Sara Loretta is an entrepreneur, digital strategist, and operations consultant based in Austin, Texas. She is the founder and Chief Digital Architect of SYSTMS™, a consultancy specializing in helping service-based businesses streamline their workflows and scale effectively. With over a decade of experience in data management, compliance, and business development, Sara focuses on designing tools and strategies to support asynchronous and remote work environments globally.
DOTS PODCAST ON ALL PLATFORMS
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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2z0Vgy7eNR6XSk3M0uSugp?si=eb5369dea4314099
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dots-podcast-of-paul-syng/id1557392269
Podcasters: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paulsyng
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SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/
Guest, Sara Loretta
https://www.linkedin.com/in/saraloretta/
CHAPTERS
00:00 Prioritizing Emotional Well-being
18:19 "Gratitude and Paying It Forward"
33:48 Perception Filters and Decisions
49:56 Empowering Solutions for Community Needs
01:12:24 "Mastering Gap-Filling in Business"
01:29:04 Viral Scandal Involving Sarah
01:42:50 "Pursuing Growth Without Virality"
01:49:38 Overcoming Self-Limiting Beliefs
02:15:15 Finding Language in Operations
02:21:21 Solopreneurship and Self-Management Goals
02:42:22 Targeted Quiz for Business Insights
02:56:44 Streamlining Work with Emojis and Ideas
Steve Patti is a seasoned marketing strategist with over 35 years of extensive experience. He has navigated a successful career marked by three significant phases. The journey began with a decade dedicated to working within diverse enterprise environments, ranging from small businesses to a Fortune 500 tech giant generating $5 billion in revenue. Building on this foundation, Steve launched a marketing consulting firm, scaling it impressively from zero to $20 million within three years, collaborating with prominent brands such as Visa, Intel, American Express, and Dell. The most recent chapter of this career has been characterized by roles as a growth advisor, serving as a full-time or fractional CMO and undertaking strategic growth roles that bridge sales and marketing for companies with revenues up to $160 million. This blend of corporate, entrepreneurial, and advisory experience showcases a profound expertise in driving growth and innovation.
DOTS PODCAST ON ALL PLATFORMS
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJhdYWtEVH6R9lX2exP_8ni9YGKNTZ1b8&si=4s69nrKCahy5vQ5O
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2z0Vgy7eNR6XSk3M0uSugp?si=eb5369dea4314099
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dots-podcast-of-paul-syng/id1557392269
Podcasters: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paulsyng
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NEED HELP WITH A COMPLEX CHALLENGE?
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/
Guest, Steve Patti:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevepatti/
CHAPTERS
00:00 Three Decades of Business Leadership
10:41 Rethinking Marketing Beyond Pipelines
13:23 "Product Marketing: Core Function Importance"
22:04 Marketing Career Crossroads Choices
23:27 "Embrace Change or Enhance Skills"
30:35 CMO Reporting Beyond Numbers
38:09 "Marketing's Role in Employer Branding"
39:14 Align HR and Finance for Recruitment
45:01 "Brand Accelerates Demand"
53:06 Marketing Strategies and Leadership Buy-In
57:02 "Measure Brand Marketing Effectively"
01:04:11 "New Marketing Alignment Proposal"
01:08:20 Problematic Marketing Partnership Dynamics
01:10:35 "Performance Data Disconnect"
Cecilia Ambros is a trained fine artist who has seamlessly transitioned from painting with colours and digital designs to "painting with data." Leveraging a versatile skill set, Cecilia embraces the challenge of learning new domains, thriving even without initial subject matter expertise. Her remarkable career has led her through unexpected opportunities, including roles at prestigious companies such as banks and Amazon.
DOTS PODCAST ON ALL PLATFORMS
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJhdYWtEVH6R9lX2exP_8ni9YGKNTZ1b8&si=4s69nrKCahy5vQ5O
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2z0Vgy7eNR6XSk3M0uSugp?si=eb5369dea4314099
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dots-podcast-of-paul-syng/id1557392269
Podcasters: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paulsyng
READ PLATONIC BLOG
https://paulsyng.com/blog/
NEED HELP WITH A COMPLEX CHALLENGE?
https://paulsyng.com
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng:
https://x.com/paulsyng
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/
Guest, Cecilia Ambros:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/conceptualthinking/
CHAPTERS
00:00 Small studio grew; pursued MBA for job.
