Podcasts about trusted advisors

Law firms spend enormous amounts of time and money winning new clients, then often overlook the relationships they have already built. In episode 636 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett talks with EJ Stern and Katherine Wilson about how intentional client nurturing can lead to stronger relationships, repeat business, and more referrals.  EJ and Katherine explain why clients can quietly disappear when firms stop staying connected, why asking for feedback can strengthen rather than threaten a relationship, and how lawyers can move beyond being the person clients call with one legal problem to becoming a trusted advisor they call about everything else.  They also share practical ways to stay top of mind, from LinkedIn and personal check-ins to thoughtful gifts, memorable experiences, and small gestures that show you actually know the person behind the matter. As AI-generated communication becomes easier to produce, authentic human connection may become even more valuable.  If your firm is constantly focused on finding the next client, this conversation is a reminder that some of your best growth opportunities may already know, like, and trust you.  Listen to the previous episodes of our Client Retention, Referral Growth & Relationship Building.  #609: Improve Client Satisfaction Without More Work: Designing Smarter Legal Services, with Laura Hartnett Apple | Spotify | LTN  #608: Business Development for Lawyers: Building Real Relationships That Lead to Clients, with Megan Senese Apple | Spotify | LTN  #592: Client Care, Culture, and Character: A Framework for Great Leaders, with William O'Neal Apple | Spotify | LTN  #526: LinkedIn Mastery: Grow Your Law Firm NOW!, with Matthew Hunt Apple | Spotify | LTN  #424: How to Get Great Feedback from Clients, with Ashley Steckler Apple | Spotify | LTN  #347: How a Client Happiness Coordinator Increased My Firm Referrals & Reviews, with Ryan McKeen & Brittany Green Apple | Spotify | LTN  Links from the episode:  https://smith.ai/  8am Kaleidoscope: https://www.8am.com/events/kaleidoscope/  Fractional Law Firm CMO  Fractional Law Firm CMO on LinkedIn  EJ Stern on LinkedIn  Katherine Wilson on LinkedIn  Have thoughts about today's episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.   Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.   Chapters / Timestamps   00:00 – Introduction  01:16 – Getting More From Conferences  03:02 – AI in Law Firms  06:39 – AI for Client Intake  08:15 – Intake Is a Sales Funnel  11:19 – Fixing Intake Leaks  13:22 – AI for Sales and Intake  14:53 – Meet EJ Stern & Katherine Wilson  15:36 – Why Client Retention Gets Overlooked  16:19 – Turning Clients Into Referrals  17:47 – Why Lawyers Avoid Feedback  21:01 – Why Client Experience Matters  21:54 – Becoming a Trusted Advisor  22:54 – How to Ask for Client Feedback  24:33 – Staying Top of Mind  25:27 – Building Client Loyalty  26:50 – Past Clients and Referral Sources  28:41 – Creative Client Gifts  32:22 – Human Connection in the Age of AI  34:50 – Invest in Existing Clients  35:21 – Building Long-Term Client Relationships  36:11 – Marketing Is Like the Gym  37:13 – LinkedIn and Staying Top of Mind  38:00 – Keep Repeating Your Message  38:21 – Closing Thoughts   

Today, we have a special return episode from our friends at Backbox, who we heard the creation story of the company back in Season 8. In this episode, we talk with Rekha Shenoy, CEO of Backbox. Since Rekha took the helm as CEO in May 2024, the company has expanded beyond traditional security automation to launch its major BackBox 8.0 platform, unifying cloud and on-prem infrastructure visibility. They've also integrated human-in-the-loop, advisor-focused AI capabilities - and are back to let us know some even more "big things" happening with platform, around agentic . Questions: Tell me about yourself—your path into tech and what shapes how you lead (background, influences, hobbies, family).Tell me about BackBox. What does the company do, and what drew you in to take the CEO seat in 2024?How has the product matured? How do you build your roadmap?Zoom out — what are you most proud of in shaping BackBox?What does the future look like for your product and team?BackBox describes AI as a "trusted advisor, not an autonomous agent" — four principles: protecting infrastructure, repeatable/verifiable results, supporting (not replacing) engineers, and transparency about how AI reaches conclusions. Where did that philosophy come from, and why hold that line while competitors race toward full autonomy?What does "responsible AI" actually look like in the product — not as a value statement, but as a design constraint that shaped the engineering decision?Tell us about your recent launch and what it enables a network team to do that they couldn't before?How does the launch extend or test that responsible-AI philosophy?At what point does "AI as advisor" start to feel like a limitation rather than a safeguard?Linkshttps://backbox.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/rekha-shenoy-950b23/https://www.codestory.co/episodes/s8-bonus-bypassing-brittle-custom-scripts-implementing-automated-multi-tenant-configuration-backups-and-vulnerability-patching-at-scale-with-andrew-kahl-of-backbox/ Current Sponsors: Tiger Data Protected Harbor Render Fitnexa Perplexity Entelligence Checkout our Stacklist! https://stacks.codestory.co/ Hosted by Noah Labhart | Technical Founder & Startup Mentor. Our Sponsors:* Check out Granola and use my code granola.ai/CODESTORY for a great deal: https://granola.ai* Check out Perplexity and use my code CODESTORY for a great deal: https://www.perplexity.aiAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The Fractional CFO Files, Hannah Munro is joined by Adrian Message from The CFO Centre to explore what truly defines a successful fractional CFO. Drawing on years of experience supporting businesses through growth, change and uncertainty, Adrian shares why trust, adaptability and strong relationships often matter more than technical expertise alone.In this episode, you'll learn:How fractional CFOs adapt their approach to meet the unique needs of each business and build trusted relationships with founders and leadership teams.Why emotional intelligence, honesty and difficult conversations are often just as important as financial expertise.How CFOs can enable growth by moving beyond transactions and controls to focus on strategy, education and business improvement.Practical lessons from Adrian's career, including scaling businesses, navigating financial challenges and helping finance leaders create greater impact.

What It Takes to Build AI That Is Accurate Enough, Traceable Enough, and Trustworthy Enough for High-Stakes Financial WorkGuest: Nikita Komarov, CEO and Founder at Dobs.AIHost: Seth Earley, CEO at Earley Information SciencePublished on: September 9, 2026In this episode, Seth Earley speaks with Nikita Komarov, CEO and Founder of Dobs.AI, who spent seven years at McKinsey advising Fortune 1000 executives before founding a company that is rebuilding financial due diligence, internal audit, and vendor overpayment recovery from the ground up as agentic AI systems. They explore why financial professionals are the most resistant to AI adoption and why that resistance is rational, how orchestrating teams of AI agents with financial controls built in produces outputs that are deterministic enough for audit, why the difference between an efficiency tool and a production-ready AI system is enormous, and how the trusted advisor status accountants have built over decades becomes a platform for entirely new services in the AI era.Key Takeaways:Financial professionals are among the most resistant to AI adoption for a rational reason - LLMs are non-deterministic by nature, and accounting requires numbers that are 100% accurate and traceable.Building production-grade financial AI requires three levers working together: orchestrating teams of agents with defined roles, building financial controls and guardrails into the pipeline, and solving for data extraction accuracy before any analysis begins.The difference between an efficiency tool like Claude or ChatGPT and a production-ready AI system is not the model - it is the architecture, the controls, and the product thinking required to get from unstructured input to a final output a human can take to a client.DOBS AI compresses financial due diligence from a six-week engagement to 72 hours for the management meeting - cutting the cycle from week and a half to three days on that critical milestone alone.Accounting firms have more trust with clients than management consultants or lawyers, and that trust combined with recurring access creates a platform for expanding into advisory services that AI now makes possible.The pricing model reckoning is real - time and materials no longer makes sense when AI does the work in hours, and firms need to shift to value-based pricing anchored to the outcome delivered, not the hours spent.The long-term trajectory is positive, but the mid-term transition is the risk - AI is compressing decades of technological change into five to ten years, and organizations and individuals who are not adapting will be left behind.Insightful Quotes:"Large language models, they predict the next word. That's why these systems are non-deterministic. You can't say what the output will be next. That's the problem in financial services - you need 100% accuracy, but you don't know what the system is going to tell you." - Nikita Komarov"That's exactly the difference between an efficiency tool and a production-ready solution. When people say we use AI, they most likely mean Copilot or ChatGPT - and that's 5 to 10% of what's actually possible." - Nikita Komarov"You can't automate what you don't understand. The first thing you have to do is say, what is the expected output and the outcome, and then how do I verify that I actually get there?" - Seth EarleyTune in to discover why financial AI is one of the most demanding and highest-stakes applications in the enterprise - and what it actually takes to build systems that are accurate and auditable enough to trust.LinksLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikita-komarov/Website: https://dobs.aiWays to Tune In:Earley AI Podcast: https://www.earley.com/earley-ai-podcast-home Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1586654770 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5nkcZvVYjHHj6wtBABqLbEiHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-earley-ai-podcast-87108370/ Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/show/earley-ai-podcastAmazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/18524b67-09cf-433f-82db-07b6213ad3ba/earley-ai-podcast Buzzsprout: https://earleyai.buzzsprout.com/Thanks to our sponsors:VKTREarley Information ScienceAI Powered Enterprise Book

How to Build Trust Fast. Trust runs every small business relationship. One simple formula, the trust equation, shows small business owners how to earn it faster without faking it. Show Notes Page: https://www.thehowofbusiness.com/620-the-trust-factor/ On this short episode Henry Lopez shares his thoughts and experiences related to why trust matters so much in business relationships, and one variable or technique that can have significant positive impact on how quickly people trust you. People don't buy from, partner with, or make deals with people they don't trust. That's often true even when you have the better product or the better price. Most small businesses don't have a big brand name doing the work for them. The owner or a key employee is the face of the business, and word of mouth and referrals, the lifeblood of new opportunities, depend on trust. The challenge is that trust takes time to build. You often get only one sales call, one first meeting, or one negotiation to start. In this episode of The How of Business, Henry Lopez explains the trust equation from The Trusted Advisor by David Maister, Charles Green, and Robert Galford. Henry taught this book throughout his sales training and enablement career. He also covers the one variable in the equation that can speed up trust more than any other. The formula is simple. Trustworthiness equals credibility plus reliability plus intimacy, divided by self-orientation. Credibility asks, "Can I believe what you say?" Reliability asks, "Can I count on you to do what you say?" Intimacy asks, "Do I feel safe sharing my real problem, budget, and concerns with you?" Self-orientation asks, "Whose interests are you really focused on?" This episode is hosted by Henry Lopez. The How of Business podcast focuses on helping you start, run, grow and exit your small business. The How of Business is a top-rated podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs. Find the best podcast, small business coaching, resources and trusted service partners for small business owners and entrepreneurs at our website https://TheHowOfBusiness.com

