Podcasts about smes

This week on The Tax Factor Neil Insull and Suzanne Briggs look at Reform’s controversial proposal for a 'Britannia Card' that would let wealthy foreigners pay a £250k fee to move to the UK and live exempt from all tax, and a significant rise in HMRC investigations into high earners, signalling a more aggressive compliance strategy. Elsewhere, the tax gap among SMEs is growing - what’s causing it, and how might it be closed? Plus, in estate planning news, Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis may have struck the right chord with tax planning that could legally bypass £80 million in inheritance tax. And finally, as Wimbledon serves up bigger prize pots, Neil and Suzanne reveal how it’s also serving HMRC a bigger slice of the winnings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What if one platform could handle your startup's banking, accounting, and invoicing—all automated? In this episode of Startuprad.io, we talk to Blas Pegenaute, CEO of Sequence ERP, a Swiss fintech startup redefining what accounting software can do for small businesses and freelancers. Blas shares his founder story—starting in nightlife, moving through hospitality, and eventually building an AI-driven accounting platform that now holds a FINMA license to act as a light bank.

From time to time, we'll re-air a previous episode of the show that our newer audience may have missed.During this episode, Santosh is joined by Jaime Tabachnik, Co-Founder and CEO at Solvento, a company unlocking the flow of money for truckers in Latin America. During the conversation, Santosh and Jaime discuss the intersection of freight and finance. Jaime shares his transition from civil engineering to logistics and payments, and how his experience led to founding Solvento. The company aims to help SMEs in the Mexican trucking industry by providing software and financial solutions to improve cash flow and efficiency. They discuss Solvento's $50 million lending facility, the specifics of the Mexican trucking market, and the impact of nearshoring. Jaime also addresses venture capital investment in lending models, the potential for transformative change in the Mexican economy, and more.Highlights from their conversation include:Solvento and Logistics Payment Automation (0:41)Jaime's background in Supply Chain and Logistics (1:51)Solvento's Infrastructure for Freight Industry (9:46Lending Facility and Quick Pay Solutions (15:49)Mexican Trucking Industry Insights (22:34)Nearshoring and the Mexican Supply Chain (25:53)Lending Models in Emerging Markets (28:39)VC Investment and Capital Efficiency (30:51)Jaime's Motivation and Industry Impact (32:05)Rapid Fire: Security, Elections, and Interest Rates (34:01)Final thoughts and takeaways (37:01)Dynamo is a VC firm led by supply chain and mobility specialists that focus on seed-stage, enterprise startups.Find out more at: https://www.dynamo.vc/

In this episode of The Product Experience, Lily and Randy sit down with Moshe Mikanovsky—product coach, educator, and host of the Product for Product podcast—to explore what makes an effective product management toolkit. From identifying the real problems in your workflow to choosing and implementing tools that stick, Moshe outlines a pragmatic, user-centric approach to tool selection. Chapters:2:59 – From Engineering to Product Management5:25 – Why Choosing Tools is Hard8:11 – Elements of a Product Stack10:49 – From Roadmaps to Analytics14:01 – A Framework for Selecting Tools18:01 – Comparing Tools Beyond Features21:18 – Test and Validate Your Tool Choices26:01 – Why Implementation is Critical28:04 – What's Changing in Product Tools29:26 – AI and the Future of Product Management32:01 – Keeping Your Stack Modern34:29 – Making the Case for Budget & ROI37:23 – When ROI Forces a Change38:45 – Final Thoughts & Listener Call to ActionFeatured Links: Follow Moshe on LinkedIn | Moshe's Product Manager Toolkit | PostHogOur 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.

Hear from Neil Evans, Head of Credit Risk at OakNorth Bank as he shares his journey from the established world of traditional banking to the agile, fast-scaling environment of OakNorth. Since joining in 2014, he's helped shape one of the UK's most resilient and data-driven lending models designed specifically for SMEs.Discussions in this episode:Background to OakNorth Bank, founded by Rishi Khosla and Joel Perlman Neil's journey from a long career at RBS to shaping credit strategy at a fast‑growing bankHow OakNorth built a billion-pound loan book in just 18 monthsThe role of stress testing and proactive credit policy during economic shocksOakNorth's strategic U.S. expansion, including its recent acquisition of Community Unity BankThis conversation is packed with practical leadership insights, bold decision-making and lessons on scaling without compromising on risk.It's a wonderfully inspiring conversation, full of great insights - Neil tells OakNorth's story beautifully.Click here to reach out to Peter Rabey direct Like this show? Please leave us a review. Every review helps. 

Four years ago I interviewed the serial entrepreneur Ollie Walsh, co founder and CEO of Pipit Global. Since then Pipit Global has grown and last month they were taken over by the American paytech company Qenta. I recently caught up with Ollie who is now the president of Qenta.Ollie talks about the journey Pipit Global went on since we last spoke, Covid, AI, Quanta's takeover of Pipit Global and more.More about Ollie Walsh:Ollie was the CEO of Terraforma, the company behind Pipit Global, and is the president of Qenta. He has twenty years experience developing strategies for Start Ups and SMEs to target new markets and to grow. He specialises in building teams and implementing plans and making them work. Ollie holds a MBS at National University of Ireland, Galway. 

In this episode of the 2Tokens Podcast, host Jonny Fry and chair of 2Tokens Alex Bausch speak with payments expert Richard Anderson about ANGU, a gold-backed stablecoin aiming to reshape how value is stored and transferred in Sub-Saharan Africa.Designed to replace unstable and informal USD reserves with a secure, inflation-resistant digital token, ANGU enables individuals and small businesses to make payments, store savings, and send remittances—without needing a bank account. Built to work on basic mobile phones using USSD, it brings financial inclusion to underserved regions.The discussion expands into global trends, from the explosive growth of dollar-backed stablecoins to the rise of asset-backed alternatives as BRICS and other regions seek to de-dollarize trade. Rather than replicate existing systems, ANGU offers a local, trusted model for everyday transactions, backed by gold, a universally recognized store of value in the region.Beyond consumers, ANGU targets SMEs, importers, and diaspora communities burdened by high remittance fees and limited infrastructure. The project aspires to reduce costs, revive dormant capital, and build a programmable financial layer fit for local economies—all while navigating regulatory paths and preparing for real-world rollout.This episode offers a compelling look at how tokenization and mobile-first infrastructure can unlock new opportunities across emerging markets.Participants:Alex Bausch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbausch/Jonny Fry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnyfry/Richard Anderson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardcharlesanderson/Do you want to join one of the use cases? Contact us via info@2tokens.org Read more on our blog

Why you should listenLearn why SMB clients are now the #1 target for cyberattacks and how attackers operate (with shocking real-world examples).Discover how Microsoft partners can add value and margin with simplified cybersecurity services — even without deep in-house expertise.Find out how to protect your firm and clients from ransomware and liability without adding massive overhead or complexity.If you think your clients are “too small” to be a target—think again. Cybercriminals are shifting focus toward SMBs, and Microsoft partners are on the front lines, whether they know it or not.In this episode, I talk to René-Sylvain Bédard (RS), CEO of Indominus Managed Security, about how Microsoft partners can simplify cybersecurity, reduce risk, and turn this into a value-added service—not just an afterthought. You'll learn the real risks, where partners are exposed, and how to protect both clients and your own firm.About René-Sylvain BedardRené-Sylvain has nearly 30 years of experience as a technical architect, is the founder and CEO of Indominus. His work spans consulting firms, governments, telecommunications, aerospace, and SMEs. As a Microsoft partner for over 20 years, he has built strong relationships and received expert training allowing him to position Indominus as a leader in consulting, AI, and managed security services.In 2024, he was sacred "Highly Commended", the 2nd place in the "Best Technology Speaker" category at the Speaker Awards in London and within a few months, Indominus Managed Security was nominated to "Best Tech Company" by the Canadian SME Magazine.In 2025, Rene-Sylvain already published his new book "Secure by design", through Rethink Press and Indominus Managed Security won "Best Cybersecurity for SME", by the Canadian Business Awards.Under his leadership, Indominus is committed to fighting cybercrime globally, using innovative technologies and approaches to protect organizations and individuals.Driven by a passion for helping others and creating a safer world, René-Sylvain is confident that Indominus' expertise will shape a future free from cybercrime. With unwavering commitment to excellence and determination to eradicate cybercrime, he is ready to lead Indominus and its partners towards a safer future.Resources and LinksIndominus.msRené-Sylvain's LinkedIn profileRené-Sylvain's Business cardBook: Secure by Design: A leader's guide to keeping cybercriminals out of your businessWant to become a partner? Email partners@indominus.msPrevious episode: 617 - How Top Consultants Are Winning in 2025Check out more episodes of the Paul Higgins PodcastSubscribe to our YouTube channel:

In celebration of Youth Month, we're tackling the tough questions around youth unemployment. Joining the conversation is Lawrance Ramotala, Area Manager at Business Partners Limited, to explore how SMEs can be the solution South Africa needs. Don't miss this powerful discussion!

