Podcasts about southwest interactive

Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 540, an interview with the authors of Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee, Wes Adams and Tamara Myles.   What makes work truly meaningful, and how can leaders create it?    In this episode, Tamara Miles and Wes Adams, researchers and positive psychologists, have studied how leaders can intentionally promote cultures where people find purpose, connection, and challenge in their work. Drawing from their own career and research, they outline the practices that lead to lasting meaning, starting from onboarding and extending to everyday leadership behaviors like showing appreciation and building community. They also explore how AI can be developed to support human fulfillment, and why understanding generational differences is key to creating meaningful work environments for all.   Wes Adams is the founder and CEO of SV Consulting Group, where he works with high-performing companies to develop leadership excellence, build organizational resilience, and deepen employee engagement through a meaningful work lens. He has more than two decades of experience as a successful entrepreneur and strategic partner for clients including Microsoft, KPMG, BlackRock, Google, and the United Nations, along with a range of high-growth organizations. Wes has been featured at South by Southwest Interactive and the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, and his work has been covered by the New York Times, BBC News, Forbes, and Business Insider. His teams have won multiple Webby Awards and been recognized as one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Brands. His early career was spent launching and managing high-profile hospitality businesses for which he was nominated twice for a coveted James Beard Award.    Wes is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and holds a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Applied Positive Psychology.    Tamara Myles is an accomplished consultant, author, and international speaker with over two decades of experience helping leaders improve business performance. She is the author of The Secret to Peak Productivity, which introduced her proprietary Peak Productivity Pyramid framework. Tamara's insights have been featured in leading publications such as Forbes, Fast Company, USA Today, and Business Insider. She has worked with clients such as Microsoft, KPMG, MassMutual, and Google.    Tamara has a master's degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also serves as an instructor in the master's program and a trainer for the world-renowned Penn Resilience Program. She is a professor in the Master of Science in Leadership program at Boston College, where she integrates cutting-edge research into practical applications for leadership and organizational success.   Get Meaningful Work here: https://rb.gy/fry7z5 Meaningful Work: How to Ignite Passion and Performance in Every Employee   Here are some free gifts for you: Overall Approach Used in Well-Managed Strategy Studies free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/OverallApproach   McKinsey & BCG winning resume free download: www.firmsconsulting.com/resumepdf   Enjoying this episode? Get access to sample advanced training episodes here: www.firmsconsulting.com/promo  

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: [Repost] The Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics, published by mesaoptimizer on January 26, 2024 on LessWrong. Because the original webpage (and domain) is down, and it takes about a minute (including loading time) for Wayback Machine to give me the page, I've decided to repost this essay here. I consider it an essay that seems core to 2010s rationalist discourse. The Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics says that you can have a particle spinning clockwise and counterclockwise at the same time - until you look at it, at which point it definitely becomes one or the other. The theory claims that observing reality fundamentally changes it. The Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics says that when you observe or interact with a problem in any way, you can be blamed for it. At the very least, you are to blame for not doing more. Even if you don't make the problem worse, even if you make it slightly better, the ethical burden of the problem falls on you as soon as you observe it. In particular, if you interact with a problem and benefit from it, you are a complete monster. I don't subscribe to this school of thought, but it seems pretty popular. In 2010, New York randomly chose homeless applicants to participate in its Homebase program, and tracked those who were not allowed into the program as a control group. The program was helping as many people as it could, the only change was explicitly labeling a number of people it wasn't helping as a "control group". The response? "They should immediately stop this experiment," said the Manhattan borough president, Scott M. Stringer. "The city shouldn't be making guinea pigs out of its most vulnerable." On March 11th, 2012, the vast majority of people did nothing to help homeless people. They were busy doing other things, many of them good and important things, but by and large not improving the well-being of homeless humans in any way. In particular, almost no one was doing anything for the homeless of Austin, Texas. BBH Labs was an exception - they outfitted 13 homeless volunteers with WiFi hotspots and asked them to offer WiFi to SXSW attendees in exchange for donations. In return, they would be paid $20 a day plus whatever attendees gave in donations. Each of these 13 volunteers chose this over all the other things they could have done that day, and benefited from it - not a vast improvement, but significantly more than the 0 improvement that they were getting from most people. The response? IT SOUNDS LIKE something out of a darkly satirical science-fiction dystopia. But it's absolutely real - and a completely problematic treatment of a problem that otherwise probably wouldn't be mentioned in any of the panels at South by Southwest Interactive. There wouldn't be any scathing editorials if BBH Labs had just chosen to do nothing - but they did something helpful-but-not-maximally-helpful, and thus are open to judgment. There are times when it's almost impossible to get a taxi - when there's inclement weather, when a large event is getting out, or when it's just a very busy day. Uber attempts to solve this problem by introducing surge pricing - charging more when demand outstrips supply. More money means more drivers willing to make the trip, means more rides available. Now instead of having no taxis at all, people can choose between an expensive taxi or no taxi at all - a marginal improvement. Needless to say, Uber has been repeatedly lambasted for doing something instead of leaving the even-worse status quo the way it was. Gender inequality is a persistent, if hard to quantify, problem. Last year I blogged about how amoral agents could save money and drive the wage gap down to 0 by offering slightly less-sexist wages - while including some caveats about how it was probably unrealistic and we wouldn't see anything like tha...

Link to original articleWelcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: [Repost] The Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics, published by mesaoptimizer on January 26, 2024 on LessWrong. Because the original webpage (and domain) is down, and it takes about a minute (including loading time) for Wayback Machine to give me the page, I've decided to repost this essay here. I consider it an essay that seems core to 2010s rationalist discourse. The Copenhagen Interpretation of quantum mechanics says that you can have a particle spinning clockwise and counterclockwise at the same time - until you look at it, at which point it definitely becomes one or the other. The theory claims that observing reality fundamentally changes it. The Copenhagen Interpretation of Ethics says that when you observe or interact with a problem in any way, you can be blamed for it. At the very least, you are to blame for not doing more. Even if you don't make the problem worse, even if you make it slightly better, the ethical burden of the problem falls on you as soon as you observe it. In particular, if you interact with a problem and benefit from it, you are a complete monster. I don't subscribe to this school of thought, but it seems pretty popular. In 2010, New York randomly chose homeless applicants to participate in its Homebase program, and tracked those who were not allowed into the program as a control group. The program was helping as many people as it could, the only change was explicitly labeling a number of people it wasn't helping as a "control group". The response? "They should immediately stop this experiment," said the Manhattan borough president, Scott M. Stringer. "The city shouldn't be making guinea pigs out of its most vulnerable." On March 11th, 2012, the vast majority of people did nothing to help homeless people. They were busy doing other things, many of them good and important things, but by and large not improving the well-being of homeless humans in any way. In particular, almost no one was doing anything for the homeless of Austin, Texas. BBH Labs was an exception - they outfitted 13 homeless volunteers with WiFi hotspots and asked them to offer WiFi to SXSW attendees in exchange for donations. In return, they would be paid $20 a day plus whatever attendees gave in donations. Each of these 13 volunteers chose this over all the other things they could have done that day, and benefited from it - not a vast improvement, but significantly more than the 0 improvement that they were getting from most people. The response? IT SOUNDS LIKE something out of a darkly satirical science-fiction dystopia. But it's absolutely real - and a completely problematic treatment of a problem that otherwise probably wouldn't be mentioned in any of the panels at South by Southwest Interactive. There wouldn't be any scathing editorials if BBH Labs had just chosen to do nothing - but they did something helpful-but-not-maximally-helpful, and thus are open to judgment. There are times when it's almost impossible to get a taxi - when there's inclement weather, when a large event is getting out, or when it's just a very busy day. Uber attempts to solve this problem by introducing surge pricing - charging more when demand outstrips supply. More money means more drivers willing to make the trip, means more rides available. Now instead of having no taxis at all, people can choose between an expensive taxi or no taxi at all - a marginal improvement. Needless to say, Uber has been repeatedly lambasted for doing something instead of leaving the even-worse status quo the way it was. Gender inequality is a persistent, if hard to quantify, problem. Last year I blogged about how amoral agents could save money and drive the wage gap down to 0 by offering slightly less-sexist wages - while including some caveats about how it was probably unrealistic and we wouldn't see anything like tha...

Tim Hogan is a creative leader that helps companies find their voice in the connected world, adapting to the ever-changing media landscape, always seeking new ways to enhance brand experiences.  He is currently the CCO of Tim Hogan Creative. His most recent role was as executive creative director of WundermanThompson's Los Angeles office, where he headed up creative for some of the agency's largest clients: including Microsoft and Snapchat. Tim specializes in building diverse, cross-disciplinary teams, tailored to the needs of business and has done so at agencies like Ogilvy and R/GA, where he brought a systems-focused approach to activating global brands including Kimberly Clark, Unilever, SC Johnson and Constellation Brands.  For ten years, Tim was partner in a startup cross-media agency called The Royal Order of Experience Design. The digital-first agency focused on human-centered design before it had a name, connecting the dots between digital and retail by creating solutions for Patagonia, Kohler, Crate & Barrel, Orvis, NatureMade, Gogo and many more.  His work has been recognized by award shows and publications including the American Institute of Graphic Arts, Graphis, Communication Arts, Strathmore, W3, Print Magazine and South by Southwest Interactive. As a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the Society of Typographic Arts, he is a frequent competition judge, student portfolio reviewer and guest speaker. He has served on the board of The Boulevard, an organization committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Chicago, EPIC (Engaging Philanthropy, Inspiring Creatives) which pairs creative professionals with nonprofit clients, and Mudlark Theater which allows young people making real theater. He lives in Evanston, IL with his wife and three children, and when not working can usually be found riding one of his bicycles or coaching youth sports.   What you'll learn in this episode: How to embrace and implement sound creative leadership for impactful results How to stay resilient during difficult times by relying on trusted individuals and reframing situations creatively Why it is important to prioritize a clear brief for sharper, faster, and targeted ideas How to navigate the challenges of identifying your value proposition and differentiating yourself from others How to distill problems into simple truths and how this leads to bigger ideas Why it is important to pressure-test ideas before committing to them How to establish an emotional connection and trust with customers and build long-term business relationships How to achieve the delicate balance between standing up for creative ideas and maintaining good business relationships   Additional Resources: Website:  https://www.timhogancreative.com/  7 Ways to Coach Like a Creative Director Tim's LinkedIn Tim's Facebook Tim's Twitter Tim's Instagram  

In this episode, Jerri and Jamie sit down with Ronald Reed (Founder of SXSW EDU) and Greg Rosenbaum to discuss the latest trends at SXSW EDU 2023. From personalized learning to technology integration, we dig into innovative approaches to transforming our teaching and learning. Whether you're an educator or simply curious about the future of education, there's something for every listener in this insightful conversation. --- ABOUT OUR GUESTS Ronald Reed, Executive Producer of SXSW EDU, has been involved in educational publishing and technology for over 30 years. In 2006, he established R. L. Reed Consulting, an independent consulting firm specializing in strategic K-12 sales and marketing. In that role, he produced several educational panels at South by Southwest Interactive, focusing on digital instructional content and open education resources. The experience led him to launch SXSW EDU in 2011. Greg Rosenbaum is the Senior Director of SXSW EDU and leads all aspects of the event from programming and production to marketing. He joined SXSW in 2010 to help launch the first-ever education-focused event that became SXSW EDU. --- SUBSCRIBE TO THE SERIES: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Overcast | RadioPublic | Stitcher FOLLOW US: Website | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn POWERED BY CLASSLINK: ClassLink provides one-click single sign-on into web and Windows applications, and instant access to files at school and in the cloud. Accessible from any computer, tablet, or smartphone, ClassLink is ideal for 1to1 and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiatives. Learn more at classlink.com.

Warning, this episode has adult language and includes the sensitive topic of grief. Gen X expert (because she is one) Eve Simon's joins me to talk about the 80s, bacon, adventures in college, technology, and the passing of her father in the last year. Eve touched me with her honesty about facing death and the grief that comes after. Our conversation gets very personal about heartache and how different people deal with grief. Who is Eve Simon? She is a lapsed Philosophy major with an MFA in theatrical lighting design and 27 years of experience in the web design industry, Eve is the executive producer & host of GenX Stories, a podcast about how the lost generation found itself. If that's not enough, by day she is the founder & chief storyteller at Eve Simon Creative, working with small business and agency clients on web design, user experience consulting and other content design projects. Over her career, she has collaborated with exciting brands like The League of Women Voters, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Huffington Post, The Nature Conservancy, Habitat for Humanity, Orbitz Worldwide, National Trust for Historic Preservation, ALS Association, Ad Council, National Audubon Society, and AOL. She has also spoken at major conferences, including a plenary Ignite talk about her unusual background and three times at South by Southwest Interactive in Austin. Check out Eve's award-winning podcast here –  The GenX Stories PodcastGenX Stories FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GenXstoriesFind her articles referenced in the podcast here –I self isolated for 22 weeks, and all I got was this lousy pandemic. And spies. | by Eve Simon | MediumThanks, Pandemic.. It's been a year since COVID-19 shut… | by Eve Simon | MediumThe problem with caring. Let me apologize before I even write a… | by Eve Simon | Medium Spy video - Not like I've been watching or anything …#rearwindow #neighborhoodspie... | TikTok Connect with Eve:IG: https://www.instagram.com/naieve/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evesimon/evehsimon@gmail.com Share your thoughts and feelings about grief over at my FBpage. – Jacqui Lents - Author | Facebook#grief  #overcominggrief #evesimon #jacquilents #cancer #80s #genxstories #jacquijustchatters #technology #stories #podcast #podcastcommunity #genx #spies #covid  #parentsThanks to:Ratatouille's Kitchen - Carmen María and Edu Espinalfound's Always - Nesrality Other music: a leaf on the wind - Lexin Musicepic dramatic action trailer - QubeSoundsEmily Clarke for the creation of my logo.

