Podcast appearances and mentions of will bachman

Show Notes: Bonni Theriault initially went to business school and worked as a business analyst at McKinsey for a few years, where she worked with consumer products for companies and marketing. After working at Pepperidge Farm for a couple of years, she decided to build her own company and joined forces with a woman who was the head of advertising at Campbell Soup, and together they launched a brand strategy company where they worked for companies like Cadbury Schweppes, Johnson and Johnson, and Stryker. From Marketing to Coaching to Global Emergency Care After 13 years at the company, Bonni found herself tired of constantly pitching to employers and sought coaching roles. She had previously worked closely with the McKinsey assessment team, coaching candidates and helping them improve their interview skills. And so, with the experience under her belt, she returned to McKinsey as a professional development manager. When her oldest son turned 14, she took two years off to spend more time with her children and also volunteered with Global Emergency Care, an organization that trains emergency medicine nurses in Uganda. She worked with Global Emergency Care's marketing and fundraising for two years on a volunteer basis. The Role of Chief Partnerships Officer at Generation When Bonni decided to return to work, she wanted to stay in the social sector but was offered a position at McKinsey. She worked there until an opportunity at Generation was presented. Generation is an independent non-profit that works with unemployed individuals. Bonni has now worked there for seven years. Bonni explains that her responsibility as chief partnerships officer includes global fundraising and employer partnerships for Generation, a company operating in 17 countries worldwide. They train across 40 different professions, based on labor dynamics in each country. They conduct extensive research before starting a training program to identify job vacancies and bring learners from historically underrepresented groups, and they focus on employment in five different industries: tech, green jobs, customer service and sales, skilled trades, and healthcare. They also teach behavioral skills and the importance of having a growth mindset.  The Impact of AI in Job Forecasting and Training AI has been a topic of interest for Generation, as it impacts the skills needed to train learners in specific roles. Bonni explains that they have analyzed various roles, including entry-level roles, which may go away entirely or be significantly impacted by AI, and roles that might have a different set of skills. Jobs such as solar panel installation or healthcare, are likely to be more resilient over time in the face of AI. They are also considering more jobs in the data center technician category, where tech roles are more hands-on and dealing with equipment than providing coding or IT support. How Generation Is Using AI The organization is using AI to deliver training to learners and alumni, ensuring they have the necessary skills for their jobs. They have created AI modules for learners and alumni to help them upskill and remain relevant in their work. AI is also used to help develop the curriculum, with chat bots helping learners answer first-line questions and focusing on more complex material. This helps streamline the curriculum creation process, as it often involves research and talking to subject matter experts. Operational efficiencies are also being used to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Working as a Professional Development Manager  The conversation turns back to Bonni's as a professional development manager at McKinsey. She mentions that a lot of time was spent negotiating with partners and consultants to find the right balance between professional growth and client needs. She built relationships of trust between consultants and partners to influence decisions in a way that was best for everyone involved. She also focused on performance evaluation, helping people understand their strengths and areas for improvement, and helping them find ways to build skills through studies, formalized training, coaching, or mentorship.  Marketing Goldfish and Chocolate Bonni shares her experience working on marketing Goldfish, a product that was initially marketed as a snack for adults drinking beer in bars but later was marketed to moms as an appealing snack for children. She also discusses her experience working with Cadbury, a chocolate brand that had over 150 chocolate brands worldwide. She worked on a brand architecture project to help consolidate these brands and increase their advertising dollars. She was sent boxes of chocolate bars from around the world to analyze packaging and brand identity and helped create seven mega brands for Cadbury, which led to a significant increase in their chocolate market share. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Bonni mentions a course taught by Professor Dominguez where he focused on critical thinking. He presented different perspectives on events, presenting different sides as the truth. This skill has been passed down through her life and has become essential in today's world. Bonni wishes more classes would take this approach, as it helps students analyze and think critically about various situations and perspectives. Bonni's experiences with Professor Dominguez's course and her critical thinking skills have shaped her life and career. Timestamps: 02:29: Transition to Coaching and McKinsey  05:41: Role at Generation and Impact on Workforce  09:43: Impact of AI on Training and Roles  15:02: Learners vs. Students and Personal Time Management  20:55: Professional Development at McKinsey  22:59: Goldfish Marketing Strategy and Cadbury Brand Architecture  28:29: Travel Experiences and Language Skills  32:06: Influence of Harvard Courses and Critical Thinking  Links:   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonni-theriault-710b79/  Website:  www.generation.org Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this week's episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Juliana Koo who reports: “Hi. I'm Juliana Koo, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Kaya Press. Kaya is a publisher of Asian diasporic literature, and I was the managing editor for nearly a decade in the 1990s and now serve on the board. You can learn more about Kaya's work at WWW dot k, a, y, adotcom, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work, visit: www.kaya.com.

Show Notes: Gideon Yaffe and his then girlfriend-now wife, Sue Chan, drove across the country after graduation to San Francisco, where they had no jobs or prospects. Gideon had applied to graduate school in philosophy but didn't get in anywhere. They got married and his first job was at a pet store, Gideon worked there for a while, then at a computer magazine. Studying Philosophy at Stanford While hanging out in San Francisco, he started reading Proust's Remembrance of Things Past, which he loved and found to be hugely  rewarding. This inspired him to apply to grad school again and this time his application was accepted in a lot of places. He decided to study philosophy at Stanford, where he met Michael Bratman, a professor who worked on philosophy of action and related questions about the nature of action, agency, and intention. Gideon also became interested in the history of philosophy and wrote a dissertation about John Locke and contemporary problems related to the Free Will problem. Gideon went on the job market in academia.  He got some interviews but didn't get a job. The following year, he got a one-year job at UCSD. His wife, Sue, was working in the film industry, so they moved to LA and he commuted down to San Diego. Tenure at the University of Southern California He finally secured a tenure track job at the University of Southern California (USC) in 1999 and taught Philosophy of Law classes. He wrote a paper about addiction, which he found interesting due to his knowledge of addicts and interest in freedom and addiction and how addiction would undermine freedom. When a friend of Gideon's was a victim of a carjacking incident,  he became interested in the legal problem at the center of many carjacking cases that revolves around intention, so he wrote a paper about conditional intention. Gideon explains how carjacking differs from car theft, and the paper questioned whether a conditional intention was enough for the crime when the statute called for unconditional intention. Gideon felt that philosophy of law was important to work on but he needed to know more about the law, so he coerced USC into giving him a year in the law school. Gideon recounts his experience as a law student and how it led to teaching law in law school.  Collaborating on a Neuroscience and Legal Proceedings Think Tank The MacArthur Foundation launched the law and neuroscience project, which aimed to bring together various people from philosophy, law, and neuroscience to discuss the relevance of neuroscience to legal proceedings, particularly in criminal law. Gideon was invited to be part of this think tank. During this time, he collaborated with neuroscientists on various problems and experiments related to neuroscience that could be useful to the legal system. This led to a desire to learn more about neuroscience and he pursued a grant to support the project. He spent another year as a neuroscience student at Cal Tech which allowed him to learn a lot about neuroscience. Gideon also started writing a book about attempted crimes. Gideon talks about the importance of understanding the double failure of attempts, and inherent impossible attempts. He highlights the number of cases where individuals seem incapable of committing crimes. Gideon received a job offer from Yale University after being a part of the MacArthur think tank and his book. He decided to take the position and he and his family moved to New Haven.  Neuroscience, Law, and GenAI Intentions Gideon talks about the challenges faced by those who attempt to escape the harsh realities of the criminal justice system. His experiences highlight the importance of understanding the factors that contribute to attempted crimes. The conversation turns to Gideon's  involvement in generative AI and the potential of AI intentions. He is currently working on a project with neuroscientist Uri Maoz, which aims to understand, for example, the difference between self-driving cars and drones in terms of intentions. Another project involves a group funded by billionaire Sergey Brin, who has a daughter with severe autism. The group aims to build AI models of the brain of a person and use the model to see how it responds to various forms of surgery.  AI, Consciousness, and Intentions Organizing Behavior Gideon discusses the concept of AI consciousness. Gideon states that a lot depends on how consciousness is defined. One  understanding is that consciousness involves self-representation of certain kinds of thoughts. He suggests that understanding consciousness depends on what one thinks about it. One way of understanding consciousness involves self-representation of certain kinds, such as having a second-order thought about the thought. If that's all that's required for consciousness, then these LLMs can be conscious. Another way of understanding consciousness involves qualia, or ways of feeling, such as experiencing a particular sensation or feeling something. However, he acknowledges that it is difficult to know exactly what it is like to be an LLM or a toaster. He acknowledges that there are some similarities between the two, but acknowledges the challenges in determining their exact roles in AI and neuroscience. Gideon explains that intentions serve to organize behavior in various interesting ways. For example, if an AI has intentions, they can make decisions now so they don't have to think about them later. This is relevant for coordinating behavior with each other, as well as interpersonal organization. The question of whether AIs have intentions is more tractable than the question of whether they are conscious. Intentions play a crucial role in various aspects of law, such as contract interpretation and legal texts. Understanding the intentions of AI and their potential impact on these areas is essential for understanding the future of AI and its applications in various fields. Updating Law to Address AI Intention The conversation explores the need to rewrite laws or update them to address the issue of intention in AI. Gideon states that the intention of a person or AI and the textual language, and the interpretation of the text are all areas that need to be explored.  The project Gideon is working on aims to determine the intentions of AI by examining the role their representation plays in guiding their behavior. Gideon suggests that the question is whether inferences can be made about AI's intentions by looking at the role the representations plays from the AI behavior. Gideon talks about a project on criminal activity and neuroscience that he is proud of.  Leniency and Child Criminality Gideon goes on to talk about leniency and child criminality. He argues that the reason to give a break to kids who engage in criminal behavior is disenfranchisement, not neural immaturity. He talks about the age of maturity, lack of political participation. Gideon's book about kids was written after completing his studies at Yale. He also discusses his personal life, including being in a car accident which resulted in a severe brain injury and how he is immensely grateful for his recovery.  Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Gideon mentions a core class on the Baroque period by Simon Schama, which he found to be the most influential. The course focused on famous European paintings from the Baroque period, which he found to be a source of inspiration. Other influential courses include a seminar with Hilary Putnam, Rational Action with Robert Nozick.  Timestamps:  04:50: Philosophy Studies and Academic Challenges  11:18: Legal Philosophy and Collaborative Research  22:25: Transition to Yale and Continued Research  27:22: Philosophical Reflections on AI and Consciousness  39:36: Personal Reflections and Career Highlights  49:52: Courses and Professors at Harvard  52:27: Current Work and Future Directions  52:41: Personal Life and Family  Links: https://law.yale.edu/gideon-yaffe Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Michael Johnson who reports: “Hi. I'm Michael Johnson, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Son of a Saint. Son of a Saint provides guidance, mentorship and opportunities to young boys in the New Orleans area who did not have a father in the home, usually due to death or incarceration. Founded in 2011 by Sonny Lee, who lost his own father, a defensive back of the saints from a heart attack at the age of 36, Son of a Saint is making a significant impact on the lives of young boys in the New Orleans area. My wife and I have been supporters for many years, as has my firm advantage capital, which recently endowed a scholarship that will cover high school tuition for two boys from the program. Although my circumstances were much different, having lost my own father when I was five years old, I know firsthand how important a male influence can be on a young boy. I luckily had family members and friends who stepped up from me and hope in some small way, my support of Son of a Saint and the work their mentors do can give the boys and their programs similar help. You can learn more about their work at Son of a Saint.org and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work, visit: www.sonofasaint.org.

Show Notes: Steven Chao, a US-born second-generation college student, shares his experiences growing up in South Carolina and feeling overwhelmed upon arriving at Harvard in 1988. He found solace in joining the Collegium Musicum, a classical musical singing group at Harvard, which helped him find his footing and connect with people from his class.  From Biochem to Game Design to Consulting Steven majored in biochemistry, which expanded his social circle and helped him find happiness. Steven's parents were both PhDs and pushed him into the MD PhD program. However, he faced challenges in medical school and research, leading to questions about his path and the decision to pursue a career in computer gaming. Steven talks about his experience working in the sound and asset acquisition field at Activision in LA. He initially had a great time there but ultimately decided that it wasn't the long-term solution for him. He returned to his PhD program and he pinned his hopes on becoming a doctor. During the last half of the MD program, Steven realized that he didn't want to be a researcher or go into medicine. He found an opportunity to explore other careers beyond medicine or research through a sub-intern at McKinsey.  The McKinsey Years Steven joined McKinsey full-time in 2001 and worked in the Boston office. The bulk of his work was in the payer and provider space, mainly health insurance and hospital systems. He spent about four and a half years at McKinsey, starting from scratch with no business background, which proved difficult. Steven's PhD focused on biology, not analytical skills, but rather gene genetic rearrangement and plasmids, and he felt lost at the beginning of McKinsey. At the same time, he also participated in the mini MBA program in Austria.  Despite meeting great friends at McKinsey, his work was hit or miss. Steven talks about a few of the McKinsey projects he worked on and how a pharma project with Jeff Elton piqued his interest in returning to biopharma. He later worked with Kim Packard, who was his first and best mentor at McKinsey. Steven was late to promotion and advancement, and in 2004, when his wife became pregnant, he gave up his job and started considering what he would do next. Boutique Consulting, Life Sciences, and Biotech Companies In 2004, Steven joined a small consulting group at an investment bank called Leering Swan, which focused on life sciences and biotech companies. This was a better fit for Steven, who had always wanted to leverage his love for science. He joined the firm and was assigned to a project in Parkinson's disease. The experience was mind-blowing, as he interviewed world experts in this space. He was hooked within a week and found the career to be a good fit for him. The combination of his love for science and medicine, without needing to do research or have a career in clinical practice, was perfect, as he loved learning about different aspects of medicine, and the variety and diversity of the day-to-day work.   Founding ClearView Steven left Leering Swan with two other people in 2008 to co-found ClearView. ClearView was born of the same concept as Leering Swan, but focused on life sciences, biotech, pharma, private equity clients, diagnostics companies, and strategic consulting. Steven's primary hat was recruiting, and he continued to love every second of doing so. ClearView Healthcare Partners is now a well-known, private consulting firm with several 100 employees. The company has a growing presence in London, India, San Francisco, New York, and Boston.  Family Life and a Love of Musicals On the personal side, Steven has a family of four children, three girls and a boy. They also have two in college and two still in high school. The oldest is a sophomore at Harvard. Music has always been a significant part of their family. They have a love for Broadway musical theater, and they have spent a lot of time attending performances. Their youngest son is doing a local production of Hadestown in Wellesley, and their oldest is performing at the Agassi theater in a production of 9-5, the film with Dolly Parton, which has themes of female empowerment.     Timestamps: 04:50: Transition to Medical School and Early Career Challenges  13:14: Joining McKinsey and Early Consulting Experience  23:20: Discovering a Passion for Biopharma Consulting 30:04: Founding ClearView Healthcare Partners  37:27: Personal Life and Family  Featured Non-profit: Hi. This is Steve Chao, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Merriemack Repertory Theater. My wife and I love live theater. The MRT is a fantastic organization that puts on plays and musicals every year, serving a wide catchment area in and around Lowell, Massachusetts. I was actually introduced to the MRT via a fellow class of 92 Carrie Suzawa, married named Michael. And you can learn more about the work of the MRT through the website, mrt.org. And for now, here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.  To learn more about their work, visit: https:mrt.org.   

Show Notes: Julia Lynch opens the conversation with a statement about identifying now as a Radcliffe graduate, despite not having identified with feminism during college. At college, Julia didn't think feminism was a pressing issue, but later realized that her career has been shaped by discrimination and enriched by her experiences as a mother and wife. Julia's professional trajectory was predictable, but she had to fight for her place in a male-dominated profession. At the age of 50, her life seems placid and predictable, but she is grateful for the surprises and bumps in her journey. Working in a Male-dominated Career After leaving Harvard, she worked as a secretary for a year, applied for a Rotary Fellowship, went to Italy, did a Phd. in Political Science, and onto her first job at UPenn where she achieved tenure.  Julia discusses her career in academia, which she had no idea was so male dominated. She notes that, while traditionally it was believed that STEM fields were male-dominated, some social science disciplines, such as political science, economics, and philosophy,  remain some of the most male-dominated areas despite changes in STEM fields. She initially had no idea that women would be held to a different standard than men in terms of tenure and promotion.  Discrimination in the Tenure and Promotion Process Julia talks about obvious and systematic discrimination in the tenure and promotion process. When applying for tenure in a political science department, she found that men who had lower qualifications than many women were put forward while women with much better qualifications were typically discouraged from applying for tenure or simply would not make tenure. She mentions the discrimination in the application process, and also noted that women authors tend to get cited less than male authors. She explains why there is less discrimination in the private sector and why, as a student, she didn't know about the discrimination against female professors. The Academic Job Market The conversation turns to the academic job market which is a complex one, with an average of 30% of women in senior faculty positions in political science. Political science is siloed as a field, with four main subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory. The representation of women in these subfields is different, with less women in international relations and more in comparative politics and political theory. Julia explains that the most important thing to know about this topic is that women are entering the pipeline, but they either jump or get pushed off the tenure track early on in the process, never making it through to become full professors in political science. This results in a market for junior people at the pre-tenured stage, where women get jobs but don't go on to get tenure. Even if they stay on the tenure track, it takes them longer to get to that stage of full professor and spend a shorter percentage of their career at that top rank. The Push to Increase Diversity Julia talks about the push to increase diversity in new hires in the academia world and mentions that there was some pushback from younger professors. More women and minorities were hired, and progress was made at the junior level, but the problem was that the leaks in the pipeline were not fixed. Julia mentions the patterns that made this apparent and that  women tend to do qualitative work, which is less valued in the profession. Male Flight in Academic Disciplines The concept of male flight in academic disciplines is discussed, and Julia explains that this trend is striking, as seen in the case of archeology, a sub-field of anthropology, which was a male-dominated discipline. In political science, there hasn't been a significant change in male representation, although women have made breakthroughs in the political system. Qualitative, comparative historical research, which is dominated by the study of American politics, has seen a shift towards female representation. This shift is also evident in areas like qualitative, comparative historical research, where incoming men are fewer. Research on Health and Inequality Julia talks about her research in health and inequality. The United States has a lower life expectancy than Europe. This is partly due to poverty, which prevents access to fresh food and the time and energy to pursue a healthier lifestyle. Poverty also causes stress, which shortens the part of our chromosomes responsible for aging. Political decisions, such as not addressing poverty, particularly child poverty, have contributed to this issue. These experiences accumulate over a lifetime, making health outcomes worse for those starting their lives in poverty. Policy decisions and political decisions, such as allowing people to have a voice in politics, also play a role in health inequality. Julia states that, to address health inequality, the US should prioritize policy changes, including addressing poverty and promoting inclusion in politics. Julia's research included health and inequality in several European countries, including Germany after reunification. She mentions her book on this topic. Bristol University Press has made the book open access, making it available for free download on Amazon. If ordering from the US, it can be found through an aggregator or local bookstore. Thoughts on the Second Act Julia shares insights from her first and second marriages, including what it means to stick it out for the kids or live authentically. She believes that waiting for her current husband to separate their households was the right timing for her second act. She talks about her next project which involves travelling to Europe,  her involvement in a women's choir, and playing french horn in a semi-professional orchestra. The women's choir performs for various events, including concerts and gigs, to raise awareness about women's rights and encourage voter turnout. The choir started as a group of friends and family, but has grown to become a larger organization. They perform music written by women, often contemporary composers. Research suggests that engaging in group activities, such as dancing or singing, can align brain waves and emotions, creating a powerful bond between individuals. This bond is particularly powerful in smaller groups, where the choir can create a sense of community and belonging. Engaging in community is rare for adults, especially in today's world where we are constantly connected to our phones. Julia stresses the importance of engaging in community, whether in a church, synagogue, mosque, or running club. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Julia mentions Justice class and her nickname in the class; she also mentions political theory classes. She remembers the class The Welfare State in the United States, taught by Theda Skocpol and Margaret Weir. Many of Julia's professors at Harvard have since become peers and colleagues. Timestamps: 05:21: Challenges of Being a Woman in Academia  13:23: Representation and Diversity in Political Science  20:36: Male Flight and Gender Dynamics in Academia  24:21: Julia's Research on Health Inequality  34:01: Personal Reflections and Life Changes  37:40: Balancing Professional and Personal Life  44:57: Influence of Harvard Professors and Courses  Links: Faculty profile: https://live-sas-www-polisci.pantheon.sas.upenn.edu/people/standing-faculty/julia-lynch The Book: Getting Better: The Policy and Politics of Reducing Health Inequalities:  https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/getting-better Featured Non-profit The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Ben Dattner who reports:  “Hi. I'm Ben Dattner, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is the Y of Washington Heights and Inwood in New York City. Their website is YWHI.org. I'm proud to have been a donor to and volunteer for this organization for the last 15 years, and they do wonderful things in the Upper Manhattan community. Thank you. Now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode." To learn more about their work, visit: https://www.ywhi.org/    

Show Notes: Robert de Neufville dropped out of grad school after spending over a decade in grad school and not finishing his PhD. This was around the time of the financial crisis. Robert realized that after a decade in academia he was less employable than when he graduated from Harvard. He had done a lot of teaching at Berkeley and San Francisco State, but found himself struggling to find a job. He eventually moved to Hawaii to work freelance editing projects. He moved there because he had a friend who wanted to rent out his house. Working as a Forecaster and Political Writer Currently, Robert is working as a forecaster and political writer. He has a sub-stack newsletter called Telling the Future, which has about 1500 subscribers. While he is not particularly happy writing about politics right now, he believes it's necessary for his career and personal growth. Therapy and Political Theory Robert discusses their first period after college and therapy. He mentions the stigma surrounding therapy and the importance of normalizing it. However, he eventually reached a breaking point. He didn't know what he wanted to do after college. He drove to New York and worked at several different places, including consulting and Booz and Allen, which he ultimately found lacked meaning and decided to pursue a more intellectual career. He knew that he liked thinking and writing about things, so he applied to grad school for political science, where he studied political theory and moral issues related to community living. However, he found the academic culture at Berkeley to be toxic and, combined with an unhealthy lifestyle, he decided it was not for him.  Robert touches on his difficult childhood, which was characterized by narcissistic parents and abusive mother. He eventually sought therapy and found that he felt better, but struggled to complete his dissertation. He dropped out of grad school, despite their professors' concerns, and was diagnosed with chronic PTSD. Finding Solace in Teaching Robert found solace in teaching, but disliked the part where he had to grade students. Some people had unhealthy relationships with grades, and he felt he had to refer them to suicide watch. He realized that teaching was great because it allowed them to understand a topic better by explaining it to others. He found that teaching was the only way they could truly understand a topic, but he realized he didn't want to do academic work. Additionally, he found that there was a backlog of people who wanted to become political theory professors who spend their time teaching adjuncts and spending money on conferences and job opportunities. Robert believes that his experience in grad school was intellectually rewarding and that his training and political theory shaped who he is. Writing for Love and Money Robert  talks about his experience writing for mainstream publications like The Economist, National Interest, California magazine, The Big Think, and The Washington Monthly. He shares his struggles with freelance writing, as he finds it slow and fussy, and finds it frustrating to be paid for work that takes time to complete. He also discusses his writing about forecasting, becoming a skilled judgmental forecaster. He makes money by producing forecasts for various organizations, which is a relatively new field. He encourages readers to support writers they love and consider paying for their work, as it is hard and not very rewarding. Forecasting Methods and Examples The conversation turns to Robert's writing and forecasting. He explains his approach to forecasting and how he uses history to guide his predictions. He shares his method of estimating the probability of events in the future, which involves looking back at similar elections and establishing a base rate. This helps in estimating the probability of what is going to happen in a specific situation. Robert also mentions that there are some situations that require more analytical thinking, such as discovering AGI or other technologies. He talks about The Phil Tetlock project, a government agency that helped invent the internet, aimed to determine if anyone could forecast geopolitical questions. The research showed that people were terrible at it, even analysts and pundits. However, a certain percentage of people consistently outperformed intelligence analysts using methodical extrapolations. Robert participated in the tournament and qualified as a super forecaster in his first year. He works with Metaculus and the Good Judgment Project, which produces probabilistic forecasts for decision-makers. The forecasting community is now working on making forecasts useful, such as understanding the reasons behind people's forecasts rather than just the number they produce. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Robert stresses that he found his interaction with fellow students to be most enriching, and he appreciated Stanley Hoffmann's class on Ethics and International relations, which was taught through a humanist lens and emphasized the importance of morality. He also enjoyed watching the list of movies and reading academic articles alongside his classes, which eventually informed his teaching. He also mentions Adrienne Kennedy's playwriting class, which he found exciting and engaging. He enjoys table reads and reading people's plays fresh off the presses and believes that these experiences have shaped his forecasting skills. Timestamps: 03:16: Robert's Move to Hawaii and Career Challenges  06:16: Current Endeavors and Writing Career  07:58: Therapy and Early Career Struggles  10:14: Grad School Experience and Academic Challenges  22:41: Teaching and Forecasting Career 26:21: Forecasting Techniques and Projects  41:27: Impact of Harvard and Influential Professors  Links: Substack newsletter: https://tellingthefuture.substack.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertdeneufville/ Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Patrick Jackson who reports: “Hi I'm Patrick Ian Jackson, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is His Hands Free Clinic, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Since 1992 His Hands Free Clinic has been seeking to honor God by helping the uninsured and underinsured in our community. The clinic is a 501, c3 nonprofit ministry providing free health care to Cedar Rapids and the surrounding communities. I love the work of this organization. The church that I pastor, First Baptist Church, Church of the Brethren, has been a regular contributor to the clinic for the past couple of years. You can learn more about their work at WWW dot his hands clinic.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work, visit: www.HisHandsClinic.org.  

Show Notes: Michael T. Johnson, a lawyer, shares his experiences during his freshman year at Stanford Law School. He initially wanted to pursue transactional work in finance and looked at New York but later realized that he wanted to return to New Orleans and work there. He stayed long-term in New Orleans and work for companies in the area. From a Law Firm to the Oil Industry He spent three years working at Jones Walker, a large law firm in New Orleans. However, after joining the firm, all but one associate left, leading to a split off in the firm and a lot of extra responsibility for Michael. This experience was challenging, but it allowed him to learn and specialize in public company work and mergers. Michael was then hired to do an IPO for Omni Energy Services, a company that drills holes in the ground to find oil deposits. The technology is now advanced enough that they can read 3D seismic imaging to find oil deposits. Michael was excited about the business aspect of the industry and wanted to be on the other side of deals. He talks about his time there and how he was offered the opportunity to document investments. The Move to Advantage Capital Michael talks about Advantage Capital, which started as a way to drive capital to underserved states, such as Louisiana, which had been redlined due to corruption and oil and gas booms. The program was created by Harvard economist Beldon Daniels, who was hired by the legislature to give tax credits to insurance companies for investing with funds that agreed to invest in small businesses in the state. Steven Stull, an insurance company portfolio manager, founded Advantage after being approached by a dealmaker. He believed he could create a business around structured financial products, such as selling tax credit bonds to insurance companies. Stull was also involved in public policy and advocacy work, advocating for the adoption of these programs. All of the above lined up with Michael's dream job. He gravitated towards the advocacy and structuring side of the business, spending most of his time in New Orleans. The New Markets Tax Credit Program Michael looks back to 2002 when the New Markets Tax Credit Program was adopted by the Clinton Administration, aiming to bring success from the dotcom boom to urban and rural areas. The program was initially praised by the Federal Reserve, but the Bush administration pushed it further and made it more business-friendly. They team decided to pursue this program, which was 100% focused on low-income community investing. The New Markets Tax Credit Program was a business-friendly initiative that aimed to capitalize on the success of the dotcom boom in California and New York. Michael and his team were able to successfully implement the program, focusing on low-income community investing.  Michael discusses the company's competitive application process for investment grants, which grade applicants based on their track record of investing capital in targeted areas, raising money from investors using tax credits and incentives, and investing in low-income communities. They analyze their portfolio and find that they have been investing about 30% of their money in low-income communities, particularly in states like Louisiana. They were one of the largest allocatees in the first round of awards in 2003 and have been winners 15 times. The Shift from a Venture Firm to an Impact Investment Firm Michael explains that they initially focused on raising money as a venture firm, but later transitioned to an impact investment firm. They now focus on creating jobs and creating job opportunities for residents in their communities. They have been doing federal new markets for 20 years and have state versions that can be added on to them. They try to marry programs together to bring the best of certain programs to each other that work for their investors and spin them out. He also mentions his counterpart, Scott Murphy, who manages the investment side and handles the structuring and bringing in the money. They have been together since 2001 and have been working together since 2001. The mission of the company is to invest in businesses that produce more jobs in the region. The decision-making process involves focusing on companies that produce more jobs at the margin. The company does not specialize in any specific area, as they have tight time frames to qualify for incentives. They have to be generalists, investing in various investment types and being generalists on the balance sheet. The company's goal is to invest in businesses that create jobs and contribute to the region's economy. The company also specializes in incentives and tax credits, having been involved in federal, federal, and state Low Income Housing Tax Credit deals and renewable energy deals. Building a Life in New Orleans Michael reflects on his family's presence in New Orleans, which has been a significant part of his life. He recalls dragging people to Mardi Gras from Harvard and being invited to do so every year. However, he also had a strong desire to run for office and work in the Public Service sector, but eventually decided against it. At Advantage, he focused on economic development and was involved in policy discussions with economic development groups. He was getting the idea of what he could do for his city through Metro vision trips and talking to investors. However, he was not well off enough to run for state representative, and his boss initially dismissed his idea. Michael also touches on the impact of Katrina on their business, which was not New Orleans-centric. They moved their office to St. Louis, where they worked on a new markets application. After Katrina, the Treasury Department extended an extension for applicants to work in other areas. Five or six of the team members from St. Lewis rewrote the application to use new markets to rebuild New Orleans. He acknowledges that living in New Orleans was a difficult decision due to its unique personality and uniqueness. They had to make a decision about where to go if they couldn't return, as it was a unique place with a unique personality. However, they were able to be dispassionate about the situation and were called in to DC to discuss using incentives programs to speed up rebuilding. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Michael, a classics major, took many courses and professors that resonated with him, such as EC 10, Micro, Macro Economics, and the American Revolution. These classes helped him understand the real political and economic pressures of the time and made him think critically. Timestamps: 02:14: Returning to New Orleans  09:36: Transition to Advantage Capital  09:49: Advantage Capital's Focus on Impact Investing  27:06: Impact of Katrina and Advantage Capital's Role  28:01: Personal Life and Family in New Orleans  35:35: Michael's Podcast and Community Involvement 38:11: Reflections on Harvard Education 48:56: Advantage Capital's Investment Strategy  49:17: Successful Investments and Impact Stories  Links: Website: https://www.advantagecap.com/ Michael's podcast: https://jesuitjourneys.com/   Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is Senior Tech  recommended by Ruthie Tanenbaum who reports: “Hi. I'm Ruthie Tanenbaum Friedman, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Senior Tech. Senior Tech provides free technology support to senior citizens, which is offered by volunteer high school students. The organization is based in Florida with plans to grow and offers in person and remote support. My children founded and run the organization with my son Max, now serving as president and expanding the services that the organization provides. You can learn more about their work@seniortech.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: SeniorTech.org.

