Podcasts about touchpoints

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. Today we're joined by Lou Pizzichillo, Lead Pastor of Community Church on Long Island. Community Church launched in January 2020—just ten weeks before the world shut down—then relaunched after 52 weeks online. Now averaging around 1,200 people across Thursday and Sunday services, Community is known as “a church for people who don't go to church.” In a region where skepticism toward organized religion runs deep, Lou and his team are building trust by creating space for honest questions, lived-out faith, and tangible community impact. Is your church serving in a skeptical environment? Are you trying to reach people who already think they know—and don't like—what church is about? Lou shares practical wisdom on posture, transparency, and earning trust one decision at a time. Starting where people really are. // On Long Island, while some residents may identify culturally with faith traditions, most see church as judgmental, hypocritical, or irrelevant to everyday life. Lou quickly realized that the biggest obstacle wasn't apathy—it was reputation. Rather than fighting skepticism, Community Church chose to acknowledge it. The church repeatedly communicates three cultural values: You can belong before you believe. You have permission to be in progress. And there's no pretending. These aren't slogans—they shape how the church operates. Permission to be in progress. // One of the most resonant phrases at Community is “permission to be in progress.” Many people assume that following Jesus requires instant agreement with every doctrine and behavior expectation. Instead, Community encourages people to wrestle honestly with the claims of Christ first. Secondary issues and sanctification come later. This posture doesn't mean watering down truth—it means sequencing it wisely. By focusing on who Jesus says he is, rather than debating every peripheral topic, the church keeps the main thing central. No pretending—and real transparency. // Transparency builds credibility in skeptical contexts. Stories of real life—parenting mistakes, marriage tensions, leadership missteps—often resonate more than polished success stories. At the same time, Lou draws a boundary between “scars and wounds.” He shares what he has processed, not what he is still unraveling. This authenticity signals that faith isn't about perfection but transformation. For many in the congregation, seeing a pastor admit imperfection dismantles years of distrust toward church leaders. Becoming an asset to the community. // Community Church doesn't just talk about loving Babylon—it demonstrates it. Early on, Lou realized trust would not come through marketing but through partnership. Before launch, the church created “12 Days of Christmas,” giving away gifts purchased from local businesses. In year one, stores hesitated to participate; by year seven, businesses were reaching out to collaborate. What began as skepticism has shifted to partnership because trust was earned gradually. Serving instead of competing. // A defining moment came during the annual Argyle Fair, a 30,000-person event held across the street from the church—on a Sunday. Rather than fight the inconvenience, Community canceled services and mobilized volunteers to serve the fair, providing parking and manpower. When the event was rescheduled due to rain, the church canceled services a second week to honor its commitment. Lou describes this as a defining cultural moment: demonstrating that service isn't convenient—it's convictional. Earning trust through inconvenience. // Lou recounts being called to the mayor's office days after launch to address parking concerns. Instead of pushing back, the church chose to rent additional parking space—even when legally unnecessary—to honor neighbors' concerns. In another instance, Community canceled a planned Christmas light show after Village neighbors expressed concern about traffic. Though disappointing internally, the decision earned significant community goodwill. Lou believes canceling the event built more trust than hosting it would have. Posture over persecution. // Lou cautions leaders against defaulting to a persecution narrative when facing resistance. Most pushback, he says, comes from practical concerns—not hostility toward Jesus. By listening humbly and responding thoughtfully, churches can win trust among the large percentage of community members who are neither strongly for nor against them. To learn more about Community Church, visit communitychurch.net or follow @communitychurch.li on social media. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: TouchPoint As your church reaches more people, one of the biggest challenges is making sure no one slips through the cracks along the way.TouchPoint Church Management Software is an all-in-one ecosystem built for churches that want to elevate discipleship by providing clear data, strong engagement tools, and dependable workflows that scale as you grow. TouchPoint is trusted by some of the fastest-growing and largest churches in the country because it helps teams stay aligned, understand who they're reaching, and make confident ministry decisions week after week. If you've been wondering whether your current system can carry your next season of growth, it may be time to explore what TouchPoint can do for you. You can evaluate TouchPoint during a free, no-pressure one-hour demo at TouchPointSoftware.com/demo. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, thanks so much for listening in, tuning in into today’s episode. I’m really looking forward to today’s conversation. We’re talking with a leader leading a prevailing church in frankly a part of the country that is not known for tons of prevailing churches. And so it’s an opportunity for all of us to lean in and to learn.Rich Birch — Super excited to have Lou Pizzichillo with us from Community Church. They’re in Babylon, New York on Long Island. They’re known as a church for people who don’t go to church. They’re big on being real, bringing real questions, struggles, hangups, doubts, disappointments, and failures. Lou, welcome to the show. So glad you’re here today.Lou Pizzichillo — Thanks so much. Yeah, it’s a privilege to be here.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s an honor that you would take some time to be with us today. Why don’t you kind of tell us a bit of the Community story, kind of give us a flavor of the church, help us kind of imagine if we were to arrive this weekend, what what would we experience?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So we have an interesting history. We launched in January of 2020. And so we were open for 10 weeks.Rich Birch — Great time.Lou Pizzichillo — I know it was perfect. And then we closed down for 52 weeks, and we relaunched. But because of that, what’s been really cool is, you know, when you’re launching a church, the launch team is a big deal. And to launch twice, we’ve had really like two two launch teams. And so team culture has always been a real big part of our church.Lou Pizzichillo — But yeah, we like to say that we’re a church for people who don’t go to church. and So we try to keep things pretty casual. We try not to assume that there’s any interest or experience with the people who are showing up on a Sunday. And yeah.Rich Birch — Nice. Give us a sense of, so like size and like your, you know, the ministry style, that sort of thing. Like what would you help us kind of place what the, what the church is like if I was to arrive, arrive on a weekend?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, we’re a pretty contemporary attractional church. We’ve got services on Thursday night and on Sunday morning. So we say the weekend starts on Thursday. Rich Birch — Love it. Lou Pizzichillo — We call Thursday night thurch, which is… Rich Birch — Oh, that’s funny. Thurch. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, it was a joke at first, but then it kind of like, I don’t know, just kind of gained a life of its own.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — So yeah, so the church over the course of the weekend, right now we’re at about 1,200. And it’s exciting. There are a lot of new people. And things are constantly change changing. Change is that really the only constant for us.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, that’s so good. Well, you’re on Long Island, and I can say as somebody who I ministered for years in New Jersey, I’m from Canada, I I get that people don’t wake up on Long Island on Sunday morning and think, hey, I should go to church today. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — You’re serving a community that is is more unchurched than other parts of the country, which is a challenge for planting. So help us understand, you know, help us just kind of get into the mindset or the um perspective of people who are outside of the church. What do they view on, you know, Christianity? Tell us, give us a sense of of kind of what you’ve learned, you know, planting in that kind of context.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So one thing that was really helpful right off the bat was somebody mentioned to me, they were like, you know, I’m not a gym person. And so when a new gym opens up in town, I don’t even really notice it.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And they’re like, I think it’s the same thing for church people.Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — It’s like, if you’re not a church person, then you don’t really notice when churches are doing things. And so that’s like, really, it’s a big reason why we’re so vocal about saying it we’re a church for people who don’t go to church, you know?Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — Um, and yeah, from there, honestly, we found that the biggest obstacle with people here is the existing reputation of church, of what church is like and what church people are like.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — This church is seen as very judgmental, hypocritical, fake, exclusive, impractical, you know, it’s something you just do to kind of check the boxes and then you go on with your life. I’ve spoken to even a lot of, um, like devout Catholics here who have, have said like, they don’t, they do their church thing because, because it’s what they think that they’re supposed to do, but they’re, what they are doing in church does not translate to everyday life.Lou Pizzichillo — And so church is seen as kind of an impractical thing. And, that’s kind of the starting point for a lot of people who we’re trying to connect with.Rich Birch — Yeah, I’ve heard it said in other contexts, it’s like, not that people don’t know the church. It’s like, it’s what they know that they don’t like.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — It’s like, they have a sense of, you know, that that reputation. Are there any, maybe even stories or engagement you know conversations or engagements you’ve had with folks that have kind of brought that reputation to the fore. That obviously has led you to say, hey, we’re going position ourselves as a church where people don’t go into churches. Was there something that kind of influenced that as you were having, you know, even in these early years as you’ve been kind of get the ball rolling?Lou Pizzichillo — A big part of it honestly is a lot of my extended family. Like they’re, most of them are not church people. You know, they have a lot of respect for God. Like most people on Long Island, uh, especially, you know, most kind of nominal Catholics, like they would say they’re Italian or Irish. They say, oh, of course, Jesus is my savior. You know, like they, they know the right things to say, but in terms of what it actually means on a regular basis, it’s like kind of a totally different thing. So, so yeah, I mean, that’s kind of, kind of where we’re starting.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, people have criticisms about the church and they have criticisms of of their experience with the church. How do you discern between criticisms that maybe you either need to be challenged, like, hey, that’s actually just not true, or like, oh, that’s a critique that is actually fair, and we’re going to try to steer in a different direction, ah you know, than that. Help us think about those, you know, when we think about skepticism towards the church.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, I think, honestly, the best thing for us has just been to have a posture of listening.Rich Birch — That’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Because even even if their claims aren’t valid, a lot of their experiences are. And so, you know, they’re like, there’s somebody who’s been going to the church for a while now, and somebody that was very close to them has like a pretty intense story of church hurt, like real damage. And so to know that he’s walking in with all of this baggage and that there are a lot of other people walking in with that baggage that don’t let you know that they have that baggage… Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — …just kind of giving them the space to, to be hurt and for it to be real. That’s been huge for us just having that kind of posture of humility. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. So that obviously has led to the way you’ve developed either the way you talk about ministry or the values that are underlining, you know, the ministry.Rich Birch — What has been important for helping communicate or articulate to people like, hey, this is a place that you can show up, you know, before you, you know, you’ve kind of bought it all. It’s like, Hey, you there’s a place to explore that sort of thing. Help us think through how do you communicate and then how do those, whether they’re phrases or yeah that sort of thing, how does that translate then into the values of how you actually operate?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So big thing is for us, it’s training the team, like getting those values into the team and helping them to understand what that looks like in a concrete way. So we say, like a lot of churches say, you can belong before you believe. And the the illustration I give almost every single time, I’m like, if somebody walks in with a church, with a shirt that says, I hate God, we are glad that person is here, right? Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — Like we’re not assuming that they are walking in with interest or experience. And they might have a story that’s a lot more complicated than we know. So um so yes, we try to celebrate that.Lou Pizzichillo — When somebody walks in and they’re very open about their beliefs and their views not lining up with us, that’s something that we celebrate, right? Like because these are the people that we want here.Lou Pizzichillo — The other value that’s been really helpful for us is to say that people have permission to be in progress. And that has to do with their actions, the choices that they make, but also the things that they believe. And so you can be on board with some of our beliefs and not be on board with all of our beliefs. And we’re okay with that, right?Lou Pizzichillo — Like rather than just saying, okay, I accept all of it at one time. And now I completely agree that everything in the Bible is true. And, you know, I endorse it. Like we just kind of give people space to say, okay, like let’s maybe let’s start with the claims of Jesus, like right to this guy really rise from the dead. And now let’s look at what he says about things like the Old Testament, you know?Lou Pizzichillo — And so that’s that’s been a huge thing. We go back to that over and over and over again. It started as kind of like a main point in a sermon where I was like, you’ve got permission to be in progress. And so many people repeated it back to me that I was like, okay, this needs to be woven into our culture because it needs to be articulated…Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — …or people just assume, okay, if I’m going to say I believe, I got to say I believe it all. And there’s no room for disagreement.Lou Pizzichillo — And then from there, we say like, you got you can belong before you believe, you got permission to be in progress. And if both of those things are actually true for us as a church, then we can also say like our third value is no pretending.Lou Pizzichillo — Like you don’t have to pretend to be on board with certain things if you’re not there yet. And I think if we create an environment where people can be real and dialogue and be open about the things that they’re, you know, that they disagree with, I think that’s where there’s real hope for ultimately ending in a place of alignment.Rich Birch — Yeah, permission to be in progress to me feels very like a very Jesus value It feels like, oh, that to me, that’s like when I read the New Testament, that feels like the way he oriented himself to the people around him, right? There were clearly people that were like the rich young ruler came to him and was like, you know, asked a pointed question. Jesus gave a clear answer, and he didn’t, you know, Jesus didn’t, even though he said harsh words to or clear words, I would say, all was it always done in an environment of trying to say, hey, we I want you to be a part of this conversation. I’m really trying to be on the same side of the table. How do I bring you along?Rich Birch — Can you, like, let’s double click on permission to be in progress. Talk us through what that looks like. Because I think, I think so many churches draw very strong lines on like, you got to believe these 15 things to be a part here. Even if we wouldn’t explicitly set that say that, it’s like implicit in our cultures.Rich Birch — How does your culture look different when you say, hey, you’ve got permission to be in progress? What would be some of the things that might stand out to us as like, that’s a little bit different than how maybe some other churches handle this?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So we have like we have values, but then we also just have sayings, right? Like it it is too hard for me to define what the most important values are. Like I get too obsessed with the wording and how we’re going to phrase things. And so in our our conference room, we have a big whiteboard and we write down little sayings. We actually write them in permanent marker on the whiteboard, which is wasteful, but at least we have something to reference.Lou Pizzichillo — So when somebody says something and we’re like, hey, that’s a culture thing, it gets written on the board. One of the things that came up that’s really helped us with this idea of permission to be in progress is that the goal is to get people to Jesus and everything else is secondary. Everything else comes after that.Rich Birch — That's good. Yep, that’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I’m not going to like get into it with someone over a secondary issue or really something that’s an issue of sanctification, when we believe sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit, right? Maybe your view on that will change after you understand who Jesus is and begin to follow him.Lou Pizzichillo — And so in a lot of ways, I feel like when we when we get too into the issues, we’re putting the cart before the horse, right? Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — And so we’re trying to bring people to Jesus and show him show them what he’s like. And ah that that has been clarifying when it comes to permission to be in progress.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. And I think in heavily church context, when we kind of assume, oh, basically everyone here has some level of faith, those secondary issues can become like a really big deal. It’s like we spend a lot of time talking about those things.Rich Birch — But when the majority of people we’re interacting with you know, they haven’t, they haven’t really, really wrestled with what they think about Jesus and the difference he can make in this life. And we got to keep that, that really clear. Rich Birch — So no pretending is an interesting value as a communicator. How do you live that out in the way you show transparency? There’s this interesting thing years ago, I had one of the ah preacher that I love or communicator. I just think the world of, you know, he talked about how there’s this tension when we’re, communicating that, you know, we’re we’re trying to be transparent, but up into a point and how, where is that point? And how do we do that in a way that’s not, that brings people along? So ah what what does that look like for you even as a as ah as a leader to say, hey, it’s not my job to pretend. I’m going to just be honest and transparent, authentic to where we are? Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Well, I mean, I can definitely say that every time I tell a story that has me screwing up, it is it is the thing that people come to tell me about. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — Like, oh, thank you so much for telling me about you know the way you spoke to your kids… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …or the thing that you said to your wife. Or it is just by far the thing that people love to hear. And that’s been encouraging. Now, I have had people like throw it back at me and that that comes with the territory. But I think that the stories of how that’s been helpful for people um like dramatically outweigh the people that are going to you know weaponize that stuff against you.Lou Pizzichillo — Something else I heard, um I think Brene Brown said this in one of her books. She said she doesn’t share things she hasn’t processed through yet.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And that for me is a really helpful thing. Like If I’m in the middle of something and just in the thick of it, it’s not the time for me to like bring that to the congregation. I think that could be really unhealthy for a lot of reasons.Lou Pizzichillo — So that’s, that’s kind of something that, and it doesn’t mean I can’t share something that just happened. You know sometimes I’ll explain an issue that just happened with my kids. That’s different than something I’m still processing and haven’t resolved yet.Rich Birch — Right. I think she said it’s the difference between scars and wounds, right? You can talk about your scars. That’s like, that’s an area that has, has had some level of healing to it versus an open wound, right? Like this is a part that’s, that’s still gaping.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — And, uh, you know, we don’t necessarily want to to share that. And that, you know, uh, that is a change. So I’m, you know, I’m of a certain age, been in this game a long time. And I remember when we first started, when I first started, that generation that came before me, people wanted like the superhuman religious leader. They wanted the like pastor to be, to have their stuff a hundred percent sewed up. Like, don’t tell me that you’re a real human. They didn’t want that.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — You know, and that has completely reversed.Rich Birch — People are like, no no, like you said, we, we need to be transparent, open, authentic. People know that we’re not perfect. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Rich Birch — They know that we don’t have it all together. Lou Pizzichillo — Right.Rich Birch — And when we try to hide that, when we try to, in your language, pretend that actually is repulsive, it pushes them away. Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah.Rich Birch — One of the things that stood out to me just by reputation, kind of seeing your church is it appears that you guys have a conviction around getting out and serving the community, actually making a difference in the community. You know, it strikes me as very ah a very James-approach, faith in action – it’s it should make a difference in our community. What how do talk to me about what that looks like for Community. How does that, even your name, Community, you know, Church, reflects that. Talk talk to talk to me about what that looks like.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, so we’re pretty clear. Like we we tell people we want to be an asset to the community. We want people to be glad we’re here, whether they attend our church or not. And so that started really early. Actually, before we launched, we did this thing called the 12 Days of Christmas where, so our church is in a village, right? So there are a lot of local businesses around us. What we did is during the 12 days leading up to Christmas, we went to shops and we gave away gifts from those shops. There was a different shop every day for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. So we planned this out ahead of time. But we would post on social media and be like, Hey, today the, you know, the shop is Bunger surf shop. The first 25 people there are going to get beanies from Bunger surf shop.Lou Pizzichillo — And we paid for them. We sent the, Bunger agreed to hand them out. And people went to go get them. And what was, so it was a win, win, win, really. Like the people who participated got free beanies, the surf shop are like all the different shops in the village. They got people to go, they got traffic to their business, right?Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — Because people went in then bought other stuff. And it helped us communicate that we we say we want something for you, not from you, right? We want to be an asset to the community. And so it helped us communicate that message. And the response to that has been great.Lou Pizzichillo — Now, what’s interesting, if this doesn’t tell you something about the church’s reputation, on year one, before we launched, it was very hard to get 12 shops to agree to do this with us. Like they were like, you’re a church? I’m sorry. No, we’re not doing it.Rich Birch — Forget it. Yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — Now it’s year seven. Right now we’re in the middle of our our seventh year and there are shops lining up to do it. There are shops reaching out to us, asking us to collaborate.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — They’re helping to pay for the stuff. So it’s actually in some ways getting a little bit cheaper.Rich Birch — Huh.Lou Pizzichillo — And it’s just cool. It’s shown like this posture of partnership with what’s going on… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …rather than, okay, there are the shops and then there’s the church. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — And yeah, we actually have a someone on staff now who first heard about the church on year one during the 12 days of Christmas. She started coming to the church. she eventually got baptized and now she’s on staff. And it’s just like, it has been so, so cool.Rich Birch — Yeah, I love that. That’s what a cool, you know, even just a cool tactic, kind of an expression of that. Is there other ways, other kind of activities like that, that you’re engaged with throughout the year that would could illustrate this idea of being for the community, being an asset to the community? What would be another example of that that that’s happened?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. So there is this fair that happens right across the street from the church. It’s called the Argyle Fair. It’s it’s around a lake. There are about 30,000 people that come to this fair. And the fair is on a Sunday during church.Lou Pizzichillo — The first year that we were here and had services during that Sunday, it was a mess. There were people you know like parking all over the place. It was hard to have services. Traffic was crazy. And we left church and my wife and I walked to the fair and just felt like something didn’t feel right. Like there’s some, here’s something everybody’s doing and we’re fighting against it.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — So we went to the people who ran the fair and we were like, is there any way we can help? Like, is there, what do you guys need? And right away she was like, we need volunteers and we need parking. And as a church, we are uniquely equipped with volunteers and parking. Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo —And so really it was there, like that almost right away, we were like, okay, next year, ah we’re going to be on board with what you’re doing.Rich Birch — Wow. Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And so we decided to cancel services. And in the weeks leading up to that, we teach about the importance of serving the community. It’s kind of like the grand finale to whatever, you know…Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — …outreach series or message is being given.Rich Birch — Yeah.Lou Pizzichillo — And um yeah, so we teach on that. And then we’re like, hey, you know, two weeks from now, we’re not going to have services. Instead, we’re going to go out instead of staying in here talking about serving, we’re going to go out there and serve. And, you know, we’ve said like… Rich Birch — Love that. Lou Pizzichillo — …yeah, what’s what’s happening out there is not more spiritual than what’s happening in here. It’s a different way to express and grow in our faith. So we did that. And the response has just been unbelievable. Like the community has loved it. The the fair has had the help that they need. The people in our church have loved it. But this year we actually it got rained out on the first week. And so they postponed it to the next week.Rich Birch — Oh, wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And that made it tough for us because now we were like, okay, are we going to cancel church two weeks in a row? Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — And we had a meeting about it and like looked at our values, looked at what we were talking about. We were like, you know what, this is actually an opportunity for us to really double down and say, we’re not doing this out of convenience. We’re doing this because it’s a value. And so I called up the guy who was running the fair and he was like, I get it. If you can’t do it, I get it. And it felt, it was, it was amazing to be able to say on the phone, like, Hey, we’re with you, uh, no matter what. So, uh, so we did and it was, it was awesome.Rich Birch — That’s incredible. Like ah that, again, that what a vivid example, because I think there’s a lot of church leaders, if we’re honest, we’ve been engaged in the conversation that’s literally on the opposite side of that, where we’re like, man, how do we, these people, they’re, you know, they’re cramping our style or whatever. It’s like we naturally default towards that rather than to serve. Rich Birch — Take us back early in the discussions because I think a lot of us have not done a good job in building trust bridges in our communities. And you know trust isn’t built with just you know, one conversation. It takes time, right? It takes, like you said, those those first 12 days of Christmas, you couldn’t get anybody. And now here’s seven years later. We want we want to get to the seven years later part really quickly.Rich Birch — But ah those early conversations, how are you handling yourself, interacting with the like other people, you know, approaching them, having those conversations. What did you learn in the early dialogue that could help us if we’re trying to build, you know, deeper community trust in a place that just is so skeptical of that we’re coming with, just looking to take from our people.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. I mean, you have to be willing to be inconvenienced. I think that’s been a big part of it.Lou Pizzichillo — On week one, so we we launched literally on the first day and launch day was bigger than we thought it was going to be. And on that Monday, I was called to the mayor’s office, the mayor of the village.Lou Pizzichillo — And I was like, okay, thought I was going to go have a conversation. And when I got there, it was the it was him, it was the head of code enforcement and the fire chief all in a room waiting for me Rich Birch — Oh, gosh. Lou Pizzichillo — And they had pictures of cars parked all over the street. And I I realized there, like, there was a real concern about what this church was going to be in the community.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so from there, we’ve just been looking for opportunities to earn trust. The neighbors have made it very clear that they don’t like cars parking on the street. And so we, we began paying for a lot so that we could take the cars off of the street. We don’t have to, they can legally park in the street, but we rent the lot. We told the owner of the property why we’re doing it. And he got on board with what we’re doing. We’re now in a place, kind of a long story, but we now don’t have to pay for that lot.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — We also, like the trust has been earned one decision at a time. We were going to do this big thing in the parking lot. We did a parking lot renovation that took the whole summer. After the summer, we were like, hey, in our new parking lot, let’s put on a Christmas show. We’ll run it throughout two weeks in December.Lou Pizzichillo — We had an animator who goes to the church. He like had this great idea for a show. He’s like, we’ll project it on the building. People will drive in. We’ll run it multiple times a night, do it for a few weeks throughout December. We were calling it Christmas in Lights.Lou Pizzichillo — So we put this whole plan together. He’s making the thing. We start advertising it and the village comes to us and they’re like, you’re in violation of the code. You can’t do this. And and they’re giving us all these reasons that I felt like didn’t really hold that much weight, you know.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — But in thinking about it, I do understand the inconvenience it would have been. We just had a major parking lot renovation. There were huge trucks making tons of noise for months. Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And now that’s finally over. And we’re going to ask the village to deal with the traffic of a show happening every single night, you know, for a few weeks in December.Rich Birch — Right Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I went to the mayor and I was like, hey, ah it’s a new mayor at this point. But I just sat down with her and I was like, hey, listen, if you have concerns about this, I want you to feel the freedom to just come to me and say, this is a lot for the neighbors. Like, what do you think about pulling this in?Lou Pizzichillo —And it was cool. It was an opportunity for the two of us to kind of bond, like there was some trust earned there and we canceled the show. We decided not to do it. And I released a video explaining why we weren’t doing it.Rich Birch — Wow.Lou Pizzichillo — And the amazing thing is that I think canceling the show accomplished more than we would have accomplished if we actually did the show.Rich Birch — Interesting.Lou Pizzichillo — Like it earned, it was so well received when people found out that we weren’t going to do it. They were like, and even the people that attend the church, they were like, I want to be part of a church that supports their community like this.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so it went really well, and it was a lot less work, and so it was it was kind of a win all around. Rich Birch — What did the animators say? I feel but feel bad for that person who started doing that work. Did they understand. Obviously, they’re bummed or concerned.Lou Pizzichillo — He was bummed out, but he’s one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, and so he he totally got it. And he’s on board with what we’re trying to do, and when he knew the reason why, he was totally, totally supportive of it.Rich Birch — Interesting. So where have you seen churches kind of get this wrong as we’ve tried to engage with the community? Maybe a common a pothole that we fall into or a way that we stub our toes, you know, a thing maybe you’ve you’ve you’ve seen that we just, we you know, kind of consistently make the same mistake.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. You know, one of my mentors told me a while ago, he was like, when you’re thinking about the church in the community, he’s like, there’s a small percentage of people that are for you. He said, there’s, there’s also a small percentage of people that are anti-church and they always will be, and you’re not going to change their minds.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And he’s like, but then there’s this large percentage that’s just kind of going to go one way or the other. And he’s like, that’s the percentage that you really have to be intentional about connecting with.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so I think, you know, it is very easy to tell the story like, hey, they don’t want us to do our Christmas show. This is persecution… Rich Birch — Yes. Lou Pizzichillo — …you know, and we got to fight and suffer for the name of Jesus. And ah we’ve just found that that’s not always the case. Rich Birch — Right. Lou Pizzichillo — You know, it’s people that don’t want to be inconvenienced and they may love church, but there’s there’s all this stuff going in the community. Maybe they maybe they have you know other reasons why. So i think I think it’s just the posture.Lou Pizzichillo — Like a lot of, most people, most people aren’t unreasonable. And I think if we give them the chance to really articulate what’s going on, I’ve been surprised at how understandable a lot of the feelings have been, a lot of the resistance to church comes from real stories, real experiences.Rich Birch — Right, right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so, yeah, I think it’s the you know the whole like persecution thing or suffering or that is real and people do really experience that. But a lot of times I think we’re a little too quick to say, oh, this is what that is when really it may not be.Rich Birch — Well, and it it’s, ah in some ways, it’s like a low form of, well, it’s a leadership shortcut for sure to like demonize, to like, oh, there, those people are come out to get us. You know, any leader that’s led before realizes, oh, that’s like a that’s a tool that actually works. People respond to that, but, but we don’t want to do that. Like that isn’t, these are the people we’re trying to love and care. These are people we’re trying to see point towards Jesus. They’re not our enemies.Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. Yeah.Rich Birch — They’re not, you know, they’re, they’re not, they might just not like parking, like you at the end of the day.Lou Pizzichillo — Right. Right.Rich Birch — And so let’s not, let’s not get over-revved, ah you know, on that. And unfortunately there are, I know, you know, way too many churches that have got themselves on the wrong side of this. And it’s very hard to backwards engineer out of that. Once you go down that road of like, we’re going to try to go negative with our community. That just isn’t, it’s just, it’s, it’s very difficult to to step back from that.Rich Birch — If you think about a church leader that’s listening in today and they’re, they’re saying, Hey, They’re thinking we want to do a better job being trusted more locally, trusted by local leaders, trusted by other you know businesses in town, that sort of thing. What would be a couple first steps you think they could take? A couple things where they could start to try to build that kind of trust with the community around them?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. You know, I think I’m a big believer in praying for those opportunities. And also just giving things a second look, you know. When you’re in a situation that may seem like a challenge or something that may seem like it’s getting in the way, to just stop and think, okay, is, is there an opportunity here to build trust with the community?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Because we, and when we say the community, we’re not just talking about this nebulous, you know, idea of Babylon village. There are people there.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And if those people see this church as trustworthy, they may come here, you know, when their relationships are falling apart or when they’re looking for answers.Rich Birch — Yep.Lou Pizzichillo — Um, and so it’s really just been… We have great people here who have bought into what we’re doing, who have really helped us to see like, this is an opportunity to win with the community. And yeah, you gotta, you have to look outside the box and, and also be willing to, there, there are moments like with Church Has Left the Building—with the fair—and with the Christmas and light show, there are moments where they’ll see, okay, do you really care? Do you really care?Rich Birch — Yes. Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — Like are how how much will you inconvenience yourself? And I mean, the payoff from that has just been huge, even though it’s been an inconvenience and our giving goes down that week and it throws off the series and we got to restructure the calendar.Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — It has gone, there’s there’s never been a time where we’ve regretted it.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good. And, you know, there’s no doubt one of the things I think we can in our our little world of kind of church leadership, I think we can forget often that people in the communities that we’re serving, they really don’t have any frame of reference for a church of 1,200 people. Like they that that isn’t people’s normal perception of what a church is. Like a church is 25 people or 50 people in a room somewhere super small.Rich Birch — And, and their perception can be, they just don’t, they just don’t have any idea. What is that? What’s that look like? And some of that can skew negative because it’s busy and blah, blah, blah, all those things. And so we’ve, we, we have to take it on ourselves when our church gets to the size that you’re at or larger to try to help them understand and see though this is like really positive for the community and actually point towards that.Lou Pizzichillo — Yes.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s good.Lou Pizzichillo — Yes. And, and like along those lines, ah it’s also perceived as a source of power, right? Like if, if there, if you have 1500 people that all believe the same thing and you’re trying to run a village or a community, there is this, this sense of like, okay, well, are they going to be for us or against us? Like, are all these people going to be anti-village?Rich Birch — Right.Lou Pizzichillo — And so there is like that, that instinct to kind of protect from this group of people that make, make things really hard for us. But over time, as they begin to see like all these people are, are behind us, they’re here to support us and they want to make this place better.Rich Birch — Yes.Lou Pizzichillo — It’s, it really is a beautiful thing. And we’re not there yet as a church, but we’re getting there. And, uh, we’ve just seen a lot of, lot of positive signs and, uh, Yeah, think it’s paid off.Rich Birch — So good, Lou. That’s, that’s great. Just as we wrap up today’s conversation, any kind of final words you’d have to, ah you know, to leaders that are listening in thinking about these issues today?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah. I mean, I think I would just say it’s worth it. It's it’s messy. It does make things difficult. It can be inconvenient. And when you have people who don’t go to church coming to church and you give them permission to be in progress, you get a lot of hairy situations. And we have a lot of conversations where we’re trying to figure out which way to go.Rich Birch — Yeah, 100%.Lou Pizzichillo — But it’s in those conversations that we cant kind of stop and remind ourselves like, Hey, we’re, we’re glad that these people are here and we’re glad that these are the problems that we’re having. And, the end of the day, this is what we feel like it’s all about. So.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. I just want to encourage you as you’re leading, you’re doing a great job and and it’s been fun to get a chance to get a little window into what’s going on at Community. Want to encourage you and your your team, just you’re doing the right thing. If people want to track with the church or with you online, where do we want to send them to connect with you guys?Lou Pizzichillo — Yeah, so communitychurch.net is our website. On Instagram, we’re communitychurchli, we’re @communitychurchli, and we try to keep that handle throughout all the platforms. So YouTube, same thing. But yeah, that’s it.Rich Birch — Great. Thanks for for being here today, Lou.Lou Pizzichillo — Thanks for having me, Rich. It’s an honor to be here, and I love what you guys are doing for the church.