Warning, this episode has adult language and includes the sensitive topic of grief. Gen X expert (because she is one) Eve Simon's joins me to talk about the 80s, bacon, adventures in college, technology, and the passing of her father in the last year. Eve touched me with her honesty about facing death and the grief that comes after. Our conversation gets very personal about heartache and how different people deal with grief. Who is Eve Simon? She is a lapsed Philosophy major with an MFA in theatrical lighting design and 27 years of experience in the web design industry, Eve is the executive producer & host of GenX Stories, a podcast about how the lost generation found itself. If that's not enough, by day she is the founder & chief storyteller at Eve Simon Creative, working with small business and agency clients on web design, user experience consulting and other content design projects. Over her career, she has collaborated with exciting brands like The League of Women Voters, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The Huffington Post, The Nature Conservancy, Habitat for Humanity, Orbitz Worldwide, National Trust for Historic Preservation, ALS Association, Ad Council, National Audubon Society, and AOL. She has also spoken at major conferences, including a plenary Ignite talk about her unusual background and three times at South by Southwest Interactive in Austin. Check out Eve's award-winning podcast here –  The GenX Stories PodcastGenX Stories FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GenXstoriesFind her articles referenced in the podcast here –I self isolated for 22 weeks, and all I got was this lousy pandemic. And spies. | by Eve Simon | MediumThanks, Pandemic.. It's been a year since COVID-19 shut… | by Eve Simon | MediumThe problem with caring. Let me apologize before I even write a… | by Eve Simon | Medium Spy video - Not like I've been watching or anything …#rearwindow #neighborhoodspie... | TikTok Connect with Eve:IG: https://www.instagram.com/naieve/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evesimon/evehsimon@gmail.comShare your thoughts and feelings about grief over at my FBpage. – Jacqui Lents - Author | Facebook#grief  #overcominggrief #evesimon #jacquilents #cancer #80s #genxstories #jacquijustchatters #technology #stories #podcast #podcastcommunity #genx #spies #covid  #parentsThanks to:Ratatouille's Kitchen - Carmen María and Edu Espinalfound's Always - Nesrality Other music: a leaf on the wind - Lexin Musicepic dramatic action trailer - QubeSoundsEmily Clarke for the creation of my logo.

Studies show that when employees find meaning in their work, they're happier, more productive, more creative, and have higher wellbeing. And while individual employees need to do their part in finding that meaning, there's only so much they can do without the support of their leadership. Since we work in communities, wellbeing and meaning are shared responsibilities, and leaders need to be intentional about their part in it if they want to set up their businesses for higher success.This week I'm joined by Tamara Myles and Wes Adams, who together have researched how leaders can make work more meaningful for their teams, and why it's so imperative for success and workplace mental health that they do. They're here to share tangible ideas and strategies leaders can use, and they break it down into simple objectives that can be implemented starting today.Listen in to hear more as Wes and Tamara talk about meaningful work, intentional leadership, and individual wellbeing in the workplace.About Tamara Myles:Tamara helps leaders make work meaningful to engage employees and improve business performance.Her approach blends the latest research in Positive and Organizational Psychology with evidence-based strategies to deliver solutions that yield tangible business results. She focuses on organizational transformation and leadership development and has worked with high-performing organizations like Black Rock, Microsoft, KPMG, Unilever, and Best Buy.Tamara is the author of The Secret to Peak Productivity: A Simple Guide to Reaching Your Personal Best, which is published globally and has been translated to multiple languages. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, Forbes, and USA Today, among others.Tamara lives in New England with her husband, three teenage children, and two dogs. She loves to cook and is in awe of the power of food to bring people together for deep, meaningful connection.About Wes Adams:Wes works with high-performing companies on organizational transformation, leadership development, and employee engagement. He helps both experienced and emerging leaders alike develop the skills and practices that bring out the best from their teams by fostering cultures that enable employees to find meaning and purpose in their work.He brings two decades of experience growing successful ventures and consulting for Fortune 500s, startups, and NGOs. Past clients include Microsoft, KPMG, Edelman, Harrah's Entertainment, JP Morgan Chase, NetJets, Sony, Starwood Hotel Group, the United Nations Office of Human Rights, and Warner Brothers. Wes's work has been covered by the New York Times, Forbes, Business Insider, Fast Company, and others.Wes is also a Master Facilitator for the Penn Resilience Program, and has been a featured speaker at South by Southwest Interactive and the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. Passionate about social impact, Wes produced a documentary for HBO, The Out List, and a book of interviews about the environmental crisis, I Am EcoWarrior.A graduate of Vanderbilt University, Wes holds a Master's in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Atlanta.Mentioned in this Episode of Mental Health for Leaders:SV Consulting GroupTamara Myles ConsultingConnect with Wes on LinkedInConnect with Tamara on LinkedInJoin the monthly digital subscriptionWhere to ListenSpotifyAppleGoogleAmazon

South by Southwest Interactive is a huge technology event in Austin that hasn't been held properly for two years, but Bruce is attending and he's bringing back some fresh news from North America. Author, journalist, editor, critic and professor Bruce Sterling is known as one of the fathers of cyberpunk novels.

We welcome YOU back to America's leading higher education podcast, The EdUp Experience! In this episode, YOUR guest is Ron Reed, Founder & Executive Producer at SXSW EDU, YOUR special guest cohost is Dr. Julie White, President at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio, & YOUR sponsor is Unmudl! Joe & Julie talk to Ron all about SXSW EDU & what the conference experience will look like in March, 2022. Ron Reed, Executive Producer of SXSWedu, has been involved in educational publishing and technology since graduating from the University of Texas. In 2006, he established R L Reed Consulting, an independent consulting firm specializing in strategic K-12 sales and marketing. In that role, he produced several educational panels at South by Southwest Interactive, focusing on digital instructional content and open education resources. The experience led him to launch SXSW EDU in 2011. Make sure to be the first person to claim YOUR school on Unmudl! Thank YOU so much for tuning in. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to EdUp! Connect with YOUR EdUp Team - Elvin Freytes & Dr. Joe Sallustio ● Learn what others are saying about their EdUp experience! ● Join YOUR EdUp community at The EdUp Experience! ● YOU can follow us on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Thank YOU for listening! We make education YOUR business!

“Productivity isn't about speeding everything up. I think that when it comes to life hacks  you speed the right things up, so you can slow the right things down.  And when you do that, then you can make better choices, you make way better choices.” – Mike Vardy   Mike Vardy is a writer, productivity strategist, and the founder of Productivityist. He is the author of The Front Nine: How to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want, The Productivityist Playbook, and TimeCrafting: A Better Way to Get the Right Things Done. He’s served as the Managing Editor at Lifehack, and written for 99u, Lifehacker, SUCCESS Magazine, and more. He has also spoken all over North America at events including TEDx Victoria, South by Southwest Interactive, and CreativeLIVE, and hosts the Productivityist Podcast. Your Key Takeaways The Nature of Day and Night - Embracing Your Body Clock Productivity - Speeding the right things up so that we can slow the right things down The Difference Between Alertness and Awareness - How nature can helps us find this distinction and be more mindful Ideas Coming to Light In Nature - How Nature shows us what our intentions are, and what we should be paying attention to    How can you reframe your day around your natural body clock?   Resources Connect with Mike Vardy Snag Mike’s Free Ebook, The Gift of Time The Productivityist Podcast   Connect with Darren For more information on the Nature Advantage visit natureadvantageshow.com   Darren’s Social Media Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

“Productivity is a lifestyle. The journey is not done yet.” – Mike Vardy   Mike Vardy is a writer, productivity strategist, and the founder of Productivityist. He is the author of The Front Nine: How to Start the Year You Want Anytime You Want, The Productivityist Playbook, and TimeCrafting: A Better Way to Get the Right Things Done. He’s served as the Managing Editor at Lifehack, and written for 99u, Lifehacker, SUCCESS Magazine, and more. He has also spoken all over North America at events including TEDx Victoria, South by Southwest Interactive, and CreativeLIVE, and hosts the Productivityist Podcast.   Your Key Takeaways Why Productivity Isn't Productivity - How intention and attention can be used in tandem Origins of The Productivityist - The journey from enthusiast to specialist From Hacks to Lifestyle - Productivity as a way of operating TimeCrafting - A framework that fosters freedom and optimizes your time    In what ways can you focus your intention and attention to increase your productivity this week?   Resources Connect with Mike Vardy Snag Mike’s Free Ebook, The Gift of Time The Productivityist Podcast   Connect with Darren For more information on the Nature Advantage visit natureadvantageshow.com   Darren’s Social Media Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Matt Charney, new Head of Industry and Product Marketing at SmartRecruiters and partner in RecruitingDaily is the guest in episode 286. Listen as Matt shares tips for HR leaders looking to hire contingent workers. Matt also offers his ideas about what hiring gig workers says about a brand and he talks about the improvements made to the talent tech stack over the past year to ensure the long-term success of remote hiring.Matt is one of the top experts in the world when it comes to talent and technology. He has extensive expertise within the recruiting and HR technology industries, with over 15 years of marketing leadership experience at global talent organizations such as Monster Worldwide, Cornerstone OnDemand, Talemetry and the Allegis Group. At SmartRecruiters, Matt works closely with product and business leadership to deliver compelling core messaging, packaging, pricing and go-to-market campaigns for SmartRecruiters’ core platform, point solutions and marketplace programs. Matt is also a partner in RecruitingDaily, where he served as Executive Editor. More About Matt CharneyMatt has been recognized as one of the top HR Technology influencers by publications such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Forbes, the Huffington Post and HR Magazine, and was recognized by the Society of Human Resources Management as an “HR Gamechanger” for his contributions to talent technology. He was also named by WordPress as one of the world’s top business bloggers; an in-demand speaker, Charney has keynoted dozens of industry conferences and events all over the world, including South by Southwest Interactive, RecFest, Collision, SHRM Annual Conference, Unleash and the HR Technology Conference, and, of course, six Hiring Success conferences in both the US and Europe).

All of us are born with equal parts of intuitive and intellectual potential. With time, intuition is silenced through logical teachings in school and tons of stereotypes around it. Even silenced or forgotten in the corner of our minds, intuition continually tries to get to us - and more often than not, we either ignore it or simply don't understand what is trying to tell us. Joining me today is Kim Chestney, author of the book Radical Intuition, and we talk about what led her to write this book, her relationship with intuition, how many types of intuitions are there, and much more. Kim Chestney is a worldwide recognized innovation leader and founder of the Intuition Lab. She is an author, artist, and intuition advocate. Her work has been supported by leading-edge organizations like South by Southwest Interactive, Carnegie Mellon University, Comcast, and Hewlett-Packard. Kim firmly believes that you can't go wrong if you are aligned with your intuition because it makes no mistakes. Listening to it can perhaps take you on a different path than you might have expected, but in the end, you'll realize that it was the right one for you. Trust your intuition!Open your senses and enjoy Kim's vision of our brains' other half, the intuitive part. Some Questions I Ask:Tell me more about your book, Radical Intuition (2:11)What really prompted the writing of the book? (2:54)We're all born with intuition, right? Can you expand on that a little bit? (4:14)How do you help people recognize these inner nudges and listen to them? (8:24)Could you briefly go into the four different types of intuition? (10:12)How do we find our way to listen to our intuition? (16:15)What is your opinion on collective unconsciousness? (25:48)Could you delve into your life-changing experiences that inspired your work? (37:49)In this episode, you will learn:Intuition is something we can use every day (3:12)Intuition is about coming out of that unconscious conditioning (7:30)The sad part about intuition (9:05)Intellect and intuition, two sides of the same coin (13:45)Emotions are intuition's kryptonite (17:25)We must honor our intuition (35:39)Resources:Kim Chestney websiteThe Intuition LabBook: Kim Chestney - Radical Intuition: A Revolutionary Guide to Using Your Inner PowerBook: Michael Newton - Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between LivesBook: Paramahansa Yogananda - The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within YouConnect with Kim:LinkedInYouTubeInstagramFacebookTwitterLet's Connect!WebsiteInstagramEnhanced Living - Facebook GroupEnhanced Living - Youtube ChannelThe Vegans Three - Youtube Channel See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

  Links to items mentioned in this 10th Anniversary episode First episode of The Kindle Chronicles (TKC 1) with Baratunde Thurston on July 26, 2008 My interviews with Jeff Bezos in 2012 and 2016 Transcript of my 2012 Bezos interview (via Kindle Nation Daily) Kindle Oasis Interview with Russ Grandinetti, VP Kindle Content, in 2010 TKC 338 with Andy Weir, author of The Martian - January 23, 2015 The Martian (movie) at Prime Video Artemis by Andy Weir TKC 287 with Hugh Howey - January 31, 2014 TKC 191 with Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu First in Line for an iPhone in 2007 (YouTube video) TKC 502 - South by Southwest Interactive 2018 The Colorado Sun at Civil TKC 336 with poet John Ashbery - January 20, 2015 TKC 382 with poet Donald Hall - November 28, 2015 TKC 457 with James McQuivey - May 6, 2017 Music for my podcast is from an original Thelonius Monk composition named "Well, You Needn't." This version is "Ra-Monk" by Eval Manigat on the "Variations in Time: A Jazz Perspective" CD by Public Transit Recording" CD. Please Join the Kindle Chronicles group at Goodreads and like the Kindle Chronicles Facebook page. Right-click here and then click "Save Link As..." to download the audio to your computer, phone, or MP3 player.

