Podcasts about validate

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Slow Down and Question the Stories Controlling Your ChoicesWhy Do Stories Take Hold?I start by recalling a high school memory: there was someone I admired from afar but convinced myself was out of reach. The story I told myself then—“she'll never go out with me”—seemed so logical at the time that I never even tried to ask. This early lesson stuck with me in surprising ways as I got older. It wasn't just a high school crush; the same pattern resurfaces even in adulthood.For example, more recently, I hesitated to invite a high-profile guest to the podcast. The old narrative returned: “they're too important, they won't respond.” When I examined it, though, I realized it was just that—a narrative with no real evidence behind it. I didn't know they would say no. I wasn't rejected; I simply made up a story and acted as though it were already true.How Our Brains Protect UsReflecting further, I notice how often these inner stories are about keeping us safe. Our brains, in many ways, are doing their job—shielding us from pain or disappointment. But there's a danger in allowing this protective instinct to overrule reality. When self-doubt or insecurity becomes the main script running in our minds, we risk accepting fiction as fact.I encourage you to take a step back and observe the impact these stories have on your own life. Whether it's at home, at work, or in your personal relationships, these internal narratives can hold us back, sometimes for years. The good news is that none of this is set in stone; we all have opportunities to pause and question our assumptions.The Challenge and Reward of QuestioningI share a more personal example—the story I internalized during childhood about abandonment. Because of experiences in my early life, I unknowingly carried this fear into adulthood. It took decades before I finally challenged the belief that every relationship could end in abandonment. It wasn't easy—changing these ingrained stories takes real effort, and our minds are adept at convincing us their version is the truth.Still, through intentional reflection and curiosity, I was able to recognize that while abandonment can happen to anyone, living in constant expectation of it was no longer serving me. When we allow ourselves to slow down and really look at these stories, we can often separate fact from feeling, and open ourselves to new possibilities.Moving from Fear to IntentionWhether it's the hesitation to send a podcast invitation or deeper wounds from our past, the pattern is the same: the stories feel real and comfortable, sometimes more so than the possibility of a positive outcome. Our brains resist new evidence, preferring what's familiar and “safe.” That's why it's so important to confront these narratives with intention and, above all, self-compassion.I'm not here to lecture on brain science, but I am passionate about the importance of being intentional—slowing down, getting curious, and treating disappointment as another temporary guest, not as a permanent state. If we can listen to our disappointment, even give it a “microphone,” we may gain the courage to move past it. Over time, this builds new neural pathways—new patterns that support healthier thinking and richer relationships.Tips for Managing the Inner NarrativeBefore wrapping up, I offer a few practical suggestions:Slow Down: Find moments in your day to quiet your mind. Turn off music during your commute, take a few deep breaths, or carve out five minutes for reflection. Finding mental stillness, even briefly, makes space for honest questioning.Question Without Judgment: Take an inventory of your thoughts. Ask yourself, “Is this story really true? Why do I believe it? Is it serving me?” It's not about whether you're good or bad for believing a story, but whether it's true and helpful now.Validate and Adjust: Not every story we tell ourselves is false. Some have value and should remain part of our worldview. The key is to ensure they're valid, not self-limiting myths.Throughout the episode, I reflect on how our value systems shift as we age. As children, what truly matters is straightforward—family, close friends, relationships. But as we grow and life becomes more complex, outside influences (career, money, status) compete for top billing. Our internal stories often reinforce these shifting priorities, sometimes to our detriment.The Lasting Impact of Our StoriesAs I close, I return to a conversation with a client who realized while watching his children that the simplest values often matter most. It's a reminder that the stories we tell ourselves don't just affect us—they shape our relationships and what we pass on to others. By continually examining and updating these stories, we honor what's genuinely important.In each episode, Jeff and Eric will talk about what emotional intelligence, or understanding your emotions, can do for you in your daily and work life. For more information, contact Eric or Jeff at info@spiritofeq.com or visit their website, Spirit of EQ.You can follow The Spirit of EQ Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Android, or on your favorite podcast player.New episodes are available on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays every month!Please review our podcast Music from Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/roo-walker/deeperLicense code: PEYKDJHQNGSZXDUEhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/Spirit of EQWe hope you enjoy the podcast. Hopefully, you're tuning in on a regular basis. We'd love it if you would give us a great review on whatever platform you're listening to the podcast. It's so appreciative and helps us as we try to get more exposure for the work we do and the episodes that we publish. We're grateful to you as a listener. Secondly, our content is for educational purposes only. It's not intended by any stretch to diagnose or treat anything that may be occurring in your life or anyone else's life that you may be connected to through the podcast. And as always, we look forward to the next time that we're together. Take care.Mentioned in this episode:Thanks for listening to Spirit of EQThis podcast was created to be a tool to primarily help you to discover and grow your EQ. Science and our own lived experiences confirm that the better we are at managing our emotions, the better we're going to be at making decisions. Which leads to a better life. And that's something we all want. We're glad that you've taken the time today to listen. We hope that something you hear will lead to a breakthrough. We'd really appreciate a review on your podcast platform. Please leave some comments about what you heard today, as well as follow and subscribe to the podcast. That way, you won't miss a single episode as we continue this journey.

"Christianity is not a religion. It's a relationship." What does this adage actually mean?John 15 gives a picture of this when Jesus describes our relationship to Him as branches attached to a vine. Relationships are attachments. Christianity is about forming an attachment with Jesus Christ, then spending the rest of our lives walking deeper with Him. And if we want to be relationally engaged with God, it makes sense that we'd want to know and cooperate with how He designed us to function relationally.In this On the Trail episode, we discuss Building Bounce Chapter Eight: Connecting with God, where we talk about our faith being in God not the process, listening prayer, discernment, and lifestyle. We also unpack the V.C.R. tool (Validate, Comfort, Recover).This episode wraps up our Building Bounce book study. Next week we're asking the question, "Is Spiritual Warfare optional?" with a two-part prequel series before launching our next book study: What Every Believer Should Know About Spiritual Warfare!Thank you for joining us – father-daughter duo Marcus Warner and Stephanie Warner – on the trail to a deeper walk with God!  

How to find the right business idea is the question Jason VanDevere answered by walking away from a nine-figure family empire to build a million-dollar business from scratch. If you are an entrepreneur stuck choosing between passion and profit, this episode gives you a proven framework to do both. Jason, author of "Dream Driven" and founder of Goal Crazy, breaks down his Triple L Framework (Longing, Lifting, and Light) that helps you validate your business idea before spending a dime. You will get: the Dream Driven approach to choosing a business idea that fuels long-term commitment, a three-part validation process using focus groups, beta testers, and pre-sales, four powerful strategies for finding mentors who shortcut your path to launch, and how to use the "first alarm test" to know if your idea has enough fire behind it. 

What if the secret to a business that actually sets you free has nothing to do with your idea, your hustle, or your vision, and everything to do with a number most entrepreneurs never pay close enough attention to? In this episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, I sit down with Omar Zenhom, co-founder of the legendary $100 MBA Show podcast and the man behind Webinar Ninja, a SaaS company he built from zero to over 30,000 users and eventually sold in 2024. Omar is an educator turned entrepreneur, the kind of guy who left a decade of teaching to go all in on business, built something real over ten years, and came out the other side financially free and still hungry for the next chapter. His podcast has racked up over 300 million downloads and consistently ranks among the top business shows in more than 30 countries. He's not flashy about it. He's just sharp, honest, and genuinely good at what he does. This episode matters because Omar is one of those rare entrepreneurs who's actually done it. He built, he scaled, he burned the candle, he sold, and now he talks about all of it, including the parts that surprised him. If you're a business owner trying to build something that gives you more freedom, not less, this conversation is going to hit. Here are the biggest lessons from this one. Margins aren't the most important thing in business. They're the only thing. Omar opened with something he says constantly on his own show, and it bears repeating here. If your margins aren't healthy, you can't hire great people, you can't delegate, you can't step back, and you definitely can't build a business that serves your life. He says sixty percent is the floor, and anything below that puts you on life support. Software, digital products, service businesses built on systems, these are the models that get you there. Get the margins right first, then build everything else on top. Stop trying to find a diamond in the rough when it comes to hiring. Omar went looking for the most expensive engineer he could find on Upwork, a former engineering exec at Yahoo, because his software needed someone elite. That one person did in ten hours a week what five cheaper engineers couldn't. You pay for it upfront or you pay for it later in messes, rewrites, and wasted time. The same goes for editors, videographers, anyone whose taste and skill directly affects the quality of what you're putting into the world. One great hire changes everything. Validate before you build. Before Webinar Ninja was a real product, Omar and Nicole pre-sold it. One hundred and fifty spots in 48 hours, just on the promise of a solution four months out. That told them everything. People don't just say they want something when they put actual money down. If you're sitting on a business idea right now and haven't tested whether anyone will pay for it yet, that's the only thing that matters next. Embrace the struggle as part of the deal. Omar grew up watching his Egyptian immigrant parents rebuild their lives from scratch in America. That foundation gave him something money can't buy, a high tolerance for discomfort and a genuinely low floor for what counts as failure. He says his fondest memories from ten years at Webinar Ninja are the hard moments, the fires, the pivots, the times he had no idea how he'd get out of something. That mindset isn't just feel-good advice. It's a practical edge. When you stop treating struggle as a sign something's wrong and start treating it as the job, you get a lot harder to shake. AI is not optional anymore, and using it to figure out how to use it better is the move. Omar is building new software on weekends using Claude and Windsurf, no code, no development team. He's using Claude to write his prompts before he even opens the builder. What used to take years now takes a few weekends. He's clear that the people who are thriving right now aren't just using AI, they're building the habit of reaching for it first, staying curious about its limits, and using it to multiply everything they already do well. If you're still on the fence, he'd tell you that fence is expensive. We also get into what it's actually like to sell a business, the 16 months it took, the emotional whiplash of feeling relief and then feeling lost, the NDA that keeps him from saying the number but also the fact that he blinked twice. Omar and Nicole's story of co-founding a company as husband and wife while staying married is one for the books too, and his 70/10/10/5/5 money formula is the kind of simple framework you'll want to write down. The closing of this episode is one of the most grounding things I've heard in a long time. Omar's billboard isn't a quote. It's a mirror. Because every time he was stuck, every time he hit a wall, the common denominator was him. Not the market, not the economy, not bad timing. Him. And once he stopped running from that and started taking full ownership, everything shifted. That's the energy Omar brings, direct, honest, and genuinely fired up about the game of business and the life you can build through it. If you want more of that, go listen to the full episode at https://caryjack.com/podcastin/ It just might be the reset you didn't know you needed. Connect with Omarhttps://www.facebook.com/ozenhomhttps://www.instagram.com/omarzenhom/https://www.youtube.com/@100mba/videoshttps://x.com/TheOmarZenhomhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/omarzenhom/ Find Omar on this website: https://100mba.net/ Connect with Cary!https://www.instagram.com/caryjack/https://www.facebook.com/SirCaryJackhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cary-jack-kendzior/https://twitter.com/thehappyhustlehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFDNsD59tLxv2JfEuSsNMOQ/featured Get a copy of his new book, https://www.thehappyhustle.com/book Sign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Course @ https://thehappyhustle.com/thejourney/ Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventure @ https://thehappyhustle.com/mastermind/ “It's time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!” Episode Sponsors: If you're feeling stressed, not sleeping great, or your energy's been kinda meh lately—let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer for me: Magnesium Breakthrough by BiOptimizers. This ain't your average magnesium—it's got all 7 essential forms that your body needs to chill out, sleep deeper, and feel more balanced. I take it every night and legit notice the difference the next day. No more waking up groggy or tossing and turning all night If you're ready to sleep like a baby, calm your nervous system, and optimize your recovery, go grab yours now at https://www.bioptimizers.com/happy and use code HAPPY10 for 10% OFF. =================================================================== My Green Mattress If you've been waking up with back pain, feeling stiff, or just not getting that deep, quality sleep. This might be what you're missing: My Green Mattress. It's made with clean, non-toxic, and eco-friendly materials, so you're not just sleeping better, you're sleeping healthier too. The comfort and support are on another level, and you can really feel the difference night after night. If you're ready to invest in better sleep and better recovery, check it out at https://thehappyhustle.com/mygreenmattress =================================================================== Ozlo Sleep If you've been struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or just wake up feeling actually rested, let me put you on to something that's been a total game-changer: Ozlo Sleep. These aren't your typical sleep buds. They're designed to block out noise and help your brain fully relax, so you can drift off faster and stay in deep, uninterrupted sleep. Perfect if you're a light sleeper or just want that next-level rest. If you're ready to upgrade your sleep and wake up feeling recharged, check out https://ozlosleep.com and save $80 OFF using code HAPPY.

Bonterra Resources Chairman Cesar Gonzalez discusses new deep drilling from the Barry deposit, where five kilometre-scale holes all intersected mineralization between roughly 750 and 850 metres, supporting the company's down-dip model within the Urban-Barry camp. Gonzalez also updates the Goldfields earn-in, the recent Windfall Impact Benefit Agreement, and how Barry and Gladiator could fit into a broader regional mining complex. The conversation also covers Bonterra's 10,000-to-12,000 metre Desmaraisville program, the ongoing CEO search, and upcoming summer catalysts.

Join the free D2D Sales Mastery Community and get access to the Fast Start Blueprint. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click hereIn this episode, I break down one of my favorite objection-handling strategies: the Pullback Close. You'll learn why pulling back actually lowers a prospect's defenses, how to uncover the real concern behind an objection, and how to guide customers back into the conversation without sounding pushy or desperate.I walk through my step-by-step framework:✅ Pull Back and remove pressure✅ Confirm interest in the service✅ Isolate the true concern✅ Validate and pin down the objection✅ Pivot back to the problem you're solving✅ ACE the concern with a meaningful solution✅ Close confidentlyIf you're in door-to-door sales, pest control, alarms, roofing, solar, or any industry where objections are part of the game, this episode will help you handle resistance more effectively and close more deals.Hope you enjoy.

Most growing companies are held together by spreadsheets that nobody fully understands — built by someone who left three jobs ago, maintained by someone who doesn't know why it exists, and quietly critical to daily operations. In this episode, Jeff Mains sits down with Garrett Fritz, co-founder of MetaCTO, a fractional CTO firm that helps mid-market companies transform outdated operational processes into custom, scalable software.Garrett breaks down why so many organizations are trapped in the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset, how AI has lowered the barrier to custom software without eliminating the need for expertise, and when it actually makes sense to build your own tool versus buying off-the-shelf SaaS. He also shares how internal tools can evolve into white-labeled revenue generators — and the most common mistake founders make when they try to take that leap too fast.Whether you're drowning in manual processes, questioning your SaaS spend, or wondering how to implement AI responsibly, this episode delivers a practical, no-hype roadmap.Key Takeaways4:37 — **The #1 operational inefficiency Garrett sees:** Hundreds or thousands of employees running mission-critical operations on a spreadsheet built a decade ago by someone who's since been promoted — and nobody knows why it has the formulas it has. 6:15 — **What "turning spreadsheets into apps" actually means:** MetaCTO embeds in the business, decodes the spreadsheets, understands the workflows, and builds working software that can replace the internal process — or be taken to market as a SaaS product. 7:54 — **Profitable from day one:** Because Garrett and his partner came with a thick Rolodex from 15–20 years in tech leadership, MetaCTO launched with clients already lined up — no burning cash to find product-market fit. 13:27 — **70% of AI POCs never see the light of day:** The excitement dies when teams realize how much effort is involved. MetaCTO's focus is getting those 90%-done prototypes all the way to the finish line. 18:34 — **Build custom vs. buy SaaS — the real decision framework:** After 2–4 weeks embedded in a business, MetaCTO looks at licensing costs, actual feature utilization (often just 2% of the SaaS product), man-hours wasted, and growth trajectory to determine the ROI break-even point. 28:25 — **Niches win:** SaaS isn't dead — it's narrowing. The companies gaining ground are building hyper-specific tools for specific industries (think: Procore, but only for commercial plumbers) where the UI, reports, and workflows are built around exactly how that niche operates. 31:33 — **The #1 mistake when productizing internal software:** Not talking to the second customer. Your problems aren't always everyone else's problems. Validate outside your organization before building for market, or you risk six months of rework when the deltas turn out to be core to the platform. 33:40 — **How to actually quantify the ROI of custom software:** Bake usage analytics into every product from day one. Track utilization, time on platform, transactions processed, and revenue generated — then compare to the man-hour cost baseline captured during discovery. 39:14 — **Responsible AI implementation starts with one rule: Resist "Accept All."** Don't grant admin tokens to AI agents for convenience. Suffer through permissions early so you don't face irreparable reputation or business damage when a bad actor exploits an over-permissioned agent. 41:22 — **The smartest first step for any leader feeling stuck:** Use AI tools like Replit to build a prototype with fake data. Don't try to connect it to real systems — just use it to force yourself through the problem-solving process. Come to the conversation with a working wireframe and you'll skip weeks of expensive discovery.Tweetable QuotesAt the heart of it is some Excel spreadsheet that some employee made 10 years ago — and it is critical to the operation." — Garrett Fritz"70% of AI proof of concept projects have never seen the light of day. It's pretty common to get excited about something and then realize, oh, this is a lot more effort than we thought." — Garrett Fritz"You can't just give a layman a chainsaw and expect to be a carpenter. A little bit of finesse and experience goes a long way." — Garrett Fritz"The niches win. The companies gaining ground are building hyper-specific tools for specific industries — where the UI, reports, and workflows are built around exactly how that niche operates." — Garrett Fritz"We never build it and run away. And as you can imagine, anyone who's created a piece of software has never said 'I'm done' either." — Garrett Fritz"Resist 'Accept All.' Give the AI admin access for convenience, and you're one bad actor away from irreparable damage to your business." — Garrett Fritz"AI is most valuable when it's applied to real business friction — not just trendy experiments or chatbots. Nobody needs another one of those." — Jeff MainsSaaS Leadership Lessons1. Familiarity is the enemy of efficiency. The "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality keeps organizations locked in spreadsheet-driven operations for years — sometimes decades. The pain point has to get big enough to justify change, but by then the cost of switching is enormous. Don't wait for a crisis to modernize.2. The barrier to custom software has dropped — but expertise still matters. AI tools like Replit and Lovable have made it possible for non-developers to prototype software. But there's a massive gap between a 90%-done prototype and a production-ready, secure, maintainable application. Knowing what you're doing still matters.3. Don't buy features you'll never use. Most enterprise SaaS customers use 2% of the product's functionality — but pay for 100% of the license. When your team is only using 2% of the product and only 50% of the people who should be using it actually are, you're compounding inefficiency at every layer.4. Build for the second customer before you build for the market. If you think your internal tool has market potential, validate it with people outside your organization before investing further. Your problems are not automatically everyone else's problems. The cost of discovering core delta requirements after six months of development is enormous.5. Measure everything from day one. Custom software that doesn't have baked-in usage analytics is a black box. You can't demonstrate ROI, you can't justify ongoing investment, and you can't make intelligent roadmap decisions. Instrument every product with utilization metrics, transaction data, and performance monitoring from the start.6. AI governance isn't optional — it's the first conversation. The most dangerous thing you can do is grant your AI agents broad permissions during development and never revisit it. Treat AI like a junior employee: define its scope, limit its access, and require human approval for anything with downstream consequences. Someone always has to be the final buck.Guest Resourcesgarrett@metacto.comhttps://metacto.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/grfritz/https://www.linkedin.com/in/grfritz/Episode SponsorThe Futureproof Series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfkXKUPZ5xuOqMPR7_gzGybncTtavyR1NThe Captain's KeysSmall Fish, Big Pond – https://smallfishbigpond.com/ Use the promo code ‘SaaSFuel'Champion Leadership Group – https://championleadership.com/SaaS Fuel ResourcesWebsite - https://championleadership.com/Jeff Mains on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkmains/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jeffkmainsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/thesaasguy/Instagram - https://instagram.com/jeffkmains

