A SEAT at THE TABLE: Helping business leaders grow their influence

Conversations that Keep Family Businesses StrongFamily businesses face a challenge that other companies don't: business disagreements can quickly become family conflicts - and family conflicts can threaten the business.Succession, sibling rivalry, different visions for the company's future, unclear roles and power imbalances can create friction. Sometimes the conflict is obvious. Other times, family members avoid difficult conversations until resentment has been building for years.So how can family businesses resolve disagreements without damaging either the company or their relationships?In this episode of A Seat at the Table, host Jane Singer speaks with Michael Kern, former CHRO and conflict and culture consultant, about practical ways family-owned businesses can prevent and resolve conflict.Michael explains why the best time to address family business conflict is before there's a crisis—and how open conversations about individual goals, roles and expectations can prevent misunderstandings from becoming major disputes.Why Conflict Develops in Family BusinessesEvery family business is different, but many conflicts begin when family members have different interests that haven't been openly discussed.One person may expect to eventually run the company. Another may want to leave. Someone else may want greater influence without becoming CEO.The problem is that families frequently make assumptions about what other family members want.Michael recommends starting these conversations early and revisiting them regularly because people's goals change.Important questions include:Where does each person see the business going? What role does each family member want? What does success look like for them personally?Getting those expectations into the open can expose differences while they're still manageable.How Do You Resolve Family Business Conflict?When conflict has already developed, Michael uses principles from mediation.The first step isn't deciding who's right.It's understanding what each person actually wants.That requires listening without immediately making judgments. Family members often create their own stories about why another person behaves a certain way. Those assumptions can become barriers to resolving the real problem.Michael recommends reflective listening - demonstrating that you understand what another person's position means to them - and asking questions with genuine curiosity.The objective is to move away from competing positions and uncover the interests underneath them.Someone saying “I want to be president” may actually be looking for respect, security, greater involvement in decisions or recognition of their contribution.Once those underlying interests are understood, families have more options for finding solutions.Give Everyone a VoicePower dynamics can make family business disagreements particularly difficult.Founders, senior family members or more aggressive personalities may dominate conversations. Quieter family members may accommodate them simply to preserve the relationship.That doesn't mean they agree.A neutral facilitator can create space for every family member to speak and ensure that nobody's interests disappear simply because someone else has a stronger personality or more organizational power.Michael also asks participants what they respect about each other.That can shift the conversation away from everything that's wrong and remind people that they usually share something fundamental: an interest in maintaining important relationships and, often, protecting the business.How Do You Make an Agreement Last?Getting everyone to agree in a meeting isn't enough.Michael recommends what he calls “navigating the future.”Before considering a conflict resolved, ask what could realistically derail the agreement six months or a year from now.What happens if circumstances change? What obstacles could emerge? Can everyone actually deliver what they've agreed to?The agreement should also be documented.Without a written understanding, two people can leave the same meeting believing they agreed to very different things.Regular check-ins are equally important. Family members' goals evolve, businesses change and outside circumstances can alter what is practical.A six-month review can determine whether the agreement still reflects everyone's expectations.The Best Strategy: Don't Wait for a CrisisPerhaps the most important lesson is prevention.Family businesses should discuss roles, expectations, succession and individual ambitions before disagreements become entrenched.Family members entering the company may also need clearer conversations about where they fit. Being part of the family doesn't automatically mean someone wants—or is ready—to eventually lead the company.The goal is to replace assumptions with conversations.Because when family members understand what everyone wants, they have a much better chance of protecting both the relationships and the business.In This Episode00:00 – Why family business conflicts become so complicated02:46 – Why difficult conversations need to start early06:00 – Common causes of family business conflict09:56 – How mediation can resolve serious disagreements12:37 – Reflective listening and removing judgment15:29 – Positions versus underlying interests17:46 – Using respect to rebuild common ground20:28 – How to make agreements last22:56 – “Navigating the future” and anticipating problems24:58 – Why regular follow-ups matter25:56 – Why family business agreements should be documented29:16 – Making sure quieter family members are heard30:53 – Managing power dynamics within the family33:11 – Why prevention is better than crisis intervention35:15 – Helping the next generation find the right roleAbout Michael KernMichael Kern is a former Chief Human Resources Officer and a conflict and culture consultant with experience working with family businesses, organizational culture and mediation. He helps organizations navigate difficult conversations, understand competing interests and build agreements designed to work in the real world.Website:  www.mediatormindset.comLinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwkern/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Why Psychological Safety at Work Matters—and Why Culture Initiatives FailMost organizations say they want employees to speak up, contribute ideas and challenge assumptions.But do employees actually feel safe doing it?When people believe speaking up could hurt their careers, they begin to self-silence. They stop questioning decisions. They hold back ideas. They see potential problems but don't mention them.And the consequences can extend far beyond employee engagement. Organizations can lose innovation, talent, productivity—and sometimes the ability to identify serious risks before they become crises.In this episode of A Seat at the Table, host Jane Singer speaks with Christina Scott, founder of Catalyzing Change, a leadership coaching and organizational development firm.Christina explains why psychological safety isn't simply about making employees feel comfortable. It's an operational strategy that can directly affect organizational performance.Why Do Workplace Culture Initiatives Fail?One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is treating culture change as a campaign.Leadership holds a town hall. Emails go out. Meetings are scheduled. Everyone talks about the new initiative.Then it gradually disappears.Christina argues that real culture change needs to become part of the organization's systems, processes and decision-making.There is also a difference between organizational change and transition. Change is what happens—a new leader, strategy, system or organizational structure. Transition is how people psychologically and emotionally respond to it.Organizations that implement change without helping employees navigate the transition risk resistance and failure.What Makes an Organization Thrive?Christina developed the THRIVE framework, six conditions she believes help create healthy organizations, teams and individuals:Trust: Can people trust each other, speak truthfully and trust their own judgment?High Standards: Does everyone understand what's expected, and are standards high enough to produce excellent work?Resources: Do employees have the staff, budget, materials and support needed to meet those standards?Impact: Is the organization achieving the impact it says it wants to create?Voice: Can employees speak up safely—and does speaking up actually make a difference?Evolution: Can the organization adapt as its environment changes?Together, these conditions provide leaders with a practical way to think about organizational culture beyond vague goals such as creating a "great place to work."What Is Self-Silencing at Work?Self-silencing happens when employees decide that the safest option is to keep quiet.They may have ideas, spot problems or disagree with a decision, but instead decide to "mind their business," do their job and go home.From the employee's perspective, silence can feel like survival.For the organization, however, the cost can be enormous.It loses ideas and innovation from people it is already paying to contribute. Eventually, talented employees may disengage completely or leave.Christina's Unmute Yourself framework addresses both sides of the problem. Organizations need to create environments where people feel safe speaking up, while individuals also need to develop the confidence and skills to express ideas, challenge assumptions and have difficult conversations.Why Is Psychological Safety a Business Issue?Psychological safety is sometimes dismissed as a "soft" workplace benefit.Christina argues that it is foundational to organizational excellence.An organization can have an impressive strategic plan, ambitious KPIs and sophisticated technology. But those systems become less effective when employees are afraid to point out problems.The consequences can become particularly serious in environments where mistakes affect physical safety.If employees see something wrong but don't feel safe enough to report it, what looks like a technical failure can actually have a people and culture problem underneath it.Leaders therefore need to model the behavior they want to see: asking questions, admitting mistakes, encouraging disagreement and creating opportunities for employees to practice speaking up.Can Workplace Culture Be Measured?Culture may seem intangible, but Christina argues that it can be measured.Instead of simply asking, "Do we have a good culture?", organizations can examine specific factors:Do employees trust leadership?Do they have the resources needed to perform?Can they contribute their ideas?Do they feel safe speaking up?Are standards clear?Do employees believe their work has an impact?Surveys, one-on-one conversations and focus groups can reveal patterns that broad questions about "culture" often miss.Why Do Good Employees Leave?Compensation isn't always the reason.Christina identifies two major factors: bad managers and unhealthy organizational cultures.Employees want to feel safe, contribute their abilities and know that their ideas have value. When they're continually told—explicitly or implicitly—to "stay in their lane," talented people can become frustrated and leave.Toxic cultures can also spread. People working around destructive behaviors may gradually begin adopting those same behaviors themselves.That's why organizations can't focus exclusively on financial and productivity targets while ignoring how people work together.Building Culture That LastsThere is no single culture solution that works for every organization.Christina favors a diagnostic approach: ask questions first, identify where the real problems exist and then develop an intervention appropriate for that organization.That could involve leadership coaching, team development, strategic planning or organization-wide support during a major change.The objective isn't to create a temporary initiative.It's to build systems and behaviors that continue working after the consultant, coach—or latest culture campaign—is gone.Episode Timestamps00:00 – Why psychological safety matters at work02:03 – Why culture initiatives fail04:50 – The six elements of the THRIVE framework08:44 – What causes employees to self-silence?11:40 – Psychological safety is a two-way street12:32 – Teaching employees how to speak up13:47 – When silence becomes an organizational risk14:56 – Psychological safety and organizational excellence16:41 – How to measure workplace culture21:07 – Why employees leave managers and toxic cultures23:48 – How toxic workplace culture spreads26:56 – Why leaders need support too28:32 – Creating sustainable organizational change29:34 – Why culture change isn't one-size-fits-all31:22 – Why early intervention mattersAbout Christina ScottChristina Scott is the founder of Catalyzing Change, a leadership coaching and organizational development firm. She has partnered with federal agencies, government, higher education institutions and mission-driven organizations to help leaders close the gap between their stated values and the everyday reality employees experience.Her work focuses on leadership development, organizational culture, psychological safety and creating sustainable change that helps people and organizations thrive.Website:  www.catalyzingchange.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-l-scott/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Talent may get you started. But building a sustainable career as a musician, artist, designer, creator or freelancer requires something else: you have to learn how to turn your creativity into a business.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Jane Singer talks with Joe Reeve, an award-winning saxophonist, entrepreneur, creative community founder and public speaker who has spent 15 years making a living as a professional musician.He learned that being good at your craft is only part of what determines whether you can turn that talent into a sustainable career.Joe's advice to aspiring creatives:A less talented creative with strong business skills can often get more work than a highly talented creative who doesn't understand business.So what separates the people who dream about making a living from their creativity from those who actually do it?The Four Skills Creatives Need to Build a CareerJoe identifies four things that have been fundamental to building his career:1. NetworkingWhen Joe was starting out, he made business cards and personally visited bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels and other venues that might hire live musicians.He approached roughly 30 or 40 venues.Only two responded.But one was looking for a saxophonist at exactly that moment — and that opportunity gave Joe his first regular residency.That led to more contacts, more opportunities and eventually a professional career.His lesson is simple: you have to put yourself where opportunities can find you.2. Business SkillsCreative talent doesn't automatically teach you how to price your services, negotiate a fee, market yourself, find customers or run a company.Joe learned those skills as he went.Today, when he speaks with music and creative students, he encourages them to learn the fundamentals of marketing, sales, negotiation and business alongside their creative craft.Because once you decide to earn your living from your creativity, you're not only a creative.You're running a business.3. ResilienceFreelancing and entrepreneurship come with high highs and low lows.There will be rejection.There will be periods when work isn't coming in.There will be days when you're questioning whether any of it is working.Joe explains why developing resilience — and learning not to quit at the first hurdle — is one of the most important skills for anyone trying to build a non-traditional career.4. Personal BrandingLong before "personal brand" became a marketing buzzword, Joe was learning that people weren't simply hiring a saxophonist.They were hiring Joe.Today he uses social media not only to demonstrate his musical ability but also to let people understand who he is, what he cares about and what it's like to work with him.That familiarity builds trust.By the time some clients meet him, they already feel as though they know him.For freelancers, consultants, creators and entrepreneurs, that can become a significant competitive advantage.The Importance of "Aggressive Patience"One of the most useful ideas in this conversation is what Joe calls aggressive patience.Building a career takes time.But patience doesn't mean sitting around waiting for something to happen.It means continuing to take small actions while accepting that the results may take longer than you want.Joe describes these as the 1% actions that gradually compound.The opportunity you want might not happen today. But continually taking those small actions increases the chances that you'll eventually be in the right place when the opportunity appears.Why Overnight Success Usually Isn't OvernightSocial media can make successful creative careers look deceptively easy.We see the performance, successful business, big audience or exciting project.We don't see the years that came before it.Joe compares it to a movie training montage. Several years of hard work can be compressed into a few minutes, making the journey appear much faster and easier than it actually was.That distorted view can make creatives and entrepreneurs feel as though they're falling behind.Joe's advice is to play the long game.He also points out that when you're constantly focused on the next goal, it's easy to overlook how far you've already come.You climb one mountain, reach the top — and immediately notice a bigger mountain in the distance.Sometimes it's worth looking back down the mountain you've just climbed.The Reality Behind Social Media SuccessSocial media is important for building a creative career, but it also creates one of its biggest psychological challenges: comparison.Joe describes social media as a highlight reel.Someone may appear to have a thriving business, hundreds of thousands of followers and an enviable lifestyle while privately struggling financially or professionally.That makes comparing your real life with someone else's social media presence particularly dangerous.The success you see online rarely tells you the complete story.For creatives building their careers, Joe recommends using social media strategically to build visibility and trust — without allowing it to become the benchmark by which you judge your own progress.Growing a Creative Business Without Burning OutAs Joe's career has