Podcasts about CRM

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT http://relay.fm/mpu/855 http://relay.fm/mpu/855 Federico Viticci Reverse Engineered Shortcuts 855 David Sparks and Stephen Robles Federico Viticci breaks down iOS 27's Shortcuts updates: Describe a Shortcut, Else If, new automation triggers, and built-in data storage. Plus his coder era, Shortcuts Playground 2.0, and training a local model to build shortcuts. Federico Viticci breaks down iOS 27's Shortcuts updates: Describe a Shortcut, Else If, new automation triggers, and built-in data storage. Plus his coder era, Shortcuts Playground 2.0, and training a local model to build shortcuts. clean 4470 Federico Viticci breaks down iOS 27's Shortcuts updates: Describe a Shortcut, Else If, new automation triggers, and built-in data storage. Plus his coder era, Shortcuts Playground 2.0, and training a local model to build shortcuts. This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by: Workbrew: Deliver the software your team needs securely and at scale. Daylite: The only made-for-mac CRM solution. Start your free trial today. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU. Guest Starring: Federico Viticci Links and Show Notes: Credits The Mac Power Users Stephen Robles David Sparks The Editor Jim Metzendorf The Fixer Kerry Provanzano More Power Users: Ad-free episodes with regular bonus segments Submit Feedback WWDC 2026: Between Seasons - MacStories Shortcuts Playground — Describe it. Build it. Run it. Federico Viticci on Mastodon Monologue | Effortless voice dictation so you can work 3x faster Mole for Mac — Free All-in-One Cleaner & Monitor | MacTools CleanShot X for Mac Raycast - Your shortcut to everything Termius - Modern SSH Client ‎Denim - Playlist Cover Maker App - App Store Shortcuts Playground (Viticci/MacStories) MacStories "Introducing Shortcuts Playground" Data Jar (Simon B. Støvring) Apple Frames (MacStories shortcut) Alfred CleanMyMac LM Studio DEVONthink Notion Todoist Things (Cultured Code) OmniFocus (Omni Group) Obsidian iA Writer Lettera (Shiny Frog / Bear team) Bear PushCut Plex Tailscale Screens (Edovia) Downie (Charlie Monroe) Transloader (Eternal Storms) Hazel (Noodlesoft) Carbon Copy Cloner (Bombich) Backblaze Codex (OpenAI) Claude Code

In this episode, David and Mitch talk about an array of varying events that can be tied to one thing, standing your ground no matter what! TW Job Calculator APPS Not ready for a full blown CRM but need to invoice from your phone? This is the APP! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tradewinsconsulting.jobcalculator https://apps.apple.com/us/app/trade-wins-job-calculator/id6744992264?platform=iphone If you have questions you'd like us to answer, please feel free to email them to AskMitch@MitchSmedley.com Thanks for listening and thanks for sharing! Enjoy the show! If you'd like more insight from Mitch and David, you need to check out Trade Wins. Trade Wins can help you start your business or take your newer business and get it to a very healthy level. For more information about Trade Wins, check out https://www.tradewinsconsulting.com/ FieldPulse is the Official Field Service Management Software of The Void Podcast. Their software is ideal for you and your business. For more information about how FieldPulse can benefit you, check them out here: https://www.fieldpulse.com/features?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=The+Void+/+Trade+Wins+(Mitch+Smedley) Empower Payments: Need a better credit card processor? These guys are it http://empowerpayments.com/TheVoid Contact us: askmitch@mitchsmedley.com david@tradewinsconsulting.com mitch@tradewinsconsulting.com

Alarme é um quadro do canal Não Inviabilize. Aqui você ouve as suas histórias misturadas às minhas!Use a hashtag #DificilDeEngolir e comente a história no nosso grupo do telegram: https://t.me/naoinviabilizePUBLICIDADE SANOFI E ESOFAGITE EOSINOFÍLICAComo parte da campanha “Difícil de engolir é não tratar a EoE”, da Sanofi, esse episódio conta a jornada de uma paciente de Esofagite Eosinofílica, com depoimentos de Dr. Gabriel Benevides, CRM 152074, e Dra. Mariele Morandin, CRM 162098. O relato é baseado na experiência real da paciente e não constitui evidência de estudos clínicos, utilizado apenas para fins de conscientização. Para ter as referências e saber mais, acesse: www.dificildeengolir.com.br / MAT-BR-2602010QUER OUVIR MAIS HISTÓRIAS? BAIXE NOSSO APLICATIVO EM SUA LOJA APPLE/GOOGLE, CONHEÇA NOSSOS QUADROS EXCLUSIVOS E RECEBA EPISÓDIOS INÉDITOS DE SEGUNDA A SÁBADO: https://naoinviabilize.com.br/assineEnvie a sua história bem detalhada para naoinviabilize@gmail.com, seu anonimato será mantido, todos os nomes, profissões e locais são trocados para preservar a sua identidade.Site: https://naoinviabilize.com.brTranscrição dos episódios: https://naoinviabilize.com.br/episodiosYoutube: https://youtube.com/naoinviabilizeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/naoinviabilizeTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@naoinviabilizeX: https://x.com/naoinviabilizeFacebook: https://facebook.com/naoinviabilizeEdição de áudios: Depois O Leo Corta MultimídiaVinhetas: Pipoca SoundVoz da vinheta: Priscila Armani

In this podcast, I sat down with Ronan Leonard, founder of Intelligent Resourcing, to break down how he helps sales teams eliminate the 40% of their day spent manually researching companies and instead deliver real buying signals directly into the CRM so reps can take action. We talked about how fast AI is reshaping business models—Ronan compared it to waking up and finding the snow gone overnight—and why he refuses to build SaaS right now. He explained “dark data” hidden in sales call transcripts, how he enriches CRMs into “evergreen” systems, and how those insights feed content and GEO/answer optimization. We also covered tool-stack volatility, internal tooling vs productizing, structuring teams around learning speed, value-based pricing and price elasticity, and we had an honest disagreement on co-risking and revenue-share deals.01:36 AI Overwhelm and Pace03:19 Snowstorm Business Models04:13 No SaaS Moat Strategy05:09 Signals Into the CRM06:45 Dark Data and Transcripts08:55 Scaling Clients and LTV15:49 Team Structure and Learning19:41 Agents vs SOP Iteration24:39 Standardize Custom Work24:59 Value Based Pricing Framework27:48 Cost Savings Case Study30:16 Pricing as Perception31:49 Why Upside Deals Fail35:36 Confidence and Client Execution36:34 Staying Ahead of AI Curve39:37 Creativity and Feedback LoopsConnect with Ronan: • https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronan-leonard/https://intelligentresourcing.co/Connect with Raul: • Work with Raul: https://dogoodwork.io• Free Growth Resources: https://dogoodwork.io/resources• Connect with Raul on LinkedIn (DMs open): https://www.linkedin.com/in/dogoodwork/ 

Are you leaning too hard on automation and letting the human connection slip away in your freight business? How can you utilize data to anticipate your customer's next move before they even realize it themselves?  Revenova's CEO, Chris Wyndham, is back to discuss the critical balance between cutting-edge technology and the human element! Chris breaks down the massive success of their recent user conference, sharing how real-world feedback from those in the grind is driving the evolution of their CRM and TMS solutions. We also dive into freight automation, proactive customer engagement, and task automation that frees you up from standard operating procedures to focus on deep, meaningful partnerships.  If you are ready to learn how to master freight technology without dehumanizing your business, stop playing the guessing game and get your system synchronized by tuning in to this episode!   About Chris Wyndham I am excited to join Revenova as President and Chief Executive Officer. After a 25-year career providing cutting-edge SaaS to the retail verticals of auto, marine, recreation, and heavy equipment, to now joining the leaders in the mission-critical space of transportation and logistics, is both thrilling and humbling. It's not about me joining Revenova; it's all about Revenova staying true to our commitment to deliver purpose-driven solutions to our customers for the benefit of their business and for the benefit of all of us who rely on transportation and logistics to power our everyday lives. Our better together story continues moving on!   Connect with Chris Website: https://revenova.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-wyndham-1a29a529b/  

75% and 75. That's what I want you to focus on. This is the recipe for a 7-Figure Book of Business. In this podcast episode host Charles Specht will talk about the 75% activity level you need for prospecting as well as creating a list of no less than 75 referral partners. Imagine what your agency or Book of Business would look like if you had 75 COI's referring accounts to you non-stop! Key Topics: Spending 75% of golden hours on active prospecting, not service work Separating prospecting from admin tasks like apps and CRM updates Producers who don't prospect are just account managers Building a dedicated COI prospect list alongside your primary prospect list Why veteran producers get inbound referrals - and how to replicate it intentionally Targeting non-insurance vendors in your niche as COI relationships Reaching out to COIs with a no-sell, mutual referral pitch The 75/75 framework - 75% prospecting time, 75 COIs as your target Agency owners multiplying COI impact by coordinating vendor networks across producers Charles's fractional Chief Sales Officer offer at $500-$1,000 per month Reach out to  Charles Specht Visit: Permission Network Chief Sales Officer Permission Producer School Produced by PodSquad.fm

What separates average sales leaders from the ones people actually want to follow? In this episode of Sales Lead Dog, Christopher Smith sits down with Joy Wilder Lybeer, Chief Revenue Officer at Source Advisors, for a conversation on sales leadership, team building, accountability, trust, and why servant leadership still wins in high-performance sales organizations. Joy shares the leadership lessons that shaped her career, from running retail banking teams to leading revenue organizations, and explains why the best leaders stay close to the work, stay honest with their teams, and never confuse authority with leadership. This episode also dives into CRM adoption, performance culture, identifying future leaders, and why helping people achieve their best is one of the most important jobs a sales leader can take on. What You'll Learn Why great sales leaders are tough on numbers but generous with people How trust and vulnerability shape high-performing sales teams Why some top performers should never become managers What Joy looks for when building a winning sales culture How to identify future sales leaders inside your team Why women in sales often need encouragement to step into leadership roles What breaks CRM adoption and how leaders can fix it Why servant leadership is still one of the strongest growth advantages in sales About Joy Wilder Lybeer Joy Wilder Lybeer is the Chief Revenue Officer at Source Advisors, a specialty tax advisory firm that helps businesses unlock tax credits and incentives through expert guidance and CPA partnerships. She is an experienced revenue leader with a background across strategy, marketing, banking, and executive sales leadership. Throughout her career, Joy has built high-performing teams, led large revenue organizations, and developed a leadership style centered on accountability, trust, and helping people reach their full potential. Connect with Joy Wilder Lybeer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joywilderlybeer/ Learn more about Source Advisors: https://sourceadvisors.com/ About Sales Lead Dog Sales Lead Dog is hosted by Christopher Smith, CRM technology and sales process expert, and founder of Empellor CRM. Each episode features sales leaders who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, sharing how they achieve success with their teams and their CRM strategy. Unless you are the lead dog, the view never changes. Connect and Learn More All episodes and show notes: https://empellorcrm.com/salesleaddog/ If this episode brought you value:

Welcome to this special edition of The Edge of Show, where we dive into the exciting world of Web3, AI, and entrepreneurship! In this special Twitter Space recap episode we sit with our friends from Willo Zach, and Jason, along with special guest Konstantin Kogan, to discuss the innovative platform Willo.ai and its potential to revolutionize how businesses are built.Join us as we announce the winners of a thrilling business-building contest, where participants created unique business ideas using Willo's powerful tools. We explore the creative submissions, share insights on the entrepreneurial journey, and discuss the impact of AI on startups and venture capital.What You'll Learn:How Willo.ai helps entrepreneurs launch businesses in minutesThe importance of creativity and execution in the startup worldInsights from industry experts on navigating the competitive landscapeHighlights from the contest submissions and what made them stand outWhether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting your journey, this episode is packed with valuable insights and inspiration. Don't miss out on the future of business innovation!Support us through our Sponsors! ☕ Want to make content like ours? Sign up with Castmagic to make your creative process easy: https://bit.ly/CastmagicReferral Work smarter, grow faster. Automate your SEO, get AI insights, and manage all your clients in one place with Helm. Start today 50% off your first month at helmseo.comDouble your team's efficiency with COCO. Hire dedicated AI employees for copywriting, research, and CRM. Use code REF-W8CBVH for an exclusive 5% off your first order: https://coco.xyz/dashboard/hire/plan?ref=REF-W8CBVH Do you want to grow a business? Go from an idea to livebusiness in minutes. Use our Referral code: edgeof to 50% off your first month at https://www.willo.ai/When you purchase through these links, we may earn a commission. ____

I'm talking to you. For the love of all things fence. Get a damn CRM. It will change your fence life. It will do what you don't even know yet! Trust me! Just do it! Thank me later in Phoenix at FenceTech this year!!! Cheers! Remember to like, share, comment and REVIEW! The Fence Industry Podcast Links: IG @TheFenceIndustryPodcast FB @TheFenceIndustryPodcastWithDanWheeler TikTok @TheFenceIndustryPodcast YouTube @TheFenceIndustryPodcastWithDanWheeler Visit TheFenceIndustryPodcast.com Email TheFenceIndustryPodcast@gmail.com Central Fence Supply:  Visit centralfencesupply.com Gopherwood & Expert Stain and Seal IG @stainandsealexperts  FB @ExpertProfessionalWoodCare YouTube @Stain&SealExperts  FB Group Stain and Seal Expert's Staining University  Visit RealGoodStain.com Visit Gopherwood.us Log Cabin Fence IG @Log_Cabin_Fence FB @LogCabinFence Visit LogCabinFence.com Elite Technique Visit https://www.getelitetechnique.com/ Greenwood Fence Visit https://greenwoodfence.com/ Ozark Fence & Supply promo code: TFIP15 for 15% off! Visit https://www.ozfence.com/ Benji with Clever Fox for all your FENCE website, SEO & marketing needs! Visit https://www.cleverfox.online/ Stockade Staple Guns Visit https://www.stockade.com/us/ mySalesman Visit mySalesman.com Orlando Hinge Company Visit swanhinge.com   The Fence Industry Podcast is Produced by CleverFox.Online https://www.cleverfox.online/  

Gladys Cruz immigrated from Mexico to Michigan as a young girl, leaving behind a challenging present for an equally challenging future. In this episode Gladys shared about starting her own luxury balloon art business, her struggle with depression & anxiety, the importance of seeking help, and her hopes and dreams for the future.Links & Episode Notes Llamazing Events (Instagram) Engedi Español Coyote (person) - Wikipedia Advance Parole | U.S. Customs and Border Protection Limited Liability Company (LLC) | Internal Revenue Service What is CRM? | HubSpot Postpartum depression - Mayo Clinic Made to Advance is a production of Engedi Church and is hosted by Brian Aulick.

Jon Ferrara is the Founder and CEO of Nimble, a CRM company that helps businesses build and manage relationships through modern contact and relationship management tools. A pioneer in the CRM industry, he previously co-founded GoldMine Software, one of the earliest CRM platforms for small and mid-sized businesses. He has helped grow Nimble into a widely used platform with integrations across tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, as well as a strong presence in the Microsoft partner ecosystem. Jon is also known for his focus on authentic relationship-building, blending AI with human connection, and his journey toward purpose-driven leadership. In this episode… Managing business relationships today is a balance between efficiency and authenticity. While automation tools improve workflows, they can also make interactions feel impersonal. How can professionals use technology to grow relationships without losing the human connection? For Jon Ferrara, a CRM pioneer, building strong business relationships requires shifting away from systems focused only on pipelines and reporting and instead prioritizing tools that support real human connection. He explains that effective relationship management happens when contact records are automatically enriched from sources such as email and LinkedIn, allowing users to focus more on engagement than manual entry. He highlights the importance of making relationship-building accessible to everyone in an organization, not just sales teams. This approach helps businesses stay organized while still being deeply personal in their outreach. He also emphasizes blending AI with intentional human actions to build trust and long-term relationships. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Jon Ferrara, Founder and CEO of Nimble, to discuss building technology that supports authentic relationship management. They explore why most CRMs fail at true connection, how AI can enhance — not replace — personalization, and how Nimble makes relationship-building easier across teams. Jon also shares lessons on service-driven business and personal resilience.