Sports pools have long been a company-wide camaraderie-builder. Whether it's squares, brackets, or simple head-to-head match-ups, your staff loves a low-stakes distraction. What if you could turn that interdepartmental activity into a client-facing engagement tool?  Chris Briggs, founder and CEO of Touchpoint Games (TPG), helps distributors and manufacturers do just that. Jason caught up with Chris to learn how companies can use gamification to run sports pools that boost brand awareness, strengthen customer relationships, and drive sales. CONNECT WITH JASON LinkedIn CONNECT WITH CHRIS Website LinkedIn *** For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.    This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios  Special thanks to our sponsors for this episode: Moblico, helping businesses do more business on mobile devices;  and INxSQL Distribution Software, an integrated distribution ERP software designed for the wholesale and distribution industry. 

Als Managerin Talent Acuqisition & Employer Branding bei der Proalpha Group gestaltet Alexandra mit ihrem Team Recruiting-Strategien, stärkt ihre Arbeitgebermarke und begleitet kulturellen Wandel mit Haltung und Herz.Shownotes00:00 - Intro & Context05:01 - Strategien & Award: Aufbau des Employer Branding Teams, DEBA Award, Konzepte zur Mitarbeiterbindung und Corporate Influencing.15:01 - Diversity & Netzwerke: Frauenförderung, interne Netzwerke, Mentoring und positive Effekte auf Employer Branding.25:01 - Remote Work & Retention: Employee Journey im Remote-Setup, Touchpoints, Teamkultur, Succession Planning und Wissensweitergabe.LinksGuest Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrameierhh/Thomas Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-kohler-pplwise/Thomas e-mail: thomas@pplwise.compplwise: https://pplwise.com/

Episode 338 hosts Chloe McGrath (Founder & Director of The Aesthetic Collective from Sydney, Australia)⁠ In this episode we explore how cosmetic clinics should market and brand themselves in 2026. Chloe shares her background in aesthetics and explains why her agency works exclusively within the sector, prioritising compliance and close alignment with the regulators. We discuss common misconceptions including the belief that clinical skills alone can build a successful clinic and the serious risk of regulatory breaches when using a non-aesthetic marketing agency. Our conversation covers key growth drivers including the limitations of word-of-mouth referrals, the importance of multiple patient touchpoints before booking, and the challenge of accurately tracking attribution. We on practical, capacity-based marketing strategies for solo injectors versus scaling clinics, highlighting Meta ads as a cost-effective option when geographically and demographically targeted. 00:00 Introduction 04:15 Regulations, Compliance & Why Conservative Marketing Wins 06:37 Clinician vs Entrepreneur: How Mature Are Clinics in 2026? 10:58 When Marketing Goes Wrong: Distressed Clinics, Debt & TGA Letters 13:36 What Actually Drives Growth: Word of Mouth Limits & 7–10 Touchpoints 16:45 Content Myths: Posting Frequency, Quality vs Spam & The Algorithm 19:17 Brand Foundations: Defining Your Identity, Values & Target Patient 22:41 Men in Aesthetics: Why It's Still 90% Women + The Longevity Angle 27:39 What Makes a Clinic Successful Now: Beyond Price & Chain Clinics 29:10 Scaling the Team: Getting Patients to Trust New Injectors 32:22 Capacity vs Growth: Balancing Regulars, New Patients & Rebookings 33:24 Choosing Your Business Model: Solo Injector vs Scaling a Clinic 37:28 Branding Beyond a Logo: Consistency Across Every Touchpoint 41:14 Culture Is the Brand: Team Energy, Retention & Patient Experience 44:12 From DIY to Pro: Rebrands, Diplomacy & Why Cohesion Builds Credibility 45:51 Marketing Budgets That Work: Meta Ads, Content Shoots & What to Spend 55:35 Word of Mouth vs Acquisition: Retention Math & Why You Still Need Marketing 57:49 Action Steps + The Future: Fix Your Basics, Sanity-Check Messaging & Wrap-Up ALL IA LINKS & CONTACT INFORMATION JOIN THE WAITING LIST FOR IA COMMUNITY (OUR NEW APP)  

Every interaction your customer has with your business is saying something — whether you intended it to or not. From your website to your email signature to the way your team answers the phone, each touchpoint is shaping perception. The problem? Most businesses think branding is just a logo. It's not. In this video, I break down why every touchpoint tells a story — and how to make sure it's telling the right one. If you're serious about building trust, growing authority, and creating real brand consistency, this is a conversation worth having.

