The Dirt

Zack Dugow, the Founder and CEO of Insticator, has mastered user engagement for publishers. He believes that the future of social media lies outside of the walled gardens of platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Insticator builds social communities for publishers to connect audiences on their sites by curating relevant content for their users. Much like Facebook’s algorithm pushes content they think you’ll like based on your Facebook interactions, now publishers can interact with users to learn what they like and increase ad revenue with a better picture of your audience. In this episode, Zack tells you exactly how that works and shares all the benefits Insticator provides for publishers and their users. Join Zack and Jim as they talk about building strong publisher communities for improved user engagement. They discuss maximizing ad revenue, building strong teams and the potential pitfalls of acquisitions, and creating a better experience for users without sacrificing privacy. 3 Key TakeawaysDefine Success for the Stage: Sometimes your team's skill sets are really helpful to the business in one stage may but they not be helpful in the next stage. Question to ponder, what would it look like having an A-player in a leadership seat where you currently have a B or C-player?’When Acquiring Companies, Create a Cultural Diligence Checklist: So many M&A deals fall short post-acquisition because of a cultural mismatch. When acquiring a company, learn about their culture (e.g., do people answer the phone after hours, are they team-first or customer-first, etc.) by asking questions and building a checklist to see how the organizations align culturally.Check Yourself: Grind culture is highly celebrated in the entrepreneurial world, but when it comes to your work as a CEO, quality is better than quantity. A well-rested,physically active CEO makes better decisions than one who is burnt out. ResourcesZack’s LinkedInZack’s InstagramAbout Zack is the Founder and CEO of Insticator, a leading global Publisher engagement platform. With over 100+ team members spanning the globe and nearly 2000 publishers utilizing their content engagement units, commenting, and monetization solutions, Insticator is considered one of the most rapidly expanding companies in North America, with their products reaching over 2 billion users annually.Over the last four years, the company has been named to the Inc. 5000, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, Crain’s New York Business Fast 50, and AdWeek’s Fastest Growing Solution Providers for Publishers lists. I have also been recognized on the DMN Top 40 Under 40 list and named to Crain's New York’s 40 Under Forty list.Early on, Zack established Insticator partnerships with large-scale media companies such as The Washington Post, WebMD, and Ancestry.com. In addition to heading Insticator, Zack mentors and invests in startups. Zack is a member of YPO, the IAB and a contributor to the Forbes Tech Council.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Most content creators are very familiar with the never-ending game of email ping-pong to get content edited and approved. Niklas Dorn, a creative and ambitious entrepreneur, identified this problem and founded Filestage, a platform that streamlines content review and approval processes. With a passion for finding a more efficient and innovative way to enhance workflows, the Filestage team has developed a powerful solution to improve communication and collaboration for content creators worldwide. As a result, Filestage now boasts over 700 customers and helps marketing teams and agencies save time and resources during their content approval process.Join Niklas and Jim as they discuss the benefits of streamlining content review and approval using this game-changing platform. You’ll get to hear about Niklas’ experience in starting a remote company (before it was cool) and understand all the steps he had to take to turn an innovative idea into a successful platform and business. 3 Key TakeawaysInvest in Your Core Team: In the early days, it can be easy to fall into the pattern of hiring cheap just to get things done. But at the end of the day, paying more for a few key people that are all-star employees can make all the difference. Explain the Why: If you want something from somebody, try to give them as much context as you can. Without knowing the bigger picture behind it, an employee may just complete the task and move on, but with context, they can do a much better job and even come up with a new solution or process to make the task more efficient in the future. Intentionally Communicate: As the co-founder of a fully remote business, Niklas has learned that nothing “just happens” communication-wise. You need to be explicit about how you communicate and what you share with your team to shape the company culture in a proactive way. ResourcesFilestage WebsiteNiklas’ LinkedInAbout Filestage is a review and approval platform that frees teams from chaotic approval processes, making work more joyful and productive. From large enterprises to independent agencies, we help teams share, discuss, and approve all their files, all in one place – including documents, images, videos, websites, and audio files. Filestage was founded in 2015 by Niklas and his two cofounders and is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, with a remote team working all over the world.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

With a degree in international studies and training in software development, Michael O’Rourke possesses a unique blend of skills and knowledge that has shaped his understanding of technology and its potential impact on the world. Michael is Co-Founder and CEO of Pocket Network, a Web3 middleware protocol that provides a decentralized infrastructure for blockchain node interaction. Join Michael and Jim as they discuss Michael’s initial foray into Bitcoin that led to a unicorn Web3 company. You’ll gain insight on the importance of a tempered mindset, finding internal harmony between public service and entrepreneurism, and navigating leadership shifts to get to the next stage.3 Key TakeawaysPurposeful Hiring: When a business starts to do well and we see significant growth, it’s easy to get excited and hire rapidly. Take your time and be strategic and intentional with new hires.. Remember: hiring faster doesn’t mean you scale faster!Don’t Sleep on Web3: Bitcoin (beginning of Web3) became mainstream in the last decade and was only created in 2009 before rising above a trillion dollar market cap. With people losing faith in our current institutions, there is an opportunity for founders to build up new institutions in the decentralized world of Web3. It’s Lonely at the Top: You know what’s tough? Building a high-growth business. What’s even tougher? Letting go of the leadership team that helped get you to where you’re at, knowing (on both sides) that they’re not going to be the team to get you to the next level. ResourcesPocket Network WebsiteMichael’s TwitterAbout Michael is Co-Founder and CEO of Pocket Network, a blockchain data ecosystem for Web3 applications. Prior to building Pocket Network, he owned and operated a blockchain development agency, and was on the ground level of Tampa Bay’s largest Bitcoin/Crypto meetup and consultancy, Blockspaces, with a focus on teaching developers Solidity. Michael first got into bitcoin in 2013, and his interests quickly grew much deeper. In 2016, writing smart contracts and making discoveries in API services for Ethereum gave Michael a unique perspective on what is required to provide a vertically and horizontally scalable infrastructure service in a decentralized manner.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

For Ben Goldman, no challenge is insurmountable with a great work ethic and willingness to hustle. Having grown his own business, successfully exiting and becoming a leader in the acquiring company, you won’t want to miss out on his story. As the Senior Vice President of Business Development and Digital Partnerships at Anteriad, it’s Ben’s job to be an expert in understanding marketing, sales, strategy, and how the three fit together to acquire your ideal customer. With his company’s focus on programmatic marketing, Ben is uniquely positioned as business development and sales leader that really understands how all parts in the revenue cycle work together. Join Ben and Jim as they discuss intent-based marketing and sales with automation. They’ll talk about the obstacles Ben faced on his journey as a founder, how his company was acquired and how he dealt with the transition. Ben will give his expert advice on creating a winning sales and marketing strategy. 3 Key TakeawaysA Good Company Has (Some) Tension: When your company has healthy tension it means you've all chosen a goal worthy of your time, and you all feel the passion and drive to get it to where it needs to be. Something is off if the leadership team is always agreeing.Your Challenge Is Also Your Gift: Growing up with dyslexia presented many challenges for Ben, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He turned his challenges into a creative mind, a relentless hustle, and an incredible work ethic that has got him where to where he is today. Choose the Right Advisors: When picking advisors, you pick people that have done the things you want to do. If you’re looking to become a $50M company, then your advisors should have built a company to $50M. Otherwise, how could they successfully advise you on getting to that point? ResourcesBen’s LinkedInAbout Ben is currently the SVP of Business Development and Digital Partnerships at Anteriad. He was the co-founder and CRO at 180byTWO prior to being acquired by Anteriad (formerly MeritB2B) in 2020. At Anteriad, they leverage cutting edge technology, analytics, and data insights to drive our approach to data solutions and audience services. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Jonathan Kazarian knows how beneficial events can be for businesses to reach their audience and improve brand awareness, but he also knows how stressful and time-consuming hosting these events can be. He saw a gap in the market for user-friendly and cost-effective event technology. That’s why Jonathan founded Accelevents, which has become a leading event technology platform with a user-friendly, customizable experience for in-person, virtual, and hybrid events.Jonathan gives his advice on catering to customer feedback, navigating fundraising, and building a strong and loyal customer base. He also shares what it was like to pivot into virtual events during the 2020 pandemic, and how that space in the market is still booming today. 3 Key TakeawaysThe Customer Is The Catalyst: Make your company as accessible as possible to customers who want to give feedback. Be focused on listening to that feedback and let them know action is being taken to actively improve your service for them. Supporting your customers means they’re supporting you. Push Your Team: Top performers want to be challenged. The best people in the company aren’t looking for an easy job, they’re looking to continue building the company, and by extension, their career. Keep them in a position where there is something to be gained New To Events? De-Risk!: The safest way to dive into hosting events for your business is to go virtual. It’s less expensive, less time consuming, and it will set your audience up to expect great things so that when you start doing in-person events, you’ve got a built-in audience that will make them a success. ResourcesAccelevents WebsiteJonathan’s LinkedInAbout Jonathan Kazarian is the Founder & CEO of Accelevents, a leading virtual and hybrid event management platform recently recognized by Inc. 5000 as a top 100 fastest-growing private company in America.As CEO, Jonathan is focused on leading the company’s vision of helping event organizers and marketing professionals transform their events through innovative technology solutions. As an industry thought leader, Jonathan actively publishes insights on the events landscape and frequently speaks at industry events such as EventMB’s Event Tech Innovation Summit, BizBash Live, and INBOUND. Jon also chairs the board for the Fall Formal fundraiser benefiting the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Outside of work, Jon has a passion for anything on water — sailing, boating, scuba diving, and kiteboarding. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

