Unleashed - How to Thrive as an Independent Professional

Show Notes: In this discussion, Professor Bryan Caplan discusses the science and ethics of housing regulations and the argument for housing deregulation, which he believes benefits everyone across the political spectrum, including lower costs and more equity.  Barriers to Radical Housing Deregulation Bryan believes that to achieve radical housing deregulation, it would require convincing a large audience of people that it is a good idea. He explains that most people don't see the connection between letting people build and low prices, and there is a hypersensitivity to the harms a building can cause. The conversation also explores issues of environmental regulations and renewable power, and opposing forces lobbying to keep current housing regulations in place, such as community activists and the construction industry.  Housing Developers and Zoning Laws The discussion turns to various types of regulation and barriers faced by developers, including zoning laws, which are often used to separate industry from commercial and residential areas. He talks about the expression “the zoning tax”, used by economists. Bryan believes that abolishing these regulations would be the best solution, and that, unfortunately,  there is a slippery slope in allowing owners to preemptively stop someone from using their property as they want, it stymies action of any kind, and it can lead to laws that are overreaching and, most often, unnecessary. He talks about the law of nuisance and the burden of making a lawful complaint should be the responsibility of the complainer and not of the court to mitigate potential complaints in advance.  Historical Preservation and Housing Regulations  He discusses the issue of  historical preservation regulations, which may not necessarily lead to the demolition of historic buildings. Market forces play a role in preserving historic buildings, as people often value them and don't want to tear them down. However, if there is a significant difference between the value of renting office space in historic buildings and the extra value from turning them into residential spaces, the market is spoken. He mentions that every historic building was built on the rubble of a previous, more historic building. Bryan states what he believes is the best, most easy solution to this problem. He also offers an example of why the motivation to preserve many historic buildings is quite ironic.  Environmental Building Regulations Bryan addresses the environmental regulations that new builders face when building new buildings. He believes that current environmental protection laws are counterproductive, as they prevent developers from building in areas with favorable climates and reducing carbon emissions. Instead, he suggests making it easier to build in areas with good conditions, such as Southern California, where the weather is good and housing units can be built for millions of people. He talks about the importance of privatizing government land, particularly in the US, and suggests that developers should focus on what people want to pay for rather than environmental philosophy. He also discusses the lack of research on building codes and standards, which are often focused on land use regulations and safety regulations. He believes that the free market can ensure quality products, and explains how licensing, certification, and insurance companies play a role.  Accessibility Requirements in Housing Regulations The conversation turns to accessibility requirements, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Bryan suggests a voluntary system where developers can target specific markets for ADA accessible buildings. He also discusses the challenges of building skyscrapers and density regulations in the United States. He argues that while technology has allowed for the construction of tall buildings, getting government permissions to build them is difficult, especially in desirable areas. He suggests that if skyscrapers could be built closer to desirable locations, it would make living in these areas more affordable. Density regulations are another issue, as 80% of residential land is zoned for single-family homes. This makes it difficult for builders to build multi family homes, which is often expensive due to the paperwork involved. However, if housing is cheap enough, it is possible to have spacious apartments and entire floors of skyscrapers at a reasonable cost. Bryan also discusses the difference in cost per apartment or per square foot between single-family and multifamily housing.  Building Costs and Economies of Scale Building costs can be influenced by economies of scale, with skyscrapers being more expensive per square foot. Research shows that, averaging over the United States, regulations roughly doubles the cost of housing, with San Francisco and Manhattan having the worst regulation costs. Deregulating a small part of New York City could lead to skyscraper development almost immediately due to high prices in surrounding areas. However, if all the land was deregulated, then building skyscrapers of a certain height would no longer be profitable if there were many skyscrapers in the area and housing costs had been lowered. Overall, the cost of housing per square foot in a neighborhood depends on factors such as land, labor, structure, and regulation. Community Engagement and Developers Community engagement and public hearings are crucial for developers to build a building, as they must negotiate with the community to determine the benefits they will provide. However, many complaints are unmet, leading to delays and potential financial losses. A book called Neighborhood Defenders provides transcripts of land use meetings in Massachusetts, revealing that the complaints are often from paranoid homeowners, not wealthy homeowners, who fear disturbance or the neighborhood's character. The democratic process, while effective, puts the power to veto progress in the hands of paranoid people who don't speak for anyone but themselves. Local Politicians and Housing Developments Local politicians often claim to focus on increasing the tax base and lowering housing costs, but they often face criticism for their actions. The most simple-minded emotional arguments often prevail, as politicians are not there for the long term and may prioritize re-election over long-term goals. The antipathy for the housing industry is rooted in the fact that it is a big business, and housing is the second most vital necessity after food. Despite this, housing is often maligned, as it is the second most vital necessity after food.  