Heute gibt's Real Talk mit Alexandra „Ally“ Winzer (Pinterest-Expertin, seit ~10 Jahren selbstständig) über das, was gerade in der Online-Business-Bubble wirklich passiert, jenseits von „7-Figure-Morgenroutine“ und generischen KI-Texten.

Hand aufs Herz: Wenn du an massives Umsatzwachstum denkst, woran denkst du zuerst? Vermutlich an Kaltakquise, neue Leads oder volle Messehallen. Doch wenn wir ehrlich sind, vernachlässigen wir dabei oft den wichtigsten Hebel für nachhaltigen Erfolg: die Kundenbindung B2B. Fast 90 Prozent der B2B-Vertriebe tappen in diese Falle. Denn wir sind Jäger. Wir wollen die Trophäe an der Wand. Aber was passiert eigentlich, nachdem der Vertrag unterschrieben ist? Oft herrscht dann Funkstille oder der Kunde wird lediglich „verwaltet". Dabei liegt genau hier, direkt vor deiner Nase, das größte ungenutzte Potenzial deines Unternehmens. In dieser Episode habe ich deshalb mit Manuel Spors gesprochen. Er ist Experte für Bestandskundenmanagement und Autor des neuen Buches „Die Loyalitätsformel". Gemeinsam zerlegen wir den Mythos, dass Wachstum immer „neu" bedeuten muss. Stattdessen schauen wir uns an, wie du den Customer Lifetime Value steigern kannst, ohne ständig dem nächsten Lead hinterherzujagen. Die Akquise-Falle: Warum Kundenbindung B2B oft scheitert Kennst du das beklemmende Gefühl der Kaufreue? Du kaufst ein neues Auto, fährst stolz vom Hof, und an der ersten Ampel siehst du den Wagen, den du nicht genommen hast. Plötzlich fragst du dich: War es wirklich die richtige Entscheidung? Deinem Kunden geht es haargenau so. Nach der Unterschrift fällt die emotionale Kurve oft rasant in den Keller. Genau in diesem kritischen Moment lassen viele Vertriebe jedoch los. Der Kunde wird lieblos an den Innendienst oder einen Sachbearbeiter übergeben mit dem Gedanken: „Der macht das schon". Das ist allerdings ein fataler Bruch für eine echte Kundenbindung B2B. Manuel nennt dieses Phänomen die „Akquise-Falle". Wir investieren Unmengen an Energie, um den Kunden durch die Tür zu kriegen. Doch sobald er drin ist, behandeln wir ihn wie eine Selbstverständlichkeit. Dabei ist es statistisch gesehen viel einfacher und günstiger, an jemanden zu verkaufen, der dir bereits vertraut. Customer Lifetime Value steigern: Das Starbucks-Prinzip im B2B Lass uns über den Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) sprechen. Das ist der Gesamtwert, den ein Kunde über die gesamte Dauer der Zusammenarbeit für dich hat. Um diesen Wert zu maximieren, müssen wir von den Besten lernen. Ein geniales Beispiel ist Starbucks. Ein Neukunde darf Starbucks angeblich bis zu 1.000 Euro kosten. Das klingt für einen 6-Euro-Kaffee zunächst verrückt, oder? Aber Starbucks rechnet anders: Wenn du einmal Kunde bist und zufrieden bist, kommst du wieder. Woche für Woche. Jahr für Jahr. Folglich ist der CLV gigantisch hoch. Im B2B-Umfeld ist das sogar noch extremer. Ich habe Kunden erlebt, die dachten, sie hätten einen „guten Deal" über 50.000 Euro gemacht. Auf meine Frage, wie viel der Kunde insgesamt in dieser Kategorie einkauft, kam jedoch heraus: 5 Millionen. Der Verkäufer hatte also gerade mal 1 Prozent des Potenzials abgeschöpft. Die wichtigste Frage, die du heute stellen kannst, um deinen Customer Lifetime Value zu steigern: Welches Potenzial hat dein Kunde wirklich? Upselling und Cross-Selling: Motoren für Bestandskundenmanagement Wie holst du dieses schlummernde Potenzial ab? Die Antwort liegt im intelligenten Upselling und Cross-Selling. Aber bitte nicht plump, sondern mit Stil. Stell dir vor, du sitzt in einem guten italienischen Restaurant. Du bist satt. Der Kellner kommt und fragt lustlos: „Noch ein Dessert?" Deine Antwort ist automatisch: „Nein, danke." Szenario B: Der Kellner rollt einen Wagen direkt an deinen Tisch. Du siehst die frische Mousse au Chocolat, das Tiramisu, es duftet herrlich. Er fragt gar nicht, ob du willst. Er zeigt dir das Erlebnis. Deine Chance, „Nein" zu sagen, sinkt dramatisch. Genau das müssen wir im Vertrieb tun, um die Kundenbindung B2B zu festigen: Upselling: Biete die VIP-Variante an. Mehr vom Selben, aber besser, schneller, exklusiver. Cross-Selling: Was ergänzt das Produkt perfekt? Manuel hat als Fotograf früher nur die Hochzeit fotografiert. Dann kam die Fotobox dazu. Später das Video. Schließlich das After-Wedding-Shooting. Aus einem Auftrag wurde so ein Vielfaches an Umsatz. Die Loyalitätsformel: Touchpoints für langfristige Kundenbindung B2B Echte Loyalität passiert nicht durch Zufall. Sie braucht System. Denn dein Kunde hat ein Leben, eine Familie, Hobbys. Er denkt nicht 24/7 an deine Firma. Deshalb musst du ihn daran erinnern, dass es dich gibt – aber mit Mehrwert, nicht mit Spam. 1. Der strategische Newsletter im Bestandskundenmanagement Vergiss den wöchentlichen „Wir sind so toll"-Newsletter. Manuels Steuerberater schickt stattdessen alle drei Monate ein Update: Was hat sich rechtlich geändert? Wo gibt es Handlungsbedarf (z.B. Förderungen)? Der Kunde muss nur antworten: „Ja, brauche ich." Das ist Service, kein Spam, und stärkt die Bindung enorm. 2. Der Podcast als Instrument, um den Customer Lifetime Value zu steigern Ein eigener Podcast ist ein mächtiges Tool für Bestandskundenmanagement. Lade deine Kunden ein! Lass sie über ihre Erfolge sprechen. Das hat mehrere Vorteile: Wertschätzung für den Kunden (er bekommt eine Bühne). Das perfekte Testimonial für Neukunden. Ein exzellenter Grund, wieder Kontakt aufzunehmen. 3. Echte Überraschungen (Der Ritz-Carlton-Moment) Die Geschichte vom vergessenem Kuscheltier im Ritz Carlton ist legendär. Das Hotel schickte das Stofftier nicht einfach zurück, sondern machte Fotos davon am Pool und an der Bar („Ich mache noch länger Urlaub") und sendete diese mit. Der Aufwand? 10 Minuten. Der Effekt? Lebenslange Treue der Eltern. Was ist dein „Kuscheltier-Moment" für deine Kundenbindung B2B? Vielleicht eine handgeschriebene Karte zum Frühlingsanfang statt der 08/15-Weihnachtskarte, die eh im Müll landet? Fazit: Dreh den Trichter um (Bow Tie Funnel) Wir reden im Vertrieb oft vom Sales Funnel. Oben viel rein, unten kommt der Abschluss raus. Aber eigentlich geht es danach erst richtig los. Denk an eine Fliege (Bow Tie). Nach dem Knoten (dem Kauf) öffnet sich der Trichter wieder: Upselling, Cross-Selling, Empfehlungen. Wenn du deinen Vertrieb darauf ausrichtest, wird die Neukundenjagd plötzlich zweitrangig. Du wächst entspannter, profitabler und mit mehr Freude. Fang an, deine Bestandskunden nicht nur zu verwalten, sondern zu begeistern. Möchtest du wissen, wie viel Potenzial wirklich in deinem Vertrieb schlummert und wie du deine Kundenbindung B2B professionalisierst? Lass uns sprechen. Geschätzte Lesedauer: 6 Minuten Wie sind deine Erfahrungen? Fokussierst du dich auf Neukunden oder pflegst du deinen Bestand? Schreib mir gerne auf LinkedIn oder Instagram!

Dr. Juliane Apel ist Head of Brand Marketing & Research bei Yello. Sie arbeitet an der Schnittstelle aus Marke, Digitalisierung und Energiewende – und interessiert sich dabei weniger für glänzende Begriffe als für eine simple Frage: Was macht Menschen handlungsfähig?Mit Olli & Martin spricht sie darüber, wie sich ein Energiemarkt in Dauerbewegung anfühlt – und was andere Branchen daraus lernen können: strategisch klar bleiben, operativ beweglich werden. Es geht um Kund:innen, die plötzlich Prosumer sind, um Apps, die nicht nur Funktionen liefern sollen, sondern Orientierung. Und um den Anspruch, der alles zusammenhält: Ein digitaler Touchpoint darf sich nie schlechter anfühlen als menschlicher Kontakt.Juliane kommt aus führenden Agenturen, hat parallel promoviert und lehrt heute an der Hochschule der Medien. Bei Yello treibt sie eine Markenführung vom Produkt über Service bis zur Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie. Und sie zeigt, warum Leichtigkeit, Humor und ein gutes „Wie“ kein Beiwerk sind – sondern oft den Unterschied machen.Key Takeaways:Sustainability: Aufrichtig Anfangen. Ambitionen anziehen. Ein digitalisierter Touchpoint darf sich nie schlechter anfühlen als der menschliche Kontakt. “Prosumer”: markenadäquate App. Service mit Freude. Leichtigkeit. Menschlichkeit.Themen der Folge:Lektionen aus dem Energiemarkt?Energiewende von “Nachhaltigkeit-Immigranten”Digitale Wege der DifferenzierungLinkedIn:Dr. Juliane ApelOlli BuschMartin Boeing-MessingKeywords: Prosumer, dynamischer Stromtarif, Self-Service, Prognosefunktion, Sonnenbergs, Impact Factory, Corporate Coaching, Marketingemissionen, CO2-Zertifikate, Pina Earth, Klimaschutzbeitrag, FAQ-Videos, Nachrichtenumfelder Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Während für Kund:innen beim Einkaufen das Gesamterlebnis zählt, denken Händler:innen in Verkaufskanälen. Idealerweise sind diese miteinander vernetzt, so wie das bei Omnichannel-Vertrieb der Fall ist. Unified Commerce setzt da noch einen drauf. Denn es verbindet alle Touchpoints und Kundendaten innerhalb einer zentralen Architektur. Welche Vorteile das für alle Seiten bietet, erklärt Jonny Hofberger, Director Sales bei Actindo. In dieser Folge verrät er, worauf es bei dem ganzheitlichen Ansatz ankommt und für welche Händler:innen sich dieses Modell lohnt. Fragen und Wünsche zum #PaymentPower Podcast gerne an: podcast@paymentpower.de

A few touchpoints from the week that shaped how I’m thinking about hospitality.

In the latest episode of Digital Banking Podcast, host Josh DeTar, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Tyfone, welcomed Derrick Aguilar, Chief Experience Officer at PenAir Credit Union. The episode centered around how credit unions can create meaningful, consistent experiences across every channel and touchpoint.Derrick shared why every interaction—big or small—can carry lasting weight for members. He explained that while digital banking, payments, and support are necessary, they are only part of a larger story. Derrick described how people remember the moments when someone in their financial institution truly stepped up for them, and how those moments build trust and loyalty over time. He stressed that members don't see the complexity behind digital services; they just want things to work, and to feel cared for when they need help.Throughout their conversation, Josh and Derrick explored how culture, communication, and empathy set credit unions apart in a crowded landscape. Derrick emphasized the need for purposeful connection with members and communities, not just reliable products. He outlined why understanding real needs, building goodwill, and sharing positive stories matter just as much as delivering on the basics.

438 | The 3 Touchpoints That Create Connection (Staff, Students, Parents) Podcast Description Running a martial arts school isn't just about having a solid curriculum. If people are still drifting away, it's usually not because they suddenly hate kicks—it's because they don't feel attached. In Episode 438 of School Owner Talk, Duane Brumitt and Allie Alberigo break down a simple, practical framework to create real connection (and better retention) through three touchpoints: staff, students, and parents. You'll hear why weekly staff meetings should be the “anchor,” how to keep students from quitting the feelings they used to have, and why parent communication can't be all automation and white noise. Along the way, they share real stories—from Allie getting back on the floor six days a week to Duane's reminder that even a five-year-old using your name can change how you feel. Key Takeaways Connection is measurable. It shows up in retention, culture, fewer fires, and more buy-in. Your staff sets the emotional temperature of the school. If they feel unseen or unclear, it leaks into everything. Students don't quit programs—they quit feelings. The “fun” changes as they progress, so you have to reframe expectations. Routine builds skill, but routine can also create boredom. Your job is to keep repetition without letting it feel stale. Parents tune out when communication becomes constant noise. Automations can support the process, but they can't replace real conversations. Progress has two layers. Parents need to understand both the curriculum/belt cycle and what progress looks like for their child. Action Steps for School Owners 1) Staff Touchpoint: Keep the weekly meeting as the anchor If you already have a weekly staff meeting (60–90 minutes), keep it. Use it to align everyone on: The mission (big picture) The quarterly/monthly focus The weekly focus Then support it with “in-the-moment” touchpoints during the week so the meeting isn't the only time leadership shows up. Use The One Minute Manager framework One Minute Goals: Pick 1–3 clear, observable standards for the week (ex: greet every student by name within the first 10 steps). One Minute Praisings: Catch good behavior fast and name it specifically (“Thanks for picking up the garbage outside—great ownership mindset.”). One Minute Reprimands: Correct quickly, clearly, respectfully, and reset the relationship. Ask what they were thinking, then give the bigger perspective. 2) Student Touchpoint: Make sure they leave feeling seen, successful, and excited A) Use the Three-Time Rule Say their name three times Approach them three times Make eye contact three times Duane's story about “Connor” (a five-year-old who kept using his name) is the reminder: a personal experience matters at every age. B) Teach with a simple structure (and protect confidence) Use the Four Rules of Teaching: Explanation (brief + exciting + includes the goal) Demonstration (ideally by a student close in age/level) Correction (use PCP: Praise–Correct–Praise) Repetition (enough practice while keeping energy high) Also: leave space for students to make mistakes. If you micromanage every rep, they only learn to perform when you're right next to them. C) Disguise repetition so it doesn't feel boring Change the format without changing the goal: Individual, partners, line drills, group work Slow reps, fast reps, ladders, add-on routines A simple win: reduce anxiety by “requiring less” on paper while still teaching more inside the drill. When it's not framed as a huge requirement, students often learn it faster. 3) Parent Touchpoint: Reduce white noise and increase real trust Parents pay, decide, and influence the story at home. If you want fewer complaints and better retention, you need consistent connection—especially early. Bring back real check-ins (especially in the first 12 weeks) Automations can remind you what to do, but they can't replace: Phone calls Face-to-face progress checks Real conversations that include curriculum progress and personal progress A practical approach: schedule progress check-ins every couple of weeks through the first belt cycle, then set expectations that communication changes (but doesn't disappear) after that. Make communication easy to consume Keep messages short and scannable Break up text visually (2–3 sentences per paragraph) Consider one “home base” where parents can always find info (like your app) And when you're frustrated? Do what Allie does: write the email, then run it through AI to make it calm, positive, and motivational before you hit send. Additional Resources Mentioned The One Minute Manager (book) Anthony Rangel (Martial Art Institute) quote: “You're not good enough to be bored.” Kenny Bigby / Jesse Enkamp (The Karate Nerd) and the concept of “until” Dave Kovar's “Sweat, Smile, Learn” framework Zig Ziglar quote: “Repetition is the mother of learning.”

In dieser WAYNE-Folge geht's nicht um „wir kaufen uns 'ne teure Kamera und dann wird's schon“. Es geht um Video- und Audio-Kommunikation, die bei dir im Alltag wirklich funktioniert. Florian Gypser erklärt dir, warum Bild und Ton längst nicht mehr nur „nice to have“ sind, sondern mitentscheiden, ob Menschen dir im Call zuhören, dir vertrauen und am Ende auch bei dir kaufen. Ein Schwerpunkt ist dein Setup: Welche Rolle spielen Webcam, Licht, Mikrofon und Hintergrund wirklich und wie kommst du mit überschaubarem Aufwand weg vom typischen Homeoffice-Look (schlechtes Licht, Hall, wacklige Perspektive, virtueller Hintergrund-Quatsch). Es geht nicht um Perfektion, sondern um Klarheit: verständlicher Ton, sauberes Bild, ruhiger Bildaufbau und ein Auftritt, der nicht nach Zufall aussieht. Danach geht's um Video im Vertrieb: Du nutzt Videobotschaften als Follow-up statt der zehnten „Nur kurz nachgehakt“-Mail, erklärst Angebote per Video, machst komplexe Themen schneller verständlich und zeigst Produktdemos im Videocall so, dass es nicht wie ein PowerPoint-Fiebertraum wirkt. Dazu kommen konkrete Gedanken, warum manche Videoansprachen auf LinkedIn sofort weggeklickt werden (Spoiler: weil's oft zu generisch oder zu künstlich rüberkommt) und wie du das besser löst. Dann kommt die Content-Perspektive: Du denkst Videopodcast und Videoformate als „Quelle“ für viele kleine Content-Stücke. Also: Aufnahme, Transkript, kurze Clips, Newsletter, Blogartikel, Social Snippets. Nicht als Content-Fabrik im Sinne von Masse, sondern als System, das aus einem starken Gespräch viele sinnvolle Touchpoints macht. Dazu passend: Wie du Mitarbeitende vor die Kamera bekommst, ohne dass es peinlich wird, und warum Authentizität nicht gleich „ungeschnitten und schlecht“ bedeutet. Zum Schluss gibt's noch ein paar klare Ansagen zu Branding und Wirkung: weniger Logo-Geklebe, mehr Fokus auf Inhalt, Präsenz und Verständlichkeit. Und ja: Körpersprache spielt rein, weshalb „stehend aufnehmen“ im Corporate-Kontext oft die bessere Wahl ist.

