engineering, e-mobility, IT, and aerospace, as well as IT specialists, lawyers, and staff in many other functions. She emphasized the DPMA's role as Europe's largest national patent office and a globally significant, stable, and family-friendly employer at the forefront of technological development. German and European Patents as Complementary Options In her closing remarks, Schewior addressed the post-UPC patent landscape. Rather than competing, German and European patent systems complement each other. For many SMEs, a German patent alone may be sufficient, particularly where Germany is the core market. At the same time, the possibility of holding both a European patent and a national German patent offers strategic resilience, as national protection can survive even if a European patent is revoked. Her key message was clear: the range of options has never been broader, but making informed strategic choices is more important than ever. If you would like, I can also adapt this article for a specialist legal audience, condense it for a magazine format, or rework it as a thought-leadership piece for LinkedIn or your website. Rolf Claessen: Today's interview guest is Eva Schewior. If you don't know her yet, she is the President of the German Patent and Trademark Office. Thank you very much for being here. Eva Schewior: I'm very happy that you're having me today. Thank you, Mr. Claessen. Rolf Claessen: Shortening the length of procedures has been a stated goal since you took office. What is the current situation, and which measures are in place to achieve this goal? Eva Schewior: First of all, I'm very glad that German IP rights are in high demand. Even though applicants in Europe have multiple options today to obtain protection for their innovations, we have seen increasing application numbers for years at my office, even after the introduction of the Unitary Patent system. I see this as very positive feedback for our work. It is clear, however, that the high number of applications leads to a constantly increasing workload. At the same time, we want to remain attractive for our applicants. This means we must offer not only high-quality IP rights but also reasonable durations of proceedings. Ensuring this remains a central and permanent objective of our strategy. The average duration of proceedings from filing to grant is currently about three years and two months, provided that applicants file an examination request within the first four months after application and do not request extensions of time limits. In other cases, the average duration of proceedings is admittedly longer. With these three years and two months, we do not have to shy away from international comparison. Nonetheless, we strive to get better. In the last few years, we were able to improve the number of concluded proceedings or to keep them at a high level. In some areas, we were even able to shorten durations of proceedings a bit, though not yet to the extent that we would have wished for. Our efforts are often overtaken by the increasing demand for our services. Just to give you an example, in the last ten to fifteen years, search requests increased by nearly fifty percent. Despite this, we managed to deliver search reports in ninety percent of all cases in time, so that customers have enough time left to take a decision on a subsequent application. I have to admit that we are not equally successful with the first official communication containing the first results of our examination. Here, our applicants need a bit more patience due to longer durations of proceedings. But I think I do not have to explain to your expert audience that longer processing times depend on various reasons, which are in no way solely to be found on our side as an examination office. To further reduce the length of proceedings, we need targeted measures. To identify them, we have analyzed the needs of our applicants. It has been shown that there are two main interests in patent procedures. About three quarters of our applicants have a very strong interest in obtaining a patent. They mainly expect us to make fast decisions on their applications. Here we find applicants who want to have their invention protected within Germany but often also wish for subsequent protection outside Germany. The remaining quarter consists of applicants that are solely interested in a fast and high-quality first assessment of the application by means of a search or a first official examination. We observe that these applicants use our services before they subsequently apply outside Germany. This latter group has little interest in continuing the procedure before my office here in Germany. We are currently considering how we can act in the best interest of both groups. What I can certainly say is that we will continue to address this topic. And of course, in general, it can be said that if we want to shorten the duration of proceedings, we need motivated and highly skilled patent examiners. Therefore, we are currently recruiting many young colleagues for our offices in Munich and Jena, and we want to make our procedures more efficient by using new technical options, thus taking workload from patent examiners and enabling them to concentrate on their core tasks and on speedy examination. Rolf Claessen: Thank you very much. I also feel that the German Patent and Trademark Office has become quite popular, especially with the start of the UPC. Some applicants seem to find that it is a very clever option to also file national patents in Germany. Eva Schewior: I think you're perfectly right, and I think we will come to this point later. Rolf Claessen: In 2023, you mentioned artificial intelligence as an important tool for supporting patent examiners. What has happened regarding AI since then? Eva Schewior: Of course, we are already successfully using AI at our office. For instance, in the field of patent search, we use AI-based tools that make our examiners' work easier. We also use AI quite successfully for classification and for the translation of Asian patent literature into English. In the meantime, we have seen a rapid development of AI in the market. I think it is strategically imperative to get an overview and to make realistic assessments of what AI is capable of doing to make our procedures more efficient. Therefore, we are observing the market to find out where AI can perform tasks so that we enable examiners to concentrate on their core business. There are many ideas right now in our office where artificial intelligence can help us tackle challenges, for instance demographic change, which certainly also affects our office, and maintaining our quality standards. We will strategically promote new tools in this field to cope with these challenges. But this much is also clear: humans will always stay in our focus. Especially in public administration, I consider it a fundamental principle that in the end, decisions must be taken and reviewed by humans. AI may help us reach our goals in a more efficient way, but it can never replace patent or trademark examiners. Rolf Claessen: You have made quality improvements in patent examination a priority and have already implemented a number of measures. How would you describe the current situation? Eva Schewior: I often receive positive feedback from different sides that our users are very satisfied with the quality of our examination, and I'm very glad about that. But maintaining this quality standard is a permanent task, and we must not become careless here. For years, for instance, we have established double checks for all grants and rejections. In addition, we have introduced a quality management tool that enables us, even during the examination process, to randomly check the quality of first office communications and searches. This helps us detect critical trends and take appropriate countermeasures at a very early stage. What is also very important when it comes to patent quality is to actively ask our customers for their feedback. We do this in different ways. Just to give you an example, we have a User Advisory Board, which is a panel of external experts implemented a couple of years ago. Discussing questions of quality is regularly on the agenda of this board. We carefully listen to criticism, ideas, and suggestions, and we have already implemented some of them for the benefit of the office and our users. Rolf Claessen: The German Patent and Trademark Office, as the largest patent and trademark office in Europe, records very high numbers of trademark applications. What are you currently especially concerned with in the trademark area? Eva Schewior: In 2025, we saw around ninety-five thousand trademark applications. This is an increase of eighteen percent compared to the previous year, and I have to say that this took us by surprise. Especially applications from outside Germany, and above all from China, have risen significantly. It is of course challenging to cope with such a sudden increase on an organizational level. Another challenge is dealing with trademark applications filed in bad faith, which we are currently seeing more and more of. We have thoroughly trained our trademark examiners on how to identify and handle such applications. As regards the new types of trademarks, the rush has been moderate so far. Sound marks, multimedia marks, or holograms are apparently not yet common solutions for the majority of applicants. The key focus remains on word marks and combined word and figurative marks. Nevertheless, I believe that the new trademark types are a meaningful supplement and may play a greater role as digitization advances. The most significant changes, however, concern procedures. Applicants can now choose whether to file revocation or invalidity actions with the courts or with our office. While courts may proceed somewhat faster, the financial risk is higher. Before the DPMA, each party generally bears its own costs, apart from exceptional cases. Rolf Claessen: How does this dynamic filing development impact the duration of trademark proceedings? Eva Schewior: This is indeed a major organizational challenge. For a long time, our trademark department managed to keep durations of proceedings very short, especially with regard to registration. Despite the recent increases in applications, especially in 2025, we hope to avoid a significant extension of processing times. We have restructured the organization of the trademark department to distribute applications more equally among teams. Applicants should also be aware that it is possible to request accelerated examination for a relatively moderate fee of two hundred euros. This often leads to registration within a very short time. The filing date, of course, always determines priority. Rolf Claessen: Since December 2025, the EU grants protection not only for agricultural products but also for craft and industrial products through geographical indications. Has your office already received applications? Eva Schewior: Yes, we have received our first application, and interestingly it concerns garden gnomes. Protected geographical indications are an important topic because they help maintain traditional know-how in regions and secure local jobs. The DPMA is the competent authority for Germany. Applications go through a national examination phase at our office before being forwarded to the EUIPO, which takes the final decision on EU-wide registration. Eligible products must originate from a specific region and derive their quality, reputation, or characteristics from that origin, with at least one production step taking place there. Rolf Claessen: The DPMA has expanded its outreach activities, including social media. What else is planned? Eva Schewior: Raising awareness of IP rights, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises, is part of our statutory duty. We currently use LinkedIn and YouTube to communicate IP topics in an understandable and engaging way. We also plan dedicated LinkedIn channels, for example for SMEs. Studies show that fewer than ten percent of European SMEs use IP rights, even though those that do earn significantly more on average. In 2026, we will further expand outreach activities, cooperate more closely with universities and educational institutions, and publish new studies, including one on the patenting behavior of innovative German start-ups conducted together with WIPO. Rolf Claessen: Where do you see the biggest future challenges in IP? Eva Schewior: Germany depends on innovation, but awareness of IP protection is still insufficient, particularly among SMEs and start-ups. Some companies deliberately avoid IP rights and rely on trade secrets, which I consider risky. Another growing concern is the increase in product and trademark piracy, often linked to organized crime. For our office, remaining attractive and competitive is crucial. Applicants have many options in Europe, so we need fast procedures, legally robust decisions, qualified staff, and modern IT systems. Rolf Claessen: The DPMA is currently recruiting. Which areas are you focusing on? Eva Schewior: Our focus is on patent examination and IT. We recently hired fifty new patent examiners and are particularly looking for experts in fields such as electrical engineering, e-mobility, IT, and aerospace. We are Europe's largest national patent office and offer meaningful, secure jobs with fair compensation and strong development opportunities. Rolf Claessen: Is there a final message you would like to share with our listeners? Eva Schewior: The Unitary Patent system has created many new options. German and European patent systems do not compete; they complement each other. For many SMEs, a German patent may already be sufficient, especially where Germany is the core market. Holding both European and national patents can also be a strategic advantage. My key message is: be aware of the options, stay informed, and choose your IP strategy deliberately. Rolf Claessen: Thank you very much for being on IP Fridays. Eva Schewior: Thank you for having me. It was a pleasure.

In 2025, what were university leaders looking to learn about with Gen AI? On today's episode, I'll mention the top 5 requests for my webinars and workshops on Gen AI. 

In this episode, Jeff Mains sits down with Alistair Gordon, founder of Expertunity and author of "Master Expert," to explore why technical excellence alone isn't enough to drive career momentum and organizational impact. Alistair reveals how subject matter experts (SMEs) can unlock influence without abandoning their technical edge through what he calls "expert ship"—a set of enterprise skills that translate expertise into clear business value. The conversation challenges the assumption that management is the only path forward for technical professionals and offers practical frameworks for founders looking to retain and grow top technical talent.Key Takeaways[5:00] - The leadership development gap: Only 11% of first-time leaders receive training in their first year, leaving 89% to sink or swim[7:50] - Why "knowledge leader" failed: Technical experts don't want to be leaders—they want to avoid "useless meetings where nothing gets done"[12:00] - The invisibility problem: Much of experts' work (like keeping email systems running) is completely invisible until something breaks[14:30] - Expert as coach: The most transformational skill is learning to ask better questions before providing technical advice[19:30] - The coaching paradox: Half of stakeholders love the questioning approach; the other half just want immediate answers[23:00] - The negativity trap: Experts often spend 22 minutes explaining why something is difficult before mentioning it's actually a good idea[29:00] - The promotion trap: Three out of four times, forcing technical experts into management roles is "a train wreck"[40:30] - The remuneration shift: In successful tech companies, technical experts often earn more than leaders because they add more valueTweetable Quotes

In this episode, Lily Smith and Randy Silver host Anu Jagga‑Narang, a product evangelist at AT&T, to explore premortems — a powerful technique for anticipating product failure before launch. Anu explains how premortems use prospective hindsight to uncover risks early, surface assumptions teams are reluctant to voice, and improve decision quality. The conversation covers practical steps for running premortems, risk classification using tigers, paper tigers and elephants, common pitfalls, and when to revisit the exercise as products evolve. They also examine how emerging AI capabilities influence product risk management — increasing the need for thoughtful planning rather than replacing human insight. This discussion offers product leaders a framework to strengthen strategic thinking, foster psychological safety and equip teams to build with confidence and clarity.Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Premortems01:39 Guest Introduction — Anu Jagga‑Narang02:14 Career Journey into Product05:03 What Is a Premortem?07:04 Framing Failure and Success in Premortems11:02 How to Conduct a Premortem15:04 Voting and Risk Classification17:00 Tigers, Paper Tigers, and Elephants20:22 Assigning Ownership and Actions21:28 When to Run a Premortem23:40 Who Should Participate and Duration25:14 Examples and Surprising Insights28:43 Common Mistakes and Anti‑patterns31:51 AI's Impact on Premortems34:13 Closing Remarks and CreditsOur 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 CEO of financial services giant Legal & General, António Simões plays a huge role in the UK economy, not to mention in the financial wellbeing of tens of millions of people. From managing pension funds to massive infrastructure spending around the country, he oversees well over a trillion dollars' worth of UK assets. Simões took the top job at the beginning of 2024, and he tells Will Bain how from the start he has been dedicated to maintaining a corporate culture with a healthy work-life balance.Bullish on the UK economy, Simões says the country sometimes spends too much time ‘talking itself down' and that with its fundamental strengths the UK is one of the most stable economies in the world. But, he says, there are still big worries for young Britons' futures. He tells Will he's concerned about the low levels of pension enrolment around the country and says more financial education is needed for people to understand the “eighth wonder of the world”: compound interest.He also tells Will about L&G's massive investments around the country, from digital infrastructure and energy storage to affordable homes. And he says that despite a backlash against ESG and diversity programmes in recent years, he believes those are essential to ensuring returns for investors, and the country, far into the future. Presenter: Will BainProducer: Olie D'AlbertansonEditor: Henry Jones00:00 Sean Farrington and Will Bain introduce the episode02:00 António Simões interview begins02:21 Maintaining work-life balance and corporate culture05:30 Britons not saving enough into their pensions and the need for more financial literacy 08:40 Addressing low pensions auto-enrollment, challenges for employees and SMEs alike20:30 UK Growth - how to get there? 24:30 AI investments and 'bubble' fears 26:30 Government and private investments in new infrastructure around the UK40:00 The continued value of diversity schemes and ESG amid backlash 41:30 The politicisation of the economy 42:30 Low gender and LGBT representation in the C-suite

