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Shannon Spotswood – CEO, RFG Advisory Choosing a platform isn't just about technology or economics. It's about finding a partner that helps you build the business you actually want to own. Shannon Spotswood explains why growth without compromise starts with choosing the right partner. In Summary What should advisors really look for in a platform partner? Jason Diamond sits down with Shannon Spotswood, CEO of RFG Advisory, to discuss why the best platforms do more than provide technology and operational support—they help advisors build stronger businesses. Shannon shares lessons from helping grow RFG into one of the industry's leading supportive independence firms, covering everything from private equity partnerships and advisor experience to enterprise value, branding, and overcoming the fear that keeps many advisors from pursuing the business they truly want. The Storyline Most advisors evaluating independence compare technology, payouts, and service offerings. Shannon Spotswood believes they're asking the wrong first question. After spending two decades in institutional investing and later helping to rebuild RFG Advisory from the ground up, Shannon has developed a philosophy centered on partnership. She argues that the best platforms function less like vendors and more like long-term business partners, helping advisors spend more time with clients, build enterprise value, and create businesses aligned with their vision rather than forcing compromises. Jason and Shannon discuss what meaningful support actually looks like, why the right private equity partner can accelerate growth rather than restrict it, and why advisors should demand evidence – not marketing promises – when evaluating a platform. The conversation also explores one of the industry's biggest obstacles to change: fear. Shannon explains why outdated assumptions about transitioning firms continue to prevent advisors from building businesses they enjoy, even though data suggests the experience is often far less disruptive than many believe. Ultimately, the discussion reframes independence itself—not as the destination, but as the beginning of choosing the right long-term partners. Topics Covered Evaluating advisor platforms as long-term business partners Building an independent business without compromise Enterprise value and organic growth Private equity as a strategic growth partner Advisor experience and client experience Branding and authenticity in wealth management Overcoming fear and transition myths Technology, outsourcing, and operational leverage Leadership, succession, and organizational growth The future of supportive independence   > Download a transcript of this episode… Listen and Learn Highlights for Advisors Why should advisors think of a platform as a business partner? (10:00) Shannon explains why technology and service alone aren't enough—and why the right partner should help advisors build the business they ultimately want to own. What does “growth without compromise” actually mean? (10:00–17:30) RFG's philosophy centers on helping advisors focus on their highest-value work while surrounding them with integrated support designed to drive enterprise value. Can private equity make a firm better? (25:00) Rather than debating whether private equity is good or bad, Shannon explains why success depends on choosing a partner whose values and long-term vision align with yours. How should advisors evaluate competing platforms? (43:00) Her advice is simple: don't rely on marketing. Speak with advisors already using the platform and ask firms to demonstrate – not simply promise – how they solve problems. Why does fear keep so many advisors from making a change? (48:30) Shannon discusses the “PTSD” many advisors carry from outdated transition stories and why today's reality often looks very different. What does the future of advisor platforms look like? (34:00–42:00) The conversation explores advisor demand for greater personalization, stronger brands, AI-enabled efficiency, and partners that help advisors grow without sacrificing independence. Key Takeaways The best advisor platforms function as long-term strategic partners—not simply service providers. Enterprise value grows when advisors spend more time serving clients and less time managing operations. Private equity can be highly beneficial when partners share a common vision and respect management autonomy. Advisors should evaluate firms based on demonstrated execution rather than marketing claims. Fear remains one of the biggest barriers to advisor movement despite significant improvements in transition support. Authentic branding and deeper client relationships will become increasingly important as AI reshapes wealth management. https://youtu.be/jaSt3-mO0so Quotable Moments “The right partners make you better. The wrong ones can quietly hold you back.” “Don't tell me. Show me.” “Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” “Your team deserves to be happy. You deserve to be happy.”   FAQs What should advisors look for when evaluating an advisor platform? Shannon believes advisors should look beyond technology and economics and evaluate whether a platform acts like a true long-term business partner that helps them grow and build enterprise value. How does RFG define “growth without compromise”? By providing integrated support – from technology and compliance to marketing and coaching – that allows advisors to spend more time with clients while maintaining control of their businesses. Is private equity always good or bad for advisor firms? No. Shannon argues that success depends less on private equity itself and more on choosing partners who share the firm's long-term vision and values. Why do advisors hesitate to make a move? Fear and outdated perceptions about transitions still influence decision-making, even though today's transition experience is often much smoother than advisors expect. How should advisors compare competing platforms? Talk directly with affiliated advisors, ask for measurable evidence of results, and focus on how a platform responds to advisor feedback rather than marketing claims. How is AI changing advisor businesses? AI should enhance – not replace – the advisor relationship by creating operational efficiencies that allow advisors to spend more time delivering personalized advice. Shannon believes advisors should look beyond technology and economics and evaluate whether a platform acts like a true long-term business partner that helps them grow and build enterprise value. By providing integrated support – from technology and compliance to marketing and coaching – that allows advisors to spend more time with clients while maintaining control of their businesses. No. Shannon argues that success depends less on private equity itself and more on choosing partners who share the firm's long-term vision and values. Fear and outdated perceptions about transitions still influence decision-making, even though today's transition experience is often much smoother than advisors expect. Talk directly with affiliated advisors, ask for measurable evidence of results, and focus on how a platform responds to advisor feedback rather than marketing claims. AI should enhance – not replace – the advisor relationship by creating operational efficiencies that allow advisors to spend more time delivering personalized advice. Related Resources How to Evaluate a Firm Beyond the Obvious: A Framework for Advisors Why You Should Stay at Your Current Firm   Shannon SpotswoodCEO Shannon Spotswood is a 25+ year industry veteran with a tremendous amount of experience across both retail and institutional finance and an outstanding reputation built on her passionate leadership and ongoing success in investment banking, hedge fund portfolio management, business development and retail wealth management. Joining RFG in 2015, Shannon recognized the opportunity to channel her entrepreneurial experience and passion for service into leading a mission to create an Advisor-focused RIA of the Future delivering a supported independence platform that empowers Financial Advisors to build the businesses they want to have, without compromise. Shannon's career has been characterized by her determination to build something bigger than herself. Having fallen in love with finance at only age 14, she was focused on making an impact in a male-dominated industry. After graduating from college, Shannon spent 20 years in San Francisco working in institutional finance. She began her career in investment banking and eventually achieved her dream job as a Portfolio Manager of a long- short equity fund at Symphony Asset Management. The company was acquired by Nuveen in 2001. After a decade at that firm and now a mother of 3 young children, Shannon turned her entrepreneurial passion in a new direction with a drastic pivot to start a luxury children's clothing brand, Busy Bees. Taking her years of experience in qualitative analysis of retail companies, Shannon and her business partner built the brand from the ground up, ushering its' growth from a garage to “Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop” over the course of a few years. Shannon and her family made the decision to move from the Bay Area to Birmingham, Alabama to be closer to family. And shortly after, the call to return to her first love, finance, grew to great to ignore. In 2015, Shannon joined RFG Advisory as President, leading RFG as the firm has grown from $1.8B to over $5B. In July of 2024, Shannon was named CEO of RFG Advisory and currently serves in that role. NOTE: The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Diamond Consultants. Neither Diamond Consultants nor the guests on this podcast are compensated in any way for their participation. View the transcript of this episode… Growth Without Compromise: Building Around the Advisor Experience A conversation with Jason Diamond and Shannon Spotswood, CEO of RFG Advisory. Jason Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for Financial Advisors. Today’s episode is Growth Without Compromise: Building Around the Advisor Experience. It’s a conversation with Shannon Spotswood, the CEO of RFG Advisory. I’m Jason Diamond, and this is the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual advisor transition report. It’s the award-winning data-driven resource designed for advisors that connects the dots between the motivations around movement and the firm’s appetite for top talent. Arm yourself with the knowledge you need to make smart decisions. Download your copy at diamond-consultants.com/transitionreport. Jason Diamond: The right partners make you better. The wrong ones can quietly hold you back. Most conversations about independence focus on platforms as providers of technology, service, or infrastructure. Shannon Spotswood sees them differently. She believes advisors should evaluate a platform the same way they’d evaluate any long-term business partner, by asking whether it will help them build the kind of firm they ultimately want to own. That’s exactly what we explore in this episode. Shannon is the CEO of RFG Advisory, a firm that has grown from a startup into one of the industry’s leading supportive independence platforms. Along the way, she’s developed a unique perspective on what advisors should be looking for beyond economics and technology, and why the right partner can accelerate growth, strengthen culture, and help create a business that’s built to last. It’s a conversation that goes well beyond advisor platforms. We explore why Shannon believes so strongly in growth without compromise, what private equity can look like when the partnership is aligned, why firms shouldn’t try to be everything to everyone, and how advisors can separate marketing promises from meaningful support. We also spend time on a topic that comes up in nearly every transition conversation my team has with advisors, fear. Shannon shares her perspective on why outdated assumptions about making a move continue to hold advisors back and why asking better questions and demanding evidence instead of promises can fundamentally change the way advisors evaluate every opportunity in front of them. Whether you’re considering independence, evaluating your current platform, or simply thinking about what comes next for your business, I think you’ll find Shannon’s perspective both practical and though-provoking, especially the sage advice in her words, “Don’t tell me, show me.” There’s a lot to take away from this conversation, so let’s get to it. Shannon, thanks so much for joining me. Thrilled to have you here. Shannon Spotswood: It’s excellent to be here. I’m really looking forward to it. Jason Diamond: Me too. Let’s dive right in. I want to start with your background. You spent 20 years in San Fran as an investment banker, then as a portfolio manager at Symphony Asset Management before even touching the world of wealth management. So what made you walk away from, we’ll call it the institutional world and enter the world of wealth management? Shannon Spotswood: It’s a little bit of a circuitous story, but I’m going to take us on the short route. I fell in love with Wall Street as a teenager, so I knew I wanted to work on Wall Street. My dream job was actually the time that I spent at Symphony Asset Management. I was a hedge fund manager for them for six years running a long/short equity fund. I then had three children in three and a half years. The firm was acquired by Nuveen Investments, and we grew very large, and I was on this really interesting trajectory within the institutional investment management world. And somewhat of the unexpected happened to me in 2010, we’d come through the financial crisis. I looked around the room, I had these three young children, and having loved finance since a very early age, I couldn’t crawl on an airplane anymore. I fell out of love with what was honestly my first love. And I made a pretty radical pivot. I left Symphony, the tallest building at the time in San Francisco, and I partnered with a woman, and we built a luxury children’s clothing company for the next three years. So about as radical of a move as you can make, a $30 billion firm, big team, a tremendous growth ahead of us to upside down boxes of infant cashmere in a garage that flooded when it rained. So I had my startup in a garage moment. And while I was running the children’s clothing company, my husband and I took a big leap of faith and decided to move from San Francisco to Birmingham, Alabama to get closer to family, to raise our kids in the South, and just manifest the life that we wanted. In the third year of running the kids’ clothing business, we checked every box of our initial business plan, and I turned to my business partner and I was like, “Now what? Should we raise capital? Should we open stores? Should we diversify manufacturing?” And we realized this beautiful little luxury brand that we had created was exactly what it needed to be. And so we restructured the company and I punched out of that. And I spent, really for the first time in my life, about five months in deep contemplation. What was the first hedge fund that I was a part of in San Francisco, my tour of duty through investment banking as an analyst associate and helping them start an M&A group. This incredible decade that I’d spent at Symphony, and then this wild out of left field moment of building a luxury children’s clothing brand. And it had such an epiphany, Jason. And it was this, that I was on the ground floor of all of those businesses. And my aha moment was, oh my gosh, I’m a builder. What I love more than anything is sitting at the intersection of talent and opportunity and what I think is truly one of life’s greatest gifts, and certainly I think the most fun way to live your professional life, which is building something. So I put my resume together and I titled… It wasn’t even really a job search. It was more, I was new to Birmingham. I wondered if there was anything I could be of service in being a part of building something. So I put that resume together and I titled it Seeking the Intangible. And I was looking for that opportunity of talent and building something bigger than myself. And it was through some networking with my across the street neighbor who went on to become a board member of RFG who thought all I did was sell his wife incredibly expensive clothing who networked me to Bobby White, who’s the founder of RFG. And in the first 10 minutes of my conversation with Bobby, and I’ll tell you, both of us went into that meeting thinking it was going to be a filler meeting. He was doing a favor for a friend, and I had seen a little bit of the wealth management industry after Nuveen had acquired Symphony and was like, “That’s not really my bag. My jam is more on the institutional side of things.” And 10 minutes into our very first meeting, we both canceled the rest of our day, and we spent the next two and a half hours in his office having a conversation that really started with what if. What if we took RFG, which had been founded in 2003, and at the time was an OSJ with LPL, what if we took that business and we tore it all the way down to the ground? And we rebuilt it from the ground floor up to be a platform that is designed, that is intentionally engineered, to serve independent advisors? What would it look like to be a client experience company first, a technology company second, and a corporate RIA third? And I’ll tell you, walking out of that meeting, I was like, “This is it. This is it. This is the intangible. This is an opportunity to really build something very special.” And that’s how I found myself sitting in this talking to you today. Jason Diamond: Wow. So there’s a lot to unpack there. Thank you for sharing. And you shared it with a degree of vulnerability that I personally, I have a two-year-old and a three-week-old as of this recording. So it resonates with me. I think it resonates with a lot of advisors, people in our, and honestly, probably most industries, the constant pull in multiple different directions. And I love what you called it, seeking the intangible. And it sounds like you didn’t go in with any preconceived notion about… Many of our guests, by the way, that is the case. They walk in saying, “I knew since I was two years old I wanted to be in wealth management. I wanted to help be a steward of client…” And I love that your circuitous route took you a different direction. I want to talk more about the firm, and we’ll dive in on some of these elements of your background also. But before we do, you mentioned a little bit of, at a high level, what RFG is. Give me a little more context, types of advisors you serve, types of clients you serve. And if you don’t mind, provide some stats around size as well. Shannon Spotswood: Absolutely. So we are on a mission to help independent advisors build their business without compromise by driving organic growth to create enterprise value. And I share that because in our mission statement is the passion that links us all together, which is helping independent advisors build what they want to envision for their clients, what they believe is the best representation of their vision and their values. So we are a platform, a full turnkey platform for independent advisors. We talk about our services as a flywheel. There’s a very intentional interdependency from technology to marketing to compliance to talent to investment management to coaching, operations, transition services, and capital solutions. All of it is knit together very thoughtfully in order to be able to deliver to the advisors on our promise to help them operationalize and professionalize their business, to serve their clients and to generate that organic growth, which is what translates into enterprise value. What is so cool about the RFG advisor community, and I think is really the thread that binds between our teams and our advisors team is this servant heart growth mindset that you find it in every nook and cranny of RFG and certainly within all of our advisor partners. So the advisor profile for us, we do tend to skew a little bit younger. Average age is 45 years old. Organic growth across all of our advisors is north of 10%. So we’re very focused and leaned in on growth. We do have advisors that are lifestyle. We talk about them as lifestyle scaling and enterprise, and they run all along that growth at growth spectrum, depending on what do they want to build in their lives, what is going to help them really realize their dreams? And we’ll talk about this a little bit and just the growth of the firm and what we’ve been building, but we are at $9 billion. So it’s been a big run in 2026, as I say, 10 years of pre-game warmup to be able to really talk about that level of growth. So just knocking on the door of $10 billion and truly, Jason, I can tell you, I feel like we’re just getting started. I feel like we are just at the beginning of the J-curve as advisors are really realizing that their most valuable asset is their time and the amount of enterprise value that they can create being independent. There’s a lot of different flavors of that. We’ve got some incredibly well-capitalized and very strong competitors, but the collective awareness around this bull market for advice that we’re sitting at the very beginning of is shining such a bright light on what does it mean to be independent? What does it mean to be really supported by a partner who’s all in to help them win? And that’s where we find ourselves. And by design, that’s where we find ourselves. Jason Diamond: Yeah, and it’s an exciting time. I completely agree. The space, the vertical you’re in, probably as much or more than any other pocket of the industry. You took the words out of my mouth, the J-curve. I completely agree with the story you’re telling. There’s one component of your background that I do want to ask about, which is many RIAs, platforms, and the like, the leadership team is intentionally ex-advisors in their own right. So I’m curious, do you think of it as a benefit or maybe to what degree is it not a benefit that you have never been an advisor and served clients? I do love the idea that you’re a business builder and you’re helping advisors to build a business. That’s not lost on me, but I’m curious specifically about never having been an advisor. Shannon Spotswood: I think it is so critical that we were advisor-founded. What we like to say is we’re advisor-founded and professionally-led. Bobby founded the firm in 2003. We partnered in 2015. Our third partner, Rick Wedell, who’s our chief investment officer, managing partner, joined in 2016. So the three of us really co-founded the version of RFG that is- Jason Diamond: The right version. Shannon Spotswood: … expressed in the market today. But you’re a hundred percent right to double click on this. And I think it is such an important area for reflection for advisors in terms of where are their greatest skills? Where does their passion lie? And what are they interested in building? That very first day that I met Bobby, his telling of the story is he looked at my resume the morning that we were meant to meet, and he is like, “Well, why would I hire her? She could do my job.” And he often talked about that where you get to this point as an advisor where the business is scaling and growing. And we certainly are seeing this in a lot of the larger teams that we’re talking to and the relationships that we’re beginning to build within the pipeline of these advisors who were attracted to the industry because they wanted to serve clients and find themselves as accidental CEOs, COOs, their chief cook and bottle washer to advisor to all of these C-suite titles. And it’s not amplifying their natural skillset and it’s not aligned with what is actually their passion for the business. So I give a tremendous amount of credit to Bobby for recognizing more than 10 years ago really what it would take and how he could align team around him and build partnerships around him to be able to maximize the impact that we can have for advisors. So that north star of keeping advisors front and center is truly our, it is woven into our DNA and it is our north star. So we are a client experience company by design. We talk about it all the time, whether it’s how we’re building our team, how we’re thinking about investing in technology, how we’re soliciting feedback for advisors. I always say one of our greatest strengths as an organization is we’re active listeners and then we actually execute on it. Our best ideas come from our advisors, but you’ve got to have that posture as a firm that everything you do is orienting around how do we help advisors operationalize, professionalize, drive organic growth, and create enterprise value? And you can’t do it sometimes. You’re either all in, chips all in, only winning when your advisors win, and only having that lens of will this benefit the advisor and their team or not. It’s not something that you can just dip your toe in and out of. And I think RFG, having that foundation from which to always build is absolutely critical. Jason Diamond: Can I try and paraphrase or synthesize, and you tell me if I get this right? The pitch is something to the effect of, “We are really good at what we do. Let us take all the BS off of your plate so that you can go out and be an advisor. Service your client and prospect.” Do you find that story is resonating more over time? I mean, you’ve been with the firm now long enough to see this kind of cycle of movement towards independence. How has that story evolved over time? Do you find it easier to tell? Shannon Spotswood: Oh my gosh, without question. And I would even put a shorter term window on it. I would say in the last 12 to 15 months- Jason Diamond: Oh wow. Shannon Spotswood: … there has been a collective awakening by advisors, and I think there’s a lot of contributing factors to that. One is obviously as we are all aware, the majority of the industry is now private equity backed. There has been a real focus on the aggregator model, transitioning advisors into a W-2 model. And as that has played out and that financial engineering has translated into some incredible valuations and returns, there has also been simultaneously advisors picking their head up and like, wait a minute, I wanted to get independent so I could serve my clients in a way that I felt best represented my vision and my values. And I’m finding myself increasingly in a captive environment. All the while the technology is getting better, the valuations are getting larger, the ability to control both your branding and what that means for your family legacy is increasing. So over the course of the last 15 to 18 months, that story has just, while it’s been there for a long time, the independent movement was obviously sparked more than, gosh, now 16, 20 years ago in earnest. Now it’s just the passion and the knowledge that advisors are showing up to conversations in recognizing I want more. I want to spend my time where I want to spend it. I want to serve more families. I want to be well-positioned for generational wealth transition. I want to own the enterprise value. I want to build my team and I want the best tech. And that to me is exactly why we’re at the beginning of this J-curve. Jason Diamond: Yeah, I think you nailed it. And I agree with you that this notion of independence is not a destination in and of… It’s too broad of a term I think to use. And there are plenty of advisors who either started at one version of independence and need something different now, or to your point, thought they were going independent only to realize perhaps there’s elements of the business that aren’t as independent as they realized. And that’s where I think a firm like RFG to me, it’s not an accident that your firm fills this niche. This was advisor demand driven. Advisors said explicitly and implicitly, “We want to be independent. We want to own our equity. We want to have control over the things we like, but we want a support partner that helps us with all the back office, the middle office, investment management, the flywheel,” as you call it. Shannon Spotswood: That’s right. Jason Diamond: One other element of your journey to this point that I want to ask about, the succession journey or the journey to CEO, and I’m only asking because it’s somewhat recent, I think it was 2024, so we’re about two years in CEO. For the eight years prior to that, you were president. Shannon Spotswood: Yes. Jason Diamond: And this dynamic is near and dear for a lot of advisors. This idea you’re the heir apparent, but the date hasn’t happened until it happened. Was that a smooth transition date or did you find yourself, and I hope you can be honest about it, and if not, I understand, but I think this is something that a lot of advisors in their own businesses struggle with. So as somebody who’s gone through a major succession journey in the last two years, I’m curious what your thoughts are. Shannon Spotswood: The timing coincided with us bringing on a growth capital partner. So we closed on that partnership with Long Ridge in the fall of 2023, and we really set our sights on how do we bring this capital into the business and invest in our team, invest in our technology, invest in this desire to help independent advisors build their business. And Long Ridge really shares that long-term strategic belief that independence and the corporate RIA model is the ultimate winning model. So we have a lot of room to run there. So entering into that growth partnership with Long Ridge really provided a natural opportunity for that succession conversation to take place and to be able to take the company to the next leg. So we’ve tripled the size of the company over the course of the last two and a half years. Jason Diamond: Good for you. Shannon Spotswood: And as I said, I feel like we’re just getting started. I always joke we’ve had the longest pre-game warmup in history. In a lot of ways that’s by design. For me, the way that I can sleep at night is knowing that we are waking up as a team in this unified front to walk the walk for our advisors. It is incredibly important to us to honor the promise that we’ve made, whether it’s on tech or talent or transition services or marketing growth. So being able to lean in and deliver that, it takes a long time to build that institutional know-how and to be uncompromising in consistently making hard decisions, whether it’s around talent or the investments that you’re making or how you’re running and growing and building the firm. And so Bobby reached and Long Ridge and all of us reached this point where it was just a very natural way. And I think it was such a gift that I had such a long warmup, if you will, in the bullpen, running the day-to-day of the business as president, being so close to sweating the details of how we built the foundation, how we run the firm. And then obviously Ed Swenson joined us as president in last fall in October of 2025, having joined our board when we partnered with Long Ridge. So he joined our board in September of ’23, and he and I set up a call every other week. So we just became this incredibly trusted confidant of mine as we made a lot of strategic investments and key strategic decisions in that first 15 to 18 months of our partnership with Long Ridge. So to be able to build and attract the caliber of talent that we have to RFG, I mean, I’m totally biased and talking my own book, but I think we have the best leadership team. Doug Nelson joined us from Long Ridge as our CFO in November of last year, just bringing that rigor, particularly around capital strategies into our C-suite. So it was the right time to make that transition. And what I would say for founder advisor-led firms, it’s all about what are your growth ambitions? It’s what are your growth ambitions? Without question, when I joined and Bobby and Rick and I set upon this journey to tear the entire company down and build this robust tech stack and be at the forefront as an innovator in that space, that was experience that I had from my 20 years in San Francisco. And Rick had this incredible institutional pedigree having spent 12 years at Bain Capital plus two years at Stanford Business School, complimenting this authenticity that Bobby brought as an advisor, bringing that together. So recognizing as a founder advisor, if you have growth ambitions to 10X your business, it’s going to require that you bring high caliber talent to the table and allow for that room both from an equity participation perspective, but also just from what does the business need as it continues to scale up? Jason Diamond: That’s exactly right. And part of this gets back to private equity sometimes gets a bad rep in our space, but the reality is capital from private equity enables a lot of what you’re talking about. And I give you a lot of credit. I mean, you make the half joke about the longest pregame warmup ever, but I think of it as you learned on your own dime and you built all the kinks and ironed out all the kinks prior to having this critical mass of advisors on your platform. And we’ve seen certainly plenty of firms go that route too. So I give you credit for that. I think because we’re on the topic, let’s talk about it, private equity. Positive experience, negative experience, neutral, neither good nor bad. Just give me your… I don’t want to make the episode about the perils- Shannon Spotswood: Right. Jason Diamond: … and benefits of private equity capital, but just curious what your experience has been. Shannon Spotswood: I think this is one of those life lessons. Choose your partners wisely and great things can happen, whether it’s in your marriage or your friendships- Jason Diamond: Spouse. Yep. Shannon Spotswood: … or your business partners. And Long Ridge found us very serendipitously. I mean, we were probably two years from even contemplating bringing in a growth capital partner. They were introduced to us by a former board member and they were in our offices in January of 2023. And the most important things for us were twofold. Number one, they shared our vision and belief that the corporate RIA independent is the winning model for the industry and for advisors and clients. And number two, who they are as people is very much who we are as people. They’re builders. Jason Diamond: Culturally. Shannon Spotswood: They have this servant heart growth mindset that they share with us. So I feel incredibly blessed to say they’re amazing partners. And what’s interesting, and I’ll share this very openly, they’re the majority owners of RFG. We were very early in that time of bringing them on. They have always honored the promise that they made to us, which is we run the business. They are a strategic partner. They’re a great thought partner. They are the capital provider, but there has been multiple examples where we have made business decisions where there’s been some heat in the kitchen, in the boardroom, and we’ve felt very strongly about it. So I just couldn’t say enough great things about them. And one thing that I will just share, and I say this because they’ve shared this with me, I have had this incredible personal journey of growth bringing such a deep bench in Long Ridge into the firm. And that has been certainly challenging at times. Do hard things, get comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s the ultimate definition. But I really think that is something that never gets talked about is what it means in upskilling the caliber of your talent, yourself, how you have to grow and evolve as an individual has been really, I won’t say it’s been easy, but I look back on what I’ve learned over these two years and just feel prepared as a leadership team, how we operate as a team, what is expected of us to be able to deliver and execute for our advisors in this next leg of growth. Jason Diamond: I think your marriage analogy is the perfect one, and I’m going to use it. And honestly, in a lot of ways. First of all, marriage is hard, good or bad. It’s hard. Second of all, it’s the ultimate… The institution of marriage is not good or bad. Private equity capital is not good or bad, but your answer is the right one. Pick your partner very wisely. My favorite part of your answer, because it’s the most original, was around a good capital backer, a good partner, whatever you want to call it, pushes you to be better. And I think that you’re surrounding yourself with, by definition, some of the smartest people in the industry, and that can’t be a bad thing. And the proof is in the pudding. The growth trajectory you’ve seen, it’s certainly no accident. I think part of it is tied to your incredible stewardship. You don’t have to answer that. You don’t have to be humble, but I’ll attribute it to you. That brings me to my next question. Shannon Spotswood: I do have to say really quickly. Jason Diamond: Please do. Shannon Spotswood: I will be celebrating my 27th wedding anniversary in October. So yeah, pick your partners. Jason Diamond: Congrats. And I feel equally blessed, I assume as you do. I have a great partner, I’ll say. I don’t know if she’s listening right now, but she’s a great spouse. What I was going to say though, good segue, I think there’s been more in recent years, but not a ton certainly of female C-suite wealth management executives. How do you feel about your role? Do you feel an increased burden? Is it an honor to you? Is it something that you don’t think much about at all? I’m curious what your thoughts are. Shannon Spotswood: I feel immense gratitude. I mean, just in general, leading RFG and locking arms with our team and our advisors is, I mean, a gift of a lifetime. I was incredibly fortunate to not just have mentors during my 20 years in San Francisco, but to have true sponsors. Whether it was the first hedge fund I worked at, I took that job because it was a female portfolio manager and at the time one of the only in the country. And she really opened up her heart to me and poured into me. And then 10 years at Symphony, the founding partners of Symphony, they dropped me into the deep end of the pool and gave me a lot of rope to make a lot of mistakes and continued to invest. So I have this foundation from which to build and to lead and to be ready for this role. I couldn’t do any of this without my partners. Rick and I have been partners for more than 10 years. It really does take a village in the same way that it takes a village to raise your family. It takes a village to find the courage and the strength to lead in a way that really honors the gravity of the mission. But I’ll tell you this. One, I knew I wanted to work on Wall Street from a very young age, so I chose this. I knew what I was getting into, that it was a male-dominated industry. I have made particularly, this is one of the unique facets of the wealth management business, we have phenomenal both male and female talent, and I have made the strongest female relationships on this side of the business as compared to the institutional side of the business. So I think there is a richness to our side of the industry that doesn’t get enough air cover. There are just phenomenal leaders, and I think increasingly so, we’re seeing more women stay in the game and raise into positions within the C-suite and leading these firms. I will tell you one thing in 2019, and I really give a lot of credit to Bobby for this in coaching me, is I was raised by wolves on Wall Street without question. I sat on a trade desk, I was completely comfortable with compartmentalizing emotion, and I made it a mission to develop intentionally my emotional intelligence. And that truly unlocked everything for me, and I think plays such a huge part of who I want to be and who I challenge myself to be as a leader. And so it’s funny when I get the question asked of me about being a female CEO, because I think that’s what people feel must be like came very intuitively to me, but I had to learn it. I had 20 plus years of being able to run with boys and I needed to develop that skill. And it is a skill that I challenge myself on a daily to continue to lean into. And I think it is increasingly important both for men and women who aspire to leadership to hone the strategic and execution alongside that emotional intelligence. Jason Diamond: Great answer. And I think you know I admire a lot about you, but it’s certainly one of the things I admire most about you is over the last couple years in particular you’ve been a real beacon of positivity, of empowerment in that regard. You’re active on socials, you’re active at industry events, you’re always willing to talk to people. And honestly, that to me is the answer. A lot of people complain about this as a problem, and I want to just take a second to applaud you because I think you and your firm actually do something to at least try and actively solve some of this. And also you mentioned it earlier, but same thing with some of the next gen dynamics. You skew much younger than the average firm on the industry. And I think that too is to your credit around, okay, we’ve identified that we have a major succession problem in our industry. What are we doing to solve that? Shannon Spotswood: Absolutely. Jason Diamond: Let’s talk about growth a little bit. I agree with your thesis. This space you occupy, no better time to be in it. We’re at the perfect spot on the J-curve. Unfortunately, we are not the only two people to think that. There are also, I think, some other firms. This space has become crowded. What do you think about that? Just the fact that there’s more competition than ever. I mean, my view of it is there are enough quality advisors to go around, but curious what you think. Shannon Spotswood: Anytime I find myself wading into the waters of fear and scarcity around this topic, I’m reminded that 67% of the assets still remain within the wirehouse and IBD space. We got lots of room to run. I believe in a mindset of abundance. The data will tell us that the demand for advice is increasing by 30% over the next decade while the number of advisors is decreasing by 1%. So we’ve got, find me another industry where you see a graph that looks like that. On top of that, next gen, which I think this is so fascinating, next gen actually wants more advice when compared to the baby boomers. So baby boomers created our industry, and here we are sitting on $87 trillion worth of generational wealth that’s going to begin to transition. That doesn’t even include all of the wealth that will be monetized through real estate and family-owned businesses. It is a tsunami. And what is, I think, really interesting is that next gen recognizes the value of their time. I’m sure if I had a conversation, Jason, with you and my husband about how intentional you want to be in terms of showing up for your children and the equal nature of parenting, that alone is changing the way the next gen thinks about both their professions as well as their family life, which means you by default have to hire professionals to do the things that you don’t want to spend the time doing. Jason Diamond: Really good point. Shannon Spotswood: So we have this incredible convergence that’s happening right now, and it’s coming at a time that technology is finally going to allow us to serve more families more intentionally along that wealth spectrum. So it is like, bring it on. There is more than enough to go around. We are in an era of abundance. And what I worry the most about, and this, it’s like climb up on the soapbox and let’s roll, about independence because I see and have so many conversations with advisors where they have been willing to accept such a compromised service experience that they would never allow to be delivered to their clients. So advisors are delivering this 24-hour concierge, high-touch, deeply thoughtful experience, estate planning, tax planning, financial planning, multi-generational conversations. They’re in it. They’re in the trench. And then they turn around and their service partner is so subpar. They’re compromising their growth. They’re burying them in compliance and ops and clicks and swivel chair and tech that doesn’t work. So we’re at the very beginning of this bull run for advice. And I think advisors who recognize, I want to serve more families, I want more control over my time, I want to be able to build enterprise value on my personal balance sheet, have room to do it. So I welcome the competition. I think the best way to talk about it is iron sharpens iron. I learn so much from our peers and like, ah, they did this or they did that. How do we think more disruptively, more innovatively? How do we do it differently? So I think there’s a lot of room for all of us. You’re going to be busy, my friend. You’re already sitting there advising the lion’s share of the big deals, and I think you guys are just getting started as well. Jason Diamond: Yeah, it certainly feels like a bull market for advice and also I think a bull market for some of the… You allude to an interesting paradox, which is some of the biggest and most sophisticated advisors in the industry have really high-touch impressive service models, but they don’t seem to demand the same in return. I have some thoughts as to why. I think one could just be Kool-Aid drinking, like you don’t know any better and you’ve been there for so long. There’s just so much friction associated with moving a business and fear associated that it’s unless things get really dire or unless I find something that’s better enough or meaningfully better enough, I can gut it out. But the third one that comes to mind is these firms we’re talking about have unequivocally, they do a lot of good, a lot of bad, but unequivocally one of the things they do really well is brand. Shannon Spotswood: Yeah. Jason Diamond: How do you reconcile that question with a firm that obviously doesn’t have a brand that the average American consumer would know? Shannon Spotswood: We take a posture on this that is rooted in an Accenture study that was conducted several years ago, but I think still remains so true today, is that advisors think that the value proposition that their clients are looking for, either it’s that big monobrand that’s advertising at the Super Bowl or the alpha they’re ever able to generate or the portfolio investments. But the clients tell us that what they’re looking for in an advisor is, do you get me? Do you share my values? And do I want to spend time with you outside the office? And that is basically distilled down the way we talk about it is people connect with people. So now more than ever, particularly if you take a big step back and you think about the influencer economy and how brands, big brands, Nike or big consumer brands have really leaned into niche branding. How do I get my brand into the hands of someone who’s very passionate about it? So advisors who develop their own brand, who have a presence on social, who have a presence in AEO and SEO, who are leaning in and expressing not only their client experience, but their vision and their values through their brand, I actually think as this generational wealth unfolds, that authenticity carries so much more weight than is my name on a football stadium. So it is those three factors. It’s just I’m comfortable. I don’t want ripple. It is friction and fear for sure. And then it’s like that branding is up for grabs because we certainly see one of the most fun parts of advisors joining RFG, this is a big part of what we do is helping them design and develop or reimagine their brand name, their logo, all the rest of it. Once that creative energy is unlocked and you get to tell your story, your my why, that connective tissue is so powerful with the clients and with the growth that comes from that because I mean, I truly believe people connect with people. They’re looking for that. And I think more so now than ever with AI. Jason Diamond: You just took the words out of my mouth. Do you think AI perpetuates that? Shannon Spotswood: I think people are craving that. And this is why advisors who are powered by AI without question are going to win. Advisors are not going to be disrupted by AI unless they haven’t made the move to get themselves in a position to be able to leverage the technology, the brand, the talent, the maximizing of their time. But especially with something as important and as personal as money, as you walk through life, I mean, you are at the very beginning. I’m sending, I’ll have all three kids in college. But as you make these critical decisions in your life, whether it’s getting married or starting a business or changing jobs or buying your first house, buying your vacation house, all of these things, you can go right or you can go wrong. And having a trusted partner who really understands you, I actually think that we’re going to see the fees paid for advisors increasing as there is a greater premium placed on, I want deeply personal relationships that are tailor-made for me. Jason Diamond: But I assume the flip side of that is you have to do more. You as a firm and you as an advisor have to do more, and you can’t just raise fees with the same service model. So I think what is the corollary of that? What are some of the ancillary growth areas that you do beyond the financial planning and asset management that says, “We’re worth that money you’re going to pay us”? Shannon Spotswood: It is, and I love the work that wealth.com is doing here. I mean, the estate planning and tax planning, making that more accessible along that continuum of wealth spectrum, the blurring of the lines between ultra high net worth and high net worth, and then mass affluent is so exciting. Better, more robust planning is good for our industry overall. Obviously there’s a huge amount of demand on the tax side of things, particularly the 1040. It’s easy to find a CPA to do the cool complex stuff. It’s increasingly more challenging for advisors. That’s an area that I know a lot of firms have leaned into. We’re certainly doing a lot of work. But so much of this, Jason, is showing up at the right time for clients with the resources. It’s a really interesting conversation about, yes, you have to do more for your clients, but you don’t have to do more for all your clients at exactly the same time. Jason Diamond: That’s well said. The flip side of that is as an advisor, because ultimately the advisors are the ones making this decision. There are a lot of firms, and not even just firms that you would be competitors with, because the reality is you and I understand the industry landscape and where various firms fit in. For many advisors, it’s a long list of various firm names that they’ve heard. So what are some things that you think advisors should be asking a firm like you or a business development person at your firm to suss this out? How does an advisor go about understanding if a platform is empty or is really going to be able to deliver in all these areas? Shannon Spotswood: Remember back in the day when the Wall Street Journal used to run have a monkey throw a dart and see if you can beat the pros on stock picking? I love to do that with regards to our advisors. We always tell our prospects, “Throw a dart at any advisor that’s affiliated with RFG and call them. Certainly we can provide a list of advisors who we think you’re going to most align with in terms of what your growth ambitions are or the way you want to run your business or who you are, life stage, all the rest of it.” But I do think that getting that unfiltered experience, the good, the bad, the ugly. We always are like, “Are we perfect? Absolutely not. Do we though immediately want the feedback so that we can iterate to excellence to get better? Absolutely. Get that firsthand testimony.” So that’s number one. Number two is don’t tell me, show me. There are so many, and it always pulls at my heart because as much as I love to win business and transition advisors, and I think that we’re working certainly at RFG on some really interesting technology that is anchored around removing that friction and fear by speeding up the time that you can make that transition in. And the tech is finally there to allow for this. So I think we’re going to be able to take variable number two and at least make that box a little bit smaller. But if I’m sitting as an advisor, I would want to see the evidence. Show me how you’ve solved the problems that advisors have brought to you. How have you refined your tech stack? How have you invested in your team? How have you made the decisions where the ROI can be measurable and tangible? And I think too often I’m surprised that advisors get, it’s almost as if they get overwhelmed by the amount of information that they’re taking in trying to compare all these different firms. If I’m ever asked, I’m like, please work with a third-party recruiter. You need someone not only to act as an interpreter, but you need someone to help really keep your top three priorities at the front of your decision-making matrix, because it really is apples to oranges to orangutans and you get decision fatigue. And then advisors end up making this decision that is anchored in like, well, this is the highest payout, and I’m willing to take all of these sacrifices and paper cuts for this highest payout. And that is just such a travesty. So it’s like, know what you want. What are your top three problems that you’re trying to solve? Talk to advisors that you get to pick just so you can do some secret shopping, and then demand evidence of how the firm, the platform has responded to feedback and gotten better as a result because that will tell you, are they really going to walk the walk or are they just going to talk the talk? Jason Diamond: I’m super grateful that you gave specifics there because it’s an easy question to dodge and talk around. So I completely agree. Your first answer, actually all three of those points you just made, but certainly doing name-blind calls, and I say name-blind because advisors worry about confidentiality. I think that’s one of the best and most underrated tools to learn about a firm is advisors now have so many colleagues. There’s been this diaspora of advisors where advisors know advisors everywhere. And that’s a benefit if you wanted to go and just network and have conversations with other advisors on your own. But if you’re worried about confidentiality, there’s certainly the mechanisms, and we do this all the time for advisors to set up name-blind calls. You dial into a conference line, it’s John Smith, and you pick an advisor’s brain and say, “Hey, you moved your book from LPL to RFG, and tell me what that experience was like and what were the positives? Give me all the negatives.” To your point, you want advisors to ask those questions in advance. It’s better to ask those questions than to end up in the wrong marriage with the advisor. Shannon Spotswood: Absolutely. And the other thing is what an easy answer to BS around is tell me who’s a good fit for your firm. And it’s like, “Everyone’s welcome here.” Jason Diamond: Everybody. Yeah. Shannon Spotswood: It’s just not true. RFG is not a good fit for an advisor who is not open to using technology, who is not interested in outsourcing investment management, who doesn’t want to have a conversation about how are you spending your time and do you want to create enterprise value? Do you want to grow? So it really is important to have that vulnerability and that honesty and the answer to that question. Jason Diamond: I love it. We have time for one more. I can’t believe it’s been almost an hour. Shannon Spotswood: I know, it flies by. Jason Diamond: We speak with plenty of advisors who aren’t considering a move, but I’m interested. I think you have a really nice lens into the industry. What is one thing you wish advisors knew? You have a megaphone to just talk to advisors who maybe are considering change, but maybe aren’t. What’s the questions they should be thinking about? What keeps you up at night? Just what would be your public service announcement? Shannon Spotswood: I’m going to focus on the friction and fear because that’s the number one barrier to making a move is PTSD, either first person PTSD or the collective negative experience that the industry has had. It took me 90 days to transition. I got sued by my former firm. I lost all these clients. I didn’t have income. The wise tales of fear are very widely trafficked and widespread. And what I would say to an advisor is everything you want is on the other side of fear. And I look at all of this data that suggests exactly the opposite, which is you have the relationship with the client. You have the trust with the client. You are the one who they call on Sunday night when they need a shoulder to cry on or sage advice for making a decision. Just believe it with the core of your being because what we see is 99% of assets transition, whether it’s a restrictive transition or you’re taking full data, that the majority of assets are transitioning within 30 days, that this is still a free country, and you can make a move while honoring your contract around non-solicitation, non-competes, and non-associations. So it is like this fear of holding advisors back is preventing them from realizing and monetizing this enterprise value, but equally as importantly, loving their business. Have fun. This should be fun. We spend the majority of our life at work. And so being able to surround yourself with people who win when you win, with a team who’s aligned and isn’t just drudgery with all their operations compliance headaches that they’re dealing with. Your team deserves to be happy. You deserve to be happy. And that fear factor is holding so many advisors back. So that’s my advice is that it just doesn’t have to play out that way. And I think not just at RFG, collectively where we are as an independent industry with technology, with the way that AI is changing and our ability to harness data and business intelligence, getting to that point of next best action, how am I spending my time, how am I realizing, what is the blueprint for realizing my growth goals is more tangible now than ever. That’s immediately where I go. Jason Diamond: I’ve never been an advisor. I’ve never had a book of business, so I don’t want to minimize the fear, but I will say this. If we speak to advisors, let’s say a year post-transition, by far the number one thing we hear from them is, “I wish I did this sooner.” Shannon Spotswood: Wish I did it sooner. Jason Diamond: And that to me is the most telling data point there is to your point about fear and getting over it. Shannon Spotswood: So I do this exercise all the time with our team as we’re onboarding advisors is I want you to go home and look at your spouse and tell them, “I’m going to leave my job. I have no certainty that everything is going to work out. We might not receive any kind of compensation. Are you cool with that?” Walk that emotional journey. And while there’s plenty obviously that we can do with Capital Solutions to ease the financial fear associated with it, I still think at the baseline, it’s a great exercise to keep everyone very humble. You are asking an advisor to take their life’s work. And someone was sharing this analogy with me the other day and I was like, “Oh my gosh, that’s so good,” which is imagine moving houses. It’s such a hassle packing up moving one house. Now imagine moving 400 households or 1,200 households. It’s a lot, but I always hear the same thing, “I wish I’d done it sooner.” Jason Diamond: Thank you for sharing. You had some really sage wisdom that you shared with our audience. I can’t wait to see the next chapter, the continuation of the J-curve. This has been a fantastic episode, Shannon. Thank you. Shannon Spotswood: I love being with you, Jason. Thank you so much. We appreciate it. Mindy Diamond: As a financial advisor, you hold yourself to the highest standards of integrity, honesty, and credibility. You are successful because you take your professional responsibilities seriously and are dedicated to your clients. But are you living your best business life? Are your goals aligned with your firms or could a better option exist? Should I Stay or Should I Go? is a book written with you in mind. It’s a self-guided journey that walks you through the key steps that we take with our advisor clients. This strategic thought process and roadmap to professional self-discovery is designed to help you ask the right questions and think critically and objectively, whether you’re considering change or not. Learn how to get your copy at diamond-consultants.com/thebook.   Growth Without Compromise: Building Around the Advisor Experience A conversation with Jason Diamond and Shannon Spotswood, CEO of RFG Advisory. Jason Diamond: Welcome to the latest episode of our podcast series for Financial Advisors. Today’s episode is Growth Without Compromise: Building Around the Advisor Experience. It’s a conversation with Shannon Spotswood, the CEO of RFG Advisory. I’m Jason Diamond, and this is the Diamond Podcast for Financial Advisors. Mindy Diamond: At Diamond Consultants, we help elite advisors identify the right environment for their businesses to thrive, whether that’s at a wirehouse, boutique, or independent firm. With nearly three decades of experience, we’ve guided thousands of advisors and represented more than a quarter of a trillion dollars in assets transitioned. And each year, one in four advisors managing a billion dollars or more who change firms are our clients. Our process is education-driven and based on building relationships, starting as your strategic partner well before you’re even thinking of a move. To schedule a confidential conversation, call us at 908-879-1002. Wondering why advisors change firms and where they’re headed? Are transition deals going up or down? Those very questions and more inspired us to create our annual advisor transition re