05:36 Missing two MBA classes; career shifts rapidly.
12:18 Differences in design approach: Nike, Amazon, Loblaws.
17:32 Observing brand adaptation, design validation differs greatly.
26:16 Nike tested gear innovations with University of Oregon.
32:21 Man's intellect challenged value of product branding.
36:50 Navigating creative differences between brands and agencies.
42:42 Nike nurtures curiosity, aligning designers across disciplines.
46:43 Understanding athlete rigor enhances design inspiration.
53:02 Nike's coaching philosophy shaped my leadership journey.
58:26 Impressed by leaders’ rapid document understanding skills.
01:03:51 Evolving client relationships through digital transformation.
01:08:33 Nike, Amazon, and Chase share service values.
01:12:28 Shattered ankle, long recovery, first hospital experience.
Josh Lowman founded Gold Front, an agency that’s helped major players like Stripe, Uber, and Clari carve out new market categories. Josh and his team focus on business strategy, positioning, and brand design, working with top CEOs, founders, and CMOs who want to be different in their industries.
But that’s not all. Josh is also passionate about sharing his insights for free through his newsletter, LinkedIn, and live workshops. When he’s not shaping the future of tech brands, you can find him hanging out with his daughters or rooting for the Detroit Lions—a test of loyalty if there ever was one!
DOTS PODCAST ON ALL PLATFORMS
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJhdYWtEVH6R9lX2exP_8ni9YGKNTZ1b8&si=4s69nrKCahy5vQ5O
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2z0Vgy7eNR6XSk3M0uSugp?si=eb5369dea4314099
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dots-podcast-of-paul-syng/id1557392269
Anchor: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paulsyng
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NEED HELP WITH A COMPLEX CHALLENGE?
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/
Guest, Josh Lowman:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshlowman/
Gold Front | Apex - Case Study
https://www.goldfront.com/work/real-performance-apex
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome Josh Lowman
02:38 How Josh created Gold Front (A category design studio)
11:53 Connecting the dots from strategy to execution
22:14 Category vs 'Brand' and why words you use matter
29:55 Positioning in category strategy
36:27 One thing that drives Josh about Gold Front
40:11 Apex case study
44:25 Working with founders and CEOs
50:07 3001 Questions all about me
Alex Smith is a strategist, writer, and advisor to CEOs and founders. He is the founder of Basic Arts, and he helps create brands that stand alone in their markets and bring true value to people. It’s my goal to increase strategic understanding and expertise among founders since it’s not only widely misunderstood but often completely overlooked.
DOTS PODCAST ON ALL PLATFORMS
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJhdYWtEVH6R9lX2exP_8ni9YGKNTZ1b8&si=4s69nrKCahy5vQ5O
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2z0Vgy7eNR6XSk3M0uSugp?si=eb5369dea4314099
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dots-podcast-of-paul-syng/id1557392269
Anchor: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paulsyng
READ PLATONIC BLOG
NEED HELP WITH A COMPLEX CHALLENGE?
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/
Guest, Alex Smith:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-m-h-smith/
00:00:00 Meet Alex, monetize your quirks
00:03:42 Alex's unconventional path to strategy
00:15:03 An act of mischief
00:28:07 Elephant, monkey and a fish climb a tree
00:35:34 No one is buying strategy
00:43:15 What is 'strategy' and understanding founder motivations
00:55:33 Understand the person and their context first
01:05:17 Positioning and Simon Sinek's 'Why?'
01:14:26 Fame ≠ expertise
01:32:05 How Alex built an audience of 90k on LinkedIn
01:48:47 3001 Questions all about me
Steve Patti is a seasoned marketing strategist specializing in helping B2B companies align their marketing efforts with how their Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) really buy. He excels in three core areas:
1. Aligning marketing strategy with genuine buyer behaviour by integrating brand, demand, and customer expansion, while debunking common marketing myths like fake funnels and false intent signals.
2. Centering ICPs in content strategies by involving them as expert guests and contributors, thereby boosting content credibility, distribution, and engagement.
3. Accelerating the development of first-time CMOs, guiding them to quickly and effectively take on leadership roles.
Steve's extensive experience spans across both B2B and B2C sectors, including cloud hosting, SaaS, telecom, banking, and augmented reality. He has held leadership roles as a $20MM Founder/CEO, agency VP, and startup advisor, and serves as an adjunct professor of Entrepreneurship & Marketing. Clients praise Steve for his no-nonsense, actionable advice that brings clarity and focus to their marketing strategies.