Has your sales pipeline sprung a leak? Michelle Stark believes you’re likely missing some customers who should be traveling with you. A communications veteran with a special focus on tourism, she helps clients around the country build sales pipelines that deliver new customers — and repeat business from old ones. And she says it’s time to re-examine the way you sell and market in 2026. Michelle joins this episode of the podcast to discuss why you’re losing potential customers — and what you can do about it. She shares cost-effective marketing strategies for finding new leads and secrets to crafting emails people actually want to read. Plus, we have news about Celebrity’s rapid river cruise growth and a Hot Minute about what you can learn about selling from car dealerships. Insights from Michelle Stark Michelle had lots of valuable insight about building intentional purchasing experiences that make potential customers feel confident and excited to buy from you. Here's what she had to say about how your website and content should be structured for maximum sales: “Are you really optimizing your website for what we call capturability, making sure that you’re not gating information, that you’re not making your customers go through too many clicks to try to actually sign up and book with you? Are you providing things like travel policies and forms upfront where people can read through those and opt in very easily — just removing friction?” Plus, she had great perspectives on: Different marketing strategies for different market segments What role AI can — and can’t — play in a sales pipeline Keeping your pipeline flowing when you’re busy with other things Resources Mentioned in This Episode Learn more about Red Sage Communications at redsageonline.com. Follow Michelle Stark on LinkedIn. Apply to attend our OnSite FAM tour in Louisiana at grouptravelleader.com/la-fam. Key Moments From This Episode 1:28 — Travel News: Celebrity is doubling its river cruise fleet 2:39 — News From Us: A few spots let on our FAM to Louisiana 6:11 — Why Michelle Stark left broadcast TV for tourism marketing 8:15 — What is a sales pipeline, and how do you build one? 9:27 — Touchpoints that should be part of your sales process 13:00 — Crafting emails your audience will want to read 15:21 — Keeping your sales pipeline full 17:49 — Can you automate your travel sales pipeline? 24:16 — Marketing ideas for reaching the middle class 29:09 — Can AI do your travel sales for you? 45:15 — Hot Minute: What you can learn about sales from car dealerships Watch the Full Interview See the full interview with Michelle on our YouTube channel. About the Podcast Gather and Go with Brian Jewell is a tourism industry podcast that helps group travel leaders plan, promote and lead better trips. There are also tips and insights for destination marketers and others who support the tourism trade. Each episode reaches thousands of professional tour operators, travel agents and the volunteer group leaders they serve. The audience also includes destination museum leaders, church travel leaders and other tourism enthusiasts around the world. Each show includes an interview with a smart travel pro or an insightful person from outside tourism who’s expertise can help make travel businesses better. You’ll also hear travel news, road tips and more. New episodes are released about twice monthly. You can find Gather and Go wherever your listen to podcasts or subscribe by email.

Diese Episode wird u.a. von mobile.de unterstützt. mobile.de sucht einen Senior Technical SEO Manager. Die Jobbeschreibung und wie ihr euch bewerben könnt, findet ihr unter folgenden Link: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/senior-technical-seo-manager-f-m-d-at-mobile-de-4362489785/⁠⁠---------------------Letzte Aufzeichnung von der SEOkomm 2025: Ich spreche mit Anna Knaup von Trisolute über die Grundlagen für nachhaltiges Content SEO – unabhängig davon, ob du News, Evergreen oder Ratgeber machst.Wir gehen deep in moderne Content-Prozesse: nutzerspezifische Themenfindung, Recherche & Differenzierung, saubere Umsetzung statt Textwüste, und vor allem: Monitoring & Iteration. Plus: Learnings aus dem Journalismus (Faktencheck, Zwei-Quellen-Prinzip, einfache Sprache) und wie kleine Teams Evergreen-Content datengetrieben aktualisieren können – statt ständig “mehr Content” zu produzieren.Wenn du Content nicht “für Google”, sondern für echte Nutzerprobleme machen willst – und trotzdem messbar performen musst – ist das deine Folge.Strategie vor Output: Themenblöcke planen, die echte Nutzerfragen beantworten und Autorität aufbauen.Nutzerzentrierte Themenfindung: Nicht “was wir wissen”, sondern “was Menschen wissen wollen” (inkl. Trend-/Tool-Signale).Format folgt Problem: Video/Tabelle/Struktur einsetzen, statt Textwüsten zu bauen – bessere Verständlichkeit gewinnt.Journalismus-Regeln helfen SEO: Faktencheck, (mind.) Zwei-Quellen-Prinzip, wichtigste Info nach vorn, einfache Sprache.Evergreen skalieren: Erfolgreiche Inhalte jährlich/regelmäßig aktualisieren (Kalender + Daten), statt alles neu zu schreiben.Definition-of-Done für Content: SEO-Basics + klare Zielmetrik + Monitoring als fester Bestandteil des Prozesses.Multi-Channel statt Google-only: Website + Newsletter + weitere Plattformen – für Reichweite und Resilienz.Kaptitelmarken00:00 – Intro: Live von SEOkomm 2025, Content-Grundlagen00:54 – Kurzer Job-Hinweis (Senior Technical SEO Manager)01:36 – Start: Warum Content gerade Hassliebe ist (Traffic vs. AI-Overviews)03:37 – Moderner Content-Prozess: Themenblöcke, Autorität, Mehrwert05:56 – Nutzerzentrierte Recherche: Fragen finden, Trends & Tools nutzen08:22 – Journalismus x SEO: Faktencheck, Zwei-Quellen-Prinzip, Klartext10:06 – “Wichtigstes nach vorn” + einfache Sprache statt Fachgebrabbel11:48 – Sistrix Newsflash (kurze Updates)14:16 – Datengetrieben in Redaktionen: Evergreen-Updates & Kalenderlogik17:32 – Definition of Done für Content: SEO-Basics + Metriken + Monitoring22:06 – CMS/Workflows: Keywords, Alerts & SEO in redaktionelle Prozesse bringen25:07 – Zukunftsstrategie: Know your Brand, Nische, regelmäßig publizieren26:49 – Multi-Channel & Formate: Newsletter, Audio, Plattformen diversifizieren28:18 – Beispiele aus Journalismus: Marke, Touchpoints, Personalisierung31:06 – Wrap-up & Verabschiedung

Viele denken bei „Marktwirtschaft“ sofort an Preise, Produkte und Umsatz. Fritz B. Simon denkt radikaler: Jede Organisation handelt – immer. Und jedes Verhalten wird im Markt bewertet. In dieser Episode nehme ich die Gedanken aus dem Buch Radikale Marktwirtschaft - Grundlagen des systemischen Managements - und übertrage sie konsequent auf Organisationen: Unternehmen als Systeme mit Innen- und Außenperspektive, die nicht nur Waren liefern, sondern an jedem Touchpoint Wirkung erzeugen – oder verspielen. Du hörst, warum ein freundlicher Satz, ein erreichbarer Service oder eine kleine Geste manchmal mehr „Preis“ erzeugt als das Produkt selbst. Wir schauen auf die subjektive Buchhaltung zwischen Kunde und Anbieter, auf Kulanz, Erwartungen und die Frage, warum Organisationen aus ihrer Sicht immer rational handeln – auch wenn das von außen völlig anders wirkt. Zum Abschluss bekommst du praktische Rezepte gegen Selbsttäuschung: weniger Worthülsen, mehr beobachtbares Verhalten, bewusster Fokus auf echte Kundenrückmeldung – und die klare Konsequenz, wenn niemand kauft: Produktpalette verändern oder den Markt wechseln. Wenn du mehr zu mir oder zu meinem Business erfahren möchtest, dann schaue hier: https://www.servicearchitekt.com