Our guest on the podcast today is Ryan Frederick, an author, speaker, and entrepreneur focused on the intersection of place and healthy longevity. As founder and CEO of HERE, he provides content courses and coaching in place planning, a holistic, research-based approach to help people find the right place for every stage of life. He's also the author of Right Place, Right Time, a book that helps individuals think through housing decisions for the second half of life. In addition, Ryan provides strategy consulting to organizations looking to create better places, including Fortune 500 companies, institutional investors, health systems, and housing developers and operators. He's also a member of the Advisory Council for the Stanford Center on Longevity. He previously served on the National Advisory Board of Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and was a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center Task Force on Health and Housing. He's a graduate of Princeton University and Stanford Business School. Episode Highlights 00:00:00 Senior Living, Longevity, and 100-Year Life Planning 00:08:39 How Place Influences Health as You Age 00:10:37 The Four Pillars of Place Planning 00:16:19 Income's Impact on Housing, Home Equity, and Limitations of Aging in Place 00:30:01 Place Planning Tools and Building Community 00:41:43 New Housing Models, Cohousing, and Age Diversity 00:49:13 Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Healthy Aging Dashboards More From Morningstar Your Retirement Countdown, With Christine Benz Harry Margolis: How to Confront Aging Challenges Head-On Joy Loverde: Planning Ahead for Care Needs as You Get Older If you have a comment or a guest idea, please email us at TheLongView@Morningstar.com. Follow Christine Benz (@christine_benz) and Ben Johnson (@MstarBenJohnson) on X, and Christine Benz, Amy Arnott, and Ben Johnson on LinkedIn. Visit Morningstar.com for new research and insights from Christine, Ben, and Amy. Subscribe to Christine's weekly newsletter, Improving Your Finances. If you want more Morningstar podcasts, check out The Morning Filter and Investing Insights. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of FYI, Brett Winton hosts Dylan Robbins, founder and CEO of Lucra Sports, to discuss how white-label gamification is reshaping brand loyalty. Dylan traces Lucra's evolution from a peer-to-peer sports betting app built at Stanford Business School into an enterprise software platform that powers leaderboards, challenges, tournaments, payments, and compliance for brands across fitness, hospitality, competitive entertainment, mobile gaming, and recreational sports. He explains why won rewards get redeemed when coupons don't, how partners like Dave & Buster's and Puttshack drive more visits, longer dwell times, and higher spend per visit, and how Lucra is using AI and its growing data set to personalize tournaments and marketing. The conversation also covers Lucra's $25 billion addressable market, the premium consumers place on in-person experiences, and Dylan's five-year vision for making friendly competition ubiquitous.Key Points From This Episode:(00:00:00) Introduction(00:01:25) Lucra's white-label gamification model: powering loyalty and games for brands.(00:02:20) Digitizing offline competition, from mini golf and darts to board games.(00:04:15) How Lucra evolved from peer-to-peer sports betting into recreational games.(00:05:50) The pivot to Business-to-Business (B2B): becoming a full-stack loyalty solution for enterprise partners.(00:07:00) Lucra's three value propositions: more visits, longer dwell times, higher spend.(00:08:30) Tournaments and asynchronous play across locations.(00:10:30) Why customers redeem rewards they win but ignore the coupons they are given.(00:12:15) Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and first-party data to personalize tournaments and marketing.(00:15:00) Mobile mini games as a beachhead to drive in-person visits.(00:16:20) The long-term vision: making friendly competition ubiquitous.(00:19:00) How Lucra deploys AI internally without losing its in-person core.(00:21:30) Sizing a $25 billion Total Addressable Market (TAM) across six sectors.(00:24:40) Where Dylan wants Lucra to be in five years.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Are you struggling to scale your aesthetic practice, or wondering how to actually use artificial intelligence without creating more work for yourself? In this episode of Beauty Bytes, I am joined by Annie Robertson Hockey, the President of Skytale Group and former co-CEO of a nationally chartered infrastructure bank. Annie brings her incredible Silicon Valley experience and Stanford Business School background to the aesthetic industry to share her top strategies for business growth and technological integration. We discuss the critical mental shift doctors must make to become successful CEOs, including how to take yourself out of the equation by building standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can scale your business two, five, or ten times its size.  We also dive deep into the responsible use of AI in your practice. Annie explains why you should treat AI like a fresh, eager college graduate, allowing it to automate rudimentary tasks so your brain can focus on critical problem-solving and high-level strategy. We cover how to prompt tools like Claude to teach you about their own systems, and how integrating platforms like Illume and Corral Data over your EMR can instantly surface powerful revenue analytics without needing a dedicated data team.  Guest Information:Annie Robertson Hockey is the President of Skytale Group and an experienced Silicon Valley entrepreneur and board member.

