Podcasts about southwest

You might think about bats as flitting around in the dark and hunting insects, but some species feed on fruits or flowers—and play an important role as pollinators. One place that role is crucial is in the relationship between bats and agave plants. Bat conservationist Kristen Lear joins Host Ira Flatow to describe efforts to restore agaves in the Southwest and Mexico, which has consequences for bats, for the ecosystems around the agave, and for your liquor cabinet, since agave is the source of drinks like tequila and mezcal.Plus, journalist Dan Fagin joins Ira to discuss his recent New York Times article on a new technology that is letting researchers follow individual monarch butterflies over the course of a thousand-mile migration. Guests:Dr. Kristen Lear is director of the Agave Restoration Initiative at Bat Conservation International, based in Austin, Texas.Dan Fagin is a science journalist and the director of the Science, Health & Environmental Reporting Program at New York University.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

This week we're sharing an episode from Business History, a podcast from Pushkin Industries. Former Planet Money hosts Jacob Goldstein and Robert Smith explore what the businesses of the past can teach us about commerce today. In this episode, Goldstein and Smith look at how Southwest Airlines developed a winning formula that forced its competitors to change how they did business — but then the Southwest model fell apart.Find Business History on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On Saturday, Megan broke a 15-year-old course record at Quad Dipsea! This episode shares everything about the journey in a “no secrets” style.The record was set by Caren Spore in 2010, back when Megan was playing field hockey and her biggest runs were wind-sprints. Years later, when Megan was in medical school in the Bay Area, the Quad became a bucket list event. But it never happened—a 28 mile race with 9000 feet of vertical gain and approximately three billion steps was just too much at that stage of her life.Then came the heart issues and 2 kids. This weekend, she got back on the brutal, stair-filled trails and WENT PRIMAL. We break it all down, featuring listener questions and hot takes on training, strength work, nutrition, heart rate, stairs, and so much more! Thank you all for being here for the wild ride. Come for the story about how we almost Home Alone'd the bicarb. Stay for the reminder to watch where you sit on Southwest.We love you all! HUZZAH!-Megan and DavidClick "Claim Your Sponsorship" for $40 free credit at The Feed here: thefeed.com/swap Buy Janji's amazing gear: https://janji.com (code "SWAP")The Wahoo KICKR Run is the best treadmill on the market: https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/running/treadmills/kickr-run-buy (code “SWAP”)For training plans, weekly bonus podcasts, articles, and videos: patreon.com/swap

In this episode, the hosts engage in a lively discussion that begins with chaotic introductions and quickly transitions into a debate about the hype surrounding actress Sydney Sweeney. They then delve into a critique of the recent adaptation of Frankenstein, exploring its pacing, character development, and visual effects. The conversation highlights the film's themes of creation and responsibility, drawing parallels to modern figures in technology. Ultimately, the hosts express a mix of appreciation and critique for the film, emphasizing the importance of character depth and the effectiveness of horror elements. In this engaging conversation, the hosts delve into the themes of character development and forgiveness in the context of Frankenstein, exploring the true nature of monstrosity. They discuss Guillermo del Toro's cinematic contributions, share personal movie experiences, and recommend various films, including a Mexican horror movie. The discussion shifts to the storytelling techniques of David Lynch, highlighting the unique humor in 'The Chair Company'. The episode concludes with light-hearted banter about their experiences and reflections on cinema.

Bruce and Gaydos explain Southwest's new policy changes coming in the new year.

If you've ever wondered where to start with travel points… this is the episode for you. Today we're doing a full deep dive on the Chase Sapphire Preferred — the #1 card I recommend to beginners, moms, families, small business owners, and anyone who wants to travel for (almost) free.This card is simple, powerful, beginner-friendly, and unlocks the fastest path to free flights and hotel stays — all with a low annual fee and perks that are actually useful.In this episode, we cover:✨ What You'll Learn• Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the ultimate starter card (and why it outperforms most “premium” cards for everyday travelers)• How the sign-up bonus alone can unlock $1,000–$2,000 in free travel Flights, Hyatt stays, Disney trips, Hawaiian vacations — all possible with ONE bonus.• How to earn points daily without changing your lifestyle 3x dining, 2x travel, and how broad Chase's travel category actually is.• The perks people don't talk about enough:$50 annual hotel creditPrimary rental car insurance (huge money saver!)No foreign transaction feesTrip delay, trip cancellation, and baggage coverage25% boost when booking through Chase Travel10% points bonus every yearDoorDash DashPass subscriptionInstacart+/Instacart statement credits• Why Ultimate Rewards points are some of the highest-value points on the market• When to redeem in the travel portal vs when to transfer to Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Southwest & more✨ Why Everyone Needs This CardThis episode makes the case for WHY the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best “foundation card” for:Families planning Disney or spring breakMoms wanting to save money but travel moreBeginners wanting one simple card that does it allSmall business owners wanting flexible, high-value pointsAnyone wanting free flights + free hotel nights ASAP✨ Links & ResourcesIf you're ready to start using points the right way:

El audio relata una experiencia personal de trail running, destacando la diversión y el ritmo individual frente a la competición en asfalto. María Pérez Arauz es galardonada como la mejor atleta del mundo outdoor por sus impresionantes logros, incluyendo doble medalla de oro en Tokio en 20 y 35 kilómetros marcha y cuatro títulos consecutivos en campeonatos mundiales. Se la compara con figuras como Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis y Mo Farah. También se nombran otros atletas premiados como Duplantis, Sebastián Southwest, Nicola Olyslagers, McLaughlin y Emmanuel Wanjunji. Duplantis y Sidney McLaughlin son reconocidos como atletas del año. El inminente maratón de Valencia se presenta como el más multitudinario y prestigioso de España. Un debutante, Bonri, comparte sus nervios y molestias físicas antes de la carrera. El atleta Chemita Martínez le ofrece consejos clave para la preparación: mantener las rutinas de alimentación, aumentar la ingesta de hidratos de carbono el viernes y sábado previos, y ...

Peter looks back on some highlights from this series and is joined by Becki Reay. Are there topics you'd like us to cover or guests you'd love to hear from? Get in touch by emailing us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk or by connecting with us on our socials @cornishmutual. Your feedback helps us shape the podcast to meet your needs.Farming Focus is the podcast for farmers in the South West of England, but is relevant for farmers outside of the region or indeed anyone in the wider industry or who has an interest in food and farming. For more information on Cornish Mutual visit cornishmutual.co.ukFor our podcast disclaimer click here. If you'd like to send us an email you can contact us at podcast@cornishmutual.co.uk 

In this powerful episode of Gangland Wire, retired Intelligence Unit detective Gary Jenkins sits down with Tegan Broadwater, a former Fort Worth Police officer, musician, and undercover operative whose story reads like a movie script. Broadwater takes listeners on a riveting journey from his early years as a professional musician to his dramatic turn infiltrating one of America's most dangerous street gangs—the Crips. Drawing from his book Life in the Fishbowl, he details how music, culture, and human connection became unexpected tools for survival and success inside the underworld. Listeners will hear: How Tegan Broadwater transitioned from touring musician to undercover police officer, bringing creativity and adaptability to the streets. The story of his two-year infiltration into the Crips—posing as a South Texas drug dealer with the help of a trusted informant. His insights into gang hierarchy, loyalty, and manipulation, and how understanding culture was key to earning trust. The moral challenges of living undercover—forming friendships with men he would eventually arrest. The emotional impact of a major gang raid that ended with over 50 arrests, and how it changed his outlook on justice and humanity. His decision to donate proceeds from his book to the children of incarcerated parents aims to break the cycle of violence. He continues to share lessons on leadership, empathy, and cultural understanding through his private security firm and new podcast projects.   Broadwater's story isn't just about crime and undercover operations—it's about identity, compassion, and the human cost of violence. This episode offers a rare look at what it means to live behind a mask while still holding onto one's purpose.

"Is time truly the greatest currency we possess?" That's the question Kent Hance opens with, setting the stage for an episode packed with wisdom, humor, and unforgettable stories. In this lively installment of "Kent Hance, The Best Storyteller in Texas," Kent dives deep into the value of time, sharing personal routines and life hacks that keep him sharp at 83 years old—including answering emails while on the treadmill and making calls while walking the halls. His philosophy: "People that organize their time and don't waste time are always successful." Listeners are treated to a masterclass in negotiation, as Kent reveals how physical fitness can give you an edge at the bargaining table The episode then takes flight with Kent's insider perspective on Southwest Airlines, from its humble beginnings sketched on a bar napkin to its transformation under new leadership. Kent's close friendship with legendary founder Herb Kelleher brings rare insights, including the story of how a baggage handler's suggestion revolutionized turnaround times and how Herb's "customers always right" mantra shaped the airline's culture. Kent doesn't shy away from the big changes facing Southwest, expressing concern over the loss of free baggage and the shift to assigned seating. His candid reflections are peppered with classic Kent Hance humor—like his trick for keeping the middle seat empty and his take on flying with pets: "If you need a dog to fly, then don't fly." The episode rounds out with heartwarming tales of family reunions, Thanksgiving gatherings, and the enduring importance of connecting with loved ones. Kent's storytelling is as sharp as ever, leaving listeners with memorable quotes such as, "The greatest currency is time," and practical advice: "Be sure and get plenty of exercise, and take care of your time." Whether you're a fan of Texas lore, business wisdom, or just great storytelling, this episode is a must-listen. Kent's blend of humor, insight, and authenticity will leave you inspired to make the most of every moment. Host Background Kent Hance is a celebrated Texas storyteller, former chancellor, and seasoned negotiator whose colorful career spans law, politics, and business. His close relationships with industry icons like Herb Kelleher and his firsthand experience with Southwest Airlines make him uniquely qualified to discuss the airline's evolution and the importance of leadership, culture, and customer service. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments "People that organize their time and don't waste time are always successful." "If you need a dog to fly, then don't fly." "The greatest currency is time." The story of the baggage handler's suggestion that changed Southwest's turnaround times. Kent's humorous advice for keeping the middle seat empty: "Get that barf bag and open it and look at it." Call-to-Action Enjoyed Kent's stories and insights? Don't miss a single episode—subscribe now, leave a review, and share this episode with friends who appreciate great storytelling and Texas wisdom. Connect with us on Instagram at @best storyteller podcast and join the conversation!  