In today’s hyper-digital world, grabbing attention isn’t just about being online—it’s about being unforgettable. With social media platforms saturated with content, brands are in a race not just for visibility, but for relevance—especially with the Gen Z audience that’s rewriting the rules of engagement. The Breakfast Show invites Silvia Teh, CEO & Co-founder of Confetto, a boutique creative agency that’s made a name for itself by helping businesses—particularly SMEs—cut through the digital noise with scroll-stopping content and razor-sharp strategy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louise Stewart, CEO, ProjectPayPayments are a crucial issue in construction where some 98% of firms in the industry are SMEs. The UK construction sector is struggling with outdated financial models and banking structures but to address these challenges needs more than just the introduction of digital payments. A recent report by platform ProjectPay highlights the sector's cashflow issues. Louise Stewart, CEO of ProjectPay speaks to Robin Amlôt of IBS Intelligence. 

Transformations are hard, and too often, they fail to deliver on their promise. In this episode of The Product Experience, Lily and Randy speak with Jen Swanson, CEO of Tuckpoint Advisory Group, to unpack why transformation initiatives falter and what it truly takes to succeed.Key Takeaways— Transformation requires intentionality: Real transformation isn't accidental or surface-level; it must be deliberate, comprehensive, and backed by leadership.— Avoid ‘transformation theatre': Pretending to change—without restructuring ownership, processes, or collaboration—is worse than doing nothing at all.— Start with honest orientation: Knowing your starting point is essential before plotting a path forward.— Executive involvement is non-negotiable: Transformations can't be delegated. Leadership must model the change and communicate relentlessly.— Product-led is about mindset, not just teams: Everyone should operate within the product model, but not all need to be on product teams.— Pace matters: Organisations must assess their capacity for change and determine the right balance between ambition and sustainability.— Give grace for the learning curve: People need space to be bad at new things before they get good—psychological safety is essential.Chapters0:00 – Introduction & the myth of sneaky transformations1:01 – Jen's background and path into product2:53 – What transformation really means5:53 – Defining honest orientation8:00 – What is transformation theatre?12:09 – When real change feels fake13:04 – The importance of executive commitment16:04 – Why transformations fail19:11 – Common catalysts for transformation22:06 – Product-led vs product thinking25:00 – Who's in the opOur 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 powerful episode Accountants Minute Podcast, Peter Towers, Founder and Managing Director of ESS BIZTOOLS, urges accountants, bookkeepers, and business advisors to reflect on a vital question: Are you really helping your clients grow, or just lodging their tax returns? Peter shares compelling insights from his journey—ranging from CFO of a public company to advisor on innovation and capital raising—highlighting how traditional compliance work is rapidly losing value in today's tech-driven world. With AI, value-based pricing, and government-backed funding options reshaping the landscape, firms that fail to diversify will be left behind. Tune in to learn: ✅ Why most SMEs don't see their accountants as advisors ✅ How to break free from the “compliance-only” trap ✅ The real-world benefits of offering services like R&D support, cash flow forecasting, and capital raising ✅ What you can learn from corporate finance that applies to SME clients ✅ How ESS BIZTOOLS packages are built to help you stand out—and scale up If you want your firm to thrive, not just survive, this episode is your wake-up call. It's time to differentiate—or disappear. You can also access our podcast on: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Audible Spotify YouTube    

Sixty-two percent of small business owners cite inflation as their top stressor. This episode explores why funding, cash flow, and supply chain issues are pushing SMEs to the brink—and what they can do about it.To learn more, visit https://customfinancialinfo.com/navigating-2025s-economic-headwinds-a-new-report-on-small-and-medium-sized-business-resilience/ Custom Financial Info City: Las Vegas Address: 304 South Jones Boulevard Website: https://customfinancialinfo.com Phone: +1 877 869 0885 Email: Charles@ioncaptialsolutions.online

In this episode of the Impostor Syndrome Files, we're talking about one of the biggest blind spots in leadership today—the difference between leading from fear and leading with trust. So many of us were taught to prioritize logic, results, and control in the workplace. But the truth is, we're emotional beings, not rational machines. And when we ignore the emotional side of leadership, we unintentionally create environments where fear—not engagement—drives behavior. My guest this week is Thomas Gelmi, a global leadership expert who helps organizations strengthen what he calls “human skills”—the emotional intelligence and self-awareness needed to lead with empathy, humility, and trust. In this conversation, we talk about why so many leaders get promoted despite emotional blind spots, and how this disconnect impacts psychological safety, performance, and retention. We also explore the emotional cost of high pressure, what makes 360 feedback so powerful, and how leaders can begin shifting from fear-based habits to more confident, connected leadership. If you've ever wondered whether emotional intelligence really matters in the workplace, this episode makes the business case—loud and clear.About My GuestExecutive Coach Thomas Gelmi has been a trusted advisor to leaders and their teams for more than two decades. His programs, which have attracted roughly 10,000 participants from nearly 90 countries, reflect his adaptability and appeal across cultures and industries. Thomas works in four languages and his clients range from global corporations to SMEs and private individuals worldwide.Thomas draws on an extraordinary biography with exciting milestones, such as his many years as a Maître de Cabine, leading cabin crew at Swissair, and eight years as operations manager of an international leadership development company. In addition to his extensive professional experience, he also gathered years of experience as a trained caregiver, providing psychological assistance to victims in crises, accidents, and other extreme situations.~Connect with Thomas:Facebook (Business): https://www.facebook.com/thomas.gelmi/ LinkedIn: http://ch.linkedin.com/in/thomasgelmi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomasgelmi YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thomasgelmi TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thomas.gelmi ~Connect with Kim and The Impostor Syndrome Files:Join the free Impostor Syndrome Challenge:https://www.kimmeninger.com/challengeLearn more about the Leading Humans discussion group:https://www.kimmeninger.com/leadinghumansgroupJoin the Slack channel to learn from, connect with and support other professionals: https://forms.gle/Ts4Vg4Nx4HDnTVUC6Join the Facebook group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/leadinghumansSchedule time to speak with Kim Meninger directly about your questions/challenges: https://bookme.name/ExecCareer/strategy-sessionConnect on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmeninger/Website:https://kimmeninger.com

Episode overview: Guidione Machava has a confession: he's tired of being called an "African designer." The Mozambican product designer, now based in France and fresh from stints at Shopify and Paris-based 23point5, reckons that geographic qualifiers automatically strip away a third of your professional value before you've even started. It's a provocative stance from someone who's built his career bridging African markets and global tech giants. Since launching- MozDevz - Mozambique's largest developer community - over a decade ago, Machava has been methodically executing what he calls his "Maria Sharapova strategy": a systematic approach to becoming world-class that he lifted from a Tim Ferriss podcast. The strategy worked. From building communities across six African countries to creating a business directory that attracted 300,000 SMEs, to founding Kabum Digital (Mozambique's leading tech publication), Machava has consistently punched above his weight class. His secret? "Piggybacking" on successful people and refusing to let his environment dictate his ambitions. Andile Masuku probes Machava on the realities of designing for African versus Western markets, why physical product development taught him to appreciate software's forgiving nature, and his mission to prove that world-class design talent can emerge from anywhere, provided you're strategic about how you position it. Key insights: - On strategic positioning: Despite building African communities and solving African problems, Machava deliberately brands himself as a "world-class designer" rather than a "world-class African designer." His reasoning? International clients and collaborators unconsciously devalue geography-qualified talent, even when they won't admit it. - On market realities: Designing for Western markets versus African markets isn't just about different user needs, it's about fundamentally different quality bars. "In Africa, designing a product that works well is a plus. In France, it's the bare minimum," he observes. - On the intersection economy: His time at 23.5—building design tools for made-to-order, sustainable fashion—taught him that the intersection of digital and physical economies is where the hardest, most rewarding innovation happens. Unlike software, physical products offer no "rollback to previous version" option. - On manufactured serendipity: Rather than waiting for opportunities, Machava systematically identified people in positions he wanted to occupy, then found ways to provide value to them. The approach landed him interviews with executives from IDEO, Google, and Facebook for his World Class Designer podcast. Notable moments: 1. How a Tim Ferriss interview with tennis champion Maria Sharapova became Machava's career template for achieving world-class performance in design 2. Why Shopify's hierarchy of priorities—solve merchants' problems first, make money second, never reverse that order—fundamentally changed how he approaches product design 3. The brutal economics lesson he learned at 23point5: physical product margins are tiny, error tolerance is minimal, and mistakes literally end up in landfills 4. His unconventional path from economics degree to postgraduate design studies, convincing Open Window Institute for Creative Arts & Technologies to let him skip three years of undergraduate work The contrarian take: Machava's most provocative insight centres on geographic positioning. Whilst celebrating African innovation has become fashionable, he argues that leading with continental identity in global markets is a strategic error. "If you say just 'world-class designer,' it's a completely different perspective," he notes, drawing from conversations with international colleagues who've confirmed his suspicions about unconscious bias.