DOTS PODCAST ON ALL OTHER PLATFORMS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more:
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/paulsyng
READ PLATONIC BLOG
https://paulsyng.com/blog/
NEED HELP WITH A COMPLEX CHALLENGE?
https://paulsyng.com
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng:
https://x.com/paulsyng
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/
Guest, Steve Patti:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevepatti/
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Hello, Steve Patti
00:04:27 Getting the fundamentals right (Marketing 101)
00:11:02 Three reasons marketing and sales folks are at odds with each other
00:18:35 Organizing teams and resources around the customer
00:28:56 Everyone must get on customer calls
00:34:04 How to deprogram demand gen cults
00:48:37 Why marketers need to use Elon Musk's playbook
00:53:40 On growth mindset
00:59:16 Summarizing the key points
01:02:03 3001 Questions all about me
01:04:13 Closing remarks
Paul helps Sales and Service leaders implement SwitchGear Operating Systems.
These systems have had a significant impact.
- Sales Acceleration System: $100M revenue growth
- LEAD System: $34M added to bottom-line
- Trusted Advisor System: Increased customer loyalty
- 750+ leaders graduated from programs
- 14,000+ frontline employees impacted
DOTS PODCAST ON ALL OTHER PLATFORMS
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READ PLATONIC BLOG
https://paulsyng.com/blog/
NEED HELP WITH A COMPLEX CHALLENGE?
https://paulsyng.com
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng:
https://x.com/paulsyng
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/
Guest, Paul Hicks:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wphicks/
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Who is Paul Hicks?
00:06:03 Role of feedback and having a mentor
00:13:12 Distinction between mentors and coaches
00:15:42 Memborable coaching moments
00:26:02 Common mistakes sales leaders make
00:54:13 Asking questions as your superpower
01:05:11 Doubling valuation by articulating the problem
01:21:15 Helping front-line workers navigate through the pandemic
01:45:04 Early stages of AI being implemented in sales
02:02:30 How do you navigate and prepare for AI at work?
02:11:22 How to build rapport on a sales call?
02:15:35 What sales leaders need to do right away
02:23:53 What did the CSO say to the CMO?
02:29:22 3001 questions all about me
02:30:20 Final words and closing remarks
Andrea Guertin is a seasoned design strategist and innovation leader currently heading Design & Co-creation at Kyndryl Vital Canada. With a Master's in Social Design, she has held key positions at Bridgeable, Deloitte, and Gensler, specializing in bridging business strategy with design thinking. Guertin's expertise lies in facilitating executive-level workshops, driving organizational transformation, and implementing human-centred design approaches across various industries. From her early days as a design strategist to her current role as a transformational leader, Andrea Guertin has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation and design in business. Her journey includes founding a B2B market research firm, teaching service design at the college level, and advising executives on inclusive design. Guertin's career is marked by a commitment to solving complex challenges through creative problem-solving and co-creation, leaving a significant impact on organizations ranging from startups to global consultancies. 👉🏼 DOTS PODCAST ON ALL OTHER PLATFORMS Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG 👉🏼 SUBSCRIBE TO SQUAD — A WEEKLY DIGEST Dive deep into business, brand and strategy every Tuesday. https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/114937/68230051490956385/share 👉🏼 READ PLATONIC BLOG https://paulsyng.com/blog/ 👉🏼 NEED HELP WITH A COMPLEX CHALLENGES? https://paulsyng.com 👉🏼 SPEAKER LINKS Host, Paul Syng: https://x.com/paulsyng https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulsyng/ Guest, Andrea Guertin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaguertin/ 👉🏼 CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Modelling gig story 00:01:36 How do you say 'Guertin' by the way? 00:03:14 Who is Andrea Guertin? 00:06:50 A designer who no longer designs 00:11:27 Where GREAT designers and consultants overlap 00:22:41 Telling people vs taking them along 00:29:02 Be confident in being the dumbest person in the room 00:32:26 Embrace the messy nature of the work 00:36:01 Curiosity over conclusions 00:44:28 Why consulting gets a bad reputation? 00:50:44 Secrets of facilitation no one talks about 00:58:15 How quality of your questions builds trust 01:08:44 USA vs Canada 01:20:22 The 'S' word (strategy) 01:23:43 Andrea shares personal stories about being a mom 01:39:32 What led to Andrea leaving her job as the CEO 01:45:03 Nerd out on strategy 02:08:34 What the client is asking for vs what they need and want 02:16:12 Role of curiosity in your job search and advice for women 02:24:43 3001 Questions all about me 02:32:33 Final words, closing remarks