In this inspiring episode of The Determined Society, host Shawn French sits down with Greg Rosenbaum, SVP of Programming at South by Southwest and a 15-year veteran behind one of the most influential festivals in the world.From dyslexia to leadership, Greg shares the personal and professional journey that shaped him, and how SXSW has become a global model for community, creativity, and connection across music, film, TV, technology, comedy, and education.Greg reveals how adversity forced SXSW to reinvent itself after losing its long-standing convention center home, and why focusing on community over convenience transformed everything.He also opens up about mentorship, parenting, discipline, creativity, and the mindset required to build a festival that helps thousands of artists, innovators, and storytellers share their work with the world. Key Takeaways-Reinvention happens when adversity demands creativity, community must guide every major decision.-Dyslexia shaped Greg's determination, discipline, and belief in incremental progress.-SXSW thrives because it bridges industries, music, film, innovation, comedy, and education under one roof.-The festival's 40th year challenged the team to reimagine everything, leading to a more immersive, city-wide experience.-Networking is the real “cheat code”, authentic connection accelerates growth faster than any strategy.-Discipline in fitness and routine fuels creativity, clarity, and leadership.-Presence is the foundation of great parenting, partnership, and professional impact. Connect with me :https://link.me/theshawnfrench?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY2s9TipS1cPaEZZ9h692pnV-rlsO-lzvK6LSFGtkKZ53WvtCAYTKY7lmQ_aem_OY08g381oa759QqTr7iPGAGreg Rosenbaumhttps://www.instagram.com/sxsw/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of the Migration Report, Tyler breaks down fresh updates from across Wisconsin as cold temps, snow, and rapid freeze-up reshape the waterfowl landscape. We cover real-time reports from the Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast regions — including diver activity on Green Bay, the end of the North Zone duck season, late-season honker patterns, and how fast-changing ice conditions are impacting access. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11.30.25- Opera Southwest: The Farolitos of Christmas by Generation Justice

Detroit is in the middle of a historic transformation—powered increasingly by technology, workforce innovation, and community-driven economic mobility. As industries shift and new tech corridors rise, cities like Detroit are asking a critical question: How do we ensure the future of innovation belongs to everyone who lives here? The upcoming launch of the University of Michigan Center for Innovation (UMCI) in 2027 puts that question squarely on the table, offering Detroit a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape an inclusive innovation ecosystem from the ground up.So, this special edition of DisruptED asks: What does it look like to build a world-class innovation hub with Detroit—not just for Detroit?Join host Ron J. Stefanski as he talks with Lutalo Sanifu, Director of Community Engagement at the University of Michigan Center for Innovation, about how UMCI is transforming education, workforce development, and community partnership across Detroit. From micro-credentials and youth STEAM programming to breaking down academic silos and building an innovation corridor between Detroit and Ann Arbor, this conversation covers the expansive vision now taking shape.Top insights from the talk…Designing learning with Detroiters: UMCI is co-creating programs through focus groups, community meetings, and collaborative curriculum design—ensuring the center is a welcoming public space shaped by the people it serves.Reinventing workforce development: From micro-credentials to stackable badges, to pathways starting at age 14, the center aims to build inclusive, intergenerational access to career mobility across fields like artificial intelligence, mobility, clean energy, and entrepreneurship.Cross-department innovation at scale: For the first time, multiple U-M colleges—from engineering to urban planning to sustainability—are co-creating applied, community-informed programs that flow between Detroit and Ann Arbor.Lutalo Sanifu is a lifelong Detroiter and the Director of Community Engagement at the University of Michigan Center for Innovation. Prior to joining UMCI, he served as Director of Resilience, Safety and Business District Services at Jefferson East Inc., overseeing sustainability, public safety, business support, real estate development, and extensive community outreach. His career reflects deep experience engaging residents across Detroit's East Side, Southwest, and West Side neighborhoods. At UMCI, he leads the effort to design programs with community voice at the center—bridging university expertise, workforce needs, and local aspirations into a unified vision for Detroit's innovation future.

The "friendly skies" are stormy! ⛈️ Southwest Airlines is facing a lawsuit from its pilots union over claims of intimidation and punishment for union activity. A federal appeals court ruled the case is serious enough to go to trial, saying the airline's actions could "weaken or destroy the union." What happened to "Do the Right Thing"?

Taxing and redistributing wealth to reduce inequality is an idea popular on the left, and is being pushed by some politicians including Green Party leader Zack Polanski. But it's loathed by others who believe people should be able to hang on to what they have, whether that's earned or inherited.This week we're joined by Frances Howe, co-founder of local collective Bristol Redistro, which rather than a top-down tax asks people who have more money than they need to voluntarily chuck some of it into a pot. This is divided up by a panel of locals and given to grassroots organisations. Its most recent funding round helped groups in Knowle West, St Paul's, Hengrove and Hartcliffe as well as others serving marginalised communities across the city. How does this work, and what difference does it make? Why is it different from giving to charity? And with the cost of living biting, why should people be giving up their wealth in the first place? We get into these questions, and more on this latest episode of Unpacked.The Bristol Cable is Bristol's community-owned cooperative newsroom – fiercely independent journalism that puts people before profit. Since 2014, we've been holding power to account through investigative reporting, community campaigns, and democratic media ownership. Because when journalism serves the community, not shareholders, real change becomes possible.Support independent journalism and help us bring more vital conversations to Bristol: become a Bristol Cable member.

In this inspiring episode of The Determined Society, host Shawn French sits down with Greg Rosenbaum, SVP of Programming at South by Southwest and a 15-year veteran behind one of the most influential festivals in the world.From dyslexia to leadership, Greg shares the personal and professional journey that shaped him, and how SXSW has become a global model for community, creativity, and connection across music, film, TV, technology, comedy, and education.Greg reveals how adversity forced SXSW to reinvent itself after losing its long-standing convention center home, and why focusing on community over convenience transformed everything.He also opens up about mentorship, parenting, discipline, creativity, and the mindset required to build a festival that helps thousands of artists, innovators, and storytellers share their work with the world. Key Takeaways-Reinvention happens when adversity demands creativity, community must guide every major decision.-Dyslexia shaped Greg's determination, discipline, and belief in incremental progress.-SXSW thrives because it bridges industries, music, film, innovation, comedy, and education under one roof.-The festival's 40th year challenged the team to reimagine everything, leading to a more immersive, city-wide experience.-Networking is the real “cheat code”, authentic connection accelerates growth faster than any strategy.-Discipline in fitness and routine fuels creativity, clarity, and leadership.-Presence is the foundation of great parenting, partnership, and professional impact. Connect with me :https://link.me/theshawnfrench?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaY2s9TipS1cPaEZZ9h692pnV-rlsO-lzvK6LSFGtkKZ53WvtCAYTKY7lmQ_aem_OY08g381oa759QqTr7iPGAGreg Rosenbaumhttps://www.instagram.com/sxsw/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, we head deep into the Appalachian spine to uncover one of America's most enduring mountain mysteries: the Wood Booger. Known across Southwest Virginia and neighboring highland communities, this legend reaches back long before European settlers ever set foot on these ridges.Indigenous nations carried generations of warnings about wild men in the forest—the Monacan and Mannahoac spoke of untamed beings in the woods, and Cherokee stories told of Tsul ‘Kalu, the slant-eyed giant who watched from the highest places. These accounts weren't bedtime tales. They were cautionary history.We open with a startling story tied to the final chapter of Daniel Boone's life. In his last year, Boone reportedly confided a secret he'd kept for decades: an encounter with a ten-foot-tall, hair-covered creature he called a “Yahoo.” We dig into the historical trail behind this claim, drawing from John Mack Faragher's landmark Boone biography and Theodore Roosevelt's writings on Boone's Kentucky expeditions to weigh what's legend, what's record, and what still refuses to fit neatly into either. From there, we travel to Norton, Virginia—modern ground zero for Wood Booger research. This tiny mountain city, the smallest independent city in the state, has built a surprising identity around the creature. We explore the region's coal-mining roots and the eerie stories miners carried out of the tunnels beneath these ancient mountains. We also visit nearby Saltville, where humans have mined salt for thousands of years—and where reports of something unexplainable have echoed just as long. The investigation then turns to one of the most talked-about pieces of evidence in recent memory: the 2009 Beast of Gum Hill video. When Chuck Newton captured footage of a massive biped stepping out of the Washington County treeline, the clip drew national attention—and eventually brought the Finding Bigfoot television crew to Southwest Virginia. We revisit the town hall they hosted at the Palmer Grist Mill in Saltville, where the turnout stunned everyone: hunters, hikers, families, and a teenager who described being struck by a rock moments after locking eyes with a dark figure on a hillside. We break down decades of witness descriptions to build a composite profile of the Wood Booger—its reported height and muscular build, the powerful odor so often mentioned in sightings, and the vocalizations that roll through hollows at night.You'll hear accounts from hunters encountering something impossibly close in tree stands, truck drivers watching a hulking form cross Route 23 at three in the morning, and a woman outside Bristol who met the creature in her headlights on a quiet back road near Mendota. The scientific discussion brings us to the work of the late Dr. Jeffrey Meldrum, who examined hundreds of footprint casts and argued that certain evidence was extraordinarily difficult to dismiss. We look at reported dermal ridges, the mid-tarsal break that doesn't match human foot anatomy, and hair samples that have resisted definitive identification while showing traits consistent with primates.We also ask the bigger question: why Appalachia? With landscapes over 400 million years old, heavily forested terrain (West Virginia alone is nearly 80% woodland), and massive networks of caves and underground passages, this region offers remoteness in plain sight.Add abundant food sources, low population density, and a deep culture of silence, and you get a place where encounters could remain unreported for generations.Some of the most powerful moments come from childhood witnesses—people who saw something before they had words for fear or disbelief. One woman recounts being eight years old when she locked eyes with a creature across a creek behind her grandparents' home. Instead of dismissing her, her grandmother sat her down and told her about the hairy man who had lived in these mountains longer than anyone could remember.We close in Norton, where the city has openly embraced its Wood Booger heritage: a council resolution declaring Norton a Wood Booger sanctuary, a seven-foot statue at Flag Rock Recreation Area, the Wood Booger Grill on Park Avenue, and an annual festival that brings visitors from across the country. What was once a struggling coal town has reinvented itself around a legend many locals never doubted was real.This episode is dedicated to the witnesses who carried their encounters in silence—afraid of ridicule, isolation, or being labeled crazy. The hunters who came home shaken and quiet. The hikers who saw something on the trail they could never unsee. The kids who weren't believed when they tried to tell the truth. You're not alone. You're not imagining things. And your story matters.

This week, Trent Fleskens hosts Brendon Ptolomey for his quarterly update on WA's regional property market. They discuss the latest trends in the property markets of Sydney and Perth, highlighting the high prices and limited supply in Sydney compared to Perth. They provide an in-depth analysis of the property markets in Karratha, South Hedland, Geraldton, Exmouth, and the Southwest townships, noting significant rent increases and strong buyer activity. The conversation explores the potential for further price increases driven by low vacancy rates and investor interest, sparking discussions on the long-term development and economic evolution of these regions. Special attention is given to the impacts of tourism, defense investments, and the role of Airbnb in regional areas. The session concludes with reflections on the surprisingly bullish outlook for WA's regional centers.

Author Terry Tempest Williams describes the various "personalities" of a dozen US national parks and examines each one's contributions to the American character. Then historian Flannery Burke tells us how Arizona and New Mexico came to embody what we now think of as the Great Southwest. And travel writer Christopher Solomon enjoys getting dusty on a mountain-bike tour across southern Utah. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

Podcasting hours before the biggest and windiest night i have ever had, we had to sleep upright in our cars...Brought to you by WA Camping AdventuresPlease sit back and enjoy!"WACA10" for 10% OFF ALL SHELTER ONLINE BEER AND MERCH"WACA10" discount code for all TIEGEAR GEAR!!"WACA10" discount code for all CANVAS PRODUCTS FROM TRC CONCEPTS!!!www.trc-concepts.com.auWA Camping Adventures Patreon Link: LOADS OF EXTRAS!!!https://www.patreon.com/wacampingadventuresEVERYMAN CHATS PODCAST SUBSCRIPTION SUPPORT!!!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2133601/supporters/new WA Camping Adventures MERCH!:https://www.wacampingadventures.com.au/Follow WA CAMPING ADVENTURES of INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK!WA Camping Adventures Podcast:https://www.buzzsprout.com/2133601Support the showEmail your questions and thoughts to info@wacampingadventures.com.auWA Camping Adventures on youtube, instagram and facebookSubscribe if you can relateSupport the showEmail your questions and thoughts to info@wacampingadventures.com.auWA Camping Adventures on youtube, instagram and facebookSubscribe if you can relate

Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Analytic⁠Join The Normandy For Additional Bonus Audio And Visual Content For All Things Nme+! Join Here: ⁠https://ow.ly/msoH50WCu0K⁠Analytic Dreamz breaks down Virlán García's bold independent statement Mi Entorno in this detailed Notorious Mass Effect segment. The Guasave, Sinaloa native (born Jesús Virlán Báez García) released his introspective 12-track album October 9, 2025 via La Cima Records, exploring personal growth, loyalty, selective circles, and life beyond major labels. Six weeks in, Analytic Dreamz tracks the numbers: 5M global Spotify album streams, 1.2M on the title single, 15K digital units, 8.8M monthly listeners, 70% U.S.-driven streams (65% Southwest/border states), weekend doubles, +50% spike after Viva Latino placement, and a +30% surge from a Mexican beer commercial sync. From indie revenue retention to catalog uplift (+15%) and projected 10M streams by year-end, this segment covers every key stat, geographic trend, and why Mi Entorno marks García's mature evolution in modern regional Mexican music. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/analytic-dreamz-notorious-mass-effect/donationsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Major changes in hunting access, fisheries policy, and fall opportunities every outdoorsman should hear. This week's TSV Roundup delivers a packed briefing on the biggest conservation and policy developments shaping hunting, fishing, and outdoor access across the country. We open with Massachusetts' sweeping new gun laws—and what those changes mean for hunters, sportsmen, and future access on Bay State lands. You'll hear why these policies are raising red flags for gun owners, conservation advocates, and anyone concerned about the future of lawful hunting traditions. From there, we break down how Federal Duck Stamp dollars continue to drive waterfowl habitat restoration, wetlands conservation, and public access for waterfowl hunters. If you chase ducks, dabble in waterfowl hunting, or just want a deeper understanding of how wetlands get funded, this segment gives you the essential context behind one of America's most successful conservation tools. We also cover a major forest restoration effort on Oregon's Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forest—work that strengthens wildlife habitat, supports big-game hunting opportunities, improves watersheds, and reduces wildfire risk across critical access areas. In the Southwest, we provide a clear update on CWD surveillance in Arizona and what hunters should know about testing rules, carcass transport, and keeping this devastating disease out of the state. Finally, we close with fall fishing opportunities across the Great Plains, including trout stocking updates, cold-water angling strategies, and why musky and winter trout fishing are heating up as temperatures cool. Whether you hunt deer, chase ducks, or fish through the fall, this episode equips you with the insider knowledge you need heading into the holiday season.   Get the FREE Sportsmen's Voice e-publication in your inbox every Monday: www.congressionalsportsmen.org/newsletter   Follow The Sportsmen's Voice wherever you get your podcasts: https://podfollow.com/1705085498  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joining us first is Kimiko Donahue, whose career spans music and entrepreneurship. She is a recognized singer, the founder of Allegro Insurance Group, and the creator of BizFit Meal Solutions.Then, get ready to meet Jason McKibben from Guild Mortgage. Jason brings a wealth of experience from his time as a football coach at Desert Christian High School and his leadership role as the lead pastor of Remnant of Tucson.

Georgia O'Keeffe was an American artist known for her bold and colorful paintings. She loved painting things from nature, like giant close-up flowers, desert rocks, and animal bones she found in the Southwest. O'Keeffe spent many years living in New Mexico, where the bright skies and mountains inspired her artwork. She became one of the most important women in modern art, breaking old art rules and creating a style all her own. Today, people admire her paintings in museums all over the world.

  Here at Christian Outdoors, we relish the opportunity to highlight other ministries. Whether their focus is on Veterans and First Responders, or "regular folks". We share the responsibility to bring others into the kingdom. Today is no different.    Today's guest is Clark Bartee, and Clark has a passion for Pastors and church leaders and has a ministry geared towards helping them to decompress and get away by flyfishing in Eastern Tennessee.    Clark Bartee is the executive director and founder of High Ground Outfitters, but the most important role is being a child of God, husband to Hannah, and father to Boone. Clark Bartee lives with his Family in East Tennessee, and has been in ministry and outdoor recreation for 10 years with a majority of his vocation in Christian retreats and in Church ministry. After God opened doors to guide in Montana and Western North Carolina he is merging his passion for Christian ministry and formation with professional guiding to offer life giving fly fishing trips and retreats. High Ground Outfitters operates in North East Tennessee on the South Holston River and Watauga River, as well as offering trips in the surrounding areas of Western NC, and Southwest, VA.   www.highgroundoutfitters.org  www.taurususa.com www.cva.com www.himtnjerky.com www.murrelloptics.com www.jumpmedic.com www.christianoutdoors.org www.citrusafe.com www.elimishieldhunt.com  

Learn how to spot real Black Friday deals and reshape your budget with a step-by-step money makeover. What should you watch for on Black Friday to avoid fake discounts? How can you reset your budget when debt and housing costs squeeze you? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss holiday shopping and budgeting to help you spend smarter without regrets. First, Amanda Barroso joins Elizabeth to break down Black Friday 2025: why the season now stretches from October through Cyber Monday, how members-only promos (think Prime, store cards, Walmart+) and stacked discounts can boost real savings, and why Buy Now, Pay Later could hit your credit score if you miss payments as new scoring models roll out. They also talk about dynamic pricing, where to expect the deepest markdowns (tech, toys, beauty, small appliances), and low-lift ways to track prices so you don't fall for “half deals.” Then, listener Shelby joins Sean and Elizabeth for a Budget Rehab using the 50/30/20 framework. They discuss right-sizing “needs” when housing is eating up a large chunk of take-home pay, ways to accelerate payoff on 20%+ APR cards (including a 0% balance transfer and when to combine multiple balances), and how to keep momentum while protecting essentials like a starter emergency fund and capturing a 401(k) match. They also cover fine-tuning wants so they take up less income, using side hustles to help with debt payoff, planning ahead for a 3-2-1 mortgage buydown reset and possible refinance, and simple tracking tactics that align spending with values. Resources mentioned in this episode: What to Buy (and Skip) on Black Friday 2025: https://www.nerdwallet.com/finance/learn/what-to-buy-skip-black-friday  NerdWallet Advisor Match: https://www.nerdwallet.com/l/advisor-match-sem-fiduciary  Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: Black Friday deals, buy now pay later, 50/30/20 budget, balance transfer credit card, credit card debt payoff, dynamic pricing, price tracking, zero APR credit card, credit score impact, FICO scoring changes, holiday shopping budget, real vs fake discounts, Prime member deals, Walmart Plus deals, Target Black Friday, gift card discounts, streaming service deals, thrifting gifts, sinking fund, high-yield savings account, emergency fund, 401k match, HSA contributions, IRA contributions, debt avalanche method, wants vs needs, refinancing a mortgage, 3-2-1 buydown, HOA costs, grocery budget tips, Austin cost of living, side hustle income, calendar payment reminders, credit utilization, hard vs soft inquiry, credit card APR, Southwest credit card, Chase Freedom, budget rehab, Nerd hotline To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you excessively tired with your hair falling out, nails always breaking, brain often foggy or sometimes, despite having youth on your side, maybe forgetting how to form a sentence? These are amongst the symptoms of iron deficiency, often underdiagnosed. Nuala McGovern will be speaking to Dr Sue Pavord, Consultant Haematologist and President of the British Society for Haematology, and freelance journalist Rose Stokes.The Royal College of Pathologists say that a shortage of consultants means that "1 in 5 families are now waiting 6 months or more, and some longer than 12 months" for post mortems. The 'paediatric and perinatal pathology workforce' report said there were no paediatric or perinatal pathology consultants in the South West, the Midlands or Northern Ireland. Dr Clair Evans, the chair of the college's advisory committee - a Consultant Paediatric and Perinatal pathologist explains the situation further. At lunchtime on Wednesday the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, will unveil her much anticipated second budget. How could this budget affect the lives of women in 2026? We're joined by the BBC's Cost of Living correspondent Colletta Smith, to talk us through what we might see in the red briefcase on Wednesday. A self-portrait by Frida Kahlo has just sold for $55 million in New York. It is the highest price ever paid for a work by a female artist. To illustrate the magnitude of the difference, a painting by Klimt was also sold recently for $236m. Professor Renee Adams is a professor of finance at Oxford Saïd business school and researches the role of gender in the art market, where women's works generally achieve much lower values. She explains why and what needs to change. As part of the BBC 2 Civilisations series, tonight's programme looks at the rise and fall of the Aztec Empire and the part that a young woman played in its demise. She was called Malintzin and acted as translator at the momentous first meeting in 1519 between Montezuma, the ruler of the vast Aztec Empire, and the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. To find out more about Malintzin and her role in Mexican history and culture Nuala is joined by Dr Elizabeth Baquedano, from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London and Dr Jessica Fernández de Lara Harada from the University of Oxford.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Mark Schaefer returns to our show, bringing with him a wealth of insights from his latest book about the sweeping changes AI is bringing to sales and marketing. As part of a global research initiative with 300 futurists, Mark shares his predictions for AI's impact by 2035, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges businesses face, especially those small to medium-sized. We explore how tech giants are seamlessly weaving AI into their strategies and why it's crucial for smaller enterprises to comprehend and act on AI's transformative power to stay relevant and competitive.  Our conversation takes a closer look at AI's role in reshaping marketing strategies and customer engagement. Traditional metrics are giving way to data-driven insights, marking a shift in how businesses connect with consumers. While AI-generated content is becoming more prevalent, we emphasize the irreplaceable value of authentic, human-centric content. The discussion touches on the enduring importance of human creativity and expression, even as AI attempts to replicate empathy and innovation. Personal preferences, it seems, still hold weight against AI's recommendations, underscoring a unique space for human intuition and creativity.  We also investigate the profound implications AI bears on human relationships and business operations. As AI continues to streamline processes, the human element remains vital in building meaningful connections and trust. Through exploring personal branding, community building, and the essence of vulnerability, we highlight the irreplaceable human touch in a world increasingly intertwined with AI technologies. Mark's insights serve as a reminder that while AI may reshape certain aspects of our interactions, the authentic essence of human experience and empathy remains at the core of genuine relationships and successful business endeavors.  Mark W. Schaefer is a globally recognized author, keynote speaker, futurist, and business consultant who blogs at {grow} — one of the top five marketing blogs in the world. He teaches graduate marketing classes at Rutgers University and has written 12 best-selling books. Mark's new book Audacious: How Humans Win in an AI Marketing World describes an essential framework for businesses to stand out and be seen in a noisy world. His many global clients include Pfizer, Cisco, P&G, Dell, Adidas, and the US Air Force. He has been a keynote speaker at prestigious events worldwide, including South by Southwest, Marketing Summit Tokyo, and the Institute for International and European Affairs. Mark has appeared as a guest on various media channels, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and CBS News.   Quotes:  "AI is not just about technological advancements; it's about how it rewires our brains and influences consumer behavior."   "In a world dominated by AI-generated content, the irreplaceable value of authentic, human-centric content remains."   "The human element is vital in building meaningful connections and trust, even as AI continues to streamline processes."  "While AI can mimic empathy and creativity, genuine human expression holds enduring value."    Links:  Mark's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwschaefer/ How AI Changes Your Customers - https://businessesgrow.com/how-ai-changes-your-customers/ Find this episode and all other Sales Lead Dog episodes at https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ 

In this time-sensitive episode,  Certified Financial Planner™ and GA pilot Tim Pope unpacks the new Market-Based Cash Balance Plan (MBCBP) for American Airlines pilots ahead of the December 15 opt-in deadline. He explains how the plan captures NEC spillover beyond 401(k) limits, who qualifies, and how it differs from other carriers.What You'll Learn from This EpisodePlan Basics: How the MBCBP captures NEC spillover when 401(k) limits are hit—by percentage caps or dollar thresholds.Spill Cash Thresholds: When to expect spill cash based on whether you max your 401(k) (key earnings markers: $264k vs. $360k).3-Year Election Window: How American's election differs from Delta, United, and Southwest—and offers added flexibility.Planning Flexibility: When opting out or in may make sense.Investment Gaps: Why lack of allocation transparency can hinder holistic planning with outside advisors.401(k) vs. MBCBP: Key differences in investment control, Roth conversion flexibility, and contribution mechanics.Creditor & Beneficiary Rules: Features that are consistent between this plan and your 401(k).Roth Strategy Fit: How the MBCBP can indirectly support Roth conversions by freeing up tax-free shelf-space elsewhere.Use Case Thinking: This plan isn't good or bad—it's a tool that must align with your financial phase.Deadline Reminder: Election closes December 15, 2025—locked in (or out) for three years.Resources:Schedule An AppointmentOur Practice's WebsiteSend Us Your Questions: info@pilotsportfolio.comThis episode is sponsored by: Beacon RelocationBeacon Relocation is a real estate firm helping pilots and air traffic controllers save money on their real estate transactions. By tapping into their network of over 1500 real estate agents across the country, pilots can save 20% of the real estate agent's commission towards your closing cost on the sale or purchase of your home. Visit https://www.beaconrelocation.com/ to learn more. Timothy P. Pope is a Certified Financial Planner™and principal owner of 360 Aviation Advisors, LLC (“360 Aviation Advisors”), a registered investment advisory firm. Investment advisory services are provided through 360 Aviation Advisors, in its separate and individual capacity as a registered investment adviser. Podcast episodes are provided through Pilot's Portfolio, in its separate and individual capacity. We try to provide content that is true and accurate as of the date of publishing; however, we give no assurance or warranty regarding the accuracy, timeliness, or applicability of any of the contents. We assume no responsibility for information contained on this website and disclaim all liability in respect of such information, including but not limited to any liability for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or misleading or defamatory statements. Links to external websites are provided solely for your convenience. We accept no liability for any linked sites or their content and remind you that we have no control over their content. When visiting external web sites, users should review those websites' privacy policies and other terms of use to learn more about, what, why and how they collect and use any personally identifiable information. Usage of this content constitutes an explicit understanding and acceptance of the terms of this disclaimer.

Joey and his son went to the store, and the lady that checked their receipt before they left asked Joey’s son (who is 12 years old) if he wanted her to draw a smiley face on the receipt. They both thought that it was weird. A bald eagle dropped a cat onto a lady’s car, and it completely shattered her windshield. Monday Morning Wake Up Call with Two 12-year Olds! A Southwest airline passenger was escorted out of an airport for screaming at a gate agent. The Department of Transportation wants to stop unruly behavior by having people do things like say please and thank you, help others, and dress up to fly. Hot Tea: Jelly Roll’s wife, Bunnie XO, is going to jail because she has been unknowingly driving on a suspended license. Luke Combs couldn’t get anyone to collab with him on his new album. Former President George Bush called his daughter’s show, Jenna and Friends, “dumb.” Stranger Things season five comes out this week! Joey is super excited about it. Nancy has been watching a show on Netflix called Absentia and loves it so far. Kidsgiving is back! Our third annual toy drive benefiting Helping Mamas Knoxville will be December 6th from 1pm to 4pm at Foothills Mall. Bring new and used toys! Nancy called Joey’s mom to ask her to move her Thanksgiving time, and it didn’t go very well. One Minute with Mike Keith! Nancy’s daughter’s boyfriend is determined to cook a Thanksgiving dish this year even though he’s never cooked before. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Scottsdale Vibes, we're shining a spotlight on a grassroots group that's quietly making an impact across our city.  Raquel Diehm joins me to share the story behind Scottsdale Serve Squad, a community-led movement that's serving our neighbors with compassion, connection, and heart. Today, we're talking about an uplifting community effort… happening right here in our backyard: the Scottsdale Serve Squad. If you follow them on Instagram, you've probably seen the photos of volunteers handing out water, snacks, blankets, hygiene kits… simple but meaningful items that bring comfort to people who need it most. But what makes this group special isn't just what they hand out. It's how they show up… with presence, kindness, and a message that every person is seen and valued. And at the heart of it all is founder Raquel Diehm, who started this movement after seeing a need in our community and refusing to look away. Today she's here to share how Serve Squad began, how it's grown, and how you can get involved. Calendar of Events Experience the Joy of the Season with Scottsdale Quarter's Holiday Festivities They're featuring a dazzling lineup of concerts, community giving, and festive fun All Season Long Visit their website for all of the details. https://scottsdalequarter.com/   Christmas at the Princess Now THROUGH January 3rd, 2026 Now in their 16th season…. Join them for the Southwest's most extraordinary celebration, where generations of Scottsdale residents and visitors gather for an enchanting and treasured holiday tradition unlike any other. Visit their website to buy tickets   https://www.christmasattheprincess.com/   Barrett Jackson Car Collector Auction January 17-25, 2026 at Westworld of Scottsdale  Check out thousands of the world's most sought-after, unique and valuable automobiles on display and on the auction block in front of a global audience. There's so much to do and see- Including the kick off concert with Cole Swindell All of the info is on their website as well.   https://www.barrett-jackson.com/2026-scottsdale   GOODBYE!!   

Fresh reports are in from all four regions of Wisconsin as the waterfowl season winds down. Tyler breaks down diver numbers on Green Bay, stale mallards in the Northwest, urban-locked birds in the Southeast, and a surprise diver push on the river in the Southwest. Ice, low water, weather swings, and minimal hunting pressure all shaped this week's migration activity. Tune in for the latest Wisconsin duck migration update and what hunters can expect heading into the final stretch of the season. Check out the following links for even more content: Instagram Facebook Youtube More About the Upduck Podcast Subscribe on Spotify Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina talks with writer/actor/comedian Michael Strassner about his new film The Baltimorons, directed by Jay Duplass, a story shaped by the spirit of Baltimore and the most personal chapters of Strassner's own life.They talk about blending humor and drama, how Strassner channels his personal history, including struggles with addiction, recovery, and self-reinvention, into the story. He also discusses the film's unexpected romance, having his own family in the film, and much more.The Baltimorons won the Audience Award at South by Southwest 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Scottsdale Vibes, we're shining a spotlight on a grassroots group that's quietly making an impact across our city.  Raquel Diehm joins me to share the story behind Scottsdale Serve Squad, a community-led movement that's serving our neighbors with compassion, connection, and heart. Today, we're talking about an uplifting community effort… happening right here in our backyard: the Scottsdale Serve Squad. If you follow them on Instagram, you've probably seen the photos of volunteers handing out water, snacks, blankets, hygiene kits… simple but meaningful items that bring comfort to people who need it most. But what makes this group special isn't just what they hand out. It's how they show up… with presence, kindness, and a message that every person is seen and valued. And at the heart of it all is founder Raquel Diehm, who started this movement after seeing a need in our community and refusing to look away. Today she's here to share how Serve Squad began, how it's grown, and how you can get involved. Calendar of Events Experience the Joy of the Season with Scottsdale Quarter's Holiday Festivities They're featuring a dazzling lineup of concerts, community giving, and festive fun All Season Long Visit their website for all of the details. https://scottsdalequarter.com/   Christmas at the Princess Now THROUGH January 3rd, 2026 Now in their 16th season…. Join them for the Southwest's most extraordinary celebration, where generations of Scottsdale residents and visitors gather for an enchanting and treasured holiday tradition unlike any other. Visit their website to buy tickets   https://www.christmasattheprincess.com/   Barrett Jackson Car Collector Auction January 17-25, 2026 at Westworld of Scottsdale  Check out thousands of the world's most sought-after, unique and valuable automobiles on display and on the auction block in front of a global audience. There's so much to do and see- Including the kick off concert with Cole Swindell All of the info is on their website as well.   https://www.barrett-jackson.com/2026-scottsdale   GOODBYE!!   

Joey and his son went to the store, and the lady that checked their receipt before they left asked Joey’s son (who is 12 years old) if he wanted her to draw a smiley face on the receipt. They both thought that it was weird. A bald eagle dropped a cat onto a lady’s car, and it completely shattered her windshield. Monday Morning Wake Up Call with Two 12-year Olds! A Southwest airline passenger was escorted out of an airport for screaming at a gate agent. The Department of Transportation wants to stop unruly behavior by having people do things like say please and thank you, help others, and dress up to fly. Hot Tea: Jelly Roll’s wife, Bunnie XO, is going to jail because she has been unknowingly driving on a suspended license. Luke Combs couldn’t get anyone to collab with him on his new album. Former President George Bush called his daughter’s show, Jenna and Friends, “dumb.” Stranger Things season five comes out this week! Joey is super excited about it. Nancy has been watching a show on Netflix called Absentia and loves it so far. Kidsgiving is back! Our third annual toy drive benefiting Helping Mamas Knoxville will be December 6th from 1pm to 4pm at Foothills Mall. Bring new and used toys! Nancy called Joey’s mom to ask her to move her Thanksgiving time, and it didn’t go very well. One Minute with Mike Keith! Nancy’s daughter’s boyfriend is determined to cook a Thanksgiving dish this year even though he’s never cooked before. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send Bidemi a Text Message!In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde unpacks four seemingly disconnected American stories: a Houston food critic's "toe touch" approach to restaurants, a Phoenix community organizer rebuilding neighborhoods from the ground up, the quiet expansion of charter schools in Florida, and rehab scams targeting Native American communities in the Southwest. He then reveals the hidden tech threads running through them all. From social media reviews and digital organizing tools to data-driven education policy and Medicaid billing fraud, Bidemi explores how technology can empower communities or quietly erode trust, and what it means for everyday people trying to eat well, learn well, and get well in a rapidly changing world. Support the show

Send us a textWhile I was researching the history of California, the history of Florida and the Pacific Crest Trail, there was a common thread, atrocities done to the first people to inhabit North America.I've hiked to places where blood was shed and sometimes I've found a marker, but often not. This is a history we need to remember, a pain that should be looked at straight on, and a healing that can only happen if we are honest about this part of United States history.Feels like Thanksgiving is a good time to have this conversation.Let's get into it.***The dissemination of this history in no way makes up for what was done to First People. And no podcast episode can heal a hurt. As a woman born in North America, I respect whatever path to heal the First People take. It is simply my goal to keep the history alive and offer a hand and a bear hug to those that need it.I don't accept sponsors and paid advertisers. I choose people, podcasts and authors I believe in to highlight in the ad segment. That's why I've been shining a spotlight on Derek Condit at Mystical Wares. He is both talented and generous with those gifts. Please give his books a look on the Mystical Wares website.Curious Cat Crew on Socials:Curious Cat on Twitter (X)Curious Cat on InstagramCurious Cat on TikTokArt Director, Nora, has a handmade, ethically-sourced jewelry company!