In Episode 161 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with Ashton Radican, VP of Sales in the Western Region for LANDI Global and 2026 RSPA W2W (Women 2 Women) Community Leader of the Year, about relationships and leadership. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

August is Make a Will Month, and host Lottie Ferguson, Vice President of Development and Donor Services at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, sits down with estate planning attorney Heidi McAra, JD, to explain what a real legacy plan looks like — wills, trusts, power of attorney, and more. Heidi breaks down when to review your plan, why you don't need significant wealth to include charitable giving, and the often-overlooked parts of legacy: sentimental heirlooms, digital assets, and personal notes for the next generation. She also shares why she connects clients to the Community Foundation of Greater Flint and what her years as a CFGF trustee have taught her about legacy in Flint and Genesee County. Learn more about estate planning or connect with the Community Foundation of Greater Flint at cfgf.org. If you're a Trusted Advisor wanted to network with other professionals and CFGF, visit cfgf.org/tag. Support the show

Brett Harrison, attorney and law firm leader at HLGNY, joins Spaghetti on the Wall to discuss what it takes to build a client-focused legal practice rooted in strategy, communication, trust, and results. Brett shares his perspective on proactive legal planning, simplifying complex decisions, and becoming the kind of trusted advisor clients can rely on when the stakes are high.Connect with Brett HarrisonFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/longislandpersonalinjury/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theharrisonlawgroup Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brettjharrison/ Website: https://www.hlgny.com/

What if the reason your business feels stuck isn't effort, but misdiagnosis? In this episode, John Jantsch talks with Kevin D. St. Clergy about blind blaming—the habit of fixing the wrong problems while real growth opportunities go unnoticed. They explore how cognitive bias in business decision making affects marketing results, leadership mindset, and team performance, and share practical ways to identify root causes instead of symptoms. Learn how shifting from transactional services to a trusted advisor approach can unlock better decisions and stronger business growth. 00:00 Blind Blaming Explained Through Baseball 03:03 Blind Blaming in Business Decisions 06:09 Time Blocking for Entrepreneurs 09:03 Cognitive Bias and Blind Blaming 12:29 From Vendor to Trusted Advisor 17:36 Transformational Growth Shift Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today!

Steel Patriot Partners lists its priorities in an order much of the cybersecurity industry reverses. Business owners first, engineers second, security and compliance people third. Michael Parisi, Chief Growth Officer, says the sequence is deliberate and shapes how the firm opens a client conversation. The order tracks the path the founders took. Jason Ford, Co-Founder and CEO, started in the late 1990s as a government contractor at the FBI, met FISMA and SAS 70 early, and built a platform for the Treasury that sold savings bonds online before PCI was a standard. He started his first company in 2004, took it through FedRAMP in 2013, and was acquired in 2017 holding 35 to 36 authorizations to operate across multiple agencies. What changes when an advisor is free to answer directly? Parisi spent about 15 years in the Big Four across PwC and Deloitte before joining Steel Patriot Partners. Auditors hold independence, which means watching a decision head the wrong way without steering it. In an advisory seat, he says, telling an organization that its preferred direction falls apart as a business decision becomes part of the work. How does a company find out where it actually stands? Ford says compliance is one outcome among many, sitting alongside operational maturity, better visibility, and integrating AI into DevSecOps. The common gap is not knowing where you sit on your own maturity journey. That finding cuts both ways, and some organizations learn they are further along than they assumed. Buying more tools rarely closes the gap. Ford argues the work is holistic and that each organization is unique, so what fits one may fit another poorly. AI does not settle it either, since a model fed your own assumptions will hand them back. The name follows the same logic. Steel is Pittsburgh, Patriot is Boston, and Partners is the operating model, since Steel Patriot Partners advises, deploys and operates environments alongside the client. Parisi closes by asking anyone weighing a path to verify it as a business decision rather than as an information security purchase or a price comparison. This is a Brand Spotlight. A Brand Spotlight is a ~15 minute conversation designed to explore the guest, their company, and what makes their approach unique. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#spotlight GUESTS Jason Ford, Co-Founder and CEO, Steel Patriot Partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-ford-5ab206/ Michael Parisi, Chief Growth Officer, Steel Patriot Partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-parisi-4009b2261/ RESOURCES Steel Patriot Partners: https://www.steelpatriotpartners.com/ Find Your Path, the qualifier that helps you locate your starting point: https://www.steelpatriotpartners.com/find-your-path ROI Workshop: https://www.steelpatriotpartners.com/roi-workshop ITSPmagazine event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/black-hat-usa-2026-cybersecurity-event-coverage-in-las-vegas Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight KEYWORDS jason ford, michael parisi, steel patriot partners, marco ciappelli, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand spotlight, cybersecurity compliance, grc, fedramp, fisma, cmmc, maturity assessment, cybersecurity advisory, business risk, compliance strategy, security consulting, ai in devsecops, trusted advisor

In Episode 160 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Easton Bazzoli, head men's basketball coach at Gannon (PA) University, the 2026 Division II national champion, to talk next-gen leadership. Among the topics discussed are building the foundation for a successful organization, actions veteran leaders should take to build up their next generation of leaders, and how establishing clear principles and outcomes free up leaders from the burden of dictating tactics. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org.

Michael Parisi, Chief Growth Officer at Steel Patriot Partners, connects with ITSPmagazine on location at Black Hat USA 2026 for a recap of the week. He describes Steel Patriot Partners in the order it sets its priorities. Business owners first, engineers second, compliance and security people third. A consulting and advisory company, he says, but really an engineering firm. What changed at this event? Parisi says the AI slop visible at RSAC Conference died down here, and that people are cutting through the noise and going back to a core group of tools and solutions with the capabilities to address the business challenges AI is creating. Non-human identities sit at the top of that list, the number one concern he heard relative to AI. Organizations recognize the risk and are working out how to solve for it. His observation is that many information security teams do not realize their traditional cybersecurity tools already carry the capabilities to do it. Who are security leaders asking before they decide? People they already know. Parisi describes CISOs going back to the individuals they have had long-term relationships with and sourcing guidance from them before decisions get made. Automation has expanded what can be done, but nobody got more hours in the day to evaluate everything arriving in front of them. The next move he points to is asking the question, either of the engineers at the provider or of a trusted advisor, and getting the configuration aligned to the business outcome it was bought to serve. This is a Brand Briefing. A Brand Briefing is an on-location conversation recorded on site at Black Hat USA 2026, putting a spotlight on the guest and their company and pairing it with the editorial reach of ITSPmagazine. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/performance/#briefing GUEST Michael Parisi, Chief Growth Officer, Steel Patriot Partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-parisi-4009b2261/ RESOURCES Black Hat USA 2026 event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/black-hat-usa-2026-cybersecurity-event-coverage-in-las-vegas Steel Patriot Partners: https://www.steelpatriotpartners.com Find Your Path, three questions to start: https://www.steelpatriotpartners.com/find-your-path Steel Patriot Partners Insights: https://resources.steelpatriotpartners.com Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight ▶︎ Get your own Brand Briefing at an upcoming event: https://www.studioc60.com/buy-brand-briefings KEYWORDS michael parisi, steel patriot partners, marco ciappelli, brand briefing, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, black hat usa 2026, non-human identities, machine identity, ai risk, security tool configuration, trusted advisor, ciso decision making, cybersecurity engineering, compliance advisory, security tool sprawl, vendor noise Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode Overview In this episode of The Uncertainty Edge, host Sam Sivarajan sits down with Dr. Amy D'Aprix — expert on life transitions, aging, caregiving, and family dynamics, and founder of the Trusted Advisor of Choice program. With a doctorate in social work and over 30 years of experience training thousands of financial advisors across North America, Amy has made it her mission to help advisors bridge the gap between financial planning and the human side of their clients' lives.They explore the empathy gap between advisors and clients, engaging women clients, and why advisors must shift from retirement planning to longevity planning.Key Quote "Empathy first, solution second." — Dr. Amy D'AprixKey TakeawaysYou don't need to be a therapist — you need to be a connected human being who listens at a deeper level.The LIRA framework gives advisors a simple structure to move between life and financial conversations.There's a significant empathy gap between what advisors think they communicate and what clients actually feel.Retirement is not a single event — shift to longevity planning to ensure life and money go the distance.Sound Bites"Empathy first, solution second.""I see you, I hear you, and I understand you — that's all empathy is.""The thing AI can never do is say: I'm going to be here with you.""Both your life and your money need to go the distance.""Keep learning, growing, and adapting — or you're no longer relevant."Topics Discussed00:54 — Amy's Journey: From Social Work to Financial Services04:20 — You're Not a Therapist — You're a Connected Human Being17:17 — The LIRA Framework: Listen, Empathize, Reassure, Act30:16 — Engaging Women Clients & Building Relationships with Both Partners42:48 — Longevity Planning: Rethinking Retirement for the Long GameResources MentionedLearn more about Dr. Amy D'Aprix and her workFree caregiving & planning guide — grab the giveaway hereStay Connected with The Uncertainty EdgeSubscribe on your favourite podcast platform to never miss an episode.Join the conversation on LinkedIn — share your thoughts and connect with other forward-thinking advisors.Explore more insights on Sam's website

Why Good Ideas Get Blocked: The Trust Equation for Change Leaders with Charlie GreenIt pairs naturally with the thumbnail, names the recognizable framework, and makes the change-leadership application explicit.WHY GOOD IDEAS GET BLOCKED: THE TRUST EQUATION FOR CHANGE LEADERS WITH CHARLIE GREENWhy do strong ideas—with solid evidence and a compelling business case—still get blocked?Because leading change takes more than credibility, data, and ROI. It requires trust.In this episode, I'm joined by Charlie Green, founder of Trusted Advisor Associates and co-author of the landmark book The Trusted Advisor, to explore how the Trust Equation applies to change leadership.Charlie explains why the framework should really be called the “Trustworthiness Equation” and breaks down its four components: credibility, reliability, intimacy, and self-orientation. We discuss why leaders often overestimate the rational elements of trust and underestimate the power of emotional safety, genuine attention, and making people feel heard.I also share a costly leadership mistake from my banking career: I failed to fully explore one stakeholder's reservations about a major initiative, and the resulting resistance sent our work sideways for three years.If you lead change without direct authority—or struggle to secure support for ideas you know can make a difference—this conversation will help you approach resistance, influence, and stakeholder relationships differently.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:• Why trustworthiness matters more than simply asking others to trust you• How the four components of the Trust Equation work• Why intimacy and self-orientation can matter more than credentials and reliability• How fear prevents leaders from asking the necessary follow-up question• Why “Tell me more” can transform resistance into collaboration• How to prepare thoroughly while remaining open to other perspectives• What it means to “detach from the outcome”• Why people need to feel heard before they will support change• How an overlooked stakeholder concern can derail an initiative• Why ROI and other rational measures rarely tell the whole storySHOW NOTES :ABOUT CHARLIE GREEN:Charlie Green is the founder of Trusted Advisor Associates and co-author of The Trusted Advisor. He is also the author of Trust-Based Selling and co-author of The Trusted Advisor Fieldbook. His work has helped leaders and professionals around the world build stronger relationships through trust.RESOURCES:Charlie Green and Trusted Advisor Associates:https://trustedadvisor.com/Explore the Trust Equation:https://trustedadvisor.com/build-trust/trust-equationLearn more about The Trusted Guide Roadmap™:https://www.empoweredcx.com/tgrIf this conversation helped you think differently about leading change, subscribe to The Trusted Guide Podcast and share this episode with someone trying to move an important idea forward.Leading change starts with trust.