Here's a question: how many corporations do you know that have made a public commitment to cut their carbon emissions? Probably a lot. About 40% of the world's largest companies have set full net-zero targets across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, according to Accenture's Destination Net Zero 2025 report, with target-setting rising for the fourth consecutive year. But how many actually know how to achieve those goals? Only about 16% are on track to reach net zero in their operations by 2050. That gap between pledge and execution is what today's guest has spent the last twenty years working on. Dan Kalafatas grew up in a family shaped by his grandparents' advocacy for working people and came of age questioning the role of business. That changed after a lunch talk on renewable energy at Stanford Business School. Today, Dan is the Co-Founder and Chairman of 3Degrees, a global company helping organizations deliver on their energy and emissions commitments — from sourcing clean energy and structuring power purchase agreements to navigating carbon markets. What began with renewable energy credits has grown into a platform supporting Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions work across more than 67 countries, with partners including Microsoft, Mars, Cargill, Etsy, and Rivian. The company has supported over 20,000 decarbonization projects, worked with more than 80 Fortune 500 companies, and helped bring more than 12 gigawatts of clean energy online. From wind farms in Oklahoma to forest conservation on California's redwood coast to power purchase agreements worldwide, 3Degrees focuses on implementation. In our conversation, Dan walks through that journey — from growing up in a working-class mill town in Massachusetts to finding his direction at Stanford, to driving through California rice fields blasting Eminem to land his first customer, to surviving the 2008 financial crisis with just days of runway, and ultimately building a company that now generates over a billion dollars in annual revenue. About Powerhouse Innovation and Powerhouse Ventures Powerhouse Ventures backs seed stage startups developing innovative software to advance clean energy, mobility, and industry. If you are thinking about building something in this space, get in touch with our team. Powerhouse Innovation is a best in class consulting firm, powered by the strongest energy innovation network, data and team in our industry. We partner with world's leading corporations, investors, and utilities to source and evaluate disruptive startups shaping the future of energy and industry. To hear more stories of founders building our energy abundant future, hit the “subscribe” button and leave us a review.

