INspired INsider Podcast

Robbie Hardy is an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and the Founder and Chair Emeritus of xElle Ventures, a unique investment fund focusing on empowering female investors and supporting female-founded startups through debt financing. With a wealth of experience in both the startup ecosystem and corporate strategies, she has made significant contributions to the business world, including mentoring roles at Duke University and developing strategic solutions for Fortune 500 companies. Beyond her professional achievements, Robbie has authored books such as Upsetting the Table and Fed Up to Startup, sharing her insights and experiences to inspire and guide aspiring entrepreneurs toward success. Robbie’s innovative approach to investing and her commitment to fostering female entrepreneurship highlight her dedication to creating more inclusive opportunities in business. In this episode… Have you ever taken a leap of faith to follow your passion, even if it meant stepping away from security and into the unknown? Imagine building a company from the ground up, facing the trials of entrepreneurship head-on, and even resorting to unconventional methods to close the deal of a lifetime. What can drive someone to make such bold moves? Robbie Hardy, a seasoned entrepreneur, author, and investor, shares her unique story, highlighting a pivotal moment in her career that underscored the power of unconventional thinking. Having spent a considerable portion of her career in corporate America, Robbie transitioned to entrepreneurship, founding her first company and later engaging in angel investing focused on empowering female founders. Her tale of using an eight-ball during critical sale negotiations not only demonstrates her creative approach to business challenges, but also underscores the importance of agility and innovation in entrepreneurship.  In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz hosts Robbie Hardy to talk about her transition from corporate America to entrepreneurship and her commitment to supporting female founders. They delve into the significance of mentorship, the courage to take leaps of faith, and the impact of thinking differently. Robbie's experiences offer valuable lessons on resilience, strategic innovation, and the importance of community and mentorship in achieving success. Through her books Upsetting the Table and Fed Up to Startup and her work with xElle Ventures, Robbie continues to inspire and support the next generation of women leaders and innovators.

Shimrit Lev is Co-founder and COO of Sweet Victory Gum, a company that produces functional chewing gum designed to help people overcome sugar cravings. With a background in nutrition based on Chinese medicine, her struggles with an eating disorder inspired her to develop tools to help others gain control over their sugar intake. Shimrit was also Co-founder and Marketing Executive of ShrinkMeApp, a comprehensive and supportive platform for individuals looking to improve their overall health and well-being. Gitit Lahav is Co-founder and CEO of Sweet Victory Gum. She is a serial entrepreneur with experience founding multiple companies and maintains a specific focus on the relationship between nutrition and psychology. Her health challenges, including a battle with cancer, ignited her passion for developing products that positively impact people's dietary habits. Gitit was also Co-founder and CEO of ShrinkMeApp. In this episode… Have you ever wished you could stop your sugar cravings with a quick, easy solution? Imagine chewing gum that removes the sweet taste from sugary foods and significantly reduces your desire for them. Could such a functional product exist? Serial entrepreneurs Shimrit Lev and Gitit Lahav dive into the birth of Sweet Victory Gum and their journey to create a unique product that blocks sweet receptors on the tongue. They discuss the health struggles that sparked their determination to help others gain control over sugar consumption, underscoring the power of using personal adversities to fuel innovative solutions. Shimrit and Gitit also share key decisions they've made for product development, distribution strategies, and how mentorship has played a significant role in their business growth. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Shimrit Lev and Gitit Lahav, Co-founders of Sweet Victory Gum, about creating a functional gum to combat sugar cravings. They discuss Sweet Victory Gum and its functional properties that help reduce sugar cravings, how a serious health diagnosis can lead to a transformative business idea, the product development journey of Sweet Victory Gum, and their unique approach to launching their product in the international market.

Yanik Deschenes, APR, LL.B. is the Founder and President of YPR Canada, a public relations agency with expertise in sparking organic word of mouth within relevant communities. He is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in communications and public relations. With a background in advertising and a focus on creating conversations, Yanik has helped elevate the brand equity of major organizations like Walmart, National Bank, Morgan Stanley, and MUJI. He's also Co-founder of C2 Montreal, a globally recognized conference on commerce and creativity, and a passionate tennis player who attributes much of his personal development to the sport. In this episode… Are you tired of the same old advertising strategies that don't make a difference? Have you ever wondered how a brand can organically generate buzz without the need for traditional advertising? What is the key to sparking genuine interest and conversation around a product or service? Yanik Deschenes, APR, LL.B., a seasoned communications and public relations professional, delves into successful media pitching and generating organic word of mouth. He reveals the insightful strategies behind YPR's successes and shares how they’ve helped elevate global brands without direct advertising. Yanik shows how brands can become central in the conversations that matter most to their industry. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Yanik Deschenes, Founder and President of YPR Canada, about strategies for brand storytelling and fostering word of mouth. Yanik shares the unique approach of YPR to generate word of mouth for clients, the three critical aspects of a successful story pitch in PR, and highlights from the Green Media Summit platform and C2 Montreal conferences.

Arti Sharma is the CEO and Co-founder of Measure Marketing, a company she started in 2008 after a 15-year tenure bringing thought leadership to various business sizes, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. Her company specializes in inbound marketing, account-based marketing, and other data-driven strategies. Passionate about mentoring and philanthropy, Arti serves on boards for various nonprofits and actively mentors young entrepreneurs. Her expertise in b2b marketing, especially in manufacturing and SaaS, has consistently led clients to define their ideal customer profiles and obtain substantial revenue growth. In this episode… In an ever-evolving digital landscape, businesses face the challenge of not just generating leads, but capturing the most profitable ones. As companies strive to navigate the complexities of digital marketing, the emphasis has shifted from mere lead generation to targeting and converting the right kind of demand. What does it take to attract, nurture, and efficiently convert the right leads? Arti Sharma of Measure Marketing delves into how her team approaches the challenges of not just attracting leads, but ensuring they are the right fit for the businesses they serve. With a unique blend of data-driven strategies and a keen eye for the ideal customer profile, Arti and her team have mastered the art of demand generation, capture, and conversion. By emphasizing the importance of understanding a business's most profitable customers and optimizing the buyer's journey from attraction to conversion, they have helped companies significantly increase their bottom line. From SEO to sophisticated data analytics and tailored marketing strategies, Measure Marketing's approach is all about aligning marketing efforts with a company's ultimate business goals. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz hosts Arti Sharma, CEO and Co-founder of Measure Marketing, as she discusses the importance of aligning company offerings with client needs, the evolution of services based on market demands, and the pivotal role of data in strategizing and measuring marketing success. Arti highlights the critical stages of demand creation, capture, and conversion, offering insights into how companies can navigate these phases effectively.

Dr. Maggie Yu, MD, IFMCP, is a holistic and functional family practice physician, the CEO at MY.MD Biotherapeutics, and the Founder of Transform Autoimmune Disease Naturally. For over 16 years, she has provided education and training on topics like longevity and reversing chronic diseases through various media platforms. With over 25 years of education and practice, Dr. Maggie has helped thousands of patients overcome chronic symptoms through a healing-centric education system that meets patients’ unique needs. She is also the author of 8 Out of The Box Ways to Transform Your Health. In this episode… Have you ever felt dismissed by the medical system? Imagine suffering from severe pain, hair loss, and brain fog so intense that conventional medicine offers no solutions other than antidepressants and dismissive explanations. What if there was a different approach that could finally make a difference? Dr. Maggie Yu delves into her transformative journey from debilitating health challenges to becoming a beacon of hope for those struggling with similar issues. She unravels the limitations of traditional medical practices and unveils the comprehensive strategies she uses in her functional medical program, Transform, which combines personalized data, detailed education, and live expert guidance to target root causes of chronic diseases. By embracing a broader perspective on health, specifically examining the intertwined roles of hormones, digestion, and autoimmune responses, Dr. Maggie has developed a winning formula for treating conditions traditional doctors deemed untreatable. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Dr. Maggie Yu, MD, IFMCP, about her revolutionary approach to handling chronic health issues. Dr. Maggie discusses how Transform personalizes healthcare through education and expert guidance, the mistakes that led her to functional medicine, how hormone imbalances can be the root cause of various chronic symptoms, and the evolution of Transform health programs.

Aaron Conant is Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, a leading platform for executive strategy and networking sessions. He is an e-commerce expert with over a decade of experience in digital commerce, providing advisory services to brands on Amazon sales strategies, retail media, direct consumer platform selection, and SEO. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of over 125,000 senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events annually. Before starting BWG Connect, Aaron was the Head of eCommerce Sales and Business Development at Perrigo and a research scientist at Pfizer. He is also the host of the Digital Deep Dive Podcast. In this episode… Are you struggling to find profitability in today’s saturated e-commerce market? With the constant evolution, rising advertising costs, and the increasing complexity of online retail, businesses are struggling to keep up. But what if there’s a way to harness the collective knowledge of industry leaders and cutting-edge tools to skyrocket your success? Aaron Conant, an expert in the e-commerce space, offers a deep dive into his experiences and the solutions to many e-commerce roadblocks. He shares how he pivoted from being a chemist to leading one of the most influential e-commerce networks, emphasizing how a love for experiments and a data-driven mindset fuelled his success. Aaron dispenses advice on how brands can increase profitability and seize underutilized opportunities in online spaces by utilizing forward-thinking tools and strategies. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Aaron Conant, Co-founder and Chief Digital Strategist at BWG Connect, about fostering collaborative learning and growing e-commerce entities. Aaron shares the valuable e-commerce networking opportunities at BWG Connect, its business model and approach to event sponsorship, the key concerns and pain points currently facing e-commerce brands, and the missed opportunities and low-hanging fruit for e-commerce growth.

Paul Tedesco is the President of Track, an industry-leading data technology analytics agency focused on data-driven marketing for clients like McDonald's, Kraft, Mercedes-Benz, and Samsung. With over 30 years of experience in marketing, Paul has been instrumental in the company's growth, expanding Track from eight employees to over 90 and securing long-term relationships with high-profile clients. In addition to his work at Track, Paul teaches customer value creation and marketing analytics in the MBA program of the Degroote School of Business at McMaster University. In this episode… Ever wondered how a marketing agency can remain relevant and innovative in today’s data-driven world? How do they balance the use of traditional methods like direct mail with cutting-edge digital strategies, and what lessons can be learned from the success stories of industry giants? Paul Tedesco delves into how the proper use of analytics and personalized messaging can transform a brand's relationship with its customers. He shares his journey from starting out in the sales world selling toilet paper to running marketing campaigns for giants like McDonald's and Samsung. Paul reveals the significance of retention, both of customers and employees, and how it has become the cornerstone of success for Track. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Paul Tedesco, President of Track, to discuss leveraging data-driven actions for market impact. The discussion delves into the intricacies of customer value creation, the logistical shifts in marketing analytics, and the potential of tailored experiences that cater to personal habits and needs. Paul's prowess as a seasoned marketer and educator shines through as he offers insightful takeaways that listeners can apply to their own marketing endeavors and personal growth.

Bo Royal is the CEO and Co-founder of Pareto Legal, a growth marketing agency specializing in digital advertising, conversion rate optimization, and analytics for small- and medium-sized law firms. Under Bo's leadership, Pareto Legal has achieved numerous milestones, helping clients add seven figures in cases to their pipeline and managing ad spends as high as $30 million a month during his tenure with Fortune 500 brands like Calvin Klein and eBay. Bo holds degrees in Marketing and International Business Administration from the Fox School of Business at Temple University and has helped scale digital ad efforts for various industries. In this episode… Have you ever wondered how a shift from broad spectrum marketing to a niche focus could transform a business? What if you discovered a substantial chunk of your advertising budget was being wasted? Wouldn't you want to know how to reallocate those funds more efficiently in order to grow your business? Bo shares his journey of transitioning from the fast-paced corporate advertising environment to becoming co-owner of Pareto Legal, a growth marketing agency for law firms. By focusing on digital advertising, conversion rate optimization, and analytics, Bo has been instrumental in scaling numerous injury law firms. He emphasizes the importance of niching down, noting that his early years were marked by taking on any client in any industry, leading to a lack of specialization. It was only after the e-commerce wave during the pandemic and subsequent budget cuts that Bo realized the saturated market needed a different approach, leading him to refocus on legal marketing. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, host Dr. Jeremy Weisz sits down with Bo Royal, CEO and Co-founder of Pareto Legal, to delve into strategic shifts and operational lessons learned. Bo discusses the importance of specialization in attaining sustainable growth, the structure of incentivizing staff through a revenue-sharing model, and the critical need for qualifying potential clients through initial paid assessments. He also touches on the balance of client servicing and internal efficiency, highlighting the use of tools like Asana and ClickUp for project management and the Freedom app for minimizing distractions.

Katie Schibler Conn is the Founder of KSA Marketing, an integrated advertising agency specializing in workforce development, recruitment, and advertising for talent acquisitions. A classically trained marketer, she unexpectedly transitioned from her corporate role at Sony and PlayStation to international yak farming, eventually leading to her starting her agency. At KSA, Katie leverages her diverse experiences to help clients navigate "oh shit" moments and achieve their "hell yeah" through impactful marketing strategies. An alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, her leadership has been acknowledged by Inc. 5000, Enterprising Women, and Providence Business News. In this episode… Have you ever faced an "oh shit" moment in your business or career? Imagine scaling mountains, staying in hostels, and even farming yaks in Mongolia, bringing back stories that redefine the trajectory of your professional life. What could a retired yak farmer possibly teach us about marketing, workforce development, and creating an agency culture that kicks ass? Marketing expert Katie Schibler Conn dives into how turning high-pressure moments into compelling stories propelled the foundation and growth of her marketing agency. She discusses the importance of aligning a company's culture with its values to aid in talent acquisition and retention effectively. She also reflects on her previous career leaps, from overseeing high-profile accounts like PlayStation to farming yaks, and how these experiences shaped her approach to risk-taking and marketing. Katie reveals the practices that make her agency's culture irresistible to her team and the vital tools and resources that have helped her manage and scale KSA Marketing. In this episode of the Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Katie Schibler Conn, Founder of KSA Marketing, about building a successful agency and cultivating a positive workplace culture. Katie discusses how KSA Marketing helps clients overcome their "oh shit" moments and succeed, the importance of workforce development in connecting people with career opportunities, and how culture and shared values impact talent acquisition and retention.

Ian Garlic is the Founder of Video Case Story, an agency that supports brands in developing strategies and goals for video case stories. He is also the Founder of StoryCrews, a company dedicated to connecting businesses with top-rated videographers to market and expand their brands through powerful video stories. With over 15 years of experience in the digital marketing industry, Ian shares his knowledge and expertise on the Garlic Marketing Show, a podcast that discusses video and marketing trends. Ian believes that customer stories and videos are so essential to scaling, he wrote and published Video Testimonials That Land the Big Fish: The Proven Marketing Strategy to Attract Bigger Clients, Increase Sales, and Achieve Real YouTube Results With Video Case Stories.  In this episode… Imagine the potential impact of incorporating your clients' stories into your business approach. What if the key to engaging your audience and clinching deals lies in authentic, relatable narratives rather than forceful sales tactics? Navigating these opportunities may seem complex, but customer stories could come to be your most potent sales asset. Ian Garlic, an expert in video marketing and storytelling, delves into the transformative potential of using client stories, specifically video case stories, to answer crucial questions in marketing. He outlines the types of videos essential for conversion and describes how his “tackle box” method helps businesses prepare and leverage these stories effectively. Ian emphasizes the difference between testimonials and case stories, advocating for the latter due to their ability to establish credibility and answer prospects' underlying questions seamlessly. In this episode of Inspired Insider Podcast, Dr. Jeremy Weisz interviews Ian Garlic, Founder of Video Case Story, about building a no-selling sales system through video case stories. Ian discusses how he helps businesses harness the power of video case stories in marketing, the types of videos that every business should utilize for conversion, strategies for creating a successful and logical foot-in-the-door offer, and mistakes to avoid when creating and implementing a foot-in-the-door offer.