Growth Department

This week's episode: cool people doing cool shit at cool companies.Chelsey sits down with Jillian Als, CMO at Leadfeeder, where she runs brand, demand, and revenue at a global scale. After nearly 20 years in B2B SaaS, Jillian has done the demand gen CMO playbook and is now leaning hard into brand as the moat.Jillian breaks down how she rebranded Dealfront back to Leadfeeder in 90 days, why brand is the most underrated unlock in an AI-disrupted GTM world, and how to make in-person marketing pencil out even when your average deal size is small.In this episode, Jillian covers:Why brand is the new moat (and why the demand gen CMO era is shifting)How she pulled off a full rebrand in 90 days with a remote teamThe narrative work that has to happen before the visual identity doesWhy marketers smell BS faster than any other audienceHow to make in-person marketing work on a transactional, lower ACV businessHow to build a business case for IRL budget when you have zero to startThe "warm bound" play replacing spray and pray outboundWhere AI is actually unlocking creativity (and where it's just hype)Such a fun listen with one of the sharpest marketing voices in B2B SaaS.Follow Jillian on LinkedIn and check out Leadfeeder.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillianals/Leadfeeder: https://www.leadfeeder.com/Follow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

This week's episode: cool people doing cool shit at cool companies.Chelsey sits down with Danielle Spinelli, AKA "Fraud Girl," Director of Partnerships at GenLogs, host of the Tell Me Everything podcast, and 2024 Women in Logistics Award winner.After 8 years as a carrier sales broker handling high-value freight like copper and electrical wire, Danielle became one of the most trusted voices in carrier vetting and cargo theft prevention in the industry.In this episode, Danielle covers:How she went from rolling the dice on loads to fraud-fighting detective workHow Genlogs uses a national camera and sensor network to recover stolen freightThe hidden national security risk behind stolen US cargoHow she built the "Fraud Girl" brand organicallyWhy the next era of brokering is going back to human carrier relationshipsThe Women in Supply Chain girls' trip happening in CharlestonSuch a fun, fast-moving episode packed with real-world stories from one of the most respected voices in logistics.Follow Danielle on LinkedIn, listen to Tell Me Everything, and check out Genlogs.Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellespinelli11/Check out her podcast:  https://www.tellmeeverythingpod.com/Check out GenLogs: https://www.genlogs.io/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Ed Hayes has spent 20+ years designing brands, and he's watching something flip. While the rest of the world races toward frictionless, AI-streamlined everything, the smartest brands are doing the opposite. They're adding friction on purpose.Chelsey and Ed get into the analog revival happening across categories: Birkenstocks, Le Labo, A24, and a taco shop in NYC that refuses to translate its menu. They cover why brand architecture is being designed to slow people down, how friction is becoming a premium signal, and whether "brand" even survives once AI takes over the shopping experience.If you're a growth or brand leader trying to figure out where the puck is going, this one is full of examples you'll keep thinking about.Follow Ed on LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-hayes-8846a5232/Check out Bloom's projects here:  https://www.bloom-london.com/Follow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Why brands aren't just hosting experiences anymore. They're charging for them.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Tom Gray, Chief Strategy Officer at Imagination Group, the global experience design consultancy that helps brands build game-changing strategies and experiences for customers, employees, and stakeholders. Tom has spent his career designing the kind of brand experiences people willingly show up for, talk about, and increasingly, pay to attend.Tom unpacks the shift from the attention economy to the connection economy, why 93% of what we see on social media is now algorithmically fed to us, and what that means for marketers trying to break through with real human moments. He breaks down the neuroscience of how experiential memories get tagged in the brain, why brand salience is being rewritten, and how brands like Ford, Visa, and Harley-Davidson are turning experiences into product, not just promotion.What you'll learn in this episode:The shift from attention economy to connection economy and what it means for your 2026 strategyHow experiential marketing creates stronger brand salience than digital advertisingThe neuroscience of memory tagging and why emotional experiences stickWhy charging for brand experiences increases engagement, attendance, and word of mouthThe IKEA effect and how investment shifts perceived brand valueHow Ford turned a test drive into a paid stunt driver experience that audiences shared organicallyWhy experiential is moving from the promotion P to the product P in the marketing mixHow Visa Live, Harley-Davidson festivals, and Hershey's theme parks built brand IP through experienceHow to identify your brand's unfair advantage in audience passion points like music, sport, and wellnessWhy the best marketers stop talking to themselves in offices and get curious about real customersIf you're a CMO, brand marketer, or experiential strategist trying to figure out where in-person fits in your 2026 marketing mix, or whether your brand has earned the right to charge for it, this episode delivers the framework.Connect with Tom Gray and Imagination Group on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomoppad/Check out Tom's articles and past projects: https://imagination.com/Book he recommends: Playground by Richard Powers Podcast he recommends: Conversations with Tyler (hosted by economist Tyler Cowen)Follow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

The era of the Instagrammable photo backdrop is over. So what's next?In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Diana Zwetzich, experiential designer and founder of guest-centered brand activations, to talk about why most brand experiences are falling flat and what separates a forgettable pop-up from an activation people actually remember.Diana built her career on architectural design and environmental storytelling for global brands, including the viral 29 Rooms experience and Refinery29's Luna Lounge at Coachella. Now she's bridging the gap between experiential design and hospitality, helping brands stop performing and start hosting.In this conversation, Diana breaks down the missing layer in experiential marketing, why beautiful design alone creates attention but not connection, and how the peak-end rule should reshape every guest journey you plan in 2026.What you'll learn in this episode:Why "hosting" beats "performing" in every brand activationThe real reason Instagrammable photo moments are losing impactHow to train brand ambassadors to actually connect with guestsThe peak-end rule and why your tunnel entrance doesn't matterHow to measure ROI on experiential marketing beyond reach and impressionsWhy smaller, more intimate activations often outperform big-budget spectaclesThe two moments you actually need to design (everything else is noise)How to brief an experiential agency so your activation has intention, not just aestheticsWhat brand loyalty, sentiment, and long-term recall really look like in post-event dataIf you're a B2B or B2C marketer planning trade show satellite events, intimate client dinners, pop-ups, or experiential activations this year, this episode is your blueprint for doing it right.Connect with Diana on LinkedIn and read her articles on guest-centered experience design. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-zwetzich-844738107/(her book recommendation = 10x is Easier than 2x)Follow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Jennie Malafarina, founder of Virago Marketing and 12-year B2B marketing executive, to talk about what's actually working in AI-powered demand generation, pipeline growth, and go-to-market strategy for SaaS and tech companies right now.Jennie breaks down her full AI stack: ChatGPT for brainstorming, Claude for writing, Perplexity for research, and Grok for social signal. Then she goes deeper into the agentic systems she's built using Claude Code, Claude Cowork, N8N, Apify, Apollo, and HubSpot to automate LinkedIn outreach, web scraping, ICP enrichment, and SEO optimization at scale. She also introduces Cami, her upcoming AI marketing manager product.But AI is only half the conversation. Jennie also unpacks why in-person events, trade show strategy, and community building drive more pipeline than ever, how she built Freight Movement into a lead generation community for logistics, and why her WILMA (Women in Logistics Marketing Alliance) group runs on abundance, not competition.What you'll learn in this episode:How to build agentic AI workflows without knowing how to codeWhy vibe coding ROI calculators, interactive apps, and lead magnets is replacing traditional content marketingThe LinkedIn automation tool Jennie uses to find high-intent B2B prospects (Goji Berry)How deep fakes, spoofed emails, and AI-powered scams are changing B2B cybersecurityWhy cold email deliverability and outbound are getting harder, and what to do about itThe real ROI of trade shows, satellite events, and experiential marketingHow to measure pipeline impact from community-driven brand awareness eventsWhat 88% of buyers not being in-market means for your demand gen strategyWhy B2B content marketing is shifting from blogs and white papers to virtual experiencesIf you're a B2B marketer, founder, demand gen leader, or one-person marketing team trying to scale without sounding like AI slop, this episode is packed with tactical plays you can run this week.Connect with Jennie at Virago Marketing, find her on LinkedIn, and learn more about Freight Movement and WILMA.Virago Marketing:  https://viragomarketing.com/Jennie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennie-malafarina/FR8 Marketing Gurus Podcast: https://viragomarketing.com/fr8-marketing-gurus-podcast/Follow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Andre Ankri built a trades business from the ground up, and then rebuilt how it runs with AI. As CEO of UTS Group, he's automated everything from tender reviews to project manager matching, cut a process that used to take days down to under 30 minutes, and built a system that gets smarter on its own. But the real story is how he got there: through ADHD, hard lessons, and a wartime CEO mindset that keeps him out of the day-to-day and in the rooms where it actually matters.In this episode we get into what it means to scale with systems instead of headcount, why exit readiness starts long before you plan to sell, and how Andre uses AI not just to run his businesses, but to manage his own brain.If you're building something and you're tired of throwing people at problems, this one's for you.In this episode:Why ADHD is a systems-building superpower, not a liabilityHow UTS automated nearly every repeatable process in a trades businessWhat the wartime CEO mindset actually looks like inside an orgThe difference between a business built to grow and one built to sellWhy small and medium businesses have a massive AI advantage right nowAbout the GuestAndre Ankri is the CEO and founder of UTS Group Inc., a security integration and design consultancy based in Ontario, Canada. He also founded Metador, a business automation consultancy, and co-owns Vitrion Building Systems. A neurodivergent leader with ADHD, OCPD, and dyslexia, Andre builds openly around cognitive difference — and the systems he's created to work with his brain have become the blueprint for how he runs everything else.Find Andre on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-ankri-7a4090311/Check out his recent favorite book, Greenlights: https://a.co/d/0bLBrdqBFollow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Let's go for a stroll and chat about AI.Chelsey gets honest about where she actually is on her AI journey, and why 10 months went by without making real progress. In this solo episode, she breaks down the 7 risks of AI adoption that keep business leaders up at night, from environmental impact and geopolitical supply chain exposure to deepfake security breaches, agentic AI governance gaps, and vendor dependency. But it's risk #7 that changed everything. After a networking call where only 2 out of 15 C-suite leaders had moved beyond dabbling with ChatGPT, Chelsey realized the biggest risk isn't adopting AI — it's waiting. If you're a go-to-market leader who knows you should be building AI fluency but keeps finding reasons not to, this one's for you.Follow the show and subscribe so you never miss an episode!Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