Tom's work focuses on long-term strategic visioning and implementation, executive management, board management, team building, stakeholder relations, storytelling in digital media, and government relations. He is a proud human rights advocate, an experienced consultant, and formerly a journalist and entrepreneur. At the Arctic Research Foundation, Tom develops and implements long-term strategy, oversees hiring, budgeting, communications and the management of relationships with community, government, corporate and university partners; seven research vessels; five renewable-powered Arctic-hardened laboratories; and ARF's ArcticFocus website and Arctic Research Database. As a Senior Political Consultant, Tom led the federal Green Party's Rapid Response Team in the 2018 federal election and advised Annamie Paul during her successful campaign for GPC leadership. Tom was also Director of News and Digital at VICE Canada, an editor at the Toronto Star, and a reporter at Maclean's Magazine. He also worked as the Executive Director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, which protects the right to free expression in Canada and worldwide. Originally from New Brunswick, Tom has consulted on and helped pass crucial legislation in Canada and Ontario. This includes reforming Bill C-51, successfully lobbying for Canada’s first Press Shield Law, and passing Ontario’s anti-SLAPP legislation. He helped fight against a major crackdown on the free press in Croatia, a fight which had a major part in the formation of a new, democratically elected government. Tom has successfully advocated for the release of jailed journalists worldwide and has facilitated the disbursement of dozens of life-saving grants to journalists in distress throughout the globe. As a journalist, Tom covered everything from food insecurity, resource extraction, serial killers, and the Toronto International Film Festival. He’s also launched numerous digital and print products, including Canada’s first national Web TV program, Macleans: TV, and the Toronto Star’s Small Business Section and Star Business Club. A former videographer and small business owner, Tom has also designed, patented and licenced innovative products for shooting video with digital SLRs. SPEAKER LINKS Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng Guest, Tom Henheffer: https://www.arcticfocus.org/ EPISODE LINKS Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG 00:00:00 Who is Tom Henheffer 00:03:48 Tom's career in journalism 00:07:44 Decline of journalism 00:15:30 The business of journalism 00:24:01 Canadian media and social media 00:28:17 What is the Artic Research Foundation? 00:39:29 Blackberry CEO Jim 00:41:11 Politics and planet 00:49:44 Procurement and the planet 00:53:44 How to get involved with ARF 00:58:15 3001 Questions all about me
Throughout his career, Bill has been obsessed with helping businesses discover their true purpose – and turning that insight into exceptional experiences that bind brands and their customers together.
Whether helping launch the CarFax Vehicle History Report to the consumer market, positioning Delsey as North America’s lightweight luggage leader or preparing start-ups like Bleep CPAP to disrupt their category, Bill has been passionate about turning consumer insight into category leadership.
He believes that every brand has the potential to dominate their category – to create a contagious, market-shattering impact on their customers and competition.
Since 1998, Bill has created brand strategies and creative campaigns for more than 300 brands around the globe. He has engaged audiences for brands like EverBank, Music & Arts, Delsey Luggage, Red Hot & Blue, Denny’s, Precision Tune and Enterprise Rent-a-Car, to name a few. On their behalf, Bill uncovered unique insights into the consumer set, created campaigns that positively disrupted their categories and caused countless competitors sleepless nights.
Bill is an optimist at heart. He believes that every good idea has a passionate message standing behind it.
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
Guest, Bill Harper: https://brandbosshq.com/
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Welcome to the show, Bill!
00:05:17 What is a brand?
00:11:20 Breaking the myth of B2B vs B2C
00:19:30 Tow truck story
00:27:13 Helping clients get out of their own way
00:31:27 The creative genius Rolodex
00:40:53 From toxic relationship to true partner
00:56:00 Are you willing to be great?