Leads are down.Marketing costs are up.And it feels like every week there's another roofing company willing to bid a roof for less than what you'd charge just to cover material and labor.Lots of roofers are asking the same question, "Where can I get more leads?"But what if I told you there's an easier way to drive sales without buying more leads?The leads aren't gone. They're hiding. And they're a lot closer than you think.Right now, sitting inside your CRM, there are real homeowners who showed interest and never said no. They just... went quiet. I sat down with my journal and mapped out 7 techniques I've tested over the years to create sales seemingly out of thin air. And I put it all into this brand new video for you.Here's a taste of what's inside:1) The simple rehash technique that re-injects life into cold opportunities (with word-for-word text templates you can use today)2) How to run a promotion or special offer that gives people a reason to act now3) A free offer reframe that excites homeowners to say yes even if they said no before4) How a true price increase notice can encourage people to take action today5) New payment plan messaging that opens doors for budget-conscious buyers6) A repair conversation opener that gets you back in the home with zero pressure7) How to revitalize old estimates with one simple question that closes dealsThese aren't complicated strategies. They don't require a big budget or a new lead source. They just require knowing where to look and what to say when you get there.P.S. If you enjoy practical sales, leadership, recruiting, and business-growth training built specifically for roofing contractors, I'd love to invite you to join us inside the Roofing STRONG Alliance™ (RSA).Inside RSA, you'll get access to training, systems, industry experts, and a community of contractors committed to building stronger roofing businesses together through today's challenging times.Membership is now available at no additional cost for The TAMKO Edge® Certified Contractors.Learn more or apply to join: https://rsa.pro/=============Join The Roofing STRONG Alliance by TAMKO™ (RSA): https://rsa.pro/Exclusively available to The TAMKO Edge® Certified Contractors at no additional cost.FREE Starter Membership (RSA): https://rsa.pro/freePODCASTApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3fSQievSpotify: https://bit.ly/3eMAqJeFOLLOWFacebookInstagramTikTokLinkedInThe views and opinions expressed are based on Adam's long tenure and personal experiences as a roofing service consultant prior to coming to TAMKO. As such, his views are intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice regarding insurance, financing, legal matters, compliance, or business transactions. Communication techniques demonstrated are intended solely to help contractors better understand and serve homeowners — not to encourage manipulative, deceptive, or high-pressure sales practices. Contractors must ensure their sales and business practices comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including consumer protection (including cooling-off periods, cancellation rights, or home solicitation sale regulations), telemarketing, lending (including the Truth in Lending Act), and employment. Financing examples are illustrative only; terms, availability, and required disclosures vary by lender and state. TAMKO makes no representation regarding any financing product or its availability. Any discussion of business financing, credit, or capital strategies is general in nature; contractors should consult qualified financial, legal, and other professional advisors before making borrowing or credit decisions or any other decisions related to their business operations.Content produced on or before 5/13/26 was previously produced by The Roof Strategist, TAMKO Building Products LLC makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy, completeness, or applicability to current products, programs, or operations.

If We Started Over Today, These Are the Businesses We'd BuyWhat's the best home service business to start in 2026?In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson and Jack Carr break down the industries they'd bet on if they had to start over from scratch today. From HVAC, plumbing, and electrical to restoration, landscaping, roofing, septic, and even trash collection, they debate which businesses offer the best combination of recurring revenue, profitability, scalability, and long-term enterprise value.The conversation dives into what actually makes a great business: recurring revenue vs. high-ticket projects, cash flow vs. enterprise value, ease of hiring vs. ease of selling, and which industries are positioned to win over the next decade. Along the way, John and Jack share lessons from building, acquiring, and investing in service businesses, and reveal which opportunities they're most excited about right now.If you're looking to buy a business, launch a company, or expand into a new trade, this episode offers a practical framework for evaluating where the best opportunities exist today.What You'll Learn:→ What makes a great home service business in 2026→ Why recurring revenue businesses are so attractive→ The tradeoffs between cash flow and enterprise value→ Why restoration may be one of the most underrated opportunities today→ The pros and cons of roofing, landscaping, septic, pest control, and more→ Which business John and Jack would personally choose if they had to start over tomorrow————————————————

What if the wrong turn that changed your life wasn't even yours to take? In this episode, Justin Gray, serial entrepreneur and Managing Partner at In Revenue Capital, shares how five exits worth more than $500 million in enterprise value all trace back to one unexpected introduction at a Phoenix bar. His girlfriend at the time ran into a founder, turned down a job offer, and said: talk to my boyfriend instead. That detour led Justin to employee number six at a fintech startup, his first liquidity event, and everything that followed. Today he invests in early stage B2B vertical SaaS companies, not just with capital but with his team's hands deep in the work alongside founders every single day.   [00:03:30] What He Does and Who He Serves Serial entrepreneur with five successful exits worth over $500 million in enterprise value Managing partner at In Revenue Capital, an early stage B2B vertical SaaS venture fund Invests at seed and Series A with a hands-on operator-immersive model Two portfolio companies have already exited since the firm launched in 2023 [00:05:00] How He Got Here Wanted to be a writer in college; pivoted to business and marketing when the money wasn't there Left school four credits shy of a degree; graduated into the post-September 11th job market Took a string of marketing jobs he hated; became a self-taught Swiss Army knife of go-to-market Frustrated by the siloed, arts-and-crafts lane that marketing was stuck in [00:08:00] The Startup That Changed Everything Joined a five-person payments startup in 2006 as employee number six Took three to four months to evaluate the decision; it turned out to be the best of his life Grew the company from roughly $1 million to $294 million in annual revenue Cashed out his equity and went on to found four more bootstrapped companies [00:13:30] What Inspires Him: Upleveling People Running a services firm taught him that people are the most important asset in any business Created a phantom equity program at LeadMD; half the enterprise value went to employees at exit Over a third of those employees have since gone on to start their own companies The freedom to build something is what most people need; liquidity is the key that unlocks it [00:17:30] How In Revenue Capital Actually Works Does not maintain a traditional venture fund; operates under a fundless sponsor SPV model Flies into new portfolio companies for a day and a half workshop after closing Builds a three-pillar assessment framework using market data, portfolio benchmarks, and AI One firm partner is currently serving as CRO for a portfolio company full time [00:23:30] What the Engagement Looks Like Day to Day Founders have the team on Slack, email, and phone; communication is always on Helps with hiring, messaging, pricing, customer success, CRM rollouts, and deal cycles If there is one thing that creates outsized value, it is helping founders hire the right people Knowing what great looks like at each stage is context most first-time founders don't have [00:28:30] The Relationship That Changed Everything: The Founder at the Bar His girlfriend ran into a founder at the Coach House bar in Phoenix; a disagreement led to an apology The founder offered her a job; she declined and said: my boyfriend hates his job, talk to him That introduction led to the payments startup, the first liquidity event, and everything after Without that random bar encounter, Justin says he would still be sitting in a cubicle [00:33:30] The Painful Lesson That Came With It The same founder later invested in two of Justin's subsequent companies out of shared camaraderie Their definitions of success were completely different; misalignment became costly and painful Justin had to buy the founder's half back at multiple seven figures he didn't have earmarked for that The lesson: alignment on goals, exit paths, and vision must come before any partnership [00:38:30] Final Word: Unscalable Things Drive Success Hosts the Cheat Code and Friends podcast with relationships-driven conversations Published The GTM Cheat Code in February 2025; a national bestseller about doing unscalable things All of In Revenue Capital's deal flow comes through venture partners who trust the team The model: provide value to partners first and the doors open on their own   KEY QUOTES "The sixth ingredient that builds a great tech ecosystem, more important than all the others, is context. You have to know what great looks like." - Justin Gray "Everyone thinks they need to only do things that scale. But if you create a culture of hyper value, reward first and revenue second, the relationships open every door." - Justin Gray CONNECT WITH JUSTIN GRAY Website: https://www.inrevenue.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inrevenue   Thanks for tuning in! If you liked my show, please LEAVE A 5-STAR REVIEW, like, and subscribe! Find me on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeart Radio | Stitcher

In this episode of Strategy with Sally, Sally and co-host Ash, Customer Success Manager, welcome Menno Tabbernal, founder of Ultimate Efficiency Virtual Assistants. Menno shares how hidden inefficiencies can cost businesses thousands of dollars and prevent entrepreneurs from scaling effectively. He explains why many business owners become trapped in day-to-day operations and how combining CRM systems, virtual assistants, and AI can create a powerful shortcut to growth. You'll learn practical strategies for delegating effectively, implementing smarter systems, and freeing up time to focus on sales, strategy, and client relationships. Menno also reveals the common mistakes entrepreneurs make when trying to scale and where to start if you want to build a more efficient business. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or leading a growing team, this episode offers actionable insights to help you work smarter, scale faster, and regain control of your time. Connect with Menno Tabbernal: Website: https://ultimateefficiency.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UltimateEfficiencyVaServices/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menno_tabbernal/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menno-tabbernal-ueva/ Tune in and discover how smart systems, AI, and virtual assistants can help you scale your business without the overwhelm. Connect with Strategy with Sally Join the Private OmniSAM Community: omnisam.com.au/gsdgroup Facebook Group: gsdfb.omnisam.com.au Follow on Facebook: facebook.com/sallysparkscousins Watch the Live Stream & Subscribe for More Updates: OmniSAM YouTube: youtube.com/@omnisamsoftware Sally Sparks-Cousins YouTube: youtube.com/@sallysparkscousins

What if the most overlooked marketing channel today is the one sitting in your mailbox? In a world flooded with emails, social media ads, and AI-generated content, could an old-school marketing strategy actually outperform modern digital tactics?In this episode of the Marketing Boost Solutions Podcast, Capt. Marco Torres sits down with Dr. Wilson Zehr, entrepreneur, startup veteran, professor, and marketing strategist, to uncover why direct mail is making a powerful comeback. With over 25 years of experience launching technology startups and helping raise more than $60 million in venture capital, Dr. Zehr shares how physical marketing creates trust, cuts through digital noise, and delivers measurable results. Discover how businesses can combine direct mail with digital marketing to increase engagement, generate more leads, and build stronger customer relationships.

Most business owners are still using AI as a smarter search engine, but what happens when AI starts acting like a real employee? In this episode, Clay Speakman returns to the Title Agents Podcast to break down the rapid rise of AI agents, how they're already managing workflows, customer support, lead generation, and CRM tasks, and why the businesses that learn to work alongside agents today will have a massive advantage tomorrow. If you're wondering whether AI is hype, a threat, or the biggest opportunity of your career, this conversation will challenge how you think about the future of work.   What you'll learn from this episode Main difference between ChatGPT-style AI and true AI agents  Why every successful company may soon have AI employees The foundation every business must build before deploying AI agents  Where humans still outperform AI The hidden danger of AI productivity    Resources mentioned in this episode  RocketHub.AI Health Rocket  AI Rocket  Claude  ChatGPT Google Gemini    About Clay Speakman Clay Speakman is an entrepreneur, advisor, and expert on the behaviors and needs of ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families. Throughout his career, he has worked with some of the world's most prestigious organizations serving affluent clients, including as founder of Report Club and former CEO and President of TIGER 21's Access Concierge & Connectivity division. Today, he is the founder of RocketHub.AI, where he leverages artificial intelligence to help individuals and organizations make better decisions, improve performance, and unlock new growth opportunities. Combining his expertise in human behavior, innovation, and emerging technologies, Clay is passionate about helping people thrive through smarter systems, healthier living, and future-focused solutions.    Connect with Clay Website: RocketHub.AI | Health Rocket  LinkedIn: Clay Speakman    Connect With Us Love what you're hearing? Don't miss an episode! Follow us on our social media channels and stay connected.    Explore more on our website: www.alltechnational.com/podcast Stay updated with our newsletter: www.mochoumil.com Follow Mo on LinkedIn: Mo Choumil Stop waiting on underwriter emails or callbacks—TitleGPT.ai gives you instant, reliable answers to your title questions. Whether it's underwriting, compliance, or tricky closings, the information you need is just a click away. No more delays—work smarter, close faster. Try it now at www.TitleGPT.ai. Closing more deals starts with more appointments. At Alltech National Title, our inside sales team works behind the scenes to fill your pipeline, so you can focus on building relationships and closing business. No more cold calling—just real opportunities. Get started at AlltechNationalTitle.com. Extra hands without extra overhead—that's Safi Virtual. Our trained virtual assistants specialize in the title industry, handling admin work, client communication, and data entry so you can stay focused on closing deals. Scale smarter and work faster at SafiVirtual.com.  

Today on Leader Generation, Tessa Burg welcomes back Linda Owens, Global Vice President of Digital Customer Experience at Sherwin-Williams. Six years after becoming the podcast's very first guest, Linda returns to discuss how B2B leaders can navigate rapid changes in technology, AI and buyer behavior while staying focused on what matters most: the customer. Linda shares practical advice for separating meaningful trends from hype, creating trust earlier in the buying journey and designing customer experiences that reduce friction across every touchpoint. She also explains why customer obsession should drive every decision, how to use experimentation without losing sight of scale and what leaders need to do to successfully manage change across their organizations. Whether you're leading digital transformation, evaluating AI initiatives or looking for ways to create more value for customers, this conversation offers actionable insights you can apply immediately. Tune in to learn how today's most effective B2B leaders are building customer experiences that drive both business growth and long-term loyalty. Leader Generation is hosted by Tessa Burg and brought to you by Mod Op. About Linda Owens: Linda Owens is the Global Vice President of Digital Customer Experience at Sherwin-Williams, where she leads initiatives that advance digital customer experiences, scale eBusiness capabilities and drive enterprise transformation. With more than 20 years of experience spanning marketing, sales, ecommerce and digital customer experience, she has helped organizations modernize customer engagement and accelerate growth across B2B and B2C markets. Throughout her career, Linda has led cross-functional teams and developed digital strategies that improve customer experiences across channels and global regions. Her expertise includes ecommerce strategy, digital marketing, customer journey optimization, CRM lifecycle programs, Martech and digital innovation. She is passionate about simplifying complexity, empowering high-performing teams and creating customer-centric solutions that deliver measurable business impact. Linda can be reached on LinkedIn. About Tessa Burg: Tessa is the Chief Technology Officer at Mod Op and Host of the Leader Generation podcast. She has led both technology and marketing teams for 15+ years. Tessa initiated and now leads Mod Op's AI/ML Pilot Team, AI Council and Innovation Pipeline. She started her career in IT and development before following her love for data and strategy into digital marketing. Tessa has held roles on both the consulting and client sides of the business for domestic and international brands, including American Greetings, Amazon, Nestlé, Anlene, Moen and many more. Tessa can be reached on LinkedIn or at Tessa.Burg@ModOp.com.