What does it take to move from AI experimentation to an organization where agents are woven into every workflow? Dr. Pawan Anand has spent 15 years leading enterprise technological and AI transformations across communications, media, and technology.In this episode, Pawan breaks down the concepts he's been writing about on Forbes: digital colleagues, the agent web, AgentOps, and what he calls AI native organizations.What we cover:What digital colleagues are and how enterprises are using them nowThe agent web: the missing layer most AI strategies don't account forWhy 91% of AI pilots fail to deliver expected resultsWhat AgentOps is and why it matters as agentic adoption scalesHow to build toward an AI native organization without skipping stepsWhat ethical AI governance looks like in practiceWhere CEOs and CTOs should be involved, and where they should step backIf your company is somewhere between dabbling and all-in, this one's for you.Guest: Dr. Pawan Anand is a Forbes Technology Council member, executive doctorate from Temple University, and senior technology executive specializing in Generative AI, agentic automation, and digital engineering. Find him on LinkedIn and Forbes.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pawan-anand/Forbes Council: https://councils.forbes.com/profile/Pawan-Anand-Associate-Vice-President-Communications-Media-Technology-Persistent-Systems/0199c7f4-1f9b-41cc-b8cd-a7e50fa01b6bGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Most founders building with AI agents are thinking about one thing: functionality. Can it do the thing? Can I automate this? Can I scale that?What they're not thinking about is what happens when it goes wrong.Logan Kelly is the CEO of Waxell AI; a governance and observability platform built to control agents running in production. He's an operator turned founder who learned firsthand that autonomy without guardrails doesn't scale. So he built the infrastructure to fix it.In this episode of Growth Department, Logan breaks down why governance is the missing layer in most agentic AI stacks; and why putting it in place before your first incident is the only move that makes sense.You'll learn:The difference between observability and governance; and why you need bothHow AI agents can be hacked through context poisoning and rug pull attacksWhy your agentic chatbot is an attack surface most founders aren't protectingHow to prevent a thousand dollar API bill from appearing overnightWhy governance should sit above your agents, not inside themHow to scale agent infrastructure without replacing your peopleWhether you're a founder just getting started with AI agents or a leader ready to operationalize them across your business, this episode will change how you think about what it means to deploy AI safely.🔗 Follow Logan and learn more about Waxell → waxell.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/logankkelly/Check out his favorite podcast: Behind the Bastards🎧 Subscribe to Growth Department on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 🌐 More from Growth Department → growthdepartment.comGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Cien Solon bootstrapped Launch Lemonade with 1.5 people, reached 150 countries and 7,000 users without a single dollar of funding, and just closed her pre-seed round with 8,000 experts already building on her platform.She did it by doing exactly what she teaches: scaling with AI agents instead of headcount.As an AI founder, Techstars mentor, trainer, and investor, Cien is on a mission to make sure every entrepreneur and business owner gets to participate in the AI economy. Her tagline says it all: no one gets left behind.In this episode of Growth Department, Cien breaks down what it actually looks like to build and scale a business with AI agents; no technical background required.You'll learn:Why 99% of the world is still on the same AI learning curve as you; and why that's great newsThe single most important question to ask before adding an AI agent to your businessHow to decide when to hire a human vs. deploy an AI agentHow business roles are shifting from executors to orchestrators of AIHow to keep your team aligned when every department is experimenting with agentsWhy building in public is still the cheapest and most effective way to find customersWhether you're a founder trying to figure out where AI fits, a business leader preparing your team for what's coming, or someone who just wants to understand what's actually possible, this conversation will give you the clarity and confidence to take the next step.🎧 Subscribe to Growth Department on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 🔗 Follow Cien on socials and search Human in the Machine for her podcast and Substack. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cienandaiIG:  https://www.instagram.com/cienandaiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ciensolon/Substack: https://humanandthemachine.substack.com/🍋 Check out Launch Lemonade → launchlemonade.ai 📖 Her reading Recommendation:  The Coming Wave https://the-coming-wave.com/🌐 More from Growth Department → growthdepartment.comGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Most business owners think growth means more top line revenue. More revenue means more salespeople. More salespeople means more problems.Greg Stanley has spent over 30 years watching that equation fail.With strategy and revenue responsibility for over $325 million at PwC, and now as founder of Accelerant Consultants and adjunct professor of sales leadership at Butler University, Greg has seen what actually separates companies that scale from companies that just get busier.The answer isn't volume. It's value. And there's a framework for building it.In this episode of Growth Department, Greg breaks down why chasing top line revenue is killing your margins; and what to optimize for instead.You'll learn:The difference between an income-based org and a value-based org; and why most companies are building the wrong oneThe four pillars of an optimized revenue function and what happens when even one is missingWhy your highest volume customer might actually be destroying your profitabilityHow to lead a B2B sales team toward outcomes instead of activityWhen to fix your revenue strategy before you ever think about adding headcountIf you're a B2B founder or revenue leader who's tired of chasing volume and ready to build something valuable and transferable, this episode is required listening.🎧 Subscribe to Growth Department on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. 🔗 Connect with Greg: at Accelerant Consultants: https://www.accelerantconsultants.com/on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-stanley/On Mike Weinberg's Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-sales-compensation-aligned-with-strategy-and/id1538657842?i=1000692992225🌐 More from Growth Department → growthdepartment.comGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