When an organisation has lots of moving parts, coordination becomes a competitive advantage. Divisional rivalries, egos, "not invented here," and personal competition can quietly shred performance, while external shocks—regulatory changes, competitor M&A, natural disasters, and market movements—keep landing on your desk. The leader's job is to create solid alignment between what the company needs and what individuals actually do every day.  What is performance alignment and why does it matter in 2025-era organisations? Performance alignment is the tight fit between company direction and individual behaviour so the business operates like one smooth machine. Without alignment, internal friction beats you before the market does—teams compete instead of coordinate, priorities conflict, and effort gets wasted on "busy work" that looks active but doesn't move results. In post-pandemic business (2020–2025), this got harder: hybrid work increased miscommunication, supply chains became less predictable, and regulation shifts plus competitor consolidation raised complexity. In Japan, alignment can be strong once decisions land, but slower if consensus and cross-division coordination drags. In the US, execution can be fast, but priorities can splinter if each function runs its own agenda. In multinationals, the "moving parts" problem is amplified; in SMEs, a single misalignment can derail the whole plan. Do now: Write the one-line "main game" for this quarter and check every team goal against it.  How do vision and mission create alignment across divisions and teams? Vision and mission align performance by clarifying where you're going and what you will (and won't) do to get there. Vision is the window to a brighter future and the goals for where you want to be—and there's usually a macro company vision plus a unit-level vision that translates strategy into local execution. When teams can "juxtapose" their contribution to the enterprise vision, motivation rises because people can see how their work matters. Mission then adds operational clarity by defining purpose and boundaries, preventing scattergun activity. This is where big organisations often win: leaders at firms like Toyota or Unilever typically cascade strategy into unit-level execution targets; startups do it faster, but sometimes leave it implicit, which can cause drift as the company scales. Do now: Rewrite your unit vision in one sentence that shows exactly how it supports the enterprise vision.  How do shared values drive engagement and commitment (especially across cultures)? Shared values align performance because they act as the cultural glue that keeps behaviour consistent under pressure. Values aren't posters—they're the rules of the road for how decisions get made, how conflict gets handled, and what "good" looks like when nobody is watching. The hard truth is the personal value spectrum is extremely varied, so alignment doesn't happen by accident. Leaders have to make values explicit, visible, and reinforced through recognition and consequences. In Japan, values often support harmony and consistency, but can also discourage constructive challenge if not balanced. In the US, values may champion individual initiative, but can turn into silos if each team's "value" becomes their private religion. In both contexts, values determine whether people truly commit or just comply. Do now: Pick 3 values and define the observable behaviours that prove each one in meetings, customer work, and decision-making.  What is a position goal and how does it motivate teams to perform? A position goal aligns performance by giving teams a clear competitive target: where do we want to rank? That could mean market share dominance, profitability leadership, or rapid growth—inside your industry, sector, or even within your own global organisation. This is powerful because many teams feel isolated and assume their work doesn't make much difference. A visible ranking goal (top ten by revenue, number one in customer retention, highest NPS in the region) turns effort into identity and recognition. In large enterprises, position goals can be highly motivating because teams can see how they compare globally. In SMEs, position goals should be chosen carefully—too grand and they feel fake; too small and they don't inspire. Consumer sectors may chase share; B2B may prioritise margin and renewal stability. Do now: Choose one position goal for 2026 and define the single metric that proves it.  How do KRAs, standards, and activities translate strategy into daily execution? KRAs, standards, and activities align performance by turning "strategy" into measurable work that gets done consistently. Key Result Areas (KRAs) identify where results must be achieved and what matters most; constant measurement and broadcasting keeps focus. Performance standards then create objectivity—use frameworks like SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-specific) so everyone knows what "good" looks like. Finally, required activities must directly produce the desired outcomes; otherwise, you collect "barnacles" of superfluous tasks that slow the ship. In Japan, standards can be strong and consistent, but activity lists can grow bloated if nobody challenges legacy tasks. In the US, activity can be energetic, but standards can vary if not enforced. Do now: List your top 3 KRAs, define one standard for each, and delete one "busy work" activity that doesn't support them.  How do skills audits and results reviews keep alignment strong over time? Skills and results close the alignment loop by ensuring the team can perform—and learning whether the system worked. A skills audit tells you if the team has the capacity to achieve the goals, what training/coaching is required, and whether you need new talent. The article notes that changing personnel can be difficult and expensive in Japan, which makes skill-building and coaching even more critical. Results then answer the leadership questions: did we achieve what we set out to do, what was the quality, and what did we learn? Even failure can be a learning experience that makes the next cycle stronger. Startups can iterate faster with shorter review loops; multinationals may need quarterly or annual alignment reviews, but should still build in regular check-ins. Do now: Run a quarterly skills audit + results review: capability gaps, coaching plan, and 3 lessons to apply next quarter.  Conclusion Performance alignment is not "soft culture work"—it's a hard business system that prevents friction, wasted effort, and internal competition from destroying results. The eight elements—vision/mission, values, position goal, KRAs, standards, activities, skills, and results—work like a checklist leaders can use to keep the main game in sight, even when emergencies and meltdowns try to hijack attention.  Next steps for leaders and executives Re-state the unit vision and mission in execution language.  Choose one position goal and one proving metric.  Set KRAs + standards, then strip out "barnacle" activities.  Audit skills and lock in coaching or hiring actions.  Author credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動okasu" Rīdā).  Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan. 

When an organisation has lots of moving parts, coordination becomes a competitive advantage. Divisional rivalries, egos, "not invented here," and personal competition can quietly shred performance, while external shocks—regulatory changes, competitor M&A, natural disasters, and market movements—keep landing on your desk. The leader's job is to create solid alignment between what the company needs and what individuals actually do every day.  What is performance alignment and why does it matter in 2025-era organisations? Performance alignment is the tight fit between company direction and individual behaviour so the business operates like one smooth machine. Without alignment, internal friction beats you before the market does—teams compete instead of coordinate, priorities conflict, and effort gets wasted on "busy work" that looks active but doesn't move results. In post-pandemic business (2020–2025), this got harder: hybrid work increased miscommunication, supply chains became less predictable, and regulation shifts plus competitor consolidation raised complexity. In Japan, alignment can be strong once decisions land, but slower if consensus and cross-division coordination drags. In the US, execution can be fast, but priorities can splinter if each function runs its own agenda. In multinationals, the "moving parts" problem is amplified; in SMEs, a single misalignment can derail the whole plan. Do now: Write the one-line "main game" for this quarter and check every team goal against it.  How do vision and mission create alignment across divisions and teams? Vision and mission align performance by clarifying where you're going and what you will (and won't) do to get there. Vision is the window to a brighter future and the goals for where you want to be—and there's usually a macro company vision plus a unit-level vision that translates strategy into local execution. When teams can "juxtapose" their contribution to the enterprise vision, motivation rises because people can see how their work matters. Mission then adds operational clarity by defining purpose and boundaries, preventing scattergun activity. This is where big organisations often win: leaders at firms like Toyota or Unilever typically cascade strategy into unit-level execution targets; startups do it faster, but sometimes leave it implicit, which can cause drift as the company scales. Do now: Rewrite your unit vision in one sentence that shows exactly how it supports the enterprise vision.  How do shared values drive engagement and commitment (especially across cultures)? Shared values align performance because they act as the cultural glue that keeps behaviour consistent under pressure. Values aren't posters—they're the rules of the road for how decisions get made, how conflict gets handled, and what "good" looks like when nobody is watching. The hard truth is the personal value spectrum is extremely varied, so alignment doesn't happen by accident. Leaders have to make values explicit, visible, and reinforced through recognition and consequences. In Japan, values often support harmony and consistency, but can also discourage constructive challenge if not balanced. In the US, values may champion individual initiative, but can turn into silos if each team's "value" becomes their private religion. In both contexts, values determine whether people truly commit or just comply. Do now: Pick 3 values and define the observable behaviours that prove each one in meetings, customer work, and decision-making.  What is a position goal and how does it motivate teams to perform? A position goal aligns performance by giving teams a clear competitive target: where do we want to rank? That could mean market share dominance, profitability leadership, or rapid growth—inside your industry, sector, or even within your own global organisation. This is powerful because many teams feel isolated and assume their work doesn't make much difference. A visible ranking goal (top ten by revenue, number one in customer retention, highest NPS in the region) turns effort into identity and recognition. In large enterprises, position goals can be highly motivating because teams can see how they compare globally. In SMEs, position goals should be chosen carefully—too grand and they feel fake; too small and they don't inspire. Consumer sectors may chase share; B2B may prioritise margin and renewal stability. Do now: Choose one position goal for 2026 and define the single metric that proves it.  How do KRAs, standards, and activities translate strategy into daily execution? KRAs, standards, and activities align performance by turning "strategy" into measurable work that gets done consistently. Key Result Areas (KRAs) identify where results must be achieved and what matters most; constant measurement and broadcasting keeps focus. Performance standards then create objectivity—use frameworks like SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-specific) so everyone knows what "good" looks like. Finally, required activities must directly produce the desired outcomes; otherwise, you collect "barnacles" of superfluous tasks that slow the ship. In Japan, standards can be strong and consistent, but activity lists can grow bloated if nobody challenges legacy tasks. In the US, activity can be energetic, but standards can vary if not enforced. Do now: List your top 3 KRAs, define one standard for each, and delete one "busy work" activity that doesn't support them.  How do skills audits and results reviews keep alignment strong over time? Skills and results close the alignment loop by ensuring the team can perform—and learning whether the system worked. A skills audit tells you if the team has the capacity to achieve the goals, what training/coaching is required, and whether you need new talent. The article notes that changing personnel can be difficult and expensive in Japan, which makes skill-building and coaching even more critical. Results then answer the leadership questions: did we achieve what we set out to do, what was the quality, and what did we learn? Even failure can be a learning experience that makes the next cycle stronger. Startups can iterate faster with shorter review loops; multinationals may need quarterly or annual alignment reviews, but should still build in regular check-ins. Do now: Run a quarterly skills audit + results review: capability gaps, coaching plan, and 3 lessons to apply next quarter.  Conclusion Performance alignment is not "soft culture work"—it's a hard business system that prevents friction, wasted effort, and internal competition from destroying results. The eight elements—vision/mission, values, position goal, KRAs, standards, activities, skills, and results—work like a checklist leaders can use to keep the main game in sight, even when emergencies and meltdowns try to hijack attention.  Next steps for leaders and executives Re-state the unit vision and mission in execution language.  Choose one position goal and one proving metric.  Set KRAs + standards, then strip out "barnacle" activities.  Audit skills and lock in coaching or hiring actions.  Author credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動okasu" Rīdā).  Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan. 

Episode 209 with Dara Adekunle, Managing Partner and CEO of FARMTIES Capital, an investment firm financing export oriented African agribusinesses and strengthening Africa's role in global trade.Dara brings deep experience in impact investing, innovative finance, and international trade to this conversation on one of the most critical and under examined constraints to Africa's economic growth the trade finance gap facing agricultural SMEs.In this episode, we explore why Africa's challenge is not agricultural production, but the lack of working capital, trade infrastructure, and risk appropriate financing needed to move goods from farms to global markets. Dara explains how FARMTIES Fund I, a 50 million dollar profit sharing trade finance fund, is unlocking capital for export ready agribusinesses across West and East Africa, with strong market linkages to North America and Europe.From blended finance and technical assistance to compliance, traceability, and ESG standards, this conversation breaks down how African SMEs can become bankable, competitive, and scalable in global food markets. Dara also unpacks why gender inclusive and climate resilient value chains are not only good for impact, but essential for long term commercial success.What We Discuss With DaraWhy Africa's biggest constraint to agribusiness growth is the trade finance gap rather than production capacityHow profit sharing trade finance and blended capital structures can de risk African agricultureTurning compliance, traceability, and ESG requirements into competitive advantages for African exportersThe commercial case for gender inclusive and climate resilient agricultural value chainsWhat founders, investors, and policymakers must change to unlock Africa's export led growthDid you miss my previous episode where I discuss Financial Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, and How to Build Markets That Work in Africa? Make sure to check it out!Connect with Terser:LinkedIn - Terser AdamuInstagram - unlockingafricaTwitter (X) - @TerserAdamuConnect with Dara:LinkedIn - Oluwadara (Dara) Adekunle and Farmties Capital LimitedMany of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don't do it alone. If you'd like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group: www.etkgroup.co.ukinfo@etkgroup.co.uk

Can AI agents be deployed for enhanced protection? What is a “triple extortion”? How is ransomware evolving? Is there hope for SMEs?Sam Kaplan is a policy, legal, and national security professional with over eighteen years of experience across the public and private sectors. He is currently the Assistant General Counsel for Public Policy & Government Affairs at Palo Alto Networks, providing legal guidance on domestic and international legislative, regulatory, and policy matters, with a focus on cybersecurity, AI governance, privacy, data security, international data flows, and public-private capacity building.Before Palo Alto Networks, Sam led the global product policy team for Facebook's News Feed and News Tab at Meta Platforms, addressing issues like AI/ML fairness, algorithmic transparency, platform integrity, election security, misinformation, and harmful content.Prior to his private sector roles, Sam spent over thirteen years in the Federal Government. He held senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including Assistant Secretary for Cyber, Infrastructure, Risk and Resilience Policy and Chief Privacy Officer. Earlier government roles included work at the U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Legal Policy, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia) and as Counselor to a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, focusing on the U.S. Intelligence Community.References:* Sam Kaplan on LinkedIn* Palo Alto Networks* Unit 42 Research (Palo Alto Networks)* Cyber Information Sharing and Collaboration Program (CISCP) at CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mastersofprivacy.com/subscribe

In this conversation, Arnab Naskar from Stokr discusses the intersection of Bitcoin, tokenization, and capital markets. He explains how Bitcoin serves as both a store of value and a settlement layer, enabling the creation of decentralized financial systems. The discussion covers the advantages of using Liquid for tokenization, the importance of confidentiality in transactions, and the innovative financing opportunities in energy and Bitcoin mining. Arnab emphasizes the systemic shift in financial markets due to tokenization, the role of stablecoins, and the future of decentralized finance on Liquid.Takeaways:

With hundreds of sustainability and impact labels in circulation, how can consumers, policymakers and investors identify organisations that really do put people over profit? And why does it matter for the social economy? In this episode of Cogito Talks, Shayne MacLachlan is joined by Ruben Rebelo from the European Commission and Sofija Rakcejeva from the OECD to explore how labels can do more than just make social economy more visible and easier to support but also help people do better. Drawing on a recent joint OECD and European Commission report, we will unpack the different types of labels that exist, from those exclusively for social economy entities to broader impact and financial labels, and discuss how they can guide funding, policy decisions and consumer choices. Host: Shayne MacLachlan, Public Affairs and Communications Manager at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities Rúben Rebelo is a policy officer currently serving at the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission. He joined the ‘Social and Inclusive Entrepreneurship' unit in 2021 and is working on the implementation of the Social Economy Action Plan. He was involved in drafting and negotiating the Council recommendation on developing social economy framework conditions, and in publishing the Special Eurobarometer on the social economy in the lives of Europeans. Sofija Rakcejeva is a policy analyst in the Social Economy and Innovation Unit at the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, where she analyses the contribution of the social economy to policy priorities such as affordable housing and social inclusion, as well as framework conditions that can increase its impact, including labels, taxation and access to finance. Before joining the OECD, Sofija co-authored two technical briefs and contributed to due diligence of microfinance projects at the Council of Europe Development Bank. Sofija holds an MA in International Economic Policy from Sciences Po and a BA in History, Politics and Economics from University College London. To learn more about the OECD, our global reach, and how to join us, go to www.oecd.org/about/ To keep up with latest at the OECD, visit www.oecd.org/ Get the latest OECD content delivered directly to your inbox! Subscribe to our newsletters: www.oecd.org/newsletters

Have you ever struggled to get the information you need from a subject matter expert? Or maybe you're the expert (SME), and you're not quite sure what the instructional designer actually wants from you?In this episode, host Matt Pierce explores what subject matter experts actually need from instructional designers (IDs) to do their best work. Drawing from his experience on both sides of the dynamic, Matt breaks down seven key principles for building a strong SME-ID partnership that leads to better learning outcomes.From being specific with requests and setting clear boundaries, to giving early feedback and closing the loop on how information gets used, Matt offers practical guidance for creating a smoother, more productive working relationship.Matt also explores how video can strengthen communication between SMEs and IDs, whether that's recording verbal feedback, providing quick status updates, or simply adding a personal touch that helps you stand out in a busy SME's inbox.Learning points from the episode include:00:00 - 01:26 Introduction and the SME-ID dynamic01:26 - 03:25 Respecting SME time and being specific with requests03:25 - 05:57 Setting clear guardrails and context before asking for content05:57 - 08:11 Helping SMEs remember what it's like to be a beginner08:11 - 09:57 The importance of early, actionable feedback09:57 - 12:18 Pushing back when expertise doesn't serve the learner12:18 - 14:06 Giving SMEs something to react to rather than starting from nothing14:06 - 18:22 Closing the loop and using video to strengthen communication18:22 - 21:01 Matt's final take and outroImportant links and mentions:Camtasia: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/Snagit: https://www.techsmith.com/snagit/Audiate: https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia/audiate/

In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer interviews Joel Blake, OBE, founder and CEO of GFA Exchange, who will also be moderating a session FinovateEurope. Joel shares his eclectic journey into the fintech space, driven by a passion for democratizing access to finance and empowering businesses to grow regardless of their differences. He discusses his background, which spans grassroots work, policy development, entrepreneurship, and technology innovation. Joel highlights the creation of GFA Exchange, a data intelligence platform that enables lenders and private capital providers to benchmark, monitor, and trade financial insights to manage risk and optimize portfolios. By focusing on SME financial health as a tradable asset class, GFA Exchange aims to disrupt the market and foster equitable inclusion.Joel delves into his personal and professional experiences that shaped his focus on SME financing. From humble beginnings to roles in employment mentoring, diversity leadership in sports, and co-founding an SME lending firm, Joel has consistently sought to bridge gaps and create opportunities for underserved businesses. His work in SME lending led to the development of a technology-driven alternative risk model, achieving a default rate four times lower than the UK average. This success inspired him to transition into policy, where he led initiatives to deploy capital and support business growth for thousands of SMEs. Joel emphasizes the importance of leveraging diversity and inclusion as a driver for growth, not just as a moral imperative.Looking ahead, Joel shares his vision for the future of financial services, emphasizing a human-centered approach that integrates technology and AI with principled intelligence. He predicts trends such as deeper insights from data, earlier-stage business support, and increased collaboration between corporate organizations, smaller businesses, and regulators. Joel also expresses excitement about moderating at FinovateEurope, where he looks forward to facilitating actionable insights for attendees and fostering meaningful dialogue among innovators and leaders.More info:GFA Exchange: https://www.gfaexchange.com/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/gfaexchange/Joel Blake: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelblakeobe/Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/Finovate: https://www.finovate.com; https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/FinovateEurope: https://informaconnect.com/finovateeurope/#Finovate #FinovateEurope #Banking #banks #grassrootsfintech #financialinclusion #democratizingaccess #SMEfintech #podcast #fintechpodcast #financialservices #innovation #ai #digitraltransformation #fintech #finserv #modernization #diversity #capital

In this episode of The Product Experience, host Randy Silver talks with Cristina Bustos, Product Manager and team lead at Swiss AviationSoftware, about her experience launching a native mobile application in one of the most regulated and high‑stakes industries in the world: commercial aviation.Cristina recounts how she moved from business analysis into product leadership and then navigated a gruelling product development process during the pandemic. Her team faced the dual challenge of winning over both paying customers and aviation regulators to replace paper‑based cockpit workflows with a real‑time digital solution.Chapters0:00 | Introduction and personal background 2:34 | Problem framing: launching a mobile app in aviation 4:00 | Winning founding customers before building code 6:10 | Consensus across customers and regulators 9:00 | Involving actual pilots in design 10:00 | Redesigning workflow not just digitising it 14:15 | Scope control and prioritisation 17:16 | Regulatory engagement and approval strategy 19:49 | A hackathon that wasn't a silver bullet 21:06 | Reflections: what she would do differently 25:22 | Balancing iteration with regulatory discipline 28:21 | Triple validate in the real world 29:53 | Signals of success and business impactOur 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.

In Africa, sustainable finance is less about decarbonizing legacy assets and more about building resilient systems that make the continent bankable for decades to come. In this episode of ESG Currents, BI EMEA ESG Integration Analyst Grace Osborne speaks with Amal Benaissa, director of sustainability advocacy at Bank of Africa, on what it takes to effectively mobilize climate capital across emerging markets - and why this agenda is ultimately about macroeconomic stability, not just the environment. From energy efficiency and rooftop solar to food systems, SMEs and clean industrial exports, they explore how blended finance, local-currency lending and more flexible taxonomies can turn transition priorities into investable opportunities and unlock private capital at scale. This episode was recorded on Jan. 13.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Planning is what stops "good intentions" turning into chaos. When teams skip planning, they don't just risk missing the deadline — they risk building the wrong thing, burning budget, and exhausting people on rework. A repeatable planning process keeps everyone aligned on outcomes, realities, actions, timelines, resources, and risks, so execution becomes calmer and faster. What is the planning process and why does it matter? The planning process is a repeatable way to define the outcome, map reality, set goals, design action steps, set timelines, allocate resources, plan contingencies, and track progress. It matters because most teams jump straight into the nitty gritty — meetings, tasks, and urgent emails — and mistake motion for progress. Post-pandemic (2020–2026), that "rush to action" has intensified as organisations face tighter budgets, hybrid teams, and faster competitive cycles. In multinationals (think Toyota-scale) you'll see more structure — governance, stage gates, and risk reviews — while SMEs and startups often rely on speed and intuition. Both can win, but both fail when they don't define "finished" early. In Japan, planning can be stronger in discipline but weaker in challenge if people copy seniors; in the US, planning can be faster but thinner if teams overvalue action. Do now: Write one sentence: "We will deliver ___ by ___ so that ___ improves." What is the first step in planning a project? The first step is defining the desired outcome so everyone shares the same destination. If the outcome is vague ("improve customer service"), the plan becomes a debate and execution becomes random. Better outcomes are specific, measurable, and tied to customer impact: reduce onboarding from 14 days to 3, cut defects by 20%, lift renewal rates by 5% by Q3. This is where leaders must "sell" the outcome, not just announce it. People aren't robots; they need to see why it matters, how it connects to strategy, and what trade-offs it requires. Use familiar frameworks to sharpen the outcome: SMART goals, OKRs (Objective + Key Results), or a simple "metric + deadline + owner." Consumer businesses may prioritise speed and experience; B2B firms may prioritise reliability and risk. Do now: Define 3 success measures (metric, deadline, owner) for your outcome. How do you assess the current situation before making a plan? You assess the current situation by establishing a clear baseline with facts, not opinions. You can't plan the route if you don't agree on the starting point. Capture the "as-is" reality: cycle time, backlog size, defect rate, conversion rate, churn, staffing capacity, supplier constraints, approval bottlenecks — whatever defines today's performance. Big firms may pull dashboards and market intelligence; smaller firms may rely on interviews and spreadsheets. Either works if it's accurate. This step prevents the classic argument later: "Did we actually improve?" It also exposes hidden constraints early (for example, a dependency on one overworked specialist, or a vendor lead time that makes your timeline impossible). Across cultures, the trap is the same: assumptions feel efficient until they prove expensive. Do now: List 10 baseline facts and agree: "This is our starting line." How should leaders set goals that actually get achieved? Leaders set achievable goals by breaking big targets into a hierarchy and translating them into weekly and daily units. A goal that can't be converted into actions is just a wish. Start with the outcome, then cascade: quarterly goals → monthly milestones → weekly targets → daily actions. Be realistic about constraints. Startups may set aggressive targets and iterate fast; regulated industries or complex global teams may need more conservative targets because governance, procurement, and compliance add time. In Japan, goal-setting can suffer if people avoid challenging targets to preserve harmony; in the US, it can suffer if targets are ambitious but under-resourced. Either way, align goals with capability, prioritise ruthlessly, and make ownership explicit. Do now: Build a "goal ladder" and assign one accountable owner per milestone. What makes action steps and time frames workable in the real world? Workable action steps name the work, the owner, the sequence, the dependencies, and the barriers — then lock them to real deadlines. This is where plans often collapse: the intent is clear, but the execution design is missing. Strong planning includes task allocation, coordination across teams, sequencing (what must happen first), supervision cadence, and known blockers. Then you set time frames that people respect by tying dates to deliverables, not vibes. Tools like a simple milestone calendar, a Gantt chart for complex work, or Agile sprints/Kanban for flow-based work can help — but the tool won't save you if "done" isn't defined. Deadlines should be explicit, shared, and reviewed, especially in hybrid teams spread across time zones. Do now: For each major step, write: owner, dependency, "definition of done," and due date. How do you plan resources, contingencies, and tracking so the plan survives surprises? Plans survive reality when they include honest resourcing, built-in contingencies, and simple tracking that warns you early. Resource planning isn't just budget — it's people, time, tools, approvals, and opportunity cost (what you stop doing to fund this). Under-counting resources creates rework and burnout. Contingencies turn "panic later" into "prepared now." Identify the top risks — supplier delays, staffing gaps, tech dependencies, scope creep — and pre-decide responses. Then track essentials: a few leading indicators (early warnings like backlog growth or missed handoffs) and lagging indicators (results like cost, quality, customer impact). This is classic PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act): plan carefully, execute, check frequently, and adjust fast. Do now: Define 3 risks with "If X happens, we will do Y by Z," plus 3 leading indicators to review weekly. Conclusion The planning process is not paperwork — it's how leaders create clarity, speed, and accountability. Define the outcome, baseline reality, set layered goals, design workable actions, lock timelines, allocate resources honestly, build contingencies, and track progress with early warnings. When you repeat the process, execution becomes less stressful and results become more predictable.

Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast, where we bring you the people and perspectives shaping European venture.This week, Andreas Munk Holm is joined by Max Schertel, co-founder & CEO of finmid, and Tim Rehder, General Partner at Earlybird, to unpack the rise of embedded lending infrastructure for B2B platforms.From food delivery and PSPs to ride-hailing and fleet platforms, finmid lets marketplaces offer financing directly to their merchants – with a single integration, across 30+ European markets. Together, they break down why embedded lending is often new capital, not just smoother UX; how better data lets you underwrite the “invisible” SME segment; and what it really takes to scale regulated infra across a fragmented Europe.Here's what's covered:01:03 – What finmid does: One integration for platforms to offer any financing product to business users across Europe02:02 – Why embedded wins: Tim on data access, risk scoring, and turning platforms into “banks in all but the balance sheet”04:05 – Owning infra, not capital: Regulation, operations and data engine vs outsourcing pure funding to institutions06:43 – Economics & margins: Market size, 60%+ gross margins, and why net income beats headline spread10:47 – Customer examples: How Wolt Cash works, proactive offers in the merchant dashboard, and +80% retention uplift12:32 – Impact on the market: New capital for underserved SMEs vs just smoothing the bank journey17:57 – Ticket sizes & duration: Typical loans of €10–20k, up to ~12 months, 85% renewal and the path to larger, longer credit21:15 – AI & risk: Using generative and agentic AI in ops (adverse media) and data science (millions of data points, daily model iteration)29:20 – Scaling to 30 countries: U27 + UK, CH, IS – regulation, payments rails and why “ugly detail work” is the real moat40:17 – Partner alignment: Making financing core to platform metrics (GMV & retention) and hard-won lessons on incentives

Hear from host Paul Spain and Seeby Woodhouse (Voyager Internet) as they unpack this week's tech news including, One NZ kicking off its 3G shutdown in Dunedin, Radio Trackers boost Auckland's hornet hunt, EB Games' nationwide exit and the government's new AI advisory pilot for SMEs. They explore Apple's choice to use Gemini AI for Siri and Grok's deepfake controversy. Plus, Seeby shares candid reflections on leadership, work-life balance, and why coming back to hands-on management has been both energizing and inspiring.A big thank you to our show partners One NZ, Spark, Workday, 2degrees and Gorilla Technology.

In this podcast episode of "Get Your Fill: Financial Independence and Long Life," host Christine McCarron interviews Alistair Gordon, founder and CEO of Expertunity (also associated with the Expertship Institute) and author of the book Master Expert. Gordon is a leading authority on subject matter experts (SMEs), who are highly specialized technical professionals—such as software engineers, IT specialists, data experts, or engineers—who possess deep domain knowledge that keeps organizations running smoothly but often remains invisible until something goes wrong. He estimates there are about 40 million SMEs worldwide, many of whom feel stuck in repetitive, mundane tasks after years of honing their technical skills, leading to frustration, underappreciation, and limited career growth. Christine, a former SME herself in software, shares relatable experiences of translating complex jargon between engineers and clients, highlighting how SMEs often get pigeonholed into narrow roles, over-rely on technical expertise, and struggle with communication due to heavy use of jargon.

Sudeep Bhaju is a Kathmandu-based filmmaker, best known for his documentary “Dimag Ghochne Manche” a powerful documentary chronicling the life and legacy of Ujjwal Thapa. Joining him is Aalok Subedi, a Nepali legal-tech entrepreneur and the CEO of MeroAdda, Nepal's leading legal platform which provides free legal Q&A services, practical legal guides, and compliance tools for SMEs.

Are you thinking about moving into a leadership role?  Here are my top 5 lessons on what I wish I knew before becoming an instructional design manager. 

Allen and Joel are joined by Pete Andrews, Managing Director at EchoBolt. They discuss the company’s new BoltWave inspection device, the shift from routine retightening to condition-based monitoring, and how ultrasonic technology helps operators manage blade stud and tower bolt integrity throughout the turbine lifecycle. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Welcome to Uptime Spotlight, shining light on wind. Energy’s brightest innovators. This is the Progress Powering tomorrow. Pete Andrews: Pete, welcome to the program. Good to be back. Yeah. See you face to face. Yeah. Yes. This is wonderful. It’s a really great event to catch it with loads of the. UK innovation that are happening in the supply chain. So it’s, yeah, really nice to be here.  Allen Hall: This is really good to meet in person because we have seen a lot of bolt issues in the us, Canada, Australia, yeah. Uh, all around the world and every time bolt problems come up, I say, have you called Pete Andrews and Echo Bolt and gotten the kit to detect bolt issues? And then who’s Pete? Give me Pete’s phone number. Okay, sure. Uh, but now that we’re here in person, a lot has changed since we first talked to you probably two years ago.[00:01:00] You’re a bootstrap company based in the UK that has global presence, and I, I think it’s a good start to explain what the technology is and why Echo Bolt matters so much in today’s world.  Pete Andrews: Yeah, absolutely. So, um, as you said, we’re a uk, um, SME, there’s a team of 13 of us based here in the uk. Yeah. But we do deliver our services internationally, but really focused on Northern Europe. Yeah. But increasingly we’ve done more in the US and North America, a little bit in Canada. Um, but our big offering really is to help wind turbine operators and owners reduce the need to routinely retire in bulks. So we have a quick and simple inspection technology that people can deploy, find out the status of their bolt connections, and then. Reti them if necessary, but the vast majority of the time we find that they’re static and absolutely fine and can be left [00:02:00] alone. So it’s a real big efficiency boost for wind operators.  Joel Saxum: Well, you’re doing things by prescription now, right? Instead of just blanket cover, we’re gonna do all of this. It’s like, let’s work on the ones that actually need to be worked on. Let’s do the, the work that we actually need to, and instead of lugging, like we’re looking at the kit right here, and I can, you can hold the case in one hand, let alone the tools in a couple of fingers. As opposed to torque tensioning tools that are this big, they weigh a hundred kilos, and those come with all of their own problems. So I know that you guys said you’re, you’re focused here. You do a lot of work, um, in the offshore wind world as well. Yeah. I mean, offshore wind is where you add a zero right? To zeros. Yeah. Everything else is that much more complicated. It costs that much more. It’s you’re transitioning people offshore to the transition pieces. Like there’s so much more HSE risk, dollar risk, all of these different spend things. So. The Echo Bolt systems, these different tools that you have being developed and utilized here first make absolute sense, but now you guys are starting to go to onshore as well.  Pete Andrews: Yeah, that’s right. So I mean, as as you said, that there’s really [00:03:00] three main benefit areas we focus on. The first one is the health and safety of technicians, right? As you said, some of the fasteners used offshore now are up to MA hundred. So a hundred millimeter diameter bolts,  Joel Saxum: four inches for our American friends. Yeah, absolutely.  Pete Andrews: And they probably weigh. 30 kilos plus per bolt. Yeah. Um, so just the physical manual handling of that sort of equipment and the tightening equipment for those bolts is a huge risk for people. If you think 150 bolts lifting or maneuvering, the tooling around on on its own can cause all the problems. So as well as the inherent risk of the hydraulic kit failing. So occasionally we see catastrophic tool failure. Is, which have really high potential severity, you know, sort of tensioner heads ejecting or crush injuries from Tor. So that is really a key focus for our customers, just to [00:04:00] keep their teams safe, but also you have to be the cost effective and the the major cost benefit we allow is that we don’t have to revisit every bolt and every turbine like you’d have to do if you were retyping. So we believe there’s something of the order of a million pounds per installed gigawatt saving. By moving from a routine REIT uh, maintenance strategy to a focused condition based inspection, you significantly reduce the amount of intervention you make and keep your turbines running more and reduce the boots on the ground on the turbine. So three real kind of, um, key. Benefits for people adopting our technology  Allen Hall: because we routinely see tower bolts being reworked or retention depending on who the manufacturer is. And I’m watching this go on. I’m like, why are [00:05:00] we doing this? It seems, or the 10% rule, we’re tighten 10% this year, and they’ll come back and see how it’s going. That’s a little insane, right, because you’re just kind of. Tensioning bolts up to see if one of them has a problem and then you just do more of them and we’re wasting so much time because echo bolts figured this out years ago. You don’t need to do that. You can tell what the tension is in a bolt ultrasonically, which was the original technology, the first gen I’ll call it, uh, that you could tell the length of the bolt. If the length of the bolt is correct within certain parameters, you know that it is tension properly. If it’s shrunk, that probably means it’s not tensioned properly. That’s a huge advantage because you can’t physically see it. And I know I’ve seen technicians go, oh, I could take a hammer and I can tell you which ones are not tensioned properly wrong. Wrong. And I think that’s where equitable comes in because you’re actually applying a a lot of science simply [00:06:00] to a complex problem because the numbers are so big. Pete Andrews: Yeah, I mean that, that, that’s been the real. Driving force between our offering is to simplify it. So ultimately we’re based on a non-destructive testing technique. It’s an ultrasonic thickness checking technique, but when from the non-destructive testing background, it’s crack detection, people have time, they can be, it’s a very precision measurement. People have to be trained in the wind industry. We’re trying to inspect. A thousand, 2000 bolts a day at scale. It’s a completely different, um, ask of the technology and the way the technology has been developed historically has required too much technician expertise, too much configuration and set up time, and hasn’t delivered on the, on the speed that’s needed to be efficient in wind. And that’s where our bolt wave [00:07:00] unit we’ve, that we’ve developed over the last. 18 months, let’s say, where all of our focus has gone to make it as slick and as easy for a client technician to pick up with minimal training. It’s through an iOS interface. Everyone understands it intuitively. Um, it’s a bit like using the camera app on your phone. You know, you’re just hitting measure, measure, measure, measure, measure 10 seconds a bolt as you move the, um, ultrasonic transducer across, and then the data gets moved. Automatically to the cloud, to our bolt platform. And customers can view it in near real time. The engineer in the office can see the inspections happened. They can see if there are any anomalous bolts, and then there can be communication there and then whether an intervention is necessary. So it’s sort of really changed the way our customers think about managing their, um. They’re bolted joints.  Joel Saxum: Well, I think these are, these are the kind of innovations that we love to see, right? Because [00:08:00] we regularly talk about a shortage of technicians, and this isn’t, I was just learning this this week too, like this is not a wind problem. This is a everywhere problem. No matter what industry you’re in. Use are short of technicians. But we’re seeing like a tool like this is developed to be able to scale that workforce as well. Right. You don’t need to be an NDT level three expert to go and do these things. ’cause there’s a very few of those people out there. Right? Right. We know the NDT people, a lot of NDT people, and that’s a hard skillset to come by. Yeah. This can be put in the hands of any technician. Yeah, a quick training course. Just, Hey, this is how you use your iPhone. You can check Instagram, right? Yeah. Okay. You can off figure. Yeah, have fun. See you at lunch. Um, but they can, they can make this happen, right? They can go do these inspections and you’re getting that, that, uh, data collected in the field. Centralized back to an SME that’s looking at it and you don’t have to put that SME in the field and try to scale their ability to go and travel and do all these things. They can be in the office making sure that the, the QA, QC is done correctly. I love it. I think that that’s the way we need to go with a lot of things. [00:09:00]Uh, and you’re making it happen.  Pete Andrews: Yeah. And it’s a real kind of. F change in mindset for us. So originally when we started Ebot, we were using third party hardware. Yeah. Which required a bit of that specialism. Yeah. A bit of care about the setup of the project, getting multiple parameters configured before you got going. And it wasn’t really something we could put in the hands of a customer.  Joel Saxum: Yeah.  Pete Andrews: Which meant Ebot scale was limited to what our own team could go and do, and regionally as well. You know, so we’re UK based. Probably 60% of our customers are uk, but now we have this Northern Europe offshore wind is obviously on our doorstep, but then increasingly we’ve done more and more in North America, so we’ve probably been to five or six sites now in North America and expect that to be a growth market because we can, we can now ship the devices over there, give some virtual training help. Uh, [00:10:00] people set themselves up and then that opens up that market, you know, so it’s been a real change in strategy for us, but has allowed us to have far more impact than we otherwise would just try to be a pure service.  Allen Hall: Well, let’s talk about the big problem in the states of a minute, which are the root bushing or inserts that are loose in some blades. When you lose that pushing, you also lose the tension on the bolt that can be measured. Is that something you’re getting involved with quite a bit now because of just trying to determine how many bolts are affected and, and where we are on the safety scale of can we run this turbine or not? Is that something that EE bolt’s been looking into? Pete Andrews: Yeah, absolutely. So I, I’d say there’s sort of two halves of what we do. There’s the, there’s the bulk wholesale monitoring of. Typically static connections to eliminate this routine retitling where it’s not needed typically, typically. But then we have these edge cases of certain [00:11:00] connections and certain platforms that have known bolt integrity problems, and we are working with clients to really, um, manage those integrity risks. Blade stud is an absolute classic, you know, sort of, I think almost every turbine OEM on some, if not all of their platforms has got. Embedded risk into their blades, pitch bearing connections. Um, so yeah, exactly as you said, our customers are using the technology for two things really. One is to ensure the bolts have been tightened to the preload that was specified or the target window. And quite often we find there is an opportunity to increase the preload and therefore increase the resistance to fatigue failure. So. You know, particularly on older sites where the bolts perhaps not in the condition they were on day one. Well, they definitely won’t be. Um, when people have gone and retti them, they haven’t got back to where they, they should be.[00:12:00] So we can prove that and increase a bit of that resilience, but then also start to look for the segments around the joint where, um, the bolt might start loosening or failures are occurring, and find areas where they can really hone in. And actively manage risk. And that sort of leads to what we’ve decided to do for the next year, particularly with Blade Stud in mind, is evolve this technology. So whilst it’s also measuring the elongation, we will do a defect scan at the same time. So you’ll monitor your blade stu, um, connection and we’re hoping that we can set the device to flag to you there and then. We believe this bulk has got a defect while you’re here, get it changed out before it fails and, and all the knock on problems, um, from there. Joel Saxum: So what you’re just pointing to there is a, is a workflow, right? So to me that is typical [00:13:00] of some of the amazing, innovative companies in the UK that I’ve run into throughout my career. And that is, you’re a group of SMEs, you know, bolted connections. That’s what you do, right? But then you’re like, hey. If there’s a tool, we could make a tool that would make our lives a bit easier, then it’s like, well, we could make the entire industry’s lives a little bit easier as well. So let’s iterate on that. And now you’re able to send these kits around the world to look at these things. Hey, you have a problem with this specific model. We can help you with this because we know the failure mode and we know how to look for it. Let’s do that for you. Also here, you’re doing bolt bulk measurements. We got that for you. But it all kind of flows back to the fact that Echo Bolt is a team. A bolted connection, SMEs that are making tools and being able to also provide consulting if need be. Yeah. Right. Um, to, to an entire industry. And I think that, um, this is my take on it, right? Wind is stop number one. I think you guys are gonna do a fantastic year, but there’s a lot of, uh, opportunity out there in bolted [00:14:00] connections as well. Allen Hall: A tremendous amount blade bolts being broken from defects in the crystalline structure. What appears to be a more. Rapidly developing issue across fleets that I’ve seen. I went to a farm this summer and the number of blade bolts that were there on the table that were broken on the conference room table was And the whiteboard office. Yeah. Yeah. This one,  Joel Saxum: this one.  Allen Hall: Your hard head is not gonna protect you from this one. It’s, it’s, it was this, um, I couldn’t imagine the amount of time they were spending hunting these things down. And of course, the only way they were finding ’em was they were broken. You like to catch ’em before they break because it becomes  Joel Saxum: a safety risk. Just not too long ago we saw an insurance case where there’s an RCA going on and it is pointing at an entire tower came down. Right. And it is pointing at a mid, mid tower section bolted connection. How often do you guys run into those problems? Or are you contacted by insurance companies or anything like that to, to take a peek at those? Pete Andrews: We haven’t done anything directly for insurance [00:15:00]companies, but we have been engaged by. Engineering consultancies that are doing RCA type activities. Okay. Um, things like at the end of defect liability periods mm-hmm. A customer has, has seen, they’ve had a lot of, uh, issues from an OEM, maybe an OE EM has offered a modification or an upgrade, assessing whether that upgrade is actually solved the problem or not. We’ve got involved in, um, but the tower. Issue specifically. It’s actually very rare we find, um, problems with tower connections, but where we do is often where they haven’t achieved good flange flatness, ah, during installation or the bolts have been, let’s say, left out in the elements for a period and lubrication has been, has deteriorated before the bolt’s been installed. So there are cases out there, but what I would say is. [00:16:00] To think about your whole life cycle, so ensure the bolt’s installed correctly and we can help with that with a QA to say, yes, this torque or tightening method has got you to the load that you want. Do some through life monitoring, but often if you install it correctly, it will it’s operational life. You will have very little concern. But then in the UK market, we’re increasingly getting involved again at the end of life, right? Life extension where life extension turbines are 20, 25 years old. How does an operator make a decision to carry on running without replacing all bots? Um, and that’s where increasingly we being asked to use the technologist just to say, actually the joint is fine. The bolts have run in a good, um, operational envelope. Run them on. Don’t replace a hundred percent of them like you might have been recommended to from your, um, yeah. Turbine supplier side. [00:17:00] Allen Hall: So Pete, if someone’s doing a repower where they’re basically putting a new one in the cell on an existing tower, they’re making a lot of assumptions about all the bolts from the ground up that they’re gonna be okay. And I know we’re talking about that. We’re in a lot of installations where. If the turbine has gone through a repowered or two. So now those bolts are 20 years old. Yeah. And trying to get ’em to  Joel Saxum: 30 35. 35  Allen Hall: 40. Yeah. I don’t know what they’re doing. By those bolted connections. Are they just like replacing the bolts? Are they hitting ’em with a hammer again? Is that the, yeah,  Pete Andrews: I mean, they might replace ’em, but you’ve got a problem with the foundation bolts. ’cause they’re obviously often anchor bolts set into concrete, so you have to reuse them and. With the projects, both in wind and in process power industry with the chimney stacks to try and ascertain whether foundation bolts that are set into concrete are still suitable for operations. So look for corrosion losses, look for [00:18:00] defects. Um, so yeah, they’re all things that need thinking about before you just make the snap decision to repower. But I think  Joel Saxum: a lot of that, uh, going back to a couple minutes ago, you were talking about at the commissioning phase, making sure that you have proper qa, QC of how these things were installed day one, and then making sure that before commissioning of a turbine, they’re checked. I think that’s really important. We’re starting to see that in the blade world now too, where we’ve been talking about it for a long time, and now when you talk to operators, they’re like, we’re getting inspections done on the blades before they’re hung. Or at the factory before they’re hung. After they’re hung. Like they want a good foundation baseline. Are you seeing that in the bolted connection world too?  Pete Andrews: Yes. Sort of. It’s just emerging for us. What we’ve found is, so most of our customers are in the operational phase ’cause they are the ones feeling the pain. Yeah. Of the routine retitling work. When they do major components, they sometimes engage us to come and say, can you check [00:19:00] before and after the blade was removed? What was it? Before we took it off from a a bolt load perspective, what is it afterwards? Can you then recheck after 500 hours When we retalk it? And what we’ve seen there often is the initial install hasn’t got them to where they needed to be and they’ve had to go and do the break in maintenance or the 500 hour REIT to get the bolts to the right load. So one of the questions that we have is whether. Some of the defects are actually being initiated very early on in that initial running in period and whether if, if actually you’d taken the time at, at the point of assembly to make sure you were correct, whether that avoids some of the knock on integrity concerns. So yeah, it’s interesting area.  Allen Hall: Well, bolts are what hold wind turbines together and you better know you have the right. Tension and [00:20:00] torque on your bolts to get to the lifetime of the wind turbine and to, and to check it once in a while. And I know there’s a lot of operators I can think of right now in the United States that are sort of doing that job somewhat. I I think they have missed out on opportunities to save a lot of money and to call it echo bolt. How do people get ahold of you? Because that’s one thing I run into all the time. Like, Hey, hey, you gotta talk to Ebol, call Ebol. How do they get ahold of you?  Pete Andrews: So the easiest ways are via our website. Which is echo bolt.com. Um, LinkedIn, you’ll find us at Echo Bolt on LinkedIn. Reach out. Our email would be info@cobolt.com. So any of those route and you’ll, uh, reach me and the team and more than happy to speak to you about any of your faulting concerns or problems. We are, uh, yeah, we’re passionate about your problems.  Allen Hall: Pete, thank you so much for being on this podcast. I, it is great to actually see you in person and see the bolt wave technology. It’s really [00:21:00] impressive. So anybody out there that needs bolt tensioning to checking tools, you need to get ahold of Pete at Echo Bolt and get started today. Thank you Pete. Thanks guys. It’s great to be here.