Mike Vardy is a productivity strategist, the creator of TimeCrafting, and the founder of Productivityist, a company that helps you be productive instead of merely checking things off your to-do list. He is also a contributing author at Success Magazine, Lifehacker, and 99u, and a former Managing Editor at Lifehack. He also had the privilege to speak at TEDxVictoria, South by Southwest Interactive, and NAPO as well as create successful courses for Skillshare and CreativeLIVE. Mike shares how journaling makes you more productive and teaches you how to theme your day and funnel your focus. He explains how journaling is a way to slow down and the benefits it has on your ability to get more accomplished throughout your day. He also shares why he believes why paying attention to your intentions is the key to becoming truly productive.   “When you want to foster awareness and be more productive, look to where you've been, not just where you're going. ” - Mike Vardy In This Episode of The Sigrun Show: How Mike became a productivity strategist Where the real problem with time management lies Why slowing down is essential to productivity How to theme your days Confirmation bias and how to overcome it What is Timecrafting The difference between strategies and tactics How journaling helps you foster awareness to become more productive When to do low energy tasks and high energy tasks   Key Takeaways: Productivity isn't about efficiency or effectiveness. It's about intention and attention. Work backward from your certainties and then start to figure out the themes of your day. Minutes are very quantitative. Moments are very qualitative. You need a right mix of both. Take .3% or five minutes of your day just to write because you are worth it.   Resources Mentioned: Day One Journaling App Journey Journaling App Layout Evernote   Connect with Mike Vardy: Productivityist.com Productivityist Podcast Please share, subscribe and review on iTunes Thank you for joining me on this episode of the Sigrun Show. If you enjoyed this episode, please share, subscribe and review on iTunes or Google Play Music so more people can enjoy the show. Don't forget to follow and connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Get Your Free Training Through my own entrepreneurial journey and by training thousands of online entrepreneurs I've identified 7 STAGES of a Profitable Online Business. Get free access to the 7 Stages training videos and take your online business to the next stage.

Mike Vardy is a writer, productivity strategist, and the founder of Productivityist. He's served as the Managing Editor at Lifehack, and written for 99u, Lifehacker, SUCCESS Magazine, and more. He has also spoken at all over North America at events like TEDx Victoria, South by Southwest Interactive, and creativeLIVE. Are you a coach, consultant, or service-provider who is tired of feeling stuck or you just don't know which step to take next? Get instant access to JV's 7-Figure Formula with the exact steps in the exact order to Make Your First Million. Download it by clicking here now. Like this Podcast? Then get every episode delivered to YOU!  Subscribe in iTunes Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Conscious Millionaire Podcast: With over 1,000 episodes and 12 Million Listeners in 190 countries, this is the podcast for coaches, consultants and service-providers who want to get more clients, make more money, and create a bigger difference and impact. Named by Inc Magazine as one of the Top 13 Business Podcasts for 2017!

Mike Vardy is a writer, productivity strategist, and the founder of Productivityist. He's served as the Managing Editor at Lifehack, and written for 99u, Lifehacker, SUCCESS Magazine, and more. He has also spoken at all over North America at events like TEDx Victoria, South by Southwest Interactive, and creativeLIVE. Are you a coach, consultant, or service-provider who is tired of feeling stuck or you just don't know which step to take next? Get instant access to JV's 7-Figure Formula with the exact steps in the exact order to Make Your First Million. Download it by clicking here now. Like this Podcast? Then get every episode delivered to YOU!  Subscribe in iTunes Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Conscious Millionaire Podcast: With over 1,000 episodes and 12 Million Listeners in 190 countries, this is the podcast for coaches, consultants and service-providers who want to get more clients, make more money, and create a bigger difference and impact. Named by Inc Magazine as one of the Top 13 Business Podcasts for 2017!

Brittany Kaiser, Co-Founder, Bueno Capital and CryptoHQ Interview starts at 16:20 and ends at 22:29 South By Southwest Links “Wyoming Passes 5 Pro-Blockchain Laws” at Consensys - March 15, 2018 “Despite some glitches, VR cinema takes a leap forward at SXSW 2018” by Omar L. Gallaga at the Austin American-Statesman - March 15, 2018 “Wyoming's Blockchain Bills: A Very Personal Labor of Love” by Caitlin Long - March 9, 2018 Pressing On: The e-magazine for growing Christians “U.S. State of Wyoming Defines Cryptocurrency ‘Utility Tokens' As New Asset Class”rache by Rachel Wolfson at Forbes - March 13, 2018 Doc Searls website “Could an Amazon Token Become a Viable Worldwide Cryptocurrency?” by Erik Kuebler at Bitcoin Magazine - March 9, 2018 SXSW has released streaming audio for the following sessions that I attended: “The Future of Machine Learning: Worth the Hype?” - Jeff Chow of TripAdvisor, Finale Doshi-Velez of Harvard, Tom Foster of Inc Magazine and Chris Jones of iRobot Corporation “Interactive Keynote: Esther Perel” “Why Ethereum is Going to Change the World” - Joseph Lubin, founder of ConsenSys “Primed for Amazon: Value & Cost of HQ2 for Cities” - Justin Bibb of Gallup, Kansas City Mayor Sylvester James Jr., Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, and Asad Syrkett of Curbed. “Why Blockchain Tech Equals 10X the Internet's Value” - Jalak Jobanputra of Future/Perfect Ventures and Brittany Kaiser “Blockchain Opportunities in Mobility and Logistics” - Chris Ballinger of Toyota Research Institute, Sweeni Ponoth of Bristlecone Inc., Rajat Rajbhandari of Texas A&M Transportation Institute, and Colleen Walsh of SAP Upcoming Guests Next week: Blake Pollard of Readly TKC 504 on March 30, 2018: Otis Chandler, co-founder and CEO of Goodreads TKC 505 on April 6, 2018: Elizabeth George, author of The Punishment She Deserves, available for pre-order with release on March 20, 2018, by Penguin Group Music for my podcast is from an original Thelonius Monk composition named "Well, You Needn't." This version is "Ra-Monk" by Eval Manigat on the "Variations in Time: A Jazz Perspective" CD by Public Transit Recording" CD. Please Join the Kindle Chronicles group at Goodreads! Note: You can now support The Kindle Chronicles with an Ether contribution to this public address on the Ethereum blockchain: 0xa08cc4fc9a7beeB71237C98412CD1dF64d199912

Today's Commexis Cast discusses YouTube's announcement at SXSW that it will be including Wikipedia excerpts alongside conspiracy videos on the platform in an attempt to offer more objective information. The efforts come in response to growing criticism of the platform and it's suggestion algorithm, which made a conspiracy video falsely accusing the Parkland survivors of being "crisis actors" the #1 Trending video on YouTube. YouTube CEO Susan Wojciki on a panel at South by Southwest Interactive festival said boxes with so-called "information cues" will begin popping up in the next few weeks. On an interesting note, it seems Wikipedia was not made aware of the inclusion of their excerpts. Katherine Maher, the Executive Director at Wikimedia, said in a tweet thread this morning that the decision was made independently by YouTube. Some are questioning whether Wikipedia is a correct choice for this kind of fact-checking, especially given it's use by Facebook to fight fake news which we know, alongside many other factors, didn't accomplish the goals Facebook set out. Maher tweeted about the scraping of Wikipedia content for this kind of use, stating, "And frankly, we don't want you to blindly trust us. Sure, we're mostly accurate - but not always! We want you to read @Wikipedia with a critical eye. Check citations! Edit and correct inaccurate information! You can't do that in a simple search result." Wojciki said the Wikpedia articles, along with some other third-parties, will begin rolling out in the coming weeks. Secondly, The Cast discussed eMarketer's latest report shows A/B test do not create significant statistical results. The report continued that, "According to a survey of 3,900 professionals worldwide by UserTesting, fewer than 20% of respondents reported that their A/B tests produce significant results 80% of the time." However, despite this small portion of statistical success, A/B tests can have huge positives. Jonathan Donahue, chief product officer of programmatic platform Sonobi, told eMarketer that "In some instances, A/B testing call-to-action features and ad headlines can save marketers 40% of their media budget on ad platforms like Facebook." Today's cast: Phillip Brooks (Commexis Lead Strategist) and Matthew McGrorty (Commexis Videographer/Podcaster). Join the Commexis team as we add context to these stories for the busy CMO. All the news you need to know–from our inbox to yours.

In today's episode of The Art of Passive Income, Mark and Scott talk to Mike Vardy—productivity strategist and founder of Productivityist.com. Mike is also a writer and has served as managing editor for Life Hack and written for 99u, Lifehacker, Success Magazine and so many more! Mike has also spoken all over North America in events like TEDx, South by Southwest Interactive and CreativeLive.   Today, Mike leaves Scott mind-blown before the podcast even starts and Mark in a shame spiral!   Listen in as he delves deep into:   Time theming—A mindset framework that allows you to connect better with the task at hand and do the right things at the right time. Horizontal theming—This allows you have some flexibility and freedom by not being too specific. His 3 mail system—A 3 step task manager for funneling and segmenting email.  Plus, Mike shares which of his 3 favorite productivity experts he would have over for dinner and what questions he would ask them. So buckle up Land Geek Nation, because this podcast is not only going to make your life better, but also more productive! TIPS OF THE WEEK Mark: Learn more about Mike by going to his website at Productivityist.com. Scott: Check out the app BetterSnapTool on the Mac App Store. It's an app that allows you to easily manage your window positions and sizes. You can setup predetermined shortcuts that will easily move your window on a certain spot. Mike: Read the book, The Go-Giver. A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann. It's a powerful book because when you do what the author suggests, it feels right. There's a way that you can run your business and run your life that makes you feel like you're doing it on your terms and you're not violating anybody else's. Isn't it time to create passive income so you can work where you want, when you want and with whomever you want?

Mike Vardy is a writer, productivity strategist, and the founder of Productivityist. He's served as the Managing Editor at Lifehack, and written for 99u, Lifehacker, SUCCESS Magazine, and more. Mike has also spoken at all over North America at events like TEDx Victoria, South by Southwest Interactive, NAPO, and CreativeLIVE.   I met Mike earlier this year when he was speaking at Tropical Think Tank in the Philippines.  We bonded over time management and Legos.  Seriously.    Mike is going to get you ridiculously excited about organizing your time and make simple life hacks that will create space in your days and weeks.    Listen in to hear Mike share: Why structure = freedom The true definition of productivity The power of time management for kids What is time crafting and how to do it Why you should THEME your days (vertically and horizontally) The power and joy of a daily journal   Links Mentioned: Find Mike and all his resources for Shameless Moms: Productivityist.com/shamelessmom Journaling App: Day One Journaling App: Journey Sponsor: Aaptiv.com (use code SMA30 for a free 30 day trial) Sponsor: http://www.kindsnacks.com/sma (use this link to get 10 KIND Snacks for $10 + free shipping)      

David Measer of RPA Advertising and Lisa Pecot-Hebert of USC Interview starts at 25:08 and ends at 49:15 I expected the smaller cities in the U.S. to be places where eventually trends made their way there and that they'd be listening to music that I listened to 10 years ago, or wearing fashion that was old. And it wasn't like that at all. These places, cities that I couldn't even identify on a map before I went--Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Fargo, North Dakota; Moorehead, Minnesota; Omaha, Nebraska--were actually places that were thriving in their own way. They really had an identity of their own, and they felt like they were leading the charge. They weren't drafting off of the big coastal cities. (David Measer) Shorter Interviews at SXSW (with times at which they start) Steph Hay, head of conversation design at Capital One. (5:32) Scott Totman, head of mobile technology, payments and innovation at Capital One (10:40) “The Urgency of Now: Launching the Biden Cancer Initiative” - Joe Biden's talk at SXSW (13:03) Omar Siddiqui, CEO of Kiwi Inc., creators of Sequel, a bot-creation platform. He was a presenter at “Best Bot Practices” session. (17:31) Facebook Messenger Romance Now, a bot available on Kik Interview with David Measer and Lisa Pecot-Hebert “One Hundred Million People You Don't Know But Should” - event description at SXSW. Click here for my liveblog of the session. You will need to click again on the post headline to see the individual liveblog entries. David Measer Lisa Pecot-Hebert Vice Next Week's Show: More from South By Southwest Music for my podcast is from an original Thelonius Monk composition named "Well, You Needn't." This version is "Ra-Monk" by Eval Manigat on the "Variations in Time: A Jazz Perspective" CD by Public Transit Recording" CD. Please Join the Kindle Chronicles group at Goodreads!

Mike is a writer, productivity strategist, and the founder of Productivityist. He's served as the Managing Editor at Lifehack, and written for 99u, Lifehacker, SUCCESS Magazine, and more. He has also spoken at all over North America at events like TEDx Victoria, South by Southwest Interactive, and creativeLIVE. Get the 5 proven steps to rapidly grow your business, make a bigger impact, and achieve your First Million. Attend the next LIVE First Million Webinar  with international business coach JV Crum III.  Like this Podcast? Then get every episode delivered to YOU!  Subscribe in iTunes Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Conscious Millionaire Podcast: With over 500 episodes and 10 Million Listeners in 176 countries, this is the podcast for business owners and coaches who want to grow their businesses, make a bigger impact, and ultimately achieve their First Million! JV interviews the top entrepreneurs, experts, authors, and coaches on how to get the right mindset, develop your business systems, and execute to achieve bigger results, faster!  

Mike is a writer, productivity strategist, and the founder of Productivityist. He's served as the Managing Editor at Lifehack, and written for 99u, Lifehacker, SUCCESS Magazine, and more. He has also spoken at all over North America at events like TEDx Victoria, South by Southwest Interactive, and creativeLIVE. Get the 5 proven steps to rapidly grow your business, make a bigger impact, and achieve your First Million. Attend the next LIVE First Million Webinar  with international business coach JV Crum III.  Like this Podcast? Then get every episode delivered to YOU!  Subscribe in iTunes Please help spread the word. Subscribing and leaving a review helps other business owners and entrepreneurs find our podcast…and make their big difference. They will thank you for it.   Conscious Millionaire Podcast: With over 500 episodes and 10 Million Listeners in 176 countries, this is the podcast for business owners and coaches who want to grow their businesses, make a bigger impact, and ultimately achieve their First Million! JV interviews the top entrepreneurs, experts, authors, and coaches on how to get the right mindset, develop your business systems, and execute to achieve bigger results, faster!  

Texan Rebecca Darling from R We There Yet Mom? gives us the inside scoop on exploring Austin with kids. She dishes on where to stay, what to do and all the amazing food in Austin. Rebecca gives tips on the best place to view the Congress Avenue bats emerging out from under the bridge at sunset, where to get the best BBQ and how a trash collection can be a fun tourist stop. ON THE PODCAST 0:35 Tamara's girlfriend getaway to Gulf Shores, Alabama 5:00 Where to eat in Gulf Shores, Alabama 9:20 Rebecca Darling from R We There Yet Mom? 11:26 5 week road trip (#Austin2Boston) 12:28 What makes Austin great for families 13:37 A typical Austin itinerary 14:58 Texas State Capit0l 16:15 Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool 17:40 The Congress Avenue Bats 19:52 Keep Austin Weird 23:35 Where to stay in Austin 26:19 Insider tips 27:40 Where to eat in Austin 34:00 Best place to take a family photo 36:36 Rebecca's favorite travel gear 39:52 App of the Week 41:37 Stay tuned to talk about RV Travel next week!   ABOUT REBECCA DARLING, R WE THERE YET MOM? Rebecca Darling is a freelance travel writer who lives near Austin, Texas. She is a mom of three (15, 13, and 6) who loves to create exceptional memories with her family. Whether that be on the other side of the world or right down the street, her goal is to help families create exceptional memories too. You can find her writing at R We There Yet Mom?, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.   VISITING AUSTIN WITH KIDS Austin is known for South by Southwest Interactive in the Spring and Austin City Limits in the fall, but there is so much to offer families from a vibrant Hill Country with hiking and waterskiing, to a ton of history and family attractions. A long weekend is sufficient for exploring the city but ideally families should plan on four to five days. Sometimes families may combine a trip to Austin with a visit to San Antonio.   Texas State Capitol is 131 years old and made of pink granite to create a beautiful building with a whispering gallery, a Texas history museum for kids and memorials. Across the street you will find Bullock Texas State History Museum.   Another must do is to to experience the outdoors at Zilker Park in downtown Austin where you can fly kites and swim in the Barton Springs Pool. Barton Springs Pool is manmade but fed by a natural spring so it is 68 degrees year-round. The springs feed into Town Lake and you can rent kayaks, paddle boards and water bikes. After your water activities, you can ride the Zilker Zephyr, a miniature train with excellent views.   At night, you must see the Congress Avenue bats, which live under the Congress Avenue Bridge from March through October. Every evening at dusk, the bats fly out from under the bridge en masse.   However, don't go to the legendary Sixth Street -- it is for college kids and above. But there are plenty of fun and eclectic shops on South Congress.   Some off-the-beaten path places to visit in Austin: Tom's Coffee Shop with a set up a Tom's shoes and a back yard garden Austin Murals Cathedral of Junk WHERE TO STAY IN AUSTIN Rebecca recommends staying in downtown Austin at the Driskill Hotel on the edge of Fifth and Sixth Street with unique, beautiful rooms. She also likes the Four Seasons by Town Lake and the J.W. Marriott, which are both in great locations to walk to the main sites. WHERE TO EAT IN AUSTIN Rebecca recommends: Franklin BBQ -- great BBQ but really long waits and there are many other options Salt Lick BBQ in Dripping Springs Matt's El Rancho -- Tex-Mex that really caters to the kids with face painting, balloon animals... Home Slice Pizza on South Congress -- NY-style pizza with dough balls for the kids Hopdoddy -- unique burgers BEST PLACE TO TAKE FAMILY PHOTO Greetings from Austin Mural -- on South First and Annie I Love You So Much Mural -- on South Congress on the side of Joe's Coffee house Zilker Park field with downtown Austin and the Congress Avenue bridge in the background Hike up Mount Bonnell and on the northwest side you overlook Lake Austin and the downtown is behind you FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Rebecca loves LuLaRoe leggings (just like Kim!) and Tom's shoes because they are comfortable and easy to slip on and off. TIP/APP OF THE WEEK Google Maps is a great app to use when walking around the city to find a walking path to your destination and get voice-guided, turn-by-turn directions. Plus, if you turn it on while you are in WiFi it even works when you have data turned off or if you are out of cell coverage. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Planning a girlfriend getaway to Gulf Shores, Alabama  The Beach Club, Gulf Shores Alabama Where to eat in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Alabama Things to do in Austin, Texas lTip 5 Tips to See the Austin Bats Austin Water Bikes 10 Tips for Families Visiting Krause Springs Cathedral of Junk   FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035#   You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!  

Virtual reality is hitting the markets hard, but it’s mostly just for gamers. Will that change? Today we discuss some surprising possibilities for customer service applications. Is virtual reality more than just fun and games? Virtual reality (VR) has been a hot topic among geeks and gamers for many years now, but it was all the rage at South by Southwest Interactive this year. Are we on the cusp of a new era when VR tech will have more practical applications? Adam and Jeannie discuss the different ways companies and customers alike struggle to decode communications and content, and how VR can help bridge the gap. So what are some ways VR can make its way into customer service? While entertainment and gaming applications were quite prominent at SXSW, a closer look revealed some innovative uses that could prove useful in the business world. What can we learn from VR applications on the table with cutting-edge organizations like NASA? Virtual reality is advancing quickly. And before you say “we will never need to tap into that technology,” remember how many leaders were saying the same thing about social media and mobile just a few years ago. Will you be ready to connect this way when your customers are? Listen in to find out how virtual reality could soon make customer service virtually awesome. Related Content 360Connext® post, What do Trends from SXSW 2016 Mean for Customer Experience? Special Episode: SXSW Interactive Predictions Sponsor message: Give your team the customer service training they deserve Want to bring game-changing customer service training to your team? CTS Service Solutions offers a half-day in-person workshop designed to motivate and educate your customer-facing team members. Using energy, excitement, and interaction, our workshop helps frontline teams embrace a customer-centric outlook, then — using the principles from our book Be Your Customer’s Hero — gives them the skills and confidence they need to handle any service interaction. Don’t leave your frontline team hanging… Give them the training they deserve. Learn more at customerheroworkshop.com.   Take care of yourself and take care of your customers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nasir and Matt talk about the mayor of Austin recommending employees work from home on Friday due to SXSW and the President being in town and how that affects employers. Full Podcast Transcript NASIR: Welcome to our podcast where we cover business in the news and add our legal twist. My name is Nasir Pasha. MATT: And I’m Matt Staub. NASIR: That’s correct. MATT: All right, that’s it. NASIR: That’s actually the first time you got that right. MATT: Yeah. Well, you know the phrase, “260th time’s a charm.” NASIR: Yeah. Wow. 260, huh? MATT: Yeah. NASIR: We’re getting up there. MATT: It’s a good amount – close to 300. NASIR: Closer to 300 than it was closer to 200, that’s true. MATT: Yeah, definitely. NASIR: Have you ever been to South by Southwest? MATT: Oh, is that what that means? I thought it was Swiss… I don’t know. I was going to try and pronounce it as a word. No, I haven’t. Never even been to Austin. NASIR: Oh. Most people compare Austin to San Diego – or I should say they see some comparables to it. I would agree, actually. The atmosphere, it’s a big small town just like San Diego. I have been in Austin during SXSW. It was crazy. MATT: Yeah, I remember that. NASIR: You remember that? But I was there because I was meeting with the Texas Department of Insurance – with eight or nine people from there – in this old office building. You know those old government buildings where smells of old books or something? And I was in the boardroom with, like, six or seven different people and, literally, outside – and this is Downtown Austin – there was like band music going off and drums and they were like, “Oh, yeah, that’s been going on all day and all week,” or whatever and I’m just thinking, “I drove all the way to Austin and SXSW is going on and I’m just sitting in this boring Texas Department of Insurance meeting.” But, anyway, that’s my experience. MATT: You didn’t even really partake in any of the… NASIR: No, I walked around a little bit. I needed to head home but, yeah, I just walked around. There were some activities going on. I don’t even think I ate lunch there. That was horrible. MATT: Time well spent. NASIR: Yeah. MATT: Well, is it this Friday? NASIR: I think it starts this Friday, yeah. MATT: Okay. NASIR: At least maybe the interactive part. Don’t ask me. I always forget there’s like all these Austinians? What are they called – Austinites? MATT: Austines? NASIR: Austines? MATT: Austinites is probably right. NASIR: Okay. They’ll be upset that I don’t know but, if I recall correctly, it’s divided into two or three segments – one of them being South by Southwest Interactive which is all the startup scene and things like that then you’ve got the music and something else, too. I don’t know. MATT: Austonians, maybe. NASIR: Austonians. MATT: I don’t know. NASIR: Yeah. MATT: It’s a tough call. Well, anyway, the reason we’re talking about that is – I didn’t know about this. You told me about it so I’m not going to pretend like I knew about this beforehand but the Austin mayor is encouraging people to work from home or take a half day on this Friday which I’m assuming will be the previous Friday from when people from when people are actually listening to this. That’s why I asked about the dates but that’s fine. NASIR: By the way, Austinites, according to Wikipedia. Demonym I guess is what the term is – a word to identify residents or natives of a particular place. MATT: This’ll be a fun episode to transcribe. NASIR: I know. Sorry. Okay. MATT: Yeah. So, the mayor is saying to anticipate heavy traffic. Part of the reason is because SXSW. Another reason is because the President is going to be in town and I assume another reason is probably there’s just traffic there in general. It is a big city with a lot of people in it. NASIR: Yeah. MATT: I’m not going to act like I know what the traffic is like because San Diego traffic really isn’t that bad and there’s a ton of people in San Diego, too.

Senior Writer, Publishers Weekly   Interview starts at 19:24 and ends at 33:23 I absolutely think it's madness to continue to push for regulatory input into the eBook market. Look what it did for you last time. Let's just let the lawyers go away now. We've all articulated what we think the problem is in the market. Publishers came together to put the agency model in place, and they perfectly articulated the reason why they believe the agency model should be in place. I think that there's got to be business solutions at this point.    News “Supreme Court Rejects Apple's Appeal” by Andrew Albanese at Publishers Weekly - March 7, 2016 “Supreme Court Declines to Hear Apple's Appeal in E-Book Pricing Case” by Adam Liptak and Vindu Goel at The New York Times - March 7, 2016 Hagens Berman press release on Supreme Court decision - March 8, 2016 “Apple's $400M E-Book Payout: How Much You'll Get and When” by Jeff John Roberts at Fortune - March 8, 2016 Department of Justice press release on Apple case - March 7, 2016 “The Cost of Returning Encryption to Amazon Fire” (video) at BloombergBusiness - March 7, 2016 “Jeff Bezos Lifts Veil on his Rocket Company, Blue Origin” by Kenneth Chang - March 8, 2016 “Why Jeff Bezos is finally ready to talk about taking people to space” by Christian Davenport at The Washington Post - March 8, 2016 “The Echo from Amazon Brims with Groundbreaking Promise” by Farhad Manjoo at The New York Times - March 9, 2016 “B&N is Shutting Down One of Its Top Three Digital Blunders on March 15” by Nate Hoffelder at The Digital Reader - March 3, 2016 “B&N CDO Fred Argir: We Must Win the Mobile Experience” by Daniel Berkowitz at Digital Book World - March 8, 2016   Tech Tips How to save an audio clip using the Audible for Windows 10 app (video and instructions) Kindle for iOS update   Interview with Andrew Albanese “Supreme Court Rejects Apple's Appeal” by Andrew Albanese at Publishers Weekly - March 7, 2016 Stories by Andrew Albanese at Publishers Weekly   Content “How to Format Your Book for Kindle,” a web course by Bruce Jones. (Enter the code KINDLEBONUS to get discounted price of $49 instead of original price, $149 Course link with discount already entered Why We Read Fiction by Lisa Zunshine Putting My Foot Down by Brent Underwood   Next Week's Show An audio collage of voices and ideas from South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, including Douglas Rushkoff, author of a new book, Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus: How Growth Became the Enemy of Prosperity   Music for my podcast is from an original Thelonius Monk composition named "Well, You Needn't." This version is "Ra-Monk" by Eval Manigat on the "Variations in Time: A Jazz Persepctive" CD by Public Transit Recording" CD.    Please Join the Kindle Chronicles group at Goodreads!