Leading Into 2026: Executive Pastor Insights Momentum is real. So is the pressure. This free report draws from the largest dedicated survey of Executive Pastors ever, revealing what leaders are actually facing as they prepare for 2026. Why staff health is the #1 pressure point Where churches feel hopeful — and stretched thin What worked in 2025 and is worth repeating Clear decision filters for the year ahead Download the Full Report Free PDF • Built for Executive Pastors • Instant access Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. We’re wrapping up our conversations with executive pastors from prevailing churches to unpack what leaders like you shared in the National Executive Pastor Survey. Today we're joined by Shayla McCormick, executive leader at Coastal Community Church in Florida. Coastal is a rapidly growing multisite church with three locations, consistently ranking among the fastest-growing churches in the country. Shayla serves alongside her husband and brings deep operational insight shaped by leading a large church with a remarkably lean staff. In this conversation, Shayla helps unpack one of the most pressing themes from the survey: how churches hire—and why so many find themselves hiring the same roles over and over again. She challenges leaders to rethink staffing through the lens of multiplication rather than pressure relief. Why churches keep hiring the same roles. // According to the survey, churches continue to prioritize familiar roles—especially NextGen and support positions—even as ministry contexts change. Shayla believes this pattern often comes from reactive hiring. When attendance grows, volunteers feel stretched, systems strain, and leaders feel pain. The quickest solution is to hire someone to relieve pressure. But Shayla cautions that hiring to relieve pain is different from hiring to build capacity. When churches skip the discernment step—asking what this season truly requires—they repeat the same staffing patterns without addressing root issues. Relieving pressure vs. building capacity. // Shayla draws a sharp distinction between doers and equippers. Doers add short-term relief by completing tasks, while equippers multiply long-term impact by developing others. Coastal intentionally prioritizes hiring equippers—even when that means living with short-term discomfort. Her leadership philosophy flows directly from Ephesians 4 – the role of leaders is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The courage to make the “big ask.” // Shayla challenges the assumption that busy or successful people won't serve. Too often, leaders say no for people before ever asking. At Coastal, high-capacity professionals—business owners, executives, retirees—serve in everything from parking to finance. The key is matching people's gifts with meaningful responsibility and inviting them with confidence. A radically lean staff model. // Coastal averages around 5,000 in weekly attendance with just 25 staff members, an unusually low ratio. This isn't accidental—it's strategic. Shayla explains that Coastal has built a high-capacity volunteer culture where unpaid leaders carry real responsibility. Staff members exist to equip and empower those leaders. This approach requires more upfront investment in training and coaching, but it produces sustainable growth without constant hiring. The risk of overstaffing. // Overstaffing creates more than financial strain. Shayla warns that it can lead to lazy culture, misaligned expectations, and long-term instability. Churches that staff heavily during growth seasons often face painful decisions when momentum slows. Without a strong culture of equipping, ministries become staff-dependent rather than leader-driven. Shayla encourages leaders to steward today with foresight—preparing for future seasons, not just current demand. When hiring is the right move. // While Coastal resists reactive hiring, Shayla is clear that hiring still matters. For example, Coastal recently decided to add staff in Kids Ministry—not because volunteers were failing, but because the kids pastor needed freedom to focus on strategy, family connection, and leader development. The new role removes task-based pressure while also serving as a developmental pipeline for future campus launches. The goal isn't to replace volunteers—it's to free equippers to multiply more leaders. Mission over position. // As Coastal grows, Shayla emphasizes a culture of mission over position. Roles evolve as the church evolves. Using metaphors like scaffolding and rotating tires, she reminds leaders that some roles exist for a season—and that rotation is necessary for long-term health. Leaders regularly ask: Who are you developing? Who's next? This mindset ensures the church can grow without being dependent on specific individuals. Starting points for stretched teams. // For leaders feeling perpetually tired despite added staff, Shayla offers simple coaching: eliminate work God never asked you to do, clarify expectations, and require every leader to develop others. Growth doesn't come from adding people—it comes from multiplying leaders. To learn more about Coastal Community Church, visit coastalcommunity.tv or follow @coastalchurch on Instagram. You can also connect with Shayla at @shaylamccormick. Watch the full episode below: Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: TouchPoint As your church reaches more people, one of the biggest challenges is making sure no one slips through the cracks along the way.TouchPoint Church Management Software is an all-in-one ecosystem built for churches that want to elevate discipleship by providing clear data, strong engagement tools, and dependable workflows that scale as you grow. TouchPoint is trusted by some of the fastest-growing and largest churches in the country because it helps teams stay aligned, understand who they're reaching, and make confident ministry decisions week after week. If you've been wondering whether your current system can carry your next season of growth, it may be time to explore what TouchPoint can do for you. You can evaluate TouchPoint during a free, no-pressure one-hour demo at TouchPointSoftware.com/demo. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. We are in the middle of these special episodes—I’ve been loving these—around really responding to your survey. We did a National Executive Pastor Survey. It’s the largest survey I can say that I’m aware of, of this, where we get out and talk to executive pastors across the country and really ask them, how’s it going in their church? What are they feeling? What are they learning? To really take a litmus test of where things are at. Rich Birch — And then what we’re doing is pulling in some incredible… leaders to help you wrestle through with some of the findings. And I’m excited, privileged, really, to have Shayla McCormick with us today. She’s with an incredible church called Coastal Community Church, a multi-site church with, if I’m counting correctly, three locations in Florida. It started in September 2009, not that long ago, and they’ve repeatedly been one of the fastest growing churches in the country. She serves with her husband at this church, and this is an incredible church. You should be following along with Shayla and with the church. Welcome to the show. So glad you’re here.Shayla McCormick — Thank you so much, Rich. I’m glad to be back and excited just to, you know, share with everybody just some insights and things that that I’ve learned along the way too.Rich Birch — Nice. This is yeah super fun to have you on again. And you should go back and listen to back episode that Shayla was on was one of our best of last year. Super helpful. So you’re going to want to lean in on that.Rich Birch — Now, when I saw some of the results from the survey, friends, I’m letting you behind the curtain. We looked at a couple different you know things and I sent them out to these friends and I said, hey, you pick whichever one you want. And I was really hoping that you would pick this one because I really think that you’ve got just so much to offer to this. So let’s, I’m going to unpack this a little bit. Shayla McCormick — Yeah.Rich Birch — So one of the questions we asked was, ah you know, there’s all these different roles that people are hiring. And for years, in fact, I actually thought about maybe not doing this question this year, because basically the order is pretty similar that people come back every year. But what we’ve seen from 2023 to 2024 is that particularly support roles, this idea of support roles that churches are out looking for those has grown significantly, 12 percentage points in those three years. Other roles like NextGen remain consistently at the top. You know, Outreach ranks the lowest at like 9 to 12 percent, which breaks my heart as a former outreach pastor. I was like, ah, people are not thinking about those things. Rich Birch — So today what I want to do is unpack this idea around what are who are we hiring for? What difference does it make? We know as an executive pastor listening in, I know that many of you are are kicking off this year thinking about, hmm, who should we be hiring? What should that look like? And really this tension that we all face with you know, being understaffed and overstaffed. How does all that work together? So I’m really looking forward to having your input on it.Rich Birch — Why do you think churches continue to hire for essentially the same roles as we see year in, year out, Shayla, why do we see that? Even as ministry changes, it’s like we find ourselves having the same conversation. Where are the kids ministry people? Where are the support roles people? Shayla McCormick — Yeah. Rich Birch — Why do we find ourselves in these same conversations?Shayla McCormick — Yeah, honestly, I think a lot of times as church leaders, like we repeat roles because we haven’t we haven’t really honestly just kind of stopped long enough to really go, what does this season actually require? Rich Birch — That’s good.Shayla McCormick — I think a lot of times what we do is we hire to almost relieve pressure but not really build capacity. And so I think we repeat roles because like kids ministry, right? That’s always a place where you have growth, you have kids, you have to staff a lot of volunteers. It’s a lot of administrative work. And, you know, sometimes I think we can tend to go, Hey, I want to relieve pressure on this. And so we end up trying to to put somebody in a seat and then we end up over hiring. And a lot of, a lot of us hire when it hurts, right? When, okay, attendance is growing, volunteers are tired, systems are breaking, A leader is overwhelmed.Shayla McCormick — And we end up, I think, making these desperation hires rather than hiring to actually build capacity… Rich Birch — Oh, that’s good. That’s good. Shayla McCormick — …so that we can continue to grow. And so I think a lot of times our mindset kind of subtly shifts from, I mean, Ephesians 4, right? You equip the saints for the work of the ministry. And it sometimes our mindset shifts from equipping the saints to to almost replacing the staff role or the saints role with a staff member.Shayla McCormick — And it can tend to just, you can be overstaffed. And then that puts pressure financially and all, you know, like so much, but we just continue to repeat the process. Because again, we hired to relieve pressure instead of build capacity and we’re not really sitting… Rich Birch — Yeah, I would love to unpack that. Shayla McCormick — Yeah. Rich Birch — I think there’s so much there. So how are you discerning or how, you know, if a church calls you up and is asking you discern really between those two, like, Hey, I’ve got maybe I’ve got an operational problem. I’m trying to relieve pressure using the language you do. You were saying versus like building capacity for the future, which inherently sounds like to me, if I’m choosing to build capacity, I’m going to live with some pain in the short term is what I hear in that. Help me discern what that, what that looks like. How how do you work that out at, you know, at, at Coastal?Shayla McCormick — Yeah, I think we we are always looking for equippers, for multipliers. We ask the question very consistently, is this a doer or is this a leader? And not that doers are bad. Doers can actually, they can help you add capacity because it relieves the stress or the pain on a leader, right? Because you have somebody doing stuff, but equipers actually, they multiply. And so when I’m a growing church, if I continue to hire doers, then I’m just like, I’m solving a temporary so solution essentially, or a temporary problem, because at some point those things are going to go away.Rich Birch — Right.Shayla McCormick — But what, what the approach that we’ve taken is the Ephesians 4, you know, you equip the saints for the work of the ministries. And I think a lot of, lot of the times we actually neglect almost our volunteer base. And we lean heavily on our volunteers, our, We average probably 5,000 in weekend attendance, and we have about 25 staff members. And that is not a lot of staff for…Rich Birch — That’s insane. That to me, that is… Friends, I hope you heard that. So that’s like one to 200 or something like that. It’s it’s that’s all it’s Shayla McCormick — I don’t even know. It’s low.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s very low. It’s very low. Yes.Shayla McCormick — But we have a very, very, very high value in equipping our volunteers. Because there are people in our church that want to, they want to do. Rich Birch — Right. Shayla McCormick — They might be the doers that can help build capacity in a way that can help lift responsibility off people. We have people that come in that like, they’re like on staff, but they don’t get paid just because they want to come and they want to serve. Rich Birch — Yes.Shayla McCormick — And a lot of times I think we actually, say no for people because, oh, I don’t want to ask somebody to do another thing. But they’re like begging, use my gifts, use my talents. But we’re saying no for them. And then we’re going and hiring for these positions when it’s something that we could actually give away…Rich Birch — Yes, yes. Shayla McCormick — …and equip the saints for the work of the ministry. Rich Birch — Yes.Shayla McCormick — And for instance, in our kids’ ministry, we average at one of our locations probably about between 500 and 600 kids on the weekend. And I have one full-time staff member for that position right now.Rich Birch — Wow. Wow. Yeah.Shayla McCormick — And now we are getting ready to hire an additional person. But she has done a phenomenal job at building high-capacity leaders that are volunteers… Rich Birch — That’s good. Shayla McCormick — …that want to give their time and their energy and their resources and their passion. But I think for so many churches, we just we say no for people… Rich Birch — Yeah, 100%. Shayla McCormick — …and then we end up hiring something that we could give away in a volunteer capacity. Now that is harder on us… Rich Birch — Right. Shayla McCormick — …because you have to you know you have to teach and equip and you know pick things up, but…Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s it’s longer term. It’s it’s not it’s not a quick and easy. Shayla McCormick — Right. Rich Birch — So I want to come back to the big ask in a second. Shayla McCormick — Okay. Rich Birch — But I want I want to play a bit of the devil’s advocate. Shayla McCormick — Yes. Rich Birch — So I was having this conversation with a church leader recently, and we were looking at their staff, like their just total staffing. And we were actually having this conversation between, I was asking them like, hey, what how many of these people would you say are Ephesians 4 type people, equippers, people who are… Shayla McCormick — Yeah. Rich Birch — And then how many of these would be doers? Because every staff team has some doers on it. Like you have some percentage of them.Shayla McCormick — Yes, 100%.Rich Birch — When you, shooting from the hip of those 25, what do you think your ratio is on your team of equippers to doers? Because this is what this leader said to me. They were like, because I was kind of pushing them. I was like, I think you need to have less of these doers on your team. Like we’ve got to, we got to get not, I said, we’d have to get rid of them, but we got to grow some of these leaders up to become more multipliers.Shayla McCormick — Yep.Rich Birch — And they were like, well, but those people, they release my multiplying type people to do the work that they need to do. And I was like, yes, but if we don’t watch this ratio very quickly, we’ll we’ll end up with a bunch of doers on our team. So what would the ratio look like for you on your team? How do you think about those issues? Unpack that for me.Shayla McCormick — Yeah, I would I would say it’s maybe like a, I would say it’s maybe 10% that are, that are…Rich Birch — Right. Wow. Yeah. A couple, two or three, maybe four at the most kind of thing.Shayla McCormick — Yes, exactly, that are that are not the ones that I’m expecting. And even even them, I expect to go out and multiply as well. It’s it’s it’s part of our part of our conversations.Rich Birch — Yeah.Shayla McCormick — But it’s a very low percentage because for me, it again, it goes back to, those are things that I can equip other people to do… Rich Birch — Yes. Shayla McCormick — …that I can give ministry away. And…Rich Birch — Okay. So yeah, let’s talk about the big ask. Shayla McCormick — Okay. Rich Birch — So I hear this all the time from church leaders across the country and they’ll this is, this is how the conversation goes. They’re like, yeah, yeah. But you don’t know, like people in our part of the country, they’re very busy. Shayla McCormick — Yeah.Rich Birch — And like the people at our church, they’re kind of like a big deal. And like, they got a lot going on in their life. And like, This is true. You guys are in like the greater Fort Lauderdale area. This is a very, you are not like some backwoods, you know, place and you’re doing the big ask.Rich Birch — You’re saying, hey, you used it, which is you said like, hey, basically we’re saying, could you work part time for us in this area?Shayla McCormick — Yeah.Rich Birch — Have a huge amount of responsibility. How do you keep the big ask in front of people? How, how what’s that look like? Unpack that for us.Shayla McCormick — I mean, something that we talk about on our staff very frequently is, because it’s so natural to say, oh, they’re too busy, especially high capacity people. What I’ve what I’ve realized is is just a side note, but like, single moms are the most high-capacity people. They are the busiest people juggling the most things. But there are best people to come in and serve and do and all of that.Rich Birch — Right.Shayla McCormick — But they’re busy. Rich Birch — Right. Shayla McCormick — And so just because someone seems busy or successful or, you know, whatever barrier that you put in your brain, like, I think the reality is is we say no for them before we even ask.Rich Birch — 100%. 100%.Shayla McCormick — And so the conversations on our team always look like, are you saying no for them? Make the ask anyways. And a lot of times they’re like, oh my gosh, they said yes. I mean, I have people that run million, billion dollar companies serving in my parking team. You know, it’s like…Rich Birch — Right.Shayla McCormick — It’s, yeah, I mean, I you have people that are retired, very successful, business leaders that are coming in and volunteering to you know do finance things. Like it’s finding what are what are they great at and giving them purpose in it.Rich Birch — Yes, yes.Shayla McCormick — And not just saying no for them because I think they’re successful or they’re too busy.Rich Birch — How much of that is, because I would totally agree, how much of that is like, like what I hear you saying, it’s like a mindset issue for us as leaders. Shayla McCormick — Yes. Rich Birch — Like, hey, we can’t, even when we ask someone, we can say no before them in that question, right? We can be like, I don’t know if you could, well, you know, you’re real busy and I’m not sure blah blah, blah. And that kind of lets them off the hook before we even. So part of it is a mindset, but then part of it has to be like a structural thing, the way you’re structuring the roles. How do those two interact with each other?Shayla McCormick — Ask the question one more time.Rich Birch — So part of it is like our mindset are the, the, when we approach people, we’re asking them in a way that, you know, is casting vision for like, Hey, this is a huge opportunity to push the kingdom forward. But then also a part of it, I would assume is like the way we’re structuring the roles so that it it feels like, no, like we’re, we’re kind of, it is a big ask. Like, it’s like, we’re giving them enough responsibility and all that sort of thing. How do those interact with each other when you’re asking someone, when you’re making a big ask like that?Shayla McCormick — I mean, I think most of what I’m talking, what I’m referring to is a little bit more in the the doer space or the operational space.Rich Birch — Yep. Yep. Okay, good. Yep.Shayla McCormick — So it’s structuring things based on almost task or, you know, responsibility that can be repeated consistently and come in and just, you know, like get it done, so that I don’t have to, again, go back to hiring somebody to do these tasks to take this off of this staff member’s plate to increase their capacity. I’m basically giving those tasks and responsibilities to a volunteer. And I think a lot of times what’s scary to me is people, us, you know, churches, their first response to problem in every situation is to hire. Rich Birch — Yeah, right.Shayla McCormick — And I think if that’s your first response, you’re going to get in, trouble you’re going to get in big trouble.Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah.Shayla McCormick — And you’re going end up overstaffed because you, you staffed in seasons where attendance was growing or something again, to relieve that pressure…Rich Birch — Yes. Yeah, that’s good.Shayla McCormick — …not thinking multiplication. And if every solution is to hire, I don’t think the church has a staffing problem. actually think they probably have a discipleship problem. And like…Rich Birch — Oh, that’s good. That’s good. Shayla McCormick — …and an equipping problem because the goal is to multiply apply leaders faster so that your church grows.Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah, that’s good.Shayla McCormick — And so if we’re not thinking multiplication and equipping, then you know I think we’re gonna get to a place where, again, we’re we’re overstaffing and we’re hiring for the same things because we haven’t learned to equip and empower and train up.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Let’s double click on that. Shayla McCormick — Yeah.Rich Birch — What risks? So overstaffing, why is that a risk? What’s the there’s obviously a financial risk there. Are there other risks that you see there that emerge when a church consistently staffs for doers or execution rather than you know invest in you know equipping and raising up the people in their church? What will be some other risks you see in that?Shayla McCormick — Yeah, I think if you’re, if you, I’m trying to figure out how to frame this. If you’re not thinking multiplication, you’re going to, you’re going to hit a point in your church where like everything isn’t always up and to the right.Rich Birch — Right. Yes. True.Shayla McCormick — And so it’s not that I’m planning for failure or the difficulty, but I’m also trying to steward what has been entrusted to me, and some of that requires foresight and wisdom… Rich Birch — Yep. Shayla McCormick — …even in my planning and my budgeting. And so if one season I’m staffing something in growth, the next season might not look the same. And I’ve because I haven’t diligently given, again, Ephesians 4, given ministry away, my role, pastor’s roles, you know, like, is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. Rich Birch — Yep.Shayla McCormick — And if I haven’t done those things properly, then I think I’m going to get a hit a season where then I’m letting staff go. Rich Birch — Right.Shayla McCormick — And, you know, or honestly, culture has become lazy because everybody doesn’t have enough to to do. And so there’s tensions and frustrations and, you know, like, and it starts you start to get a culture, I think, where you say, well, we’ll just hire for that. We’ll just hire for that. We’ll just hire for that. Instead of, okay, who’s next? Are you always developing? Like, what volunteer have you asked to do that? Have you given ministry away? And start asking our staff questions. If they’re coming to you and saying, hey, i need ah I need this role and I need this role and I need this role, the question back should be, well, who have you been developing?Rich Birch — Right.Shayla McCormick — You know, what ministry have you given away? Some of those things that just kind of push back on the solution is not always to hire somebody. Rich Birch — Right. Shayla McCormick — But what responsibility have you taken in development of people?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. in the In the kids ministry area, you had referenced this earlier, you know, a campus with 500 kids and one staff, which again is is, I know there’s lots of executive pastors that are listening in that are like, what? That’s crazy. But you are, ah you have decided to add a staff member there. What was it that kind of clicked over to say, okay, yeah, we are going to add someone. And and what are what is that role that you’re adding? And how do you continue to ensure that we’re, you know, that we keep this focus as we look to the future?Shayla McCormick — For us, my kid’s pastor is obviously very high capacity, you know, and she is a multiplier. And her greatest use of her time for me is connecting with those families, is creating opportunities for them to connect, and hiring another person is going to free her up to connect more with families on the weekends, and to spend more of her time being strategic.Shayla McCormick — And so she needs to duplicate another her on the weekends that can make sure they’re facilitating volunteers and they’re making sure people are encouraged and that teams are built and that people are showing up and schedules are being done. And it’s it’s high people, but it’s also task and responsibility that comes off of her plate that frees her up to um do the thing that she’s great at.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s fantastic.Shayla McCormick — And obviously, she’s given all that stuff away in this season, but now we’re also using that as a developmental role to potentially be a kids director at another location when we launch a location.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah. There will be more, hopefully more coastal locations in the future… Shayla McCormick — Yes. Rich Birch — …and you need to you know raise those people up now you have the ability to do that. This is one way, you know, to do that as well.Shayla McCormick — Yep. Yep. Right.Rich Birch — So put yourself in a, a, say a friend calls executive pastor calls and they’re in this kind of this topic. They feel like, man, my team is perpetually stretched.Rich Birch — We, we added a bunch of staff last year and, it just didn’t help. You know, it’s like we find it sure we’re starting out the new year here and our headcount is up, but people are as tired. They’re as burnt out as they’ve ever been. And it feels disproportionate. It feels like, oh, man, like I don’t this things are not getting better. What are they missing? What what are what’s the how would you coach them? Maybe some first steps that you would kind of help them to think about what they should be doing on this front.Shayla McCormick — So I think maybe first and foremost, I might ask what what work are you doing that really God never asked you to do, first of all? I think we, we, add a lot of things that aren’t probably the best use of people’s times. And so where have we added things that we didn’t need to add that aren’t adding value… Rich Birch — That’s good. Shayla McCormick — …that can, number one, lift something off of our team that maybe they don’t just, you know, doesn’t add value. Rich Birch — That’s good.Shayla McCormick — And so that would probably be one of the first places I would start. It was like what are what are you working on that God hasn’t asked you to do?Rich Birch — Yeah, what can we streamline? What do we need to pull back? Yeah, yeah.Shayla McCormick — Exactly. And then…Rich Birch — That’s good.Shayla McCormick — …secondarily, I think I would really focus on leaning into, and this is what we’ve done in in many seasons, is we’ve leaned into two things. Number one is starting to ask our team, like, hey, who’s who’s around you that you’re developing? I need you to pick three people, you know, and just start pouring into them. I know this this isn’t a, I know this doesn’t lift the load, necessarily in the moment, but I think it can help lift it for the future. So it’s like, hey, how am I teaching my staff to look for other leaders and developing those leaders? And the other question just went away from my mind.Rich Birch — Well, that’s a great one, though. This even it’s the idea of who are the two or three people that you’re developing, that’s a powerful idea. Because I think there’s think particularly if you’re a church that’s caught in this treadmill, um there probably are people in your orbit. There are there are volunteers that would be looking for more to do to look. But but oftentimes our team, we just they don’t see those people. They don’t because we haven’t challenged them to see those people.Shayla McCormick — It’s it’s it’s honestly a question that’s a regular part of all of our teams one-on-ones… Rich Birch — That’s cool. Shayla McCormick — …that one of the questions is, who’s next? Like you should always be replacing yourself. Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah. Who’s next? Yeah, that’s good.Shayla McCormick — And that is just a continual pipeline of people and it’s teaching them to see other people and develop people. And they know that when I come to this meeting with my leader, I need to be telling them what I did, who I’m investing in, you know, what that looks like. So that there’s like a pipeline of leadership.Shayla McCormick — And I even, like with with my own assistant, I’ll say this, she’s like, Shayla, how do I do that? It’s like I’m, she’s right, a doer, you know, she’s my assistant. But I said, honestly, the the way that there’s so much that you can give away, you can build volunteer teams to execute gift baskets when a, you know… Rich Birch — Yep. Shayla McCormick — Like there are things that we just have to teach people to start giving away… Rich Birch — Right. Shayla McCormick — …and equipping other people to do.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good.Shayla McCormick — And I think it’s why I don’t I don’t use like being a large church with a small staff as like a bragging thing because I I don’t think that that’s necessarily healthy long term.Rich Birch — Yes. Shayla McCormick — But I think that it’s very strategic in how we have built a volunteer culture that is very high capacity and shows up and gets it done because we simply just haven’t said no… Rich Birch — Yep. Shayla McCormick — …and we’ve always looked for somebody else to come up underneath us.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. I know for for me in seasons when I led in fast-growing churches… Shayla McCormick — Yeah. Rich Birch — …churches that were deemed as some of the fastest growing churches in the country, I would say to my… Now, I sat in a different seat than you were because I was never like a founding team member. Well, that’s not actually not true. That’s not actually not true. I was in one church. But but I always tried to hold my role with open hands, even with my team. Shayla McCormick — Yes. Rich Birch — I would say, listen, the the people that I don’t I don’t want to get in the way of the mission, the mission is bigger than my job and my role.Shayla McCormick — Yes.Rich Birch — And there might come a season when the ministry will outpace me and I need to be willing to step aside.Shayla McCormick — Yep. Yes.Rich Birch — And that whenever I said that, there was always like, it freaked people out a little bit. They were like, oh my goodness, what are you saying? What are you saying? But I do think that those people that got us here may not necessarily be those people that will get us there. I’d love to hear your thoughts on that. And and this does not apply to any of the 25 people currently employed at Coastal Church, but help us understand…Shayla McCormick — Hey, we’ve had this conversation with all of them, so it could apply to them.Rich Birch — Oh good. Okay. Okay, good. I Okay, good. I didn’t want to you know have people listen to it at your church and be like, oh my goodness. But help me understand how you think about that as a leader, because I think that’s a real dynamic in this area.Shayla McCormick — Yeah, there’s there’s two two things, two almost analogies that that I’ll give you. One was when we were a smaller church, we were a growing church, we were a church plant, and somebody gave us some some great advice. And they said, listen, the people you start with are not going to be the people you finish with, and that’s not a bad thing. That that happens. Rich Birch — Yep.Shayla McCormick — And they said, when you are building something, there’s a phase of that building that requires scaffolding. Rich Birch — Yep. Shayla McCormick — And scaffolding serves a purpose in that season to build the structure and the walls and and all of the things, but there is a point where that scaffolding has to come down… Rich Birch — Yeah. Shayla McCormick — …in order for you to utilize that building or that space effectively. Rich Birch — Yep. Shayla McCormick — And I think sometimes that’s people in a way. Like they serve a purpose for a season, but it’s not like, it’s not like oh, now they can’t serve in any capacity or any way. It’s just that the role that they played for that season was very important. But it looks different in the next season. And we have to be okay with that if we want to continue to grow.Shayla McCormick — As we’ve grown, there was actually people probably know the name Charlotte Gambill. Charlotte Gambill has invested a lot in our team and in in our church. And she came in and did a ah session with us. And one of the things that she talked with us about is like, if you think about a a vehicle, right? And that vehicle is there to get you to the destination of where you’re going. And that vehicle has tires. And those tires have to be rotated.Rich Birch — Right, oh, that’s good.Shayla McCormick — And as a team member, you are like a tire. And what you are doing is getting that vehicle to the proper destination. But if you don’t allow yourself to be rotated, then there’s going to be a problem in getting that vehicle to the location. Rich Birch — That’s good.Shayla McCormick — And so language that we use is this is mission over position. Rich Birch — Oh, that’s good.Shayla McCormick — And your position may change. Your position may rotate. But this is not about your position, this is about your mission. And if you’re not here because of the mission, then you’re gonna be fixated on your position.Shayla McCormick — And so our team knows that. We we talk about that very frequently, like, hey, remember this is mission over position. And we’re gonna we’re gonna rotate the tire today.Rich Birch — Yep.Shayla McCormick — But this is because this is for the mission, not because of your position. Rich Birch — Yeah.Shayla McCormick — And so we just consistently have those conversations. And if we if we don’t rotate those things, And if there’s something that’s worn out and we don’t change it, it’s going to affect the mission of where that organization is going.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so true.Shayla McCormick — Yeah.Rich Birch — That’s good. That’s, that’s worth the price of admission right there. I think, you know, I think so many of us, um you know, people who are listening in their church leaders, they love people. They want to see them take steps towards Jesus. And, you know, we hold onto people too long or we, or we, you know, we always believe the best. We’re like, no, they’re going to get there. They’re going to get there.Rich Birch — But what would you say to a leader? You know, Give us some courage to say, hey, maybe there’s a team member we need to rotate, either find a different seat on the bus, or it might be we we need to move them off this year. Like we need to get them on a performance improvement plan and do the like, hey, you’re not leaving today, but it’s like, this has got a change. You’ve got a shift from being a doer to being an equipper. And we’re going to work on this for the next three months. But we need to see, we actually actually need to see progress on this. Give us some courage to do that. Talk us through that. If that’s the if that’s the leader that’s listening in today.Shayla McCormick — I mean, I think first of all, if you’re sensing that and you’re feeling that, you need to start having some very honest conversations. I think Proverbs is very clear when it says, bind mercy and truth around your neck. Like, we can have those truthful conversations while still being merciful. And, you know, if if you’re not clear with people, then there’s just, then there’s there’s going to be hurt, there’s going to be bitterness, there’s going to be all of those things. And so if you can just even start the conversation, if you’ve been frustrated for a long time but you haven’t said anything, honestly, it’s your fault. Rich Birch — Right. Yes. Shayla McCormick — Because you’ve allowed it for so long. Rich Birch — Right. Shayla McCormick — And now that’s that’s you’ve allowed behavior to continue. So the first step I think is just giving yourself freedom to have a mercy and truth conversation, right? Of just going, hey, like I know your your heart is here I know you have vision for this organization, but there’s just some things that need to adjust. Rich Birch — Right.Shayla McCormick — And so we’re going to bring some clarity to those things that need to adjust.Rich Birch — That’s good.Shayla McCormick — And you have those conversations and then, hey, let’s check in a month from now and just here’s some action steps for you to do. And it just gives framework for like, okay, now if they’re not doing those things, you’re just like, you know, hey, do you, we asked the question, do you get it? Do you want it? And do you have the capacity to do it? Rich Birch — That’s good.Shayla McCormick — If they have, if they get it and they want it, but they don’t have the capacity, they have to change their seat, you know.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good.Shayla McCormick — And so for me, I think it’s really starting off with the clarifying conversation… Rich Birch — Yeah. Shayla McCormick — …if you haven’t had that. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Shayla McCormick — And in that clarifying conversation leads to either an off-ramp or an adjustment of seat.Rich Birch — Yeah. Yeah, that’s so good. I know that there are people who are listening in who that you know, like, hey, I’ve got to make a change. I have this staff member, team member that’s got to make a change. We can’t do this for another year. And even that idea of sitting down, having a you know, a truthful, but merciful conversation and doing exactly what Shayla said there. Let’s have the conversation and then document it. Shayla McCormick — Yes.Rich Birch — Here’s exactly what we talked about. Here are the three or four things that we need to see progress in the next month on. And we love you dearly, but in a month, we’re going to come back and actually ask you on that. My experience has been when you have that…Shayla McCormick — And even…Rich Birch — Yeah, go ahead.Shayla McCormick — …even asking at the end of that, like, hey, do you have any questions? Or even repeat back to me what you heard… Rich Birch — Right. Shayla McCormick — …because I want to understand how you’re receiving the information that I just gave you, because it can help you even go a little bit deeper in shaping that.Rich Birch — Clarify it. Yeah, that’s so good. Well, this has been a great conversation. Question that’s not really, it’s just kind of a broader question… Shayla McCormick — OK. Rich Birch — …about this coming year. What are the what are the questions that are kicking around in your head for this year as you look to 2026 as we come to kind of close today’s episode? What are you thinking about? Might be around this. It might be around other stuff. What are you thinking about this year?Shayla McCormick — Ooh, I was actually talking to my husband about this. We’re getting ready to go into a leadership team meeting, and the thing that’s just been sitting in my head, and this is so probably counterintuitive to large church, but it’s how can I grow smaller?Rich Birch — That’s good.Shayla McCormick — And so I’m just trying to think how can we be more intentional as we grow to make a large church feel small? And then I’m also thinking, are we building a church that can grow without us? So how, you know, is it only because of us that things are happening? Or how are we, again, ah equipping people that if we weren’t here, it would continue on? Rich Birch — I love that.Shayla McCormick — So how do I grow smaller? And would this survive without us?Rich Birch — Wow, those are two super profound questions. And they are so totally related to what we’re talking about today. Both of those, you’re only going to get to it feeling smaller. You know, that is that is the great irony of a growing church. I’ve said that to many. I didn’t I wasn’t as eloquent as you were there, but one of the, the interesting kind of tensions is when you become a church of 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, you get around those circles. Those churches are asking the, how do we be more intimate? How do we, um you know, we, okay. So we figured out how to gather crowds and, but how do we go beyond that? Right. How do we, how do we now, you know, really drive into deeper, more intimate conversations? I love that. And yes.Shayla McCormick — Systems just complicate things. Rich Birch — Yes. Shayla McCormick — So it’s like, how do you how do you simplify? I really appreciate you, appreciate your leadership and all that you’re doing and how you helped us today. And if people want to track with you or with the church, where do we want to send them online?Shayla McCormick — Yeah, they can follow our church on Instagram. It’s at Coastal Church or visit our website, coastalcommunity.tv. I’m not super active on Instagram, but you can follow me if you want to @shaylamccormick.Rich Birch — That’s great. Shayla, I really appreciate you being here today. And thanks so much for helping us out as we kick off 2026.Shayla McCormick — Of course. Thanks so much, Rich.