expanded beyond performing into public speaking, entrepreneurship and running his Creative Meetup community, he has encountered another challenge familiar to many entrepreneurs:You can't keep adding more without eventually deciding what deserves your time.Joe has reduced the number of wedding performances he accepts and increased his pricing so he can maintain the quality of his music business while creating time to develop other parts of his career.It's an important transition for any successful freelancer.At first, the challenge is getting enough work.Eventually, the challenge becomes deciding which work deserves your time.Questions This Episode AnswersCan you really turn a creative passion into a full-time career?Yes, but Joe's experience demonstrates that talent alone isn't enough. Networking, business knowledge, resilience and personal branding all play important roles in creating a sustainable career.What business skills do musicians and creatives need?Creatives benefit from understanding marketing, sales, pricing, negotiation, networking, financial realities and how to position themselves professionally.How do freelancers find their first clients?Joe's own career started by proactively approaching potential venues, networking and putting himself in situations where opportunities could emerge.Is networking important for creative careers?For Joe, networking was one of the most important drivers of his early career. One connection frequently led to another, creating a compounding network of opportunities.How can creatives use personal branding?Show people more than your work. Helping potential clients understand who you are and what it's like to work with you can create familiarity and trust before they ever contact you.How do you deal with rejection as a freelancer?Joe emphasizes resilience, self-belief and accepting that rejection and slow periods are normal parts of building an independent career.How long does it take to build a successful creative career?There is no universal timeline. Joe argues that one of the biggest mistakes is expecting results too quickly. Sustainable careers often require years of consistent effort.How do you stay motivated when your business isn't growing fast enough?Focus on what Joe calls aggressive patience: continue taking small, useful actions while accepting that meaningful results may take time.Does social media help creatives get clients?It can. Joe uses social media to demonstrate his work and build a personal connection with prospective clients. But he also warns against comparing your real life with other people's curated online success.How do you avoid burnout when you're self-employed?As opportunities grow, you may need to become more selective, manage your time carefully, increase prices and decide which parts of your business deserve the most attention.Key Moments00:00 Can you turn creativity into a career?01:35 From saxophonist to entrepreneur04:14 The reality of running your own business07:00 Four skills every creative needs07:08 Why networking matters09:23 Why creatives need business skills10:58 Building resilience11:42 Personal branding for creatives14:56 Self-belief and playing the long game18:04 The power of "aggressive patience"21:15 The myth of overnight success25:08 Managing multiple businesses without burning out29:28 The danger of comparing yourself on social media33:45 Why the difficult periods matterGet more from A Seat at The Table:Visit the podcast website:https://seat.fm/Connect with Joe Reeve:https://www.iamjoereeve.co.uk/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Companies are spending more on cybersecurity than ever. Yet cyberattacks, breaches and vulnerabilities continue to increase.What if we're trying to solve the wrong problem?In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Jane Singer talks with cybersecurity expert Greg van der Gaast at Sequoia Consulting, about why many cybersecurity failures aren't really technology failures at all.They're symptoms of deeper problems in the way an organization operates.Greg has spent more than 25 years in cybersecurity, including working undercover for the U.S. government and advising executives, boards and organizations on cybersecurity risk. But today, he argues that companies need to stop thinking about cybersecurity primarily as a technical problem.Instead, executives should ask a different question:What is happening inside our organization that allowed this vulnerability to exist in the first place?Why More Cybersecurity May Not Make You More SecureWhen a vulnerability is discovered, the conventional response is usually to add another security tool, process, test or layer of protection.Greg argues that this treats the symptom rather than the cause.An unpatched system, badly configured server, vulnerable application or outdated piece of technology didn't simply appear. Decisions, processes and behaviors inside the organization allowed that problem to develop.The underlying issue could be poor software engineering, inadequate lifecycle planning, unclear ownership, bad incentives, weak governance, inefficient processes or an IT function that isn't operating effectively.Fix those underlying problems and companies can potentially eliminate entire categories of cybersecurity risk rather than paying indefinitely to mitigate them.Greg shares the example of a SaaS company with a large number of software vulnerabilities. Instead of building a bigger application-security function to continually find and fix vulnerabilities, the company addressed weaknesses in its engineering practices.Within 12 months, vulnerabilities fell by 87% — without adding more security work.But the benefits went far beyond cybersecurity. The application became more reliable, customer renewals improved, engineering turnover dropped and the company's AWS bill fell by €2.3 million.The security vulnerabilities were signals of a much bigger business problem.Cybersecurity as a Quality ProblemOne of Greg's most useful ideas is surprisingly simple:Treat cybersecurity vulnerabilities as quality defects.If a manufacturer repeatedly discovers the same defect, management doesn't simply build a bigger department to repair defective products forever. It asks what is happening earlier in the process that's creating the defect.Greg argues that companies should apply the same thinking to cybersecurity.Why wasn't the software patched?Why was the system misconfigured?Why is unsupported legacy technology still operating?Why was insecure software developed?Why wasn't the technology lifecycle planned?Why did employees have access to systems they didn't need?Keep asking "why" and eventually the conversation moves away from cybersecurity technology and toward management, processes, organizational structure, incentives, accountability and leadership.That's where Greg believes many cybersecurity problems really begin.Why Blaming Employees Misses the PointCompanies frequently describe employees as their biggest cybersecurity weakness.Greg challenges that assumption.If a marketing intern clicks a phishing link and that action can bring down a company's critical financial systems, the real question isn't simply why the employee clicked.Why was one employee's mistake capable of causing so much damage?There should have been multiple layers of organizational and technical protection between that phishing email and a critical production environment.Blaming the employee can prevent companies from investigating the systemic failures that made the incident possible.Why Cybersecurity Is a Leadership IssueMany CEOs, CFOs and other senior executives assume cybersecurity belongs to IT because they don't consider themselves technically qualified to make cybersecurity decisions.Greg believes that can be a costly mistake.Executives don't necessarily need deep technical cybersecurity expertise. They already understand many of the skills needed to address the underlying problems: accountability, incentives, governance, organizational structure, quality, investment decisions and operational efficiency.In fact, Greg argues that once executives understand cybersecurity from first principles, they may be better positioned to make the strategic decisions that improve security than people looking at the problem exclusively through a technical lens.Cybersecurity becomes a business management problem — not simply an IT problem.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeJane and Greg discuss:• Why cybersecurity spending keeps increasing without eliminating cyber risk• Why cybersecurity vulnerabilities should be treated as quality defects• How poor engineering practices create security vulnerabilities• Why fixing root causes can be cheaper than continually mitigating cyber risk• How organizational health affects cybersecurity• Why IT processes, governance and incentives deserve more attention• Why executives don't need to be cybersecurity experts to improve security• How cybersecurity problems can expose waste elsewhere in the organization• Why blaming employees for phishing attacks can hide larger systemic failures• How IT and business alignment affects cyber risk• Why adding more cybersecurity technology isn't always the answer• How continuous improvement and root-cause analysis can be applied to cybersecurity• Why CEOs and CFOs should take a more active role in cybersecurity strategy• How better technology management can improve security, productivity and profitability at the same time00:00 Why cybersecurity may not be a technology problem 02:22 What cybersecurity gets wrong 09:13 Fixing the cause instead of the vulnerability 12:13 When cybersecurity is really an organizational problem 16:19 Why CEOs should rethink cybersecurity 23:15 Why blaming employees misses the real problem 24:28 Does more cybersecurity spending make you safer?Questions This Episode AnswersWhy do companies keep getting hacked despite spending more on cybersecurity?Greg argues that companies frequently spend money mitigating vulnerabilities without addressing the organizational behaviors and processes creating those vulnerabilities.Is cybersecurity really an IT problem?Technology is certainly involved, but many vulnerabilities originate in management decisions, software development practices, lifecycle planning, incentives, governance and organizational structure.Can better business processes improve cybersecurity?Yes. Greg's approach focuses on improving the underlying processes that produce technology, reducing the number of vulnerabilities that need to be managed later.Should CEOs understand cybersecurity?Executives don't necessarily need to understand the technical details of hacking. They do need to understand how organizational decisions create or reduce risk.Are employees really the weakest link in cybersecurity?Greg argues that blaming an employee for clicking a phishing link can miss the bigger issue: the organizational and technical failures that allowed one mistake to cause significant damage.Does spending more money on cybersecurity make a company safer?Not necessarily. Greg discusses why the maturity of IT and business processes — and alignment between IT and the business — can be more important than simply buying more cybersecurity tools.How can companies reduce cybersecurity costs?Instead of continually paying to mitigate recurring vulnerabilities, Greg recommends tracing security problems upstream and addressing the processes, behaviors and organizational structures that create them.The Bigger TakeawayCybersecurity vulnerabilities aren't just threats that need to be managed.They're clues.They can reveal poor engineering, inefficient IT operations, weak governance, bad incentives, outdated systems and other organizational problems that may already be costing the company money.Get more B2B insights:Subscribe to A Seat at The Table's newsletter for weekly B2B strategy:https://seat.fm/join-our-newsletter/Learn how to build a consistent B2B marketing system:https://seat.fm/marketing-mentor/Connect with Greg van der Gaast:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregvandergaast/Sequoia Consulting: https://sequoia-consulting.co.ukSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Key Insights:  “A fan base is not a customer base in B2B.”“It's not about who's going to 'like' me, but who's going to pay me?”Episode DescriptionGetting more views feels like marketing success. But if you're selling a specialized B2B product or service, reaching more people may not get you any closer to a sale.The marketing playbook that works for consumer brands doesn't necessarily work for B2B.Consumer products such as food, toothpaste or detergent have enormous potential audiences. For these companies, reaching more people can increase the pool of potential customers.Most B2B companies face a very different situation.If you're selling industrial equipment, supply chain technology, materials, professional services or another specialized B2B product, your total addressable market may be relatively small. That changes how you should think about marketing.Instead of optimizing for more views, you need to optimize for better views.In this episode of A Seat at the Table, Jane Singer explains why B2B marketers need to stop treating marketing like a popularity contest—and why “fewer but better” can be a much more effective strategy for building brand authority and ultimately generating sales.What You'll LearnIn this episode, you'll discover:Why B2B companies shouldn't judge marketing success by the same metrics used by consumer brands and influencers.Why thousands of views from the wrong audience can be less valuable than 20 views from potential customers.How optimizing content for reach can actually dilute its value to the niche audience you're trying to attract.Why a large following or email list isn't necessarily a valuable customer base.The difference between building a fan base and building a customer base.Why targeted marketing often works even when traditional metrics don't make its impact immediately obvious.How consistency and frequency help B2B companies build authority over a longer sales cycle.Why marketers need to ask “Who is likely to pay me?” rather than simply “Who is likely to like me?”The B2B Marketing Metric That MattersOne of the biggest traps in B2B marketing is assuming that bigger numbers automatically mean better results.A LinkedIn post might attract thousands of views and dozens of likes. But how many of those people actually work for companies that could buy your product?For B2B marketers, audience quality matters more than audience size.A post seen by 19 relevant decision-makers could potentially be more valuable than one seen by 10,000 people who have no need for what you sell.That means B2B marketers need to rethink what successful marketing looks like.Instead of asking:“How do we reach more people?”Ask:“How do we repeatedly reach the right people?”That shift affects everything from the channels you use to the content you create and the metrics you use to evaluate marketing performance.Why B2B Marketing Takes TimeEffective B2B marketing is rarely about one viral post, one email or one campaign.It's about repeatedly providing useful, relevant information to a narrowly defined audience.That can make B2B marketing frustrating because its impact isn't always immediately visible in a dashboard. Someone may read your newsletter or see your content for months—or even years—before becoming a customer.That's why consistency matters.The goal isn't to win the attention game this week. It's to become known and trusted by the relatively small group of people who could eventually buy from you.Fewer people. Better people. Reached consistently.That's a very different marketing strategy from chasing views.Build a B2B Marketing System You Can Actually MaintainIf you know your company needs to market more consistently but marketing keeps getting pushed down the to-do list, the Consistent Marketing System is designed to help.It's a one-to-one program for B2B companies that want to turn sporadic marketing into a practical, repeatable system—so marketing gets done consistently without requiring an enterprise-sized marketing department.Learn more about the Consistent Marketing SystemQuestions This Episode AnswersWhy am I getting views on LinkedIn but no B2B sales?High engagement doesn't necessarily mean you're reaching potential customers. If the people viewing or liking your content aren't part of your addressable market, those numbers may have very little connection to sales.Should B2B marketers focus on reach or audience quality?For specialized B2B companies, audience quality usually matters more. Your potential customer base may be relatively small, so the goal isn't necessarily to reach as many people as possible. It's to repeatedly reach the people most likely to need—and buy—what you sell.Are views and likes good metrics for B2B marketing?They can tell you whether content is attracting attention, but they don't necessarily tell you whether your marketing is reaching potential buyers. A smaller audience made up of relevant decision-makers can be far more valuable than a large audience with little purchasing potential.Why doesn't social media engagement translate into B2B sales?Social media platforms are designed to generate engagement across broad audiences. B2B companies often need to reach a much narrower group of buyers. That's why a post can generate considerable engagement without generating meaningful sales opportunities.Can a B2B company be successful without going viral?Absolutely. B2B marketing doesn't need to go viral to work. Consistently delivering useful, relevant content to a narrowly defined group of potential customers can build authority and trust over time.Why is consistency so important in B2B marketing?B2B buying decisions often happen over long periods of time. Consistent marketing keeps your company visible and gives potential customers repeated opportunities to become familiar with your expertise and value.Quotable Ideas From This Episode (from Jane Singer, host, A Seat at The Table podcast and media founder)“You want to think of it from the point of view of fewer but better.”“Not who's going to like me, but who's going to pay me?”“A fan base is not a customer base in B2B.”“When you're optimizing to get more views, more clicks, more likes, you dilute the value of what you're providing people.”“This post only got 19 views. Is that a failure? No, not necessarily if it were 19 people who actually would buy your product.”“You have to be able to plant seeds and keep watering and then finally get a harvest.”Learn more about the Consistent Marketing SystemSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