Does the idea of posting on multiple social media platforms daily overwhelm you? Have you resulted to hiring someone full-time to manage your social media for your business? What if I could offer a solution to your problems? In today’s episode I interview the CEO and Founder of Edgar, a social media automation tool that provides you the ability to repurpose your social media content. Learn about how she started her business and how this amazing tool can help you. Episode Featured Guest: Laura Roeder Laura Roeder is the CEO and Founder of LKRSocialMedia. She quit her first job at the age of 22 to start her own Social Media Business, but today we wanted to invite her on the show to talk about her recent success with the launch of her Software Startup company, at MeetEdgar.com. In only 11 months after the launch of her company she is bringing in over $100,000 in monthly recurring revenue.   Laura has spoken at some of the most well respected events in her industry to include South by Southwest Interactive, BlogHer, and the Social Communications Summit. She has been featured on Forbes, Los Angeles Times, Entrepreneur.com, Inc, Fast Company and more. In This Podcast Episode You Will Learn: How to automate your social media posts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn How to create a software startup company even if you have no experienc Why re-purposing content can be beneficial to your audience How to double your website traffic coming from social media Ways to create more engagement and get more social shares The entrepreneurial journey from startup to a 7-figure business Links and Resources Mentioned in the Show: MeetEdgar.com – Laura's Social Media Marketing Software LKRSocialMedia.com – Laura's Software Company Twitter – Follow Laura on Twitter Facebook – Connect with Laura on Facebook! Don’t Miss an Episode. Subscribe to One of the Links Below: Click Here to Subscribe via iTunes Click Here to Subscribe via Stitcher Thank you for Listening to the Podcast! If you’ve found value in this episode of the Marketing Access Pass Podcast, I would love to hear about it! Please head on over to iTunes and leave me a Rating and Review (5 stars would be awesome!) so others who are interested in starting an online business can find the show and learn how to escape the “rat-race”. Click here to learn how to leave a rating and review. If you have any questions or comments about this show, please post them in the comments area below and my guest and I would more than happy to answer them.

"It's not just how sports and technology intersect, but also the way that sport unites us as humanity, and what kind of impact it has on our culture, and what kind of impact our culture has on it... " In 2011, I attended South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas. It was one of the greatest experiences of my professional life. In recent years, SXSW has launched a new convergence track called SXsports, a sports focused track on tech, business, data, media and more. On this week's episode, Head of SXsports Rebecca Feferman joined the podcast to talk SXsports and the future of sports & technology. We touch on Rebecca's past as a PR pro in Hollywood before moving to ATX during the recession & landing at SXSW. Rebecca gives us the low down on the history of SXSW and specifically where the idea for SXsports came from. We discuss the involvement of athletes & coaches in tech, VC and innovation when it comes to the #sportsbiz and learn about SXsports' mission to bridge sport & culture. Lasty, Rebecca gives us some tips on what to do & see whilst in ATX for the massive festival and let's us know where to register and find the soon-to-be-released speaker lineup. **Update: The panel and speaker lineup was released today. Mentions include: @RebFef on Twitter SXsports NFL Films Hard Knocks ESPN 30 for 30 Grantland Bill Simmons Adam Silver of the NBA is SXsport's featured speaker SXsports 2015 panels Soundcloud playlist SXsports 2014 panels Soundcloud playlist Kliff Kingsbury panel at SXsports 2014 Art Briles, Baylor Football Head Coach Kevin Kelley, Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) Football Head Coach Son of the Congo, a Serge Ibaka documentary by Grantland Our next is Ashley Strauss, Director of Creative Services for Mississippi State Athletics. I'll be heading down to Starkville, MS to interview Ashley and experience the Bulldogs' football gameday first hand. We're planning something out of the ordinary for this one as well so be on the lookout on twitter. Sign up for the weekly email newsletter for updates, discounts on future products and exclusive content for subscribers. Did you enjoy this episode? Then please rate and/or write a review of the show on iTunes. Also, be sure to follow show host, @TAdamMartin and @MakersofSport on twitter and Dribbble.

Good ideas never exist in a vacuum—they come from life experiences, world views, curiosity, hard work, and collective brain power. And when put to practice, the best ideas address real issues and solve real problems. Learn how a hacking ethos is leading to breakthroughs in medicine; how embracing new technologies will shape the camera of the future; how rethinking microbes could change the way we treat disease; and how crowd-sourcing is helping protect Earth from asteroids. Read more: http://bit.ly/1RkCWW4 Episode Transcript: https://bit.ly/2Edv1Ze Featuring: Hans Peter Brøndmo ’87 Advisor, TrueNorth Venture Partners Lina Colucci, doctoral candidate Co-Director, MIT Hacking Medicine Priya Garj ’15 Co-Director, MIT Hacking Medicine Bernat Olle SM ’05, PhD ’07, MBA ’07 Chief Executive Officer, Vedanta Biosciences Jenn Gustetic SM ’07 Assistant Director for Open Innovation, Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy Music: “On the Ground,” “Off to Osaka,” and “How it Begins” All songs by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Originally recorded at the 2015 South by Southwest Interactive festival; produced to coincide with HUBweek (http://hubweek.org/) and MIT Solve (http://solve.mit.edu/).

Data is everywhere—nearly anything can be represented by a number. In its simple form, data tells a story backed by numerical truth. But data is rarely simple or pure—and we have access to more data than any time in history. In this podcast, recorded at the 2015 South by Southwest Interactive festival, five MIT alumni discuss how their work and research are making sense of this never-ending wave, and how we can better understand data and use it to solve real-world problems (and develop amazing food recipes). Read more: http://bit.ly/1Nz9yJh Episode Transcript: https://bit.ly/2ImonSZ Featuring: Professor Sinan Aral PhD ’07 Professor of Management, MIT Sloan; Chief Scientist, Humin Denise Cheng SM ’14 Peer Economy Expert Tiffany Chu ’10 Cofounder, Remix Jacquelyn Martino PhD ’06 Designer, IBM Matt Stempeck SM ’13 Director of Civic Technology, Microsoft Chef Watson Computer, IBM Music: “Carefree,” “Go Cart,” and “Pamgaea” All songs by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Author of The Underwriting   Interview starts at 19:39 and ends at 39:40   I was a first-time novelist; I didn't have a name at all. So it was a great way to find my audience before I tried to find an agent and a publisher. I think that is such a daunting process for writers, to find someone to pay attention and beyond paying attention to understand their work and let them maintain their vision.   News “Bezos's obsession translates to this honor for Amazon” by Andria Cheng at MarketWatch - June 4, 2015 “Up the Amazon with the BS Machine” by Ursala K. LeGuin at Book View Cafe - June 1, 2015   Tech Tips “I have seen the future of reading on the internet, and it is glorious” by Ezra Klein at Vox - June 11, 2015   Interview with Michelle MillerThe Underwriting by Michelle MillerMichelle Miller interviewed on Bloomberg (video) - May 29, 2015“How Serialized Fiction is Rewriting the Book” - at South by Southwest Interactive 2015  Content “29 Books You Should Definitely Bring to the Beach This Summer” by Lincoln Thompson at BuzzFeed Books - June 8, 2015   Music for my podcast is from an original Thelonius Monk composition named "Well, You Needn't." This version is "Ra-Monk" by Eval Manigat on the "Variations in Time: A Jazz Persepctive" CD by Public Transit Recording" CD.    Please Join the Kindle Chronicles group at Goodreads!

Laura is the founder of LKR Social Media, which now is a team of six. Laura offers strategic consulting in the form of videos that you watch in your own office, on your own time, at your own pace. She has spoken at some of the most well respected events in her industry to include  South by Southwest Interactive, BlogHer, and The Social Communications Summit. Laura has also been quoted in big name publications such as the LA Times, Bloomberg, and CNET.

Attended by thousands of tech enthusiasts and early adopters, South by Southwest Interactive is a hothouse of big thinking and practical business technologies. It’s where Twitter was launched and has been a an accelerator for apps, technologies and startups. In this episode Cat Matson and Suzi Dafnis review some of the 2015 highlights. Hear about the big-name speakers, digital mind clones, behaviour changes, Uber, Google X, failing, testing and much more.

Longtime FIR supporter Bryan Person caught up with social media consultant Jon Burkhart at the 2015 South by Southwest Interactive festival, where the pair talked about Burkhart's focus on helping organizations avoid embarrassing themselves online.Continue Reading → The post Bryan Person interviews consultant, author, and speaker Jon Burkhart appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Guy and Margaret are both all about Monica Lewinsky’s recent TED presentation, Wynter’s been at South by Southwest Interactive and Oliver thinks you should listen to the new Earl Sweatshirt album.   Plus it’s the last week of the MaxFunDrive and we’ve got some Pop Rocket bonus offers to encourage you to donate. With Wynter Mitchell, Oliver Wang, Margaret Wappler and host Guy Branum. Produced by Colin Anderson for MaximumFun.org

Can you imagine being denied a bank account just because some bureaucrat disapproves of your job? It could happen to you!Launched in early 2013, "Operation Choke Point" is a joint effort by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the bank regulators to limit access to the bank payments system by various businesses. Initially targeted at small-dollar nonbank lenders, Choke Point has grown to cover a variety of legitimate businesses that just happen to be unpopular with DOJ.Since, in today’s economy, almost any economic activity depends on access to the payments system, allowing the DOJ to arbitrarily limit access represents an almost unprecedented abuse of power. Many targeted businesses and individuals are turning to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and dogecoin in order to survive without access to the traditional banking system.What can be done about Operation Choke Point, who is being targeted, and what implications does this hold for the future of cryptocurrencies?This panel will be occurring at the annual South by Southwest - Interactive conference in Austin, Texas. You will need to be a registered participant of the conference to attend. However, all Cato supporters are invited to follow along on Twitter using #CatoCrypto. We will also be posting a video on the Cato website after the conference is over. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After more than half a year away from The Conversation, Aengus and Micah return with a panel they gave at South by Southwest Interactive. The panel, entitled "A Sheep in Wolf's Clothes: The Myth of Disruption" drew extensively from The Conversation to question ideas of progress that are implied by the science/tech industries. This episode is a departure from the rest of The Conversation's format but, rest assured, Aengus, Micah, and Neil will return soon with a new episode.

Fernando Labastida is a prominent Latino business blogger and the founder of Latin IT Marketing, a blog and consultancy providing marketing services for Latin American software development firms wanting to enter the U.S. market. He speaks and teaches marketing in both Spanish and English at places such as the Economic Business Growth Business Incubator in Austin, TX, the SXSW Latinos in Tech program in Austin, TX, the Congreso Internacional Emprendor in El Salvador, Product Camp and the Rise Multicultural Series, among others. He was a moderator on a panel about Startups in Mexico at South by Southwest Interactive, and he gave a virtual presentation about Content Marketing for the Lander Academy. He organized the first Latin American track for the South by Southwest Interactive Conference, co-organized the debut of the Americas IT Forum in Austin, and he’s the founder of the Austin Content Marketing Meetup. He was a guest columnist for Nearshore Americas, the Austin chapter of the American Marketing Association, and currently writes at Emprende.us. What you'll learn Fernando's American dream and his path to pursue it How he started his business and attracted his first clients by blogging Why those who share & give away more value attract more business and establish themselves as authorities in their niche. The new mindset of success How to use and re-use content marketing in different formats to continue to build your business How organizing a conference can build your brand and attract new clients How Latinos are making inroads at big conferences like SXSW The 5 steps to successful content marketing Fernando's take on the most interesting business opportunities that technology is opening up for Latino entrepreneurs Fernando's business success formula: give without expecting nothing in return, be social, have a positive attitude (hay que hacer limonada) and promote your content ... Resources & Links emprende.us latinitmarketing.com Thank you so much for listening ! If you enjoyed the episode, please consider subscribing in iTunes  and Stitcher and leaving a rating and a review.  This helps us to continue to be featured in the New & Noteworthy rankings so that more Latinos and Latinas can find us. Considering Launching a Podcast? Podcasters Paradise: This is my favorite resource for those of you considering launching your own podcast.  It was created by one of the most successful podcasters today-John Lee Dumas- who’s  Entrepreneur on Fire podcast was voted best in iTunes in 2013.  This is the only resource you will ever need to Create, Grow and Monetize your podcast. Over 700 members are consuming the 120+ video tutorials, engaging with other Podcasters in the private Facebook group, & loving the monthly webinars with todays top Podcasters! Sign up for free LIVE weekly webinars here.