Doug Imholte, Franchise Programs Practice Leader at Marsh McLennan Agency and a former franchisee turned trusted advisor, unpacks why so many franchise brands stall between 30 and 40 units, and it's rarely the concept that's broken. From misaligned franchisor-franchisee KPIs to the overlooked link between risk management and growth, Doug reveals what separates brands that scale responsibly from those that just scale fast. If you're building revenue systems for a franchise network, this conversation on unit economics, brand standards, and total cost of risk will change how you think about your next growth stage.What You'll LearnWhy growth alone isn't the answerThe real reason brands stall at 40 unitsHow franchisor and franchisee KPIs conflictWhat "total cost of risk" actually meansWhy cheap insurance costs more laterThe four pillars behind scalable systemsHow to keep culture intact through growthWhy brand standards make or break trustResources MentionedFranchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Franchisors Errors & Omissions Coverage Total Cost of Risk (TCOR)  Ready, Fire, Aim Leadership Philosophy  HubSpot Royalty Self-Sufficiency Benchmark Franchise Update Media IFA Franchise Summit Is your business ready to scale? Take the Growth Readiness Score to find out. In 5 minutes, you'll see: Benchmark data showing how you stack up to other organizationsA clear view of your operational maturity Whether your business is ready to scale (and what to do next if it's not)Let's ConnectSubscribe to the RevOps Champions NewsletterLinkedInYouTubeExplore the show at revopschampions.com. Ready to unite your teams with RevOps strategies that eliminate costly silos and drive growth? Let's talk!

Dave Crysler sits down with Mike O'Neill, founder of Bench Builders and host of the Get Unstuck and On Target podcast. After 25 years in corporate HR, Mike coaches senior leaders who need more than a sounding board, and trains the first-line supervisors most companies promote without ever preparing. Together they dig into why the top of the org chart is the most isolated seat in the building, and why the biggest leadership payoff lives at the bottom of it. What You'll Discover: • Why it really is lonely at the top, and how leaders end up surrounded by people who only tell them what they want to hear • The difference between a sounding board and a trusted advisor who pushes back when it matters • Why stepping into the C-suite is a whole new ball game, not just the next rung in the progression • How Mike's verbal 360 and leadership scouting report expose the gap between how leaders see themselves and how their teams see them • Why the hardest leadership transition is going from peer to supervisor • The real reason companies of every size skip supervisor training, from small shops to major automotive corporations • How untrained supervisors show up in turnover, safety numbers, and employee surveys • What happens between training sessions that makes new leadership skills actually stick • Why culture is the behavior you can observe, not the poster on the wall If you've ever promoted your best operator and watched them struggle, or looked around and realized nobody in the building pushes back on your thinking, this conversation is for you. Mike's approach to building strength at every level pairs with Dave's clarity-first operations lens for a practical look at developing leaders who can actually run the floor. Connect with Mike: Website: https://bench-builders.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpauloneill/ Podcast: Get Unstuck and On Target

Gaius and Germanicus: Gaius invokes the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, highlighting how the Kennedy brothers used caution and trusted advisors to avoid nuclear war. He asks how a modern crisis can be resolved when the "emperor's" word is no longer trusted. Germanicus responds that while the 1960s were characterized by caution, the post-Cold WarU.S. became "vain glorious," viewing itself as "gods of war." He paradoxically argues that Trump's "magnificent immobility" and incompetence may be the only thing preventing a catastrophic military overreaction in the Middle East. By doing nothing, Germanicus suggests the U.S. avoids committing "war crimes" against Iran, even if it means accepting a "massive defeat" as Russia and Iran win on their own terms. (2)JUNE 1961

On this episode, April Walker is joined by Benjamin Alarie, CEO and co-founder of Blue J, to discuss the ways that artificial intelligence (AI) is changing tax practice – not only by accelerating research and compliance work, but also by reshaping how firms define and deliver value. Ben shares new research showing widespread AI adoption among tax professionals and how firms are using the resulting time savings to improve client service, strengthen work-life balance and focus on higher value advisory work. The discussion explores whether the traditional billable hour model still makes sense when technology can dramatically reduce time spent on technical tasks. Together, April and Ben also examine the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility's (OPR) preliminary guidelines on responsible AI use and why professional judgement, due diligence and client trust remain essential in an AI-enabled profession. Questions answered in this episode:  How quickly are tax professionals adopting AI based on the most recent CPA.com/Blue J survey and what are they using it for? If AI can potentially provide research results in minutes instead of hours, how could this affect how firms think about pricing their services? What does the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility's guidelines on responsible AI use mean for tax practitioners? How can firms use AI to improve client service while maintaining professional responsibility and quality?  AICPA resources AICPA insights: Introductory guidelines for responsible AI use in federal tax practice 2026 AI Tax Research Solution Outlook Report by CPA.com and Blue J Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tax Research Center Statements on Standards for Tax Services (SSTSs) Treasury Department Circular No. 230 Keep your finger on the pulse of the dynamic and evolving tax landscape with insights from tax thought leaders in the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section Odyssey podcast includes a digest of tax developments, trending issues and practice management tips that you need to be aware of to elevate your professional development and your firm practices. This resource is part of the robust tax resource library available from the AICPA Tax Section. The Tax Section is your go-to home base for staying up to date on the latest tax developments and providing the edge you need for upskilling your professional development. If you're not already a member, consider joining this prestigious community of your tax peers. You'll get free CPE, access to rich technical content such as our Annual Tax Compliance Kit, a weekly member newsletter and a digital subscription to The Tax Adviser.

Value Selling is changing B2B Sales. Customers no longer buy the cheapest product. They buy partners who help them create long-term business value. If customers still care about price, why are the best companies investing even more in trust, long-term partnerships, and customer outcomes? And why does Pramesh Maheshwari believe "strategy" is one of the most overused words in business? In this episode of the B2B Sales Trends Podcast, Harry sits down with Pramesh Maheshwari, President of Lifecycle Solutions, Services and Cyber at Honeywell Process Solutions, to explore one of the biggest shifts in modern B2B Sales. Together, they unpack why Value Selling, Consultative Selling, and becoming a true Trusted Advisor require far more than simply asking good questions. Along the way, they challenge some of the biggest assumptions in modern B2B Sales: • Why Total Cost of Ownership is no longer enough to win complex buying decisions. • The surprising reason many Voice of Customer initiatives fail despite positive feedback. • Why knowing your customer's customer may be just as important as knowing your own product. • Why hearing customers isn't the same as understanding them.

Hey there Voices of the Bench community, this is Trish Jones with Ivoclar. If you've been curious about fast-firing zirconia to improve efficiency but aren't convinced it can deliver predictable, high-quality results, I'd encourage you to connect with us. Our new IPS Emax Zirconia offers multiple fast-fire protocols designed to help save you valuable production time while maintaining consistent results. Time is money in every lab. Don't wait. Reach out to your local Ivoclar rep today and discover how IPS Emax Zirconia can help streamline your workflow. As full-arch dentistry continues to grow, so do the demands on today's dental laboratories. That's why Knight Dental recently launched SimplyARCH Studio, a dedicated production environment built exclusively for full-arch restorations. To support this specialized workflow, Knight invested in an XTCERA milling system and carefully evaluated multiple CAM software solutions before choosing hyperDENT. The decision came down to exceptional milling quality, minimal hand finishing, and impressive production efficiency. But what truly set hyperDENT apart was the implementation process. From the very beginning, the team provided more than software training—they shared the knowledge and experience needed to build an optimized workflow for complex full-arch cases. With proven expertise in advanced milling strategies and laboratory production, hyperDENT helped ensure SimplyARCH Studio was designed for long-term success from day one.Matt Everatt joins Elvis and Barb for a fascinating conversation that takes a deep dive into his journey through the dental laboratory industry and the story behind his book, The Invisible Profession. From discovering dental technology at 16 and specializing in maxillofacial prosthetics and orthodontics to working in hospitals, developing early sleep-apnea appliances, and nearly leaving the profession altogether, Matt's career has taken some seriously interesting turns. Eventually, he helped co-found S4S, building a successful business around sleep-apnea appliances, occlusal splints, orthodontics, and more before eventually stepping away from ownership. Matt Everatt joins Elvis and Barb for a fascinating conversation that takes a deep dive into his journey through the dental laboratory industry and the story behind his book, The Invisible Profession. From discovering dental technology at 16 and specializing in maxillofacial prosthetics and orthodontics to working in hospitals, developing early sleep-apnea appliances, and nearly leaving the profession altogether, Matt's career has taken some seriously interesting turns. Eventually, he helped co-found S4S, building a successful business around sleep-apnea appliances, occlusal splints, orthodontics, and more before eventually stepping away from ownership. But this conversation goes far beyond Matt's career. His book, The Invisible Profession, explores how the dental laboratory industry arrived at a place where technicians and laboratories are often undervalued, pushed into price competition, and expected to simply keep their heads down and produce. Matt shares his thoughts on the "million little things" that shaped the industry, the danger of becoming a "busy fool," and why laboratories need to stop competing solely on price and start becoming known for the value, expertise, and partnership they bring to the dental team. Elvis, Barb, and Matt also talk about the changing landscape of digital dentistry, AI, 3D printing, speed, service, and why the labs that embrace change and remain agile will be the ones positioned for the future. It's an honest, thought-provoking, and ultimately optimistic conversation about where the dental laboratory profession has been, where it is today, and where it can go next.Special Guest: Matt Everatt.

In Episode 159 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks AI and payments with Travis Chrisman, President of Coastal Pay; Don Wilczynski, CEO of Merchant Rescue, powered by Tried & True Consulting; and Aidan Chau, Founder & CEO of Maple. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org.