You do not need to be reckless to be an entrepreneur. You need revenue. In this episode of The Level Up Podcast, Paul Alex breaks down one of the biggest mistakes eager entrepreneurs make: jumping into business without a cash flow plan. Let's be real… If you quit your job… Drain your savings… Spend a year building a product… And make zero money during the process… The stress will crush your decision-making. In this episode, you'll learn: Why desperate founders make terrible business decisions How financial pressure weakens your negotiating power Why pre-selling your offer is smarter than building in silence How to fund your testing phase with real customer money The truth is simple: Revenue solves almost every early-stage problem. You do not need to guess what the market wants. You need to sell the vision. Get feedback. Close beta clients. And use real cash to fund the build. Because when money is coming in… You think clearer. You negotiate stronger. You make better decisions. And you build from a position of power instead of panic. Do not starve your business before it has a chance to grow. Secure the baseline. Validate the offer. Build the parachute. And keep leveling up. Your Network is your NETWORTH! Make sure to add me on all SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGhDAD1JyGGzSQUPD9lc9HQ LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies below to see if we can help you: www.CashSwipe.com FREE Copy of my book “Blue to Digital Gold - The New American Dream”www.officialPaulAlex.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What separates a leader who communicates with confidence from one who communicates with true influence?In this episode, Michael Reddington sits down with Joel Silverstone, founder of This Feels Right and a former professional actor who now coaches leaders on elevating their interpersonal communication and influence. Joel blends emotional and social intelligence with his acting background to help leaders move from confident to compelling, and the framework he shares in this conversation is immediately actionable.Joel breaks down his MOVE model, the difference between acting, reacting, and responding in real conversations, and why most people are listening to solve the problem rather than listening to understand. He also challenges the idea that validation means agreement, and explains why skipping that step is one of the most common ways leaders quietly damage trust.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeWhy an actor's job has nothing to do with acting, and what that teaches us about presence in conversationHow the MOVE model (Mindset, Observe, Validate, Engage) creates momentum in even the most difficult conversationsThe difference between reacting and responding, and why one builds trust while the other breaks itWhy validation is not agreement, and how skipping it quietly damages relationshipsHow to listen without solving the problem, and why that skill matters more than most leaders realizeWhat the "clue bird" reveals about the moments leaders most commonly missHow to change the script when a conversation goes sideways, and why breathing is the first moveThe difference between motivating and manipulating, and how to tell which one you are actually doingChapters:(00:00) Introduction to Joel Silverstone and the MOVE Model(04:22) Why an Actor's Job Is to Move the Other Person(06:13) Breaking Down the MOVE Model: Mindset, Observe, Validate, Engage(09:03) How to Stop Making the Other Person the Problem(13:02) Observation Skills and the Closed Circuit Camera Technique(17:14) Why Validation Is Not Agreement and How to Practice It(21:29) The "Yes, And" Framework and Listening Without Solving(26:15) Driving Engagement When Someone Won't Play Ball(31:00) How to Change the Script When Conversations Get Challenging(35:12) The Difference Between Motivating and ManipulatingLinks and Resources:This Feels Right - https://www.thisfeelsright.caJoel Silverstone | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-silverstoneSponsor Links:InQuasive: http://www.inquasive.com/Humintell: Body Language - Reading People - HumintellEnter Code INQUASIVE25 for 25% discount on your online training purchase.International Association of Interviewers: Home (certifiedinterviewer.com)Podcast Production Services by EveryWord Media

In this episode, Gillian Perkins breaks down her real-world experience trying over a dozen different online business models—sharing what worked, what didn't, and which ones are actually worth your time today.From affiliate marketing and dropshipping to courses, memberships, and YouTube, she walks through the pros, cons, and earning potential of each model based on years of hands-on experience—including multiple seven-figure successes and a few costly failures.As you listen, you'll gain clarity on which business models are best for beginners, which ones scale, and how to choose the right path based on your strengths, goals, and personality.Ready to finally turn your business idea into real sales? Our 8-week accelerator program Validate helps students launch and earn their first revenue, and we're gearing up to run it again this spring! Put your name on the waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens: https://gillianperkins.com/validateFREE Resources to Grow Your Online Business:The $100K Method Podcast Series: https://www.gillianperkins.com/the-100k-methodGrab our free course, Small Business 101: https://www.gillianperkins.com/101Write a Profit Plan for Your Business : http://gillianperkins.com/free-profit-plan Want to quit your job in the next 6-18 months with passive income from selling digital products online? Check out Startup Society.Have you already started your business, but it isn't generating consistent income? Schedule a free, 30-minute strategy session with our team to get unstuck!Work with Gillian Perkins:Apply for $100K Mastermind: https://gillianperkins.com/100k-mastermind Get your online biz started with Startup Society: https://startupsociety.com Learn more about Gillian: https://gillianperkins.com Instagram: @GillianZPerkinsTimestamps:00:00 Introduction: Businesses I've Tried (Wins & Failures)01:27 Affiliate Marketing (Pros, Cons, Earnings)04:01 Coaching (High Income, Low Scalability)06:40 Etsy (Creative but Competitive)07:56 Dropshipping (Time-Intensive & Risky)09:02 Courses (Scalable & Highly Profitable)10:50 Memberships (Recurring Revenue Model)13:17 Validate Program Mention16:02 Print on Demand (Flexible but Quality Matters)18:19 Freelancing (Hard to Differentiate)20:02 Agencies (Scalable but Not for Everyone)21:37 Shopify Stores (Powerful but Requires Marketing)23:31 Blogging (SEO-Driven & Competitive)26:02 YouTube (Best Growth & Revenue Driver)27:53 Podcasting (Indirect Monetization)29:18 Which Online Business Should You Start? 

Rafael is the Founder and CEO of Share It Studio, a leading creative agency that helps Amazon and Walmart sellers turn data into powerful visual storytelling. Under his leadership, Share It Studio has worked with hundreds of top-performing e-commerce brands, blending creativity with analytics to craft product images, videos, and A+ content that actually convert.Before founding Share It Studio, Rafael built a career in film and marketing, becoming a 3-time Telly Award–winning entrepreneur. He's passionate about helping brands optimize their listings, understand their buyers, and stand out in competitive marketplaces. Highlight Bullets> Here's a glimpse of what you would learn…. Ben Leonard's entrepreneurial journey with Beast Gear, from initial investment to seven-figure exit.Challenges faced after selling Beast Gear to Thrasio, including mismanagement and loss of brand identity.Importance of effective inventory management and the consequences of overleveraging.The significance of building a genuine consumer brand beyond basic Amazon tactics.The role of intellectual property protection and the impact of neglecting it.Insights on the operational difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on e-commerce.Strategies for diversifying sales channels and avoiding dependency on a single platform.The importance of quality in products and overall business operations.Marketing strategies for brand awareness, including the use of influencers and social media.Lessons learned from reacquiring and reviving a brand in a competitive market.In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough Podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Rafael Veloz, founder of ShareIt Studio, about optimizing Amazon product listings through visual storytelling. Rafael discusses the nuanced impact of AI-generated images, emphasizing that authenticity often outperforms polished visuals — demonstrated by a shoe cleaner brand scaling from $400K to $12M monthly. He advocates for a full-funnel marketing approach beyond PPC, continuous image testing, and integrating AI tools strategically. Rafaell also highlights the importance of emotional connection in content creation and recommends building strong internal creative teams to drive sustainable e-commerce growth.Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:Prioritize authenticity over polish Test raw, real-looking visuals (UGC-style, iPhone shots)—they often convert better than high-end production. Systematize testing with data Validate images using tools and customer feedback before scaling; continuously test and iterate based on performance. Build a dedicated creative strategy team Don't rely on freelancers—invest in a creative lead and team to consistently produce, test, and optimize high-converting content.Timestamps:00:00:01 Authenticity vs. Professionalism in AdsOrganic, real-feeling content can perform twice as well as high-end professional videos, depending on the product's industry.00:00:50 Podcast and Guest IntroductionHost Josh Hadley introduces the topic of AI images on Amazon and welcomes guest Rafael Veloz from ShareIt Studio.00:02:27 Are AI Images Hurting Amazon Listings?AI images can hurt sales if used incorrectly, as they can lower the "perceived value" for emotionally-driven products.00:04:01 The Shoe Cleaner Case StudyA shoe cleaner brand grew from $400K to $1.2M a month by focusing on authentic, emotional content.00:06:26 How to Test and Update Main ImagesAnalyze competitor reviews for emotional triggers, create multiple main images, and test them both off and on Amazon regularly.00:12:01 Building a System for Creative ContentInstead of "hacks," build a system. Constantly track competitors' rankings, reviews, and image changes to stay ahead.00:14:33 Optimizing Creatives for PPC CampaignsCreate different ad creatives for different PPC campaigns and keywords to reduce wasted ad spend and improve conversions.00:16:55 Driving External Traffic to AmazonAmazon now rewards external traffic. Don't just focus on TikTok; create content that connects to specific buying intentions.00:19:34 Connecting Creative and Media Buying TeamsYour creative team and PPC (media buying) team must work together to create a cohesive and effective marketing strategy.00:22:28 Using AI to Build a CommunityCreate AI-generated personas and avatars on social media to build a community and drive traffic to your product listings.00:25:44 The Process for Creating Viral ContentA strategist analyzes the market, a script is developed, and a mix of organic and AI video is used.00:27:36 Final Advice: Embrace AIDon't fear AI. Hire team members dedicated to exploring and implementing new AI tools to stay competitive.00:28:40 Actionable Takeaway 1: Marketing Efficiency RatioStop focusing only on ACoS. Adopt the Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER) to measure your total marketing spend against revenue.00:31:03 Actionable Takeaway 2: Systemize Image TestingCreate a consistent system for testing main images on Amazon, using real customer data to make decisions.00:31:45 Actionable Takeaway 3: Hire a Creative LeadInvest in a high-level creative team member to lead your marketing, as this is the most important aspect of your brand.00:33:56 Rafael's Favorite AI ToolRafael recommends Claude for its data gathering and Open-Claude's "Coworker" feature for automating executive assistant tasks.00:36:30 Connecting with RafaelFind Rafael at ShareIt Studio's website or email, and mention the podcast for a free 30-minute consultation.Resources mentioned in this episode:Josh Hadley on LinkedIneComm Breakthrough ConsultingeComm Breakthrough PodcastEmail Josh Hadley: Josh@eCommBreakthrough.comTools and Websites"Amazon Experiments": "00:08:54""Pixel": "00:08:54""Productpinion": "00:08:54""Fiverr": "00:08:06""Social Media Platforms (TikTok, In...

What if the most important form of self-care has nothing to do with bubble baths or vacations? In this episode, Dr. Margaret Paul explores one of the most overlooked dimensions of true self-care: learning to validate yourself. While external self-care has its place, she explains that no amount of outside validation from a partner, a parent, a boss, or social media can heal the wound of self-invalidation. That healing only happens from the inside. Dr. Paul walks through why so many people grow up dependent on others to reflect their worth, what self-validation actually means (and what it does not), and how learning to see, hear, and honor your own inner experience transforms not just your relationship with yourself but with everyone around you. She shares practical ways to begin practicing self-validation, including how to name your feelings with compassion, mirror your soul's qualities back to yourself, and stop outsourcing your emotional authority to others. Come explore the deeper meaning of self-care in Self-Care: How to Validate Yourself and begin building the kind of inner safety that no one else can take away. Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe and leave a 5-star review! About Dr. Margaret Paul Dr. Margaret Paul, PhD, is a bestselling author, relationship expert, and the co-creator of the Inner Bonding® self-healing process. She is the author and co-author of twelve books, including “Do I Have to Give Up Me to Be Loved by You?”, “Healing Your Aloneness,” “Inner Bonding,” and "Do I Have to Give Up Me to Be Loved by God? Through her work, Dr. Paul teaches individuals how to take responsibility for their feelings, heal anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges, and develop a deep, loving connection with themselves and their spiritual guidance. She facilitates Inner Bonding Workshops and Intensives, administers the Inner Bonding website, and works to make the Inner Bonding® process available worldwide through the SelfQuest® online self-healing program. Visit her website for a FREE Inner Bonding course at https://innerbondinghub.com/7-lessons/ or email her at margaret@innerbonding.com.   Connect with Dr. Margaret Paul: Website: https://innerbonding.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innerbonding1/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretpaul/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innerbonding Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ideas/inner-bonding-margaret-paul/923777849815/  

Richard Harpin is the founder and former CEO of HomeServe, the home emergency repair company that grew from a struggling startup into a business that sold for more than $4.1 billion. He's also the founder of Business Leader and author of How to Make a Billion in 9 Steps. In this episode, Richard shares the hard-earned lessons behind building a billion-dollar company, why copying successful models is underrated, and how entrepreneurs can scale sustainably without losing focus. On this episode we talk about: Richard's first entrepreneurial ventures selling rabbits, fishing flies, and “hookers” earrings How a frustrating plumbing problem led to the creation of HomeServe Why “copy and pivot” became Richard's foundational business strategy The importance of proving your model before scaling aggressively Lessons learned from giving up 52% of the company for early funding How direct mail still outperforms many digital marketing channels Why recurring revenue and customer retention drove explosive growth Expanding internationally while staying true to the core business model The operational systems that helped HomeServe scale successfully Why entrepreneurs should focus on evolution instead of revolution Building a personal brand as a founder and business leader The value of curiosity, mentorship, and peer groups in scaling companies Top Takeaways: Start small and start early — every business attempt teaches valuable lessons. Don't be afraid to copy successful business models and improve them. Validate profitability before aggressively scaling or raising large amounts of capital. Customer retention and recurring revenue can dramatically increase company value. Focus beats complexity — avoid chasing too many ideas at once. Direct mail marketing still works extremely well when executed properly. Strong founders eventually need to work on the business instead of in it. International expansion works best when the core model stays mostly unchanged. Personal branding is one of the most cost-effective growth tools available to entrepreneurs. Resources Mentioned: How to Make a Billion in 9 Steps Connect with Richard: Instagram: @richard_harpin Podcast: Business Leader Podcast A Word from Our Sponsors: https://invest.modemobile.com/travismakesmoney - Are you ready to start your own creatorjourney and make it big? Visitwww.fanvue.com today and launch yourcareer!- To learn more about Mode Mobile and its investor community, go to-Travis Makes Money is made possible by High Level – the All-In-One Sales & Marketing Platform built for agencies, by an agency.Capture leads, nurture them, and close more deals—all from one powerful platform.Get an extended free trial at gohighlevel.com/travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey there Product Rebels! If you're a product leader right now, chances are someone in your org has asked you some version of "what's our AI strategy?" in the last month. And chances are, the answer is still murky. We're hearing this from product leaders constantly — there's pressure to ship AI features, but not a lot of clarity on how to move from boardroom excitement to actual product impact.That's why we're resurfacing this conversation with Ravi Mehta. His Inspire, Validate, Structure, and Ship framework is one of the most practical takes we've heard on turning AI ambition into real outcomes. If anything, it's more relevant now than when we first aired it. Enjoy the re-listen. 