Success in professional services isn't about doing more—it's about doing less, but doing it exceptionally well. In this episode of The IC-DISC Show, I sit down with Raffi Yousefian, CEO of The Fork CPAs, to talk about how extreme specialization transformed his accounting firm from a general practice into the leading restaurant and bar controllership service in the country. Raffi shares the counterintuitive journey of deliberately shrinking his client base to accelerate growth, ultimately tripling revenue within 18 months of selling off 30% of his practice. We explore how Raffi evolved from serving three industries to exclusively focusing on restaurants and bars, and why weekly financial reporting creates competitive advantages that monthly statements simply can't provide. He breaks down the economics of restaurant operations, explaining why 2% savings in food costs can represent an entire profit margin when you're working with businesses that operate on 5-7% net profits. The conversation reveals how subscription pricing combined with deep industry expertise solves the profession's labor shortage by making firms more profitable and attractive to talent. What strikes me most is how Raffi's specialization philosophy mirrors successful models in other industries, from medical concierge services to dating apps. If you've ever wondered whether narrowing your focus could actually expand your opportunities, this conversation provides a compelling roadmap.   SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Raffi sold off 30% of his accounting practice to focus solely on restaurants and bars, then tripled the remaining 70% within just 18 months. Weekly financial reporting in restaurants isn't a luxury—it's survival, since a 2% swing in food costs can represent your entire profit margin. The Fork CPAs moved from "insecure niching" with three industries to hyper-specialization, proving that doing less actually accelerates growth when done with expertise. Restaurant operators typically process 300-400 invoices monthly for a $3-4 million location, making specialized systems and processes non-negotiable for profitability. Subscription pricing in accounting solves the labor shortage by making firms more profitable, allowing them to pay better and attract talent to the profession. Specialization creates resonance with ideal clients who say "you sound like my soulmate" rather than casting a wide net and hoping something sticks.   Contact Details LinkedIn - Raffi Yousefian (https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffiyousefian/) LINKSShow Notes Be a Guest About IC-DISC Alliance About The Fork CPAs Raffi YousefianAbout Raffi TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Dave: Good morning, Raffi How are you today? Raffi:: Good morning, David. I'm doing well. And yourself? Dave: I am doing great. I appreciate you coming on the podcast. Just a formal introduction, you are Raffi Yousefian, and you're the CEO of the Fork CPAs. Is that correct? Raffi:: That's correct. And I appreciate you having me. I'm excited to have a conversation with a like-minded individual in the accounting industry. Dave: Yes. I've been looking forward to this for some time. So what part of the world are you calling into from today? Raffi:: I am in Brooklyn, New York City. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Specifically Williamsburg Greenpoint, which is meant to be the hipster capital of the world in case you're interested. Dave: Yeah, I have heard that name. For that reason, I don't think I've ever been there. I haven't been to New York in about 15 years, and I think I rarely have ever been anywhere but Manhattan. So I'll have to be sure to check that out the next time I'm in town. Raffi:: We would love to have you. We're right across the East River. Dave: Okay, Raffi:: Great. Great nightlife scene, great food scene. A lot of sighting. New concepts are popping up every day, bars, restaurants, so it's a great place to be. Dave: That sounds awesome. Well, first of all, let's get to the name. What the heck does The Fork CPA's name mean? Usually the CPA firm is named after the founder or the partners. So what's the fork? What's the meaning of the fork? Was one of your partners named Fork or talk? Raffi:: No. So the fork, I have a 15 slide presentation on it. Maybe I can walk you through it one day. But the fork represents a tool that is highly agile with very sharp and fine edges, and it also relates to the restaurant industry and represents us and our values as a firm. So that's where the four comes from. That's the, in a nutshell description. And then the CPAs, you add that to clarify that we're doing accounting and tax, so that's where work branding comes from. Actually, we launched the brand in 2022, so it hasn't always been our name. Dave: Okay. Well, I really like it. So are you a New York native? Raffi:: I'm not. I'm actually from dc so lived in DC for about 10 years. That's where I started the firm, and I moved up to New York in 2021. Dave: And you went to college in Maryland? Raffi:: Yes, university of Maryland College Park. Dave: Okay. And then you graduated and you went the big four route with ENY? Raffi:: That's right. I worked at ENY for about three and a half years, and then moved to a smaller firm for about a year and a half, two years after that. And this was in 2016 when I launched the firm that I currently have right now. Dave: And you just started it from scratch? Raffi:: So initially the firm was called ROYCA LLC, and I just used my initials with CPA at the end just to get started. Okay. I started it from scratch. At the time I had the potential opportunity to acquire a restaurant bookkeeping business, and that is really what initiated me or catapulted me to taking that leap from moving from a W2 job to starting my own business. The acquisition actually never ended up panning out to be anything. It ended up being more of like a referral relationship. So it was good in that it incentivized me and motivated me to actually take the leap. But as we started from scratch, didn't end up buying any book of business or anything like that and just grew from there January 1st, 2016. Dave: And is that how the restaurant and bar capability started, was from that referral relationship with that bookkeeping firm then? Raffi:: Yes. Well, the referral relationship was a result of me taking over my brother-in-law's finances, and he had a restaurant and catering business. Dave: Oh, I Raffi:: See. And so his accountant was ending their relationship because he was moving on to be the CFO of a big fast growth restaurant group. And so I asked to meet with him. I said, can I meet with the former accountant? Maybe he has a book of business that he wants to sell or get rid of. That's not where the interest in restaurants started, but that definitely had an impact on moving towards that restaurant niche at some point. My first real client was a restaurant business. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Yeah, Dave: That is great. You've got your CPA firm, it's growing. And then at a point you realized you had a concentration in the restaurant bar business. Now, conventional wisdom says when you have a concentration like that, whether it's client industry, you need to fix it by diversifying, but you decided to go in a different direction, right? Tell me the story. Raffi:: Yeah, so initially the purpose of the firm was to provide an alternative and frictionless experience to traditional public accounting. And this was 2016 when web-based apps were all very new, and even the cloud firms were very server-based. You log into this server and it wasn't very web-based, so even cloud modern firms were still very clunky, and the client experience was terrible. So the idea was, okay, replicate the public accounting model just in a more modern and frictionless way. And so we were still providing a lot of the traditional services you get in a small public accounting firm, 10 forties, monthly bookkeeping, annual bookkeeping, industry agnostic, and one of the first moves. So that was, people love that, right? It was new cutting edge, modern virtual CPA firm. And then I think by year two, we decided we had to narrow down what we were doing. Raffi:: Again, we were trying to be everything to everyone just in a more modern way. And so I think the first change we made was limit our service offering to monthly services only. So value-based billing, fixed fee. It was a mix of value-based billing and fixed fee at the time. So we basically told all of our annual clients, mostly 10 40 clients, sorry, if you want to work with us, you have to have a business, and we have to own the entire accounting process from monthly all the way through your business tax preparation. So that was the first change we made. We didn't specialize just yet. Dave: And what year was this? 2017. Raffi:: I think this was around 2017 or 20 17, 20 18 then. So that worked really well. That allowed us to scale and grow much faster. Now everybody's on a monthly fixed retainer. You're not doing all this work during tax season, those three months trying to do 12 months of books. So there's no bottlenecks during tax season. For the most part, 10 forties are still very much a bottleneck. And in 20 19, 20 20, we decided to narrow down even further and say, okay, we're going to service three industries. And I like to say this is the insecure way of niching down. And so we narrowed it down to, I believe it was restaurants and bars for sure. Nonprofits and professional Dave: Services. Raffi:: And so that helped again, even better. Now we can scale and grow even faster with more efficiency. And then 2022, we were at a point where the restaurant and bar industry vertical was growing much double, triple what our other verticals were growing. And I believe it was just a natural result of our passion was behind that vertical, the professional services and nonprofits, great clients, low volume, easy to work with, very professional. But yeah, just stagnated the growth that stagnated. I wasn't as much interested in those verticals as I was in restaurants. And so we decided to launch the for brand in 2022 and in 2023. So in 2023, the restaurant practice was about 60 to 70% of our revenue. And so we spun off the 30%, which was nonprofits and professional services, and merged it slash sold it to another firm. And since 2023, March of 2023, we've been solely fork CPAs, Eileen niched down into restaurants and bars under the fork CPAs brand. Dave: Okay. I love the story. And then I believe, did Brandon Poe help you sell that practice? Raffi:: Yes, exactly. I think this was probably the first spinoff maybe that they did spinning off a niche and selling it to another firm, and then continuing as a, so it was new to them. And we actually did a podcast about this with Brandon. And yeah, I think it was, like you said, it sounds counter intuitive to specialize versus diversify, but to provide some context, that 70% between March of 2023 and end of 2024, I think it grew like 250, 300% our revenue. So we were basically triple the size that we were when we did the spinoff. Dave: So I have to put some numbers on this. So let's pretend the firm did a thousand dollars a year of revenue. So $700 of it was restaurants and bars. You sold off the $300 practice and then using that multiple, the firm today now is doing 200 or $300. Raffi:: Well, not today, within a year and a half, within a year and a Dave: Half, Raffi:: Within a year and a half, it was at like 2000. So you were at 1000? We were like 2100. So that 700 became 2100. Dave: Wow. Raffi:: And I think a big part of it had to do with, I actually retained my staff that was part of the nonprofit and professional services vertical. So that was about four people. And so that also helped because you need staff to grow into. Dave: And Raffi:: It did hurt our valuation because a lot of the times when firms are acquiring, they want to acquire the staff, one of the biggest problems when, Dave: Yeah, they're just buying the clients basically. Raffi:: So we took a hit on the valuation, but if we hadn't retained our staff, they wouldn't have been as easy and efficient to scale and grow within that year and a half. Dave: So why is it, so it appears based on what you're saying, that there was a underserved market in New York restaurants and bars. That's the only conclusion I can really come to have that kind of a growth implies that the market was not being well served. Is that assumption accurate or was there something else in play? Raffi:: So we definitely have competitors, but I would say underserved in a sense that the level of service and quality is just not there. It's a highly commoditized service offering restaurant bookkeeping. And so our value proposition is not just restaurant bookkeeping, it's restaurant controllership. Raffi:: So for the same price as a bookkeeping service, maybe a little bit more of a premium, 20%, 15, 20%, you can get a more comprehensive service offering under a subscription model to a controller. And the controller owns your entire accounting process. And in addition to that, we also have a tax department that will take care of the tax compliance at year end and quarterly. So I don't think we have any actual competitors that do exactly what we do. However, we have at least 40 to 50 competitors nationally. So it is underserved in that sense, but it's not something super unique or cutting edge that we're doing. It's just a different approach, a different way of doing it. Dave: And your client's all in the New York area? Raffi:: No, it's all, it's nationally. Mostly East coast. Yeah, mostly dc, Maryland, Virginia, New York City, metropolitan areas, urban areas, but it's pretty much all over the country. We can serve clients nationally. Dave: Now, when you pick up a new client, what percentage of the time is it a brand new restaurant and what percentage of the time are you taking over from another provider? Is it mostly taking over from another provider? Raffi:: I would say it's about 70% taking over. It depends. For example, we might have a restaurant group that has 10 locations and now let's say 10 franchises, and they're forming a new group and they're starting from scratch with a new concept. So there's some of that. I see most of them are fast growth. So they have the goal of, Hey, we just opened our first location and we want to be at five locations in three years. That's where a solution like ours really provides maximum value because we can help you get from zero to five in as fast as you want because you're not sitting there concerned about hiring accountants and building an accounting department. And so we take care of the back office for you through that growth stage. Dave: And what percentage of your clients are franchisees? Raffi:: It's not a large percentage. It's mostly independent operators, probably five to 10%. We have competitors that focus solely on talk about hyper specialization. They do restaurant bookkeeping for McDonald's franchises, but it gets pretty specific. And that's not necessarily our target market. Our target market is more independent operators, smaller franchise groups, 15 to 20 units, but we're not like a volume commodity shop. Dave: So I can relate to your business in so many ways, and it's why when I heard you on Brandon's podcast, I just was dying to talk to you. So as I think I told you, so all we do is icy disc work, and we're the only firm I know of that does nothing but icy disc work. We manage more than anyone else. So all we do, we live, eat and breathe it. But within that space, our largest sector by far is the scrap metal business. And what's interesting, and I hear this all the time from our clients, is that I'm the only advisor they've ever had who understands the scrap metal business, that when they have a banker that they're interviewing new banks or a new CPA, it's always the same thing. They come out and they're like, wow, I thought this was going to be Sanford and Son's junkyard. This is a whole different business. And they get so frustrating. And I've frustrated, and some of 'em have asked me to find CPAs, find them a new CPA, and one of the first things they want is somebody with scrap metal experience because it's so frustrating for them having to, every year there's a new staff person and every year they have to explain all over again how the whole business works. I'm guessing it's similar in the restaurant business. Is that right? And kind of dive into how your expertise manifests itself when you're talking with an Raffi:: Potential Dave: Client? Raffi:: Yeah, absolutely. Having an accountant in the entire spectrum of accounting services, whether that's your tax preparer, your controller, your bookkeeper, your CFO, having that industry specialization is completely invaluable. And I think the, in any industry, restaurants aside, the consumer is starting to realize that and the level of insight you can provide as a specialist and the value you can add is way beyond what a generalist can do. And sometimes people will hire generalists because of a referral or a trust that they have with this person. And I think that's really the only time where there's any justification in hiring a generalist, to be honest with you. But even that, it's okay, well, sure, this might be your dad's accountant or your family friend accountant that everybody trusts, but is that really providing any value? If you can't trust your service provider, then what's the point? Raffi:: So yeah, the level of value you can provide, and just to give you some examples, if you have three locations as a restaurant and you want to add another location, you should be able to go to your accountant and say, here is what the landlord is asking for rent. Here's what I'm expecting to do in sales. Is this a good investment? And the accountant, if they're specialized, they should be able to tell you very quickly just by reviewing your projections, your performa and saying, yes, this is an investment that we're not investment advisors, but if your projections actually pan out to be what they say, then yes, we want your occupancy cost to be 8% of sales, and you're showing that in your projection. So yeah, if this spot that you've identified can actually generate that type of sales and your prime costs are going to be this much, your bottom line is potentially going to be this, then your ROI will be X. And therefore, yeah, it's a good investment. Now, a generalist might be able to do that by doing some research, Raffi:: But that example can be applied to so many different things. When we sit down and analyze p and ls as a controller, we need to be able to look at trends and identify, wait, why do we lose money this month? Very quickly, right on a call, oh, it's because your labor was 35% and it's usually 32%. And in restaurants, it's typically 32, 33 is the ideal number. Just being able to throw out numbers off the top of your head and being well-trained in a specific vertical, it just provides so much value. And we talk about in the accounting industry about how we have to become advisors. This is like AI is going to take over all the compliance overseas hiring and all the bookkeeping is going to be automated. And so now we have to become more advisors and just data entry people and compliance providers. And the only way you can really do that, in my opinion, if you want to be a true advisor, is to niche down and specialize. Otherwise, how much value can you really add as a generalist? Dave: Sure. Well, and I was just thinking, I would imagine having come up through the accounting side, I couldn't imagine a worst controller or bookkeeper job than being the bookkeeper or controller for a restaurant. I can just picture it. There's some a closet basically that's your office, and especially if it's in the facility itself and it's not noisy and there's just all this stuff going on, and if it's a bar, all the actions in the evening, and I just couldn't imagine a worst working environment or work environment than that. So it makes even more sense to just have that outsource. And I'm also guessing my clients, probably 20% of the owners of my clients actually have an accounting background just for whatever reason, that was how they ended up there. But I'm guessing that's perhaps even lower in the restaurant business. I just imagine the average restaurateur bar owner is not a former ENY tax person. Raffi:: Right. So it's funny you bring up the bookkeeping role in a restaurant closet that they put the bookkeeper in traditionally speaking with all the stacks of invoices. So just to provide some context, a restaurant that does three to $4 million in revenue will have anywhere from three to 400 invoices minimum per month. Dave: Are you serious? Raffi:: Yeah. They need to get inputted into the accounting system to get true accrual basis accounting. Dave: Wow. I thought you just bought everything from Cisco and payroll and called it a Raffi:: Day. Well, the franchisees, yeah, the franchisees are all different. They work with a Cisco or usb, and then they have less invoices, but still very high volume. So the role of the bookkeeper 10, 15 years ago was show up to the restaurant, get all these invoices and put them into QuickBooks. And if you're not a specialist, even if you're following the traditional model from 15 years ago, there's no way to make money doing this type of work, especially when restaurants are super low margin. They don't have big budgets for accounting. And so the only way to really make it work is to specialize to have a fixed system process, tech stack around restaurant bookkeeping that allows you to process this high volume and still leave some room to make money as an accountant. So I'll just throw that out there. And then your other question was related to what kind of persona do you get, what kind of demographics do you get on the restaurant industry side, and it's mostly blue collar, a lot of creatives. So I think once you get to the groups, the restaurant groups that have five to 10 people, a lot of 'em start hiring more office workers. More people can sit at a computer and do numbers, which helps a lot on the admin side. But if you're working with a single unit operator or two to three unit operator, you're dealing with somebody that's always on the run. They're always busy, they're in the kitchen, they're wearing multiple hats. Raffi:: Most of the time they're creatives, they're chefs that created a concept, and that's their strength. Their strength isn't numbers, so it makes it even harder to get information out of them and to keep them organized. And that's really what an accountant bookkeeper does. It just helps somebody stay organized and provides them and helps digest their financials. And a big part of it's just helping them stay organized. So you can first count the numbers, put them into the system, come up with a good workflow. But yeah, it makes it very challenging to work with those types of clients. Dave: Sure, I can understand that. Now, my understanding is the restaurant and bar business has one of the highest failure rates of any type of business. Is that true? And what is the failure rate? What percentage then fail in 1, 3, 5 years? I'm sure you have some numbers around that. Or Raffi:: Actually, believe it or not, there actually is no number and the number is What's your Dave: Guess? What's your guess? Raffi:: They say the myth has always been nine to 10 restaurants fail, something like that. And I've researched this multiple times, and it's really just a myth. There's no hard evidence about that. I don't think it's wrong or it could be very much accurate because it's very high. But any industry, the reason for the failure rate is because of the supply and demand. Everyone wants to open a restaurant, the barrier to entry are low. It's easy to raise money to open a restaurant. Everyone wants to invest in a restaurant. It's just a sexy business. And when you have such a high supply of any type of business, it could be restaurants, it could be filmmakers, it could be musicians, like how competitive the music and film industry is, you end up having an overage of service providers or suppliers or restaurants in this case. And therefore it makes it extremely difficult to generate a profit. Raffi:: And it is a difficult business to run for sure as well. But I think that's the biggest challenge is once you start making a little bit of money, 10, 15%, boom, another competitor comes in and opens a similar concept down the block or a competing concept, and now there's limited amount of residents or consumers in that neighborhood. So now they go into that restaurant, and especially in cities like DC right now, DC's very competitive. There's just so much money being pumped into restaurants and such a limited amount of guests and consumers. So it's the same, let's say 10,000 people that are going to the same restaurants, let's call 'em upscale, casual restaurants. And every week there's a new restaurant opening. And then you could have the best concept in the world, but it only lasts six months because as soon as you're not the hottest thing