BIO: David Siegel is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has founded more than a dozen companies. He has written five books on technology and business, was once a candidate for the dean of Stanford Business School, and is now an AI thought leader leading an AI startup he hopes will pave the way for the agentic economy.STORY: Nine months after David's last appearance on the podcast, the conversation has shifted from "what are LLMs?" to agents that act. 60-65% of NYSE trades are already fully machine-to-machine—a preview of where all commerce is headed.LEARNING: You don't need to know exactly how AI works, but you need to get in the game. "The biggest investment mistake everyone is making right now is not appreciating the exponential nature of what we're in and what is coming. The next 12 months will be nothing like any 12 months that have ever happened in human history."David Siegel David Siegel is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has founded more than a dozen companies. He has written five books on technology and business, was once a candidate for the dean of Stanford Business School, and is now an AI thought leader leading an AI startup he hopes will pave the way for the agentic economy.David joins the podcast for the fourth time and discusses his latest progress in AI with Andrew.The health reset before we beginBefore diving into AI, David opened with an invitation that even Andrew found surprising: a free online water-fasting event starting on April 20, 2026, with a preliminary strategy session on April 12.What is a water fast? David explains that it's not a diet or a weight-loss tool; it's a physiological reset. For three to six days, your body enters ketosis and "cleans house," activating suppressed systems and energizing you. David does this three to four times per year, emphasizing it's not a monthly practice but a strategic reset aligned with your health journey.The coaching program makes fasting easier and more fun through group accountability, with no obligation, just information to help anyone at any point in their health journey. Learn about fasting, or just join a group of people doing the same thing at the same time. It's designed for people from the West Coast to Europe. Please register for the event and feel free to invite anyone: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Tk-zp9ZERomWb0643Sypmw.The agentic economy: what's coming in 20 yearsDavid's core message centers on a profound shift: we're entering the agentic economy, where machine-to-machine communication replaces human-to-website interaction. He notes that in 20 years, you won't shop on Amazon. There won't be advertising or marketing for humans. All those "Cialdini mind tricks" of urgency, storytelling, and Russell Brunson funnels will vanish. Everything will be machine-to-machine, just like the stock market today, where 65% of NYSE trades open and close in less than one second.Even driving will be prohibited because human reaction times cannot match the frequency of machine communication. We're in an awkward transitional period where humans and machines must coexist. Nobody likes it, but it's taking us toward a future where drudge work is automated.What is an AI agent?David clarified a critical distinction that many miss: LLMs (Large Language Models) talk back, type responses, and generate images and videos—but don't do anything outside your interaction.AI Agent, on the other hand, is an LLM connected to APIs that can actually take action: send emails, order meals, book travel, make purchases, and run ads. Think of it as a virtual remote assistant working 24/7 while you sleep.OpenClaw: The framework powering the revolutionOpenClaw (CLAW = agents, inspired by lobsters from a forward-thinking fiction book) is an open-source framework created by Peter Steinberger on GitHub. It connects LLMs (the thinking entities) to APIs (the conduits for doing).This is revolutionary because it allows AI to take real-world actions. Previously, AI was confined to conversation. It can now execute tasks across systems. David strongly warns that OpenClaw is highly technical and requires API configuration. It's not designed for humans to use directly. It's for engineers building agent infrastructure.The security risks nobody is talking aboutDavid explains that agents introduce entirely new cybersecurity vulnerabilities that differ from traditional threats, such as social-engineering attacks against agents. For instance, impersonation via spoofed emails: "David wants a trip to Phoenix, book a flight," or multi-day, persistent attacks in which bots repeatedly try to extract secrets.David's approach with Claw Studio is to use APIs rather than scraping. Wherever possible, he attaches LLMs to official APIs with guardrails. This is safer and more sustainable than screen scraping, which violates Terms of Service and risks a shutdown.How to get started (without blowing yourself up)David's advice is clear: Don't do it yourself. That's suicide. With great power comes great responsibility. An agent can do almost anything, including deleting its own installation, wiping your disk clean, or draining your bank account. You want it to do almost nothing initially, then gradually widen the guardrails.The Redshift Labs/Claw Studio approach:Done-for-you setup like Red Hat for LinuxDedicated Chief of Staff agent with its own phone numberOnboarding period of 1-2 weeks, where you download your life into the agent:Birthday, family members' emails, and daily routinesIt can research you online to build context.Separate setups for personal and businessForever memory, unlike standard LLM context windows that forget:Every Zoom call transcript gets piped in word-for-word.Searchable memory: "Who was I talking to about Tahoe skiing in November?"Agent retrieves exact conversations and can follow up.Reverse prompting—the paradigm shift:Instead of you telling the agent what to do, it tells you.Morning briefing: what happened overnight, what's coming up, what's changedManages your calendar, project management, and prioritiesBreaks long-term goals into daily deliverablesYou're no longer the to-do list keeper.Security architecture:Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting, not local machinesTwo-account system: one for operations, one for immutable backupsAll logs are piped to a one-way backup account."Go back six hours" restore button, in case things go wrong.Humans in the loop for critical actions (e.g., agent queues payments, human approves)The biggest investment mistake everyone is makingTo conclude, David talked about the biggest investment mistake everyone is making right now: not appreciating the exponential nature of what we're in and what is coming. He noted that the next 12 months will be unlike any 12 months in business history. He stated that we're entering a recursive self-improvement phase, in which software will write the next generation of itself. The singularity isn't theoretical; it's happening now.David's advice is to stop thinking six months ahead. The pace is too fast. Instead:Take baby steps to position yourself.Prepare to accelerate like never beforeInvest in agent infrastructure now, while it "doesn't suck too bad", it will...

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.comIn the past year, host Michael Wenderoth saw a huge jump in Stanford MBAs pursuing an alternative career path. When he sought to learn more, everyone pointed him to today's guest, Ruby Au, a 2025 Stanford Business School graduate who chose the search fund path. In this episode of 97% Effective, Michael and Ruby discuss search funds, the hot alternative path to entrepreneurship, and why it is experiencing a surge in interest among MBAs, top talent—and investors looking for strong returns. Most people are familiar with private equity and venture capital, but far fewer understand search funds, so Michael and Ruby break down the nuts and bolts of the model, where entrepreneurs raise capital to search for, acquire, and operate an existing small business. Ruby also shares insights she gained from hundreds of coffee chats with industry insiders. If you feel constrained by working in big companies—but don't have the stomach for a risky start-up, you'll want to listen to this episode. Search—and Ruby's insights—may open your eyes to the growth and impact that can come from the small, unsexy businesses that quietly power our economy. SHOW NOTESWhat Search Funds Are – and How They WorkHow Ruby discovered search, and why it felt like a best-fitWhat search fund investors are looking for in the entrepreneurs and companies they backThe “search phase” and the “acquisition/operating” phaseWhy “boring” companies that don't make headlines can be great businessesWhy many business sellers see search as a unique succession plan Why Search Funds Are Taking Off – and Where They Are Going“An asset class that started to post 35% IRRs”The most successful search outcome of all time: from roadside rescue to that little purple logo at your Amazon checkoutAs money pours in, does mentorship and the traditional model scale? Ruby's Insights – What You Won't Find in ReportsHow Ruby was taken off guard by the close-knit search ecosystemWhy she started her blog Succession StoryRuby's sector focus and what she wants to get out of her search process3 insider insights: How new investors are challenging the traditional search model; how to find the right business for you; and how search can reshape how you view social impact BIO AND LINKSRuby Au is a search fund entrepreneur and Principal at Succession Story LLC. Her career began in Nairobi, Kenya, where she founded an edtech venture acquired in 2020. She later launched the African office for San Francisco-based Endless Computers and served as Head of North America for the green search engine, Ecosia. Ruby graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in Business Administration and Environmental Studies from the University of Southern California and holds an MBA from Stanford, where she served on the leadership of Stanford's Search Fund Club. Ruby enjoys SCUBA diving, salsa dancing, boxing, and traveling, having visited over 35 countries across five continents. Connect with RubyHer search fund: https://www.successionstory.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruby-au/Substack: Succession Story: Becoming a Search Fund Entrepreneur: https://successionstory.substack.comPeople and Things referencedH. Irv Grousbeck: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/faculty/h-irving-grousbeckAsurion – The Greatest Search Fund Deal of all time: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/business/smallbusiness/12hunt.htmlRuby's list of search fund investors: https://successionstory.substack.com/p/the-wonderful-world-of-search-fundSo Good They Can't Ignore You (Cal Newport): https://a.co/d/0cefCIkuStanford Business School's Search Fund Center: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/experience/about/centers-institutes/ces/research/search-fundsIESE's International Search Fund Center: https://www.iese.edu/entrepreneurship/search-funds/ More from 97% EffectiveMichael's Award-winning Book: Get Promoted: What You're Really Missing at Work That's Holding You Back: https://tinyurl.com/453txk74Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffectiveAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Alex has 20 years of experience at the intersection of finance and data. He has been a global macro investor at firms like Bridgewater Associates and a proprietary volatility trader at Lehman Brothers. Prior to his career as a data-driven speculator, Alex received an MBA from Stanford Business School, an MPhil in Economics (Game Theory) from the University of Oxford, and a BA (Hons) in Economics from McGill University. In this podcast, we discuss: Fantasy Baseball to Prop Trading Diversification as the "Free Lunch" Gold vs. The Chinese Credit Bubble Silver as the "Money that Generates Electricity" The "Long API, Short Slides" Thesis China's Sceptical Data Copper vs. Iron Divergence The Future of Systematic Investing 

BIO: David Siegel is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has founded more than a dozen companies. He has written five books on technology and business, was once a candidate for the dean of Stanford Business School, and is now an AI thought leader leading an AI startup he hopes will pave the way for the agentic economy.STORY: David invested heavily in launching a longevity coaching business, believing people would pay to extend their lives through lifestyle change. Despite strong science, personal results, and significant marketing spend, demand proved nearly nonexistent.LEARNING: A great idea without real demand is still a bad investment. “There will be many new problems, and whenever there are new problems, there's a new economic opportunity for many people.”David Siegel Guest profileDavid Siegel is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who has founded more than a dozen companies. He has written five books on technology and business, was once a candidate for the dean of Stanford Business School, and is now an AI thought leader leading an AI startup he hopes will pave the way for the agentic economy.Worst investment everAfter years of building companies and studying major technological shifts, David found himself pulled deeply into the longevity movement. This wasn't casual curiosity. He read more than 20 books, radically transformed his lifestyle, and developed a deep understanding of insulin resistance, nutrition, exercise, and long-term health.The results were personal and visible. David was fit, disciplined, and energized. The idea that science could help people live 10 to 15 years longer, with a higher quality of life, felt not only possible but urgent. Helping others do the same seemed like a natural next chapter.Turning passion into a businessConfident in both the science and his own experience, David decided to turn longevity coaching into a scalable business. His target audience was people in their 50s and 60s, individuals who were pre-diabetic or heading toward serious health issues and stood to benefit the most from early intervention.He approached the venture like a seasoned entrepreneur. He built funnels, ran Facebook ads, spoke at retirement communities, and spent months on discovery calls explaining how lifestyle changes could dramatically reduce the risk of cancer, Alzheimer's, and diabetes.This wasn't guesswork; it was disciplined execution.The painful reality checkThen reality set in.Despite spending over $100,000 on advertising and investing countless hours in conversations, demand was almost nonexistent. People listened. They nodded. They agreed the logic made sense. Then they walked away.Many believed the healthcare system would save them. Others hoped for a pill instead of discipline. Even those clearly facing insulin resistance weren't willing to make sustained lifestyle changes.The most sobering realization wasn't about marketing or pricing. It was this: most people don't actually want to live longer if it requires consistent effort.Accepting the lossIn the end, only about one percent of the people David spoke to were already doing the work and didn't need coaching. Everyone else opted out, fully aware of the consequences.The investment failed not because the science was wrong, but because the market wasn't there. David ultimately gave the information away for free and walked away from the business, having learned an expensive but clarifying lesson about belief versus demand.Lessons learned

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, welcomes Steve Ellis, Co-Managing Partner of The Rise Fund at TPG Capital, a global investment firm with $269 billion in assets under management. As leader of the RISE Fund, the world's largest impact investing platform, Ellis shares how purpose and profit can reinforce each other. He unpacks the Colinearity Principle, a framework aligning financial success with measurable social impact, and discusses how AI can expand global access to education, healthcare, and financial services. From redefining leadership through empathy and vulnerability to navigating career “giving back deserts,” Ellis offers candid lessons on sustaining integrity amid rapid change. The conversation highlights the roadmap for balancing conviction with curiosity, and revealing how finance professionals can lead with purpose while delivering exceptional returns and driving meaningful social progress.Meet Steve EllisSteve Ellis is a Co-Managing Partner at TPG and leader of the RISE Fund, the world's largest impact investing private equity platform. Before joining TPG in 2015, Steve was the CEO of Asurion, the world's leading provider of technology protection services with over $6B in revenues. Before Asurion, Steve served as a Global Managing Partner for Bain & Company. Steve is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Stanford Business School, where he is a regular guest lecturer. He is a trustee for the UC Berkeley Foundation and serves on the boards of Charles Schwab, LiveKindly, InStride, Hayden AI, Greenhouse Software, UBQ Materials, Renaissance Learning, Persefoni, and Teachers of Tomorrow.