This podcast was filmed live from John Lewis' Partnership's Bluewater store in Dartford, Greater London. You can watch the video here: https://youtu.be/-9bCupRp5ao and behind the scenes here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DT--fTpjcVM/?img_index=1&igsh=MWNwcmVyOHZrN2p2Zg==   We are joined by John Lewis' In-Store Retail Strategy & Development Manager Georgia Riley and Barrows Connected Store's CEO James Hay to speak about how they've partnered to create a next generation Store Experience with their digital touchpoints (formerly known as screens) and how that ultimately benefits brands, consumers and the Retailer.   Tune in to hear about:  John Lewis' heritage and their vision to have the store as a destination Barrows Connected Store's bet on digital touchpoints The story behind their partnership and hurdles they had to face How these touchpoint are integrated in customer journeys and brand campaigns embedded in Retail Media The future of digital touchpoints and potential forays in FMCG  

What You'll Learn: The second half dives deeper into the people side of continuous improvement. Dave explains how Nemawashi and intentional conversations help build alignment, trust, and momentum. Listeners learn why asking thoughtful questions—like “who else should we talk to?”—can naturally expand buy-in and lead to better decisions. The episode wraps with reflections on leadership, learning, and staying connected within the Lean community.Key Takeaways:How Nemawashi helps build buy-in naturallyWhy asking “who else should we talk to?” strengthens decisions and alignmentHuman, Pet, and Animal Nutrition Company: WebsiteClick Here for Dave Kippen's LinkedInLean Solutions Website

Monica Rich Kosann is an internationally recognized fine jewelry brand based in New York. Rooted in the idea that every woman has a story to tell, the collection encompasses lockets, rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings that inspire and empower the wearer. The eponymous label was founded in 2004 by Designer and Chief Creative Officer Monica Rich Kosann–member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America–as an extension of her passion for fine art photography and storytelling. She runs the company with her husband Rod, who serves as CEO.A Certified B Corporation working to meet the highest standards of quality and excellence, Monica Rich Kosann crafts sustainable heritage pieces that are made ethically and responsibly. The brand is sold in over 120 retailers across the country, has three free standing stores - two in New York and one at Somerset Collection in Troy, a shop at Bergdorf Goodman and a robust direct-to-consumer business. Designed using 18K Yellow Gold and Sterling Silver, Monica Rich Kosann designs precious gemstones and diamonds to ensure quality that lasts from generation-to-generation as modern heirlooms. A favorite with celebrities, Monica Rich Kosann pieces have been worn by incredible women throughout the years including Kelly Clarkson, Allison Williams, Sarah Jessica Parker and Gisele Bundchen.In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro[00:37] Sponsor: Taboola[01:54] Inspiring growth through authentic vision[06:58] Persisting through early business rejection[10:11] Building momentum through supportive communities[11:10] Sponsor: Next Insurance[12:41] Diversifying channels to reach more customers[16:32] Callouts[16:42]  Enhancing products through storytelling[21:00] Strengthening brands through right partnerships [24:02] Sponsor: Electric Eye[25:10] Building dedicated teams that enjoy their craft[26:19] Focusing business principles around your “Why”[28:02] Finding your unique approach and sticking with itResources:Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube youtube.com/c/HonestEcommerce?sub_confirmation=1Lockets, fine jewelry, and luxury gifts monicarichkosann.comFollow Monica Rich Kosann linkedin.com/company/monica-rich-kosannFollow Rod Kosann linkedin.com/in/rodkosannReach your best audience at the lowest cost! discover.taboola.com/honest  Easy, affordable coverage that grows with your business www.nextinsurance.com/honest  Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect  If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Frontline healthcare is where AI either proves itself or stays a buzzword. At AWS re:Invent, I sat down with Max Mosky from TouchPoint Support Services, a Qlik customer working across more than 650 healthcare facilities!!!!Max and his team support the people who are closest to patients. I wanted to understand how they are using data and AI to make life easier for frontline staff, not harder.We spoke about- What TouchPoint Support Services does and Max's role in supporting frontline teams- The day to day challenges their staff face inside hospitals and care facilities- Why they chose to partner with Qlik and AWS instead of trying to build everything in house- How Qlik Answers is bringing AI into frontline operations and what has changed for staff and patients so far- How AWS Bedrock and Qlik work together behind the scenes to deliver real time support at scale- What it means for Max and the team to be recognized as an AWS GenAI Trailblazer- If you care about how AI can support real people in real hospitals, this one will be worth your time.#data #ai #aws #reinvent2025 AWS Partners #analytics #agents #agenticai #qlik #theravitshow

In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Katy Doss, Founder & CEO of Script Marketing, for a practical conversation on the marketing basics associations can't afford to skip—especially as attention gets harder to earn and teams are stretched thin.While Katy's work centers on marketing for outdoor service businesses, her approach translates directly to association challenges: building trust, staying visible without overdoing it, and creating consistent member engagement that actually drives action.

Positionierung ist sinnlos, wenn sie nur auf dem Papier steht: Deine Praxismarke muss mit Leben und Ehrlichkeit gefüllt werden In dieser Folge räumen Klaus und Patrick mit dem verstaubten Image der „Praxisphilosophie“ auf. Viele Praxen haben zwar tolle Werte in einem PDF oder im Chefbüro stehen, doch wenn diese nicht aktiv gelebt werden, bleiben sie für Patienten und Team unsichtbar. Wir sprechen darüber, wie du – ähnlich wie die Kultmarke Harley-Davidson – ein echtes Lebensgefühl statt nur eine Dienstleistung verkaufst. Du lernst in dieser Episode, warum Standardfloskeln wie „kompetent und freundlich“ allein nicht mehr reichen, um aus der Masse herauszustechen. Wir zeigen dir, wie du durch das Belegen deiner Werte mit echten Geschichten (Storytelling) Vertrauen aufbaust und warum deine Positionierung der beste Filter ist, um genau die Wunschpatienten und Mitarbeiter anzuziehen, die wirklich zu dir passen. Außerdem erfährst du, warum gerade im Zeitalter von KI ein unverwechselbarer Markenkern wichtiger ist denn je. Die wichtigsten Erkenntnisse: - Werte müssen erlebbar sein: Eine Positionierung bringt nur etwas, wenn sie vom gesamten Team als DNA verinnerlicht wird und an jedem Touchpoint – vom ersten Telefonat bis zum Praxisschild – spürbar ist. Weg mit den Beliebigkeitsfloskeln: „Kompetenz“ ist eine Grundvoraussetzung; nutze lieber das „Warum“ hinter deiner Arbeit und belege deine Aussagen mit konkreten Mehrwerten für den Patienten. - Positionierung als Filter nutzen: Hab keine Angst davor, durch eine klare Kante manche Menschen abzuschrecken – nur so ziehst du die Patienten und das Personal an, die deine Mentalität teilen. - Menschen kaufen von Menschen: Dein Name und dein Gesicht sind oft die stärksten Vertrauensanker; Kunstnamen können funktionieren, erschweren aber oft die persönliche Identifikation. - Authentizität schlägt KI-Einheitsbrei: Da künstliche Intelligenz immer mehr generische Inhalte erzeugt, wird dein ehrlicher, wahrhaftiger Markenkern zum entscheidenden Wettbewerbsvorteil in der digitalen Welt. - Hausaufgabe von Klaus und Patrick: Schnapp dir deine Website und lies sie kritisch durch. Wenn du dort Versprechen wie „Herzlichkeit“ findest, prüfe selbst: Ist das durch echte Beispiele oder Zitate belegt oder ist es nur eine leere Hülle? Hier findest Du die Shownotes / Links zur heutigen Episode: Empfehlung: Solvi Podcast 109: Positionierung statt Beliebigkeit – Wie du deine Praxis unverwechselbar machst mit Christian Brendel und Robert Steffen > https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/109-positionierung-statt-beliebigkeit-wie-du-deine/id1507181929?i=1000743908427 Alle Episoden auf einen Blick > https://parsmedia.info/marketing-podcast/ punk.tuell auf YouTube > https://www.youtube.com/@die.praxismarketing.agentur/podcasts Kontakt zu Patrick und Klaus: - [Patrick > LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-neumann-3bb03b128) - patrick.neumann@parsmedia.info - [Klaus > LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/klausschenkmann) - klaus.schenkmann@parsmedia.info - Telefonat mit Klaus: [Buche gerne einen Termin](https://doodle.com/bp/klausschenkmann/marketing-talk-mit-klaus) Immer für Dich am Start: - [parsmedia Website](https://parsmedia.info) - [Praxismarketing-Blog](https://parsmedia.info/praxismarketing-blog) - [parsmedia Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/parsmedia.praxismarketing) - [parsmedia Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/parsmedia.praxismarketing) - [parsmedia YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@die.praxismarketing.agentur/podcasts) - [parsmedia alle Episoden auf einen Blick](https://parsmedia.info/marketing-podcast/) - Intro-Stimme: [Annette Hardinghaus](https://annettesprecherin.de) - Soundfiles: [DJ ActiMax](https://www.instagram.com/actimaxdj) – Produktion: [Podcast-Agentur Podcastliebe](https://podcastliebe.net/)

Mach Dein Mikro an – nicht Dich verrückt! Die echten Must-haves für Deinen erfolgreichen Podcast. In dieser Folge erfährst Du alles, was Du für Deinen professionellen und authentischen Podcast benötigst – ganz ohne Technikfrust oder Perfektionismus. Ich teile mit Dir die wichtigsten Must-haves, meine liebsten Tools und jede Menge Praxis-Tipps, damit Du Deinen Podcast noch besser organisieren kannst: strukturiert, effizient und mit Spaß. Darum geht's in dieser Folge: - Warum Dein Sound Dein wichtigstes Aushängeschild ist – und welches Mikrofon sich wirklich lohnt - Wie Du mit einfachen Tools Struktur in Deine Podcast-Planung bringst - Warum Authentizität wichtiger ist als Perfektion – und warum Du nicht jedes „Ähm“ rausschneiden solltest - Welche Tools Dich beim Schnitt, Hosting und der Veröffentlichung unterstützen - Wie Du Deinen Workflow aufbaust – von der Idee bis zur Promotion Deiner Folge - Welche Bonus-Tools Dir langfristig das Leben leichter machen Mein Tipp für Dich: Starte mit dem, was Du hast – und optimiere Schritt für Schritt. Wichtiger als perfekte Technik ist, dass Du anfängst und mit jeder Folge dazulernst. Jetzt reinhören und Deinen Podcast aufs nächste Level bringen! ---- Mein Name ist Sonia, ich bin Organisations-Profi und gelernte Industriekauffrau.