in town, another one rolls right in and takes your customer base. So it's very competitive, very low margin, and that's why it makes the financial analysis so much more important. Dave: Yeah, I would think so. Is it safe to assume that the failure rate of your clientele is likely lower than the industry average? If you had to guess? Raffi:: Probably. Yeah. Yeah, our failure rate is pretty low. And I think which might also be overlooked, that insight into your finance is a huge competitive advantage for operators, for restaurant operators. Dave: Yeah, I would imagine. Raffi:: Because even 2%, they're mostly high volume, high revenue businesses, they're top line businesses. So an average full service restaurant probably does three to $4 million in revenue. And so even a 2% savings on your food costs, that can be your entire profit margin right there. So the average restaurant does between three, it used to be like five to 10%, now it's three to 7%. But needless to say, it's pretty low, the profit margin. So if I can provide weekly reports that give managers insight into their labor and food costs, that in itself helps them reduce food and labor costs two to 4%. And it's key to do this weekly, not monthly, right? Because monthly it's already too late. You don't know what you did four weeks ago to be able to tweak and adjust the levers in your business. So yeah, I think it's a competitive advantage. Hey, if I can save you two to 5% just by monitoring the financials, forget all the time savings that I'm going to give you automatically you've added a lot of value and you've maybe even saved that restaurant from going out of business. Dave: So I'm curious, just what are the typical expense breakdowns like in a restaurant, how much, what are the food cost percentage range typically in labor and brand, whether, Raffi:: So it depends on the type of concept, whether it's a pizza shop, whether it's a quick service restaurant versus full service versus steak versus seafood. But generally 60 to 65% is your prime cost. So that's your cost of goods sold and your labor. Raffi:: And so anytime we see, for example, for quick service, it's about 60%. So anytime we see, hey, this quick service restaurant is doing 63%, it's a red flag, and we bring that up to the operator, you need to adjust. And sometimes they can't adjust something they can't control. The sales are low because scaling of labor, when you have sales fixed labor and the rest is pretty much, it's about eight to 10% occupancy costs, rent, real estate, taxes, insurance, and then the rest is overhead, operating expenses, supplies, GNA, office supplies, things like that. And then that leaves about five to 10% profit at the end if it's run well. Dave: Wow, it sounds like a Raffi:: Terrible business. It sounds like a difficult business to run profit. Very difficult. Yeah. I get a lot of people that come to me and say, Hey, I'm thinking about investing in a restaurant, or I want to open a restaurant. I'm like, run, don't do it. Dave: Yeah. There's a joke. I forget how it goes and what industry it is. How do you become a millionaire in the oil and gas business? You start as a billionaire. It's kind of the same in the restaurant. How do I end up with a million dollars restaurant? You start with $10 million. Raffi:: Exactly. Dave: So talk to me, do you have everybody on the same accounting system? For example, all of your Raffi:: Clients? We more or less, we have two tech stacks that we support. So QuickBooks plus Margin Edge, that's one Tech Stack. And then the other Tech stack is a accounting software called Restaurant 365. Dave: Okay. Designed just for the restaurant business. And they're both, and so I know QuickBooks pretty well is the other one. Raffi:: Yes, everything is web-based. The Margin Edge is just a plugin. It's an app for QuickBooks to essentially convert it to providing restaurant. It's the bridge between the restaurant and the books. Whereas Restaurant 365 already integrates all of that, the plugins into one platform, which is really nice. Dave: Have you seen that one is a better fit for most of your clients, or do you have a preference for one over the other? Raffi:: It depends on the concept for sure. Okay. For example, we have Dave's Hot Chicken. I'm not sure if you've heard of it. The franchise, one of the fastest growing franchises in America. They have a, I'm not sure if it's an agreement, like a franchise agreement or some type of agreement with the restaurant 365, but basically as a franchisee, you get Restaurant 365 templates as part of your, Dave: Not Raffi:: Templates, but it's almost pre-configured so that it makes it very easy to use Restaurant 365. So in those cases we're like, it's going to be much easier to implement this off the shelf solution versus having QuickBooks and Margin Edge and setting it up for the franchise and all that. So it really just depends on the concept. Dave: Okay. Raffi:: Yeah. Dave: What are some of the things clients tell you, or what's the feedback you get after six to 12 months? I have to imagine that your clients are really happy with your service. What are some of the things that you hear from folks? So this is your chance to really brag about your team and your business model. What are some of the things you hear? Raffi:: Typically, it's not so much. The feedback we hear is so-and-so is so great. You have an invaluable resource for our team and our growth. We have a lot of testimonials that we get from clients. They provide so much peace of mind. Now I can focus on what I do best without having to worry about are my bills getting paid? Am I profitable? What are the numbers that I need to look out for? But really we see the results most of the time because you see a restaurant operator that has one location or two locations, and they have maybe an internal person that is a partner in the business that is overseeing the financials. And we do a discovery call with them. We find out they're spending their whole week just getting receipts from employees and uploading invoices to the accounting software. And then we're like, you spend your most of your time on this. And we tell 'em our value proposition, and it's hard for them to believe. And then within seven or eight months, they're out there scouting new locations, improving their margins, really working on the business rather than spending their time doing admin work. And that's extremely rewarding to see. Raffi:: And not all of them do this. Some will not take advantage of what we provide. Some of them, just like the time savings when we see, okay, this person was stuck at two, three locations, and now they have the time to really focus on growth and building systems and processes and focusing on their vision, and we're just essentially handling their entire back office. They're reporting and providing all the analytical information they need to make these decisions about their growth. That's really nice to see both from their perspective and our perspective. It's a nice partnership to have. Dave: And I can imagine that weekly reporting is critical. I can just imagine there's a lot of restaurants that it's a part-time person. It's their accounting firm that does it. It's one of the partners. And basically they get their financials two or three weeks after the month ends. So they're looking at six and seven week old data. And I could imagine that if you have a problem and you're losing money and you don't realize it until after you've lost money for seven weeks, I can see where that could be a problem. Raffi:: Yeah, exactly. And you're looking at your p and l 15 days after the month ends and you're saying, wait, how do we get 27% labor? Who was doing the scheduling that week? Who was doing the inventory count? What did he change? What did they not change? And when you're doing it weekly, you know exactly what affected or impacted the numbers in your reports. Whereas if it's, and this can apply to other industries as well, not just restaurants, but in restaurants and bars, it's specifically very, especially very important. Dave: Yeah. What do you enjoy the most about your current role in this business that you've built? Raffi:: I really enjoy the growth aspect of it, the vision setting, the vision, setting the goals. We follow the EOS framework Raffi:: And I love that kind of stuff. Working on the business, setting the goals, as I said, and holding your team accountable to achieving those goals. And it's crazy how quickly you see results when you really commit to it. And I'm still trying to figure out whether I'm a visionary or integrator and I don't know. But I like both. I like ops and I also like sales and marketing and being the CEO, so I'm still trying to pinpoint that. But we have a director of operations and she runs the operations for the most part. But I love setting the vision for operations. Hey, it would be awesome if in a year we can reach a stage where every client is following the same AP process, for example, or something like that. And yeah, I really enjoy that kind of stuff. Dave: So let's say we're talking three years from now, and in fact, I may just make a note to have you back in three years. I've never asked a guest this question, and it's probably because I just was in Strategic Coach session last week. If we were sitting down three years from now and looking back over those three years, what would you have liked to have happened both personally and professionally to have been pleased with your progress? Or even just professionally, what would you like to accomplish over the next few years? How do you see the business going? Raffi:: We have ambitions to grow very quickly, and our mission, I know sounds generic, is to achieve proud employees and happy clients. Raffi:: And so I'm obsessed with great businesses, which pretty much provide that proud employees that love where they work, they want to do a good job, and the customers and clients are all promoters of the business. That's the ideal goal. So we want to grow while maintaining that. We don't want to become one of these, again, commodity shops where we're just bringing on clients for the sake of bringing on clients and adding numbers to the top line revenue. I think of acquisition as a big part of that. I probably see that in the cards in the next two to three years in terms of us acquiring another firm. And it really narrows down your goal when you're trying to focus on restaurants and bars. So just trying to replicate what we do, providing that controllership level service, maybe acquiring the bookkeeping, restaurant bookkeeping service, and deploying our model so that people paying the same price for bookkeeping can essentially get a much higher level of service. And then thus complimenting our mission, our purpose, which is proud employees, happy, happy clients. Dave: I love that. Proud employees, happy clients. That was always Herb Kelleher's philosophy. The founder of Southwest Airlines is he viewed employees as his customers that if he made his employees happy, then they would do a good job with their end customers. Raffi:: Yeah. Yeah. The Southwest stories pretty amazing. But I think we debated our leadership team debated about the happy employees versus proud employees for a bit. Raffi:: And I think we very specifically and adamantly decided that we want proud employees because it's not, as soon as you pay happy, nobody's ever a hundred percent happy. We want the clients to be happy and satisfied, but we want our employees to, there's going to be tough times and they're not always going to be happy, and times are going to be tough, but as long as you're doing what you're proud of and it feels rewarding, at the end of the day, it's a job. So we're not expecting everyone to show up to work and be super happy about what they do, but at least we want them to be proud. And I think that comes with passion. If you don't have passion for what you do, you're most likely not going to be proud, and you're probably not the best fit for our company. So it attracts a certain type of employee, but it also pushes out a certain feeling amongst your team. Dave: I like it. Well, as we're wrapping things up, I can't believe how the time has flown by. If we could go back to 2011 when you were graduating from the University of Maryland, if you could go back in time and give yourself advice, your 22, 20 3-year-old self advice back then, what advice might you have given yourself based on the experience you've had over the last 14 years? Raffi:: I like to say I would have niched down earlier, but it's hard to say that's what I would've done if I had done it differently. I'm just not sure because you learn so much by not niching down early on, and Raffi:: You have to generate revenue when you first start out your firm. So in theory, that's what I would've probably have done niche down earlier. Maybe I would niche down three years earlier, four years earlier, not maybe from the beginning. But in terms of other advice, yeah, I would've probably taken accounting more seriously earlier on because I had so many little businesses at that time when I was in college, I was just still trying to figure things out, and I knew accounting was potentially one of them, but I had a, well before that in college, I had an eBay business where I was selling, going to stores, finding things for cheap and selling them online. And then I had a welding business, and then I had a DJ business. And so I was still trying to figure out, I was very on the fence about do I pursue accounting versus something else, and I would've probably told myself to take it, focus on the accounting much earlier. Dave: That is so interesting. I asked that question to a lot of guests, and they almost all have the same answer. But when I asked you the question as I was asking it, I was thinking, oh, that's a dumb question. Most of my guests, they waited 20 years before they started their own business, and their price themselves would've been, be afraid, take the leap early, but you really couldn't have taken it much earlier. You were an employee for five years. You needed to learn the industry, and obviously you had those entrepreneurial tendencies early on, but that is interesting. You wish you had taken the accounting more seriously since that you didn't know then that this is what your future was going to be. Raffi:: Right. I knew it was going to be in entrepreneurship, growing a business, starting a business, but in hindsight, again, if I hadn't done all the DJing and the parties and the events, I wouldn't have been exposed to how marketing really works and how PR really works. So I don't know. It's hard to say. Dave: Yeah, that makes sense. Well, is there anything I didn't ask you that you wish I had asked you? Raffi:: Yeah, I think when we've talked in the past, we talked about the pricing model when it comes to niche services, I think that's also very relevant. You want to share, Dave: Do you want to share how that works or is that something that Raffi:: Yeah, I think Dave: Standard pricing on or whatever your, I didn't want to get too much into pricing. I didn't want you to feel obligated to share anything you didn't want to share. Raffi:: Yeah. I think another aspect of niching down that is valuable and necessary as it comes to our industry and accounting is the pricing model. So there's various forms of pricing and professional services. You have hourly billing, the traditional hourly billing, you have the value-based pricing, you have fixed fee, and then you have subscription. And the trend, I believe, is moving towards subscription. It was value-based. Hourly is the old model that hopefully most people aren't following anymore. But the subscription model for the industry I think is going to be the best because we have problems in the industry right now. They talk about the shortage of labor and all that and the need to adapt advisory services. But I think it's not just, you can't look at labor in a vacuum. You have to look at why do we have a shortage of labor problem? It's because we have a value proposition problem and we have a pricing problem, Raffi:: In my opinion at least. And I think subscription pricing is going to change that. And subscription pricing is beneficial to our industry because it prices the relationship and not just the scope of work and value-based pricing the customer. How do they see the value that we're providing? And you price based off of that. But I think once you move into subscription, it completely revolutionizes and changes the value of public accounting and the accounting service in general. And if we want to solve the labor shortage problem, we need to make the industry more profitable and pay people better so that they're incentivized to pursue an accounting degree and get a CPA. And subscription pricing, I believe, really does that in order to provide subscription pricing you to don't need to. But it really helps by niching down, because the whole concept of subscription pricing is you pay this fixed price and we do everything for you. No hourly billing. There's no scope of work. We do everything for you that is in our wheelhouse that we can do under our roof. And when you provide that type of peace of mind and frictionless experience for clients, all of a sudden, I think the potential for profit and paying your better skyrockets. Dave: So yeah, Ron Baker would be so proud of your transition. Raffi:: Yeah, I think it's a little too early. I think he wrote his Times Up book like three, four, or maybe, yeah, three, four years ago, something like that. Something like that. So it might be a little too soon to tell whether it's going to work in practice. It's worked for us, but it's very difficult to implement subscription pricing if you don't niche down Dave: Well, and I think the monthly work also helps, like a CPA firm who all they're doing is just the annual tax return. How do you justify a subscription billing? Right? Certainly a month in subscription billing, there's more of a disconnect, but with what you're doing, the tax return is, I don't want to say an afterthought, it's just a inevitable outcome of what you've done throughout the year. Raffi:: I think the most similar example that's been tried and tested is the medical concierge. So one time medical, one medical, the subscription based medical office that Amazon acquired, I dunno, what was it three, four years ago? So I think it's very similar because you have an annual checkup, so think of that as your tax return. So you pay Amazon, it's a very low price. I don't know what it is, but I dunno, maybe a few hundred dollars a year for your subscription to one-time medical or one medical. And a lot of the medical concierge services work like this, they range anywhere from $50 a month to $300 a month depending on the Raffi:: Level of service that you're getting. And that gives you unlimited access to a primary care physician. So if I want to go see them every week, it's included in my a hundred dollars a month subscription, and I can get that once a year tax return done or that once a year physical done, but that doesn't really change anything. It doesn't change my subscription. That could be the only thing that I do with them, but just I'm paying for that peace of mind. I know if something happens or if I'm planning for something, I can just call that primary care physician or that accountant and run it by them for no extra charge. And so I think it works well. Maybe it's a little too soon to tell for the accounting industry, but I think it's generally worked with the primary care medical world. Dave: No, I think the accounting profession is perfect for it. So are most of your clients now on a subscription basis? Raffi:: Yeah, it's pretty much all subscription. We have what are called add-ons, Dave: So Raffi:: Our general subscription is controllership services. But anything that they need, for example, IRS audit, gap audit, notice defense, maybe they're pursuing a valuation or a deal, and that's something that we can handle. It's in our wheelhouse. That's all included in the subscription. But when you don't niche down, it's hard to Dave: Exactly. Raffi:: It's hard to limit what you offer. So that's why I think when you say we're very clear that we don't do budgets, so that's not in our wheelhouse. We don't really have anybody on the team that can do budgeting for restaurants. We can get on a call and talk through it with you based off of what we know, but we won't prepare a projection and budget. We're not a CFO service. We're a controllership service. So it's hard to be clear about where you draw the line with your, what's in your wheelhouse, because technically, yeah, I could learn how to budget. I'm an account. It's not that difficult. But again, you can't promise everything. Then you want to try to promise as much as possible so that your subscription has value, but there also has to be safeguards in place. Dave: Well, that is a great way to wrap things up. I'm glad that you'd mentioned the pricing. I really appreciate that. Well, I really appreciate your time. Like I said, when I reached out to you, I love your specialization approach. I just think that's the problem with specialization is you have to say no to everything else. And that's so emotionally difficult for people, especially if you have a scarcity mindset then, Raffi:: Right? Accountants basically. Dave: Yes. Yes. So I think that's great. It's no surprise to me, and I really would, if you're up for it, I'd love to check in with you in three years and see how things have gone. Raffi:: Yeah, I'm definitely up for it. And I also love, you're hyper specialized. That's the IC-disc. I think you mentioned to me how many there are in the country, and it's very limited. Yeah, a few thousand. So that's even more specialized, but it's great. The more specialized, in my opinion, the better. Right? Dave: I tell you this quick story. I've learned niche specialists, that niche and specializing firsthand. When I was internet dating in 2000, the infancy of internet dating, and I think I was 35 years old. And what I noticed that most guys did, they had an approach of casting a wide net. And it was, I'm looking for a woman between the ages of 18 and 88, any religion, any hobbies, anybody type. And I think their attitude is, I'm going to cast a wide net. I'm going to get all these fish in the net, and then I can just cherry pick the ones I want. So I'm like, I'm going to try something different. And so let's say I was 34. My criteria was they had to be a year older to two years younger. They had to be tall, athletic Christian, dog loving women with a commitment to excellence. And my friends are like, you're not going to get any response. Dave: And I'm like, yeah, you're probably right. And they were right. They were almost right. I got almost no response. But what happened when I did get a response from a woman, it's the same reaction you get. There was resonance because the woman would say, oh my God, you sound like my soulmate. I'm 33, I'm five nine. I used to play college volleyball. I have a golden retriever. And so what would happen is, I think when they were talking to the guys with the white net philosophy, they'd have dinner and the guy would say, wow, you're amazing. You're exactly what I'm looking for. And they're like, no, you're not. Your profile is 18 to 88. It wasn't really, but that's really where I learned it. And I think it's the resonance that you get with specialization, and it worked dating and it worked in my business. Sure. You hear the same kind of resonance thing from your new clients, and you're like, wow, I didn't know such a service existed. Raffi:: Exactly. Yes. Yeah. It's like a perfect match for both sides, right? Dave: But it takes a certain amount of courage and a certain amount of abundance mindset to be able to pull the trigger. The other thing is it's hard to refer people who don't specialize. If you meet an attorney and you're like, what do you specialize in? You go, well, mostly wills. We do the occasional divorce, occasional criminal defense. If you get a speaker sick, you give me a call and you're like, I can't help you. But if they specialize in speeding tickets in one county in Texas, and that's all they do, I talk to somebody, a party, and they say, oh, I got a speeding ticket. I'm like, oh, it's Raffi:: The first person that comes to mind. Yeah, exactly. Dave: Yeah, Raffi:: It makes a big difference. Dave: Yeah, it's great. Well, hey, Raffa, I really appreciate your time. This has been a lot of fun and keep up your work and let's come back in three years. Raffi:: Thank you, David. I appreciate you having me. Dave: There we have it. Another great episode. Thanks for listening in. If you want to continue the conversation, go to ic disc show.com. That's IC dash D-I-S-C-S-H-O w.com. And we have additional information on the podcast archived episodes, as well as a button to be a guest. So if you'd like to be a guest, go select that and fill out the information, and we'd love to have you on the show. So it we'll be back next time with another episode of the IC Disc Show. Special Guest: Raffi Yousefian.