Send us Fan MailMost physician owners don't think about calling an attorney until something has gone wrong. But what if your legal counsel could help you avoid problems before they ever happen?In this episode of Medical Money Matters, I have the pleasure of welcoming my good friend, Joe Carlisle, partner at Dunn Carney LLP, for a conversation about the role legal counsel should play in every successful medical practice. Joe shares practical advice on how physicians and healthcare leaders can build stronger relationships with their attorneys, recognize when to seek legal guidance, and use legal counsel as a proactive strategic partner—not just an emergency resource.We also explore what it means to build a true "board of trusted advisors" and why every independent practice benefits from surrounding itself with experienced professionals who can help navigate today's increasingly complex healthcare environment.Whether you're a new practice owner or a seasoned healthcare executive, you'll come away with actionable insights that can help protect your practice, strengthen your decision-making, and position your organization for long-term success. You can find Joe at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-carlisle-71067265/ or at https://www.dunncarney.com/people/joe-w-carlislePlease Follow or Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to you as soon as they drop! Visit Jill's company, Health e Practices' website: https://healtheps.com/ Subscribe to our newsletter, Health e Connections: https://share.hsforms.com/1FMup6xLPSpeA8hB77caYQwd32sx?hsCtaAttrib=171926995377 Want more formal learning? Check out Jill's newly released course: Physician's Edge: Mastering Business & Finance in Your Medical Practice. 32.5 hours of online, on-demand CME-accredited training tailored just for busy physicians. Promo pricing available now: https://education.healtheps.com/offers/Ry3zfLYp/checkout?coupon_code=PHYSEDGE3000 Purchase your copy of Jill's book here: Physician Heal Thy Financial Self Join our Medical Money Matters Facebook Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3834886643404507/ Original Musical Score by: Craig Addy at https://www.underthepiano.ca/ Visit Craig's website to book your Once in a Lifetime music experience Podcast coaching and development by: Jennifer Furlong, CEO, Communication Twenty-Four Seven https://www.communicationtwentyfourseven.com/    

In Episode 158 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Andy Szanger, the Director of Strategic Industries at RSPA member CDW, to discuss his journey developing strategy, people, and leadership skills across an over three-decade retail technology career. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

See what the team at The Successful Bookkeeper has on right now → Your clients' financials tell one story. What your clients think about their business tells another. In this episode, fractional CFO, course creator, and speaker Debra Angilletta returns to show how closing that gap — through simple, curiosity-driven conversations — is the most direct path to selling advisory services. No complicated sales process required. Chapters [00:00] Opening Quote and Intro [01:35] Meet Debra Angilletta [03:30] Why Bookkeepers Struggle to Sell Advisory [06:10] The "Curious" Question Technique [09:20] Staying Human in a Digital World [11:50] Finding Your First Five Clients [14:30] The Advisory Transformation [17:30] What 100 Business Owners Said [20:30] About the Book: Hidden Profits [22:40] Rapid Fire: Steps to Take Now The Missing Half of the Story Numbers give you the facts; your client's perspective gives you the context. Debra frames advisory as the natural result of putting those two pieces together: "When you put those two pieces of information together, that's where the magic happens, and that's where you can fill the gap." The good news is you already have one half. You just need to ask for the other. One Word That Changes Everything If you're not sure how to start a probing question without sounding nosy or accusatory, Debra has a single practical fix: lead with "curious." Saying "Curious — I noticed this in your books, can you tell me more?" removes any sense of blame, gives your client permission to explore rather than defend, and opens the conversation rather than closing it down. It's a small shift with a big effect on how clients respond. Finding Your First Five You don't need to overhaul your entire practice to get started. Debra's advice is to scan your client list, pick five people who seem most open to a deeper conversation, and book a 30-minute call — framed simply as "I saw some interesting things in your books that might be of value." That's it. The goal isn't to pitch advisory on the spot; it's to practice having the conversation. "There's nothing complicated here," Debra says. "I don't want to make it complicated for your audience at all." Business Owners Are Waiting for You to Ask Debra interviewed 100 small business owners while writing her book Hidden Profits, and the finding stopped her in her tracks. When she asked what they wished their bookkeeper did that they weren't doing, the answer was overwhelming: more strategic advisory. "I wish they would give me information that I can use to drive my business forward." Most business owners operate in isolation, with no one to think out loud with — and your existing financial relationship puts you closer to that trusted-advisor seat than you might realize. The Transformation on the Other Side Bookkeepers who start having these conversations consistently go through a noticeable shift. Debra sees it regularly: once they experience what advisory conversations feel like, they want more of them. More importantly, the relationship with the client changes. "It actually uplevels you to partnership level... they're going to see you as that trusted advisor." The compliance work stays valuable — but it's no longer the ceiling on what the relationship can be. Links Mentioned Hidden Profits: Stop Chasing Cash, Predictable Profit in 90 Days by Debra Angilletta — findmyhiddenprofits.com (free download of first 3 chapters) or search "Hidden Profits" on Amazon MasterMySales.com — Debra's sales training for financial professionals PureBookkeeping.com — episode sponsor thesuccessfulbookkeeper.com — show resources and guest links About the Guest Debra Angilletta is a fractional CFO, course creator, and speaker at MasterMySales.com who specializes in helping bookkeepers, accountants, and financial professionals sell and deliver advisory services with confidence. She works primarily with small business owners in the $500K–$3M revenue range and is the author of Hidden Profits: Stop Chasing Cash, Predictable Profit in 90 Days. Debra is a returning speaker at The Successful Bookkeeper Summit and a consistent audience favourite. About the hostMichael PalmerMichael Palmer is the host of The Successful Bookkeeper podcast and co-founder of Pure Bookkeeping and The Successful Bookkeeper. He started this work because of his father — a brilliant electrical contractor who worked twice as hard as he should have had to, because nobody on the financial side was in his corner. That gap is what The Successful Bookkeeper exists to close. His view: bookkeepers are the most undervalued force in small business — and every bookkeeper who builds a real business changes two families: theirs, and their clients'.

There's a room you're not yet in. Maybe it's a literal room — the board meeting, the investor briefing, the conversation at the level above yours where decisions get made that shape your organization and your career. Maybe it's more of a concept — the level of credibility where people seek out your perspective rather than just your report. Where you're consulted, not just informed. Becoming a trusted advisor to a board is one of those topics that sounds like it belongs to a specific career stage. But the behaviors, habits, and communication patterns that make someone genuinely valuable at board level are not developed the week before you need them. They're built over years — and the leader who starts now will be genuinely ready when the moment comes. In this episode of Leading Women in Tech, Toni Collis breaks down exactly what board-level credibility looks like, how it's built, and what you can start doing right now — wherever you are in your career. This is for you if:   ➡️  You're the leader actively working toward the C-suite who knows the board relationship is her frontier ➡️  You're the woman considering fractional work, NED roles, or an encore career — and who needs to understand how to position herself for board-level advisory work ➡️  You're the Director or VP who's not thinking about boards yet — and who is going to leave this episode with the most immediately actionable content, because the seeds of board credibility are planted years before the harvest What's covered: ➡️  What being a trusted advisor actually means — and why the conventional picture is wrong. Boards don't want information providers. They want people who help them think. ➡️  What boards actually want from an advisor — the real version, not the official one. Five specific capabilities that make someone genuinely valuable in a board context, including pattern recognition, intellectual honesty under pressure, and executive listening ➡️  The communication shift that changes everything — stop leading with the what and start leading with the so what. The four-part trusted advisor structure that works in any high-stakes senior room ➡️  How to build the relationships that create board-level credibility — including why most people start too late, how to be useful before you make an ask, and why making your thinking visible is one of the most effective career investments available to you ➡️  What you can start doing right now — five specific behaviors for the earlier-career listener that compound into board-level credibility over time. Including reading the rooms above yours, practicing strategic language in every meeting you're already in, and volunteering for board-visible work ➡️  The fractional and encore career dimension — how to translate your experience into board language, how to be findable for the right roles, and how to build the portfolio of evidence that boards and fractional hiring organizations are actually looking for   Whether you want the C-suite, a non-executive director role, a fractional career, or you just want to be the kind of leader who gets consulted rather than just informed — this episode gives you the framework.   Further listening (related episodes) ⏹️  Episode 286 — Executive Presence for Women in Tech: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/286-executive-presence-for-women-in-tech ⏹️  Episode 292 — From Tactical to Strategic: The Unspoken Rules for Women Stepping Into Executive Leadership: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/291-c-level-leadership-for-women-in-tech ⏹️  Episode 238 — Thinking Like an Executive: From Firefighter to Strategist: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/238-thinking-like-an-executive-from-firefighter-to-strategist ⏹️  Episode 241 — Thinking Like an Executive: Setting Priorities as an Executive: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/241-thinking-like-an-executive-setting-priorities ⏹️  Episode 236 — Thinking Like an Executive: Cultivating Your Executive Presence: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/236-thinking-like-an-executive-cultivating-executive-presence ⏹️  Episode 291 — C-Level Leadership for Women in Tech: What It Really Takes to Thrive: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/291-c-level-leadership-for-women-in-tech ⏹️  Episode 256 — No More Crickets: The Networking Strategy That Lands Jobs in 2025: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/256-networking-strategy-lands-jobs ⏹️  Episode 284 — Am I Ready to Be a Fractional Leader?: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/am-i-ready-for-fractional/ ⏹️  Episode 288 — How to Position Yourself as a Fractional Leader: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/288-fractional-leadership-positioning/ ⏹️  Episode 289 — How Fractional Leaders Actually Get Hired: https://tonicollis.com/leading-women-tech/289-how-fractional-leaders-get-hired/   Book a complimentary strategy call: tonicollis.com/lets-chat

In this episode, Jack Cochran and Matthew James sit down with Lisa Jameson, a seasoned solutions professional, to explore how she built strategic influence and became a trusted advisor to sales leadership without moving into management.    Lisa provides a practical framework for assessing your current level of trust with sales leadership, finding creative solutions beyond product limitations, and ultimately structuring a custom role that maximizes your impact while staying on the individual contributor track. Follow Us Connect with Jack Cochran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackcochran/  Connect with Mathew James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewyoungjames/  Connect with Lisa Jameson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisajamesondb/  Links and Resources Mentioned Join Presales Collective Slack: https://www.presalescollective.com/slack  Sol/Con 2026 (Chicago, August 2026): https://www.presalescollective.com/solcon-2026  Key Topics Covered Building Initial Trust Through Proactive Learning and Debrief Calls The Deal Review as Critical Trust Builder for Won and Lost Deals Strategic Use of Closed Lost Deals to Increase Credibility The "If We're Working It, We're Working It" Philosophy Recognizing When Sales Teams Trust Your Strategic Input Developing Deep Expertise in a Niche Area Creating Custom IC Roles Through Proven Value Moving Beyond Product Limitations with Partners and Creative Solutions The Long Game of Career Development and Building Credibility Structuring Compensation and Proving ROI for Strategic Roles  