Molly Mahar is a coach, fierce love advocate and joy enthusiast. She is the founder of Stratejoy, a positive corner of the Internet that provides thousands of women inspiring + useful strategies to create their own joyful world. Molly’s work is delivered through small group programs, digital courses and high level one-on-one coaching, focused on gutsy women in transition.  From the quarterlife crisis to the new mama meltdown, the up-and-coming business babe to the career changer, the newlywed to the newly divorced; she helps women get clear on who they are, what they want, and how to get it.  Some call it reinvention.  Molly calls it Activating your Awesome. A free spirit with a passion for mindful entrepreneurship, Molly loves sharing her passion with others. She’s rocked audiences at the South by Southwest Interactive, lululemonathletica, The US Army Wellness Weekend, Ladies who Launch National Conference, CRAVE Business Symposium and The Junior League.

This post is by New Tech City host Manoush Zomorodi.  I went to the South by Southwest Interactive festival this year with a hypothesis: My guess was that we might see the world's largest gathering of people wearing Google Glass. It's been over a year since the company began its invite-only trial program, and I figured these early adopters could come together and change the whole dynamic of the conference! Well...I was dead wrong. Not that many people were wearing them, even at an event about Google Glass. So, why the reluctance? This week on New Tech City, we explore why one of the most hyped technologies out there is facing a backlash even before it hits the market. 

Welcome to episode one of New Business Networking Radio. I'm so excited you are here to hear the show. This episode features a chat with Hugh Forrest, Director of South by Southwest Interactive. SXSW begins tomorrow. Are you going? If you have ever dreamed of creating your own meet up or conference, or if you plan to attend one, this episode is a must listen. Hugh Forrest has been with SXSW since 1989, and he has brilliant advice you can use today. NBN1: Conference planning and attending tips with SXSW Interactive's Hugh Forrest SXSW had a lot of lucky breaks along the way. For a long time, they struggled to find their voice. SXSW Interactive has grown astronomically because of social media and start-ups. More importantly, they are connected to a vibrant, rich, passionate, intelligent, and engaged community. "The more you can engage the community and work with the community, and reflect the passion, interests, and energy of the community, the stronger the event you can make." Learn how Hugh went from journalism to conference organizing. He also confesses what he wants to be when he grows up. SXSWi had less than 5,000 attendees in 2006. This year they are expecting nearly 30,000 people! Hugh shares advice for conference organizers who want to take their events to the next level. "Slow growth is good growth, grow organically." "Bigger is not necessarily better." How Hugh deals with the stress of his job. Good points here for you too. Conference building is a lot like doing a start-up. "Try not get too high when good things happen. Try not to get too low when bad things happen." Tips for breaking out of your regular groups and meeting new people at events. "...if you're an expert on sports and new media, you should go to something completely out of your wheelhouse. That's where you'll get the most value. We like to hang out with our friends, but the most valuable thing about SXSW is making new friends and new connections." - Hugh Forrest interview from Austin Post. The History of the Button presentation by Bill DeRouchey. "Choose things that are a little bit different and outside of your realm." "It's about making connections that can take your career to the next level." Hugh built SXSW's first database on his Macintosh Plus using Reflex. Remember Reflex? Hugh tends to be more active on Twitter than Facebook. Say hello by tweeting to him @Hugh_W_Forrest. He encourages his staff to engage with the people who have positive things to say about SXSW. He puts even more emphasis on engaging and reacting to people who may not have had a great experience. There's often more to learn from these people. You can often turn that critic into a cheerleader. Twitter was born at SXSW in 2007, Foursquare in 2009. What are the next trends? What's coming? Hugh shares his thoughts. Hugh talks about the DIY maker movement. 2014 sessions will be about wearable-computing and Internet of Things. Check out Narrative, the clip-on camera to document your life. SXSW Interactive runs March 7 - 11. Don't miss Hugh Forrest's best advice for attending SXSW. "Events like SXSW specialize in serendipity. Be ready to ditch that game plan at any given point." "Surrender to serendipity." Gaping Void's incredible artwork and #SXSW commentary.  Hugh recommends the book, Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal. [Tweet ""Surrender to serendipity" - @Hugh_W_Forrest #sxsw"] Did you enjoy the show? Please share it, and help us grow the NBN Radio Community. Please click this link to tweet a message to your friends to invite them to tune in. You can subscribe to the show by RSS or by email, so you never miss an episode. A link to iTunes and Stitcher will be available soon. Theme music, Urbana-Metronica (wooh-yeah mix) by spinningmerkaba. Thanks for listening. You rock!

Dave Delaney is a recognized leader, consultant and speaker on digital marketing, social media strategy, and business networking. He hosted one of the first parenting podcasts from 2005 – 2008, and he has been blogging for nearly a decade. His book, New Business Networking, is available from Que Publishing. Since moving to Nashville, TN in 2007, Dave has co-founded two annual unconferences, PodCamp and BarCamp Nashville. He has also launched two monthly networking events, Nashcocktail and Geek Breakfast. The latter now has chapters across the US, South Africa and Australia. In July 2012, Delaney was selected by Billboard Magazine as a digital marketing expert to follow. In May 2012, Delaney was featured by the Nashville Business Journal as a Power Leader of Technology in Nashville, TN. In 2011, Dave was awarded the prestigious Digital Media Champion AIM Award by the American Marketing Association in Nashville. In 2009, he was nominated for Nashville's blogger of the year by the Nashville Technology Council. Dave has appeared in technology stories in USA Today, Billboard Magazine, Globe & Mail, Nashville Business Journal, The Tennessean and Mashable. Delaney frequently speaks at private events, functions and public conferences. Engagements include South by Southwest Interactive, PodCamp Toronto, BarCamp and PodCamp Nashville, Social Media Club Nashville, American Marketing Association Nashville, Interlogix Partners Conference, Killer Tribes, Explore Nashville, Techville, and more. To learn more about Dave, please visit his website DaveDelaney.com 

Laura is the founder of LKR Social Media, which now is a team of six.  Laura offers strategic consulting in the form of videos that you watch in your own office, on your own time, at your own pace.   She has spoken at some of the most well respected events in her industry to include  South by Southwest Interactive, BlogHer, and The Social Communications Summit.  Laura has also been quoted in big name publications such as the LA Times, Bloomberg, and CNET.

In this podcast, Dean Calhoun of Affygility Solutions discusses Social Media and Environmental, Health and Safety The twitter hashtag for today’s podcast is #socialehs    First, I’ll briefly cover what we talked about last time in episode number 12    Then I will cover our main topic for today, which is the use of Social Media in Environmental, Health and Safety industry.    And finally, I’ll then discuss upcoming events and happenings of importance to environmental, health and safety professionals in the BioPharma Industry. Last time in Episode 12 we discussed the topic of “Creeping Featurism of Environmental, Health and Safety software."  In that episode I shared my four observations regarding the evolution of environmental, health and safety software.  Those four observations were, first, everybody seems to want a comprehensive system that is off the shelf.  Complete with every bell and whistle, and one that keeps track of every possible requirement, emission, or metric.  The problem I have with this is, “in most companies with limited environmental, health and safety staff who is going to enter all this data?” My 2th observation was that an environmental, health and safety management system is not equal to MIS, my 3rd observation was that configuration does not equal customization, and my 4th and final observation is that comprehensive systems are pricey.  In episode 12 I also shared some questions that you might want to ask yourself prior to selecting a system.  So, if any of that interests you I suggest you go back and listen to episode 12 and listen to the whole thing. Alright, now before we move into our next topic, I might indicate that it’s going to be slightly different than previous topics that I’ve discussed. For those of you that have been listening in to previous episodes, most of you know that I recently attended South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas.  First off South by Southwest was an amazing conference and the speakers were great, and the attendees were awesome – all 19,000 plus of them.  Many of the sessions that I attended dealt with social media and that inspired me to talk about today’s main topic, which is the use of Social Media in Environmental, Health and Safety. ·      So what exactly is Social Media? ·      So why Social Media? ·      Who is using Social Media? OSHA, NIOSH, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency all have Facebook pages and twitter feeds. The National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM), American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), American Biological Safety Association (ABSA) and many other professional organizations. ·      What’s the value in Social Media?      Who is doing it right? What are the challenges of social media.    ·      As a final comment regarding social media, allow the users to have an opinion and to be human. Social media can get a little messy at times with mis-spelled words, the use of slang or jargon, and the occasional use of profanity.  As stated before, it will have to be moderated, but again, be careful not to over moderate. O.k.  The does it for the discussion on “Social Media in Environmental, Health and Safety.” If you have any comments or feedback – I loved to hear it.  You can call our listener voicemail feedback line at 206-337-4769 and leave an audio comment.  You can also stalk us on twitter at twitter.com/Affygility, or follow us on Facebook by just searching for Affygility Solutions and giving us a “Like. You can also email us your comments at podcast at Affygility.com. Alright, let’s now talk about some upcoming events.    First I should mention, that coming up in April, we have several new webinars starting and you should look at our schedule at Affygility.com.  These webinars have been very well attended and we have received a lot of positive feedback on them.  In addition to our very popular webinar on Advanced Topics in Potent Compound Safety, we also have a webinar on Dermal Exposure to Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Global Harmonization System, Hazardous Wastes for Hospitals, Clinics, and Medical Laboratories.  Again, if any of that interests you, I would suggest that you go to Affygility.com and look at our full schedule. Finally, as mentioned in previous podcast, I’ve been working on a podcast about the Young Guns of Environmental, Health and Safety.  So far, I’ve had over 100 participants complete the survey.  This week I will be working on tallying up the results and will have a free webinar presenting the results this coming Thursday, March 31st.  For details on the time and how to register, please go to potent compound safety.com.   O.k.  That does it for this week’s show.  Remember to submit your questions to our voicemail feedback line at 206-337-4769 and stalk us on twitter at twitter.com/Affygility, on Facebook by searching for Affygility Solutions and giving us a “Like”, and finally on LinkedIn by searching for Affygility Solutions.                   