Affordable Housing Regulations  Bryan discusses the concept of affordable housing requirements and their various versions. He identifies three common approaches: subsidizing demand and strangling supply, rent control, and public housing. The most common approach involves government subsidies for poor people to buy housing while restricting the supply. The least common approach is taxing the housing industry to produce different types of housing, which can make unsubsidized homes even more expensive while making affordable ones less expensive. Public housing, on the other hand, addresses the issue of not having enough housing and produces more housing. However, this approach generally faces issues such as high costs, lower quality, and poor maintenance by nonprofit sectors.  Noise and Nuisance Regulations When it comes to noise and nuisance regulations, Brian compares the old system to the new system. Bryan suggests that there was a better system during the period without regulation, where complainers could take recourse to the courts. He also mentions the homeowner association (HOA) as an intermediate market system for handling complaints. HOAs are flexible and limited to one area, allowing residents to be aware of the rules in place and decide whether they want to buy in or not. Bryan closes the conversation with a brief discussion on the ratcheting of regulations, economists, embedded interests, and political psychology. Timestamps: 00:23: Housing deregulation, with insights on opposition forces.  04:42: Regulations and their impact on development, with a focus on zoning laws, historical preservation, and the role of the government in decision-making  12:29: Preserving historical buildings and environmental regulations 16:19: Government regulations and building codes, with a focus on the free market and insurance companies setting standards 21:05: Regulations and their impact on affordable housing 27:35: Housing costs in New York City, with a focus on Astoria 32:21: Skyscraper construction costs and community engagement challenges 37:44: Affordable housing requirements and their impact on development 43:02: Housing regulations and their impact on affordability 48:12: Regulations and their challenges in society 52:54: Housing regulation and special interests   Links: Website: http://www.bcaplan.com/  Email: bcaplan@gmu.edu  Substack: http://betonit.substack.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.  

Show Notes: Maria Isabel Rios discusses the importance of making a firm work for you, rather than working for your firm. She emphasizes that firm leaders often immerse themselves in their firm in service to growing the firm to make it successful. Maria Isabel suggests that a better way to be a firm leader is to make your firm work for you. This involves finding ways to evaluate your firm, add value to your life, and bring success into the picture. A Formula to Make Your Firm Work for You A formula for making a firm work for you includes identifying key areas of importance in your personal life, and looking at your consulting firm's purpose, values, and intentions. Then, you can look at how these elements can intersect. The formula should be tailored to your needs and preferences, and should be specific to your goals. For example, if you want to spend one weekend day with family, zero work, every week for the next 52 weeks, this can be a more specific goal. Another example is a firm leader setting their goals for financial success, which can be a specific percentage of their income that goes into their retirement account. By making these personal intentions specific, you can create a formula that works for you and your firm.  Personal Intentions and the Intersection with Work Maria Isabel discusses the importance of identifying personal intentions and focusing on what brings joy to oneself then move on to the intersection with a firm. She describes five models of intention for firms and how this intersects with personal goals. Maria Isabel gives examples of firm leaders intentions and what they want in their personal and professional life, and how they make both work. She suggests that, by focusing on these models, individuals can better understand their intentions and make decisions that align with their goals and objectives. Maria Isabel explains how the different models work in both professional and personal life.  Shifts and Growth in Business Models Maria Isabel talks about the concept of a shift in business model. She shares examples of clients who are overworked and need help to reduce their hours and focus on a healthier lifestyle. She emphasizes that independent consultants often have an embedded model in mind, which often involves working long hours for high profits and success. However, when clients feel burnt out, they may need to consider the happiness the firm life brings to the firm leader. To make a shift, Maria Isabel suggests that clients should consider their personal intentions and work backwards to determine how to achieve this. This could involve taking larger projects or creating more sustainability in their pipeline. Additionally, they should strategically shift the model of how they deliver to reduce the firm leader's role in delivery. Maria Isabel also touches on other aspects of the firm's role, such as building a reputation as a thought leader or creating an online course to generate revenue. By planning ahead and aligning activities to achieve these goals, clients can create a sustainable firm that can deliver on their desired lifestyle. Maria Isabel emphasizes the importance of being intentional about what they want and not automatically taking on more projects and hours each week.  Timestamps: 08:07: Prioritizing personal intentions and defining firm goals for the next 3-5 years 15:55: Building a business model for impact vs. financial gain 23:32: Scaling consulting firms sustainably, prioritizing firm leader's well-being 30:35: Planning and intentionality for consulting firms   Links: https://www.davidafields.com/mondaylive Website: https://www.davidafields.com/blog   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.  