In this episode of The Product Experience, host Lily Smith speaks with veteran product leader Sean Flaherty about a question at the heart of modern product management: how do you influence without authority? Drawing from behavioural science and decades of experience building products and teams, Sean outlines a framework based on self‑determination theory — the modern science of intrinsic motivation.Through the lens of autonomy, competence and relatedness, Sean explains why traditional command‑and‑control leadership undermines creativity and accountability. He shows how true autonomy is structured freedom, how competence is demonstrated through behaviour, and how relatedness builds trust and advocacy among teams and users. Along the way he reframes accountability as something teams hold themselves to, not something enforced by fear, and discusses how leaders can help teams grow, adapt and thrive in a world of constant change.Chapters00:00 — Introduction & central question01:30 — Guest background04:45 — State of leadership today06:10 — Intro to intrinsic motivation08:40 — The “code” of motivation12:28 — Autonomy in teams17:11 — Competence and product work20:30 — Observable behaviour and growth paths23:10 — Adaptability and learning culture24:25 — Accountability misunderstood27:04 — Accountability spectrum31:21 — Addressing negative behaviour36:19 — AI and leadership change38:01 — Leadership trends todayKey Takeaways— Motivation is scientific, not abstract— Product leaders need to understand the science of intrinsic motivation — not just processes or tools — to influence without authority and achieve sustainable outcomes.— Three core motivators drive behaviourAutonomy: people need meaningful choice, not chaos or micro‑managementCompetence: motivation increases when people feel capable and are supported to growRelatedness: connection and shared purpose power trust, loyalty and advocacy— Autonomy is structured freedom: Autonomy is not “do whatever you want”. It's about balancing freedom with guidance so teams can be creative but not lost.— Competence is observed in behaviour, not checklists: Real competence shows up in behaviour — what people do — not just knowledge or titles.— Accountability emerges, not enforced: Traditional accountability relies on fear and external control. In contrast, self‑accountability arises when goals are meaningful and environments allow peopleOur 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.

Doing more, faster, better with less has become the permanent setting in modern business. Post-pandemic, with tighter budgets, higher customer expectations, and AI speeding up competitors, leaders can't rely on "the boss with the whiteboard marker" to magically produce genius ideas on demand. You need a repeatable innovation system that draws out creativity from the whole organisation—especially the people closest to customers. Below is a practical nine-step innovation process leaders can run again and again, so innovation becomes a habit—not a lucky accident.  How do leaders define "success" before trying to innovate? Innovation gets messy fast unless everyone is crystal clear on what "good" looks like. Step One is Visualisation: define the goal, the "should be" case, and what success looks like in concrete terms—customer outcomes, cost, quality, time, risk, or growth. In practice, this is where executives at firms like Toyota or Unilever would translate strategy into a shared target: "Reduce onboarding time from 14 days to 3," or "Increase repeat purchase by 10% in APAC by Q4." Compare that with many SMEs where the goal is vague ("be more innovative") and the team sprints hard in random directions. Do now (mini-summary): Write a one-sentence "should be" target and 3 measurable success indicators (KPI, timeline, customer impact). Align the team before you chase ideas. What's the fastest way to gather the right facts without killing creativity? Great ideas come from great inputs, and Step Two is Fact Finding—collect data before opinions. Leaders should separate "facts" from "feelings" by digging into who/what/when/where/why/how. This is where many organisations discover their measurement systems are weak—or worse, wrong. In the US, you might lean on product analytics, A/B testing, and voice-of-customer tools. In Japan, you'll often combine frontline observation (genba thinking) with structured reporting—useful, but sometimes filtered by hierarchy. Either way, don't judge yet. Just get the evidence: customer complaints, churn reasons, sales cycle delays, defect rates, staff turnover, and time wasted in approvals. Do now (mini-summary): Collect 10 hard facts (numbers, patterns, examples) and 10 "customer voice" quotes. No solutions yet—just reality. How do you frame the real problem so you don't solve the wrong thing? The way you state the problem determines the quality of the ideas you'll get. Step Three is Problem (or Opportunity) Finding: clarify what's actually holding you back, where resources leak, and what success constraints exist. This is harder than it sounds. Ask five people the main problem and you'll get eight opinions—especially in matrixed multinationals or fast-moving startups. Use smart problem framing techniques: "How might we…?", "What's the bottleneck?", "If we fixed one thing this quarter, what would move the needle?" Compare Japan vs the US here: US teams may jump to action quickly; Japan teams may seek consensus early. Both can miss the root cause if the framing is sloppy. Do now (mini-summary): Rewrite your problem three ways: customer-impact, process-bottleneck, and cost-leakage. Pick the clearest, most actionable version. How do you run ideation so the loud people don't crush the good ideas? Step Four is Idea Finding, and the golden rule is: no judgement, chase volume, and do it in silence. This is where most leaders accidentally sabotage innovation—someone blurts an idea, the "bolshie" confident voices start critiquing, and the timid thinkers shut down. Silent idea generation (think brainwriting rather than brainstorming) helps deeper thinkers contribute and reduces status bias—critical in hierarchical cultures and in teams where junior staff defer to seniority. If you want better ideas, ask the people closest to the coal face: new hires, customer support, frontline sales, and the group that best matches your buyers' profile. Often they see problems the C-suite never touches. Do now (mini-summary): Run 10 minutes of silent brainwriting: each person writes 10 ideas. No talking. Then collect and cluster ideas by theme. How do leaders choose the best ideas without politics or "rank wins"? Step Five is Solution Finding—now you're allowed to judge, but you must judge fairly. The risk here is predictable: seniority dominates, juniors defer, and the "easy consensus" becomes a polite rubber stamp. Use a structured selection method: score ideas against agreed criteria (impact, effort, speed, risk, customer value). Borrow from frameworks like Stage-Gate, Lean Startup (testable hypotheses), and even RICE scoring (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort). Compare sectors: in B2B, feasibility and implementation risk often weigh more; in consumer markets, speed and customer delight can dominate. The point is to remove the "who said it" factor. Do now (mini-summary): Build a simple 4-criteria scorecard and rank the top 10 ideas. Make scoring anonymous if hierarchy is distorting decisions. How do you get buy-in and actually execute innovation in the real world? Ideas don't win—execution wins, and Steps Six to Nine turn creativity into results. Step Six is Acceptance Finding: sell the idea internally for time, money, and people. Step Seven is Implementation: define who does what by when, with budget and resources. Step Eight is Follow Up: check progress early so you don't discover the team is zigging when you needed zagging. Step Nine is Evaluation: did it work, was it worth it, and what did we learn? In 2025-era organisations, this is also where AI can help: drafting business cases, mapping risks, creating implementation plans, and summarising learnings—without replacing leadership accountability. Startups might run faster experiments; conglomerates might need governance and change management. Either way, the process keeps you moving. Do now (mini-summary): Assign an owner, set a 30-day milestone, and define the success metric. Review weekly. Capture learnings as you go. Final wrap-up A surprising number of companies still have no shared system for generating ideas—so innovation depends on mood, meetings, or the loudest voice in the room. A repeatable nine-step process creates better ideation, stronger decision-making, and cleaner execution. Run it consistently, and innovation becomes part of your organisational DNA—not a once-a-year workshop. Quick next steps for leaders Pick one business pain point and run Steps 1–4 in a 60-minute session this week. Use silent idea generation to protect the deeper thinkers. Score ideas with a simple rubric to avoid politics. Pilot one idea in 30 days, then evaluate and repeat. FAQs Is brainstorming or brainwriting better for innovation? Brainwriting usually beats brainstorming because it reduces groupthink and status bias. Silent idea generation produces more ideas and more diverse ideas in most teams. How long does the nine-step innovation process take? You can run Steps 1–5 in a half-day and Steps 6–9 over 30–90 days. The timeline depends on complexity, risk, and resources. What if leadership won't support the idea? Treat Step Six like a sales process—build a business case and show trade-offs. If you can't win resources, scale the idea down into a testable pilot.   Author credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan. 