Show Notes: Daniel Brotman shares his journey from undergrad to medical school. After finishing a year of research in Boston, he decided to work for a year before applying for medical school. He had already taken the MCATs and taught Stanley Kaplan during his year off. He also worked in the lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Music and Circadian Rhythm  Daniel talks about his love of music. He considered himself a better musician than singer, and he loved playing piano. He has a 1930 Steinway piano and plays piano karaoke for fun. He has been participating in a music group at Harvard and has heard about other Harvard alums joining similar groups. From music the conversation turns to circadian rhythms, which are rhythms that cycle through the body based on the action of the circadian pacemaker. Circadian rhythms are synchronized to the 24-hour day based on visual stimuli, such as light coming into the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Internal Medicine and Finding Work/Life Balance  Daniel was accepted to medical school after his year of research. He started at the University of Virginia and found it to be a beautiful, traditional place. He initially didn't want to do internal medicine but discovered his passion for it at the end of his third year. He married his first wife, Edith, while in medical school. Daniel graduated from medical school and went on to become a hospitalist at the Cleveland Clinic. He chose to practice inpatient medicine due to his love for it and the intense work required for his family. Hospital medicine was a new field at the time, and Daniel's career began there. Working as a Hospitalist Daniel explains that being a hospitalist means practicing in the hospital rather than having an outpatient practice. Patients often come in through the emergency room and need an inpatient doctor to help them through their acute illness. Daniel's role is also as a consultant to help surgeons care for their patients who have medical issues or help other disciplines help care for their patients who have medical issues. Hospital Medicine is defined by the site of practice being in the hospital, similar to an emergency room medicine doctor practicing in the emergency department. After leaving the Cleveland Clinic, Daniel returned to Hopkins, where he started the Hospitalist program.  He learned that humility is essential in healthcare, as taking care of patients alone doesn't make for a good team. He also learned that medicine quickly gets out of date, with many concepts still valid but some completely turned on their heads. Overall, his experiences and lessons learned over the years have helped him become a more effective and compassionate healthcare professional. The Goldilocks Phenomenon Daniel Brotman discusses the importance of humility in healthcare, particularly in the context of medical knowledge and practices changing. He gives the example of beta blockers and heart failure treatment. He explains that beta blockers can drive patients into congestive heart failure by reducing their heart pumping activity, which is crucial for patients with weak heart muscles. However, studies have shown that beta blockers can be beneficial for those with weaker heart muscles. Daniel discusses the Goldilocks phenomenon, where doctors should not just jump on the latest research from journals but also not gravitate towards every new strategy published in medical literature. This can lead to side effects or challenges with the effectiveness of new drugs. He suggests that doctors should not rely solely on society's guidelines, as they may not always be updated over time. Instead, they should look for guidelines synthesized by knowledgeable professionals who have considered all issues and come up with a synthesis that makes sense. He also discusses the importance of humility in healthcare, stating that it is essential to rely on the expertise of colleagues and the entire team rather than oneself. AI in Healthcare The conversation turns to AI in healthcare such as Bridge, which listens to doctor conversations and creates notes based on them. While Bridge is effective in some cases, it struggles to put things fully in context. For example, it might report that the patient denies edema, which is not what it intended to convey. Despite this, it can create a note without looking at anything. However, there are potential areas where AI can make errors, which doctors should be aware of.  And it cannot provide a diagnosis. Doctors should be cautious when using AI tools, as the consequences of not double-checking their work can be significant. AI is expected to be beneficial in making recommendations for treatment strategies, but it should not replace doctors' work.  Directing the Hospitalists Program at John Hopkins Daniel has been directing the Hospitalist program for almost 20 years. He has since become a full professor and has an endowed chair named after John Flynn, a mentor and resident. He enjoys helping junior hospitalists navigate their career paths, which can be diverse and include research, quality improvement, or patient care. He has a great team of doctors to work with and mentor. One of the biggest challenges of leading a group of 50 hospitalists is delegation. Brotman has worked on developing ways to trust junior leaders and structure supervision in a way that maintains quality control. He has also learned to provide feedback to junior leaders, as they are high-performing and smart. Another challenge in leadership is trying to harmonize the economics of their work with clinical outcomes or academic outcomes. Many doctors feel pressure to be productive, which can negatively impact patient care.  Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Daniel discusses his experiences at Harvard, including his involvement in research and coursework in circadian rhythms with professors, which he found to be a significant part of his junior and senior year. He also mentions his passion for science and his focus on mastering content to pass tests. His interests have expanded since then, and he still enjoys reading non-fiction books and entertaining activities. He also enjoys skiing, although he was not very good on the ski team in his freshman year. Timestamps: 00:02: Dan's Journey from Harvard to Medical School  03:36: Understanding Circadian Rhythms  06:00: Medical School and Early Career  08:40: Hospitalist Career and Lessons Learned 22:26: AI in Medicine and Leadership Challenges 32:43: Personal Reflections and Broader Interests  37:19: Final Thoughts and Contact Information  Links: John Hopkins website: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/ Email: brotman@jhmi.edu Featured Non-profit This episode's featured non-profit is Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) recommended by Colin Teichholtz who reports: “Hi. I'm Colin Teichholtz, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Innovations for Poverty Action, or IPA. IPA discovers and advances what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty around the world. IPA has country offices throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. IPA is all about more evidence and less poverty. I've personally been a supporter of IPA for over a decade, and as of earlier this year, I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve as a member of the board. You can learn more about IPAs work at poverty, dash, action.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: https://poverty-action.org/

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman interviews Harsh Sahai, CEO and co-founder of Bridgetown Research, a company that has built an AI tool and he talks about it in this episode. Harsh previously worked at McKinsey, where he focused on commercial due diligence. He also ran a machine learning lab at Amazon, where they researched sequential decision-making algorithms.  AI Pricing Algorithms and Convex Optimization Harsh talks about his work at Amazon where main use cases were pricing products, as people tend to remember old prices and make decisions based on what they remember. For example, planning the sequence in which to launch products or introducing new shows on Prime Video could be done in a multi-step planning process. Harsh talks about his background in convex optimization, which is a mathematical model that can be used to represent various outcomes. Convex optimization is often used to model price versus volume, and it helps in making more sequential decisions for more than just pricing.  Bridgetown Research Explained On founding Bridgetown Research, many of Harsh's former colleagues joined him in the mission to build tools for the consulting industry and more. Bridgetown Research developed a platform that automates data collection and analysis, allowing them to curate these analyses and deliver value to clients. The firm developed software products that can conduct interviews at scale at a fraction of the cost, run 300 common analyses, evaluate approximately 10 decisions, and work alongside clients to build interactive documents. The firm primarily serves investors in the software industry, similar to McKinsey due diligence. Automating Consulting Groundwork They use AI agents to conduct interviews, breaking down high-level questions into sub-questions that can be answered by the AI agents. The agents then map the best sources of data for each analyze, such as Gartner or Forrester, and compile secondary research. The AI agents are integrated with a few expert networks, which they recruit on the company's behalf. They have a fully adaptive conversation, similar to a consultant's conversation, and then parse out the analysis to answer the main questions. The cost of these interviews is lower than a normal human-to-human interview because they can do it on their own schedule. Harsh also discusses the benefits of owning a research platform for consultants. They have researched this topic extensively and have 1000 interview transcripts of both people who hired a consultant and like consultants. The platform offers voice-based conversations, text prompts, and interactive screens for additional context. Using AI Agents in Surveys The AI agent in the discussion is similar to a traditional survey, but it allows users to answer questions directly on their screen. It can also embed multiple choice or ranked sorting questions, and can follow a different chain of questioning depending on the user's response. The agent constructs a hypothesis based on secondary research and uses adaptive questions to collect enough data to either prove or disprove these hypotheses. If it disproves the hypotheses, it goes back and looks at all transcripts to come up with new hypotheses and start collecting more data. One of the reasons for the cost efficiency is that, unlike regular surveys, the AI agent doesn't ask the exact same questions, reducing the length by about 20 to 25% once statistical conviction is reached. This flexibility allows for discounts from the person taking the interview, as it's extremely convenient for them. Examples of AI Agent's Responsiveness The agent's responsiveness works by comparing the user's responses to previous answers, such as asking about the main reasons they chose a particular software versus another. The agent then moves on to the next question based on the user's response. Harsh offers a few examples and verifies that the agents have received positive feedback from experts who are willing to interact with the voice agent, but they also interviewed people with slightly different profiles than consultants at McKinsey.   More Information about the AI Tool The AI tool used in this discussion is a work in progress that aims to provide insights into competitor archetypes and their strategies. It is designed to be more efficient than traditional human interviews, as it can gather data from mid-tenure professionals and frontline users closer to the business operations. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the business, reducing the need for frequent human interviews. The tool is fully scalable, allowing for 100 interviews in three days, which is the time it takes to recruit individuals rather than the time it takes to interview them. This allows for the creation of compelling projects within a week. Before the interview phase, the AI tool asks a set of questions and breaks them down into sub hypotheses. The tool then constructs sub questions to explain various factors, such as margins, go-to-market channel, and strategy. The tool is capable of explaining up to 200 different factors, making it a versatile tool for analyzing competitor archetypes. It can also provide examples of how to segment competitors and investigate their cost. The tool's output includes eight hypotheses, which can be investigated through secondary research or questionnaires. Examples of the Tool at Work The AI tool is largely a work in progress, with multiple steps taken to chase each hypotheses down. The team is working on improving the UI and UX to make the process more tractable. Harsh explains that the sentiment analysis workflow involves a series of custom trained machine learning models that perform various tasks to produce a final output. He gives the example of an agent searching Reddit posts, determining if they are positive, negative, or neutral, and extracting themes from positive quotes. The main model categorizes comments as positive or negative, extracts themes, and summarizes codes by themes. Harsh explains that there can be around 300 analyzes executed by a permutation of 40 fundamental tasks. Another example is analyzing the average case buying process, deviations from the buying process, and key factors considered in decision-making stages. The standard KPC analysis on the platform includes two fine-tuned models: one extracting mentions of keeper Chase criteria across the transcript, and other clustering words to represent different meanings. The third component counts the number of mentions by category, which is the relative importance metric for each key purchase criteria. Research Completed Before the Interview Stage The secondary research that the platform performs before the interview stage, such as creating lists of competitors, acquisitions, customers, and suppliers. The platform triggers secondary research by identifying areas of interest and providing cues to help users interact more smartly. For example, when creating a new interview, the platform can identify main competitor types and determine reliable domains for secondary analysis. The tool can create personas of people to chat with, based on their background, geography, work experience, roles, and competitor employees. The platform then generates an interview guide for each segment, which includes text, background checkpoints, and a series of questions for the interviewee to answer. Users can edit these questions or add more options. The platform also provides a multiple choice option for users to choose from blank solution providers. The platform also offers an estimate of how long it would take for the person to fill out the survey, allowing users to save time and edit questions. The platform then prepares a granular set of hypotheses for each question, breaking them down and collecting data to either prove or disprove them. This process is similar to machine learning, where the information provided by the respondent validates or invalidates the hypotheses. The Future of AI Tools and Human Consultants Harsh shows a more manual flow where users can have full control over each step and explains how it works. The role of human consultants in the future is becoming increasingly important as AI tools become more prevalent. Three main factors drive clients' assessments of a consultant's contribution: experience, expertise, authority, credibility, and connections across the organization. These factors are fundamentally human and hard to replace. The tasks of early and mid-term consultants will shift from writing interview guides or conducting interviews to using AI tools or competitors. They will need to master these tools and learn how to review, approve, or edit the interview guide, synthesize the results, and make judgments about the quality of the results.  Bridgetown Research and the AI Tool The main business for the tool is providing customized versions of the tool to clients, catering to their specific analysis needs. However, there is a long wait list for users of the common platform, and one of the goals for 2025 is to onboard small to mid-sized consulting firms to use the product hosted by the firm without modification and see if they like it. Private equity investors are using Bridgetown Research's tool to conduct their own research, generating results directly without hiring consultants. The tool is cost-effective and provides a 60-70% answer without much effort. Investors typically hire consulting firms when they have a high degree of conviction to invest, but they are now using the platform for any deal they come across. The marginal cost is practically zero, making it a rational choice to use the platform for early stages of the deal pipeline. The platform is also available for use with investment professionals, consultants, and other professional services. Timestamps: 04:17: Explanation of Convex Optimization  06:53: Overview of Bridgetown Research's Platform  09:06: Details of AI Interview Process 13:59: Examples of AI Interview Questions and Responses 19:51: Feedback and Adoption of AI Interviews  23:22: Secondary Research and Hypothesis Generation 28:08: Examples of AI-Generated Analyzes  40:26: Customization and Integration with Client Data  Links: Website: https://www.bridgetownresearch.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bridgetownresearch/?originalSubdomain=ca   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.    

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman interviews Bart Sayer, an expert on the beauty industry. Bart worked for nine years at the Estée Lauder Companies, most recently as the International General Manager for one of its largest brands, Clinique, managing the $1B P&L. Previously, Bart was a partner at Booz & Company (now Strategy&, part of PwC), focused on strategy and commercial transformation in the Consumer & Retail sectors. The conversation focuses on understanding the structure of the beauty market and the main drivers of value creation.   The Beauty Industry Explained Bart explains that the beauty industry is divided into four main categories: skincare, makeup, hair, care, and body. The market is divided into luxury and mass segments, with luxury beauty expected to grow between six and 8% in the foreseeable future. Taking the example of the United States, mass brands are more likely to be found in drugstores, such as Walgreens and CVs. Premium brands are more available in department stores or specialty multi, such as Sephora and Ulta, and a third channel being direct to consumer. At Estee Lauder they believed that distribution defines your equity, so prestige brands are careful about where they appear, hence the careful consideration and strict conditions associated with entering a channel like Amazon. Looking beyond the NA market, Travel Retail has been an important growth vehicle for luxury beauty brands over the past decade, though this growth has tempered in the past few years. Future growth of the beauty industry will remain defined by its two largest markets, the United States and China, while up-and-coming middle market countries will also represent attractive opportunities (e.g., India, Mexico, Brazil).   Manufacturing, Testing and Ingredients The ingredients in mass and prestige products can differ in terms of the scarcity or rarity of the actives, including use of proprietary ingredients and formulations. Formulation philosophies vary widely across different entities. Many brands, for example, put extra protections in place to ensure product safety for sensitive skin and/or to conduct rigorous allergy testing. Bart discusses the importance of clinical testing in product and research development, highlighting that it is a high barrier to entry for indie brands. He also discusses the evolution of more nimble production models, including the prevalence of contract manufacturers that can manufacture the latest ingredients and bespoke formulations in quicker and more cost-effective ways than many of the brands themselves. This approach is not binary, as L'Oreal has over 40 different manufacturing facilities worldwide. Before leaving the manufacturing discussion, Bart quickly hit upon another topic, that of the evolution to more earned media-led marketing models, whereby companies seize organic market buzz before amplifying these messages with paid media. Local vs. Global Adaptation The concept of local versus global adaptation is crucial in the beauty industry. Brands must find a locally relevant articulation of their brand essence. Large media companies often have global ambassadors who can speak for the brand, but if a local face is not available, the brand may not get the traction needed. To succeed, brands must be more reactive to local market trends, deploying local influencers, tailored messaging and selecting locally relevant forums for generating PR, both online and offline.   Indie and Newer Brands The conversation turned to the shift towards indie and newer brands in the beauty retail industry. The reasons behind the growth of the indies include lower barriers to entry on social media channels, an agile marketing model, the wide availability of contract manufacturers, and channel partners like Sephora that are focused on curating exclusive collections of the next “it” beauty brands. Often for these indie brands, the problem is not the launch itself (recruitment), but the stickiness (retention). Many of these companies struggle with repeat purchases, which are the key to success.   Sales and Distribution in the Beauty Industry Bart discussed several high growth channels, including Sephora, a leading premium beauty retailer owned by the LVMH group, travel retailer and beauty e-tailers such as Zalando and Notino. Traditional points of distribution, such as department stores and perfumeries, have seen slower growth, especially in the West (and far less so in the East). Whatever the channel, the importance of constructing good “self-navigating experience” for prestige consumers is key. Across many of these newer retailers, clean beauty is a key theme, as is green and sustainable, free of parabens, sulfates, certain ingredients and fragrances. This raises the bar for brands to prove their bona fides in terms of ingredient publishing and sourcing. The conversation then pivoted to challenges in the supply chain, including shelf life of products (especially for consumers in the East) and SKU proliferation.   Demand Forecasting Robust demand forecasting is crucial for brands to succeed to avoid out-of-stock situations and, conversely, the proliferation of excess. This can be particularly problematic when trying to create buzz and excitement with limited edition collections such as those sold over the holidays. Given profit, brand equity and sustainability concerns, rands have increasingly tried to err on the side of caution in their forecasts (FOMO). SKU periphery proliferation is another issue that brands are constantly fighting, seeking a balance between getting new out there while staying consistent and building out their portfolio. Store Design and Staffing Models In department stores, cosmetics brands often have significant control over the design of their stores, including all signage, key visuals and other elements of visual merchandising (e.g., gondola design, planogram setup). Done correctly, these can be huge differentiators. Unsurprisingly, prestige beauty brands have armies of store design, visual merchandising and staff (beauty advisor) education teams. Cost sharing with retail partners – CAPEX, staffing, promo – vary by channel and partner, thus representing a critical point in commercial negotiations (along with other topics like trade margin).   The Lucrative Nature of the Beauty Industry  The cosmetics industry is a highly lucrative business with operating profits ranging from 10 to 25%. Gross margins can be 65% or more, depending on the brand and the type of product. Highest gross margin categories include skincare and luxury fragrances. However, there is no room for complacency, with many waging a constant war to lower the cost of goods through a combination of gross to net improvements, price increases, mix optimization, promo efficiencies and, of course, manufacturing savings. A hero-product focus is needed to get scale, thus providing ballast for marketing investments. Premiumization trade trends are continuing across categories and subcategories, with no sign of these trends abating.  Timestamps: 03:30: Structure of the Cosmetics Industry and Market Segments 05:26: Specialty Channels and Distribution Strategies  07:58: Differences Between Mass and Prestige Brands 10:06: Analyzing the Cosmetics Industry: Product and Research Development  13:44: Marketing and Consumer Insights 18:33: Sales and Distribution Channels 22:49: Operations and Supply Chain  31:57: Gross Margin Analysis and Financial Performance  Website Links: #1, Beauty Market Outlook: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/the-beauty-boom-and-beyond-can-the-industry-maintain-its-growth #2, FDA Regulations of Cosmetics: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-science-research/product-testing-cosmetics #3, Risk of Indie Beauty Brands: https://cosmeticsbusiness.com/how-indie-beauty-brands-can-break-america#:~:text=Indie%20brands%20are%20greatly%20influencing,and%20most%20likely%20through%202025. #4, Beauty and Travel Retail: https://wwd.com/beauty-industry-news/beauty-features/tackling-beautys-travel-retail-conundrum-estee-lauder-loreal-clarins-bulgari-dfs-heinemann-1236682262/ #5, Green Beauty: https://www.forbes.com/sites/meimeifox/2023/12/22/green-glamour-12-clean-beauty-brands-leading-the-eco-revolution/ #6, Beauty & Supply Chain Challenges: https://www.voguebusiness.com/beauty/new-ingredients-higher-prices-reformulating-beauty-in-the-supply-crisis #7, QVC and Beauty: https://entm.ag/1wEfOci #8, Love, Indus (company referenced by Will and I during the discussion): https://loveindus.com/collections/shop?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkJO8BhCGARIsAMkswyiVNdA36DRltbku4DqHeLj-dAbZxAfsVOWmkyEP6Ah9bsxaNi3L4g4aAqP4EALw_wcB 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.

Are you interested becoming a McKinsey/Bain/BCG (MBB) consultant after business school? Or are you a pre-MBA consultant interested in applying to a top business school? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, this is the podcast is for you. Today we welcome Will Bachman back to the pod. Will is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a firm providing rapid access to independent management consultants with experience at top-tier consulting firms. Today, Will and his team manage more than 1,000 independent consultants, over 90% of these consultants are alums of McKinsey, Bain, or BCG. Prior to founding Umbrex, Will spent four years as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company eight years as a Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy. Will also graduated from Harvard and earned his MBA from Columbia Business School. In the second part of this two-part segment, Will and host Chandler share advice for MBA students hoping to land a top-tier consulting internship or full time job during or after B school.  In this wide-ranging discussion Will and Chandler discuss:  Specific pieces of advice for MBAs wanting to land a MBB internship or full time offer, Several things Will and Chandler know today that they wish they'd known when applying for their first consulting positions,  Suggestions for those from non-consulting backgrounds, and Other tips from Will, who currently works with thousands of MBB alums In addition to all kinds of great tips and suggestions in the podcast, Will has also been kind enough to share a free Consulting Skills Self-Assessment module with podcast listeners. Will developed this module with other Umbrex consultants, which helps you rate your consulting skills across more than 50 areas:  https://umbrex.com/resources/consulting-skills-self-assessment/

Are you interested becoming a McKinsey/Bain/BCG (MBB) consultant after business school? Or are you a pre-MBA consultant interested in applying to a top business school? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, this is the podcast is for you. Today we sit down with Will Bachman. Will is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a firm providing rapid access to independent management consultants with experience at top-tier consulting firms. Today, Will and his team manage more than 1,000 independent consultants, over 90% of these consultants are alums of McKinsey, Bain, or BCG. Prior to founding Umbrex, Will spent four years as an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Company eight years as a Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy. Will also graduated from Harvard and earned his MBA from Columbia Business School. In the first part of this two part segment, Will and host Chandler share advice for pre-MBA consultants interested crafting applications that stand out when applying to top-tier MBA programs. In our next podcast, Will shares advice for MBA students hoping to land a top-tier consulting internship or full time job during or after B school.  In this wide-ranging discussion Will and Chandler discuss:  Advice for pre-MBA consultants applying to B school, Ways to make applications from consultants stand out from the crowd, Suggestions about how to make your MBA application stand out from other consultants, Ways to complement the traditional consultant skillset, Suggestions for those wanting to explore their passions—and expand their business acumen—prior to business school, Tips for how to combat self-doubt during the MBA application process, In addition to all kinds of great tips and suggestions, Will has also been kind enough to share a free Consulting Skills Self-Assessment module with podcast listeners. Will developed this module with other Umbrex consultants, which helps you rate your consulting skills across more than 50 areas:  https://umbrex.com/resources/consulting-skills-self-assessment/

Thomas Doxiadis worked in the construction field before becoming an architect, eventually pursuing a Masters of Architecture and a Masters of Landscape Architecture at Harvard. He served in the Greek Navy and later worked as an architect for the Greek Olympics and at the same time taught at university. He then started his business which has been running for 25 years.  Managing Work Life Balance and Personal Growth Expanding from his professional life, Thomas spent the next 10 years exploring his mind, heart, and relationships with people. Through therapy, he found that people are much more interesting than he thought. He joined a coaching group called "Get Your Six," which focuses on treating oneself better through health, sleep, nutrition, exercise, relationships, emotions, and beliefs. The group is structured around six people sharing experiences and helping each other through different situations.   Life Lessons and Changes Thomas talks about life changes related to health, sleep, nutrition, and exercise. He explains that building a business from scratch and trying to be at the top of his field took a lot of focus and energy away from self-care. He emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself, eating right, sleeping right, learning basic breathing and meditation techniques, and changing priorities. He also emphasizes exploring and understanding the stories of our lives that we construct and how we spend our energy.  Working in the Greek Navy Thomas shares his experiences in the Greek Navy, where he spent time guarding armaments and working with 18-year-olds, which was a strange situation for him after his time in the professional world, but he found solace in having fun and laughing more than he had in the last decade. He shares a story when he was on guard duty and thought he was under siege. Working in the Athens Olympics Thomas recounts his experience working on the Athens Olympics. He had a positive experience despite the short turn around time of three years to complete construction.  He worked on the design and construction of mega projects such as parts of  the Athenian sea front and coastal areas, Olympic villages, and sports infrastructure. Additionally, he worked on setting up the city's flags, banners, and animation programs. He also spent two years dealing with the environmental and green aspects of the Olympics. His highlight was organizing the first mass olive transplanting, which involved moving the old Athens horse race track to a new area and becoming the Olympic Equestrian Center. The area was full of ancient olive groves and vineyards, some of them as old as 3000 years. The trees were transplanted to create a park and part of the Olympic venues. The trees were reused for the redevelopment of the Athens airport, ensuring they would be a valuable asset for future generations. Growing up in Greece Thomas grew up in Greece in the seventies when Greece was still relatively untouched by economic growth and tourism. The rapid economic changes after Greece entered the European Union led to the destruction of places he loved. He studied architecture and landscape architecture to find a win-win solution to building on sensitive, culturally and ecologically important places. His work and portfolio have been built over the past 25 years, focusing on resolving this problem. Sustainable Development and Landscapes of Cohabitation Thomas has worked on several projects since his time at the Olympics. One of his most proud projects was working on a pristine Aegean Island, where he and a high school friend developed techniques called the landscapes of cohabitation, which focuses on symbiosis between the environment and human activity. This approach has transformed the local ecosystem and changed people's minds about landscape work. His most recent project is with an MIT graduate from Northern Italy who built an energy corporation in the US and now invests in a small village in Tuscany. They are working on a 200-year sustainability plan, involving climate modeling and climate modeling to understand the future of the village and bringing vitality back to rural areas.  Progressive Adaption to Climate Change  Thomas' goal is to revive the countryside and lead it towards a better and more sustainable future, especially as climate change makes a better future more difficult. The European Union has been funding climate change adaptation programs for countries and universities for the last decade. These programs aim to understand the main impacts of climate change on public health, infrastructure, economy, and tourism. Landscapes are not just visual representations of environmental changes, but also provide a spatial understanding of what will happen due to climate change. Thomas talks about nine case studies that have been conducted across Greece, covering a region the size of Cape Cod. The eastern Mediterranean will be one of the most impacted areas globally, with heat waves, fire, and changing conditions. The European Union stopped spending on mitigation a decade ago and started spending on adaptation. Thomas explains what this entails.  Design for Living Systems Landscape architects are professionals who design for living systems, not just concrete or steel. They have the skill set to deal with earth, water, plants, animals, and living systems in physical space. The profession has transitioned from being mainly about aesthetics to problem-solving around nature in the past. The advice given by landscape architects is not necessarily heated or useful, but rather based on their experiences and lessons learned. He believes that architects should focus on the bright goal of a better future through design but also be more pragmatic about their surroundings. Thomas also discusses his artistic projects, such as the Castriani mine restoration. He believes that architecture is useful for solving problems through giving form to things, and that the way things look is important because it serves as communication and storytelling. People understand the world through narratives, so architects have the opportunity and responsibility to configure a part of the world that tells people something to add to their own narrative. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses During his time at Harvard, he took courses in Ed Wilson's Evolutionary Biology and Moral Reasoning 22. He also studied landscape ecology at the Harvard Design School, where landscape ecology was a driving force and he learned how you could design with nature and for nature rather than against it, which set him on his life path both professionally and intellectually. He enjoyed playing music and attending international talks at the Kennedy School. This experience helped him become more international and consider himself a citizen of the world.  Timestamps: 01:40: Personal and Professional Reflections  04:38: Coaching Group Experience  07:17: Changes in Life and Health Practices  12:26: Experiences in the Greek Navy  15:47: Role in the Athens Olympics 25:11: Projects and Philosophy  28:40: National Climate Change Adaptation Program  35:43: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies  39:10: Role of a Landscape Architect  41:29: Advice to Younger Self  44:09: Artistic Projects and Influences from Harvard  Links: Website:  https://doxiadisplus.com/ Website: Got Your 6 Team Society for the Environment and Cultural Change Website: Ελληνική Εταιρεία Περιβάλλοντος & Πολιτισμού  Featured Non-profit This week's featured non-profit is Legal Services NYC recommended by Lisa Velasquez who reports: “Hi. I'm Liza Velasquez, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Legal Services NYC. The mission of legal services NYC is to fight poverty and seek racial, social and economic justice for New Yorkers who need pro bono civil legal assistance. I've worked with legal services NYC as a board member for the past 10 years, and I'm honored to serve as the current board chair. Every year, our lawyers and staff assist 100,000 New Yorkers in obtaining access to the basic necessities of life, safe housing, economic security, family and immigration, stability, education and healthcare. You can learn more about their work at Legal Services nyc.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode. To learn more about their work visit: LegalServicesNYC.org.