Andrew Humberman BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Andrew Huberman remains at the center of the wellness and neuroscience conversation, making headlines this week as the New York Times-dubbed “Goop for men,” continuing to shape the global obsession with performance and longevity. EL PAÍS reports that Huberman's multi-million follower empire is defining a new class of “Huberman husbands,” men drawn to biohacking and daily optimization, further legitimizing the male wellness phenomenon. Critics and sociologists highlight his tangible influence on shifting cultural attitudes toward men's health but also caution against the repackaging of diet culture for new audiences.One of Huberman's most notable public appearances in recent days was his keynote at the Eudēmonia Summit on November 16, a gathering of leading thinkers in purpose-driven personal development. According to social media reports, his “historic speech” captivated the audience and reaffirmed his status as both a scientist and cultural thought leader. On Instagram, clips from the summit and behind-the-scenes moments garnered tens of thousands of likes, fueling conversations among followers about the balance between rigorous science and motivational guidance.Business-wise, the drive toward mass-market influence continues with aggressive pre-launch promotion for Huberman's forthcoming book, Protocols. Integrated into podcast episodes and social updates, this title promises science-based routines to boost brain function and energy. Cross-promotion is in full swing: listeners of the Huberman Lab podcast are urged to pre-order, and posts about the book appear alongside partnerships with premium health brands.In content, the Huberman Lab podcast released a new episode featuring Matt Abrahams of Stanford Business School on November 17. The episode provides a masterclass in communication, offering evidence-based guidance on clarity, confidence, and storytelling. This conversation quickly circulated on Instagram reels, with Huberman personally featuring tips for overcoming stage fright and improving public speaking, which sparked a surge in online engagement as users commented and shared their own communication hurdles.On the social media front, Huberman's content continues its viral momentum. His Instagram reels and cross-posts highlight collaborations with other high-profile figures, including gratitude to recent podcast guests. Viral moments this week include clips on confidence-building, as well as a widely shared reel summarizing key takeaways from the luminous Matt Abrahams episode.Although no personal controversies or dramatic departures occurred in the last several days, the media's fascination with the business of self-transformation and Huberman's role in it continues growing. Headlines frame him as both a wellness juggernaut and a flashpoint in ongoing debates about masculinity, self-improvement, and the limits of “bro science.” Public discourse is firmly focused on the substance and style of his advice, with Huberman's own words, appearances, and products driving the cultural conversation forward.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Shirzad Chamine experienced a traumatic childhood, raised in Iran by a father who was full of a frightening rage. Following high school, Shirzad decided to move to the United States and make his future there. Along the way, he heard an inner whisper telling him to make a positive influence on a worldwide scale. After a variety of education experience, he developed innovative theories that resulted in the New York Times bestselling book, Positive Intelligence. In this Blue Sky episode, you'll learn more about Shirzad Chamine's remarkable life and inspiring work. Chapters: 00:00 Welcome Shirzad Chamine Shirzad shares his early childhood in Iran, a turbulent upbringing with a rage-filled father, and how this traumatic experience later became a gift. 01:43 The Whispers of a World Stage Shirzad recounts his journey to the U.S. seeking new possibilities and the powerful whisper in his heart that guided him towards transforming millions of lives. This whisper, present since childhood, fueled his pursuit of a path to make a significant impact on the world stage. 05:19 From Psychology to Engineering to Business Shirzad discusses his unconventional educational path and explains how his disillusionment with the 'California New Age' approach to therapy led him to seek a more rational and scientific method for understanding and changing human lives. 08:30 The Birth of the Saboteur: The Judge Shirzad shares a pivotal moment at Stanford Business School where classmates' feedback about his judgmental nature led to a profound epiphany. This realization birthed the concept of the 'Judge' saboteur, a character in his mind that constantly finds fault with others and himself, sabotaging his relationships and self-perception. 12:51 Saboteurs and Sage: The Inner War Shirzad explains how his childhood experiences and the Stanford epiphany led to the development of the Positive Intelligence framework, which describes an internal war between inner saboteurs and the inner sage. 16:09 The Root Cause Operating System Shirzad critiques traditional coaching for failing to create lasting habits and treating symptoms rather than root problems. He introduces his 'root cause operating system' derived from factor analysis research, identifying 10 saboteurs (negative response factors) and 5 sage powers (positive Jedi powers) that optimize well-being and performance. 20:44 Sustained Transformation with the PQ App Shirzad explains that despite the book's success, readers often reverted to old habits because insights don't build mental muscle. 25:43 Understanding and Managing Your Saboteurs Bill Burke and Shirzad discuss the 'Pleaser' and 'Avoider' saboteurs, explaining how saboteurs are overused natural strengths. 30:44 Don't Judge the Judge: Quieting Saboteurs Shirzad emphasizes that saboteurs never fully disappear but can be diminished from a 'megaphone to a whisper' through consistent practice. 38:05 Performance and Saboteurs Shirzad explains how saboteurs impact performance, using a basketball analogy to show how self-doubt can cause choking in critical moments. 44:31 Normalizing Saboteurs in Teams Shirzad discusses how leaders can create a more effective team environment by openly sharing their saboteurs. By normalizing imperfection, teams can move past defensiveness and foster authentic communication, leading to better collaboration and problem-solving. 49:04 The Shift to Compassion Shirzad describes his personal transformation from a judgmental mindset to one of deep compassion, driven by rewiring his brain through mental fitness practices. 52:52 Mission for Mental Fitness Shirzad shares his mission to bring mental fitness education to humanity, starting in schools, believing it could transform society by equipping future generations with tools to manage their minds.

Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel dropped out of Stanford Business School when the disappearing messages app made him a millionaire. Four years later, he was named the world's youngest billionaire at 25. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell Spiegel's story, from shy schoolboy to partying teen, to tech titan, all in just a few years. Spiegel formed Snapchat with a fraternity buddy and their app soon spread around the world, but old emails and a lawsuit caused controversy. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before asking the audience to decide if they are good, bad, or just billionaires.To contact the team, email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

In this episode of the Healing From Toxic Abuse Podcast, host Deborah Ashway is joined by Kimberly Johnson, CEO of Arch Collaborative. Arch Collaborative is a social services network in Redding, CA, supporting victims of domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking in Shasta County. Since founding the Children's Legacy Center in 2016, she has secured over $15 million in grants to establish the county's first Children's Advocacy Center, aiding prosecutions while reducing trauma for victims. Ms. Johnson is an alum of the Stanford Business School's LEAD Program, and holds certifications from the National Children's Alliance and the National Native Children's Trauma CenterThis episode discusses trauma-informed care and innovative support systems for trauma survivors. Kimberly shares her work in Northern California, detailing the creation of a Children's Advocacy Center, the challenges and successes in providing services to victims of violence, and the crucial role of interdisciplinary collaboration. This discussion highlights hope, healing, and the transformative potential of coordinated care for those affected by trauma.00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest02:11 Kimberly Johnson's Background and Arch Collaborative03:25 The Children's Advocacy Center Model05:28 Expansion and Rebranding to Arch Collaborative06:59 Challenges and Successes in Trauma-Informed Care09:49 Rural Placement Model for Exploited Children15:05 Systemic Solutions and Coordinated Response20:33 Comprehensive Services for Domestic Violence Victims24:13 Charges Filed and Community Impact25:03 Understanding Non-Physical Abuse26:09 Challenges in Victim Support27:38 Financial Control and Training28:08 Post-COVID Staffing and Services31:18 Behavioral Health and Crisis Services33:26 Law Enforcement and Victim Belief39:44 Supporting Local Trauma Care41:56 Future of Trauma-Informed Care46:14 Conclusion and Contact Information Social Links:https://www.facebook.com/OneSafePlaceShasta/, https://www.facebook.com/childrenslegacycenter/https://www.instagram.com/ospshasta/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/childrenslegacycenter/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/kimberlylanelle/?hl=enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-l-johnson-7803a374

About Michael Wenderoth:Frustrated that you're not getting ahead at work, or having the impact you seek? The real reason holding you back will surprise you, says Michael Wenderoth, executive coach. His provocative insights, featured in Harvard Business Review, challenge conventional wisdom by confronting an uncomfortable truth: that embracing office politics and influence is essential to advancing your career. The award-winning author of Get Promoted, Michael has helped thousands of professionals re-examine their assumptions about power, politics, and authenticity to accelerate their careers, become more effective at work, and break glass ceilings, many of their own creation. Michael is on a mission to help people get ahead, without having to sell their souls in the process. Prior to becoming an executive coach, Michael served 20 years in senior roles, bringing breakthroughs to market in China, the US, and Europe. He holds an MBA from Stanford Business School and was trained as an executive coach at Columbia University. In this episode, Dean Newlund and Michael Wenderoth discuss:Networking and influence in leadershipThe role of authenticity and vulnerabilitySituational and adaptive leadershipThe intersection of AI and future leadershipCareer advancement and organizational politics Key Takeaways:Many capable leaders are overlooked because they avoid networking and political skills, which are crucial for advancement.Influence and power are neutral tools that can be used ethically, yet many “good people” resist using them due to negative associations.Overemphasizing authenticity and vulnerability without strategic awareness can leave leaders exposed and even derailed.AI has the potential to both reduce bias and amplify existing organizational problems, making hybrid human-AI leadership a necessity. "Power and influence are like fire. Fire is nothing more than a force, and you can use it to burn the whole place down, but you could also use it to feed the entire village and illuminate the entire city.” — Michael Wenderoth Connect with Michael Wenderoth:  Website: https://changwenderoth.comBook: Get Promoted: https://changwenderoth.com/book/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchangwenderoth/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/mcwenderothFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mwenderothInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenderoth.michael/  See Dean's TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I Connect with Dean:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkwWebsite: https://www.mfileadership.com/The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlundFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.comPhone: 1-800-926-7370 Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

WARNING: This episode may inspire you to work harder. George Hayward is a brilliant guy and a brilliantly original comedian. I met him at a favorite open mic at @PineBoxRockShop run by @steve_malden and @bobby.condon. George is very smart and talented, but his work ethic is a super power with his LASER FOCUS on standup is phonomenal. George has quite a life story. His mother is black, his father is white. Education was the top priority in his family, George is a testament to that. He got a full scholarship to Phillips Exeter Academy, then a BA from Harvard and a AB/JD degree from Stanford. Here's a story about how a kid who once thought he might become an astrophysicist, put himself through a rigorus education and found himself exceeding at standup. George has been on many prestigious New Faces shows and is well on his way to a thriving standup career. Not bad for a guy who's been in NYC for only a year. Here's some of the videos we discuss in this session: Take Ya Time: George Hayward Live From Pine Box | Stand-up Set 14:00 George Hayward Delivers The Good News in 1997 First Communion 1:04 ( Clip of George lecturing as a child ) The Good News: George Hayward Addresses the 1Ls at Stanford Law School 25:00 The 25 min set to the Stanford law students that started it all Talk to Em: George Hayward Addresses the MBAs at Stanford Business School 1:10:24 - the 60-min set with no previous open mics that started George on his professional path

What 25 years in venture capital teaches you about building billion-dollar startups that founders wish they knew earlier...David Hornik, founding partner at Lobby Capital and former August Capital partner, breaks down the real dynamics between VCs and founders that most entrepreneurs completely misunderstand. From his $50M+ exits including Splunk, GitLab, and Bill.com, David shares why venture capital success isn't about the money - it's about finding the right partnership.In this conversation, you'll discover why the best investors act as collaborators, not gatekeepers, and how startup culture matters as much as your product-market fit. David reveals the misconceptions founders have about what VCs actually look for, the importance of long-term vision alignment, and why building supportive communities around entrepreneurs drives real innovation.Key takeaways for founders:Trust and alignment matter more than just growth metrics Your company culture determines long-term success The best VCs become mentors, not just money providers Staying true to your mission while adapting is crucial for survivalDavid's unique background spans Stanford Computer Music to Harvard Law, plus he created the first VC blog and podcast. He's been honored on Forbes' Midas List and teaches at both Stanford Business School and Harvard Law School.Subscribe for more founder insights and hit the bell for notifications! What's the biggest misconception you had about VCs? Drop it in the comments below.Follow us on our channels for exclusive startup content and behind-the-scenes insights from interviews like this one.SpotifyApple PodcastsYoutubeNewman Media Studios LinkedIn

Brad Stroh, co-CEO and co-founder of Achieve, shares how he's built one of the most impactful fintech companies by taking a completely different path from the typical Silicon Valley playbook. Through bootstrapping rather than chasing venture capital, Brad and his co-founder have created a mission-driven business that has served over 1.5 million people and resolved $18 billion in debt since 2002.• Understanding the information asymmetry in financial services that disadvantages consumers making major financial decisions• How Achieve flips traditional asset management by focusing on liability management for the underserved• The evolution of consumer debt over two decades through multiple economic cycles• Applying AI to create "zero-click financial services" that automatically optimize consumer finances• The importance of saying no to opportunities that don't align with core mission• Brad's leadership philosophy centered on being intentional and deliberate• Making the shift from viewing monthly payments to understanding total cost of debt• How economic uncertainty and inflation are affecting consumer financial stability• The importance of balancing regulation with innovation in financial servicesWhen everyone else was chasing venture capital and quick exits back in 2002, Brad and his Stanford Business School classmate Andrew Hauser made the radical decision to bootstrap their company. Their reasoning was profound yet simple: they wanted to build something meaningful that would last decades, not just until the next funding round. This patient approach has paid extraordinary dividends.Brad shares how banks leverage vast data resources and experience to maximize profits from consumers who may only go through major financial transactions a handful of times in their lives. By flipping this dynamic and democratizing financial knowledge, Achieve helps struggling and striving families navigate their way to stability.The conversation explores how consumer debt has evolved through multiple economic cycles – from the dot-com bust through the Great Recession and pandemic. Brad offers fascinating insights on current economic conditions and the transformative potential of AI in financial services.If you've enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate and comment on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Brad Stroh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradfordstroh/Brad Stroh, the Co-CEO and co-founder of Achieve, starting the company back in 2002 out of Stanford Business School.  Over the past 20-plus years, Achieve has served over 1.5 million people, resolved over $18 billion in debt, and funded over $10 billion in loans. Achieve is approaching a billion dollars in annual revenue with over $7 billion in cumulative revenue and 2,800 employees.Before embarking on this entrepreneurial journey, Brad graduated from Amherst College in 1996 with majors in Literature and Economics, and then graduated from Stanford Business School in 2002.Website: https://www.position2.com/podcast/Rajiv Parikh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivparikh/Sandeep Parikh: https://www.instagram.com/sandeepparikh/Email us with any feedback for the show: sparkofages.podcast@position2.com

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.comEd Batista spent fifteen years as Lecturer and Leadership Coach at Stanford Business School, working in and teaching the highly popular course there, Interpersonal Dynamics – also known as “Touchy Feely.” In this episode of 97% Effective, host Michael Wenderoth talks with Ed about the influence that course had on Ed's coaching – and how course “T-groups” are a powerful laboratory to explore influence. They discuss why needers need to build emotional regulation and how many people confuse force and power – and confuse empathy with needing to be nice. By the end of this episode, you'll have a deeper understanding of core concepts in touchy feely – and why that doesn't imply you need to adopt a “touchy feely” leadership style.SHOW NOTES:How the Stanford course Interpersonal Dynamics (aka “Touchy Feely”) has influenced EdA short history on Interpersonal dynamics (Kurt Lewin and “T-groups”)A source of power is developing close and connected relationships with peopleMagical black box, artificial setting, or great laboratory for exploring interpersonal communication, influence and power? Michael and Ed debate T-groupsThe benefit of structured reflectionEd is not advocating a “touch feely” leadership style – but he does stress the importance of emotional regulationAre you willing to understand and explore your feelings?Confusing force and powerConfusing empathy with being nice (or with not holding people accountable)The need to understand what another person is feelingMichael and Ed discuss empathy vs perspective taking – is the difference a nuance, and does that matter?EdBot (the large language model built on Ed's blog) and Swiss watchesHow should coaches take advantage of AI tools, what differentiates human coaches?A man and his dog.. the common connection: Buster (Great Pyrenees mix) is to Ed what and Manchas (Spanish Mastin mix) is to Michael… BIO AND LINKS:Ed Batista has been an executive coach since 2006, working with senior leaders who are facing a challenge or would like to be more effective or fulfilled in their roles. He also spent 15 years as a Lecturer and Leadership Coach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Most of Ed's clients are technology company CEOs, but he works with leaders in fields from investing to healthcare. Issues he addresses with clients include managing relationships with key employees, improving leadership team dynamics, transitioning from technical expert to leader, evolving company culture, and better self-care. Ed's work as a coach began after a 15-year career in management, during which he took two years off to earn an MBA at Stanford and helped launch three new organizations. He writes about coaching and related issues at www.edbatista.com. Ed is married to Amy Wright, and they lived in San Francisco from 1990 to 2020, when they relocated to a farm 40 miles north of the city. In addition to his MBA, Ed earned a BA in History, magna cum laude, from Brown University.Previous episode with Ed and Michael EP120: Power Struggles Among Nice People: https://redcircle.com/shows/86fcd90d-083e-4af2-9bc8-6d52fb981ae1Ed's website and blog: https://www.edbatista.com/about.htmlKurt Lewin and T-groups: https://www.edbatista.com/2018/06/a-brief-history-of-t-groups.htmlProf Jeffrey Pfeffer at Stanford: https://jeffreypfeffer.comForce isn't Power: https://www.edbatista.com/2021/03/force-isnt-power.htmlTry out EdBot: https://www.edbatista.com/2025/04/ask-me-anything-anytime-the-ed-bot-20.html8000 Coaching Sessions Reflection: https://www.edbatista.com/2024/05/8000-coaching-sessions.html9000 Hours (Evolution of a Practice): https://www.edbatista.com/2025/03/9000-coaching-sessions-the-evolution-of-a-practice.html97% Effective, Now on video, here: https://www.youtube.com/@97PercentEffectiveMichael's Award-Winning book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That's Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What if pressing pause on your career isn't the end—but the beginning of becoming more fully you? In this episode, I sit down with Neha Ruch—founder of Mother Untitled and author of The Power Pause—to explore what it means to hold ambition and motherhood in the same breath. Neha shares her deeply personal story of stepping off the traditional career ladder after Stanford Business School, embracing full-time motherhood, and birthing a movement to rebrand what it means to be a “stay-at-home mom.” Together, we unpack the emotional nuances of downshifting, the power of redefining success, and why support isn't optional—it's essential. Whether you're deep in the trenches of early motherhood, navigating the messy middle of building a creative dream, or sprinting into a new season of career growth, this episode will leave you feeling seen, supported, and more free to design a life that actually fits. Tune in to hear: Why Neha believes ambition doesn't die in motherhood—it evolves How she navigated career pauses without losing herself or her vision What it really takes to keep a creative project alive in the early years The truth about modern stay-at-home motherhood (and how it's misrepresented) How to communicate with your partner, kids, and yourself through career transitions Why having help is not a luxury—it's a form of dignity How to drop the guilt and trust the timing of your life What “the new ambition” looks like for women leading in life and at home About Neha Ruch: Neha is the founder of Mother Untitled, a digital platform redefining ambition for women in caregiving seasons. A Stanford MBA and former brand strategist, Neha now leads conversations on modern motherhood, identity, and work. Her debut book The Power Pause: How to Plan a Career Break After Kids and Come Back Stronger Than Ever is out now from Putnam.