Banking innovation usually gets reduced to apps and features.But the real changes are happening underneath.In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Richard Davies, CEO of Allica Bank, joins the couch to talk about how challenger banks are actually rebuilding SME banking in the UK.Richard breaks down why established SMEs need a very different banking model, why go-to-market is harder than building the technology, and how value, trust, and low cost structures become the real advantage over time.The conversation moves through how digital banking has matured in the UK, what open banking really delivers today, how AI is being used inside regulated banks, and where stablecoins and tokenised money actually make sense and where they do not.An honest discussion on SME credit gaps, the limits of the super-app idea, the role of humans in an AI-led bank, and what the next decade of challenger banking could realistically look like.

Submarine and A Roach, Nigeria's funniest podcast and the #1 comedy podcast in Nigeria, presents “2026 Predictions: Nostradamus vs Adeboye,” hosted by Mayowa, TMT, and Koj.Quatrains meet altar calls as the boys translate two very different prophets for 2026. Nostradamus' “thunderbolt” and “blood flowed” are remixed into cancel-culture hazards and pregnancy hopes.Pastor Adeboye's 2026 notes include: “more remarkable than 2025,” stronger winds, more opportunities, less hunger, SMEs blooming, a touch of reverse JAPA, fewer chances of major war, and a hurricane watch; they become a point of contact for hope and survival.From there, it's culture and sport: paying athletes on time (and why “disgrace the shameless” sometimes works), the art of grooming your kids into your football club, and a bold World Cup prophecy that has Declan Rice polishing a Ballon d'Or.Music heads get a Wizkid × Asake temperature check, while politicians get roasted for their palatial interior design choices and Ozempic.Farmers and the Middle Belt get their flowers, Harmattan gets side-eyed, and 2026 car lots are predicted to invent saner payment plans, because everybody deserves a clean whip.Personal prophecies land too: one truly viral guest, at least one live show, crypto finally paying rent, a 15-minute comedy taping, pickleball and squash supremacy, and, Insha'Allah, IG-approved abs. It's predictions, prayers, hot takes, and practical optimism, the Submaroach way.

In this episode, Nathan Fabian, Chief Sustainable Systems Officer at the PRI, explores how global policy frameworks are evolving to unlock private capital for sustainable development. He is joined by Helena Viñes Fiestas, Commissioner at the Spanish Financial Markets Authority and Co-Chair of the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy, and Eric Usher, Head of the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and PRI Board member.The discussion focuses on the outcomes of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville and the significance of Paragraph 34 of the Seville Commitment, a milestone recognising the role of well-functioning financial markets in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals.OverviewAs public finance comes under pressure, governments are increasingly focused on creating enabling environments that attract long-term private investment, particularly in emerging and developing economies.Helena and Eric explain why Paragraph 34 marks an important shift: embedding issues such as transparency, disclosures, taxonomies and market integrity into a multilateral development framework. They discuss how this convergence of development, climate and financial policy could help mobilise capital at scale, if implemented effectively.Detailed coverageFrom development aid to market-based solutionsEric explains how financing for sustainable development has traditionally focused on public finance, debt and governance, but is now recognising the need for private capital and functioning financial markets to deliver long-term outcomes.Policy momentum beyond Europe and North AmericaHelena shares findings from the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy, showing that most new sustainable finance policies adopted last year emerged outside Europe and North America, particularly across Asia-Pacific. She highlights why global companies and investors will increasingly need to align with these frameworks.What's inside Paragraph 34The guests outline how Paragraph 34 references a broad set of tools, from sustainability disclosures and taxonomies to market transparency, covering environmental and social objectives across the SDGs.Development banks, DFIs and private capitalBoth guests reflect on the growing role of development finance institutions (DFIs) in de-risking investments and creating pathways for pension funds and asset managers to invest in emerging markets.Taxonomies and interoperabilityWith over 50 taxonomies now in development globally, the discussion explores why interoperability, rather than a single global standard, is essential for attracting international capital while reflecting local economic realities.From policy design to implementationHelena highlights lessons from Europe's experience: the need for better engagement with industry, tailored approaches for SMEs, capacity building for supervisors, and a stronger balance between incentives and regulation.The responsibility of investingIn closing reflections, Eric emphasises dynamic materiality and the role of science in understanding long-term risk, while Helena highlights the growing responsibility of investors, and citizens, to align capital with sustainable outcomes.For more information on the compromiso de sevilla, see our...

In this episode of The Product Experience, Mariah (Executive Director of Product at The Atlantic) discusses the often-vague transition from being a great Product Manager to becoming an effective manager of people. Drawing on her background as a journalist, Mariah explores how empathy and storytelling translate into product leadership. She deep-dives into using the Reforge PM Competency Model to remove subjectivity from performance reviews, fostering growth through "Development Conversations," and integrating AI into the PM workflow without losing the human touch.Chapters[0:00] The Pitfalls of People Management[1:15] Mariah's Origin Story: From Journalism to Product[3:24] Product Goals at The Atlantic[4:14] Transferable Skills from Journalism[6:08] The Evolution of the News Product Industry[8:40] Why Product Leaders Struggle with Management[13:12] The Reforge Competency Framework[15:13] Running 6-Week Development Conversations[21:20] Linking Development to Pay and Promotions[22:58] Managing the Human Element of Performance[26:12] Addressing Burnout and Imposter Syndrome[28:58] Upskilling Teams in the Era of AI[31:40] AI Disruption in the News Industry[33:01] Closing and ResourcesKey Takeaways— Journalism as a Product Foundation: Skills like active listening, asking the "question behind the question," and storytelling are directly transferable to discovery and stakeholder management.— The "Liking" Trap: Effective management isn't about being liked; it is about challenging your team. Radical transparency often leads to more long-term gratitude than avoiding uncomfortable conversations.— Structured Development: Using a competency framework turns vague performance evaluations into objective, actionable growth plans.— The 6-Week Pulse: Dedicated "Development Conversations" every six weeks help track progress and adjust goals in real-time, far beyond the utility of an annual review.— Protecting Focus: "Focus Fridays" (no-meeting days) are essential for PMs to escape the "weeds" and execute high-value work.Our 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.

In this episode of the Influence Global Podcast, host Gordon Glenister speaks with Kristian Downer, Director of Dowsocial Marketing, about how B2B businesses can use LinkedIn thought leader ads to become more visible, build trust and ultimately generate revenue. Kristian shares how he moved from a “portfolio career” and full-service agency into specialising in LinkedIn ads, why thought leader ads are such a powerful (and often more affordable) option for SMEs, and how using your personal profile in paid campaigns can open doors that traditional sales teams have been knocking on for years. They discuss what kind of content actually works as a thought leader ad (hint: it doesn't look like an ad), what to absolutely avoid on LinkedIn, and how behind-the-scenes and more human content fits into the mix. Kristian also lifts the lid on his upcoming six-week Thought Leader Ads Bootcamp, designed to help business owners and marketers build, run and optimise their own campaigns without blowing the budget on agency fees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For SMEs and startups, things are always changing—new projects, growing teams, and evolving products. Amidst this growth, cybersecurity often takes a backseat. However, protecting your business from cyber threats is more important than ever.In this episode, Anh Pham, Director of Penetration Testing and Security at Trava, explains how a robust Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) framework can help businesses stay secure. He also discusses how Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS) and Vulnerability Management as a Service (VMaaS) offer ongoing protection and risk management without the need for a full-time security team.Anh shares how partnering with cybersecurity experts can give you peace of mind, letting you focus on your business while staying ahead of potential threats. Tune in for practical advice on implementing CTEM, PTaaS, and VMaaS to ensure your business is safe and secure.Key takeaways:The role of PTaaS and VMaaS in continuous protectionThe benefits of partnering with cybersecurity expertsPractical steps to implement CTEM, PTaaS, and VMaaSWant to know exactly what to look for in a PTaaS provider? We've outlined everything you need to know in this guide: https://travasecurity.com/understanding-ptaasEpisode highlights:(00:00) The aspects of a robust CTEM strategy(01:15) Penetration Testing as a Service (PTaaS)(02:29) Vulnerability Management as a Service (VMaaS)(03:42) Why you need PTaaS and VMaaS in your CTEM framework(06:32) How to start small with CTEM(07:48) Making continuous cybersecurity affordable for SMEs and startupsConnect with the host:Jara Rowe's LinkedIn - @jararoweConnect with the guest:Anh Pham's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anhpham11/Connect with Trava:Website - www.travasecurity.comBlog - www.travasecurity.com/learn-with-trava/blogLinkedIn - @travasecurityYouTube - @travasecurity

Product managers are saving hours with AI, yet feel more uncertain than ever about whether their products will succeed. What's going on?In this episode of The Product Experience, Lily Smith and Randy Silver sit down with Axel Sooriah, product management evangelist at Atlassian, to unpack the findings from a large-scale survey into the state of product management today.Axel shares why so many teams are stuck on the hamster wheel of execution, how cross-functional collaboration still breaks down in practice, and why 84% of product managers doubt their products will succeed despite loving the craft. The conversation explores the real reasons behind PM anxiety, the role of leadership in creating confidence, and how reframing work around customer progress can re-energise teams.Chapters00:00 – Money, motivation, and product work01:12 – Axel Sooriah's product background02:16 – What a product management evangelist does05:38 – Why Atlassian ran the state of product management survey07:01 – AI productivity and the strategy time paradox11:32 – The hamster wheel of execution14:01 – Leadership, incentives, and product manager agency16:16 – Using AI in customer discovery18:17 – Cross-functional collaboration in practice22:06 – Why 84% of product managers doubt success26:16 – Discovery, evidence, and decision-making confidence28:47 – Fear and curiosity in the age of AI30:50 – Getting started with AI as a product manager32:54 – Profit focus and product team motivationOur 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.

In this episode, Apron founder Bogdan Uzbekov explains how he built a 100+ person payments team, created a culture where people “do the work of their lives”, and why his 10-year vision includes building something in space. For UK bookkeepers, accountants and small business owners, this is a practical masterclass in leadership, team culture and modern business payments. The way you build your team and choose your technology stack directly affects cash flow, client experience and your capacity to grow. Bogdan shares what he learned in almost a decade in payments, how Apron was designed around accountants and bookkeepers, and the leadership principles he uses to scale quickly without losing quality. By the end of this episode, viewers will understand how high-growth fintech thinking can be applied inside a small UK bookkeeping practice. Hosted by Jo Wood and Zoe Whitman from The 6 Figure Bookkeeper, this Leadership Takeover Session connects real founder experience with the day-to-day reality of running a modern practice. Bogdan has spent nearly 10 years in payments, built Apron from concept to a fast-growing funded company, and now leads a team serving SMEs, accountants and bookkeepers across the UK. In this conversation, Jo and Zoe explore how Bogdan moved from a background in physics and research into startups and payments, why he chose the pace of entrepreneurship over a PhD, how Apron evolved from a simple frustration with broken business payments into a platform used by practices and their clients, what it really takes to grow a team from the first hire to over 100 people, how to design team culture deliberately so people can thrive, why he openly says “I love hustle” and how he balances that with family life, and his long-term ambition to “do something in space”. Bogdan is clear that great products are built by great teams. He explains why hiring is “really hard”, how Apron uses structured culture-led interviews, why values and learning speed matter more than technical skill alone, and why founders must eventually let go of control to allow new leaders to step forward. For UK bookkeepers, this offers a blueprint for moving from a solo practice to a small, high-impact firm. Apron is a business payments platform that helps small businesses pay suppliers and staff while keeping accountants and bookkeepers at the centre of the workflow. Bogdan Uzbekov is Apron's founder and currently leads a 100+ person team building payment infrastructure for UK SMEs. Platforms like Apron allow UK bookkeepers to centralise outgoing payments, improve visibility over cash flow, and introduce more structured client processes. Get started with Apron for free at https://getapron.com/?utm_source=6fb ----------------------------------------------- About us We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective ----------------------------------------------- Promotion This video contains paid promotion. ----------------------------------------------- Disclaimer The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