What if your next hire wasn't a "Human Employee"?After two B2B exits, Amos Bar-Joseph is done with the "growth at all cost" playbook. The one that has you raising millions before you know who you're selling to, scaling headcount before you have product-market fit, and building a B2B company too bloated to maneuver when the market shifts.Now, as Co-Founder & CEO of Swan, he's building something different: the autonomous business model. Three co-founders. 200+ customers. Millions in pipeline generated mostly by one person writing social content on the internet and letting AI agents handle the rest. His mission is to hit $30M ARR without ever throwing bodies at a scaling problem; proving that revenue per human employee, not just adding headcount, is the real growth metric.In this episode, Amos breaks down exactly how founders and B2B revenue leaders can stop bolting AI onto broken go-to-market processes and start scaling with intelligence instead of headcount.You'll learn:Why 90% of AI GTM implementations fail; and the two root causes behind itThe "zone of genius" framework for deciding what your humans should own vs. what AI agents should automateWhy replacing humans with AI is a losing bet; and what the second wave of AI companies is doing differentlyHow lean teams can get started with AI even when there's no time to figure it outWhy brand is now your most important competitive moat in an AI-native worldWhether you're a founder trying to do more with less, a B2B revenue leader building a smarter go-to-market motion, or just trying to understand where this is all heading; this one is required listening.🎧 Subscribe to Growth Department on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.🔗 Follow Amos on LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/amos-bar-joseph🤖 Check out Swan → getswan.com🌐 More from Growth Department → growthdepartment.comAlso, check out the podcast that Amos mentions here: https://youtu.be/13CZPWmke6A?si=5ssfQnfbDTWYM2KLGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

When your messaging is unclear, it shows up everywhere. In sales calls. In hiring. In customer churn.In this episode, Chelsey sits down with Amanda Rabideau, messaging expert and Founder and CEO of Promanda, to break down the difference between positioning and messaging, why unclear messaging creates internal friction, and how it quietly costs companies customers after the sale. With two decades of experience shaping brand narratives, Amanda shares what she calls the “zero-to-one messaging problem” and why most teams skip this work until it’s already slowing them down.Inside the conversation:The difference between positioning and messaging and why both matterHow unclear messaging creates confusion inside your team and in the marketWhy founders avoid messaging work and what it’s really costing themHow to test your messaging without spending moneyWhy AI can help but won’t replace human insightMessaging is not copywriting. It’s the foundation everything else builds on. When your team is aligned and your story is clear, growth becomes simpler.About Our GuestAmanda W. Rabideau is the Founder and CEO of Promanda, an AI-powered messaging platform designed to help professionals solve the zero-to-one messaging problem. With two decades of experience in go-to-market strategy and brand storytelling, she has helped startups and established companies turn complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives that drive growth. Amanda built Promanda to give marketers, consultants, and agencies the structure and strategic clarity needed to align teams and confidently bring powerful stories to life.You can find her here:LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandarabideau/Promanda.ai website (there's a trial!) - https://www.promanda.ai/Subscribe to Growth Department and share this episode with a founder who’s ready to sharpen their message and scale with confidence.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Marketing is shifting faster than most teams can process. AI is automating the mechanics. Performance channels are more crowded than ever. And founders are asking the same question: what actually creates durable advantage now?In this episode, Chelsey sits down with Anthony Kennada to unpack what he learned building the Customer Success category at Gainsight, why category creation is harder than people admit, and why he believes the next era of marketing belongs to brands that embrace what machines cannot replicate. From conferences that built movements to the 95–5 rule and the rise of analog experiences, this conversation connects the dots between strategy, storytelling, and staying human in an AI-driven world.You’ll walk away with practical insight on:What category creation really requires and when it makes senseHow to build trust with the 95% of buyers who are not ready yetWhy 80% of marketing may be automated and what remainsWhat Brand Humanity means for founders and CMOsHow smaller companies can compete without massive budgetsIf you’re building, repositioning, or preparing for the next shift in marketing, this one is worth your time.About Anthony KennadaAnthony is a B2B marketer who believes business brands should feel human. As the first Head of Marketing at Gainsight, he helped build the Customer Success category and scale the company from early stage to over $100M in ARR and a $1.1B acquisition. He later served as CMO at Front and Hopin, founded AudiencePlus, and now leads Goldenhour, a movement helping founders and CMOs put Brand Humanity into practice.LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/akennada/X:  https://x.com/akennadaInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/akennadaAnthony's site: https://www.kennada.com/goldenhour website:  https://goldenhour.net/Check out Anthony's podcast, Brand Humanity:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brand-humanity-show/id1830643380Thank you for listening! If you liked the ep, we'd love to have you along for the ride! You can subscribe, follow, and share with a founder who is thinking about the future of their brand.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Even world-class products can struggle when buyers don’t know where to place them. In this episode, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with globally renowned positioning expert, April Dunford, to unpack why great products get ignored and how positioning, when done well, sets the context that makes value instantly obvious.April shares how she defines positioning, why it’s more than messaging, and how misaligned context can flatten even the strongest product story. Drawing from her work with hundreds of technology companies and the expanded edition of Obviously Awesome, she breaks down what founders and leaders need to decide before they ever touch a positioning exercise, and how to avoid the traps that slow teams down or send them back to square one.You’ll hear practical guidance on how positioning evolves as products ship faster, markets change, and competitors multiply, plus how to know when it’s time to revisit your positioning and when to leave it alone.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why positioning is about context, not clever messagingThe critical decisions to make before starting any positioning workHow to choose between head-to-head, big fish small pond, or category creation strategiesWhen positioning should change and when it should stay putWhat founders often miss when positioning for customers versus investorsIf this conversation resonates, follow or subscribe for more leadership-focused conversations on growth, positioning, and building products people understand and love.About our Guest:April Dunford is the world's foremost authority on product positioning. As a consultant, April helps companies make complex products easy to understand and love. After a 25-year career as a VP of Marketing at various rapidly developing technology firms, she has consulted with 300 technology companies, including Google, Epic Games, Postman, and others. April is the acclaimed author of the best-selling book, "Obviously Awesome," which delves into the art of positioning, and the newly released, "Sales Pitch," which unveils the secrets to crafting a winning sales narrative in the market.April's Website: https://www.aprildunford.com/SubStack:  https://aprildunford.substack.com/Follow her on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprildunford/Follow her on IG:  https://www.instagram.com/aprildunfordHer Book, "Obviously Awesome!"Her fun book she's reading right now: Children of TimeGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Category design shows up in a lot of founder conversations, but few teams understand how to actually use it. In this episode, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Jason Wellcome to define what category design is, why it matters, and how it helps companies shape markets instead of competing inside them.Jason brings nearly two decades of experience working with global brands, high-growth startups, and category-defining teams behind Play Bigger. Together, we break down why competing on “better” leads to incremental progress, while designing for “different” creates leverage, belief, and long-term market leadership.This conversation explores the traps of existing markets, the role of leadership conviction in category creation, and what it actually takes to align a company around a new point of view. If you’re building something that doesn’t fit neatly into today’s boxes, this episode will help you rethink how you frame the problem, the market, and your position within it.In this episode, you’ll learn:What category design is and the specific problem it solvesWhy positioning alone keeps companies anchored to existing marketsHow founders unintentionally fall into the existing market trapWhy leadership belief and commitment matter more than tacticsWhen creating a new category makes sense, and when it doesn’tSubscribe to the Growth Department podcast for conversations with founders and operators shaping what comes next. If this episode sharpened your thinking, share it with someone navigating growth and market positioning right now.Connecting with Jason:https://www.linkedin.com/in/wellcome/https://www.playbigger.com/ (lots of resources and their newsletter ^ here)Also mentioned: What Jason's listening to and reading these dayshttps://libraryofminds.com/https://www.bg2pod.com/Monetizing Innovation bookGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