After decades of focusing on driving online sales, brands are recognizing the critical importance of human connection.The return to physical retail, driven by Gen Z, mean that brands now have to close the gap  between brand promise and customer experience.How do we now leverage physical retail to build engagement and create an in-store experience that get consumers away from their screens and into the store.I’m Jane Singer and welcome back to A Seat at The Table where we take a look at what’s working, what’s not and best practices so that you can get your seat at the table.Today we are joined by Irma Sandoval, a brand-side marketing leader at Logitech with decades of experience shaping category-defining marketing, especially at retail and in-store experiencesAnd Carolyn Walker, owner of Stay Gold, a specialist in brand strategy, that turns insight, culture, and creativity into real-world results.In this podcast Carolyn and Irma will be discussing• What brands get wrong about human connection.• When physical retail delivers and when it doesn’t.• The gap between brand promise and customer experience.• How culture and emotion actually drive commercial results.If you are looking to leverage your physical stores, this is the podcast for you!USEFUL LINKS:Carolyn Walker:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynwalker/Response Agency:  https://stay-gold.coIrma Sandoval at Logitech: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irma-sandoval-55528212/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Episode SummaryOn this episode of A Seat at the Table, Jane Singer welcomes Susan Kargel founder of Brute Mitigator and a leading expert in freight forwarding, customs clearance, trade compliance, and operational resiliency. Together, they tackle the increasing complexity of global supply chains, rising risks—especially from cyberattacks—and the rapidly evolving landscape of customs regulations. The episode explores best practices for business continuity, building redundancy, leveraging AI (and recognizing its limits), and practical ways logistics and supply chain professionals can prepare for an era of exponential change.Key  Points1. The New Era of Supply Chain RiskThe rise in disruptions: tariffs, cyberattacks, natural disasters, technology outages, and their extensive impact on logistics and customs operations (Jane Singer, Susan Kargel at 00:00:00).Why compliance is now "at the table"—and why it's crucial to integrate customs and trade teams into resilience planning (00:01:37).Common misunderstandings among leadership about supply chain resilience and the oversimplification of business continuity planning (00:02:19).2. Moving Beyond Basic Business Continuity PlansGaps in standard business continuity planning: lack of detailed processes for operational recovery after technology failures (00:02:50).The essential role of cross-functional planning—engaging leadership, IT, HR, compliance, and operations to identify and prioritize critical functions, define restoration priorities, and establish clear communication channels (00:06:21).Importance of "fire drills" and scenario planning to transform contingency procedures from paper plans into instinctive, actionable responses (00:08:26).3. Building Redundancy in Customs & Logistics OperationsReal-world supply chain continuity: using hybrid models of in-house and third-party customs brokerage to avoid single points of failure (00:13:03).How documentation, data sharing, and vendor relationships can serve as insurance policies to minimize business disruption (00:14:08, 00:16:02).The risk of losing "tribal knowledge" of manual processes—why documenting old workarounds is essential as experienced staff retire (00:18:20).4. Dealing with the Surge in Customs ComplexityRapidly changing tariffs and enforcement: impact on U.S. importers and the need for up-to-date, validated documentation (00:19:39).Why accurate classification, valuation, and country-of-origin tracing are more vital than ever in the face of stricter enforcement and whistleblower incentives (00:22:42).The compounding cost of errors, from penalties to demurrage and delayed shipments (00:25:22, 00:26:02).5. AI, Automation & the Human Factor in Customs and LogisticsThe promise of AI: improving efficiency in customs declaration processing, document handling, and inventory management (00:28:38).Using machine learning to extract data from documents, reduce manual entry, and highlight discrepancies (00:29:40).Risks: overreliance on AI can erode process knowledge and may propagate errors if not audited by subject matter experts (00:31:19, 00:36:17).Security considerations: understanding data privacy, AI data usage, and toggling off default data sharing settings (00:33:09).Legal responsibility for errors: customs will not accept "AI made the mistake"—final accountability remains with the company (00:35:37, 00:36:44).6. Building Team Resilience - Tools & TrainingThe value of structured, practical training for logistics teams—building bench strength, team alignment, and documentation of both digital and manual contingencies (00:41:41).Highlights from Susan Kargel’s online courses: templates, guides, communication plans, business-critical function assessment, crisis workshops (00:41:41–00:43:04).Actionable TakeawaysIntegrate functional leaders with IT in resilience planning—Business units know operational priorities; IT needs these priorities to restore systems effectively.Develop and test crisis communication plans—Repeated, hands-on scenario drills ("fire drills") prepare teams for actual disruptions.Build redundancy in customs processing—Consider hybrid approaches, ensure data is shareable and workflows are documented, not siloed.Stay current on customs regulations and enforcement—Assign resources to monitor changes, audit classification and valuation, and document every step.Embrace AI with caution—Use it to automate repetitive tasks but maintain human oversight for accuracy, compliance, and documentation.Document manual workarounds—Prevent knowledge loss as experienced staff retire, especially for reverting to manual processes during crises.Invest in training—Equip teams to understand both technical and manual aspects of operations for true resilience.Notable Quotes"[Compliance is] at the table now. That's very exciting." (Susan Kargel 00:01:48)"If your system goes down... there's no online system to process it. You’re going to have to go find another declaration processing system." (Susan Kargel 00:04:36)"Just because you use AI, if there's a mistake, you can't tell customs, 'Oh, I used AI and it told me that.' You're still responsible for the outcome." (Susan Kargel 00:35:37)"You want to kind of control your own destiny and you need your providers too. But both can help each other." (Susan Kargel 00:15:35)"Build knowledge, build strength, build teamwork—just things that companies should have." (Susan Kargel 00:43:40)Resources & Further LearningBrute Mitigator online courses – logistics team resilience, crisis planning, and customs compliance (link in show notes)U.S. Federal Register and Customs Bulletins—stay updated on regulatory changesIndustry trade associations and customs broker webinars for ongoing learningAbout the SpeakersSusan Kargel is the founder of Brute Mitigator and brings 40 years of experience in global logistics, customs, and compliance, specializing in preparing supply chains for operational disruptions and cyber threats.Jane Singer is the host of A Seat at the Table, focused on what's working, what's not and best practices in business, supply chain, and leadership.  She is also managing director of 'Inside Fashion', a platform for apparel industry information and 'The Current Situation in Sourcing', a quarterly market intelligence report for C-suite apparel brand leadership.Learn more about BruteMitigator:  https://www.brutemitigator.comSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