BioPharma EH&S Podcast Episode No. 12.  Saturday, March 5th, 2011 and we have so much to talk about today, so I’m going to get right into it. First off, I’ll briefly cover what we talked about last time in episode number 11 Main topic for today :“Creeping Featurism in Environmental, Health and Safety software”, which I’m quite certain sure will stir up some controversy. Last time in Episode 11 we discussed the topic of “The Evolution of EHS Compliance and Operational Risk Management Software.”  Unfortunately I don’t have time to cover all the details today, but basically we covered the history of compliance software systems and tools, and where the future of EHS software is heading.  If any of that sounds like something that might interest you, I would suggest you go back to episode number 11 and listen to the whole thing. Let’s now get into our main topic for today which is “Creeping Featurism in Environmental, Health and Safety software” As many of you know, this past week I was in San Antonio, Texas at the National Association for Environmental Management’s Management Information Systems conference.  At this conference, there were numerous presentations by companies that have recently gone or going through the process of implementing an environmental, health and safety management information system.  In general, the presentations were good and the organizers did a great job of keeping everything on track, but as with most conferences, the best part of the conference was the excellent conversations in the hallway with your peers and colleagues, and the opportunity to meet new people.  However, as I thought about the presentations more, in some respects, I would like to see a presentation style similar to the DEMO conference.  Most of you listening to this podcast probably have never heard of DEMO, but DEMO is conference that is held twice per year, where technology developers are selected to showcase their latest technologies in front of venture capitalist, the technology media, and other technology interest groups.  DEMO is a pay to present type of conference and their presentation requirements are fairly unique – there is no Powerpoint allowed, and you have to use a “live” system not an install that on a local machine, and you get a very short amount of time to show what your system does – I believe it’s six minutes.  This style of presentation places a lot of pressure on the solution providers to make sure that their systems are clean, fast, and easy to explain.  “Bloatware” will not survive this kind of presentation style.  I will put a link to the DEMO conference website in the show notes. However, backed to the conference in San Antonio, based on the presentations of the environmental, health and safety software that I saw, I have the following observations. First off, everybody seems to want a “comprehensive” systems that will do everything.  They want it to handle everything from accident reporting to industrial hygiene, from carbon footprint reporting to sustainability reporting.  But despite what the solution providers will tell you, this dream system doesn’t really exist, at least not in an off the shelf version.  Solution providers tend to be reacting to perceived customer needs and keep adding module after module.  While this may provide the impression of comprehensiveness, I might mention that with all this increased “comprehensiveness” comes a significant increase in “complexity” of user interfaces.  Based on the seven or eight systems that I saw during my two days in San Antonio, most of the user interfaces were very, very cluttered. The second observation or take home point was, and as I believed as one of the speakers stated, make sure that your people understand that an environmental, health and safety management system, or EMS, is not about the software or your management information system.  In other words – an EMS is not equal to MIS.  The software is just a tool to support your EMS. The third observation was, understand that “configuration” does not equal “customization”.  Much of the costs of implementing an environmental, health and safety software solution arise when the company insists that the system have certain features that are unique to their company.  If you want to keep costs down and ensure rapid implementation - get a system that is easily configurable and works “off the shelf”.   As soon as you start demanding customization, expect the costs to go up significantly and the time for implementation to get much longer. And finally, the fourth observation was that these comprehensive systems are pricey.  If I recall correctly, at the closing presentation, based on a survey of its members, the typically budget for an EH&S-MIS system was somewhere between 100 thousand to 500 thousand per year. So there you have my four observations 1) Everybody wants a comprehensive system that is off the shelf, 2) EMS is not equal to MIS, 3) configuration does not equal customization, and 4) comprehensive systems are pricey. So if you’re considering selecting and implementing an EHS-MIS, I’d like to propose that you ask yourself several questions. The first question you need to ask yourself is “Where’s the value?” When scoping out a system keep a laser like focus on the value rather than the features or comprehensiveness.  Make sure that you are creating something that serves a real business outcome and not creating “bloatware.” From my perspective, companies are attempting to track too many things that really don’t advance the value of the company.  And when I talk about “value” I don’t necessarily just mean economic value.  In one presentation, I believe the presenter indicated that when they scoped out the user requirements they initially came up with 24 health and safety tracking requirements, and 34 sustainability requirements.  Ask everyone “where are the value added measurements?”  Which of these measurements are critical for reducing operational risk, improving the profitability of the company, or reducing significant amounts of pollution or wastes? Ask yourself “What is the end user really willing to do?”When scoping out user requirements for an environmental, health and safety management information system be very careful when listening to the end user.  In other words, don’t listen to what they tell you - watch what they do.  Instead of asking what they want, ask what they are they willing to spend their valuable time and money on.  The end user always, always wants ultimate flexibility. They want corporate colors and font, the ability to move the field input box from the left to the right, the ability to sort environmental, health and safety data by every possible way, draw every possible graph, and add custom fields at their leisure.  Please understand, that while all of this is very doable, it does come at a cost.  So, instead of asking about what features or requirements they want, ask them if they are willing to stay at work till 7:00 each Friday night of every week entering this data.  I’m quite certain that you will get your answer very soon.  Reducing complexity will improve data integrity. Ask yourself “How can we reduce complexity?” Instead of always thinking about what features we should add, think about what we should remove instead of what we should add.  Don’t get sold on all those pretty graphs that only impress yourself and your team.  Instead think about flexibility.  If you want those pretty graphs does the system have the flexibility to dump the data to Excel and then you can spend your personal time at night creating the graph in the official corporate colors and fonts. What single requirement do we need to do very well?Look at what the biggest EH&S challenge facing your company is, and fix that problem in a meaningful way.  Don’t worry about tracking the difference between potable and non-potable water usage when you’re having 60 occupational fatalities per year.  Fix the bigger issues first. Ask, How long is the implementation? At the conference, one company indicated that they were 2 ½ years into implementation. What? To me that equals lots of time in meetings and paying a team of consultants many, many billable hours.  Consultants love this kind of stuff, because it means job security to them. Ask, Who is on the selection and implementation team?EHS, IT, and Purchasing on the decision team - that’s a bad combination. What about operations? What about finance? Ask, What defines success? When embarking on any software project understand that there’s risk involved – risks of cost and schedule overruns, and risk of creating a system that never get adopted by the end users.  According to the Standish group, in the United States, only 16.2% of software projects are completed on time and on budget.  In larger organizations, only 9% of software projects meet those goals.  According to the Standish group, the average cost over run is 189% of the original cost, and the average time overrun is 222% of the original time estimate.  According to their report, the 3 major factors that determined the “success” of the project was user involvement, executive management support, and clear statement of requirements. What will our future workforce be like? Understand the future of your workforce and current trends, not the old.  The future of environmental, health and safety professionals that will be entering the workforce in the next 10 years are very different than the “decision makers” of today.  They are smart, comfortable with technology, used to rapid change, demand instant feedback, and are very mobile.  They have practically grown up with a smartphone such as a Blackberry, iPhone or Android in their hands, and are deeply involved in Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and LinkedIn.  Their needs, their demands will be very different from ours.  Figuring out ways to increase user engagement with this generation of environmental, health and safety professionals will be challenging for even the best of us. In closing this part of the podcast, I’d like to say that EH&S software, can be beneficial to any company, but be you need to be very clear about your expectations.  In addition, always, always look to simplify processes, rather than making more comprehensive.  Otherwise, your risk of failure rises significantly.  Sometimes a simple and affordable environmental, health and safety software solution that works off the shelf is best. O.k.  The does it for the discussion on “Creeping Featurism in Environmental, Health and Safety software. If you have any comments or feedback – I loved to hear it.  You can call our listener voicemail feedback line at 206-337-4769 and leave an audio comment.  You can also stalk us on twitter at twitter.com/Affygility, or follow us on Facebook by just searching for Affygility Solutions and giving us a “Like. You can also email us your comments at podcast at Affygility.com. Alright, let’s now talk about some upcoming events.The first event is the Society of Toxicology meeting on March 6th through 10th in Washington, DC.  Dr. Joe Nieusma, Senior Toxicologist with Affygility Solutions will be attending this event, so if you would like to meet with Joe let me know. Next, on March 11th through 15th, I will be attending South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas.  I’ve been looking at the schedule of sessions and events that will be happening at South by Southwest and it is amazing.  This event has nothing to do with environmental, health and safety, but more to do with interactive technologies. Then I should also mention, that coming up in April, we have several new webinars starting and you should look at our schedule at Affygility.com.  These webinars have been very well attended and we have received a lot of positive feedback on them.  In addition to our very popular webinar on Advanced Topics in Potent Compound Safety, we also have a webinar on Dermal Exposure to Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Global Harmonization System, Hazardous Wastes for Hospitals, Clinics, and Medical Laboratories.  Again, if any of that interests you, I would suggest that you go to Affygility.com and look at our full schedule.

  BioPharma EH&S Podcast Episode No. 10 Note: This is the abbreviated script of the podcast, for the more detailed version go to http://potentcompoundsafety.com/?p=642 Cover what we talked about last time in episode number 9 Then I will cover our main topic for today, which is “Industrial hygiene in the pharmaceutical industry.” Discuss upcoming events and happenings of importance to environmental, health and safety professionals in the BioPharma Industry. Discussed the topic of “Are you an environmental, health and safety road warrior?”  Get into our main topic for today which is “Industrial hygiene in the pharmaceutical industry.” What I’m going to talk about here is based off of a journal article written by myself, Dr. Joe Nieusma, Senior Occupational Toxicologist with Affygility Solutions, and Angela Coler of Affygility Solutions.  This article is titled “Strategies for preventing occupational exposure to potent compounds” and was published in a 2010 edition of Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods.  In that article, Joe, Angela, and I discuss that since the 1970’s, occupational toxicologists, industrial hygienists and other occupational health professionals in the pharmaceutical industry have recognized that occupational exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients can cause unintended health effects in workers handling these substances.  In our Advanced Topics in Potent Compound Safety webinar, Dr. Nieusma, always discusses that chemical compounds that are routinely handled in the pharmaceutical industry are unique from other chemicals in that these compounds are designed to have an effect on the human body.  In an occupational setting, if an employee provides a pathway of exposure to a potent compound, there is a high probability that the compound is going to elicit the designed response.  Industrial hygienists and other occupational health professionals in the industry have responded to this hazard recognition by employing strategies for the risk evaluation and control of potent active pharmaceutical ingredients, otherwise known by the term “potent compounds.” The strategies for preventing occupational exposure to potent compounds are very similar to any other industrial hygiene process, and consist of anticipating and evaluating the hazards of potent compounds; determining which of those process activities pose the highest risks; evaluating those risks, and finally, controlling potential exposures primarily through engineering devices.  These strategies should be applied at all stages of pharmaceutical product development including discovery, pre-formulation, initial test batches, pilot plant, scale-up, and production.  These strategies can be applied to initial discovery of a potent compound by an innovator company or to the development of a product coming off patent by a generic pharmaceutical company. Don't go into the definition of a potent compound, refer to article So, let’s now talk about our first strategy component, the first component is Evaluating the Hazards of Existing and New Compounds Prior to the introduction of any new APIs into the workplace, a thorough scientific literature search on the specific or similar compounds should be conducted.  If your company is just getting started in developing a potent compound safety program, a thorough literature search should be performed on pharmaceutical products already in the company’s portfolio – either in development or already on the market.  The industrial hygiene professional needs to gain an understanding of the potential hazards of all of the company’s products. While retrieving literature and understanding the hazards may seem like a fairly simple task, for new compounds early in the development process it is often challenging to find information that is relevant to an occupational exposure scenario.  However, the primary focus should be to identify sufficient information to allow preliminary classification of the potent compound into a control banding strategy.  Much has been written about control banding in the pharmaceutical industry, so I won’t go into those details today, but would suggest you either attend one of our webinars on this topic or do some research on this subject.  I will however mention that one of the most common modification to the classification scheme is typically in the number of classification bands individual companies utilize for their products.  The number of bands that a company chooses to employ depends on the range of pharmaceutical products in the company’s portfolio and the number of control options that the company has implemented. As an example, Affygility Solutions use a 5 band scheme. When you or your occupational toxicologist are searching for potential literature sources of information, these can originate from both inside a company and from published scientific literature.  Primary articles, can come from high quality databases from the National Library of Medicine can provide published resources on numerous chemical substances. However, for discovery compounds, the internal toxicology studies will provide the most useful information.  If the chemical entity has been on the market for a significant period of time, the literature can possibly provide all the necessary data to complete a potent compound safety classification.  Once the data has been assembled, professional judgment must be exercised to evaluate the data and determine the critical toxicological endpoints.   Conduct Risk Assessments on All Potential Exposure Scenarios   After you have an understanding of the potential hazards of the compound has and a preliminary occupational exposure limit has been calculated, the occupational toxicologist or industrial hygienist should perform a detailed risk assessment.  Risk assessments are often an overlooked, but extremely important, component of a potent compound safety program.  These risk assessments will contain a number of risk factors that will define the probability of exposure. These risk factors include how the active pharmaceutical ingredient is handled, the physical form, the quantity, the frequency and duration of exposure, and several other factors. Ideally, a well developed potent compound safety program will have completed detailed risk assessments on every step of the process. Also, in addition to manufacturing processes, risk assessments should also be conducted for non-routine activities, such as emergency repair activities, spill situations, or equipment failure.  In order to appropriately conduct a risk assessment, a number of departments will need to be involved.  These departments can include: industrial hygiene, occupational toxicology, occupational health, and operations. Strategy Component 3:  Evaluate Potential Exposures   After you have completed risk assessments, a risk-based monitoring strategy will need to be developed.  Exposure assessment strategies such as those used for other industrial hygiene purposes are fine.  But, briefly, exposure assessments are utilized to identify the need for engineering controls or in the case where engineering controls alone are not adequate to control occupational exposure, if personal protective equipment is required as an additional means of protection.  Data from an exposure assessment will determine the level of containment achieved and if other means of controlling exposure are required. When conducting air monitoring for potent compounds, it is frequently the case that air sampling and analytical methods will not be available and will need to be developed by specialty industrial hygiene analytical laboratories.  We go into a lot more detail on this subject in our webinars, so I won’t discuss it here.  However, during the interval of method development for a potent compound, the integrity of the containment strategy can be tested.  It is a very common practice in the pharmaceutical industry to use either lactose or naproxen sodium to perform surrogate monitoring on the equipment prior to inclusion of the more potent compounds.  This practice is typically called performing containment validation studies.  Affygility Solutions has significant experience in performing these types of studies, so if you need more information please don't hesitate to contact us.  The data from these evaluations can then be used to determine how the containment strategy will perform when the potent compound is actually introduced. After you receive the exposure assessment results, the industrial hygienist will need to carefully evaluate the data and compare to the field notes to determine the activities and operations that contribute to increased exposures. Exposure assessments are a critical tool for performance verification of engineering controls.  Operator effects are numerous.  Even the most sophisticated engineering controls can be ineffective due to poor operator technique or failure to follow established procedures. It’s been my experience that a single instance of inappropriately using a compressed air hose to remove spilled dry API from the top of a container can result in an 8-hour time weighted average exposure that is 400% higher than other who did not use a compressed air hose.  Training is critical to decrease or eliminate variability in operator technique.  Consistent techniques, attention to detail, and proper use of the available engineering controls is critical in preventing occupational exposure to potent compounds Implement Risk Management and Control Measures   The primary focus of a comprehensive potent compound program is to prevent occupational exposures through effective process containment.  When handling highly potent compounds, containment must be provided during all steps in the process.  Typical containment devices include the use of downflow booths during weighing or dispensing activities, the use of high containment or split butterfly valves during product transfer between containers, local exhaust ventilation near dust generating activates, closed systems, vacuum transfers, and the use of isolators to enclose the process.  Engineering controls need to be a workable design, ergonomically correct, and user friendly or they will quickly be relegated to the backroom by operators.  The operator interface is one main aspect that is controllable.  Minimize operator interaction in a process, and the exposure potential will also be minimized. In addition to engineering controls, other risk management strategies may need to be utilized.  These can include administrative controls such as compound-specific hazard communication training and product-specific medical surveillance.  However, these aspects cannot be considered as a substitute for the previously mentioned engineering controls.  Other examples of administrative controls include time limits for operator exposures, gender restrictions, biomonitoring protocols, and process changes to eliminate operator variability.  The use of personal protective equipment should only be used as a tertiary means of exposure control. Strategies for preventing occupational exposures to potent compounds require that all elements be considered.  Failure to control exposures to potent compounds can result in costly program missteps, delayed production schedules, or potentially hazardous exposures to workers.  A comprehensive potent compound program will have contributions from occupational toxicology, industrial hygiene, safety, engineering, and operations.  The bottom line is employee safety and increased productivity. O.k.  The does it for the discussion on “Industrial hygiene in the pharmaceutical industry. If you have any comments or feedback – I loved to hear it.  You can call our listener voicemail feedback line at 206-984-3214 and leave an audio comment.  You can also stalk us on twitter at twitter.com/Affygility, or follow us on Facebook by just searching for Affygility Solutions and giving us a “Like. You can also email us your comments at podcast at Affygility.com. Alright, let’s now talk about some great upcoming events. The first event is the National Association for Environmental Management MIS Conference to be held on March 2nd and 3rd in San Antonio, Texas.  I will be attending this event and showing off our new mobile EHS app, so if you would like to meet up with me, please feel free to call the listener voicemail feedback line and let me know that you’re going to be there. The second event is the Society of Toxicology meeting on March 6th through 10th in Washington, DC.  Dr. Joe Nieusma, Senior Toxicologist with Affygility Solutions will be attending this event, so if you would like to meet with Joe and discuss potent compound safety, so let me know. Next, on March 11th through 15th, I will be attending South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas.  I’ve been looking at the schedule of sessions and events that will be happening at South by Southwest and it is amazing.  This event is going to be “off the chain”. If you don’t know what that means “Google it” and find out. I should also mention, that in April, we have several new webinars starting and you should look at our schedule at Affygility.com.  These webinars have been very well attended and we have received a lot of positive feedback on them.  In addition to our very popular webinar on Advanced Topics in Potent Compound Safety, we also have a webinar on Dermal Exposure to Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Global Harmonization System, Hazardous Wastes for Hospitals, Clinics, and Medical Laboratories.  Again, if any of that interests you, I would suggest that you go to Affygility.com and look at our full schedule. Finally, I’m starting to prepare for a podcast on the Young Guns of Environmental, Health and Safety, and I need several volunteer guests.  If you’re between the age of 25 to 34, and work in the environmental, health and safety field please send me an email if you’re interested in participating.  My email address is dcalhoun@affygility.com O.k.  That does it for this week’s show.  Remember to submit your questions to our voicemail feedback line at 206-984-3214 and stalk us on twitter at twitter.com/Affygility, on Facebook by searching for Affygility Solutions and giving us a “Like”, and finally onLinkedIn by searching for Affygility Solutions.  