In dieser Live-Aufzeichnung von den Online Expert Days (Salzburg) spreche ich mit Jörg Niethammer (Hansgrohe) über „Next Level SEO entlang der Customer Journey“ – und was sich ändert, wenn du keinen eigenen Onlineshop hast, aber trotzdem entlang der gesamten Journey sichtbar sein willst.Wir sprechen darüber, warum der Offline Point of Sale Dinge kann, die eine Website nie komplett ersetzen wird (Erlebnis, Beratung, Vertrauen) – und wie Hansgrohe diese Lücke digital klug überbrückt: mit interaktiven Tools (u. a. der Inspirator), wenigen aber sehr fokussierten Content-Stücken, echter Fachexpertise und einer Strategie, die SEO als Input für Produkt, Kommunikation und interne Zusammenarbeit versteht. TakeawaysSEO ohne Shop funktioniert – wenn du nicht „Conversion = Checkout“ denkst, sondern Touchpoints, Vertrauen und Orientierung entlang der Journey aufbaust.Offline schlägt Online bei „Erlebnis“: Haptik/Feel (z. B. Wasserstrahl) und echte Beratung sind schwer digitalisierbar – darum braucht's smarte digitale Vorstufen.Customer Journey = mehr als linear: Hansgrohe arbeitet mit 5 Phasen (AIDA + After Sales) und denkt konsequent in Online- und Offline-Touchpoints.Interaktive Tools sind ein unfairer Vorteil: Der Inspirator verlängert die Journey digital, verbessert Messbarkeit – und kann Sichtbarkeit/Traffic treiben.Weniger Content, mehr Tiefe: Statt generischer Ratgeber setzt Hansgrohe auf spitze, expertengetriebene Inhalte (intern + Partner), die „KI-Einheitsbrei“ überleben.After Sales ist SEO-Gold: Pflege-/Problemlösungs-Content stärkt Vertrauen und reduziert Fehlinfos (z. B. „Essigreiniger“-Mythen).Brand + PR + Daten-Content (Studien, Storys) erhöhen Autorität – wichtig für klassische Suche und KI-Zitationen.Inhouse zählt Enablement: Brücken bauen, Vertrauen schaffen, Teams früh mitnehmen – und Trends (z. B. Plattform-Änderungen) schnell übersetzen.Kapitelmarken00:00 Intro: Next Level SEO bei Hansgrohe (ohne Onlineshop)01:05 Kontext & Herausforderung: Journey endet offline02:47 Was der Point of Sale besser kann: Erlebnis & Beratung04:33 Warum SEO trotzdem strategisch ist: Search Everywhere & Expertise07:41 5 Phasen der Customer Journey (AIDA + After Sales)09:10 Daten & Feedback-Loops: Installateur, Needs, Produktannahme11:19 Der „Inspirator“: interaktives Bad-Inspirationstool (3D)13:22 Impact: Journey verlängern, Messbarkeit verbessern, Sichtbarkeit pushen16:24 Content, der noch funktioniert: Tiefe Fachexpertise statt generisch21:41 PR/Studien & Autorität: warum starke Quellen in KI bevorzugt werden25:14 After Sales & Evergreen: Reinigung, Troubleshooting, Vertrauen28:11 Inhouse-Playbook: Brücken bauen & KI-Hype sinnvoll nutzen33:18 Der wichtigste Rat: Zielgruppe zuerst – Erlebnis vereinfachen & Website als Hub stärken

The ministry is your process of sharing God with people at the point of their need. That grows out of the concept that we were just talking about your good works glorify God. Broadcast #6972To help support this podcast, please visit walkwiththeking.org/donate and select "Podcast" from the dropdown menuA transcript of this broadcast is available on our website here. To hear more from Bob Cook, you can find Walk With The King on Facebook or Instagram.

Amy Weisenbach, CMO of The New York Times, recalls some crucial advice she received early in her career: "Don't come to me and say, how do I do this? Come to me and say, here's the problem. Here's what I think I should do. What do you think?" After cutting her teeth at companies like Jim Beam and Unilever — where she helped build one of the most provocative brands of the early 2000s, Axe Body Spray — Amy now leads marketing at one of the world's most storied media companies. Along the way, she's learned that the best brands understand everything communicates, from a Memorial Day sale to a Super Bowl spot. Today on Building Better CMOs, Amy talks with MMA Global CEO Greg Stuart about the hard-won journey from 2 million to 12 million subscribers, why the Times' leadership chose to invest in journalism when others were cutting, and the "Truth Is Worth It" campaign that made journalists proud of their marketing team for the first time. They also discuss the secret to hiring performance marketers who care about brand, as well as the value of trusted, human-reported journalism in an age of AI-generated content. ⁠⁠⁠Full transcript⁠⁠⁠ This episode was produced and edited by Eric Johnson from ⁠⁠⁠LightningPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Follow Building Better CMOs in your podcast app⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Rate and review the podcast⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amy's LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Greg's LinkedIn

The Referable Client Experience with Stacey Brown Randall   Most business owners say they want more referrals. Very few are actually drowning in them. The default strategy is to do good work, hope people notice, and maybe ask for introductions when things get slow. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, I sit down again with referral expert and author Stacey Brown Randall to talk about why that approach does not work and how to build a truly referrable client experience.   Stacey has spent years helping small business owners generate referrals without asking, without incentives, and without feeling manipulative. Her new book, The Referrable Client Experience, dives into how your day to day client journey can become your most powerful referral engine.   In This Episode, You'll Learn: Referrals, Introductions, and Word-of-Mouth Are Not the Same Thing. One of the first big shifts Stacey brings is simply defining our terms. A referral happens when a referral source connects you directly to a prospect, clearly identifies a need, and positions you as the solution. An introduction is just a connection. There is no identified need. Word-of-mouth buzz is when someone talks about you or gives out your name, but you are never actually connected. Most business owners lump all three together. The problem is that only one of them consistently leads to new clients. If all you are getting is introductions and vague "I mentioned you to someone" comments, you are not really running a referral strategy. Your Small Size Is Your Superpower. When we talk about "client experience," most people picture big company initiatives, software, and dashboards. Stacey defines client experience more simply as how your client feels while they work with you. That is where small business wins. You can: Make clients feel seen and remembered, Adjust quickly when something is off, Add personal, human touches that big companies could never scale, If you want to go from a good client experience to a referrable one, you have to understand the emotions you are creating along the way and be intentional about them. The Science Behind Why Referrals Happen. Referrals are not magic. Stacey frames them through three lenses: What happens in the brain of the referral source. When someone makes a great referral, "feel good" chemicals fire in their brain. They get to be the hero who solved a problem for someone they care about. It is about them helping the prospect, not about you. The psychology of trust. Referral sources do not need to know every credential or detail about you. What matters is that they trust you as a person and do not forget you. That trust is nurtured by consistent, human touch points, not by dumping your resume on them. Behavioral economics. Instead of manipulating reciprocity, Stacey focuses on the positive side: using surprise, delight, and variety in your touch points so people remember you and feel connected to you. Gifts, Touch Points, and What Actually Lands. Gifts can be powerful but they are often used poorly. Stacey's guidance: A gift should not be tied directly to a single referral, or you train people to expect a payout each time. For each referral source, build a plan of five to seven touch points over the year that happen whether or not referrals come in. Use gifts sparingly, and make them meaningful, humorous, or heartfelt enough to be memorable. If it took you two seconds to choose and send, it probably will not stand out. For actual referrals as they happen, Stacey recommends something simple and powerful: a handwritten thank you note. Be Strategic, Not "Spray and Pray". When owners want more referrals, they often default to more networking. More coffee dates, more events, more people. Stacey calls out the problem with this "spray and pray" approach. Instead, she encourages business owners to: Identify their ideal referral sources by asking, "Who regularly sees my ideal client before I do?" Focus on building real relationships with those few instead of trying to convert every person in the room. Accept that it is a numbers game, but a strategic one: you may meet a hundred people and end up with three or four true referral partners.   Key Takeaway: Referrals are not a mystery reserved for the lucky few. They are the predictable result of a client experience that makes people feel seen, cared for, and confident enough to put their reputation on the line for you. When you understand the science behind referrals and build a simple plan around your best referral sources, you can stop chasing cold leads and start welcoming more ideal clients who already trust you.   Bio: Stacey Brown Randall is the author of the new book, The Referable Client Experience, and the multiple award-winning book, Generating Business Referrals Without Asking. She is also the host of the Roadmap to Referrals podcast. Stacey teaches business owners how to generate referrals naturally…without manipulating, incentivizing, or even asking. She has been featured in national publications like Entrepreneur magazine, Investor Business Daily, Forbes, and more. She received her Master's in Organizational Communication and is married with three kids.   Links: Websites: https://staceybrownrandall.com/ https://referableclientexperience.com/ Social Media: www.linkedin.com/in/staceybrandall https://www.instagram.com/staceybrownrandall/ https://www.facebook.com/StaceyBrownRandall https://www.youtube.com/@referralswithoutasking   Conclusion: Referrals don't come from luck, pressure, or clever tactics—they come from the way your clients and referral sources feel throughout their experience with you. Stacey's insights remind us that when you create a journey rooted in trust, care, and thoughtful connection, referrals become a natural byproduct—not a struggle. By understanding the science behind why people refer and building a simple, intentional plan around your best referral sources, you can replace unpredictable lead generation with a reliable, relationship-driven system that grows your business sustainably and profitably.   #ProfitAnswerMan #SmallBusinessGrowth #Referrals #ClientExperience #BusinessProfit #CashFlow #TrustedAdvisor #BusinessStrategy   Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page  Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.

Why Physical Touchpoints Are Beating Funnels at Customer Retention EP331 of Profit With A Plan Podcast Released Date: December 16, 2025   Guest:  Mark Stern, founder and CEO of Custom Box Agency Host: Marcia Riner, Business Growth Strategist, Infinite Profit®  

In this episode of The Sustainable Hospitality Podcast, host Kathy Sue McGuire sits down with Tammy Pahel, Vice President of Spa & Wellness Operations, and Executive Chef Christopher Robinson of Carillon Miami Wellness Resort. Together, they unpack what it truly means to operate a wellness-focused resort—far beyond a traditional spa offering. The conversation explores how Carillon integrates wellness across food, movement, sleep, technology, and guest experience. From regenerative sourcing and personalized nutrition to AI-driven sleep systems and touchless wellness technologies, Tammy and Chef Chris share practical insights into building a holistic, evidence-based wellness ecosystem that benefits guests, staff, and the bottom line. ⸻

The 2025 MacVoices Holiday Gift Guide #6 kicks off with a lively mix of community banter and practical tech recommendations by Bart Busschots, Kirschen Seah, Mike Burke, and Chuck Joiner. Picks include a rechargeable wallet tracker, travel-friendly guided tour apps, sustainable coffee gear, foldable keyboards, a compact control surface, a powerful dictation tool, and pro-level video-switching software, each reflecting the interests of the panel members. (Part 1)  MacVoices is supported by CleanMyMac from MacPaw. Get Tidy Today! Try 7 days free and use my code MACVOICES20 for 20% off at clnmy.com/MACVOICES. Show Notes: Chapters: [0:00] Gift Guide introduction [0:32] Panel welcome and format overview [1:55] Meeting the guests and holiday camaraderie [4:42] First pick: Chipolo rechargeable wallet card [7:40] Second pick: GuideAlong offline narrated travel tours [11:27] Third pick: OXO Quick Brew coffee device [18:26] Fourth pick: ProtoArc foldable Bluetooth keyboard [21:05] Sponsor message: CleanMyMac holiday edition [23:00] Fifth pick: Stream Deck Neo compact controller [25:55] Sixth pick: MacWhisper dictation and transcription [30:20] Seventh pick: Thule bike rack engineering [34:20] Eighth pick: Switcher Studio iPad-based video switching [38:39] Closing and support information Links: Kirschen Seah Chipolo CARD - Rechargeable wallet tracker card, Bluetooth tracker, item locator, passport finder compatible with Apple Find My or Find Hub https://amzn.to/44YRvMT Elgato Stream Deck Neo – 8 Customizable Keys, 2 Touch Points https://amzn.to/4oLtNuN RoadID Apple Watch ID https://www.roadid.com/products/apple-sidekick-stainless-sport-id Optional IDProfile https://idprofile.com AirFly SE from 12South https://amzn.to/44PutrL Mike Burke: GuideAlong http://guidealong.com MacWhisper Pro https://apps.apple.com/us/app/whisper-transcription/id1668083311 "The Holding It Together" Bundle Gaffers Tape (2" x 30 Yards) Strong Hold, Easy to Rip, Residue-Free Professional Grade Floor Tape for Electrical Cords, Matte Finish Non Reflective, Weather Resistant https://amzn.to/48N5Xc1 BongoTies Original Bongo Ties A5-01 - 10 Pack ~ Professional cable ties made of natural rubber and bamboo https://amzn.to/44hxLUA Paracord Planet 550lb Paracord – 7 Strand Type III Tactical Parachute Cord https://amzn.to/3XMKbjA SOOOEC 100 Pack Reusable Zip Ties Assorted Sizes 6+8+10+12 Inch https://amzn.to/3XK5l1U Peak Design Tech Pouch https://amzn.to/3KB1Ho4 Bart Busschots: OXO Brew Rapid Brewer - Portable Coffee Maker https://amzn.to/3MssIKQ OXO Good Grips Silicone Reusable Bags – 4 Piece Lunch Set https://amzn.to/48Q72A2 Thule EuroWay G2 920 Bike Rack for car https://amzn.to/4aAUxKT Peak Design Roller Pro Carry-On https://amzn.to/3MybICR Lego Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D  https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/star-trek-u-s-s-enterprise-ncc-1701-d-10356 Brick Popper - World's Fastest Separator Tool - Efficient Remover for Kids and Adults https://amzn.to/4ac82Rj Chuck Joiner: ProtoArc Foldable Bluetooth Keyboard, XK01 Folding Wireless Portable Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, Full-Size Travel Keyboards for iPad Tablet Smartphone Laptop https://amzn.to/4oMWgjU Switcher Studio https://www.switcherstudio.com OWC 2TB Express 1M2 40Gb/s Portable NVMe SSD USB4 (Thunderbolt Compatible/USB-C) Ultra Fast External SSD Drive https://amzn.to/4aFqFNv Lexar 2TB ES5 Magnetic External SSD, Up to 2000MB/s, Compatible w/MagSafe https://amzn.to/3XKz1Mo Guests: Mike Burke is a corporate technical trainer and automation enthusiast who specializes in creating structured systems that blend productivity techniques with practical technology solutions. Drawing on his background as a former high school science teacher, Mike brings a methodical, educational approach to complex technical concepts. Through his blog and YouTube channel, he shares insights on macOS automation technologies including Keyboard Maestro, AppleScript, and shell scripting. Mike is passionate about the concept of "digital mise en place" — creating thoughtfully organized digital environments that eliminate friction and support creative work. When not exploring new automation techniques, Mike can be found documenting his family's quest to visit all U.S. National Parks. His web site is TheMikeBurke.com.   By day, Bart Busschots is a Linux sysadmin, cyber security expert, and Perl programmer, as well  a keen amateur photographer when ever he gets the time. Bart hosts and produces the Let's Talk podcast series - a monthly Apple show that takes a big-picture look at the last month in Apple news, and a monthly photography show focusing on the art and craft of photography. Every second week Bart is the guest for the Chit Chat Across the Pond segment on Allison Sheridan's NosillaCast. You can get links to everything Bart gets up including a link to his photography and his personal blog. Kirschen Seah's background is Computer Sciences with interests in Software Engineering, User Experience, and Mac OS X / iPhone OS development. She started programming with BASIC in 1978 on an Apple ][ and have over 30 years of experience in the field. Kirschen worked on OPENSTEP (precursor to Mac OS X Cocoa) graphical prototyping applications initially when she joined Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) in 1999, and was a Senior Principal Systems Engineer in the Flight Management Systems department focussed on the user interface for pilot interaction. Prior to joining Rockwell Collins Kirschen worked at Acuity (formerly ichat) developing interactive user interfaces for live chat customer service agents. Now retired, there's now more time to share technical insights on her blog, develop useful scripts (Python, shell), and write Shortcuts. Kirschen is really motivated to share her experience to help fellow software practitioners develop better skills – be that in good design, implementation, or computer science fundamentals. Find her at FreeRangeCoder.com. Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:      http://macvoices.com      Twitter:      http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

Cómo pasar de "te dejó en visto" a "reunion agendada"En este episodio me acompaña mi amigo desde España, David Navas, uno de los mayores expertos en prospección B2B y cofundador de Outbounders. Y nos fuimos directo a un tema que a todos los vendedores nos duele: cómo hacer un seguimiento efectivo durante la etapa de prospección, antes de que exista propuesta, antes de que exista interés… cuando todavía estamos peleando por esa primera reunión.David rompe con la idea de que la prospección es “mandar mensajes y esperar suerte”. No.La prospección es un proceso, una cadencia bien pensada, con Touch Points que aportan valor, multicanal, y con una lógica que muchos vendedores nunca han usado. Aquí hablamos de:Cómo iniciar siempre con un “toque suave” (LinkedIn o email) sin pedir nada.Qué hacer cuando el prospecto no responde después de varios intentos.Qué tipo de mensajes funcionan mejor según el canal.Cómo diseñar una cadencia multicanal (LinkedIn + email + llamada + video) que realmente convierte.Por qué tu tono y tu actitud valen más que tu script.El famoso “correo de fuego”, el último mensaje de una cadencia que aumenta entre 10% y 20% las respuestas.Qué hacer con respuestas “neutras” como el típico: “Gracias”.Además, David comparte tácticas súper prácticas:cómo romper patrones en llamadas, cómo hacer personalización real sin perder tiempo, cómo aprovechar social proof en video mensajes y cómo evitar parecer un call center desesperado.Terminamos con un cierre muy humano donde él comparte su filosofía de vida: equilibrio, curiosidad y aprender siempre algo nuevo.Si te interesa mejorar tu prospección, este episodio es de escucha obligatoria.

Crocs and ZMS turn inspiration into impact - fusing cultural pulse, bold storytelling, and live moments at our Brand Experience Hub. Dive in with Yann Le Bozec, Group VP & Head of Marketing at Crocs, as he reveals how entertainment-led campaigns spark true connections and scale brand love. The most recent example he brings: Their collaboration with The Elevator Boys.

The expiration of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) on September 30, 2025, has resulted in a notable decline in U.S. cyber defense capabilities, with a reported drop of over 70% in the sharing of threat indicators. This lapse has created a legal and operational vacuum, leading to increased delays in alert dissemination and a rise in cyber threats, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare and energy. Federal agencies and private companies are now hesitant to report incidents without the liability protections that CISA previously provided, resulting in a fragmented response to cyber threats.In response to the growing concerns over cybersecurity, the U.S. Congress has included a provision in the federal government shutdown legislation to extend CISA through the end of January 2026. This extension is crucial for facilitating the sharing of threat data between businesses and government agencies. Meanwhile, the Cybersecurity and Resilience Bill introduced in the UK mandates that medium and large IT management and cybersecurity service providers comply with minimum security standards, reflecting a shift towards greater accountability in protecting critical infrastructure.Additionally, Microsoft and 1Password are advancing passwordless technology, with Microsoft enabling the syncing of passkeys across devices and 1Password integrating a new native Passkeys plugin API for Windows 11. These developments aim to enhance user convenience and security, signaling a shift away from traditional password reliance. EasyDMARC has also launched Touchpoint, an AI-driven sales enablement tool for MSPs, while Enable has introduced a cyber warranty program offering financial protection for cyber incidents.For MSPs and IT service leaders, these developments underscore the importance of adapting to evolving cybersecurity regulations and technologies. The expiration of CISA highlights the need for private networks and MSPs to fill the intelligence gap left by government agencies. As compliance requirements tighten in the UK and the U.S., MSPs that can navigate these changes and assist clients in maintaining security and compliance will find significant opportunities in a rapidly changing landscape. Three things to know today00:00 U.S. Cyber Defense Falters as CISA Act Expires, Threat Sharing Plummets 70% Amid Budget Cuts04:35 Compliance Crossroads: New EU, UK, and U.S. Rules Reshape Data Protection and Cybersecurity for MSPs09:42 Vendors Push Simpler, Smarter Security: Microsoft Syncs Passkeys, N-able Adds Cyber Warranty, EasyDMARC Targets MSP Sales This is the Business of Tech.     Supported by:  https://getflexpoint.com/msp-radio/https://cometbackup.com/?utm_source=mspradio&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sponsorship

This episode of Sell With Authority is part of our special series exploring one of the most vital dynamics inside every agency's sales process: trust and distrust. You've been hearing from agency leaders who are leaning into this issue head-on. These conversations are not only timely — they're also forming the research foundation for my next book, The Trust Architecture, and a new series of Field Guides we'll be sharing with our community. As we've seen time and again from our work alongside agency owners and their teams — trust, or the lack of it, is often the biggest obstacle to having a sales pipeline that feels like a steady stream of right-fit prospects flowing into your agency. Which makes today's conversation a perfect fit for this series. Our special guest expert is Jerry Gennaria, President and CEO of TOKY. Jerry brings more than 30 years of experience helping professional service firms tell their story more effectively, build stronger businesses, and reach their full potential. He's also the host of The Intangible Brand podcast — where he explores what brand really means beyond the surface-level tactics. Here's why Jerry's perspective matters so much for this series… In a recent LinkedIn post, he made an incredibly sharp observation — when Southwest Airlines cut away the very things customers loved most about their experience, it wasn't just a rebrand. A brand isn't just graphics or identity — it's about who you are internally and how customers experience you externally. When you change that alignment — you break trust. That ties directly to what we saw in the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer — when trust erodes, grievance and frustration take over — but when trust grows, optimism and loyalty follow. That's exactly the kind of work Jerry and his team at TOKY do every day — helping clients align their brand and their actions so that trust is reinforced at every single touchpoint. When your agency's brand and your actions are aligned — trust isn't an abstract idea. It's felt — in every interaction, every proposal, every conversation. When trust is felt at every touchpoint — selling more of what you do stops being about persuasion — and starts being about consistency. That's why we wanted Jerry's perspective to be part of this series. When I say we — I mean Hannah Roth, our Director of Strategy and Mad Scientist, is here with me for this conversation to bring her data-driven perspective into this discussion with Jerry — because when you combine brand alignment with real-world strategy — that's when trust becomes measurable and scalable. What you will learn in this episode:  How to make prospects feel seen — and why that matters for conversion Jerry's "brand is a promise delivered" philosophy for agencies The art and science of pushing back — and how it earns deep respect from right-fit clients Why authentic storytelling aligned with your brand delivers exponential results Ways to boldly show your expertise without being self-aggrandizing Why trust is not built in the big gestures Resources: Website: toky.com LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gennaria/ The Intangible Brand: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-intangible-brand/ TOKY: https://www.linkedin.com/company/toky-branding/ The Intangible Brand Podcast: www.theintangiblebrand.com

What if your podcast could power your marketing, client education, and sales conversations? In today's episode, I'm talking to service-based business owners who are ready to treat their podcast like a business asset, not just a hobby. I'm breaking down the main phases of your client journey and how your podcast can impact each touchpoint along the way. Clocking In with Haylee Gaffin is produced by Gaffin Creative, a podcast production company for creative entrepreneurs. Learn more about our services at Gaffincreative.com, plus you'll also find resources, show notes, and more for the Clocking In Podcast.Find It Quickly: Main phases of your client journey (1:07)Your podcast in marketing (1:31)Your podcast in the sales process (3:34)Your podcast in the client experience (7:58)Your podcast in retention and referrals (11:00)Review the Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/FrIEEoLrogWConnect with Haylee:Gaffin Creative: gaffincreative.comInstagram: instagram.com/hayleegaffin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Trial of Evocation, Part IFour of the massive elementals battle for glory and prizes – but the reward for last-place is death. Royale Theme: “Wizard Disco” by Louie Zong: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/album/wizard-discoOriginal Music by Griffin McElroyAdditional Music in this Episode:  "Unforeseen Consequences (Remastered)" by Techthiest: https://techtheist.ru; "Simple Song" by Jar of Flies: https://jaroffliesofficial.bandcamp.com/; "Touchpoint" by Jason Shaw: https://audionautix.com/; and "Redemption" by Scott Holmes Music: https://scottholmesmusic.com/.Border Angels: https://www.borderangels.org/

On this episode of Game Makers, we explore three critical topics: how Delta Force's mobile revenue soared past PUBG's by 75% , why the "Take-Two Mafia" thesis is a myth centered on the wrong company , and a powerful framework for fixing your recruiting process by treating candidates like customers.In this episode, you will learn:MACRO: How Delta Force's monetization and LiveOps strategy led to a 6x revenue spike, and what its 97% revenue concentration in China means for Western studios.ALPHA: Why the popular "Take-Two Mafia" thesis is flawed and how the timeline points to Peak Games, not its publisher, as the true source of a mobile gaming "mafia effect".GAME DEV: How to apply the "Customer Journey and Touchpoints" concept from Tony Fadell's book Build to your candidates to create a recruiting process that attracts and wins 10x talent.Episode Timestamps:(02:20) Macro: Delta Force vs. PUBG Mobile Analysis (11:40) Alpha: Debunking the Take-Two "Mafia Effect" (22:30) Game Dev: Optimizing the Candidate Journey For charts and a full transcript, subscribe to our newsletter at: https://www.gamemakers.com/ Follow Game Makers and subscribe for more insights into the business and craft of making games.

The promise of technology is efficiency, but the core of community building still lies in authentic human connection. The current nonprofit sector finds it hard to balance automation with meaningful touchpoints that foster trust, vulnerability, and genuine relationships. This conversation explores the intersection of community and technology, emphasizing how nonprofit organizations can avoid over-engineering relationships, understand the ebb and flow of engagement, and harness the power of simple but personal gestures.  Tasha Van Vlack is the CEO of Community Hives, a global peer-connection platform that helps organizations to strengthen their communities, whether through technology, strategy, or hands-on consulting. With a passion for bringing people together and with the belief that right connections can change everything, Tasha's diving headfirst into scaling relational tech and dreaming up what's next for human-first connection tools. She sits down with Mallory to talk about how nonprofits can leverage modern technologies not to replace but to support authentic communities by blending automation with personal touchpoints.  In this episode, you will be able to: - Learn how to balance automation with authentic human touchpoints. - Learn the importance of embracing the natural ebb and flow of engagement. - Discover how simple but personal gestures can have an enormous impact on relationships. - Learn why vulnerability, flexibility, and active participation is essential in building trust.  Get all the resources from today's episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

How well do you know your ideal customers? Is this something you put the necessary time and attention into? A recent visit at Virgin Hotels in Nashville reminded me just how important this is and how far you can go to surprise and delight as I found lube and a vibrator at the bottom of their nightstand.  We'll talk through how this applies to your business, retention and referrals, and why we should be friends if you feel the same way.   Time Stamps:   (0:10) The Backstory (2:30) Knowing Your Customer (4:12) The Parent Letter (4:43) The Touch Points (6:10) Retention and Referrals ----------

Your branding isn't just your logo or your website—it's every single interaction a customer has with your business. From your voicemail greeting to the shirt you wear on the job, small details shape how customers perceive you. In this episode, we'll cover the overlooked touchpoints that can either build trust—or cost you the job—and how dialing them in can help your lawn care or landscaping business stand out, get found, and win more work. Important Links: https://www.brandedbull.com/  https://www.instagram.com/brandedbull/ https://www.facebook.com/brandedbullinc

Windermere Coaching Minute Podcast - Show NotesHost: Erin WrightWindermere Coaching Minute PodcastGuest: Christina Griffith19-year licensed real estate professionalSpecializes in Washington County area of Portland suburbs (Beaverton, Hillsboro)Same Windermere office throughout entire careerFocus: First-time sellers and relocation clientsChristina GriffithEmail: christinagriffith@windermere.comInstagram: @csgriffithFacebook: Christina GriffithMarket: West Portland suburb areaConnect with Windermere:Path Calls: Every Thursday at 10:00 AM (for Windermere agents)Show Contact: fanning@windermere.comWrote handwritten notes to everyone she knew announcing her real estate careerVolunteered for open houses that experienced agents didn't want to holdParticipated in community events (including borrowing her broker's dog for farmer's market networking!)Lesson: Old-school relationship building still works todayAfter 18 years, realized she was rushing between work and home responsibilitiesWanted to grow but felt overwhelmed by existing workloadSolution: Invested in professional coaching for 4 months to create structureStruggled with analysis paralysis and perfectionismWanted everything "perfect" before implementingBreakthrough: "Done is better than perfect" mindset shiftProfessional Collateral:Comprehensive buyer's and seller's guidesProfessional listing presentationsUsed Canva templates as starting pointsImpact: Built instant credibility, especially in competitive relocation scenariosMarketing System (36+ Touch Points):12 monthly postcards6 bi-monthly "item of value" postcards12 e-newsletters4 pop-bys2 client eventsPhone calls, text messages, coffee meetingsTools Used: Reminder Media (postcards), Boomerang (item of value), Cloze CRMOrganization Systems:Detailed checklists for consistent client experienceScorecard system for daily business activitiesCalendar blocking for specific tasksComprehensive spreadsheet tracking client interactionsChristina shared how a random reconnection with a past client (who kept shipping packages to her old address) led to discovering major life changes and resulted in 4 transactions worth over $4 million in sales. This reinforced the critical importance of consistent follow-up systems.Podcasts:Ninja Selling PodcastWindermere Podcasts (2 different ones)Life at 10 TenthsMillionaire Real Estate AgentPath Calls (Windermere agents)Tools & Services:Close CRMReminder Media (postcards)Boomerang (item of value postcards)Canva (design templates)"Done is better than perfect.""Every client is precious and every client is important, and every client that you handle with grace and they walk away being satisfied means you're just that more likely to get a referral from them.""You really can't grow alone... You need to get support from somebody to push you forward. Or you're always going to be focusing on something that is maybe easy to do, but not the thing that will move you forward."Start Small: If not ready for professional coaching, begin with quality real estate podcastsCreate Professional Collateral: Develop buyer's and seller's guides using templatesImplement Checklists: Ensure consistent client experience across all transactionsBuild a Follow-Up System: Track all client interactions and schedule regular touchpointsGet Accountability: Find a coach, accountability partner, or managing broker for supportFocus on Lead Generation: Once systems are in place, prioritize meeting new peopleChristina's journey from a successful but overwhelmed agent to a systematized professional demonstrates that even experienced agents can benefit from stepping back, creating structure, and investing in professional development. Her transformation shows that the right systems don't just organize your business—they free you up to focus on what really matters: building relationships and growing your client base.

This is how I keep client relations equal and visible. Learn how to balance your time and energy more effectively. #ThePitch #INICIVOX #VirtualMentorship

Your weekly dose of information that keeps you up to date on the latest developments in the field of technology designed to assist people with disabilities and special needs. Special Guest: Vicki Mayo – Founder and CEO – The Touchpoint Solution Website: ilovetouchpoint.com Discount code – assist For more about Bridging Apps: www.bridgingapps.org —————————— If […]

Guest None today; just me reflecting on recent events. Summary In this episode, I recount my recent fly fishing trip to Alaska, reflecting on how various organizations shaped my experience. Delta Airlines impressed him with personalized service and proactive rebooking. In contrast, an overpriced and unwelcoming airport hotel in Detroit left a negative impression. The Bear Trail Lodge in Alaska, however, stood out for its commitment to guest experience, environmental consciousness, and celebration of local culture, reinforcing the idea that a brand is defined by a series of customer touch points, not just its primary service. Key Points: A successful vacation, and by extension, a positive organizational experience, depends on mindset, handling unexpected issues, and interactions with external organizations. Organizations like Delta Airlines and the Bear Trail Lodge demonstrate an understanding that their overall brand and reputation are built upon numerous customer touch points, not just their core service. Personalized service, attention to detail (like a handwritten note or addressing customers by name), and embodying a brand's values contribute significantly to customer loyalty and satisfaction.

July 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Trial – a trial that exposed profound divisions in America over religion, education, and public morality. This was a legal case in Dayton, Tennessee, where high school teacher John Scopes was prosecuted for teaching evolution, violating the state's Butler Act. The Butler Act was a 1925 Tennessee law that prohibited public school teachers from teaching any theory that denied the biblical account of human creation, specifically targeting the teaching of evolution. But believe it or not, this entire trial was orchestrated. Local leaders had the teacher volunteer to be charged as a publicity stunt to boost the town's economy and gain national attention. But it soon gained far more attention than anyone expected, as it touch a nerve on the national clash between an increasingly secular scientific establishment and religious fundamentalists. Battle lines were drawn in the courtroom. Clarence Darrow, a renowned agnostic lawyer and advocate for civil liberties, defended Scopes, while William Jennings Bryan, a prominent Christian populist, three-time presidential candidate, and anti-evolution crusader, prosecuted, highlighting their contrasting worldviews. The trial became a media sensation due to its clash of science versus religion, drawing hundreds of reporters, radio broadcasts, and public fascination with the dramatic courtroom exchanges, particularly Darrow’s cross-examination of Bryan. To discuss the legacy of the case is today’s guest, Brenda Wineapple, author of “Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial that Riveted America.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Kleinman Phillips is one student of the No BS Master program who I've been delighted to watch grow and blossom over the last few years. He is a shining example of our community in the way that he shows up full of energy, open and ready to share his wins, his challenges, to ask questions, and to support others. I am so excited for you to hear his story.Jacob is the founder of Touchpoint, a branding studio helping purpose-driven businesses and nonprofits turn their mission into a movement. Known for his strategic clarity and human-first approach. He blends storytelling with design to craft brands that don't just look good, they move people.Tune into this episode to hear:How Jacob's own commitment to giving back shows up in the work that he does and fuels his businessThe client experience that taught Jacob to lean in to his niche and good client fitsHow the LP interview has allowed him to incorporate unexpected, highly impactful details that perfectly align with clientsWhat dressing up in a chicken suit taught JacobJacob's “aha” moment about the difference between a commodity and a transformationLearn more about Jacob Kleinman Phillips:Touchpoint DesignInstagram: @jacob.kleinmanphillipsResources:FREE GUIDE - Goodbye GenericNo BS Agencies MasteryThe Price to Freedom Calculator™No BS LaunchpadNo BS Agency Owners Free Facebook GroupStart reading the first chapter of my bookPiasilva.com

Our next podcast takeover episode is with the amazing Jeni Bukolt from GSD with Jeni. We discuss the biggest mistakes business owners make when it comes to referrals and how to shift your mindset to see results. We also touch on protecting your mindset as an entrepreneur, the importance of building authentic relationships, and overcoming self-sabotage. Resources and links mentioned in this episode can be found on the show notes page at http://www.staceybrownrandall.com/370

What if every step of your patient's journey—not just your care—felt extraordinary? In this episode, Michael sits down with Santosh Patel for a deep dive into building a practice where being obsessed with patient experience is the rule, not the exception. From the very first online interaction to the moment patients step out the door, you'll discover how reputation and practice growth thrive when you exceed expectations at every touchpoint.Together, Michael and Santosh uncover the real-world challenges that often separate intention from impact, such as misaligned messaging, outdated office systems, and the disconnect between online presence and in-person encounters. You'll hear practical strategies for transforming first impressions, converting inquiries into appointments, leveraging technology, and instilling a team-wide obsession with patient experience. Drawing on examples from world-class brands and healthcare innovators, this conversation provides a blueprint for building—or reinventing—a truly patient-centered practice from the ground up.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The hidden gaps in patient experience that could be costing your practice trust and growthHow to seamlessly align your website, ads, and in-office experience for a unified brandProven methods for converting patient inquiries into booked appointmentsWhy empathetic communication and confident call handling lead to higher conversionsThe impact of role-playing and staff training for delivering consistent excellenceThe most important KPIs for measuring true patient satisfaction—not just reviewsTips for designing a patient-focused culture from scratch, borrowing lessons from top hospitality and service brandsAction steps to ensure every team member—from front desk to clinical—is invested in the patient journeyInsights into upcoming industry events and resources for ongoing learningHit play now to discover practical steps for creating a practice patients rave about—and a team that takes pride in every interaction.‍Sponsors:‍CareStack: Modern, Secure, Cloud-Based Dental Software for Growing Your Practice! With state-of-the-art features including Online Appointments, Integrated Payments, Text Reminders and more. Click the link here for a special offer: thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/carestack‍Guest: Santosh PatelBusiness Name: Complete Specialty SolutionsCheck out Santosh's Media:‍Website: completespecialty.comWebsite: subscribili.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/santosh-patel-8849a013CareStack Inner Circle Event‍Download the Patient-Obsessed Practice Blueprint for FREE today! (A step-by-step guide to implement everything Santosh talked about today.)‍Host: Michael AriasJoin my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍Love the Podcast? Let Us Know How We're Doing on Apple Podcasts!