Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional

Show Notes: Lauri Euren, founder of Operating.app, explains that Operating is a tool for consulting firms or professional services that are growing and need help with staffing, internal resourcing, and month-end closes. The tool handles the workflow from time sheets to invoicing, supporting delivery across multiple projects. Operating.app Explained Lauri emphasizes that Operating is not a CRM system and can integrate with existing CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive. Lauri explains that Operating is not for actual sales execution but for back-end processes like staffing, time sheets, and invoicing. The tool also monitors project health, margins, and financials, providing tracking and insights into project burn rates and utilization. Operating.app Demonstration Lauri demonstrates the main dashboard, which includes tabs for staffing, personal schedules, projects, and reports. Lauri describes the main entities in Operating: projects, people, and positions, and how they intersect to manage staffing and project assignments. Lauri explains the different sections and their functions. The dashboard includes pinned views for saved and shared views, time sheets for tracking hours, and various reporting options. Lauri highlights the importance of tailoring the use of Operating to different roles within the organization, such as consultants, COOs, and staffing managers. The invoicing feature generates invoices based on the invoicing schedule and billing type of the project. When saved, the invoice saves automatically to the accounting software used. Lauri explains that projects often come from CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce and are enriched with metadata using AI tools like Copilot or GPT using the Operating MCP server and AI tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot. Operating can handle different pricing structures, including per hour and fixed price models, and can model various types of work within the fixed price model. Planned vs Forecast Revenue Revenue Recognition The tool also includes revenue recognition features, allowing finance teams to track and recognize revenue accurately. Lauri mentions that Operating integrates with accounting tools like QuickBooks or NetSuite for billing and financial management. Clients Operating Serves Lauri discusses the ideal client size for Operating, typically starting from 10 people and scaling up to large firms with hundreds of consultants. The tool replaces spreadsheets and other point solutions for time tracking and resource planning. Lauri explains how Operating handles external consultants, tagging them differently in the system and managing their permissions and utilization. The tool allows for robust customization of permissions, ensuring that each user sees and edits only what they are allowed to. Managing a Project in Operating Lauri explains the end-to-end process of managing a project in Operating, from staffing to invoicing. The process includes adding a project, allocating team members, setting budgets, and tracking time sheets. Operating provides real-time profitability calculations and margin effects for projects. The tool allows for the creation of invoices based on time entries and integrates with accounting tools for final billing. AI Integration with Operation Lauri highlights the AI integration with tools like Claude, allowing users to query and manage projects using natural language. The MCP server in Operating acts as an AI agent, consuming data and executing queries based on user permissions. Customers can build automated tasks and health checkers using Cloud Code and AI, enhancing efficiency and accuracy. The tool's flexibility and customization options make it suitable for various roles and project management needs. Pricing Model Lauri explains the current pricing model for Operating, which is $22 per person per month for the full module and $11-$13 for individual modules. The tool is designed to be more affordable than enterprise competitors, making it a scalable solution for growing consulting firms. Lauri provides information on how interested parties can start a free trial or book a demo on the Operating website. Timestamps: 0:02: Introduction and Overview of Operating App 02:44: Features and Functionality of Operating 06:39: Detailed Walkthrough of Operating Dashboard 08:15: Integration with CRMs and AI Tools 13:39: Client Segment and Implementation 18:26: End-to-End Project Management in Operating 26:03: AI Integration and Customization 27:57: Pricing and Availability Links: Operating Website: https://www.operating.app/ MCP Server (Use directly in Claude, ChatGPT...): https://www.operating.app/blog-posts/ai-consulting-mcp-server Lauri's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eurenl/ This episode on Umbrex: Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn mor