Join hosts Mike and Mark on a new enlightening episode of the Moonshots Podcast as they delve into the fascinating world of NBA legend Steve Kerr. This episode centers around the insightful biography "Steve Kerr: A Life" by Scott Howard-Cooper. This book captures the essence of Kerr's journey from a childhood influenced by academic pursuits in the Middle East to becoming one of the most respected figures in the NBA.Buy The Book on Amazon https://geni.us/XXyHt6uBecome a Moonshot Member https://www.patreon.com/MoonshotsWatch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/xhmL-_XUgJoSegments:INTRO:The episode begins with an introduction to Steve Kerr's biography, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of his life and career.Leadership Insights:Clip: "Create The Blueprint" (1m21s)Listen to Steve Kerr as he describes his unique leadership style during a Stanford Business School session. Discover the principles that guide his approach to leading high-performing teams.Coaching Philosophy:Clip: "Responsibility" (56s)Kerr answers a fan's question about his favorite aspect of coaching. This segment offers a glimpse into his personal joys and challenges as a coach.Learning from Experience:Clip: "Don't Be A 'Know It All' Coach" (1m35s)A candid story from Kerr reveals a significant lesson about humility and learning in leadership and coaching.Motivation and Influence:OUTRO:Clip: "Great Man, Great Coach" (1m)The episode concludes with Steve demonstrating how he motivates others, showcasing his ability to inspire and lead, both on and off the court.About Steve Kerr:Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Kerr's early life was shaped by his family's academic background and the tragic assassination of his father. From his college days at the University of Arizona to his remarkable NBA career as a player and coach, Kerr's journey is one of resilience, success, and a deep connection to his roots.About the Book:"Steve Kerr: A Life" is not just a biography; it's a narrative that intertwines Kerr's personal and professional life, offering insights into his unique path to NBA stardom, his experiences with legendary teammates and coaches, and his extraordinary contributions to basketball as both a player and a coach.Please tune in to this episode of the Moonshots Podcast for an inspiring look at how Steve Kerr's life experiences and leadership have shaped his extraordinary career in basketball.Buy The Book on Amazon https://geni.us/XXyHt6uBecome a Moonshot Member https://www.patreon.com/MoonshotsWatch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/xhmL-_XUgJo Thanks to our monthly supporters Joanne Carbone Joanne Carbone Emily Rose Banks Malcolm Magee Natalie Triman Kaur Ryan N. Marco-Ken Möller Mohammad Lars Bjørge Edward Rehfeldt III 孤鸿 月影 Fabian Jasper Verkaart Andy Pilara ola Austin Hammatt Zachary Phillips Mike Leigh Cooper Gayla Schiff Laura KE Krzysztof Roar Nikolay Ytre-Eide Stef Roger von Holdt Jette Haswell venkata reddy Ingram Casey Ola rahul grover Ravi Govender Craig Lindsay Steve Woollard Lasse Brurok Deborah Spahr Barbara Samoela Jo Hatchard Kalman Cseh Berg De Bleecker Paul Acquaah MrBonjour Sid Liza Goetz Konnor Ah kuoi Marjan Modara Dietmar Baur Bob Nolley ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Revolutionizing Healthcare: CrowdHealth's Alternative to Traditional Insurance Joincrowdhealth.com About the Guest(s): Andy Schoonover, an innovative entrepreneur and former executive, has made significant strides in redefining the healthcare landscape. With a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia, Andy gained extensive experience at Host Marriott Corporation, managing over $1.5 billion in transactions. His entrepreneurial journey flourished at Stanford Business School, leading to the co-founding of Blue Canyon Capital, where he achieved a tenfold return on acquisition. As the founder of CrowdHealth, Andy is committed to making healthcare accessible to everyone. CrowdHealth empowers individuals to navigate medical expenses more efficiently, save significantly on healthcare costs, and access superior care. Episode Summary: In this engaging episode of The Chris Voss Show, Chris Voss sits down with Andy Schoonover, the founder of CrowdHealth, to explore his groundbreaking approach to transforming the healthcare system. Andy shares his journey from managing substantial transactions at Marriott to co-founding Blue Canyon Capital and, ultimately, establishing CrowdHealth. He discusses his company's innovative business model, which aims to eliminate traditional health insurance, allowing individuals to pay doctors directly and avoid bureaucratic obstacles. The conversation dives deep into the mechanisms of CrowdHealth, emphasizing how it empowers its community members by reducing healthcare costs through direct payment and negotiation of medical bills. This alternative model retains transparency by letting members see where their contributions are going and fosters a supportive community that shares the financial burden of medical expenses. With over 10,000 participants actively engaging in funding each other's healthcare needs, CrowdHealth has successfully created an enticing alternative to the complex and often frustrating world of health insurance. Key Takeaways: Breaking the Health Insurance Model: CrowdHealth provides an alternative by allowing direct payments to doctors, bypassing middlemen and reducing costs. Community Funding: Members contribute $55 monthly and are occasionally asked to donate up to an additional $140 to help others in the community with significant medical expenses. Cost Savings: On average, members save 40-50% compared to traditional health insurance, demonstrating the financial efficacy of this model. No Network Restrictions: Members have the freedom to choose any healthcare provider, facilitating access to alternative and traditional medical care alike. Incentives for Healthy Living: CrowdHealth offers discounts to those maintaining healthy lifestyles, similar to premium reductions for safe drivers in car insurance policies. Notable Quotes: "We're trying to ditch health insurance. We're trying to give people a real alternative to health insurance." – Andy "When you get your care and then don't worry about the price later until you get something in the mail. And you hope the health insurance plan is gonna pay for it." – Andy "200,000 families last year went bankrupt due to a medical expense, even though they had health insurance." – Andy "If you have the buyer of a service and the seller of the same service both wanting the price to go up… the price is gonna go up." – Andy "We can find you a really good [doctor] at a really reasonable price." – Andy

What does it mean to manage someone else's legacy, future, and trust all at once? Join us in the BreakLine Arena for a conversation with Pete Koziol, co-founder of Dauntless Ventures, about building a venture firm with a national purpose.Pete shares his journey from the U.S. Naval Academy to Stanford Business School, his time at Goldman Sachs, and how he co-founded Dauntless Ventures—a firm backing early-stage companies in the defense, industrial, and nuclear sectors. We dive into the complexities of investing in national security tech, why the Department of Defense selected Dauntless for its new venture capital program, and the unique responsibility that comes with managing others' capital.Pete also reflects on balancing career and family, his take on building strong real-world relationships over social media, and what it truly means to be an investor, founder, veteran, and father —all at once.Please like, rate, subscribe, or review our show if you've liked what you've heard! We'd love to hear your thoughts. If you're interested in joining our community, please visit www.breakline.org. If you're interested in exploring partnerships with BreakLine, please visit https://breakline.org/partners/partner-signup/.

Jamie Beaton is CEO of Crimson Education, helping students gain admission to top universities. A Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and Princeton graduate, he also founded Crimson Global Academy and authored “ACCEPTED! Secrets to Gaining Admission to the World's Top Universities.” In this episode, Jamie reveals the mentors who shaped his leadership, including legendary investor Julian Robertson, and explains how to accelerate growth as an emerging leader. He discusses the challenges of leading a global company, how cultural differences impact leadership, and what truly defines top talent beyond credentials. He also dives into the “curiosity switch”—the key to staying relevant, inspired, and continuously learning. Jamie shares a pivotal moment in his leadership journey—balancing the demands of running Crimson while attending Stanford Business School, a decision that tested his resilience and investor relationships. He also provides insight into how leaders can build high-performance teams, manage ambition without burnout, and create a culture of excellence and execution. If you want to learn how to lead with curiosity, build a world-class team, and navigate high-stakes decisions, this episode is a must-listen.     Key Takeaways [02:43] Jamie shares his love for Warhammer, a strategy board game that takes him across the world to compete. He finds it a great way to disconnect from work and engage in a different kind of strategic thinking. [03:58] Jamie credits Julian Robertson, founder of Tiger Management, as a major influence. Julian took him under his wing, instilling confidence in his abilities and teaching him the balance between competitive drive and integrity. [08:58] Jamie's experiences across countries like New Zealand, China, Singapore, and the U.S. have broadened his leadership perspective. He emphasizes that while leadership principles are universal, cultural differences impact feedback styles, work ethics, and hierarchical structures. Leaders must adapt to these variations to be effective. [11:35] Jamie highlights feedback styles as one major cultural difference. In places like Japan and China, direct feedback can be seen as disrespectful, while in the U.S. and New Zealand, a blunt and fast-paced communication style is more accepted. Work ethic expectations also differ, with China's 996 culture (9 AM – 9 PM, six days a week) contrasting with New Zealand's emphasis on work-life balance. However, he believes that people everywhere are drawn to ambitious, high-performance teams. [15:01] Jamie introduces the "curiosity switch", explaining that some people are naturally driven to learn while others become complacent. He believes curiosity can be reignited by exposing yourself to new industries, ideas, and challenges. Leaders who continuously push themselves to learn remain relevant. [17:38] Jamie admits that his rapid thinking once created chaos within his teams. Over time, he built a leadership team with specialized roles—some focused on executing ideas, while others thrived in early-stage innovation. By structuring his organization this way, he ensures creativity doesn't disrupt operational stability. [21:09] Jamie values learning agility, ambition, and integrity over academic credentials. He shares a story about his co-founder, Fungzhou, who started with limited English at 18 and now manages hundreds of employees globally. He believes top talent is defined by their ability to adapt, seek feedback, and push beyond their comfort zone. [25:43] Jamie acknowledges that in the early years, he wasn't easy to follow. To improve, he surrounded himself with strong communicators who could translate his vision into clear, actionable steps for the team. Over time, he became more aware of how his leadership style impacted others, ensuring his team had the clarity they needed. [27:11] Jamie has learned that face-to-face time is irreplaceable. He prioritizes in-person interactions with his executive team and country managers, even flying 18 hours for a two-day event. He believes that an hour in person builds more trust than 30 hours on Zoom, making these investments critical for leadership success. [29:22] Jamie describes the tension of balancing business school at Stanford while leading Crimson. His investors were skeptical, fearing it would be a distraction, while his team worried about his physical absence. Despite these doubts, Jamie pushed through, believing the skills and networks he gained would ultimately help Crimson grow. [34:01] Jamie credits his responsibility to his team, ambition, and the support of his co-founders as his guiding forces. He emphasizes that having trusted partners who can step in when needed is critical for sustaining leadership over the long haul. [37:02] Jamie explains that when your curiosity switch is on, work feels exciting and effortless. When it's off, every task feels like a burden. To reignite curiosity, he advises evaluating your work, relationships, and digital habits, ensuring you remove anything that drains your energy. [39:26] And remember, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” - Benjamin Franklin   Quotable Quotes “People love to be on a winning team.You know, I think if you have that fast-paced intensity, ambitious goals, the ability for fast career progression, fast learning, you know, that is addictive to people anywhere and that's definitely very infectious.” “You don't view feedback as some sort of negative thing, but actually as sort of like this addictive fuel for more growth.” “When the curiosity switch is on, every day you're working, it doesn't feel like you're working. You know, it feels like this exciting, adrenaline-packed, exhilarating adventure.” “If you're in the wrong lane, staying there longer won't fix it.” “I think the most notable thing about different cultural backgrounds or a couple, but one of them would be how you give feedback.”   This is the book mentioned in this book   Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | Sponsored by | Rafti Advisors. LLC | Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | Jamie Beaton Website | Jamie Beaton LinkedIn | Jamie Beaton Instagram |  

Learn more about Michael Wenderoth, Executive Coach: www.changwenderoth.comIt would be great if our strong grades and work history spoke for itself and got us in to highly selective organizations. Unfortunately, admission is 25% subjective and not a reward for past achievement, says Candace Gonzales Tumey, Senior MBA Admission Prep Coach and Team Lead at MLT (Management Leadership for Tomorrow). In this episode of 97% Effective, Coach Candace shares 3 secrets to getting into elite business schools, drawing from her work with top talent at MLT and more than a decade in admissions at the University of California at Berkeley. Candace and host Michael Wenderoth discuss how to talk about your accomplishments without bragging, where most people fail in their networking, and overcoming the #1 challenge for candidates from underrepresented groups. You'll leave this episode with practical, underappreciated strategies to navigate any highly competitive selection process.SHOW NOTES:Rural Virginia, her grandmother and Maria: Why Candace does what she doesCandace's Hard Truth #1: Admissions is 25% Subjective“Luck favors the prepared”Candace's Hard Truth #2: Admission is not a reward for what you've doneWhat does success look like for you?MLT's mission – and why highly qualified talent from underrepresented groups benefit from their supportUnderappreciated Secret #1 to getting in: Your application is a conversationHow to understand what a school seeksYou're still the same person, but shine a spotlight on the aspect that best fits the schoolTalking about yourself without feeling icky: Speak to inform but not to impressUnderappreciated Secret #2 to getting in: Network with the Institution to better understand“Apply with the door open, not with the door closed”Underappreciated Secret #3 to getting in: Consistency over Intensity“You can't be what you can't see”: Talk to people who have been through the process!Are the 3 secrets universally applicable to anyone, not just underrepresented groups?The two sides of imposter syndromeThe #1 thing you can do if you feel imposter syndromeCandace shares the limits of her own knowledgeBreaking rules and your appetite for riskHow AI can help us get in to highly competitive environments – and where to be careful with itBIO AND LINKS:Candace Gonzales Tumey is Senior Coach and Team Lead at Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). Prior to MLT, she served 14 years in undergraduate and graduate admissions, including at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley as an Associate Director of Admissions. At MLT, she has coached over 200 applicants, 40% of whom are currently at or graduated from the top 3 business schools in the USA. Candace holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Southen California (USC). LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candace-gonzales-tumey-7b9624120/MLT: https://mlt.orgSasha Kelemen, University of Virgina Darden & MLT alum: https://tinyurl.com/y9r97xuwDavid Harris, Stanford Business School & MLT alum: https://tinyurl.com/5de67m32Start with Why (Sinek): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuAThink Fast, Talk Smart podcast on Communication (Matt Abrahams): https://www.fastersmarter.ioZoom Like a Voice Actor, with Claire Fry: https://www.vocalconfidencetraining.comJohn Rice (MLT Founder) speaks to trends in top business schools admissions (Bloomberg): https://tinyurl.com/7asx9p58HBR Article “Stop Tellling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome”: https://tinyurl.com/ykzt838mMichael's book, Get Promoted: What Your Really Missing at Work That's Holding You Back https://tinyurl.com/453txk74Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School and INSEAD Business School are all awesome institutions.  My previous employer shelled our serious cash to send me there for Executive education courses.  Classes of one hundred people from all around the world engaging in debate, idea and experience exchange.  One of my Indian classmates even wrote and performed a song at the final team dinner at Stanford, which was amazing and amazingly funny, as it captured many of the experiences of the two weeks we all shared together there.  When you get off the plane and head back to work, you realise that the plane wasn't the only thing flying at 30,000 feet.  The content of the course was just like that.  We were permanently at a very macro level.  The day to day didn't really get covered and the tactical pieces didn't really feature much.  This isn't a criticism because you need that big picture, but the things on your desk waiting for you are a million miles from where you have just been. Fortunately, there are some leadership principles which can cover off the day to day needs.  Principle #22 is “begin with praise and honest appreciation”.  Such an obvious thing, how could this even be mentioned as a principle?  It may be obvious, but are you a master of this principle?  We talk about providing psychological safety for our teams.  Well that is great and just how do you do that, when you have pressure to produce results from above and are feeling the stress of the current business disruption?  It is too easy to begin with an interrogation about the current state of play, the numbers, the revenues, the cash flows. How about if you started every interaction off with finding something real to praise about the team members.  Not fakery but something real, that shows you are paying close attention to what they are doing well. Mistakes happen.  Except in Japan.  In Japan mistakes are not allowed and the penalties to career advancement are large.  “Fail faster” might make you a legend in Silicon Valley but would see you cast out in Japan.  That is why the entire population here are all ninjas at concealing any errors, so that the boss never finds out.  How do we get innovation going if we can't tolerate mistakes?  That is one big reason why there is so little white collar work innovation in Japan.  Principle #23 says “call attention to people's mistakes indirectly”.  Rubbing in it some one's face that they screwed up is a pretty dumb, but universally adopted, idea by bosses. Principle #26, “let the other person save face” isn't an “oriental idea”.  It is a human idea and no one likes losing face in front of others and it doesn't increase people's engagement levels.  In fact, is has them thinking about leaving for greener pastures.  Principle #24 also helps, “talk about your own mistakes before criticising the other person”.  We want our team members to feel empowered to take responsibility, to step up and try stuff.  That is how we create an innovation hub inside the organisation.  If you have a hotbed of ideas from your team and the competition is still canning people who make mistakes, then you will win. Principle #25 is so powerful.  “Ask questions instead of giving direct orders”.  Bosses are staff super-visors, because we have super-vision.  Probably true once upon a time in the olde days, but no longer the case.  Business is too complex today, so we need to grow our people and to be able to rely on their ideas.  If I spend all my time telling you what I think, I haven't learnt anything.  Bosses need to think of questions which will push the team's thinking muscle hard and get people really engaged.  Instead of laying our your thoughts, chapter and verse and falling in love with the sound of your own voice, try asking questions instead. After asking the question, shut up and let your people answer without interruption. It may be killing you, but do it. Being asked for your opinion and ideas is empowering.  Maybe the boss has all the answers, great, but what if the staff have questions the boss hasn't even thought about.  In Japanese business, asking the right question is more valued, that having the right answer. All of these principles have things in common.  They are common sense, but not common practice.  They are super easy to understand, but devilish to execute consistently.  They are game changers in our relationship with our staff.  Having some leadership principles to live by just takes the action of thinking out of the equation.  These become the reflex actions we take because they have become a habit.  These are the types of habits we need to cultivate.        