As part of Digital December 2025, in partnership with Laxmi Sunrise Bank Limited, this episode explores how Nepal's digital payment infrastructure is shaping the way money moves across the economy from everyday transactions to enterprise and national-level systems. This conversation brings together two key perspectives from Nepal's digital payment ecosystem: Manoj Thapa, Country Head – Visa Nepal, sharing a global view on payments, cross-border commerce, and how international networks connect Nepali businesses to the world. Munni Rajbhandari, COO – Nepal Clearing House Ltd. (NCHL), explaining the national payment rails, enterprise payment systems, and the infrastructure that processes millions of transactions every day. Together, they discuss Nepal's journey from manual, paper-based processes to a digitally connected payment ecosystem — and why the focus is now shifting from building infrastructure to driving adoption, trust, and customer experience. In this episode, you'll learn: How money moves across banks, businesses, and platforms in Nepal What large-scale digital payment volumes reveal about the economy How enterprises and SMEs manage salaries, vendors, taxes, and disbursements digitally Why global payment connectivity matters for tourism, exports, and IT services How digital transaction data builds trust, creditworthiness, and future financial access Why security, standards, and financial literacy are critical as digital payments scale Whether you're a business owner, financial professional, policymaker, or someone who pays digitally every day, this episode helps you understand where Nepal's digital payment system stands today — and where it's headed next. Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Digital December | Episode 2 02:00 – Why Digital Payments Matter for Nepal's Economy 05:00 – Nepal's Leapfrog Journey into Digital Payments 07:00 – Women Leadership in Nepal's Fintech Sector 10:00 – What Visa Really Does Beyond Cards 14:00 – Connecting Nepal to Global Money Movement 18:00 – Tourism, Remittance & Early Payment Advantage 23:00 – How Government Payments Went Fully Digital 27:00 – From Cheques to Instant Dividends & Salaries 30:00 – Digital Payments Growth: Data vs Reality 35:00 – What Is NPI? Nepal's Payment Backbone Explained 38:00 – APIs, Account Validation & Secure Transfers 42:00 – Why Trust & Security Come Before Scale 45:00 – Corporate Pay & Enterprise Payments for SMEs 49:00 – How Nepali Businesses Can Accept Global Payments 56:00 – Why SMEs Struggle with Digital Adoption 01:02:00 – Payment Gateways, Aggregators & Automation 01:14:00 – How Digital Payments Build Credit History 01:26:00 – Fraud, Awareness & Consumer Protection 01:44:00 – Final Takeaways: The Future of Digital Nepal  

Great partnerships can make all the difference.In this episode of The Greener Way, host Michelle Baltazar talks with Yossi Kraemer, co-head of capital partnerships and director of funds management at Salter Brothers.In the year where the future of sustainable investing was hotly debated following greenwashing claims and reversal of climate policies in the US, Salter Brothers defied general sentiment and partnered with Kilara Capital to launch KSB Sustainable Investments. Why now, and what are the results?Yossi explains the merits of sustainability and the impact of decarbonisation, electrification, and sustainable technologies on investment returns and how SMEs operate.00:30 Guest Introduction: Yossi Kraemer00:56 Background of Salter Brothers01:48 The fund behind major hotel brands and boutiques02:52 Teaming up with Kilara Capital04:26 Growth opportunities and market trends05:43 Electrification and energy efficiency06:34 Investor returns and risksThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy

Send us a textStrategy comes alive when the economy is viewed like a chessboard. We reframe Nigeria's markets across 64 squares, where each square represents an industry and each piece mirrors a real actor: kings as policy institutions, queens as visionary industrialists, rooks as powerful conglomerates, bishops as diagonal innovators, knights as agile dealmakers, and pawns as the countless SMEs pushing toward promotion. What looks like a flat board hides a layered terrain of liquidity, regulation, and technology—tilts that speed up some moves and slow others.We unpack how colonial openings constrained the early game and how today's middle game is defined by consolidation, alliances, and vertical integration across cement, energy, finance, logistics, and telecoms. From diversification to innovation leaps, we explore the tactics that build durable advantage in Nigeria's economy: strategic castling through public–private partnerships, surviving regulatory ambushes like sudden forex or tax changes, and the long march of promotion as startups scale into regional leaders. We highlight the role of industrialists who move like queens across multiple files, the steady influence of rooks in pan-African institutions, and the surprising jumps of knights who time entries and exits for outsized impact.At the center of this story are SMEs—the pawns whose disciplined grind unlocks transformation. With patient play, access to capital, and smart policy, the smallest pieces can reshape entire files. We close with practical takeaways: choose the right square, understand your piece, read the gradients beneath your market, and plan three moves ahead. If you're a founder, policymaker, or operator, this lens helps you make clearer decisions, build resilient strategies, and spot new diagonals of growth.Enjoy the episode, then share it with someone who's ready to rethink their playbook. Follow our channels, subscribe for fresh drops, and leave a review to tell us which move you're making next.Support the showYou can support this show via the link below;https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718587/supporters/new

In this episode of the Product Experience Podcast, we speak with Kasia Chmielinski, co-founder of The Data Nutrition Project, who discusses their work on responsible AI, data quality, and the Data Nutrition Project. Kasia highlights the importance of balancing innovation with ethical considerations in product management, the challenges of working within large organizations like the UN, and the need for transparency in data usage. Featured Links: Follow Kasia on LinkedIn | The Data Nutrition Project | 'What we learned at Pendomonium and #mtpcon 2024 Raleigh: Day 2' feature by 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.

The European medical device sector is a vital pillar of healthcare innovation, employing over 930,000 people and representing a market of approximately €170 billion. However, since the implementation of MDR and IVDR, manufacturers—especially SMEs—have faced increasing regulatory complexity, long certification timelines, and reduced market predictability.In this podcast episode, we explore the 2025 EU proposal designed to address these challenges by simplifying regulatory processes while preserving patient safety.The discussion covers:Key shortcomings of the current MDR/IVDR frameworkThe impact on innovation, availability of devices, and SMEsThe eight reform pillars, including proportionality, digitalisation, international cooperation, and improved coordination with EMA and Notified BodiesHow upcoming EU legislation (AI Act, Cybersecurity Act, Biotech Act) will interact with medical device regulationsThis episode provides practical insights for manufacturers, regulatory professionals, and policymakers seeking to anticipate regulatory changes and adapt their strategies accordingly.Who is Monir El Azzouzi? Monir El Azzouzi is a Medical Device Expert specializing in Quality and Regulatory Affairs. After working for many years with big Healthcare companies, particularly Johnson and Johnson, he decided to create EasyMedicalDevice.com to help people better understand Medical Device Regulations worldwide. He has now created the consulting firm Easy Medical Device GmbH and developed many ways to deliver knowledge through videos, podcasts, online courses… His company also acts as Authorized Representative for the EU, UK, and Switzerland. Easy Medical Device becomes a one-stop shop for medical device manufacturers that need support on Quality and Regulatory Affairs.Links  Adam Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-isaacs-rae/Social Media to follow Monir El Azzouzi Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/melazzouzi Twitter:https://twitter.com/elazzouzim Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/easymedicaldevice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/easymedicaldevice 

What if reviews felt collaborative instead of confrontational? In this episode, I walk through a practical, five-pour framework to collect and use feedback from peers, stakeholders, SMEs, QA and accessibility reviewers, and—most importantly—learners, so your projects move faster and land stronger. You'll get short scripts, simple prompts, and a clear structure to keep conversations focused on outcomes instead of opinions.If you want feedback to become fuel, not friction, this guide gives you the tools to make it happen. Subscribe for more practical instructional design tactics, share this episode with a teammate who reviews your work, and leave a quick review telling us which script you'll try first.

Want a quick estimate of how much your business is worth? With our free valuation calculator, answer a few questions about your business, and you'll get an immediate estimate of the value of your business. You might be surprised by how much you can get for it: https://flippa.com/exit -- Are you running your business, or is it running you? In this episode, we sit down with Alexis Sikorsky, co-founder of Nightscale, who reveals the brutal truth about the "Grind" and the specific strategies he used to exit his banking software company for a massive multiple. If you are a founder stuck at the $5M–$10M revenue plateau, this episode is a masterclass in cashing out. Alexis breaks down the "$50 Million Mistake", a calculation of the money and time he lost by not knowing the secrets of Private Equity earlier, and how you can avoid it. What You'll Learn: The "Fish and Chip" Trap: How Private Equity firms lure founders with high valuations only to chip away at the price during due diligence—and how to stop them. Nominal EBITDA vs. EBITDA: The financial metric that matters more than your bottom line. Learn how "dressing the bride" and identifying add-backs can instantly increase your valuation. The Magic Number: Why a $40M valuation is the specific target for a lifestyle where you never have to touch your capital again. The Due Diligence Reverse Card: How to investigate a PE firm by calling the founders they don't want you to talk to. Escaping the Operator Trap: Why you need to fire yourself from day-to-day operations to make your company sellable. -- Alexis Sikorsky is a seasoned entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and #1 international best-selling author who helps founders and SMEs scale with confidence, make smarter strategic decisions, and prepare for long-term growth and successful exits. Over his career, he has founded, scaled, and led multiple companies, including building and selling a software business to private equity in a nine-figure transaction. He is the founder of Sikorsky Consulting Ltd. and a co-founder of KnightScale Partners, where he works closely with founders as a true operator partner, providing experienced, founder-to-founder guidance on scaling, leadership, and value creation. Holding an EMBA from Oxford University, Alexis blends real-world entrepreneurial experience with strategic insight to help business owners future-proof their companies and navigate critical inflection points. Website - https://www.knightscalepartners.com/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-sikorsky-consulting/ -- Time Stamps: (01:11) Surviving the 2008 crash: Losing 75% of revenue overnight. (03:46) The "Unbelievable" Offer: Selling for 11x EBITDA based on a future plan. (06:00) Calculating the $50 Million / 5-Year Mistake. (08:59) When is the right time to sell? (The mathematics of the exit). (14:00) Red Flags: Detecting the "Fish and Chip" strategy. (20:30) How to boost valuation using Nominal EBITDA and non-recurring costs. (27:30) Why you should do M&A earlier than you think. -- The Exit—Presented By Flippa: A 30-minute podcast featuring expert entrepreneurs who have been there and done it. The Exit talks to operators who have bought and sold a business. You'll learn how they did it, why they did it, and get exposure to the world of exits, a world occupied by a small few, but accessible to many. To listen to the podcast or get daily listing updates, click on flippa.com/the-exit-podcast/

What does it really take to build a fintech company that quietly fixes one of the most frustrating problems SMEs face every day? In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I'm joined by Pierre-Antoine Dusoulier, the Founder and CEO of iBanFirst, for a candid conversation about entrepreneurship, timing, and why cross-border payments have remained broken for so long.  Pierre-Antoine's story begins in London, where his early career as an FX trader felt like a compromise at the time, yet quietly gave him a front-row seat to inefficiencies most people accepted as normal. That experience would later shape two companies and a very clear point of view on how money should move across borders. Pierre-Antoine walks through his first venture, Combeast.com, one of France's earliest FX brokerages for retail investors, and what he learned from selling it to Saxo Bank and staying on to run Western European operations. That chapter matters, because it exposed the gap between how sophisticated FX markets really are and how poorly SMEs are served when FX and payments are bundled together inside traditional banks. Out of that frustration, IbanFirst was born in 2016 with a simple idea: treat cross-border payments as a specialist discipline, not a side feature. Today, IbanFirst serves more than 10,000 clients across Europe and processes over €2 billion in transactions every month. We dig into why growth has continued while many fintechs have slowed, from a product designed to be used daily, to proactive sales, to a new generation of CFOs and CEOs who expect the same clarity and speed at work that they get from consumer fintech tools.  Pierre-Antoine explains how real-time FX rates, payment tracking using SWIFT GPI, and multi-entity account management change the day-to-day reality for SMEs trading internationally. We also talk about Brexit, and how being rooted in continental Europe created an unexpected opening. Pierre-Antoine shares why expanding into the UK, including the acquisition of Cornhill, made sense, and why London's payments ecosystem still stands apart in scale and depth. Along the way, he is refreshingly open about the heavy investment required in compliance, trust, and regulation, and why nearly a third of IbanFirst's team focuses on operations and oversight. Looking ahead, Pierre-Antoine lays out a bold vision for the SME payments market, predicting a future where specialists replace banks in much the same way fintech reshaped consumer money transfers. As cross-border trade grows and currency volatility becomes a daily concern, his perspective raises an interesting question for anyone running an international business today:  if specialists already exist, why keep relying on systems that were never designed for how SMEs actually operate? Useful Links: Connect with Pierre-Antoine Dusoulier Learn more about iBanFirst, Tech Talks Daily is sponsored by Denodo

The Dext Effect: How Modern Bookkeepers Save UK SMBs: https://subscribepage.io/qn0D3U We talk about the Dext report here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02y_ZDbROus In this solo episode, Zoe dives into why so many bookkeeping practices are falling behind — not because of skill, but because the industry has evolved faster than the services most bookkeepers are offering. Drawing on new data from Dext's survey of 500 SMEs, Zoe reveals a widening gap between what small businesses urgently need (support, clarity, forecasting, guidance) and what the bookkeeping profession is traditionally providing. She speaks candidly about the crisis mindset many business owners are in — some even saying conditions now feel worse than Covid — and explains the pivotal opportunity for bookkeepers to reposition themselves as finance business partners. Through insights from their Summer 2025 Bookkeeper Survey, Zoe breaks down the time bottlenecks, confidence challenges, and outdated processes keeping practices stuck. She then shares a practical roadmap for modernising your practice through 1% improvements, automation, advisory conversations, and building a gold-standard service that scales with ease. ----------------------------------------------- About us We're Jo and Zoe and we help bookkeepers find clients, make more money and build profitable businesses they love. Find out about working with us in The Bookkeepers' Collective, at: 6figurebookkeeper.com/collective ----------------------------------------------- About our Sponsor This episode of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is sponsored by Xero. Get 90% off your first 6 months by visiting: https://xero5440.partnerlinks.io/6figurebookkeeper ----------------------------------------------- Promotion This video contains paid promotion. ----------------------------------------------- Disclaimer The information contained in The Bookkeepers' Podcast is provided for information purposes only. The contents of The Bookkeepers' Podcast is not intended to amount to advice and you should not rely on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. Professional advice should be obtained before taking or refraining from taking any action as a result of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast. The 6 Figure Bookkeeper Ltd disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on any of the contents of the Bookkeepers' Podcast.