Management Commitment and Involvement - How to obtain it and sustain it for your EHS Program. Introduction.   Review last time.   Main topic: "Management Commitment – how to obtain and sustain it.”   Upcoming events and happenings of importance to environmental, health and safety professionals in the BioPharma Industry.   Important announcement to talk about and I’m very excited about this, and I believe you will be too.   Episode 6 we discussed some of key regulatory agenda items for 2011.  Those items on OSHA’s regulatory agenda and having the most impact on the Biopharma industry are I2P2 or injury illness and prevention programs, and the pending finalization of the revisions to the hazard communication standard.     Key parts of I2P2 are likely to be management commitment, employee involvement, and hazard identification.  OSHA has indicated that this is their key regulatory agenda item for this year.  If you want more details on that discussion, I would suggest that you go back to Episode 6 and listen.  You should also stay tuned to the BioPharma EHS podcast for updates on I2P2 in future episode.     We then discussed, how OSHA was indicating that they hope to have the revised hazard communication standard that incorporates the global harmonization system elements into the standard completed by August of this year.  I did mention in that podcast, that these changes will require significant changes to material safety data sheets, and package labeling.  Which also means that you will have to update your written program, your training programs, and re-train employees.  Again, I would suggest that you go back to Episode 6 and listen in.   Well, the discussion on I2P2 and management commitment, leads us into our next topic - Management Commitment – how to obtain it and sustain it.   Often hear EHS managers state, “If I just have management commitment. If I just have management involvement.  Our progress would be so much better.”  Well, first off, any experienced environmental, health and safety professionals knows that “yes” management commitment and involvement is a critical component to a successful EHS program, but as I always tell EHS managers, be careful what you ask for and know exactly what your asking.    Because when you start asking for senior management to be deeply involved in your program, along with that involvement comes a significant increase in accountability and a lot of work on your part.  And if your strategies, your goals, your objectives, don’t deliver on their promises – then senior management may be looking carefully at your ability to make strategic decisions and execute them.   So, before you start asking for their involvement you need to know what you want and what they want.    ·      First off, gain a solid understanding of what your company does, the key strategic goals for the next several years, and gain an understanding of their current business cycle – is the business in a rapid growth mode or downsizing mode?  If often surprises me, how few environmental, health and safety professional understand the company that they work for in terms of strategic direction, product and service offerings, and the overall business. ·      You also want to understand who the key influencers in the organization are and why? – who has the ear of the CEO? Who does the CEO listen to? ·      Second, understand the language of the CEO.  It’s been my experience that you can tell a lot about the type of language that they want to hear by understanding their education and background.  Prior to becoming a CEO was their experience in finance, sales and marketing, operations, or science?  In the biotech industry, it’s very common to have CEOs with a science background.  I’ve heard that in the past several years this has been changing, but if science is their language, then whatever strategies that you propose better speak the language of science and be about furthering the science of the company. ·      Once you have some understanding of the company and the background of some of its senior management – pick a few strategic targets where you can involve senior management and get some early success.  One example is drafting an overall corporate environmental, health and safety policy and getting it endorsed by senior management. ·      Next what visible, actionable items do you want management to be involved in?  In the biotech/pharma industry several things that I’ve seen that have work well is at least one senior manager being present in all safety committee meetings.  Ideally, it should be on a rotating basis. At first it may be intimidating for the staff level employees, but it does show the employees that management is willing to spend their time on safety.  One important point here – make sure you have prepared and distributed an agenda ahead of time, and have defined start and stop times.  This can’t be an ad hoc meeting.  Another example of management involvement is senior management participating in walk-through inspections of laboratories and manufacturing area.  I should mention an important point here – make sure that your senior managers are wearing all the appropriate personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, lab coats, and whatever else your company requires.  Nothing causes an EH&S programs to lose credibility more than senior managers going through work areas without the proper protective equipment.  I always can tell the company’s that have developed strong EH&S programs when annual reports have photos of executives in the lab, and they are always wearing their PPE.  Why is that so rare?  Well, taking professional photos of people wearing safety glasses is a real trick.  Because you get a lot of reflection and glare off the lens, professional photographers don’t like them and don’t want to spend the extra amount of time to get it right. ·      After you have decided on one or two things you would like to propose that senior managers be involved in, setup a meeting with the highest ranking member of management that you can get access to.  If it’s the CEO – great! If it’s the site head – that’s o.k.  But regardless of who you’re attempting to get access to – you may want to keep your direct supervisor informed or they might get blindsided. ·      Prior to meeting with them.  Make sure you have a plan on what you would like to discuss.  One page of bullet items is fine.  Stay focused and don’t get off topic, unless they want to discuss other issues.  Be open to their suggestions. They may be better than yours.  You should also be careful, not to overstay your welcome or future meetings with them will become difficult. ·      O.k. now that you have proposed some ways for managers to be engaged, what measurements are you going to keep to ensure progress in the right direction.  Without some kind of meaningful measurement you won’t be able to sustain your efforts.  Management wants to see that however they spend their valuable time is resulting in progress for the company. You likely will need several metrics and a combination of leading and lagging indicators.  Make sure your metrics are credible.  Software tools like Affytrac, our proprietary compliance management software, can be extremely helpful in tracking completion of actions.. ·      Finally, now that you have their attention, it is your responsibility to provide updates to senior management. Use metrics as previously noted, as well as other important items and achievements.  EH&S reports don’t always have to be always negative news. Be sure to mention the things that are going right.  Focus on progress. Keep your report short and condensed down to 1 or 2 pages.  Use graphs where possible.  Comparison graphs are great.  Management is used to looking at these types of graphs.  These reports should be provided at least quarterly. ·      After you have gain the confidence and trust of senior management, and you have a few solid systems in place, you can further advance the progress of the EH&S program by establishing an executive level EH&S committee.  While this may be a stretch for some companies early in the development of their environmental, health and safety program, it is something to aim for.   So, yes management commitment and involvement is key.  If you’re an EH&S professional working full-time at a company, then there has already been some level of commitment demonstrated just by allocating a full-time position to handle these issues.  But, there are also some simple things that you can have senior management be involved. Take some small steps and you will see some progress.   O.k.  The does it for the discussion on management commitment. If you have any comments or feedback – I loved to hear it.  You can call our listener voicemail feedback line at 206-984-3214 and leave an audio comment.  You don’t need to leave your last name or anything like that. You can also email us your comments at podcast at Affygility.com.   Alright, let’s now talk about some great upcoming events.   The first event is the National Association for Environmental Management Conference to be held on March 2nd and 3rd in San Antonio, Texas.  I will be attending this event, so if you would like to meet up with me, please feel free to call the listener voicemail feedback line and let me know that you’re going to be there.   The second event is the Society of Toxicology meeting on March 6th through 10th in Washington, DC.  Dr. Joe Nieusma, Senior Toxicologist with Affygility Solutions will be attending this event, so if you would like to meet with Joe let me know.   Next, on March 11th through 15th, I will be attending South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas.  This is going to be an exciting event and I look forward to hooking up with my good friends from E-Webstyle. They are the "A" team of Search Engine Optimization from Houston, TX  I’ve never met them face-to-face, but we have known each other virtual for several years now.  I look forward to meeting them in person.   I should also mention, that in April, we have several new EHS webinars starting and you should get out our schedule at Affygility.com.  These webinars have been very well attended and we have received a lot of positive feedback on them.  Also for those of you that are Certified Industrial Hygienist, you get 1.5 certification maintenance points for completing all 5 modules of the Advanced Topics in Potent Compound Safety webinar.   Alright, now for some very exciting news.  Just yesterday, Affygility Solutions announced the launch of Affytrac Mobile.  We are extremely excited about this innovative product and how it makes managing compliance programs so easy, and from the convenience of your smartphone.  Affytrac Mobile is the first fully functional environmental, health and safety mobile phone app.  Affytrac Mobile works from your iPhone, iPod touch, Android devices, and certain Blackberry Smartphones.  Check it out by going to Affygility.com.  We will be having a webinar going over the features of Affytrac Mobile this next Monday, January 31st, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.  The webinar should last approximately 30 minutes.  Please go to Affygility dot com to register for this free webinar.   Remember to submit your questions to our voicemail feedback line at 206-984-3214.  You can also stalk us on twitter at twitter.com/Affygility, on Facebook by searching for Affygility Solutions and giving us a “Like”, and finally on LinkedIn by searching for Affygility Solutions.        

Most people will focus on the technologies and innovations showcased at South by Southwest Interactive. I decided to focus on how creative people can better convey their interactive ideas in an environment where the time and attention to process those ideas is ridiculously scarce.

Todd Watson and I spent a few minutes with Lisa Kamm and Alex Cook from Google after their South by Southwest Interactive session on the long distance user experience.

Since the advent of personal computing, we’ve been tied to one place - typically sitting at a desk, with a keyboard and mouse, and in isolation. Even the advent of the web and the wifi-enabled laptop hasn’t much changed this quarter century old paradigm. But with the rise of mobile phones and devices like the Nintendo Wii and PSP featuring first class web browsing, our experience of the web will change dramatically over the coming years. In this context, which design and user experience patterns and techniques we’ve developed over the last 15 years hold up? And... which break? In this session, Dave Shea and John Allsopp consider the challenges we’ll face as the web devolves onto a myriad devices, and the web is "always on" wherever we are. John Allsopp Successful software developer, long standing web development speaker, writer, evangelist and expert, John has spent the last 15 years working with and developing for the web. As the head developer of the leading cross platform CSS development tool Style Master, and developer and publisher of renowned training courses and learning resources on CSS and standards based development, John is widely recognized as a leader in these fields. As a presenter and educator, John speaks frequently at conferences around Australia and the world. His idiosyncratic blog Dog or Higher covers a broad range of subjects, particularly in technology and innovation, and is widely read and referenced. Dave Shea Dave Shea is the creator and cultivator of the highly influential web site csszengarden.com, and co-author of the recently-published Zen of CSS Design (New Riders, 2005). The founder and design lead of Bright Creative in Vancouver, BC, Dave also writes for a large global audience of web designers and developers on his popular weblog, mezzoblue.com. His sites have won multiple awards, including Best of Show 2004 at the South by Southwest Interactive conference in Austin, TX. He speaks internationally at design and technology industry conferences, on top of being an organizer of Web Directions. Licensed as Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).