Grace has been with CEDR Solutions for ten years. She is currently CEDR's Solution Center Manager. Prior to managing the Solution Center, she served as both a Solution Center Advisor and as a Compliance Officer with CEDR. Her favorite area of HR is paid leave laws. Grace graduated cum laude from Georgia State University's School of Law. Prior to attending law school, Grace received her paralegal certificate from Emory University and worked as a paralegal for a large law firm in Atlanta, GA. She recently received her Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Stanford Business School. She currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and three children.

Pay It Forward PowerHow does a 15-year-old emancipated minor go on to become the CEO of a leading healthcare organization? Lynn Mason, CEO North America of IVI RMA Global, shares her extraordinary journey from emancipated teen to securing a full-ride scholarship to Washington University and attending Stanford Business School as one of just six black women in her class. Discover how these experiences fueled her dedication to paying it forward and pulling others up along the way. Her story is a true testament to the power of resilience, determination, and the unwavering support of those who believed in her. Despite facing immense challenges, she never gave up on her dreams and now leads an innovative company that's changing lives and shaping the future of reproductive medicine. You'll gain insights on leadership and mentorship that will inspire you to reach for your full potential, no matter your background. You'll Also Discover:How to Cultivate Positive Relationships. A Strategy for Mission-Driven Leadership. Why the Dyad Model Works.5 Steps to Embracing a Global Perspective. A Blueprint for Overcoming Adversity. What's one thing you've learned from a mentor or leader that's helped you in your career?-----Follow Lynn on on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clynnmason/Learn more about IVI RMA: https://www.ivirma.com/-----Connect with the Host, #1 bestselling author Ben FanningSpeaking and Training inquiresSubscribe to my Youtube channelLinkedInInstagramTwitter

The Stanford Business School professor Michal Kosinski has spent his career warning about the corrosive impact of technology, and particularly social media, on democratic institutions and individual freedom. The Polish born academic gained notoriety for his research at Cambridge University on how social media data could predict intimate personal traits. His work became particularly relevant during the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2016, leading to significant legal consequences for Facebook, including a $50 billion fine. In this KEEN ON conversation with Kosinski, recorded in Munich at DLD, he emphasizes that Facebook wasn't inherently malicious but failed to understand the full implications of their intrusive technology. Kosinksi connects social media's rise with the growth of populism, explaining how platforms enabled figures like Trump and even Bernie Sanders to bypass traditional political gatekeepers. Kosinski also discusses his controversial 2017 research showing that AI can predict personal characteristics, including sexual orientation, from facial features. On privacy, Kosinski believes that complete privacy protection may be impossible in the modern digital age. Instead, he advocates for building social and legal systems that make privacy invasions less dangerous. Looking to the future, Kosinski expresses short-term optimism about AI's potential to improve lives but long-term concern about the risks of artificial general intelligence (AGI). He notes that while we may see increased prosperity and advancement in the near future, the exponential acceleration of technological progress means long-term risks could materialize much sooner than expected.Michal Kosinski is an Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. His research interests encompass both human and artificial cognition. His current work centers on examining the psychological processes in Large Language Models and leveraging Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data, and computational techniques to model and predict human behavior. He co-authored Handbook of Social Psychology and Modern Psychometrics, two popular textbooks, and has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in prominent journals such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Computational Science, Psychological Science, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Machine Learning, and Scientific Reports, which have been cited over 22,000 times. He is among the Top 1% of the Highly Cited Researchers according to Clarivate. His research has inspired a cover of The Economist, a 2014 theatre production titled “Privacy,” several TED talks, and a video game. It has been featured in thousands of press articles, books, podcasts, and documentaries. He received a Rising Star award from the Association of Psychological Science (2015) and an Early Achievement Award from the European Association of Personality Psychology (2023). He was behind the first press article warning against Cambridge Analytica. His research exposed the privacy risks they exploited and assessed the effectiveness of their methods. More about his role in uncovering their actions can be found in Steven Levy's insightful book Facebook: The Inside Story and Sander van der Linden's article, “Weapons of Mass Persuasion.” He earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Cambridge and two master's degrees in psychometrics and social psychology. Before his current appointment, he held positions as a post-doctoral scholar in Stanford's Computer Science Department, Deputy Director of the University of Cambridge Psychometrics Centre, and a researcher in Microsoft Research's Machine Learning Group.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

What does it take to build a brand that's both authentic and impactful? In this episode, I sit down with marketing legend Seth Godin for an unforgettable conversation about identity in marketing and beyond. We explore the power of personal branding, the ethical dilemmas marketers face today, and why authenticity is the key to building genuine connections. From unpacking cultural phenomena like the Swifties to examining how identity shapes consumer behavior, Seth offers profound insights that challenge traditional marketing practices and inspire a more thoughtful, human-centered approach.But our discussion doesn't stop at marketing. Seth and I dive into leadership, community building, and even the lessons we can learn as parents trying to instill core values in our kids. We tackle the balance between authenticity and consistency, the challenges of leading with integrity, and the transformative potential of meaningful connections in a digital age.Whether you're a marketer, a leader, or someone seeking to make an impact, this episode is packed with insights to help you rethink how you show up in the world.About Seth:A serial entrepreneur, Seth Godin has a degree in computer science and philosophy from Tufts University, and an MBA from Stanford Business School. He runs the altMBA, a global business-thinking workshop, and founded two companies, Squidoo and Yoyodyne. In 2013, Godin was one of just three professionals inducted into the Direct Marketing Hall of Fame, and in May 2018 he was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Fame too. Connect with Seth:Website: https://www.sethgodin.com/Social links: https://seths.blog/socialmedia/Connect with Veronica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vromney/If you're serious about advancing your career in marketing and you're looking for some personal insights into how then I invite you to schedule a free Pathway to Promotion call with me: https://pathwaycall.com/If you found value in today's episode, I would appreciate it if you could leave a rating and review.

On this episode of the SeventySix Capital Sports Leadership Show, Wayne Kimmel interviewed Dylan Robbins, CEO of our portfolio company, Lucra. Lucra, an emerging market leader in social gamification technology, today announced it has raised $10 million led by SeventySix Capital, 7GC, Steve Kuhn, and NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, alongside a who's who of professional team owners and athletes. Additional prominent investors and advisors in the company include professional team owners Marc Lasry (ex-Milwaukee Bucks), Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons), and Dennis Wong (LA Clippers), former WNBA president Donna Orender, tennis champions John Isner and James Blake, NFL players Zach Ertz and Emmanuel Sanders, and more. Robbins is currently Founder & CEO of Lucra Sports. Prior to Lucra - Robbins founded and sold Lifetime Vintage, a wine e-commerce platform focused on making wine more approachable. Before diving into entrepreneurship, Robbins started his career at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Banking Division. He is a graduate of Stanford Business School and Duke University, and currently lives in New York City. Lucra: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lucra-sports/ X: https://twitter.com/LucraSports Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucrasports/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lucrasports YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMKf_D_n80bE9OjegIcPRJA Dylan Robbins: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-robbins-56338b63/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drobzingis/

Portrait Analytics is transforming institutional investment research by building an AI-powered thought partner that helps investors throughout their research process. With $10M in funding, Portrait's platform accelerates idea generation, context building, and portfolio monitoring by leveraging advanced language models to analyze vast amounts of financial data. In this episode of Category Visionaries, David Plon shares how his lifelong passion for investing, combined with early experiments in AI at Stanford Business School, led to creating a solution that's reimagining how institutional investors conduct research. Topics Discussed: Evolution from early AI experiments to a full-fledged investment research platform Approach to finding and converting early customers in the pre-ChatGPT era Strategy for standing out in the crowded AI landscape Implementation of the jobs-to-be-done framework in product development Vision for AI becoming the operating system for investment firms   GTM Lessons For B2B Founders: Leverage trusted relationships for early validation: Plon's industry experience and network provided crucial early adopters who could bridge the credibility gap for a novel AI solution. When launching innovative technology, founders should identify and activate relationships where trust can overcome initial skepticism about new approaches. Focus on jobs-to-be-done over features: Portrait succeeded by deeply understanding specific research workflows and tasks investors need to accomplish, rather than leading with AI capabilities. Plon explains, "AI is a how, not a what." B2B founders should focus messaging on the concrete progress users want to make rather than the underlying technology. Identify natural product-qualified leads: Portrait targets users who have already attempted DIY solutions with tools like ChatGPT, indicating both pain awareness and willingness to adopt AI solutions. B2B founders should look for similar revealed preferences that suggest prospect readiness for their solution. Position AI products as team members: Rather than creating a new budget category, Portrait positions its solution as an alternative to hiring junior analysts - connecting to existing buying patterns. B2B founders should align their value proposition with familiar purchasing decisions their target buyers already make. Build content marketing flywheels: Portrait leverages the research insights their platform generates as marketing content, creating a natural loop between product value and audience building. B2B founders should identify similar opportunities where their product's output can fuel marketing efforts.   //   Sponsors: Front Lines — We help B2B tech companies launch, manage, and grow podcasts that drive demand, awareness, and thought leadership. www.FrontLines.io The Global Talent Co. — We help tech startups find, vet, hire, pay, and retain amazing marketing talent that costs 50-70% less than the US & Europe.  www.GlobalTalent.co  

Is the insurance industry finally ready to shed its reputation for being process-heavy? How are innovative companies using technology to free up human potential? In this special episode of our ITC series, we explore how two companies are taking different approaches to transforming core insurance workflows.   Our conversations with Carl Ziadé of Gaia and David McFarland of Coterie reveal how mature, focused solutions are finally addressing longstanding operational inefficiencies in insurance. Their approaches demonstrate that automation isn't just about speed—it's about enabling insurance professionals to focus on what they do best: building relationships and providing strategic guidance.   Key Insights: The evolution of process automation in insurance from experimental to practical Why previous attempts to solve workflow challenges have fallen short How data entry remains the industry's biggest operational burden Balancing technological innovation with industry realities The role of insurance expertise in building effective solutions   Featured Conversations:   Carl Ziadé, Co-founder of Gaia [02:33] Journey from Stanford Business School to insurance automation [05:38] The "super copy, super paste" approach to solving data entry [08:14] Why APIs aren't the complete solution to industry inefficiencies [13:45] Building technology that works with existing infrastructure [15:27] The importance of organic growth with agent input [25:55] Vision for AI-powered CSR capabilities [28:53] Maintaining the human element in automated processes   Notable Quote: "Data entry is the single biggest pain point this industry is struggling with... We need to get out of it." - Carl Ziadé   David McFarland, CEO of Coterie [02:00] From actuarial insights to identifying market opportunity [03:09] Making small commercial insurance accessible and efficient [07:18] Strategic timing in the insurtech investment landscape [19:29] The "stupidly easy" approach to insurance operations [22:29] Evolution and future of the MGA market [27:28] Navigating reinsurance relationships and capital requirements [31:20] Practical applications of AI in insurance operations   Notable Quote: "We seek to make life easy for our distribution partners... we really strive to make it stupidly easy to get a BOP, GL, miscellaneous professional liability for that small business owner." - David McFarland   Key Themes: Process Innovation   Moving beyond traditional workflow solutions   Addressing core operational inefficiencies Creating sustainable automation approaches Market Evolution   Maturation of insurtech solutions   Growing importance of the MGA model   Balance of venture capital and insurance expertise Technology Implementation    Role of APIs vs. alternative solutions    Integration with existing systems    Practical application of AI and automation Human-Centric Design   Focusing on user experience   Maintaining relationship value   Enabling rather than replacing human interaction   About Our Guests: Carl Ziadé is the co-founder of Gaia, bringing a unique perspective from his journey through Stanford Business School and various startup ventures. His focus on solving the insurance industry's data entry challenge has led to innovative solutions that work within existing workflows.   David McFarland, CEO of Coterie, combines his actuarial background with entrepreneurial vision to transform small commercial insurance delivery. His experience spans from the National Council on Compensation Insurance to pioneering new approaches in insurtech.   Resources: Gaia: https://www.gaiainsurtech.com Coterie: https://www.coterieinsurance.com LinkedIn: Carl Ziadé (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlziade/) LinkedIn: David McFarlan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmcfarland/)   This episode launches our special ITC series exploring how technology is transforming various aspects of insurance operations, distribution, data analytics, and customer experience. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes focusing on data and AI, collaboration, life insurance innovation, and leadership  

Is the insurance industry finally ready to shed its reputation for being process-heavy? How are innovative companies using technology to free up human potential? In this special episode of our ITC series, we explore how two companies are taking different approaches to transforming core insurance workflows.   Our conversations with Carl Ziadé of Gaia and David McFarland of Coterie reveal how mature, focused solutions are finally addressing longstanding operational inefficiencies in insurance. Their approaches demonstrate that automation isn't just about speed—it's about enabling insurance professionals to focus on what they do best: building relationships and providing strategic guidance.   Key Insights: The evolution of process automation in insurance from experimental to practical Why previous attempts to solve workflow challenges have fallen short How data entry remains the industry's biggest operational burden Balancing technological innovation with industry realities The role of insurance expertise in building effective solutions   Featured Conversations:   Carl Ziadé, Co-founder of Gaia [02:33] Journey from Stanford Business School to insurance automation [05:38] The "super copy, super paste" approach to solving data entry [08:14] Why APIs aren't the complete solution to industry inefficiencies [13:45] Building technology that works with existing infrastructure [15:27] The importance of organic growth with agent input [25:55] Vision for AI-powered CSR capabilities [28:53] Maintaining the human element in automated processes   Notable Quote: "Data entry is the single biggest pain point this industry is struggling with... We need to get out of it." - Carl Ziadé   David McFarland, CEO of Coterie [02:00] From actuarial insights to identifying market opportunity [03:09] Making small commercial insurance accessible and efficient [07:18] Strategic timing in the insurtech investment landscape [19:29] The "stupidly easy" approach to insurance operations [22:29] Evolution and future of the MGA market [27:28] Navigating reinsurance relationships and capital requirements [31:20] Practical applications of AI in insurance operations   Notable Quote: "We seek to make life easy for our distribution partners... we really strive to make it stupidly easy to get a BOP, GL, miscellaneous professional liability for that small business owner." - David McFarland   Key Themes: Process Innovation   Moving beyond traditional workflow solutions   Addressing core operational inefficiencies   Creating sustainable automation approaches Market Evolution   Maturation of insurtech solutions   Growing importance of the MGA model   Balance of venture capital and insurance expertise Technology Implementation    Role of APIs vs. alternative solutions    Integration with existing systems    Practical application of AI and automation Human-Centric Design   Focusing on user experience   Maintaining relationship value   Enabling rather than replacing human interaction   About Our Guests: Carl Ziadé is the co-founder of Gaia, bringing a unique perspective from his journey through Stanford Business School and various startup ventures. His focus on solving the insurance industry's data entry challenge has led to innovative solutions that work within existing workflows.   David McFarland, CEO of Coterie, combines his actuarial background with entrepreneurial vision to transform small commercial insurance delivery. His experience spans from the National Council on Compensation Insurance to pioneering new approaches in insurtech.   Resources: Gaia: https://www.gaiainsurtech.com Coterie: https://www.coterieinsurance.com LinkedIn: Carl Ziadé (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlziade/) LinkedIn: David McFarlan (https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmcfarland/)   This episode launches our special ITC series exploring how technology is transforming various aspects of insurance operations, distribution, data analytics, and customer experience. Stay tuned for upcoming episodes focusing on data and AI, collaboration, life insurance innovation, and leadership

Denise Brosseau has the unlikely expertise of being a thought leader…about thought leadership. She is the bestselling author of Ready to Be a Thought Leader? (Wiley) and the CEO of the Thought Leadership Lab, where she works with executives and their teams on their journey from leader to thought leader. Her clients have included executives at Genentech, PayPal, eBay and many other Fortune 500 companies. Denise began her own ‘accidental' thought leadership journey as the founding CEO of the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE), the first trade association for women building venture fundable businesses. She grew FWE to 7 cities across the US and she also co-founded Springboard, the first venture capital conference for women entrepreneurs which has since led to over $39 billion in funding for women founded and led businesses. For this work, she was recognized as a Champion of Change by the White House. Today, Denise is an international keynote speaker and workshop leader and her LinkedIn Learning courses on thought leadership have been viewed by more than 200,000 people around the world. She also founded and runs a diverse community for women authors. Denise began her career in the technology industry where she led product teams at Kensington, Motorola and Broderbund Software. She received her MBA from Stanford Business School and her BA from Wellesley College. To know more about Denise visit her website: www.thoughtleadershiplab.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lyndsay-dowd/support

On this week's episode of Get Hired, LinkedIn Editor at Large Andrew Seaman speaks with Matt Abrahams, a communication expert and Stanford Business School lecturer. Together, they explore the art of asking good questions in a job interview. With trick questions and first impressions to worry about, job seekers can easily overlook this final section of the interview, but the questions you ask employers can be much more powerful than you might think. In this conversation, Matt gives tips on how to ask impactful questions that highlight your strengths to a potential employer. Follow Andrew on LinkedIn to join the Get Hired community by clicking here. Follow Matt Abrahams on LinkedIn by clicking here. For more communication tips, listen to Matt's podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart wherever you listen to podcasts.