The follow-up mistake that costs sales (and kills communication) is a lack of sequencing. If I’ve got a sequence in place that says, all right, when I get a lead from a networking function, I’m going to initially, either same day or next morning, send out this email message, which essentially says, “it was great meeting you at the networking function. Nice having a chance to talk.” Then, you include something in that email to elicit a response. Some will initiate a dialogue, some of them won’t. So from that point, if you don’t hear back, you could have another one that goes out a couple of days later saying, “Hey, never heard back you on this, but something else occurred to me that I didn’t mention…” and then you add something else to the conversation that could potentially be of interest to them. So you’re not just hitting them with “call me, call me, call me, call me.” You’re actually creating value in the communication, which is particularly key when you’re doing sequencing like that. David: Hi, and welcome to the podcast. In today’s episode, co-host Jay McFarland and I will be discussing the topic of sequencing your communication. Welcome back, Jay. Jay: Hey, David. Great to be with you again. I really love that we dive into these things that can have such an impact on your daily business. Oftentimes people will focus on the large things, not understanding that sometimes the smallest tweaks can make all the difference. David: Yeah, and things like this really are kind of diving deep. And many times I know other people in podcasts or in stuff that’s actually going out to the public, they’ll just keep it all high level and not really get into too much. I think we’ve done a reasonably good job over the years of diving a little deeper and getting into things in a little bit more detail. Because it’s important for people who watch this or listen to this to recognize that there are a lot of aspects to all of this. And we touched on this in the previous episode. We were talking about sort of the high level goals, we were talking about the high level concepts versus the nitty gritty of what do I have to do on a day-to-day basis. And this really gets more into the idea of the nitty gritty. But sequencing is something that I don’t hear many people talk about in business. And I think it’s a real game changer for people in the sense that when you get this and you start implementing it, it changes the way that you interact with your prospects and clients to make what you are doing better and more appealing than what your competition is probably doing. Jay: Yeah, such a great point. And back to the idea of focusing on the smaller stuff. I’m weird. I call myself lazy because I want to avoid steps and reduce steps, but in the name of that laziness, I will spend weeks trying to create a system, whether it’s a software system or a planning system or something, just knowing that over the long run, it’s going to have such a dramatic impact. And I can be lazy about that thing after that. And I focus. I mean, if I can reduce one little step, I’ll spend weeks trying to figure out how to do that. David: Yeah. But that’s smart. I don’t think that’s lazy. I think it’s far lazier to just go into each situation, not knowing what’s going to happen, not knowing how to respond to the common objections you get, not knowing how to create a system that will allow you to bring clients through the door like clockwork. And when you do that, you’re basically going into work every day with no idea of what’s going to happen. So I think that’s really lazy and really sloppy and I don’t think what you described is lazy at all. Jay: Well, I don’t, you know, I think you’re probably right, but it is something that drives my wife crazy and it’s really bad. Like when we go grocery shopping, I have a route, and that route has a very specific design. It’s based upon how the groceries are going to end up on the conveyor belt. And that’s important because that determines on how they will go into the bags, because I want the bread on top and all of those things on top. So I have this all planned and thought out from years of experience. It brings me joy, David, it’s, it’s a little, probably obsessive compulsive, but that’s the way I am. David: That’s funny and she still lets you come along. That’s amazing. But it’s a great example though, because when you think about that, and there are two schools of thought when it comes to outcomes, right? You described a more outcome driven approach. And it reminds me of the expression, the road is better than the inn, if you’ve heard that one. Jay: Mm-hmm. David: And I remember hearing that years ago and thinking, no, I kind of like the inn, right? I like, where are we going? Let’s get there. Mission accomplished. Onto the next thing. But there are people who just enjoy the experience. Shopping is a great example of that. I have never been a good shopper. Jay: Mm-hmm. At least before online shopping. I was a terrible shopper. As a kid. My mom would drag me around to different stores and she could just look at stuff for hours. I got bored three minutes in. As a kid, I could go to the toy section and I could look around for a few minutes, maybe see something I liked or whatever. Then I’m done. Right? And people are just wired differently in that regard. But I think if we really get down to the core of it, and we start thinking in terms of creating the systems and processes that will allow you to get results in your business, and tying it again back to our main topic, sequencing your communication, what this will allow you to do is to leapfrog your competition. Because you won’t have to think about each step of it. And it really ties to what you were saying about, you know your process in a store. Well, imagine that in business. Imagine a situation where you create a sequence of communications to send out to the prospects that you want to convert, in a specific order, in a specific sequence, at a specific timeframe. You can automate that as well. And design it to accomplish a result Too often in business because we’re sort of focused all over the place, we’re here, we’re there, we’re everywhere. We think in terms of sending a message out to a prospect and waiting for them to reply. And when they don’t reply. We become confused and annoyed. It’s like, why didn’t they reply? I sent you an email. Why didn’t you reply? And it’s cause that’s not the way the world works anymore. Right? I sent you an email. Yeah, it’d be nice if it were like tennis, where you bat it across the other person bats it across, and you bat it across and you have a nice volley going. That happens sometimes, but more often than not, it’s not happening. And if you’re depending on getting that volley hit back to you right away, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Where instead, if you recognize, you may have to send it across the net 3, 4, 5, 7, 10 times before it gets lobbed back, you’ll be prepared. And if you prep that in advance, you are so far ahead of what your competition is doing. It’s just not even funny. Jay: Yeah, I, have this situation going on right now where somebody has sent me an email inviting me to do something. I don’t know who this person is. I’ve never heard from them, and then I don’t respond. And then like four days later, I get an email that says, Hey, you didn’t respond. And I’m like, Well, that should tell you all you need to know. And then I got another one. I’ve sent you two emails and you haven’t responded. This person is sequencing, but they’re doing it in a horrific way. I mean, by the third email, I’m like, who do you think you are? That you can sit here and demand a response from me? And I don’t even know who you are. The whole thing has soured me. I am never going to call them back based upon that type of sequencing. David: Right. And if that’s the type of sequencing we’re talking about, then yeah, don’t do that. That is not what I’m talking about. It’s interesting you should mention that because over the past several months I have received so many messages from people, pitching guests for this very podcast where they’re saying, Hey, I think you should interview this person who’s talking about this thing, and let me know if that’s of interest to you. You know, I’ve listened to your podcast. I think he’d be a great fit. And most of the time I get, you know, pretty much the same pitch for different speakers. So I’m on some kind of list and I normally ignore them. But they’ve got sequences set up where it’s the second one. Hey, just bumping this up to the top of your inbox again, you know, do you want to consider so-and-so for the podcast? And so finally, I just put together the response that I’m sending to people, which is to say, if you listen to this podcast, you would recognize that we are not an “interview of the week kind of thing.” You know, there are two of us who do this. Jay: Yeah. David: If we were a podcast that had a lot of people on and we were interviewing what you said would make sense, and I don’t get into all that much detail. But they’re basically not pitching the right thing to the right person. And so in those situations, yeah, sequencing is not a great idea. But when you’ve got somebody who is engaged or would like to be engaged and you want to find out whether or not they’re on board with you, when it’s done right… And that ties into the MVPs, the messaging, you know, is the messaging going to be good? Which combination of marketing vehicles you’re using to reach them, and who are the people you’re reaching? If you’ve got those three things in sync, then sequencing is going to work extremely well for you. Jay: So let’s talk a little bit more about. Sequencing. I can guess at a, couple of these things. I’m guessing like so many of the things we’re talking about, you want to start with pen and paper and maybe start identifying who your potential customers are. What are potential, the stages that they might be in, and then start focusing on the messaging for each of those stages. David: Yes. And when we think in terms of the overall stages, or the initial stages, where is this person in the journey? If this is somebody that I just met, let’s say I meet somebody at a networking function. We exchange business cards or whatever, I go back to my office, this person goes back to their office and nothing happens until one of us moves, right? So, If I’ve got a sequence in place that says, all right, when I get a lead from a networking function, what I’m going to do is I’m going to initially, either same day or next morning, send out this email message, which essentially says, it was great meeting you at the networking function. Nice having a chance to talk. And then. you have something that you say and obviously it’s going to be different for each person who’s doing that, but you’ve got something that is said in that email that is designed to elicit a response. So you might want to end that email with a question so that they’re likely to initiate a dialogue. Some will initiate a dialogue, some of them won’t. So from that point, if you don’t hear back, you could have another one that goes out a couple of days later like, with a reply to your own message saying, Hey never heard back you on this, but something else occurred to me that I didn’t mention… and then you add something else to the conversation that could potentially be of interest to them. So you’re not just hitting them with call me, call me, call me, call me. You’re actually creating value in the communication, which is also key to good marketing, but it’s also particularly key when you’re doing sequencing like that. And then the third step in your sequence could be calling to follow up. If they gave you a business card, it could be a phone call that comes whatever, a week later or a certain period of time later, and you decide what that is. In our Total Market Domination course, I mean, we walk through all of this so people can decide, can determine for themselves what is a good timeframe to do this in. Because a lot of times if you get a business card from somebody at a networking function and you forget about it? Or you go to a trade show, that’s the worst! You’re paying to have all these people go out to the trade show. You’re paying to put ’em up, you’re paying to feed them. They bring cards back and they stay in the bottom of their briefcase or their suitcase. And those people never get phone calls. It’s just such an incredible waste. But if you’ve got these processes in place to be able to sequence your communication, to be able to get those people back into the zone that they were in, that first initiated the conversation, then they will be far more likely to respond to you and reply to the conversation and keep it going. Jay: Yeah, it’s interesting. I’m in the heat of this process right now, because as you know, I’m setting up a new business. David: Mm-hmm. Jay: building the CRM behind the scenes and I have to ask myself, what are each of the stages and what do I want to happen? What type of communication? And one of the other parts about that, that is so important is, oftentimes, I know when I’ve been put in somebody’s CRM drip system. Because the messages stop being personal and I’m like, you’re sending this out to everybody. So there’s a fine line between having a sequence and making people feel like, oh, they’ve just been put in the hopper. I think we have a high awareness. And so I think that your sequences need to be a combination of personal contact. And these systems that will save you a lot of time and effort. David: Yes, I agree completely. I also think that the way that those sequences are written is going to determine a lot of that as well. Jay: Yes! David: There are people in business, many of us in business have initially been trained on “corporate speak.” And we write in brochure language, instead of in human language. Jay: Yes. David: A lot of what you just described can be overcome simply by engaging in conversational English, even in the messages that are going out automatically. Even in the automated messages where much of the content will be the same. But the way that you’re conveying it still seems more personal and still feels like it’s coming from another human being as opposed to an auto-generated sequence. Jay: Yeah. David, I love this point. And you know, I’ve discovered a way for me to do this. And that is I’ve started using dictation on the computer a lot. Because I don’t know if people notice if they’re watching the video. I have something called Essential Tremors, which causes me to shake. And it’s getting harder and harder for me to type. So I’ve gone to dictation, but I found if I close my eyes and I act like I’m on the phone with the person when I’m doing the dictation, that brochure speak goes away. And so it’s something I don’t have to give a lot of thought to. It’s just a change in how I’m recording that information. David: Yeah, I do a very similar thing on the treadmill in the morning. I’ve got a, a little digital recorder and I’m on the treadmill and I’m moving and I’m recording. It could be a letter, it could be notes for some sort of presentation I’m going to do. But I will record that and I’ll just stop it every few seconds. If you heard those recordings, it’s a lot of heavy breathing and little bits and pieces. And I’ll say three words and I’ll stop and I’ll try to figure out what the rest of the sentence is, and I’ll say that, and then I’ll just take that whole thing and I’ll get it transcribed. And then at that point I can clean up the words and it’s a hundred times easier than trying to sit down in front of a blinking cursor and figure out what I’m going to say next. Jay: Yeah. And that blinking cursor, it does something to us. It changes how, how we record that information. So I love that piece of feedback when it comes to sequencing. Cool. How do people find out more, David? David: You can go to top secrets.com/call, schedule a call with myself or my team if you are interested in getting better response from people by thinking things out in advance and sequencing your communication so that people are actually looking forward to hearing what you have to say next instead of dreading it, schedule a call. Jay: Yeah, absolutely. David, once again, it’s a pleasure talking to you. David: Thank you so much, Jay. Are You Ready to Start Getting Better Results by Sequencing Your Communication? If so, check out the five primary ways we help promotional product distributors grow: Just Getting Started? If you (or someone on your team) is just getting started in promotional products sales, learn how we can help. Need Clients Now? If you're already grounded in the essentials of promotional product sales and just need to get clients now, click here. Want EQP/Preferential Pricing? Are you an established industry veteran doing a significant volume of sales? If so, click here to get End Quantity Pricing from many of the top supplier lines in the promo industry. Time to Hire Salespeople? If you want to hire others to grow your promo sales, click here. Ready to Dominate Your Market? If you're serious about creating top-of-mind-awareness with the very best prospects in your market, schedule a one-on-one Strategy Session here.

Comment les agents IA peuvent améliorer vos taux de closing ?J'ai invité Rémi Kokabi, Go-to-Market engineer chez Claap (racheté par Lemlist). Il a la particularité d'être resté sales en parallèle, donc il reste connecté aux problématiques du terrain.Dans cet épisode, on s'est plongé sur 3 usages de l'IA qui peuvent aider les commerciaux et leurs managers à augmenter leur conversion :1. L'efficience : déléguer à l'IA la prise de notes, le référencement dans le CRM, la rédaction des follow-up, la personnalisation des présentation commerciales et le calcul du ROI.2. Le monitoring : avoir des données fiables et à jour dans le CRM, sans dépendre de ce que les sales remontent eux-mêmes. Le manager pilote sur du factuel et les commerciaux se monitorent eux-même sur leurs propres deals.3. Le coaching : coacher ses sales sur ce qui s'est vraiment passé en rendez-vous. Ce que vous allez apprendre :Pourquoi structurer son cycle de vente avant d'intégrer l'IA ?Comment personnaliser ses présentations commerciales et ses follow-up sans y passer des heures ?Comment faire du CRM un vrai outil de pilotage pour toute l'équipe ?Comment prioriser les points de progression des commerciaux ?Par où commencer pour intégrer l'IA dans son process de venteUn épisode pour les account executives les heads of sales et les fondateurs qui veulent augmenter leur taux de closing.

Artificial Intelligence is changing every industry, but what does it actually mean for iGaming marketing?At SBC Summit Americas 2026, Fernando Noodt sat down with Shai Frank, SVP of Product and GM Americas at Optimove, to discuss how AI is reshaping CRM, personalization and the future of player engagement. The conversation explores Optimove's "positionless marketing" philosophy and why AI is enabling marketers to move faster, make smarter decisions and create more personalised experiences than ever before. In this episode:✅ What is Positionless Marketing?✅ How AI is changing CRM strategies✅ Why human judgement still matters ✅ AI-powered campaign personalisation✅ Journey decisioning and player lifetime value✅ The role of ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini in marketing✅ Why there are no AI "best practices" yet✅ The future of AI in iGamingCould AI fundamentally change the way operators engage with players? And where do marketers fit into this new world?#AI #iGaming #CRM #Marketing #Optimove #ArtificialIntelligence #PlayerEngagement #SportsBetting #Casino #Tech

Show Notes: The conversation opens with an overview of the consulting market, mentioning the impact of interest rates, private equity, and AI on the industry. Chad shares his background, including his career at Deloitte Consulting, Bain, and Charles Aris, and the focus of his strategy recruiting practice. Chad explains the shift in Charles Aris's business from Fortune 500 strategy placements to private equity and portfolio companies. He details the types of roles his team places, including general strategy, chief of staff, transformation, and integration roles. Four Phases in the Consulting Industry Chad highlights the growth of private equity and its impact on the consulting market, including the increase in demand for consulting services. Chad outlines the four phases the consulting market has gone through over the past 24 months: downturn, rebound, downturn, and growth. Chad explains the impact of higher interest rates and tariffs on the consulting market, leading to reduced investments and consulting services. AI Growth Phase Chad discusses the rebound in 2025 due to lower interest rates and private equity adapting to the new normal. He highlights the current growth phase driven by AI and the understaffing of consulting firms due to previous downsizing. Chad emphasizes the candidate-driven market and the increased demand for consulting services, particularly in AI and go-to-market initiatives. Private Equity Chad identifies private equity and services firms (white and blue collar) as the two primary industries with high demand for consulting services. Chad explains the growth of private equity and its focus on due diligence and value creation initiatives. Chad discusses the impact of AI on due diligence, including commercial, operational, and technology due diligence. He  highlights the demand for consulting services in white and blue collar services firms, driven by private equity investments.  Areas of High Demand Chad transitions to discussing functional areas with high demand, starting with AI. Chad identifies AI as the number one functional area with high demand, focusing on increasing productivity and refocusing employees on high-value interactions. Chad explains the two types of AI consultants: AI strategists and AI implementers, and their roles in AI enablement. Chad discusses the importance of AI in various consulting projects and the need for consultants to embrace AI. Chad highlights the demand for go-to-market consulting initiatives, including CRM redesign, sales process redesign, and AI-powered territory optimization. Chad emphasizes the importance of understanding AI from a go-to-market perspective and the increasing demand for AI expertise. The Role of Transformation Consultants in PE Chad shares two AI use cases: an AI tool for a large international bank to automate research tasks and an AI sales planning platform for a pharmaceutical organization. Chad explains how AI automates repetitive tasks, allowing humans to focus on high-value interactions. Chad discusses the role of transformation consultants in private equity, emphasizing the need for a track record of getting things done, strong EQ, and analytical skills. Chad highlights the importance of influencing without direct authority and the analytical competencies required for transformation roles. Maximizing Opportunities Chad provides tips for client development with private equity firms, recommending reaching out to portfolio operations teams and deal partners. Chad identifies supply chain optimization and manufacturing footprint optimization as areas with declining demand due to the shift towards growth initiatives. Chad emphasizes that while some areas may have softened, there is still demand in most specialties. Chad discusses the relatively easy process of filling board roles and the limited demand for board searches. Chad advises independent consultants on positioning themselves to transition back to global firms, recommending reaching out to former colleagues and partners. Chad concludes by encouraging consultants to embrace AI and stay updated with market trends to maximize their opportunities. Timestamps: 03:48: Chad Oakley's Introduction 23:14: Market Overview  31:08: Consulting Market Phases and Current Trends  39:47: Industries and Functions with High Demand  47:19: AI and Go-to-Market Consulting Demand  55:24: AI Use Cases and Transformation Roles  1:03:43: Declining Demand Areas and Board Roles  This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/651-current-state-of-the-consulting-market-in-2026/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com. *AI generated timestamps and show notes.  