Show Notes: Lindsay McGregor discusses her firm's focus on building high-performing organizations. She explains that the highest performing organizations motivate people in a specific way, unlocking play, purpose, and potential for the problem they're solving. The firm trains leaders to be inspirational and consults with organizations on designing their operating models. She shares a story about how the firm explained the deeper concepts of play at work and how implementing these concepts of play was worth millions of dollars to the fund's portfolio managers every year. Play is often seen as something we do during our hobbies, but when we feel engaged by what we're solving, we perform at our best.Utilizing Play Concepts for Growth ManagementLindsay talks about the tools used to facilitate the play process and shares a sample engagement with a client who was the founder of a tech company that had scaled rapidly and the former processes no longer worked. Lindsay shares examples of the challenges faced in managing a team due to the rapid growth of the organization, including issues of talent retention, burnout, and AI adoption. To address these issues, Lindsay’s firm found three simple, easy-to-implement routines: goal checks, health checks, and skill checks. She shares a story that demonstrates the benefit of problem-solving activities. She explores each routine and explains that, by focusing on these strategies, companies can ensure their teams are equipped to handle the demands of their rapidly growing environment and maintain a competitive edge.Outcome-related Goals, Process-related Goals, and Idea-related GoalsThe conversation moves to outcome-related, idea-related, and process-related goals in a company. Lindsay emphasizes the importance of tracking process metrics and idea metrics to track how many ideas or experiments are being run. Aggressive goals can lead to increased effort, but it's crucial to manage experimentation and work smarter instead. For example, a tech company's recruiter had to fill double the number of jobs in the coming quarter than she normally does. By breaking down her goal into six categories, AI helped her create five sub-goals that focused on working smarter, not harder. This allowed her and her leader to focus on creatively adapting their approach.Team Alignment, Strategy, and Outcome GoalsIn some organizations, having a senior leader join the goal meetings and challenges can be powerful, as it allows senior leaders to help block the team and identify blockers that are outside of their control. This creates a sense of understanding and cooperation between the team and the executive. The quarterly health process and skill check are essential for ensuring the right goals are set and the team has the necessary skills to accomplish them. Motivation in the workforce is a key factor in achieving success. A study found that people who learn valuable skills on the job and have good work-life balance are more motivated. However, many find learning new skills difficult, as it is often seen as a big training or time-consuming process. Lindsay talks about the problem of skills gaps and how to deal with this issue. Lindsay also mentions the benefits of remote work culture, which can be great but requires more intentional skill building and offers a few approaches to team skill building.Vega Factor Certification for ConsultantsThe discussion revolves around the firm's resources and tools for consultants to access, such as goal checks, health checks, and skill checks. One of their current offerings is a platform called Factor, which enables consultants to run goal checks, health checks, and skills checks. They train and certify consultants to do these checks with their organizations. The certification and training process for using the platform is a six-part learning session that goes deep into how to conduct these checks. The platform is designed to help consultants and leaders retain top performers by putting in place good processes, making it easier for them to problem solve with their teams. Lindsay talks about the popular training sessions, including how to solve problems cross-functionally and how to make cross-functional collaboration and problem-solving easy for high performers. One of the leaders mentioned that this way of asynchronous problem-solving brought depth, breadth, and lightness to his job. He was able to go deeper into the problems, look at the solutions, and make informed decisions. In conclusion, the firm's platform offers valuable resources and tools for consultants and leaders to improve their work and retain top performers.High Performers and the Play ProcessesCompanies need to focus on retaining high performers and fostering a culture of play, purpose, and potential. High performers are more likely to leave a company that is bureaucratic and dysfunctional, while non-high performers are more likely to stay due to the perks and benefits they receive. Millennials are more skeptical than ever about the value of work, and they tend to see it as a transactional decision. However, high performers know that work can be meaningful, important, and impactful. To help them realize this, companies should focus on fostering a culture of play, purpose, and potential.The Genesis of Vega FactorLindsay explains that the firm’s journey began with researching what makes a high-performing company and culture. They wanted to understand if there was a quantitative, productive way to build a high-performing culture. They measured hundreds of factors from psychology and business best practices across thousands of people and hundreds of companies. They found that employees from companies like Home Depot and Lowe's answered questions differently and that their performance management systems and leader behavior were also different.The research was conducted through market research firms, where they found that employees from companies with similar systems answered questions differently. They also found that when the survey was administered internally by the company, there was a consistent increase in positivity, which they believe occurs because people don't trust the anonymity of their survey. The firm's website offers screenshots, interactive tools, and tips for implementation. They also provide links to download research. Timestamps: 04:43 Using goal, health, and skill checks to improve company performance 09:35 Goal setting and performance, with a focus on problem-solving goals 13:04 Using AI to help teams work smarter, not harder, and improve team health through goal setting and problem-solving 17:40 Teamwork, motivation, and skill development in the workplace 23:30 Apprenticeship-based learning in consulting and remote work culture 28:50 Using AI to improve team performance and retain top performers 34:35 Motivating high performers and millennial employees through problem-solving processes Links: The website: https://www.factor.ai/ 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.