With the exponential growth of data in organizations, cyberattacks are becoming frequent and costing American companies millions and risking their reputations. Kevin Coppins, President and CEO of Spirion, knows just how much is at risk when it comes to employee data. When he stepped into his role as CEO, he made sure that the founder’s vision to “eliminate data breaches and the pain associated with them” stayed very much alive. Join Jim and Kevin as they dive into the cybersecurity threats businesses face with the use of sensitive employee and consumer data. They discuss the importance of companies understanding the value of the information they have in order to protect it, how Covid has changed the world of cybersecurity, and Kevin’s experience transitioning into a CEO role and taking over a company from its founders. 3 Key TakeawaysProtect the Digital You: The digital version of you is almost as valuable as the physical version of you, and you have to protect it accordingly. This is even more important for businesses, who have tons of “digital people” to protect.Choose the Right Buyer : Choosing the right buyer for your company can make or break your company moving forward. Take the time to do your research and find the buyer with the greatest propensity to drive the company where you want it to go. (Hint: It’s not always the highest bidder!)Make Customers Successful, Not Happy: Counterintuitive? Maybe. Effective? Definitely. In some industries (e.g., Cybersecurity), not every interaction is going to make customers feel good. There will be tough conversations because data integrity and protection is a high-stakes game and many companies don’t do it right. As a vendor, your job is to make the customer successful (i.e., data and assets secure) - this will cultivate a mutual respect and make for successful, long-term customers. ResourcesSpirion WebsiteKevin’s LinkedInKevin’s TwitterAbout As Chief Executive Officer at Spirion, Kevin leads a team of passionate data privacy professionals driven daily to “Protect What Matters Most” for their customers, colleagues and communities. Data breaches continue to grow with more than 33 billion records projected to be stolen in 2023, a 175% increase over 2018. As a result, privacy has taken legislative center stage as people’s physical identities become digitized into a form of personal data currency, for sale to the highest bidder. The real victims of a data breach are those individuals who will forever have to deal with their identities being compromised. It’s why Spirion takes what they do so seriously, and it’s why Kevin is honored to be a part of this team. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Workers share more data with their employers than with any other service. Whether it’s work history, educational experience,family structure, etc. employers have all of this information at their fingertips. What if that data could be used to deliver a better experience for every employee? That’s the question that Kiran Menon asked when he founded Tydy, a People Ops Automation platform. Kiran believes with the increasing number of systems in organizations, employee data is just sitting in silos, and he saw a need for a product to build a cohesive, unified profile of an individual.Join Jim and Kiran as they discuss how a People Ops platform can improve the employee experience. They discuss whatPeople Ops means and its growing popularity, building custom systems for large businesses (we’re talking 100,000+), and how Kiran’s experience in enterprise sales translates to his work as a founder of a startup. 3 Key TakeawaysDon’t Shy Away From the Rough Days: When building a business, it’s inevitable that you’ll go through rough patches. Embrace those challenges as they come and build back better every time. You want to build an organization that lasts. Identify Your Gatekeepers: Although these aren’t the people who are actually purchasing your service, gatekeepers have a huge influence on whether or not your deal goes through. Find a way to show value to them and how you can make them look good in the sales process! Navigating Procurement: When selling to an enterprise, you’re not just selling to the user-group of the product, you have to convince the whole company to get on board. In many cases, this means you will need to go through a procurement process. Be patient, focus on the overall value of your product, and trust in what you’ve created. ResourcesKiran’s LinkedInTydy Company WebsiteAbout Kiran Menon is the CEO & Co-Founder at Tydy - the People Ops Automation platform. Prior to starting Tydy, Kiran worked 17 years in Sales & Consulting with companies like Opera Software, Case Consulting Group and more.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Whether it’s a new sport, a new language, or a new instrument, we can’t master a skill overnight. We learn by practicing and making mistakes along the way. That isn’t an option in the medical field because lives are at stake. That’s why Danny Goel, the founder and CEO of Precision OS, has created a simulation software that incorporates VR and AR to allow medical professionals to practice their skills and gain a deeper understanding of a procedure before entering the operating room.Join Jim and Danny as they explore virtual reality in the medical field. Danny shares his journey in creating Precision OS as they talk about the future of medical care and the challenges that come with implementing new technology in an industry that’s baked in tradition.3 Key TakeawaysValidate Before You Scale: Don’t raise funds until you see a direct path towards acceleration. Make sure your agenda aligns with your investor’s agenda, and that the money you raise will go straight into creating tangible results for the goals you have set. Feature vs. Value: Don’t focus simply on the wow-factor of your product or service. Creating value that lasts is the key to a sustainable future. Valuable Reps > More Reps: People need repetition to learn a skill, but a lot of learning gets diluted in people not being equipped for different situations. e.g., If you’re practicing 3-point shots, yes you should take plenty of shots alone to hone your form, but you also need reps where you have a defender in your face because that’s what you’d face in the game situation. ResourcesDanny’s LinkedInPrecision OS WebsiteAbout Danny Goel is an Orthopedic Surgeon in Vancouver, BC. He has a passion for evaluating and managing complex shoulder disorders, improving access to care and educating the next and current generations of surgeons. This has translated into his role as CEO and Founder of Precision OS, a software company focused on immersive experiential virtual reality based medical education.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

The world is becoming more digital by the second, but not everyone is up to speed. Serial entrepreneur, Matias Marquez, helps brands connect with consumers with digital assets. His company, ethos, works with brands to provide digital assets (i.e., NFTs) to customers that have real-world benefits. Join Jim and Matias as they discuss bringing Web3 to consumer brands.They talk about digital asset ownership, engaging your consumer base, and exit lessons learned.3 Key TakeawaysSimplify technology: Make new technology (i.e., NFTs) so simple that users don’t know what they’re interacting with - just that it works and they like it! e.g., You don’t know what happens with the payment interface when you use Apple Pay at Starbucks, it just works seamlessly. Exit Intentionally: Some business owners are intentional about every aspect of their business until they get to the exit. Don’t stop being intentional at the end - be mindful of all three parties that matter: employees, customers and shareholders. Yes, that means business owners not simply taking the largest offer… Follow the Vision: Create an environment where you’re thinking about the long-term goals of the business (including exit) and chart a path towards it. You can’t get somewhere if you don’t know the end goal. Resourcesethos Company Websiteethos Company LinkedInMatias’s LinkedIn Matias’s Twitter Matias’s InstagramAbout Matias Marquez is the CEO of ethos, a company that is on a mission to accelerate the world’s mass adoption of Digital Assets (NFTs) by humanizing, simplifying and facilitating rich experiences for brands and their customers. Matias is also an active advisor and investor in technology companies and a PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs Ambassador. Matias founded Buyatab in 2009, led it to become a global leader in digital gift giving and sold it to Atlanta-based FLEETCOR Technologies. (NYSE: FLT). By the time of the acquisition, Buyatab’s clients included brands such as Walmart, Whole Foods, Four Seasons, and others.Throughout his career, Matias has received many awards for his entrepreneurial success, including being named a BC Business Top 30 Under 30 recipient in 2016; winner of the 2016 EY Entrepreneur of The Year award; being named to Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for 2017; and being named a Forty Under 40 recipient in 2018. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Companies, enterprises, entrepreneurs, and individuals face security threats every day, and Tony UcedaVelez has spent over 25 years understanding and dealing with those threats. During this time, he realized that the cybersecurity industry desperately needed a makeover. He created the company, VerSprite, to fill a void in security consulting where most firms continued to sell their services using fear-factor techniques (“You don’t want your organization to face an 8-digit hack, do you..”) instead of value-added services.Join Tony and Jim as they discuss the methodology and practices that have brought VerSprite to the forefront of cybersecurity and risk management. They’ll talk about managing risk with intention, scaling a cybersecurity services business, and a spiritual approach to leadership with compassion and accountability.3 Key Takeaways:- Don’t Let Fear Control You: Sometimes our fear allows us to validate business decisions that turn out to be bad for the company in the long run. - Be tactical and intentional, don’t let a knee-jerk reaction be your response when something goes wrong. - Secure Your Business with Intention: Understand the risk appetite of your company and the threat landscape of your industry. Set up security where the risk is most relevant. You don’t need all the bells and whistles that many companies try to scare you into wasting money on. - Bring in the Experts: As entrepreneurs, we have to not only hone our own skills and strengths but know when to delegate tasks to other experts. Bringing on the right people and giving them the right tasks will make or break your business. ResourcesTony’s LinkedInVerSprite WebsiteAbout Tony UcedaVélez is the co-creator of the Process for Attack Simulation & Threat Analysis and the CEO of VerSprite. Tony has over 25 years of IT/InfoSec work experience across a vast range of industries. He is also the OWASP leader for Atlanta, GA.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