What topic would you like us to cover next?Rachel Massey, Director of Marketing at Huthwaite International, is a brilliant B2B marketing manager with deep experience in leading marketing operations and running fully integrated campaigns that actually deliver on business objectives. She's worked across both large corporations and SMEs in a range of sectors, and always brings a sharp, strategic edge to everything she does. Rachel Massey joins the podcast to share candid stories about marketing mishaps, including a spelling error on an exhibition stand that went unnoticed for three days and a creative brand strategy that was too ahead of its time.Starting as a salesperson before transitioning to marketing without a marketing degreeThe current state of B2B marketing is becoming bland due to AI overuse and the need for creativity to stand out.Using white papers that offer genuine expertise and deep knowledge to establish authorityBalancing traditional corporate approaches with more authentic, personal brand storytelling The challenge of selling creative ideas to conservative B2B leadershipIf you want to connect with Rachel, you can find her on LinkedIn or visit huthwaiteinternational.com. Is your marketing strategy ready for 2025? Book a free 15-min discovery call with Chris to get tailored insights to boost your brand's growth.

We speak to Adam Dorr, director of Research at the US thinktank RethinkX about what the future beyond AI holds for our communities, our businesses and our livelihoods. Dorr will be a headline speaker at the upcoming Dargan Forum in Dun Laoghaire in July. He has gained global recognition for his ground-breaking work exploring how innovations in energy, transport, food, and AI are rapidly reshaping economies and societies faster than policymakers are prepared for.Visit www.thinkbusiness.ie for more news and supports for start-ups and SMEs in Ireland. If you want to start and grow a business, ThinkBusiness.

In today's MadTech Daily, we discuss the UK Data Bill passing without the AI Copyright transparency clause, a UN rapporteur urging green accountability while TikTok launches carbon measurement, and ITV unveiling a TV Outcomes Planner to support SMEs.

South East Technological University (SETU) has been awarded funding as part of a prestigious European consortium delivering the BECEE project - Balanced and Enhanced Collaboration for an Entrepreneurship Ecosystem - a transformative initiative aimed at fostering entrepreneurial talent and strengthening innovation capacity across Europe. Led by Rachel O'Dowd, Prof. Helen Hughes, and Dr Ultan McCarthy from SETU's Department of Land Sciences, with Dr James O'Sullivan, Head of Innovation and Commercialisation at SETU, the project is delivered in close collaboration with Professor Bill O'Gorman of Dungarvan Enterprise Centre. BECEE is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), with cross-funding and endorsement from EIT Digital, EIT Climate, EIT Food, and EIT Health. The €1.34 million project brings together four forward-looking higher education institutions - Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (Switzerland), South East Technological University (Ireland), and Universiteti "Aleksandër Moisiu" Durrës (Albania) - working in tandem with four innovation-driven enterprises: KPN (Eindhoven, Netherlands), Innofuse (Zurich, Switzerland), Dungarvan Enterprise Centre (Ireland), and Linda Laboratory (Durrës, Albania). Speaking about SETU's role, Professor Helen Hughes said, "We are hugely excited by the opportunity to be part of this excellent European consortium furthering innovative solutions, strengthening and supporting our entrepreneurial talent in the region in conjunction with our industrial partner Dungarvan Enterprise Centre. It further strengthens the focus and expertise available within the Department of Land Sciences for entrepreneurship that has been developing across the last decade." The BECEE project will have a tangible impact on regional and national entrepreneurship by developing practical, scalable models to support innovators, start-ups and SMEs. Activities will include training, mentorship, policy development, and new pathways for academic-industry engagement - all contributing to SETU's strategic ambition of connecting for impact. Dr James O'Sullivan noted, "This initiative reflects SETU's deepening commitment to delivering innovation and knowledge exchange across our region, working hand in hand with our enterprise partners to create a more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem." The project is already underway and will roll out activities over the next two years across the partner regions. It aligns strongly with SETU's focus on collaboration, regional development, and addressing key societal challenges through innovation. More information is available at: https://eit-hei.eu/projects/becee/

In this episode, Peter Towers, Managing Director of ESS BIZTOOLS, shares a compelling roadmap for accountants, bookkeepers and business advisors ready to transition from tax-focused work to delivering high-impact advisory services for SME clients. Discover how to implement a structured business planning process, identify key client concerns with the SME Needs Analysis, and coordinate meaningful leadership team discussions. Peter outlines the critical steps in developing business plans that don't just sit in drawers – but actively drive performance. From predictive financial reports and budgeting per business unit to real-time performance tracking and KPI management, this episode is a practical guide to becoming your client's trusted advisor. If you're ready to help clients survive and thrive with a systemised advisory approach, this episode is your blueprint. Don't miss Peter's insights into the ESS BIZTOOLS Financial Forecasting Package, including the training and tools that can elevate your firm's services in 2025 and beyond. You can also access our podcast on: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Audible Spotify YouTube    

What does it mean to build world-class products in the age of AI? In this episode, Randy Silver talks to Ezinne and Oji Udezue, co-authors of Building Rocketships, a playbook for building high-growth companies in today's fast-evolving tech landscape. Together, they unpack what product looks like now, how AI changes collaboration, and why ambition, clarity, and disciplined execution matter more than ever.Key takeaways— Building world-class products starts with clear ambition and choosing big, meaningful problems— AI isn't replacing PMs, it's changing the way product work gets done—especially in how we collaborate— Vibe coding enables faster iteration and clearer communication through prototyping in code— The product manager's job is to lead teams and help the organisation build the right thing, not just anything— Clarity, focus, and leadership buy-in are essential to successful transformation, even in legacy organisations— Product teams need to shift from writing specs to orchestrating systems that drive customer and business outcomes— Every product person should master the full arc: solving today's problems, helping customers succeed, and spotting future opportunitiesChapters 0:00 The "should PMs code?" debate1:54 First product roles and how the book came to life4:49 The mission behind Building Rocketships7:13 Why the book is for leaders and their partners10:01 Differences between world-class teams and everyone else13:35 What ambition really looks like17:10 How clarity transforms legacy companies23:10 AI, vibe coding, and the new spec: working prototypes30:10 Redefining the product team's role in the AI age35:02 What skills PMs actually need to thrive now42:54 The one mistake PMs can't afford to makeFeatured Links: Follow Ezinne on LinkedIn | Follow Oji on LinkedIn | ProductMind | Buy their new book 'Building Rocketships: Product Management for High Growth Companies'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.

Welcome to The Business Influencer Podcast where we interview and explore the success stories of entrepreneurs, business leaders, senior policymakers and get insights from thought leaders around the issues of the day.In this episode, we're joined by two influential voices in alternative finance: Steve Deakin, CEO of BCRS Business Loans, and Steve Walker, Chief Executive of ART Business Loans. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of responsible lending, the power of purpose-driven finance, and how they're supporting SMEs to drive regional growth.Credits:Host - Ninder Johal DLExecutive Producer - Narinder K. Johal© Nachural PublishingOur websites: The Business Influencer Magazine: https://thebusinessinfluencer.co.uk/Nachural: https://nachural.co.uk/Subscribe for more podcasts!