David Miller kicks off the conversation with a summary of his life since Harvard. He went to Brown University, Providence, and then moved back to Boston, where he spent five years in Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, and then moved to Santa Monica, California, where his wife was pursuing her fellowship. He then returned to Boston, where he has been for 20 years, minus a three-month stint in Paris, France. Technology Inventor,  Independent Contributor, and Instructor David met his wife, Ruth Herzman Miller, in October of his freshman year at Harvard. They have three daughters, and David has spent some time as a full-time dad with each of them. He majored in mathematics at Harvard and pure mathematics at graduate school at Brown. After a pause, he worked in speech and language processing at Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) Technologies in Cambridge where he worked on developing speech to text transcription and information retrieval. He went to UCLA to learn bioinformatics and worked at a bioinformatics laboratory at the Molecular Biology Institute. In 2001, he returned to Boston and worked at Aventis Pharmaceuticals, now Sanofi Aventis, applying his knowledge in lead generation informatics. He stayed at Aventis for a few years before taking some time off the workforce. In 2008, David joined Google for 16 years, primarily on the search engine. He has worked on various projects, including the Google Books project and AI Overviews. He has also spent time at Google Paris, Zurich, and Tokyo. He has also taught computer science in the context of the Girls Who Code Project, where he distributed curriculum material to numerous chapters and hosted meetups. He also worked with Microsoft TEALS (technology and learning in schools), teaching ninth and 10th grade computer science. Inspired by French Theater  During the pandemic, revisited an interest he had discovered in Paris, French theater. He started studying French and learned about the annual Theater Festival in Avignon, France, which is the second largest Fringe Festival in the world. After visiting the festival in 2022, he decided to create a similar event in Boston. He started a limited liability corporation with knowledge of French, Boston theater scene, organizational capacity, and spare finance. The first production was performed in April 2024, and the second is set to open in November 2024. They are currently booking venues and signing contracts for their 2025-2026 season.  Google, AI, and The BERT Revolution The conversation turns to  AI, BERT, and Google. He explains that the feature of BERT was built to transform language problems into arithmetic problems, using embeddings in high-dimensional vector spaces to catch semantics. This allowed for more complex arithmetic than just adding and subtracting. The BERT Revolution, invented by Jacob Devlin and his colleagues, was used to map words to embeddings, allowing for real-world correspondence in arithmetic. This concept was later used in Google's Featured Snippets, which was revamped to use embeddings and the Bert revolution. David's lecture at Boston University, which is titled "Natural Language Understanding, Deep Learning and the BERT Revolution" discusses the underlying mechanics of natural language processing and how it transformed problems in language into arithmetic. The BERT Revolution allowed for more complex arithmetic than just adding and subtracting, making it easier for neural networks to perform complex tasks.  The Rise of Hidden Markov Models David talks about the state-of-the-art technology at the time, Hidden Markov models, which had a temporal aspect of a changing probability distribution. These models were based on the sequence of text, and the Bayesian reasoning was used to determine the most likely audio to come from the words. This led to the development of generative models, where words generate the audio through probabilistic models. However, Bayesian modeling has been replaced by deep neural nets in the last five years of generative AI. He mentions that, in the early days, neural networks were untrainable and unwieldy, making Hidden Markov models the Bayesian generative approach. However, deep neural networks are now used. The Development of Neural Networks David discusses the development of neural networks, a technology that has been around since the 1950s. The availability of more recordings for speech, text, and language models has made it more accessible on the hardware side. The core of a neural network computation is matrix multiplication, which has been addressed by Nvidia and Google with their TensorFlow units. These units have invested large amounts of money in making specialized, custom hardware for this problem, accelerating things. David talks about how algorithms have also advanced significantly since the 1950s, and mentions key factors that have aided the advancement.    Becoming an Individual Contributor at Google David talks about how he learned the technology. He decided to become an individual contributor and studied the technology, the code, the papers, books, videos, and experiments. He spent most of the pandemic working on neural nets that eventually became the Gemini technology. David's journey to becoming a knowledgeable and skilled individual in neural networks was a journey that took him from a theoretical interest to a practical application. He learned to make the most of the technology and its capabilities, ultimately contributing to the advancement of the field. David has faced mixed reactions to his decision to become an independent contributor at Google. While some were supportive and skeptical, others were skeptical. He talks about the advice he received, how he moved forward, the success rate of his projects, and how his career has decelerated since 2019.  Behind the Curtain of French Theater The discussion moves to French theater and how David has become a French theater producer. He shares his journey of starting a production in Boston from scratch. To start a French theater production in Boston, David had to be integrated into the French community in Boston and the theater community in Boston. They do not create the theater but bring the original production to Boston and add subtitles. He talks about the challenges faced in securing locations, staff and equipment, and managing the production process such as hiring a director, actors, space, marketing, and logistics. He uses services like Playbill to manage administration, program design, publicity, and logistics. He is passionate about creating a new cultural institution in Boston that focuses on French theater. Boston is known for its strong ties to France and hospitals, and David aims to create a French theater festival or translate French theater into English. He works with the French American Chamber of Commerce of New England, which helps create businesses and connections in Boston. Behind the Screen of Girls Who Code David has worked with Girls Who Code, an after-school program that runs programs for young women interested in programming and technology. He organized a meet-up at Google's Cambridge office, where he gave a keynote speech at parent meetings, emphasizing the importance of belonging and ownership in the industry. He was able to connect with 150 teenage girls and their parents, who expressed gratitude for his message. David's involvement with Girls Who Code has led to a sense of belonging and empowerment for these young women, who are now more likely to pursue careers in the tech industry. He believes that the French language theater in Boston could potentially sustain them through a 25-year career in the industry. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses David shares his experiences as a TA in the math department and working with Deborah Hughes Hallet, who was running a calculus project. David's theater experience has played an ongoing role in his teaching approach, as he learned from her dedication and approach to teaching. He believes that the notion of understanding the world through teaching is a deep-rooted belief in his approach.  Timestamps: 03:59: Professional Career and Industry Experience  06:52: Non-Professional Activities and Community Involvement  11:22: Technological Advancements and AI Overview  25:07: Transition to Individual Contributor Role at Google  30:17: French Theater Project and Community Building 40:39: Impact of Girls Who Code and Teaching  45:25: Final Thoughts and Contact Information  Links: Theater: www.frenchtheaterproject.com Theater Club: https://frenchlibrary.org/french-library-theater-club/ Website: www.monsieurmiller.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrhmiller/ David's  2019 lecture "Natural Language Understanding, Deep Learning and the BERT Revolution" at Boston University : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DktFhgxynFE Featured Non-profit This week's featured non-profit is the Cure San Filippo Foundation recommended by Adam Shaywitz who reports: “Hi. I'm Adam Shaywitz, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Cure San Filippo Foundation. This organization is dedicated to advancing treatment options for children affected by the devastating childhood dementia known as San Filippo syndrome. I am privileged to serve as a board member for the past five years. You can learn more about their work at Cure Sanfilippo foundation.org, that's one word. Cure Sanfilippo foundation. San Felippo is spelled s, a, n, f, i, L, i, p, p, O, that's 1f, 1l, and 2p Cure San Filippo foundation.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: www.CureSanFilippoFoundation.org.

Show Notes: Raymond Lei Yin moved to New York after graduating and has worked at Goldman Sachs for over 20 years, primarily in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China. He worked in China with a private fund for three and a half years and for UBS Asset Management as the Head of Asia Pacific and Head of China for the past 6 years. Now retired from UBS Asset Management, Raymond  is currently traveling around the world, visiting his parents and enjoying the outdoors. He is also looking for opportunities to get involved with communities, businesses or organizations where he can contribute his expertise. Capital Markets War Stories  Raymond shares many war stories from his time in Hong Kong, China, and the capital markets during the financial crisis. He started at Goldman Sachs in New York and eventually moved to Asia. He was a program analyst in 1992 and supported the international trading desk at Goldman. This experience was interesting, as the traders he worked with at the time were hires from Salomon Brothers and Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB). He likens this time to working in a jungle where his goal was to survive each day.  Raymond's journey has been filled with challenges and opportunities, but he is now focused on pursuing his passion for learning (especially in AI) and helping other businesses to grow. Working in Equity Capital MarketsRaymond began his career in Hong Kong after realizing that the core part of Goldman's business was financial advisory and trading. He decided to look for a job outside Goldman and was about to resign when he was offered a position by a senior MD looking for a Chinese speaking analyst based in Hong Kong. He flew to London for interviews and was hired to work in equity capital markets, which he knew little about. Equity capital markets is an interesting area that straddles between investment banking and equity sales and trading. Raymond was trained by Eric Dobkin, the man who  introduced the concept of the Equity Capital Markets (ECM), which orchestrated IPOs and worked with both issuers and investors to set the price. During the Red Chip Boom in 1993, there was a huge demand for Chinese speaking bankers in Hong Kong, as there were not many Chinese bankers at that time. As the first full-time equity capital markets person based in Hong Kong, Raymond worked tirelessly to keep up with the pace of IPOs. Lesson Learned from the MarketOne lesson that Raymond learned during this time was that the market can be irrational. During the Red Chip Boom, Chinese IPOs were richly valued, due to scarcity of Chinese papers and the high demand for Chinese investments. However, since then, the market has seen several cycles of price fluctuations. To make money in the equity market, he believes that one must be a contrarian, have a long sustained power, and be liquid. In the early 90s, Hong Kong had an open market with many foreign capitals and traditional institutions representing their firms in London or New York. Goldman helped Chinese companies raise money in international capital markets through IPOs, global deposit receipts (GDRs), and convertible bonds (CBs). The Chinese government was involved in these deals, as they were selling their best assets to global investors in exchange for professional management and market discipline. The first deal was with Tsingtao Breweries, a famous beer company, and later with Shanghai Petrochemical and China Mobile and PetroChina. These companies were majority-held by the Chinese government, and Goldman had an edge in winning these deals. Goldman also worked on Korean companies like POSCO Steel and Samsung Electronics, as well as Thai and Indonesian companies. The Asian Financial Crisis The Asian financial crisis occurred in 1997, when the devaluation of the Thai Bhat and Indonesian Rupiah led to a massive attack in Hong Kong markets. For a few days, the entire HK equity market was dominated by one buyer, the Hong Kong government.  Raymond saw the government's bid for 100 million shares of Hong Kong telecom got hit within 2 seconds. This could mark the end of capital markets in Hong Kong, as the government was buying the significant part of HK equity market.  However, in hindsight this was the single best time to buy Hong Kong equities, as the Hong Kong government made a lot of money that day. In subsequent years, Goldman helped the Hong Kong government sell these stocks at a profit, returning the market to private investors.  One company Raymond worked with was PetroChina where Goldman took the company public and Raymond helped to introduce the team management to global investors. It was during the dotcom bubble era, there was ver little investor appetite for oil stocks.  Eventually, the IPO was done as a discount valuation.  Investors who bought at PetroChina IPO all made money if they hold on to their shares. From Goldman to Private Funds to UBS Asset ManagementRaymond's next move was to the buy side - a China based  private fund.  He spent three and a half years traveling between Shanghai and Hong Kong to help them set up their international operation, hire people, lease office space, get the Type 9 license, and set up their Hong Kong office. He later joined UBS Asset Management first as Head of China then later as Head of Asia Pacific.  He worked at UBS Asset Management for the past 6 years.   Influential Harvard Professors and CoursesRaymond shares that his Art History course at Harvard was one of the most useful, as it allowed him to appreciate artwork and visit museums worldwide. He also enjoyed the core course Cultural Revolution taught by Professor Roderick MacFarquar, which was not offered in China. Timestamps: 04:15: Early Career at Goldman Sachs  09:51: Experience in Hong Kong and Equity Capital Markets  14:46: The Asian Financial Crisis and Market Lessons 26:31: Building Sales and Trading Operations in China  28:44: Transition to the Buy Side and Final Steps at Goldman  31:11: Personal Life and Interests  38:19: Reflections on Harvard and Career Advice  Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymond-yin-cfa-613a017a/ Email: yinraymond@yahood.com Featured Non-profit: This week's featured non-profit is Alex's Lemonade Stand, recommended by Catherine Marcus Rose who reports: Hi. I'm Catherine Marcus Rose, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Alex's Lemonade Stand, foundation for Children's Cancer. Alex's Lemonade Stand focuses on impacting lives of children with cancer through fundraising for critical research and awareness raising support for families and children with cancer. I love the work of this organization and have been a regular donor for a few years. When our youngest son, age 21 was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma last December, this organization became even more important to us. Only four cents of every dollar spent on cancer research at the NCI goes to research in pediatric cancers. So the work of this organization has taken on extra meaning for us. You can learn more about their work at Alex's lemonade.org, a l e x, s, L E, M o, n, a, de.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode. To learn more about their work visit: https://www.alexslemonade.org/  

Show Notes: Jennifer Gibbs shares her journey as a woman and artist who worked in the entertainment field and later became a mother. She enrolled in a PhD program at NYU in comparative literature, focusing on performance and the embodiment of the female and feminine. She was cast in various off Broadway shows and earned her actors equity card. During her graduate studies, Jennifer received a Mellon Fellowship for teaching. She talks about her decision to focus full time on acting and writing for theater and her recognition of limited support in academia for multidisciplinary approaches to performance. Jennifer worked in the theater for a decade, mainly acting and writing plays. In her mid-30s, she became a mother, experiencing unexpected pregnancy losses and serial grief. This led to a shift in focus to writing, which was fruitful and collaborative. She was the artist in residence at the Here Arts Center, where she developed a play called Sounding, which integrated film, music, lyrics, and scene work. The play premiered three weeks before her son Liam's birth. From Working in Theatre to Working in Television As their family relocated to Los Angeles, Jennifer became interested in writing for television and screen. She learned to write for television at the suggestion of an executive at HBO. She took the leap, not knowing how to write for television, but found it fulfilling. For the last decade, Jennifer has been writing new plays and television worlds. Recently, she started a small independent production company, aiming to empower women creators to produce work that might not be produced in film and television or in the multi-platform arena. Jennifer's most recent project is called Riot Mom, a multi-platform universe story that unfolds on various distribution platforms. The company is driven by her connection to her work and her personal connection to her work. The first project they are producing is called Riot Mom, a multi-platform universe story that unfolds on audio, live, and television platforms. Early Influences from the Art World The conversation turns to Jennifer's father, Tom Gibbs, a Chicago-based artist. Jennifer describes her experience as a child of a sculptor, how she was introduced to and influenced by the artists around her. They often had a band of sculptors at their house, some in assistant positions and colleagues from Chicago. They would have meals together, discuss work, and have opinions on various projects. Despite not wanting to do sculpture, Jennifer loved drawing and painting, and would often work in one of the studios. A Young Actor on Tour Jennifer shares her experience as an actor during her national Broadway tour, describing it as exciting and workmanlike. She learned from the technical staff about the complex process of moving from one place to another, like a circus. Gibbs describes the experience as a crash course in self-producing, directing, and balancing personal and professional boundaries. She also discusses the challenges of maintaining a balance in a collaborative environment, where one must leave their family, home, and friends behind to work on a show. Jennifer believes that maintaining healthy boundaries is a challenge for anyone working in theater, film, or television. She found the experience intensive and valuable, making lasting friendships with people she collaborated with in New York.  The Artistic Process and Healing Grief Jennifer shares how she processed the grief of two stillbirths through her work. At the time, she was working on a film based on a stage adaptation of an Ibsen play. She met Andre Gregory, who was casting Vanya on 42nd Street, and they had a two-hour conversation in a cafe. Although she did not get the role, she received support, encouragement, and mentorship from Gregory. He advised her to make her own project which inspired Jennifer and others from the Harvard theater community, including Jeannie Simpson and Peter Hirsch,  to create a play called Lady from the Sea. They spent two years working on the play in Jennifers' living room, creating a unique and rarely produced piece. Jennifer talks about her journey to create a multi-disciplinary theatre show based on a film adaptation of an Ibsen play. She discovered a deep connection to grief and loss in the original play, which they had not considered in their previous work. After a decade of working on the project, Jennifer realized that grief is a form of radical transformation that is generative and creative. She learned that denying or overcoming grief can deprive individuals of the opportunity to create and acquiesce to the next stage in their transformation. A First Book and a New Project Jennifer's first book, "Oh Mother," is a literary non-fiction book about serial grief and the value of a certain approach to grief. The book is experiential and personal, and was written during the pandemic. Her journey highlights the importance of embracing grief and embracing change in life. She talks about a world created with Jenny Castro, that explores the intersection of women's creative process. The story revolves around two middle-aged women who were estranged from their riot girl days in the 90s, and they reunite in a suburban context. She talks about the project, the production team, pitching, and another project called Train Hoppers, a  multi-platform, single episode of a story that can be experienced online, at live events, or through a live pop-up event.  Influential Harvard Professors and Courses  Jennifer discusses her experiences with Marjorie Garber's Shakespeare and her seminar on ghostwriters.  She was influenced by playwright Adrianne Kennedy, who became a lifelong mentor and friend after graduating from Harvard. Jennifer also discusses her love for 16th-century British poetry and the pressure to conform to Aristotelian standards in the world of television, film, and playwriting.  Timestamps: 00:02: Journey Through Comparative Literature and Theatre  03:30: Balancing Academia and Acting 06:03: Transition to Motherhood and Writing O9:20: Exploring Television and Film  12:36: Learning from Her Father's Artistic Journey 20:04: National Broadway Tour Experience  26:01: Processing Grief Through Art  37:58: Current Venture: "Riot Mom"  45:46: Influences from Harvard Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-gibbs-27b91386/ Featured Non-profit This week's featured non-profit of this episode is American Pilgrims On the Camino, recommended by Kelly Murphy Mason who reports: “Hello all. I am Kelly Murphy Mason, a fellow classmate from the Harvard class of 1992 and a former resident of Dunster house. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the American Pilgrims On the Camino, a national organization with international reach. Before I walked the Camino de Santiago in the fall of 2023 the American pilgrims provided me with the necessary credentialing, education, information and support for making this pilgrimage, as it has done for so many pilgrims over the decades, it has also contributed generations of volunteers and generous funds to maintain the infrastructure of this Spanish network of routes to Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since my return from Santiago, I have stayed active in the Boston chapter of American pilgrims, leading book discussions and training walks for pilgrims past, present and future who live in my area. You can learn more about the work of the American pilgrims at home and abroad at American pilgrims.org and now here is my old friend Will Bachman with this week's episode.  To learn more about their work visit:https://americanpilgrims.org/

Show Notes: Aran Shetterly,  a self-professed late bloomer, took a year off in the middle of his studies to pursue an Echoing Green fellowship, which allowed him to set up a nonprofit in Costa Rica to link volunteers to environmental organizations there. He then decided to pursue a master's in American and New England studies from the University of Southern Maine. However, after completing his masters, he realized he needed to explore the world in a different way. He moved to New York and worked as an editorial assistant. A year later, he met an old school friend who founded an internet startup called Comet Systems. Aran  recounts his experiences in the world of internet ethics and the impact of internet spyware on the US. He recalls when he was on his way to a meeting with Yahoo to discuss a partnership when he learned that Comet Systems was accused of creating spyware. At Yahoo he was given a lecture on internet ethics.  Researching Castro's Rebellion and The Fight Against It Aran talks about a trip to Cuba where he learns about Fidel Castro's rebellion and the support of internationals during the Spanish Civil War. He met William Morgan, who was a key figure in the fight against Castro. This meeting inspired Aran to leave Comet Systems and start writing his book. Upon returning from the trip, Aran searched for information about Morgan and sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the CIA. He receives two inches of redacted documents, which he uses to write his first book, "The Americano Fighting with Castro for Cuba's Freedom." Aran summarizes the story and how Morgan played a double agent role in uncovering a plot to topple Castro, but later turned against the revolution as it turned communist. Aran recounts his six-month stay in Cuba, where he worked on two projects: setting up an exchange of artists between Maine and Cuba, and conducting research on the Kennedy assassination. He was often followed by officials from the interior ministry and almost ended up in jail. He also spent time in Miami researching the revolutionaries who were excluded from Castro's rebellion. He spent time researching the Kennedy assassination investigation.  From Mexico to the Greensboro Massacre Aran and his wife Margo met while working at Comet Systems. They fell in love and decided to launch an English language magazine and website called Inside Mexico, which they launched in Mexico City in 2005. He talks about journalists they worked with and stories they covered, and how the magazine finally came to an end. After ten years in Mexico, they were drawn back to the U.S. when Margo's book proposal was optioned by a production company. The book was a success, and the couple had to come back to help promote it. In 2015, he met Reverend Nelson Johnson and Joyce Johnson, who told the story of the Greensboro massacre, a civil rights activist and Black Power leader who were trying to organize textile mills in North Carolina. The Greensboro massacre occurred when Neo Nazis and Klansmen shot and killed five and injured 10 workers during a march to educate workers about the divisive nature of the Ku Klux Klan.  Morningside - An FBI Investigation and a Hole in the Story Aran's latest book, Morningside, is about the Greensboro shooting investigation, which he gained access to through interviews with FBI agent Cecil Moses. Moses provided valuable insights into the FBI's perspective and the importance of the Greensboro investigation in reclaiming some esteem in American society. The book also explores the truth and reconciliation process, which was the first place in the United States to bring the South African model to work out the events surrounding the shooting. Aran found that there was a misunderstanding about the history that still keeps people in Greensboro divided. He discovered that the narratives set about who's to blame for the shooting were deeply entrenched within the social community and the extent to which access to one's tribe depends on adhering to a certain narrative. This information was extremely informative and showed how difficult some divides are and how entrenched they are. Aran believes that much work needs to be done to work out these hermetic narratives that keep people on different sides of important historical moments. He believes that the book will help readers understand the complex and interconnected nature of the Greensboro shooting and the ongoing struggle to reconcile different perspectives on important historical moments. Harvard Professors and Courses of Influence Aran discusses his experiences at Harvard and how his fellow students and friends were hugely influential. He highlights three standout professors who made interdisciplinary connections in his work, which appealed to his sensibility: Stephen J. Gould, Philip Fisher in the English Department, and Bradley Epps in the Romance Language Department. Timestamps: 02:01: Transition to Academia and Publishing 05:05: Challenges with Comet Systems and Cuban Art 11:08: Researching and Writing "The Americano"  16:03: Life in Mexico and Launching Inside Mexico 26:36: Return to the U.S. and "Morningside"  42:36: Reflections on Harvard and Future Plans  Links: Website: aranshetterly.com Event calendar: https://www.aranshetterly.com/events/ Featured Non-profit:  The featured non-profit of this episode is Children's Flight of Hope recommended by Angelo Milazzo  who reports: “Hi. This is Angelo Milazzo, proud member of the class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is children's flight of hope. Children's flight of hope is a nonprofit organization based here in sunny North Carolina, which has a mission of providing flights for essential, specialized life changing and life saving medical care for children in need, these flights are amazing in that they bring children who otherwise might not be able to travel to centers of excellence around the United States, where they can receive innovative, cutting edge and in some cases, miraculous care. These flights are provided to children and their families at no cost, which goes a huge way toward easing the emotional and financial burden on families. I had the privilege of serving on the board of children's flight of hope many years ago, I served for several years following the organization's inauguration. In the late 90s, the organization has grown and has evolved to the point where it is now partnering with major air carriers to provide this life saving transportation for pediatric patients. You can learn more about the work of children's flight of hope at their website, which is children's flight of hope.org, and children's flight of hope is all spelled out together as one word. And now I leave you with Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: https://www.childrensflightofhope.org/

Philip Nikolayev, a Russian historian, poet, and marketer went directly into grad school in the history department at Harvard, where he received a master's degree. However, his field of medieval Russian history collapsed during his PhD due to funding dwindling after the fall of the USSR in 1992.  From Russian History to Search Engine Marketing Philip was interested in studying Russian history from a Western analytical perspective. He quit his graduate program at Harvard when he realized his studies in Russian history didn't translate into paying work. A polymath with a child on the way, Philip secured a position as a software engineer, but when the dot.com bubble burst, he decided to continue his studies with a PhD in textual scholarship. Intellectually, Philip's career has been far-flung, with no jobs in his field and a need for financial stability, he worked as VP of Marketing for a high-tech company and later started a small business in marketing, seeking clients based on breakthroughs in science and technology. He seeks clients whose technology he can study and translate into the market language. Working as a Translator and Writing Poetry Philip's core interests include poetry and had a love for poetry from a young age. Philip has always been bilingual and although he grew up in the U.S.S.R, he spoke English from a young age. Philip went to Harvard at the age of 24 as a transfer student and became deeply immersed in English. He started working as an interpreter and translator when he was 18 in Moscow, switching languages in terms of writing poetry. His first American poet friend, Ben Naser, encouraged him to continue doing it. He has since published several books of poetry in English and volumes of translation. Philip speaks ten languages, and has translated a lot of Ukrainian poetry, resulting from the war Russia is unjustly waging in Ukraine. A Ukrainian issue of a well-known American Poetry Magazine called the Cafe Review has just come out, co-edited by Philip and Anna Halberstadt as guest editors.  The Romanticisation of Russian History Philip talks about his role as a translator and his work as an interpreter for writers and poets during Perestroika. The conversation turns to Philip's work as a poet and learning languages, including Romanian and why he loves the musicality of language. He also talks about studying Russian history from a western perspective, which he believes is more accurate than the Romantic tradition. Russian history is often written with a patriotic bias, which combines with the idea that nations are ancient and have traditions. This romanticism often leads to the idea that all people of a country form a single nation with one ideology and similar ideals and values. Napoleon exploited this idea to persuade Frenchmen to join the first mass levy army and give their lives for France. Philip also discusses the concept of nationhood in Russia, which he believes is a new idea. The word "Russia" was coined under Peter the Great in the early 18th century, and it is a Latinized form of the name Rus, which shows a Western influence. This was the name of the first dynasty that came to rule the space that eventually became Russia and Ukraine. The Formal Anarchy of Poetry The conversation turns to his network of poets, writers, translators, and editors. He mentions that poetry functions as an institution and network, with numerous poets and institutions like poetry festivals and magazines. Poets often seek out other poets and have poet friends to discuss poetry. Philip mentions his favorite poets including his wife, Katya Kapovich. Philip explains that Russia shaped his poetry towards a mix of traditional forms. He believes that poetry exists in a state of formal anarchy, where a text needs to be self-justifying to merit the reader's attention. His style has evolved, incorporating formal traditional verse, experimental and obscure avant-garde verse, and standard lyric free verse. Philip's themes include personal experience, philosophical distillation, and situational poetry. He believes that poetry allows us to express our humanity and resist becoming robots or AI. He admires the way photography has liberated art by allowing painters to paint their mental lives, and poetry can do the same. However, he also acknowledges that AI has its limitations and questions the future of the arts, particularly in the context of AI. Philip shares a poem from his collection, Letters from Oldenderry, titled "Eagles."  From a Background in Mathematics to a Future in Marketing Philip's interest in mathematics began in the Soviet Union, where strong math schools were present. He was a mathematical prodigy but was too infected with poetry literature to pursue it back then He later became interested in analytical philosophy at Harvard, taking basic math courses like set theory and Introduction to topology. He later took CS 50 and CS 51 in computer science courses. Philip's transition from a PhD in textual studies to running a marketing firm was unexpected, as he had assumed he would become a professor. However, during the 2008-2009 crisis, there were no jobs in the humanities, and he had to find a source of income. He found work at a high-tech company, smtp.com, which is still there today. Reaching Beyond the Daily Grind Philip talks about his degree of freedom as a poet and his outside interests. He explains that not being an academic allows him to think about what matters to him and process it intuitively without being obligated to external criterion or peer review. He also mentions his interest in quantum computing, which he began studying from the business side. He works as a director of business development for Aspen quantum consulting, which does technical due diligence for quantum computing and quantum technology companies. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Philip mentions Michael Witzel, who was his Sanskrit teacher, Diana Eck, who was his Hindu studies professor, Ed Keenan, and James Hankins, who taught him Western civilization. These professors have been supportive and encouraging of his interest in these subjects and helped him develop his understanding of various topics and perspectives. He still lives within a two-mile radius of Harvard Square, making it easy to access his work and stay connected to his passions. Timestamps:  05:11: Transition to Marketing and Poetry  08:46: Role of Poetry and Language Learning 18:58: Influence of Western Perspective on Russian History  23:33: Network of Poets and Writers  33:15: Challenges and Opportunities in Academia and Marketing  39:09: Return to Mathematics and Quantum Computing  40:59: Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard  Links Company: searchbenefit.com  Book: Letters from Aldenderry LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolayev/   Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode is Women's Money Matters recommended by Lauren Messmore who reports:   “Hi, I'm Lauren Messmore, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode is Women's Money Matters. I'm privileged to have served as a volunteer coach empowering low income women to improve their financial health and create a more secure future for themselves and their loved ones. You can learn more on women's money matters.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: https://women'smoneymatters.org.

David Tavárez, originally from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, completed a degree in anthropology and visual environmental studies. He had several ideas for his future career, wavering between being a scientist or a filmmaker. He secured a place at the Writers Workshop in Iowa and an internship at the American University in Cairo. He spent a year in Cairo after graduation and supplemented that summer by writing about the Baltics for the Let's Go Europe travel series. Studying Indigenous Culture and ChristianityDavid worked as a journalist for a couple of years then decided to pursue a PhD at the University of Chicago in 1994, focusing on indigenous history. His interest was drawn to two languages, Nahuatl and Zapotec, which have a rich store of texts dating back to the 1530s. David discovered documents related to the arrival of Christianity in Mexico. These documents included calendars, cosmological manuals, and ritual songs written in Zapotec alphabetic script. After graduating from the University of Chicago, he worked at Bard College in Latin American and Iberian studies. He then moved to Vassar, a selective institution with a vibrant student body. David currently lives in Rhinebeck, New York, where he is a full professor in the anthropology department at Vassar. His first book, The Invisible War, explores how indigenous people in central Mexico confronted the church in colonial Mexico and managed to work with their ancestral beliefs while also embracing Christianity. He has translated several books into Spanish and collaborated with other scholars on a book on the great indigenous historian of colonial Mexico, Chimalpahin. The Indigenous Languages of the AmericasDavid's most recent book, Rethinking Zapotec Time, compiles two decades of work. The book, which received awards from the Native American Indigenous Studies Association, the Latin American Studies Association, and the New England Council of Latin American Studies, is a labor of love, aiming to understand the world of the ritual specialist and the Christians they confronted, as well as how they managed to survive and share ancestral beliefs and knowledge with others. The indigenous languages of the Americas before the 20th century were the most voluminous in terms of producing works. By the early 17th century, there were over 100 works, mostly religious, printed, and manuscripts. By the end of the colonial period, there were 1000s of works, mostly mundane literature, such as petitions, wills, and testaments. This diversity is comparable to Greek and Roman literature, but there are gaps and can only be reconstructed from later translations. Mexican songs, such as the Cantares Mexicanos, feature difficult language and are lyrical, sometimes difficult to understand. The most famous song is the Song of the Women of Chalco, which features warriors from a defeated polity dressing up as women and taunting the Aztec emperor Axayacatl. There are many convergences between indigenous intellectuals from the 16th century to present. This work highlights the physical and intellectual growth of different indigenous communities through colonial times and post-colonial legacies. The Zapotec Time-space Continuum The Zapotec conception of time is an eternal, 260-day calendar with specific meanings. They believed in a time-space continuum, where every day had divinatory meaning and moved people to specific regions in the cosmos. They had a notion of the cosmos as having three main domains: sky, earth, and Underworld, with other domains beyond the underworld relating to ancestral time and its origins. Time was seen as a way to think about Earth and the cosmos, rooted in geography and cosmology. They believed that everyone was taken on an eternal journey through space and time, allowing communication with ancestors. While their notion of the time-space continuum may not date back to Einstein or quantum physics, they believed that time and space were interconnected. Influential Harvard Courses and ProfessorsDavid mentions Rosemary Joyce, and taking classes with Noam Chomsky at MIT. He believes that there are many ways to approach and learn about remote worlds through experimental means, such as working with film and visual arts. David discusses his interest in working with ritual specialists and documentary filmmakers. He shares his desire to place students in the past through films and visual arts, such as Aguirre, the Wrath of the God by Werner Herzog, and The Mission.  Timestamps: 04:37: Indigenous history, language, and culture in Mexico 12:01: Indigenous perspectives on Spanish conquest and religion in Latin America 17:09: Indigenous Christian texts in the Americas, focusing on the complexity of colonialism and the diversity of indigenous experiences 25:00: Zapotec conception of time and its connection to geography, cosmology, and ancestral communication 31:08: History, filmmaking, and academia with a Vassar College professor Links: Vassar Faculty: https://www.vassar.edu/faculty/tavarez Guggenheim Fellows: https://www.gf.org/fellows/david-tavarez/ Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/David-Tavarez/author/B003XJJ3M6?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true   Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode is, recommended by Ruth Hertzman-Miller who reports:    I'm Ruth Hertzman-Miller, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is North Cambridge Family Opera. NCFO performs original, entirely sung theater works for audiences of all ages with large casts from ages seven to adult ranging from people with no performance experience to classically trained vocalists. I'm proud to have performed with and written music for North Cambridge Family Opera. I've also been a board member for the past two years. You can learn more about their work at familyopera.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode. To learn more about their work visit: http://www.familyopera.org/drupal/

Show Notes: J.J. Bartlett kicks off the conversation with a short explanation on how his wife shaped his career in various ways. He took healthcare management in graduate school and his primary reason for this was his interest in extending healthcare coverage. The President Clinton and Hillary Clinton Health Plan had just failed in 1994, and he was interested in finding new ways to extend coverage. Health Coverage for Fishers J.J. shares his connection to the fishing industry, which includes individual fishermen working on boats as independent contractors. The majority of these individuals are men, with some women. He explains the situation of fishermen in the 90s, where half were uninsured, while the other half only had coverage through their spouse, Medicare, Medicaid, or junk coverage. The conversation turns to the structure of the plan for community health plans for independent professionals in Massachusetts which was a collaborative effort between fishermen, politicians, and other stakeholders. The plan was designed to provide coverage for those directly related to the fishing industry, requiring more than half of their income to come from fishing. This was done to ensure that income from commercial fishing was counted, and that no whaling or other issues were present. The plan was funded through federal and state funding, with the federal money being kicked in early and the state program being a state program. The federal money allowed the program to reduce the rate that fishermen paid on average by 60%, which was beneficial for taxpayers as they could afford it. This was done on a sliding scale that was redid every year to accommodate fluctuating incomes in the industry. The plan smoothed out a period for fishermen to afford coverage over a period of time, rather than going on and off coverage. J.J. shares a recent example of this which led to fishermen not being eligible for mass health.  The Model for Obamacare J.J. talks about the origins of the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. The conversation turns to the Massachusetts State Health Plan, which became the model for Obamacare, and was influenced by the people involved in the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. Some of the lessons learned from the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system include the importance of not carving out the most endangered population in the country, but recognizing the importance of providing healthcare through enrollment offices. J.J. shares an example of a successful implementation of the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. The lessons learned from the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system can be applied to other industries to help ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive the necessary care and support. The Health Plan Today The health plan initially provided treatment for those in shock or depression following an accident, but it stopped in trying to get them insured. However, they now have a system of care available, including safety training for fishermen and a national grant program. This is a preventive measure for the deadliest job in the country. Additionally, they have relationships with trauma centers, providing treatment for those injured or witnessed the accident. This trauma care is available to employers within their HR department. After 15 years, Obamacare allowed people to transition to the new system.  The Fishing Partnership Support Services J.J. talks about how many workers in many occupations do not have adequate coverage or even the ability to take time off for illness. At the top of the list are Massachusetts fishermen. The organization, Fishing Partnership Support Services, has been in operation since 1997 and focuses on providing various services to the fishing industry. It trains community health workers to help people transition from uninsured to insured, especially for fishermen with fluctuating incomes. The organization also runs a community health program that provides preventive care. They have also begun behavioral health services, addressing the issue of opioid overdoses among fishermen. J.J. also talks about the problem of dealing with extreme pain and addiction. Fishermen are more likely to die from opioid overdoses due to their job-related pain and the high costs associated with working on boats. The organization's navigators help address this issue by educating fishermen about the importance of their jobs and the need for first aid. They also provide training on carrying Narcan and its use, with navigators trained as recovery coaches. The organization partners with various treatment groups, including trauma support, to help fishermen navigate the challenges of substance use disorder and other workplace issues. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors J.J. highlights the importance of the people, such as Governor Maura Healey and Mayor of New Bedford, who have supported the program and worked with him. He also mentions the connection between the fishing industry and the city of Boston's history. He also mentions his experience working with Senator Kennedy and his staff. Timestamps: 02:04: Career Beginnings and Graduate School  03:36: Healthcare Coverage for Fishermen  05:18: Challenges and Successes of the Health Plan 06:30: Healthcare Options for Independent Workers  14:34: Structure and Funding of the Health Plan 21:44: Transition to Statewide and National Reform  24:30: Impact on the Fishing Industry and Community  43:39: Current Work and Future Goals  43:53: Reflections on Harvard and Career Influences  Links: Website: Fishingpartnership.org. Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode is The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, recommended by Jenny Atkinson who reports: “Hi. I'm Jenny Atkinson, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Boys and Girls Clubs are places young people can go during out of school hours to get educational support, participate in sports, arts and other programs, build positive relationships with peers and adults and just have fun. They're usually in the most under resourced communities in a city or town. I started volunteering at a Boys and Girls Club when I was a freshman at Harvard, and have worked at the national office and as an executive director of a club and always a supporter of their work. You can learn more at BGC, a.org where you can search for the Boys and Girls Club nearest you. Check out your local club. They're some of the most hopeful and joyful places I spend time. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: https://www.bgca.org/  

Show Notes: Christiane Pendarvis found her career passion in retail and retail merchandising in Neiman Marcus department stores in Dallas, Texas. She started working in a high-end department store, and  after working in the retail industry, she went back to business school and earned an MBA.  Experience as a Team Lead and Mentor After business school, Christiane worked at Procter & Gamble in their brand management arena, but she missed retail and has been there ever since. Throughout her career, she has worked for various large brands and has  moved across the country, including Dallas, North Carolina, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; New York City and finally L.A. She worked at various companies and gained exposure to different mentalities which gave her valuable experience  in both life and work and she explains how her personal growth impacted her professional growth. Her desire today,  as a senior executive, anchors on impact and exposure, showcasing the possibilities for other women. She feels blessed to have gone through these moves, cities, and companies, and has been able to impact and expose a wide group of people. She shares a story of how she helped team members grow professionally when working for a direct to consumer retailer in New York City, overseeing websites and a third-party marketplace business. Christiane aims to guide and develop people by considering both the company's needs and individual needs, leveraging their strengths to drive business performance while escalating learning, growth, and confidence. Working as CO President and Chief Merchant at Savage  As CO president and chief merchant at Savage X Fenty lingerie by Rihanna, Christiane talks about  her experience in merchandising roles. She describes the role as similar to a buying role, where it involves sourcing product, pricing, inventory. However, at Savage X Fenty, Christiane oversaw all functions related to product creation, including designers, fabric suppliers, technical designers, production teams, and inventory management. The role involves working on various products at different stages of development, such as holiday assortments, samples, and inventory management. Each season is at a different stage, making it challenging to balance the development of different products while also managing the business. Christiane enjoys this dynamic role as it allows him to be inspired but also tactical in solving problems.In addition to overseeing the merchandising team, she also manages e-commerce and direct to consumer sales.  The Pandemic - A Rocket Year Christiane shares her experiences at Savages during the pandemic. The  business started in May 2018 just before the pandemic. The business tripled its size in 2020 due to the pandemic, which was a surprise blessing for the business, as it was a direct-to-consumer business that relied on social media to attract customers. In 2021, the business almost doubled from the previous year, with a total employee base of 225 people. This growth was not only financial but also a success as a leader and executive. The company also opened retail stores, with hundreds of additional employees. Managing supply chain challenges during the pandemic was challenging, but the overall impact on the business and the cultural relevance of Savage was also a proud moment for Christiane.  The Apparel Industry Culture Christiane talks about the misconceptions people may have about the apparel industry. She explains it is not all as glamorous as many people think. It is a hyper-competitive, business-oriented industry with sustainability challenges. The best people and retailers are run well, like any other business. Victoria's Secret, for example, has a $7 billion revenue business. When it comes to business, it's not just about glamor; it's about strategic product selection, consumer appeal, positioning in the marketplace, and competitiveness. People sometimes underestimate the importance of retail, thinking it's a great place to be if you're a business. However, the industry is not just about fashion, it has challenges surrounding sustainability, and responsible growth. Staying  in Tune with the Market Christiane shares what she has learned about merchandising and her approach to staying in tune with the market, the importance of testing and learning, and hiring the right people for the right roles. She acknowledges that she is not a trend-setter and that she may not be able to keep up with all the latest trends. She believes that having the right people in the right roles is essential for a company to succeed. She explains how she manages her employees to help them improve their performance, enjoy their work, and remain loyal to the company. While she may not be in the loop with general trends, she does keep up with product trends. She enjoys spending time in stores and trying new beauty products, but culturally, she may not be the best person to stay updated on the latest trends. She also explains how she hires talent and ensures a cultural fit. Personal and Professional Growth Christiane shares her journey of self-acceptance and the unexpected opportunities she has encountered. She admits to never having considered becoming the CEO of a company, and has learned now to feel more comfortable not knowing and reaching out for help. She acknowledges that the false narrative of having to have it all together and expose herself to others' perspectives is a false narrative. Her openness towards uncertainty and seeking help has helped build success in her career. She has developed a long-term career plan based on exploration and curiosity, focusing on opportunities that have opened doors she couldn't have predicted.  Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard Christiane highlights her involvement in various activities and courses. She started a basketball cheerleaders group, which provided her with broader exposure and allowed her to meet interesting people from different circles within the community. She also enjoyed supporting the sports team and was a member of Kuumba, a group that provided a platform for her to sing and perform and build a strong network of friends. She was treasurer of the organization that helped fund a Kuumba tour.  Christiane believes that the tight network she formed at Harvard has remained strong even 35 years later, with deeper friendships formed due to the shared experience and respect within the class.  Timestamps: 01:53: Career journey, impact on people, and self-acceptance 07:38: Leadership and development of employees in a retail setting 12:25: Product development and inventory management in the lingerie industry 17:21: Business growth and celebrity involvement 22:41: Misconceptions about the fashion industry, merchandising, and consumer understanding 28:38: Talent selection and cultural fit in leadership roles 34:14: Career journey, self-acceptance, and personal growth 40:35: Shared experiences and bonds formed at Harvard University 35 years after graduation Links:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianependarvis Featured Non-profit The featured non-profit of this episode is the Global Medical Research Institute, recommended by  Candy Gunther Brown who reports:  “Hi, I'm Candy Gunther Brown, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Global Medical Research Institute, or GMRI. Gmri supports evidence-based research on Christian healing prayer by publishing randomized, controlled trials and case reports in peer reviewed medical journals. Spiritual healing practices like mindfulness and yoga are better studied, though, Christian healing prayer is more common. Doctors and patients and skeptics and believers all have a stake in knowing whether Christian healing prayer helps or harms and which approaches are most clinically beneficial. I'm privileged to have co-founded and served on the GMRI Board for the past 13 years. You can learn more about their work at global mri.org that's G, l, O, B, A, L, M, R, I, dot O, R, G, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.   To learn more about their work visit: https://www.globalmri.org/

Show Notes: In this panel discussion, Lisa Carlin, director of Future Builders and author of the newsletter Turbocharge Weekly, and strategy execution specialist  introduces the three panelists, who discuss the challenges of traditional strategy development, including volatility, uncertain business environments, and significant digital and AI disruption. The panelists,  Will Bachman, Founder of Umbrex, a global community of independent management consultants,  Alex M.H. Smith, breakthrough strategist and author of No Bullshit Strategy, and Rob McLean, investor, philanthropist and co-author of  two books on strategy, discuss the challenges of traditional approaches to business strategy.  The Problem of Business Strategy Rob emphasizes that, previously, strategies were deterministic and assumed certainty in business plans. However, increasingly, there is global uncertainty, and risk and probability should be included in a strategy. He mentions that there are assumptions about uncertainty that don't hold true. He also highlights the fast change and that the cadence of strategy is changing, but despite this, many enterprises are locked into three and five-year plans.  Alex explains why he believes that many businesses lack understanding of effective strategy development and deployment. He emphasizes the importance of making precepts accessible, engaging, interesting, and usable for medium-sized businesses. He believes that traditional strategy is not bullshit but has limited purchase as it doesn't address the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. Will shares his experience with 500 conversations per year with clients seeking consultants, and he shares the main trends in what clients want from consultants and states that it has not changed dramatically over the years, but he also stresses the need for alignment, clarity, and action. Alex identifies the importance of substance and the ability to convert to action. He mentions the difficulty of achieving engagement, encouraging action, and the underemphasis of style in communications. He suggests thinking about strategy as a motivational discipline. Alex suggests that focusing more on sexing up the strategy can make a significant difference in making progress. He suggests that if strategy is viewed as a motivational discipline, it is essential to motivate people to do it. He believes that making the strategy “sexier” will bring stronger results in engaging and motivating buy-in. Problem-solving, Strategic Intent and Strategic Development Robs talks problem-solving as a driver of strategic development. The identified problems are  viewed through different lenses to achieve a 360-understanding. He mentions the greater premium on new data, and on trials and experiments, and mentions strategy that includes peeling back layers of uncertainty, putting people in a position where they can make decisions and evolve the strategy. He uses an example from Amazon to illustrate this.  He also points out that strategic intent is often confused with strategy, as strategy is an integrated set of actions that build value and competitive advantage. Rob shares his experience with the concept of continuous development,  and how businesses have changed the timeline on strategic development and clarity on the future. Alex states that medium-sized businesses face a challenge in understanding strategy literature, as it is often constructed to be relevant to large, polar businesses like Amazon. This makes the strategy literature inaccessible for single-brand founders or CEOs, as it is often too broad. This gap in communication between the concerns of large companies and those running small businesses makes it difficult for the latter to effectively develop and communicate their strategies. Business Strategy in the Context of Technology and Culture The discussion revolves around the impact of AI on consulting and strategy building. Lisa mentions a top-rated technology podcast, which emphasizes that the number one difference will be strategy and that the most significant impact of AI will be on product managers.  Will builds on the use of AI for strategy consultants. He explains the difference between  skills and services that rise in status and which ones are lower in status and where using AI is applicable. He offers examples on both using an energy storage company as an example.   Dark Room Consulting Lisa brings the discussion towards  “dark room” consulting where the consultants and executives operate in private before disclosing the strategy to the company at large. Alex  explains why he prefers this approach, stating that while it may not be politically beneficial, it can provide a sense of involvement and ownership for a radical, meaningful move. However, this approach can also lead to a slightly autocratic approach, as seen with Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, who were both successful business leaders but also tyrants in their own businesses. Rob talks about the workers' strategy as bifurcating, and he shares an example from McKinsey where they used AI, and that employing “dark room” tactics can work well however working closely with the front line is also important in strategy building. Will shares a story from his days as a submarine officer that clearly demonstrates the benefits and need of front line work a consultant needs to do. This also involves gathering information, and Alex adds how this allows everyone to feel involved, while maintaining the core idea and decision-making  back to the people who lead the company. While this approach may not be as democratic as some may prefer, it is essential for businesses to adapt and evolve to stay competitive in today's competitive market. Q&A Session The conversation opens up to questions and panelists are asked to share one recommendation. Rob suggests a problem-solving approach that recognises uncertainty, a tolerance for ambiguity, and taking steps forward feeling the stones beneath the feet. Alex states that, if a change in results is desired, changes to strategy must be made. Will focuses on implementation, stating that strategy implementation, or execution, or transformation is in high-demand and notes that increased resources in these directions are needed to make the change happen. The conversation covers a variety of areas including strong leadership vs. dictatorship, helping people feel comfortable with uncertainty, the need for monitoring and evaluation improvement during implementation, and the importance of measuring the impact of their work, particularly in implementation. And finally, the audience shares their key takeaways from the discussion.   Timestamps: 05:43: Strategy development for small to medium-sized businesses 10:11: Strategies for effective communication and implementation in business 17:01: Strategy in a rapidly changing world, with a focus on dealing with uncertainty and ambiguity 25:08: Strategic planning for businesses of varying sizes, with a focus on the challenges of scaling and the importance of industry knowledge 31:04: The impact of AI on strategy development and execution 37:13: Strategy development, emphasizing the importance of gathering insights from frontline employees and changing meaningful aspects of the business to improve results 42:46: How to handle uncertainty in business strategies 47:33: Implementing strategies with uncertain outcomes Links: Connect with the other two panelists on LinkedIn:  Robert McLean:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mclean-412268ba/ Alex M. H. Smith:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/ Connect with Lisa Carlin on LinkedIn  Connect on LinkedIn   For for more like this, please subscribe to Turbocharge Weekly: Fast-track your strategy. 3 tips in 3 minutes from 50+ implementations. Join 8,000 leaders now. https://info.theturbochargers.com/register-turbocharge-weekly 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.

Show Notes: David Willbrand got married immediately after graduation in 1992. He talks about that period of uncertainty many graduates experience after school, and David did not have a clear professional direction, but with an interest in politics, he started working on a campaign for a city council candidate in Cincinnati, which was short-lived but did lead to a position with the Ohio EPA. David explains that he didn't have a particular interest in working in government or environmental regulation but he needed a job and so took a job with the EPA, which involved climbing smokestacks, not something he had prepared for! Testing Smokestacks for the EPA David's job was to ensure that the testing would take place properly. He was onsite at regulated entities who had big smokestacks that needed to be tested periodically for particulate emissions and didn't welcome the EPA oversight.  He would climb the 300ft smokestacks  in cold weather, sitting up there for eight hours to monitor the people actually doing the testing, aware of the potential impact the emissions were having on his health. Desperate for a new direction, David decided to pursue law  at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.  He shared how his unusual approach (desperation meets urgency) encouraged the admissions department into accepting his application.  He reflects that he hated the smokestack job is glad he did it, because it forced him to take a step in a new direction. Life at Law School and into the .Com Era David shares his love for law school, in particular the direct interaction he had with the faculty. He compares it to his experience at Harvard, where, with respect to the faculty, he felt like he fell through the cracks. He went into law school without a clear understanding of what it meant to be a lawyer. He initially thought about environmental law but found it unsuitable due to the preference for engineers. He stumbled into corporate law and found the deal work and transactional work enjoyable. He was offered a job at a Cincinnati law firm in 1996, graduating in 1996. The date is relevant because 1996 is typically noted as the beginning of the .com era, and suddenly there were multiple  requests to deal with the legalities surrounding startups. Startup work became his area of focus. From Cincinnati to a San Francisco Law Firm and Back Again He was offered a job at a law firm in Boulder and spent three years there, advancing his career and skill set. However, life threw a curveball, and he and his family decided to return to Cincinnati in 2000. David worked remotely for a year with a .com company based in Ottawa and New York City. However, the .com bubble burst, and David decided to leave. At 32 with two kids and a wife, he joined another startup in Cincinnati, a B2B SaaS company. This was a difficult experience, as the company had to lay off many people and he had to take on more responsibilities in finance and HR. Working with Founders and  Startups In 2004, David decided to return to a law firm environment; he joined Thompson Hine, an AmLaw 200 law firm, in 2004. They wanted to create a startup and venture capital practice in the Midwest, and David was interested in being on the front edge of that pioneering activity. Working with startup companies and founders, he had the privilege of being a key advisor and gaining exposure to various industries such as biotech, hardware, devices, apps, and social media, and David shares how he liked being involved at the leading edge of innovation. He also felt that having a stake in the innovation economy was important for the future of the Midwest, and it was emotionally rewarding to participate in that mission. From Private Practice to Chief Legal Officer at Pacaso David shares that he got divorced in 2008 and remarried a year later to a woman he practiced with. He explains why they decided to live remotely for the first decade of their marriage. After the pandemic, David felt restless in his legal practice; he needed either a new direction or to change the configuration of his practice. He kept his eyes open for opportunities. He had worked with a client who had sold a company to Zillow and had started a new company called Pacaso. Pacaso was growing rapidly and needed a chief legal officer due to the complexity of the business and legal demands. In April 2021, David walked away from his practice, which he had built over 17 years, and has been at Pacaso since then. He explains that this experience highlights the importance of adapting to change and staying curious about new opportunities in one's career. Making a Long Distance Marriage Work David discusses the challenges of long distance marriages. He believes that the paradigm may be more workable for second marriages due to different expectations in duties. There are challenges, but a big benefit is that the couple really values their time together and doesn't take it for granted. They also get to spend time together without their children (when their children are with their other parents). This segmented approach can allow for a balanced relationship and lifestyle. Counseling Clients and Monetizing Skills David discusses his experience as an attorney and how he found himself as a business counselor to his clients as well. He talks about the difficulties many startup founders face and how he became a person they could talk to, and how he built strong relationships with his clients. He also shares that he has found that using his legal skills through side hustles can be a rewarding experience. David is currently an adjunct law professor at the University of Michigan Law School, and has taught courses on mergers and acquisitions, business associations, agency and partnership and, currently, startups and venture capital, for 20 years. He also works with various incubators and accelerators to help founders and startups. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses David's undergraduate experience at Harvard helped him develop critical thinking skills, which are essential for success in law school and other careers. He believes that his undergraduate experience at Harvard helped him unpack inherited beliefs and biases, making him a more dimensional human. He was actively involved at Phillips Brooks House, and the Food Salvage initiative, which provided food to homeless shelters around Cambridge. His experience exposed him to social issues and helped him develop a skill set for running an organization. He learned about people, deliverables, supply chains, and customers, which he believes were invaluable in running a business. David also shared his conservative, evangelical Christian background, which influenced his political, social, and cultural views from his youth through his time at Harvard and into his 30s. However, as he grew older, he struggled with this belief system, and eventually moved in a different direction and built his life on a different set of values and principles.    Timestamps: 02:22: Career choices, job dissatisfaction, and law school admission 08:49: Inspecting smokestacks with a wand-like device 11:29: Career path and personal growth in law 17:12: Career changes, challenges, and lessons learned 20:29 Career journey in law firm environment, including startup work and personal life 27:02: Career growth and change, with a focus on a lawyer's transition from outside counsel to chief legal officer 29:33 The benefits of long-distance relationships for couples with children, with insights on how it can positively impact work-life balance and communication 36:35: Career development and pattern recognition in law 39:21: Personal growth, education, and entrepreneurship 45:29: Religious beliefs and their evolution in a Harvard student's life Links: David's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-willbrand-9062011/ Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode is The Kentucky Student Voice Team, recommended by Rachel Burg Belin who reports: “Hi, I'm Rachel Burg Belin, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of the 92 report is the Kentucky Student Voice Team. The Kentucky Student Voice Team is an independent youth led intergenerationally sustained organization. The mission is to support young people as education research, policy and storytelling partners to co create more just democratic schools and communities. I love the work of this organization. So much so that ever since 2012 When I worked with a team of high school students to conceive and CO design it, I've been pouring my everything into it. I also serve as its managing partner. You can learn more about the Kentucky student voice team@ksvt.org And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: https://www.ksvt.org/  

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman discusses cold outreach with David Fields. David advises that cold outreach is a last resort tactic and should not be included in the mix of marketing strategies. Instead, he suggests that consulting firms should focus on the five marketing musts to build their network. Why Cold Outreach is Inefficient David emphasizes that cold outreach is remarkably inefficient for most consultants, as it is often slow to close and has a long sales cycle. He suggests that firms should experiment with cold outreach to find the best approach based on client feedback and experience. David also shares some historical insights about cold outreach. Cold outreach tends to respond better when closer to product sales when hardcore selling messages works better. David states that, when selling expertise and experience which is trust driven, cold outreach doesn't work well.   The Aggressive Reframe Approach Aggressive reframe, which involves asking for something rather than just asking for it, can also work well for cold outreach. David suggests that most consulting firms think they should differentiate versus competition, but this is not how they win business. David explains what the aggressive reframe approach is and how it works for consultants. The 111 Messaging Effective Outreach Technique  David discusses the effectiveness of 111 messaging, a technique developed for cool contacts in your network core. This approach is particularly effective for cold outreach on LinkedIn, as it requires some modifications. He explains that 111 messaging is a way to construct messages to people, focusing on the other person and their needs. It is a right-side-up email, one line, and one question that must be easy to answer. The 111 approach is designed for cold outreach and works well on LinkedIn. The message should be one-sided, one-line, and asks one simple question. The message should be short and simple, and the recipient should be able to answer the question easily. David shares the response rate from this technique, which is better than any other engagement technique, and offers examples of simple questions to ask.  How to Use Cold Outreach Effectively David Fields discusses using cold outreach correctly  in acquiring clients. He believes that it is not efficient enough to get leads, as it requires a long sales cycle and a high close rate. To do cold outreach correctly, he suggests viewing it as the first step in a three-year process of winning clients and think of it as an investment in gaining future clients. David shares his tips on how to engage someone connected through LinkedIn who may be a potential client. The best practices in messaging are discussed, including keeping messages short to the point and focused on a topic that meets the needs or interests of the recipient. David also shares a story about using focus groups and how companies can be encouraged to launch products that nobody wants. He talks about  the Ben Franklin approach, which involves asking for a small favor instead of trying to give a favor, such as asking for help on articles, webinars, research, podcasts, or other activities. How to Use Content as Lead Magnets The conversation turns to the concept of lead magnets, which is content that people can download and engage with on social media. David offers the example of his two published books which have generated millions of dollars in business. He believes that a book is a lead magnet, but it is not free on the website. He suggests that the best way to convert people who consume content into clients is by creating an opportunity for them to join in and engage in conversation. It is suggested that, instead of just putting content out there, it is important to create engagement and opportunities for people to join in and interact with the content.  It is recommended that, if someone comments or downloads a piece, there are steps that need to be taken to reach out to that person.  Higher engagement approaches, webinars, and podcasts that generate a conversation have been more successful than just putting content and lead magnets out there. David discusses the importance of making it easy for people to reach out to a firm. He believes that longevity and having published around 500 articles in addition to books contribute to this success. He also mentions that they do not engage with their tribe members, but rather let them know about the boutique consulting Forum and he discusses models for engaging with tribe members. Timestamps: 04:55: Cold outreach techniques, including Ben Franklin approach and 111 messaging 10:03 Using 111 outreach for consulting firms to re engage with leads 17:16 LinkedIn outreach strategies for connecting with potential clients 20:37: Lead magnets, cold outreach, and converting blog subscribers to clients 26:35: Creating opportunities for conversation in content marketing 32:24: Cold outreach effectiveness with client success stories Links: Sales Benchmarks: https://www.davidafields.com/important-sales-benchmark-for-your-consulting-firm/ Website: www.davidafields.com.  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.