A good partnership can accelerate building a successful business, and guest Todd Buelow knows firsthand just how advantageous they can be through their work at Dualboot, a 400-person software development company he and his two business partners founded.Join Todd and Jim as they discuss the advantages and challenges associated with partnerships and growing companies alongside others. From finding partners that have complementary strengths and weaknesses, to staying aligned on a plan (shoutout to other EOS practitioners out there) and even running a business alongside your spouse - this episodes has a little something for everyone.3 Key TakeawaysChoosing Dev Teams: Pick a development team that’s right for your stage. 100% of development companies will say they’re good at building from the ground up, but the reality is ~20% are actually adept at that.Accountability in Partnerships: Utilize some type of operating system (EOS, OKRs, V2MOM, etc.) to provide visibility into what you’re doing. Check in regularly (quarterly goal setting, weekly progress reports, etc.) to hold each other accountable.Failing Fast: As an entrepreneur, you’re going to fail so do it fast. Failing fast means getting up trying something different. 90 days is a good barometer to figure out if something (marketing initiative, customer experiment, etc.) is worth investing more resources into or eliminating. ResourcesDualboot Company WebsiteDualboot LinkedIn PageTodd’s LinkedInAbout Dualboot is a business and software development company. When they build your software, it builds your bottom line. Their Founders have 25 years of experience starting, leading, and selling tech companies and products. They know what it takes - and will do whatever it takes - to help you succeed, too.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Lars Helgeson knows that the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) space is crowded, with Goliaths like SalesForce, Oracle, HubSpot, and Pipedrive taking up their well-established places. But, a strong believer in the underdog, he bootstrapped a multimillion-dollar business and carved out his own space in the CRM and marketing automation industry. In this episode, Lars joins host Jim Barnish to share his go-to marketing strategy that has allowed him to consistently acquire new customers while competing with more established companies. They discuss making your product stand out, understanding client-company relationships as a whole, and thinking through the lens of the customer. 3 Key TakeawaysCommoditization: Innovative technology today will become a commodity over time. Figure out how you stand out (i.e., GTM approach, pricing strategy, feature set, etc.), and lean into it to differentiate from competitors. Feedback Loop: Honest feedback, especially negative, is necessary for innovation.Company Priorities: If you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your customers, and your customers will take care of the businessResourcesLars Helgeson’s LinkedInGreenrope Company WebsiteGreenrope LinkedIn PageAbout Lars Helgeson is a retired Air Force veteran, the Author of CRM For Dummies, and the Founder of GreenRope CRM and marketing automation platform. He is dedicated to helping businesses grow and run more efficiently through the concept of "Complete CRM" by using software to build a culture of accountability and team-based sharing of sales, marketing, customer service, and operations in business. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE. For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcast All contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Josh Holloway, founder and CEO of 7th Dimension, joins Jim Barnish on this episode to talk about all things growth. How do you navigate when your business plateaus and you feel stuck, whether that’s at $2 million, $5 million, or $10 million? Should you invest funds into organic growth through marketing and sales, or consider an acquisition? How do you ensure your company is in order to handle the growth you’re aiming for? Tune into Josh and Jim’s insightful conversation as they dive into answering these questions.3 Key TakeawaysHiring strategy: It should reflect your vision for the company. You need to hire people that will succeed where the company is going, not just where it is today.. If they can handle the workload at $2 or $3 million, but not the $5-10 million you plan to get to in a few years, they’re probably not a fit. Content Marketing: Campaigns take time and iterations. Be patient! Test outreach to a reasonable segment of people (more than a few dozen, less than a few hundred) over a multi-month timeframe to get an idea of what works or doesn’t work. Mergers and acquisitions: Before you jump into one, consider that you’re taking on a new set of problems to solve, not just new revenue. Make sure your house (company) is stable enough to handle the new expansion. Acquisitions enhance (the good and bad) what is already in place. ResourcesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-holloway-2692147/ Website: https://www.7thdi.com/The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene: https://a.co/d/9P9nF5m About Josh Holloway has over 24 years of experience in the IT infrastructure and IT security industry. He serves as CEO at 7thDi that services hundreds of clients in multiple industries across the United States. Josh specializes in managed IT services, network design, and implementation.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

“I can’t describe it, but I know it when I see it,” is pretty common when describing a company’s culture. But not so much for Bobby Mason, CEO of SPOC Automation. Bobby joins host Jim Barnish to talk about how his company has defined their “Lift Up” culture and how that culture has redefined what success means for their company. Listen in to see how lifting up in every aspect of the business - yourself, your team, your customers, your innovation - can’t help but lift up the company itself.3 Key TakeawaysHiring strategy = culture strategy. The people you hire need to be hired (and fired) based on culture. Align with people that believe what you believe and you can succeed with that. Rate your meetings. This is a rarely used, but highly effective, tactic that forces organizations to critically think about the effectiveness and necessity of meetings they’re in. Host Note: Check out this article on Level 10 meetings to get an example of what this process can look like: https://hypercontext.com/blog/meetings/the-level-10-meeting-agenda#what-is-a-level-10-meetingThe top barrier to growth is people and communication.ResourcesLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-l-mason-9122817/SPOC Automation website: https://spocautomation.com/SPOC Automation Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SpocAutomationExtreme Ownership by Jocko Willink: https://a.co/d/1CrWuuzAbout Bobby Mason is CEO and President of SPOC, a family of innovative companies specializing in variable speed drive automation and inverter technologies. SPOC Automation, SPOC SCADA, and SPOC Grid Inverter Technologies are built on an award-winning culture of innovation called Lift Up.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Did you know that 75% of highschool students are not proficient in high school mathematics? There’s some problems we often think, “well that’s the government’s job to fix.” Education (and math education specifically) often falls into that category. But Dr. Aditya Nagrath had a different perspective. What if he solved that problem from the private sector, and built a sustainable, profitable business while doing it? In this episode he joins host Jim Barnish to share how he founded his company Elephant Learning to confront the problem of learning math head on. They discuss math proficiency among students today, lessons learned from hiring family, and how to build longer relationships with clients when your product solves their problem.3 Key TakeawaysDon’t sit around waiting for others (*ahem* the government *ahem*) to solve problems you see. Public problems can (and perhaps should) be solved by private companies.Understand the risks and impacts when hiring family and friends. If you hire someone ill-equipped for a role, it will not only hinder your growth as a company, you will hinder their growth as individuals.Don’t focus on the competition; focus on getting your next customer(s).ResourcesDr. Aditya Nagrath's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityanagrath/Elephant Learning LinkedIn company page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/elephant-learning/Elephant Learning Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ElephantLearningApp/Crucial Conversations by Joseph Grenny et al.: https://a.co/d/gGSwymEElephant Learning website: https://www.elephantlearning.com/ (mention The Dirt podcast for a scholarship offer!)About Aditya Nagrath, PhD is the creator and cofounder of the Elephant Learning Mathematics Academy. Dr. Nagrath is a mathematician and software engineer turned entrepreneur. On average, children in his system learn 1.5 years of mathematics over the course of 10 weeks using his system just 30 minutes per week.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Starting in banking that shifted to software development with MercuryWorks, Chris Karlo brings 20 years of entrepreneurial experience to this conversation with host Jim Barnish. They discuss how to make business and customer partnerships work well, why a happy team produces high quality products, and how to survive this and the next recession.3 Key TakeawaysA business partnership is like a marriage - you need to be in lockstep with your partners on the same vision and end goal. As an entrepreneur you have to find balance between your business, your relationships, and yourself. Try to keep at least two of them in sync, but you run into problems when you let the third drift for too long.Employee sentiment is a top priority; everything else in a business flows out from employees' perceptions of the job and work they’re doing. ResourcesChris Karlo's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskarlo/MercuryWorks website: https://www.mercuryworks.com/The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday: https://a.co/d/ijZzLOmAbout Chris has over two decades of experience in business, strategy and technology consulting with companies across a host of industries. He is currently an equity Partner at MercuryWorks, a leading digital application and professional services firm obsessed with the development of custom software, mobile, and data driven solutions. Chris has proven experience leading complex software development teams; bringing a combination of business and technical acumen to client project needs. During his career Chris has worked with companies to develop new growth strategies and redesign core operational & business processes.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Web 3.0 is a hot topic right now. What is it? And why is there so much skepticism and hype surrounding it? Serial entrepreneur and Web3 expert Sam Kamani joins host Jim Barnish on this episode to discuss why this is an opportunity for building in a new environment. Whether or not you’re familiar with blockchain technology, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies, you need to pay attention.3 Key TakeawaysProblems are opportunities. Don’t complain about them - go to work, fix them, and profit.Recessions are a great time for building and experimenting, thanks to lower operating costs and the necessity for innovation to survive (and thrive)!To grasp Web3, you need to understand the evolution:Web1 = Information consumption disruption e.g., Blogs, websites, etc.Web2 = Information/content creation disruption e.g., Social mediaWeb3 = Ownership revolution i.e., data & currency ownership decentralizationResourcesSam's LinkedInSam's TwitterSam's websiteIt's All In Your Head by RussWeb3 with Sam Kamani podcastNaval Ravikant on the Tim Ferriss ShowBalaji Srinivasan on the Tim Ferriss ShowAbout Sam Kamani is head of growth at Cookbook, cofounder of Ensydr, host of the Web3 with Sam Kamani podcast, and author of “The 30 Day Startup” and “Business In the Time of Corona.”Prior to working in blockchain, Sam has 15+ years experience building and growing startups with 2 exits under his belt. Sam currently lives in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife and 3 sons. He is always open to having a conversation about Web3 and blockchain based Gaming so feel free to DM him on Twitter or Linkedin. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Do you feel the call to entrepreneurship? How do you know when to make that jump from the corporate ladder to defining your own career? From farm girl to vice president of technology in real estate investment management, Tami Jaffe made that leap, and is now helping others do the same. Tune into her conversation with host Jim Barnish as they talk about why you need to stop asking yourself if you’re meant to be a founder, and focusing on the better questions to ask. They discuss what she calls the clarity trifecta of confidence, courage, and commitment, partnering with great talent to fill your weaknesses, and focusing on the steps directly in front of you.3 Key TakeawaysStop asking whether you’re meant to be a founder and barraging yourself with self-doubt. Imposter syndrome is an excuse; focus on filling your role as founder.You don’t need to have everything figured out. Take the step in front of you. What you thought were steps C, D, or E will likely change as you move forward.Instead of asking, “how do I do this?” shift your perspective to, “who can do this?” - partner with and hire the talent who will fill your weaknesses, whether that’s in leadership roles or graphic design. ResourcesTami’s LinkedInYou Already Made the Decision, You Just Aren't Happy With It by Tami JaffeThe Big Leap by Gay HendricksCorporate to Cash Jumpstart KitAbout Tami Jaffe is a success coach, energy shifter and international speaker on topics of making better decisions and business growth. Tami helps guide her clients through the sometimes overwhelming prospect of starting a new business. Her Amazon #1 best-selling book You Already Made the Decision, You Just Aren’t Happy With It, is a guide on how to make better decisions or live with the ones you’ve already made.Tami has made it her mission to liberate independent success-minded professionals from the shackles of a corporate career so they can start, grow and scale their own business and not only replace their corporate income but exceed it. She teaches you what to do when in your business to have the most success and not waste time and money on the shiny objects that can be a distraction. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Mutual friend of Tobias Günther (see episode 24), longtime entrepreneur and founder of Partners in Clime, Yannick Frank joins Jim Barnish from Germany to discuss strategy, financing, and sustainability. They talk about bootstrapping versus venture capital for financing, how the startup culture in Germany has evolved over the last decade, and hear why Yannick’s daughter was the catalyst for his newfound passion in sustainability.3 Key TakeawaysBootstrapping vs. institutional funding: both have pros and cons. Know what you’re getting into when you bring on outside funding.Your strategy needs to be clear and concise. It doesn’t matter if it makes sense in your head–if your team has a hard time following, consider how you can simplify it and articulate it.Environmental impact and sustainability are increasingly important. Even though sustainability-first companies’ core value may not be profit, without monthly revenue growth, your business is done.ResourcesEmail: [email protected]'s LinkedInThe Lean Startup by Eric RiesPartners in Clime website About Founder of Partners in Clime, Yannick Frank has been building startups since he was 20 years old, either as a co-founder, mentor or investor. Some of them were successful, many of them failed. All rich in experience!If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Ken Pomella, founder and CEO of RevStar Consulting, joins Jim Barnish on this episode to discuss how he went from a side hustle for five years to finally taking the leap into a full business that has seen massive growth since that decision. They discuss operations and the value of Agile in project management and software development, the importance of always assessing your processes to stay on target, and putting the customer before the technology.3 Key TakeawaysHave confidence in yourself to start (or continue) your entrepreneurial journey. You don’t need to know everything. There’s a lot of trial and error, so start moving, keep going, and never give up.Regularly reassess your processes and operations. Regardless of the industry your business is in, build a strong operational foundation so you’re not hamstrung as you grow.Focus on the customer and business problem. Your technology (solution) might be cool, but always ask how it is adding value to the customer. ResourcesKen's LinkedInRevStar websiteThe Go Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David MannRich Dad Poor Dad by Robert KiyosakiAbout Ken is a serial entrepreneur & CEO of RevStar, specializing in creating pure cloud software solutions that solve business problems. Ken has had several successful entrepreneurial endeavors in the technology realm. He has experience in both running startups & working at fortune 1000 enterprises. Hence, he is well-versed in the sometimes overwhelming task of starting a new endeavor or scaling up a current business.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Dr. Rebecca White, author of her recent book See, Do, Repeat, brings years of experience and research on what it means to be an entrepreneur to this episode with host Jim Barnish. They discuss the heart of entrepreneurship, what it means to see opportunities, take action, and learn how to be resilient so you can “execute past your failures.” 3 Key TakeawaysLearn to identify the right talent for the right role. It’s not enough to identify a gap you need to fill, and it’s not enough to just hire more talent to join your team. You need the right talent for the right role.Entrepreneurs see opportunities everywhere. They run towards it, identify the problem, and create solutions. Take a learning approach to life. Being a successful entrepreneur requires resilience and continually working past the times when you fail. A key part of that is developing a learning mindset.ResourcesDr. Rebecca White's LinkedInWebsiteEn Factor PodcastSee, Do, Repeat by Dr. Rebecca WhiteAbout Rebecca J. White is the Walter Chair of Entrepreneurship, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Director of the John P Lowth Entrepreneurship Center at the University of Tampa. She received an MBA and a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from Virginia Tech University. Her primary research and teaching interests are in opportunity recognition and developing an entrepreneurial mindset.