01:07:02 The right person and the right vision
01:23:02 Eight powerful ideas
01:33:51 Brand is agnostic to what and how you do it
01:38:12 How to bring internal and external stakeholders on the journey
01:44:02 When internal adoption fails
01:57:10 How to build an audience by being irrelevant
02:06:00 What to do with negative comments
02:12:05 Haters grow your brand and audience
02:16:23 How much time Bill spends on making content
02:22:05 3001 Questions all about me
02:23:52 Summarizing the second half
02:32:08 Closing remarks
Sheeba has become a voice of insight and encouragement within the health community, especially on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, where she openly discusses the complexities of thyroid disorders. With each story she shares, Sheeba shines a light on the unique array of symptoms that people with these conditions experience, both in diversity and intensity. Her own personal journey with the disorder is marked by a vivid recollection – the day fatigue overwhelmed her after a seemingly normal work routine with clients. This poignant memory of utter exhaustion led to a realization that she was battling more than just physical tiredness; it was a sign of severe depression intertwined with her thyroid condition. Her raw and personal narratives not only raise awareness about the condition but also serve as a beacon of hope and understanding for others navigating similar health challenges.
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
Guest, Coach Sheeba: https://www.tiktok.com/@xsheebax
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Welcome to the studio, Marc Jacobs
00:02:13 Who is Sheeba
00:04:21 Thyroid TikTok taking off
00:05:54 Inspiration behind talking thyroid
00:08:47 Mental and physical symptoms of thyroid
00:12:24 Handling hateful comments on social media
00:14:21 What is a thyroid and what does it do
00:16:16 Early success on YouTube
00:20:52 YouTube audience don't like change
00:25:56 Three things to know about your thyroid
00:33:28 Paul's protocol part one
00:48:05 Thyroid and depression
00:51:58 Paul's protocol part two
00:54:25 How to get started on your superhuman journey
01:00:49 Harmful effects and downside of TRT
01:08:54 Keeping up with the latest in thyroid research
01:11:24 Summary and final advice on thyroid and health
01:15:45 3001 Questions
01:16:24 Closing remarks
John LePore is a highly skilled professional known for blending creative innovation with pragmatic thinking. His career is marked by his ability to inspire excitement about the future through consulting with organizations, leading teams, or directing innovation. With a rich background as the Principal/Chief Creative at Perception, LePore has excelled in motion design and user experience and has over a decade of leadership, direction, and strategy. He is an accomplished public speaker who captivates audiences worldwide by demystifying popular films and products. LePore distinguishes himself in consulting, offering concentrated value to overcome specific challenges, inspiring leadership and forging new competencies within organizations. Based in the NYC Metro area, he consults globally, contributing to film, technology, automotive, and more, and is accessible through various social media platforms and professional networks. SPEAKER LINKS Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng Guest, John LePore: https://twitter.com/JohnnyMotion EPISODE LINKS Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG _ F1 + Apple Vision Pro Concept https://youtu.be/y9FpgxNeWJk?si=4_TlkNgxwNvbhMbU TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 Greetings 00:01:53 Who is John? 00:13:46 How John thinks about his work with Marvel Avengers 00:24:34 What it means to have genuine empathy 00:30:22 What it means to get curious 00:38:13 Meeting clients where they are 00:46:47 John's Black Panther story 00:52:44 Detaching from the outcome 00:58:13 The holy trinity question by Paul 01:01:07 How John thinks about Digital Product Design 01:07:55 John's hot take on the Apple Vision Pro 01:10:04 John's F1 concept was viewed over 55 million times 01:14:49 A simple way to understand "The Metaverse' 01:20:13 Why do automobile interfaces suck 01:29:46 What Hanz Zimmer & Linkin Park and cars have in common 01:35:05 John's involvement with top-secret projects 01:39:29 Working in digital product vs automotive company 01:51:45 What John's race instructor dad taught him 02:03:35 John's design of the Porsche instrument gauge cluster 02:17:02 Designing for the future vs futuristic design 02:28:07 John's on a mission, and you should hire him 02:34:38 3001 Questions all about me 02:37:44 Paul summarizes key takeaways 02:39:25 Closing remarks by John
Jen was a full-cycle Enterprise Sales rep for 18 years. As a seller who made every mistake in the book, she believes sellers don’t need to be motivated; she feels they need to be empowered.
Jen teaches the strategies and tactics to earn buyer attention and trust. She has sold $50M+ to C-level Sales, Marketing, and Strategy executives while at Corporate Executive Board, Gartner, and Challenger Inc. (the company behind The Challenger Sale). Jen was a Relationship Builder who learned to sell like a Challenger.