Show Notes: As a student, Elijah Aron started writing plays, musicals, and making weird films with friends. After school, he moved to San Francisco and started a theater company with friends from college. They transformed an old shoe store into a theater, where Elijah worked and slept. He talks about the imaginative and adventurous shows, which included surrealist works and musical elements, and simulated carnival rides, but despite their creative success, he struggled financially and worked as a temp and at a bookstore to support himself where he met a wide assortment of interesting individuals. Working in Television Elijah initially pursued the idea theater, as he was drawn to weird art and unconventional ideas. He explains how he began to write scripts for a TV show called Black Scorpion and in 2000, Elijah moved to LA to try his hand at the TV business where he started working as a low-level executive at Disney Television Animation. Tips on Pitching a Television Show Elijah talks about his career at Disney where he became a development executive, helped produce cartoons and look for new shows. He shares tips on pitching that he learned from this experience, including which pitches sold and why. He emphasizes the importance of being relaxed and friendly in meetings, as well as summarizing the idea in a sentence to sell it. His job involved listening to pitches and working as a programming executive, reading every draft of the script, and looking at storyboards. Elijah also developed and wrote television shows, and he wrote some TV movies. However, he wanted to move into adult TV and was hired on the show Drawn Together, which was an animated reality show with different characters from different cartoons. 100000 Jokes and Working in the Writer's Room Elijah talks about his experience in TV writers rooms and recalls the first joke that got him quoted in TV Guide. He spent a decade of writing for network sitcoms, including Better Off Ted and Raising Hope. Elijah's work on these shows was characterized by stress, high-pressure work, and a focus on ratings. He enjoyed working with talented writers and developing sitcoms, but eventually changed course to work on Bojack Horseman, an animated show about a horse actor dealing with depression, and Undone, an animated show about a young woman who learns to move through time and space. He states that being a TV writer is challenging, as it involves collaboration, rewriting, and finding the right balance between being funny and not being offensive. He talks about writing jokes and how he combines inspiration and a method of thinking that helps him find the funny. He also mentions that most writers do not want to use AI for ideas and/or writing, but that it can be useful for research. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Elijah discusses his lifelong career in the arts, focusing on his extracurricular activities such as creating weird plays and participating in a community of artists. He mentions his experiences with free speech and the creation of a zine called The Little Friend at Harvard, where anyone could publish opinions. He also shared a story about making white jumpsuits with numbers on the back, which led to a cultural education. He took animation classes with Derek Lamb and Janet Perlman, which provided him with a history of animation and allowed him to create his own films. He also mentioned that he is a fan of Helen Venders' poetry classes. Timestamps: 05:08: Creating and staging surreal, experimental plays in college 09:43: Career paths, including temping, writing, and TV production 16:58: TV show development and pitching, with insights on what sells and what doesn't  22:07: Writing for TV shows, including jokes and animation experience 27:02: TV writing career, from sitcoms to animated shows 33:12: TV writing, comedy vs. drama, and joke-writing process 38:16: Using AI in TV writing, personal experiences, and career development Links: Undone: https://www.amazon.com/Undone-Season-1/dp/B0875GVR67 Instagram: @things_in_elijahs_house Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode is Healthy Humor Inc., recommended by Reggie Williams who reports: “Hi, I'm Reggie Williams, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of the 92 report is healthy humor. Healthy humor is an arts organization whose professional performers create moments of joy, wonder, laughter and comfort for hospitalized children and their families during some of their most difficult times. I'm proud to have served on the board for healthy humor for more than two years. Alongside our classmate Derek Horner, who's the board's chair. You can learn more about their work at healthyhumorinc.org. And now, here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”   To learn more about their work visit: https://www.healthyhumorinc.org/

Andrew Ott left college to work at a nonprofit, then moved into technology research and small internet startups before returning to nonprofits and working in social entrepreneurship in Brazil and Rwanda. Now, he runs his own nonprofit, training people from low-income backgrounds, particularly people of color and women, how to code, program websites, and launch new careers.   College Friendships One of the elements of Harvard that have continued to influence his life is his long-term relationship with his Harvard roommates. They regularly get together once or twice a year, getting their families together and doing fun things together. This group of friends has evolved over time, with some being good planners and others not. The tradition started in college, where they would go to one person's house on Memorial Day weekend and bring friends. After college, they spread out to different cities and eventually started renting houses when they had more income. Andrew reflects on the gift of having friends from high school and college.   Travel and Working in Tech Andrew talks about the early days of his career. Initially, he needed some time off from college and decided to go to Spain with his roommate. This experience provided him with a new adventure, fluency in Spanish, and a change in worldview. After his father's death, Andrew considered joining the Peace Corps, but he explains how serendipity stepped into his life and helped him secure a position as webmaster at Forrester Research.   From Spain to Brazil After Forrester, Andrew planned to go to Argentina, but changed plans due to the country's economic difficulties. He spent several months researching and interviewing people connected to Argentina, which led to a job offer at an International publishing house which was offering a salary of $8,000 or $9,000 per year. Despite his interest in the job, the pay was too low to accept, and he returned to the U.S., with a stop-over to Brazil en route. He met up with old friends who live in Sao Paulo. While there, he noticed the abundance of international brands and helipads in Sao Paulo, and decided to pursue work there where his experience working with Forrester and his knowledge as a webmaster was in high demand. Andrew recounts his experience working for startups in Brazil, where he initially worked for four years building websites. He eventually decided to return to nonprofits, starting with CDI, a Brazilian nonprofit that builds computer and citizenship schools in poor neighborhoods across Brazil. He studied nonprofit management and international relations at the Kennedy School.   Social Entrepreneurship in Rwanda The conversation turns to his work in Rwanda where he explored the concept of social entrepreneurship, which is a startup approach with a social goal.  He joined TechnoServe, an organization that was involved in the coffee project funded by the Gates Foundation. The goal was to draw together smallholder coffee farmers into collectives and sell their products to major coffee roasters like Starbucks. TechnoServe intentionally cut out middlemen, ensuring that more of the profit goes back to the farmer. This approach has a positive socio-economic effect on agricultural communities, improving their standard of living, school rates, education rates, and health. Andrew worked with a small entrepreneur to improve his coffee cooperative's business operation. He shares how they discovered fraud in the coffee cooperatives and how they dealt with it.    How CodeSquad Works Andrew talks about CodeSquad, a nonprofit organization, which trains individuals from low-income backgrounds, focusing on people of color, women, and marginalized communities, without any computer or software background, in entry areas or full stack website development. The organization works with these individuals to find jobs in software, which can significantly impact their livelihoods. The average reported salary for a job in software is over $100,000 a year. Some participants have been homeless or couchsurfing during the program, but the program has had some amazing outcomes, including the range of jobs the participants can apply for after going through the program. The program is now entirely online. This decision-making process is more efficient and effective than traditional interviews. The program has seen a significant increase in interest, with over 1000 people interested in the program this year. Andrew shares information on cost per graduate and funding for the program.   Challenges Faced by People in the Tech Industry Andrew discusses the challenges faced by people in the tech industry, including the need for education and the educational requirements. He mentions that the minimum requirements for a software developer job are a high school diploma or GED, authorization to work in the United States, and passing through the admissions process. Success in the industry is determined by perseverance and code switching, which can be difficult for those without corporate work experience.   Influential Harvard Professors and Courses  Andrew mentions Professor Joseph Nye, Jr., and his Historical Studies course on International Relations. He was fascinated by geopolitics and power dynamics between countries in other groups.  Links: https://codesquad.org/ Timestamps: 02:24 Maintaining long-term friendships through regular get-togethers with families and friends.  05:35 Maintaining friendships over time and across distances, with personal anecdotes and experiences 12:17 Career trajectory shift from tech support to web development 15:35 Career path and experience in Brazil 21:16 Social entrepreneurship in Rwanda with a focus on coffee farmers 23:48 Coffee fraud in Rwanda, with a focus on a middleman's inflated expenses 29:45 Nonprofit training low-income individuals in software development, with successful job placement outcomes 31:40 Predicting success in a coding boot camp program 37:43 Non-profit organization CodeSquad's mission to help low-income individuals gain coding skills and find jobs in tech industry   Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode is The Baby Jesus Community of Petropolis, recommended by Roger Landry who reports: Hi, this is Roger Landry class of 1992, who had the privilege to be interviewed by Will in Episode 42. The featured nonprofit in this episode of the 92 report is The Baby Jesus Community of Petropolis, Brazil. Founded in 1990 by Tonio Tavares, a teacher for Special Needs teens, who, when the Brazilian government pulled its funding, ended up adopting all 45 Special Needs teens and adults and caring for them ever since. I first found out about this extraordinary organization, when I was working as a diplomat at the United Nations. And since then I've helped them get established as a US 501 C-three, contributed to their many needs, and tried to help them find others in the United States who might be able to assist in their beautiful and literally life saving work. You can learn more about their work at their website. communidade.jesusmenino.org.br for Brazil. I'll spell it that is: C OMUNIDADEJESUSME N I N O dot org.br for Brazil, or if that's too complicated, just email me at Catholic priest@columbia.edu Thanks so much for your consideration. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode. To learn more about their work visit: https://comunidadejesusmenino.org.br/

Show Notes: Somava Saha's interest in medical school began late in her career. She studied molecular biology in her fourth year at Harvard, but she eventually enrolled in the Berkeley UCSF joint MediCal program. There, she learned about medicine from the perspective of people and cases, as well as the economics of medicine and the history of healthcare and public health. She also completed a master's thesis with the Bahai Community Health Partnership in Guyana, South America, where she worked alongside community health workers, villagers, and teachers to create conditions for collective healing. Somava explains the approach taken and how it led to significant health improvements, such as 90% reductions in malaria rates and elimination of acquired developmental delays.  Getting to Know the People Who Experience Homelessness  Somava also talks about the impact the Spare Change newspaper and getting to know the people experiencing homelessness in Harvard Square had on her and her career. She started to get involved in programs like Phillips Brooks House, and food recovery programs. By listening to the stories of people who were homeless, Somava found that there was an incredible wealth of human potential and people with enormous gifts to offer one another and others in creating communities. This experience taught her how to value the knowledge stored in stories, how to connect people's stories with policies, and see the gift in others as valuable tools for creating better change.  Community-driven Change Somava talks about her time at Harvard Medical School and the Cambridge Health Alliance. She learned about the importance of community-driven change and how it can build social connections and change systems. During her residency training, Somava learned about the differences in structures and systems. She also encountered the challenges of supporting patients who had recently been assaulted. She talks about the process of collecting evidence and how this experience led to her belief in a model of seamless care that demonstrates true dignity and cultural competence is an important model to follow. She realized that the presence or absence of money does not determine whether systems work for people and communities experiencing inequities. Instead, it is the choices we make as a society and how structures and systems are designed to create a sense of dignity. Leading a Community Health Center Somava talks about leading a community health center in Revere, using the same lessons and methods as her life at Cambridge Health Alliance. Over the next two and a half years, the center became known as a national model, and she became elected as the next president of the medical staff. Somava went on to become the Vice President leading the care transformation in Massachusetts. The transformation focused on designing a system that works for people, giving dignity and agency, and valuing all workers based on their expertise, talents, gifts, and contributions. This transformation was chosen by the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation as one for innovative and effective transformations in the country. Designing a Health System that Works Somava realized that health doesn't happen when someone goes into the doctor's office, but rather throughout life, leading to toxic stress and harmful outcomes. This led her to propose the 100 million healthier lives initiative, which built a global network across 30 countries and over 1850 partners reaching over 500 million people. In three and a half years, the network improved 738 million lives. She also founded Well Being and Equity in the World, focusing on changing the underlying conditions and root causes that perpetuate harm in people's lives, holding back their potential throughout their lifespan. A Progressive Medical Clinic Model Somava explains what made the Revere Clinic a progressive model and offers an example of how it worked for patients. The clinic created high-functioning teams to cater to the needs of the community, ensuring longer hours and safety appointments. The clinic recognized the importance of community members, such as medical assistants and receptionists, who could play a larger role than their technical capacity. Revere changed its financing model to focus on improving health and connecting with people throughout the year. They focussed on quality of care over quantity, building relationships, and supporting the patients. These approaches are just a few that were incorporated and prioritized preventative care, chronic disease management, and provided more time and coaching for individuals to work on their health and well-being goals.  Creating Well-being Initiatives Somava has worked with over 500 communities across the nation, including black, indigenous Latinx, and other communities, to create wellbeing initiatives designed by people closest to the problems. These initiatives saved over 60,000 years of life and helped communities of color, expunged prison records, and fed and housed the community back in their homes.She emphasizes the importance of understanding that those experiencing inequities have enormous gifts to offer the nation and that it is a loss is when we prevent them from expressing their genius. A Mission to Advance Well-being Somava's mission is to advance intergenerational well-being and equity based on racial and economic justice. She talks about methods employed to create pathways for intergenerational health building and community building, including the Well Being in the Nation network, which connects the dots across organizations and provides support in multiple ways. Many of their initiatives and frameworks have been adopted by organizations and federal agencies.  The most important part of their work is building community, and building change agents who can create better change. They have worked with organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the CDC, and the Surgeon General to build capacity in the public health system and to create a network of change agents. Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Somava mentions professor Diana Ecks on World Religions, and courses Lessons Learned from the Weimar Republic, Medical Anthropology Timestamps: 05:17 Healthcare, poverty, and social connection 10:18 Homelessness, poverty, and healthcare 18:11 Improving healthcare systems for marginalized communities 24:05 Transforming healthcare through community-centered approaches 28:45 Healthcare system redesign for better patient outcomes 36:43 Improving diabetes care through patient-led groups 40:56 Trusting patients' knowledge for health and wellness 46:07 Building collective leadership for health equity Links: Website:  https://weintheworld.org/ Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode is CAPE, recommended by Melinda Hsu Taylor who reports: “Hi, this is Melinda Hsu from the class of 1992. And this week's featured organization is the coalition of Asian Pacific's in entertainment. They're a group that's been around for about 30 years in Hollywood, fostering and Amplifying Voices from the creative side from the industry talent side, all from the Asian Pacific Islander native Hawaiian community. And I'm very pleased to have been involved with many of their outreach programs and the Asian American writers brunch, as well as the mentoring program that they have through not just the cape writers fellowship, but also the showrunner incubator, which I'm helping launch this year. And I hope that you will look up their website which is Cape usa.org To find out more about the work they do the initiatives and also the screenings and the kind of like programs that they do to let people know about what films are coming out and how to support them and how to get involved with all of these things. And now here is Will Bachman and this week's episode.” To learn more about their work visit: CapeUSA.org

Show Notes: Julie Lin was a medical student at Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons when she met her future husband. It was the first day of medical school and they met while attending a class where they were both serious amateur classical musicians. Julie talks about their shared love of music and how they planned to have a family quartet.  The All-state Orchestra Model Julie shares her story of starting an orchestra at medical school, which initially had a traditional weekly rehearsal and concert. However, they found that the show rate was low as exam time approached, leading to the creation of the Allstate orchestra model. This model involved distributing music and parts ahead of time, having a three or four-hour rehearsal, and playing in front of an invited live audience. Experiences at Medical School  Julie initially thought she would be a clinician, but during her nephrology fellowship program, she trains to become a specialist in kidney medicine, she also became interested in clinical research. This realization led her to pursue academic nephrology, which was life-changing for her. After her husband's residency and postdoctoral training in Boston, Julie started working as an instructor at Harvard Medical School and attending physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital. As part of her job offer, she negotiated for funding from the nephrology division to obtain a Master's in Public Health from Harvard, focusing on quantitative analysis rather than policy. Working in Nephrology Research Julie worked as an investigator in the Channing laboratory at Brigham and Women's Harvard, where they had ongoing cohort studies of health professionals for over 10 years. She was one of the many NIH-funded investigators in the Nurses Health Study, a cohort study of  >120,000 US nurses who signed up in 1976. A subset of women in the study had submitted blood and urine samples, which allowed for analyses of  change in estimated kidney function over 11 years between 1989 and 2000.   Kidney Function Decline Research  Julie's research included looking at diet, nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns and how they impacted kidney function and change. Work that gained the most media attention was diet work. Her research found that drinking two or more servings of artificially sweetened drinks, likely soda, was associated with a faster kidney function decline in women over 11 years. This was about three times faster than normal aging alone. The researchers adjusted for factors like diabetes and high blood pressure, which are big risk factors for kidney function loss. Julie also talks about research on the Mediterranean diet vs. Western dietary patterns.  Diet for Kidney Health The conversation turns to the concept of the blue zone, which has been associated with longevity and longevity, but that many people living over 100 years in these areas may have exaggerated their age due to poor record keeping. This leads Julie to remark that a main concern for scientists is how well information is being captured and measured.  Julie shares tips on the best diet for kidney health. Low sugar intake is recommended, as it can lead to weight gain and diabetes. Vegetarian diets are also healthy, and fish is recommended as the main source of animal protein. A Clinical Research Career in Industry Julie talks about the reduction in academic research funding, and why she decided to continue her clinical research career in industry, working on clinical trials and developing new drugs. She has worked with Amgen, Genzyme, a rare disease company, as well as at a gene therapy startup called Dimension Therapeutics, which was acquired by Ultragenyx. Her current role is as global project head at Sanofi. She talks about her role and the importance of assessing efficacy and safety of new therapies. Playing in Community Orchestras and Chamber Music Julie explains that, as an amateur musician, she has found it to be a great outlet for her stress and the intense work she had to do while working and taking care of her children when they were younger. She joined a community orchestra in 2012,  since then she has played in a number of community orchestras, including New Philharmonia, Longwood, and Brookline Symphony. Julie has also played with the Mercury Orchestra, founded and conducted by Channing Yu, Class of 93. Recently, she decided to focus on chamber music, which has been her true love. She has a lot of local musician friends to play with. Julie explains that playing chamber music brings a sense of flow and connection to others, making it a great gift.  Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Julie shares her experiences in Harvard's music 180 class, taught by Leon Kirchner and Lynn Chang, which was an intense experience. She also recalls a class where a modern and atonal piece was played by an advanced violinist, which changed her view of Schoenberg's music. She also mentions Helen Vendler's poetry class. Timestamps: 05:38 Medical school experiences, including a non-linear podcast format and a successful orchestra performance 09:30 Career paths in medicine, including becoming a physician scientist, with insights on negotiation for benefits and research in nephrology  16:31 Diet and kidney function, with findings on artificial sweetened drinks and Mediterranean diet 21:17 Aging, nutrition, and kidney health with a former academic researcher turned pharmaceutical industry professional 28:36 Musical experiences and focus on chamber music 33:01 Music, Harvard, and the importance of flow Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lin-md-mph-fasn-71796b2a/   Featured Non-profit The featured non-profit of this episode is Esperanza Shelter, recommended by Caribou Honig who reports “Hi, I'm Caribou Honig, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Esperanza shelter. The shelter does incredibly important work, enabling people and very importantly, their children, to escape abusive relationships throughout northern New Mexico. Equally important, is that they provide a wide range of services to help those survivors get back on their feet, providing everything from emergency shelter to transitional housing to counseling and life skills. My wife and I have been donating to Esperanza shelter since 2020. You can learn more about their work at Esperanza shelter.org. Esperanza for those of you not in the know is the Spanish word for hope. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode. To learn more about their work, visit https://esperanzashelter.org/.

Show Notes: In this discussion, Will Bachman interviews Henry Oliver, author of the forthcoming book Second Act about late bloomers. Oliver has a background in English literature and marketing. He worked for an MP and later in employment marketing.  Defining a Late Bloomer Henry's interest in late bloomers came from his work in employment marketing, and during his research, he found a wealth of talent in an older demographic. During the course of his research, he found that cognitive ability is the number one predictor of job performance regardless of age.  A late bloomer is someone who is no longer expected to achieve anything significant. However, Henry states that many people start a successful career late in life. Henry's book is structured as a series of short biographical sketches that illustrate themes such as the right people, networks, influence, being at the right place, the right time, and meandering career paths that many high profile leaders, including Margaret Thatcher, are prime examples of the late bloomer.  The Focus on the Book His decision to focus more on the biographical sketch approach was influenced by his background as an A talent and employment brand consultant. He believes that the book should be focused on more than just the social science approach, as it allows him to explore the complexity of life.  The concept of inefficient preparation, as discussed by Henry, is a concept that has been gaining attention in recent years, especially with the emergence of AI. He talks about the meandering career path of Calvin Coolidge. He explains that many people are considering how to prepare for different careers. However, he emphasized that this approach is not necessarily always the best career strategy, as it can lead to inefficient outcomes. One example of this is Dwight Eisenhower, who was a young soldier during World War One and was kept in America to train on tanks. Despite the shrinking army and the lack of pay at the end of the war, Eisenhower continued to study military strategy and find mentors, which eventually paid off with the advent of World War Two. Henry mentions that many people have a meandering inefficiency in their careers, and if they can find a way to switch into a more challenging job, it can pay off well. This combination of a wait-and-see approach and serious planning can help individuals make the most of their time and achieve their career goals. How to Make Networking Work  Henry talks about the problem of focusing on building a network and why it's important to find the person with the right influence for whatever it is you want to do right now. He shares an example of this with the story of Margaret Thatcher's leadership election in the conservative party.  Henry discusses the importance of corporate culture in shaping one's career trajectory, and how the culture helps or hinders how you work. He cites studies of young men sent to the Second World War. The study found that a more ambitious, fast-paced environment with strong leadership and opportunities for development can lead to better performance. He also talks about the detrimental effects of a toxic environment. The discussion turns to putting yourself in the right place in today's work environment. The most fundamental piece of research that Henry found is about hot streaks, where people produce their best work over a long period of time.The study found that people have an explorer phase, where they try out different ideas and move around the world. This is followed by the exploit period when they take action to take steps connected to their primary interest. In today's world, there are no universally-accepted answers to what constitutes an "exploit phase." It depends on the individual's career goals and the circumstances they are in. Steve Jobs, for example, was an example of someone who dropped out of various fields to pursue what eventually became Apple. The Importance of Exploration and Perseverance in Career The book emphasizes the importance of active exploration and perseverance over a sustained period. It emphasizes that people cannot simply move to a new location and hope for success. Instead, active exploration involves attending social events, meeting people, and participating in self-study programs. Second acts involve investing in self-improvement or relationships. Henry emphasizes the importance of live practice and building skills, which can be broad and involve socializing, learning, and networking. He suggests that the rule of 10,000 hours of deliberate exploration should be expanded to include practicing in new areas, including networking and meeting new people. He also believes that it is essential to be prepared to take opportunities. Henry talks about the importance of right timing and the concept of increasing your luck surface area. He gives the example of Ray Kroc who turned McDonald's into the biggest business in the world. At 53, he was a milkshake mixer salesman at McDonald's when he discovered a small family restaurant that had perfected the fast food kitchen. Henry explains how Ray Kroc increased his luck surface area to turn a family business into an international franchise.  Why Extraordinary People are Good Examples  While his book presents examples from extraordinary individuals, Henry believes that the lessons drawn from social science and famous figures can be applied to people of all levels. He stresses the importance of understanding the details of these individuals, such as Vera Wang's story, which highlights her personal struggles and the need for encouragement. Henry states that the internet is full of stories of late bloomers, but they often do not provide a detailed account of how they achieve their success. While his book does offer examples of ordinary people who have achieved their second act career, he believes that digging into larger examples can provide a deeper understanding of how late bloomers work and how they achieve their goals. Henry has been focusing on the social science side of human interaction over the past decade. He has been researching and writing about network science, sociology, economics, and psychology to understand how someone can transition from a hack journalist to the creator of the dictionary. He was surprised by the importance of networks and how being in the right group of people can make a huge difference.  A Word or Two on Writing Motivation Henry talks about the inspiration and researching information for his book. His motivation for writing is to provide a platform where people can read great works and benefit from them. He believes that reading literature not only helps in understanding human interaction but also helps in understanding power dynamics and ambition. For example, he believes that Jane Austen's novels, like Emma, can be useful for understanding human interaction in modern office life. Henry's substack Common Reader, which includes literature, brings in other topics to help readers better understand human interaction and decision-making. He believes that reading Shakespeare can be useful for questions of power, ambition, and leadership. Henry discusses the importance of having a sub-stack for writing and how it can generate more ideas as you read. Timestamps: 04:04 Career development and the concept of late bloomers 10:59 Building meaningful networks and finding influential connections 16:44 The importance of influence and being in the right environment for success 22:55 Career development and finding one's passion 28:10 The importance of deliberate exploration for personal growth and development 32:16 Luck, opportunity, and success 37:44 Late bloomers and their inspiring stories 44:58 Literature and its relevance to modern life 48:45 Late bloomers, talent, and career development Links: The Book Second Act: What Late Bloomers Can Tell You About Success and Reinventing Your Life Twitter https://twitter.com/HenryEOliver LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-oliver-5165b189/ Substack https://www.commonreader.co.uk/ 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.  

Show Notes: In this conversation with Will Bachman, Ivan Oransky, a co-founder of Retraction Watch, shares his experience as a medical journalist and with Retraction Watch. Ivan explains that his friend and co-founder, Adam Marcus had uncovered a massive story about scientific fraud in Western Massachusetts, where an anesthesiologist had made up all clinical data. Adam, who was managing editor of an publication called Anesthesiology News got the scoop on the story, and Ivan, who was impressed with the story, suggested they start a blog about retraction notices, it turned out there were far more happening than previously thought.  13 and a half years later, Retraction Watch is still going strong and has a large audience. Adam and Ivan are volunteers but have four staff two of whom run a database of retractions that was recently acquired by CrossRef, a nonprofit that tracks scientific data and papers. The other two staff continue to contribute to the journalism work they started 13 and a half years ago, while Ivan and Adam still supervisor edit and direct it. How to Evaluate an Article Ivan shares his advice on how to evaluate an article in a medical journal or any published article. He emphasizes the importance of showing one's work and examining the evidence used to reach a conclusion. He explains that, when looking at articles, it is crucial to consider the original sources, citations, and the journal's track record of quality. He also emphasizes the importance of humility in making claims and not making pronouncements about things he or she doesn't know anything about. He also warns against trusting credentials to suggest expertise, as it can be misleading, Ivan shares the example of a time when he was asked to peer review papers about COVID-19, simply because he had co-authored a letter about retractions of work. However, he is not an expert on the subject. Ivan believes that an expert should only be asked to peer review papers that they believe are likely to hold up or should not be published.  Leading Causes of Retraction Ivan explains that factors that commonly lead to a retraction. Two-thirds of retractions are for misconduct. This number is consistent across various works and he goes on to explain that there are several definitions of misconduct to take into consideration, including fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism. About 20 percent of the time, it's due to a what's known as honest error, and Ivan offers a few examples.  The deeper cause is the requirement that researchers must publish in certain places to get a job in academia, tenure, promotion, and prizes. This drives people to do all sorts of things, and while this drives most people to work harder and try to work more efficiently, others may take a different approach. In fact, Ivan states that 2 percent of researchers admit to committing misconduct.  The Replication Crisis Ivan talks about the replication crisis, which has been a topic of interest in the social sciences and hard sciences. When Retraction Watch was first launched, there were about 400 retractions from journals a year. Last year, there were more than 10,000, a big increase despite the rising number of papers published. The root cause of this issue is the same problem: replications are not new research or findings and should be cherished and prized, but they are not. Big journals don't like to publish replications, so they don't reward new research. To get into a big journal, researchers need to publish new research, which is simple behavioral incentive economics. The discussion turns to incentives for people to write about scientific misconduct and fraud. Ivan states that, while there is more incentive not to write retractions, he cites a page on Retraction Watch that has dozens of stories from people committed to revealing issues with research, including well-known figures. These individuals face legal risks, such as lawsuits, and are usually not paid for this work.  The conversation also touches on the potential negative repercussions of challenging senior professionals in their field, such as professors or presidents of universities. However, most of these individuals do not work in science anymore, or their career trajectory is not dependent on pleasing or failing to displease senior members of academia. These individuals often publish on sites like PubPeer, which allows users to leave comments on published studies. This helps expose the issues and claims in the media, helping to raise awareness and support for those who need help. Retraction Watch offers resources and social media platforms for those interested in learning more about the topic. They welcome feedback and story tips, and they are open to sharing more information about their work. Timestamps: 01:03 Scientific fraud and retractions  04:41 Evaluating credibility in scientific articles and peer review 09:10 Research retractions and the root causes 13:05 Replication crisis in science and the challenges faced by those uncovering fraud 17:18 Academic misconduct and whistleblowers Links: Website: https://retractionwatch.com/ 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.

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman talks to Jared Simmons, business consultant, coach, and speaker, on design to value. Jared defines the term ‘design to value', offers examples of how it can be used, and talks about the various steps involved.  Using the example of a design to value playbook, Jared talks through each essential step that should be included. Step one is defining value and creating a shared understanding of it. This involves getting everyone on the same page about the intended purpose. Understanding value involves both the company running the project and the end consumer of the product. The project's goals should be determined, such as cutting costs, making it more of a premium, or growing volume.  Step two is mapping out the value chain end to end, from materials to end use, and understanding the basic cost structures associated with each step. This ensures that the project is designed to value both the organization and the end consumer. Jared discusses the importance of mapping the value chain for a product or project.  Step three is understanding consumer priorities and preferences which is crucial in determining what they care about and are willing to pay for.  Step four involves mapping these preferences to each other, such as the cost of delivery or raw material(s). Step five is creating projects and programs to capture defined value.  He emphasizes the need for a shared understanding of who is responsible for which steps in the value chain, including incoming raw materials, converting them into products, and the decision rights and responsibilities within those steps. He also highlights the importance of understanding how each person in a large company works with different materials and services, and what they are trying to accomplish within their roles, such as procurement, shipping costs, currency, and supplier selection. Jared advises senior associates to understand high-leverage starting materials and manage them effectively to achieve cost savings. He emphasizes respecting the intelligence and effort of those involved in the value chain and not just looking at the price but also considering what makes the cost palatable for the procurement person and the rest of the organization. Mapping the value chain is a crucial step in achieving cost optimization in a product or project. It requires a deep understanding of the decision rights and responsibilities within the organization, as well as respecting the intelligence and effort of those involved.   Internal and External Benchmarking Jared discusses the importance of internal benchmarking in converting products across the entire value chain. He believes that external benchmarking can be problematic due to the lack of context on how other organizations reached their goals and the capital and labor involved. Jared suggests that internal benchmarks are more valuable than external benchmarks because they provide a full picture of what is driving each number. In terms of understanding consumer preferences, he breaks down this into functional and psychographic segmentations. Psychographic segmentation involves the product's benefit and the belief about the product, while functional segmentation focuses on the features. To determine consumer preferences, he uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, such as one-on-one interviews, focus groups, dyads, and triads. Quantitative research can involve concept-driven non-concept-driven questionnaires to gather quantitative data on consumer preferences. One-on-one interviews allow for depth and richness in understanding consumer preferences, while dyads allow for more nuanced responses from multiple people. Triads involve three or four participants, while focus groups typically involve 468 participants. Conjoint analysis is another method used to set up quantitative research that gets results. This method helps to understand the trade-offs between different product features and price points. In conclusion, Jared emphasizes the importance of internal benchmarking and understanding consumer preferences to successfully convert products across the entire value chain. By utilizing various methodologies and techniques, businesses can gain valuable insights into their target audience and improve their product offerings. Reducing Product Cost while Maintaining Value To determine which features people care about and will pay more for, Jared states that they need to conduct research on multiple dimensions. This involves building a functional prototype that people can interact with and react and respond to. He also mentions the importance of defining a north star to ensure all departments understand the direction. He mentions a few crucial steps, including: Integrating consumer research, supply chain knowledge, cost structure, and consumer preferences. It's not just about math; it's about prioritizing decisions across the entire value chain and ensuring that there is a qualified decision-maker on the job. Jared runs a boutique consultancy that works in the innovation space and has worked on yogurt portfolios, sports/nutritional drink portfolios, and distribution companies for gas-controlled products, and they have worked with various industries. The team is focused on driving out cost while maintaining value in the product design process. By incorporating consumer research, decision-making, and external support, the team can create a more effective and efficient product. Jared discusses the importance of design to value programs in capturing cost savings and enhancing customer value. He explains how his company works, including services and typical costs savings. To learn more about Jared's practice, he recommends visiting his website, Outlast Consulting, and LinkedIn. He also encourages listeners to contact him directly on his LinkedIn profile. Timestamps: 03:00 Cost reduction and value optimization in product design 04:00 Five steps in a design to value playbook  12:24 Strategic costs in the value chain 13:07 Analyzing consumer preferences and product conversion costs 15:11 Internal benchmarking 16:51 Functional and psychographic segmentation 20:19 Using conjoint analysis for product design and cost reduction. 28:51 Cost savings in CPG industry through design to value programs Links: The company website: https://outlastllc.com/ CONTACT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredsimmons/ 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.

Show Notes: The Umbrex Business Analytics Diagnostic Guide that is discussed in this episode can be downloaded at no cost here: https://umbrex.com/resources/business-analytics-diagnostic/ In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman and Adam Braff discuss the creation of a data analytics diagnostic guide. Adam, a former partner at McKinsey and a consultant on data analytics, discusses the importance of data analytics in solving business problems in any company or investment firm. He explains that a business analytics diagnostic is designed for organizations with multiple people, computers, and analytics processes. The goal of this diagnostic is to determine the performance and alignment of the data science or analytics function with the overall mission of the company. He explains the size and type of company that uses this and who would monitor and manage the data analytics of a company The Diagnostic Guide Format Explained The diagnostic guides follow a format with scorecards for individual pieces of an area, typically 15 to 25 different scorecards, and within each one, objective criteria ranging from nascent to optimized. These guides are divided into categories and subcategories, such as analytics strategy, data management, advanced analytics, AI, talent, decision-making process, tools, and infrastructure. Adam explains the format of the diagnostic guide, beginning with top level categories including analytics strategy, strategic alignment, performance measurement, and future roadmap. Analytic strategy involves understanding the business objectives and problems to be solved, such as growth, customer retention, risk management, and problem-solving.  Strategic alignment also involves determining the location of analytics people, whether centrally located in a Center of Excellence or distributed across different functions.  Performance measurement involves tracking key performance indicators for the analytics function, such as cross-sell, revenue, pricing, and marketing ROI teams. Benchmarking this number against competitors can help determine if the company is on track and if it is underinvesting in analytics. Performance measurement also includes ROI, which is the understanding of specific goals and projects that the analytics team is working on. By tracking these metrics and reporting the total impact analytics has on the business each year, the analytics strategy part can be evaluated. A Roadmap for the Analytics Strategy Adam emphasizes the importance of having analytical people distributed throughout the business and dedicated resources for analytics initiatives. To round out the analytic strategy, it is crucial to have a roadmap of the next eight quarters, such as tackling Net Promoter Score analysis, customer satisfaction drivers, or adopting a new data management tool. This roadmap should include hiring and development strategies, cutting-edge innovation, and research, which can be revisited and changed strategies as needed. This helps ensure the analytics team is effectively working towards achieving their goals. Data Management: Warehousing, Sourcing and Integration Adam goes on to talk about the importance of warehousing, data sourcing and integration involving sourcing data from internal systems or external sources, such as customer satisfaction surveys or third-party surveys. This is crucial for asset managers who need to acquire data for investment analysis and decision-making. Automating data loading processes is also important, as it allows for efficient data flow. Business intelligence is another important aspect of data management, which involves creating interactive dashboards and alerts for all stakeholders. Data quality is a critical aspect of data management, involving conscious decisions on the quality of data. More mature businesses have higher standards for accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of data, with constant profiling and monitoring to ensure data meets these standards. Data governance encompasses coordination across different parts of the business, ensuring consistency in data definitions, appointment and training of stewards, and governing data for regulatory and compliance purposes. Advanced Analytics and AI-Driven Decision Making Adam discusses the importance of analytics in a company's operations, particularly in areas like operational analytics and revenue. He highlights the need for centralized, advanced analytics functions that focus on predictive modeling, machine learning, and AI-driven decision making. These functions should be evaluated for their maturity and effectiveness. Another area of focus is AI-driven decision making, which involves how a company uses AI to improve operations.  He goes on to talk about talent management and three main areas: people, performance, and technology and how these tools can be used in this area. Training and development are crucial aspects of analytics talent management. This includes understanding skill gaps within the team, designing a curriculum to fill them, and providing continuous learning opportunities. Internal or external certifications and specializations can also be beneficial. Lastly, community engagement and collaboration are essential aspects of analytics talent management. This involves sharing knowledge with the organization, building collaboration, and engaging with external partnerships and networks. Adam explains how innovation and co-creation initiatives can help spur creativity and innovation within the analytics team. These efforts can be internal or external, pushing the envelope on innovation and ensuring the success of the business. Overall, analytics talent management is a critical aspect of a company's operations. The Decision-making Processes in a Data-driven Culture The decision making process involves three buckets: data driven culture, analytical decision making, and predictive decision making. A data-driven culture focuses on controlled testing of experiments and measuring things rather than relying solely on intuition. This includes tracking demand for analytics use cases, managing cultural change, and ensuring data accessibility and democratization. Analytical decision making starts with analytical frameworks and tools, such as customer lifetime value frameworks and CLV calculations. It also involves decision-making process integration, ensuring checks are in place before recurring functions occur to ensure data analysis is involved. Performance tracking and feedback are essential for comparing individual decisions made with data to the overall function. Adam explains how and why analytical decision making is used, and how predictive decision making involves planning out budgets for next year, understanding macroeconomic impacts, weather, and operational and financial budgets. Predictive analytics can help manage various risks, such as customer numbers, macroeconomic impacts, and weather. Predictive data is used for strategic planning questions, forecasting sales, and risk assessment. He explains how infrastructure scalability involves capacity planning and management, disaster recovery, and business continuity. Analytics diagnostic guides can help organizations prioritize their future state and decide what they want to invest in. Consulting firms should consider the bigger picture strategic choices, such as whether they are a data-driven company or if it's not important to spend time and effort on data and analytics. Companies may also want to focus on specific examples of demand in the business that they don't know about today, which can help them make better decisions. Data Analytics: Tools and Infrastructure Adam talks about the various platforms that can be used, and how choosing a point along the continuum of low maturity, intuitive, data-driven, and algorithmic can help companies determine if they want to be more analytical or not. By understanding the needs and preferences of their clients and identifying areas for improvement, businesses can make informed decisions about their future state and investment in analytics. He talks about the importance of being able to integrate tools, scalability, fitting the needs of the business and customers, and the ability to customize the tools. Adam discusses the concept of a company's approach to building capabilities and whether they want to be an analytical firm or not, and which analytics will help the business. He suggests that companies should make strategic choices about centralized or distributed analytics functions, monetizing external data, and maintaining a high level of customer consent. He also suggests that companies should build these capabilities aggressively, gradually improving over time, and that companies should start with quick wins on important use cases and gradually build on more complex ones, such as marketing ROI models.  For listeners interested in learning more about his practice, Adam recommends visiting braff.co, which offers resources such as a blog, an annual forecasting contest, and programming course. He also mentions that he has taught this content in graduate programs at Brown and NYU and has started teaching a corporate version of the analytics intensive course. Timestamps: 01:18 Setting up data analytics function in a company 07:02 Analytics Strategy and Measurement 12:52 Data management categories and sourcing 16:12 Data management, analytics, and AI in businesses 22:06 Managing and developing analytics talent 26:50 Data-driven decision making and analytics in business 29:13 Data-driven decision making and analytics tools 34:44 Data analytics maturity and strategic prioritization 40:17 Building a data analytics function for a business Links: Website: https://braff.co   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.

In this session, Will Bachman and Tiago Forte discuss Tiago's new book Building a Second Brain. They discuss how the concept provides value and work through each key learning aspect, the importance of using note-taking apps, including CODE and Para. Tiago talks about the background that led to the creation of the book and how it was strongly shaped by his experience in consulting.   Tiago shares his background as a junior project analyst at a boutique consulting firm called FaberNovel, where he learned the business model of consulting. Consultants are rapid learners, learning new things about the market, landscape, competitive arena, and internal aspects of clients. They must learn the client's culture, power structure, priorities, and communication preferences quickly and use as few billable hours as possible. Tiago emphasizes that consultants must bring their best thinking to the table every day, as they are being paid to think. The results of their efforts are based on the quality of their thinking. He explains that once they learn a subject, they must apply it to as many projects and clients as possible to be profitable as a consulting firm.  Absorbing, analyzing, and applying creative thinking to the client's problem is the overall triangle, but within the bigger picture are many time consuming and expensive research branches, each of which must be understood and analyzed at speed. Gathering, keeping track of and accessing the information needed – quickly – is essential, and this essentially begins with note-taking.  The Development of the Knowledge Repository Tiago started taking notes professionally, realizing that his effectiveness as a professional and results for clients, in addition to quality of life depended on his ability to be efficient.  He talks about the development of the principles in building a second brain, and how they can be applied to management consulting assignments, such as market landscape studies, focusing on the client's culture, power structure, priorities, and communication preferences. By doing so, consultants can improve their effectiveness, results, save time, and ensure quality thinking again and again.  He discusses the core principles of creativity and how they can be repurposed for various purposes. He shares his model, CODE, which is a simple framework designed to be universal across any profession. He outlines each stage of CODE. The first step involves capturing ideas and knowledge in various formats, such as photographs, sketches, drawings, text, and web bookmarks. Once captured, it is organized into groups based on the project, client, or aspect of the business. The next step is distilling the information into its essence, refinement, and synthesizing it into main takeaways or highlights. This process is essential for finding the signal in the noise of information, which is crucial for effective note-taking. The final stage is express, where the knowledge is shared in various forms such as writing, speaking, presenting, designing, building, launching, publishing, sharing, and selling. Tiago suggests that people should start by capturing their thoughts and ideas, and recommends tools like Evernote, and other note-taking apps. He also mentions the Second Brain Resource Guide, which provides resources and a comprehensive list of links, tools, and apps for capturing information, including saving quotes from podcasts, transcription tools, and includes a few tips on using Kindle and YouTube. In conclusion, the core principles of creativity and note-taking are essential for effective note-taking and knowledge management. By following these principles, individuals can create valuable content and share their knowledge effectively. Communication Skills at Work Tiago emphasizes the importance of distilling notes to retain their essence. He explains that humans are sensitive to the presentation of information and explains how even small changes to a website can have significant impacts on people's behavior. He suggests a method called progressive summarization, which involves highlighting key points or elements that matter to the reader. He explains that when taking notes, it is essential to focus on the highlights that resonate with the reader and make them feel more connected to the content. This approach helps readers remember the important details and make better decisions about how to present information. Tiago also discusses the concept of progressive summarization, which involves highlighting key points or elements that are important for lifelong learning as opposed to a short term project. He shares a tutorial on how to do this on his blog and talks about how to select necessary information and what should be set aside. He talks about how your personal energy levels affect note-taking and how to use the second brain approach on bad days to maximize potential outcomes and save energy for higher level decision-making processes. Tiago also introduces the benefits of using intuition and how to apply it.  Tiago explains the generative effect, which refers to the idea that once you start publishing or creating content, you get more ideas and better ideas, and shares his own journey of having a scarcity-driven view of creativity. However, he states that creativity is the opposite; the more you use it, the more you express it, and put it out there, the more it generates. He emphasizes that, by practicing intuition and embracing the generative effect, you can improve your decision-making, creativity, and wisdom in the real world. Tiago runs through how he uses Evernote and how he creates clear separation and distinctions between his first and second brains, making it easier to focus on one task at a time. He talks about organizing and distilling a large amount of material into a final published or significant piece of content. He explains the framework PARA and how he uses it. Q & A Session on Building a Second Brain In the Q & A session, Tiago answers questions on the following topics: Dealing with analysis paralysis How to segregate material Identifying the basic building blocks  The value of taking two notes a day Reshaping knowledge The paradox of research Categorization of notes This philosophical mindset question Links: The Second Brain website: https://www.buildingasecondbrain.com/ Forte Labs blog: https://fortelabs.com/blog/basboverview/ Email: https://fortelabs.com/subscribe/ Timestamps: 07:46 Creativity and productivity using the "code" framework 12:55 Capturing information and building a second brain with Evernote and other tools 17:24 Audio rep revolution, video revolution, and distillation techniques 24:46 Designing a note-taking system for productivity 29:27 Creativity, note-taking, and a second brain system 35:14 Capturing and organizing creative ideas using a second brain 40:20 Organizing notes and creating content 45:28 Organizing notes and research without attaching them to specific projects 53:09 Building a second brain through note-taking and organization 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.

In this interview, author Jill Stoddard and Will Bachman discuss the concept of impostor syndrome. Jill defines the experience as a state  where individuals question their competence and legitimacy, even when there is objective evidence to support their accomplishments. The fear is that they will of be outed as a fraud. The phenomenon was officially identified in 1978 by Pauline Clance and Suzanne IMEs, who believed it only existed in high-achieving women. However, culture rebranded it as a syndrome which Jill addresses. The Background on Imposter Syndrome Jill believes that the imposter phenomenon has been around for a long time, with prevalence rates averaging between 40 and 70 percent. She suggests that it has been present in early humans, who, when part of a tribe, had a survival advantage due to social comparison and fear of being ousted from their tribe. Early humans engaged in social comparison to ensure they didn't get kicked out of their tribe, which was often a life-or-death situation. The modern world, with technology and social media, has created a context where this issue has been amplified. Jill calls for a cultural rebranding and a redefining of the impostor phenomenon or impostor experience. This phenomenon has not been extensively researched, and it is important to know that most discussions focus on hypotheses rather than empirical questions. However, research suggests that these impostor thoughts and feelings are positively correlated with success, making the more successful an individual, the more likely they are to have these feelings. Jill discusses the complex reasons behind this phenomenon, including the assumption that others are more competent than they are, the Dunning Kruger cognitive bias, and social and cultural influences. She mentions that in the 70s, when this phenomenon was thought to only impact high-achieving women, it was rebranded as sexism. Her hypothesis and others have suggested that people who have experienced marginalization, such as being told they don't belong in male spaces, or being told they don't belong in white spaces, are more prone to experience imposter syndrome. Understanding Imposter Syndrome Jill asserts that it is important  to recognize that the more we know and the more we believe others are competent, the more likely we are to feel impostor syndrome. Additionally, it is essential to acknowledge that the stigma surrounding this experience is often perpetuated by those who have experienced marginalization, such as women, people of color, and gay individuals. Jill mentions that impostor syndrome can negatively impact career success, and that it is important to recognize that this is a systemic and organizational issue rather than an individual problem. She believes that individuals should be given tools to manage their feelings and self-doubt, such as psychological flexibility, to overcome this state of mind. Psychological flexibility involves being present in one's life, aware of and open to all internal experiences, emotions, physiological sensations, urges, and thoughts. This allows individuals to make choices based on their deeply held personal values and who they want to be. The goal is to cycle and build psychological flexibility by identifying your values, recognizing the way thoughts and feelings get in the way of you heading in that direction, and changing your relationship to these thoughts. Additional approaches to dealing with impostor syndrome include seeking advice from others, such as talking to other speakers or CEOs, and understanding why they feel that way. Jill shares a strategy for book authors. Approaches to Dealing with Discomfort Jill discusses various approaches to dealing with anxiety and self-doubt, including comparing oneself to others, enjoying one's position, treating failure as an opportunity to test something out, and accepting that we are built to avoid uncertainty. She emphasizes the importance of learning to be okay with uncertainty and taking risks in order to spread their message. Jill explains the loop that people get stuck in, and that our brains overestimate the likelihood of bad things happening, and underestimate our ability to cope with it. She suggests testing out new experiences and being willing to do hard things in the presence of pain. She also emphasizes the importance of treating the imposter experience as a learning experience and acknowledging that most people are not paying attention to you. The key takeaway from the conversation is to get comfortable being uncomfortable and to stop letting thoughts bully you into behavior. She suggests getting clear on your values and how you want to live and work. She uses the metaphor of a ship on a journey, where the fog of thoughts and feelings can be dangerous but can be overcome by dropping anchor and waiting for the fog to pass. Jill suggests using a lighthouse, such as a beacon, to guide you forward even when the fog of painful thoughts and feelings is present. By having your values as a guide, you can continue moving forward on your journey, even if it is slower and more scary. A few other tactics Jill suggests are taking cold showers, brushing teeth with non-dominant hands, eating foods that don't appeal to you, watching sad movies, and allowing yourself to feel uncomfortable. By practicing being with your discomfort, you can make space and open up to feeling it. There are various exercises to practice this, such as crossing your legs or hands in the Funny Feeling way. These activities help you learn that these feelings are temporary and not harmful. The Cost of Being Human Additionally, she stresses that it is important to understand that thoughts are not facts, and don't let your thoughts bully you. She suggests creating distance and making values-driven choices. Two simple ways to do this include taking a thought that gives you trouble and noticing how it feels. This metacognition helps you recognize that these thoughts are just thoughts in your head, not reality. Another way is to give your inner critic a name, like "Sheila" or "no," which keeps it separate and allows you to make different choices. By focusing on the discomfort and the fact that thoughts are not facts, you can create a space where you can make values-driven choices.  Jill talks about the concept of pain as a cost of being human, but how we respond to it is a choice. If we resist, we create suffering, while if we turn down the resistance, we turn down the suffering. Jill also mentions her website, which has resources like a quiz and three tips to living a mighty life. Jill shares two quizzes on her website: one to identify your subtype of imposter, which includes perfectionists, experts, and avoiders. She also discusses different ways we tend to avoid, such as being the doer and avoider. In summary, Jill discusses the themes of inner critics and the importance of self-awareness in overcoming imposter phenomena. She encourages listeners to share her resources on her website and share her insights on the topic. Links: Website:   www.jillstoddard.com The quizzes: www.jillstoddard.com/quizzes The clinic (The Center for Stress & Anxiety Management): www.csamsandiego.com The podcast (Psychologists Off the Clock): www.offtheclockpsych.com   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.  

In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman talks to Scott Ratliff,  who is a principal at the search firm Beecher Reagan. Beecher Reagan is a specialty retained executive search firm that works across three industries: professional services, digital and technology services, and private equity. As a principal at Beecher Reagan, Scott leads the commercial excellence sales and marketing practice, focusing on growth roles across these industries. Scott talks about commercial leaders within professional services, specifically in three forms: true Hunter BD people, who are responsible for going out into the market, setting meetings, driving revenue, and bringing in new logos; a hybrid, who owns client relationships, farming large accounts, finding new lines of business within those accounts; and a commercial operations type of role, who sets up and builds out a sales structure, identifying the right people to process technology to build or develop a sales culture within a firm. Depending on the size of the firm, its growth journey, and the talent available, firms may have specific roles specific to one of these verticals or firms looking for someone who can come in and play across. Scott explains that some types of professional services firms have people who are separate from the actual delivery teams brought in as commercial salespeople effect. The traditional model in consulting involves starting as an analyst and working your way up to the manager level, where you shift into being commercially wired and focused. However, there has been a spike in commercial leadership in several places, such as the lower middle market, high growth, emerging market, and larger firms looking to build out new functional capabilities or geography. In addition to selling services, commercial leaders should also understand how to sell services specific to that functional area. This helps firms continue to supercharge growth and drive revenue. The Roles of Hunter/BD People in High Growth Firms Scott discusses the roles of Hunter/BD people in high-growth firms. He explains that these roles can range from five to $10 million firms looking to grow organically to $25 million and potentially leverage M&A. The role involves understanding prospective clients, targeting companies, gathering data for an effective approach, outreach, scheduling meetings, and creating a lead generation engine. The Hunter BD person's role is crucial in identifying potential clients and building relationships with them. They are responsible for taking initial calls, developing relationships, and deciding whether to bring in a partner or subject matter expert. Different firms have different compensation structures, with some expecting the sales leader to close business and the delivery team to execute or the role may be to generate meetings. There are two types of Hunter BD profiles: those who understand the business well enough to take the sales cycle from start to finish, build relationships, understand the selling proposition, and close deals. Another version of the role  involves supercharging what partners do well, pitching services, and understanding the problem statement of potential buyers. Scott suggests that the effectiveness of each role depends on the business's needs at its current stage of growth and the resources available. It is important to consider the business's staffing and talent requirements when choosing between meeting setters and sales leaders. Sales Success Strategies Scott emphasizes the need for a combination of strategies to achieve success in sales. First, a strong strategy is needed. Second, having the right technology in place to generate strong leads is crucial. He shares a few steps and mentions how important relationships are in selling services. People who have worked in the industry and built up a network can leverage their network to sell directly to potential buyers or introduce them to potential buyers. The best salespeople are not only doing one or the other, but also setting the engine, pursuing cold outreach, getting their story out there to the right people, and leveraging their own network and relationships. The typical background of successful salespeople is in the digital and technology services space, where they have exceptional sales training programs. However, when hiring commercial talent into professional services, it is important to see their experience in selling services and speaking to different types of customers. In conclusion, a combination of strategies, including cold calling and cold outreach, is necessary to achieve success in the sales world. It is essential to find individuals with a strong sales DNA and experience in both sales and professional services to ensure a successful transition into the industry. Evaluation Process for Sales Candidates Scott emphasizes the importance of communication skills and the ability to quickly connect with people within an organization. He also emphasizes the importance of talking in numbers and making things simple for clients. The typical compensation range for salespeople is typically between 150,000 and 250,000, depending on their experience level. However, at the high end, senior sales people typically earn between $350 and $400,000. Scott talks about attracting talent.  One of the most common questions asked by candidates is whether they are ready to walk away from their current position with existing relationships and recurring business. To help incentivize or help with the ramp period, firms should focus on having someone who can bring existing relationships with buyers who are fit for the role. This could include senior executives, civilian clients, or heads of business units at large companies. In summary, Scott emphasizes the importance of communication skills, numbers, and a strong understanding of the company's business processes when evaluating candidates for sales roles. Support Teams and Building a Commercial Team Scott suggests that hiring someone at this level should build a commercial team around them. This could include someone handling marketing, leveraging LinkedIn, and generating leads through marketing. A research person is also crucial in this team. In a professional services firm, the number of people involved in lead sales is considered a team number. The first 30-60 days should be spent identifying the right setup of the team and finding ways to make the most out of their resources. The sales leader or Chief Commercial Officer would lead the team in lead generation, research, and building lists for target audiences. The research capabilities may include using tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator to build lists and target different businesses. The audience for the firm will impact the size of the research function, but it is essential to leverage existing technology for lead generation and segmenting for cold outreach. By targeting the right people and buyers, the team can create targeted messaging and drive sales growth.  Compensation for Sales Leaders  Scott discusses the compensation for sales leaders in a professional service firm, including the process metrics for hiring salespeople, such as meeting frequency and revenue generation. For a salesperson at a higher level, the goal is to generate millions of dollars in revenue. However, the number of meetings may vary depending on the size of the deal and the industry. For a sales leader at a 150,000 base, the typical number of meetings would be two meetings per week. The number of meetings depends on the size of the deal and volume expectation. If the salesperson is selling large deals or farming accounts, the number of meetings may decrease. However, the goal is to maintain double-digits of meetings once the business is up and running. When hiring a sales leader, professionals should consider their organization's capability to handle downturns and be agile in their offerings. Scott believes that hiring a sales leader can help the company adapt to market changes and build new capabilities. By identifying different markets and products, the sales leader can help the company handle downturns and rapid changes. The best sales leaders are creative and can sell their product in various places, allowing the firm to hire against these expectations. This approach allows the sales leader to continue growing and function in challenging times. Incentive Compensation for Commercial Leaders Scott shares what a company should address before bringing in a sales leader. He discusses the normal rates of success expected in a sales leader and the incentive compensation for commercial leaders, and the different ways firms structure it. He talks about the various models for building a strategy,  how long the new logo belongs to the salesperson, and how much of that is shared with the partner who delivers the work, leading to recurring business. Some firms have a higher volume, a less consolidated sales model where the income is going elsewhere, while others focus on maintaining relationships and expanding on new accounts. Scott emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the core DNA of successful salespeople, which includes competitive spirit, motivation, commercial mode, and strong communication skills. The best salespeople are motivated, commercially awaited, and have a piano driver of their own success and fulfillment through their work. They also have strong interpersonal skills and a sense of people. By testing for these qualities and the experience of the sales leader, organizations can feel comfortable in the value they can bring to their organization.    Timestamps: 00:40 Recruiting commercial roles in professional services firms 01:49 Commercial leadership roles in professional services firms 06:14 Sales roles and responsibilities in consulting firms 12:04 Sales strategies for professional services 17:56 Evaluating sales candidates for consulting roles 20:38 Sales compensation and ramp time for high-potential salespeople 25:32 Building a commercial organization for a consulting or professional services firm 31:15 Hiring a sales leader for a professional service firm 36:25 Sales leadership and incentive compensation strategies   Links:   Website: https://beecherreagan.com/ CONTACT:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-ratliff-0294362b/   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.

Show Notes: In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman interviews Nancy Mackay, founder of MacKay CEO Forums (MC ACO), a peer advisory group that provides confidential peer support groups for CEOs and business owners across Canada. The group aims to populate the world with inspiring leaders by offering confidential peer support groups to hundreds of members. Nancy states that, in today's challenging fast-paced business-world, and with a growing mental-health crisis, leaders need more peer support and trusted advisors. The Mackay community includes over 1200 CEOs, executives, and business owners from various industries across Canada, participating in over 114 person peer learning groups. Over 60 consultants have been trained and certified to offer peer learning support to members, and the leadership team is focused on supporting form Chairs who offer peer learning support. Nancy started her group over fifteen years ago and still Chairs the group. Her group has 14 CEOs from various industries, with revenue sizes ranging from 5 million to 5 billion plus. Most of the groups are for entrepreneurial, privately held individuals who want to grow their businesses. The meetings are confidential, non-competitive, and require six meetings a year for a day, and they hold a 2-day annual retreat. Each meeting features a one-hour speaker, followed by confidential updates where CEOs discuss their biggest issues, challenges, and opportunities related to business, family, and personal. They place issues they want help with on the table, and after the issues are discussed, the group encourages sharing experiences. A Forum that Helps CEOs One of the biggest objections to joining a peer group is the lack of time. However, the reality is that everyone can make time, and having a group of 14 CEOs with a growth mindset can save time and provide support for all issues, including business, family, and personal. All the forum Chairs at MacKay are modern, trusted advisors with extensive experience working with CEOs, executives, and business owners, playing a crucial role in Chairing meetings and retreats, creating a confidential space for CEOs and executives to be vulnerable and succeed in their careers without sacrificing their health and important personal and family relationships.   Nancy shares examples of how peer groups have helped individuals navigate their transitions, such as selling their business, scaling their business, finding talent, and recession and succession planning.  Nancy highlights the importance of segmenting peer groups, with specific groups catering to different types of CEOs, CFOs, HR Rows, and cross-functional executives. These groups ensure that each member's background experience is taken into account, ensuring that everyone is a best fit for the group. The group also address personal and family issues, allowing members to discuss their challenges and successes without sacrificing their health or family relationships. Members can build lifelong friendships and support networks to help them navigate their careers and personal lives. Three Tips to Being an Effective Chair of a Peer Learning Group To be an effective Chair of a peer learning group, Nancy shares three key tips: not being the "star in the room", it should be all about the members. The second tip is to ensure that you create a space of vulnerability where members can share their experiences and mistakes, and remembering that no-one is the "smartest person in the room." The leadership philosophy is about judgment-free and sharing experiences, helping CEOs and executives become masterful at telling stories and being vulnerable; the third tip is to remember that being a Chair is focused on helping people and not just being nice. It's more about challenging them and holding them accountable.  In conclusion, peer learning support provides valuable advice and mindset shifts for CEOs and executives, helping them navigate their transitions, find talent, and build successful cultures. By taking a step back and focusing on the members, Chair members can create a supportive environment for their peers and achieve success in their respective fields. Nancy explains who could apply to become a Chair with the organization. Chairs must have had their own independent consulting practice for at least three years and have over 18 years of experience working with CEOs, executives, and business owners from various industries. The most successful Chairs are partnering with the MacKay CEO Forums and signing up for their certification program to build world-class peer learning groups for CEOs and executives. The MacKay CEO Forums have launched over 100 groups and are constantly evolving and improving. The best fit Chairs have a proven roadmap to success on how to build these groups and achieve Chair mastery. The certification program is experiential learning, not a bootcamp approach, and includes one-on-one coaching, pure learning on a weekly basis, observation, co-Chairing, and they can move on to the Chair Mastery program.  Nancy explains the benefits to joining the MacKay CEO Forums, which provides access to current, relevant, and high-level information through access to a peer group, an annual summit, conferences, content, and expand their business network. In summary, it provides connectivity across forums. Being part of the broader network of the MacKay CEO Forums provides a proven roadmap to success. Forum Chairs are highly rated speakers with MacKay CEO Forums, making it a lucrative opportunity for members to expand their business network and engage with people in the community.  The Origin Story of MacKay CEO Forums Nancy shares the story behind founding the company. She was invited to speak at a CEO peer group meeting in Vancouver. She was the first female speaker invited into the CEO group, and after her presentation, the Chair asked her if she'd like to become the forum Chair. This was at a time when they didn't let women in. However, Nancy instigated the progression to allowing women into the forum. The organization has since grown to include multiple forums and an institution that supports successful consultants and business leaders.   MacKay CEO Forums is a beneficial corporation.  It takes a stand on diversity, equality, and inclusion. For the first five years, she ran the business together with her husband and business partner. She decided that the world needed more peer support and focused on building ten of these CEO groups across Canada. The goal is to populate the world with inspiring leaders, to find other like-minded consultants who have a passion for helping business leaders, and she wants to help them achieve success with their business. They are currently on the path to having 10,000 members across the world.  The MacKay peer learning group for business leaders is primarily based in Canada. They have a Chair capability assessment that allows individuals to self-assess their suitability for the role. The forum is currently looking to partner with consultants based in BC, Alberta, and Ontario as its primary areas for growth over the next year. Common Mistakes Consultants Make Nancy shares the common errors consultants make and emphasizes the importance of sharing experiences and stories, rather than giving advice or telling people what to do. This creates a space for a different approach to influencing and creates more inspiration for people to take action. The forum's leadership philosophy includes the Mackay Mastery Model for Inspired Leadership, which focuses on inspiring oneself every day. Chairs are trained in time mastery, Eagle mastery, passion, mastering innovation, mastery, social contribution, mastery, and Health Mastery. To keep meetings on track, Chairs should use the right language when a conversation feels meandering or getting off track. They should start and end on time, respect people's time, and be intentional about how they spend their time. Time mastery and goal setting are part of the organization's culture, and members expect the Chair to use a timer during peer group meetings. For those interested in learning more about the forum, contact Nancy directly at Mackay CEO forums.com or visit their website.  Timestamps: 01:11 CEO peer support groups in Canada 04:48 Leadership, business growth, and personal development for CEOs and executives 11:12 Running effective peer learning groups for executives 17:51 Building and leading peer learning groups for CEOs 23:41 Starting and scaling a peer learning group for CEOs 29:32 Leadership philosophy and effective meetings Links: Website: MackayCEOForums.com. CONTACT INFO: Email: Nancy@mackayceoforums.com 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.

In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman and Pam Fox Rollin, author of Growing Groups into Teams, discuss the concept of a team and its benefits. Pam opens the conversation by defining what a team is.  She emphasizes the importance of a shared promise and a commitment to coordinate to fulfill that promise. A team is not just a group of people who report to the same people but are a group of people who are committed to accomplishing a shared goal for their customers, whether internal or external. Pam also discusses the challenges faced by executive teams, where they may not be a team at all. For example, if a sales team is independent and not collaborating with other departments, it may not be considered a team. Instead, the best teams are clear on their promises and partner with each other to achieve them.  The Importance of Diversity in Team Building Pam reveals what common beliefs about teams she disagrees with. She shares research on diverse teams and why it's not always productive to work with the smartest people. Pam emphasizes the importance of diversity of thought and cognitive diversity on a team. She explains that diversity doesn't necessarily mean being smart or not smart, but rather diversity of thought and perspective. This can come from different undergraduate majors, cultures, and cognitive backgrounds. Racial and gender diversity is also important, as it helps to create a more inclusive team environment. For example, women are more perceptive about power structures, while people of color are more perceptive about power structures.  Responsibility and Accountability in a Team The conversation shifts to the concept of responsibility and accountability. Pam believes that responsibility involves taking a promise seriously and taking responsibility for the success of an event. This includes ensuring that everyone on the team understands what success looks like and can communicate with others when necessary.  However, there are some problems with accountability, such as not being accountable to a promise you never made or not being able to recover the promise. In conclusion, diverse teams are essential for success in various industries, including sales, marketing, customer service, engineering, and more. They also require a balance between responsibility and accountability, as well as a willingness to learn and grow from each other. By embracing these values, teams can create a more inclusive and effective workplace environment. Pam talks about a chapter in her book, “When the Team You Need Doesn't Exist” and goes on to share a unique story of working with teams to diagnose issues and help them improve. She started her career at Bain and Company, where she met the people at Accenture's Healthcare Strategy Group. She fast-tracked to an associate partner, got married, decided to leave her job and become an executive coach. Altus Growth Partners  Pam shares the genesis of Altus Growth Partners. The firm runs various engagements, including executive team work. Much of Pam's work takes place during a big change to the business, such as an acquisition or a new CEO. This opportunity allows the executive team to restructure their work and set new guidance for the organization. The practical work involves working with the executive team as their coach, often working directly with the CEO. Altus Growth Partners has been in the process of transforming from solo practitioners to a team, working on decision-making processes and building teams at various levels. She shares a case example when Altus worked with a healthcare organization with a new CEO coming in.  Coaching for Organizational Development Pam emphasizes the importance of rigor and a model in coaching and the saying that “low trust leads to slow change” in organizational development. Trust is critical for decision making, and building trust starts with oneself. Pam shares a chapter about a CEO blocking team success, where she discovered that her job was to ensure everyone was on the same page about the promise, where they are going, what they're part of, and what they're accountable for. She also emphasizes the importance of delegating and getting people on a path to a common promise, rather than pretending to know more than they know. The conversation then moves to the topic of leadership, and discussing the book "Growing Groups into Teams". The book is about real-life stories of people who get results and thrive together.   Timestamps: 00:15 Team definitions and common misconceptions 04:59 Team diversity and its impact on project success 09:37 Team dynamics, diversity, and accountability 17:23 Career transition and teamwork in consulting industry 21:31 Leadership development and team coaching for a healthcare organization 26:54 Building trust and decision-making in teams   Links: The Company Website: https://altusgrowth.com/ The Book: Growing Groups into Teams   CONTACT INFO: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamfoxrollin/   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.  

In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman interviews David A. Fields on how to work with industry associations and other types of groups to build businesses and create value. He touches on the concept of trade associations, and how we should view the trade association as a source of prospects. It's important to consider other types of associations that have a large group of prospects in their tribe, such as software platforms, data providers, headhunters, and journalists. Data providers often need the help of consulting firms to ensure their data remains relevant and useful. For example, data providers can provide information on social media trends, transportation logistics, and more. In conclusion, trade associations can be a valuable tool for firms to connect with prospects and build their business. They can also serve as visibility partners, helping firms reach out to potential clients. David talks about connecting with visibility partners and what you can do to raise your profile through that relationship. For small firms with no specific focus, it is important to find the right group by focusing your business on a few industries and engage with associations or other providers to find potential partners. This approach makes it easier for the firm to find prospects and be more valuable to them. David shares examples of clients who have successfully worked with data providers as visibility partners. One example is a consulting firm in Virginia that has grown from about $1 million to $15 million through targeted visibility building with data providers. The firm has done research work with the data provider to demonstrate the importance of creating value for both partners and their clients.  Connecting to a Visibility Partner To get started with a visibility partner, David suggests reaching out, offering to meet, building relationships, and staying right-side up. For example, a consulting firm might have worked with multiple clients using data from a data provider and had a history of complaints about the data. By introducing the firm to their contacts to help the data provider improve their service, they can help address the client's concerns and also improve their visibility.   David discusses how to increase visibility by getting on a podcast. Will suggests reaching out to the host of a podcast and posting a summary on LinkedIn to tag the host. This approach is often overlooked by hosts, but it can be a great way to reach potential clients. David stresses that this is a long-term relationship building strategy, and not a quick fix.  Furthermore, he encourages people to get involved in small podcasts, new podcasts, and podcasts with only 12 listeners, as they are more likely to have a smaller audience. This can lead to better targeted discussions and better results. David talks about the pros and cons of tapping into alumni associations for businesses. For example, Procter and Gamble's alumni network is a strong example of how alumni networks can help businesses grow. Working an Industry Conference For industry conferences, it is important to determine who's going to be there, who you want to meet ahead of time, and set targets for attendees. Additionally, commit to attending the conference for three years, as it allows you to build relationships with potential clients. Will suggests using LinkedIn to create a list of attendees and send connection requests to potential attendees. This will help you connect with potential clients and build relationships with them. When it comes to messaging a potential contact to secure a meeting, Will and David discuss possible approaches. David also mentions various methods of connecting with industry recruiters and securing visibility through content development. David mentions his next practice accelerator, which is sold out but will be held in 2024. In summary, David emphasizes the importance of visibility partners and the need to consider the tribes they overlap with when promoting a firm. By focusing on these strategies, consulting firms can increase their visibility and attract more potential clients.   Timestamps: 03:23 Leveraging industry associations and other groups for business growth 05:27 Partnering with visibility partners for consulting firms 12:22 Partnering with data providers for visibility 19:59 Networking strategies for professionals 26:18 Networking strategies for a conference 30:57 Consulting firm visibility partners Links: David's website: https://www.davidafields.com/ David's Books: https://www.davidafields.com/books/ David's Blog: https://www.davidafields.com/blog/ 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.  

This is the week Willie returns.... and Chris can't make it.  Will Bachman be able to wrangle to wild opinions of one Willie D. Nelson?   Look for us LIVE Sunday mornings (11 AM EST) by checking out http://www.geeks.live  or http://live.atgnpodcast.com, where you will be either to participate via our chat room. We are also available via Twitter (@ATGNPodcast) Facebook (facebook.com/ATGNPodcast) e-mail (atgnpodcast(at)gonnageek.com) or our ATGN Hotline at 304-806-ATGN.     All Things Good And Nerdy is a proud member of the Gonna Geek Network.

Richard Langlois, author of the book The Corporation and the 20th Century: The History of American Business Enterprise, and Will Bachman discuss the transition from entrepreneur-led businesses to modern multi-unit businesses. Richard talks about the drivers behind this transformation, including antitrust, which led to unintended consequences such as making coordination between firms illegal, and the shift from vertically integrated businesses to modular corporations.  His book highlights the impact of the depression, which eliminated many financial institutions, making it possible for internal capital markets to function and fund innovation. His book also explores the issue of  price controls and government interference with markets also interfered with market mechanisms, making it difficult for smaller businesses to coordinate resources. From Entrepreneur-led Businesses to Multi-unit Businesses Richard explains that the rise of large companies and far-flung enterprises in the mid-20th century required conscious management and professional managers who weren't also owners, and that transactions in a market require market supporting institutions, such as financial markets and legal systems, which can be provided in a decentralized way or within the firm. He argues that the success of large, vertically integrated corporations is partly due to the lack of success of alternatives to these structures. Antitrust also plays a role in this transition, as it made it difficult for firms to engage in complex contracts and do things internally. He talks about how the transition from entrepreneur-led businesses to multi-unit businesses was driven by factors such as antitrust, the Great Depression, World War 2, and the New Deal. Richard offers a few examples of antitrust in action with the concept of block booking, where movie studios pre-sell entire blocks of movies to cinemas without allowing them to preview them first to ensure the studios could recoup costs of production. Another interesting aspect he cites is the leverage theory. Taking us back to the 1930s, he talks about IBM who used control over proprietary punch cards to sell their mechanical computing equipment to maintain quality control and price discrimination, which is charging high prices to those who want the product and low prices to those who don't. He goes on to explain how this became the "one lump of monopoly theory," and what this means.  The History of Leasing Machines and Government Opposition Richard defines the concept and history of leasing machines, which began in the early industrial revolution. In Britain, the textile industry was highly vertically disintegrated. Entrepreneurs could rent equipment to get into manufacturing products. This allowed entrepreneurs to lower upfront fixed costs and easily enter the business. However, the federal government's antitrust policy made it difficult for companies to lease their machines and wanted them to sell them. This led to lawsuits against them from the entrepreneurs who, once they knew how to use the manufacturing equipment, decided they wanted to break the lease to rent cheaper equipment from a competitor.  However, manufacturers enforced long leases and prevented customers from buying cheaper equipment elsewhere, and breaking their original lease. This practice was seen as anti-competitive, as retailers couldn't compete on price, but manufacturers wanted retailers to compete on quality, service, repairs, and service rather than price. Resale Price Maintenance  In the early 20th century, companies would charge high prices for complex products like vacuum cleaners and washing machines, which required hard salesmanship and servicing. This discouraged customers from visiting full-service showrooms and purchasing cheap products online. Resale price maintenance is a strategy to prevent resellers from freeriding on services, but the antitrust authorities argued it was anti-competitive because it wasn't allowing resellers to compete on price.  This was partly intellectual and partly thinking that businesses tend to be anti-competitive, and partly in the interest of consumers. He talks about management consulting and the role of scientific management and how it is all about learning through trial and error, and coming up with new theories.  Regulating the Corporation and Controversial Opinions One view on antitrust is that it is driven by what profit opportunities there are in the world and what relative prices are. He believes that part of the reason the large corporation got torn apart into much more specialized corporations was in part that market supporting institutions had come back to life, capital markets were working again, and external capital markets were more effective than internal capital markets and firms. Regulations were impending innovation, and so there were profit opportunities for entrepreneurs who could pressure Congress and the executive branch to try to undo some of the regulations that made it hard for them to innovate. He states that it is important to be aware of the potential unintended consequences of antitrust. He argues that if antitrust goes against complex contracts as anti-competitive, it could lead to people hiding those contracts within the boundaries of the firm. This idea is controversial, as it suggests that the history of corporations was a story about institutional choice and some institutions being preferred over others.  Deregulation, Holding Companies, and Pyramidal Business Groups Richard talks about the common belief that the rise of neoliberalism in the late 1900s led to deregulation, but he argues that most of the deregulation occurred before this, as the market economy transitioned from the Depression and World War Two. He goes on to talk about the concept of holding companies, which were once common in the early 20th century, and how  most industrial organizations today are organized around business groups, with a family or foundation at the top owning controlling shares and subsidiaries, but The US is an outlier in this, due to public policy concerns about allowing one company to own the stock of another.  Richard talks about  private equity in the modern corporate world, wholly owned subsidiaries, and majority and minority stockholders.  The Modular Corporation The corporate form of corporations evolved over time and became more akin to the incorporation of modules. These modules are created like personal computers, allowing them to interact and buy shares from other modules without necessarily being integrated with their operations. This modularity was a key factor in the creation of the corporation and it differs from the vertically integrated business model where everything is connected to everything, but this doesn't scale well. So, as corporations grew, they began to recognize the need for modularity, breaking up operations into smaller pieces that didn't constantly transmit information to each other.  These modules were wholly-owned subsidiaries, for example, Chevrolet was a module of General Motors. During the conglomerate era, people could buy these divisions from one another. This allowed them to operate through the interface of the market and the corporate hierarchy.  The US Monetary System and the Gold Standard Richard explores the history of the US monetary system, which was initially tied to gold. This was a conscious decision by business interests, particularly those involved in international trade, to ensure the currency was taken seriously by other countries like Britain. However, the US imposed tariffs to protect manufacturing interests, which were essentially attacks on exporters. Exporters, who were primarily farmers, wanted a weak dollar, while importers and financiers wanted a strong dollar. Keeping the currency low was a common strategy in developing countries. Anchoring to the gold standard kept the currency stable.  The 19th century saw the demand of a mixed standard with silver. This was driven by inflation, as tying money to other items led to more money and a decrease in the value of the dollar. The West, who were exporters, supported free silver, and the East, who were financiers dealing with the British and importers, wanted a strong dollar. The monetary macro was simpler in the days of a fixed metallic standard, which stopped happening after World War One. After World War One, the US was technically on the gold standard, but it was a managed gold standard where people hoarded gold. Most economic historians believe that these manipulations led to the Great Depression, as the Federal Reserve had just been created without knowledge of its actions and allowed the country to fall into a depression.  Timestamps: 01:22 What drove the transformation into the corporate world 05:17 Transactions in a market require institutions 07:36 Antitrust and anti-trust 05:39 Why did we see the end of the large managerial firm? 09:44 Leverage theory and hedging 15:09 The one lump of monopoly theory 20:37 How to stop free riding 27:12 How important are ideas in anti-trust policy? 32:03 Why did holding companies become illegal? 37:12 Why vertically integrated companies were precluded by deregulation 44:33 Recommended biographies   Links: http://langlois.uconn.edu/  The book: https://www.amazon.com/Corporation-Twentieth-Century-American-Enterprise-ebook/dp/B0BRBWG6LX/   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.

In this episode of Unleashed, Will Bachman and Huijin Kong discuss her new book, Positive Influence, The First and Last Mile of Leadership, co-authored with Tsun-yan Hsieh. They talk about the basics of influence and how to present different influencing techniques. Huijin's book emphasizes the importance of focusing on both task outcomes and relational outcomes, as well as the impact of one's own heart and soul on others. Huijin emphasizes that people are influenced more by how they feel about the task and their purpose in influencing others. She explains that traditional consulting can be more powerful if professionals spend more time on mindshare and their own heart, rather than just defining and laying out the task.    The book lays out three aspects of influencing: personal qualities that are universal, such as courage, care, and compassion. Courage helps us face difficult situations and fears, while care involves caring about people's experiences and challenges, rather than just the task itself. Compassion is crucial in challenging times, as it builds the basis for being more open to what people are resisting and why. Humility and curiosity are also central to creating a powerful common ground for discussing difficult issues. By focusing on these qualities, professionals can create a more powerful and impactful influence on their clients and clients. She also mentions ‘state' which deals with composure and being present. It is important to align your state to your intent. These two-thirds can mean the difference between being  a good influencer or a great influencer. Defining Influence Pathways Huijin talks about the importance of being deliberate in influencing others. Huijin emphasizes placing focus on positive outcomes and the importance of considering the context and pressures in higher stakes situations, in addition to the starting attitude of the people who need to be influenced.  This intentionality allows for the development of an influence pathway, which involves guiding each person to think, feel, and do differently than their natural current inclination. She qualifies that being deliberate is not like military planning, but rather requires being conscious of how your influence attempt is going and how the person is responding to your actions. This allows you to adjust your strategy and align your being, state, and emotions with the person and desired outcomes. She also states that it is important to be open to changing outcomes and updating your own understanding of desired outcomes.   Changing a Leader's Influencing Approach Huijin shares a case example of helping a leader change their influencing approach by coaching them through role plays. The example involves a transformational project where the key leaders' relationship has become a barrier to constructive participation. To help the leader change their approach, Huijin explores several angles, such as the degree of care one has for the project and the importance of setting ambitious influence outcomes. Huijin gives examples of the choices the executive has to move forward and understand the degrees of freedom in influencing situations, such as defining one's role as defining the technical solution or pointing out where the leader needs more leadership. This can be done in one-on-one or small group situations. The book also discusses the use of the deliberate conscious influencing process in MBA programs, where participants go through real-life situations and role play to learn how they show up in the heat of the moment. By adopting this conscious influencing process, individuals can internalize it and apply it in various situations, both in school and beyond.     Expanding the Toolbox of Influencing Huijin emphasizes the value of building common ground and shared objectives. Engaging the person about them and not just their thoughts about the task at stake is highly effective. This is important in situations where people's motivation  is in doing the difficult work. To build a strong connection with the client, it is essential to delve into their feelings about themselves, identity, attitudes, and inspiration related to their work and the task at hand. Another underused tactic is confronting, which involves acknowledging that they may not feel the same way about something, they may have different beliefs. Asking them to tell more about their point of view helps build a deeper foundation of shared understanding and feelings, and enables a stronger foundation on which to deal with difficult situations or tasks.   Setting High Ambitions Huijin talks about Linhart's high challenge, high support model. This model involves setting high ambitions for oneself, which can apply to influence effectiveness, leadership, sports, parents, and business situations. High support often comes in the form of quality feedback, real-time feedback, as it helps improve self-awareness and confidence. She also mentions potential sources where freelancers can get high support. Huijin emphasizes the importance of reflecting on your why, and the positive outcome you want. This involves paying attention to purpose and ethos, and most importantly, individuals. She explains that this will introduce new horizons about what you are doing. High challenge and high support models can help individuals develop their influence skills and achieve greater success in various aspects of their lives.   Timestamps: 06:48 The three qualities of an influencer 10:48 Basic tools of influencing 12:41 The importance of intentionality in influencing leaders 15:37 A case example of leadership challenges in influencing 19:13 The power of appealing to shared objectives in influencing 25:07 How others can help you develop influence skills   Links: Website: www.positiveinfluence.life Book: https://www.amazon.com/Positive-Influence-First-Last-Leadership/dp/1944660569/ Company:  https://www.linhartgrp.com/   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.    

Show Notes: Brian Ortiz talks to Will Bachman about their use of various tools and CRM systems to manage their LinkedIn presence which has 70,000 followers.  Brian talks about his history in marketing, his move into real estate investing, his purpose on LinkedIn, and the CRM tools he uses. Brian explains how he manages the actual inflow of messages, especially when dealing with heavy volume. He talks about an interesting system where he can reply quickly by using specific keywords or dates in their replies, and how he uses LinkedIn's data system which allows them to sort and segment by different criteria.  Brian explains that he initially lost 50-60% of messages in the shuffle, but now he has a system where they can filter and sort messages into as granular groups as possible. He also has assistants who go through the CRM and spreadsheets to maximize the volume and ensure no important messages are lost. Using AI and CRM Tools to Manage Message Flow Brian talks about using AI and what he looks for when investing in projects. He also offers advice on how to manage viral posts and the volume of inbound messages has increased quickly. Brian shares the tools he uses based on the type of post or  his schedule for the week. He mentions LeadDelta, and the features this system offers. He also mentions FOLK, a system that is similar to Google Sheets, to manage contact information. Another go-to CRM system is Raindrop, which allows him to save messages in the system and it has an extension in Chrome. Brian explains how you can use LinkedIn to download and manage messages. He shares some inside information on LinkedIn's messaging algorithm. He shares important tips on consistent patterns when messaging in large volume and the benefits of manual messaging. He also offers working insight into LeadDelta to avoid violating LinkedIn's rules of engagement and how it competes with LinkedIn's services.  Brian shares how he manages his large volume of connections and why he keeps 400 open slots. He talks about the LinkedIn loophole he found and the value of messaging and not just following.  Frequency of Posting Content  Brian initially was hesitant to post content,  but with 73,000 connections, people send him lists of investors to him. He uses tools like Tap Leo, which shows other people's highest engaged content to see what is popular and engages a high volume of views. If a gated post generates two or three million views, Brian sends a quick message to the creator, asking if they want Brian to share it. He also still posts investing or startup contrarian posts on LinkedIn, and follows around 100 people. He has trained his virtual assistant to recognize high-velocity posts and repurpose them for different content. He combines high-velocity posts to create unique insights into high-demand topics, and the engagement process improves monthly. Brian's philosophy is that the time of day when posting is irrelevant. High-quality A+ content will go viral, and the algorithm will start determining how people are interacting with the post. The first hour after posting, the algorithm determines if the post is good, and the time of day is irrelevant. Overall, engagement will be similar regardless of the time. Brian suggests posting three or four times a week, allowing high-volume, high-engagement posts to fully extend. People expect a certain volume, but excessive posting can decrease perceived value. Brian  also talks about flubbed posts and what to do to increase the reach and engagement of your content, and also the two worst-performing types of posts, and the cost of a self-congratulatory post.  Timestamps: 06:49 Managing viral Linkedin posts 10:53 Managing the volume of messages 15:31 How do you use Linkedin other inboxes 20:09 How to deal with connection requests 24:41 The content strategy Brian uses 28:18 Time of day to post and frequency 33:05 The problem with patience and patience 37:44 Sticking to a general topic area   CONTACT INFO: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianvortiz/   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.  

Show Notes: LinkedIn has become a powerful platform for professionals to connect, share insights, and build their personal brand. But how can executives effectively leverage LinkedIn to maximize their content strategy? To answer this question, Will Bachman talks to Justin Nassiri, founder of Executive Presence, who conducted a comprehensive analysis of client posts on LinkedIn. Justin talks about software his company uses for data analytics to see valuable data on engagement and trends and how to use it.  The Power of the Hook One of the most significant insights from Justin's analysis is the importance of the hook in LinkedIn posts. The hook refers to the first line of a post, which aims to capture the reader's attention and entice them to engage further. Nassiri emphasizes the need for a bold and provocative hook, stating, "The first line of a post really determines its success." By taking an extreme stance or making a surprising statement, executives can stop the scroll and compel readers to delve deeper into their content. Justin  advises executives to avoid generic and overused hooks, such as "I'm humbled to be featured by Forbes." Instead, he suggests crafting hooks that are concrete, surprising, and contrary to common beliefs and offers a few examples. Furthermore, Nassiri highlights the importance of formatting the post to make the hook stand out. By using line breaks and creating distinct lines, executives can make their hooks more visually appealing and increase the chances of capturing readers' attention. The Visual Advantage Another key finding from Nassiri's analysis is the significant impact of visuals in LinkedIn posts. According to the study, posts with photos receive 115% more views than those without any visual content. Graphics, on the other hand, result in a 28% increase in views. He emphasizes the need for original and relevant visuals. Stock images are not effective in capturing readers' attention and should be avoided. Instead, executives should use their own photos or graphics that directly relate to the content of their posts. For example, if the post discusses leadership, including a photo of a team or a relevant graphic can enhance the post's impact. Justin also offers a few tips on how to generate ideas for visual content.  The Power of Data Analysis Beyond the specific findings, Justin highlights the broader value of LinkedIn as a tool for data analysis, and how executives can use LinkedIn to gain insights into the topics and ideas that resonate with their audience. By analyzing the performance of their posts, executives can identify their "zone of genius" and focus on topics that generate the most engagement. He encourages executives to view LinkedIn as a platform for testing and refining their content strategy. LinkedIn provides a data-driven approach to understanding what content is valuable and to whom. This data-driven approach allows executives to refine their messaging and focus on topics that truly resonate with their audience. The insights from Justin's analysis have significant implications for executives looking to enhance their presence on LinkedIn. Looking ahead, it is essential for executives to continue evolving their content strategy on LinkedIn. While certain tactics may become overused or lose their effectiveness over time, the fundamental principles of effective writing and storytelling remain timeless. Executives should strive to provide valuable insights, educate their audience, and create engaging content that resonates with their target audience. Frequency of Posting on LinkedIn Another important aspect of LinkedIn thought leadership is the frequency of posting , the type of post, and the audience.  Justin explains how the post is displayed, breaks this down line-by-line, and emphasizes the need to post consistently and frequently, recommending two to five posts per week. He highlights the significant impact of increasing the frequency of posts, with a three and a half times increase in monthly views and a 3.7 times increase in monthly likes when going from two to three posts per week to five posts per week. He also suggests posting at 7am local time, as this allows for maximum visibility and engagement. Content Development Tips In terms of content, Justin advises against using articles, links, and reposts. Outbound links and reshared content tend to receive significantly fewer views compared to original posts. However, Nassiri provides two workarounds for including links in your posts. One option is to publish the link as the first comment in the post, while the other is to add the link after the first hour of the post. He talks about how short-term fads can be exploited but should not be relied on as evergreen content. Justin recommends ending your posts with a statement rather than a question. According to his analysis, posts that end with a question perform 30% worse than those that end with a statement. This suggests that people may be fatigued by the overuse of questions to drive interaction. Instead, focusing on authoritative content with clear takeaways and actions can lead to better engagement. Justin shares pros and cons on the types of content commonly created. In conclusion, optimizing your LinkedIn thought leadership requires a strategic approach. By using visuals effectively, posting frequently, avoiding articles and links, and ending with statements, you can enhance your visibility and engagement on the platform. As LinkedIn continues to evolve, it is crucial to stay informed about algorithm changes and adapt your content strategy accordingly. By following these insights from Justin Nassiri, you can position yourself as a thought leader on LinkedIn and maximize your impact in the professional community. Timestamps: 01:19 Methodology and scope of the study using Shield App.ai 02:09 Insights from the study: Best practices in posts 04:39 Importance of the first line and the need for bold and provocative statements 09:40 Tips for creating a strong hook and the importance of distinct lines 10:14 Factors affecting the visibility of the post and the need to entice viewers to click "See more" 14:07 Importance of using original and relevant photos in posts 17:35 Selfies may not perform as well after algorithm change. 19:11 The best time and frequency to post 26:28 What to avoid in LinkedIn posts. 32:12 How to end a LinkedIn post Links: Website: ExecutivePresence.io CONTACT INFO: Justin@executivepresence.io   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.

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Will Bachman, host of the Unleashed Podcast, interviews Mahan Tavakoli. Will Bachman is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a global community for top-tier management consultants. During the interview, Mahan Tavakoli discusses his work with CEOs and leadership teams, providing insightful examples of his strategies for fostering team collaboration and alignment to execute organizational strategy effectively. Listeners will gain valuable insights into Mahan Tavakoli's journey as a leadership coach and consultant, from his early days as a trainer and salesperson at Dale Carnegie to his role as the chief strategy officer. Mahan also discusses a personal decision that led him to focus his initial consulting and coaching work on the Greater Washington, D.C. DMV region.Additionally, he shares tips on how leaders can become more effective storytellers and lessons he has learned from the most successful CEOs he has worked with and interviewed for his podcast. Drawing from his experiences, Mahan highlights patterns and behaviors observed among successful leaders. Whether you want to enhance your content strategy, improve your storytelling skills, or gain insights from successful CEOs, this episode is packed with valuable lessons. Discover the secrets to promoting content in a noisy world and reaching different audiences.Gain valuable knowledge from Mahan's experience as the chief strategy officer at Dale Carnegie Training.Learn effective storytelling techniques from recommended books and resources.Get tips on promoting a podcast and leveraging the platform's audience for maximum impact.Gain insights from interviews with CEOs and authors, including their unique perspectives on leadership.Connect with Will BachmanUmbrex Unleashed Podcast Will Bachman on LinkedIn ReferencedPartnering Leadership Conversation with Mark Schaefer on the Power of CommunityConnect with Mahan Tavakoli: Mahan Tavakoli Website Mahan Tavakoli on LinkedIn Partnering Leadership Website

Show Notes: Chris Heivly and Will Bachman discuss the concept of startup communities and the importance of building them. Chris is the co-founder of MapQuest, which was sold to AOL for $1.2 billion, and the author of the Build the Fort. His second book, The Startup Community Builder's Field Guide, focuses on how five simple lessons learned as a 10-year-old can set entrepreneurs up for startup success. Chris defines a startup community as a set of people involved in innovative activities in a particular geography. He explains that startup communities can be incredibly powerful in helping entrepreneurs to succeed and should be proactively built by providing resources, mentorship, and capital. The Benefits of a Startup Community Chris talks about the concept of startup communities and how they are no longer geographically bound. He believes that networks are essential in order to develop a successful startup community, and that all members of the community, such as corporate innovators, investors, founders, researchers, and university students, should work together for the greater good. Additionally, he mentions that the concept of startup communities applies to industry-specific communities as well, and not just geographically bound ones. He believes that the key to advancing technology is through startups and corporate innovation, and that these networks should be utilized to the fullest extent. Chris points out that it is important to rely on people outside of one's geographic network to build a successful community.  He explains that it can be difficult for founders to invest time and energy into the community due to the amount of tasks they have to complete in their business. He mentions that it is important to build meaningful connections in order to make a successful community and connect with venture capitalists, local investors, and to get involved in the local economy to make sure that it is thriving, and that one will gain knowledge and potential customers by doing so.  Chris suggests startup lawyers, marketing experts, economic development professionals, and people from universities want to ensure the success of startups and help create a vibrant local economy, and he shares a case study on a startup community he was involved with. The Advantages of a Local Tech Scene Chris talks about the advantages of being in a local tech scene, rather than working in a virtual space. He adds that the local physical advantage is that one can easily access mentorship and advice in a formal sense. He notes that this may come in the form of attending events, or engaging with other startups in the same building. He also points out that networking with local resources can be beneficial for finding answers to questions, and finding the right attorney for legal needs. He explains the importance of providing resources, such as programming and co-working spaces, to help new entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground. Chris emphasizes the value of what they call gear, or ad hoc advice and mentorship, as an invaluable resource. These resources can be found through serendipitous sparks, such as running into people at coffee shops or events.  Chris suggests that the best way to create events and activities that will engage the community is to listen to what the people want and find a leader who is motivated to make a change. He encourages grassroots-style initiatives that come from the bottom up, and to move forward with the goal of helping or supporting others. The Three A's that Help Build Local  Community  To help the local community, Chris suggests that it can be done in various ways, such as running a Little League team or getting involved in the arts. He recommends getting involved in the entrepreneur community and how it can have a great economic impact.  Chris talks about the three A's framework in his book which stands for actors, activities, and attitudes. This framework is designed to make the ecosystem more inclusive and inviting for everyone to play a role. Actors can range from economic developers, government bureaucrats, university people, corporate members, founders, investors, and more. Activities vary depending on the maturity of the ecosystem. Attitudes are the most forgotten part of the framework and are important in creating a collaborative, supportive, and inclusive mindset. Chris encourages everyone to adopt a better attitude and behavior in order to create a better ecosystem. He offers a few steps to drive this forward. To build an active network that you can lean on, Chris suggests introducing two people from your network who don't know each other, and having a 'gift first mentality' by reaching out to others without expecting something in return. He shares a story from 2009 to 2010, where he ran around doing 275 connections in five months, and at the end asked a simple question: What can I do for you?. He encourages people to ask what keeps them up at night, and what their challenges are, so that they can be helped. Building a Network of Trust Chris believes that by helping others without expecting anything in return, a strong network of trust and support is created that can benefit everyone. He has met with over 4000 people in the Raleigh-Durham area to build these relationships. He encourages young people to do the same to get more done faster. In return, these contacts are more likely to help him with projects such as writing a book or speaking at events. Chris believes that by investing time and effort into forming meaningful relationships, success can be achieved more quickly. Chris has encountered thousands of people over the past 15 years and has created a system of pre-investing with each of them individually. He explains that he has an open office hours system where anyone can sign up for a 20 minute meeting. He also explains that, although he doesn't have a strong connection with all 4000 people, he can activate them whenever he needs to. His purpose is to support and empower founders to create successful businesses and cities. He hopes to accomplish this through his meetings and connections. Chris shares a few success stories from the people he has met and connections he has made, and the path he took after the success of his startup MapQuest. Timestamps 01:49 Building a Startup Community  03:47 Conversation on Building a Startup Community  06:48 Exploring the Benefits of Joining a Local Startup Community  13:58 The Advantages of Being Local in a Start-up Scene  16:52 Building a Startup Community in Raleigh, NC  25:14 The Four Stages of Ecosystem Maturity  29:33 Exploring the Benefits of a "Gift First" Mentality in Building Community Connections  36:33 Connecting People for Mutual Benefit  43:06 Career Development and Corporate Venture Funds  45:20 Writing the Build a Fort Series  Links: Website: http://heivly.com/ The Book: Build the Fort  CONTACT INFO: Twitter: @chrisheivly Email: Chris@buildthefort.com 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.  

Show Notes: In this episode, Will Bachman talks to Adam Braff, a former McKinsey partner who specializes in data analytics. Adam has been using chat GPT to explore how this powerful tool can be harnessed for data analysis. He explores the implications and potential impact of this innovative approach. The Quest for Analyzing Quantitative Data The ability to analyze quantitative data using generative AI has long been a holy grail for many data scientists. While Chat GPT and other language models have proven their prowess in generating text and even creating visual content. Adam talks about how to  tackle the challenge of applying these tools to analyze large datasets problems and uncover potential solutions. Adam outlines four key aspects of the problem at hand. First, there is a need to upload data into the Chat GPT tool, as the existing training data may not encompass the specific dataset of interest. Second, an intuitive interface is required to facilitate a conversation with the tool, allowing for iterative exploration and analysis. Third, the ability to visualize the data in various formats, such as tables and graphs, is crucial for understanding and validating the results. Lastly, incorporating up-to-date contextual information about the world around us is essential to gain insights into correlations and patterns within the data. Uploading Data: Bridging the Gap To address the challenge of uploading data into Chat GPT, several options have emerged. One approach involves integration with popular spreadsheet tools like Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Users can interact with the data by writing formulas and commands directly within the spreadsheet software.  Another option is to paste data directly into Chat GPT, as long as it fits within the context window. This approach allows for a quick overview of the data and initial exploration of its contents. The ability to have a conversation with chat GPT is a significant breakthrough in data analytics. Adam highlights the emergence of third-party plugins that enable users to interact with the tool directly. These plugins, such as "chat with your data" and "chat with G sheet," bring us closer to the goal of conversational data analysis within the chat GPT environment. Additionally, separate startups have leveraged APIs to connect with open AI models like GPT 3.5 and GPT 4. These startups, such as seek.ai and data DM, provide an alternative approach to interact with the data, although they operate outside the chat GPT window. Code Interpreter: The 800-Pound Gorilla Among the various solutions, Chat GPT code interpreter stands out as a powerful tool for data analysis. As an official open AI product, it offers a native and robust interface within Chat GPT. By activating code interpreter, users gain access to a chatbot-like interface where they can upload data, ask questions, and receive answers in real-time. The code interpreter translates user queries into Python code, allowing for complex data manipulations and analyses. For example, if a user wants to analyze the correlation between variables or observe trends over time, code interpreter can aggregate and analyze the data accordingly. While the current interface may require users to refer back to the original spreadsheet for column names and other details, it provides a promising solution for non-technical analysts to engage with data. Unleashing the Potential: A Case Study To illustrate the capabilities of code interpreter, Adam conducted an analysis using three datasets: daily credit card spending on fast food brands, weekly food spending in various categories, and macroeconomic data from the Federal Reserve. The goal was to explore correlations between fast food spending, overall food spending, and economic conditions. By uploading these datasets into code interpreter, Adam engaged in a conversation with the tool, asking questions and receiving insights on trends overtime. The analysis aimed to uncover potential drivers of spending on fast food brands and identify correlations with broader food spending and economic indicators. Adam explains the various types of analysis and data the tool can deliver and how it can be delivered. Accessing a Python Interpreter For those unfamiliar with Python programming, Braff provided guidance on how to access a Python interpreter. He suggested using platforms like Replit, which allow users to create a free environment for running Python code. Additionally, he mentioned that AI language models like ChatGPT can generate Python code for specific tasks, making it easier for non-technical users to experiment with programming. He emphasizes the importance of hands-on experimentation and encourages individuals to explore these tools to enhance their data analysis skills. Navigating the Landscape of AI Tools Adam talks about the landscape of AI tools and their potential applications in organizations. He talks about how he experimented with scraping. He stresses the need for a problem-solving framework and highlights the importance of breaking down complex problems into manageable steps. By understanding which parts of the problem-solving process AI tools excel at, users can leverage these tools effectively. Braff also emphasized the importance of experimenting with different modalities of interaction, such as step-by-step queries or end-to-end analysis, to find the most suitable approach for each problem. Implications and Future Impact The ability to analyze data using chat GPT and similar tools has significant implications for various industries. Adam talks about the problem of hallucination, where the tool is limited, and how far it is to becoming a plug and play data scientist. However, he explains how non-technical analysts can engage with data in a conversational manner, gaining insights and experimenting with how they ask questions and exploring correlations without the need for advanced technical skills. This democratization of data analysis opens up new possibilities for decision-making and problem-solving. Investors, corporate executives, and researchers can leverage chat GPT to uncover hidden patterns and trends within their datasets. By understanding the correlations between different variables, they can make more informed decisions and develop strategies based on data-driven insights. The Role of AI Tools in Enterprise Data Analytics When discussing the use of AI tools at the enterprise level, Adam acknowledges the need for caution and data security. He advises against randomly uploading corporate data into AI tools and highlights the risks associated with data leakage and potential misuse. To address these concerns, he mentions solutions like Microsoft Azure's OpenAI service, which allows organizations to run AI models locally and keep their proprietary data secure. He also mentions Chat GPT's incognito mode, and the upcoming release of ChatGPT for enterprise tool, which will probably have additional safety guarantees. He talks about what the tool is being used for today such as crunching numbers and making predictions, in addition to coding and analytics and generative AI. Implications and Forecasting As the conversation draws to a close, Adam talks about using the tool for forecasting but that it will become better when the technology merges with browsers. He emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and experimentation, as well as the potential for individuals to enhance their skills in domain knowledge, statistics, and technical/data knowledge. He highlights the role of AI tools as a means of human augmentation, assisting users in their data analysis tasks, and talks about his writing and teaching work, and writes about how generative AI is used in teaching and learning.  Looking ahead, Adam predicts that AI tools will continue to evolve and improve, becoming more user-friendly and capable of handling complex analytics tasks. He emphasizes the need for organizations to embrace these tools while ensuring data security and compliance. By leveraging AI tools effectively, organizations can unlock the full potential of their data and drive better decision-making. In conclusion, AI-powered tools like Code Interpreter and ChatGPT are revolutionizing the field of data analytics. While they have their limitations, they offer immense potential for organizations and individuals to gain insights from their data. By understanding the capabilities and limitations of these tools, experimenting with different modalities of interaction, and prioritizing data security, organizations can harness the power of AI to drive better analyses, generate value, and make informed decisions in an increasingly data-driven world. Timestamps: 01:37 Options for uploading data into chat GPT 08:40 The interface of chat GPT code interpreter 12:25 The potential for non-technical analysts to use these tools 13:37 Example of using code interpreter to analyze credit card spending data 15:46 Using code interpreter 21:07 Experimenting with code interpreter and learning Python programming 23:34 Code interpreter can graph data, but limitations exist 25:16 Recommendations for using code interpreter effectively 34:33 Enterprise solutions for using code interpreter with proprietary data 35:45 Current use cases of code interpreter in companies 36:51  Using the GPT-3 tool for forecasting Links: Website: https://braff.co/genai-1 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.

Show Notes: John Driscoll is the President of Walgreens Boots Alliance and the co-host of the second largest healthcare podcast on YouTube, CareTalk. In this episode, host Will Bachman welcomed John to the show. John has extensive experience in the healthcare industry, having played a leading role in creating successful companies like MedCo, Surescripts, Oxford Health Plans, and Care Centrix. John discusses topics such as monkeypox, mask mandates, baby formula shortages, Silicon Valley Bank's failure, and healthcare related topics. He also shares his  opinions on a variety of healthcare issues.  The Future of Pharmacies  John started his career in health care after being influenced by his mother, a nurse. After college, he developed housing programs for homeless and mentally ill people. He then became a management consultant, before moving to Asheville Health Plan. He has worked in multiple parts of the health industry spectrum, gaining experience in Medicare and Medicaid.  He has found his career to be full of big and challenging problems, but is motivated to improve the world and create successful businesses. His main initiatives involve investing in Village MD, Summit, and Espadin Shield Specialty Pharmacy to show how an integrated pharmacy and clinical model can improve outcomes at lower cost. Walgreens is also working with health plans and has 9000 stores and 90,000 clinicians to provide access and convenience, trust, and traffic. Their goal is to become essential in healthcare by leveraging their expertise in retail and pharmacy services. He discusses how pharmacies can become better partners to health plans by taking advantage of their advantages in brand marketing, trust, convenience, and patient specificity. He shares  a specific example of how a large regional health plan achieved a return rate of three times greater on colorectal screenings than before they partnered with the pharmacy. The pharmacy was also able to increase the rate of colorectal screenings up to 51% in underserved areas due to the support of non-clinical personnel in their stores. Additionally, the pharmacy is partnering with health plans to reduce admissions to nursing homes by 20% through nurse visits, follow-ups, and care navigation. The system leads to better patient and contact information.  Overall, the pharmacy is providing an invaluable service in helping health plans lower costs while improving outcomes. He explains how his company invests in bespoke automation machines to allow pharmacists to spend more face-to-face time with patients, and how pharmacists could be more involved and take on more responsibility in the treatment of patients and how this would expand access to more care in an overburdened health system. Pharmaceutical Healthcare,  the Pandemic, and Value-based Care John reflects on  health regulations and restrictions and also the risk taking and flexibility that came into place under the COVID pandemic. He confirms how important it is to prepare for pandemics in terms of vaccine supplies, communication, and pre-deploying and integrating national and state employees in operations. He also notes the critical role of pharmacies in crisis situations. He tackles the issue of employee burnout and the current pharmacist shortage and the steps Walgreens is taking to solve the problem across states. On value-based care, he explains how it is the future, especially in the U.S. where healthcare is more expensive than any country in the world, how this is unacceptable, and how this should be approached to address health issues earlier to avoid hospitalization.  The CareTalk Podcast  John talks about the inspiration and intention of his podcast, what the content is and what has surprised him throughout the conversations. Guests that have been on his podcast include Andy Slavitt, Zeke Emanuel, Tony Cosgrove, and Amy Abernathy. When asked what he learned from his guests,  John shares that he was surprised to find out that even though healthcare is very complicated and people are in silos, there is still room for novel and provocative opinions that can be explained. He also found out that everybody knows that drug costs are too high, but there are practical ways to bring them down without destroying the biotechnology industry that is creating new drugs to cure aging and extend lifespans.  The podcast explores various issues surrounding health care and how to best address them. Toby Cosgrove from the Cleveland Clinic brought up the importance of creating heart-centered care in a large inner city hospital. It was noted that there are a lot of people working on solutions to healthcare problems, such as telehealth and AI to solve labor shortages. He also touches on the potential for AI and Chat GPT to be used in health care. While it is still early days, he mentions that there have been some companies experimenting with using these tools. Health Care and AI John talks about the impact of artificial intelligence on healthcare. He believes that AI has the potential to reduce administrative costs and waste in healthcare by simplifying billing and reconciliation processes. He also believes that AI can help in drug discovery, clinical pathways, and personalized care.  He is looking forward to having guests on CareTalk with whom he can discuss the economy, healthcare costs, and the pandemic's effect on inflation. He wants to discuss  the current chaotic economic landscape that is impacting healthcare, and the labor industry in particular. He mentions the growth of traveling nurses who are paid by private equity firms and how hospitals have had the worst six months financially in US history. He sources his information from HealthTech Nerds,  the Washington Post, New York Times, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Health Affairs, and Jim and Science,  the MIT Tech Review, Science and Cell, all as good sources of information. He suggests Kaiser Family Foundation and Kaiser Health News as exceptional sources, as well as government sources such as CMS for basic data. Timestamps 03:20 Walgreens Boots Alliance's Healthcare Initiatives 06:35 Partnering with Health Plans to Improve Outcomes and Lower Costs 09:52 Improving Patient Care Through Pharmacist Interaction 10:48 Automated Fulfillment Centers and Patient Care at Walgreens 28:45 Healthcare Innovations  31:54 Exploring Solutions to Healthcare Challenges 32:15 The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Healthcare  36:49 Exploring the Impact of the Changing Labor Industry on Healthcare  Links: https://www.caretalkpodcast.com/ https://www.walgreens.com/ 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.

Will Bachman is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Umbrex, a global community of top-tier independent management consultants which creates opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, access project opportunities, and collaborate. Previously Bachman was a consultant at McKinsey and a nuclear-trained submarine officer. He's an alum of Harvard College and Columbia Business School.   Will talks about what discovery is in the consulting world, balancing between talking and listening in a sales conversation, RFPs, and much more!

Show Notes: David Newman is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), marketing expert, speaker, and founder of Do It! Marketing. In this episode, Will Bachman and David discuss his new book, Do It Selling. The book is organized with 77 instant action ideas that can be used to land better clients, bigger deals, and higher fees. The book is  divided into micro chapters which focus on topics such as understanding the sales process, creating an ideal customer profile, building relationships with potential clients, using content to create credibility, and closing more sales. Additionally, the book includes many stories, case studies, and advice from David's own experiences. The goal of the book is to help independent consultants learn how to market and sell their services effectively.  David talks about the fact that many consultants and professional services firm principals love the work but not the sales aspect. David explains that one needs to upgrade their sales brain to be successful in sales. The idea is to replace the words ‘selling' and ‘sales' with invitations to conversations and reframe the idea of selling to connecting.  Lead Generation and Client Communication Ninja Tricks He encourages people to change how they view sales to  be less  focused on chasing and persuading, and more focused on the qualifying, sorting, and filtering business rather than chasing and persuading. He encourages a shift from taking an inferior vendor stance trying to persuade the client of your value to that of a casting director for whom the clients are auditioning. He moves on to the idea of targeting the clients you want and launching intentional and specific relationships to open doors rather than “taking what comes.” This puts the seller back in control of their lead generation and prospecting, and allows them to be more proactive and hold better conversations. The crux of this approach is to lead the client to want what you do. David talks about the current approach to cold calling and prospecting when generating leads, and how the approach should be more about serving before selling and helping before pitching.  He suggests making an “active 20” list and gives tips on how to reach out to and warm up those contacts and avoid your proposal landing in a black hole. David offers tips on how to connect with clients through being where they play, write where they read, and be where they attend. He talks about checking into trigger events in the industry you are targeting such as upsizing, downsizing, mergers and acquisitions etc. This entails doing thorough research on the client and understanding the clients' situation to ensure your communication relates to their current situation.  How to Reach Out to Cool Contacts Will and David discuss tactics for reaching out to cool contacts. David suggests apologizing for the lack of communication and to follow with a direct and authentic request to catch up on where they are and where they are going – but not to sell. He also offers a few  ninja tricks on how to encourage a follow up conversation. The goal should always be to build a rapport with the customer or client, and to show that your company cares about their needs by demonstrating thoughtfulness, relevance, and value. David offers examples of each to clarify these three points and how this approach works for reaching out to past, present, and future clients to ensure you are perceived as a trusted advisor.  Revenue Acceleration and Business Growth David divides his clients into three buckets: Zero to Hero (consultants who have just left a corporate role), Hero to Superhero (those who have gained experience in their industry and are looking to take their consulting to the next level) and Superhero to Intergalactic (those who have a lot of experience and are looking to take their consulting to a much higher level).  For those in the zero to hero stage, he helps them with lead generation, prospecting, sales, and sales processes. Those in the hero to superhero stage are looking to double or triple their current business and need to make changes to do so. Finally, those in the superhero to intergalactic stage are looking to scale their business to reach the million dollar mark. David focuses on helping them with scaling strategies, such as hiring a team, licensing, and digital programs, to help them become the CEO of their business. David discusses how consultants can reach the 500k plus plus level, by building infrastructure and focusing on revenue multipliers.  He explains that businesses need to make money even when the consultant takes time off or goes on holiday, and emphasizes the importance of setting up systems that can make this happen. Recommended CRM System  Will Bachman and David Newman discuss the advantages of using a CRM system over just a spreadsheet for tracking conversations and action items. David recommends One Page CRM, as it has powerful features on the back end and is simple to use on the front end. He also recommends grabbing free resources from his website, doitmarketing.com, such as the companion tools to his book, the 500k Consulting Gameplan session, and the Do It Marketing Manifesto. David's company offers a few different ways to work with clients, either through one-on-one discussions, mentoring programs, or group sessions and includes daily coaching, live events, online communities, sales labs and sales gyms. He is open to chatting with people who contact him at his email, David@doitmarketing.com. Timestamps 03:44 Professional Services Firm Growth and Sales Mindset  08:48 Tips for Generating Initial Conversations in Sales Prospecting  16:33 Reaching Out to Cool Contacts 20:34 Catching Up with Past Clients: Revitalizing Old Projects and Teams  23:07 Follow-Up Strategies for Unresponsive Prospects  29:03 "Strategies for Direct Prospecting: An Email Example"  36:04 Revenue Acceleration Strategies for Consultants and Executives  38:13 Revenue Multipliers and Technology Recommendations  39:25 CRM Systems and Consulting Services  45:24 Content to Solve, Not Content to Learn  Links: www.doitselling.com - to get the book bonuses www.doitsellingbook.com - to buy the book  www.doitmarketing.com/manifesto - free 37-page guide www.doitmarketing.com/webinar - free on-demand training for consultants The Selling Show Podcast CONTACT INFO: David@doitmarketing.com 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.

Ulrich Riedel and Will Bachman discuss Ulrich's unique cold lead generation process via LinkedIn. Ulrich advises to respect the leads and to be careful to select only candidates who would benefit from this process and to be careful not to spam. He shares why he chose to find leads this way and explains why  there is more upside than downside to his process. He explains that the process involves several aspects such as researching the prospects, creating a message, and following up. He also suggests focusing on building relationships and emphasizing the value of the offer. Finally, he stresses the importance of tracking results and being persistent. Using LinkedIn Sales Navigator to Contact Leads Ulrich offers three pieces of advice on how to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to reach out to potential leads. He stresses the importance of your investment in time and money investments to ensure the leads are super targeted, as sourcing too many leads that do not fit the needs of the company will be a waste of the time and money invested. He emphasizes that real expertise and external help are needed to set up the process.  Hiring an Expert in Lead Generation Ulrich discusses how he hired an expert to help him with his lead generation process. The expert used a Sales Navigator, which is a powerful search tool, to look for leads and contacts, and then organize them in groups and tag them to make sure none were duplicated. Ulrich created the messaging, but they were responsible for sending out initial connection requests and any follow-up messages. Once a prospect accepted and engaged, the expert would set up a call in the prospect's calendar and then hand the contact over to Ulrich to handle. Ultimately, the expert helped Ulrich to find, organize, and contact the leads, which saved him time. He talks about his direct and concise communication technique that helps him build a connection with suitable prospects.  Reaching the Right People through LinkedIn Sales Navigator Ulrich helps reduce implementation risk and increase project value for large complex projects and strategies. He has been doing this since 2004 and has found that his initial connection requests were not reaching the right people. He now targets Senior Vice Presidents and above in companies with $3 billion or more in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. His current connection requests are clear and direct, stating his goal to reduce risk and increase project value followed by an offer to explain how he would achieve this for the person he is reaching out to. Once he has secured a lead, Ulrich transfers the client from LinkedIn Navigator to his own CRM system to keep track of communications, campaigns, and status etc. He explains how and when he makes first contact, how he follows up with them, often using GetEmail and RocketReach to find emails of his clients, and how he schedules meetings.  Most importantly, Ulrich focuses on authentic and respectful communication. He stresses the importance of patience and persistence, and that following up with clients on a regular basis to remind them of the benefits they will receive from Ulrich's expertise pays off. He finds that out of 100 connection requests sent, usually 20 will connect. He sends the 20 a longer message and roughly five will reply. Out of five, he will secure one client. Ulrich shares when and how he follows up with the other potential clients. He checks his CRM system daily and explains why he uses Outlook Contact instead of Hubspot. Timestamps: 04:15 Exploring Strategies for Effective LinkedIn Outreach  05:05 The Benefits of Utilizing Expertise for Lead Generation 08:38 Maximizing Project Value Through Risk Reduction 10:51 Exploring the Benefits of a Custom CRM System for Lead Tracking  12:41 Lead Management and Prospecting Strategies  18:56 Building Professional Connections on LinkedIn  24:56 Networking Strategies for Building Trust and Connections  28:37 Utilizing Sales Navigator and CRM Systems for Lead Generation  30:13 Leveraging CRM Systems for Business Growth  Links: https://www.drulrichriedelconsulting.ch/ CONTACT INFO: https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrUlrichRiedel/ 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.

Show Notes Ulrich Riedel and Will Bachman discuss Ulrich's unique pricing model for independent consultants. Rather than being paid upfront or daily rates, Ulrich gets paid a percentage of the value he creates for the client at the end of the project. To make this type of pricing model possible, Ulrich needs to make sure certain conditions are met, such as creating value for the client, measuring the value,  and convincing the client of the value. He also needs to make sure that the client will be willing or able to share in the risk associated with the project. Ulrich has learned how to do this through experience, and was willing to share his knowledge with Will and the viewers of Unleashed. What to Consider with an At-risk Pricing Model Ulrich Riedel explains that there are four main themes to consider when using an at-risk pricing model. First, the offer needs to have unique value to the client. Second, the individual must be willing to accept risk. Third, the client must be open to the at-risk pricing model. Fourth, the approach to project generation must be tailored to the at-risk pricing model. He suggests that the network may not be enough for project generation because many close relations may not be able to accept at-risk pricing. A solution to finding suitable clients, may be to develop cold  lead generation through LinkedIn might be helpful. He also suggests partnering with people who have contacts to potential clients and projects, and what he found most helpful is to establish oneself as an expert to increase trust.  Pricing the Project Ulrich specializes in large, complex projects that are worth more than $100 million that involve many functions, hierarchies, global reach, different countries and cultures, change management with hesitancies  and conflicting priorities, and the list goes on. He analyzes the entirety of the project, helps implement it, and generates an added value of 8-15%. Ulrich discusses a project they are working on with a client to shape the future. His role is to provide insight and advice on the strategy and execution of the project. He recently worked with a small company with a few $100 million turnover to help them optimize three main projects.  He is also responsible for talking to many people in different hierarchies to collect data and figure out where value is hidden and how to create an intervention and implementation plan which could generate much more value.  Prospect Generation Ulrich studies the mentality of the client and the company and  talks to people in all hierarchies to gather in depth information from all levels, including employees at the water cooler or the factory floor during the night shift. Once he has an implementation plan in place, he sits down with the client to discuss two main variables: volume and cost. Ulrich also talks about how he determines his fees, and the search time for finding projects, and how long projects typically take.  Timestamps: 03:54 Exploring At-Risk Pricing Models: Strategies for Generating Projects and Establishing Trust  06:05 Exploring Value-Based Pricing for Large Complex Projects  06:25 Consulting on Building a New Business Model with a Hybrid Technology  11:46  Value Creation and Compensation for Consultancy Services  14:39 Exploring the Long Sales Cycle and Prospect Generation  Links: https://www.drulrichriedelconsulting.ch/ CONTACT INFO: https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrUlrichRiedel/ 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.