Stop wasting time and resources building the perfect product prior to launching. Know your customer, listen to them, and build what they need. They will likely enjoy giving feedback and being part of building the product alongside you!Tune into this episode to hear Brad Kugler, cofounder of DirectMail 2.0, talk with host Jim Barnish about his founder’s journey moving from VHS sales to building a SaaS company that accompanies direct mail advertising. They discuss jumping ship mid-career, how Brad utilized his (lack of) education in developing new technology, and why continually iterating on your product is essential to stay ahead.3 Key TakeawaysKnow your customer. Let them guide your product development. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it has to be what they need.Technology can’t be static. You have to build your product and improve on it. If you don't, your competition will one-up you and leave you behind.Become educated in your industry. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need a formal degree. Brad spent months educating himself so he could communicate effectively.ResourcesBrad's LinkedInAll In podcastDirect Mail websiteAbout Brad Kugler is CEO and Co-Founder of DirectMail2.0, LLC. A direct mail marketing automation company. 30 years experience in building businesses, teams and gathering and distributing knowledge based on his experiences in many mediums.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

“As a founder you are the one who brings the idea to market and proves product-market fit. But at some point between then and the growth stage, you need to do some self-assessment.”You’ve brought a product to market that works, you’ve started building a team, and you’re entering the growth stage of your business. As a founder, it’s time for you to do some self reflection. What is your core skill set? What do you enjoy doing? What motivates you?Founder and now Chief Product Officer of dbaPlatform, Trevor Grace joins Jim Barnish on this episode to share what he learned from shifting himself into a different role he finds more fulfilling than just head of the company. They also discuss product development, pricing, and boosting local retail stores by plugging your inventory online. 3 Key TakeawaysBeing CEO is not all that it is cracked up to be if that’s not what your passion is. Shift yourself out of that role if your core skills and motivations lie elsewhere. Prove the value of your product. It’s okay if you don’t have the exact price point right away, but you’ll never know its value until you start somewhere.Know your customer. KYC isn’t an acronym just for regulation in the financial sector. If you don’t know your customer, you don’t know your monetization model or how to improve your [email protected]'s LinkedInThe End of the World is Just the Beginning by Peter ZeihanAbout With 20+ years’ entrepreneurial experience, Trevor Grace is part technology expert, part market strategist, thought-leader, innovator, and big-time adrenaline junkie.Trevor thrives on turning chaos into order. He is revered for his ability to organize a myriad of disparate marketing campaigns into a predictable, producing, well-oiled sales machine. An extraordinary leader, Trevor strips complex plans into clear, actionable strategies that get everyone in the organization nodding and contributing.Trevor pioneered Buycabinets.com, the first online catalog in the megalithic cabinet industry and lifted it to $1MM/month in three years. He brokered the first-ever e-commerce product platform for broadcast networks with Univision. He was instrumental in bringing a government sector software company into the commercial sector growing revenue from $70MM to $100MM in three years. Trevor has worked with Fortune 500 giants such as MasterBrand where he integrated backend systems with front-end analytics; Eldridge’s capital equipment division where he built the loan processing platform; and Norcraftcompanies whom he helped grow to $600MM by digitizing the dealer program. Since 1998, Trevor has successfully built over 100 enterprise-level web applications.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