For years, luxury seemed almost immune to economic downturns. Consumers might cut back elsewhere, but luxury remained remarkably resilient.That has changed.Some of the world's most powerful luxury brands are facing slowing sales and weaker results. But the problem may go deeper than economics.Shoppers are more informed, expectations around quality are higher, resale has created new competition, and simply putting a famous logo on a product may no longer be enough.In this episode of A Seat at the Table, host Jane Singer sits down with retail industry veterans Burt Flickinger III, Managing Director of Strategic Retail Group, and Denise Seegal, former President and CEO of Maggiasconi Apparel Group, to discuss what's gone wrong, what today's luxury consumer wants, and where they see new opportunities for retail growth.What You'll LearnWhy luxury brands are under pressure around the world.How changing consumer priorities are reshaping luxury spending.Whether luxury has become too accessible and lost some of its exclusivity.Why merchandising, product innovation and emerging designers matter.How ecommerce and resale have changed luxury shopping.Why consumers are questioning luxury product quality.Why South Korea and India could become important luxury markets.What successful retailers are getting right about customer experience.Why Is the Luxury Market Struggling?Mr. Flickinger points to weakening demand across several historically important luxury markets, along with changes in international travel. Ms. Seegal believes brands need to look beyond economics."The consumer priorities have shifted," she says.Economic volatility, geopolitics and tariffs have affected spending. Social media, influencers and AI have changed how consumers discover and evaluate products.The lesson for brands: start with the consumer rather than assuming yesterday's definition of luxury still works.Has Luxury Lost Its Exclusivity?Another issue is overexposure.Luxury expanded aggressively, including through department stores and shop-in-shop concepts. But wider distribution can make it harder to maintain the discovery, exclusivity and personal attention consumers expect when paying luxury prices.Luxury consumers aren't simply buying a product. They want specialness, service and an environment that reinforces why the product deserves its premium positioning.What Happened to the Great Merchants?The conversation also raises a bigger problem: the decline of merchandising culture.Ms. Seegal recalls her years as a Bloomingdale's buyer, when part of the job was actively searching for emerging designers. She regularly made time to meet new designers, look at their work and ask: What's next?Today's department-store economics can make that harder.Brands may be expected to finance floor space, fixtures, staffing and other costs. Established brands can afford that investment. Emerging designers often cannot.The result can be stores filled with brands that have the resources to secure space rather than necessarily the most exciting products.Fashion needs newness. Without new designers, products and ideas, retailers give consumers fewer reasons to return.Is Luxury Quality Declining?Consumers increasingly complain that products—even expensive ones—don't feel as well made as products they purchased 10 or 20 years ago.Premium pricing needs to be supported by premium materials, craftsmanship, fit and construction.Brands diversifying their supply chains  face a challenge beyond finding capacity or negotiating price: they have to transfer knowledge and quality standards to their new manufacturing base.Online Shopping and Resale Changed LuxuryLuxury shopping has moved far beyond the traditional department store.Platforms such as Net-a-Porter, Matches and Farfetch helped make consumers comfortable buying high-priced fashion online, giving shoppers access to enormous assortments without visiting a physical luxury store.Then came another disruption: resale.Luxury customers aren't simply buying secondhand products. They're also selling items from their own wardrobes and using the proceeds to purchase something different.Vintage has another advantage: some consumers believe older merchandise offers better tailoring, materials or construction.That means resale can compete with new luxury on quality, uniqueness and product discovery—characteristics traditionally associated with luxury itself.Where Are the Next Luxury Growth Markets?The geography of luxury is changing.The conversation highlights South Korea as an important laboratory for luxury, combining fashion with digital communication, entertainment, gaming, social networks, wellness and highly connected consumer communities.India could represent another major frontier as its consumer market develops.The next chapter of luxury therefore may not simply involve waiting for traditional markets to recover. Brands need to rethink where luxury consumers are emerging and what luxury means within those markets.The Luxury Store Experience Still MattersDespite digital commerce, the physical store isn't necessarily obsolete. But mediocre stores may be.Personal service is particularly important at the high end, where relationships between customers and trusted salespeople can generate significant repeat business.Can Luxury Make a Comeback?Ms. Seegal believes it can.Consumers still love beautiful products, exceptional design, craftsmanship and quality. But they're also better informed. They can quickly research a designer, compare products and decide whether a brand fits the identity or community they want to be part of.The next era of luxury may depend less on the logo and more on the things that originally made luxury desirable: exceptional product, innovation, craftsmanship, exclusivity, service and experience.Episode Timestamps00:00 – Why luxury is suddenly struggling01:54 – What's happening to global luxury demand?05:58 – How luxury consumer priorities have changed08:12 – Has luxury become overexposed?09:48 – South Korea and the changing luxury experience15:04 – Why fashion needs merchants and emerging designers18:48 – How the shop-in-shop model changed luxury retail20:37 – South Korea and India as future luxury markets22:13 – How ecommerce changed luxury shopping25:13 – The impact of luxury resale and vintage26:36 – Are consumers getting lower-quality products?31:37 – Why factory training matters to quality35:04 – When cost cutting starts damaging luxury37:17 – Does Hermès need a bigger owner?39:25 – Can luxury retailers successfully expand internationally?43:25 – What would it take to revive luxury department stores?48:32 – What Bloomingdale's is getting right49:51 – Why customer service remains a competitive advantageFrequently Asked QuestionsWhy are luxury brands struggling?The episode identifies weaker spending in important global markets, changing travel patterns, economic uncertainty, changing consumer priorities, ecommerce and resale competition, and concerns around innovation, exclusivity and quality.What do luxury consumers want today?Consumers increasingly expect more than a recognizable brand name. Quality, design, exclusivity, service, experience and cultural relevance all contribute to whether a luxury purchase feels worthwhile.Has luxury become too accessible?Potentially. Expanding distribution can increase sales but also weaken exclusivity. The discussion highlights the importance of controlling the retail environment and creating a distinctive brand experience.Is luxury product quality declining?The conversation highlights consumer concerns about quality across mainstream and luxury fashion. Maintaining quality requires strong materials and craftsmanship, experienced suppliers, factory training and sourcing decisions that aren't driven exclusively by cost.Which markets could drive future luxury growth?South Korea and India emerge as particularly interesting opportunities. South Korea combines luxury consumption with fashion, beauty, wellness, entertainment and digital culture, while India's evolving consumer market could make it an increasingly important luxury frontier.About the GuestsBurt Flickinger III is Managing Director of Strategic Retail Group, a global retail and consumer packaged goods consultancy.Denise Seegal is the former President and CEO of Maggiasconi Apparel Group and former Executive Director of M. Magtigu Limited. She now leads her own consulting firm and brings extensive experience in merchandising, product development, manufacturing, fashion and retail.Together with A Seat at the Table host Jane Singer, they explore what's going wrong in luxury retail—and what brands and retailers need to get right to win the next generation of luxury consumers.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

In this podcast we discuss the industry outlook for August - and heading into the critical pre-holiday season.The market continues to operate with a high degree of caution, particularly among brands and retailers who are deliberately keeping inventories low and minimizing risk of overstock. Despite this caution, industry signals are proving better than expected. Consumer spending in both the US and EU surpassed expectations in Q2, with the US up 3.2% year-on-year and Europe seeing its fastest growth since Q1 2025 [11:46]. Retail spending is steady as markets head into fall, and holiday outlooks remain "cautiously optimistic," with growth projections in the low single digits—better than no growth, though not spectacular [12:18]. The overall takeaway is that, while the industry remains careful and conservative in its approach, consumer resilience and strategic discipline at brands are enabling some to outperform market forecasts [11:37, 15:03].SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Discover why authentic customer reviews are the secret weapon in today’s saturated B2B market.In this episode, Jane Singer, host of A Seat at The Table podcast, explores how businesses with great products and strong support often struggle to close deals because buyers face "buyer fatigue" and endless choices that all seem the same Learn how trusted, real-world feedback cuts through market noise and why leading platforms like Amazon have revolutionized decision-making with reviews [00:01:43].Jane reveals why traditional testimonials lack authenticity and how companies can leverage compelling, unfiltered customer stories to build trust and credibility [00:02:53]. She introduces a unique marketing strategy—sponsored micro-series podcasts featuring honest client conversations—that deliver real use cases and experiences for listeners who crave reliable, peer-driven insights [00:04:00].If you’re in B2B marketing or looking to increase sales through authentic content, this episode is a must-listen. Uncover actionable strategies for winning in a competitive landscape and hear how the 'Success Stories to Sales' podcast micro-series can boost your brand credibility [00:06:37]. Don’t miss this guide to growing your business with the power of customer reviews and real conversations!USEFUL LINKS:Request information about 'Success Stories to Sales' Micro podcast program:  https://seat.fm/contact-us/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Every technology company has the same challenge.You’ve built a great product. You’ve got a strong sales team. Your demos are polished.But your prospects are hearing exactly the same thing from your competitors.So the question becomes…Who do they believe?They don’t believe another product demo.They believe another customer.The most powerful sales asset you have isn’t your software. It’s the real-world experience of the people already using it.When an existing customer talks honestly about the problem they faced, why they chose your solution, and what happened next, that’s the kind of proof that builds confidence.There’s another challenge.We’re all drowning in AI-generated content.Every day there’s another LinkedIn post, another email, another white paper, another video that feels like it was written by a machine.People can tell.Trust comes from hearing real people having real conversations.Not a script.Not a sales pitch.Just experienced professionals talking about genuine business challenges and how they solved them.That’s what people want to hear.• To learn more about our Podcast Mini Series, contact us at: https://seat.fm/contact-us/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

The apparel industry is entering a new age of discipline. Growth at any cost is giving way to focus, profitability and execution.  It’s a trend that could get the industry back onto a steady trajectory of not just growth, but profitable growth.Welcome to our July Inside Fashion Market Briefing. I’m Jane Singer and rather than simply talk about ‘what’s happening, I’ll be sharing insights and perspectives that help brands make smarter decisions.The industry has largely moved beyond the energy shock that hit at the start of Q2.Geopolitical issues remain, but they have become background noise rather than daily disruptions. The situation in the middle east has not really changed much, but oil prices have eased.Market sentiment has moved on.  And fundamentally that matters more than what’s actually happening.The biggest concerns today are higher interest rates and uncertainty surrounding Section 301 tariffs. Tariffs remain a wildcard because planning is difficult when the rules are still evolving. Learn more at https://insidefashionLive.netSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Is your organization running on a Franken-stack.That unmanaged tech stack that is layers of disconnected software tools piled on top of each other. In the race to add more technology as companies scale, managing tech stacks doesn’t look like a priority.And yet, vital customer data - that kills net margins - can get dropped between marketing attribution and CRM logs. Today we’re joined by Laura Farkas, LMNts Marketing, which provides revenue system optimisation, funnels and automation.She’s a specialist in building inbound distribution networks that clients can control.On this episode of A Seat at The Table, we’ll be discussing•Why is your connection count on LinkedIn completely irrelevant to your actual inbound revenue?•What is a Franken-stack and how does it drain operating margins from a mid-market company?•Why are traditional marketing retainers and basic lead generation agencies failing?•How does a twenty-million-pound B2B enterprise structure a proper revenue systems audit?•How can a business owner use intentional human imperfection to defeat automated software noise?So let’s sit down with Laura and learn how to wrestle that monstrous tech-stack into a lean, sales driving machine.Connect with Laura Farkas:Main book: Paternoster Marketing https://www.amazon.com/Paternoster-Marketing-Never-Leads-Again-ebook/dp/B0FTXKKQB6 Laura's Revenue Systems page, based on the Paternoster Marketing concept:  https://marketingfunnel.website/b2b-revenue-system/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itslaurafarkas/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LauraFarkasLMNtsMarketing SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Silicon Valley starts ups are wrapped in a kind of mystique that gets better with the telling.  Unless of course you’re actually running one of those startups.  Then things look a bit different.  You’re not living the dream.  You’re trying to survive heartbreak, near misses and boardroom crises.  And yes, occasionally a big win.For nearly three decades, Mike Grossman has been at the center of the world's most mythologized innovation hub, He has raised millions, managed boardroom crises, built great teams, and navigated moments when everything seemed one bad quarter away from collapse.In this episode of A Seat at The Table we’ll be discussing:What it’s like when the Concept of Failure is a Constant Operating Condition, Not a Learning Moment or Inspirational AnecdoteA Career in the In-Between: Most founders Don't Fail Spectacularly or Succeed Wildly—They Hover In Between for yearsWhy sound ideas, strong effort and execution doesn't always guarantee successLet’s sit down with Mike and find what its really like running a Silicon Valley startup.Connect with Mike Grossman:https://www.failureisanoption.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/migrossman/https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1646872460SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Everything you believe about building a powerful brand is probably wrong.It might not have been wrong a few years ago.  But, a lot has changed.For one thing, the market has gotten hyper competitive - and deafeningly noisy.To win, you need to get out of the mainstream.  Get off the road that’s a giant traffic jam of millions of people pitching like mad – and selling very little.In this episode you'll learn a 4-step method to go from barely known to industry authority.You'll also learn what it actually takes to beat the market (no, its not a better product or bigger budget).SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

In a hyper competitive market, you need to differentiate in any way that you can.Visibility and ultimately 'authority' are a proven way to drive B2B sales – and justify more premium pricing.The goal is to get out of what Seth Godin refers to as ‘sort by price’.  That happens when every product looks the same, so buyers simply choose the cheapest one.Good marketing is the way to avoid that trap. It is the time tested, proven route out of that sales dead zone.In this episode we discuss  4 key ways to create brand differentiation and establish authority.   This how to rise about the market noise and start closing more B2B sales.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

What if we are missing the point about AI’s real role in the future of work?The narrative is that AI will wipe out most jobs as bots and AI agents take over the world.However, in the many conversations I’ve had with people inside AI development, the story is very different.And it’s a story that gets far less publicity than the doom and gloom sci-fi version that dominates mainstream discussions.Today we’re welcoming Bud  Bhattacharyya, co-founder of re:compound, an AI advisory firm helping senior leaders use AI beyond the task-efficiency layer.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, we’ll be discussing:Why "AI for productivity" is only the beginning, not the main event* How AI can multiply human capability instead of simply replacing human work* Why more output often makes senior judgment harder, not easier*  What organizations get wrong when they treat AI as a tool layer rather than a thinking and decision layerLet’s sit down with Bud are learn how we might reframe the AI narrative.Connect with Bud Bhattacharyya:            LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/budbhattacharyya/           Substack (writing): https://recompoundai.substack.com           Company website: https://recompound.aiSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

You’re trying to develop a marketing program for your company and you're stuck.You have a general idea of what you want to do.  But for some reason you just can’t get started.You find yourself spending way too much time staring at a blank screen - and getting more and more frustrated that you’re not making progress.You’re not alone.  I have faced this more often than I like to admit.Especially for people who work alone.  Either because they work remotely. Or they own their business.  Or maybe they work for a company but are in a one-person department.  As is often the case these days.It’s really hard to not have anyone there to bounce ideas off of.  Or brain storm with.In this episode we discuss an accessible, yet often overlooked, opportunity for gaining the support and companionship that can help you go from 'stuck' to 'success'.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

aIt's a story I hear all the time.  We have a great product, but our sales are not where we want them to be.Your customers know you, but let's be honest, your product is not seen as the market leader.  It's not seen as the 'gold standard'.  It's not the one that comes to mind first when people think of your category. You might jokingly refer to your product as 'the industry's best kept secret'. To win in today's market you can not simply be another fairly generic brand.And while in-house you see your brand as a standout, in a crowded market no one is a standout with a strategic and consistent marketing machine that gets you that visibility - and builds that all-important authority.Unfortunately, you can't 'AI' or 'VA' your way to success any more.  In this podcast, we discuss what you need to do to gain market visibility. Why industry leaders do this. And how to get started on a budget that's within reach of most mid-sized to larger organizations.Take our free  B2B Sales Assessment Quiz Connect with me on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-singer/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

When your image, presence, and brand aren't aligned, the cost isn't always visible, but it shows up in the rooms you're not invited to, the leadership that gets overlooked, and the opportunities that go to someone less qualified.Meet Jenny Dewberry, an image consultant who works with Individuals, high achieving leaders, corporate professionals, and visionary CEOs to use their image as a strategic tool for credibility, visibility, and opportunity.In this episode of A Seat at The Table Jenny will be sharing:1. What is image communication, and how does it quietly shape authority2. The silent signals that influence trust, income, and perceived leadership3. What "looking the part" actually means, and why it's never just about clothes4. How to build an external presence that reflects who you actually areUSEFUL LINKS:Connect with Jenny- Website: https://www.peoplepowerconsultancy.com/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-dewberry-peoplepower/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyd_peoplepower/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

This is a short executive briefing built for sourcing leaders at brands and suppliers who need a fast read on where the market stands right now.The core message from Inside Fashion's June coverage is that conditions feel less chaotic than they did earlier in the quarter, but the market has not actually become easy again. What has changed is the mindset. The industry is moving away from panic and toward a more disciplined operating posture.This Inside Fashion briefing will look at what is stabilizing, what is still creating pressure, how regional sourcing choices are shifting, and why ongoing intelligence matters more now than it did in a more predictable market.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

  Everyone feels that agentic AI is the next big thing and that they need to make haste in order to stay ahead of the curve - or at least not be left behind.However, the tremendous benefits of using agentic AI also come with an increasing amount of risk.  And that risk is not being discussed nearly as frequently as it should be.  Today we’re joined by the highly accomplished Michael Chua, an AI & Cybersecurity Strategist who advises Boards & C-Suites  In his new book, “The Agentic AI Protocol”, he discusses the very real risks that every senior leader needs to consider.In this episode Michael will be discussing- The critical importance of building human intervention mechanisms into agentic work flows- Why data governance needs greater clarity in an autonomous environment - Blindspots that most enterprises are not aware of.So let’s sit down with Michael and tighten up our data security - before its too late.USEFUL LINKS:Michael Chua's book:  The Agentic AI ProtocolConnect with Michael Chua on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jupilierSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

If you’re like most leaders, you’re facing an increasingly business landscape which is making leadership even more challenging.The popular narrative is to develop a more resilient mindset.  The reality is “how exactly do I do that?”Today we’re joined by Courtney Seard, a senior executive  advisor and leadership development expert who helps organizations build future-ready, high-performing leaders. Courtney is is known for translating complex challenges—such as AI-driven change and leadership under pressure—into practical, actionable strategies that help leaders think clearly, lead decisively, and perform at their best without burnout.On this episode of A Seat at The Table Courtney will be discussing:What sustainable high performance really look like in today's high-pressure environmentsHow  leaders can maintain clarity and confidence when everything around them is changing so quicklyThe most common mistakes leaders make when trying to lead under pressure or in hybrid environmentsHow someone strengthen their executive presence in a practical, everyday wayThe one mindset shift that can immediately improve how a leader shows up and performsSo if you’re ready to boost your leadership mindset, then let’s sit down with Courtney.USEFUL LINKS:Courtney's LinkedinInstagram: @theriseplaybookSubstack: Courtney SeardSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

There’s an abundance of information about how some of the newer tech solutions work.  What tasks we need to consider automating and macro views of how AI could reshape work.Yet most business leaders are less certain than ever about what technology they need - and how to integrate it into their organizations.Today we’re joined by Muhammad Atif, President and Chief Technology Officer at PureLogics, a 20 year industry veteran who’s worked with leading companies including Pearson, Intel, Samsung, DHL, and Honda  - supporting them as they navigated digital transformation, built scalable cloud-native SaaS platforms, and harnessed AI to optimize operations and create smarter customer experiences.In this episode of a Seat at The Table, he’ll be talking about:Real-world AI adoption in enterprises: what actually works vs. common failures when deploying AI at scaleLessons from building and scaling cloud-native SaaS platforms for Fortune 500 companiesThe future of software engineering in the AI era and how engineering teams are evolvingHuman-centered AI and the role of technology in conflict resolution and improving human communicationUSEFUL LINKS:LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/muhammadatif/Website: https://www.purelogics.comSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

If you’re like most of us, being able to destress your life - or at least your work life -  is something we only dare to dream about .Today most of us are running on all cylinders.  Goals are set high. Winning is everything and so everything is seen as a contest - including personal interactions.What if there was  a philosophy that provided a framework for reframing everyday situations from angst generating experiences so that we reduced the tension and could more forward in a relaxed and productive way.Meet Sean Coxall, an entrepreneur and apparel industry leader who discovered a time test philosophy  that helps people to turn the work place into a better and more human place through a program called Conscious at Work.Sean will be discussing- The importance of moving behind skills and focusing on personal development.- The five worlds of mastery- The three rules of conscious workSo let’s sit down with Sean and learn how to create more harmonious work environments. USEFUL LINKS:Conscious at Work:  https://consciousnessatwork.org/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Are you the person who everyone else leans on — steady, capable, high-functioning?To the outside world you appear to be unshakable. Yet, inside there’s a gap between how competent you appear and how uncertain - or even lonely - you sometimes feel.Today we’re joined by the incredible Emily Fanjoy, a whole-person coach and facilitator who helps values-driven leaders stop performing and start leading from the inside out.If you’re leading a team or an entire organization and feel like you could a reset - or just want to get more energized, then Emily is exactly who you’re looking for.In this episode  of A Seat at The Table, she’ll be talking aboutWhy loneliness is so common in high-achieving people, and why is it so hard to admit?The difference between a person who's performing their leadership versus living it?Why trying to ‘think your way to transformation’ rarely works.How to romance your own life.Let’s sit down with Emily for some one-to-one leadership coaching.USEFUL LINKSEmily Fanjoy's website: www.emilyfanjoy.comBook a 60-minute Complimentary Coaching Call for anyone feeling Coaching CuriouSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Most of us have used ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot or one of the many AI platforms.  Yet few of us really understand how to integrate AI into our organizations so that we get maximum benefits with the fewest possible disruptions.Meet Dr. Michael Kollo,  Chief of AI Transformation at Qualitas and author of "Future-Ready with Generative AI". He spent over 20 years in quantitative finance at BlackRock, Fidelity, and AXA before pivoting to help organisations navigate AI transformation. Michael has delivered AI programs to ANZ (4,000 staff), Macquarie, IFM Investors, and HESTA. He holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and hosts the Curious Quant podcast On this episode  of a Seat at The Table Mike will be discussingWhy AI transformation is fundamentally a mindset challenge, not a tools challenge.How the patterns he learned as a quantitative analyst during the 2008 financial crisis help him see through today’s AI hype.How language-based AI is different from previous automation, and why that changes the way leaders need to think about organizational design and human roles.How to help teams adapt to AI without creating panic or paralysis.So let’s sit down with Mike and get an insider’s view of how to successfully bring AI into our organizations.USEFUL LINKSThe website for Michael Kollo's book: https://futurereadygenai.com/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

How often have we experienced a meeting that we think went really well.  Everyone on the team agreed what needed to be done. But then nothing actually got done.  Or work was started but goals were not met.Why? How did the train  jump the track after everyone seemed to understand what to do?Today we are joined by the fabulous Amie Fox.  Amie helps leadership bridge the gap between ‘good ideas’ and ‘clear actions’ in order to create the kind of consistent behavior across teams that leads to meeting targets.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Amie will talk aboutWhy  decisions that sound clear in meetings often break down once teams are back at workWhat the signs are that managers have interpreted the same decision in different waysWhy  shared accountability often leads to confusion rather than clarityThe simple things leaders can do to make expectations clearer for their managersIf you’re ready to take your organization from confusion to clarity, then let’s sit down with Amie.USEFUL LINKSConnect with Amie FoxWebsite URL:  https://afox.ie/  LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amie-fox-a3420333/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

If you’re like most senior executives, you never get enough rest.  I know I rarely do.There’s always 10 more things that need to be done – and another 10 ready to add to that list.We think that we can handle an ‘always on’ schedule, but what looks like high level productivity might actually be making us less efficient.Today we’re joined by the fantastic Shalece Daniels, who specializes in helping high-pressure leaders downshift their nervous system in 90 seconds or less so decisions land clean and communication stays steady, without collateral damage.After  building and operating a seven-figure real estate investment and property management firm,  Shalece created FLOW, an AI rest-tech assistant designed to reduce decision fatigue and support cognitive relief inside organizations.Today she’ll be discussingWhat  "collateral damage" looks like at the leadership level, and why it happensWhat  a 90-second downshift is, and when should leaders use itHow  leaders should think about AI support tools without turning work into surveillance or burnout theaterSo if you’re ready to move from burnout to breakthrough, let’s have a chat with Shalece.USEFUL LINKS: Shalece Daniels' Website:   https://www.liveasif.co Free download > Rest Reset Starter Kit https://www.liveasif.co/starter-kit LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaleceldaniels/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shaleceldaniels/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ShaleceLDanielsSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

One of the most difficult things to do is  build  successful tech products.  That seems counterintuitive at a time when its seems that everyone - from tech giants to a guy in his bedroom - is rolling out apps, setting up platforms and launching what they hope will be the next big thing.In reality, developing a product that can both attract users - and keep them - is a massive challenge, that most developers are not able to meet.Today we’re joined by the brilliant Riddhi Bhasker, a product manager focused on building 0 to 1 products in early-stage startup environments. She’s   led product development across consumer social platforms, AI-driven tools, B2B applications, and marketplace platforms, with hands-on experience in user retention design, gamification systems, onboarding optimization, and conversational AI architecture.On this episode of A Seat at The Table podcast Riddhi will be discussingWhy most gamification kills the products it's supposed to saveHow to build AI products that don't fail quietlyKnowing when not to build somethingThe one thing most people get wrong about building products in early-stage companiesLet’s take an insider’s look behind the scenes at what’s its really like to build a successful tech product.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Riddhi BhaskerLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riddhi-bhasker/Substack: https://substack.com/@riddhibhaskerSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