We started this podcast in July 2025 with a bold goal: Hit 50 episodes by the end of the yearWhy? Ambitious goals can help you figure things out faster. I had to learn how to Do. The. Thing. and not let my fear or shyness get in the way. The purpose of the podcast is to bring true, trusted, vetted business advice and leadership advice to the world, where more and more ai slop and hype messaging is sending founders in dangerous, costly misdirections. Plus, it is a blast to geek out on topics and meet cool founders and operators from all over the world!What Happened? As I went through these 6 mos, I learned a great deal from all the guests, and I've been able to apply these lessons to the podcast along the way.What Were the Lessons? When we pull all the transcripts from the 49 guest episodes, common themes emerged. We analyzed the number of times words and phrases came up, categorized the "mistakes" and "wins", and put together this short and sweet episode to summarize.1. Lack of effort isn't getting in your way of growth. Likely lack of scalable systems is likely at the heart of that slowing down or stalling you're feeling.2. Alignment is crucial for growth. Not only does each role and piece of your business need clear systems, they need to be rowing in the same direction (or towards the same targets) as your other teams and pieces of the business. Misalignment can sneak up on you. If you're just a hair's width off track in a space ship, you may wake up one day in the wrong galaxy.  3. Leadership growth (mindset, skills), is not to be ignored. Get a coach, get a therapist, work on your limiting beliefs. Many leaders we interviewed had "aha!" moments when they realized "oh boy, I AM THE PROBLEM". What's Next?You can enjoy all of 2025's episodes and articles anytime you'd like. Refer back to all these different topics whenever you feel stuck.In 2026, we are going to do deep dives into specific topics, one per month starting in February. Our first topic is Category Design & Go To Market (defining each, IDing how they overlap/differences, and meeting people who wrote the book on AND are living examples of each of these through their career success)Thank you for continuing to join us here. A like, subscribe, or share helps others find us, and I appreciate it very much. If you have any topics you're interested in or challenges you want us to unpack in 2026, shoot us a note at [email protected] New Year, and see you next time!xoChelseyGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Consistency is rarely flashy. It's little actions you take again and again (even if boring or hard), and finally... momentum clicks. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down again with Dee Henry, founder of The Sales Loft and creator of Boundaries, to unpack what actually happened after her layoff story went viral.Dee returns to share how “The Great Lock In” became her personal operating system for growth. From building two businesses at once to landing brand partnerships with companies like Microsoft and Coursera, this conversation is about what happens when you pair courage with structure and let sales math do the heavy lifting.You will hear how Dee turned consistency into a competitive advantage, why community from the internet outpaced expectations from real life, and how Boundaries evolved from a personal need into a startup built to help founders with ADHD protect their time, energy, and revenue.This episode is for founders, operators, and creators who want proof that steady action compounds faster than motivation alone.What you’ll learn in this episode:How “The Great Lock In” created momentum across content, sales, and speakingWhy consistency beats intensity when building a startup and a personal brandHow Dee balanced a consulting business while self-funding a SaaS productThe role community played in accelerating confidence and opportunityHow to turn overwhelm into systems that support growthWhere to find Dee:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deidremhenry/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deidreofficialThreads: https://www.threads.com/@deidreofficialInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/deidreofficial/Thanks for listening! We have one more episode in 2025, and are so happy you chose to come on this journey with us.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Successful growth depends on more than new technology or big initiatives. It depends on people. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Scott Sheinbaum, Founder and Senior Managing Partner at Anthros Partners, to unpack what truly drives adoption and ROI during organizational change.Scott brings nearly three decades of consulting experience, having led transformation initiatives at firms like KPMG, IBM, Wipro, and Cognizant. His work spans ERP implementations, digital transformations, mergers and acquisitions, and operating model shifts. Across it all, Scott is known for his servant leadership mindset and pragmatic, business-first approach to change.In this conversation, Scott explains why most transformation efforts stall, how leaders can reduce change fatigue, and what it takes to get teams bought in from day one. He also shares why change management should be part of every organization’s operating rhythm, not something brought in after problems appear.If you’re planning a major system rollout, introducing AI, or navigating multiple initiatives at once, this episode will help you lead change that actually sticks.What you’ll learn in this episodeWhy people, not technology, determine whether change succeedsHow leaders can spot early warning signs of poor adoptionPractical ways to reduce change fatigue and burnoutThe role managers play in building trust and alignmentHow to connect transformation efforts directly to ROILearn more and connect with Scott here:Anthros Partners Website: https://anthrospartners.com/Scott's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsheinbaum/Subscribe to the Growth Department podcast for conversations that help founders and executives scale with clarity, alignment, and confidence.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Strong leadership does not start in the boardroom. It starts at home, with the personal systems that create clarity, confidence, and calm. Are you taking care of yourself first?In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with financial advisor Jessica Scola, CFP®, to talk about the five personal finance systems every leader needs in place. This conversation is practical, human, and refreshingly shame free. Jessica brings her experience as a former Big Four CPA and her lived experience through major life transitions to help leaders simplify their financial lives so they can show up stronger for their teams, families, and futures.Rather than focusing only on wealth or retirement, this episode walks through the foundational systems that reduce stress, free up mental bandwidth, and support better decision making at work and at home.What you’ll learn in this episodeThe five essential financial systems that support clear, confident leadershipWhy estate planning and insurance matter at every income levelHow an emergency fund changes the way leaders make decisionsWhat an annual financial review should actually includeHow removing shame from money conversations creates momentum and calmThis episode is a must listen for anyone who wants their personal finances to support the life and leadership they are building and maybe has been kicking that can down the road long enough.Where you can find Jessica:www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaaikenscolainstagram & facebook: @[email protected] Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Get ready to rethink how you lead, hire, and scale for remote businesses. On this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Dennis “DM” Meador returns to share the mindset and systems that helped him grow the Legal Podcast Network to nearly 60 remote team members in under two years.Dennis is the founder of The Legal Podcast Network and a nationally recognized expert in legal marketing. With more than 25 years of experience helping law firms grow with clarity and credibility, he brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial vision and bold creative strategy. His company helps attorneys build authority-driven podcasts that attract ideal clients and elevate their reputation, and his leadership philosophy reflects the same mix of innovation and simplicity.You will hear how he builds trust across global teams, why delegation starts with knowing your metrics that matter, and how culture becomes the backbone of a high performing service business. If you are a founder aiming to scale without burning out, this conversation will feel like a reset button.What you’ll learn in this episode: • How life flow leadership helps you delegate with confidence • The simple metrics Dennis uses to unblock departments and grow faster • Why culture determines whether your customers stick around • How remote teams can outperform traditional companies • A fresh way to think about failure by replacing it with lessonsFollow DM here: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismeador/Legal Podcast Network: https://www.thelegalpodcastnetwork.com/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Culture can feel fuzzy and unimportant until it starts to cost you growth, people, and momentum. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, we turn culture into something you can actually design, measure, and manage.Strategic growth and M&A executive Matthew Person returns to unpack his concept of constrained independence and his Square Management System, a practical way to align structure, strategy, and behavior as you scale. He explains why the best companies are the most aligned, how misalignment quietly builds over years, and what leaders can do right now to create a culture where people know exactly how far they can run with their own ideas.What you will learn in this episode:How constrained independence defines the real culture inside your companyThe four sides of the Square Management System and how they shape alignmentHow to diagnose misalignment using simple, repeatable questions and assessmentsThe hidden costs of culture drift and inconsistent standards across departmentsPractical ways any leader or individual contributor can start tightening alignment todayYou will also hear Matthew’s stories from turning around underperforming organizations, why “best place to work” labels can be misleading, and how executives can stop copying other companies and design a system that actually fits their own business. This is a playbook style conversation that will help you see your company with fresh eyes and give you language you can use with your leadership team this week.About the guest: Matthew Person is a strategic growth and M&A executive with nearly twenty five years of experience leading operations, GTM strategy, and global integrations. He is the Founder and CEO of Town Square Advisors and the creator of the Square Management System. His forthcoming book, The Culture of Alignment, expands this work into a practical guide for leaders who want to design aligned, scalable companies.Here are some links we chatted about, including the square!Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdperson/About Square Mgmt System: https://townsquare-advisors.com/services/square-management-systemGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

The creative world is evolving fast, and the leaders who know how to blend branding, culture, and strategic thinking are the ones shaping what comes next. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Jesse Vuona, a multi versed digital creative director and cofounder of Fresh, a boutique agency trusted by brands like Adidas, New Balance, Converse, Panera, Foxwoods, NCAA, and YMCA.Jesse brings a rare mix of conceptual thinking, visual design, UX expertise, and real world agency experience from his years at Mullen Advertising. He is also a musician with international touring experience, which adds its own spark to the way he approaches creative problem solving. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why branding goes far beyond logos How culture shapes the way your brand shows up in the world AI - gloom and doom or exciting future for creatives?The new skills creative professionals need in a tech driven eraHow leaders can partner better with internal and external creative teamsWhat the future of creative work may look like in the next five to ten yearsALSO- if you're newer to the creative field, Jesse packs in tons of advice for getting started and landing your first job.You can learn more about Jesse and his team at freshsince2015.com or Connect with him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/jessevuona (if we all friend him, will he start using it?!?)Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Leaders everywhere are rethinking how they show up for their teams. This conversation with Julia Rock brings clarity to what modern leadership really requires. Her philosophy is simple: Leadership isn’t complicated, it’s just hard, and small daily actions create the culture your people feel every day.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Julia shares how clarity, consistency, connection, courage, and celebration shape engaged teams and healthy workplaces. You’ll hear how to spot early signs of burnout, why micromanagement often comes from a leader’s own self-doubt, and how to create a culture where people feel seen, supported, and motivated to do their best work.What you’ll learn in this episode: • Why uncomplicated leadership gets better results • How the five C’s create stronger teams and better culture • What burnout looks like for both employees and leaders • How to reset expectations through simple, honest conversations • Practical steps you can take today to improve your leadership styleAbout the GuestJulia C. Rock is a keynote speaker, leadership consultant, and certified executive coach dedicated to uncomplicating leadership and eliminating burnout from the modern workplace. With a rich background as a former senior finance leader in the oil and gas industry, Julia has successfully managed and scaled global teams, navigating and overcoming challenges like burnout, disengagement, and inequality. Her personal journey has empowered her to coach and mentor over 1,000 professionals and leaders in building meaningful and fulfilling careers.Company Website: https://rockcareer.com/Speaker Booking Website: https://www.thejuliarock.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-rock/Substack: https://leaduncomplicated.substack.com/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_thejuliarockInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejuliarock/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Build faster. Spend less. Keep control. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey and no-code expert Xan Hong, founder of Drive Phase Consulting, reveal how founders ship MVPs in weeks, connect tools with APIs, and launch AI agents that act like real team members.You’ll hear how Xan built his first app to track an ice cream truck with his daughter and how that moment turned into a thriving consulting business helping founders create software without a single line of code. He shares how to think about vendor lock, when to use no-code for internal tools, and where AI fits into the next wave of innovation.About the Guest Xan Hong is the founder of Drive Phase Consulting, where he helps companies turn their ideas into real products with no-code tools like Bubble.io, WeWeb, Xano, and Go High Level. As one of the first 100 certified Bubble developers globally, Xan blends technical expertise with practical business strategy to help founders move from concept to launch with speed and confidence.What you’ll learn in this episodeHow to validate and ship an MVP in a fraction of the timeWhen to replace a SaaS tool and when to extend it with APIsThe real cost math for bringing software in-house with no-codeSecurity basics that protect your data and your usersWhere AI-generated code helps and where AI agents create leverageYou can find Xan here:Website: https://www.drivephase.coFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/drivephasecoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drivephaseco/PLUS! If you want to test an outbound sales agent, you can submit your contact info here to test the outbound agent and the agent will call you:  https://marketing.drivephase.co/ai-agent-demo.Current functionality- schedule an appointment, reschedule an existing appointment, and cancel an existing appointment, questions about Drive Phase Consulting, and then a default agent just takes information to get back to person if relevant.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Ethical persuasion is not slick sales tactics or trickery. Ethical persuasion is a super power that unlocks how people truly make decisions and how to communicate in ways that feel genuine for everyone involved.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Patrick Van Der Burght, a Cialdini Certified Trainer and co-author of How to Hear Yes More Often. Patrick shares the science of ethical persuasion, explaining why most of our decisions come from intuition, not logic, and how you can use these insights to sell, lead, and influence with integrity.Chelsey and Patrick explore Daniel Kahneman’s groundbreaking research, the seven universal principles of persuasion, and how to inspire action in a way that builds long-term trust. You will come away with a stronger understanding of how to communicate with purpose and authenticity.What you’ll learn in this episode:The difference between persuasion and manipulationHow “System 1 and System 2” thinking shapes every decision your customers makeThe seven universal principles of persuasion and how to use them ethicallyWhy credibility and precision build more trust than hype ever couldHow to create lasting success through ethical influenceAbout the GuestPatrick Van Der Burght is a Cialdini Certified Trainer in Ethical Persuasion, speaker, and co-author of How to Hear YES More Often. With a background in real estate, aviation, retail, and health, he has trained sales teams and executives across industries to communicate with integrity and convert more effectively using the science of human decision-making.Patrick is a Founding Member of the Cialdini Institute and has been personally endorsed by Dr. Robert Cialdini. Through his company EthicalPersuasion.com.au, he helps individuals and organizations master ethical influence while advocating for young adults to learn these life-changing skills early.Follow Patrick here:Website: https://ethicalpersuasion.com.au/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ethicalpersuasionLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-van-der-burght/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ethicalpersuasion/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethical_persuasion/ Twitter: https://x.com/yesmoreoften TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ethicalpersuasionBook: https://yesmoreoften.com/ FREE Give-Away: Downloadable e-book (no email required, just download), and/or 7-day Influence Challenge: https://ethicalpersuasion.com.au/free-influence-persuasion/ Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Curious about AI but short on time? This episode of the Growth Department podcast gives leaders and operators a plain-English playbook. Chelsey sits down with AI engineering leader and author Sairam Sundaresan to unpack what actually moves the needle. No jargon. Just practical wins you can plug into your business this week.You will hear how Sairam thinks about AI literacy for leaders, why simple tools beat shiny toys, and where agents fit in. He also shares a 30-minutes-a-day routine to build real capability without hiring a full team. His new book, AI For The Rest Of Us, is packed with hand-drawn illustrations and clear examples. We link it below.About Sairam SundaresanSairam is one of LinkedIn’s top AI creators and a global thought leader in practical AI adoption. He leads teams building computer vision systems that help machines understand the world, and his work has been featured in Forbes and WIRED. Beyond the lab, he’s helping business leaders make sense of AI through his newsletter Gradient Ascent and his new book AI For The Rest Of Us, designed to help non-technical professionals learn AI in plain English.What you’ll learn in this episodeA simple way to spot hype versus real value in AI so you invest wisely.How to map a workflow and use AI to remove repetitive steps.What AI agents are and when they outperform basic chat.Smart privacy habits for small teams without enterprise contracts.A daily 30-minute practice that compounds into serious leverage.Follow Sairam:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sairam-sundaresan/Read AI for the Rest of Us:https://www.amazon.com/AI-Rest-Us-Illustrated-Introduction/dp/B0F29THNLTGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Modern buyers are tuning out the cold pitch, so smart founders and sales leaders are changing how they sell.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Joe Candido, founder of Fifth Element Associates and best selling author of Leadership Selling, to explore how sales leaders can ditch outdated tactics and start leading with outcomes that matter.Joe breaks down why traditional selling is dead, what it means to “sell to leaders,” and how the best sales teams are closing more deals with trust, curiosity, and connection. He also shares how AI can actually improve the human side of selling when used the right way (no slop, please).If you’ve ever wondered how to transform your sales team from transactional and "dialing for dollars" into a truly relationship-driven team, this one’s for you.What you’ll learn in this episode:How founders can drive results without old-school pitchingWhy relationships outperform cold calls every timeThe four stages of Leadership Selling (and how to apply them)How to use AI for smarter prospecting and stronger relationshipsWhy top sales teams focus on performance, not just enablement tools💡 Subscribe to the Growth Department podcast for more leader-focused conversations that help you grow smarter and lead stronger.About Joe CandidoFounder, Sales Consultant, and Author of Leadership SellingJoe leads Fifth Element Associates and Executive Crash Course, helping CEOs, business owners, and sales leaders build high-performing, customer-centric sales organizations. His team has worked across telecommunications, healthcare, and more—driving growth through strategy, leadership, and real-world performance.Learn more and get the book at www.leadership-selling.com Follow Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-candido/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