Show Notes: Raman Julka is the founder and CEO of ValueChaser AI Labs and a former McKinsey Partner, where he served clients on operations, procurement, and digital topics and was a leader in McKinsey's procurement analytics practice. ValueChaser.ai is an AI-powered strategy and diagnostic platform that transforms raw business data into consulting-grade insights in under 10 minutes — work that typically takes analysts and consultants 1–3 weeks. Unlike generic AI tools, ValueChaser produces structured, benchmarked, auditable outputs: full diagnostic reports with health scoring, value levers, implementation steps, and action plans. It does not produce summaries or chat responses. It produces deliverables (pdf reports, excel models and csv files) your team can review, present, and act on. ValueChaser.ai Homepage ValueChaser.ai Demonstration In this episode, Raman gives Will a live demonstration of two products: • Company Diagnostics — upload a 10-K, annual report, or financial statements and receive a full business diagnostic with peer benchmarks, health scoring across functions, a value creation roadmap, and a detailed Excel model. Powered by a curated library of thousands of functional levers across industries and sub-industries. • Procurement Insights — upload transactional AP or spend data and receive category savings analysis, supplier intelligence, negotiation playbooks, and a prioritized action plan mapped to industry-specific procurement taxonomies. Includes a full categorized CSV of every transaction with confidence levels. Tested on datasets up to 1 million rows across 45 sub-industries. Value Chaser vs ChatGPT Raman explains how ValueChaser differs from simply prompting ChatGPT: deterministic and auditable outputs (not probabilistic), multi-model orchestration (Gemini for large data, Claude for narrative and reporting, Perplexity for market research), and enterprise-grade data security. Pricing and Subscription The platform is priced at $900 per report with subscription and white-label options available. It publicly launches on April 8, 2026. Subscribers get their own space, access to historical reports, and the option to white-label the platform. The tool is currently in private beta, with a few consulting companies, private equity funds, and independent advisors piloting it. Raman highlights ongoing developments, such as a module for sim and data room analytics for PE. The platform is also building a proposal development and client intelligence module for consulting engagements. The tool is designed to evolve based on client feedback and real-world testing. Interested listeners can reach out to Will directly for an exclusive discount on their first report. Products covered: Company Diagnostics, Procurement Categorization, Procurement Insights. Coming soon: CIM & Data Room Analytics for PE, Proposal Development & Client Intelligence. Source of Data ValueChaser.ai relies on uploaded data rather than searching the web. Raman explains that the tool uses three sources of information: uploaded data, information shared by the user, and curated knowledge from experts. The platform includes standard functional levers and taxonomies for different industries and sub-industries. Raman highlights the importance of curated knowledge in providing comprehensive outputs. The tool's hypothesis is that analytics expertise can be drawn from models with proper calibration and control. Example of a Diagnostic Report Raman shows the diagnostic report for a healthcare company, which includes an executive summary, financial performance, and areas of opportunity. The report highlights financials, extended financials, and specific levers for the business, with detailed calculations and implementation steps.The health score tracks the business across functions, using benchmarks built from publicly available sources. The market intelligence section provides an overview of the company's market position and growth drivers. Example of a Procurement Insights Report Raman demonstrates the procurement insights report for a software company with transactional spend data. The platform categorizes spend to industry-specific taxonomies and maps against intelligence playbooks to provide levers and actions. The report includes a high-level spend overview, maturity score, quick wins, and detailed recommendations. The tool provides a detailed CSV file listing transactions with categorization and confidence levels. Timestamps: 02:03: Homepage and Product Overview 03:03: Data Upload and Validation 05:59: Multi-Source Information and Knowledge Base 08:48: Company Diagnostics Report 20:11: Procurement Insights Report 26:44: Comparison with ChatGPT 27:04: Pricing and Customer Set 29:09: Future Developments and Use Cases Links: Raman's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanjulka Website: www.valuechaser.ai Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/valuechaser-ai-labs-inc/about Example reports — Downloadable reports based on example

Show Notes: Learn Directly from Authors on LearningFrontier.ai Fred Brouillet, founder of LearningFrontier.ai, explains how the platform works and how it helps users. Fred describes the current version of Learning Frontier.ai as an AI tool that allows users to interact with AI clones or avatars of famous authors in the Lean space. Users can also access avatars of great thinkers from the past, including Freud, Nietzsche etc. The platform aims to transform static knowledge from books into dynamic, interactive experiences, enhancing coaching and implementation. Fred highlights the scalability advantage of AI avatars over real-life experts, enabling simultaneous interaction with multiple users. The tool enhances changes the coaching space by providing readers access to experts that is cost-effective and immediate. Build your own book