Jen has hosted the Winning the Challenger Sale podcast (growing the audience from 2k to 20k listeners per month) and created the role of Chief Evangelist at Challenger. This Is when she fell in love with speaking at SKOs to help Sales and marketing teams rethink their beliefs and assumptions about how to earn buyer attention and trust and defeat the status quo.
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
Guest, Jen Allen-Knuth (aka DemandJen): https://demandjen.com/
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Warming up and stretching
02:14 Who is Jen, and why she can't stop rescuing animals
03:49 Jen is not your guru (*wink Tony Robbins)
06:10 Lead Gen (Sales 101 with email and social)
09:04 How to know your client's problems
12:33 How to write a crispy email
15:25 Who do you email at a company?
18:04 Don't make this rookie mistake
19:47 Showing up like a boss to the first booked meeting
22:42 How to compound your upfront research by getting curious
24:17 Jen's LinkedIn strategy
27:09 Knowing your client's priorities
28:54 How to show up on social media
31:36 Another reason why you should be personable online
32:36 Bite-sized summary by Paul
33:15 Wisdomous last words by Jen
33:48 Josh Braun fan club
34:21 3001 questions all about me
36:04 Closing remarks
Andrew Hegarty has ten years of experience working in and advising startups in Toronto. He’s an active mentor to designers and product managers, sharing his experiences and lessons learned from growing an early-stage startup and design practice. He's passionate about mentorship, team empowerment, continually improving product development processes, and building strong organizational cultures.
_
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
_
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Getting started, our common friend
00:06:29 How Andrew got into design
00:14:23 Andrew's first paid client
00:17:35 Developing a problem-solving approach
00:19:35 Getting serious about a design career
00:21:06 Andrew's true passion
00:24:36 Skating helped Andrew step out of his comfort zone
00:28:20 Isolation parallel to remote work
00:31:56 Advice for people in 0-1 stage companies
00:39:47 Early career, education and first job
00:42:59 To defend the work or not is the question
00:53:49 Choice and signs of maturity
00:56:32 Windows vs Mac
00:58:33 A decade at Street Context
01:03:03 Killing your darlings
01:07:02 Throwing yourself into the deep end (beginner's mind)
01:13:45 From design to product
01:20:00 Design decisions based on where you are
01:25:23 Fintech rebrand, behind the scenes
01:37:22 Why Andrew moved into a product role
01:44:46 Shy kid in basement to talking to clients and loving it
01:52:23 3001 Questions All About Me
01:56:51 Be the dumbest person in the room
01:58:03 Closing remarks
Paul: Introduce yourself.
Yousuf: My professional journey has been both fun and rewarding, encompassing diverse roles such as a brand designer at a boutique corporate branding studio, digital producer then account director at a large ad agency, and management consultant at PwC.
You might be wondering, how did this guy start in visual design and end up leading business transformations for major corporations in Canada? Well, curiosity and an entrepreneurial spirit have been my driving forces, complemented by great mentorship along the way. These experiences have equipped me with unique vantage points for problem-solving and a versatile skill set for building solutions with incredible teams.
Today, I have the privilege of serving as the Head of Product Management and Strategic Design at PwC Canada, an iconic global enterprise with an impressive array of clients. My current practice area focuses on reimagining end-to-end customer and employee experiences. We design, build, and launch software to bring those experiences to life and enhance organizational capabilities to enable sustained success.
In my role, I foster an environment that enables pragmatic innovation, resulting in aligning siloed processes, integrating disparate technologies, and realigning incentives to successfully deliver customer/employee experiences that lead to business growth, increased customer satisfaction, and improved operational efficiency. It’s a wonderful blend of business, creativity, and technology. _ SPEAKER LINKS Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng Guest, Yousuf Afridi: linkedin.com/in/afridi _ EPISODE LINKS Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG CHAPTERS 00:00:00 Yousuf on writing his LinkedIn bio 00:02:06 How we met 00:07:01 When a Pakistani studying at British School in Dubai 00:20:40 Immigrating to Canada 00:27:30 Being self-taught 00:30:00 Skateboarding and emulating 00:36:28 Starting a creative business at the age of fifteen 00:44:18 Mentorship and learning the business of design 00:49:41 What Yousuf’s mentor taught him 00:57:36 Asking questions vs having answers 01:03:05 How consulting firms differ from agencies 01:11:00 Coffee and creative career paths 01:19:03 Business case vs creative brief 01:21:50 Can agencies swim upstream? 01:38:36 First year in consulting 01:48:04 What working WITH clients looks like 02:00:32 What consulting and agencies have in common 02:16:23 What creative people do in consulting 02:25:59 Being authentic as your MOAT 02:34:08 Ways of working and how approaches differ 02:53:52 Curious creative consultant over conclusions 02:59:34 What is Yousuf focused on now 03:06:08 3001 Questions and final thoughts 03:09:52 Closing remarks
Talica's sales career has spanned over two decades. She has expertise in selling products and services ranging from high-end apparel, investment management, high ticket coaching programs and consulting services. She has led business development and revenue growth strategies for top-performing wealth advisory teams and run sales departments for start-ups and established entrepreneurs.
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
Guest, Talica Davies: talicadavies.com
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
CHAPTERS
(00:00) Who is Talica Davies
(03:39) Closing $750,000,000 in sales
(05:23) Lessons from closing 9-figure deals for individuals
(10:22) How to become the person that closes 9-figure deals
(13:05) Discomfort and uncertainty in sales vs regular 9-5 folks
(16:20) What advice would Talica give to her younger self
(19:17) How to care about and believe in what you’re selling
(24:24) How to step into the shoes of your customer or client
(27:27) Language vs intelligence
(29:59) What is sales?
(33:23) Onboarding: Training, scripts and frameworks
(38:18) The power of questions
(40:24) How to start your coaching business without a website
(47:05) Warm vs cold lead. Doing outreach right
(52:18) How to build an offer
(56:16) Pricing: common mistakes
(58:28) Reframing: what you’re selling vs what they are buying
(01:07:24) Sales 101: Presenting your compelling offer
(01:13:24) What are buying signals and how to look for them
(01:18:09) Asking for money
(01:22:50) How to control the sales conversation without being needy
(01:28:37) Summary and 3001 Questions
(01:33:35) Final words from Talica
Anchal is a Certified Somatic Sexologist from the Institute of Somatic Sexology, Australia.
In addition to this, she is also a certified counsellor and Art Based Therapist and provides emotional support at sex and intimacy festivals all around the world.
Her mission is to support individuals and couples (of all genders and relational styles) to become an authority over their bodies and pleasure.
Using somatic embodiment tools, she guides you to develop a deeper connection with your body and sexuality, assisting you to let go of shame, conditioning and unhelpful patterns and open to more pleasure, purpose and choice.
She leads with an open heart & facilitates with knowledge, integrity, & wisdom.
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
Guest, Anchal Kaushal on Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/anchal-kaushal-1482a61
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/integratedsexuality/
Calendly: https://calendly.com/anchal-integratedsexuality/somatic-inquiry
1st book recommendation: https://a.co/d/0tdNnq7
2nd book recommendation: https://a.co/d/bgi0bOT
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
CHAPTERS
(00:00) What is a Somatic Sexologist
(10:11) Early career as an Art Director working in an agency
(12:39) Relationships, sexuality and story of anguish
(21:34) The Birds and the Bees: society, family, talking taboo subjects
(34:56) Focus of society on the internal vs the external world
(38:48) Watching blue films (and their impact on thinking and beliefs)
(43:03) First-time encounters were pretty bad (we’ve all been there)
(47:55) Sharing your desires and listening to your body
(54:53) How males and females use sex (selection, attraction and scripts)
(01:10:20) With great power comes great responsibility (+intrinsic vs extrinsic)
(01:15:14) Daddy or mommy issues
(01:17:37) Anchal shares observations and common questions people ask
(01:34:56) How selection criteria vary for a short-term vs long-term mate
(01:37:32) The role of the head, heart and gut (awareness exercise)
(01:45:43) What fetishes, kinks and preferences say about us
(01:50:15) How and where to start your somatic journey (recommendations)
(01:53:58) Concluding notes and final thoughts
Eric Almquist has 44 years of experience in management consulting, focusing on customer strategy and marketing to help companies with their toughest management challenges. He has brought the best ideas from numerous fields to help clients better understand their customers. He created the first advanced customer analytics capability in the consulting industry, focusing on segmentation, demand modelling, brand strategy, and customer relationship management. His team pioneered the commercialization of discrete choice models, latent class analysis, and other tools, creating new customer segmentation, CRM, and in-market experimentation approaches.
As a partner in Bain & Company’s Boston office and leader of Bain’s global Customer Insights and Analytics capability, Eric has worked in various industries, including retail, consumer products, financial services, and telecommunications. He is an expert in applying advanced analytics to help companies improve their value propositions, marketing, customer experience delivery, and customer retention. He has extensive experience with new customer acquisition, brand strategy, and product/service development.