How to Scale a Business Without Becoming Its Biggest BottleneckEpisode SummaryAre you building a business—or simply creating a job for yourself?Many entrepreneurs start by doing everything: sales, operations, hiring, marketing and financial management. That works in the early stages. But as the company grows, the founder who built the business can eventually become the person preventing it from scaling.In this episode of A Seat at the Table, host Jane Singer speaks with entrepreneur and business advisor James Fenimore about how founders can make the transition from business operator to business owner.James shares practical advice on when to hire, how to delegate without losing control, how to determine whether your team can run the business without you, and why the person who helped build the company may not always be the right person to lead its next stage.The conversation also explores contractors versus full-time employees, hiring for culture fit, and why entrepreneurs need to choose marketing strategies based on where their customers actually are—not what's currently getting the most attention online.Key Topics1. Do You Own a Business—or a Job?James makes an important distinction between owning a business and owning a job.If the company requires you to personally handle sales, operations, scheduling and management for 50 hours every week, you've essentially created a job for yourself.There's nothing wrong with that—if it's what you want.But entrepreneurs who want greater freedom or want to build additional businesses need systems, processes and people capable of operating without their constant involvement.2. How Do Founders Step Away Without Losing Control?Delegation shouldn't mean suddenly handing over the keys and disappearing.James recommends a gradual transition. A trusted employee who has worked beside the founder for years may understand the business but still lack experience making difficult decisions independently.One way to test your organization is simple: take a vacation.Step away for two weeks or a month, establish appropriate safeguards, and see what happens. Does productivity fall? Can managers make decisions? Does the business continue operating effectively?This provides a real-world test before transferring greater responsibility.3. When Should an Entrepreneur Start Hiring?A critical question for founders is: Am I now helping the company grow—or holding it back?When the founder no longer has enough capacity to increase sales, improve operations or expand output, it may be time to hire.James recommends looking at what you do well, what you enjoy doing and what you dread. If financial management consumes ten hours every week and isn't your strength, hiring a strong CFO could free those hours for areas where you create more value.Scaling often requires founders to invest in people before they feel completely comfortable doing so.4. Why Culture Fit Can Matter More Than a Great ResumeJames shares the story of a top salesperson who generated roughly 40% of sales but made everyone around him miserable.Letting him go looked extremely risky.Instead, the atmosphere changed almost immediately. The team became more productive and replaced the lost sales with new business in about six weeks.His lesson: don't underestimate the damage one wrong personality can do to a team.Credentials, experience and individual performance matter, but the wrong person can undermine the productivity of everyone around them.5. Employees vs. Contractors When ScalingContractors can give growing companies flexibility, particularly for isolated tasks or businesses where staffing requirements fluctuate.Full-time employees bring consistency, institutional knowledge and stronger team cohesion, but also create fixed costs and responsibilities.James argues that the best choice depends heavily on the work itself. Contractors may make sense for variable labor requirements, while constantly rotating contractors through core office positions can disrupt processes and team dynamics.The bigger lesson is to consider the total cost and flexibility of staffing, rather than simply comparing hourly rates.6. Stop Chasing the Wrong Marketing StrategyNot every company needs the same marketing playbook.James argues that entrepreneurs should stop assuming that because social media works for one business, it will work for theirs.Some customers are on Instagram. Others are on LinkedIn. Some businesses still depend heavily on personal introductions, networking, local events and face-to-face relationships.The question isn't: What's the hottest marketing strategy?It's: Where are my customers, and what's the most effective way to reach them?Chapter Markers00:00 – Business ownership versus creating a job for yourself05:58 – How founders can safely step away from the business08:01 – Testing whether your team can operate without you10:22 – When should an entrepreneur start hiring?14:48 – Identifying the first senior role you should hire17:20 – Why culture fit can outweigh individual performance20:18 – Employees versus contractors when scaling25:20 – The hidden costs of expanding your workforce29:50 – Why growing businesses need marketing30:40 – Traditional sales versus digital marketing31:33 – Choosing marketing based on your actual customer35:03 – Separating social media hype from business reality36:51 – The myth of the business that completely runs itselfImportant Quotes“If it's going to cost me 50 hours of working in the business...I bought myself a job.” - James Fenimore“If that person is not the right fit personality-wise with the team, that could torpedo productivity.” – James Fenimore“Find where your people are and just go after them.” – James FenimoreKey Takeaways1. Build the business you actually want. A profitable owner-operated company can be a perfectly good business. But if you want freedom from daily operations, you must deliberately build the people, systems and processes that make that possible.2. Don't wait until you're overwhelmed to delegate. Start building leadership capacity before the founder becomes the bottleneck—and test whether the team can operate independently before completely stepping away.3. Ignore one-size-fits-all business advice. Hiring, outsourcing and marketing decisions should reflect your company's economics, customers and goals rather than whatever strategy happens to be fashionable.Connect with James Fenimore: Instagram / Facebook / TikTok - TheJamesFenimore Youtube: TheFenimoreshttps://www.theheartpostureco.com/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Marketing these days feels overwhelming.  Most companies lurch between scattered marketing efforts with no clear path to take them from where they are to where they want to be.Yet in today’s hyper competitive market, marketing is no longer a ‘nice to have’.  It’s a ‘need to have’.  To make marketing work, companies need simple marketing systems that help them stay consistent and stay on brand.Today we are joined by the amazing Natalie Alves, founder of Nat Marie Design, a a boutique branding and marketing studio in San Antonio, Texas that help founders and growing businesses develop doable marketing programs that reduce overwhelm.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Nat will be discussing How to shift from being seen as a vendor to being seen as a strategic partner.The biggest gaps  small businesses are missing when building trust online.How small teams can stay consistent without marketing efforts taking over their lives.Please join me now in learning how to get our marketing back on track - hopefully the fast track!Connect with Natalie Alves:https://www.linkedin.com/in/natmariedesignwww.natmariedesign.comSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

We all want to grow our businesses, but often get stuck trying to make that happen.This can be especially true for leadership at smaller to medium sized companies that are trying to scale but struggle to find ways to differentiate themselves in a hyper competitive market.Today we’re joined by the remarkable Ian Wilby, a founder-coach who helps entrepreneurs and senior leaders scale their businesses by fixing what gets in the way of sales, confidence, and decision-making.Ian helps founders cut through self-doubt, sharpen their thinking, and lead with purpose and impact—so their ambition becomes something they can execute on, not just aspire to.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Ian will be discussing Why every executive needs a cheerleader or a mentorThe critical value of turning your differences into a superpowerThe one shift executives need to make this year in order to move forwardIf you’re looking to get this new year off to a fast start, then join me as I sit down with Ian and learn how to power up our business.Connect with Ian Whilby:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianwhilby/https://iwcoaching.co.uk/https://www.youtube.com/@ianwhilby9100Ian's Recommended Books:https://amzn.eu/d/cCPJFRzhttps://amzn.eu/d/45l4cPGhttps://www.iwcoaching.co.uk/recommended-books-listSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Most companies don’t realize that  bad UX shows up in support ticket patterns before it shows up in their metrics.As more organizations lean into greater automation, a poorly designed UX results in slowdowns and user frustration, as support teams scramble to respond to a surge in support tickets.If you are in charge of enterprise systems or evaluating new IT installations, then this is the podcast for you.Today we are joined by the brilliant Tanya Donska.  Tanya  works with companies like Deutsche Telekom, IQVIA, and D.E. Shaw Group - fixing UX problems at enterprise scale where one bad flow impacts thousands of users and support costs alone can justify a redesign. She's a UK Global Talent visa recipient and Creative Director at DNSK WORK. In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Tanya will be discussing:The hidden cost of UX debt at enterprise scale - when "just fix it later" costs 6 months of engineering timeHow to make design decisions with 17 stakeholders without everything becoming beige (or taking 9 months)Why design systems fail at 90% of companies (and it's not lack of documentation)Wow, there’s so much to unpack here.  So let’s sit down with Tanya and find out what UX Band-Aids might be hiding at our organizations.---Connect with Tanya Donska:  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donska/Website: https://dnsk.work/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

What if we are hardwired to fall victim to data illusions?Those spurious patterns, those misleading headlines, and and those cognitive traps  - often result in costly human mistakes.It turns out that we can avoid these mental traps once we understand the statistical principles underlying games, chance and the role of luck in various aspects of life.Today we are joined by Dr. Michael Orkin, a renowned statistician,data scientist, and consultant whose career has spanned advising casinoodds-makers, coaching Fortune-100 strategy teams, and debunkingstatistical myths in health, finance, and beyond.  He currently serves on the the mathematics faculty at Berkeley City College. In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Dr. Orkin will be discussing:What  the vaccine-autism myth teach us about leaping from correlation to causationHow can a tiny shift in sample size can turn a reliable poll into clickbait fodderHow  a self-styled Wall Street guru racked up a flawless crash-predictionrecord, and why that streak misleadsThis is such an exciting topic. So let’s dive in and learn about the statistics behind the headlines.___Connect with Dr. Michael Orkin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mike-orkin-5600584/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

It seems like no matter how hard we work, no matter how efficient we try to be, there is always more to do than days in the week (and I’m including weekends here … if you know, you know)The technology that was supposed to reduce workloads has simply turned the old 9-to-5 into 24/7.  That’s left many of us wondering if there’s a way out of the overwhelm? Today we are joined by the fantastic Katherine Robinette, who shares some simple steps we can take to as she puts it ‘make work less work’.With more than 30 years of experience supporting leaders through growth,restructuring, and organizational change, Katherine helps teams uncover the systemsand processes that quietly create overwhelm and underperformance.On this podcast she’ll be sharing  practical and actionable steps that any organization can take that will measurably reduce executive burnout, help teams regain traction and rethink priorities so that work flows support greater productivity - with less stress.  And all with having to add more staff or make massive CapEx investments.Let’s sit down with Katherine and find out how we can boost performance while reducing that sole-crushing overwhelm.Connect with Katherine Robinette:  https://keystoneandraven.com/https://keystoneandraven.com/resources SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

One of the biggest challenges in business is being able to turn one-off projects into repeatable, profitable project management systems.It sounds simple.  Lean into process documentation.  Gather deep data.  Use advanced analytics.  But there’s more to it if you want to drive efficiency and scale your services.Today we are joined by Claus Geissendoerfer, owner of Amstadd, an IT staffing and systemic business optimization specialist that helps organizations from multinationals to scaling startups shift from chaotic Project Management to highly scalable, repeatable Product Management systems, ensuring efficiency and sustainable growth.  Claus is also an ambassador for Giving What We Can - an initiative that  applies rigorous, data-driven analysis to identify and support charitable causes that deliver the greatest good per dollar.In this episode  of A Seat at The Table, Claus will discuss:How  companies can transition from chaotic Project Management to scalable, repeatable Product Management systemsThe key operational metrics leaders must focus on to maximize profit per employee and eliminate wasteHow  a partnership-driven model challenges and outperforms traditional corporate hierarchies in the enterprise world.Let’s sit down with Claus and find out how we can reduce some of the chaos in our businesses.USEFUL LINKS: Give What We Can website:  https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/ Connect with Claus on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/clausggeissen/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Winning sales isn’t as easy as it used to be - especially in a challenging economic environment with a never ending stream of new competitors coming onto the scene.It’s no longer enough to have a standout product, a great team or even massive funding (although it doesn’t hurt).   Now, anyone in B2B sales needs a lot more in their toolkit in order to succeed.  Meet Margo White, a dynamic strategist and author with over 22 years of experience transforming how traditional industries sell, communicate, and evolve.  In this episode of A Seat at The Table she’ll tell us:Why precision beats volume - and how to build a system that turns chaos into actionable data.Understanding the deal psychology that is foundational to winning corporate contracts.How identity is what motivates people to buy - not logic or even emotion.This episode is part of our new Sales Power series, where you’ll learn the power moves that separate sales leaders from everyone else.I can’t wait to sit down with  Margo and find out how to fire up my sales game!USEFUL LINKS:"Survivors, Inventors" - Book Description and Free Download of the first 50 Pages >> https://prospectingbroker.com/survivors-inventors-book/ "Survivors, Inventors" Hardcover on Amazon >> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSZ65F7MMargo on Instagram >> @prospectingbroker (https://www.instagram.com/prospectingbroker/)SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Sometimes  the most difficult challenge senior leadership faces is finding purpose in their work.  It’s not that they don’t care about the company or their teams.  It’s a more subtle sense that something is missing.  The job is no longer fulfilling.   That they are stagnating or are meaningless in their roles.This can be particularly perplexing when overall you are successful at what you do – and it’s not like there’s something else that looks a lot better.Today we are joined by the fabulous Marla Bace.  Having successfully navigated several career transitions herself, Marla now helps senior leadership find renewed purpose in their work – or identify what their next - more fulfilling - role might be.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Marla will share Why leadership needs to look beyond self-awareness  and emotional intelligence, and lean into intuition and purpose in order to find work that aligns with them.Practical strategies for senior executives who are facing career boredom that can help reignite excitement and identify strategic pivots.Balancing data-driven decisions with intuition to build greater team engagement and loyalty.This episode is part of our new Leadership Edge series.We developed this series because while performance gets you in the room.Presence is what makes people listen.We’re unpacking the leadership skills that help you stand out—create real influence, earn loyalty, and build the right relationships.Because visibility isn’t luck. It’s built.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Marla Bace on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlabace/Marla Bace's website:  http://www.marlabace.com/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