As the future of work increasingly moves remote, how do you build and scale an organization that can operate successfully with limited interaction? Liam Martin, cofounder of Time Doctor and Staff.com, joins Jim Barnish to discuss all things remote work. At the start of 2020 only about 5% of the workforce worked remotely (per Bureau of Labor Statistics). The pandemic propelled the world forward in a global shift that hasn’t been seen since the advent of the internet. Many tech startups are finding it relatively easy to work remotely. But what about the big fortune 500 companies? Is remote work here to stay? What changes do companies need to make to implement remote work successfully?3 Key TakeawaysSuccessful remote work requires “asynchronous management” - the ability to manage without direct interaction. You can accomplish your work without needing constant permission from others to get it done.Remote work isn’t synonymous with working from home. It’s the choice to work from whatever location you want. Empowering your employees to choose their location and hours is the real game changer.Accepting product feedback? Make sure it comes from the right customers. Freemium users are valuable for word of mouth references to expand your customer base, but leave feedback for those paying for a seat at the table. ResourcesLiam's LinkedInTimeDoctor.comRunningRemote.comRunning Remote YouTube ChannelRunning Remote by Liam MartinZero to One by Peter ThielAbout Liam runs one of the most popular time tracking and productivity platforms in use by top brands today - Time Doctor. He is also a co-organizer of the world's largest remote work conference — Running Remote. Whenever possible, Liam encourages others to work remotely and actively promotes remote work. His products and services are defined by the concept of giving workers the flexibility to work wherever they want, whenever they want.Liam has also co-authored a book - Running Remote - focused on remote work methodology. In this revolutionary guide, Liam and his co-founder, Rob Rawson, have unearthed the secrets and lessons discovered by remote work pioneering entrepreneurs and founders who've harnessed the async mindset to operate their businesses remotely in the most seamless, hassle-free, and cost-effective manner possible.Liam holds an undergraduate and graduate degree in Sociology from McGill University.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Money. You need it, and investors and financiers have it. So how do you raise capital without losing too much stake in your business? Lauren Cascio, founder of Gulp Data, joins Jim Barnish in this episode to talk about financing and the important distinctions between dilutive and non-dilutive financing.Join Jim and Lauren as they discuss which finance option is best for you at the stage you’re at, understanding the value of your “alternative company assets” (like company data), and the hidden secret to being a successful entrepreneur (hint: there isn’t one)[email protected]'s LinkedInGulp Data LinkedInWebsitePlanet Money podcastThe Prophet by Kahlil GibranInfonomics by Douglas LaneyAbout Lauren Cascio is the founder of Gulp Data, a company providing non-dilutive funding using data assets as collateral. She also recently founded aKinned, a seed fund backing healthcare in Africa. Prior to her recent move into funding, she co-founded abartysHealth, a growth stage health-tech company, where she ran product, data, and development for six years. She is a proven angel investor and an active tech ecosystem builder, successfully advising and mentoring dozens of companies through go-to-market, data monetization and fundraising.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Cofounder and CTO of SCOUT, Sergio Gallucci joins Jim Barnish in this episode to talk about all things space and sustainability along his rocket-fueled entrepreneurial journey. He teaches us what sustainability in space means and how that can be valuable in other industries, while also building a company culture of excellence, and how data can better inform your strategy.3 Key TakeawaysSustainability and collaboration among competing entities are key factors in the space industry, because of the inherent collaboration needed for projects (and problems faced) of this magnitude.You don’t need to be a visionary with tons of ideas to be a successful founder. But you do need to develop a long view in your strategy, and build systems so you can test ideas as they come.Your Key Progress Indicators (KPIs) can and should shift over time as your business evolves and you need to track different areas of [email protected] Sergio's LinkedInSCOUT's LinkedIn Business PageWebsiteThe Pitch podcastAgainst the Day by Thomas PynchonGravity's Rainbow by Thomas PynchonAbout Sergio Gallucci is the co-founder and CTO of SCOUT, a company innovating space safety with distributed space-based sensing. He offers diverse technical insights, having built flight programs around the space environment, radiation, and control systems. He has led aggressive R&D programs from concept to orbit in under 9 months across academia, the industry, and with NASA, USAF, and USSF. He also serves as a technical and strategic advisor to Abacus Ridge, an energy resiliency start-up.In 2021, Sergio was recognized as one of the Forbes Next 1,000 Upstart Entrepreneurs who are "Redefining the American Dream". He holds a B.S. (Honors) in Aeronautical Engineering from Clarkson University and was an NSF GRFP Fellow at the Pennsylvania State University for graduate work on propulsion and the space environment. He is an alumnus of the 2016 NASA Glenn Space Academy.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Longtime entrepreneur and scaling coach George Morris joins Jim Barnish on this episode to discuss what it takes to build teams of A players who will scale and grow your business.As a founder you likely have some employees who helped you in the startup stage, but will they grow with you beyond that stage? How do you separate the A players and build around them?As you scale, you will have to define who does what and delegate responsibilities. How do you identify and assign your core functions and processes to grow smart?Tune into this episode as George and Jim explore all those questions, and hear his lengthy but amazing recommended reading list. Key TakeawaysLearn the difference between abdicating your responsibility as a founder, and delegating responsibilities to the people who will do it right.Build around your A players. They’re the ones who step up and hold themselves and the organization accountable for the work being completed.Learn how to compartmentalize work with your personal life. It does not need to be separated (as many people think), but they should be integrated cohesively. ResourcesGeorge's websiteGeorge's LinkedInThe Art of Manliness podcastSee the Orchid Black page for George's recommended reading listAbout George Morris is a Certified Scaling Up Coach and lifelong entrepreneur. He found success running his digital agency, Imulus. Co-Founded TEDxBoulder, is a Techstars Alumni, Mentor at the Founders Institute, and former President of the Entrepreneur Organization, Colorado Chapter.George has walked the entrepreneur's journey from zero business experience and starting up during awful economic conditions in the dotcom crash, to building a best place to work and a fastest growing company. He happily shares his mistakes and lessons learned with his coaching clients. George is adamant that business fundamentals unlock the potential of teams and organizations. Too many times, companies pile on unnecessary tasks, projects, and systems that slow down their growth. He helps companies shed organizational debt to accelerate their growth by focusing on the goals and the actions needed to get there. He lives just outside of Boulder, Colorado with his two kids and can often be found riding his bikes on the mountain roads.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Product-market fit. How do you get there? Do you have the right team? The right timing? The right product? Samantha Citro Alexander, cofounder of bitewell, joins Jim Barnish on this episode to answer those questions.With lots of product iteration and pivots, Samantha’s company created a sub-category in an established market (preventative health) where they are seeing incredible results by creating value across multiple stakeholders (employers, employees and insurance providers). Their mission to improve people’s health through nutrition drove them to product-market fit. Listen along as Jim and Samantha discuss the lessons bitewell has learned from their journey.Key TakeawaysDon’t get too attached to a specific version of your solution. Let your mission and vision guide how your product and company evolves to find product-market fit. Your product doesn’t need to be perfect before going to market. Your runway will end before your product ever reaches perfection.Finding the right talent for the right positions in a startup takes time. A 3-month trial run for new hires has been very effective for bitewell.ResourcesSM handle: @samanthacitroalexander [email protected]'s LinkedInbitewell websiteThe Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben HorowitzAboutSamantha Citro Alexander is the Co-Founder of bitewell, a food health company on a mission to improve your health through food. Prior to co-founding bitewell, Samantha worked at The Estée Lauder Companies as the Chief of Staff to Jane Lauder (Clinique, NYC) and as the Director of Integrated Marketing (Smashbox, LA), where she co-created Jefacon, a women’s empowerment and leadership summit celebrating the Beauty of Being a Boss.Previously, Samantha was a VP where she led a brand for a consumer-focused private equity firm and the Research Department Chief of Staff at Bridgewater Associates, one of the largest hedge funds in the world. She began her career at an indie beauty company selling products at the counter. Samantha earned a BFA from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and graduated with honors. Samantha is passionate about supporting women in business, education around health & nutrition, and cooking/eating delicious food.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Brenden Kumarasamy, founder and CEO of MasterTalk, joins Jim Barnish on this episode to discuss how you can become a master communicator. He breaks down key areas of communication into actionable steps and why they are invaluable to you as a founder. These include leveraging your strengths (e.g. introverts are generally better at communication because they listen more and talk less), how to be bulletproof in answering questions about your business, and the necessity of online, remote communication.Brenden offers a few simple practices to do daily that will make you a top 1% communicator, including: Random word exercises where you learn to make sense out of nonsense, for example: Make a story out of “tissue box.” It will help you think on your feet. Answer one question per day about your company (e.g. Why is your price high, how are you different from competitors, etc.) to become an expert in your space. After a year, you’ll have answered 365 questions. Master the framework for improving your business meetings.Key TakeawaysCultivate daily habits to improve your communication. See above…Improve your meetings by answering Brenden’s 3-question framework:Determine the goal of the meeting - not all meetings are necessary. What is YOUR contribution to the meeting? The meeting itself may be needed, but are YOU needed there?How does your contribution INSPIRE and ADD VALUE? Take your meetings seriously.Your growth as a company correlates to your growth as a person. Keep working on yourself and show your team how to continue reaching higher.ResourcesBrenden's LinkedInMasterTalk YouTube ChannelThirst by Scott HarrisonRockstar Communicator Free CoursesAboutBrenden Kumarasamy is the founder of MasterTalk, he coaches ambitious executives & entrepreneurs to become top 1% communicators in their industry. He also has a popular YouTube channel called MasterTalk, with the goal of providing free access to communication tools for everyone in the world.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Patrick Brown, founder and CEO of Unity Communications, joins Jim Barnish on this episode to discuss building teams and the people behind them. He shares his own journey of leaving the corporate job and the ‘dirt’ he’s gathered while growing his company from just himself to 300+ people.How do you find the right talent to hire in a young startup when you don’t have the cash or benefits to compete with the big guys? What do you do when a great employee finds an opportunity elsewhere? How do you empower your team to make decisions and grow with you?Join Patrick and Jim as they deep dive into creating successful teams, the costly mistakes he has made in building websites and hiring outside consultants, and why profit margin is the number one metric he is focused on. Key TakeawaysLook to hire talent from unusual places. It might be someone who’s after a certain lifestyle (vs. money) or a corporate employee that hasn’t advanced through the ranks.Hiring the right people is vital for any business to thrive, but so is firing those who don’t fit. Cutting them loose benefits your company, but also that person.Profit margin is the one number that aligns all your financials. It shows you when you can pay your employees more, and when you need to increase prices or make other adjustments.ResourcesPatrick Brown's LinkedInhttps://www.unity-connect.comThe Icarus Deception by Seth GodinSeth Godin's podcastsAbout Patrick Brown is founder and CEO of Unity Communications, an award winning Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company. Unity helps brands hit their core metrics, streamline processes, and properly ensures business operations scale responsibly. His career began in the Navy that led him to work and learn from leaders in various companies, governments, and NGO's. Those formative years helped cement a foundation of working with people of incredible diverse backgrounds, cultures, and stages of life. Now, with over 25 years of experience in complex service delivery products/services, his team understands the overall scope of work that clients expect, while holding vendors and employees accountable to their SLA's and roles. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Ascenditt cofounder Mason Dorner joins Jim Barnish on this episode to talk through the adversity he’s overcome, both personally and in business. He'll outline how to avoid costly sales and marketing mistakes, and weaponizing hard times to drive growth.With a background in marketing, Mason went from sports to Disney before leaving the corporate world for a tech startup. Over the span of 4 years, he helped this company grow from $1M to $100M and achieve unicorn status ($1B+ valuation). On the side, Mason was already setting the foundation for his next venture. Today, as a cofounder, he takes his expertise to other digital startups looking to reach aggressive revenue targets and grow.Scaling companies is the easy part for Mason when compared to his personal life. While building both companies, he was diagnosed with cancer and a degenerative eye problem within months of each other. He decided to not let his health problems drag down the rest of his life, and used the concept of "weaponized adversity" to compartmentalize worries and focus on big opportunities.Key TakeawaysConversion rates (MQL > SQL > Revenue) and acquisition costs need to be a focus for SaaS leaders.Compartmentalize negative situations and focus on your opportunities. Find places where you can win bigger in order to offset the bad.“Alter Ego Effect” - Emulate high performers who have gone through similar adversity. Being a founder is a unique and often lonely journey - find others who can coach and walk you along the way having traveled that road before.Being passed over does not mean someone is a bad employee, it means they weren’t a great fit for that organization. Find diamonds in the rough by setting expectations together (e.g., work-life balance, working style, etc.). ResourcesMason's LinkedInMason's websiteThe Alter Ego Effect by Todd HermanMFCEO Project Podcast with Andy FrisellaReal AF Podcast with Andy FrisellaAbout As cofounder and Chief Ads Officer of Ascenditt, Mason Dorner helps startup and rapid-growth stage SaaS and e-commerce brands quickly scale and achieve 8,9, and 10 figure exits through aggressive marketing and sales strategy and execution.He has worked in digital performance marketing for 10+ years, including brands such as Comcast and Disney. After exiting the corporate rat race he joined a local Orlando tech startup, Stax, scaling their marketing spend by over 1,000%, acquired 25,000+ customers, and grew to a valuation of over $1B under his leadership. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.