Eric has also contributed to several publications and regularly speaks on customer, demand management, and corporate brand strategies. His most recent research is on the Elements of Value, both B2C and B2B, published in the Harvard Business Review.
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
Guest, Eric Almquist: linkedin.com/in/eric-almquist-993898
HBR article: https://hbr.org/2016/09/the-elements-of-value
Bain & Co: https://www.bain.com/insights/the-elements-of-value-hbr/
Vermicular Pots: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=Vermicular&ref=bl_dp_s_web_0
Balmuda: https://www.amazon.ca/s?k=BALMUDA
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
CHAPTERS
(00:00) Welcome to episode 11, Eric’s origin story
(06:41) Applying to a blind AD, first job
(08:52) Early days at Lippincott, growing it into a behemoth
(18:37) Statistics, the average person and big data
(26:48) OpenAI, language models and data (Have a POV)
(36:08) What Dyson, Vermicular (high-end rice cookers) and the iPod have in common
(41:59) Origins of The Elements of Value, NPS (Net Promoter Score) & HBR article
(55:32) Using TEoV to build empathy and other use cases
(58:17) Using TEoV in a sales cycle to understand the buyers (B2C vs B2B)
(01:09:59) TEoV is perfect for positioning work (brand strategy)
(01:22:15) Having meaningful conversations and measuring buyer sentiment
(01:31:39) The biggest misconception about The Elements of Value
(01:38:02) Summary and concluding thoughts
Jessica Guzik is a Senior Brand Lead at Shopify in Berlin, Germany. She has over 5 years of experience in digital and brand marketing. She is also a licensed attorney. She has experience coaching teams, establishing partnerships and leveraging relationships with international and remote teams to drive brand awareness. She has also led creative teams and has experience in video marketing and social media management for Oberlo. Prior to joining Shopify, she has worked as a consultant, a dinner party host, a manager for strategic partnerships and events, an associate director for strategic content, and a judicial law clerk. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Classics from University of Notre Dame and a Juris Doctor degree from Washington and Lee University.
SPEAKER LINKS
Host, Paul Syng: https://linktr.ee/paulsyng
Guest, Jessica Guzik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaguzik/
EPISODE LINKS
Spotify, Apple, Anchor & more: https://anchor.fm/PAULSYNG
Jessica’s Oberlo YouTube videos
https://youtu.be/w1j0bdLlAkY
https://youtu.be/H-BhkIteerc
https://youtu.be/jfwUsQ2Y1lg
Jessica’s book: Let's Take Berlin: Essays on Expat Life
https://a.co/d/aLZoFKl
Book Recommendations
Crucial Conversations: https://a.co/d/7DjyYUS
How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen https://a.co/d/3ZjWPjU
Inspiration
Colin & Samir: https://www.youtube.com/@ColinandSamir
Neil Patel: https://twitter.com/neilpatel
TIMESTAMPS
(00:00) Theme of the conversation
(02:22) How we know each other
(05:59) Jessica’s life before Berlin: Writing, co-living & feeling lost
(12:05) Only looking back the Dots connect: From law to YouTube
(17:48) How Jessica got into practicing law
(20:15) Lessons and takeaways from law
(21:30) The master curator: organizing house parties and dinners
(25:39) Why Jessica organized events
(33:14) Staring into the eyes of a person or a screen (lost skills)
(41:50) Loneliness and dealing with it at different stages
(49:00) Getting a job at Shopify: Tips on standing out to get hired
(55:33) Jealousy and how Jessica wrote a book about Berlin
(01:01:30) Do this one thing and the hiring manager will hire you on the spot
(01:06:38) Initial days at Shopify
(01:11:45) Advice for YouTubers on how to grow fast (Oberlo lady tells all)
(01:20:24) Life beyond fame and being on camera
(01:25:45) Babies, mat leave around the world (going down the rabbit hole)
(01:29:18) Fun story about Berlin and Mayonnaise
(01:34:24) Leadership, difficult conversations and giving feedback
(01:49:29) 2 great books on communication for adults and kids
(01:54:40) Closing remarks and thoughts
(01:58:24) 3001 Questions All About Me
(02:01:21) Jessica’s message to the audience
(02:02:46) Bonus question