library on LearningFrontier.ai A LearningFrontier.ai Demonstration Fred shares his screen to demonstrate the LearningFrontier.ai platform. The platform features a library where users can buy and read books, similar to Apple Books or Kindle. Users can chat with their books, similar to using ChatGPT, but with LearningFrontier.ai, users can access private knowledge and receive citations for answers, whereas ChatGPT only has access to public knowledge. Fred demonstrates chatting with his own book, Frontier Lean, and explains how the platform provides detailed citations and passages. Currently, there are 100 new and classic authors connected to the platform. Fred introduces the AI avatar feature, where users can interact with an AI version of the author. Introducing the LearningFrontier.ai Avatar The AI avatar, created from a picture or video recording, can guide users through the implementation of the book's concepts. Fred explains that the AI avatar can ask questions to understand the user's context, similar to a consultant. The AI avatar can also provide ground knowledge beyond the book's content, making it a versatile coaching tool. Fred demonstrates how the avatar works when asked questions and explains how it can deliver information via text or voice, or video call depending on the user's requirements. He explains how easy it is to add questions to a previous query and how LearningFrontier.ai stores information to access and re-engage with a previous discussion. Chat with your books and understand better their concepts Dynamic Coaching with LearningFrontier.ai Fred demonstrates the coaching mode, where the AI avatar asks clarifying questions to understand the user's problem. The platform includes specific modes for problem-solving, such as the Toyota Kata approach. Users can build a value stream map in real-time during the coaching session, enhancing the learning experience. Fred explains how the platform updates the value stream map as the conversation progresses, providing a dynamic learning tool. Speak with an AI Avatar Digital Twin of the author Learning Frontier.AI comes with a number of Agentic functionalities to build VSM, A3 and Toyota Kata style coaching, etc... How Authors List Books on LearningFrontier.ai When asked about the process for authors to list their books on the platform, Fred explains that authors can reach out to him directly on LinkedIn or through the Learning Frontier.ai website. The platform offers a monthly subscription of £20, providing access to close to 100 books, including classic authors and new authors. Users can purchase individual books for a one-time cost, which grants lifetime access to the book and its associated AI avatar. Timestamps: 02:56: Demonstration of Learning Frontier.ai Platform 05:29: Interaction with AI Avatars 12:28: Coaching and Problem-Solving Modes 16:55: Subscription and Book Purchase Details Links: Website: https://learningfrontier.ai/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frederic-brouillet-consulting/ This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-639-fred-brouillet-learningfrontier-ai-turning-books-into-ai-avatar-consultants/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com. *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

Show Notes: Nir Eyal, author of Hooked and Indistractable, talks about his new book Beyond Belief. Nir explains the inspiration for writing the book and the book's purpose: to help people process information and put it into practice. Nir shares his motivation for writing the book, focusing on the psychology of motivation and the importance of perseverance and adaptability. He talks about the missing component in moving from belief to action, and discusses the concept of motivation as a triangle, emphasizing the role of belief in sustaining motivation. Beliefs Affecting Perception The conversation turns to stories from the book about beliefs affecting perception, such as the Toyota vs. GM prism and the expensive vs. cheap glass of wine experiments that proved the participants actually believed to be truths based on the information received over the facts. Nir explains how beliefs can literally change what we see, citing examples like people on diets seeing food as larger and people with a fear of heights perceiving distances as further. He discusses how brands and luxury goods affect perception. Nir emphasizes that our beliefs shape what we see, feel, and do, and that understanding this can help us improve our lives. Limiting vs Liberating Beliefs When asked how to identify and change limiting beliefs, Nir explains that beliefs are tools, not truths, and that understanding this can help us improve our lives. Applying this approach to relationships to illustrate how it works, he shares a personal story about a conflict with his mother and how he used the Work of Byron Katie to question his beliefs. Nir outlines the four questions from "The Work" that help identify and change limiting beliefs: Is it true? Is it absolutely true? Who am I when I hold this belief? Who would I be without this belief? Magical Thinking vs Mental Contrasting Nir talks about how to apply the belief inventory to other areas of life, such as business and company culture. He explains that beliefs are the operating system of our minds and that understanding this can help us improve our relationships and business practices. He discusses the concept of mental contrasting, which involves visualizing both the desired outcome and the obstacles to achieving it. Nir emphasizes that magical thinking, such as positive thinking without action, can be harmful and that mental contrasting is a more effective approach. Prayer for the Unfaithful On the chapter about prayer in the book, Nir explains that prayer has benefits even without faith, citing a study where people who prayed, even without faith, had better pain tolerance. He shares his experience of interviewing five faith leaders to learn how to pray when uncertain about God. Nir discusses the benefits of prayer, such as longer life, more life satisfaction, and less depression, and how he has incorporated prayer into his life. Setting Failure Goals When questioned about the concept of failure goals, Nir explains that failure goals involve setting goals for how many times you try, rather than focusing solely on success. He discusses the importance of celebrating the process and the journey, rather than just the outcome. Discipline in Practice Nir shares that he has incorporated prayer and improved his relationships through new practices. He discusses the concept of daily mantras, such as "we are all working with the tools we have" and "love is measured by the benefit of the doubt," to help shed limiting beliefs. Nir emphasizes the importance of these practices in improving his psychological well-being and relationships. Timestamps: 04:30: Beliefs Shaping Perception 09:09: Identifying and Changing Beliefs 22:05: Practical Applications of Belief Inventory 26:44: The Power of Prayer Without Faith 36:42: Failure Goals and Embracing Discomfort 41:56: Daily Practices and Mantras Links: The Book: geni.us/beyondbelief Bonus content and the 30-Day Belief Transformation Journal: nirandfar.com/beyond-belief Website: http://nirandfar.com Instagram - http://instagram.com/neyal99 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/nirandfar Twitter - https://twitter.com/nireyal Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nirandfar/ This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-638-nir-eyal-author-of-beyond-belief/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com. *AI generated timestamps and show notes.

Show Notes: Erin-Michael Gill, founder of Genaesis, shares his upbringing in Middletown, Maryland, and his education at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, where he studied astronomy and physics. He describes working at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office while pursuing graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University in applied physics, and later earning an MBA from MIT. Erin-Michael explains how his early exposure to patentability analysis shaped his view that intellectual property strategy often matters as much as the underlying technology. Working as a Patent Examiner Erin-Michael discusses his role as a patent examiner at the USPTO, evaluating applications for novelty and non-obviousness. He describes how examiners assess claims against prior art and why learning to identify the "one sentence" value proposition behind an invention became a durable skill for building and valuing companies. Intellectual Property Strategy at DuPont Erin-Michael describes moving from the USPTO into IP strategy at DuPont (Kevlar/Nomex), where he helped inventors protect and position new technologies. He recounts identifying a promising commercialization path for a new material, writing a business case, and being given the opportunity to help lead the effort to market. Improving PTO Operations Erin-Michael shares his experience advising during the Obama administration transition, contributing ideas to improve USPTO operations and reduce processing delays by addressing internal bottlenecks, incentives, and tools. Patent Portfolio Analysis and the "Patent Wars" Erin-Michael discusses later work analyzing patent portfolios and helping investors understand the strategic value of IP, including the dynamics behind major technology litigation that followed the rise of social platforms and smartphones. Founding Genaesis: GovCon M&A Erin-Michael explains how he entered the world of federal government contracting (GovCon) and why small-business set-aside programs create unique deal dynamics. He describes founding Genaesis to advise buyers and sellers of GovCon firms, with a focus on valuation, deal structuring, and growth through acquisition. Advising on Trade Agreements and IP Erin-Michael discusses his service on an industry advisory committee focused on intellectual property in trade, advising on complex trade issues across multiple administrations and highlighting why predictability and stability matter for investment and innovation. Timestamps: 01:53: Role at the Patent Office 04:52: Transition to IP Strategy 09:36: Involvement in the Obama Administration 12:06: Career in IP and Government Contracting 21:09: Founding Genaesis and Government Contracting 44:03: Service on Federal Advisory Boards 48:46: Impact of Trade Agreements on IP Links: Website: www.Genaesis.com Website Bio: https://www.genaesis.com/erin-michael This episode on Umbrex: https://umbrex.com/unleashed/episode-637-erin-michael-gill-founder-of-genaesis-on-govcon-ma/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com. *AI generated timestamps and show notes.