Now with Schooley Mitchell I'm helping entrepreneurs save money, which means effectively make money by reducing the amount of money they spend on services. Stan has over twenty five years experience in management and business consulting. He currently helps business clients of all sizes realize greater profitability and improved cashflow by optimizing their expenses in a range of basic business services such as telecommunications, electronic payments, software licenses, small package shipping, waste management, uniforms and facility supplies. He latest venture being a Strategic Partner of Schooley Mitchell, North America's largest independent cost reduction consulting organization. For many years Stan's been a global business unit leader, advanced technology marketer and an innovation advisor to startups, SMEs and innovative entrepreneurs. He's also an active investor, avid reader and public policy wonk. Tags: #Expense #Optimization #CostReductionAnalysis #ExpenseManagement #Expense Reduction #BusinessConsulting   Stay Connected with #CanadasEntrepreneur! Join our growing community of entrepreneurs across Canada! Don't miss out on inspiring interviews, expert insights, and the latest business trends from the people shaping the future of our economy.

Packaging MLOps Tech Neatly for Engineers and Non-engineers // MLOps Podcast #322 with Jukka Remes, Senior Lecturer (SW dev & AI), AI Architect at Haaga-Helia UAS, Founder & CTO at 8wave AI. Join the Community: https://go.mlops.community/YTJoinInGet the newsletter: https://go.mlops.community/YTNewsletter// AbstractAI is already complex—adding the need for deep engineering expertise to use MLOps tools only makes it harder, especially for SMEs and research teams with limited resources. Yet, good MLOps is essential for managing experiments, sharing GPU compute, tracking models, and meeting AI regulations. While cloud providers offer MLOps tools, many organizations need flexible, open-source setups that work anywhere—from laptops to supercomputers. Shared setups can boost collaboration, productivity, and compute efficiency.In this session, Jukka introduces an open-source MLOps platform from Silo AI, now packaged for easy deployment across environments. With Git-based workflows and CI/CD automation, users can focus on building models while the platform handles the MLOps.// BioFounder & CTO, 8wave AI | Senior Lecturer, Haaga-Helia University of Applied SciencesJukka Remes has 28+ years of experience in software, machine learning, and infrastructure. Starting with SW dev in the late 1990s and analytics pipelines of fMRI research in early 2000s, he's worked across deep learning (Nokia Technologies), GPU and cloud infrastructure (IBM), and AI consulting (Silo AI), where he also led MLOps platform development. Now a senior lecturer at Haaga-Helia, Jukka continues evolving that open-source MLOps platform with partners like the University of Helsinki. He leads R&D on GenAI and AI-enabled software, and is the founder of 8wave AI, which develops AI Business Operations software for next-gen AI enablement, including regulatory compliance of AI.// Related LinksOpen source -based MLOps k8s platform setup originally developed by Jukka's team at Silo AI - free for any use and installable in any environment from laptops to supercomputing: https://github.com/OSS-MLOPS-PLATFORM/oss-mlops-platformJukka's new company:https://8wave.ai~~~~~~~~ ✌️Connect With Us ✌️ ~~~~~~~Catch all episodes, blogs, newsletters, and more: https://go.mlops.community/TYExploreJoin our Slack community [https://go.mlops.community/slack]Follow us on X/Twitter [@mlopscommunity](https://x.com/mlopscommunity) or [LinkedIn](https://go.mlops.community/linkedin)] Sign up for the next meetup: [https://go.mlops.community/register]MLOps Swag/Merch: [https://shop.mlops.community/]Connect with Demetrios on LinkedIn: /dpbrinkmConnect with Jukka on LinkedIn: /jukka-remesTimestamps:[00:00] Jukka's preferred coffee[00:39] Open-Source Platform Benefits[01:56] Silo MLOps Platform Explanation[05:18] AI Model Production Processes[10:42] AI Platform Use Cases[16:54] Reproducibility in Research Models[26:51] Pipeline setup automation[33:26] MLOps Adoption Journey[38:31] EU AI Act and Open Source[41:38] MLOps and 8wave AI[45:46] Optimizing Cross-Stakeholder Collaboration[52:15] Open Source ML Platform[55:06] Wrap up

Galvia AI, a leading international artificial intelligence company, has announced its UK expansion with a new Manchester office and plans for job creation in the region. Headquartered in Galway, Ireland, Galvia will base its UK operations at the Turing Innovation Catalyst (TIC), within Sister - Manchester's £1.7bn science and technology innovation district. Galvia unifies business data and turns it into connected intelligence that predicts, prompts, and drives smarter decisions in real time. The Manchester investment is set to create double-digit job growth and reinforce the city's position as a growing hub for AI and digital innovation. Galvia's clients range from SMEs in retail, hospitality, and manufacturing to global organisations such as Atos, Nestlé, NTT Data Business Solutions, and several top-ranking universities. At a high-profile launch event held on 3rd June 2025 at TIC, Galvia unveiled plans to empower SMEs across Greater Manchester and the North West to harness the power of AI. The event gathered business leaders, policymakers, and AI innovators, highlighting the strategic importance of Galvia's UK expansion. Commenting on Galvia's UK launch at the Turing Innovation Catalyst, Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Manchester has always been a place where ideas thrive and businesses scale with purpose. We're excited to welcome Galvia to Manchester and support the launch of their accelerator programme - a real opportunity for local SMEs to engage with the potential of AI in a practical, meaningful way. By removing barriers to AI adoption, initiatives like this can help unlock the region's entrepreneurial potential and ensure innovation is accessible to all." John Clancy, CEO and Founder of Galvia AI, said: "We're excited to establish roots in Manchester - a city with a dynamic tech ecosystem and a clear vision for innovation. Our goal is to empower SMEs by removing barriers to AI adoption and providing practical, scalable solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing systems." SMEs often struggle to make use of their data due to siloed systems and limited resources. Galvia addresses this gap with trusted technology that has been developed for both enterprises and SMEs since its founding in 2017. It brings together data from across an organisation, unlocking new insights, driving improvement and enhancing profitability. At the heart of Galvia's Manchester strategy is the Galvia AI Adoption Accelerator, a 5-week programme launching in September in partnership with TIC and law firm Addleshaw Goddard. It's designed to give SME leaders a clear understanding of what to do with their data and a strategic plan of how to integrate AI into their business. The Accelerator is central to Galvia's mission to make AI work for all - providing SMEs with a fast, practical route to leveraging their data and driving growth through innovation. Galvia also intends to partner with SME technology providers in sectors such as retail and hospitality to apply the benefits of AI to their platforms. "AI isn't just for big-budget tech businesses. It can and should make a real, tangible difference for SMEs, which are the core of the economy," added John Clancy. "Together with our partners, we're very proud to bring our accelerator programme to Manchester. It's already proven highly successful in Ireland, equipping participants with the knowledge and tools to stay ahead of industry changes and maintain a competitive edge. "We bring seven years of real-world experience in AI - and in AI years, that's a lifetime. We've worked with organisations and data sets of all sizes to make AI deliver real strategic value." Joe Manning, Managing Director at MIDAS, Manchester's Inward Investment Agency said: "Ireland is one of Greater Manchester's most important markets, with a whole host of Irish companies choosing to expand here. "We're very pleased to welcome Galvia, with their decision to set up a UK base in our city-region re...