Sometimes, when kids have big feelings, they come out in the form of negative self-talk, especially if they're feeling like they don't belong, no one cares about them, or they just can't get it right. Today, I'm talking about coaching kids through negative self-talk, so that you know exactly what to do when your kid says things like “I'm stupid”, “No one likes me”, or “It's all my fault”.You'll Learn:What to do when your kid is having negative thoughts about themselfWhen and how to have a coaching conversation, with a full real-life exampleHow to shift to a more positive way of thinking using the 3 Cs of thoughtsWhy your child might be resistant to coaching or teaching (and what to do about it)It's a big lesson: We can't necessarily change our circumstances, but we do get to change how we respond to them. ----------------------------------------We've all done it, and you've probably heard your kid talk negatively about themself, too. Things like: I'm stupidI'll never be good at thisNobody likes meEveryone hates meYou love him/her moreYou're always mad at meI'm a bad kid No one cares about meIt's all my faultI can't do itAs they get a little older, you might even see these negative statements come up around their appearance: I'm fat, I'm ugly, I don't like my freckles, I don't like my red hair, I don't like my dark skin, etc. Especially between the ages of 0-11, kids are building a set of beliefs about themselves. And as a parent, you want to guide them toward positive core beliefs. That's what you'll learn how to do today.When Your Kid Expresses Negative ThoughtsIt can be really hard as a parent to hear your child say these things about themself. At first, you might freak out a little bit and worry that your kid has anxiety, or they're going to grow up to be depressed and have bad self-esteem. But here's the upside - saying these thoughts out loud, narrating them, is much healthier than keeping them secret and holding them all inside their head. When you know what they're thinking and struggling with, you can help them through it. Here are a couple of other things to keep in mind.This is one specific moment in time. I often talk about parenting the kid in front of you. This is a great example of that. These thoughts and feelings are not who your child is. This is a moment in time. And it's an opportunity for you to talk to them, coach them, and help them with their big feelings and their negative thoughts.These statements are often general and/or exaggerated. When you hear things like, “I always,” or “I never”, it's a sign that they are generalizing. This is a sort of extreme language. You can still validate that your child is feeling that way right now, while also holding the perspective that they won't feel this way forever. Be careful about dismissing or minimizing. Often, when parents hear their child say something negative about themself, they laugh it off or say, “that's not true”, or “don't think like that”. It's a bit of a tricky balance.You don't have to get into a full coaching conversation every time your kid says something negative, but you also don't want to consistently dismiss your child's negative self-talk. You're looking for some middle-of-the-road parenting here, where you're not freaking out, but you're still staying attuned to where your child is.If you're not sure whether something needs to be addressed, look for patterns. If there is a certain statement or insecurity that keeps coming up, that's when you want to dig a little deeper and do some coaching.Coaching Kids Through Negative Self-TalkWhen I use the term “coaching”, I simply mean that you're offering your kid a different way to think. You're teaching them how to think better thoughts. The first step (as usual) is to be sure that you and your child are both regulated and calm before you have a conversation about a thought. It is impossible to learn something new when you are in a Big Feeling Cycle. If your kid is mid-meltdown, they won't be able to connect the dots or think logically. Connection always comes before coaching.When your kid expresses negative thoughts about themself to you, they are looking to you for reassurance. This is one of those times when you being calm is super important. Your worry doesn't help your kid. They're going to borrow your state of mind, no matter what. So let's make it a positive one that helps build their confidence and trust in themself. In these moments, your child needs to borrow your confidence in them. They need to borrow your belief that they are going to learn to love themselves and they're going to grow into a strong adult who can handle lots and lots of things.The goal with a coaching conversation is to fill a skill gap. You're trying to move them from one set of behaviors or thoughts to another. Toward more self-love, accountability, and maturity.I think of coaching conversations as having 3 parts:Reflect on what's been happening. What did they say or do? What pattern have you noticed?Teach. First, you teach why their behavior isn't working. Then, give them a new skill that they can use instead.Practice the new skill. Let's walk through each step in a little more detail.ReflectThere is no “right” time to start a coaching conversation. Maybe the thing you're talking about happened a few minutes ago. Maybe it was yesterday or last week. The more important factor is that you wait until everyone is calm. Give yourself space to think about it a bit.Some kids will want to talk about their thoughts and feelings with you. Some kids won't. What's important is that you give them the opportunity to reflect. And then you validate and normalize what's going on for them. Here are some steps to guide you.Remind them of what they said.Ask them about why they think they said that. Give them time to reflect.Validate. Let them know that it's normal to have those kinds of thoughts.Ask them how that thought makes them feel. Ask them how they want to feel.This last step is a big one, because kids have no idea that they actually have power over how they think and feel. What we're trying to do over the course of their childhood is to teach them that they have the power to change how they think about things. That they get to decide to think positively and feel better. It's a big lesson: We can't necessarily change our circumstances, but we do get to change how we respond to them. Here's an example of starting a coaching conversation and going through reflection:Earlier, I heard you say, “I'm stupid.” Do you remember saying that? What happened that made you say that? It's normal for people to have thoughts like that, especially when you're feeling overwhelmed or you're feeling sad or you're feeling a little disappointed. It makes sense that you would think that because you made a mistake. But guess what? When you think that way, does it make you feel happy or does it make you feel sad? Does that thought help you feel good about yourself? Or does that thought help you feel bad about yourself? How do you want to feel? Okay, well you can keep your sad thoughts, but what about if you tried to think of a different thought?TeachHere, you'll continue teaching that your child has power over their own thoughts (and remember: you can't force them to think positive thoughts). To do this, you'll teach them the 3 C's of thoughts. You catch your thought >> check your thought >> change your thoughtsCatch. Identify the thought. What was I just thinking? “I'm stupid” feels like a fact, but it's really just a thought. Check. Take a closer look at the thought. Is it helpful? Does the thought help you feel better or make you feel sad? Change. If you decide you don't like the thought, and it is making you feel bad, replace it with a more positive thought. The new thought you choose doesn't have to be the exact opposite of the one you are replacing. The positive thought has to be something that your brain will believe. Something that is useful and also true. Going from “I'm stupid” to “I'm smart” might be too big of a jump. You can use what I call a bridge thought as an in-between to get to a more positive way of thinking. For example:Did you know that thoughts and feelings are like clouds? They come and they go. Negative thoughts are like rainy days. Positive thoughts are like sunny days. Sometimes it's raining, sometimes it's sunny. But sometimes a negative thought can get stuck in your head. And instead of just being a temporary cloudy day, it might become part of your everyday weather. Like a rainy day every day in your mind.I don't think you want to have a rainy day in your mind every day, right? Do you want to have a sunny day or a rainy day?Did you know that you get to choose if you want to have a lot of sunshine in your mind or a lot of rain? You get to pick thoughts that make you feel happy and more calm. I'm going to teach you a little thing called the 3 C's of thoughts. You catch your thought; You check your thought; You change your...

HPE has announced new features in its Juniper Mist portfolio. On today’s sponsored Packet Protector, we dig into those features, including a dry run option that lets organizations test and refine Network Access Control (NAC) policies before pushing them out, a policy validation feature that can identify shadow NAC rules, and a microsegmentation capability aimed... Read more »

HPE has announced new features in its Juniper Mist portfolio. On today’s sponsored Packet Protector, we dig into those features, including a dry run option that lets organizations test and refine Network Access Control (NAC) policies before pushing them out, a policy validation feature that can identify shadow NAC rules, and a microsegmentation capability aimed... Read more »

Most sales teams are reactive — waiting for buyers to fill out a form, book a demo, or respond to an email. Tal Peretz, co-founder and CEO of OnFire AI, is building the infrastructure to change that. OnFire monitors millions of public signals across Reddit, Stack Overflow, LinkedIn, Slack, and technical forums to identify high-intent buyers before they ever contact your sales team.In this episode, Tal breaks down how AI is transforming go-to-market for companies selling to technical buyers — CTOs, CISOs, and engineers — who notoriously resist generic outreach and respond only to context-rich, well-timed conversations. Tal shares his journey from engineer to CEO, how he and his co-founder interviewed 275 revenue leaders before writing a line of code, what it's really like to raise a $20M seed round, and the hard-won lessons of learning to sell as a first-time founder. From ICP discovery and outcome-based pricing to the future of AI in sales, this is a masterclass in signal-driven, intent-based revenue growth.Key Takeaways0:00 — Why most sales teams miss buyers who are already signaling intent publicly2:07 — Intro to Tal Peretz: Co-founder & CEO of OnFire AI3:56 — The origin story: 275 revenue leader interviews before building the product4:36 — How OnFire works: Capturing public web signals, de-anonymizing prospects, and delivering real-time context to sales teams6:25 — Why selling to CTOs, CISOs, and engineers is uniquely difficult — and uniquely valuable7:36 — The 50-million-engineer insight: Turning public technical conversations into revenue intelligence10:04 — What true AI ROI looks like: efficiency gains + directly attributed pipeline11:15 — The 4X pipeline result: What customers see in their first quarter with OnFire11:52 — Speed + personalization + human touch: Why all three are required for signal-based outreach13:03 — Raising a $20M seed round and what hypergrowth pressure really means13:47 — What makes a great investor: shared values, chemistry, and true partnership in hard moments15:59 — Managing pressure: Working backwards from a 24-month North Star to break goals into milestones17:07 — Building vs. selling: What was harder in the early days17:59 — An engineer who learned to love sales: How Tal found his passion for closing deals19:21 — The ICP trap: Why selling to everyone early is the most costly mistake a founder makes20:51 — The outbound playbook: Cold calling, LinkedIn, and the "stealth company" message that landed their biggest customers22:10 — The consulting approach: Why leading with curiosity instead of a pitch built their enterprise pipeline24:41 — The three-layer go-to-market machine: Brand, field/events, and outbound working together26:45 — Selling six-figure enterprise deals: Going on-site, acting as a partner, not a vendor28:51 — Staying focused in a crowded AI market: The "build on top of the platform" rule30:02 — Building go-to-market teams as a technical founder: The hardest challenge32:14 — The biggest AI pricing mistake: Why outcome-based pricing is the future35:03 — Sales-led vs. product-led growth: How Tal thinks about when and how to make the shift38:09 — The future of go-to-market: How AI eliminates the 80% of busy work reps do today40:53 — The one thing founders must nail to break through from product to real revenue41:38 — Where to find Tal and OnFire AITweetable Quotes"We monitor the public web for signals — competitors, pain points, product mentions — and surface them to your sales team in real time. Your buyers are already talking. You just have to listen." — Tal Peretz"It's not about quantity. It's about the quality of the data. Act fast, personalize based on the pain point, and always keep the human touch in the loop." — Tal Peretz"We take your existing team and infrastructure and make the pipeline 4X better — not by adding headcount, but by giving them the right signal at the right moment." — Tal Peretz"Every revenue is not good revenue. Nail your ICP first — where you see the biggest pain, the best retention, and the growth potential — then press the pedal." — Tal Peretz"The best investors aren't just writing checks. When something breaks — and something always breaks — that's where you find out if you have a true partner." — Tal Peretz"AI will eat the 80% of the sales rep's day that is busy work. The reps who win will be the ones who know how to leverage those tools and still build real relationships." — Tal Peretz"Outcome-based pricing is the future. Align what your customer pays with the value they actually receive — then you're never fighting about ROI again." — Tal Peretz"We started with outbound and a simple message: 'I'm a stealth founder. I want to learn from your experience.' No pitch. Just curiosity. Our biggest customers today came from that exact message." — Tal PeretzSaaS Leadership Lessons1. Validate the market before you build the product. Tal and his co-founders interviewed 275 revenue leaders before writing a single line of code. They didn't fall in love with a solution — they found the problem first. For early-stage founders, this discipline separates products that get traction from ones that get ignored.2. Your ICP is not a marketing decision — it's a survival decision. Selling to every prospect early feels like progress, but it's a trap. Tal's hard-won insight: identify the customers with the biggest pain, the highest retention potential, and the best growth trajectory early, then build everything around them. Chasing the wrong customers burns runway and muddies your product roadmap.3. Great investors are chosen for the downside, not the upside. When everything is working, any investor looks great. The real test comes when something breaks. Tal defines great investors by shared core values, authentic chemistry, and willingness to engage as a true partner — not just a capital source — when the hard moments arrive.4. Act like a consultant before you act like a vendor. OnFire's biggest enterprise wins came from going on-site, meeting the full revenue team, mapping the customer's strategic goals, and co-designing a plan — before ever talking contract. For founders selling complex, high-ACV solutions, acting as a partner rather than a vendor changes the entire sales dynamic.5. Outcome-based pricing aligns your success with your customer's success. Charging by seat or token puts you in constant translation mode — always proving value. Pricing tied to outcomes (pipeline generated, conversations resolved, deals influenced) makes the value self-evident and creates a partnership, not a vendor relationship. The companies doing this best in AI are winning stickier, larger contracts.6. The future sales rep is an AI orchestrator, not a data processor. Today's reps spend ~80% of their time on research, sourcing, and admin — not selling. AI will progressively eliminate that 80%. The reps who thrive won't be those who resist the change, but those who master AI tooling and redirect all of their energy to the irreplaceable human skill: building trust and closing deals.Guest Resourcestal@onfire.aihttps://onfire.aihttps://www.linkedin.com/in/tal-peretz/instagram.com/peretztalx.com/TalPeretz13Episode SponsorThe Futureproof Series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfkXKUPZ5xuOqMPR7_gzGybncTtavyR1NThe Captain's KeysSmall Fish, Big Pond – https://smallfishbigpond.com/ Use the promo code ‘SaaSFuel'Champion Leadership Group – https://championleadership.com/SaaS Fuel ResourcesWebsite - https://championleadership.com/Jeff Mains on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkmains/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jeffkmainsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/thesaasguy/Instagram - https://instagram.com/jeffkmains

There's a lot we need to be on top of as coaches to run our coaching practice and businesses well. So how do we thrive in the process? And how on earth do we do it all?! This is what I'm answering in today's episode. In this episode, you'll learn: 1) What the 5 key areas are that you need to be across as a coach; 2) How to sustainably approach these 5 areas to thrive as a coach; 3) The system, framework and process I use to support my clients; 4) How to figure out which area needs your attention right now; and 5) Questions to ask yourself to alleviate the overwhelm and move forward powerfully (and realistically). As coaches we are not perfect humans, we are people devoted to the lifelong work and mastery of our craft - coaching. This episode will explain how you do just that! FURTHER RESOURCES: [Watch] The World Class Coach Workshop here: A Holistic Approach to Building a Thriving, Multiple 6 Figure Coaching Business You Love - www.leticiaringe.com/workshop [Download] The Ultimate Guide for Coaches - 37 pages of straight-talking strategy for building a thriving multiple 6-figure coaching business: www.leticiaringe.com/guide [Get on the Waitlist] Create & Validate a Signature Coaching Offer to $10K: www.leticiaringe.com/validated [Get on the Waitlist] The Only 6 Month Mastermind for Coaches Building a Thriving Multiple 6-Figure Coaching Business That Prioritises Sustainable Growth & World Class Coaching Delivery: www.leticiaringe.com/mastermind Full show notes: www.leticiaringe.com/podcast

Building a successful business doesn't always mean starting from scratch. Sometimes, the better path is choosing a proven operating model, like a franchise.   Giuseppe Grammatico, founder of GG the Franchise Guide, helps professionals move from employee to business owner through honest self-reflection and strategic franchise selection. He pushes past the usual fast-food stereotypes and guides candidates through a deeper process, one focused on personal motivation, time freedom, risk tolerance, and long-term asset ownership.   His approach helps entrepreneurs choose the right business model early, whether they want to run the business day to day or take a more semi-passive role. Giuseppe also focuses on flexible, low-overhead B2B opportunities that reduce startup risk and create room for sustainable growth. For him, real due diligence means going beyond sales materials and speaking directly with existing operators.   In this episode, Giuseppe breaks down how to define your “why” before looking at business ideas, how to evaluate franchise models without falling for industry assumptions, and how to validate an opportunity before investing. Key Takeaways Define Your Introspective Why. Map out your personal motivations, lifestyle desires, and boundaries before looking at actual business ideas. Systems Over Total Independence. Choosing a proven operational framework minimizes structural startup risks while still granting full asset ownership. Evaluate the Management Blueprint. Decide early whether to operate as a hands-on manager or a semi-passive owner overseeing an established team. Shatter Industry Stereotypes. Business replication models span far beyond traditional fast-food sectors into flexible, low-overhead, and B2B markets. Validate via Peer Networks. Perform ultimate due diligence by interviewing existing operators to cross-reference corporate claims with real-world realities. Prioritize Future Exit Strategies. Build your business with clean data and seamless scalability so it remains profitable and independent of you. Listen to the full conversation here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@risingtidestartups Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rising-tide-startups/id1330525474 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eq7unl70TRPsBhjLEsNZR Connect with Giuseppe: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giuseppe-grammatico/ Website: https://ggthefranchiseguide.com Closing thought: "Freedom favors the bold. Those bold enough to take action on their goals are the ones who realize the freedom boldness can deliver." Please leave us an honest rating on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts. Shoutout to our Great Sponsors: Naviqus Virtual Services - Hassle-free administrative support services that are efficient, affordable, and tailored to your needs. Explore https://naviqus.com now to get your business off to a strong start in 2026! Podbrand Media - Have you ever considered starting your own company or brand podcast? Let Podbrand Media do it for you - podbrandmedia.com!