Angela Clark - Mubarak is a senior digital and eCommerce executive with 30 years of experience building and transforming digital businesses at some of the world's most recognized consumer brands — including Patagonia, Levi Strauss, eBay, elf Cosmetics, Williams-Sonoma, True Religion, and Eddie Bauer.  Most recently VP of Digital at Patagonia, Angela now leads Eclipse Advisory Group, a consultancy focused on helping PE-backed brands, legacy retailers, and DTC startups unlock digital growth. She serves on the board of the California State Park Foundation, is an incoming Fellow at the Graham School at the University of Chicago, sits on the Total Retail Advisory Board, and has been recognized as a Direct 60 Honoree and CommerceNext 2024 Leader to Watch. She is based in LA, where is an avid cycler and dog mom to Maximus and Chloe and super auntie to her 12 yr nephew Evan. In This Conversation We Discuss: [00:00] Intro [02:31] Adapting old strategies to new mediums  [07:33] Sponsor: Klaviyo [09:39] Measuring success beyond simple revenue [14:23] Sponsor: Intelligems [16:24] Resisting trends that mismatch your brand [19:14] Sponsor: Electric Eye [20:19] Investing resources where they matter most [24:25] Moving away from the promotional drug [29:27] Callouts [29:37] Defining your target market sweet spot  Resources: Subscribe to Honest Ecommerce on Youtube Retail Legacy Meets Digital Disruption eclipsemedia365.com/ Follow Angela Clark - Mubarak linkedin.com/in/angclrk/ Book a demo today at intelligems.io/ Get your free demo klaviyo.com/honest   Schedule an intro call with one of our experts electriceye.io/connect If you're enjoying the show, we'd love it if you left Honest Ecommerce a review on Apple Podcasts. It makes a huge impact on the success of the podcast, and we love reading every one of your reviews!

Today Kristina is giving out the scoop on one of the top skills that has contributed to her success over the years; the ability to network for your network.Networking isn't about self-promotion.What this actually looks like is seeking opportunities to refer and connect your mentors and peers together for mutually beneficial partnerships that help them thrive, even when it doesn't lead to a kickback for you!Whether it's introducing a podcast guest, connecting someone to a service provider, or sharing valuable resources, every thoughtful connection can create ripple effects down the line that benefit your business and your community too.Kristina shares how this skill has helped her maintain high level friendships and tight business friends that have helped her grow to the place she is at in business. Tune in to this episode to hear:How to shift from self-focused networking to networking for your network.The power of reciprocity.How referrals, introductions, and thoughtful follow-ups can create huge business impact.Using a CRM to look for and track opportunities to make meaningful connections.Are you looking to harness the skill of networking for your network, this episode is your next step.Start creating more meaningful connections today!Mentioned in this Episode:Join the High Vibe Women Online CommunityTry our Podcast Content MachineWork with The Social Snippet!Send me a text!Support the showFor Your Information:• Host your podcast on Buzzsprout!•Join The High Vibe Women Online Community!• Join our favourite scheduling platform Later• FLODESK Affiliate Code | 25% off your first year!• Connect with Kristina  Don't forget to come say hi to us on Instagram @thesocialsnippet, join the Weekly Snippet or follow us on any social media platform! Website . Instagram . Facebook . Linkedin

On this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Confluent CFO Rohan Sivaram to talk goal setting, prioritization, consumption-based pricing, hybrid zero-based budgeting, and the frameworks finance leaders use to scale companies. Rohan shares why he carries his 12-month goals with him, how he evaluates opportunities through TAM, technology, and team, and why usage-based pricing changes the entire operating model.—SPONSORS:EY has been part of Silicon Valley since it was just a valley, helping the most successful names in tech go from startup to exit to megacap. With teams across strategy, tax, audit, and transactions, EY helps you get your financials right early, long before your investors start asking for it. You build the next big thing, and EY will help you build it right. Learn more at https://www.ey.com/techstartupsSpendHound cuts your SaaS and AI spend by up to 30% using real pricing benchmarks across 10,000 vendors, so you always know what fair pricing looks like before your next renewal. Rated #1 on G2 in SaaS spend management, it's free forever for teams up to 1,000 employees. Sign up by June 12th and get $500 just for getting started. Go to https://www.spendhound.com/cjBrex is an intelligent finance platform with AI-powered agents that capture expenses automatically, enforce policy before the spend happens, and close your books in minutes instead of weeks. 35,000+ companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Anthropic, and DoorDash already run on Brex. It's time to get Brex AF. Learn more at https://www.brex.com/metricsAleph is a modern FP&A platform built for teams that want more than another planning tool. By connecting your ERP, CRM, and other systems into one trusted data layer with AI workflows, Aleph helps you move faster with real-time insights. Get a personalized demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform that lets your product team ship new pricing without asking finance for permission, and your sales team close deals without creating downstream chaos. Check out their free tool at calculator.rightrev.com It scores your rev rec process, shows what's exposing you to risk, and tells you exactly where to focus before it bites you in the rear end. Check it out at https://calculator.rightrev.comRillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to replace NetSuite and close faster. With revenue recognition, close management, multi-entity support, and native Stripe and Salesforce integrations, Rillet helps scaling companies run their finance stack in one place. Hundreds of teams, including Windsurf and Mercor, use Rillet to make the zero-day close real. Book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cj—LINKS: Mostly Talent: https://mostlymetrics.typeform.com/to/cLTxtAsNGuest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohan-sivaram-69007b7/Company: https://www.confluent.io/CJ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:A CFO Explains Marketplaceshttps://youtu.be/LpbH9GpBrSY—TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Preview and Intro2:26 Writing down 12-month goals and carrying them6:33 Rule of 168: 168 hours a week7:36 Delegation and calendar management9:25 Learning to say no: cultural shift11:32 Sponsors — EY | SpendHound | Brex14:29 Joining Confluent: the state of the company16:57 Building blocks of a budgeting process19:46 Execute, learn, adapt21:59 Healthy tension in the planning cycle22:26 Sponsors — Aleph | RightRev | Rillet25:46 What is hybrid zero-based budgeting?30:37 Moving from subscription to consumption pricing32:22 Why this was a one-way door33:56 New metrics required in a consumption business35:28 Evaluating job opportunities: the three T's37:39 Networking and reciprocity39:54 Lightning round40:04 Screwed up: free cash flow sign error42:03 Advice to younger self: take more risks42:38 Finance software stack43:00 AI tools the team has built43:44 Credits

Tune in to this week's episode of the Brand Shorthand podcast to learn all about leveraging your CRM Platform. Mark is joined by Carson Brown, the agency's very own primary CRM technician and advisor. Learn how a CRM platform can help your business be more efficient, how you can use the data within a CRM platform to make decisions or provide insights, and what tools and capabilities are available within a CRM that help streamline workflow or manage data.Join Mark and Carson for 30-ish as they discuss all things marketing, advertising, and of course … positioning.

Jamie Domenici, CMO of Klaviyo, joins us to discuss why customer experience has become one of the most powerful drivers of growth. Drawing on lessons from nearly a decade at Salesforce and her experience joining Klaviyo just months before its IPO, Jamie shares how great brands create loyalty by obsessing over the customer.We explore what marketers can learn from customer success teams, why events like Dreamforce are so memorable, and how Klaviyo has repositioned itself while building a competitive moat in an increasingly crowded market.Jamie also shares her views on AI, the future workforce, the skills tomorrow's CMOs will need, and the difference between good marketing leaders and truly great ones.Timestamps00:00 - Start01:05 - Jamie's strange first job02:26 - Best and worst customer experiences05:56 - The power of a good customer experience08:45 - Marketing lessons from customer success11:48 - Marketing lessons from 10 years at Salesforce13:05 - Why Dreamforce was a great example of good customer experience14:46 - The key to a great keynote21:56 - Joining Klaviyo just months before an IPO24:28 - Repositioning a company25:45 - How does B2C differ to B2B when it comes to CRM?28:41 - How Klaviyo are building their moat30:51 - Where is AI going to have the biggest impact?32:19 - How are Klaviyo using AI in their product?34:14 - How AI is going to change the workforce35:42 - What skills will future CMOs be hiring for?37:31 - The difference between a good CMO and a great CMO39:17 - Why Klaviyo invest a lot in events40:52 - The best advice Jamie has ever received

Neste episódio do Vamos de Vendas, Gustavo Pagotto recebe Hiram Damin, CRO da B2B Stack e uma das maiores referências em Customer Success da América Latina, para uma conversa sobre como transformar dados em ações práticas para aumentar retenção, expansão de receita e rentabilidade dos clientes.Ao longo do episódio, Hiram explica por que muitas empresas ainda olham apenas para aquisição de clientes enquanto ignoram a principal fonte de crescimento sustentável: a própria carteira. Ele mostra como estruturar uma operação de Customer Success do zero, quais dados buscar primeiro, quais métricas realmente importam e como evitar o erro de acumular dashboards sem gerar mudanças reais no negócio.A conversa também aborda temas como churn, lifetime value, ICP, Health Score, onboarding, Voice of Customer e o papel do CRM na gestão da jornada do cliente. Hiram compartilha exemplos práticos sobre integração entre vendas, financeiro e Customer Success, além de explicar como identificar clientes com maior potencial de retenção e expansão usando dados confiáveis.

In this episode of The Pest Control Marketing Domination Podcast, Casey Lewis breaks down how pest control companies can sell more effectively over the phone.The phone is where marketing turns into revenue. Every lead has a cost, and every call is an opportunity to book an inspection, schedule a service, or win a recurring customer.Casey explains a simple five-step framework for taking control of the conversation:Prep and IntroductionFact FindingPresentationRecommendationCloseThis episode pays special attention to preparation and fact finding. Before answering the phone, your team must know your services, pricing, offers, bundles, scheduling options, guarantees, and common answers. Once the call begins, the goal is not to rush straight to price. The goal is to ask the right questions, uncover the customer's real issue, and recommend the right solution based on what they told you.If your pest control company is spending money on Google Ads, Local Services Ads, SEO, social media, postcards, door hangers, or referrals, you cannot afford to lose calls because of poor phone training.The phone is not just customer service.The phone is sales.The phone is trust.The phone is where the appointment gets booked.Why phone sales matter in pest controlHow to create a confident phone introductionWhat every phone rep must know before answering callsThe importance of fact findingQuestions to ask pest control customersHow to present your company without overexplainingHow to recommend the right serviceHow to close the call and book the appointmentWhy confirmation by text and email mattersCommon mistakes that cost pest control companies salesIf you want more pest control leads to turn into paying customers, train your team to stop simply answering the phone and start guiding the conversation.Key TopicsEpisode TakeawayReady to improve your pest control marketing, phone sales process, lead follow-up, or CRM automation?Visit Rhino Pest Control Marketing:https://rhinopros.com/Schedule a strategy call:https://rhinopros.com/contact/Listen to more episodes of The Pest Control Marketing Domination Podcast:https://rhinopros.com/podcast/casey@rhinopros.com925-484-8383Connect with Casey Lewis and Rhino Pest Control Marketing for help with:Pest control websitesGoogle Ads and Local Services AdsSEO and content strategyAI receptionistsHighLevel CRM setupReview campaignsLead tracking and sales automationPest control phone sales trainingThe phone is where marketing becomes revenue. If your company needs more calls, better follow-up, and more booked pest control appointments, Rhino Pest Control Marketing can help.

When Wynn Whisenhunt launched Wondrous in the compact bay area town of Emeryville, California—wedged between more well-known neighbors Oakland and Berkeley—he brought with him big ideas about what it would take to make great beer. After growing up around well-known homebrewers like Mike “Tasty” McDole and Jamil Zainasheff, studying brewing in the Siebel-Doemans program, and working at breweries of various scales like Lagunitas and Sante Adairius, he had both the theoretical knowledge and first-hand experience in its practical application, but the first few years of running his own brewery, writing all the recipes, and brewing all the beer taught him the most important lesson of all—the best beers are made by subtraction more than addition. Understanding exactly what each beer needs, and eliminating ingredients or techniques that don't serve that goal or that cause excess intervention, is the real key to taking beers from good to great. In this episode, Whisenhunt discusses both Wondrous Hell—for which he won broze at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival—and his related approach to West Coast IPA like the 98-rated Single Cuff. Along the way, he touches on: designing Hell with initially more complex processes, then simplifying going from a three-yeast blend to dry 34/70 yeast moving from step mashing to single infusion in lager beer unitank process for minimal lager intervention embracing good sulfur and controlling its expression changing from European to North American pils malt in West Coast IPA judging hops not on flavor and aroma but on impact and loudness incorporating modern hop products And more. G&D Chillers G&D now offers their Elite 290 Micro-series with 5H chillers—bringing even more flexibility to their propane-powered lineup. In fact, they're building one right now for Red Clover Ale Co in partnership with Efficiency Vermont. It runs on a Natural Refrigerant with near-zero Global Warming Potential—projected to deliver around 10% more efficiency than A2L refrigerant systems. With 24/7 support and remote monitoring, your cold side stays dialed in—day or night. Explore the Elite 290 Micro-series and more at gdchillers.com/podcast. Berkeley Yeast Berkeley Yeast just launched Dry Tropics London! Our best-selling liquid yeast strain, now with all the ease-of-use benefits of dry yeast. Dry Tropics London delivers the soft, pillowy mouthfeel and juicy character you'd expect from a top-tier London Ale strain, but with a serious upgrade: a burst of thiols that unleash vibrant, layered notes of grapefruit and passion fruit. A lot of brewers love the clean passion fruit you get from Tropics, but they don't want every IPA to be a tropical-fruit bomb. At the dry yeast price point, you can pitch and ditch without breaking the bank. Or, you can co-pitch with your house strain to adjust the intensity of the notes. And with nationwide free shipping, there's never been a better time to try Dry Tropics. Order now at berkeleyyeast.com and experience the ease and impact of Dry Tropics London Yeast. PakTech This episode is sponsored by PakTech—delivering craft-beer multipacking you can trust. Our handles are made from 100 percent recycled plastic and are fully recyclable, helping breweries close the loop and advance the circular economy. With a minimalist design, durable functionality you can rely on, and custom color matching, our carriers help brands stand out while staying sustainable. Trusted by craft brewers nationwide, we offer a smarter, sustainable way to carry your beer. To learn more, visit paktech-opi.com. Indie Hops Oregon hop country is heaven to world-class lager varieties, and Indie Hops is proud to have introduced Oregon's newest lager hop, Lórien, in 2022. Lórien is in a growing list of beers that have found their way to the podium and—more importantly—into the hearts of lager lovers across the country. Discover Indie Hops Lórien. (Side effects may include rampant festivity, sales bumps, and exceeded expectations.) Indie Hops—Life is Short. Let's Make It Flavorful. Midea 50/50 Flex This podcast is sponsored by the Midea 50/50 flex—the industry's first dual compartment three-way convertible freezer. The 50/50 Flex is designed to flex with your life. It can convert to all fridge, all freezer, or half and half with just the touch of a button. Plus, with reversible doors and adjustable storage compartments, you can stay organized no matter your food-storage needs. The 50/50 Flex is also designed to maintain a stable temperature even in non-climate-controlled spaces. So it's perfect for your garage, man cave, or wherever you need a little more space. Maybe use all 20 cubic feet as a beer fridge! Check out [Midea.com/us/](https://Midea.com/us/) for more information on how to take your beer storage to the next level. Old Orchard The beyond-beer space is booming, and Old Orchard is here for it, supplying breweries with fruit ingredients for all your beverage needs: low/no alcohol, hard lemonades, seltzer, cider, and more. Old Orchard has supplied hundreds of industrial customers across 49 states, including nationally and internationally loved brands, so you'll be in good company. More information and free samples are waiting at oldorchard.com/brewer. Encompass You know the pain all too well. You're guessing at market trends, left in the dark about how your liquids are performing on the shelves. You can't tell if your distributors are actually executing the objectives you gave them. But now there's a faster, more real-time, and value-packed way to get the full picture instantly and strengthen those distributor partnerships. Introducing Orbit by Encompass. Orbit Data & CRM connects your production performance directly to the wider beverage market. Orbit Data provides real-time visibility into retailer data, sales, and inventory so you can make faster and clear decisions. It's also a CRM for your supplier sales team that brings total transparency to your distributor relationships, keeping them accountable to what they need to sell and how. Orbit empowers producers to drive decisions with accurate data, discover new profit streams, and pivot faster than ever before. Go to encompasstech.com/launch-orbit for more details. Arryved Running a brewery means juggling a lot—managing production, serving guests, selling online, and keeping everything moving behind the scenes. That's where Arryved comes in. What started as a point-of-sale system has grown into the technology your brewery runs on—built specifically for the teams behind great beer. Unlike generic systems, Arryved brings together taproom service, online sales, brewery management, payments, reporting, and growth tools into one complete platform. So instead of bouncing between systems, you can brew, serve, and sell—all in one place. Visit arryved.com to learn more. John I. Haas Brewing has always been about creativity—but at scale, it's about control. For more than 100 years, Haas has worked with brewers to push what's possible with hops. And today, that means more control over flavor, efficiency, and consistency. Our advanced products help you get more out of every brew—more flavor where you want it, less waste in the process, faster tank turns, and results you can count on—batch after batch, year after year. From next-generation pellets, such as LupoCORE and LupoMAX, to innovations such as Incognito and Euphorics, our products fit seamlessly into your process—from the hot side through fermentation to the cold side. Advanced hop products are just one of the ways Haas is growing the future of brewing. Learn more at johnihaas.com.

Most roofing contractors think they have a lead problem.After working with hundreds of roofing companies over the years, I've learned that's usually not the real issue.The contractors who stay stuck are often dealing with the same challenges: No clear vision for where they're goingWorking in the business instead of on the businessBad financial informationNo scoreboard or KPIsNo sales systemNo clear identity or storyChasing shiny objects instead of focusing on fundamentalsIn this episode, I break down the seven most common problems I see in roofing companies and share practical insights from my own experience building and selling a roofing company, as well as working with contractors across North America.If you're working harder than ever but feel like you're not getting ahead, this episode is for you.Whether your goal is more profit, more freedom, a better team, or building a business that can run without you, these lessons will help you identify what's really holding you back.WHAT YOU'LL LEARNWhy more leads usually aren't the answerThe Two Week Vacation Test and what it reveals about your businessThe difference between financials and scorekeepingWhy most contractors leave money sitting in their CRMHow your story impacts sales and pricingWhy shiny object syndrome keeps contractors stuckThe Sell Work, Do Work, Keep Score frameworkSPONSORSSMA SupportMissed calls, poor follow-up, and stale estimates are costing roofing contractors thousands every month.SMA Support provides trained virtual assistants, inside sales support, lead follow-up, CRM management, and administrative support built specifically for roofing companies.Learn more:https://theroofercoach.com/smaProLineProLine helps roofing contractors streamline operations, automate follow-up, improve communication, and gain visibility into every stage of the customer journey.From lead management to production and reporting, ProLine helps contractors create the systems needed to scale.Learn more:https://theroofercoach.com/prolineRESOURCESThe Roofer Coachhttps://theroofercoach.comFree Roofing Business Resourceshttps://theroofercoach.com/resourcesRoofing Business Success Audithttps://theroofercoach.com/resourcesFacebook:https://facebook.com/theroofercoachYouTube:https://youtube.com/@TheRooferCoach About The Roofer ShowThe Roofer Show Podcast helps roofing contractors grow their businesses, make more money, and have more free time.Hosted by Dave Sullivan, The Roofer Coach, the show shares practical advice on roofing sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and financial management.

In this episode, David and Mitch talk about an array of varying events that can be tied to one thing, standing your ground no matter what! TW Job Calculator APPS Not ready for a full blown CRM but need to invoice from your phone? This is the APP! https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tradewinsconsulting.jobcalculator https://apps.apple.com/us/app/trade-wins-job-calculator/id6744992264?platform=iphone If you have questions you'd like us to answer, please feel free to email them to AskMitch@MitchSmedley.com Thanks for listening and thanks for sharing! Enjoy the show! If you'd like more insight from Mitch and David, you need to check out Trade Wins. Trade Wins can help you start your business or take your newer business and get it to a very healthy level. For more information about Trade Wins, check out https://www.tradewinsconsulting.com/ FieldPulse is the Official Field Service Management Software of The Void Podcast. Their software is ideal for you and your business. For more information about how FieldPulse can benefit you, check them out here: https://www.fieldpulse.com/features?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=The+Void+/+Trade+Wins+(Mitch+Smedley) Empower Payments: Need a better credit card processor? These guys are it http://empowerpayments.com/TheVoid Contact us: askmitch@mitchsmedley.com david@tradewinsconsulting.com mitch@tradewinsconsulting.com

David Jenyns had 15 people on his team when he realized his business still couldn't function without him. Every client wanted him personally. Every escalation came back to him. He was working long hours and couldn't switch off. When he thought about taking time off to be present for the birth of his first child, it filled him with anxiety rather than excitement. "It was a little bit scary when I realized, hey, if I'm not working, the business isn't working." David is the founder of SYSTEMology, a three-times bestselling author of Authority Content, SYSTEMology, and Systems Champion, and a TEDx speaker. He has built and exited multiple businesses and, in 2016, systemized himself out of Melbourne SEO Services by documenting the business, hiring a CEO, and stepping away from day-to-day operations. He has since personally coached 223 businesses across 48 industries and 27 countries. In this conversation, David and Mark explore why founder dependency is so common in recruitment businesses, why it often gets rewarded in the early stages, and how agency owners can break the cycle. David explains the Critical Client Flow, the knowledgeable worker concept, the Systems Champion role, and why documented processes have become even more valuable in the age of AI. In this episode: Why the traits that help build a recruitment business can eventually limit its growth The Critical Client Flow and how to identify the systems that matter most How to distinguish between the work that requires your expertise and the work that doesn't Why key person dependency creates risk beyond just the founder How to capture the knowledge inside your team's heads before it walks out the door The Systems Champion role and how it drives systemization from within How AI can turn recordings into first-draft process documentation Why businesses with documented processes are getting the most out of AI right now What happened when ChatGPT disrupted a quarter of David's business almost overnight Episode Highlights [2:08] Why David's agency became dependent on him despite having 15 team members [4:15] The catalyst: finding out his wife was pregnant [9:03] Why founder dependency gets rewarded in the early stages [13:16] Systemize everything around the magic [19:58] The Critical Client Flow: where to start [25:32] The knowledgeable worker concept [27:41] The Systems Champion role [38:40] Building a Systems Hub for your intellectual property [47:03] How ChatGPT disrupted David's business overnight [49:06] Why process documentation is now the foundation for AI adoption About David Jenyns David Jenyns is the founder of SYSTEMology and a three-times bestselling author. His books, Authority Content, SYSTEMology, and Systems Champion, have been endorsed by Michael Gerber, Gino Wickman, and Allan Dib. A TEDx speaker and serial entrepreneur, he has personally coached 223 businesses across 48 industries and 27 countries. He also hosts the podcast Business Processes Simplified and runs systemHUB, a platform for business process documentation. Connect with David: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-jenyns SYSTEMology: systemology.com systemHUB: systemhub.com Podcast Partner Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built for modern recruitment agencies. Book a demo: recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Free Resources Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Free Strategy Session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Connect with Mark Free 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Twitter: @MarkWhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter: https://plinkhq.com/i/1489513354

Water utility work depends on more than technical knowledge. It depends on clear procedures, current documents, practical training, and performance conversations that reflect what operators actually do in the field.  In Episode 481, Trace Blackmore, CWT, welcomes back Kalpna Solanki, President and CEO at GAMECHANGERS Inc., for a practical conversation on building stronger utilities through standard operating procedures, competencies, and performance evaluations. Kalpna shares how outdated SOPs, disconnected training tools, and top-down documentation can create risk, confusion, and missed learning opportunities.    SOPs That Match the Work  Kalpna defines an SOP as a documented process that provides clear instructions for specific tasks or activities. Her current work with water utilities includes procedures for water main installation, flushing, customer complaints, meter installation, meter readings, and other distribution team responsibilities.  The key issue is not whether an organization has SOPs. Many do. The bigger question is whether those documents still match the field reality. Kalpna describes reviewing SOPs that reference retired staff, outdated contact information, and procedures written by people who may no longer be close to the work.  Her approach starts with the operators. The people doing the work help revise the documents, confirm what is accurate, and identify what needs to change. Revision dates, organized SOP libraries, and clear naming structures help teams avoid using the wrong version.    From Procedures to Competencies  Kalpna explains that SOPs should not sit alone in a file system. They should inform competency frameworks that define the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors needed for the job.  For example, an SOP may explain how to perform a fire hydrant teardown. A related competency tool can help confirm whether an operator knows how to do that work safely and correctly. The results can then guide mentoring, training, and performance evaluation.  This turns performance evaluation into a two-way process. Rather than simply telling employees what they did or did not do, supervisors can use competency checklists to identify gaps, determine needed resources, and support development.    Field Access, Video, and Ownership  Kalpna also shares how the Capital Regional District project extends SOPs beyond written documents. Once an SOP is revised and approved, her team creates a field video using operators as the subjects. The video is tied back to the written SOP, giving employees the option to read, watch, or use both formats depending on how they learn best.  QR codes make the system even more useful. Operators can scan a code in the field and access the relevant SOP or video without leaving the work location, searching a large document library, or relying on memory.  That access matters. As Kalpna puts it, when processes are too complicated, people are more likely to wing it. In water utility work, that can affect safety, consistency, compliance, and service quality.    Water Stories and Water Reuse  Kalpna also shares her personal water story, from growing up near the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls to living near the Thames River in London and later near protected watersheds in Vancouver. Her experiences shape how she thinks about water availability, source protection, and the responsibility of the industry.  The conversation closes with a look at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, where a full-scale wastewater treatment facility operates beneath the building. Treated effluent is reused for toilet flushing and rooftop garden irrigation, reducing freshwater demand and municipal sewer load.  For Kalpna, this points to a larger shift in language and mindset. Wastewater is not simply waste. It is a resource with future value for reuse, reclamation, and water-stressed industries.  Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!  Timestamps  01:10 — Trace welcomes Kalpna Solanki back and notes her previous Scaling UP! H2O appearance in Episode 435 on backflow prevention.  01:50 — Kalpna shares what has changed since her last visit, including the launch of GAMECHANGERS Inc. and her work with nonprofits, government agencies, and water utilities.  02:40 — Kalpna explains the two criteria she uses when choosing where to contribute: the opportunity to contribute and the opportunity to learn.  03:40 — Kalpna introduces the Water Environment Federation and its broad role in the water sector, with a strong focus on wastewater.  04:10 — The conversation turns to WEFTEC, AI, data centers, and the Water AI Nexus Center for Excellence.  08:20 — Kalpna defines an SOP as a documented process that provides clear instructions for specific tasks or activities.  08:40 — Kalpna describes her work with the Capital Regional District and water distribution teams serving more than 400,000 people with drinking water.  09:40 — Kalpna explains why SOPs should be developed with field staff, not only by managers who may be removed from day-to-day operations.  10:40 — SOPs connect to competencies by defining the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors employees need to perform work effectively.  11:40 — Kalpna frames performance evaluation as a two-way process for identifying training needs, resources, and competency gaps.  13:00 — Trace asks how organizations can align SOPs with what operators actually do in the field.  13:20 — Kalpna describes the risk of dated SOPs, including documents that reference retired staff or obsolete contact information.  14:00 — Kalpna explains how SOP nomenclature and organized folders help operators find the current procedure quickly.  15:30 — The discussion shifts to video-based SOPs that support different learning styles and increase field usability.  19:50 — Kalpna adds that QR codes can take operators directly to the relevant SOP and linked video in the field.  20:25 — Kalpna explains why simplicity matters: if the process is too complicated, people are more likely to wing it.  21:10 — Safety enters the competency discussion, with Kalpna explaining why SOP-based competencies can better reflect actual field work.  22:20 — Kalpna outlines her starting process with a utility: review the SOPs, determine what is dated or missing, divide them by operational area, and prioritize revisions.  24:10 — Kalpna describes how SOPs for water main upgrades can be translated into a competency framework.  25:00 — Technical and leadership competencies are discussed, including behavioral indicators that supervisors can use with operators.  26:30 — Kalpna introduces application exams, remote proctoring, and future AI-assisted marking as part of the hiring process.  28:05 — The conversation turns to culture, ownership, and how staff involvement can create empowerment rather than top-down compliance.  29:55 — Kalpna urges listeners to look at the intersection between SOPs, competencies, and performance evaluations.  32:40 — Kalpna shares her personal water story, beginning with childhood walks near the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls.  34:15 — Kalpna connects her experiences in London and Vancouver to water availability, source protection, and the value of safe drinking water.  37:00 — In the lightning round, Kalpna describes her superpower as seeing organizations from a high-level perspective and imagining what they could become.  38:35 — Kalpna shares a major accomplishment: leading a CRM project that succeeded because the people doing the work were involved.  40:25 — Kalpna discusses a water operator training and certification project in Kenya with Water Professionals International and GAMECHANGERS Inc.  41:55 — Kalpna answers the magic wand question with the Water Environment Federation vision statement: "life free of water challenges."  43:10 — Kalpna recommends five books spanning personal values, scaling systems, resilience, memoir, and nonprofit governance.    Quotes "When it comes to how that leads to competencies, competencies refer to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that employees need to perform their job effectively."  "Because I think if things are too complicated, people are going to be more tempted to wing it."  "I need their feedback to get the reality of their job on a day-to-day basis."  "I think that one of the key things is really look at the intersection between SOPs, competencies and performance evaluations."  "Life free of water challenges."  "We talk about wastewater, but it's not waste really, it's a resource."    Connect with Kalpna Solanki  Email: ksolanki@gamechangerssolutions.com  Website: GAMECHANGERS Inc. | Strategy Development And Implementation  LinkedIn: Kalpna Solanki MBA | LinkedIn  GAMECHANGERS Inc.: Overview | LinkedIn     Guest Resources Mentioned   Bridging Continents Through Clean Water: Mike Firlotte and Paul Bishop Lead Operator Training and Pinning in Kenya     Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned  AWT (Association of Water Technologies)  Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses  Submit a Show Idea  The Rising Tide Mastermind  355 Backflow Prevention: Safeguarding Water Quality   2026 Events for Water Professionals  Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we've listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE. 

Is your agency struggling with a lack of leads, or is the real problem hidden in the way those leads are handled after they arrive? Could it be that you're chasing more prospects when the real opportunity lies in fixing how those prospects are handled?In this episode of The Agency Blueprint podcast, we explore why many agencies misdiagnose revenue plateaus as a marketing problem when the deeper issue is often a flawed sales funnel. We explain why generating more leads cannot compensate for weaknesses in qualification, follow-up, value communication, or trust-building during the buyer journey.Don't miss this episode to learn more about the power of prioritizing client retention and identifying new opportunities within current accounts!Key Questions:[01:01] Could weaknesses in your sales process be preventing you from converting the opportunities you already have?[12:06] How consistent and strategic is your follow-up process with prospects who are considering working with you?[16:15] Are you prioritizing client retention and expansion, or are you stuck in a cycle of constantly replacing lost revenue?What You'll Discover: [01:36] Why lead generation is often blamed first because it feels simpler to solve than fixing a complex sales process.[03:08] Why you cannot determine where or why prospects are dropping off without structured pipeline data.[05:20] The common signs of a sales problem include low conversions, poor qualification, and inconsistent sales processes.[09:07] How agencies should provide specific content between sales stages to build trust and credibility with prospects.[12:42] The importance of mastering a single lead generation channel before expanding to others and maintaining consistent demand generation efforts.[15:15] How project-based agencies can still grow revenue from existing clients by selling the next logical project.[16:20] Why fixing client retention problems should always come before focusing on acquiring new clients.[16:57] Why selling additional services to existing clients can have conversion rates as high as 70–90%.[19:01] How poor qualification can waste time by allowing prospects who cannot afford the service to progress too far in the pipeline.[20:58] How a CRM system helps agencies track prospects, manage follow-ups, and understand buyers' motivations.[22:43] Lead generation psychology and why agencies must understand whether prospects are problem-aware or solution-aware.