Bongani Bingwa speaks with founder of Maduwa Paint World, Rodney Maduwa Rodney, last year’s winner of the Nedbank Business Ignite on 702, about how winning the competition helped elevate his business. The competition is now officially back, and Nedbank is looking for Gauteng’s most daring SMEs to take their business to the next level. One lucky winner could walk away with R200,000 in cash and a R200,000 advertising package. Think it could be you? Enter now at igniteyourbusiness.co.za. T’s and C’s apply. 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station. Bongani makes sense of the news, interviews the key newsmakers of the day, and holds those in power to account on your behalf. The team bring you all you need to know to start your day Thank you for listening to a podcast from 702 Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 06:00 and 09:00 (SA Time) to Breakfast with Bongani Bingwa broadcast on 702: https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/36edSLV or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/zEcM35T Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the second episode in a special 3-part series sponsored by Drako! Check out the YouTube Interview here:  https://youtu.be/jXgKLxwVj44  In this episode, I talk with Natalia Ruelas from Drako about her journey from studying marketing in Canada to becoming an account manager in programmatic advertising. She shares how important it is to research and measure everything to help campaigns perform better. We discuss why small teams and good communication matter in this complex ad world. We also dive into campaign optimization. Natalia explains why it's not enough to have a plan, you need SMEs that can adjust to real-world situations. We talk about: What does real-world flexibility in campaign planning look like? What are common mistakes with targeting and geofencing? How can you use data to improve campaign performance? Natalia also shares how a positive attitude can drive creativity and success. She encourages marketers to be honest with clients and work together openly. This episode is full of tips and fresh ideas to help you plan smarter and feel inspired. Stay tuned for more on data-first media planning and campaign measurement!   Sign up to the Live podcast Episode 178 via LinkedIN Live:  Audience First, Attribution Always: A Practical Workshop for Traders https://www.linkedin.com/events/audiencefirst-attributionalways7333313761019142144/theater/ About Us: We teach historically excluded individuals how to break into programmatic media buying and land their dream jobs. Through our Reach and Frequency® program, an engaged community, and expert coaching, we offer: Programmatic L&D Support: A monthly retainer providing hands-on training, strategy, and troubleshooting for programmatic teams. Book a Discovery Call: https://www.heleneparker.com/workshop/ Programmatic Training & Coaching:   Executive Membership: for the busy mid-level to senior or director-level programmatic ninja looking for a structured, high-impact way to stay ahead of evolving trends, sharpen your optimization skills, and connect with like-minded experts Join Here: https://programmaticdigest14822.ac-page.com/executivemembership      Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on DSP exercises, and real-time feedback. Sign Up: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program     Self-Paced Course: Learn at your own speed with full content access. Enroll Here: https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course   Timestamp: (00:02) Media Planning With Data-First Mindset (10:25) Optimizing Campaign Planning With Data (23:39) Effective Campaign Planning With Data Partners (36:51) Embracing the Superpower of Happiness     Meet Our Guest: Natalia Ruelas https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliaruelast/  Drako https://www.drakomediagroup.com/  Meet The Team: Hélène Parker - Chief Programmatic Coach https://www.heleneparker.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/helene-parker/   Manuela Cortes - Co-Host  Programmatic Digest In Espanol  https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuela-cortes-/ Learn Programmatic As a TEAM: https://www.heleneparker.com/workshop/  As a Programmatic Ninja: https://www.heleneparker.com/course/ Programmatic Coaching Newsletter:https://www.heleneparker.com/newsletter/    Programmatic Digest https://www.linkedin.com/company/programmatic-digest-podcast https://www.youtube.com/@programmaticdigest      Looking for programmatic training/coaching?  Sign up to our Accelerator Program: A 6-week structured program with live coaching, hands-on within DSP(s) exercises, and real-time feedback—perfect for those who thrive on accountability and community, and looking to grow their technical skillset https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/courses/program  Self-Paced Course: Full access to course content anytime, allowing independent learners to study at their own speed with complete flexibility. https://reachandfrequencycourse.thinkific.com/bundles/the-reach-frequency-full-course  Join our next workshop by signing up to our waitlist below: https://www.heleneparker.com/waitlist/   

Ukraine claims cyberattack on Russian bomber maker Vishing campaign targets Salesforce Microsoft lends a hand to European governments Huge thanks to our sponsor, Conveyor Ever wish you had a teammate that could handle the most annoying parts of customer security reviews? You know, chasing down SMEs for answers, updating systems, coordinating across teams—all the grunt work nobody wants to do.  Plus, having to finish the dang questionnaire itself.  Well. That teammate exists—Conveyor just launched Sue, the first AI Agent for Customer Trust. Sue really is the dream teammate. She never misses a deadline, answers every customer request from sales, completes every questionnaire and knocks out all the coordination in-between. Sue handles it all so you don't have to. Learn more at www.conveyor.com.

Opportunities presented by digitalisation and AI go beyond traditional generational shifts; they will require fundamental change in the mindsets of business leaders Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes was quick to engage with Skillnet Ireland's new chief executive, Mark Jordan, following his appointment in March 2025, by inviting him to address a luncheon to mark the tenth anniversary of Shannon Chamber Skillnet. The event, which took place in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Limerick last week, attracted a guest list which included Chamber member companies, representatives from Skillnet Ireland, Skillnet Business Networks in the Mid-West region, the tertiary education sector and private training providers. Skillnet Ireland is recognised internationally as a best practice model for workforce development, supporting the competitiveness, productivity, and innovation of Irish businesses. Under the leadership of newly appointed chief executive Mark Jordan, the organisation remains committed to building on its excellent track record of the past 26 years. Since its inception in 1999, Skillnet Ireland, via its 70 Business Networks, which includes Shannon Chamber Skillnet, has continually evolved. This evolution is reflected in the expanding profile of the businesses it supports, the deepening and diversification of its engagement strategies, and the ongoing development of innovative support schemes tailored to the needs of industry. "Our success depends on aligning Skillnet Ireland's work with national strategies, including the National Digital and the National AI Strategies," said Mark Jordan. "To remain relevant, we need to anticipate change and have meaningful conversations with companies to bridge the gap in skills development. This is particularly important as 59% of SMEs and MNCs expect their core skills to undergo a major shift in the next two to three years, and that, by 2027, 50% of today's skills will be obsolete," he added. Focusing on future skill requirements, Mr. Jordan stated: "Digitalisation will play a critical role in helping companies become more resilient nationally and internationally. Technologies such as machine learning and AI will be central in the transformational journey of companies in many sectors, as will sustainable business practices, which have become an integral part of Ireland's enterprise sector". Highlighting regional achievements, he noted: "In the past year alone, 3,000 businesses in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary, upskilled 7,000 people through Skillnet Ireland programmes. That level of engagement is impressive, and it's only set to grow." Mr Jordan was joined on the podium by representatives from Atlantic Aviation Group (AAG), Element Six and Engine Lease Finance Corporation (ELFC) for a lively question and answer session moderated by Shannon Chamber Skillnet Network Manager, Alan Kelly. Trevor Rogers, organisation development manager with AAG, Stephen Linnane, general manager, Element Six, and Maria Frost, senior vice president, human resources at ELFC, brought valuable insights into the strategic importance of keeping employees' skills aligned with the evolving needs of industry. During a panel discussion, they shared their views on topics as diverse as: people development during a corporate merger, addressing skills gaps post-apprenticeships, Skillnet Ireland as an operating model, the future of learning and development and the growing relevance of sustainability literacy. They highlighted the benefits of having balanced skills within an organisation and discussed the positive payback, in terms of mindset shift and increased motivation, that can result from introducing a skills-based pay programme, as well as the urgency of prioritising digital literacy across all sectors. Having witnessed, first hand, a clear escalation in the demand for talent development programmes, Shannon Chamber CEO, Helen Downes, said that operating a Skillnet Business Network has enabled the Chamber to help local b...

Stephen Grootes speaks to Luncedo Mtwentwe, Managing Director at Vantage Advisory, about the crippling impact of illicit trade on South Africa's small and medium enterprises, with R100 billion vanishing into a black hole last year alone. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this edition of Accountants Minute Podcast, Peter Towers, founder and Managing Director of ESS BIZTOOLS, dives deep into the essential – but often overlooked – topic of corporate governance for SMEs. This episode is a must-listen for accountants, bookkeepers, and business advisors who want to provide stronger leadership and risk management guidance to their clients. From understanding directors' duties under the Corporations Act to improving board meeting practices, internal controls, and financial literacy, Peter outlines practical steps professionals can take to help SME clients strengthen their governance frameworks. Whether your clients are companies, not-for-profits, sporting clubs, or churches, this episode shows how Corporate Governance can boost confidence, prevent costly mistakes, and build stakeholder trust. Learn how to position yourself as the trusted advisor your clients need to navigate their legal and fiduciary responsibilities. Plus, discover how ESS BIZTOOLS' Corporate Governance and Advisory Packages can support your advisory journey. You can also access our podcast on: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Audible Spotify YouTube    