The Gulf as One System: Bahrain's Aerospace EcosystemMany organizations get too big to succeed. Bahrain is small enough to call the minister and align an ecosystem over coffee. That's not a limitation—it's infrastructure. Leena Faraj spent a decade proving that relationship density beats bureaucratic scale. One island. Neighbors who outspend you ten to one. The puzzle: how do you win when you can't win the resource game? The answer: don't fight for the whole trip—win the increment. For some, Bahrain may not be big enough for two-week stays. But "pop in for a couple of days" works when the Gulf operates as one system. Regional partnerships turn constraints into market expansion.The method: incubate what government can't control, prove it works, and hand it back. Tamkeen for SMEs. Mumtalakat—the sovereign fund whose subsidiaries now include McLaren. Airport operations are separated from the regulator. Ten years of lobbying later: Bahrain's first National Aviation Strategy.Paradigm Shifts:

Outsourcing podcast Learn more about this outsourcing podcast and Inside Outsourcing here: https://www.outsourceaccelerator.com/podcast/inside-outsourcing-podcast-series/    We're publishing the entire book, Inside Outsourcing, written by Derek Gallimore, on this podcast feed over the coming weeks. This episode: OA 569 Inside Outsourcing (full audiobook) - Chapter 2.3 SMEs and Business   If you're tuning in for the first time, go back to Episode 563 to catch the book from the beginning. — — — About the book: Inside Outsourcing: How Remote Work, Offshoring & Global Employment is Changing the World Outsourcing has long been criticized for low wages and poor conditions, yet nearly every major company—from Apple to JP Morgan—depends on it. Once a $200 billion industry limited to multinationals, outsourcing is now accessible to small and mid-sized firms, offering up to 70% savings and access to a global talent pool of 2 billion professionals. Inside Outsourcing unpacks the industry's evolution, misconceptions, and future—offering clear insights and practical guidance for businesses ready to harness outsourcing as a driver of innovation and growth.   NOTES on listening: We will be publishing full chapters of the book over the coming weeks. Start with Ep 563 first, and tune in next week for the following chapter(s). Please share with your friends.   Get a copy of the book: You can buy a full version of Inside Outsourcing for yourself from Amazon - with audio, Kindle, and hardcopy available. https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Outsourcing-Offshoring-Employment-Changing/dp/1739623002   Please leave a review: If you've listened to the book and enjoyed it, please support us by leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Outsourcing-Offshoring-Employment-Changing/dp/1739623002 or https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61210866-inside-outsourcing Enjoy.   Start Outsourcing Outsource Accelerator can help you transform your business with outsourcing. Get in touch now, or use one of the resources below.   Business Process Outsourcing Get a Free Quote - Connect with 3 verified outsourcing experts & see how outsourcing can transform your business Book a Discovery Call - See how Outsource Accelerator can help you enhance your company's innovation and growth with outsourcing The Top 40 BPOs - We have compiled this review of the most notable 40 Business Process Outsourcing companies in the Philippines Outsourcing Calculator - This tool provides you with invaluable insight into the potential savings outsourcing can do for your business Outsourcing Salary Guide - Access the comprehensive guide to payroll salary compensation, benefits, and allowances in the Philippines Outsourcing Accelerator Podcast - Subscribe and listen to the world's leading outsourcing podcast, hosted by Derek Gallimore Payoneer - The leading global B2B payment solution for the outsourcing industry   About Outsource Accelerator Outsource Accelerator is the world's leading outsourcing marketplace and advisory. We offer the full spectrum of services, from light advisory and vendor brokerage, though to full implementation and fully-managed solutions. We service companies of all sectors, and all sizes, spanning all departmental verticals. Outsource Accelerator's unique approach to outsourcing enables our clients to build the best teams, access the most flexible solutions, and generate the best results possible. Our unrivaled sector knowledge and market reach mean that you get the best terms and results possible, at the best ALL-IN market-leading price - guaranteed.

India's rural areas are developing at an extraordinary rate, and it poses both challenges and extraordinary opportunities to rethink development at a large scale. Across the OECD, over nine in ten households are now connected to the Internet, but in rural regions connectivity still lags behind, with only about 89% of rural households having even a basic broadband connection. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/2024/11/oecd-digital-economy-outlook-2024-volume-2_9b2801fc.html India reflects these contrasts in its own way, but the speed of change is remarkable. Over the four years ending in December 2024, internet penetration in rural India surged from 59% to 78%, a jump that outpaced urban growth, which rose from 77% to 90% over the same period. https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/indias-rural-subscribers-to-primarily-drive-arpu-growth-in-fy26-crisil/121130745 Recorded live from the OECD Rural Development Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Shayne MacLachlan speaks with Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Secretary to the Government in the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, about how India's fascinating track-record of rural transformation can offer practical lessons to policymakers everywhere. Tune in to hear how one of the world's most dynamic rural transformations is unfolding and what it means for the future of development. Dr. Shahid currently serves as Secretary to the Government, Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (Local Self-Government). Over the course of his distinguished public service career, he has held several key leadership positions, including Secretary, Tribal Affairs, J&K Government; CEO, Mission Youth J&K; Managing Director, Skill Development & Livelihood Initiatives; and multiple tenures as District Development Commissioner/District Magistrate in Srinagar, Rajouri, Bandipora, Leh, Udhampur, Kathua, and Reasi. He has also served as Additional Secretary in the Chief Minister's Office, Director, Information & Public Relations, Managing Director, J&K Tourism Development Corporation, Additional Secretary, Planning & Development, Special Officer, Relief & Reconstruction Leh, and SDM Nowshera. Internationally, Dr. Shahid is recognized as a resource person on mobile indigenous communities, transhumance, and migration. He is a member of the UN Working Group for the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists and has represented India in international collaborations on pastoralism and migratory indigenous peoples in Albania (2021), Ethiopia (2021), and Italy (2022). As Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Shayne engages with policy issues concerning SMEs, tourism, culture, regions and cities to name a few. He has worked on a number of OECD campaigns including “Going Digital”, "Climate Action" and "I am the future of work". **** To learn more, visit OECD Latin American Rural Development Conference www.oecd.org/en/events/2025/11/…nt-conference.html and the OECD's work on Rural Development www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-i…l-development.html. Find out more on these topics by reading Reinforcing Rural Resilience www.oecd.org/en/publications/re…e_7cd485e3-en.html and Rural Innovation Pathways www.oecd.org/en/publications/ru…s_c86de0f4-en.html. To learn more about the OECD, our global reach, and how to join us, go to www.oecd.org/about/ To keep up with latest at the OECD, visit www.oecd.org/ Get the latest OECD content delivered directly to your inbox! Subscribe to our newsletters: www.oecd.org/newsletters

What does it take to build truly product-driven engineering teams? In this episode, Matt Watson — founder and CEO of Full Scale and author of Product Driven — joins Lily and Randy to challenge the longstanding silos between product and engineering. Drawing on 25+ years of experience and four tech ventures, Matt makes the case for why developers need more than just code to care about: they need context, ownership, and clarity.From redefining “done” to the evolving role of AI in software teams, this conversation dives into how product leaders can foster a culture where engineers aren't just implementers, but co-creators of customer value.Chapters0:00 – Why “no feedback” is a warning sign, not success1:46 – Matt's journey: from developer to founder2:58 – Thinking outside the code: how the book Product Driven started4:50 – Why many engineers don't think about the customer5:57 – The rise of product managers and the walling off of engineers6:56 – Redefining the role of PMs in cross-functional teams9:01 – Metrics, measurement, and the illusion of progress10:57 – Ownership as the root of productivity13:04 – Code monkeys, culture, and killing creativity14:55 – Communicating context: five minutes that save weeks17:04 – AI and the changing definition of developer productivity20:32 – External value vs internal tech debt22:48 – The Product Driven model: Vision, Focus, Clarity, Shared Ownership, Courage27:08 – Why courage is the starting point for changeOur 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.

The OECD Report for Regional Policy for Greece Post-2020 (https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/regional-policy-for-greece-post-2020_cedf09a5-en.html) revealed that 32% of the population lives in predominantly rural regions which is significantly higher than the OECD average share of rural population which is around 25%. Of those living in predominantly rural regions (~3.4 million people), roughly 3 million live in remote rural regions meaning Greece has one of the largest shares in this demographic among OECD countries. Recorded live from the OECD Rural Development Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Greek officials Vasiliki Pantelopoulou (Secretary-General of the Partnership Agreement) and Christos Kyrkoglou (General Director of Monitoring and Implementation) explain Greece's approach to rural urban development under the European Union's Cohesion Policy and the role of Integrated Territorial Investments (ITIs). They describe their respective roles in coordinating and implementing programmes financed through the Partnership Agreement, stressing the importance of integrating urban and rural policies. Sit back, relax and take a listen! Vasiliki Pantelopoulou is a lawyer and a Member of Athens Bar Association. She graduated from School of Law of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds two postgraduate degrees (LL.M. in Commercial and Business Law from East Anglia University, U.K., and MSc in Business Administration for Law Practitioners from Alba Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece, Greece). She is a Member of the Board of the Hellenic Development Bank. She has worked for twenty years as an in-house lawyer at STASY – Urban Rail Transport S.A., specialized in the field of public procurement (Law 4412/2016). Since April 2023, she has been the Director of Legal Services at Metavasi S.A. – Hellenic Company for Just Transition S.A. She is a Member of investing Committees such as EQUIFUND I & II, TEPIX III Loan Fund and others. Christos Kyrkoglou is the General Director of Monitoring and Implementation for the ESPA, which operate under the Secretary General. Mr Kyrkoglou holds a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, as well as a Master's Degree in Urban and Regional Development from the same institution. In 2023, he was appointed Head of the Special Service for the Coordination of Regional Programs of the General Secretariat for the Partnership Agreement of the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Since 2025, he is Head of the General Directorate for Monitoring and Implementation. His professional interests and fields of expertise span the full spectrum of development interventions under the Partnership Agreement for Regional Development 2021–2027, with a particular focus on employment, human resources development, innovation and entrepreneurship, social policy, territorial development, culture, and the environment. As Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Shayne engages with policy issues concerning SMEs, tourism, culture, regions and cities to name a few. He has worked on a number of OECD campaigns including “Going Digital”, "Climate Action" and "I am the future of work". **** To learn more, visit OECD Latin American Rural Development Conference www.oecd.org/en/events/2025/11/…nt-conference.html and the OECD's work on Rural Development www.oecd.org/en/topics/policy-i…l-development.html. Find out more on these topics by reading Reinforcing Rural Resilience www.oecd.org/en/publications/re…e_7cd485e3-en.html and Rural Innovation Pathways www.oecd.org/en/publications/ru…s_c86de0f4-en.html. To learn more about the OECD, our global reach, and how to join us, go to www.oecd.org/about/ To keep up with latest at the OECD, visit www.oecd.org/ Get the latest OECD content delivered directly to your inbox! Subscribe to our newsletters: www.oecd.org/newsletters

In this episode, Prerna Singh, CPTO at Avaaz, walks us through how AI is reshaping the way we prototype, learn and build digital products. Rather than replacing teams or skipping straight to production, she argues that AI shines when used as a “thought partner” to accelerate early‑stage experimentation. Through her own journey building a community platform on weekends, she demonstrates how tools like ChatGPT, Lovable (and later Claude / Replet) and Figma AI enabled her to move from blank page to clickable prototype in hours — while retaining the human insight, iteration and context that underpin good product work. The conversation reframes common assumptions about “fast‑AI = bypass human work,” and instead proposes a balanced adoption path: start in “sandbox mode,” learn and play — before graduating to “architect mode” where the real value to business begins.Chapters00:00 – Introduction & AI's impact on product cycles01:43 – Meet Prerna Singh: her background in product and community building03:50 – The community problem: logistics over connection05:11 – Turning to AI to solve her own problem06:50 – What AI can't do: user insight and human judgment08:08 – From waterfall to short-cycle prototyping10:54 – Using ChatGPT as a Socratic thought partner13:07 – Working solo vs team: where AI fits17:17 – From prompt to prototype: using Lovable19:06 – Iterating with Figma AI and other tools23:00 – Real feedback from real users25:02 – Creating a feedback knowledge base with AI26:16 – AI vs design sprints: same principles, new toolsOur 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.

Graham Dufault, General Counsel at ACT | The App Association, joins Kevin Frazier, AI Innovation and Law Fellow at the University of Texas School of Law and a Senior Editor at Lawfare, to explore how small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are navigating the EU's AI regulatory framework. The duo breakdown the Association's recent survey of SMEs, which included the views of more than 1,000 enterprises and assessed their views on regulation and adoption of AI. Follow Graham: @GDufault and ACT | The App Association: @actonline Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Eric sits down with Tony Gray from the Global Business Development Association to completely reframe what business development really is—and why most companies get it wrong. Tony explains how he built the Business Development Body of Knowledge after years of struggling to "break into BD," why traditional labels like B2B/B2C/B2G are less important than intent and trust, and how purpose, empathy, and truth literally create the brain chemistry that drives deals. He breaks down the difference between sales and true business development, shows how untrained teams cause massive revenue leakage, and shares practical tactics like open-book BD certification, community-led growth, and agile proposal methods that stop relying on overworked SMEs and start producing cleaner, clearer, more winnable bids. Key Takeaways Trust is the first principle of BD – purpose, empathy, and truth drive the brain chemistry that leads to real, lasting relationships and referrals. Everyone in your company is a business developer – if your team can't spot customer pain points and route them back to leadership, you're leaking revenue. Community-led growth beats going solo – partnering with aligned experts and building niche communities gets you into new markets faster than cold outreach alone. Learn more: https://federalhelpcenter.com/ https://govcongiants.org/  Encore Funding: https://www.encore-funding.com/  Tony's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-gray-mba-bdp/ Website: https://www.gbdassociation.org/