Are you, or someone you work with, a perfectionist? If you have perfectionist tendencies, it can be frustrating to work alongside people who don't because you feel like they don't care enough about the work. And if you don't identify as a perfectionist but have to work with someone who is? Well, it can be equally challenging because things can be overworked, delayed, or shared way too late for fear of things not being 'good enough'. In this episode, Em and Lisa unpack how to work with perfectionists, how to manage your own perfectionist traits, and how to give feedback to people who might not be the best at receiving it. Plus, Lisa shares another one of her go-to frameworks that can help you let go of 'perfect' and move forward faster. Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Book recommendation: The Trusted Advisor by Charles Green And if you want some fast skills from Learna:Check out 'Build trust fast' in Learna.Click the link below on mobile to get into it:https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-aSenXj6878Or check out 'Naming your value at work' in Learna.Click the link below on mobile to get into it:https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-lSlExM4482 Sign up to the BIZ newsletter hereTHE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon! HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom LionVIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local media sales has entered a new era. Advertisers no longer need a salesperson to launch a marketing campaign, buy digital ads or build an online presence, giving them more choices—and less patience for generic sales pitches—than ever before. According to Dream Local Digital founder and E&P "Ad Sales Life" columnist Shannon Kinney, the sales professionals who thrive won't be those with the best rate cards or biggest audiences. They'll be the ones who consistently deliver ideas, insights and strategic value, positioning themselves as trusted advisors rather than order takers. Access more at this episode's landing page, at: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/shannon-kinney-why-todays-media-sellers-must-become-trusted-advisors,262305  

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2094: Kara Copple shares a practical approach to self-promotion by reframing marketing as an act of service rather than persuasion. Drawing on lessons from Ramit Sethi and other business experts, the article explains how understanding your audience, building trust, and consistently creating value can help you grow a recognizable brand without feeling inauthentic. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/how-to-market-yourself/ Quotes to ponder: "It's all about a subtle mental shift. Rather than asking for something, like everyone else does, offer to solve their problems." "So, don't just look at marketing as you are getting something from your customers. Instead, frame it as if you are providing them with something valuable." "Half your job is simply showing up and becoming a familiar face, but your main job is showing up armed with bucket loads of value." Episode references: Jay Abraham: https://www.abraham.com/ The Trusted Advisor: https://www.amazon.com/Trusted-Advisor-David-H-Maister/dp/0743212347 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Revenue growth becomes harder to sustain when leadership relies on a handful of top performers, inconsistent processes, or reactive decision-making. Jason Forget, President and CRO of Cockroach Labs, shares lessons from building revenue organizations from the earliest startup stages through large-scale growth, explaining why sales motions must continuously evolve as companies scale. The conversation explores the role of RevOps as a strategic advisor to leadership, the importance of building a strong middle class of sellers, hiring for adaptability and coachability, and creating cultures where problems surface early. Jason also shares how open-source adoption can be transformed into enterprise-wide business outcomes through disciplined account planning, executive engagement, and scalable go-to-market execution. Jason Forget is President and CRO of Cockroach Labs and has spent his career building revenue organizations from multiple vantage points, including finance, RevOps, sales, and executive leadership. That uncommon path has shaped his approach to predictable growth, helping companies scale from early-stage startups to enterprise revenue organizations through operational discipline, coaching, and repeatable sales systems. Connect with Jason: LinkedIn Resources mentioned: "The Locker Room is Not for Sale" by Coach Brian White Key takeaways from this episode:  00:00 – Why the most effective RevOps leaders act less like operators and more like trusted advisors to the business. 02:52 – What it really takes to turn product adoption into an executive-level business conversation. 05:26 – A look inside how enterprise momentum is built long before an executive meeting is secured. 12:26 – Why many CROs underestimate how dramatically a sales motion must evolve as a company scales. 21:38 – What leaders often overlook about the group that drives the most predictable revenue growth. 37:08 – Why the best hires are not always the most experienced candidates on paper. 54:31 – The mistake many leaders make when performance issues appear without understanding the full context. Hosted by five-time CRO John McMahon and Force Management Co-Founder John Kaplan, the Revenue Builders podcast goes behind the scenes with the sales leaders who have been there, done that, and seen the results. This show is brought to you by Force Management. We help companies improve sales performance, executing their growth strategy at the point of sale. Connect with Us: LinkedInYouTubeForce Management

Send us Fan MailClayton Mouney joins Joey Pinz for a powerful conversation on leadership, accountability, entrepreneurship, and where the MSP industry is heading next.

The Loneliness That Grows With Success Success often brings opportunities, influence, and growth. It can also bring something leaders rarely discuss openly: loneliness. In this episode, Allison explores: Why leadership often becomes more isolating as organizations scale How the gap between leaders and their teams naturally widens over time Why people stop telling leaders the full truth The hidden cost of carrying leadership challenges alone How isolation impacts decision-making and strategic thinking The role of trusted peers in preventing leadership blind spots Why honest feedback becomes harder to access as your authority increases How to create relationships where truth can be shared without fear The importance of building support systems outside your organization Key Question: When was the last time someone told you something genuinely difficult to hear? If you're struggling to answer that question, it may reveal more about your leadership environment than you realize. Resources: Think First: Stop Being the Bottleneck, Start Building Thinkers by Allison Dunn Learn more: Deliberate Directions Think First

In Episode 157 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Kathy Durfee, the CEO and Founder of systems integrator/managed services provider TechHouse, to discuss her 30-year leadership journey. Conversation topics include embracing “practical bravery,” teaching creative problem solving, and connecting your company mission to day-to-day activities. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

You know that feeling when someone joins a project and you instantly relax? And then there are the people who somehow create more meetings, more emails, more confusion and more work for everyone around them. In this episode, Em and Lisa unpack the small workplace habits that make people easy to work with, and the ones that quietly make things harder. They share practical ways to reduce friction, improve collaboration and become the colleague everyone wants on their team. Plus, Lisa shares a simple meeting framework that could save you hours every week. If you've ever wondered why some people seem to make work feel effortless, this episode is for you. Our BIZ hosts are Lisa Lie - a former Head of People & Culture and Organisational Coach - and Mamamia’s Em Vernem. Book recommendation: The Trusted Advisor by Charles Green And if you want some fast skills from Learna:Check out 'Build trust fast' in Learna.Click the link below on mobile to get into it:https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-aSenXj6878Or check out 'Naming your value at work' in Learna.Click the link below on mobile to get into it:https://www.learna-app.com?id=l-lSlExM4482 Sign up to the BIZ newsletter hereTHE END BITSSupport independent women's media.Got a work life dilemma? Send us all the questions you definitely can't ask your boss for our Biz Inbox episodes - send us a voice note or email us at podcast@mamamia.com.au. You can remain anon! HOSTS: Lisa Lie and Em Vernem EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Courtney Ammenhauser SENIOR PRODUCER: Thom LionVIDEO PRODUCER: Marlena Cacciotti Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some farmers might be leaving money on the table by not enrolling in a conservation or carbon sequestration program.

Rick Chess, attorney, real estate strategist, capital-raising expert, and trusted advisor, is passionate about helping entrepreneurs, investors, and business owners navigate complex decisions that can dramatically impact enterprise value and long-term success. Throughout a career spanning more than five decades, Rick has raised over $100 million for multiple organizations, guided companies through acquisitions, governance challenges, and strategic growth, and helped owners prepare for successful exits. We explore The Capital Raising Framework — Focus on Individuals, Not “the Market”; Be Ready to Sell; Start With Who You Know; Connect on Emotion; and Find a Problem to Solve. Rick explains why raising capital is ultimately about understanding people, not pitching ideas, why investors care more about their needs than your opportunity, and how trust-based relationships create opportunities that compound over time. He also shares lessons from raising capital, building influential networks, serving on boards, and helping entrepreneurs avoid costly mistakes when pursuing funding, growth, and exit strategies. — How to be a Trusted Advisor with Rick Chess  Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast. And my guest today is Rick Chess, who is a real estate and exit strategist. He helps business and real estate owners, and the trusted advisors who guide them, turn complex decisions into strategic moves that grow enterprise value and maximize sale outcomes. Rick, welcome to the show.  Thank you. Appreciate it, Steve.  Well, it’s great to have you. And I’m going to ask you my favorite question, which I always ask: What is your personal ‘Why’, and what are you doing to manifest it in your practice?  When you go back in my career, 50-some years, where I’ve been most happy is either growing an organization. That can be a community, that can be a business, it can be an association. And then, at some point, individuals in that association want to move on, whether that’s to retire, to go someplace else, or whatever. And I find that in that world, there are certain things where they might have a Steve Preda who helps them with how to manage day to day. But they get to certain big issues that they’ve never done before, and maybe they’ll never do again. That’s where I like to come in because I know I’m critically important to them. So you’re a trusted advisor. You like to grapple with the big challenges people have in their lives, whether it’s a big real estate transaction, getting ready for an exit, an acquisition, or something like that.  Yeah.  Yeah.  So, I mean, the things that would be—for instance, most folks, if they’re talking about real estate, they have some idea how to fix a toilet. They have some idea how to buy a property. But when they get to a certain point, it’s like, “We need to raise $10,000. We need to raise $100 million,” whatever the amount is, because there’s either a great opportunity or they want to keep moving upward. And they have, again, a Steve Preda who can help them through the process. How they get that capital often is what trips people up. So that’s where I kind of first got into this.  I was an acquisition guy. I knew how to spend other people’s money, but I didn’t know at that time how to raise the money. And I’ve done it several times. I’ve raised $100 million for three different companies. And like everything in life, like with Summit, there is a process that you go through. And I love doing it. I just love doing that kind of stuff.  Okay. So when you are doing capital raising, fundraising, M&A deals, or real estate transactions, is there a framework that has helped you, that you figured out along the way? And think about something that is three to five steps. Maybe it’s a mental model of how you look at things, or maybe it’s a process. How would you describe that framework that you have, or that has helped you, so that the listeners would also benefit from it?  The listeners are best served if they step back from their preconceived notions of, A, how they think capital is attracted, because they usually are wrong. And they step back from how wonderful they are. And those two things are difficult. Because the reality is, no one is waiting to give you money. That’s foolish. You’ve got to sell the concept like you have to sell everything else. And what you sell is not what you think is wonderful. It’s what the market is going to think is wonderful. It’s like with any other product you’re making. “Hey, I made this great widget.” And the population looks at it and says, “I don’t need it. I don’t want it. I don’t know what it does.”  And depending on whether you’re trying to raise $100,000 from friends and family or $100 million on Wall Street, you look at who it is that you know. Because people that you know might at least return your phone call. So if you don’t know Bill Gates, thinking that you’re going to go to Bill Gates and get a billion dollars is, well, stup*d. But if you’re just trying to raise money from friends and family, and you have an aunt who lives three states away that you don’t see very often, and she has some money, okay, then you start with who you know. So, for instance, thinking about one of the many ways that you can raise money, there’s something called intrastate. And it is something that’s allowed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. If all of your money is raised within your own state, there are certain allowances for that.  But if you do one transaction outside the state, it all collapses. So like everything else on the business side, where there are certain rules that you can’t violate without getting into trouble, it’s the same thing when raising money. And I get so many people saying, “I’m going to list this on Wall Street, and I’m going to make…” It’s like, “No, you don’t. You better be prepared. If you’re going to list something on Wall Street, you’d better have $25 million that you can risk just to get it out there. And nine times out of ten you’re going to fail.” Not because there’s anything wrong with you.  It’s just that if you’re going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro with a pair of Keds, a T-shirt, and some shorts, you’re not prepared to climb that mountain. It’s no different when raising capital. And also think about when you were a kid. At a certain age, your parents let you cross the street to see your buddy. Then ten years later, they’ll let you get in the car and drive, but you’ve got to get home by midnight. It’s the same thing with raising money. And there aren’t a lot of folks who have done what I’ve done. So talking to your local lawyer or accountant—who may be wonderful people—but if they’ve never raised money, they’re not the people to talk to.  One of the ways people get taken advantage of on a regular basis is they’ll go to a securities attorney. The securities attorney will charge them $100,000 and write this great offering document, and no one ever gives them a penny. Because lawyers generally have no clue what’s happening in the marketplace. I own my own securities broker-dealer. I’ve also raised money for three different companies. It’s not easy. But like having read your book, Steve, if you follow certain paths, there’s at least a chance for success. Same thing here. Fascinating. So what I’m taking away in terms of a framework: Be aware that people are not out there waiting to give you money. You have to sell them. So that’s the first step. The second one is: start with who you know. Don’t start on Wall Street. Start with the people you know, where you have some trust, the people you understand, and where you have a chance to get there. And then look at some special circumstance that’s going to give you a leg up. For example—  Absolutely. Again, this is coming right out of your book on the business side. You create a widget. So what? But you create a widget that solves a problem. Ah. Then you have something. So it’s the same thing. When you get over onto the money-raising side, it’s: who do you know? Where do they live? How much money do they have? How do I approach them? But then, in the end, it’s not what’s in it for you, it’s what’s in it for them. And for them, if it’s friends and family, your mama may give you some money because she thinks you’re cute.  Your aunt might give you some money because she’s related to your mama. But at some point, you’re going to people who really have a checkbook. They have money in the checkbook. They’re not going to give this up just because you’re cute or you have a great idea. You’re either going to get them because you have something they’ve never heard of, or you have something that really feels like it could solve one of their needs. And their needs are not always what you think. Some people think, “Well, what they need is high cash flow.” What if they don’t need cash flow, but they’re really interested in a cure for cancer?  What if you think, “Well, it’s really going to go up in value”? Well, they have all the money they need. They’re not looking for that. But is this something that is going to allow their nephew to come work for you? Yeah. When you start thinking that you know what other people are thinking, that’s when you’re going to fail. When you can step back and just ask them, “Well, what’s important to you?” If you can’t have a conversation, one, you’re never going to date anybody, and you’re never going to raise any money.  And don’t be slick. You can be slick for three sentences, and at that point they’re going to reject everything you say thereafter. So don’t talk about how much money you’re going to make and all the rest of it. No. Talk about them. Talk about them. Talk about them. Your document should talk about them. Your questions should talk about them. Now, does that mean there are certain people who won’t put money into your deal? Yes, because it doesn’t fit. If you sell high-heeled shoes and a runner comes in, they’re generally not going to buy your high-heeled shoes. They’re not going to invest money in high-heeled shoes.  But if that high-heeled shoe actually is a running shoe, and you can break off the heel and then… I mean, I don’t know. You could come up with something there. And the folks that say no are sometimes your biggest advocates. What? The folks that… Yes. Because you’ve been able to get into their head, and they’ve shaken it around, and they’ve looked at it and said, “No, that’s probably not right for me. I’m not into high-heeled shoes, but I have a friend.” If you’ve done a sincere job, a thoughtful job, you’ve really asked them questions, and you’ve connected on an emotional level, they’ll open the next door. And that’s what it’s about. It’s often a lot of the same things that you teach people about how to sell their company. It’s how they sell—  Rick, this is fascinating. So how do you connect with people on an emotional level? What’s the trick there?  First thing is: why are they going to take a meeting with you? Why they take a meeting with you answers almost everything that we’ve just asked. If they’re taking a meeting with you because you’re related, okay, that’s the emotional connection. If they take a meeting with you because some friend of yours called them and said, “This is a great way to make money,” that’s another reason. If you found them in an article in the paper—yes, there are things called newspapers. They print them. There are words in them. And there’s somebody in there who has shown an interest in something you do.  Then you’re talking to them about that interest. You want to try to avoid cold calls. Really, it’s a waste of your time and a waste of their time. It’s a random thing. It’s like asking every girl who walks by in college, “Do you want to go out on a date?” Sometimes it works. You get slapped a lot, get arrested, and what have you. There’s this thing called the internet, Steve. And what shocks me is how few people—not just my age, but young pups—say, “Well, that’s for watching YouTube videos.” No.  Through the internet, you have so much information. So maybe I can’t find anything about Johnny Jones, but his kids are on there and what sports they play. Huh. Okay, so I used to do judo. I did three years of judo in high school. If somebody’s doing karate or whatever, I have an opening. I have something to talk about. Now, it’s great if what you have to talk about then connects to something else that they want. It’s a linking process of connecting various things together. It’s what I did… I told you I was a member of the General Assembly in Pennsylvania way back in the ’70s.  And I learned there that if I could get people talking about themselves, or their next-door neighbor, or some relative… What’s funny is people are much more likely to tell you about somebody else. So when I go into a company—this is just a side note—when I’m doing due diligence and I really want to know their financial condition, I’m not going to get it from the CFO. I’m going to get it from somebody over in property management. Why? Because the property management person knows not to tell me anything secret about property management, but they’ll talk about finances all the time. And it’s the same thing. If I’m in a family and I want to know about Daddy, I talk to the daughter.  If I want to know about a neighbor, I talk to a neighbor. I can go to the post office. Everything you ever need to position yourself to sell is out there waiting for you. But you’ve got to get out of your head what you think the market is about and start thinking about individuals within the market. And accept that when I’ve raised money, 70% to 80% of the people I call on don’t do a deal with me. But of that 70%, half of them lead me to somebody else. And I keep up with them. They become my support group. They become my unofficial advisors. Because I’m a decent guy, they want me to succeed. And once they know I’m not bugging them anymore, I say, “Hey, you told me I should go talk to such-and-such.  Here’s what I heard.” And then the network just expands. And occasionally, that person who said no has somebody new come into their life and says, “You need to go talk to Rick Chess.” And sometimes the next time I’m raising money, their situation is different. So the person who told me no originally has seen me work the market and close the deal. It’s amazing how attractive an opportunity is once you can’t put any more money into it. And so you let them know, “I know it wasn’t the right time for you to come into my deal, but we did buy this company. We’ve doubled their…” Whatever it is. You continue to work with them. If somebody is willing to give you time on the phone, on Zoom, at a coffee shop, or wherever, they’re your friend for life. They don’t know that yet, but you’re going to make them your friend for life. It’s the old six degrees of separation—the Kevin Bacon game.  Everybody’s related to somebody somewhere. And it’s what makes this fun for me. You were talking before about growing an exit. I love the process of putting together the network and feeding the network. There are people I’ve known for 50 years that I still talk with.  You’re very good at connecting people and making them look good with other people that you connect them to. It’s very gratifying. So this is a long game, right? Absolutely.  It’s a long game because you’re being decent. You listen to people. You find something that helps them. You learn what they need, what is the itch that needs to be scratched, and then you connect people who can help them scratch that itch. And then they will reciprocate, and it becomes a self-perpetuating process.  Well, I mean, an example is the work that I do in North Carolina with a family that owns 44 hotels. A woman who was my CPA left the CPA firm and became the family officer for a large family here in Richmond. A friend of hers who does advisory work with family offices was giving up on a client. So she told my friend, who used to be a CPA. She introduced me to them and said, “Would you be willing to serve on the board of a private company?” I said, “Well, do they pay?” I used to be on the board of a public company, and after a certain age, you’re not attractive anymore.  After a certain age, they want you off the board because the institutions say, “We want a mix on the board. So I got introduced to these people, and I’ve had a great time. Members of the family have hired me for other work, and it just goes on and on. But I’ve learned that you’ve got to pay it forward. So I have students of mine from VCU who I’ve helped place in jobs. I keep up with them. I give them ideas. And they’re often shocked to find that I’m still in touch with them. I’m not asking them for anything. I’m just saying, “Look, I paid it forward to you. Now it’s your turn to pay it forward to somebody else.” And some of them are doing it. Some of them haven’t caught on yet.  But it is the circle of life, and it’s all tied together. And there are skills you have that I don’t have. There are skills I have that you don’t have. We both have folks that work with business brokers because they have a different drive. But it’s also self-selecting. There are a lot of people you’ve met that you don’t do business with. There are a lot of people I’ve met that I don’t do business with. If you’re going to get into raising money, doing governance, or doing exit planning, whatever it may be, one of the most important things is saying no. Or, “No, I don’t want to work with this person.” You can always be friendly with them. Yeah. But I try to fire a client every month. Somebody that just doesn’t fit for me ethically. Yeah. Or I don’t think there’s anything more I can do for them.  I pass off legal work to other attorneys in Virginia. I’m the chair of the Real Property Section of the state bar. There are 1,550 attorneys. I have plenty of attorneys that I can pass things on to, and they’re happy to get the business, and I’m happy. I’ve got somebody that I’ve referred that’s happy that I’ve referred them. My biggest challenge, my wife would say, my son would say, is that I’m a squirrel chaser. Something new and interesting comes along, and I want to get involved with it. And I’ve wasted so much time. So I’m working with this hotel group down in North Carolina. The last time I had worked with a hotel company was 30 years earlier. Two owners couldn’t agree on a direction.  I worked with them for six months. We made a decision. It was great work. I learned a lot about hotels. But I then went 30 years without applying the same skills. And that’s one thing that, with age, I’ve realized. I am better off saying: “I’ll help you with capital, I’ll help you with governance, and when you’re ready, I’ll help you exit.” That’s it.  Yeah.  If it’s not one of those three, I’ll talk about it.  Yeah.  I’ll listen to you. You don’t want to engage me.  Yeah. I mean, people want deep expertise. They don’t want generalists. They want someone who knows what they’re talking about and who can link them to other resources who also know what they’re talking about. And in today’s age, I think this is becoming more important again. Because of the internet, there was a disintermediation going on, but now there is a reintermediation, I believe. Because there’s so much noise out there, you don’t know what is true and what is fake. AI is creating a lot of fake stuff.  The only people you can really trust are the people who are in front of you, or someone recommends them whom you trust. It’s a transparency thing. So I think what you’re doing is very valuable. It’s going to become even more valuable. And knowledge is ubiquitous. You can ask ChatGPT, and it will give you an answer. But how do you get the trust? How do you get the emotion? How do you get the relationships? That’s all human stuff. And if you still have that, then you’ve got what is valuable.  Well, I have a friend of mine who wrote a book, and he wrote it as a fable. What I love about it is that I know the true story behind the fable. And what comes across in every single chapter is that, with that trust, people who were afraid took a step. And often that is the hardest thing. So I go to the gym six days a week, and the gym is hard. Getting in the car to drive there is the hard part. Once I’m there, I’m around friends, I work hard, I sweat, I get better. Getting in that car and driving down the drive…  So in your fable, in your book, and in most of where I’ve had success, I would love to say it was because I was brilliant. Eh, sometimes I will say I was brilliant. But let me give you an example. United Dominion Realty Trust, now based in Denver and originally based here in Richmond, has been around for 35 years. It was one of the original five REITs in the country—real estate investment trusts. I came in as acquisitions director. They hadn’t closed a deal in a year. I closed three in the first three months. I grew the firm tenfold in 10 years, and I had great people. Buddy Scott as an analyst. Catherine Surface as an attorney.  But what I did was look at it and say, “Does anybody know what we’re trying to buy?” Because they had no acquisition criteria. So I wrote a one-page acquisition criteria document and put it out to everybody who had ever submitted a deal. Oh, and we weren’t responding to the submissions. So a submission would come in, they would look at it and say, “Okay, that doesn’t work.” But they never told anybody no. So one of my rules was that anything that came in would get a response within 48 hours.  And it should be specific. “We don’t like this because of the city.” “We don’t like this because of the roof.” Something specific, because I knew they’d pay attention. And by responding within 48 hours, we went from struggling to get submissions to doubling our submissions within a year. Because people were like, “Oh, we know what they want. We know they will respond.” And then—and this probably sounds outrageous—we celebrated. We put out a newsletter every month. This is back when you mailed things, so we’re going way back into the dinosaur era. But anytime a broker brought us something that we bought, we would do a full-page spread on the broker. We were marketing him or her.  People loved us. And they would tell others about us. So owners would know that if they came to us, we’d make a fair offer and we’d move on. So I would love to say that’s because I was a great attorney. I would love to say that’s because I was insightful. It was just like, “Well, damn, this is obvious.” And reading some of your stuff, I’ve seen you point that out to people time and time again.  You give me too much credit. But yeah, I mean, if you’re there, they say that if you work hard for 25 years, you can become an overnight success. So yeah, it does get obvious when you’ve been studying it long and hard. Well, listen, Rick, that’s been wonderful. So what is your final thought for an entrepreneur, a young entrepreneur or founder who’s coming up? Maybe he’s in real estate. Maybe he’s trying to be successful. What’s the most important mindset for an entrepreneur to become successful?  Well, I mean, you’ve got to know something. I mean, you either need to really know construction, or you’ve got to really know how to lease a space. If you’re going into it like they do on HDTV, like, “Oh, we’re going to find this property and it’s going to be…” You’re going to fail. So get good at something. Accept the fact that you’re not going to be good at everything. Find people who fill in the spots where you aren’t good. In the old days, you might have had to hire them. In today’s world, there are fractional CFOs.  And then when you get down to picking your experts—your attorneys, your accountants, the people that cost you real money—ask them a simple question: When was the last time they did whatever it is that you’re trying to do? Not when was the last time they prepared a securities document. When was the last time they prepared a securities document that succeeded? And that’ll knock out two-thirds of them right there.  Love it. That’s fantastic. Well, if you’re listening to this and you want to be successful in business, or you have a business and maybe you’re getting close to retirement and want to figure out how to transition it, how to exit right, and how to structure it… Or maybe you have a family company and you’re trying to put together a board, and you need someone who really understands governance. Or if you’re trying to do a transaction, a merger, or an acquisition, and you need a trusted advisor who will connect you to the right people and help you make it happen, then call Rick Chess. Rick Chess is here in Richmond. He is on LinkedIn. And you have a website as well, Rick, right?  Yep, yep.  What’s your domain?  It’s chesslawfirm.com.  Chesslawfirm.com. So you can go there, and Rick is going to respond because he always does within 24 hours, or 48 hours max, and he’ll help you. So Rick, thank you very much for coming on the show and sharing your wisdom with us. And if you’re listening to this and you like this show, please follow us on YouTube and Apple Podcasts. Give us a review, and make sure you listen to every episode because we have very exciting entrepreneurs and subject matter experts sharing their knowledge. So thank you for coming, and thank you for listening. Important Links: Rick's LinkedIn Rick's website

In Episode 156 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Shiv Sundar, the Co-Founder of ISV Esper, to discuss his journey leading a company from its startup phase to over $100 million in investments with hundreds of customers, partners, and team members. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org.

Book a workshop for your team: https://bit.ly/4egTU9DCassie Vaughn shares her journey from customer success to AI fluency, emphasizing the importance of AI as a co-pilot, building AI agents, and redefining the customer journey in SaaS. This episode offers practical insights for CS leaders aiming to integrate AI effectively and foster a culture of experimentation and growth.Chapters:00:00 The Journey of Customer Success Leadership02:45 Transitioning to Clay: A New Chapter06:10 Redefining Customer Success Roles09:09 The Evolution of Customer Success12:03 AI Fluency in Customer Success15:04 Building AI Fluency in Teams18:05 The Role of Trusted Advisors in CS21:09 Navigating AI Challenges Together27:14 Embracing Experimentation in Customer Success29:18 Building AI Agents for Enhanced Customer Support35:51 Overcoming AI Imposter Syndrome40:37 Redefining AI Fluency in Customer SuccessConnect with Cassie Vaughn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassiebrown/Connect with Anika Zubair: Website: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikazubair/RevUP Academy™: https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/revupBook Anika as a speaker at your next team event: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/team-eventWant to be my next podcast guest apply here: https://www.thecustomersuccesspro.com/podcast-guestDownload my freebies:https://thecustomersuccesspro.com/resources

In this honest, open, and reflective conversation, Sunday Times bestselling author, journalist, and podcast host Clover Stroud joins Mandy Manners, SHE RECOVERS Trusted Advisor and Coach, to discuss writing as a tool for recovery, letting go of shame through sharing our story, and how it can help as a way to connect with and help others.Clover talks about her process as a writer to connect with her emotions and how it has helped her through grief, motherhood, and change. She talks about what has shifted since becoming sober. How she has found it a powerful tool for creativity and connection. Clover discusses how her sister Nell inspired her sobriety journey in the years before she sadly died from cancer at the age of 46 in 2019. Together, Clover and Mandy discuss growing up in the UK in the 90s and the hedonism of that time, especially both growing up in the English countryside. They discuss what home means to them whilst living abroad, which was the subject of Clover's fourth book, The Giant on the Skyline, and how belonging may not necessarily be a place or a person, but a specific feeling. Clover talks about learning to find new ways to connect in sobriety through crafts and her Substack community. She discusses what being sober has given her in terms of connection with her children and her marriage, and how it is something she feels proud to talk about.About Clover:Clover Stroud is a Sunday Times bestselling writer, journalist, and host of her own podcast, Tiny Acts of Bravery. Her first book, The Wild Other, was shortlisted for The Wainwright Prize. Her critically acclaimed second book, My Wild & Sleepless Nights: A Mother's Story, and third book, The Red of My Blood, were instant Sunday Times bestsellers and rated amongst the best books of the year in which they were published. Her fourth memoir, The Giant on the Skyline, was published in May 2024. Having spent the past three years living in Washington, DC, with her husband and the youngest three of her five children, she recently returned to her UK home in Oxfordshire.https://www.cloverstroud.com/https://www.instagram.com/clover.stroudhttps://cloverstroud.substack.com/https://shows.acast.com/tiny-acts-of-braveryAbout Mandy:Mandy Manners is a certified life and recovery coach. A qualified coach supervisor, trainer, speaker, and author. She is a certified SHE RECOVERS Coach and Trusted Advisor for Education and Pedagogy for the SHE RECOVERS Foundation.https://www.mandymanners.com Resources Mentioned in Episode:https://sherecovers.org/recovery-storytelling-workshop/SHE RECOVERS Retreat: From Memory to MemoirLooking to heal with writing or recover with words?Find your voice, write your recovery, or begin your memoir on retreat with award-winning author and psychotherapist Ann Dowsett Johnston.Over 5 days in a cozy chalet in the maple forest of Québec, you'll explore healing through daily writing practice, embodied movement, nature, deep rest, and meaningful connection with like-hearted folks.Step into your story this autumn. Explore this retreat here.About SHE RECOVERS® FoundationSHE RECOVERS Foundation is a non-profit public charity and a global grassroots movement serving thousands of women and non-binary individuals in or seeking recovery from life challenges, including mental health issues, trauma, and substance use. SHE RECOVERS is dedicated to redefining recovery, inspiring hope, ending stigma, and empowering women to increase their recovery capital, heal themselves, and help other women do the same.If you found this conversation helpful and you are able, please consider donating to our lifeline organization or sharing it with others who may benefit. We would love to also receive your rating and review of the SHE RECOVERS Podcast on your favorite platform.Visit sherecovers.org to donate today. 

In Episode 155 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy talks with RSPA General Counsel Atty. Jill Miller about contract landmines in today's reseller agreements, previewing her RetailNOW 2026 breakout session.  “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

Kate D'Addabbo shows agents how to protect clients, price with courage, improve presentation, defend their fees, and become trusted local experts who make stressful property decisions feel clearer, smarter, and more profitable for everyone involved.See article: https://www.unitedstatesrealestateinvestor.com/know-your-worth-own-your-expertise-and-sell-with-purpose-with-kate-daddabbo/(00:00) - Introduction to The REI Agent Podcast(00:31) - Meet Kate D'Addabbo: Luxury Specialist and Trusted Advisor(01:00) - Commercial Real Estate Skills That Shape Residential Strategy(02:00) - Design, Renovation, and Investment Thinking Come Together(03:06) - Why Buyers Must Stay Properly Positioned in the Market(04:06) - Record-Setting Profits, Design Instincts, and Buyer Psychology(04:56) - The Trusted Advisor Mindset in a Multiple-Offer Market(06:02) - Mattias Connects the Analytical Brain with the Creative Heart(07:07) - Kate's Unlikely Start from Want Ad to Commercial Real Estate(08:32) - Asking for More Responsibility and Finding Her Sales Path(09:31) - Cold Calls, Retailers, and the Power of Persistence(10:18) - Asking for What She Wanted and Landing a New England Account(11:24) - Learning from Lawyers, Engineers, Retailers, and Developers(12:16) - Stepping Back from Commercial Sales to Raise Her Children(12:56) - The 10,000-Square-Foot Money Pit That Became a Masterclass(13:43) - Mattias Reflects on Renovation Knowledge as a Client Advantage(15:06) - The 1,000 Percent ROI Secret of Paint(16:02) - Why Light, Bright Presentation Changes Buyer Perception(17:26) - Why Online Presentation Can Make or Break a Sale(18:12) - Managing Seller Expectations in a Shifting Market(19:50) - Why Agents Need to Remember How Stressful Moving Feels(20:34) - The Challenge of Honest Feedback When a House Is Not Selling(21:08) - Sales Agents Must Sell, Not Just Show(22:09) - Why Asking for the Fee Is So Hard for Agents(23:03) - Knowing Your Worth and Explaining Your Value Up Front(24:19) - If Agents Cannot Negotiate for Themselves, Who Can They Negotiate For(24:56) - The Hidden Value of a Smooth Transaction(25:55) - Why VIP-Level Experience Is What Clients Really Pay For(27:37) - The Power of Staying Rooted in Connecticut and Rhode Island(27:51) - Deep Local Expertise as the Agent's Greatest Advantage(29:00) - Taxes, Infrastructure, Employers, Schools, and Future Market Risk(30:11) - Coastal Risks, Insurance Challenges, Flooding, and Septic Costs(31:34) - Kate's Four Golden Nuggets for Agents(32:00) - Pricing and Presentation Make the Difference Between Yes and No(33:06) - Be the Expert from Day One to Closing Day(34:03) - Sharing Trusted Vendor Relationships to Build Credibility(35:41) - Kate's Book Recommendation: The Red Tent(37:06) - Where to Follow Kate D'Addabbo(37:32) - Closing Credits and Final DisclaimerContact Kate D'Addabbohttps://katedaddabborealestate.com/https://www.facebook.com/kate.daddabbo/https://www.instagram.com/kjdrealestate/https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-d-addabbo-a49231283/Kate D'Addabbo reminds every agent that success is not built by chasing commissions. It is built by becoming the expert, protecting clients, asking for what you are worth, and showing up with the courage to tell the truth when it matters most. For more conversations that help agents build wealth, wisdom, and a better life, visit https://reiagent.comIs success destroying your peace? Most pros grind until they break. Download The Investor's Life Balance Sheet: A Holistic Wealth Audit to see if you are building a legacy or heading for burnout. Presented by The REI Agent Podcast & United States Real Estate Investor® https://sendfox.com/lp/m4jrl

In this engaging episode of MSP Business School, host Brian Doyle dives deep into the evolving roles of external leadership within managed service providers (MSPs). Focused on concepts like VCIOs and the newer roles of VCISOs and Virtual Chief AI Officers, Brian unpacks the complexities and contributions these positions bring to customer leadership hierarchies. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, he shares valuable strategies on how MSPs can position themselves as trusted advisors and integral parts of their clients' success stories. Brian explores the challenges and opportunities of embedding MSP professionals into client leadership structures, stressing the importance of building trust, understanding organizational culture, and strategic alignment with business goals. In a landscape crowded with rapid technological changes and increasing cybersecurity threats, he advocates for MSPs to harness their market intelligence and AI insights to drive value for their clients. The episode is brimming with tactical advice on influencing without overstepping, understanding organizational dynamics, and leveraging industry expertise to strengthen client outcomes. Key Takeaways: Importance of Building Trust: Trust with customers is not instantaneous. It's a gradual process that requires consistent engagement and understanding of the client's business environment. Role Evolution in MSPs: The increasing significance of roles like VCISO and Virtual Chief AI Officer highlights the necessity for MSPs to adapt and integrate into broader strategic conversations. Effective External Leadership: Successful MSPs balance influence without authoritative control, remaining essential partners while avoiding entanglement in organizational politics. Strategic Alignment: Understanding clients' business priorities and risks is crucial to building a meaningful, long-term professional relationship that adds measurable value. Cross-Functional Engagement: Communicating across different levels and departments within client organizations is vital to grasp diverse needs and advocate for impactful technology solutions. Show Website: https://mspbusinessschool.com/ Host Brian Doyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briandoylevciotoolbox/ Sponsor vCIOToolbox: https://vciotoolbox.com

In Episode 154 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RSPA CEO Jim Roddy sits down with Mark Morgan, ScanSource's newly appointed President of Specialty Technologies, about channels in transition, companies in transition, and leaders in transition.  “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

Dr. Amy D'Aprix, Founder and President of LifeBridge Strategies, has over two decades of experience coaching advisors on how to best serve clients as they navigate life transitions such as aging, retirement, and estate transfers. We sat down with Dr. Amy to learn how her LifeMap platform and Trusted Advisor of Choice CE help advisors have more meaningful client conversations that build trust and foster multigenerational relationships.

Episode 153 of “The Trusted Advisor” features Zack Kass, the former Head of Go-To-Market for OpenAI and “one of the world's foremost authorities on applied AI.” Kass was the featured guest for a recent RSPA Emerging Technologies Advisory Group meeting.  Kass is an Executive-in-Residence at the University of Virginia, Chair of the Ruder Finn AI Advisory Council, and author of the new book The Next Renaissance: AI and the Expansion of Human Potential. Kass first crossed paths with many RSPA members when he keynoted BlueStar's VARTECH 2025 Conference in the Bahamas. “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

What if the reason your business feels stuck isn't effort, but misdiagnosis? In this episode, John Jantsch talks with Kevin D. St. Clergy about blind blaming—the habit of fixing the wrong problems while real growth opportunities go unnoticed. They explore how cognitive bias in business decision making affects marketing results, leadership mindset, and team performance, and share practical ways to identify root causes instead of symptoms. Learn how shifting from transactional services to a trusted advisor approach can unlock better decisions and stronger business growth. 00:00 Blind Blaming Explained Through Baseball 03:03 Blind Blaming in Business Decisions 06:09 Time Blocking for Entrepreneurs 09:03 Cognitive Bias and Blind Blaming 12:29 From Vendor to Trusted Advisor 17:36 Transformational Growth Shift Rate, Review, & Follow If you liked this episode, please rate and review the show. Let us know what you loved most about the episode. Struggling with strategy? Unlock your free AI-powered prompts now and start building a winning strategy today!

In Episode 152 of “The Trusted Advisor,” RPOWER President Jami Interdonato, BlueStar CMO Dean Reverman, and RSPA CEO Jim Roddy analyze the 2026 RSPA Retail IT Channel KPI Study. Interdonato, Reverman, and Roddy discuss the resurgence of partnerships, the resiliency of high-initiative VARs and ISVs, the short- and long-term benefits of recurring revenue, and more.  To download your copy of the 2026 RSPA Retail IT Channel KPI Study, visit: www.GoRSPA.org/blog-2026-rspa-retail-it-channel-kpi-study/  “The Trusted Advisor,” powered by the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA), is an award-winning content series designed specifically for retail IT VARs and software providers. Our goal is to educate you on the topics of leadership, management, hiring, sales, and other small business best practices. For more insights, visit the RSPA blog at www.GoRSPA.org.  The RSPA is North America's largest community of VARs, software providers, vendors, and distributors in the retail, restaurant, and grocery verticals. The mission of the RSPA is to accelerate the success of its members in the retail technology ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections. The organization offers member-to-member warm introductions, education, legal advice, industry advocacy, and other services to assist members with becoming and remaining successful. RSPA is most well-known for its signature events, RetailNOW and Inspire, which provide face-to-face learning and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.GoRSPA.org. 

At RSAC Conference 2026, the noise is relentless. Vendor booths, AI pitches, and breathless marketing compete for attention at every turn. Michael Parisi, Chief Growth Officer at Steel Patriot Partners, joins Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli on the ground in San Francisco to name what too few are willing to say out loud: most of the conversation happening on the show floor does not reflect the conversations that actually matter. The real exchanges, Parisi says, are happening backstage -- in the hallways, over coffee, between practitioners who trust each other enough to ask: does this vendor actually do what they say? That shift back to peer-driven trust is not a trend. It is a correction. Security leaders are exhausted and fragile, operating under intense pressure, and they are returning to the relationships they know rather than the research tools and AI-generated answers they do not trust. Steel Patriot Partners was built around exactly that dynamic. Their operating principle -- business owners first, engineers second, compliance and security people third -- runs counter to how most consulting firms approach an engagement. Rather than leading with frameworks or certifications, the team starts by asking what outcome the client is actually trying to achieve. Parisi is candid about how often that conversation leads them to steer a client away from the path they came in convinced they needed. That willingness to say no -- and mean it -- is what sets a trusted advisor apart from a vendor. The outcome-first philosophy shapes every engagement. As founder Jason Ford says, 80% of what Steel Patriot Partners does is a therapy session. Organizations coming in with complex compliance challenges -- FedRAMP, CMMC, HITRUST, DoD IL -- need more than a checklist. They need a partner who has lived those journeys themselves, made the mistakes, and can speak honestly about what is worth pursuing and what is not. Parisi's advice to anyone evaluating a consulting partner is pointed: ask the question up and down the team, not just of the founder. The firms that have genuinely lived what they sell -- and can talk about the failures as clearly as the successes -- are the ones worth trusting when the stakes are high. This is a Brand Spotlight. A Brand Spotlight is a ~15 minute conversation designed to explore the guest, their company, and what makes their approach unique. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#spotlight GUEST Michael Parisi, Chief Growth Officer, Steel Patriot Partners LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-parisi-4009b2261/ RESOURCES Steel Patriot Partners: https://www.steelpatriotpartners.com Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight KEYWORDS Michael Parisi, Steel Patriot Partners, Sean Martin, brand spotlight, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, cybersecurity consulting, compliance advisory, FedRAMP, CMMC, HITRUST, DoD IL, trusted advisor, outcome-based consulting, vendor trust, cybersecurity noise, RSAC Conference 2026, security leadership, GRC, business risk, human in the loop Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ask George on dental CPAs in practice ownership: tax planning, embezzlement prevention, deposit ratios, expense categories, and why operational KPIs matter more than accounting for growth.

Tench Tilghman did not need a revolution. Yet he risked everything to help win the American Revolution. In this episode of America's Founding Series, discover the forgotten patriot who became George Washington's most trusted aide and carried the official victory dispatch from Yorktown to the Continental Congress. This is the untold story of Tench Tilghman, the wealthy Maryland merchant who chose conviction over comfort and helped secure America's independence. Go behind the scenes of the Continental Army headquarters, the fragile years under the Articles of Confederation, and the decisive moment at Yorktown that changed world history. Learn why Tilghman's loyalty, sacrifice, and refusal of compensation reveal a powerful lesson about character, leadership, and the survival of a republic. What You'll Learn: Why Tench Tilghman abandoned elite comfort to join the Revolutionary War How he became George Washington's trusted right hand The hidden administrative battle that sustained the American Revolution What really happened during the 300-mile ride announcing victory at Yorktown Why republics depend on disciplined, unseen servants of liberty