This week on The Product Experience, we revisit a great conversation with Todd Green, now President of King – the studio behind Candy Crush. Todd shares how he thinks about building products that are not only globally successful but enduringly fun. Todd takes us behind the curtain on what it really takes to build for mass audiences, create fun at scale, and grow empowered product teams.Key takeawaysFun can't be optimised: Building successful games (or products) requires capturing something visceral. Metrics help, but “fun” starts as a feeling, not a number.Audience motivation matters more than demographics: Instead of targeting by age or gender, King focuses on why people play – whether it's for calm, connection or challenge.Legacy products need product management too: The real work starts when a product survives beyond launch. King invests heavily in balancing new features with legacy complexity.Good product leaders own the business: At King, product leads (executive producers) are responsible for P&L – it's a full-stack role across delivery, team, and outcomes.Sharing insights is a team sport: King has full-time roles and informal networks dedicated to transferring learning between game teams.Ethical responsibility is core: King prioritises player wellbeing and long-term satisfaction – not just engagement – as a business principle.Building great managers is a product in itself: Todd sees first-line manager development as one of his top priorities for sustaining culture and performance.Key chapters  00:00 – Intro and Todd's promotion 01:40 – Todd's media roots and time at Fremantle 06:15 – Digital bibles and global format sharing 10:50 – Lessons from the Susan Boyle YouTube moment 13:40 – Shifting to King and the discovery of fun 18:30 – Motivations beyond boredom 22:45 – Building for a massive, diverse audience 26:40 – The product structure at King 30:10 – Keeping Candy Crush fresh after years at the top 35:05 – When to launch a new game 38:50 – Ethics and responsibility in game design 42:20 – Why qual and quant both matter 45:10 – How King shares knowledge across teams 48:00 – The hiring landscape and talent challenges 51:00 – Growing new managers and inclusive leadership 54:10 – Closing thoughts and Todd's reflectionsOur 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.

04 Jun 2025. Airfares are reportedly down 40% from a year ago with airlines making just $7 per flight. We get a reaction from aviation lawyer Nick Humphrey. Plus, RAK Bank surveys SMEs about their outlook, we get the results from Dhiraj Kunwar. And Kaspersky’s Maher Yamout breaks down the latest cyber threat targeting fintech and trading apps.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tearsheet is excited to launch 4dFI Capital Partners, an exclusive group of out-of-the-box builders and investors building a community to invest in the next wave of fintech startups around the world. If you are an accredited investor and want to learn more, sign up here Across Latin America, we're witnessing a massive shift as regions traditionally dominated by cash transactions begin embracing digital financial tools. This transition represents more than just technological adoption—it's creating new economic opportunities, enhancing financial inclusion, and building resilience against growing cybersecurity threats. The numbers tell a compelling story: a $448.4 billion digital payment opportunity exists across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the U.S. With nearly 12 million small retailers processing $362 billion in B2C sales — 43% still in cash —a nd 90% of B2B transactions between small retailers and suppliers handled through traditional methods, we're looking at a financial transformation that's just beginning. Today, I'm joined by someone at the forefront of this transition. Walter Pimenta serves as Executive Vice President of Commercial and New Payment Flows for Mastercard Latin America, where he's leading initiatives to expand SME acceptance solutions, scale enablement through strategic partnerships, and strengthen cross-border payment capabilities. Walter's team is also tackling another critical trend: the growing cybersecurity challenges facing SMEs, with recent research showing 46% of small businesses have experienced cyber-attacks, resulting in bankruptcy for nearly 1 in 5 affected companies.

To truly transform the food system, we need retailers to sell food that enables nature to thrive.In this episode, learn how leading retailers from around the world are embracing circular design for food, and facing the challenges that occur on the journey.Our guests are Helly McAlister, Senior Buyer at Fortnum & Mason, and Susy Yoshimura, Senior Sustainability Director at Grupo Carrefour Brazil, two pioneering businesses from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Big Food Redesign Challenge.Find out:Why investing in circular design for food is a strategic move that defines the future of retailHow top retailers are cultivating customer demand for products that keep nature in mindThe fundamental importance of cross-team collaboration within organisationsIdeas for engaging suppliers and scaling circular economy initiatives far beyond pilot projectsUseful links:A guide to using circular design for food to build business resilienceExplore the products from the Big Food Redesign ChallengeEp 177: Beyond business as usual: Biodiversity, collaboration and visionary leadership in the food systemEp 179: How are small start-ups, SMEs, and large corporations working together to change the food system?

The rise of artificial intelligence promises great new advantages for SMEs, but AI also brings major security risks. The Managing Director of Cyber Matters, Saaim Khan, says confidentiality and integrity are critical concerns when using AI tools. He says businesses need to be cautious about sharing sensitive information and he outlines practical steps to protect businesses including setting clear policies and guidelines for acceptable AI within firms. Business Essentials Daily is produced by: SoundCartelsoundcartel.com.au+61 3 9882 8333See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The EAH team caught up with George Richardson of Norman Broadbent, the first UK headquartered search firm. Given his deep experience in hydrogen and broader purview including renewables, energy, utilities, and power, he was able to provide perspective on hiring patterns in these markets. About Norman Broadbent:Established in 1979, Norman Broadbent is a premiere executive search firm with over 3000 clients, from start-ups to FTSE 100 and international corporations.The team has placed directors, executives and leaders in 79 countries around the world. They have a proven track record supporting SMEs, major brands, household names and established global businesses across a range of sectors.Norman Broadbent has a commitment to ED&I, CSR and ESG, both internally and across every engagement with their clients and candidates. They are partners of Chapter Zero, building a community of non-executive directors and equipping them to lead crucial UK boardroom discussions on the impacts of climate change and helping ensure their companies are fit for the future. They are partners of Lean In Equity & Sustainability, an independent gender diversity and inclusion initiative, and a member-centric, diverse, international circle of women and allies supporting and empowering women to achieve their ambitions. Their mission is to empower women in male-dominated sectors to build a sustainable future. They are also supporters of Empowering People of Colour (EPoC), a peer-to-peer network that links high-potential executives of colour, providing support and opportunities for Board-level appointments and changing the makeup of leadership at the top of all UK institutions.About George Richardson:George is a Director within the international Energy, Utilities and Natural Resources practice at Norman Broadbent. He has a robust six-year background in the energy sector focusing intensively on the energy transition landscape, which includes significant expertise in hydrogen, battery energy storage systems (BESS), ammonia, and ET consulting.George excels in assisting technology-based business, developers, asset owners, and service providers with their executive recruitment needs at C-suite, SVP, and Director levels. He is passionate about renewable energy, previously leading several podcasts and integrating with governing bodies to ensure continued change across the sector.Prior to joining Norman Broadbent, George honed his skills at BOSS, a boutique energy firm, where he supported clients across EMEA, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. His experience spans various sub-sectors, including major utilities and developers, hydrogen, clean fuels, carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS), waste to energy, energy storage, and industrial engineering.--Links:Norman Broadbent - https://www.normanbroadbent.com/

Can you even remember life before 2021? On today's episode, let's reminicse about the good ol' days!

South East Technological University (SETU) has emerged as the leading technological university in Ireland for securing Horizon Europe research funding, drawing down a total of €12.79 million to date. This milestone positions SETU at the forefront of European-funded research and innovation among Ireland's technological universities. Horizon Europe is the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation, tackling climate change, helping to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and boosting the EU's competitiveness and growth. SETU's strong performance underlines the University's growing international profile, research excellence and ability to deliver high-impact outcomes in partnership with European collaborators. The €12.79 million drawdown is the result of strategic leadership and expertise across a range of disciplines. SETU's strong Horizon Europe performance is underpinned by contributions from researchers across the university. Among those leading large-scale, EU-funded projects as coordinators are; Dr Deirdre Kilbane, Director of Research, Walton Institute, Dr Indrakshi Dey, Head of the Programmable Autonomous Systems (PAS) Division, Walton Institute, Professor John Wells, Head (Waterford) Faculty of Health Sciences, James Clarke, Strategic EU Liaison Manager, Walton Institute and Gary McManus, Research Project Manager, Walton Institute. Their leadership in coordinating Horizon Europe projects reflects the University's capability to manage complex international consortia and drive innovation on a global scale. In addition to these lead coordinators, many other SETU researchers play vital roles as partners in Horizon Europe projects across a diverse range of thematic areas - from sustainability and health to advanced manufacturing and digital technologies. Each project contributes to SETU's research ambitions and the University's role in shaping regional and international impact through collaborative research. Speaking about the achievement, Prof Veronica Campbell, President of SETU, said, "This remarkable success is a testament to the calibre of our researchers, the strength of our research environment, and SETU's ambition to be a leader in impactful, international collaboration. Horizon Europe funding is highly competitive, and this level of success reflects our capacity to lead major initiatives that deliver real societal and economic value." Prof Marie Claire Van Hout, Vice President for Research, Innovation and Impact at SETU, added, "Horizon Europe is about addressing the world's most pressing challenges - climate action, digital transformation, health equity and more. Our researchers are not just contributing to these solutions - they are leading them. This funding supports SETU's mission to deliver excellent, engaged and inclusive research that serves our region and beyond." Much of SETU's Horizon Europe success is led by the Walton Institute, a principal contributor to research and innovation within the University focused on information and communication technologies. Projects led by the Walton Institute span areas such as artificial intelligence, future networks, and strategic digital transformation, highlighting SETU's strength in future-focused ICT. Dr Kevin Doolin, Executive Director of the Walton Institute, commented, "These most recent results reflect Walton Institute's consistent drive for excellence across multiple EU funding streams, and are a testament to the continued strong performance of Walton staff." In addition to scientific leadership, SETU's project management capacity and international partnerships have played a key role in this success. SETU continues to build strong consortia across Europe, engaging with SMEs, public bodies and community stakeholders to translate research into meaningful outcomes. This latest funding milestone supports SETU's commitment to connecting research to impact and reflects the strength of the university's research themes, particularly in information...