If you can't tell me your return on every marketing channel you're running right now, you're flying blind.Most real estate investors know they have to spend money on marketing — but very few have a system that tells them whether that spending is actually working. In this solo episode, the host breaks down a straightforward framework for tracking marketing dollars from the moment they leave your account all the way through to closed deals, so you can stop making decisions based on gut feel and start making them based on numbers.The episode covers why front-end marketing platforms like Facebook and Google can't tell the whole story, how to use QuickBooks as a financial CRM to tie marketing spend to actual revenue by channel, and what return thresholds should trigger you to pour more money in or pull the plug. Whether you're running direct mail, PPC, or SEO, this one will help you build a simple marketing KPI dashboard that actually tells you what's working.Timeline Highlights[0:26] Why most real estate investors are flying blind — and the 3x to 7x return benchmark that separates confident operators from guessers[0:53] The follow-up problem: spending money on marketing without tracking whether it actually produced revenue[1:35] Why front-end dashboards on Facebook and Google aren't enough — and what it means to tie back-end money to front-end spend[2:33] A simple example: $100 in, $5,000 out — and why that math gets much more complex as you scale[3:32] Opening dedicated marketing bank accounts or credit cards per channel to create spending clarity by default[4:29] How to use QuickBooks as a financial CRM — tagging deals by marketing channel and pulling KPI reports straight out of your financial software[6:02] Marketing is the lifeblood of your business — which is exactly why it demands more tracking, not less[6:34] The four metrics that belong on every marketing KPI dashboard: cost per lead, cost per appointment, cost per contract, and return per channel[7:28] How to read your return numbers: 3x to 5x means you're on track, 5x or above is a green light to scale, below 2x is a signal to cut[8:09] The difference between an owner running on gut feeling and one who uses return data to make every marketing decisionKey TakeawaysTracking marketing spend without tying it to closed deals is not a system — it's just a record of what you spent. The real number you need is what you made from each channel, not just what you spent on it.Front-end platform dashboards from Facebook, Google, and other channels only tell part of the story. Your financial software is where marketing spend and actual revenue need to meet.Dedicating a separate bank account or credit card to each marketing channel creates built-in clarity — you can see exactly what each channel cost and what it returned without digging through mixed transactions.QuickBooks and similar tools can be configured to tag deals by marketing source, letting you pull a report at any time that shows channel-level spend versus channel-level revenue. Most investors never set this up.A simple four-metric dashboard — cost per lead, cost per appointment, cost per contract, and return on channel — gives you everything you need to make confident, data-driven decisions about where to scale and where to cut.The 5x return threshold is your green light to pour more money into a channel. Anything below 2x is a signal to either fix the channel or cut it before it quietly drains your profit.Links & ResourcesSchedule a free discovery call — https://www.profitrei.comClosingKnowing your marketing numbers isn't a finance task — it's a growth strategy. The investors who scale predictably aren't necessarily spending more than everyone else; they're just spending with better information. If today's episode helped you see your marketing spend with more clarity, visit profitrei.com to schedule a free discovery call and start building your path to financial clarity and freedom.

Bitcoin's latest price plunge is forcing investors to revisit a fundamental question: why do they actually own it? As the debate over crypto's role in a diversified portfolio heats up again, we break down the real investment thesis for digital assets and whether Bitcoin deserves a seat at the table for long-term investors.Today's Stocks & Topics: Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS), Market Wrap, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW), Bitcoin's Identity Crisis: Is It a Store of Value or a Speculative Toy?, Zebra Technologies Corporation (ZBRA), Sectors Affected by the Peace Agreement, Salesforce, Inc. (CRM), Inflation and Interest Rates.Our Next Wealth Webinar: “Beyond the Yield: How to Invest for Your Income Needs”June 30th, 2026 - 12:00 pmTo sign up: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5717793889555/WN_XuoDgMVwSv6wZXXurrZTLgOur Sponsors:* Check out Anthropic and use my code Claude.ai/invest for a great deal: https://www.anthropic.com* Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/INVEST for a great deal: https://sleep.me* Check out Plaud AI and use my code INVEST for a great deal: https://plaud.ai* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com* Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/invest for a great deal: https://www.quince.com* Check out TaskRabbit and use my code INVEST for a great deal: https://taskrabbit.com* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code INVEST20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this week's episode of Insurance Town Podcast, I sat down with my good friend Mariah Gates. Mariah has become one of the insurance industry's leading voices on automation, technology adoption, and helping agencies work smarter. What makes her perspective unique is that it is grounded in service, faith, and a genuine desire to help others succeed.During our conversation, we discussed how agencies can stop viewing technology as a burden and start seeing it as a strategic advantage. Mariah shares practical advice for building an effective technology ecosystem, implementing AI without overwhelming your team, and creating processes that allow agencies to scale while maintaining strong relationships with clients.Whether you're just beginning your technology journey or looking to maximize the tools you already have, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can apply immediately.Main Topics Covered:• Mariah's journey into insurance technology and automation• How faith and servant leadership have influenced her career• The evolution of AI and its growing impact on insurance• Why agencies struggle to fully utilize their existing technology• Building a connected and scalable technology ecosystem• The role of CRM systems in agency growth and efficiency• Lessons learned from the industry's digital transformation during the pandemic• Practical first steps for implementing automation and AI• Avoiding technology overload and choosing the right solutions• Personal productivity and automating everyday lifeKey Takeaways:• The insurance industry still has significant room for growth when it comes to technology adoption.• Most agencies are only utilizing a fraction of the capabilities available within their current technology stack.• Successful agencies focus on creating connected workflows instead of collecting disconnected tools.• AI implementation works best when agencies start with specific business challenges rather than chasing trends.• Team buy-in is critical for successful technology adoption.• Leaders should focus on solving employee pain points before introducing new technology.• Technology should support relationships, not replace them.• Faith, service, and integrity can serve as powerful foundations for leadership and business growth.• Building within established technology ecosystems often creates better long-term outcomes than relying on standalone solutions.• Small automation improvements can create significant time savings in both business and personal life.Timestamps:(00:00) Welcome to Insurance Town(00:26) Sponsor spotlight and technology solutions for agencies(01:55) Introducing Mariah Gates(03:46) Mariah's background and path into insurance technology(05:17) Faith, leadership, and serving others(07:04) Helping others before building a business(09:11) The opportunity for greater CRM adoption in insurance(09:30) How technology is changing agency operations(11:14) The pandemic's role in accelerating digital transformation(13:45) Why agencies often underutilize their technology(17:28) Building an integrated tech stack that works together(22:11) Common mistakes agencies make when selecting technology(27:36) Practical ways to begin implementing AI(33:20) Getting employee buy-in for automation initiatives(39:12) Choosing technology based on business needs(45:08) Personal automation and productivity hacks(50:41) Final thoughts and advice for agency leaders(54:22) Where to connect with Mariah GatesConnect with Mariah Gates:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariah-gatesSponsors:Canopy ConnectMAV1Fort

Are you truly a business owner, or have you just constructed a hyper-stressful, 14-hour-a-day job for yourself? In this episode of The AC Method, Aaron Clippinger sits down with Steve Lowe, President of Valley Signs, to unpack the psychological and operational shifts required to step out of daily production crises and step into true executive leadership.Steve transparently shares his journey from taking over a legacy, 30-year-old sign facility to weathering a complete workforce walkout in 2021. Discover how he bypassed manufacturing ego traps, implemented automated CRM tracking workflows, and used ChatGPT to build custom operational boundaries that doubled his corporate target-market scale.

One Big Idea 6 - Creating Autonomous Enterprise Teams Through AI Squads with Superbo AI's Demetri PapazissisIn this episode of One Big Idea, host Josh Elledge sits down with Demetri Papazissis, the Co-founder and CEO of Superbo AI. Demetri joins the conversation to dissect the structural changes occurring in corporate technology adoption, shedding light on why many large-scale software implementations fail to deliver on their promises. He shares his insights on shifting from basic, siloed automation tools to advanced enterprise ecosystems, providing business leaders with a robust framework for deploying autonomous digital squads that safely drive measurable bottom-line performance.Creating Autonomous Enterprise Teams Through AI Squads with Demetri Papazissis from Superbo AIWhen evaluating artificial intelligence solutions, modern enterprises frequently fall into the trap of prioritizing raw output over actual business outcomes. Demetri Papazissis highlights that his "one big idea" directly challenges this approach: standard intelligence is no longer the true operational bottleneck—seamless backend execution is. While generic chatbots can generate text at lightning speed, true enterprise efficiency requires coordinated systems of specialized digital agents working proactively toward a shared organizational goal. By transforming isolated tools into collaborative digital squads that deeply integrate with existing ERP and CRM platforms, companies can successfully automate complex corporate workflows, such as resolving high-volume billing disputes or handling conversational streaming searches, without sacrificing accuracy.Deploying autonomous technology within highly regulated industries demands an unshakeable foundation of governance, auditability, and trust. Demetri emphasizes that successful enterprise adoption relies on clear escalation protocols and human-in-the-loop systems, ensuring that digital agents know exactly when to hand off complex scenarios to human teams. Rather than attempting to completely replace human staff or getting stuck in endless, static pilot phases, forward-thinking organizations must utilize simulation-first environments to visualize integrations before moving into live production. This methodology allows executive leaders to protect data sovereignty, satisfy compliance requirements, and reduce support costs—ultimately bridging the gap between impressive software capabilities and dependable, long-term commercial execution.Links Mentioned in the EpisodeDemetri Papazissis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetripapazissis/Superbo AI Website: https://superbo.aiMore from The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

On today’s episode, we cover a packed week across private markets, U.S. dealmaking, and Canadian earnings. We start with SpaceX and the growing anticipation around a potential IPO. We break down why the valuation, limited public float, and upcoming share unlocks could make this one of the most closely watched public listings whenever it eventually happens. We also look at a busy start to the week for acquisitions, including Fox’s investment in Roku, Salesforce’s latest deal, and American Express making a move of its own. Then we turn to earnings, with Dollarama posting a strong rebound quarter, Groupe Dynamite selling off sharply despite impressive growth numbers, and Adobe delivering solid results on the surface while investors focused on what may be ahead. Plus, a quick preview of Monday’s episode, where we’ll be diving deeper into the recent short report on Gildan. Tickers discussed: SPACE, FOXA, ROKU, CRM, AXP, DOL.TO, GRGD.TO, ADBE, GIL.TO Subscribe to Our New Youtube Channel! Check out our portfolio by going to Jointci.com Our Website Canadian Investor Podcast Network Twitter: @cdn_investing Simon’s twitter: @Fiat_Iceberg Braden’s twitter: @BradoCapital Dan’s Twitter: @stocktrades_ca Want to learn more about Real Estate Investing? Check out the Canadian Real Estate Investor Podcast! Apple Podcast - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Spotify - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Web player - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Asset Allocation ETFs | BMO Global Asset Management Sign up for Fiscal.ai for free to get easy access to global stock coverage and powerful AI investing tools. Register for EQ Bank, the seamless digital banking experience with better rates and no nonsense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Poised for Exit, Jen Roth, Founder and CEO of Blue Sparq Marketing, joins the show to discuss how intentional marketing systems can drive sustainable growth and increase business value. Drawing from her experience building and leading marketing agencies, Jen shares how business owners can stop guessing at marketing and build a clear plan that supports growth.The conversation explores why marketing and sales must work together to create a predictable pipeline, how CRM systems and better lead tracking can improve decision-making, and why cutting marketing during slower periods can ultimately hurt long-term growth. Jen also explains how fractional marketing teams can give companies access to the strategy and execution they need without the cost of building a full in-house department.Jen also shares how AI can help marketing teams work more efficiently, without replacing the strategy and judgment that make marketing effective. They also touch on the importance of documenting institutional knowledge, building systems that do not rely entirely on the owner or top salespeople, and why these investments can make a business more scalable, transferable, and attractive to future buyers.Finally, Jen talks about her experience with Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) and how the global peer community has supported her growth as an entrepreneur and leader. She shares why having a trusted network of fellow business owners, opportunities to learn from shared experiences, and a more holistic approach to leadership have been so meaningful in her journey.Connect with Jen Roth hereConnect with Blue Sparq Marketing hereConnect with Julie Keyes, Keyestrategies LLCFounder, Consultant, Author, Pod-caster and Instructor