Dr. Ron Razmi discusses his book, AI Doctor: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, which focuses on the applications of AI in various areas of healthcare. Ron talks about AI as a foundational technology that uses statistical methods to analyze data and understand its meaning. It can be applied to various areas, such as coding and documentation, and can create algorithms to analyze heartbeats and detect abnormal rhythms.   AI Use in Diagnostics In diagnostics, AI can be helpful in analyzing clean structured data, such as radiology files from CAT scans or MRIs. AI can be trained to identify bleeding or abnormalities on these scans, but it must be trained on specific abnormalities. Currently, AI excels in radiology due to the digitized and structured data, but it's not as effective in narrative formats. Ron states that AI's applications in healthcare are vast and deep, and while it's still in its early stages, it has the potential to revolutionize various sectors, including healthcare. AI Tools in Radiology and Triage AI is increasingly being used in various fields, including radiology, dermatology, and sound AI. In radiology, AI tools are helping radiologists identify potential issues that might have been missed in traditional workflows. There are applications that read CAT scans for bleeding and stroke in acute settings, allowing radiologists to quickly identify and treat stroke patients. This helps in regaining function and ensuring patient recovery. AI can also aid in triage, prioritizing tasks based on urgency.    AI in Dermatology In dermatology, AI applications can help diagnose skin lesions. Additionally, sonar technology can be used to monitor people's activity and detect falls. This passive data collection method allows AI to analyze the signals and take action, reducing the need for manual data entry and manual data input. This technology is particularly effective for elderly individuals who may not want to be monitored with cameras, as 50% of falls occur in the bathroom. This technology is particularly useful for those who prefer to stay home but still need constant monitoring, such as those in assisted or independent living facilities.    AI in Cardiology In cardiology, AI tools can help read EKGs, which are crucial for diagnosing heart conditions. Historically, algorithms have been used to read EKGs, but they were often basic and inaccurate. AI has shown great promise in finding abnormalities on single lead data collection, as it can discern the rhythm of an EKG from a live core or smartphone application. This field-based data collection could significantly reduce the simple analytic and downstream work needed by clinicians in the medical staff.    AI in Therapeutics AI takes action in therapeutics, such as providing assistance to patients with mental health issues. AI chatbots can interact with patients who need help and provide frontline assistance until they see a mental health professional. Generative AI has improved natural language processing capabilities, which has been a problem area for AI in healthcare due to the heavy use of medical jargon in doctor's notes. This will allow for more efficient interactions with healthcare consumers and better guidance in their care. However, there is still much work to be done in this promising area.   Technology and Medication Adherence in Healthcare The conversation turns to medication adherence, which is a significant problem in healthcare. Long-term studies show that people who have had a heart attack are more likely to stay compliant with their medications, with the refill rate for statins being the highest documented rate. However, most people do not follow their prescription advice. Technology is part of the solution to this problem. AI technology can potentially analyze data and interact with patients at the appropriate moment to ensure they are aware of the needs, issues, and dates of medication use or the lack of, which is crucial in healthcare.    How AI Helps Doctors AI applications in healthcare can help alleviate the burden of documentation work for physicians and nurses. One example is the use of AI in critical care settings, where doctors often spend time typing notes into the electronic health record, which can lead to missed information and negatively impact the quality of care. AI can also analyze conversations using natural language processing, which can identify the meaning of words and improve communication. For example, AI can listen to conversations and extract key elements that need to be documented, allowing doctors to focus on the patient and generate notes in their preferred format. AI can also perform downstream tasks, such as prescribing medication, making referrals, and creating prior authorization letters. This could save time for medical staff, preventing them from seeing more patients and making them less productive. Another use case could be for AI to assist nurses in creating notes for patients based on interaction with them, reducing the time spent documenting. This could make a significant difference in the quality of care and well-being since it allows medical professionals to focus on the patient instead of taking notes.    Evaluating AI Healthcare Applications Ron’s book goes beyond cheerleading and emphasizes the business and clinical barriers to adoption. He talks about the importance of evaluating the business model of AI products or applications, considering the incentives of buyers and the potential for job loss or revenue reduction. As an investor, he suggests considering the pain points that AI could address, such as staff shortages and burnout, and how AI could help medical centers and pharmaceutical companies improve their clinical trials. Ron also discusses the importance of understanding the value proposition of AI products in medical settings. He shares his experience as an investor in the healthcare AI space, advising companies and funds on identifying great use cases and evaluating barriers. Ron recommends reading sources like healthcare AI digests, health tech news, and interviews with experts to stay informed about trends and the latest AI applications.    