AI has changed the way developers work—and Stack Overflow is right at the centre of that shift. In this episode, Jody Bailey, CPTO at Stack Overflow, shares how the platform is adapting to AI, protecting its community, and embracing new revenue streams. We explore how LLMs are reshaping developer behaviour, why canonical answers still matter, and what it takes to keep trust, quality and community alive in the age of instant AI-generated code. If you're working on dev tools, building with AI, or just wondering how to keep your product relevant through disruption, this one's for you.Key takeawaysAI is both a disruptor and an enablerEngagement is shifting, not disappearingCommunity remains the core assetAI doesn't kill quality—it challenges itPrompt engineering is the new entry-level skillInnovation is iterative—even with AIStack is designing for tomorrow's engineersJody's vision is long termChapters00:00 – intro to Jody Bailey and his role at Stack Overflow03:30 – impact of AI and shift in how developers search for answers07:45 – Stack's new business model: licensing data to LLMs10:15 – protecting community-contributed data and enforcing attribution13:20 – changing nature of search and the role of AI17:00 – trust, verification, and the evolving user experience21:10 – internal AI experiments and lessons learned25:00 – balancing community, learning, and AI-powered answers28:20 – new skills required for developers in an AI world31:40 – evolving engineering roles and the future of team structures36:10 – making Stack Overflow accessible for the next generation39:50 – what Jody's most excited about for the futureFeatured Links: Follow Jody on LinkedIn | Stack Overflow | ‘Yes, Artificial Intelligence Has A Creative Side, Sort Of' feature at ForbesOur 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.

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

On Nick Ferrari at Breakfast.Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook explains how the government are 'encouraging more SMEs back into industry'.Liverpool parade crash suspect is quizzed on suspicion of attempted murder and drug-driving. All of this and more on Nick Ferrari: The Whole Show Podcast.

What are the common elements required to lead when you work with global or international teams? Because leadership is a social construct, it is influenced by social norms that drive how we define what a leader is, what characteristics we expect of them, and how we expect them to appear. However, there is one common element: all leaders must create a thriving environment for employees and by nature, there are some common elements across cultures that humans have. If you understand those, you can serve as a leader across many cultures. What are some essential human skills of leading across cultures? Why are human aspects important in the workplace and particularly in leadership? We'll explore these and more with our guest on this episode. ***ABOUT OUR GUEST:Thomas Gelmi has been a trusted advisor to leaders and their teams for more than two decades. His programs, which have attracted roughly 10,000 participants from nearly 90 countries, reflect his adaptability and appeal across cultures and industries. Thomas works in four languages and his clients range from global corporations to SMEs and private individuals worldwide. Thomas draws on an extraordinary biography with exciting milestones, such as his many years as a Maître de Cabine, leading cabin crew at Swissair, and eight years as operations manager of an international leadership development company. In addition to his extensive professional experience, he also gathered years of experience as a trained caregiver, providing psychological assistance to victims in crises, accidents, and other extreme situations. Since 2020, Thomas Gelmi has been a member of the prestigious Forbes Coach Council, an invitation-onlycommunity of leading business coaches whose members are selected based on their extensive and diverse experience. He is a long-term member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), whose values and quality standards guide his work. Thomas Gelmi lives near Zurich, Switzerland.***IF YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE, CAN I ASK A FAVOR?We do not receive any funding or sponsorship for this podcast. If you learned something and feel others could also benefit, please leave a positive review. Every review helps amplify our work and visibility. This is especially helpful for small women-owned boot-strapped businesses. Simply go to the bottom of the Apple Podcast page to enter a review. Thank you!***LINKS MENTIONED IN EPISODE:www.gotowerscope.comhttps://gelmi.coach/en/who-is-thomas-gelmi#GlobalLeadership #InternationalLeadership #TheHardSkillsTune in for this empowering conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