The 401k Girls are back. Hayley Porter and Jessica Porter return to talk acquisitions, target-date funds, financial literacy, vibe coding, and getting more women into financial services. Plus Fact or Fiction Thursday, a Chat Bar Champion challenge, and the usual chaos. We dig into the Ascensus and American Trust custodian shakeup and what consolidation means for advisors and TPAs, the wave of public comments on the latest DOL rule, whether private assets belong inside target-date funds, and why retirement should maybe just be boring. The girls break down their approachable take on financial literacy, the rebrand to The 401k Girls, and how authenticity (and the occasional quarter-zip) wins on social media. We also get into AI and vibe coding for plan administration. 0:00 Validate everyone in the chat bar 1:30 Welcoming back The 401k Girls 1:57 Fact or Fiction Thursday 4:50 Ascensus and American Trust custodian shakeup 13:30 Wholesaler relationships and partner reactions 20:50 DOL rule draws 37,000 public comments 23:30 Private assets inside target-date funds 27:20 Chat Bar Champion challenge 29:30 Reading bad financial advice posts 36:30 Making financial literacy approachable 38:40 Rebranding to The 401k Girls 41:30 Authenticity wins on social media 43:50 Vibe coding and AI for plan admin 49:50 Getting more women into financial services 59:00 Setting sales goals and succession planning 1:04:00 Wrap up and shoutouts Guests: Hayley Porter and Jessica Porter, The 401k Girls LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-401k-girls Retireholics is a live show for the 401(k) industry. New episodes the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 4:30pm Pacific. Join the next show live: https://plandesign.zoom.us/w/760355487 More episodes and transcripts: https://retireholics.com

If your SaaS product delivers genuine value fast, growth takes care of itself. That's the core thesis Sanjay Sarathy has spent 8+ years proving at Cloudinary, where he oversees a self-service business representing nearly a third of the company's revenue across 11,000+ paying customers in 150+ countries — without feet on the ground in most of them.In this episode, Sanjay breaks down what product-led growth actually looks like when it's executed well: not just free trials and clever onboarding flows, but building such a frictionless, valuable experience that developers naturally tell other developers. He shares why Cloudinary invested in technical support before marketing, how they redefined "activation" to mean real value (not just uploading a file), why discoverability is a non-negotiable pillar of their growth strategy, and how they're now rethinking the developer experience for a world where AI agents and LLMs are writing the code.This is a masterclass in developer-led PLG from someone who has lived it at scale.Key Takeaways4:07 — The Growth Levers Have Changed SEO, outbound, and paid are still valid, but word of mouth (especially in developer communities), AEO, and agentic discoverability have become powerful new growth engines — when they're earned as a byproduct of value, not engineered as a primary goal.8:28 — Why PLG Before Enterprise Cloudinary was built by developers for developers. They started with self-service because that's what their founding team would have wanted. Only after PLG proved itself did enterprise customers come knocking — and it was far easier to layer on security, SLAs, and support than to bolt on a product that developers already loved.13:46 — Great Product Isn't Enough Without Distribution Cloudinary is in 150 countries with no boots on the ground in most of them. SEO, developer relations, and a docs site that functions as a discovery engine are what made global reach possible. Distribution and product must go hand-in-hand.15:36 — Discoverability Is a Strategy, Not a Tactic "Discoverability" is a recurring internal theme at Cloudinary — constantly asking how to ensure the right people, in the right context, can find and experience the product's value.16:03 — The Cannibalization Trap Cloudinary made the mistake of launching a new product without considering its impact on existing products — and cannibalized their own business. They now use a two-track product strategy: "mature" products with full go-to-market support, and "invest" products being validated for product-market fit before scaling.19:24 — Invest in Support Before Marketing One of Cloudinary's earliest and most impactful decisions: invest heavily in technical support first. Happy, successful developers become word-of-mouth advocates. That bet paid off across an entire community.21:06 — Developer Experience in the Age of AI Tooling Developer experience today means meeting developers where they work — VS Code, Cursor, Claude, Windsurf. Cloudinary built a VS Code extension and is working to minimize hallucinations by giving LLMs accurate, context-rich instructions for using Cloudinary correctly.24:03 — Redefining Activation Uploading a file to Cloudinary is not activation. Doing something with that file — transforming it, tagging it, delivering it — is activation. Reframing their metric around genuine value changed how they prioritized onboarding.33:25 — The Seven-Day Activation Window Data shows clearly: if users don't activate within the first 7 days, a second surge doesn't come. Most activation happens in the first 4–5 days. This insight shapes everything about how Cloudinary approaches onboarding urgency.27:01 — Speak Use Cases, Not Features "We have automated image optimization" means nothing. "Your images are 40% lighter and you'll save X on bandwidth" means everything. The language of outcomes and use cases is what drives adoption and expansion.36:39 — Pricing Must Communicate Value Cloudinary's self-service pricing has remained largely flat for years while the product has added enormous capability — intentionally improving the value/price ratio over time. They also offer pay-as-you-go flexibility for seasonal businesses.44:28 — The 90-Day PLG Focus: Build Trust For founders building a PLG motion right now, Sanjay's single most important recommendation: engender trust. Do what you say. Follow up when you say you will. Make your product deliver on its promise. Trust is the flywheel.Tweetable Quotes"We never set out to get word of mouth. We set out to create value. Word of mouth was the byproduct." — Sanjay Sarathy"If your product genuinely helps people win, growth becomes a natural byproduct." — Sanjay Sarathy"Distribution is equally as important as the product itself. You can have a great product and go nowhere." — Sanjay Sarathy"Discoverability isn't a campaign. It's a strategy." — Sanjay Sarathy"Uploading a file isn't activation. Doing something valuable with it is." — Sanjay Sarathy"If a developer doesn't activate in the first seven days, don't expect another surge. It won't come." — Sanjay Sarathy"Stop talking about your features. Start talking in the language of your customer's use cases." — Sanjay Sarathy"We're okay with free users who are actively using the product. They pay us back in word of mouth." — Sanjay Sarathy"In a PLG motion, trust is the flywheel. Without it, everything else breaks down." — Sanjay Sarathy"We fell in love with our own capabilities and forgot that customers don't care. Use cases are what drive adoption." — Sanjay SarathySaaS Leadership Lessons1. Build Distribution Like You Build Product Cloudinary reaches 150+ countries without sales reps in most of them — through SEO, developer relations, documentation, and community. Great products disappear without intentional distribution. Your discoverability strategy is a growth strategy.2. Earn Word of Mouth — Don't Engineer It The moment you prioritize getting word of mouth over generating it as a byproduct of genuine value, you've lost the plot. Build something that makes people win, then step back and let them talk. The data will tell you if it's working.3. Start Narrow, Validate, Then Scale Cloudinary's "invest vs. scale" product framework exists because they once cannibalized their own product line by expanding without rigor. Validate product-market fit in a controlled way before committing the full go-to-market machine. Repeatability before scale.4. Redefine Your Activation Metrics Around Real Value Ask yourself: is the action we're measuring actually a moment of value, or just a moment of presence? Cloudinary stopped counting uploads and started counting transformations. The metric you optimize shapes the product you build.5. Invest in Customer Success Before You Think You Need To Cloudinary prioritized technical support ahead of marketing in their early days. Counter-intuitive — and it was exactly right. Successful users become advocates. That investment compounded for years through word of mouth and developer trust.6. Speak the Language Your Customer Thinks In "Automated image optimization via F-Auto" is internal language. "Your images are 40% lighter and your site is faster" is customer language. The translation layer between what your product does and what your customer achieves is where adoption lives or dies. Build that bridge deliberately.Guest Resourcessanjay@cloudinary.comwww.cloudinary.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sanjaysarathy/https://x.com/guffnuffEpisode SponsorThe Futureproof Series - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfkXKUPZ5xuOqMPR7_gzGybncTtavyR1NThe Captain's KeysSmall Fish, Big Pond – https://smallfishbigpond.com/ Use the promo code ‘SaaSFuel'Champion Leadership Group – https://championleadership.com/SaaS Fuel ResourcesWebsite - https://championleadership.com/Jeff Mains on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkmains/Twitter - https://twitter.com/jeffkmainsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/thesaasguy/Instagram - https://instagram.com/jeffkmains

After 250 episodes of Beyond Coding, a pattern shows up again and again: the engineers who thrive aren't the ones chasing the newest tool or the cleanest code. They're the ones who learn fast, keep things simple, and understand the business they're building for. This special pulls the sharpest moments from recent guests into one conversation about what actually makes a great software engineer in 2026.We cover:Why learning is the only skill that outlives every tool, language, and platformHow the best architects act more like scouts than cartographersWhy "simple is complicated enough" beats clean code dogma at scaleHow to design systems that evolve instead of trying to predict 10 years outWhat junior engineers should actually do in the age of AI agentsFor software engineers who want to think clearer, build better, and grow into the kind of engineer companies can't replace.Timestamps:00:00:00 - Intro00:00:17 - Why You Should Increase Your Breadth, Not Just Focus00:02:16 - The Only Skill That Survives Every Tech Cycle00:04:14 - Buzzwords Are Just Old Ideas in New Clothes00:05:26 - What Clients Say vs What They Actually Want00:06:45 - The Bad Architects Are Easier to Spot00:08:50 - Why Good Engineers Use Boring Technology00:11:40 - Stop Building for 100x Scale on Day One00:13:13 - The Dogma of Clean Code Is Hurting You00:15:15 - Simple Is Complicated Enough at Scale00:16:28 - Design Only for the Next Order of Magnitude00:18:19 - How to Talk Tech with Non-Technical Stakeholders00:19:30 - The $50,000-Per-Hour Container Terminal Lesson00:22:11 - Architects Are No Longer Cartographers, They're Scouts00:25:18 - Start with a Question, Not an Answer00:26:49 - Junior to Senior in the Age of AI Agents00:27:29 - Don't Be a Fool with a Tool00:29:43 - From Explicit to Implicit Knowledge Economy00:30:38 - Use AI to Validate, Not to Generate#softwareengineering #engineeringcareer #softwarearchitecture

When betrayal trauma enters a family, children feel it—even when no one says a word.In this episode, Amie and Alana answer a powerful listener question: What would you do differently with your kids if you could go back?This honest conversation explores the parenting mistakes, emotional repair, boundaries, and healing work that matter most after betrayal trauma.They talk honestly about:validating your child's experience without correcting itavoiding emotional over-sharingprotecting children without secrecyhelping kids process tension they can already feelboundaries with extended familyemotional repair after mistakeswhy your children need their story, not yoursChapters00:50 Listener Question4:44 Kids Own Their Story06:12 Validate; Don't Correct10:04 Secrecy vs Oversharing14:31 Isolation and Support15:22 Boundaries18:04 Kids Feel Everything20:00 Repair22:35 Self-Compassion and Growth24:31 Common Mistakes and WinsRegister Now!***Use promo code PODCAST150 to get $150 off when you register for any Choose intensive or retreat in 2026!***

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Software communication gaps are the invisible force behind most failed or delayed software projects—and they often start long before a single line of code is written. In the conversation with Thanos Diacakis, one thing becomes immediately clear: teams don't struggle because they lack talent or tools. They struggle because they lack a shared language. About Thanos Diacakis With over 25 years in software development, Thanos Diacakis has worked with early-stage ventures and tech giants like Uber and Included Health. He led the technical integration of the JUMP Bikes acquisition, scaling the platform to 45k vehicles and over 2 million monthly trips. Today, he helps teams deliver faster with better quality—without burning out in the process. Connect with Thanos on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thanosd/ The Real Cost of Software Communication Gaps At the heart of most broken projects is a simple pattern: business teams describe what they want, developers interpret it, and both sides assume alignment. That assumption is where everything breaks. Thanos describes a familiar scenario: a business writes a multi-page specification, hands it to engineers, and waits weeks for results. When the work returns, it's "not what we meant."   This isn't incompetence—it's translation failure. Natural language is inherently ambiguous. Code is not. Bridging that gap requires more than documentation. It requires a system for continuously refining understanding. Why Software Communication Gaps Get Worse Over Time Many teams respond to misalignment by adding more: detail documents requirements control That reaction feels logical—but it makes things worse. Instead of improving clarity, it increases rigidity. Teams become slower, less adaptive, and more frustrated. ⚠️ Warning: More documentation does not fix misunderstanding—it often amplifies it. The real issue isn't a lack of detail. It's a lack of feedback cycles. Without frequent validation, teams drift further apart with every iteration. Closing Software Communication Gaps with Iteration The solution Thanos emphasizes is deceptively simple: shorten the loop. Instead of building for a month, build for two days. Instead of guessing, validate continuously. This shifts development from a "delivery model" to a "discovery model."

Someone you love looks at you with caring eyes and says, "You look so much healthier now." And your stomach drops. Your ED brain hears: "You look so much bigger now." You're not alone in this experience. This triggering moment happens to almost everyone in recovery, and today we're going to unpack why it hurts so much and what to do about it. In this episode, you'll discover: Why "you look healthy" feels like code for "you look fat" The beautiful truth about what people actually see in your recovery 5 practical strategies to process triggering compliments without spiraling How to reframe "healthy" beyond appearance Why your brain interprets recovery compliments as threats How to honor difficult feelings without acting on them For the woman who wants to receive recovery compliments as they're intended—with love. THE QUOTE THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING "You look healthy. And by that I don't mean you look fat. I mean, your face isn't gray anymore. The circles under your eyes aren't so dark. Your lips aren't cracked and dry, and your hair isn't thinning and brittle. I mean, you seem more focused when I talk to you. You seem calmer, stiller, and quieter. You're easier to have a joke with. You laugh now, you're less anxious. There's life about you. It's in your eyes and your smile. It's in the way that you speak, and even in the way that you go about your daily tasks. You look healthy. You look happy and it really, really suits you." This quote reminds us: Healthy isn't code for fat. It's about the light returning to your eyes. WHY RECOVERY COMPLIMENTS HURT When someone says "you look healthy," it triggers you because: Diet culture made "healthy" code for weight/appearance (not actual wellbeing) Your eating disorder convinced you taking up less space was the goal You've tied your worth to your size for so long that any perceived change feels life-threatening Recovery includes body changes and the ED voice fights against those changes You're afraid of being truly seen for who you authentically are The problem isn't the compliment—it's that your brain has been rewired to interpret certain words as threats. 5 STRATEGIES TO HANDLE TRIGGERING RECOVERY COMPLIMENTS STRATEGY 1: The Pause and Reframe When you hear "you look healthy" and feel anxiety rising: Take a breath and pause Consciously reframe what healthy actually means Ask yourself: "What non-weight related improvements have people noticed?" Create your own expanded definition of healthy that has nothing to do with size STRATEGY 2: The Curiosity Approach Instead of assuming you know what someone means: Say: "That's interesting. What changes have you noticed?" Often people are referring to your energy, presence, smile—not body size This gives you accurate information about their actual compliment Helps retrain your mind to consider interpretations beyond the ED narrative STRATEGY 3: The Gratitude Pivot Shift from appearance focus to function focus: Think about what your body can DO right now, not how it looks Example: "Today my body had enough energy to laugh with friends" "Today my brain could focus on work instead of calories" It's impossible to feel gratitude and hatred at the same time STRATEGY 4: The Feeling Validation Sometimes you need to acknowledge the pain: Say to yourself: "This hurts right now, and that's understandable" Text a safe person: "Someone said I looked healthy and I'm struggling with it" Validate your feelings without acting on them You can feel anxiety without restricting food STRATEGY 5: The Recovery Identity Reminder Keep a list of your recovery values and who you want to be: "I value connection over isolation" "I value energy to pursue my passions" "I value peace with food over constant control" When triggered, return to your bigger recovery WHY THE TRUTH ABOUT PROGRESS Using these strategies doesn't mean you'll never feel triggered by appearance comments. Recovery isn't about never feeling difficult emotions—it's about building new pathways to process them. First time someone said you looked healthy: You cried Tenth time: You felt a twinge, honored it, let it pass Eventually: You genuinely receive it as the intended compliment Progress isn't linear, but it IS possible and inevitable if you keep putting one step in front of the other. WHAT THEY'RE REALLY SEEING The people who say you look healthy are seeing something real: You coming back to life A spark returning Life coming back to someone they care about You engaging with the world again What if looking healthy is actually a sign that you're reclaiming your life? What if that glow is your authentic self shining through? KEY QUOTES

AI data sovereignty is quickly becoming one of the most critical issues in global technology—and one of the least understood. At its core, it asks a simple question: Who owns the data that shapes intelligence? Because whoever owns the data ultimately controls the outcomes. About Dr. James Maisiri Dr. James Maisiri is a leading voice on AI and society, focusing on how emerging technologies impact labor, culture, and inequality across Africa. His work connects sociological insight with technical realities, emphasizing ethical and inclusive AI systems. He has worked with UNESCO, published in the Journal of BRICS Studies, and contributed to major African publications.

The implementation of Unique Device Identification (UDI) has already transformed regulatory compliance in the medical device industry.Now, Europe is introducing an additional layer: Master UDI-DI — adding both structure and complexity to the system.Understanding the UDI StructureTo fully understand Master UDI-DI, it's important to distinguish between the different levels:• UDI-DI → Identifies a specific device• Basic UDI-DI → Groups devices with the same intended purpose and characteristics• Master UDI-DI → Applies to highly individualized devices with specific design parametersThis new layer aims to better manage products with high variability.Why Master UDI-DI Was IntroducedFor certain devices — such as spectacle frames, lenses, and other customizable products — the number of variations can become overwhelming.Master UDI-DI helps:• Reduce the number of identifiers required• Improve traceability• Simplify product grouping• Enhance recall efficiencyKey BenefitsDespite its complexity, Master UDI-DI brings several advantages:✔ Better organization of device data✔ Improved market surveillance✔ Faster identification during recalls✔ Stronger protection against counterfeit productsChallenges for ManufacturersHowever, the implementation is not without challenges:• Increased data requirements• Risk of incorrect UDI assignment• Need for cross-functional coordination• Integration with EUDAMEDAs highlighted in the discussion, errors in UDI can be costly — including recalls and data inconsistencies.Timeline and UrgencyWhile the labeling deadline is set for November 2028, manufacturers should not wait.EUDAMED requirements are already active, and preparation takes time.

What if you could validate your startup idea before wasting months (or years) building the wrong thing?Aaron Solomon, founder of Ambl, shares the real story behind building a startup from the ground up - including failure, lost savings, and the hard lessons that led to raising £4.3M and scaling internationally.In this episode: • How to test a business idea in the real world • Why most founders overbuild (and how to avoid it) • The power of customer conversations • Turning a “feature” into a scalable product • Expanding into new markets like DubaiA must-listen for founders, operators, and anyone building something from scratch.More from James:Connect with James on LinkedIn or at peer-effect.com 

What do you say when your child asks about race, racism, or representation – and you're not sure where to start? In this special episode of Raising Us, host Elise Hu is joined by Jelani Memory, founder of A Kids Co. and author of A Kids Book About Racism, to answer questions from real parents navigating challenging conversations. From starting at step one to deciding when your child needs more support, Jelani and Elise share practical scripts, resources, and strategies for tackling conversations in an age-appropriate way. Whether you're wondering how to respond when your child brings up something unexpected or you're trying to keep these conversations going over time, Jelani offers real advice from his own experience parenting six kids, rooted in honesty and curiosity. Key Takeaways: Engage in conversations with your kid by starting with wherever you're at. Challenge stereotypes through curiosity and conversation. Encourage your kids to come to their own conclusions to feel more connected to it. Take topics that your child brings up seriously. Validate your child's feelings about hard topics. ⏱️ Timestamps: Keep the conversation going at home with our FREE Conversation Kit companion guide: https://delivery.shopifyapps.com/-/07ee767992e0beb8/adeb03d1daa0bd9c Learn more from Jelani Memory: http://instagram.com/jelanimemory New episodes every Tuesday: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AKidsCo Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-us-a-parenting-podcast/id1552286967 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2bIRVxM8hbriNxydkSv6VG Or wherever you get your podcasts.

Stuck in endless reassurance loops? Understanding why reassurance backfires and leads to worse behavior and more nervous system dysregulation helps you shift from short-term relief to real calm. Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, founder of Regulation First Parenting™, guides parents to build lasting regulation.You answer, reassure, explain—and five minutes later, it starts again. It's exhausting, and it can make you question everything. You're not alone and it's not bad parenting—it's a dysregulated nervous system. In this episode, learn why reassurance backfires and leads to worse behavior and more nervous system dysregulation—and what actually helps your child feel calm and safe.Why does my child keep asking the same anxious questions over and over?If your child asks, “Are you sure I won't get sick?” or “Are you sure the door is locked?” on repeat, it's not because they didn't hear you.It's because their nervous system isn't regulated.Reassurance gives quick relief—but not lasting calmThe brain gets a dopamine hit, then craves moreAnxiety learns: ask → get relief → repeatBehavior is communication. Your child isn't looking for facts—they're looking for regulation.Real-life example:One parent shared her daughter asked 40+ questions every night. No matter how many answers she gave, it was never enough. Why? Because the brain wasn't seeking truth—it was seeking relief from distress.Why does reassurance make anxiety and OCD worse over time?This is where things get tricky—and honestly, surprising.Reassurance doesn't calm the brain long-term. It actually feeds the anxiety loop.It avoids discomfort instead of building toleranceThe brain stays in threat mode (fight-or-flight)Dependence on you increases instead of resilienceOver time, this can escalate:Anxiety → OCD patternsAnxiety → Shutdown or depressionChronic stress → nervous system overloadIt's not misbehavior—it's dysregulation.How do I help my child without reinforcing their fears?Here's the shift that changes everything:

The best way to improve your child's behavior on the outside is helping them understand how to cope and communicate with their big feelings on the inside. You'll Learn:The NEW 5-step Connection Tool and how to use it when your child is in their big feelingsHow to think about your child's behavior so that you can see them through a neutral or compassionate lensLOTS of real-life examples and scripts for you to useThe difference between delaying consequences and permissive parentingI'm walking you through exactly how to use (new & improved!) The Connection Tool to coach your kids when they're having big feeling cycles or when they're dysregulated. --------------------------------------The Connection Tool is one of my favorite tools I've ever created to help parents emotionally coach their kids when they're having big feeling cycles or when they're dysregulated. Today, I'll walk you through exactly how to use it. And if you've been around a while, you may notice a few improvements.The Connection Tool falls under the 2nd pillar of my Connected Parenting Process:Calm >> Connect >> Limit Set >> Correct This process is meant to simplify parenting for you as much as possible. When you're seeing off-track behavior, it means that some parenting is probably needed. And by going through the 4 steps of the process, you can use your kid's behavior as a clue to what they might be feeling or needing. The best way to improve your child's behavior on the outside is helping them understand how to cope and communicate with their big feelings on the inside. Kids don't know what to do with disappointment, anger, jealousy, and those other hard emotions. So, they complain, ignore you, run away from you, call names, hit their brother, etc. The Connection Tool helps you teach them how to handle those emotions in an appropriate way.What Do I Mean By Connection?When you hear the term “connection” as it relates to parenting, your mind might automatically go to the connection between you and your child. Of course, I want you to have a good relationship with your kid, but that's not exactly what we're talking about here. When I talk about “connection” in the Connected Parenting Process, I'm really talking about the connection between your child's behavior and their emotions. You're helping to connect what's happening on the inside and how it's showing up outside of them through their behavior. In essence, it's about connecting your child to themself. Giving them an understanding and awareness of how they're thinking, how they're feeling, and helping them learn to manage their feelings in healthy ways. Emotional health and wellbeing always starts with awareness. This is also called “emotional literacy”, which essentially means that they can understand what they are feeling, describe it with words, and express those emotions in health and appropriate ways that work for them, your family, and their community.From there, they can also learn how to shift their thinking so that they have a better mindset about whatever is going on in their life. One thing I want to point out is that when your child is in a big feeling cycle or acting out, they don't need limits or correction (yet). What they need first is connection. Threatening, accusing, minimizing, or insulting are not helpful in this situation. They will only make your child more dysregulated.The Connection ToolI've been teaching this tool to parents for a long time, but through the process of writing my book, I realized that it was incomplete. The NEW Connection Tool has 5 parts.1. Notice. This is just for you. You notice that something is going on. Your kid is dysregulated or acting out. They might be tired, hungry, overstimulated, facing frustration. They're having feelings of stress, Frustration, anger, disappointment, disappointment. Often, you'll notice this before they really lose it. You'll see that something is a little off, something's brewing. Your kid looks mostly fine, but inside their nervous system is working really hard. This is a great time for you to take a CALM break. You know that your kid is starting to show big feelings, and they're going to need your help. If a behavior shows up and you find yourself upset by it or you start showing up with some of those less-than-helpful responses, those are also signs to take a break, get calm, and re-align with your goals.2. Narrate. When somebody is dysregulated, they have exceeded their capacity to cope with their emotional upset in a healthy way. They no longer have access to logic. You can help bring them back into the moment by narrating the behavior you see. For example: “I am giving each of you dessert, but I saw you hit your brother because I gave it to him first.” “I said that it was time to turn off the video game, and I noticed that you haven't done it yet.” “I said it was homework time, but now I see that you're playing in the backyard instead of sitting down at the table.”You are narrating the circumstances and the specific actions and behaviors that you're seeing. This is what's going on on the outside. Stick to the facts. 3. Name. Now, you name the feeling that's happening on the inside. I like to phrase this as a question or curiosity. Like this…“I wonder if you are feeling angry that I gave your brother the dessert first.”“I wonder if you are sad that you don't get to play video games any more.”“I wonder if you are feeling annoyed that it's time to do homework.”The narrating and the naming go together to help neutralize the behavior. It's like holding up a mirror and saying, “Hey, I'm seeing this behavior and I'm thinking it's because of this circumstance.”4. Validate. Now that the feeling has a name, let your child know that however they're feeling is valid. Of course they're feeling angry, sad, annoyed, etc. One of my favorite phrases for this is, “That makes sense.” 5. Regulate. This is where you help your child move through the feeling so that they can get back to a state of calm. Ask, ”What are you going to do with that anger (or whatever emotion you've named together)?” You can give suggestions. “Do you want to run around? Do you want to jump up and down? Do you want to talk about it? Do you want to tell me more things? Do you need to take a break from the family?” Let them know that you can help them or they can do it on their own. There are a ton of different ways to regulate the nervous system, but moving the body is almost always a great starting point. It helps to push those emotions through and out of the body. Imagine it like an electrical current that is all charge up and needs to be discharged. Sometimes, you'll need to set a boundary as part of regulation. For example, “You can stay here and eat this dessert with us as long as you're not name calling.” Remember that limit setting has to come from a very calm, grounded place. The message is, “This behavior isn't safe for everybody, and we want you to be around here.”This process of regulation often only takes around 90 seconds (even though it might feel like an eternity). Once your child is regulated and calm again, you'll coach them through resetting their mind and thoughts (more on that in the next episode!).The goal of the Connection Tool is not that your child will not have big feelings anymore. The goal is for there to be less and less damage when those feelings come up. All humans are going to have tough emotions. And kids will be immature. We want to move away from violence, disrespect, and behaviors that cause problems for others, like time delays and energy drains. We want our kids to understand that their feelings are valid and make sense. And to know healthy ways to move that emotion through their bodies and minds. We're helping them to connect the dots between what's going on inside of them to what's going on on the outside of them. And holding them responsible for their behavior in a loving way.Free Resources:Get your copy of the Stop Yelling Cheat Sheet!In this free guide you'll discover:✨ A simple tool to stop yelling once you've started (This one thing will get you calm.)✨ 40 things to do instead of yelling. (You only need to pick one!)✨ Exactly why you yell. (And how to stop yourself from starting.)✨A script to say to your kids when you yell. (So they don't follow you around!)Download the Stop Yelling Cheat Sheet hereConnect With Darlynn:Book a complimentary session with DarlynnLearn about the different parenting programs at www.calmmamacoaching.comFollow me on Instagram @darlynnchildress for daily tipsRate and review the podcast on Itunes

In this episode, Julie talks to Savannah about social media and its effects on how we, as gender-expansive people, use the digital platforms as a benchmark to find external validation. From the cycling of posting and the wait for the dopamine high, to dressing for performance versus authenticity, to looking for external reactions versus just dressing for one's own sake, to using social media as a amplifier, the end result is to reclaim one's own level of self confidence through internal means.-----SAVANNAH HAUK is the author of “Living with Crossdressing: Defining a New Normal” and “Living with Crossdressing: Discovering your True Identity“. While both focus on the male-to-female (mtf) crossdresser, “Defining a New Normal” delves into crossdressing and relationships and “Discovering Your True Identity” looks at the individual crossdressing journey. Her latest achievements are two TEDx Talks, one entitled "Demystifying the Crossdressing Experience" and the other "13 Milliseconds: First Impressions of Gender Expression". Savannah is a male-to-female dual-gender crossdresser who is visible in the Upstate of South Carolina, active in local groups and advocating as a public speaker at LGBTQ+ conferences and workshops across the United States. At the moment, Savannah is working on more books, blogs, and projects focused on letting every crossdresser–young and mature–find their own confidence, expression, identity and voice.IG @savannahhauk | FB @savannahhauk | FB @livingwithcrossdressing | web @livingwithcrossdressing.com------JULIE RUBENSTEIN is a dedicated ally to transgender community and the certified image consultant and co-owner of Fox and Hanger. F&H is a unique service for transgender women and male-to-female crossdressers that creates customized virtual fashion and style “lookbooks”. Julie intuitively connects with each client to find them appropriate clothes, makeup, hair, and shape wear all in alignment with their budget, body type, authentic style and unique personality. Julie also provides enfemme coaching and wardrobe support. Julie has made it her life's work to help MTF individuals feel safe and confident when it comes to their female persona, expression and identity.IG @Juliemtfstyle | FB @foxandhanger | web @FoxandHanger.com

In this episode, I speak with Alex Cattoni about her business evolution from client work to educational initiatives in copywriting and marketing. Anticipating a return to high-level strategy by 2026, she emphasizes keynote speaking and personal branding. Cattoni reflects on her transformative YouTube journey, her flagship course, and her mastermind program's growth, highlighting the importance of community over automated marketing. She addresses changes in consumer messaging post-COVID-19 and the value of live interactions in launches. Looking ahead, she shares excitement for her personal brand relaunch and discusses AI's role in enhancing human creativity and storytelling.Chapters:0:00 Introduction2:21 Evolution of Business Strategy5:55 Key Decisions in Business Growth11:34 Mastermind Structure and Dynamics13:31 Media Features and Recognition14:36 Trends in Launch Strategy21:11 Engagement in Marketing34:02 Successful Initiatives of 202537:17 Exciting Future Projects for 202643:46 The Role of AI in CreativityReady to finally turn your business idea into real sales? Our 8-week accelerator program Validate helps students launch and earn their first revenue, and we're gearing up to run it again this spring! Put your name on the waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens: https://gillianperkins.com/validateFREE Resources to Grow Your Online Business:The $100K Method Podcast Series: https://www.gillianperkins.com/the-100k-methodGrab our free course, Small Business 101: https://www.gillianperkins.com/small-business-101-free-opt-inWrite a Profit Plan for Your Business : http://gillianperkins.com/free-profit-plan Want to quit your job in the next 6-18 months with passive income from selling digital products online? Check out Startup Society.Have you already started your business, but it isn't generating consistent income? Schedule a free, 30-minute strategy session with our team to get unstuck!Work with Gillian Perkins:Apply for $100K Mastermind: https://gillianperkins.com/100k-mastermind Get your online biz started with Startup Society: https://startupsociety.com Learn more about Gillian: https://gillianperkins.com Instagram: @GillianZPerkins

What if I told you the reason your business hasn't taken off yet… isn't because you need more time—but because you haven't tested it yet? In today's episode, I'm breaking down the real truth about launching your business—especially if you're building a business while working a 9 to 5 like I was. Because listen… validation is NOT launching. And once I learned that? Everything changed. I'm sharing the exact mistakes I made when trying to start a business, how I wasted time (and money

In this episode, host Etienne Nichols sits down with industry veteran Mike Drues to explore a critical theme in modern MedTech: the danger of "not knowing what you don't know." The conversation centers on the growing trend of companies making avoidable, "boneheaded" mistakes despite a robust regulatory framework. Mike Drues emphasizes that while technology evolves, the fundamental responsibility for safety and effectiveness remains non-delegable.The discussion dives deep into a landmark regulatory event: the first-ever FDA warning letter issued to a company for GMP violations specifically linked to the unauthorized use of Artificial Intelligence in manufacturing. They break down the legal and ethical implications of relying on AI agents to generate specifications and production records without human oversight or process validation.Finally, the episode tackles the controversial idea of individual accountability in regulatory citations. Etienne and Ryan debate whether naming specific professionals in warning letters would curb the repeat of industry-wide errors or if internal company culture provides enough of a corrective force. It's a sobering look at why professionals must keep their "brains at the door" and treat AI as a tool, not a replacement for human judgment.Key Timestamps00:02:15 - The "Preamble to the QSR": Why the "why" behind the regulation is more important than the "what."00:04:10 - The Non-Delegable Rule: Why AI agents cannot hold responsibility for quality requirements.00:07:30 - Case Study: The first FDA warning letter for AI-related GMP violations (Pure Parolia).00:10:45 - The Quality Unit: Does the "Quality Unit" legally need to be a human being?00:15:20 - Individual Accountability: The debate over naming names in official FDA warning letters.00:20:45 - The Autopilot Metaphor: Comparing AI in surgery to autopilot in aviation and self-driving cars.00:23:10 - Star Trek's "The Ultimate Computer": Lessons from 1968 on over-delegating to technology.00:27:15 - ClinicalTrials.gov: Analysis of the 30% non-compliance rate in clinical trial reporting.Quotes"The responsibility for meeting these requirements may not be delegated, even though the actual work may be delegated. This applies to artificial intelligence agents." - Mike Drues"True knowledge is knowing what you know and knowing what you don't know, and most importantly, knowing the difference between the two." - Mike DruesTakeawaysRead the Preambles: Don't just follow the letter of the QMSR; read the Preambles to understand the FDA's underlying logic and "thinking."AI is an Intern, Not a Manager: Treat AI as a "PhD-level intern." It can draft justifications or specifications, but it cannot "approve" them.Validate the AI Process: If AI is integrated into manufacturing or quality decisions, it requires process validation just like any other automated system.Human-in-the-Loop: Maintain a "Human-in-the-Loop" protocol for all regulatory submissions to prevent "garbage in, garbage out" errors.Check Clinical Reporting: Ensure all required clinical trial results are published on ClinicalTrials.gov; nearly a third of the industry is currently failing this basic requirement.ReferencesFDA Preamble to the QSR: The foundational text explaining the "why" behind quality regulations.21 CFR Part 211.22: The regulation defining the responsibilities of the Quality Control Unit.Pure Parolia Warning Letter: The April 2026 citation regarding AI and process validation.Star Trek Episode 24 ("The Ultimate Computer"): A cultural cautionary tale on over-reliance on machines.Etienne Nichols' LinkedInMedTech 101: Process ValidationThink of Process Validation like a recipe for a cake. If you're a baker, you don't just hope the cake turns out right every time; you test the oven temperature, the mixing time, and the ingredients to prove that if you follow the steps, you get a perfect cake 100% of the time.In MedTech, when a company uses AI to make decisions or manufacture parts, they must "validate" the process. This means proving that the AI (the oven) works correctly and consistently before selling the product. Claiming "the AI didn't tell me I had to test it" is like a baker saying they didn't know they had to turn the oven on because the recipe didn't mention it.Feedback Call-to-ActionWe want to hear from you! Do you think the FDA should start naming names in warning letters? Should the "Quality Unit" be legally required to be a human? Send your thoughts, reviews, or suggestions for future topics to podcast@greenlight.guru. We read every email and pride ourselves on providing personalized responses to our community.SponsorsThis episode is powered by Greenlight Guru. In an era where you cannot delegate your quality responsibility to AI, you need tools that empower your human experts. Greenlight Guru's QMS (Quality Management System) and EDC (Electronic Data Capture) solutions provide the "regulatory logic" and data integrity needed to ensure your team stays compliant, from clinical trials through post-market surveillance. Connect your quality processes and clinical data seamlessly to avoid the "boneheaded mistakes" discussed today.

It's a big question (especially when your kids are little) - What would I be doing to set my child up for success in adulthood? We all want our kids to thrive and be well. Today, I'm sharing the 3 essential beliefs kids need for emotional health.You'll Learn:The 3 essential beliefs that help ensure your child grows up to have good self esteem, take risks, think for themselves, be responsible, and have good relationshipsWhat you can do to support these beliefs in your kidPractical examples of how to reinforce these beliefs, even when your child is misbehavingHow to coach your kid through negative thoughtsThis episode breaks down the key ingredients to helping your kid become emotionally healthy and resilient - now and as an adult.----------------------------------------The three essential beliefs are:I am safe.I'm lovable.I am capable.These are the beliefs that help ensure your child grows up to have good self esteem, take risks, think for themselves, be responsible, and have good relationships with others and with their own body.Each person comes into the world preset to believe these things. They want them to be proven true. The problem happens when they start to get different messages or they have experiences in childhood happen to them and that are never explained.Your child's earliest years (between 0-5) set the groundwork for their subconscious beliefs about themselves and the world. And those beliefs are reinforced up until around age 12. They are absorbing messages all the time about themselves and the world based on their environment and their interactions with you.You have a lot of influence over your child's beliefs about themselves. When you can reinforce these essential beliefs in them - showing them that they're safe, lovable, and capable - they get the message and carry those beliefs with them into adulthood.Belief #1: I am safe.This is the belief that I am safe, and the world is safe. I don't need to worry so much about my needs. I can relax in my environment, and from that relaxed state I can go and try and do hard things and take big swings in the world and live my life.Why it mattersBabies cannot meet any of their own physical needs, so they trust and rely on us to care for them. This is the beginning of building safety. “The grownups in my world are safe.”As they get a little older, safety becomes not only physical but also emotional. They want to know that you can handle their big feelings. You are the person who will protect, not harm, them. They don't need to be scared of you.The idea of safety also shifts as we see more behaviors. They might start to see safety as conditional. That they are safe and cared for as long as they act a certain way. It can also be based on the adult's emotional capacity, patience, etc. When their safety is in question, the child becomes hypervigilant and aware. They're always looking around trying to figure out, “Am I safe?”.Without a core belief that the world is safe, we start to see things like anxiety, dissociating, seeking safety in relationships (or rejecting relationships), and other unhealthy behaviors.What to doThe goal, then, is to be a physically and emotionally reliable caregiver for your child. This means regulating your nervous system, so that you can be calm and reinforce these core beliefs.Boundaries and rules are also important to creating a sense of safety. We don't want to be too harsh or rigid, but predictable routines and limits help kids know what to expect and show them that their adult is going to do what they say they will do. I like to think of these rhythms as a metronome in the background of life.Belief #2: I am lovable.You can also think of this belief as “I'm good enough”. We want our kids to walk through the world believing that they're good enough exactly as they are. That they're worthy of love, and you accept them unconditionally.Why it mattersKids have a really hard time separating themselves from their behavior. So when you communicate that you don't like how they're acting, it can be confusing. They can take it to mean that you don't like them. Or that you only love them when they're behaving a certain way.This means that you have to actively communicate to them that they're lovable no matter how they act, that they are good enough, and that you accept them exactly as they are. They don't have to do anything or be anything different in order to receive your unconditional acceptance. They can't earn your love, and it can't be taken away.When a child goes through life thinking that they're not good enough or they're not lovable, they show up with a lot of people pleasing behavior. They may be perfectionistic. They may deny their own needs or their own ideas. They might squash down their creativity or intuition because they think they need to show up in a certain way in order to be accepted by the adults in their life.What to doOne of the really difficult thoughts for us to work through as parents is, “I love my kid, but I don't like them right now.” We have to actively work on shifting that to, “I like my child no matter how they act.”Let's be honest, this is more challenging with some kids than others.One of my favorite tools is called a Delight List. You write out a list of things that you like about your kid. Then, you can communicate to them, “I like you”, “I find you delightful”, “You're my kid and I enjoy having you in particular as my kid”.I want to clarify one thing: Unconditional acceptance does not mean that we're letting misbehavior slide. The difference is in the way that we communicate boundaries and consequences. It's the frustration, blaming, anger, and shame that we're getting rid of. You can have compassion for why your child might not want to follow a particular rule, while also being firm.Remind yourself that they are still learning how to follow directions, delay gratification, and control their impulses. They're little, and they're figuring it out.Belief #3: I'm capable.This is the belief that I can handle things, I can figure stuff out, and I know how to take care of myself.Why it mattersIn order for your child to believe that they are capable of learning, growing, doing new things, and mastering new skills…they have to make mistakes.And this isn't just about learning to clean up their messes or tie their shoes. There's so much growth going on beneath the surface. Kids are also learning how to manage their nervous system, regulate their emotions, delay gratification, and understand cause and effect.They're going to make a lot of mistakes.If you get frustrated and angry when they make those mistakes, you end up communicating to your child, “You're not good enough, and it doesn't seem like you're capable.”What to doNormalize misbehavior and mistakes. Make sure your child understands that they're not “bad” when they mess up. They're still learning. This means that you want to create an environment where it's normal to not know how to do everything.When you start to feel frustrated, try looking at your child's behavior through a different lens. Where is that behavior coming from? Is it emotional immaturity? Physical immaturity? An immature nervous system? Lack of skill? If you can see your child's behavior from a neutral lens (or even a compassionate lens), then you can be compassionate towards them.Adopt a growth mindset that your kid gets to be a beginner. They get to work towards higher and higher levels of skill. They won't be good at everything (including behaving), and that's okay.Coaching Your Kid Through Negative ThoughtsSometimes kids will share with you the negative thoughts that they have in their heads. They might think things like:You don't love meYou hate meI'm stupidNo one likes meI'm a bad boy/girlEveryone is mad at meIt can be difficult to hear that your child is thinking these things. But it is beautiful that they feel comfortable sharing those thoughts with you. And it gives you the opportunity to coach them through it.Here's how:Validate their feeling. Narrate back what they said to you. Name to emotion(s) you think they might be feeling. Ask them, “Are you thinking…?” “I wonder if you're feeling…?” Let them know that the way they're feeling makes sense.Don't get defensive or minimize or dismiss what they're telling you. Instead, you can mirror back to them, saying something like:“I know that you're safe. I would never let anybody hurt you.”“I know how I think. I know that I don't hate you. I love you no matter how you act.”“I know for sure that you're capable of doing your math homework. Mistakes happen. You're still learning, and that's okay.”Allow time for them to regulate. Maybe they need a little hug from you or to move their body a bit.Coach the mind. Explain that those negative thoughts come and go, like clouds in the sky. They don't have to stay.Here's the underlying message:Hey, you know what? You're safe in this world and in this family and in this environment. No matter how you act, you're lovable. I'm going to know you're capable even when you make mistakes. I'm here to support you no matter how you act.And just in case no one has ever told you, I want you to know that I know that you are safe, you are...

Sonia C. is in London, Sonia T. is in New Orleans, and they are both thrilled to be back at the microphone. Springtime can feel more like the start of a new year than New Year's Day itself! Now is the time to soak in the energy that is vibing all around you and embrace the messages that your intuition is sharing with you.   This week's theme is: Stop trying to validate your intuition and start actually listening to it.   Grab Sonia Choquette's FREE Meditation Guide!   Join the Waitlist for Sonia Choquette's New Certification Program   Highlights: Welcome to the real new year of the year! [:30] The intelligence of plants. [3:17] You know exactly why you're feeling what you feel. [6:10] "You're just so normal!" [9:05] Don't be fake, but don't waste your energy either. [12:10] If the vibes are off, they're off! [15:51] Does the shoe actually fit? [20:34] Take a pause when you need one. [24:17] Be honest with yourself – are you truly open to guidance? [30:55] Stop romanticizing your resistance! [34:04] If you get the now, be open to the how. [36:25] Tool of the Week: If the intuitive shoe doesn't fit, don't force it. [37:47] Question of the Week: Why do I immediately get an impulse to share ideas from my spirit guides with others? Is this a form of overgiving? [44:41]   Our energy communicates with everything around us, including the gorgeous plants that are waking up this spring. We receive that energy in non-sensory ways, both intuitively and energetically. This spring, consider this truth: intuition is not solely an extrasensory perception. It is an essential perception reception. We have to start integrating our vibes into everything that we do every day.   Do you know what your intuitive process actually looks like? We've all tried on shoes that just don't fit, and we know better than to force them. That is intuition! Stop forcing it, and start validating what you know you are feeling. Be courageous and confident – your vibes are telling what you need to know to succeed.   Tool of the Week: If the intuitive shoe doesn't fit, don't force it. [37:47]   Question of the Week: Why do I immediately get an impulse to share ideas from my spirit guides with others? Is this a form of overgiving? [44:41]   Continue on Your Journey:   Grab Sonia C.'s New Card Deck Here! Your Glorious Life Sonia C's In the Moment Guidance Good Vibes Tribe More Sonia Choquette Follow Sonia Choquette on Instagram Sonia Choquette on YouTube Sonia Choquette's Book Read Life ACCURATELY: Recognize and Respond to What's Really Happening Soul Mastery: 22 Lessons to Reinvent Your Life Order Sonia Choquette's Trust Your Vibes Guided Journal True Balance book by Sonia C.   More Sonia Tully Psychic YOUniversity Level 1 Waitlist Psychic YOUniversity Level 2 Waitlist Book a Reading with Sonia Tully Sonia on Substack Follow Sonia Tully on Instagram Book a Discovery Call with Sonia Tully Free Spiritual Toolkit and Meditation   Connect with Sabrina Tully  Buy Sonia and Sabrina's book, You Are Amazing   Share with us your questions and vibe stories at itsallrelatedpodcastquestions@gmail.com and vibecheck@soniatully.com

In this episode, Gillian Perkins shares practical ways to turn the time you'd normally spend scrolling on your phone into time that actually makes you money.She breaks down a wide range of opportunities—from simple microtasks you can do in minutes, to client services and local gigs, all the way to building a full business from your phone. Whether you're looking for a low-effort side hustle or a scalable income stream, this episode will help you find options that fit your lifestyle.As you listen, you'll discover how to replace mindless phone use with productive, income-generating activities—and how to choose the right path depending on whether you want quick cash or long-term growth.Ready to finally turn your business idea into real sales? Our 8-week accelerator program Validate helps students launch and earn their first revenue, and we're gearing up to run it again this spring! Put your name on the waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens: https://gillianperkins.com/validateFREE Resources to Grow Your Online Business:The $100K Method Podcast Series: https://www.gillianperkins.com/the-100k-methodGrab our free course, Small Business 101: https://www.gillianperkins.com/small-business-101-free-opt-inWrite a Profit Plan for Your Business : http://gillianperkins.com/free-profit-plan Want to quit your job in the next 6-18 months with passive income from selling digital products online? Check out Startup Society.Have you already started your business, but it isn't generating consistent income? Schedule a free, 30-minute strategy session with our team to get unstuck!Work with Gillian Perkins:Apply for $100K Mastermind: https://gillianperkins.com/100k-mastermind Get your online biz started with Startup Society: https://startupsociety.com Learn more about Gillian: https://gillianperkins.com Instagram: @GillianZPerkinsTimestamps:00:00 Why We Scroll (and How It Wastes Time)01:16 Making Money From Your Phone Instead02:17 Overview of Income Categories03:32 Microtask Apps (MTurk, Clickworker, Remote Tasks)05:55 Research Studies (Respondent, Prolific)08:02 Client Services You Can Do From Your Phone08:25 Short-Form Content Creation for Creators10:07 Community Management & Moderation12:04 Local Lead Connector Business15:10 Local Opportunities & Marketplace Arbitrage16:34 Mystery Shopping Apps18:14 TaskRabbit & Local Service Gigs19:33 Delivery Apps (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Instacart)20:03 Making Money by Creating Content21:50 Selling Your Own Products or Services23:03 Side Hustle vs Full-Time Income Paths23:53 Free Course: Small Business 10124:42 How to Turn a Side Hustle Into Full-Time Income 

Wolf and Luke discuss how much making the playoffs would mean for the Phoenix Suns and sports columnist at the Oregonian Bill Oram joins the show.

Ever told your child, “You're fine,” and instantly felt that pang of guilt? You're not alone, mama. This episode is for every mom who's doing her best to connect but sometimes feels unsure how to handle all those big emotions.In this heartfelt conversation, we'll talk about:Why validation is key to emotional safety and connectionWhat happens when children's feelings are dismissed (even unintentionally)Five common responses that don't validate your child's emotionsFive powerful swaps that teach your child how to feel seen, heard, and lovedYou'll walk away with practical language you can use in real moments,  the meltdowns, the fears, the frustrations, and a deeper understanding of how to build trust that lasts.This episode is a gentle reminder that motherhood isn't about perfection,  it's about presence.

Want to talk about what you heard today? Interact with me and others that understand your experience on the Disordered Community app.https://disordered.fm/community----In this episode, we tackle a common trap: viewing every uncomfortable emotion through the lens of anxiety recovery. When you spend months practicing desensitization, acceptance, tolerance, and exposure, it is easy to mislabel normal human stress as a setback, a relapse, or a recovery problem.Disordered vs. Non-Disordered AnxietyDisordered Anxiety: This is defined by a fear of the internal experience itself. You become afraid of your own symptoms, thoughts, and sensations.Non-Disordered Anxiety: This is a natural response to external stressors like grief, job loss, or relationship conflict. You cannot "float" or "mindfulness" your way out of a legitimate life crisis.The Recovery TrapMany people "hijack" normal human emotions and try to apply recovery techniques to them. Trying to use willful tolerance, acceptance, or principles of exposure on a situation that requires practical action or just feeling emotions only keeps you stuck. We often do this because the recovery framework feels more familiar and safe than facing complex life problems.Moving ForwardCheck the Context: Before assuming you are having a "relapse," look at your life. Are you under actual pressure from work, finances, or family?Validate the Stress: It is expected and healthy to feel stressed by difficult circumstances. This is not a failure of your recovery.Take Action: If the problem is external, it requires a practical solution, not just a psychological one.Accept Your Humanity: There are no "hacks" for being human. Recovery means learning to live with a full range of emotions, not eliminating discomfort.For full show notes on this episode:https://theanxioustruth.com/341Send in a question or comment via text.Support The Anxious Truth: If you find the podcast helpful and want to support my work, you can buy me a coffee.   Other ways to support my work like buying a book or signing up for a low cost workshop can be found on my website.  None of this is never required, but always appreciated! Interested in doing therapy with me? For more information on working with me directly to overcome your anxiety, follow this link.Disclaimer: The Anxious Truth  is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. Listening to The Anxious Truth does not create a therapeutic relationship between you and the host or guests of the podcast. Information here is provided for psychoeducational purposes. As always, when you have questions about your own well-being, please consult your mental health and/or medical care providers. If you are having a mental health crisis, always reach out immediately for in-person help.

Hugh Douglas and Joe Giglio react to the New York Post report featuring photos of Mike Vrabel and Diana Russini at an Arizona resort. They debate whether this close relationship adds credibility to Russini's reporting on potential AJ Brown trade rumors.

In this episode, Gillian Perkins talks with sales expert and entrepreneur Andee Hart about the real reasons customers aren't buying—and why it's usually not your product that's the problem.Andee shares insights from her 17-year career in corporate sales and her experience building a product-based business, breaking down the most common (and overlooked) mistakes that prevent sales—from unclear messaging to friction in the buying process.As you listen, you'll learn how to improve your conversions without reinventing your offer—by refining how you present, sell, and deliver your product so it becomes an easy “yes” for your ideal customer.Ready to finally turn your business idea into real sales? Our 8-week accelerator program Validate helps students launch and earn their first revenue, and we're gearing up to run it again this spring! Put your name on the waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens: https://gillianperkins.com/validateFREE Resources to Grow Your Online Business:The $100K Method Podcast Series: https://www.gillianperkins.com/the-100k-methodGrab our free course, Small Business 101: https://www.gillianperkins.com/small-business-101-free-opt-inWrite a Profit Plan for Your Business : http://gillianperkins.com/free-profit-plan Want to quit your job in the next 6-18 months with passive income from selling digital products online? Check out Startup Society.Have you already started your business, but it isn't generating consistent income? Schedule a free, 30-minute strategy session with our team to get unstuck!Work with Gillian Perkins:Apply for $100K Mastermind: https://gillianperkins.com/100k-mastermind Get your online biz started with Startup Society: https://startupsociety.com Learn more about Gillian: https://gillianperkins.com Instagram: @GillianZPerkinsTimestamps:00:00 Introduction & Meet Andee Hart02:09 Andee's Background in Sales & Entrepreneurship05:30 Helping Product Makers Scale Through Wholesale08:09 Why It's Usually NOT Your Product11:10 Reason #1: Inadequate Product Information17:15 Reason #2: Lack of Convenience21:34 Reason #3: Unclear Value Proposition25:48 Reason #4: Lack of Follow-Up28:30 Reason #5: Poor Customer Experience30:25 Recap of the 5 Reasons31:07 Where to Find Andee Hart31:26 Validate Program Invitation

Master the $500B Cloud Marketplace Engine Subscribe to our Newsletter:https://theultimatepartner.com/ebook-subscribe/ Check Out UPX:https://theultimatepartner.com/experience/ In this compelling discussion, Vince Menzione sits down with Dexter Hardy, founder of Ntegral and the visionary behind Spark, to deconstruct the massive transformation happening within the cloud ecosystem. Dexter shares his journey of evolving from a traditional systems integrator to a marketplace powerhouse with over 300 solutions and customers in 100 countries, revealing the “Marketplace Operating System” that drives global sales without a massive headcount. They dive deep into the Spark GTM methodology, discussing how companies can bridge the gap between building a solution and actually driving “Get It Now” transactions while navigating the $500 billion committed cloud-spend landscape. From the nuances of multi-party private offers to the critical role of AI in becoming a “frontier firm,” this episode provides a high-level masterclass for any partner looking to turn the marketplace into their most effective revenue stream. https://youtu.be/VLkkuHPpYuk?si=x03Odt2UsCjhtVf4 Key Takeaways The cloud marketplace represents a potential $500 billion in committed spend that partners cannot access without MAC-eligible, transactable solutions. Marketplace as a Service (MaaS) helps traditional SIs pivot to becoming SDCs or ISVs by providing a strategic roadmap for IP conversion. Successful marketplace strategy requires a “Marketplace Operating System” that aligns digital sales with your internal operations and business goals. The “Get It Now” economy allows for 24-hour global sales and lead generation without the need for traditional manual email or phone chains. Becoming a “Frontier Firm” means combining human experience with AI to do things faster, better, and more efficiently than the competition. Co-selling is evolving beyond just the hyperscalers to include rich, multi-party private offers involving resellers and distributors. If you're ready to lead through change, elevate your business, and achieve extraordinary outcomes through the power of partnership—this is your community. At Ultimate Partner® we want leaders like you to join us in the Ultimate Partner Experience – where transformation begins. Key Tags: Integral, Spark, Marketplace as a Service, MaaS, Marketplace Operating System, Marketplace Strategy, Transactable Offers, Get It Now button, SI to ISV pivot, SDC, Microsoft Marketplace, AWS Marketplace, Google Cloud Marketplace, IP Co-sell, MAC eligible, Multi-party private offers, REO, Reseller enabled offers, Cloud Committed Spend, Frontier Firm, AI agents, Spark GTM methodology, Marketplace Optimization, Digital Sales Flywheel. Transcript: Dexter Hardy Audio Episode [00:00:00] Dexter Hardy: AI in the hands of someone who has no idea what they’re doing is just a, it’s a faster way to failure, right? Yeah. ’cause they have, they [00:00:06] Vince Menzione: still don’t understand the concepts. [00:00:11] Vince Menzione: We just finished Ultimate Partners Winter Retreat here in beautiful Boca to a sold out crowd. Today I’m joined by Dexter Hardy, the founder of Integral for a compelling discussion. Dexter, welcome back to the podcast. Great to be here, Vince. It’s [00:00:29] Dexter Hardy: always a pleasure. [00:00:30] Vince Menzione: It is so good to have you back in Boca. [00:00:33] Vince Menzione: Uh, we just wrapped up our ultimate partner executive winter retreat. We call it the Winter Retreat now. [00:00:39] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:00:39] Vince Menzione: It’s still February when this airs. It’ll probably be March or April. [00:00:43] Dexter Hardy: Okay. [00:00:43] Vince Menzione: But, um, yeah, the weather in the north has been, they’ve had a tough winter. [00:00:49] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. It’s been brutal [00:00:50] Vince Menzione: for, it’s been brutal. Even, even Atlanta where you are. [00:00:53] Vince Menzione: Had a little bit of winter this year as well. [00:00:54] Dexter Hardy: I was happy to get on the flight. Yeah. It was like 29 degrees the day out, so, [00:00:59] Vince Menzione: so, um, this is your second time Yeah. On Ultimate Partner. And we’ve been friends for, we’re just talking about this. You’ve been to every single one of our Ultimate Partner events. [00:01:10] Vince Menzione: Nine events, [00:01:12] Dexter Hardy: yep. [00:01:12] Vince Menzione: Three times here in Boca and then in other cities like Dallas and Las Colinas. Seattle, Seattle and Reston. Oh my goodness. And we’re back in Seattle again in May. So, uh, we’ve been, we’ve been busy. We’ve been busy. Both of us have [00:01:27] Dexter Hardy: Scott Myer [00:01:28] Vince Menzione: up and we’ve been, and we were introduced. We’ve been friends and worked together. [00:01:31] Vince Menzione: And so I would love to get caught up on you and Integral. [00:01:35] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:01:36] Vince Menzione: Um, the first time we sat down, we talked about Integral as a marketplace. Uh, customer base or, or, or vendor supporting the marketplace. [00:01:45] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:01:46] Vince Menzione: And you were, you’ve been, uh, showcased at Microsoft with the Marketplace organization. You’ve done some astounding things in terms of driving business without like a big sales force, you know, and driving marketplace sales, uh, to very high levels. [00:02:02] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:02:03] Vince Menzione: And, uh, and now you, I’ll call it a little bit of a twist and turn, but now. You’ve taken all the great learnings, and I’m probably sharing some of your thunder here, but you’ve taken all the great learnings that you’ve had in marketplace and your business [00:02:16] Dexter Hardy: mm-hmm. [00:02:16] Vince Menzione: And now you’re like looking at all these other companies, they’re probably trying to do the same thing and finding ways to help them. [00:02:21] Vince Menzione: So let’s, let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about where you’re going. [00:02:25] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. So, so thanks for that. And it’s always a pleasure to be, you know, in the room with you, especially on the podcast, uh, seeing it grow over the years. And, um, to kind of double click on. How did we get to where we are with, uh, spark Bi Integral? [00:02:40] Dexter Hardy: Um, it’s our marketplace as a service offering. Um, we [00:02:46] Vince Menzione: marketplace as a service. You get that? I just wanna make sure people are listening and watching. Get that. That’s a, that’s a new acronym for me. [00:02:53] Dexter Hardy: That’s a new one. But, but what we, how do we get there? So to your point, yes, we. We’re a, um, marketplace first organization looking at the digital sales leaned in heavily on marketplace. [00:03:08] Dexter Hardy: Um, and what we were doing internally was we created our marketplace operating system. Like literally, how do we run our business? How do we digitize, how do we get those, uh, how do we turn the marketplace into our 24 hour sales guy? Yeah. Taking all those lessons learned how you deal with the hyperscale or how do you understand, you know, the, the signals that’s happening in the market. [00:03:33] Dexter Hardy: Uh, coupling that with, because we’ve been a member of this wonderful organization and getting into the partner community ecosystem, we get asked a million times, I bet. What do you do? How do you do it? That’s help us understand marketplace and so what we. What we saw there was an opportunity to both lean into the challenges that other partners are facing. [00:04:00] Dexter Hardy: If you’re an SI that’s trying to pivot [00:04:02] Vince Menzione: yep, [00:04:03] Dexter Hardy: and be in the marketplace, you’re already established company, how do you create Transactable offers? How do we take the the marketplace opportunity and leverage AI and put our agents in the marketplace? Our aha moment was this is, this is an en enablement opportunity that we can get into and basically be the first ones in because we leaned into it, we understand it. [00:04:35] Dexter Hardy: What makes us different from the other companies is we actually use that methodology every day. [00:04:43] Vince Menzione: For those who maybe didn’t listen to the last podcast we did together, I know this story, but I want others to know the context of it. Tell us about your transformation to a marketplace firm. [00:04:54] Dexter Hardy: Okay, for sure. [00:04:56] Vince Menzione: Maybe the shorter version. [00:04:57] Dexter Hardy: The shorter version, [00:04:57] Vince Menzione: but I, I do know that there was some, you were in business for a long time before this became the business strategy. [00:05:03] Dexter Hardy: Yeah, so the shortened version business founded 2002, Microsoft partner for many years. Yep. 2020. Si. Si as an si. 2020 COVID. [00:05:16] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:05:16] Dexter Hardy: Consulting 2.0. [00:05:17] Dexter Hardy: How do you do what you do at scale for others? Taking your ip, converting it. We did that at 2020. Embraced the marketplace. We created our solutions, deploy them to the marketplace. The rest is history. We leaned in how [00:05:32] Vince Menzione: many solutions in the [00:05:33] Dexter Hardy: marketplace, over 300 solutions. I wanna [00:05:35] Vince Menzione: make sure people [00:05:35] Dexter Hardy: got that. [00:05:35] Dexter Hardy: Over a hundred, 300 [00:05:36] Vince Menzione: solutions. [00:05:37] Dexter Hardy: Over 300 solutions. Yeah. Uh, we have. Customers in over a hundred countries. I mean, and [00:05:42] Vince Menzione: yeah. [00:05:43] Dexter Hardy: You know, continuing to build and expand our customer base on a daily basis. And so, [00:05:48] Vince Menzione: and they’re, and they’re buying when you, while you sleep. I mean, we, we’ve known each other pretty well for a number of years. [00:05:54] Vince Menzione: And [00:05:54] Dexter Hardy: yeah, [00:05:54] Vince Menzione: you have customers like, um, I’ll throw out a number, like 25,000 customers, probably, maybe beyond that. And these customers are buying your solutions. All hours of the day and night, [00:06:06] Dexter Hardy: right? Yeah. I I love the get it now button in the marketplace. Literally all they have to do to work with us or transact with us is click on, get It Now, and that’s the transactable offer that everyone, there’s this mystique around. [00:06:19] Dexter Hardy: People are like, well, we don’t have any leads. We can, you know, our, we have an offer in the marketplace and nobody’s clicking on it. And I’m like, Hmm, [00:06:27] Vince Menzione: yeah, [00:06:27] Dexter Hardy: we can help you with that. Right? And so, um, you know, that’s how we. Our, our story with that, our background with that was it’s our 24 hour sales guy. We drive our campaigns, we align with the solution plays. [00:06:41] Dexter Hardy: We’re getting those clicks with, to your point, without this huge army of people. Yeah. And so now we’re saying from a marketplace strategic advisory, a lot of people were saying it earlier, like, you know, marketplace isn’t this adjacent thing to business. How do you strategically think about it as. Um, part of your business all up. [00:07:03] Dexter Hardy: How do you add that as a revenue stream, uh, for your organization? And yeah, there may be some changes that you need to make, you know, how do you incorporate the channel? How do you add in all of the things that you’re currently doing, but create that as a flywheel for this. Get it now economy. [00:07:22] Vince Menzione: So all the, I’m, I’m thinking out loud, like there’s probably a lot of people watching you up on stage at these events talking about how you evolved your company and grew it. [00:07:31] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:07:32] Vince Menzione: Going, that’s me. [00:07:33] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:07:33] Vince Menzione: That’s me. The old, the old version of you absolutely is them. [00:07:37] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:07:38] Vince Menzione: And they all, they all want help. [00:07:39] Dexter Hardy: They all, [00:07:40] Vince Menzione: everybody wants help in marketplace. [00:07:41] Dexter Hardy: Right. And [00:07:43] Vince Menzione: yeah. [00:07:43] Dexter Hardy: And, and to that end. Because I was them. I understand how their mind, it’s a mindset shift, right? You’re saying, okay, we have these traditional sales, we’re a systems integrator, we have all this ip, these, there are all these things that we can do. [00:07:57] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:07:58] Dexter Hardy: I don’t, how do we convert this to transact ability? How do we get our sales teams enabled to sell it? And I was, and my, my feedback and my response to that is, well, one, we have a service for that. It’s our marketplace advisor services. I’m sorry for the plug, but not sorry. [00:08:16] Vince Menzione: No, we’re, no, we’re gonna plug today as well. [00:08:18] Vince Menzione: Much as you want. [00:08:19] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:08:20] Vince Menzione: And then I think about this too, because a lot of these sis are developing, we’re just, uh, talking with Agua about MSPs, developing agents for their customers and then making ’em repeatable. [00:08:30] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:08:31] Vince Menzione: And so you have other sis that are creating AI tools and agents. Microsoft is created and the, and so has AWS and Google, they’ve created space in their marketplaces for agent AI tools. [00:08:44] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:08:45] Vince Menzione: And so now you’ve got all these companies that were traditional sis that are now becoming what we would call ISVs or, or SDCs. And they need help in getting these solutions to the marketplace. [00:08:57] Dexter Hardy: Absolutely. [00:08:58] Vince Menzione: So, so talk about what you’re doing with Spark. [00:09:00] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. So our concept with Spark is. When you look at enablement, so you’ll have platforms that are enablers and a lot of people will say, well, what makes Spark different? [00:09:12] Dexter Hardy: Why? Why you versus Tackle Or Sugar? [00:09:15] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:09:15] Dexter Hardy: Any of the other work span. Work span or any, they’re all friendlys to us because we’re meeting you where you are. Right. In order for you to use their platform, you gotta already have the solution together. [00:09:29] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:09:30] Dexter Hardy: Right. They can help you deploy. There’s Deploy. They are a deployment firm or [00:09:35] Vince Menzione: Right. [00:09:36] Dexter Hardy: Um, platforms We’re saying [00:09:38] Vince Menzione: they’re middleware in many respects. Correct. Between the, they’re, [00:09:41] Dexter Hardy: they’re integrated into the marketplace. They’re highly embedded into the systems behind it, and we’re saying what happens before that? I have no idea what solution to build. I have no idea how we’re gonna take advantage of Marketplace. [00:09:58] Dexter Hardy: How is Marketplace gonna change? Again, we had these conversations at dinner. Um, [00:10:04] Vince Menzione: yeah, [00:10:04] Dexter Hardy: all of the big players are saying, we have channel, we have our sales teams, we have all these things already. How does marketplace play into that for us? And so that Marketplace strategic advisory goes into it and says, here’s how. [00:10:19] Dexter Hardy: Right. We have a. Our Spark GTM methodology goes into how do those things play together? What are your KPIs or what are your business goals as an organization all up? And then we marry this, basically a Venn diagram of how we marry marketplace with your current objectives. Okay. To not just be this, uh, ubiquitous thing that’s kind of sitting over on the side, like, let’s just put it in marketplace because we need to, and nobody knows it’s there and nobody knows it’s there. [00:10:49] Dexter Hardy: It’s part of. Everything all up. Your messaging, your sales organization, your, um, documentation that you have for your organization. So now everyone understands, not just you as the, let’s say you’re an SI that you were, but you, the si with your agents and how that plays into your bigger value proposition. [00:11:10] Dexter Hardy: So take [00:11:10] Vince Menzione: us through the, go to the methodology you described the Spark methodology. [00:11:15] Dexter Hardy: Yep. So, um, a lot of people, when they think about. The methodology, you’ll say we’re a, we’re an si. I’m just going to use an example. You’re an si. How, how do I get somebody to click on my, my opportunity? How do I get somebody to understand what we have as a value proposition? [00:11:39] Dexter Hardy: And I’d say to people, well, there’s this, it’s part of the methodology. There’s product viability. Can you build something? Versus should you build something. Right. [00:11:50] Vince Menzione: Interesting. [00:11:51] Dexter Hardy: If you are, if you are out there today and you’re saying, I mean, everybody’s seeing Claude, the agents, you can, you can ask AI to build you pretty much anything. [00:12:00] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:12:00] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:12:01] Dexter Hardy: Now the question scary and that, that’s a, that, that introduces a new problem. But it’s, can you do it or should you do it? [00:12:08] Vince Menzione: Yes. [00:12:09] Dexter Hardy: And and what I’ll tell people is part of our advisory, so the steps are. What is your North Star right now and what is the software that would enable you to get on that AI rocket ship to propel you even further with where you are? [00:12:27] Dexter Hardy: Those are the solutions that we would try to [00:12:29] Vince Menzione: Okay. [00:12:30] Dexter Hardy: That out, pull out of, uh, as part of that marketplace. Um, advisory Second, what partner or partner organizations are you a member of? Is it Microsoft? Is it the AWS? Is it, you know, Google Cloud? Google Cloud, what have you, and let’s say Microsoft. What are solution plays? [00:12:51] Dexter Hardy: What is Microsoft focused on? How does what you’re doing as an organization align with that go to market? Mm-hmm. Because now you have that jet power of what they’re, um, promoting along with your organization. [00:13:06] Vince Menzione: Nice. [00:13:07] Dexter Hardy: And then the final piece is, well, now that you’ve done that, how do I get it into market? [00:13:12] Dexter Hardy: How do I, uh, get people to click on it? And that’s where some of the secret sauce that I won’t divulge on this, [00:13:19] Vince Menzione: uh, [00:13:20] Dexter Hardy: but there is some secret sauce to getting the ICPs to lean in, getting the [00:13:25] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:13:25] Dexter Hardy: You know, you’re listing to light up inside of that. And so that’s. You know, that’s at a high level. That’s kind of how the marketplace, [00:13:32] Vince Menzione: I think what you’re alluding to, and I, I don’t wanna put words in your mouth, but I do think you’ve done a very good job on what I would call maybe digital marketing, maybe. [00:13:41] Vince Menzione: Would that be the right terminology? Yeah. To make your solutions discoverable, to make people understand that they’re out there and to lean in and be able to purchase them. [00:13:51] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:13:52] Vince Menzione: Which I think I would say that’s probably part of the secret sauce, probably of Spark. That is what you’re saying because a lot of organizations struggle here. [00:13:59] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:14:00] Vince Menzione: They put something in the marketplace and nothing ever happens with it. Even even big companies do that. They don’t know how to do it. [00:14:06] Dexter Hardy: So, so yeah. Without divulging the secret sauce, I had a gentleman ask me yesterday, um, during the conference, so how is this different from SEO? I said, good question. [00:14:20] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. Is is SEOS? Is, is SEO involved? Sure, but that’s not the final answer. Because you could do SEO, that doesn’t mean anybody. That just gets you, doesn’t mean anything. Doesn’t mean anything. And so. That’s why I keep going back to this methodology of really aligning it with, uh, what it is you’re trying to accomplish, who it is you’re trying to get to lean in, and then what is the value proposition? [00:14:42] Dexter Hardy: Because at the end of the day, Vince, I think even with any service, like I said, we did our first offerings with our R zero offerings and now we’re doing this. It’s what is the value, right? Um, it’s a hard. Thing to do to really wrap your brain around how your, how your business is going to change from, if you’re doing direct sales and you got your bag and you’re out there selling to now, you mean I don’t have to pick up the phone and call you? [00:15:15] Dexter Hardy: There’s not an email chain that goes out. It’s literally people are just clicking on Get it now to get it [00:15:21] Vince Menzione: and getting it. [00:15:22] Dexter Hardy: That’s a, that’s a mind shift change and that’s. To your point, there is some market, there is some marketing expertise that is required. [00:15:29] Vince Menzione: And we’ve also talked about, I know you and I went down a journey on the co-sell business [00:15:34] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:15:34] Vince Menzione: And how difficult it can be to get a, a seller from a Microsoft or a Google and Amazon involved, unless it’s, you know, a $10 million transaction, they don’t want to get involved. [00:15:45] Dexter Hardy: Right. [00:15:46] Vince Menzione: Uh, you really wanna reach the customer. Because you know, the hyperscalers is great. If you’re driving a ServiceNow or an ADO a big solution, it’s gonna be tens of millions of dollars. [00:15:56] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:15:57] Vince Menzione: But if you are an SI and you’re selling this as part of maybe a services offering, or you’re selling it as, you know, you’re just selling as a standalone. [00:16:04] Dexter Hardy: Right? [00:16:05] Vince Menzione: Um, you want as much eyeballs and transactions as possible and you’re not gonna get that just going co-selling. [00:16:12] Dexter Hardy: Right. And, and the other part of that I will say about co-sell. [00:16:17] Dexter Hardy: I think co-sell has gotten like a dirty rap or bad rap around it. Co-sell is with the hyperscaler, but it’s with other partners too. [00:16:28] Vince Menzione: Sure, [00:16:28] Dexter Hardy: right? Oh yeah, absolutely. So, um, being in the marketplace gives you the option of co-selling would, not just the hyperscaler, but co-selling with other orgs. And so now anytime that you’ve give, you’ve given yourself that X factor on top of your existing ability to deliver. [00:16:44] Dexter Hardy: That’s where you’re seeing the true power of marketplace. [00:16:47] Vince Menzione: And yesterday you were on stage with Jason Rook. [00:16:50] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:16:51] Vince Menzione: And this was part of the conversation. It was you, Jason Rook and Amit Sinha at, at uh, work Span. [00:16:58] Dexter Hardy: Mm-hmm. [00:16:58] Vince Menzione: And part of the conversation was around the, uh, reseller enabled offers. And I think what that’s somewhat of what you’re alluding to is that you have other wait routes to market channels to market. [00:17:10] Dexter Hardy: Right [00:17:11] Vince Menzione: through building other partnerships for co-selling. Yeah. That what you, you were alluding to. Yeah. [00:17:15] Dexter Hardy: So, so yeah, there, there are a million ways to, once you’re in, once you have a transactable offer, that’s when you get the magic unlocks. Right. You, the barrier to entry is being in marketplace with a transactable offer. [00:17:31] Dexter Hardy: And if you’re outside of that loop, again, the REO. You’re not available. Guess who? Guess who can’t do that? [00:17:39] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:17:40] Dexter Hardy: If you’re not in the marketplace, you can’t do that. [00:17:41] Vince Menzione: Can’t do that. [00:17:43] Dexter Hardy: Multi-party private offers can’t do that. ’cause you’re not in the marketplace. [00:17:47] Vince Menzione: No. [00:17:48] Dexter Hardy: Right. And so what we’re saying is think about all up, how you’re missing out on. [00:17:56] Dexter Hardy: All of these wonderful opportunities to, I think, I think the number got thrown out a couple of times. Jason ran away from it when you said it’s like a $300 billion number on, he [00:18:07] Vince Menzione: didn’t want, he didn’t, he didn’t want me sharing or he wasn’t, he, he didn’t want to, uh, what, what did he say? Validate that that was the right number, but $300 billion in potential cloud budgets. [00:18:21] Vince Menzione: That you could have access to. We know the number across the three hyperscalers is north of 500 billion. [00:18:27] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:18:27] Vince Menzione: It’s just that Microsoft doesn’t break out their numbers and make them public, and so we, you know, [00:18:32] Dexter Hardy: and, and [00:18:33] Vince Menzione: estimates. [00:18:33] Dexter Hardy: What I would tell everyone that’s listening, I would invite you to consider [00:18:37] Vince Menzione: Yeah, [00:18:38] Dexter Hardy: the following. [00:18:39] Dexter Hardy: If you’re not in the marketplace with a IP, co-sale or MAC eligible solution, you’re not eligible for that. [00:18:49] Vince Menzione: That’s right. [00:18:50] Dexter Hardy: Spend. And so is that worth it for you as an organization to say, yes, we need to figure out this and get involved with that? [00:19:01] Vince Menzione: So I’m an SI and I raise my hand. I’m like, Dexter, help me. [00:19:06] Vince Menzione: What happens next? [00:19:08] Dexter Hardy: I would say. Let me introduce you to my team. [00:19:12] Vince Menzione: I love it. I love it. [00:19:13] Dexter Hardy: Um, [00:19:14] Vince Menzione: and you’ve been building your team since, uh, we go back now four years, but like yeah. You, you’ve been growing your business, hired some incredible people in your [00:19:22] Dexter Hardy: team. Yeah, we have some rock stars on our team. I’m really, really happy with my team. [00:19:25] Dexter Hardy: Uh, you know, we’re still growing and it’s, it’s a wonderful thing to be in this economy and still growing. Yes. Um, and like I said, yes, we, I would introduce you to my team and my team would then help you, uh, through. The marketplace advisory. We can help you with the health check. We can do the strategic advisory, the alignment around, here’s what we’re doing. [00:19:47] Dexter Hardy: Another thing that I’ll go ahead and put in here, if you already have listings in the marketplace and people aren’t clicking on them, we have marketplace optimization as well. [00:19:58] Vince Menzione: I love that [00:19:59] Dexter Hardy: because we, again, that conversation comes up all the time. Yeah. We put, we, we invested in Marketplace and we have our listing out there. [00:20:08] Dexter Hardy: Nobody’s clicking on it. Well, we can help you with that too. [00:20:11] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:20:12] Dexter Hardy: Right, because to your point, it’s not just building an ar, arbitrarily writing something about it, putting it in marketplace. Right. That’s, that’s an arbitrary approach. We’re saying how do you turn those into a lead gen, revenue gen, um, operation arm of your business. [00:20:29] Vince Menzione: Nice. [00:20:29] Dexter Hardy: Which is what we call market marketplace operating system. [00:20:33] Vince Menzione: Marketplace operating. Okay. So we got another, I got another word I need to learn. Another acronym I need to learn. [00:20:38] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. You know, I [00:20:39] Vince Menzione: less, [00:20:40] Dexter Hardy: I’ve been around Microsoft too long, I guess. [00:20:42] Vince Menzione: Yes. I [00:20:42] Dexter Hardy: created all these, [00:20:45] Vince Menzione: so, um, just perspective could, because you’ve been in the marketplace since we talked about COVID. [00:20:50] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:20:51] Vince Menzione: Really. So that’s five years. Five [00:20:52] Dexter Hardy: years. Yeah. [00:20:54] Vince Menzione: Um, talk about how it’s changed from your perspective. I mean, I, we talk about it all. We talk, we have leaders like Jason and Cyril comes here and. Does, uh, speaks about some changes going on, but tell us your perspective on how it’s evolved. [00:21:08] Dexter Hardy: Um, so the marketplace is always evolving really. [00:21:12] Dexter Hardy: Um, from, from when we got in early in the marketplace. Uh, REO didn’t exist. Multi, multi-party. Private offers didn’t exist. The amount of committed spend on hyperscalers little was, wasn’t there. Um, the seller, the field sellers within the hyperscalers. Marketplace wasn’t part of their thing. So, um, you know, when that, when that frontier, not just that, not to confuse terms when that frontier opened up Yeah. [00:21:43] Dexter Hardy: Like there were, you know, it, it really wasn’t a clear path on how do you channel, how do you do sales, how do you integrate with the team? Um, and now there’s a lot more options, uh, for organizations that want to keep some of those motions together. Disti are now able to get involved with the conversation. [00:22:05] Dexter Hardy: They were kinda locked out for a while, but now with the s and the multi-party private offers and disti are in the conversation, [00:22:12] Vince Menzione: it’s lit up the disti like crazy. Yeah. In fact, we were, we just spent time with a few and some friends there and [00:22:19] Dexter Hardy: yeah. [00:22:19] Vince Menzione: Yeah, it’s been wild to watch this. [00:22:21] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:22:21] Vince Menzione: We haven’t talked about AI very much. [00:22:24] Vince Menzione: I mean, we talked about it from a solution and something you put in the, the market as an agent. But we haven’t talked about the change in a big way. Um, what’s your perspective for the partners out there and how they need to think about AI and embracing it and where they are in the journey? [00:22:41] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. Um, I really, AUL said something, uh, in his, in the panel discussion that he had the other day and it, it just really resonated with me. [00:22:53] Dexter Hardy: Uh, will AI take your job? Probably not. The person who’s using AI [00:23:00] Vince Menzione: will take [00:23:00] Dexter Hardy: the job. Will take you [00:23:01] Vince Menzione: job. Yes. [00:23:02] Dexter Hardy: Same thing. That’s really [00:23:04] Vince Menzione: so true. [00:23:05] Dexter Hardy: Same thing for, same thing for companies. Yeah. If you don’t have, and I, I’ll, I’m, I, I’m really gonna ask, I should have asked Jason this question. Why isn’t there a badge for frontier firms for SDCs? [00:23:21] Dexter Hardy: That’s a solution. Partner badge, not a frontier firm. [00:23:24] Vince Menzione: Yeah, [00:23:24] Dexter Hardy: but I’ll say if your company isn’t investing in combining people and ai, you’re missing the boat. [00:23:36] Vince Menzione: Yeah. So be a frontier firm. [00:23:37] Dexter Hardy: Be a frontier firm where it doesn’t matter if you’re an si, SDC, if you are not leveraging that superpower of how do we do things faster, better, quicker. [00:23:50] Dexter Hardy: Make that part of your go to market and your operating total operations, you’re going to get left behind. [00:23:57] Vince Menzione: Yeah. We’re hearing it loud and clear. I mean, all the sessions we had yesterday. [00:24:02] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:24:02] Vince Menzione: All the people like yourself that have been here are all frontier firms. They’re all companies that have leaned in, in a big way. [00:24:07] Dexter Hardy: Right. [00:24:08] Vince Menzione: Um, and in some respect, I mean, we we’re, I’m, I’m saying proceed with caution because I, I know by 2030 our world is gonna look very radically different than it looks today. [00:24:17] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:24:18] Vince Menzione: Uh, we just, I need to make sure we have the security and the governance and the data structure the right way so that we just don’t, things don’t just go crazy in some respects. [00:24:27] Vince Menzione: Right? [00:24:27] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. And I, I do think that, um, to your point, you have to, we still have to keep the human factor in everything that we’re doing. Um, there is, again, it’s AI plus your experience that makes you better. [00:24:46] Vince Menzione: Yeah, agreed. [00:24:47] Dexter Hardy: AI in the hands of someone who has no idea what they’re doing is just a, it’s a faster way to failure, right? [00:24:53] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. Because they have, they still don’t understand the concepts. And so I really want to make sure that, you know, when you think about ai, think about it from the context of experience, right? Yeah. [00:25:06] Vince Menzione: And yeah, we can go, we can go down a, a whole discussion point here about ethics and what I’ll call AI for good. [00:25:14] Vince Menzione: Mm-hmm. Like I said, having the right approach, having an ethical approach. We talked about Microsoft on stage yesterday with people like Brad Smith, who, uh, there’s people that have this, this right philosophy and approach to ai. Right. That [00:25:29] Dexter Hardy: right. [00:25:29] Vince Menzione: It will do good for the world and not bad for the world. [00:25:32] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:25:33] Dexter Hardy: And I think that has to be, well, I’ll just speak for myself. Can you do something and should you do something [00:25:42] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:25:43] Dexter Hardy: You have to, that should be a question that you’re asking yourself. You should be evaluating and you have to have whatever your moral compass is that has to align with your moral compass. [00:25:53] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. Because they’re, you know, because with AI the can you do something becomes a lot bigger. Yeah. [00:26:02] Vince Menzione: Good point. Good point. [00:26:03] Dexter Hardy: Should you do it well, you know, greater good. I think as a, as a collective, one of the things that’s. If it hasn’t rained true. Uh, we all live on this planet. We all are part of the, we’re all in part of a connected ecosystem. [00:26:21] Dexter Hardy: Um, and so can we do it? Should we do it? Those are questions that we need to, you know, really think about as we continue to leverage AI and do the things that we’re doing. I mean, there’s, there’s a lot of opportunities. [00:26:36] Vince Menzione: Good points, good points. So for partners watching, listening today, um, two, couple things. [00:26:43] Vince Menzione: First of all, it’s changing fast. We need like, what would be, we’re at the beginning of 2026. We’re the first quarter, 2026, maybe the end of the first quarter at this point. [00:26:53] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:26:54] Vince Menzione: What is the one or two or three things that partners need to go do differently or better? And then, um, what would you say to them about marketplace and embracing marketplace? [00:27:09] Dexter Hardy: So I’m gonna answer the second question first. [00:27:12] Vince Menzione: Okay. Sounds good. [00:27:14] Dexter Hardy: Get in the marketplace. [00:27:15] Vince Menzione: Get in the marketplace, [00:27:17] Dexter Hardy: period. [00:27:17] Vince Menzione: Like why wouldn’t you be in the marketplace? [00:27:20] Dexter Hardy: Every hyperscaler has doubled down, tripled down. Yeah. On their marketplace. Microsoft had multiple marketplaces, now it’s just one. [00:27:28] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:27:29] Dexter Hardy: Writing should be all over the wall. Not that [00:27:31] Vince Menzione: one. There is, there is no market without marketplace. I mean, literally today, the old way, days of selling, the old days of co-selling are gone. [00:27:39] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:27:39] Vince Menzione: Like the days when we, we got pos and we, we sent a, an Excel spreadsheet to Microsoft to tell ’em about the deals that were co-sell. [00:27:47] Vince Menzione: Ready? Those days are gone. So you’re saying we’ve gotta be in the marketplace now and then, what would you say maybe the one thing that’s, let’s limit it to one for all of our amazing viewers, listeners, and ultimate partner guests, when when you, when I see you in Bellevue again, ’cause you’re gonna be in Bellevue, May 11th to the 13th again. [00:28:08] Vince Menzione: Absolutely. With us helping lead the marketplace conversation. What do they need to be doing now? Right now? Besides getting the marketplace? [00:28:18] Dexter Hardy: Besides getting the marketplace, I, I would, I would do a hard look at operations. [00:28:24] Vince Menzione: Operations. [00:28:25] Dexter Hardy: Like a lot of companies, they’re growing and they, what is it? How are we looking internally in our organizations to figure out again, can we do it? [00:28:34] Dexter Hardy: Should we do it? Companies need to focus on their superpower, even, even the big ones, right? Um, being. Not having the focus, not look, looking at or listening to your why as an organization can, can put you in a, in a really weird space. And so, uh, with everyone being able to grow and do what we’re doing, I would say lean into your why, [00:29:01] Vince Menzione: like into your why. [00:29:02] Dexter Hardy: Lean into your why. [00:29:03] Vince Menzione: I think too, I think what you, what you’re saying here, and I’m, my, my reaction to it too is that, uh, we’re, we’re so caught up in the moment right now. And things are changing, so it feels like they’re changing so fast, like coming back to philanthropic and [00:29:20] Dexter Hardy: yeah. [00:29:20] Vince Menzione: What’s evolved just in the last month or so that people are taking their eye off the why or the wall, so to speak and reacting? [00:29:29] Vince Menzione: Is that, is that your point? [00:29:31] Dexter Hardy: Yeah, that’s my point and, and I’ll give you an example. So AI is different from the following technology, but. And I both were around for the blockchain, blockchain, blockchain conversation. [00:29:45] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:29:45] Dexter Hardy: And if you weren’t doing blockchain, you weren’t part of the conversation. I invite you to consider how many conversations have you heard about blockchain do? [00:29:56] Dexter Hardy: Again, AI is a little bit different because it’s, it’s an enabler. It’s, it’s, it’s, it, it does a lot more than that. But I, I will say. AI is gonna become table stakes. And that’s why I say you have to, you have to embrace it as an organization. Yeah. And if you’re not, you’re gonna get left behind. [00:30:13] Vince Menzione: Okay. It’s a drop. [00:30:14] Vince Menzione: Drop the mic moment there. So drop the mic. I’m gonna ask you one more question, personal question. Yeah. I’d love to ask this of every single one of my guests. [00:30:22] Dexter Hardy: Yep. [00:30:23] Vince Menzione: I probably have asked this to you before, but I’m gonna ask it to you again. [00:30:26] Dexter Hardy: Yes. [00:30:28] Vince Menzione: You are hosting a dinner party. You can have this dinner party anywhere in the world. [00:30:32] Vince Menzione: We could talk about locations as well, and you can invite any three guests from the present or the past to this amazing dinner party. [00:30:41] Dexter Hardy: Mm-hmm. [00:30:42] Vince Menzione: Whom would you invite today and why? [00:30:48] Dexter Hardy: Wow. So the last time I answered that question, for those who didn’t hear the first podcast, it was Barack Obama. [00:30:56] Vince Menzione: Yeah. Nelson [00:30:57] Dexter Hardy: Mandela. [00:30:58] Dexter Hardy: And my great-grandparents. [00:30:59] Vince Menzione: Your great-grandparents. I remember your great-grandparents [00:31:02] Dexter Hardy: In this conversation, it’s gonna be more than three people. I’m sorry. [00:31:07] Vince Menzione: All right. But [00:31:07] Dexter Hardy: it make [00:31:08] Vince Menzione: some exceptions here. We’ll make them. [00:31:10] Dexter Hardy: It would be my great-grandparents. Still [00:31:13] Vince Menzione: nice. [00:31:14] Dexter Hardy: My parents and my children. [00:31:18] Vince Menzione: Very cool. [00:31:19] Dexter Hardy: Because I want to look back and let them see the same reason that I had them there before. [00:31:25] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:31:26] Dexter Hardy: Look at what you started. [00:31:27] Vince Menzione: Nice. I love that. [00:31:29] Dexter Hardy: Look at the continuation of your legacy in my parents. [00:31:32] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:31:32] Dexter Hardy: Look at what I have been able to build because of the investments and the things that you’ve poured into the love, the energy, the effort, the sacrifice, and then the sacrifices that I’m making to pass into that legacy. [00:31:46] Dexter Hardy: The next legacy. So this would be a. This is why I would say leaning to your why, like understand the importance of family. [00:31:54] Vince Menzione: Tell us about your great, your great grandparents. You told me about this on the last podcast for those who didn’t, didn’t listen in. [00:32:01] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:32:02] Vince Menzione: And don’t have the inclination to go back. [00:32:05] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. [00:32:05] Vince Menzione: But I think it’s a great story. [00:32:06] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. So, you know, growing up in the south [00:32:10] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:32:10] Dexter Hardy: Alabama specifically, uh, my great grandparents were part of, you know, slavery era. [00:32:16] Vince Menzione: Yep. [00:32:16] Dexter Hardy: Jim Crow. Jim Crow. Crow. Yeah. The whole. [00:32:21] Dexter Hardy: The history of the United States and what, how it was built, you know, [00:32:26] Vince Menzione: an important part of the history of the United States, by the way, that we all should never forget. [00:32:29] Dexter Hardy: Yeah. So again, some of those, some of the ceilings that are out there now, there wasn’t even an option for. [00:32:36] Vince Menzione: Yeah. [00:32:36] Dexter Hardy: And so that’s why I really wanted them to, I would really want them to be here to see something that they probably could never even conceive as an option of, of it being. [00:32:47] Dexter Hardy: Uh, to be able to see where things are and then to, you know, why my kids, if this is where we are right now, I want you to dream big. The same amount of energy it takes to think small is the same amount [00:33:04] Vince Menzione: of energy it takes to think big. Dream big. Dream big. Dream. [00:33:09] Dexter Hardy: Dream big. [00:33:10] Vince Menzione: I think we’re gonna leave on that message. [00:33:12] Dexter Hardy: Yeah, [00:33:12] Vince Menzione: that’s a great message. [00:33:13] Dexter Hardy: Awesome. [00:33:14] Vince Menzione: So great to see you, my friend. It’s [00:33:16] Dexter Hardy: always a pleasure [00:33:16] Vince Menzione: to be with you, so always a real pleasure for me as well. [00:33:19] Dexter Hardy: Yeah, [00:33:19] Vince Menzione: and I want to thank you for watching and listening and being part of Ultimate Partner and the Ultimate Partner YouTube channel and our great guest and friend, Dexter Hardy. [00:33:30] Vince Menzione: Great to see you again. [00:33:31] Dexter Hardy: Always a pleasure us. Thank you, [00:33:33] Vince Menzione: sir. [00:33:33] Dexter Hardy: All right. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thanks. [00:33:35] Vince Menzione: Don’t forget, ultimate Partner Live is coming soon, May 11th through the 13th in beautiful Bellevue, Washington. I hope to see you there.

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