Timestamps: 04:00 AI applications in radiology and dermatology, including AI-assisted diagnosis and triage 10:54 Using AI to analyze passive data collection from sonar/radar in indoor environments for health monitoring, including fall detection and heart rate measurement  15:12 AI in healthcare, particularly in diagnostics and therapeutics 21:22 Using AI technology to improve medication adherence 26:40 AI applications in healthcare, including documentation assistance and quality of care 34:41 AI in healthcare, investment considerations, and product evaluation 39:44 AI in healthcare with a former doctor turned investor   Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-m-razmi-md-2b55b8/ The Book: AI Doctor: The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes: The Benefits of Somatics Divya Agarwal, founder of Vivekam, explains what somatics is and what the benefits are. Somatics is a term used to describe ​body-based techniques that can be used with the body to build more body/mind awareness, manage emotions, and respond more effectively. ​T​hese practices involve using ​techniques such as breathing, generating heat, and visualization practices to sense oneself better and improve self-awareness.   These practices can help individuals feel more connected to their emotions and be present in various situations, such as negotiations or job evaluations. Mindful presence, which has been emphasized in mainstream literature and coaching, is another way to be present. However, there is a growing trend towards using “embodiment” (the quality of being/feeling the body) as a way to enter presence. Some simply techniques to build embodiment involved breathing exercises, visualization exercises, and body scans. Divya explains that somatics works at the nervous system level. Over time, these practices rewire the body and teach the nervous system to respond differently, making it easier to come into presence and calmness.   Building Embodiment with Somatics Divya discusses the difference between exercise and somatics. She touches on the concept of embodiment, or being embodied, in relation to exercise. She believes that being in the body allows us to be more present and feel emotions such as anger, joy, anxiety, and fear and to manage those emotions. Divya states that the more we are embodied, the more we can be aware of emotions (since they show up as sensations in the body), and then choose how we respond with those emotions. Body-based techniques like breathing and visualization can help manage these emotions.   The science behind starts with some basics of the brain and nervous system. To keep it simply, understand three areas: the amygdala​ (base of brain, often called "the reptilian brain"), the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system responds to reactive stimuli and triggers the amygdala into action (fight, flight, or freeze), while the parasympathetic nervous system allows us to be calm and relaxed. The goal of body-based techniques is to help us be in the parasympathetic mode more effectively and more easily.    The Parasympathetic Nervous System and Heart Variability Rate Divya talks about the importance of the parasympathetic nervous system in maintaining a healthy balance and resilience. She mentions heart rate variability, which is a biomarker that reflects the variations in the amount of time between your heartbeats. The more variation your heart has, the higher your HRV. Higher heart rate variability indicates that the heart can have and manage different intervals of time. ​Those in the medical field will discuss how high HRV is good and indicates that there is balance in the nervous system between Sympathetic and Parasympathetic nervous system response. In short, high HRV is an indicator of someone's capacity to have higher resilience​. The nervous system is connected to our whole body as a response mechanism to our outside world.   Practices to Improve the Parasympathetic Nervous System Divya introduces three practices to build embodiment. The first practice involves rubbing hands together, focusing on the lower belly and noticing breath. The second practice is box breathing, which involves inhaling for a count of four, retaining the inhale, exhaling for your own count of four, and retaining at the “bottom of the exhale.” Over time, as one develops the capacity for expanded breathing, you may increase this to 4 in / 6 out, 6 in/ 8 out etc. She encourages reflection on what may be noticed during these practices. Divya states that it helps people remember their physical container around the mind and brings awareness of a deeper breath. She also mentions that shallow breathing, which involves inhaling and exhaling at the chest level, is not effective to bringing a parasympathetic response. Divya also shares a meditation practice, focusing on the bones of the body.    Somatics Coaching Benefits The conversation turns to the importance of paying attention to the body over time and the parasympathetic nervous system. Divya believes that each person has the right and responsibility to operate from a place of choice or knowing why they're doing what they're doing. This involves understanding and managing emotions, which can be challenging in professional environments. Body-based practices, such as somatics, help her clients slow down, be more present with themselves, and manage their emotions effectively. Divya explains how her coaching practices help her clients in a variety of common business situations.  Divya’s coaching practice focuses on different use cases, such as manager level professionals who have received feedback and are looking to improve their performance. She uses body-based practices and competency-based coaching to help individuals embody and emit a greater sense of calm and clarity. She believes that this calmness can lead to better outcomes, leadership, and communication with team members. Timestamps: 07:25 Embodiment and body-based techniques for managing emotions and improving nervous system regulation 14:36 Heart rate variability and its connection to resilience, with exercises to improve HRV.  20:23 Breathing techniques for relaxation and mindfulness 25:43 Mindfulness techniques for executives to manage stress and stay centered 32:23 Body-based practices for self-awareness and emotional management 39:58 Using body-based practices for self-awareness and leadership development Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/divya-agarwal-co/ Read more on the business website: http://vivekam.co/ Learn more from this video on HRV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP3Bd7_25Oc 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.

Kathy Hines, former Chief Marketing Officer at brands like Dickies and Vice President at brands like North Face and Kipling ,shares her experiences. She started her career in career management consulting at Bain and later went on to Nike, where she gained foundational experience in lifestyle and sports marketing. At Kipling, she led marketing strategy and E-commerce. She then led marketing and strategy for the North Face in Europe. After a four-year stint in VF Europe, she returned to the US and took on the role of global chief marketing officer for Dickies in Texas, where she was also responsible for licensing. Her experience at VF has given her a broad range of skills and experiences. Developing a Professional Marketing Plan Using a sports and lifestyles brand as an example, Kathy shares her process for developing a professional marketing plan. She begins by identifying the brand's aligned corporate strategy and working closely with the leadership team to understand financials and operational opportunities. The team then collectively develops long-term objectives, such as being the leader in performance and lifestyle apparel across key markets. For example, strategic choices include improving gross to net profits, targeting specific geographies, such as the UK, China, and the US, or focusing on elevating iconic products to consumers. The latter approach allows the brand to ensure it is the best in the world at that product. The marketing strategy should align with these strategic objectives and align with the brand foundations, which include the purpose of the brand, brand values, and brand personality. The Importance of Brand Foundations The brand foundations are essential for the marketing team to align on who they are and why they exist. These foundations include the brand purpose, the brand values, which define the brand, and the brand personality, which guides the direction of the brand in terms of the brand and design guidelines which are visual manifestations of the brand, while the tone document informs global communications, PR, and social media. The marketing plan should also include a clear vision for the brand, a clear mission statement, and a clear communication strategy. By focusing on these areas, the marketing team can create a comprehensive and effective marketing plan that aligns with the brand's long-term objectives and strategic choices. Examples of Brand Purpose and Its Place in the Marketing Plan Kathy shares several examples of brand purposes, including Kipling's brand purpose of making happy, and Napapijri’s brand purpose of Unlimit the Future. These examples demonstrate the power of brand purpose in shaping a company's identity and strategy. A marketing plan can be a singular page or a series of sub-chapters, with the brand purpose at the top. The purpose is the pinnacle of the brand, defining its values, personnel, and personality. Sub-chapters can include marketing-related details and strategic choices to align the brand foundations with corporate strategy. If the brand purpose is a one-page manifestation, subsequent pages can further explore the brand purpose, values, personality, and how these factors inform communications in PR, social media, and ecommerce. These drill-downs are crucial for ensuring alignment with the brand's overall vision and strategy. Segmentation in Marketing Kathy discusses the importance of segmentation in marketing, stating that while it is important to understand a brand's core consumer base, it is also crucial to consider the potential of the audience and the growth of that audience. For example, if a brand is rooted in an extreme sport, and the core consumer is an extreme athlete, branching out from there to less extreme athletes who do not compete, or a consumer who is inspired by the sport can help unlock and grow the brand by connecting the core consumer to concentric circles that ripple out from the center.  Price Strategies in Marketing Price strategy is another important aspect of marketing, often set by the product team.  However, when a brand has a multi-geographic product, it can lead to price and brand differences as well disruption to brand cohesion. To address this issue, a cross-functional team from product design, merchandising, marketing, and leadership teams should conduct a full pricing study to understand the brand's potential. In ecommerce, it is essential to be cautious about discounting the product to maintain a healthy, profitable business. Ecommerce growth often drives top line sales through occasional sales, but if the product is discounted, the rest of the market will follow, making the brand less profitable and less desirable. Full price sell-through is another key metric for identifying a strong brand. This indicates that a significant percentage of the product is selling through at full price without any discounts, which is a strong indication of brand health and helps avoid market degradation. The Importance of Monitoring Metrics  Kathy emphasizes the importance of clear tracking of KPIs and simple KPIs and to collect data that can be informative. One favorite metric for brands is Google brand interest, which is an intuitive index measuring search volume for the brand. By tracking this consistently, businesses can see whether interest is increasing or decreasing, which is important for understanding brand health. Additionally, tracking global brand interest allows for a more accurate understanding of geographic differences. A regression analysis from Google suggests that increased consistent increase in Google brand interest is directly tied to increased sales for the brand. Brand engagement is also important in social channels, as high engagement indicates people are interested in the content being posted. Full price sell-through is another key indicator of a brand's success. Lastly, tracking direct-to-consumer offerings through ecommerce or retail can help determine if the customer base is growing or if there is a growing number of opt-ins to communication. By focusing on net new people, businesses can ensure their total pie of customers grows each month. Kathy mentions that the degree to which a marketing technology stack is included in a marketing plan depends on the brand's unique circumstances and the technology partner team. Strategic Partnerships in Marketing Strategic partnerships can manifest in various ways, such as collaborations with emerging designers, faster go-to-market processes, agency partners, and effective partnerships with wholesale retailers. Agency partners, if treated as an authentic member of the team, can be magical. By addressing these partnerships in a comprehensive and effective manner, brands can create unique and valuable products and experiences. Blu Moon Marketing Kathy’s company focuses on three areas: private equity portfolio companies, consulting companies, and public and private companies. She assists in due diligence, diagnostic phase, and client work for private equity funds. Her company also provides additional support to consulting companies by assisting with pitches and client work. They also offer project-based support for public and private companies, focusing on business strategy, marketing strategy, segmentation, go-to-market strategy, budget analysis, and design.  Timestamps: 04:01 Business strategy and marketing plan development 08:58 Brand purpose, values, and personality for various companies 13:28 Brand segmentation and its importance in growing a brand 20:17 Pricing strategies and metrics for brand health 25:25 Tracking KPIs for brands using Google brand interest, social media engagement, full price sell through, and customer base growth 30:09 Marketing strategies and partnerships Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-hines-1194851/?originalSubdomain=uk Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

Show Notes: Dimitris Samouris discusses the development of a tool called Junior, an SaaS tool built on large language models and speech to text models. It leverages AI to help process primary research workstreams, particularly in the due diligence process, especially for primary interviews. How Junior Works - A SaaS Tool to Clean Transcripts Junior helps automate a significant portion of the administrative tasks associated with research execution, allowing users to focus more on the big picture answer rather than the execution side of things. The tool provides a highly accurate transcript of each call, including the name, segment, company, customer size, date and time of the interview, call status, and review status. The call tracker is a knowledge repository that displays the names, segments, job title, company, customer size, country, date and time of the interview, call status, and review status. The call screen is a customizable project management tool for running the call workstream. Junior has three parts: a call drawer, which has three parts: verbatim transcript, clean transcript, and audio file backup. The first step is to chunking the verbatim transcript into relevant question and answer pairs, then cleaning those pairs for colloquialisms and repetition interruptions. This process typically strips out about half of the text in the verbatim transcript, making it more digestible. The Benefits of Using Junior - Workflow Tools for Consultants Junior allows users to create a clean transcript of a call and then convert it into a call summary. The tool has two components: a stats box that extracts every numerical data point referenced in the call and stores it in one place for review after the call, and a set of key takeaways that are AI-generated summaries of the key points of the call. The tool leverages information from the beginning of a project, such as a scope document or interview guide, to help guide the summary. The tool also offers workflow tools specifically designed for the consulting industry to help get to the slide output faster. One of the main features is Ctrl. F. This feature helps users find relevant quotes and questions related to the topic, such as contract structure, pricing, implementation, and renewal processes. This feature is particularly useful for human consultants who may struggle to trace quotes due to sanitization or paraphrasing issues. An AI native spreadsheet table automates data input for questions that need to be tracked systematically across research or used in market models. It allows users to set up questions and track transcripts, with the source information attached for verification. The data is exportable into Excel for further analysis. Junior also has a chatbot that handles transcripts for consulting and investment research use cases. It produces structured answers with evidence attached to each argument, providing a comprehensive data access and customization tool.  Pricing and Signup for Junior The presentation also touches on the pricing and signup process for clients, including six of the top 10 consulting firms, boutiques, and private equity funds. The pricing is $100 per transcript, which typically gets billed back to the client as part of the research expenditure along with the extra networks used to source calls. Overall, the presentation emphasizes the importance of auditability and traceability when using Gen AI tools in procurement research. Junior saves time on analysis and synthesis for clients who are already paying for interviews on big alpha sites or GLG. The tool is priced at an extra 100 dollars per interview, but it can be refunded back to the client. The signup process involves reaching out to the company, who spin up a new instance for each user due to data security concerns. The platform can be set up within a day of reaching out.  Timestamps: 01:02 Using AI to automate due diligence process, including transcription and summarization of calls.  05:53 Using AI to summarize and analyze audio calls for consulting industry research 09:02 Ctrl F functions 12:57 AI-powered tool for analyzing audio interviews and providing structured insights 14:26: SWOT analysis capabilities Links: Email: Dimitris@myjunior.ai Website: https://www.myjunior.ai/   Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

In this episode of Unleashed, Ran Harpaz, founder of Lettuce, discusses the importance of an automated tax and accounting system for businesses and that Lettuce is entirely focused on independent consultants. Independent consultants who make over $100,000 per year often overpay their taxes by $10,000 or more. Lettuce is a FinTech software company that helps these professionals incorporate their business into the right S corporation with the IRS, open a business bank account, run bookkeeping, run accounting, predict and file taxes, all done automatically through software. The company offers two levels: Pro (300 dollars a month) and Premium (700 dollars a month). The service includes accounting, bookkeeping, tax preparation, and tax preparation.  Tax Strategies for the Independent Consultants  Ran explains how many independent consultants are often double taxed as sole proprietors due to the IRS's coordination on annual tax returns. He offers an example to demonstrate how this works. Ran also discusses the concept of an S Corp and its implications for tax calculations.  He mentions that Lettuce exists as a software solution that does this daily on every dollar, as income fluctuates throughout the year. This automated solution monitors every payment, calculates and withholds the right amount automatically, and keeps the balance to the IRS constantly close to zero. The S Corp also offers more advanced tax strategies, such as retirement matching, qualified business income deductions, and better healthcare premium payments. Once an S Corp is established, it can unlock all the tax strategies typically available to corporations. The tax system and everything around it are well optimized for corporations, and larger organizations have a finance department, FEMA, and tax experts. While the savings on Social Security and Medicare may be capped, other benefits like retirement and healthcare premium payments open up once an S Corp is established. Using Retirement Plans as a Tax Strategy Ran discusses the advantages of using retirement plans as a tax strategy for individuals, particularly those with limited liability companies (LLCs). They mention that having an SEP IRA or a defined benefit plan can provide tax-free income, but it also comes with higher limits. The speaker emphasizes that this becomes a multivariable optimization problem, as individuals may want to save more through retirement, allocate more to Social Security, optimize for salary distribution, maximize expenses, and consider factors like business use of home and mileage. He suggests that these tax strategies should be solved by software products rather than human efforts. He explains that Lettuce is a replacement for QuickBooks accounting bookkeeping packages. Instead of having multiple software solutions, Lettuce provides a single solution that includes incorporating LLCs, making S corp elections, running books, opening a dedicated bank account, and managing payroll processing. How Lettuce Offers Tax Accounting Solutions  Ran also mentions that Lettuce can handle payroll for individuals who hire employees. They focus on serving businesses of one owner, as they are the essence of the business. The free business bank account is provided by TransPecos Bank, a Texas bank, FDIC insured, and provides the infrastructure for keeping money safe.The company is offering accounting and bookkeeping software that helps with automating quarterly taxes, which are a requirement for people. The software handles complex tasks such as forecasting, withholding the right amount, filing, and payment. It also handles complex transactions like multiple jurisdictions or income from Canada. The company has partnered with a CPA company to serve their specific market segment, offering additional services when needed. This includes offshore investments and rollovers from past investments. The company is also working on rolling out an AI accountant to answer customers' questions 24/7. They are training and fine-tuning the AI engine on specific tax code areas, providing answers as good as human but faster. The AI will be released in the next couple of months, and the company expects to receive positive feedback from users who want guidance and information without having to call a CPA. Timestamps: 03:45 Tax savings for independent consultants 09:39 Tax strategies for small business owners 17:44 Financial management and accounting software for independent professionals   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.  

Salah Zalatimo, former Chief Digital Officer at Forbes, discusses the history of magazines, digital transformation, and Forbes' adaptation to new business models. He talks about the challenges faced by magazines in the internet age, Forbes' success in the digital media space, and the integration of AI in content creation. The podcast explores the evolution of digital media businesses, innovative data collection strategies, and empowering writers through AI integration.

Henry Oliver, author of Second Act, discusses late bloomers in careers, emphasizing cognitive ability as key to job performance regardless of age. He highlights biographical sketches of successful late bloomers like Margaret Thatcher. Oliver shares the importance of networks, influence, and bold actions in navigating career paths and finding a fulfilling second act in life.