“Seek self-mastery in your own way.” In this episode, Nick reflects on The Mindset & Self-Mastery Show reaching 200 episodes. He shares personal growth, lessons learned, and insights on self-awareness, trauma, purpose, and authenticity. What to listen for: Self-awareness is the most important part of growth and healing Trauma from childhood influences adult life and success Aligning with your purpose leads to fulfillment Consistency and authenticity build a meaningful podcast Incremental steps lead to significant change “I felt like there was a conversation on my heart that needed to be had.” Our calling can sometimes start off as a soft whisper about a conversation you're here to have When we feel like our lives are focusing on specific areas, we have an opportunity to share that with the world in the way that feels most aligned for us “Mindset, self-mastery, and transformation don’t really mean anything if you can’t see them, if you are not self-aware of them.” Without self-awareness, we're not able to see that we even have a problem This challenges us to step back, look at ourselves, and look deeper at our experiences and the feelings and emotions that stem from them About Nick McGowan I'm Nick McGowan, an entrepreneur, podcaster, and mental health advocate, and I’ve been on a 20+ year journey of personal development, learning to master my mindset, emotions, and the art of living with purpose. As a Mindset and Self-Mastery Mentor, I work with ambitious men and women who want to live their most authentic and joyous lives by helping them master their mindset, emotional awareness, and authentic communication. My mission is to empower people to lead lives that feel aligned, grounded, and truly their own. Throughout my career, I've built teams, streamlined systems, and improved client experiences across SaaS, media, marketing, and personal development spaces. Whether I'm leading cross-functional projects, optimizing SEO, Podcasting, designing strategies, or guiding clients through transformation, I bring a hands-on, solution-focused approach to everything I do. I'm also the host of The Mindset and Self-Mastery Show, where my guests and I unpack the stories that shape us, challenge us, and ultimately guide us back to who we are at our core. On this show, we uncover the secret gems others have discovered through trial and error and breakthroughs, so you can fast-track your growth and master your mindset in your pursuit of self-mastery. Check out the latest episode here. With years of podcasting and two decades of marketing experience, I've mastered the storytelling, interview flow, strategy, and technical production that elevate a podcast from “just content” to something truly impactful. Whether you’re a leader looking to amplify your message, a seasoned speaker and podcast host looking to sharpen your edge, or even a beginner who is wondering how to share their message, I mentor thought leaders through every step of having the conversation they’re here to have on this planet. So, what message are you here to share?! https://nickmcgowan.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/thenickmcgowan/ Resources: Check out some of the episodes from the past 100 episodes of the podcast. Exploring The Hidden Links Between Shame, Sexuality, And Religion With Ann Russo Understanding The Five Simple Steps To Achieve Self-Mastery With Utkarsh Narang The Ripple Effect Of Courage: The Story Behind Scare Your Soul With Scott Simon Stop Trying: A New Approach To Success With Carla Ondrasik How To Begin Your Human Optimization Journey With Wei Houng Curiosity As A Tool For Better Relationships With Patrick Boylan And check out some of my favorite books for your journey toward self-mastery. Interested in starting your own podcast or need help with one you already have?Learn how I can help! Learn more about our host, Nick McGowanhttps://nickmcgowan.com/ Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to the show on iTunes and give us a 5-Star review! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mindset-and-self-mastery-show/id1604262089 Listen to other episodes here: https://themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com/ Watch Clips and highlights: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk1tCM7KTe3hrq_-UAa6GHA Guest Inquiries right here: podcasts@themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com Your Friends at “The Mindset & Self-Mastery Show” Click Here To View The Episode Transcript Nick McGowan (00:00)I’ve learned that self-awareness is the most important part of this. People ask me at times, what does mindset mean? What does self-mastery mean? What does transformation mean? Like, what are all those things mean to you? They don’t really mean anything if you can’t see them, if you are not self-aware of them. Nick McGowan (00:26)Hello and welcome to the Mindset and Self Mastery Show. I’m your host, Nick McGowan. Today on the show, I’m going to talk about this being my 200th episode of the podcast. When I first started, I had no idea I would get, I don’t know, 40 episodes in, let alone 200. It’s kind of nuts what has happened over the past few years. I’ve had the show now as I record in June. I’ve had the show for four and a half years and I started to plan it maybe Nick McGowan (00:55)a little over five years ago, because it took me about, I don’t know, maybe six, seven months to actually get into this and do it all. But when I really think about it, it actually took me six years, like six whole years to do the podcast. I’d thought about starting a podcast back in probably 2013, 14, something like that. I had a social media marketing company with my ex-in-laws at the time and thought maybe this would be a cool thing to talk about social media. Nick McGowan (01:24)or something, I don’t know. I looked at it as a way of hopefully trying to bring in leads for the business that I had. I’m glad I didn’t start the podcast at that point because getting the leads isn’t what a podcast is all about. Really the whole point to a podcast in my mind and in my opinion is to be able to share the message that’s on your heart with the ideal people who want to hear it and who can benefit from it. People you can impact with the words you say. I think it’s really cool to put it in a nice and Nick McGowan (01:55)kind of silly way that I have anybody that listens to this show, that there’s anybody like you specifically, that you listen to this and you come back for my wit or my sarcasm. I hope that you really keep coming back and tuning in to be able to hear how these conversations go. Not only with my solo episodes, which there’s going to be more of those coming up, but also with the guests. Because what I understand and what I’ve really learned over the past two and a half years is that Nick McGowan (02:24)The people who listen to the show are leaders in what they do. You either own a business or you’re a leader in whatever job you work in, or you’re a leader at home. And maybe it’s all the above. And you know that you’ve done a lot of work, but there’s still more work to do. It’s not about grinding or hustling, but it’s about actually being healthy and aligned with what you’re all about. Over the past two and a half years of doing these past hundred episodes. Nick McGowan (02:54)There’s been so much growth personally. And I like doing these milestone episodes. It’s a little bit of a recap. If you go back and you listen to episode 100, I literally had clips from different episodes that I pulled in. There were a lot of great episodes over the first 100 that I’d done. I gotta be honest, last 100 I’ve done have been so much better than I thought they were going to be. There were only a couple episodes that were recorded or partially recorded that I bailed on or… Nick McGowan (03:22)for stuff that happens. And if you really want to know those stories, shoot me a message. I can share some of that stuff. Some of those things should never have been aired and I’m glad that they weren’t. But I’ve really gotten specific in the people that I bring onto the show because I understand that the core of the show, are three core topics that I talk about. It’s mindset, self mastery and transformation. When I first started the show, I thought mindset, self mastery were the main topics because I was having mental health problems and struggling. Nick McGowan (03:52)because I’d gone through a divorce right before that, before I started the show and was just trying to have these conversations. I felt like there was a conversation on my heart that needed to be had. And I wasn’t sure exactly how it needed to go about it, but it felt right for me to start a podcast. If you have a podcast of your own, you probably get it. If you don’t have a podcast and you’ve been kicking around the idea of it, then explore that. In fact, if you need help or you want some help or want some guidance, Nick McGowan (04:20)Reach out to me. I’ve been doing this for almost five years and have learned an immense amount. And heck, over the past two and a half years with the amount that I’ve learned from the podcast itself, just doing the mechanical podcasting thing, not only just having the conversations with people, the stuff that I learned about the podcasting has been critical in where I’m at now. I have a business where I actually help people who are thought leaders, mission driven and purpose driven business owners who have a mission and purpose on their heart. Nick McGowan (04:49)They’re trying to figure out how to best go about these things. But the podcast itself, I’m going to give you a bit of a behind the scenes in a sense. When I first started the show, I tried to do everything I could. All the social media, the website, the newsletters, like every single thing. And if you’ve been around since then, you know, you saw a lot of that stuff. And if you’re on the show at that point, you probably saw I was making like 10, 15 clips per episode. Some of them are really in context and some of those weren’t because I thought I was playing the game right. Nick McGowan (05:19)by getting all this information out there. I’ve learned over the past two and a half years that that’s not really right. In fact, those of you who don’t know this are gonna know now. So after the first year, maybe a little after the first year, like a couple months or so, I actually had a bit of an existential crisis. I moved from where I was in Florida to New Mexico. I basically went from tropical island living on two golf courses. Nick McGowan (05:47)to the foothills of a mountain, living in a tiny home. And I needed to do that. I also apparently needed to break wide open. So when I went through my existential crisis, I literally folded inside out and back out again. And I basically took about a year, year and a half off from most of life. I kept going with the podcast because I felt it was important, not just for me, but for the… Nick McGowan (06:14)people like yourself who keep showing up and the other people that are out there that can be impacted by these conversations and the message. But I was struggling. I was going through a lot. I had a lot of childhood trauma, abuse, different things that shaped me. And I needed to break myself of those. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve done an immense amount of healing work, an immense amount, more so than I’d ever done in my entire life. And I thought of myself as somebody who was really into. Nick McGowan (06:44)personal development, personal growth, since I was probably 19, but a lot of it was intellectualized and not actually enveloped into my body and somatically tying it together. I didn’t understand what any of that stuff meant until literally two and a half, maybe three years ago. So as I went through the first, I’d say year, year and a half of breaking things down, understanding what I no longer wanted, Nick McGowan (07:12)understanding what I absolutely wanted and being a absolute mess as I went through it. uh You can ask my ex partner, she’ll testify to that. There was an immense amount of stuff that I needed to work through and I needed to get through. And that made every single one of these conversations better. That first hundred episodes and that hundredth episode that I did where I did the recap, I thought maybe I’ll do that again. Maybe that’s the thing I do every hundred episodes. I do a recap with some clips and all. Nick McGowan (07:41)As I look through my episode guide, this 200th episode would have been six hours long, because there were so many incredible conversations. And I’m not just saying that because I’m a bit biased, but I got really specific knowing that I need to be focused on what my core topics are. That also came from me breaking. And if you don’t know this, I took a hiatus off social media. I actually pulled the podcast website down. Nick McGowan (08:09)for a little over a year, maybe a little longer, which note to self, I should never do that again. I screwed up my search engine optimization. I did a lot that I couldn’t actually get back from. needed to start over again. So when I came back to everything and I thought I’m going to put the site back up, I’m going to get a brand new site, I’ll probably get back on social media, but I want to do this all differently. How do I do it? I don’t want to make TikTok videos. I don’t want to point the air things. I don’t want to dance. Nick McGowan (08:37)I don’t want to do any of that. None of that feels actually aligned with me. And if you’re a business owner or you work in any sort of business that’s pushing some of these things and they feel off to you, listen to that, dive into that. Because if it feels off, there’s a reason for that. Maybe you just absolutely don’t want to do it because you see everybody else doing it. Maybe you don’t want to do it because there’s something different. And when I sat there in the middle of the desert and the foothills of a mountain, I was like, well, Nick McGowan (09:05)What do I actually want to do? I want to have deep conversations that actually change lives and not from a cheesy buzzword perspective. You listen to these episodes. I try not to be cheesy or buzzwordy at all. mean, cheesy a little bit at times because of my humor, but in all reality, like I even say to the guests when they get on the whole point of the show is to talk about the tough situations and challenging chapters you’ve been through, focus on mindset, self-mastering, transformation. But I don’t want to hear about your success. Nick McGowan (09:35)In fact, I don’t give a shit about your success. I really don’t. I don’t care about your credentials, none of it. And I’ve had some big people on the show at this point. I tell them, I want to know, and the guests and the audience and you want to know, how did you handle the toughest points of your life? What did you do to get yourself out of it? What about when you had a gun in your hand or you were thinking tonight’s the night where I’m going to end it? How did you get past that and through that? What do you do differently now? Nick McGowan (10:04)Because again, I don’t give a fuck about your success. I want to know about the real things that have tied to that and correlated to now you being successful. And success means different things for different people. If you’re doing what you want to do and you feel aligned in what you’re doing, that’s success to the extreme amount. But other people say if you don’t have billions of dollars or you don’t run some corporation or whatever, then you’re not successful. That’s their worldview. What does your worldview look like? What do you want it to look like? Nick McGowan (10:34)Whatever you want it to be, shape it, shape it that way. So over these past two and a half years, doing these hundred episodes, getting back to what do I really want to do? I want to have these deep conversations. I was intentional about who I brought on to the show. Over the first hundred, it’s a little intentional, but it took probably till about 70, 80 episodes in. Cause I didn’t know, there were things to learn and I had people reaching out to me and people I would meet with and connect with and I’d have them on the show and we’d have Nick McGowan (11:04)great conversation at time, but not like I did over the past hundred episodes. And I suspect that over the next hundred episodes, I’m probably going to be in the same spot where it’s going to be like, man, all of these conversations have just been so incredible. How do I share that or encapsulate that one 20, 30 minute episode or something like that? So I, I ask you and I challenge you to go back through the catalog. Nick McGowan (11:30)past hundred episodes, even go back through the first hundred episodes if you want to. But these past hundred episodes, there were some incredible things that we talked about. One of the biggest things that I’ve learned throughout all of these episodes and the past almost five years doing this and having hundreds of conversations with people, not only on the podcast, but with the clients that I work with who are other podcasters and thought leaders and people that have conversations on their podcasts, as well as networking, different events I go to or classes, et cetera. Nick McGowan (12:00)Let’s learn that self-awareness is the most important part of this. People ask me at times, what does mindset mean? What does self-mastery mean? What does transformation mean? Like, what are all those things mean to you? They don’t really mean anything if you can’t see them, if you are not self-aware of them. Now, you’ve probably heard me joke at different times, and maybe some of you, some of the people who listen get a kick out of it, some maybe don’t. I don’t know, it’s up to you. Nick McGowan (12:27)joked about how self-awareness is like opening a door in a fun house and then there’s 40 other doors. Then you go through one of those and there’s like another 4,000 doors and you’re super aware of all the things that happen and the macro moments and all the things that could turn into something as well as the things that would have pushed you in a different direction in the past or maybe are shaping you these days. But being self-aware, the more self-aware you are, the more self-aware you are. Nick McGowan (12:56)self aware you are, the more fucking self aware you are. And sometimes it sucks because you see things and you’re like, I’m trying to work on these. I’m doing these things, but right now I just don’t want to. But that also brings in its own set of, I don’t want to say problems. I think they’re uh little activities that we kind of go through. And I find myself at times being self aware of a situation, something that I’m working on still. And I can see Nick McGowan (13:25)how I do a thing, why I do a thing. And then I’ll have a bit of a conversation with myself about it to understand what am I exactly trying to get out of it. And there are certain things that I do where I understand like maybe I’m overstimulated with a lot of meetings throughout the day. And I am self aware enough to know I could keep pushing, I could keep doing the thing. could maybe jump back into that project that I started before my couple of meetings or whatever. I could also just grab my guitar. Nick McGowan (13:55)and play for a few minutes. I can also just go walk outside. can go do anything else, but I’m aware in those moments at this point to go, I feel like I’m getting a capacity. What feels more aligned for me to do in the moment? What can I do to take a step out of this? And sometimes it’s happened where it’s like a two, three hour step away. There’ve been times where I’ve gotten in the car and just drove because I’m like, I’m just, I need to get out of my office. Nick McGowan (14:21)I need to get out of my house. I need to get out of the thing that I’m doing and just get out of here and go drive. And I’ll end up, I don’t know, maybe getting a coffee or something or a Yerba and I’ll just keep driving around, experiencing different things, listening to music or whatever. And then I’ll come back and I’ll get back into the projects that I was doia ng. Sometimes it’s five minutes. I’ll grab my guitar and I’ll play around on an idea or I’ll just play a song that I know or play one of my own songs or just riff or whatever. Nick McGowan (14:51)just step myself out of what I was doing to then be able to understand that I have that privilege, I have that space to be able to do that because of the work that I’ve done to be able to get to the point where I’m at. I’m not one of those people that makes billions of dollars, maybe at some point, but I also don’t know if anybody actually really needs that. I think what we really need is to be fulfilled and aligned and to be us at our core. Nick McGowan (15:18)So self-awareness is one of the biggest things that has really stood out to me, not only over the past hundred episodes, but the 200 episodes and all the other conversations that I’ve had. Trauma was another thing that we talked a lot about. I dabbled on that a little bit in the first hundred episodes, but I got really, really, really deep into it on my own and with my practitioners and my coaches that I was working with. That it was inevitable that it came into these conversations. Nick McGowan (15:48)You’ve probably heard me say on different episodes. think a lot of the stuff that we go through as adults really ties back to our childhood. And when people say trauma or childhood trauma, some people will use it as kind of a synonymous thing. Like whatever happened, they just tie it to a childhood trauma. We also as individuals can’t tell them that’s not right. And I say we can’t because it’s not on us to say that something that we experience. Nick McGowan (16:18)or hear about, we go, oh, maybe that’s a small T trauma. To them, that could have been Eiffel Tower sized trauma. You have no idea. You don’t have any idea. We don’t know until we start having conversations with people, which is one of the reasons why I love the podcast. You never know what’s behind somebody’s eyes until you ask and start to have conversation. You build rapport with them to help them feel comfortable to be able to have those conversations. Nick McGowan (16:46)And I think that’s an important thing for all of us to remember that there are times where we need to have those conversations, not only just with ourselves, but there are other people. If you’re going through things and you don’t have somebody to talk to, reach out to me, reach out to a friend, start looking for a therapist that you can reach out to. If finances are difficult, there are programs that can help. If you are unsure of what sort of therapies or modalities or Nick McGowan (17:15)any experiences you can have to be able to help you. I suggest that you just start with something, start moving, have a conversation, try a modality. Over the past two and a half years, I’ve tried a lot of the different stuff that I can. I haven’t licked the ass of a toad yet. I don’t know if I want to get to that point or even ayahuasca or anything like that. I really have been focused on how do I become more self-aware. Nick McGowan (17:44)How do I better manage my mindset and understand what my mindset is actually coming from? And how do I put the intention into the intentional mindset to be able to do things that are really aligned with me? That’s kind of easy to say in a sense. It’s really been difficult to work through and work on. So trauma and self-awareness were two major things that came up over the past, I’d say 200 episodes, but specifically the past 100. Alignment? Nick McGowan (18:13)purpose and expression are the other three that come up. And I clump them all together because when we’re aligned on our purpose, it expresses itself the way that it needs to in this day and age. Let’s think about this podcast and me as the host. If I didn’t have podcasting, I’d have done something different like this. Nick McGowan (18:40)Maybe a hundred or 200 years ago, I’d have been one of those dudes standing on a soapbox on the corner of a street. I don’t know. This is what this looks like right now. In 2026, we have the ability to be able to have our own, in essence, radio show, to be able to share what we want to share. And I think that’s critical for us to understand that this day and age, where the technology is and where things are, this is how Nick McGowan (19:10)It has shaped for me. If you have your own podcast, you get it. Again, if you’re thinking about your own podcast and you’re probably along those lines too of like, this feels right for me to do. I’m not sure what to do next or how to go about it. And again, I challenge you to just start taking steps or reaching out to people like myself or anybody else you know that has a podcast to ask, how do you get started? In fact, when I first got started, hired a consultant company and I asked them, how did you fuck up? What’d you do wrong? So I can do something different. And I still messed up. Nick McGowan (19:39)My first episode, my microphone wasn’t and I’m a musician and an audio file and my microphone wasn’t on. It sounded like I was six rooms away in like my neighbor’s bathroom, but you know, it happens. We got to get through it. So here, here we are 200 episodes later, trauma, expression, alignment, purpose, self-awareness, all of these things tie together. Nick McGowan (20:09)because it’s all about understanding who we are at our core, what is aligned for us and what’s helping us or holding us back from doing the things that we feel called to do. If you’re in a job right now, let’s not talk about a business. Let’s just say you’re in a job. If you’re in a job and you hate it, Nick McGowan (20:32)You’ve probably heard people tell you before, we’ll get a different job. And your first response, at least in your head is probably typically fuck off. I get that. And I’m not here to tell you, go get a different job. I’m here to tell you, look at what you’re doing, what you like of what you are doing, and then start to make at least incremental small steps toward what that could look like for you to do it differently. I don’t think everybody needs to be an entrepreneur. I don’t think everybody’s an entrepreneur at their, at their core. Nick McGowan (21:01)I just don’t, just like, don’t think everybody needs to have a podcast. And there are a lot of people that say everybody’s got a podcast. That’s actually incorrect. There are more podcast guests than there are active podcasts. Yes, there may be a lot of people have had podcasts, but most people don’t go past the 21st episode. In fact, if you have a podcast and you’ve gotten past the 21st episode, you are in the top 1 % of podcasters because most people don’t get past that. Let’s not even look at 2020. Nick McGowan (21:31)when everybody was pushed home because of COVID. And a lot of people were like, I don’t know what to do. So I guess I’ll become a coach and I don’t know who to talk to. So I guess I’ll have a podcast. A lot of those people ended up figuring out this is really hard. And if you don’t have the skills to be able to have the conversations, to put the podcast episodes together, to be able to produce and create everything and get it all out there, or the finances to have somebody help you. lot of those people ended up trailing off. Nick McGowan (22:00)Maybe they got a few episodes in. Maybe they got to 21 episodes, but then they still bailed. That happens. And again, I don’t think a podcast is for everybody. Just like I don’t think a business is for everybody. So if you have a job or if you have a business and you’re thinking, I have to make some changes, I challenge you that you make those changes to you first. And you might hear me say that and go, all right, Nick, I hear you. Don’t give me your leadership bullshit. I’m not trying to give you a leadership bullshit. What I’m trying to give you is Nick McGowan (22:30)accountability and something you can actually do on your own. Because if you’re in a spot right now where you’re like, I don’t like what I’m doing, you’ve probably been in that spot for a little bit. You might’ve even said last year or two years ago, I don’t like this job and here you are two years later. Over the past two and a half years, a lot of things that I didn’t like about myself that I needed to work through and needed to better understand, needed to reframe, needed to actually get the trauma. Nick McGowan (22:59)out of my cells and my being. And there were a lot of things that I didn’t understand that I did actually like, but I thought I shouldn’t do because I’m a 41 year old man, like playing music. Playing music as a hobby is one thing, playing music to write an album, to be able to actually get your music and your art out there is a different thing. It takes more intention. And that’s the thing that I’ve been kicking around for a long time. In fact, I’ve been working on an album for the past, I’d say five years or so. Nick McGowan (23:29vBut last year, right around this time last year, I actually reformatted my music card drive and lost everything. So I had to start it all over again. Yeah, that sucks. And I cried a little bit, not gonna lie. As soon as I figured out, I reformatted everything. There’s no unburning the bridges or the ships. So I had to start all over again. And that, in that little moment, Nick McGowan (23:55)helped me understand all the work that I’d done before that to be able to be in this spot, to then say, right, well, what do I do differently going forward? That self-awareness that was there. So over these past hundred episodes, with all the conversations I’ve had, the biggest thing that I want you to be able to take from this is self-awareness, alignment, and your purpose expression. Be self-aware in everything you do. Don’t drive yourself crazy, but test it bit by bit by bit. Nick McGowan (24:24)what happens at work, what happens at home, what happens while you’re driving, but you start to get a little triggered or a little anxious and start to look at those things a little deeper. Now, if you have a therapist you work with or different modalities that you go through with different practitioners, wonderful. You probably do some of this work. My challenge is just to do more of that and keep at it. Not to say you’re not doing enough, but to be mindful. What? Nick McGowan (24:54)is it that’s deeper than the thing that you’ve been working on that could actually help you heal all the rest of it? And then when you look at your purpose and your purpose expression, understand where we’re at in this day and age and understand what you really love to do and what you feel called inside of you to do. I have to be honest, it’s probably not the most clear thing ever. In fact, most people I’ve talked to about purpose Nick McGowan (25:23)there was always some sort of like glint of what it was, but it wasn’t until I’d say much later in life or as I got deeper into the thing that they were doing, that they really understood why they love what they’re doing, how it makes them feel and what’s leading them to be able to do it. You typically don’t understand that upfront. In fact, the work that I do with my clients, when I work with them through Nick McGowan (25:51)a strategy for their podcast and all. We talk about being able to build out pillar episodes and core episodes that talk about their specific topics. And then a client asked me, well, why don’t I do that upfront? Why do you have me doing that 30, 40, 50 episodes later? Because the amount of work that you have to do to go through that, to then be able to have that conversation because of all the research, all the conversations, all the other things you’ve done along with that. So likewise with you, your business or Nick McGowan (26:21vyour job or your family or wherever you’re at. If there are things that you feel are off or not aligned, then look at those and start to ask yourself, what is it about those things that really get me fired up? What are the things that I do now that can help me do that? As a personal example, over the course of my life, my career, let’s say, I’ve done a lot when it comes to uh sales and marketing and operations. Nick McGowan (26:50)And there’s a kind of Venn diagram of some of the software. Like if you’re in sales or if you’re in customer service, you’re probably familiar with the CRM. I think of it as a customer relationship management piece of software where you can hold accounts, have all the contact info and all that sort of stuff. I also know what it’s like to be able to run giant productions of things specifically from the sales end. Nick McGowan (27:16)and working with operations, marketing, development, all that sort of stuff through different uh situations that I’ve been in, jobs that I’ve had or different clients and projects I’ve worked on over the course of my life. And all of that has helped me with the people that I work with, my clients, my mindset and self-mastering mentees and the podcast mentees, because there’s a bit of a kind of a playground sort of way where we get to be able to play. Nick McGowan (27:45)but I also understand what those boundaries are and what systems have in place and all. And this is something I wouldn’t have been able to do three years ago, let alone five years ago, you know, when I was basically starting this off. So without making this episode much longer, I really appreciate you being here. I appreciate you listening. I appreciate you tuning in. I appreciate you sharing. I appreciate when you go, man, what the fuck you just said? I need to do something with that. Nick McGowan (28:14)And I hope you are. really hope you are. And if you’re not, I hope that you do. Even if that’s just talking with yourself a little bit and taking some incremental steps to be able to have conversations with other people. I really want you to be able to walk away from this episode, understanding that the next hundred episodes I’m going to do are going to be better than these past hundred. No shade to the guests or even to myself having these conversations. It’s just only going to get better from here. It’s just going to get more and more. Nick McGowan (28:44)in depth with everything that we get into. So again, thank you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for being with me on this journey. Thank you for being with you on your journey. And if there’s anything I can do to help, anything I can do to support, share resources, please feel free to reach out. If you’re somebody who’s trying to figure out how do you better manage your mindset and how do you seek self mastery in your own way, reach out to me. Nick McGowan (29:13)If you’re somebody who has a message on their heart, just like I do, and you feel there’s a deep purpose and calling to your life, and that podcasting could be a great way to be able to get that out to the world, reach out to me. This is what I do. And I love it because it’s part of my calling to be able to do this. So again, some of the main things that really stood out from the past hundred episodes was self-awareness, purpose, expression, alignment, trauma. Nick McGowan (29:41)all of these things tied together. So again, I appreciate you being with me on this journey. Thank you for listening to this. If there’s anything specific you’d want me to get into or more topics that you’d like me to dive deeper into over the next hundred episodes, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me uh through the website. I check all those. It’s not like it goes to some random customer service person or an admin or anything. It goes directly to me. So I’ll look through all those. Nick McGowan (30:11)and would love to hear from you. So again, if there are things you would love for me to get deeper into or topics that are near and dear to your heart that you’d love me to get into, please send that stuff over. And again, thank you so much for listening and I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day. Nick McGowan (30:31)Thanks for listening to today’s episode. What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you enjoyed the episode, please jump over to Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you consume podcasts and subscribe, rate, and leave a five-star review. It’s very much appreciated and also helps other people find the show and experience healing just like us. Please also head over to our website, themindsetandselfmasteryshow.com. Nick McGowan (30:58Nick McGowan)where you can check out all of our episodes and find additional resources to help you manage your mindset as you seek self-mastery. So with that, thank you and remember, your mindset matters and so do you.

In this episode of Run the Numbers, CJ sits down with Jake Kornreich, CFO of CoLab and former CFO of Own, live from the New York Stock Exchange. Jake breaks down the six-part framework behind Own's $2.1B sale to Salesforce, why “control your destiny” matters, how CFOs should think about IPO readiness, board communication, share price theater, and why great finance leaders operate beyond the spreadsheet.—SPONSORS:Rillet is an AI-native ERP built for modern finance teams that want to replace NetSuite and close faster. With revenue recognition, close management, multi-entity support, and native Stripe and Salesforce integrations, Rillet helps scaling companies run their finance stack in one place. Hundreds of teams, including Windsurf and Mercor, use Rillet to make the zero-day close real. Book a demo at https://www.rillet.com/cjEY has been part of Silicon Valley since it was just a valley, helping the most successful names in tech go from startup to exit to megacap. With teams across strategy, tax, audit, and transactions, EY helps you get your financials right early, long before your investors start asking for it. You build the next big thing, and EY will help you build it right. Learn more at https://www.ey.com/techstartupsSpendHound cuts your SaaS and AI spend by up to 30% using real pricing benchmarks across 10,000 vendors, so you always know what fair pricing looks like before your next renewal. Rated #1 on G2 in SaaS spend management, it's free forever for teams up to 1,000 employees. Sign up by June 12th and get $500 just for getting started. Go to https://www.spendhound.com/cjBrex is an intelligent finance platform with AI-powered agents that capture expenses automatically, enforce policy before the spend happens, and close your books in minutes instead of weeks. 35,000+ companies like OpenAI, Coinbase, Anthropic, and DoorDash already run on Brex. It's time to get Brex AF. Learn more at https://www.brex.com/metricsAleph is a modern FP&A platform built for teams that want more than another planning tool. By connecting your ERP, CRM, and other systems into one trusted data layer with AI workflows, Aleph helps you move faster with real-time insights. Get a personalized demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runRightRev is an automated revenue recognition platform that lets your product team ship new pricing without asking finance for permission, and your sales team close deals without creating downstream chaos. Check out their free tool at calculator.rightrev.com It scores your rev rec process, shows what's exposing you to risk, and tells you exactly where to focus before it bites you in the rear end. Check it out at https://calculator.rightrev.com—LINKS: Mostly Talent: https://mostlymetrics.typeform.com/to/cLTxtAsNGuest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-kornreich/Company: https://www.colabsoftware.com/CJ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.comTIMESTAMPS:0:00 Preview and Intro2:20 First stock3:28 Benefits of going public today5:42 Come-up: chief of staff to CFO6:31 Running HR like a sales org8:32 Control your destiny9:24 Synergies with Salesforce10:09 Sponsors — Rillet | EY | SpendHound13:10 Do your own ROI due diligence14:40 Share price equals entertainment16:26 Disciplined execution17:45 Performance, not stories19:24 Activist investors and the acquirer's board20:13 Write the memo for the other side20:45 Sponsors — Brex | Aleph | RightRev24:02 Triangulate your way to success25:18 Your board takes snapshots, you run the movie26:21 Knowing when to sell27:16 Valuation limits your exit options27:38 Stakeholder comms during the acquisition29:58 CFO as operator, not just function31:31 What is CoLab?32:09 Why Jake joined post-Series C33:50 Personal product market fit for CFOs35:27 Lightning round35:42 Screwed up: $5M budget error36:17 Advice to younger self36:41 Finance software stack37:34 Culture of expense discipline38:22 Credits

Welcome to a special blockbuster compilation edition of The Edge of Show, broadcasting live from the ground Consensus Miami capturing the biggest shifts in tech! First we sit down with Adam Hollander from OpenSea, who discusses how the world's largest NFT marketplace is widening its scope. Beyond proving on-chain ownership through digital collectibles Next, to battle the dangerous risks of unchecked autonomous code, George Xian Zeng breaks down on NEAR's lastest launched, Ironclaw, a secure agent harness that lets AI handle sensitive information safely inside private execution environments.Max Rabinovich, CSO at Chiliz, outlines their return to the massive U.S. sports market following crucial regulatory guidance from the SEC and CFTC. And finally Ramon Macieros let us know that GAIB is letting everyday retail investors finance massive AI GPU data centers and buy real on-chain equity in SpaceX and OpenAI starting at just $100.Let's hear how the biggest players in Web3 and AI are building systems that actually make money, click play on this jam-packed episode.Support us through our Sponsors! ☕ Want to make content like ours? Sign up with Castmagic to make your creative process easy: https://bit.ly/CastmagicReferral Work smarter, grow faster. Automate your SEO, get AI insights, and manage all your clients in one place with Helm. Start today 50% off your first month at helmseo.com

On this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different, we talk about how the consulting and research industry is facing a reckoning. Gartner, once a $42 billion empire built on telling companies which technologies to buy, has shed more than $30 billion in market value. Trading around $155 per share after peaking at $551 in November 2020, Gartner represents something far bigger than one company’s misfortune. It is a warning signal to every knowledge worker and consulting firm that the traditional model of acquiring and reselling existing knowledge is being quietly dismantled by artificial intelligence. The Pirate Street Journal recently broke down this shift through a category design lens, and the conclusions are both uncomfortable and urgent for anyone whose career is built around advice, analysis, or strategic guidance. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go.   When AI Gives Away What Consultants Used to Sell For decades, consulting firms like Gartner monetized a simple formula: gather knowledge, package it into reports and subscriptions, and charge companies handsomely for access. A $100,000 research subscription felt justified when getting that knowledge required significant time and access. That equation has fundamentally changed. The moment a business leader can ask an AI which CRM platform or security stack to buy and receive a well-reasoned, sourced answer in seconds for free, the traditional research subscription starts looking like a fax machine. As strategy thinker Roger Martin has noted, true strategy represents only about 3% of what large consulting firms actually produce. The remaining 97% is largely benchmarking, gap analysis, and best practices work, exactly the kind of structured, retrospective analysis that AI now handles effortlessly.   The Only Consulting Work AI Cannot Replace What separates truly valuable strategic advice from commoditized knowledge is judgment. Courage. Wisdom. The ability to make a call when the spreadsheet offers no clear answer and the outcome remains genuinely uncertain. These are the qualities that have always driven the most important strategic wins, and they are precisely what AI cannot replicate or monetize anytime soon. Consider how often the best strategic decisions required someone to say “I believe this is the right direction” without proof. Timing a market entry too early, betting on a consumer behavior before it becomes mainstream, or designing an entirely new category rather than competing within an existing one all demand human conviction. The consultants who have consistently done this well rarely stay in advisory roles for long. They move into the arena, become entrepreneurs, or deploy their own capital because genuine foresight commands far greater economics than a consulting retainer.   What This Means for Knowledge Workers and the Consulting Profession Gartner’s market cap decline is not simply a story about one company failing to adapt. It is a broader signal to every knowledge worker that the value of their value has shifted. Technology does not take jobs outright. It relocates where value gets created. The professionals who repackage existing knowledge are seeing that value erode fast. The professionals who can create genuinely new knowledge, new frameworks, new categories, new experiences, are seeing their value rise. This distinction matters enormously for how consultants should think about their own positioning. Firms that continue to offer benchmarking, retrospective market summaries, and structured best practices comparisons are directly competing with AI at a game AI will eventually win. The consultants who build practices around future-oriented, judgment-heavy, courageous strategic work are the ones whose services will remain irreplaceable, and whose market caps, whether literal or metaphorical, will reflect a world that still believes in their future. To hear more from the Pirate Street Journal, download and listen to this episode. You can also read more Pirate Street Journal entries in the Category Pirates newsletter.   We hope you enjoyed this episode of Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different™! Christopher loves hearing from his listeners. Feel free to email him, connect on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and subscribe on Apple Podcast / Spotify!  

The future of land investing isn't coming; it's already here, and it's creating a bigger gap between investors every day.(Show Notes)The land investors pulling ahead today aren't necessarily smarter or working harder. They're using automation, AI agents, CRM workflows, and property data tools to eliminate busywork, respond faster, and make better decisions.I'll walk through the specific capabilities your CRM and operating system should have, including AI call handling, automated follow-up systems, call summaries, direct mail tracking, e-signatures, API integrations, and agentic AI tools like Claude that can actually perform tasks for you.Whether you use Stride CRM, Land Portal, or something else entirely, the goal is the same: give your time and mental bandwidth back while building a more scalable land investing business.

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT http://relay.fm/mpu/853 http://relay.fm/mpu/853 Siri AI and WWDC 2026 853 David Sparks and Stephen Robles Stephen reports live from Apple Park on WWDC 2026: the post-keynote tech talk, Gemini partnership explained, and Siri AI that finally works. Plus shortcuts, photos AI, and more. Stephen reports live from Apple Park on WWDC 2026: the post-keynote tech talk, Gemini partnership explained, and Siri AI that finally works. Plus shortcuts, photos AI, and more. clean 4452 Stephen reports live from Apple Park on WWDC 2026: the post-keynote tech talk, Gemini partnership explained, and Siri AI that finally works. Plus shortcuts, photos AI, and more. This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by: Daylite: The only made-for-mac CRM solution. Start your free trial today. Workbrew: Deliver the software your team needs securely and at scale. Mercury Weather: Forecasts, beautifully done. Download now for free. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code MPU. Links and Show Notes: Credits The Mac Power Users Stephen Robles David Sparks The Editor Jim Metzendorf The Fixer Kerry Provanzano More Power Users: Ad-free episodes with regular bonus segments Submit Feedback macOS Features Wall of Text — Basic Apple Guy Shortcuts Just Changed Forever - YouTube Apple unveils next generation of Apple Intelligence, Siri AI, and more - Apple Bridget Photo - Original Bridget Photo - Extended Bridget Photo - Clean Up UniFi Travel Router Stephen Robles Primary Technology iJustine John Gruber (Daring Fireball) Joanna Stern (WSJ) Nilay Patel (The Verge) Bridget Carey (CNET) Andrew O'Hara (AppleInsider) Federico Viticci (MacStories) Mike Hurley (Relay FM) LM Studio DEVONthink Bear Fastmail Perplexity changedetection.io Pushcut Data Jar MPU 852