In today's episode I had the pleasure to speak with returning guest Ronan McGovern. In today's episode Ronan and I explore what it is like to thrive with ADHD in the workplace. Ronan is not only a fellow ADHD'er but is the perfect example of what's possible underneath the noise of our neuro-machinery and see our  omni-potential. Ronan and I explored how to be successful in life with ADHD. Ronan McGovern grew up in Dublin without knowing that he had ADHD. This was diagnosed in 1996 while he was a master's student at Stanford Business School. Ronan worked at Price Waterhouse Dublin, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Then, Ronan attended King's Inns for four years where he graduated as a Barrister-at-Law. In 1995 he started his studies at Stanford Business School. Since Stanford Ronan has worked in AIB Bank, in Dublin, Ireland. In 2021, Ronan initiated a voluntary project in collaboration with Stanford Business School (named Rebuild), recruiting 50 other volunteers to write and publish a 60 page landmark report on Neurodiversity in the workplace. 

Matt Lerner is the Founder and CEO at SYSTM, a startup coaching consultancy that helps high-potential companies grow their business. Matt also authored the book “Growth Levers”, which shares his framework that's helped over 200 seed-stage startups grow as much as 100x. Previously, Matt was on the early growth team at PayPal, a partner at 500 Startups, and a guest lecturer at Stanford Business School. - In today's episode, we discuss: Understanding the key drivers of startup success Applying the Growth Lever framework Several case studies Customer-centric growth tactics Adapting growth levers for different business models - Referenced: Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/ Bold Commerce: https://boldcommerce.com/ Calm: https://www.calm.com/ Caribou: https://www.usecaribou.com/ eBay: https://www.ebay.com/ FATMAP: https://fatmap.com/ Growth Levers and How to Find Them: https://www.systm.co/growth-levers-matt-lerner-book PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/ Peter Karpas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterkarpas/ Popsa: https://popsa.com/ Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/ Sonic Jobs: https://www.sonicjobs.com/ SYSTM: https://www.systm.co/ - Where to find Matt Lerner: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewlerner/ Twitter/X: https://x.com/matthlerner - Where to find Brett Berson: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-berson-9986094/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/brettberson - Where to find First Round Capital: Website: https://firstround.com/ First Round Review: https://review.firstround.com/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/firstround YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FirstRoundCapital This podcast on all platforms: https://review.firstround.com/podcast - Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (03:11) The hidden truth about startup success (05:10) Popsa's journey: A case study in growth (07:31) Breaking down the growth lever framework (11:30) Understanding the customer's journey (14:14) The art of customer interviews (18:07) Unlocking growth through customer insights (24:23) The triple threat: Founder failure modes (27:32) The power of founder-led growth strategies (32:42) Unlocking growth bottlenecks (36:40) Timing and implementation of growth strategies (39:43) Founder red flags (41:32) Crafting effective growth experiments (43:14) Why customer mindset is the ultimate growth driver (46:19) The power law of business (48:59) Why startups don't need paid marketing (50:47) Growth levers for sales-driven companies (53:43) Matt's own application of growth principles (55:39) Growth levers in B2B sales (57:05) Finding customer "locksmith moments" (64:08) The mentor who shaped Matt's thinking

In May, B-Schooled co-host Chandler returned to the Bay Area for his 20-year Stanford GSB reunion.  During the weekend, Chandler kept a notebook at his side and wrote down a number of thought-provoking quotes and notes from classmates and friends. In the first part of this two-episode arc, Chandler shares 5 reflections related to his MBA experience as intervening 20 years.  These reflections--coming both from his own experience as well as those of his classmates--touch on a range of topics, including why: focusing on what you are “supposed to do” is only valuable up to a point,  the power of being “joyfully irritated” shouldn't be ignored,   the “write your own obituary” exercise isn't necessarily the way to look back on your life.   Not enough people are discussing a little secret about imposter syndrome, and  two specific criteria to look for in friends during business school (and beyond) Whether you're targeting Stanford or are just curious to hear how Stanford GSB grads reflect on their experience, this podcast provides a unique sneak peek into the reunion experience at one of the world's top business schools.  

In today's episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Ronan McGovern. Ronan is not only a fellow ADHD'er but is the perfect example of what's possible underneath the noise of our neuromachinery and see our  omnipotential. Ronan and I explored how to be successful in life with ADHD. Ronan McGovern drew grew up in Dublin without knowing that he had ADHD. This was diagnosed in 1996 while he was a master's student at Stanford Business School. Ronan worked at Price Waterhouse Dublin, where he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Then, Ronan attended King's Inns for four years where he graduated as a Barrister-at-Law. In 1995 he started his studies at Stanford Business School. Since Stanford Ronan has worked in AIB Bank, in Dublin, Ireland. In 2021, Ronan initiated a voluntary, project in collaboration with Stanford Business School (named Rebuild), recruiting 50 other volunteers to write and publish a 60 page landmark report on Neurodiversity in the workplace. 

This episode is a two-for-one, and that's because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I've curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features segments from episode #124 "Jamie Foxx on Workout Routines, Success Habits, and Untold Hollywood Stories" and #514 "Jacqueline Novogratz on Building Acumen, How to (Actually) Change the World, Speaking Your Truth, and the Incredible Power of 'Dumb' Questions"Please enjoy!Sponsors:ExpressVPN high-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service: https://www.expressvpn.com/tim (Get 3 extra months free with a 12-month plan)AG1 all-in-one nutritional supplement: https://DrinkAG1.com/Tim (1-year supply of Vitamin D (and 5 free AG1 travel packs) with your first subscription purchase.)The League curated dating app for busy, high-performing people: https://www.theleague.com/; available on iOS and AndroidTimestamps:[06:50] Notes about this supercombo format.[07:53] Enter Jamie Foxx.[08:19] When Jamie met Kanye West.[10:58] Why Jamie considers his studio magical.[13:32] When Jamie met Ed Sheeran.[15:00] What's on the other side of fear?[16:53] Making impressions.[22:15] How Eric Marlon Bishop became Jamie Foxx.[24:49] Overcoming fear at open mics.[26:12] Could Prince or Michael Jackson find a career break in today's "Age of Memes?"[27:49] How Jamie learned to read the room.[33:27] Why do some comedians lose the ability to make people laugh?[39:04] Enter Jacqueline Novogratz.[39:37] Jacqueline's background and siblings' accomplishments.[42:06] Jacqueline's journey into social impact investing.[45:15] An early banking career and reputation for asking tough questions.[48:36] A tendency to champion underdogs.[53:18] From banker to disruptor.[1:00:04] Jacqueline's first opportunity in her new path.[1:05:28] Failures, small wins, and perseverance.[1:09:21] Jacqueline's first real win in Rwanda.[1:13:37] The path between Rwanda and founding Acumen.[1:16:06] Jacqueline's reasons for applying to Stanford Business School.[1:18:10] How the Rwanda genocide redefined poverty for Jacqueline.[1:20:42] Lessons Jacqueline learned about human nature from the genocide.[1:26:25] Acumen's three main functions and naming process.[1:29:12] The quantification of impact investment through Lean Data.[1:37:28] Alternative names for Acumen that got left on the cutting room floor.[1:40:43] The concept of moral imagination.[1:44:55] An early win at Acumen.[1:50:43] Advice for young people aspiring to create positive change.[1:53:20] The benefits of committing to something larger than oneself.[1:56:10] Characteristics of a good mentor.[1:59:36] Book recommendations.[2:02:48] Advice for impact investors at various levels.[2:09:20] Next steps for investors to start making a difference.[2:14:00] Jacqueline's authenticity.[2:17:07] A taste of potential topics for a future round two.[2:20:55] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, Margaret Atwood, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Grace has been with CEDR Solutions for ten years. She is currently CEDR's Solution Center Manager. Prior to managing the Solution Center, she served as both a Solution Center Advisor and as a Compliance Officer with CEDR. Her favorite area of HR is paid leave laws. Grace graduated cum laude from Georgia State University's School of Law. Prior to attending law school, Grace received her paralegal certificate from Emory University and worked as a paralegal for a large law firm in Atlanta, GA. She recently received her Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Stanford Business School. She currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and three children.

When I graduated from Stanford Business School 25 years ago, a classmate announced he was going to work for a hedge fund and the rest of us asked "What's that?" Fast forward two and a half decades and the financial markets are practically overrun by hedge funds collectively managing over $5 trillion dollars. And while certain hedge fund managers have become financial celebrities through dazzling returns in their best years, the industry is generally more better regarded as a modern version of Wall Street doing what it does best -- lining its pockets at the expense of others. Is this accurate? Or are there benefits the hedge fund model offers to markets, and perhaps even to the little guy? To find out, we're fortunate to talk today with Andrew Beer, co-founder and managing member of DBi, which seeks to put the strategies behind successful hedge funds into the hands of the retail investor. WORRIED ABOUT THE MARKET? SCHEDULE YOUR FREE PORTFOLIO REVIEW with Thoughtful Money's endorsed financial advisors at https://www.thoughtfulmoney.com #hedgefund #managedfutures #investing --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thoughtful-money/support

Perhaps more than any MBA acceptance pair, many applicants dream of being admitted to both the Stanford Graduate School of Business (the GSB) and Harvard Business School (HBS). In this three-part series, two GSB + HBS dual admits -- host Chandler and SBC consultant Dawn -- sit down for a series of VERY candid conversations about gaining admission to these two schools.  In the first segment, our hosts start by sharing some important context for how this podcast should be used (and how it shouldn't). Afterwards they share their personal takes on what types of students tend thrive in each environment. In the second segment, our host are more data driven, with Dawn and Chandler reviewing successful applicant profiles from each school. In this final third segment, Dawn dives deep into what some call the "unicorn" of the MBA applicant world... those applicants who are fortunate enough to earn admission to both programs.    This episode is a must-listen for any applicant applying to either of these schools.

Kajol Char hosts Doug Ricket, founder and CEO of PayJoy. PayJoy is the leading financial platform dedicated to serving the underserved in emerging markets by providing access to smartphones, finance, and the modern financial system. This episode delves into Doug's inspiring journey and his vision for PayJoy's future. In this episode you will hear about: - Doug's early career and his love for tech and international development - PayJoy's origin story - PayJoy's innovation - Opportunities for growth - And much more! About Doug Ricket Doug Ricket is the Founder and CEO of PayJoy. Prior to founding PayJoy, Doug founded a residential summer school for female high school students to study engineering at MIT, helped take Google Maps global, and built the wholesale distribution network for d.light solar products throughout West Africa (among many other accomplishments). He earned an MBA from Stanford Business School, his Masters of Engineering from MIT, and his Bachelor's degree from MIT. About PayJoy PayJoy is the leading financial platform for the underserved in emerging markets. By opening the door to smartphones, finance, and the modern financial system to those who have been traditionally excluded, PayJoy is helping the underserved escape poverty and gain economic freedom. For more FinTech insights, follow us on WFT Medium: https://medium.com/wharton-fintech WFT Twitter: x.com/whartonfintech WFT Instagram: instagram.com/whartonfintech Kajol's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kajol-char/

Bryan Porter is a Portfolio Manager at the hedge fund MIG Capital, and he's been a hedge fund analyst since 2013. Earlier in his career, Bryan spent three years at The Carlyle Group in the $14B US Buyout fund, and was an Investment Banking analyst at Goldman Sachs. Bryan earned his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern California and his M.B.A. from Stanford Business School. But before all of that, Bryan was working at McDonald's and sleeping on couches, in closets, and in cars. Bryan's incredible story borders on unbelievable. In his words, if you ran the experiment of his life 1,000 times, you're going to get 999 gutter balls.   But in this in-depth interview, Bryan shares his playbook for how achieved a most improbable comeback. In this episode we discuss the following: In high school Bryan was sleeping on friends' couches. He took a job at McDonald's. He graduated high school near the bottom decile. He slept in closets and in cars. When a close friend committed suicide and Bryan got kicked out of his house, he made a change. “If you realize you're heading in the wrong direction, even if you're 95% of the way there, you turn around.” Bryan took control of his health. He served a church mission. He earned a 4.0. And eventually he made his way to Goldman, Carlyle, Stanford, and the hedge fund world. And along the way, Bryan learned crucial lessons: Study to learn, not to pass tests. Make game day easier than practice. Persistence is one of life's biggest differentiators. People are not patient and want results now. An orchid requires just the right amount of water and sunlight. But a weed can grow in bad dirt, with little water and sunlight, and can punch through concrete. Do you want to be an orchid or a weed? You can't outrun your diet. A Big Mac meal is 1300 calories. And an hour at the gym burns just 300 calories. Find your limiter and train it until it's no longer a constraint. Then find your next limiter and repeat. And maybe the most important takeaway of all was Bryan's playbook: Set some ridiculous goal that's far out in the future. And then embody that reality with perfect clarity and become it. Smell it, taste it, live it, and your brain won't know the difference. And then just persist. People overestimate what they can do in a six-month time frame, but underestimate what they can do in a six-year time frame, if they persist. Follow Bryan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryandporter/ Follow Me: X: https://twitter.com/nate_meikle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natemeikle/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nate_meikle/  

So much of what we talk about on here is change – navigating change, embracing change, creating change. I think it's fair to say that if you're listening, change of some form is on your mind. We're no strangers when it comes to figuring out how to get from A to B. But what happens when we have to change… how we're changing? What happens when we plateau with our progress, and the old models of learning just aren't sticking anymore? What does jumping to that new S Curve look like? That's where our guest today comes in. Eduardo Briceno is the co-founder of Mindset Works, a firm dedicated to bringing Carol Dweck's growth mindset to workplaces world-wide. He's out now with The Performance Paradox, a book dedicated to that question of changing how you're changing. From Caracas, Venezuela to the Stanford Business School, Eduardo has navigated all kinds of change, even a fear of public speaking. So what do we have to learn from him?  

Ancestry CEO Deb Liu grew up in one of the only Asian families in South Carolina. To avoid being teased, she mostly kept to herself. It wasn't until Deb got to Stanford Business School when she realized: she had to learn to speak up. That realization spurred her long career in Silicon Valley. But Deb says, without some openness and vulnerability from herself and others, it never would've happened.  In this episode, Deb shares: Why she should've been fired from her first product management role How being open and vulnerable with her boss actually helped her career  Key moments from her tech-heavy product career at eBay + Facebook   Why being a “strategic introvert” allowed her to contribute more effectively at work Her most used tip from her new book, Take Your Power Back