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

According to research from McKinsey, 70-80% of B2B decision makers prefer remote or digital self-service interactions. So how can you leverage your enablement tech stack to improve the digital buying experience and boost buyer engagement?Shawnna Sumaoang: Hi, and welcome to the Win-Win podcast. I’m your host, Shawnna Sumaoang. Join us as we dive into changing trends in the workplace and how to navigate them successfully. Here to discuss this topic is Lisa Brown, the senior instructional designer at PagerDuty. Thank you for joining us, Lisa. I’d love for you to tell us about yourself, your background, and your role. Lisa Brown: Hi! It’s nice to be here. So, prior to working in enablement, I spent several years working in education at various levels from elementary all the way up to higher education. But the thing that I loved most about those roles was when I got to create learning programs and training materials. So eventually I made the jump into enablement as an instructional designer about seven years ago. I’ve now been at PagerDuty for almost three years, and like you said, I’m the senior instructional designer that supports field enablement. So in my role, I create training materials, e-learnings, I consult on adult learning principles, and I also support the administration and architecture of Highspot. SS: Amazing. And on the note of Highspot, I know that your organization implemented Highspot earlier this year, making the switch from a a previous enablement platform. Can you tell us about some of the key things that your team is prioritizing this year and how that led you to evolve your enablement tech stack? LB: Yeah, so one of our biggest priorities this year has been focused on data-driven enablement. When we made the switch to Highspot, we wanted to move beyond just responding into a motion that was more proactive. We’re looking closely at what the data is telling us. Things like what content the field is actually using, what’s being searched for in our platforms and where there could be gaps. This way we can partner with leadership to plan more meaningful enablement that might fill those gaps. This visibility into the data has also helped us take a more strategic approach to the content curation that we’re working with by developing a more structured governance plan. We’re not just filling a library with content, removing what’s outdated. We’re highlighting what’s working, and we’re making sure that everything that’s available is relevant and easy for the field to find. This is also really helping us strengthen our feedback loops with other departments by having a structured governance in place. Content contributors and SMEs are charged with more regular evaluation of their content. Things like, is it up to date and current? Is it relevant still? Is it being used by the field? And this allows more insights for them as they’re updating their content as well as our own means for data evaluation. But it’s also continuously providing value to our field users because they can remain confident that the content that they’re using is the most accurate information and it’s the most up-to-date. So I think to summarize, for us, it’s all about making that seller experience much more smooth and impactful. It’s making it easier for them to get what they need when they need it, so that they can focus on building relationships and driving results with their customers, not on finding content. SS: I love that. And another area where you have already started to see amazing success is through the use of Digital Rooms. I’d love it if you could share a little bit more about the role that Digital Rooms are playing in your enablement strategy. LB: Yeah, so when we rolled out Highspot, we knew that driving excitement and adoption would be critical, especially because this was another tool change for our field, and you can get a lot of fatigue from that. So we really leaned into the value of Digital Rooms, almost like a marketing hook internally. Rooms were not just a new feature. They represented a new way to engage with customers more personally. Digital Rooms allow the field to deliver a curated and branded experience that’s not only more engaging for the buyer, but it also provides more data for the seller. We can see who’s opening what, how long they’re spending on the content, how long they’re spending in the room, and then we can use that to coach our reps on follow ups and personalization as well as the benefit that they’re seeing and that they can make their own decisions on. Now that we are a few months out from our launch, we are embedding digital room usage into other training programs across all of our enablement programs. We’re incorporating it into the deal strategy especially for complex sales and renewal motions where we all know that that relationship building is especially critical. SS: Absolutely. And what are some of the challenges that you’ve seen reps face today, and how are you leveraging Digital Rooms to help solve these challenges? LB: One of the biggest challenges that our reps are facing is getting to the right buyer and not stopping at a single point of contact. We know how important multi-threading is, especially in today’s buying environment, where decisions often involve multiple stakeholders across different levels of an organization. So that’s where digital rooms have really become a strategic tool for us. We’re not using them just to share content, but we’re using them to open up the buying committee because the digital room is something that our champions can share internally. We’re seeing it lead to the creation of new contacts that we might not have access to otherwise or without using this tool. Another key benefit that we’re getting from this is the engagement data. Like I said, reps can see what’s being viewed by who and how often, which is giving them a much clearer picture of what the customer is actually interested in and where they might need to pivot the conversation or go deeper in that conversation. Overall, we see Digital Rooms as a way not to just deliver content, but to gain visibility, create momentum inside the customer’s organization, and drive more strategic engagement with potential customers or existing customers. SS: Can you tell me a little bit more about that? What are some of your best practices for building effective Digital Rooms? LB: So our best practices, I’ve tried to kind of summarize it, narrow it down a little bit, but I think the biggest way to summarize it is really comes down to being intentional and buyer centric. From the start, we’ve encouraged our reps to start with the buyer in mind, which means customizing the room based on the customer’s industry, the role and their specific pain points. The content in those rooms should really feel like it was curated for their industry, their role, their pain points, other than just being a generic collection of assets. Second, we’ve advised our reps to build the digital room early in the buying journey, ideally right after the first meeting or contact, and then treat it like a living resource. After every call or email exchange, the room gets updated with relevant follow-ups, next steps or new content that might have been discussed or that could be relevant. It becomes a shared space that really reflects the progress of the deal by doing that. Another key best practice that we have is to use the metrics, and I know I keep talking about the metrics, but they’re so important with, I think every industry today. The Engagement Center really provides a lot of insight into what the customers are actually spending time with, which is giving them a much clearer picture of what content is relevant or if we need to reframe conversations in any way. And then when we see someone new accessing the room and the content that they’re accessing, it often means that the deal could be expanding internally, which gives the reps a natural reason to either follow up or to create new contacts and multithread that relationship. SS: Amazing. Well, like I said, you guys are doing amazing things with Digital Rooms now. When you were rolling out Digital Rooms to your teams, you led a series of workshops at your regional enablement summit for your global teams. How did you design and deliver these workshops? LB: Yeah, it was really great timing because we had already scheduled our regional enablement summits, and it happened to fall shortly after we enabled Highspot, so it was just really perfect timing for us. I started designing these workshops by assessing the baseline familiarity with Digital Rooms. By our teams at PagerDuty. Looking at the data from our former platform, over 90% of our current field reps had used a Digital Room before. Over 90% of people had never touched a Digital Room here at PagerDuty. That told me that we really needed to start with the fundamentals, not just the how to, but also the why. So the workshops began with an overview of what Digital Rooms are, why they matter, and how they support both the buyer journey and our internal selling process. From there, I moved into the practical side by introducing how reps could upload custom content or customer specific content into their personal spots, so that way it was ready to drop into a digital room whenever it was needed. And then we covered off best practices, things like content curation and visual presentation, and then using the metrics to guide the further engagement with their customers. Next, I walked through a demo of building a Room, but the most important part of this was when we allowed for hands-on practice in that Room. It was a safe, non-customer facing environment, so I really wanted to allow the field to get their hands on the tool. Explore it, make mistakes, ask questions, and get support from me and my team that were in the Room, and this was all before they were sending anything to a customer. No customer was going to see this, so it was really, really a safe space for them. I wrapped up with clear next steps, like sending your first room and then reviewing engagement metrics. Partnering with your manager to strategize those follow-ups, so that way they had a really clear plan of action to leave the room with. I think that that combination of education, practice, and action made our rollout feel approachable and immediately applicable for the field. SS: I love that. Well, like I said, as I’ve alluded to, you guys have seen an impressive adoption since the rollout with over 300 external shares of Digital Rooms. What have been your best practices for driving and maintaining high adoption? LB: So a big part of our adoption success came down to how we launched. I mean, I just talked about it, but we didn’t just announce Digital Rooms and say have at it. We built a foundation through our in-person training, and that allowed us to get the reps comfortable with the tool in a hands-on and low pressure setting. They had time to practice and ask questions before feeling the pressure of, oh, this is going to get sent to a customer. This was just a safe space for them to practice. We also emphasized why the rooms matter, not just what they do, and framing them as tools that support multi-threading personalization and deeper customer engagement helped the reps understand the strategic value, and it really connected with a lot of what they’re struggling with right now. So it made the tool even more meaningful and has helped our adoption stay a lot stickier. Since launch, we have been working on keeping the momentum going by highlighting success stories, building a library of assets to make the rooms easier to build and reinforcing best practices through manager enablement and follow-up training. We’re really trying to make it as easy as possible to use while showing the value and celebrating our wins along the way. SS: I love that. I think celebrating those wins is absolutely important. And along with driving high adoption, you’ve also seen really great customer engagement. Can you tell us about the impact Digital Rooms are having on the buyer experience? LB: We have heard from our sellers that one of the biggest things that customers appreciate about the digital rooms is simply the convenience of it. They have everything in one place. Instead of having to dig through tons of emails or links that might have been shared or various slacks, they instead, they just get a centralized hub that’s clean and organized and tailored exactly for their needs. A great example of this came from one of our reps after our cornerstone event called PagerDuty on tour that we held this spring. This rep created a Digital Room as a follow-up, not just for the attendees that were at the event, but also for customers who weren’t able to make it. It included highlights from the event, key resources and next steps all in one single place. It turned what could have been a very generic thank you email into something that was more personal and valuable to those customers, whether or not they attended the event. That kind of personalized follow-up keeps the conversation going and it shows the customer that we’re thinking about their experience and not just our internal sales process. And because the room is dynamic, those reps can continue to update it as the relationship evolves, which keeps that engagement alive long after the initial touchpoint. So from a buyer experience standpoint, Digital Rooms are helping us move away from those transactional follow-up emails towards a more thoughtful relationship based engagement. SS: Very cool. And after seeing some of these early wins, what are you hoping to achieve next as you continue to evolve how your teams are leveraging Digital Rooms? LB: Now that we’ve laid the groundwork and seen strong early adoption, our next focus is on depth of usage and consistency. We want to ensure that the field continues to use the Digital Rooms, they maintain them as a living asset during their deals, and that they can continue to use the engagement metrics to help drive next steps and actions. We’re also working on building out more examples that are industry specific to make it even easier for our reps to scale their efforts while driving personalized experiences. This is in addition to highlighting good examples from the field and the successes that they’ve seen, because I think it’s really important to have that peer-to-peer learning element and have that engagement within the field themselves. From a measurement standpoint, we’re looking to tie engagement with Digital Rooms to deal outcomes so that we can better understand where our reps are moving the needle. SS: How exciting. Oh, last question for you, Lisa, and again, I appreciate you taking the time to talk us through all that you guys have done at PagerDuty. I would love to understand if you could give one piece of advice to other teams looking to get started with Digital Rooms, what would it be? LB: My biggest piece of advice is to start simple and make it applicable. Focus on creating space for your teams to get hands on and give them a safe environment to explore the tool. Build those templates that they can immediately use with their customers and also show them how using a Digital Room maps to their existing workflows so that it makes it as easy as possible for them to start implementing the tool in their day-to-day without it stressing them out about just another tool that they have to use. It’s something that they want to use to keep their buyers engaged. SS: I love that advice. I absolutely love that. Well, again, Lisa, thank you so much for joining us. I really appreciate your time today. LB: Thank you. I appreciate it. SS: To our audience, thank you for listening to this episode of the Win-Win podcast. Be sure to tune in next time from our insights on how you can maximize enablement success with Highspot.

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

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

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

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