You don’t need a massive following to see real results on LinkedIn. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with Kayla Ihrig, founder of Writing From Nowhere, to uncover how entrepreneurs can grow their visibility and revenue on LinkedIn with just 30 minutes a day.Kayla shares her best strategies for clear positioning, daily engagement, and creating content that builds genuine relationships instead of chasing algorithms. Whether you’ve avoided LinkedIn because it feels awkward or you’re ready to show up more consistently, this conversation will help you step confidently onto the digital dance floor.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to curate your feed so LinkedIn feels like the right room to be inWhy commenting is the secret growth engine most people overlookHow to update your profile so it attracts real opportunities (and media features!)The types of posts that actually build connection and engagementHow to make the most of your 30 minutes a day on LinkedInFolks Kayla recommends following: Nausheen I. Chen (public speaking/communication)Rahul Choudhary (email marketing) Zoe Ashbridge (SEO) Jasmin (Jay) Alić (LinkedIn/copywriting)Amelia Sordell (LinkedIn/personal branding) Nick Broekema (content design) Prakhar Sharma (LinkedIn) Shoaib Ahmed (personal branding) Magali De Reu (paid speaking) Matt Barker (LinkedIn) Rana EL Arnaout (LinkedIn)Phil Shorland (storytelling) Lyssa Jackson (personal branding)Alefiya Khoraki (copywriting) Najma D Abdi (content creation) Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

AI is changing marketing fast. Wes Towers used it to rebuild Uplift 360 and create the most profitable year in company history, all while doubling down on authenticity. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey and Wes break down the systems, content, and team moves that let a boutique agency serve construction brands at a higher level.You will learn how Uplift 360 helps builders, trades, and materials companies show up in AI overviews and search. Wes walks through their shift to “search everywhere optimization,” why human touch points matter more than ever, and how simple founder-led content can outperform polished campaigns. If you lead a growing business and want AI to amplify your team rather than replace it, this conversation will give you a clear path.What you’ll learn in this episode:Practical ways to plug AI into your website workflow without losing authenticity.A framework for search everywhere optimization across Google, LLMs, and social discovery.Content plays that build trust, including voice guides, founder profiles, and rough project reels.How to retool WordPress stacks and SOPs so projects ship faster and sales stay steady.Guest: Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360. Uplift 360 specializes in high performing websites for construction related businesses; offerings include bespoke design and development, ongoing enhancements, targeted SEO, UX improvements, and full website audits.You can reach out to him and follow his team here:https://uplift360.com.au/https://www.facebook.com/Uplift360Aushttps://x.com/uplift_360https://www.instagram.com/uplift_360/https://www.linkedin.com/in/westowers/https://www.tiktok.com/@westowersPS- here's the Australian Football team's website we were chatting about! https://www.geelongcats.com.au/If you enjoy conversations like this, subscribe to the channel and share the episode with a founder friend. For growth tools and services, visit GrowthDepartment.comGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Every founder and executive leader wants a high-performing team. But when cracks start to form in your company culture, performance and retention take the hit.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Janice Brathwaite, CEO & founder of Workplace Transformations, creator of the Workplace Transformation Method™, and an expert in helping organizations diagnose and repair cultural breakdowns before they turn into business problems.With over 17 years in healthcare and 10 years consulting with for-profit companies, Janice has guided leaders to identify hidden “culture debt,” rebuild trust, and create workplaces that attract and sustain top talent. Her five-pillar process—Diagnose, Align, Attract, Activate, and Sustain—has helped organizations nationwide move from surviving to thriving.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to spot the early warning signs of culture cracks before they widenWhy communication and recognition are the twin engines of healthy teamsHow leaders can earn genuine buy-in and psychological safety across levelsThe five-step framework for transforming workplace culture with intentionWhy outside assessments can help you see what’s hiding under the rugMeet our guest:You can find Janice online on her website, LinkedIn, facebook, and instagram! Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Clean data. Clear revenue. Is this dream-come-true world in a CRM possible?In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Jasz Joseph, Founder & HubSpot Strategist, human-centered growth advocate, and connector of people and opportunities. Jasz shares how lean teams can get more from HubSpot without adding more complexity.After years working for top HubSpot partner agencies, Jasz saw a pattern she couldn’t ignore. Companies were investing thousands in HubSpot and other marketing tech but weren’t seeing results. So in 2021, she launched her own consultancy with a mission to fix that. Today, she helps growth-minded teams turn messy CRMs into revenue machines through clarity, accountability, and strategy that actually drives sales.You’ll hear how to:Move from spreadsheets to a fully functioning CRMKeep data clean without burning out your teamCreate automations that nurture prospects while you focus on closingBuild dashboards that prove ROI in real dollarsIntegrate AI tools that make selling faster and smarterJasz shares real client stories, from small startups to $11M teams, showing how targeted automations generated an extra $1M in revenue. Chelsey adds a founder’s perspective on scaling with HubSpot—turning a small team and a clear system into exponential growth.If you’ve ever felt like your CRM is just a spreadsheet with better branding, this episode will show you how to make it work for you.✨ Learn more about Jasz at www.jaszrae.com 📈 Subscribe for weekly founder-focused growth playbooks. 🌐 Explore more at  GrowthDepartment.comGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

What if we could prove that prioritizing inclusion = a more profitable way to run your business?In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey talks with Joseph Santana, executive advisor, inclusion strategist, and host of the ERG PowerTalk® Podcast. Together, they explore how companies can move inclusion beyond HR checklists and turn it into a measurable business advantage.Joe is the Chairman of the CDO PowerCircle and a trusted advisor to executives from companies that collectively generate nearly one trillion dollars in revenue. As a former line executive with multimillion-dollar P&L responsibility, he led inclusion across a 65,000-person enterprise and helped unlock hundreds of millions in revenue while strengthening culture and reducing costs.Through his coaching and development programs for DEI leaders, Joe equips executives to connect inclusion directly to business outcomes. His approach turns inclusion into a true center of excellence that drives growth, efficiency, and shareholder value.What you’ll learn in this episode:How inclusion directly impacts retention, innovation, and revenueWays to measure the business ROI of inclusive practicesHow to build an inclusion strategy that earns C-suite supportThe key differences between performative DEI and purposeful inclusionWhy inclusion belongs at the center of your business, not just in HR🎙️ Guest: Joseph Santana Executive Advisor | Inclusion Strategist | Chairman, CDO PowerCircle | Host, ERG PowerTalk® Podcast🔗 Connect with Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesantana/#dei #inclusiveworkforce #profitableGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

When culture feels confusing, growth stalls. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey sits down with organizational strategist and author Matthew Person to unpack why so many company cultures quietly break down and how his “Square Management System” helps leaders create alignment, trust, and scalable clarity.Matthew brings nearly 25 years of experience helping companies create and capture enterprise value. He’s the creator of the proprietary Square Management System, and author of the upcoming book The Culture of Alignment. Matt has led global M&A strategy for high-growth SaaS businesses in addition to a decade in executive management for professional sports franchises, and he built his career around designing organizations that perform at their best.Matthew introduces a concept he calls constrained independence: the idea that the most effective teams know exactly how much freedom they have to innovate, decide, and act. The result? Happier employees, faster decisions, and cultures that actually scale.What you’ll learn in this episode:How most “culture programs” miss the mark — and what to do insteadWhy alignment is the foundation of high performanceThe four sides of the “culture box” that keep teams moving fast and in syncHow constrained independence creates trust and clarity at scaleWhy intentionally designing your culture fuels growthIf you're wondering how to start designing your company culture, this conversation offers creative ideas and simple steps to take to get started.Follow Matt Person:LinkedIn  |   TownSquare Advisors WebsiteGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Growing a transferable business starts with clarity. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Stephen Wolford of Foresight Growth Advisors to explore what it takes to build a company that gives you freedom today and flexibility tomorrow.Stephen shares how to remove owner dependency, improve financial visibility, and strengthen leadership so your business runs smoothly with or without you. You’ll hear how proactive planning turns exit readiness into an everyday strategy that drives both growth and value creation.What you’ll learn in this episode:How clean financials create clarity for decision-making and enterprise valueWays to reduce owner dependency and develop strong leadership teamsA simple gap analysis to align profit, value, and personal wealth goalsHow to scale operations using data, enablement, and cultureWhen to communicate long-term plans with your team and keep key people engagedIf you’re a founder or business owner looking for ways to scale with confidence and plan for the future, this episode is packed with practical advice you can apply today.🎧 Subscribe to the Growth Department podcast for more founder-focused insights. Visit GrowthDepartment.com for resources that help you grow smarter and plan with purpose.About Our GuestStephen Wolford is a growth advisor to lower middle market and SMB business owners. He is a CEPA who brings decades of experience across finance, operations, and go-to-market. Stephen is a former partner within the Microsoft, NetSuite, Sage, and Workday ecosystems. He specializes in turning exit planning into a strategic journey that maximizes enterprise value and aligns with the owner’s vision.Stephen’s methodology connects the personal, financial, and business dimensions of an owner’s life to create a clear roadmap to desired outcomes. Beyond exit planning, he and his team provide Growth Advisory and Execution services that pinpoint high-impact optimization opportunities with strong ROI. They lead assessment, planning, and implementation so owners can stay focused on daily priorities while value-enhancing initiatives move forward.If you’d like to connect, visit https://www.foresightga.com/ or find him on Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenrwolford/Specialties: Exit and succession planning. Exit readiness. Growth strategy and execution. Strategic planning. Finance and accounting. SaaS. Cloud technologies. ERP. CPM. BI. Startup operations. Sales and marketing. Employee performance and well-being. Outsourcing and in-house operations. Project management. Leadership coaching. Business development.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

What if your brand could become the trusted voice your audience looks for first? In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Arias WebsterBerry shares how he built multiple businesses by shifting from random acts of marketing to conversations at scale.He breaks down Social Authority, his blend of smart PR and consistent content, and shows how creative-first thinking gives founders a real growth edge. You’ll hear his incredible journey from homelessness to running arena-sized campaigns and how his systems mindset powers Launch Ignition AI and the Content Cannon method. This conversation is all about structure over stress and growth through clarity.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to build Social Authority with content and third-party validationHow to have real conversations at scale without sounding automatedWhy creative-first campaigns lower CAC and lift conversionHow to use avatars to keep your voice consistent as you growFrameworks that replace firefighting, including Content Cannon and Launch Ignition AIYou’ll walk away with a sharper plan to earn attention, build trust, and scale with confidence.About the GuestArias WebsterBerry is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and trainer dedicated to helping founders grow with structure and confidence. As CEO of WebsterBerry Marketing and Ignite Funnels, he helps businesses scale with smart systems and creative-first marketing.He is also the founder of Launch Ignition: Business Accelerator, where he empowers entrepreneurs to turn ideas into action. Arias is the author of Content Cannon, a practical guide to turning one focused session into a month of high-converting content. His passion is helping African-American businesses rise and thrive through stronger systems, sharper strategies, and stories that build trust.Follow Arias and his teams:WebsterBerry Marketing: https://www.websterberrymarketing.comLaunch Ignition AI: https://www.launchignition.aiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariaswebsterberryInstagram: @AriasWebsterBerryFacebook: Arias WebsterBerryGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Liora Dudar shares how she co-founded Overtone haircare in a kitchen, grew it into a nationally loved, eight-figure e-commerce brand, and led it through a successful exit. Now as a coach, she helps founders navigate how to clarify their mission, set and hold accountability, and lead with resilience. We dig into people-first leadership, values that guide decisions, and the power of learning in public as an entrepreneur. Plus... a cool founder story woven in there!What you’ll learn in this episode:How to turn mission, vision, and values into daily decisions that build trustWhy year three is a pivotal shift from doer to leader and how to communicate at scalePractical ways to reconnect with your business when the spark fadesHow to balance strategy with accountability and repair when things go sidewaysLearn more about Liora's journey from photography and activism, to co-founding and growing a wildly successful haircare company, to coaching other founders on their journeys. Follow her on LinkedIn here.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Budgeting season is here, and it’s more than just numbers in a spreadsheet. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Marcus Rien joins Chelsey Reynolds to walk founders and leadership teams through a practical, people-first approach to building a 2026 budget. From setting sales goals to holding teams accountable, Marcus shares how to create a process that inspires confidence and alignment across the company.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to evaluate this year’s results before planning for 2026Why collaboration between sales, operations, and finance leaders creates stronger budgetsThe risks of sandbagging and how to design incentive programs that motivate performanceHow fractional CPAs and CFOs can sharpen your budget and reduce blind spotsWhy your people, not just your numbers, should be the foundation of every budgetFollow Marcus on LinkedIn hereLearn more about getting part time help with budgeting from WavesCPAs hereGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

What if your company had one number that could keep everyone focused and driving results?In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Lee Benson, serial founder, investor, and creator of the MIND Methodology. With three major exits under his belt, Lee shares how leaders can identify their most important number, align every department to it, and build a culture that creates real value—financial, emotional, and even spiritual.This isn’t theory. Lee has scaled companies from just a handful of employees to hundreds, using practical systems that keep teams accountable, motivated, and clear on what matters most.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to define your most important number and cascade it across every teamThe difference between KPIs and value creationWhy culture and clarity are as measurable as financialsHow the MIND Methodology makes alignment simple for any size companyLearn more about Lee and follow his team here:https://www.etw.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-j-benson/https://www.linkedin.com/company/execute-to-win/https://www.instagram.com/executetowin/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

What happens when a successful corporate HR executive trades in the boardroom for bookshelves, coffee, and community? In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Tenia Davis, PhD, to talk about her bold leap from the C-suite to founding a bookstore café and podcast studio in Homewood, IL.Tenia shares why she walked away from a thriving career in human resources to build a purpose-driven space for conversation, creativity, and connection. She opens up about the risks of leaving behind a secure career, the strategies she used to prepare for entrepreneurship, and why creating community through books and stories is more important than ever.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why Tenia chose to leave a secure C-suite role for entrepreneurshipHow to prepare financially and emotionally for a major career pivotThe importance of community, connection, and storytelling in businessLessons from building a bookstore café, podcast studio, and event space from the ground upWhether you’re dreaming of starting something new or looking for inspiration to finally trust your gut, this conversation will remind you that it’s never too late to follow your passion and build something that matters.You can follow Tenia's Bookstore here: https://www.beyondthebook.online/https://www.instagram.com/beyondthebook_homewood/#For her HR consulting website and books visit:https://www.theleadershipwise.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/teniadavisphd/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

The 2026 planning season is the perfect chance to sharpen your sales strategy and set your team up for a strong year. In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with seasoned Chief Revenue Officer (and now executive sales recruiter) Steve Levitt to share the playbook every sales leader needs to plan, hire, and hit ambitious growth goalsFrom comp plans and hiring filters to culture and consistency, Steve shares hard-won lessons from his career as a CRO and now as an “operator recruiter.” If you’re planning next year’s growth strategy, this conversation gives you a playbook to get ahead of hiring bottlenecks, motivate your team, and keep performance climbing without the burnout.What you’ll learn in this episode:How to design comp plans that drive the right behaviors.Why talent evaluation is as important as pipeline evaluation.The four hiring filters every sales leader should use.How to balance short-term wins with long-term growth.Why culture and consistency are the secret weapons of high-performing sales orgs.You’ll walk away knowing how to evaluate your talent bench, when to add new hires, and why now is the time to start planning for Q1 success.Connect with Steve Levitt on LinkedIn here. Share this episode with any leaders looking to get their numbers right next year.Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

On this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Dr. David S. Cohen, founder of DS Cohen and Associates Group and author of the new book Selecting the Best: Fostering a Workforce Driven by Values for Lasting Success  to explore the art of values-based hiring. Dr. Cohen shares how identifying and hiring for behaviors rooted in authentic company values leads to stronger teams and healthier culture. From defining moments of truth in your organization to crafting behavioral interview questions that reveal real alignment, this conversation gives founders and hiring managers practical tools to make better people decisions.What you’ll learn in this episode:How values and behaviors create predictable, healthy company cultureWhy diversity of thought only works when values are alignedThe role of stories and legends in defining authentic organizational valuesHow to move beyond resumes and identify diamonds missed by applicant tracking systemsPractical steps for building behavioral interviews that protect culture🎧 Listen in to discover how to build a team you can trust and a culture that lasts.Resources in this episode:David's website where you can find free resources and links to his books: https://sagltd.com/Follow David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-s-cohen-0b0191/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