From Spirit's closure in Atlantic City to JetBlue's Miami shakeup and Southwest's reductions in Atlanta, Nik explores the ripple effects that come when airlines make big operational changes — and how pilots can prepare themselves and their families before that happens. CONNECT WITH US Are you ready to take your preparation to the next level? Don't wait until it's too late. Use the promo code "R4P2025" and save 10% on all our services. Check us out at www.spitfireelite.com! If you want to recommend someone to guest on the show, email Nik at podcast@spitfireelite.com, and if you need a professional pilot resume, go to www.spitfireelite.com/podcast/ for FREE templates! SPONSOR Are you a pilot just coming out of the military and looking for the perfect second home for your family? Look no further! Reach out to Marty and his team by visiting www.tridenthomeloans.com to get the best VA loans available anywhere in the US. Be ready for takeoff anytime with 3D-stretch, stain-repellent, and wrinkle-free aviation uniforms by Flight Uniforms. Just go to www.flightuniform.com and type the code SPITFIREPOD20 to get a special 20% discount on your first order. #Aviation #AviationCareers #aviationcrew #AviationJobs #AviationLeadership #AviationEducation #AviationOpportunities #AviationPodcast #AirlinePilot #AirlineJobs #AirlineInterviewPrep #flying #flyingtips #PilotDevelopment #PilotFinance #pilotcareer #pilottips #pilotcareertips #PilotExperience #pilotcaptain #PilotTraining #PilotSuccess #pilotpodcast #PilotPreparation #Pilotrecruitment #flightschool #aviationschool #pilotcareer #pilotlife #pilot

That's right, folks! It's another Walker and Olivia Special, and today we're covering the new one from Edgar Wright: The Running Man (2025). We discuss our thoughts on this remake, the themes of the film, and what we think of Glenn Powell overall. We also discuss Jason Alexander's iconic wig and performance in his guest role on an episode of Criminal Minds, The Hunger Games, Greenland, and monkeys. How do those things all tie into The Running Man, you ask?? Guess you'll have to tune in to find out.

In the newest Longhorn Confidential, Jackson Fuller of the Southwest Times Record stops by to chat about Bobby Petrino's return to the Arkansas sideline, where Taylen Green ranks about SEC quarterbacks and the resuming rivalry between the Razorbacks and Longhorns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Episode, Join your host and special co-host Steve Rivera as we keep the pedals spinning for El Tour de Tucson week!We're sitting down with cycling enthusiast and dedicated advocate Damion Alexander. Hear his personal journey, why he champions cycling in the community, and what this iconic event means to local riders.Then, we'll dive deep into the unsung heroes of the race with El Tour de Tucson's SAG (Support and Guidance) Specialist, Brad Bittorf. He'll pull back the curtain on the meticulous planning, critical logistics, and essential services that ensure every rider has the support they need to cross the finish line safely. Get ready for an inside look at what it takes to run one of the nation's biggest cycling events!

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott Luton and Kim Reuter welcome Bobby Holland, Vice President/Director of Freight Business Analytics at U.S. Bank, and Heather Shilt, Director, Global Logistics at Fortive, to unpack Q3 2025 findings from the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, one of the industry's most referenced trucking indicators, informed by tens of billions in transactions. The panel explores why volumes are down even as costs rise, how tariffs and manufacturing softness are reshaping regional performance, and where rate pressure and capacity tightness are showing up first.Together, they dig into nine key takeaways from the national and regional views (West, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast): most significant sequential gains in the West in four years, persistent softness in the Southwest, and mixed signals elsewhere as consumer demand, housing starts, and labor dynamics tug the market in different directions. From shipper playbooks (carrier-mix depth, lane-level cost vigilance, and alternate modes) to practical watch-outs for Q4 and early 2026, this data-driven conversation equips operators to trend, plan, and pressure-test their assumptions in a volatile environment.Jump into the conversation:(00:00) Intro(06:26) Freight market overview(07:09) National freight insights(16:17) Regional analysis: West(20:22) Regional analysis: Southwest(22:05) Southwest region analysis(22:25) Impact of construction activity on freight(23:52) Midwest region insights(26:16) Northeast region overview(29:13) Southeast region trends(33:06) Global supply chain leadership(35:27) Freight market predictions(41:10) Housing starts and freight impactAdditional Links & Resources:Download the complete Q3 2025 U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index: https://freight.usbank.comLearn more about U.S. Bank: https://www.usbank.com Learn more about Fortive: https://www.fortive.com Connect with Bobby Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobby-holland-4a9355/ Connect with Heather Shilt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-shilt-4a867430/ Learn more about our hosts: https://supplychainnow.com/about Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join Work with us! Download...

Today, we address the elevated risk profile resulting from a slow-moving western storm that encompasses the desert Southwest and the Southern Plains. Flood watches and warnings have been issued across parts of Arizona, southeast California, and southern Nevada as persistent rainfall continues to impact these regions. Additionally, southern Utah is experiencing mountain snow, while parts of North Texas through Oklahoma are under a marginal risk for severe storms, which may include damaging winds and hail. We also note that Hawaii's Big Island summits remain under a winter weather advisory due to anticipated wintry conditions. As we navigate these varied weather phenomena, we emphasize the importance of remaining situationally aware and prepared for potential hazards.Takeaways:* A slow-moving western storm significantly elevates the risk profile across multiple states today. * Flood watches are currently in effect across parts of Arizona, California, and Nevada due to persistent rain. * Southern Utah is under a winter weather advisory with ongoing mountain snow expected to impact travel. * Texas has activated emergency resources in anticipation of heavy rain and flooding threats over the coming days. * The Storm Prediction Center has designated a marginal risk for severe weather from North Texas to southern Missouri. * Hawaii's Big Island summits continue to face winter weather advisories due to potential snowfall and icy conditions. Sources[NWS Phoenix/Flagstaff/Las Vegas | https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=psr&wwa=all][NWS Salt Lake City | https://www.weather.gov/slc/][SPC Day 1 | https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html][NHC | https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/gtwo.php?basin=atlc][NWS Honolulu AFD | https://www.weather.gov/hfo/AFD][USGS — Past Day Quakes | https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=64.39694%2C320.09766&extent=7.62389%2C179.47266&magnitude=all&timeZone=utc][NWS Phoenix | https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=psr&wwa=all][NWS Flagstaff | https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=psr&wwa=all][NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard | https://www.weather.gov/lox/][NWS San Diego | https://www.weather.gov/sgx/][NWS Las Vegas — Flood products incl. Inyo CA | https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=psr&wwa=all][NWS Las Vegas — Warnings/Advisories | https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=psr&wwa=all][NWS Salt Lake City — Winter Weather Advisory | https://www.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=psr&wwa=all][TDEM Press Release (Nov 18) | https://www.tdem.texas.gov/press-release/11-18-25][SPC Day 1 Outlook | https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html][SPC Day 1 Outlook | https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html][NWS Norman — hazards briefing | https://www.weather.gov/oun/?n=spotter-referencematerials][NWS Wichita | https://www.weather.gov/ict/][SPC Day 1 Outlook | https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html][NWS Cheyenne | https://www.weather.gov/cys/?wfo=cys][NWS Honolulu AFD | https://www.weather.gov/hfo/AFD][NWS Honolulu — WWA/Marine | https://www.weather.gov/hfo] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emnetwork.substack.com/subscribe

Nick, coming to you today from Exeter racecourse, is joined by Lydia Hislop to reflect on the day's racing headlines. With Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting in the rearview, they are joined by trainer Joe Tizzard and owner Ged Mason to reflect on their many successes. Also on today's show, Ollie Cann remembers husband Grant - stalwart of the South West jumps scene - who died on Saturday. Plus, Walter Connors, owner of Leader Sport, one of Auteuil's four Grade One winners on Sunday, and Dan Downie of Elite Racing on selling multiple graded stakes performer Tiffany at the Sceptre sessions. Our NZ correspondent Michael Guerin has the latest on seriously injured rider Bailey Rogerson.

Confronting the universal internal battle against "resistance" - the invisible force of procrastination, fear, and self-doubt that stops us from doing our most important work - McKay draws upon the powerful distinction between an "amateur" and a "pro” to argue that we can consciously decide to adopt a professional mindset in any area of our lives. This decision, he notes, is not about a title or a paycheck; it's an act of will that transforms our approach to challenges, failures, and our ultimate potential.Opening the episode with the core lesson from Steven Pressfield's book The War of Art - the hardest part of any task is simply starting - McKay then illustrates the professional mindset through a series of compelling stories. Listeners hear about Kobe Bryant's legendary work ethic that reset the culture of the 2012 US Olympic basketball team; Captain Tammie Jo Shults' incredible composure while landing a crippled Southwest jet; and astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell's steadfast focus on her work, even after being overlooked for a Nobel Prize. The episode culminates with the idea that, like the Apostle Peter, even when we fail, we can "decide again" to be a pro, recommitting to our purpose with even greater strength.Main Themes:The greatest obstacle to achieving our goals is an internal force called "resistance," which manifests as procrastination and fear.An amateur works when they feel inspired, but a professional does the work regardless of their mood, the circumstances, or their fear."Turning pro" is a conscious decision - an act of will to show up and do the work, especially when it's hard.True professionals don't dwell on mistakes; they learn from them and immediately focus on the "next play."A pro is defined by their commitment to their purpose, not by external validation, credit, or praise.Even after a setback, you can always choose to recommit and be "twice born" into your professional mindset, emerging stronger than before.Top 10 Quotes:“It's not the writing part that's hard. What's hard is the sitting down to write. What keeps us from sitting down is resistance.”“That's the price for being in the arena and not on the sidelines. Stop complaining and be grateful.”“Pros do the work regardless of how they feel.”“You can't win the next play by thinking about the last one.”“We make up our minds to view ourselves as pros and we do it. Simple as that.”“Pros don't get overly excited, emotional, or moved off their professional approach.”“Every day that you sit around trying to figure out what to do, someone else is already doing it.”“This time, having decided twice, he is stronger than ever.”“You can choose to be a pro again.”Show Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Step into Episode 186 of ‘On the Delo' as Delo hosts a candid conversation with Jess, the creator and driving voice behind Mouth by Southwest — the Valley's essential restaurant and hospitality newsletter.Jess shares how a creative side project evolved into one of Arizona's most trusted industry publications, reaching more than 2 million readers. From grinding out newspaper gigs in North Dakota to shaping the voice of Phoenix's dining scene, his story is one of persistence, community, and authentic connection.If you're in hospitality, content creation, or entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with insights on building a personal brand, sustaining creative integrity, and navigating the ever-changing media landscape. Expect honest talk about small business advocacy, marketing lessons, and why genuine relationships still matter most.Chapter Guide (Timestamps):(0:00 - 3:30) Introduction: Podcast 185 and Guest Jess, Mouth by Southwest(3:31 - 9:15) From Fargo to Phoenix: Early Journalism, Career Shifts, Building Skills(9:16 - 13:30) Launching Mouth by Southwest: Hobbies Turned Business(13:31 - 18:30) Paid Content, Changing Advertising Models, Subscription Growth(18:31 - 23:00) Advocacy: Supporting Local, Marketing Musts, Real Impact23:01 - 28:30) Newsletter Power, Audience Growth, Lessons Learned(28:31 - 32:30) Restaurant Success & Failure: Capital, Marketing, and Longevity(32:31 - 38:00) Digital Challenges: Websites, AI, and Tech in Hospitality(38:01 - 45:00) Personal Side: Dogs, Hobbies, Real Life Behind the Work