Twelve years of entrepreneurship while building a family as a new wife and mom is Katie Merrill's founder's journey. Hear her story as she walks host Jim Barnish through the challenges she has faced and continues to learn from.As a go-getter with a strong operations background, Katie was hyper focused on the day-to-day grind, but learned over time that she had to get out of her own way. Finding a COO combined with efforts to scale her sales team has been a game changer for the evolution of the business. Freeing up her time as the founder from the daily operations has allowed her to prioritize other areas to grow.Key TakeawaysShift focus from the day-to-day operations to other key strategic areas like product evolution, strategy, etc.You might be a founder, but that doesn’t mean you know everything. Set aside your insecurities and don’t be afraid to ask questions to mentors that have been there before.Put effort into building a scalable sales engine. It’s a lot easier when founders aren’t the only ones selling. If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.ResourcesKatie's LinkedInB-Lynk websiteDare to Lead by Brené BrownRocket Fuel by Gino WickmanAbout Katie Butcher-Merrill is CEO and Founder of B-Lynk, providing training services, including sales and end-user training on the Smart-Lynk managed service platform for over 40 BroadSoft based Service Providers and Hosted Unified Communications companies globally. Prior to this, Katie held supply chain management roles at both General Mills and The Mosaic Company. She is a graduate of Iowa State University.

Dan Clark, CEO of Brain.fm, joins Jim Barnish on this episode to deep dive into operations and what it takes to align teams to the same objectives. At Brain.fm they combine everyone’s love of music with neuroscience, their goal: helping you hit your flow state faster to achieve more. Your objectives as the founder or the business may not be the same as your employees, because everyone has different motivations. The key is fusing the strengths of those different motivations to grow together.Having goals is important, but you need to ensure you can break them down into actionable steps and time frames. Goals are often used as a pass/fail system, but there is something to be said for switching your focus to progress. Are you 1% better than you were yesterday? Will you strive to sell more next week than you did last week?Key TakeawaysEveryone in your organization does not need to have the same motivations. Align company objectives to personal goals (e.g. job security) to see the team flourish. Ensure that your KPIs are tracking what you really want. Your employees should be satisfied where they are, but not complacent. Ideally they are working well at the edge of their skill set. Goals are important, but maybe not as important as progress. Are you better today than you were yesterday? Are you increasing profitability more this quarter than last? Consistent progress is key.If you love what you are getting out of our show please SUBSCRIBE.For more information on how we dig into the dirt check out our other episodes here: https://www.orchid.black/podcastAll contents of this show are rights of Orchid Black©️ and are not to be used unless authorized by written consent.ResourcesDan’s email: [email protected]'s LinkedInThe 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership by Jim Dethmer, et al.20% Discount Code to Brain.fmAbout Dan Clark is an entrepreneur at the intersection of technology and mental wellness. After joining Brain.fm as head of engineering, he bought out the company from its original founders and now leads it as CEO. Brain.fm combines everyone’s love of music with neuroscience, creating music to help enable you to be your best self.

What is culture? What does it look like in your company? A lot of shifts in business occurred over the last two years since the start of the pandemic, particularly in remote work and how employees interact with their jobs. How has remote work impacted your culture? Has it magnified the problems or the solutions for your business?Through 18 years of entrepreneurship, including highs and many lows, Tobias Günther has refined his perspective on the human side of business and how that leads to success. It’s not just about the money, and if you ignore the relationships on your team by focusing on just the money, you’ll lose both. Joining Jim Barnish from Germany, Tobias shares his insight on why relationships trump company values, how to liberate yourself as a founder by trusting your team, and the power of self-reflection and personal growth.Key TakeawaysTrust your team and free yourself of stress and unnecessary work. You hired them for a reason, let them show you why you hired them.“Culture is how you treat each other” - Communication and relationships in your organization are the foundation. Without those in place, all of your company values and mission statements mean nothing.Growth in your business is dependent on your growth as a person. Learn to self reflect and correct your mistakes. Your leadership will improve as you improve. ResourcesTobias's LinkedInhttps://www.tobias.co/ Reinventing Organizations by Frederic LalouxAbout Tobias Günther4x Founder + CEO | Mindfulness Teacher 🙋‍♂️ Helping other founders with the human side of business: company culture, remote work, leadership 👉 tobias.coIf you love what you are getting out of the show, please rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review!

Entrepreneurship is a long, rough road. You’ll experience highs, but also a lot of lows. How do you develop the resilience and grit necessary to press forward? Liza Marie Garcia joins Jim Barnish on this episode, bringing her insight as a former tech founder and currently COO of NOW Publishing.They discuss the importance of having faith in something greater than yourself, ignoring naysayers who will distract and discourage you, and learning to be flexible during the hard times. As a publisher, Liza gives her perspective on the value of great editors, tips for founders and others who want to publish a book, and the importance of sharing your story.Key TakeawaysBelieving in something greater than yourself, whether that’s God or a spiritual foundation, will help weather the volatility of the entrepreneurial life.Ignore naysayers who divert your attention. It is especially easy with social media to get distracted by negative people.We live in the age of content; tell your story and create something to contribute to the world, whether it's writing a book or building a business.ResourcesLiza's LinkedInNOW Publishing websiteEn Factor PodcastNever Drink Coffee During a Business Meeting by Liza Marie GarciaAbout Liza Marie Garcia is the founder and Chief Operating Officer of NOW Publishing. Based in Tampa, Florida, she’s worked with hundreds of writers and authors. She is a 3-time author herself, including Never Drink Coffee During a Business Meeting, and coauthor of My Calendar is Written in Crayon and The 90 Day Author. Her most recent book, Tell Them Of My Greatness, releases on September 1.As a former tech CEO out of Seattle, Liza Marie founded one of the first professional services firms in the telecommunications industry in the U.S. She sold the firm in 2014 and moved to Florida, launching NOW Publishing in 2016. She is the proud mother of two daughters, an avid golfer and a self-proclaimed USTA “tennis maniac.” She credits her faith and her daughters as the source of her strength, resilience and greatest inspiration.

Are your customers happy? When they interact with your brand, is it a positive or negative experience? Do you have the metrics to fully answer those questions? Anuj Bhalla brings years of expertise in customer service and analytics to this episode, showing why you need data to track when things go right and when they go wrong. Data is key to better understanding your customers and product, and part of that is being in the game long enough to gather those metrics and test them out. Some products will fail, some will succeed, and you need to be in a market long enough to understand the difference. After leading the service analytics practice at Accenture, Anuj left to forge his own path by founding serviceMob, a tech company at the intersection of customer service and analytics. He believes this field is ripe for better study and transparency, and he’s here to explain why. Key TakeawaysCreating win-win situations for your business and your customers is possible, it’s not an either/or. Both can be satisfied.Understanding your customers–knowing how and why they interact with your company–is key to growth. Are you tracking the customer and usage metrics that give you insight into your customers’ business? As a founder, you need to be in a market long enough to learn where the pain points are so you can solve them.ResourcesAnuj's LinkedInserviceMob website Blue Collar VC by Mucker CapitalAbout Anuj is Founder & CEO of serviceMob, a Southern California technology company on a mission to fix the many inefficiencies in how consumers access and interact with companies when they need customer service. Prior to founding serviceMob, he led the Service Analytics practice for Accenture Strategy, and served as the Innovation Lead for Internet & Social Media clients in Silicon Valley. Anuj holds a Bachelors in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley, and his MBA as a Sloan Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he concentrated on innovation and analytics at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

There is so much legal red tape and waiting around for attorneys to approve or clarify documents in business. Is it possible to speed up the process and meet those demands more efficiently? Charles Brecque founded Legislate to do exactly that. Developing new technology in the legal tech space, his company’s contract software manages contract data at scale.With a background in machine learning and engineering, Charles knew there was a need for more efficient legal contracting. In this episode, Jim Barnish and Charles explore the lessons he has learned as a young, solo founder building a company for the first time with new technology. They also discuss the value of SEO and web content, and why learning to write is vital in all aspects of business. 3 Key TakeawaysFocus on your customer’s core needs. Avoid distractions and headaches and deliver what they really want.SEO is powerful when you focus on the reader, which can turn into customers. Google search console is a great tool to see metrics that help you optimize content.Learn to write. It will improve your own understanding of what you really do (and the problem you’re solving), and help you better explain it to others so you can find the customers who need your product. ResourcesLegislate websiteCharles's LinkedInLegislate's TwitterLegislate's Facebook20VC PodcastNever Split the Difference by Chris VossAbout Charles BrecqueCharles is the founder & CEO of Legislate, a legal tech company he started in April 2020 in Oxford, UK to make contracts machine readable using patented knowledge graph technology. Before founding Legislate, he brought Machine Learning solutions to market for three years at Mind Foundry, a spin-out from the University of Oxford. He is a graduate of the École Centrale de Lyon.

Robotics and education fanatic, Jacob Hanchar, joins Jim Barnish on this episode of The Dirt. Jacob shares how his view of “micromanagement” has changed to a positive one in the last few years. His experience says: there is a time and a place for more micromanagement in business. Oftentimes in the early stages of a business, you must have a more hands-on approach because delegation may get you in trouble if folks are not properly trained.Jacob learned this lesson first-hand and after a rigorous amount of cleanup Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and overtraining are now the norm.Jacob started as a Ph.D. in neuroscience, more specifically neuropharmacology, where he developed and patented a drug that got rid of hangovers (Read more about Kudzu here if interested..). In starting a lab, he realized it was a lot like a business, which motivated him to go back and get his MBA. Join us to hear Jacob’s journey which is not your run-of-the-mill entrepreneur. 3 Key TakeawaysThere is a time and a place for appropriate micromanagement. Training, training, training! The less training you do now, the more mess you will have to clean up later. Just do it now.Find a cofounder who’s like-minded, but different enough to cover the blind spots. Make sure they are in similar life positions.ResourcesThink and Grow RichCosmo & Friends Youtube ChannelDigital Dream Labs websiteAsk for JacobAbout Jacob HancharJacob serves as advisor and investor to many start-up companies in Western PA. Jacob received his doctorate in 2007 from the University of California Los Angeles where he focused on research in biological sciences. He performed post-doctoral work in otolaryngologic disorders particularly tinnitus at Rosalind Franklin University in Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh Center for Neuroscience. While completing his MBA, he met 2 engineers that pushed him into the EdTech space. After developing and taking these EdTech products to market, Jacob ended up purchasing a failing robotics company which he is the CEO of today.

When Tauruseer entered the software security market, they targeted large enterprise companies. But when that failed, they went back to the drawing board. With lots of self-reflection and input from channel partners, founder Jeremy Vaughan identified those distractions that stunted his company’s growth.Jeremy’s journey began from a deeply personal experience with his daughter when her diabetes device and mobile app failed due to “code rot.” Tauruseer solved that issue and more in the compliance and cybersecurity space. The SolarWinds cyber attack in 2020 and the onset of the COVID pandemic highlighted the problems that Tauruseer was solving. Join Jim Barnish and Jeremy as they discuss Tauruseer’s pivot from enterprise toward small and mid-market companies, creating an ecosystem for customers, and the hard lessons he learned along the way.3 Key TakeawaysIdentify your ideal customer profile (ICP). Don’t get distracted by competitors or bogged down in the wrong market.Founders and CEOs of the future will create and lead ecosystems, not just companies, to meet the needs of those ICPs.Find your ‘why.’ It will not only guide what you do, but also attract the right partners and talent to help you grow and realize that vision. ResourcesTauruseer websiteLinkedInFacebookTwitterYouTube ChannelAboutJeremy Vaughan is the visionary leader and founder of Tauruseer Inc., a leader in the Cybersecurity arena. A graduate of the University of North Florida, Jeremy has spent his career helping businesses thrive. His experience in SaaS, product development, security, and risk management led Jeremy to launch his own software business that offers a cutting-edge Application Security Posture Management platform that brings customers to the forefront of their industries. Throughout his career, Jeremy's focus has been on providing positive results to his clients that better help them serve their customers. In his free time, you can find Jeremy enjoying the beautiful outdoors, mentoring other entrepreneurs, and hanging out at the softball field helping his daughter sharpen her skills.

Has the growth of your company stalled, leaving you feeling stuck? With decades of experience as a founder in Silicon Valley, and now teaching at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, guest Dr. Lori Kendall walks Jim Barnish through the three dimensions of addressing the challenges of early and growth stage companies.From clearly seeing the market you’re playing in, to identifying areas you’ve neglected, to understanding the life cycle of your clients, Lori and Jim discuss how founders can get unstuck. They also explore how to view life through the lens of a portfolio rather than a balancing scale, and the value of learning how to fail, especially for young entrepreneurs.3 Key TakeawaysClearly recognize the market you’re actually playing in, not the market you think you’re playing in. Identify the areas of your business that you’ve neglected. Does your marketing need a revisit? Do you need more salespeople or other team members?Understand the whole life cycle of your customer so you can manage and meet their needs. Don’t miss opportunities because you don’t know where their friction points are.ResourcesLori Kendall’s LinkedInUnlocking Us Podcast with Brené BrownAmicus Podcast with Dahlia LithwickHow Will You Measure Your Life? By Clay ChristensenGetting Things Done By David AllenLori’s email: [email protected] a Silicon Valley alumna, Lori has worked primarily with technology companies in software, hardware, and networking sectors. Her expertise is tackling new venture incubation and acceleration through hyper-growth and pivoting stalled firms through major inflection points. She has held executive and staff R&D and marketing positions for networking and computer equipment public firms and venture-backed AI and data mining startups. She is a mixed methods researcher focused on organizational dynamics related to innovation practices, sustainable value creation, and net positive impact.

Bootstrapping his way from just a desk and a single account to a large successful call center in Costa Rica, Founder and CEO Richard Blank joins Jim Barnish on this episode to share his insight on effective communication strategies, investing in his teams, and the power of positive escalation. With a track record for successful sales and training programs, Richard walks us through his key communication strategies that are beneficial not just for landing a sale, but also for every relationship in life. They discuss soft skill training instead of just hitting the sales goals; his “buffer boomerang technique” that keeps conversations constructive; “positive escalation” that builds relationships and pipelines, and boosts morale among teams; and how to hone your listening skill with “phonetic, micro expression reading.”Join their conversation on reducing attrition by helping people grow, and in turn, growing the business.3 Key TakeawaysInvest in your teams not as a means to an end, but as individuals who will pay it forward in the organization for years to come. Have faith in your people.Use effective communication techniques that will not only land a sale, but build relationships that will last. Positive escalation is the practice of building (real) relationships with everyone in the organization that you speak with. Do this right, and you will stand out from every other person calling that company.ResourcesRichard Blank's LinkedInFacebook PageBuffer Boomerang TechniquePhonetic Micro Expression ReadingAbout As the Founder/CEO for Costa Rica’s Call Center for the last 15 years, Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers. When he’s not building his business, Richard is scouring the Costa Rican countryside to add to his impressive collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes (making him the largest collector in Costa Rica).

When GoGig started, it was a two-sided, anonymized talent-matching marketplace with challenges scaling and meeting the market need. A forced pivot at the height of COVID moved them into a software as a service (SaaS) model solving one side of that marketplace. Despite the new challenges ahead, it was the best decision they ever made. During the COVID pandemic, GoGig’s travel-heavy customer base was hit hard, with an unsustainable burn rate and extended sales cycle revenue dropped to ~$100 per month. Join Jim Barnish and GoGig’s founder and CEO, Chris Hodges, as they explore the challenges that GoGig faced the last two years and the solutions that propelled GoGig from almost zero to over $5 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR). 3 Key Takeaways“The only constant is change.” The entrepreneurial journey will throw a lot of curveballs your way - it’s the founders job to navigate through (not necessarily do everything though!) those challenges when they arise. Get hands-on if one of your team members or functional department is struggling. Don’t simply offer advice. Instead, jump in the trenches with them to demonstrate how to overcome the challenge they are facing.Leverage channel partnerships - you don’t always need to sell directly to your customer. Determine what go-to-market approach is best for your business.ResourcesChris Hodges’ LinkedInGoGig.comAboutChris Hodges is founder and CEO of GoGig, a software solution built to remove bias in the hiring process through anonymous talent matching. He has spent the last 15 years as a serial entrepreneur demonstrating his passion for building amazing brands, empathetic teams, and doing incredible work.

As CFO Alliance’s Brooke Evans points out, be conscientious of your cashflow because of the state of the economy right now. Prepare for changes that could happen tomorrow by having a strategy around your cash flow forecast today. Having your exit strategy top of mind allows you to be ready if/when an exit opportunity presents itself. . The finance function of a business is not one-size-fits-all. Founders can be slow to open up their books because of their perception that they have to “have it all figured out.” Push past that psychological complex, and be an empowering leader that calls out the warts, rather than the one with a white-knuckled grip on control. Last, learn to say no to things that aren’t in your strategic wheelhouse and nail your niche. Learning the financial levers you can pull to execute your strategy is a valuable tool in the founder toolkit. As you prepare through financial and strategic planning, you set the precedent for success. 3 Key TakeawaysFinance, like every other function in a business, is not a one-person show. Plan accordingly…Founders don’t give enough thought to the impact of their personal development on the growth of the company; take time for personal and spiritual growth. Your cash flow forecast is integral to your strategy. Prepare as if a recession will happen tomorrow, and you’ll find yourself well-equipped to either weather storms or accelerate opportunities. ResourcesBrooke Evans' LinkedInCFO Alliance [email protected] Brooke Evans lives and breathes strategic accounting and finance. Her passion for helping innovative founders scale their finance functions is unmatched in the market. Based in Tampa, FL, she founded CFO Alliance in 2008 -an outsourced CFO + strategic accounting firm who specialize in transformation through accounting, strategic finance, business process improvement, and mergers & acquisitions.

Are you a talent-centric organization? Is your team honestly aligned on the same vision? Leadership coach Carol Schultz joins Jim Barnish on today’s episode to talk through those tough questions. Taken from her newly-released book Powered By People, they dive into the three hallmarks of what it takes to find and keep top talent.Building an effective talent strategy requires a unified vision that everyone can articulate. If you ask your executive team what the vision is, will they all give the same answer? Recruiting talent for the right roles is important, but it’s only part of the equation. Think about succession as well, and not just for the CEO.Living in blind spots blocks you from knowing what you know–and don’t know. Learn to identify those blind spots so you’re not stuck in feedback loops that stunt your growth and become a talent-centric organization. 3 Key TakeawaysAlign your whole team with a vision that everyone can articulate. Be unified on business and leadership strategy so that the talent can support that vision moving forward.Build a people development strategy from recruitment to succession for every position.Learn to identify your blind spots that hinder growth. You don’t know what you don’t know, but with awareness you can break the limitations imposed by those blind spots. ResourcesPowered By People by Carol SchultzCarol’s LinkedInVerticalElevation.comCarol’s EmailAboutCarol Schultz is founder and CEO of Vertical Elevation, which she has built based on her 30 years of experience in transforming companies through executive coaching and talent acquisition. Her passion for leadership and people development drive her why. She is the author of the newly-released book Powered By People.

The digital economy is leaving retail (everyday) investors in the dust, but that doesn’t have to be you. Join host Jim Barnish and entrepreneur Richard Smith as they discuss what drives the financial markets, and how you can build your own wealth instead of someone else's.Learn about the pitfalls of human behavior in investing as it shapes how we act when we see a market falling vs. a market rising. Our fear of losing and missing out is a powerful motivator that big market players take advantage of. How would we act differently if we had better information about our risk vs. reward ratio while investing? What tools and methodologies do institutional investors use that give them an advantage over retail investors?With a PhD in engineering and 15 years experience building his own company before an 8-figure exit, Richard Smith shares what he learned about real value, creativity, and organic growth’s importance in building a business. Discover the risk management mindset he is building through the RiskSmith app to help the average investor build wealth and transform their life.3 Key TakeawaysIdentify the real value that you can provide as an entrepreneur instead of chasing gimmicks.Exiting your company is one of (if not the) hardest moments of entrepreneurship. Don’t get left behind in the digital economy. Learn to understand risk and build your plan (financial, professional, etc.) based on your risk-reward tolerance.Resources Risksmith.comLinkedIndrrichardsmith.comAboutDr. Richard Smith has spent the last two decades building on what he learned so he could help average investors leverage technology and behavioral finance to make consistently better investment decisions. His work helping independent investors is moving full speed ahead. He's more committed than ever to building next-generation financial technology and providing great education for independent-minded individuals who are committed to succeeding on their own.

The quest for success is why you became a founder. But getting there is a whole different story. On this episode, CongruentX’s CEO, Chuck Ingram, joins Jim Barnish to discuss their frameworks for success by helping others succeed, and grow in their own businesses.Revenue Operations (RevOps) is one of those key frameworks, allowing businesses to align individual teams (sales, marketing, etc.) with the same goals and toolsets. RevOps provides solutions to challenges that arise from having siloed teams using the tools and foresight to keep the end goal of revenue growth top of mind across the organization.And it's not enough to just grow your business. With the right frameworks, do more than achieve X for X dollars per hour – multiply your value. 3 Key TakeawaysRevenue Operations is an integral part of any business that wants to accelerate growth through its combination of analytics, processes and enabling the teams that drive revenue. Think beyond the limits of X value per hour. With the right people and frameworks, magnify your clients’ value–and yours–in the process.Serve your teams well and they will serve your clients well. Help achieve what your clients want, and the people who help your clients [the team], and you will be successful. ResourcesCongruentX.comChuck Ingram’s LinkedInEverybody Wants to Rule the World by R “Ray” WangThe Innovation Stack by Jim McKelveyAboutChuck Ingram, founder and CEO of CongruentX, is one of the most genuine and creative Revenue Operations leaders. After earning his stripes at major tech companies like Microsoft and HP, he built an incredible RevOps practice at TriBridge, a high growth tech company that had a 9 figure exit. In 2020 he used this wealth of knowledge to start his own tech consulting firm, once again focused on the world of RevOps.

Our guests, thought leaders, clients, partners, and all-around good humans, have taken us on their incredible journey through their dirt: the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between. So many of them called out some of the outstanding results they have had in overcoming obstacles in partnership with Orchid Black, which is always fantastic to hear about their team's extraordinary work.Jim Barnish walks us through the five pillars of a company growing smart from startup to exit: Strategy. Talent. Product. Revenue. Operations. Create a strategy, hire talent to fulfill the strategy, build a product with that talent, drive revenue with the product, and operations facilitate the journey.3 Key Takeaways“Founders need to free up their time so that they can focus on strategy.” - Mark Parrott.“Letting go on an executive means trusting your employees.” - Juan Betancourt.“Real value comes from having predictable revenue and recurring revenue. Without revenue, the business is a product, pre-business.” - Jim Barnish.ResourcesOrchid Black website: https://www.orchid.black/Episodes: Stephen White: https://www.orchid.black/podcast/04 Juan Betancourt: https://www.orchid.black/podcast/05 Matt Brown: https://www.orchid.black/podcast/06 Stephen Timme: https://www.orchid.black/podcast/07 Mark Parrot: https://www.orchid.black/podcast/08 Bill Lederer: https://www.orchid.black/podcast/09 Mike Smith: https://www.orchid.black/podcast/10About “The Dirt”This business podcast is a place where we get down into the depths of a founder's story and expertise. Being an entrepreneur isn't easy; it's painful, it's ugly, it's dirty, and it usually entails things that people don't want to hear. This show is meant to bring forward the trials and tribulations that entrepreneurs have encountered and overcome. This show will make you uncomfortable. But here at Orchid Black, we know that growth is far from comfortable. It's raw. It's real. It's dirty. And we are here to uncover everything that happens before an exit. Because at one time, even the yellow brick road was covered in dirt.

The best athletes in the world directly link their performance to their personal growth. Why don’t we all think about our lives like this? For Jim Barnish, changing his perspective with the help of a mentor transformed his work as a founder, a transformation that surfaced as he focused on his personal development. This resulted in heightened business growth and strategy. Today, Jim invites that mentor to The Dirt: executive coach and former NFL executive, Mike Smith.We are so focused on success in business that we often forget to be human. Founders are especially prone to that constant grind and it limits their view. Mike shares his perspective that taking care of our mental and physical health will lead to a “clearer view of the field.”Your work could be transformed by regular feedback from a coach who can help you improve–every day. Just as how athletes receive immediate coaching, quick correction and feedback results in improved practice and performance at work, and this can’t come in the form of a yearly or six-month review. 3 Key TakeawaysPersonal development is just as vital to your business success as business development. Stop grinding away and nurture your mental and physical health.Coaching is invaluable not just in sports, but in everyday life. Mentors can help you course correct and provide a broader view of how to achieve what you want.Be more curious and open, but also develop resilience. Expect receiving honest, regular feedback to be tough but well worth it.ResourcesMike Smith’s LinkedInHuddle AdvisoryOut of Our League PodcastAboutMike Smith is the founder of Huddle Advisory, a firm that guides performance for leaders and teams. Previously, he spent nearly two decades with the NFL, transforming the talent function in an executive role. Before shifting to the NFL, he worked as an executive and finance consultant at NBC.

Jim Barnish invites Bill Lederer to The Dirt, extraordinary founder and CEO in the MAdTech space that fuses marketing, advertising, and technology. They discuss the transformations iSocrates has made from consulting to managed services to software-as-a-service (SaaS).Building a successful business depends on many factors that may change over time. What you need in a startup is likely not what you need as the business enters a growth stage and beyond.Finding partners that support your goals is another key factor in a growing company, both in life and in business. Entrepreneurship knows its highs and lows, so having a life partner that can weather the storms and celebrate the wins is essential. In business, partnering with reliable, coachable, and trustworthy individuals is just as vital.Although iSocrates operates in the technology industry, Bill emphasizes the importance of people specifically investing in their growth and trusting them in turn to grow the business. Especially in a global company, understanding differences and bridging cultural gaps is a key part of that process. 3 Key TakeawaysBe open to change and shifting priorities where needed. As Bill says, “What it took to get you to where you are is unlikely what you need to get to where you want to be.” Find a life partner who supports you through the ups and downs. And find business partners who are coachable, with high integrity. Invest in your teams. It’s not always what many venture capitalists want to hear, but it’s not about the technology, it’s about the people. ResourcesBill’s LinkedIniSocrates.comMAdTechBI.comProductize by Eisha ArmstrongAboutSix-time founder and CEO who discovered his career in digital media and advertising, Bill Lederer lives and breathes data. He is the founder and CEO of iSocrates, a managed service + SaaS company built to serve publishers, marketers, agencies, and enablers through a combination of MarTech and AdTech automation and solutions.

As a founder, how do you maximize the value of your company before exiting? What are the ingredients needed to reach “extreme valuation” and build a sustainable business? World-renowned strategist and author Mark Parrott joins Jim Barnish on The Dirt to share his insights on growing companies which he has compiled through an analysis of 1000+ private companies.Executives need to shift their viewpoint from business owners to investors in their own company. How do founders build for transferable value from the perspective of an acquirer? By changing their lens, they can maximize valuation.Collaboration with outside sources is a key component of founder growth. CEOs need candid feedback from people whose checks they’re not signing. Leveraging expertise by networking with other executives who experience similar challenges, even across industries, is essential.3 Key TakeawaysGrow your valuation by changing your perspective from business owner to investor in your own company. Think about transferable value from an acquirer’s perspective rather than as a business owner.Work yourself out of the business by moving from micromanaging to strategic oversight. Collaborate with others that can honestly empathize with you (i.e., similar stage/industry CEOs) to give you honest feedback by scrutinizing your vision and strategy.ResourcesMark Parrott’s LinkedInVistage InternationalMeta-Trends and the Next Economy by Mark Parrott and Cole ParrottAboutMark Parrott is a world-renowned author, chief strategist, and keynote speaker. His passion for objective, evidence-based truth has guided over 20,000 CEOs on their quest to drive sustainable growth in companies of all sizes. He co-authored the book Meta-Trends and the Next Economy and is a Chair and speaker for Vistage.