When your business is just starting out, you wear every hat. You sell, you market, you manage operations. But real growth comes when you learn how to delegate with confidence, build authority in your niche, and put scalable systems in place.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Dennis “DM” Meador, a lifelong entrepreneur and marketing strategist who has helped attorneys and business owners create content ecosystems that generate authority and trust. Dennis shares how he went from founder-led sales to a thriving company with 40+ team members, all while keeping culture and clarity at the center.You’ll hear lessons on:Why founder-led sales is critical in the early days and how to refine it into a repeatable processHow to delegate effectively so your team owns their work and your company can scaleWhat it really takes to build authority through podcasting and content marketing that lastsHow to create systems and metrics that keep a remote team motivated and alignedIf you’re ready to scale smarter, not harder, this episode will show you how to build a company that runs on trust, real delegation, and winning culture.Check out the Legal Podcast Network and follow Dennis here:https://twitter.com/legalpodcastnetwork.lawyer https://instagram.com/legalpodcastnetwork.lawyer https://www.facebook.com/legalpodcastnetwork.lawyershttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismeador/https://www.thelegalpodcastnetwork.com/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

What if the fastest way to grow wasn’t fear or control, but compassion? In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Dr. Bruno, TEDx speaker, researcher, and author of The Art of Compassionate Business, joins Chelsey Reynolds to explore how trust, generosity, and empathy create a flywheel of performance that benefits employees, customers, and leaders alike.You’ll hear from his research:why fear-based management backfires, how to build a culture where people actually want to stay, and why serving instead of selling turns customers into your loudest advocates.Whether you’re leading a startup team or scaling a global org, this episode shows why compassion is more than a nice-to-have; it’s a growth strategy.To learn more:Read the Art of Compassionate BusinessVisit: www.brunocignacco.com Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Wendy Jensen spent decades leading corporate teams and strategy in a fast-paced environment at a major internet company. Then she walked away to start something entirely her own— a purpose-driven retail and lifestyle brand rooted in Scandinavian values, family heritage, and genuine human connection.In this episode, Wendy joins host Chelsey Reynolds to share how she left executive leadership to build Scandinavian Hearts, a business that brings joy and meaning into people’s lives through design, storytelling, and intentional growth. They talk about the mindset shifts required to move from corporate leadership to creative entrepreneurship, how to find purpose after burnout, and why it’s okay (and often powerful) to start small and grow on your own terms.Whether you're a founder seeking clarity, a leader ready for reinvention, or a dreamer wondering what’s next, this episode will challenge your assumptions about success and leave you inspired to lead with heart.Topics Covered:Purpose-driven brand strategyCorporate to entrepreneurship transitionsFounder burnout and reinventionScandinavian lifestyle and slow livingBuilding a brand with values and storyFollow Wendy's journey:Wendy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyjangaard/Learn and shop: https://scandinavianhearts.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scandinavianhearts/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScandinavianHearts/Amazon Page:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/Wendy-Jangaard-Jensen/author/B0BJ9QQZX8,Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

When sales, finance, and operations pull in different directions, growth stalls. But when those teams align, momentum builds fast.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Marcus Rien (scratch golfer, COO, and CFO turned founder of Waves CPAs) to explore how founders can create operational clarity, unlock faster decision-making, and build systems that support scale. Marcus unpacks real-world examples of silo breakdowns and shares a powerful model for fractional CFO support that integrates with go-to-market teams.You’ll walk away with insights into cash flow strategy, automation tips, and how to make your numbers actually useful across departments.00:00 The Importance of Alignment in Business Functions03:03 The Role of Finance in Business Success05:07 Implementing Effective Collaboration Strategies07:37 The Integrator's Role in Company Dynamics09:57 Consequences of Misalignment in Departments11:58 The Impact of Overselling on Company Culture14:38 Leveraging Financial Insights for Growth17:31 Creating Accountability Through Data19:56 The Dangers of Fudging Numbers23:14 The Psychology of Sales Teams25:33 Operations and Customer Feedback27:10 Collaboration Across Functions27:47 Financial Performance and Sales Strategy31:32 Balancing Optimism in Forecasting34:19 Cohesion in Business Functions36:33 Aligning Sales, Operations, and FinanceCheck out Waves CPAs here: https://wavescpas.com/Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

In this transformative episode, host Chelsey Reynolds sits down her own coach, Carri Scuba, executive coach and founder of Core Vision Concepts.They dive deep into what coaching really is, how to know if it’s for you, and why more high-achievers are turning to coaching to regain clarity, balance, and power in both work and life.Carri shares her personal journey of walking away from corporate burnout to become a full-time coach, her take on the difference between coaching, therapy, mentoring, and consulting, and how to live from possibility instead of predictability. Whether you're an overwhelmed executive, an aspiring leader, or simply ready to stop living on autopilot, this conversation will help you tap into your own transformation.✨ Topics include:Signs you might benefit from a coachHow to vet a legit (non-scammy) coachOne-on-one vs. group coachingEmotional burnout and work-life imbalanceThe magic of responsibility over victimhoodTools to create change that actually sticksLearn how executive coaching can shift your mindset, elevate your leadership, and bring real, lasting change to your career—and your life.📲 Connect with Carri: CoreVisionConcepts.comOther resources mentioned:International Coaching Federation (ICF)Ceresa Mentoring Intend2Lead Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

Can a business scale without sacrificing the soul of its founder? According to  Rochel Marie Lawson, an Ayurvedic nurse practitioner, wellness entrepreneur, and founder of Blissful Living for You, the answer is yes.In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds and Rochel explore how holistic wellness and energy alignment are not just feel-good extras, but essential tools for long-term success. Drawing from ancient Ayurvedic wisdom, Rochel shows us how business leaders can tap into their unique essence, detox their minds and bodies, and reconnect with purpose at every stage of growth.You’ll learn how dosha types can inform your leadership style, how spiritual micro-practices can help you avoid burnout, and why small daily rituals can unlock more clarity, focus, and profit in your business.Episode Chapters: 00:00 — Intro: Meet the Queen of Feeling Fabulous 02:00 — From ER Nurse to Ayurvedic Practitioner 05:45 — What is Ayurveda and Why Should Founders Care? 10:00 — The Mind-Body-Spirit Connection at Work 13:45 — How to Start a Spiritual Practice Without the Overwhelm 17:20 — Discovering Your Dosha and Aligning with Your Natural Strengths 24:00 — Turning Passion into Profit with Soul-Aligned Strategy 29:45 — Detoxification as a Business Growth Tool 34:10 — How to Lead and Glow: Wellness Tips for Busy Founders 40:00 — Daily Affirmations, Breathwork, and Energy Shifts 44:00 — Rochel’s Advice for Anyone Ready to TransformIf you’ve ever felt stuck, scattered, or out of sync while building your business, this episode will help you reconnect with what matters and realign your energy for sustainable, soulful growth.Want to discover your dosha? Head to blissfulliving4u.com and take Rochel’s free quiz to start your journey.Follow Rochel's journey on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedInGrowth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.

If your business isn’t showing up on Google, you’re missing more than just a few clicks, my dear! In this episode, digital marketing expert Sean Boyle breaks down exactly how to set up and protect your Google Business Profile so you can rank higher, attract local customers, and avoid the dreaded “suspension” message that’s catching even experienced business owners off guard.We cover:Step-by-step instructions for setting up your Google profile correctly (and why it matters)The #1 mistake that gets small businesses suspendedWhat to do right now if your profile gets flagged or taken downHow to build credibility with Google (and your customers) through reviewsThe biggest myths about SEO, map rankings, and Google visibilityHow to prep your business for the future of AI-powered searchWhether you're a brick-and-mortar business, a service provider, or a remote-first company, this episode will help you get found and stay found.🛠 Learn more about Sean’s work: needmomentum.com 📩 Subscribe for more growth tips: growthdepartment.comGuest: Sean Boyle, Co-Founder of Momentum Digital & Momentum 360Growth Department slows the conversation down so founders and business leaders can go further, faster.If this episode helped you think differently, follow the show and share it with someone building alongside you.