One of the biggest challenges companies face is how to maintain their heritage while adapting to changing consumer preferences.The task can be even more daunting for legacy brands that on the one hand have built their reputations on their brand or company history.  But on the other, need to compete with newer brands that feel more modern.Establishing that critical but delicate balance requires the skills of a branding master.Today we are joined by Michael Kønig, a brand expert with two decades of experience leading transformations at companies like Bang & Olufsen, Georg Jensen, Wedgwood, Waterford, Royal Copenhagen and Moomin through shifts in product direction, brand positioning and operating model design. Today he runs his own agency helping leadership teams use their heritage as a strategic advantage. His work focuses on making legacy brands culturally relevant again, simplifying their portfolios and enabling them to deliver at speed.I can’t wait to sit down with Michael and find out what he did to give  these legendary brands a modern makeover - without losing the essence of what makes them unique.USEFUL LINKS:Michael Konig Designs website:  https://www.michaelkonig.design/Free 5-day Heritage PlaybookLinkedinSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Hiring remote staff is not a new concept.  Companies get access to a wider talent pool. Can oftentimes arbitrage wages and find people who are eager to work with you.The downside is managing those people.  The fact that are often not even in the same country adds complexity.  Especially when it comes to payroll or even basic HR functions.Today we are joined by Richard Hogben, founder of Worldwide VA, a company that helps businesses recruit and manage virtual staff - from assistants to CFOs.  In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Richard will be discussing:Best practices for managing virtual staff or remote workersThe key advantages of sourcing talent from outside your local areaSome of the biggest mistakes companies make when working with virtual staff - and how to avoid them.So let’s sit down with Richard and find out why we might want to look at the global talent pool for our next hire.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Richard Hogben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-hogben-23723b2/Website: https://www.worldwideva.comSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Sending international payments is no longer something only large companies do.  Increasingly everyone from startups to individuals are sending money to more destinations.  That’s led to a need for a system that offers ease-of-use, is safe and reliable – and ideally provides actual customer service. Not a chatbot, but support by real people who are they to help you.Sound too good to be true?  Stay tuned.Today we are welcoming a long time friend and modern day visionary to our podcast community.Stephen Patton seems to always be one step ahead – seeing opportunities and turning them into success stories.On this episode of A Seat at The Table, Stephen is going to tell us about Banpay - a new fintech service he has recently launched and what the future of international payments could look like.So let’s sit down with Stephen and get an insider view of what might be next for global payments.USEFUL LINKSConnect with Stephen Patton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spatton1/Learn more about Banpay: https://banpay.com/SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Everyone wants to build a brand.  Not just a brand, but a power brand.  A viral brand.  The problem is few companies know how.  Most focus on creating of a super cool logo.  A catchy tagline. Developing their vision of the perfect brand colors. Or adding lots of fun features.And they’re disappointed when their brand literally dies on the vine.  How could something that fabulous not be a marketplace sensation?Today we’re joined by Dr Pieter Steenkamp founder of Brand for Success, a boutique brand consultancy.He holds a doctorate focused on brand strategy and is a multi-award-winning academic in the Marketing Department at a university in Cape Town and a visiting Professor in Germany.In this podcast, Dr. Steenkamp will be discussing: Misconceptions behind brand building that lead to failureWhat winning brands do that helps them outperform competitorsHis science-based  ‘Brand for Success’ process turns regular businesses into sophisticated brandsLet’s sit down with Dr. Pieter Steenkamp and learn how to get our brand strategy on the right track.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

One of the biggest challenges people in leadership roles face is steering the business while also managing their own careers.  It’s a delicate balance to be sure.  Especially in times when the landscape is changing seemingly all the time.Winning in this environment takes a new skills and new tactics.  If you’re looking take your professional and leadership skills to the next level then you’ll want to have Shelli Brunswick on speed dial.She’s a tireless leader and bold visionary who has been a long time champion of the space industry.  Shelli has taken lessons learned from this science-based sector and created a modern day playbook that leadership in any industry can use.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Shelli will be talking about How Bold vision and self-leadership create momentum in uncertain timesHow to use storytelling to turn complexity into clarity.Why we need to build pathways and frameworks to open doors to growth.If you’re ready to get wired up and fired up, then let’s sit down with Shelli.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Sometimes the key to winning the contract, closing the sale - or even hiring the right team member - comes down to more than what that person says or their credentials.  Small tells like body language can offer big clues that can lead to greater success - or help you to avoid disaster.Lots of people talk about how to ‘read’ another person.  Few are actually able to master this.  One person who has mastered body language is the multi talented Terry Earthwind Nichols.  In fact, he’s got so good at it he actually wrote a book on the subject.  In “Profile for Profits”  Terry walks us through exactly how to interpret basic body language, as well as how to successfully apply this to everyday business interactions.On this episode of A Seat at The Table, Terry will share with us;How to identify non-verbal cuesWhat to look for - and what it meansTactics for entering a room - especially at events or large meetingsLet’s sit down with Terry and find out how raise our game and win at interpersonal connections.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Looking for a job is never easy - or fun. But if you’re a senior level executive, it can be particularly challenging and oftentimes demoralizing.  You’ve got expertise, experience – and that all important work ethic.  Yet its seems like the supply of leadership jobs has evaporated.  Suddenly it seems that the once-valued ‘maturity’ that kept businesses on track and helped them avoid potential pitfalls, now makes you seem old - a workplace pariah.  Meet Darcy Bevelaqua a career coach who specializes in helping senior executives transition to their next career role.  She’s parlays her former experience as an HR manager at 2 Fortune 500 companies to help people over 50 find great jobs that pay more, value your contributions, and re-energize you about their careers.On this episode of A Seat at The Table Darcy will be sharing:How to overcome typical obstacles senior executives face when job huntingTactics for more effective networking.Uncovering  job opportunities that might be hiding in plain sightSo let’s sit down with Darcy and jumpstart our next career move!SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

The tech sector often appears to be a goldmine that anyone with a few coding skills can tap into and reap massive profits - literally overnight.The reality is a bit different.  From developing products that will actually sell to understanding that ‘overnight’ is more like ‘over years’ and that behind the scenes there are endless frustrations and obstacles that you need to overcome before hitting the jackpot - assuming that you eventually do.Today we’re joined by Natalia Loza,   She’s a commercial and product innovation leader whose cracked the code for building and scaling digital technologies from idea to revenue. This includes developing software that broke even within a record four months of inception and an internal operations tool that generated over £600,000 in under six months.She’s also the founder of Connected.Ventures, a curated network of over 300 technology innovation leaders in the UK.In this podcast Natalia will talking about:The key decisions that allowed her to take a product from concept to revenue in just four monthsThe unseen cost of saying ‘yes’.Why "done" is a moving target in tech products.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Natalia Loza:  linkedin.com/in/nata-lozaWebsite for Connected Ventures: connected.venturesLearn about Inside Fashion:  https://insidefashionLive.netSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Companies dream of building that amazing product that does all kinds of incredible things or has a cool user interface.  It all about the wow factor.However what customers usually want - or what they’ll actually buy - is a simple product that gets the job done. This disconnect is at the heart of why many businesses get lots of media attention, but not quite so many sales.Today we’re joined by  Tobi Ogunmoyero ,  a Certified Scrum Product Owner who helps organizations turn complex ideas into products customers value. He has delivered large-scale platforms across finance, public services and early-stage technology ventures and leads product vision and roadmaps. In this podcast he’ll be talking about the early signs of product debt.  How to lower overheads. And what metrics we need to watch to when managing product debt.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Tobi Ugunmoyero:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobi-ogunmoyero-18302762/Learn more about Inside Fashion:  https://insidefashionLive.netSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Many people dream of starting a fashion brand.  The combination of a doing something creative with the glamour and energy of catwalk shows and photo shoots can be intoxicating.What isn’t always obvious - at least for new designers or for people outside of the industry - is the challenge of starting from scratch.  It’s not only about growing your brand.  It’s about doing everything yourself - from designing to sewing - and the business side.  And it’s not only in the fashion industry.  Starting a business can be very rewarding, but you need to be able to play the long game to reap those rewards.Meet Sofia Georgia Rothman, a rising star on the New York design scene.  Her collection has a growing following of young consumers - like her - who want high quality garments with a sense of personal style.In this episode she shares a ‘raw and real’ look at what it’s like launching a brand - and taking it from being a personal project into a business.USEFUL LINKS:Follow Sofia Georgina Rothman: @sofiageorgiarothmanLearn more about Inside Fashion:  https://insidefashionLive.netSEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm

Today supply chain success is driven by a combination of speed, reliability and innovation.  The concept is easy to understand.  Executing on this is where it gets tricky.Especially in a global landscape that seems to be constantly changing - with no indication of settling down any time soon.Today we’re joined by Sean Coxall, chairman of 707 Limited, a leading provider of worldwide sourcing options and innovative supply chain solutions.  Previously, he served as President of Li & Fung’s  Branded Fashion and Sportswear Group.With a major focus on speed and innovation, both in terms of product and new business models, Sean pioneered the use of digital technology in particular through the use of virtual sampling.In this podcast, he’ll be sharing what he sees as both the challenges - and the opportunities  - in an apparel supply chain that is quite a lot different from what it was a few short years ago.SEND US A MESSAGEVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm