Manage Smarter

Joining us today is Mary Ann Pruitt, the CEO and President of Mosaic Media, a collection of media buying experts and creative strategists who negotiate, purchase, and monitor advertising space and airtime. She’s here today to share some marketing wisdom gleaned from her extensive career in media strategy and how it relates to the ever-evolving climate of media.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Mary Ann discuss: ·        Tapping into superpowers post-COVID for women in business·        The main challenge women leaders have vs. male leaders·        Five working generations in the workplace and how to manage them all·        Managing professional development to reduce turnover·        The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in media buying and sales/marketing"When we step away from the computer we get our best ideas as leaders. Step away for just a few minutes.”– Mary Ann PruittBuild Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Mary Ann Pruitt https://mosaic.agency/https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryann-pruitt/https://www.facebook.com/mosaic.agency Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                   ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith   Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attorney Chuck Price, with 40 years of experience managing legal teams and trying cases. He was named one of the five most influential commercial litigators in Arizona by AZ Business Leaders magazine. He has taught management and negotiation to sales representatives, sales managers and others around the country. He is the author of Rewiring the White Collar Mind, which analyzes how workplace incentives can lead to professional success but personal unhappiness, and gives practical steps to help us transcend those messages.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Chuck discuss: ·       How sales and other professionals can escape the “Tyranny of Numbers.”·       How do reframe KPIs and having a healthier relationship with goals tied to your job·       How to make your employees feel included, valued and respected to reduce turnover·       How to retrain your brain on reconciling the stress of handlingpayroll and budget numbers·       Better ways to manage work/life balance"People have a wide variety of personality types, backgrounds, and strengths. The key is figuring out exactly who you're managing, and motivate them according to how they're wired, not how you're wired.”– Chuck PriceBuild Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Chuck Pricecharlespriceesq.comhttps://twitter.com/charlespriceesqhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-price-48538910/https://www.facebook.com/charles.price.7549 Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                                            ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith  Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Blumberg is a technology entrepreneur, business builder, and CEO of Bolster, an on-demand executive talent marketplace that helps accelerate companies’ growth by connecting them with experienced, highly vetted executives for interim, fractional, advisory, project-based or board roles. Matt has been recognized as one of New York’s 100 most influential technology leaders by Business Insider, by Crain’s as one of New York’s Top Entrepreneurs, and by Ernst & Young as an Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. Before Bolster, Matt built businesses and worked in marketing, consulting, and venture capital. He is the author of Startup CEO, Startup CXO, and Startup Boards.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Matt discuss: ·      How boards work and definitions of a good board vs. a bad board·      Why should a startup or company in growth stage create a board of directors and what are the benefits?·      How boards increase credibility·      Creating a board including size, composition, roles of VCs and independent directors, what to look for in a director, and how to recruit directors·      Celebrities on boards"The top problems CEOs have when building boards are (a) not adding independent directors, and (b) saying they want diversity on the board…but then saying they only want to add independent directors who have already been board members before (by definition a very small pool…and by definition not expanding the pool of available underrepresented directors).”– Matt BlumbergBuild Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Matt Blumberghttps://bolster.com/https://twitter.com/mattblumberghttps://www.linkedin.com/in/blumbergmatt/https://www.linkedin.com/company/bolstertalent Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                           ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith   Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Maney is a bestselling author, award-winning columnist, and partner at Category Design Advisors (CDA). His critically-acclaimed book, Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets, introduced business to the idea of category design and has sold more than 150,000 copies worldwide. As a founding partner of CDA, Maney has helped leadership teams at hundreds of companies all over the world focus their strategic thinking through category design. Maney has been a contributor to Newsweek, Fortune, The Atlantic, Fast Company, CNN and ABC News, among other media outlets. He was a contributing editor at Conde Nast Portfolio during its brief run from 2007 to 2009. For 22 years, Maney was a columnist, editor and reporter at USA Today.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Kevin discuss: ·       The latest new business categories that are hot for 2023·       The role of artificial intelligence/AI and how it can help define your category·       Why AI is the new electricity of creating new categories of products and services·       Class category design and how it defines what the new problem is that you are trying to solve"The #1 mistake managers make is they don't clearly define the problem that their product solves and why it matters to the target persona.”– Kevin ManeyBuild Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Kevin Maney categorydesignadvisors.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmaney/ Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith  Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marc Reifenrath is the CEO & Co-founder of Spinutech, a full-service digital marketing agency with 150+ team members across the U.S. In that capacity, he understands firsthand how critical a company’s culture is to achieving and maintaining success.Marc has helped Spinutech grow from a college start-up to one of the premier full-service digital marketing agencies in the country. The secret ingredient? Company values that are truly lived, including a commitment to “Get Better Every Day”. In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Marc discuss:  The First 100 Days of an employee's tenure are crucial for their success and integration into the company culture. Managers should be proactive in setting up new employees for success during this period, including providing necessary equipment, training, and regular check-ins. Adapting Onboarding for Remote Work: The shift to remote work necessitates changes in the onboarding process. This includes logistical changes, such as shipping equipment, and increased intentionality in scheduling meetings and interactions that would have occurred naturally in an office setting.  Company Culture and Core Values: The CEO should personally communicate the company's culture and core values to new hires. This direct communication ensures that employees understand the company's values from the source and can help instill these values more effectively. Mark Reifenrath shares how Spinutech achieved 10 years of zero turnover by fostering a strong company culture and values. Attracting A-Players: To attract top talent, companies need to promote themselves as great employers, not just great service providers. This can involve building relationships with potential candidates over time and ensuring that the company's benefits and features are well-communicated. Addressing Work-Life Balance and 'Quiet Quitting': Companies need to address the increasing demand for work-life balance and be aware of the 'quiet quitting' trend, where employees disengage from their work without formally resigning. This can involve offering more flexibility in work hours and ensuring that employees are engaged and supported in their roles. "The #1 mistake managers make is trying to lead every person the same way and with the same message. You have to say the main points at least seven times before the team will truly hear it. You also have to say it many different ways because we all hear the same words differently.”– Marc Reifenrath  Build Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Marc Reifenrathwww.spinutech.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/marcreifenrath/Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith  Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth Rosenberg is a personal branding expert, strategic communications consultant, intuitive, and founder of The Good Advice Company. Her company is a marketing and communications consultancy, and with more than two decades of experience working with some of the most innovative brands and leaders in the world, Elizabeth taps her knowledge, intuition and truths to uncover and amplify purpose and ownable narratives.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Elizabeth discuss:  Personal Branding for Impact: Elizabeth Rosenberg emphasizes that personal branding should be driven by the desire to make a meaningful impact rather than seeking fame. She advises leaders to focus on authentic stories that reflect their true selves, which in turn resonate more with their audience. Internal Personal Branding: Elizabeth highlights that personal branding is not just for external visibility but also crucial within an organization. She encourages individuals to be known for who they are and their unique contributions, rather than just their job titles, supporting a more human and impactful legacy. Authenticity in Leadership: Elizabeth discusses the importance of authenticity in leadership, such as sharing personal stories of overcoming challenges like corporate burnout or being a sober leader. These authentic narratives can differentiate leaders and create a more meaningful connection with their audience. Transparency in Communication: Elizabeth underscores the importance of transparency in communication, both upwards to the C-suite and downwards to employees. Clear and honest communication can build trust and mitigate crises, especially during challenging times like layoffs. Purpose-Driven Leadership: Elizabeth's approach involves helping leaders uncover their life purpose and integrate it with their professional roles. This holistic view helps leaders align their work with their true values, leading to more fulfilling and impactful careers. "Leaders make a mistake when they are living and leading in fear of being accepted as our authentic selves. And when they want to be famous, well known, or popular vs. wanting to make an impact.”– Elizabeth Rosenberg  Build Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Elizabeth Rosenbergwww.thegoodadvicecompany.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethrosenberg/https://twitter.com/goodadvicecoConnect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith  Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Pharant grew up in a cult and in her journey to healing became a Dominatrix. She's the author of "Become a Badass in Business.” These days, she has changed gears to help leaders show up with true authenticity and confidence by standing in what she calls the Inner Dominatrix energy. Her training and philosophy show leaders how to become a badass in life and business by being unique and standing in your own personal power.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Dana discuss: -Definition of Badass Leadership and how leaders can transition from submissive leadership to dominant leadership styles-Inner Dominatrix energy channeling for leaders-Finding the courage to make bold decisions outside your leadership comfort zone-How her cult upbringing drove her to the business philosophy she has today showcasing empowered leadership-Tangible exercises to shift your mindset"For the term dominatrix, most people think in terms of what Hollywood presents. But what a dominatrix is actually about is taking people on this journey where we use pain as a way to transform what is going on in your life and to drop you into a space where you can see you are far more powerful than you thought.”– Dana Pharant Build Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Dana Pharanthttp://www.danapharant.comhttps://twitter.com/DanaPharanthttps://ca.linkedin.com/in/danapharanthttp://www.facebook.com/Powernatrix Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith   Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jody Grunden co-founded Summit CPA Group (Summit) in 2002, which merged with Anders CPAs + Advisors (Anders) in 2022. Summit, now a division of Anders, was the first fully distributed accounting firm. As the leading provider of Virtual CFO Services in North America, Summit provides professional Virtual CFO Services for over 100 companies across the United States, helping business owners dive deep into the financial side of their business to maximize profits, minimize taxes, and increase cash flow.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and Jody discuss: -The Four Most Important Financial Metrics for Growing Your Business-Cash flow as it relates to profit-Jody’s recommendations on accurate financial forecasting-How to preserve the bottom line no matter what changes happen in real time-How to grow the company financially while maintaining firm control and agility "The biggest mistake managers make is not knowing or understanding their non-financial KPIs.”– Jody Grunden Build Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Jody Grundenhttps://www.summitcpa.net/https://twitter.com/jgrundenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jodygrunden/https://www.facebook.com/summitcpagroup Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith   Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Horsager, MA, CSP, CPAE is the CEO of Trust Edge Leadership Institute, Trust Expert in Residence at High Point University and The Wall Street Journal best-selling author of The Trust Edge, The Daily Edge, and Trusted Leader. He is also a podcaster, creator of the Enterprise Trust Index™, and director of one of the nation’s foremost trust studies, The Trust Outlook. ® Horsager has advised leaders and delivered life-changing presentations on six continents, with audiences ranging from Delta, FedEx, and Toyota to the New York Yankees, MIT and the Department of Homeland Security. His work has been featured in prominent media such as Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and MSNBC. Through speaking, training, consulting, and coaching, David and his team at Trust Edge Leadership Institute make it their mission to develop trusted leaders and organizations. With his trademark 8 Pillar Framework, David breaks trust down into tangible steps that can be leveraged right away to build a high-trust culture— because high-trust leaders and organizations bring out the best in their people and get measurable results.In this podcast for managers, Audrey, Lee and David discuss:  Building Trust in Leadership: Trust is the foundation of effective leadership. Leaders who prioritize trust can foster better team collaboration and drive organizational success. The Trust Edge Model: David Horsager introduces the Trust Edge model, which outlines eight pillars of trust. These pillars include clarity, compassion, character, competency, commitment, connection, contribution, and consistency. Improving Employee Engagement: High levels of trust within an organization lead to improved employee engagement. Engaged employees are more productive, innovative, and committed to their roles. Trust and Customer Loyalty: Trust is crucial for building long-term customer relationships. Companies that are trusted by their customers see higher levels of loyalty and repeat business. Measuring Trust: David emphasizes the importance of measuring trust within an organization. Using tools and surveys to assess trust levels can help identify areas for improvement and track progress over time.  "Leaders don’t realize that a lack of trust is their biggest expense. They often don't see how a lack of trust affects EVERY aspect of the business!”– David Horsager Build Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with David Horsagerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dhorsager/https://trustedge.com/http://www.davidhorsager.com/ Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith  Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jon Morris is the founder & CEO of Ramsay Innovations and a serial entrepreneur. Prior to Ramsay, he established Rise Interactive in 2004,with prize money from his second-place finish in the University of Chicago’s prestigious New venture Challenge. Over the next 16 years he grew Rise from a one-person shop to one of the largest independent marketing agencies in the world, selling in 2018. While pondering his next move, he realized that he was most energized when connecting and helping fellow entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Ramsay Innovations’ mission is to transform marketing agencies by providing them with world-class, agency-specific finance management and strategic planning at a fraction of the cost.In this episode, Lee, Audrey and Jon discuss:-Current landscape of agencies in the U.S. and prediction for 2023 given a possible recession-The huge opportunities Jon sees for agency sales reps this year and methods to grab more market share-How to expand owned and earned media-EBITA for agencies and recommended percentages to keep this year-How to scale up your sales departments to drive growth and gross margins he recommends for 2023-Jon's methods for accurately budgeting and forecasting for the year"The biggest mistake agency managers make is the lack of understanding how to use financial insights to improve decision making that will lead to more profits, cash and growth." - Jon MorrisBuild Credibility and Effective Leadership with the Manage Smarter Podcast Join hosts Audrey Strong and C. Lee Smith every week as they dive into the aspects and concepts of good business management. From debunking sales myths to learning how to manage with and without measurements, you'll learn something new with every episode and will be able to implement positive change far beyond sales.  Connect with Jon Morrishttps://ramsayinnovations.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmorrisramsayinnovations/Connect with Manage Smarter Hosts·         Website: ManageSmarter.com ·         LinkedIn: Audrey Strong                                                                ·         LinkedIn: C. Lee Smith  Connect with SalesFuel ·         Website: http://salesfuel.com/ ·         Twitter: @SalesFuel ·         Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salesfuel/    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices