ScreamingBox Technology & Business Rundown

Everyone is realizing the opportunities that AI can bring to business, unfortunately this also includes people whose business is taking advantage of other people’s business. Those people are realizing the AI can help them commit their crimes and help them steal millions of dollars.In this podcast Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to look at how AI can be twisted into a force of evil and crime with Guy Morris - Author and IT Executive.Guy is a retired business executive who spent over 38 years in leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies - in software, high-tech, and global energy.This includes senior positions at Microsoft, Oracle, and IBM. He has a background as a thought-leader and innovator in early-stage technologies, including computer modeling and artificial intelligence. Guy is an author of intelligent thrillers and writes about subjects such as AI, national security, and cybersecurity. His upcoming book, The AI Tsunami - A Survival Guide for Humanity, is expected in June 2026. He is also a published songwriter for Disney Records, a patented inventor, and a Coast Guard charter captain.  Timeline Summary:0:00 Introduction to AI and Cybercrime 4:47 Technology and People-Related Risks of AI6:17 Emerging Phishing Tactics and Solutions7:56 Future AI-Related Threats and Solutions12:13 Impact of AI on Jobs and Societal Changes19:23 The Role of Government and Legislation43:39 Public Awareness and Education43:51 Strategic Investments in Cybersecurity45:43 The Future of AI and Ethical Considerations48:38 Conclusion and Call to Action51:30 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Guy Morris = https://www.linkedin.com/in/guybmorris/Website = https://www.guymorrisbooks.com/LONG BIO:Retired from a 38-year executive career with Fortune 100 software, high-tech and global energy, Guy Morris has also been a published song writer for Disney Records, a patented inventor, a Coast Guard charter captain, an adventurer, and now, a self-published author of thrillers. From cartel death threats in Latin America to the shark diving in Moorea – from a Board Room to a recording studio - from child homelessness to corporate jets, Guy pulls from a rich life of diverse experience to write books that thrill, educate, and inspire thoughtful dialogue on genuine issues facing humanity.Since his 2021 debut, Guy has released three pulse-pounding thrillers inspired by true stories, actual technologies, global politics and history. His Kirkus recommended books have earned BookTrib’s Best 25 Books of 2021, Reader’s Favorite Gold and Silver Awards, finalist for IAN Book of the Year, and semi-finalist for Cinematic Book.His articles have been published in SD Voyager and Mystery & Suspense magazines. In early 2022, he formed the non-profit Author Event Network association, where local accomplished authors collaborate to sign books at community events and festivals to engage readers, build platform and sell more books at higher margins. 

Video is now a critical part, if not the most important part of today's online marketing; but today’s algorithms demand more content, more often, just to stay visible. So how do you stand out with original, effective content without burning out or drowning in production demands?In this ScreamingBox Technology and Business Rundown podcast podcast, we are going to look at how AI can help companies generate quality marketing content flows with Lisa Vecchio - Marketing Lead at VEED.Lisa is a global B2B marketing leader who’s spent 20 years - proving that marketing can be bold, human, and genuinely growth-driving. She’s built and scaled SaaS brands across the US, UK, Europe, and Australia, leading go-to-market strategies that unite product, sales, and marketing around meaningful, measurable outcomes. Now, she is leading marketing at VEED, an AI video creation platform built for marketers and entrepreneurs who not only need to go from idea to publishable video in a single workflow - they need to generate a continuous content stream. Examples of Veed in this podcast: AI Generated headshot from image in the beginning intro of the video with voice from text, and all subtitles were done in Veed.Timeline Summary:0:00 Introduction to AI in Business Video Production 2:12 The Journey into Marketing5:49 Impact of AI on Marketing Over the Past Decade7:55 Optimizing Video Content for Search and Discoverability 14:04 Challenges and Best Practices in Video Content Creation 16:38 Workflow and Tools for AI Video Production 22:59 Integration of AI with Automation and Workflow Tools27:15 Future of AI in Video Production 56:17 Veed's Role in Business Video Production 58:37 Outro If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Lisa Vecchio = https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisavecchio/Website = https://www.veed.io/

In this podcast Dave Erickson and his very human co-host Botond Seres, are going to hack their way to understanding AI and Cybersecurity from a development perspective with Nir Valtman - Co-Founder & CEO at ArnicaNir is a security executive whose work has focused on making software security seamless for developers rather than a bottleneck. Before founding Arnica, he led security strategies at Finastra, NCR and Kabbage, and he’s a regular speaker at Black Hat, Defcon, and RSA cyber security events.With 7 patents and several open source projects to his name, Nir brings firsthand experience - bridging enterprise needs and developer-driven security.Nir’s company Arnica, is breaking new ground by embedding security directly into developer workflows, including embedding for AI-generated code. TIMELINE SUMMARY:0:00 Introduction to AI Security and Podcast Overview 1:55 Nir Valtman's Technology Journey and Cybersecurity Insights 3:55 Challenges of AI Code Reviews and Developer Workflows 9:52 Prompts and Security Requirements in AI Development20:12 AI Software Governance Challanges30:43 Implementing AI in Development Teams 40:51 Balancing AI Tools and Developer Preferences 45:26 AI's Impact on Developer Productivity and Security 53:24 Using AI for Writing Secure Code1:00:27 Future of AI in Software Development 1:05:18 Arnica's SDLC Governance Mechanism 1:07:07 Outro If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Nir Valtman = https://www.linkedin.com/in/valtmanir/Website = https://www.arnica.io/ADDITION BIO:Nir is a security executive whose work has focused on making software security seamless for developers rather than a bottleneck. Before founding Arnica, he led security strategies at Finastra, Kabbage (where he was CISO during its acquisition by Amex), and NCR, and he’s a regular speaker at Black Hat, Defcon, and RSA. With 7 patents and several open source projects to his name, Nir brings firsthand experience bridging enterprise needs and developer-driven security.Arnica is breaking new ground by embedding security directly into developer workflows, including for AI-generated code. With tools like Arnie, an agentic enforcer, Arnica enables engineering and AppSec teams to bake security into every stage of development, without trade-offs to speed or collaboration. This approach speaks directly to the future-of-work questions you raised with Ari, connecting innovation, productivity, and security in the age of automated coding.

In this podcast Botond Seres and Dave Erickson discuss A Human Approach to AI Development and Upskilling with Bala Muthiah - Director of Engineering at Lyft. Bala is a people-first technology leader who brings a rare blend of engineering depth, strategic insight, and a genuine passion for helping others grow. His career spans impactful roles across the Silicon Valley ecosystem; most recently at Lyft, where he’s contributed to complex high-scale systems, while championing collaborative, human-centered leadership. Bala has also spent years expanding access to technology opportunities by  volunteering as a computer science teacher for elementary students, mentoring aspiring engineers through organizations like CodePath, and supporting entrepreneurship programs such as NFTE and Defy Ventures. His work reflects a belief that technology is most powerful when it lifts people up - and that great leaders are those who help others find their potential. Timeline Summary:0:00 Human-Centered AI: Origins, Motivation, and Why It Matters Now 5:12 A human centered approach to AI development, and why does it matter10:14 From Human–Machine Interface to Product Integration: How Developers Should Use AI 15:43 Balancing the innovation in AI with maintain reliability, trust and user safety20:01 Avoiding “AI-Only” Outputs: Measuring Value, Not Just Output Volume 25:27 What would you like AI to do for your developers, versus what it's currently doing?30:08 Tooling Landscape, Testing Gaps, and Safety-Critical Guardrails 39:24 Upskilling, Education, and the Future of AI42:40 Recommendations for developers who are looking to upscale46:00 Advice to engineering students48:06 Future of AI49:25 AI and Educational Initiatives52:59 How will Society and governments deal with AI54:45 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Bala Muthiah = https://www.linkedin.com/in/balaarjunan/Website = https://balamuthiah.com/

It is hard to believe, but this is the 62nd monthly ScreamingBox Podcast, and everyone wants to know - why is this still a thing after 4 years?! In this podcast, Dave Erickson and his honorable co-host Botond Seres - are going to look back at 2025, and then look forward to what 2026 might bring.No guest for this podcast, just the two host looking back and looking forward at the same time. Timeline Summary:0:00 Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Forward to 2026 1:54 Advancements in AI and Coding Tools 9:52 The Role of AI in Business and Development 10:18 Future Implications of AI and Robotics 31:38 The Impact of AI on Entertainment and Content Creation 34:37 The Balance Between AI and Human Creativity 38:53 Conclusion and Future Outlook If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/

In this podcast - Dave Erickson and his real and live co-host Botond Seres - are going to worry about how AI will play into your future - in Part 2  of our podcast with our guest - Ari Block - Techstars Alumni and Author.Ari is a dynamic entrepreneur and global technology leader whose career bridges military intelligence, forensic technology, and the startup world. His passion for innovation began early - at just eight years old, he founded his first company repairing computers for local businesses.By age 15, he had - built and successfully exited - a B2B sales platform start-up. This early trajectory laid the foundation for a career defined by ingenuity, resilience, and a relentless drive to create impact through technology.Ari went on to serve in military intelligence before joining Cellebrite, a global leader in digital forensics. There, he played a key role in developing advanced forensic tools that are used worldwide by law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies - to extract and analyze digital evidence. Beyond forensics, Ari has founded and mentored startups through Techstars, guiding founders - on product development, fundraising, and go-to-market strategies. Podcast Timeline summary:0:00 AI's Impact on Business and Society 2:03 Ari Block's Transition to TechStars 8:10 The Role of AI in Business and Society 11:54 Challenges and Opportunities in AI Development 26:05 Preparing for the AI-Driven Future 29:43 The Future of Work and Education 29:56 AI's Impact on Economic Stability 33:37 The Role of Government and Community in AI Preparedness 33:56 The Future of AI and Business Pivots 38:25 Conclusion and Call to Action 44:24 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Ari Block = https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariblock/Website = https://smokeeaters.ai/You can find Part #1 of this Podcast with Ari here: https://sbox.bz/pc60Addition Info - Guest Bio – Ari BlockSuccess StoriesMy attitude of taking on challenges has yielded success in multiple areas extending beyond my core expertise of engineering and product management.Algorithm InnovationI implemented new algorithms for manufacturing analytics clients, requiring between 20 to 100+ algorithms for each customer. One of these algorithms typically took 3-6 weeks to develop. I proposed a mathematical layer to overlay the API that would shorten development time to hours. This idea was initially rejected as impossible by managers and the engineering team. I requested and was approved to develop the mathematical abstraction in my free time without additional resources. The resulting product accelerated revenue recognition 100-fold, and I was recognized for this innovation.Complex Software Development TurnaroundA software project had been in development for two years, delaying $1.2 million in monthly revenue. There was no expected completion date, with new complexities and blame games ongoing. The project was transferred to my ownership, and within three months, we had built the system from scratch and created a million dollar revenue stream.Product StrategyI advocated for and implemented an analytics system for our hardware units, which surprisingly reported only 5% of the expected product usage. This revelation, combined with my market trend research, drove a decision to divert company resources to a new product line due to market risk. This pivot was accepted and ultimately led to a company exit, with over 60% of the company's revenue coming from this product innovation.Customer Churn PreventionWhile the American business units' SaaS implementations were failing across the board, my European implementations were successful. I successfully recovered these customers, who became long-term clients, including Apple, Qualcomm, Honeywell, and Fiat. Additionally, I defined the process and created collateral for successful implementations, which the team continued to use years after my departure.

In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson are going to figure out how you can successfully pivot your business and how AI will play into your future; with Ari Block - Techstars Alumni and Author.Ari is a dynamic entrepreneur and global technology leader whose career bridges military intelligence, forensic technology, and the startup world. His passion for innovation began early - at just eight years old, he founded his first company repairing computers for local businesses.By age 15, he had - built and successfully exited - a B2B sales platform start-up. This early trajectory laid the foundation for a career defined by ingenuity, resilience, and a relentless drive to create impact through technology.Ari went on to serve in military intelligence before joining Cellebrite, a global leader in digital forensics. There, he played a key role in developing advanced forensic tools that are used worldwide by law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies - to extract and analyze digital evidence. Beyond forensics, Ari has founded and mentored startups through Techstars, guiding founders - on product development, fundraising, and go-to-market strategies. Timeline Summary0:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 1:48 Transition from Digital Forensics to Startup Mentoring 5:02 Lessons from TechStars on Investing and Entrepreneurship 6:53 The Importance of Founder Cohesion and Product Market Fit 13:43 Defining a Business Pivot and Analyzing Market Signals 20:54 Framework for Analyzing Market Signals 23:42 Cohorted Analysis and Avoiding Broad Business Changes 25:57 Product Market Fit and Continuous Analysis 31:01 Impact of AI on Business and Market Dynamics 32:23 Ari Block's Current Work and Future Plans37:12 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Ari Block = https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariblock/Website = https://smokeeaters.ai/ADDITIONAL ARI BLOCK BIO THOUGHTSSuccess StoriesMy attitude of taking on challenges has yielded success in multiple areas extending beyond my core expertise of engineering and product management.Algorithm InnovationI implemented new algorithms for manufacturing analytics clients, requiring between 20 to 100+ algorithms for each customer. One of these algorithms typically took 3-6 weeks to develop. I proposed a mathematical layer to overlay the API that would shorten development time to hours. This idea was initially rejected as impossible by managers and the engineering team. I requested and was approved to develop the mathematical abstraction in my free time without additional resources. The resulting product accelerated revenue recognition 100-fold, and I was recognized for this innovation.Complex Software Development TurnaroundA software project had been in development for two years, delaying $1.2 million in monthly revenue. There was no expected completion date, with new complexities and blame games ongoing. The project was transferred to my ownership, and within three months, we had built the system from scratch and created a million dollar revenue stream.Product StrategyI advocated for and implemented an analytics system for our hardware units, which surprisingly reported only 5% of the expected product usage. This revelation, combined with my market trend research, drove a decision to divert company resources to a new product line due to market risk. This pivot was accepted and ultimately led to a company exit, with over 60% of the company's revenue coming from this product innovation.Customer Churn PreventionWhile the American business units' SaaS implementations were failing across the board, my European implementations were successful. I successfully recovered these customers, who became long-term clients, including Apple, Qualcomm, Honeywell, and Fiat. Additionally, I defined the process and created collateral for successful implementations, which the team continued to use years after my departure.

In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson are going to find new AI Automation Tools for Entrepreneurs, with Carley Martha - Founder of Success Positive, LLCCarley brings a powerful and deeply personal perspective on entrepreneurship and technology. As the mother of a 30-year-old autistic son, she knows firsthand the challenges of balancing the demands of running a business with the responsibilities of family life. That experience shaped her journey into leveraging AI automation tools - not just to grow her business, but to reclaim her time and create more meaningful moments with her family.Through AI automation, she transformed the way she works. What once required hours of hands-on management from her phone is now streamlined and automated; giving her the freedom to step away from constant screen time while her business continues to thrive. She’s passionate about helping other entrepreneurs do the same - building businesses that are not only profitable but also sustainable - giving Entrepreneurs both financial control and the gift of time.Timeline Summary:0:00 Discovering AI Tools for Entrepreneurs4:08 Automating Email and Marketing Campaigns 7:51 Starting with AI Automation for Entrepreneurs 11:41 Balancing Automation with Authenticity 13:47 AI Tools for Managing Contacts and Leads 17:55 AI in Business Operations and Productivity 37:38 The Future of AI and Automation 53:15 Carly's Business and Client Focus 54:05 Conclusion and Call to Action 55:29 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Carley Martha = https://www.linkedin.com/in/carleymartha/Website = http://successpositive.guru

In this podcast Dave Erickson and his knowledgeable co-host Botond Seres are going to examine AI Tools and AI Stacking that will future proof your career path - with Nono Bokete; CEO & Head of Digital Strategy at Data SentinelsNono is a visionary leader at the forefront of digital transformation, AI adoption, and data-driven strategy. As the CEO and Head of Digital Strategy at Data Sentinels, she and her team have guided organizations ranging from high-growth startups to Fortune 500 companies through large-scale transformation projects - helping them leverage AI, automation, and technology for a competitive edge. In addition to leading Data Sentinels, Nono is a member of the Forbes Business Council where she shares thought leadership on digital-first corporate cultures, leadership resilience, and governance best practices. With her expertise spanning digital governance, AI ethics, risk mitigation, and fostering agile, high-performing leadership teams she is an active voice in executive roundtables and global forums, influencing conversations about the future of leadership and technology worldwide. SUMMARY TIMELINE0:00 Introduction to AI and Podcast Overview 2:54 Challenges in Digital Transformation 8:44 Introduction to AI and Early Experiences 15:14 Impact of AI on Employment and Skills 21:00 Corporate Training and AI Adoption 25:11 AI Stacking and Tool Recommendations 33:37 AI Alignment and Ethical Considerations 36:26 Advice for Young Professionals and Career Development 49:12 Future of AI and Final Thoughts 50:45 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Nono Bokete = https://www.linkedin.com/in/nono-bokete/Website = https://www.data-sentinels.com/Transformational Leadership Courses = https://www.t4leader.com/

In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson set out to explore Problem Solving Strategies for Business and Technology Challenges; with Nir Bashan - CEO & Founder of Creator Mindset Consulting.An executive with extensive experience from years in the Creative Agency world, Nir started Creator Mindset Consulting in 2016 to help clients harness the power of creativity to improve profitability, increase sales and to find new ways to grow.Creator Mindset Consulting now produces workshops and provides consulting, coaching and keynote speaking engagements at conferences and corporate events. Nir’s clients include AT&T, Microsoft, Ace Hardware, NFL Network, EA Sports and jetBlue. Nir is a published author, with his first book “The Creator Mindset” detailing out his formula to codify creativity - resulting in his book being awarded a Top 100 Non Fiction Book of All Time by Blinkist. He is releasing his second book, The Solution Mindset: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving, on December 30th 2025 which is available now for presale.PODCAST TIMELINE:0:00 Intro.2:20 Why Nir became a Consultant?3:22 Definition of Creativity.7:20 How people can tap into Creativity.14:00 How to deal with burn-out and roadblocks.18:40 AI and creativity.23:43 Self created barriers.28:55 High pressure sitiation and unlocking new ideas.33:59 Building support for your ideas.40:53 Physical things you can do for creativity.45:08 What is Creative Mindset Consulting?46:12 What is the future of creativity?47:47 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Nir Bashan = https://www.linkedin.com/in/nirbashan/Website = https://www.nirbashan.com/LONG BIOThe Creator Mindset was awarded Top 100 Non Fiction Book of All Time by Blinkist. Porchlight Books awarded my book Top 40 Biz Book of the year.Nir Bashan is a world-renowned creativity expert. He has taught thousands of leaders and individuals across the globe how to harness the power of creativity to improve profitability, increase sales and ultimately create more meaning in their work.McGraw/Hill publishes his book The Creator Mindset, which is a system he developed to help teach folks how to think creatively to solve problems.Nir Bashan is a world-renowned creativity and innovation expert. He has taught thousands of leaders and individuals across the globe how to harness the power of creativity to improve profitability, increase sales and ultimately create more meaning in their work.As founder and CEO of The Creator Mindset Consulting, his company produces workshops, consulting, coaching and keynote speaking engagements at conferences and corporate events. His clients include AT&T, Microsoft, Ace Hardware, NFL Network, EA Sports and jetBlue.FIRST BOOK:The Creator Mindset: 92 Tools to Unlock the Secrets to Innovation, Growth, and Sustainabilityhttps://www.amazon.com/Creator-Mindset-Secrets-Innovation-Sustainability-ebook/dp/B07ZG1M5KK?ref_=ast_author_dp&th=1&psc=1NEWEST BOOK:The Solution Mindset: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving 1st Editionby Nir Bashanhttps://www.amazon.com/Solution-Mindset-Mastering-Problem-Solving/dp/1394333447/ref=sr_1_2?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UMwFKulXrQOfKO2OiVgcUyVt6Ng-Ng22KbC3jlMCvbs.6FEoZp00UxYzpf6IKD3PUgoqXmmdBWIuPvxq-EZ0MdY&dib_tag=se&qid=1751920391&refinements=p_27%3ANir+Bashan&s=books&sr=1-2Nir Bashan [ NEAR BA - SHAWN ] is a keynote speaker and best selling author that speaks about creativity, innovation and problem solving at work. He speaks to frontline staff and to leadership about solving problems with creativity at work —not just for "creative" people. He worked for years in Hollywood, then many more in advertising and now he helps employees become more creative and innovative at work. He thinks he’s funny. And he loves dogs. And West Ham United. And watches.MORE INFO ON NIRNir Bashan is a world-renowned creativity expert. He has taught thousands of leaders and individuals around the globe how to harness the power of creativity to improve profitability, increase sales, and ultimately create more meaning in their work.Nir has spent the last two decades working on a formula to codify creativity. That formula is found in The Creator Mindset, which has been translated into two languages. He was one of the youngest professors ever selected to teach graduate courses at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and also taught undergraduate courses at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has worked on numerous albums, movies, and advertisements with famous actors and musicians ranging from Rod Stewart to Woody Harrelson. His work on creativity has won a Clio Award and was nominated for an Emmy.Nir is the founder and CEO of The Creator Mindset LLC, a company that conducts workshops, consulting, coaching, and keynote speeches at conferences and corporate events. His clients include AT&T, Microsoft, Ace Hardware, NFL Network, EA Sports, Suzuki, Activision and jetBlue.Nir lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife, young son, and two Bernedoodles named P-Paws and Waylon Jennings.

In this podcast Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to explore HR Strategies for Tech Companies - with Suzanna Martinez - Founder & President of PEO For The CEOWith over 20 Years of HR experience in the Professional Employer Organization industry, Suzanna is very experienced in guiding businesses through vendor consolidation and cost-saving solutions - that empower leadership teams to focus on growth. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs scale with confidence by leveraging outsourced HR infrastructure that works. In 2020, Suzanna founded PEO For The CEO, a national brokerage firm that helps growing companies streamline HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance - through strategic Professional Employer Organization (PEO) partnerships.Before that she worked for large companies such as Trinet and ADP as a PEO business consultant and in HR service sales - providing comprehensive HR solutions to small and medium-sized firms.SUMMARY TIMELINE0:00 HR Industry Background and Challenges 3:51 Current HR Trends and Compliance Issues 7:55 Impact of AI on HR and Healthcare Complexities 11:03 Popular Benefits and Retirement Plans 17:18 Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Talent 28:57 PEO Industry and Client Selection 31:44 PEO Services and Compensation Strategies 44:59 Future of PEOs and Final Thoughts46:28 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Suzanna Martinez = https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannamartinezpeofortheceo/Website = https://www.peofortheceo.com/Guest Bio – Suzanna MartinezSuzanna Martinez is the Founder and President of PEO For The CEO, a national brokerage firm that helps growing companies streamline HR, payroll, benefits, and compliance through strategic PEO (Professional Employer Organization) partnerships. With over 20 years of experience in the PEO industry, Suzanna specializes in guiding businesses through vendor consolidation and cost-saving solutions that empower leadership teams to focus on growth. She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs scale with confidence by leveraging outsourced HR infrastructure that works.

In this podcast Botond Seres and Dave Erickson examine techniques to grow SaaS product development and engineering  with Drew Harris - Fractional Chief Technology & Product Officer of The1DrewHarris.comAs a former SaaS CEO and seasoned technology leader, Drew has built, scaled, and optimized SaaS products that have powered businesses from startup to $100M products. From pioneering subscription-based video training to scaling an event management SaaS, his company, QuantumDelta, helped customers unlock new revenue streams and achieve massive growth - like taking a single-location franchise to over 100 locations nationwide.Now, as a fractional product and technology leader, Drew helps SaaS companies avoid common pitfalls and build high-performing engineering teams. He brings years of hands-on experience in Agile development, performance testing, and strategic product roadmaps to create software that delivers stability, efficiency, and growth. SUMMARY TIMELINE0:00 Scaling SaaS Product Development and Engineering2:06 Guest Background: First work with a SaaS product or company5:53 Making features more applicable to a wide customer base8:35 Challenges of Scaling from MVP to Production 13:40 Building Trust and Alignment in Teams 23:43 Strategies for building team trust28:19 How to use data and KPIs to build trust between management and teams42:37 Agile and trying to balance speed with stability49:43 Incorporating Quality and Performance Testing 57:17 The Role of AI in SaaS 1:00:16 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Drew Harris = https://www.linkedin.com/in/the1drewharris/Website = https://www.the1drewharris.comLONG BIODrew HarrisFractional Chief Technology & Product Officer of The1DrewHarris.comDrew Harris is a former SaaS CEO with deep experience in software engineering, product, and technology leadership.SaaS in the early days... QuantumDelta means measurable change, which was delivered to hundreds of customers. QuantumDelta consistently helped its customers grow and scale their businesses. A few of the innovations that QuantumDelta provided to its customers:* Create new revenue streams* Implementing E-commerce* Building subscription-based on-demand video training* Providing a robust self-service Event Management SaaSOne of the best accomplishments came from the success of their fastest-growing customer when QuantumDelta helped them scale their franchise from one to over a hundred locations nationwide. The franchise ran its businesses on QuantumDelta SaaS software for years. As the founding CEO and CTO, Drew faced challenges in keeping true to our SaaS model and serving their clients' greater good while allowing for innovative growth with our biggest and fastest-growing clients.As a consultant, Drew built numerous cloud and mobile solutions for his clients to help them, including an app for real-time vet medical records for show horses and trainers to provide vaccination proof for show events.As a technology founder, Drew has been involved in several SaaS companies, one of which is for the tax and accounting professional community to manage projects, tasks, and clients.Drew spent a decade in the corporate world as a product and engineering leader in growth-focused & impact-driven technology and SaaS companies, helping develop and implement roadmaps to enable innovation and growth. He experienced first-hand acquisitions, was part of an IPO, and helped a SaaS company achieve $100M ARR.As a Fractional Product and Technology leader for your growing SaaS company, Drew brings all of his experience to help you avoid the pitfalls and achieve greater impact as you work to improve the lives of others.

In this podcast, Dave Erickson and his knowledgeable co-host Botond Seres; are going to look for Cyber-Fraud and see how to deal with it, with Jason Costain the Director at Javloc Ltd.With over 25 years of leadership experience in safeguarding corporate assets, he has worked with some of the UK’s largest banks - to streamline operational fraud risk and enhance business performance through innovative strategies and advanced technologies - which allows them to navigate complex fraud threats while maintaining efficiency and growth.As the founder of Javloc, a consultancy that delivers cutting-edge solutions in fraud risk management and business resilience - Jason has helped individuals and businesses stay ahead of emerging risks by integrating state-of-the-art fraud defense systems, biometric authentication, and artificial intelligence into their risk management frameworks. Jason is also a recognized thought leader whose expert insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Daily Telegraph, and The Times. SUMMARY TIMELINE0:03 Cyber Fraud and Business Vulnerabilities 4:30 Common Types of Cyber Fraud7:14 Practical Measures for Businesses 11:46 Internal Fraud and Employee Behavior 16:50 Advanced Fraud Techniques and Prevention 17:04 The Role of AI in Fraud Prevention 22:05 Card Scan Skimmers32:22 Authentication Standards37:05 Email Security39:09 BYOD Devices46:11 AI and Cyber-Fraud54:21 Javloc Limited 55:41 Future of Fraud Prevention and Final Thoughts 59:11 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Jason Costain = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-costain-b529746/Website = https://www.javloc.com/Additional Bio:  Fraud Prevention ConsultantExecutive SummaryJason Costain is a banking fraud trouble-shooter, and the founder of Javloc Ltd, a consultancy specializing in fraud prevention and financial crime defense. Jason has leveraged over 30 years of expertise to assist banks and organizations in strengthening their defenses against fraud, and financial crime.Extended Description:Jason Costain is a leading fraud prevention expert with a career spanning more than three decades. Before founding Javloc Ltd, Jason led fraud and financial crime defense teams at prominent UK banks, where he played a pivotal role in combating emerging threats such as authorized push payment (APP) fraud and cryptocurrency-related scams. Jason holds an ICA Diploma inFinancial Crime Prevention, underscoring his commitment to staying at the forefront of the field.In 2023, Jason established Javloc Ltd to provide specialized consulting services aimed at helping financial institutions and businesses enhance their fraud detection and prevention capabilities. As the Director of Javloc, Jason focuses on implementing cutting-edge technologies and strategies to mitigate fraud risks. Throughout his career, Jason has demonstrated that significant improvements in fraud prevention can be achieved primarily through building skilled teams to exploit pre-existing technology that banks use.  Jason has been instrumental in driving innovations such as real-time payment monitoring systems, biometrics, AI-driven risk scoring, and customer-centric fraud education.  These measures have significantly reduced fraud losses across UK banks while improving customer protection standards. Jason actively contributed to shaping the UK's voluntary reimbursement code for scam victims and led NatWest Group’s response to scams, which has set a global benchmark for fraud prevention best-practice.  His work has encouraged banks to invest in customer-centric fraud detection technologies and adopt more robust reimbursement policies. Jason emphasizes the human element in fraud prevention, sharing stories of scam victims to highlight the importance of empathy in policy-making. Jason believes that sharing fraud prevention best practice between banks and educating customers about fraud risks is critical. Jason envisions a collaborative ecosystem where banks work with key players such as crypto firms, regulators, telcos and technology providers to create a hostile environment for fraudsters. Through Javloc Ltd, he aims to lead this transformation by combining advanced technologies with customer-first strategies to build trust and resilience across industries.ScreamingBox Technology & Business Rundown was born from ScreamingBox’s desire to discuss, analyze, and share the impact technology has on business and the world. Our four hosts all have extensive technology backgrounds and growing businesses to succeed.

In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson are going to search for ways to deal with the stress of business - with Ryan Christensen, Founder of Ryan the Hypnotist.Ryan is a leading expert on using hypnosis to help high-performing professionals manage stress and unlock their full potential. With over two decades of being a military intelligence officer, Ryan has developed a unique methodology that goes beyond traditional hypnosis techniques. His work focuses on helping CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business leaders break free from their limiting beliefs and helps them manage stress effectively and achieve lasting transformation.Ryan is also the author of Winner Peace: How to End Inner Conflict and Make Success Inevitable, a transformational book that guides readers through the process of reshaping their internal narratives to achieve lasting success. Before starting his career as a hypnotist, Ryan served as an intelligence specialist in the Marine Corps and Air National Guard, as well as 16 years as a Senior Intelligence Officer in Washington DC. His deep understanding of human behavior, decision-making, and high-pressure environments informs his approach to hypnosis, making it a powerful tool for business professionals dealing with stress, burnout, and the relentless demands of leadership.Timeline Summary:0:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 2:32 Ryan Christensen's Experience as a Military Intelligence Officer 6:09 Skills Needed to Handle Stress in High-Pressure Jobs 6:29 Transition from Intelligence Work to Hypnosis 8:38 Techniques for Managing Stress in Business 14:21 Recognizing and Managing Stress 16:27 Differences Between Relieving, Coping, and Eliminating Stress 35:06 Hypnosis as a Tool for Stress Management 35:19 Ryan Christensen's Book "Winner Peace" 43:35 Consulting Services and Client Profiles 46:29 The Future of Hypnosis 47:55 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Ryan Christensen = https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwchristensen/Guest Website = https://www.ryanthehypnotist.com/

In this podcast Dave Erickson and his esteemed co-host Botond Seres are going to determine the value of a SasS Product with Dan Balcauski, Founder and Principal Consultant of Product Tranquility.In 2019, Dan founded Product Tranquility, where he helps high-volume B2B SaaS CEOs refine pricing and packaging strategies for new products. A TopTal - certified Top 3% Product Management Professional, he also contributes to the Kellogg Executive Education course on Product Strategy. For over 15 years, Dan has managed products across their life cycles, from concept to end-of-life, in industries including consumer internet, mobile, IT software, and hardware, serving companies from startups to multinational enterprises.Before founding Product Tranquility, Dan completed a solo round-the-world expedition to 21 countries, where he engaged in life-changing volunteer work. Previously, he was Head of Product at LawnStarter, a two-sided marketplace for lawn care, and he was also a Principal Product Strategist at SolarWinds, where he helped shape growth strategies after its $4B acquisition. Timeline Summary:0:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 2:26 Dan's Transition from Engineering to Product Management 5:21 The Concept of Product Tranquility 7:09 Current Trends in SaaS Software 9:01 The Role of AI in SaaS Development 13:59 Pricing Strategies for SaaS Products20:57 When does the Freemium Model Actually Work? 31:50 Determining Value in SaaS Products 34:01 Customer Segmentation and Value Communication 41:02 Price setting based on competitor pricing versus finding a real value51:47 Pricing Discovery Methodologies 53:43 Willingness to Pay1:00:49 Evaluating and Adjusting Pricing 1:10:55 The Future of SaaS and AI1:15:35 Outro If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Dan Balcauski = https://www.linkedin.com/in/balcauski/Website = https://www.producttranquility.com/#home

In this podcast Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to try to grow their understanding of the Productization of Services - with Jay Melone, Founder & Growth Strategist of Profit Ladder.In 2010 Jay founded a digital agency called New Haircut, and spent 14 years as a B2B Service provider. After many years of struggling with business growth, he started productizing the services his business offered, and as a result was able to stabilize revenue and grow his company.After seeing the results he generated for his own business Jay started Profit Ladder, where he helps B2B Service providers grow their pipeline and profits by creating scalable offers from their high-ticket services.SUMMARY TIMELINE:0:00 Productizing Services: Introduction and Challenges2:00 Initial Motivations and Sales Challenge7:08 Productization Techniques and Client Engagement11:18 Identifying Services for Productization13:06 Productization of Service Flows and Retainers17:32 Steps to Productize Services 22:27 From One-to-One to One-to-Many29:58 Overcoming Fears and Challenges 49:42 The Future of Productization 56:03 Profit Ladder and Client Services57:10 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Jay Melone = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaymelone/Profit Ladder Newsletter = https://newsletter.profitladder.net/subscribeWebsite = https://profit-accelerator.profitladder.net/

In this podcast Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to try to figure out how to price things - with Per Sjofors, Founder & CEO of Sjöfors & Partners, Inc.Per is the best-selling author of "The Price Whisperer - A Holistic Approach to Pricing Power" and a member and thought leader at the Forbes Business Council and the C-Suite Hero Club. He was recently identified as among the "The 10 Most Visionary Leaders Making a Difference in 2023" by Inc. Magazine and was recently identified as among the "Top 50 Global Thought Leaders in Sales" by Thinkers360.At his company Sjöfors & Partners, he leverages the proprietary AI software that they developed as well as predictive analytics, and value research - in order to align product features, marketing messages, and customer segments with optimal pricing levels. With over 700+ client engagements, his proven process has delivered remarkable client results, such as a doubling of growth rate and a 25% - 40% increase in margins.Summary Timeline:0:00 Introduction to the podcast topic of pricing strategies for business growth and profitability.0:53 Dave Erickson introduces the guest, Per Sjöfors, and provides background on his expertise in pricing strategies.2:31 Per Sjöfors shares his background and early experiences experimenting with pricing in various business roles. He explains the lack of practical pricing education in business school and his motivation to develop a successful pricing process.4:26 Discussion on the importance of understanding the target customer segment and how that affects pricing strategies. Per Sjöfors provides a case study example of a premium product that failed to meet pricing expectations.11:31 Exploration of different strategies for pricing in various market contexts, including the concept of price anchoring.15:14 Examination of how marketing, including brand and product marketing, impacts pricing strategies and customer willingness to pay.25:01 Discussion on the differences in selling to SMBs versus enterprises and the implications for pricing.27:26 Advice on approaching individual customers through various marketing channels and the importance of creating an emotional connection.30:36 Explanation of how sales channels and monetization strategies affect pricing decisions.34:09 In-depth discussion on the challenges of finding the optimal price point that balances profitability per sale and sales volume.43:25 Per Sjöfors shares insights on the limitations of dynamic pricing and the future of pricing strategies.56:19 Conclusion, with Per Sjöfors providing an overview of his company's services and the importance of a holistic approach to pricing.1:03:00 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Per Sjöfors = https://www.linkedin.com/in/persjofors/The Price Whisperer - A Holistic Approach to Pricing Power = https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Price-Whisperer/Per-Sjofors/9781637351178Website = https://sjofors.com/

In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson look at how engineering types can make a business out of their product ideas, with podcast guest Vladimir Baranov, Founder of Human Interfaces.Vladimir is an Executive Coach  - for Founders and Technical Leaders. He has coached and mentored globally at various incubators and accelerators, with a primary focus on launching, developing, and sustaining startups. He's a serial entrepreneur, having founded three companies with successful exits in fintech and spacetech - demonstrating his proficiency in scaling businesses through various funding stages. His entrepreneurial journey has encompassed roles such as Founder, and many C-Level positions - and lends him a comprehensive perspective on creating optimal data and technology products and services.TIMELINE SUMMARY:0:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 2:01 Vladimir's Entrepreneurial Journey 3:46 Challenges for Technical Founders 5:40 Finding the Right Mentor or Coach 8:58 Market Validation and Overcoming Barriers 10:42 Balancing Coding and Market Validation 18:28 Finding the Right Marketing and Sales Partners 23:18 The Role of Coaching in Business Success 29:31 Scaling Up Startups 32:30 Funding Strategies for Startups 41:28 Lessons from Exit Strategies 43:38 The Future of Coaching 45:08 Vladimir's Coaching Business 46:21 Closing Remarks and Outro  If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Vladimir Baranov = https://www.linkedin.com/in/vladimirbaranov/For a complimentary coaching discovery session, check out - https://www.humaninterfaces.co/screamingbox

In this podcast, Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to explore new and effective means of teaching and learning how to code with Jen Kramer, Director of Learning Design and Technology at AnnieCannonsFor over twenty-five years, Jen has been educating clients, colleagues, friends and graduate students about the meaning of a “quality website.”An award-winning instructor for over twenty-five years, Jen has taught web design, educational technology, and storytelling principles to students from Harvard University and other academic institutions - and students learning in conferences, workshops, and corporate environments.AnneCannons is focused on helping survivors of human trafficking learn, grow and become successful and productive members of society.  She currently serves as Director for Learning Design and Technology at AnnieCannons, training, preparing, and connecting individuals who have experienced human trafficking - to sustainable careers in tech.Jen is a prolific video author, creating over 90 training courses for LinkedIn Learning, Frontend Masters and others, covering HTML, CSS, UX, website planning, and no-code technologies.Jen’s most recent book is Before You Code: Validate Your Idea, Build a Better Product, and Plan Your Way to Success, co-authored with Heather O’Neill in 2018. Jen is a returning guest to this Podcast, and we are looking forward to catching up and finding out about her new position and experience.TIMELINE SUMMARY:0:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest2:30 Jen Kramer's Current Role at Annie Cannons4:54 Course Curriculum and Student Needs8:37 Emotional Regulation and Overcoming Self-Doubt16:29 Teaching User Experience and Creativity22:57 Support and Resources for Students27:17 Advice for Junior Developers and Senior Developers39:41 Effective Teaching Practices50:02 Learning Practices for Students52:43 Future of Annie Cannons54:18 Conclusion and Call to ActionIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Jen Kramer = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen4web/Website = https://anniecannons.org/Teaching Website = https://www.jenkramer.org/

In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson, are going to delegate our questions - about how Founders need to be able to Delegate in order to scale their business - to Valerie Trapunsky, Founder of ChatterBossAs the founder and CEO of ChatterBoss, Valerie is deeply passionate about bringing the same level of assistant support that A-listers enjoy - to startups and entrepreneurs–all while shining a light on the crucial role that assistants can play in running and scaling a business.As the author of Delegation Nation, her mission is to provide an actionable guide for entrepreneurs to building frictionless, hyper-capable teams using an emotionally intelligent, human-centric approach.TIMELINE SUMMARY:0:00 Delegation and Scaling Businesses 3:51 The Art of Over Communication 8:16 Importance of Context in Delegation 11:23 Understanding Assistant Roles 14:47 Personality and Delegation 19:46 Remote Work and Communication Challenges 23:54 Balancing Delegation and Control36:31 Leveraging Assistance for Business Growth 36:48 Barriers to Delegation 37:39 The Role of Assistants in Business Processes 38:52 Chatterboss and Its Business Model 48:33 Writing "Delegation Nation" 50:22 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Valerie Trapunsky = https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerietrapunsky/Website = https://www.chatterboss.com/ADDITIONAL INFO:Valerie Trapunsky is the founder of ChatterBoss and a leading voice in the future of remote assistants, delegation, culture building and team leadership in the new era of remote work.In her daily work with entrepreneurs and high-performers, she draws on her experience as a former personal assistant to A-list celebrities and high-net-worth entrepreneurs. Her whirlwind career has given her invaluable insights into the unique challenges and demands of working with high-performers.As the founder and CEO of ChatterBoss, she’s deeply passionate about bringing the same level of assistant support that A-listers enjoy to startups and entrepreneurs–all while shining a light on the crucial role that assistants can play in running and scaling a business.As the author of Delegation Nation, her mission is to provide an actionable guide for entrepreneurs to building frictionless, hyper-capable teams using an emotionally intelligent, human-centric approach.As a keynote speaker, she breaks down large-scale concepts into hands-on tactics in high-energy, value-packed training sessions to help leaders leverage their teams to their full potential by demystifying delegation with actionable plans.

In this podcast, Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to discuss investment, investors and business planning with our guest and global investor Bernard Chong.Bernard has a billion-dollar portfolio that cuts across tech startups, real estate, entertainment, and beyond. A serial entrepreneur and savvy investor whose journey started from the humble beginnings of selling family shoe products in grade school to steering the helm of World Balance - a leading footwear brand in the Philippines. His investment acumen shines through in ventures such as the award-winning Bren Esports and innovative companies across animation, F&B, IT, and more.As we delve into lessons learned and secrets to success in investing and business growth, join us in welcoming the indomitable force behind BrenNetwork, the Mendo Coffee Company’s expansion, and the BrenSEED Foundation - a testament to his belief in the power of education and giving back. Get ready for an insightful journey into making your business successful with investors and investments.TIMELINE SUMMARY:0:00 Introduction to the podcast topic of investment and business planning.2:24 Business history and building a world championship-winning eSports team.4:57 What businesses should focus on when approaching investors.6:14 The importance of building a relationship with investors.7:51 Is character more important than the product.8:54 The journey of the investor and the invested.11:26 The importance of the relationships an investor brings.15:29 Investing in an idea vs. a formed business.18:04 Focus on building cash flow businesses rather than flipping.22:24 Expanding a business.25:38 What Investors look for in business plans and how founders should use investment.28:37 An Education Foundation called Bren Seed Foundation.35:16 Lessons learned from failures and successes.51:24 The future of investing and platform businesses.52:43 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Bernard Chong = https://www.linkedin.com/in/iambrenchong/Website = https://brenseedfoundation.org/Additional Information:Bernard Chong is a savvy investor and serial entrepreneur whose billion-dollar portfolio ranges from traditional brick-and-mortar businesses to angel investments in tech startups, retail, real estate, entertainment and food and beverage. Armed with an immense passion for intellectual growth, Chong achieved an Electronics Computer Engineering degree from the prestigious La Salle University in Manila. Chong prides himself as a lifelong student and avid reader. A natural businessman, in grade school he was already selling the products of his family’s shoe business. While at University, he ventured into entrepreneurship through several businesses, initially honing his sales and distribution knowledge in the recycling industry. After finishing his studies, he took over the family business and transformed it into the leading footwear brand in the Philippines, World Balance. During this time, he began diversifying his portfolio with several other investments. Chong has stakes in animation – ASI Studios; radio and communications - Energy FM; F&B – Tim Hortons/Kko Kko; entertainment – RKB Productions; IT – Thirty One Digital/Beepbeep.ph; in the Esports Industry, BrenPro Inc. and many more companies.As an investor in multiple start-ups around the globe, Chong is world-renowned for founding the award-winning Bren Esports (now APBren) organization in 2017 and his investment in the expansion of the Canadian Tim Horton’s coffee brand in the Philippines. Bren's Mobile Legends: Bang Bang team achieved a historic win as the first Philippine team to win the M-series World Championship title. Chong is preparing for the launch of several new ventures such as Mendo Coffee Company’s U.S. expansion, a new platform mobile app, housing developments in Panama, the BrenNetwork investment fund and a global education-focused non-profit, BrenSEED Foundation.

In this podcast, Dave Erickson and his great co-host Botond Seres, are going to strap in for a learning session on Bootstrapping with Zach Oehlman, Founder of Learn And Grow RichLearnAndGrowRich.net is a comprehensive platform empowering individuals to achieve holistic wealth and prosperity. Their mission extends far beyond financial success; they foster personal development, enhance relationships, broaden horizons, and inspire positive contributions to the world.Prior to LearnAndGrowRich, Zach was Founder and President of No Limit Investing for more than a decade. Using his experience and passion in Business and finance, he used his skills in the investment industry to invest in small businesses and start-ups.Based on the fact that most small businesses fail because of lack of marketing, proper planning, and process implementation; Zach worked with businesses that had good products or services then incorporated winning processes and marketing strategies into them - to scale up those businesses.TIMELINE SUMMARY:0:00 Bootstrapping businesses without funding, challenges and limitations. 4:41 Bootstrapping and cash flow management for business success. 9:17 Accounting, cash flow, and risk management for small businesses. 13:53 Private equity investing and business scaling. 18:25 Bootstrapping a T-shirt business with community engagement. 23:40 Ethics in business and leadership development. 28:45 Personal development and leadership skills.32:51 AI, business, and critical thinking. 39:16 AI's impact on business, including automation, trust, and sales. 44:24 AI's limitations in creating valuable content and the importance of human interaction. 50:12 Entrepreneurship, business challenges, and human behavior. 55:16 Bootstrapping, AI, and community building in business. 58:14 The future of bootstrapping.59:48 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Zach Oehlman = https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachoehlman/Website = https://learnandgrowrich.net/

In this podcast, Botond Seres, and Dave Erickson, are  going to see into the global world of B2B Marketing, with our guest Reggie James, Founder of Digital Clarity.Getting his start in publishing, and then working for AltaVista & Yahoo as a Business Development leader for search and publishing services; Reggie gained a deep understanding of how to sell and market B2B with some of the biggest global companies.20 years ago he founded his Digital Marketing agency Digital Clarity, which is focused on  Digital Marketing and customer acquisition strategies, Paid Search and SEO campaigns across various vertical sectors and helping CEO’s grow their businesses in the digital economy.Summary Timeline:0:00 Unique challenges faced by B2B tech companies in marketing their products/services. 7:19 B2B sales strategies for tech companies. 17:06 B2B marketing strategies, focusing on authenticity and human connection.24:02 Branding and authenticity in the tech industry. 31:37 Marketing strategies and the importance of understanding core customers.36:30 Advertising and branding, focusing on authenticity and consistency. 43:07 The future of B2B marketing, sustainability, and adapting to change. 50:27 B2B marketing strategies and the role of human connection in sales. 54:14 AI in digital marketing56:15 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Reggie James = https://uk.linkedin.com/in/reggiejamesWebsite = https://www.digital-clarity.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxComADDITION NOTES:Reggie James: Helping CEO’s grow their businesses in the digital economy | Founder Digital Clarity, Trusted Advisor, Experienced Digital Strategist & B2B Growth SpecialistHelping forward thinking companies serious about online growth through search, social media and content marketing. Each week I am fortunate enough to speak to several business owners and senior marketers who have a decent digital presence though they can often feel they deserve more. Typically I help directors and companies who: • Have a good web presence however a dip in statistics, especially Google and Social Media, means they have missed their targets• Appreciate the power of digital marketing but just can’t dedicate the time and energy, resulting in a loss of easily earned revenue• Have a great service though feel they are not conveying this to the right audience and in turn losing out to competitionThrough the agency Digital Clarity we offer: • Consultancy in Digital Marketing and customer acquisition strategies.• Running Paid Search and SEO campaign across various vertical sector• Social Media strategy, planning and execution• Auditing web assets (websites, apps etc.) fixing and optimising Having worked at Search Engines and marketing led organisations over the years, my agency has been critical to the success of numerous companies, having helped them achieve amazing returns that have transformed their organisations. Experience:Founder Digital Clarity / Exec. Dir. DBMM Group, Inc.Founder Digital Clarity / Exec. Dir. DBMM Group, Inc.Digital ClarityDigital ClarityJan 2002 - Present · 22 yrs 3 mosLondon, United Kingdom & Los Angeles, USLondon, United Kingdom & Los Angeles, USDigital Communication, Digital Strategy and +3 skillsForget B2B or B2C, it’s Human to Human - Digital ClarityForget B2B or B2C, it’s Human to Human - Digital ClarityThe lines between marketing B2B and B2C are blurred. With 95% of people not looking to buy at any given time, the new world looks at experience and emotion. We help you engage with your clients - not sell to them.The lines between marketing B2B and B2C are blurred. With 95% of people not looking to buy at any given time, the new world looks at experience and emotion. We help you engage with your clients - not sell to them.YahooBusiness Development, EMEA | AltaVista & Yahoo Inc.Business DevelopmentJan 1999 - Sep 2001 · 2 yrs 9 mosLondon, United KingdomLondon, United KingdomYahoo & Google Together Again In New Search DealYahoo & Google Together Again In New Search DealInternational Sales EMEAInternational Sales EMEAYahoo! NewsYahoo! News1999 - 2001 · 2 yrsSingapore & LondonSingapore & London

In this 4th episode of our podcast Interview series, we will be interviewing Garik Tate, Co-Founder & CEO of Valhalla.team  - who has a deep background in appling the latest AI tools for running and growing his businesses.Garik is an authority in leveraging AI tools for business expansion and operational efficiency.With his unique expertise, Garik has mastered the art of selling businesses while simultaneously nurturing their growth. Through a proven process encompassing AI development/integration, hiring elite talent, and operational automation, Garik enhances the value of companies for institutional buyers while bolstering their profits.With over a decade of entrepreneurial experience under his belt, Garik has left his mark in various sectors including software development, outsourcing, and publishing. Today, we'll delve into some compelling use cases and insights from Garik, shedding light on how AI tools can propel businesses forward in today's competitive landscape.Summary Timeline0:03 AI tools transforming business operations and growth.4:46 Automating tasks with AI integration tools like Make.com and GPT-4.  9:52 AI tools for business growth, including chatbots and voice flow. 15:21 AI's impact on content creation and outreach strategies.21:13 AI tools for business growth, including misconceptions and future trends.26:33 AI advancements, supply chain concerns, and potential solutions. 31:51 Supply chain resilience and diversification, with a focus on manufacturing and technical prowess. If you have questions for our Podcast Host or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/GUEST: Garik Tate = https://www.linkedin.com/in/garik-tate/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson are looking to go international and talk about investing and doing business internationally with Davit Tsitsko, CEO of Tsitsko Holdings.Davit is a Serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor living between the fabulous country of Georgia and sunny Cyprus. Founder & CEO of Tsitsko Holding, where he oversees several successful start-ups and companies involved in diverse industries such as energy, IT, media, Online retail, and others.Summary Timeline00:00 Starting and growing a business internationally, with a focus on overcoming challenges and developing diverse industries. 05:32 Failures and challenges in international retail business. 10:13 Business growth and expansion strategies. 14:46 Starting and growing a business in the energy sector, including challenges and opportunities. 21:53 Business challenges in Europe, particularly in Poland and Cyprus.27:18 Conducting market research for businesses, including using exhibitions, gathering industry key players, and relying on social media and digital world for data 32:58 Gen Z's impact on the workforce and economy, with a focus on their spending habits and technological advancements. 36:45 Investing in startups, sustainability, and creating positive impact. 43:16 Sustainability and business.45:14 Energy storage solutions for renewable energy. 50:41 Energy storage solutions, including lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries. 53:36 The future of the energy industry.56:01 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Davit Tsitsko = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dtsitsko/Website = https://tsitsko.com//Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

In this podcast, Dave Erickson and his knowledgeable co-host Botond Seres, are going to dissect the various SMB exit options and strategies with Eric Grafstrom, Founder and CEO of ExitGuide.comIn 2020, Eric founded ExitGuide to help ease the process for exiting a business for tens of millions of small, main street business owners. Exit Guide educates SMB owners on their options and helps them price their business. When ready, they offer online tools and coaching to help prepare your business for sale. And when you and your buyer are ready, they provide expert support to help you close the deal! Eric got started doing sales for Broadcast.com, and moved from Dallas to London after Yahoo's acquisition of the company. After working across Europe he eventually landed in Silicon Valley working for Yahoo! Later, he gained frontline experience with dozens of startups; and has been part of IPO's, mergers & acquisitions. He has led turnarounds, managed distressed assets as well as putting out numerous fires for VCs and founders.Summary Timeline00:00 Exit strategies for small to medium-sized businesses. 02:09 Exit strategies for small business owners.05:35 Business exit strategies and motivations for sellers and buyers.11:28 The value of skilled trades vs. automation in plumbing and electrical work.13:38 Business valuation methods, including seller's discretionary earnings, market-based valuation, and discounted cash flow.20:23 Valuing businesses using market-based approach and considering subjective factors like brand value and stability.23:26 Preparing a business for sale or transfer, including financial organization, exit strategy, pricing, and marketing to potential buyers. 30:29 Challenges in buying and selling businesses, including financial preparation and communication.33:54 Buying and selling small businesses, with a focus on the importance of domain expertise and matching buyers and sellers.40:18 Helping business owners sell their companies through valuation and marketing.43:25 Selling businesses, including timing and preparation. 49:48 Preparing businesses for sale, avoiding scams, and planning for successful sales.52:02 Exit strategies for small business owners. 56:00 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Eric Grafstrom = https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericgrafstrom/Website = https://exitguide.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

What are you going to do to protect your business from hackers out to steal your data, or worse your customers data?In this podcast, Dave Erickson and his esteemed co-host Botond Seres, are  going to peer into the dark world of cyber crime and cybersecurity, with our guest Steve Orrin, Federal CTO & Sr. Principal Engineer of Intel Corp.Steve is a dynamic leader with a wealth of experience in technology and cybersecurity; across various sectors, including public and private companies, as well as federal agencies. Notably, he has advised federal agencies, the Department of Defense, and the Intelligence Community on technology matters while also influencing cybersecurity strategies at Intel Corporation. Before joining Intel, he had a successful stint launching startup companies and growing them in order to be acquired, and in doing so delivered market-leading solutions to Fortune 1000 clients. Summary Timeline00:00 Cybersecurity threats and best practices with a federal CTO and Intel engineer. 01:52 Cybersecurity threats and trends, including AI adoption by attackers.06:26 Supply chain security and software development lifecycle. 11:55 Integrating security into software development lifecycle.16:31 Supply chain security, sharing information between vendors to ensure quality and safety. 18:58 Federal CTO role at Intel, focusing on translating commercial tech for gov't use cases. 23:48 Security challenges and benefits of remote work during COVID-19 pandemic. 28:49 Evolving cybersecurity strategies for remote work and zero-trust architecture. 33:52 Multi-factor authentication and its importance in cybersecurity. 38:52 Cybersecurity, resilience, and recovery. 42:25 Cybersecurity resilience and disaster recovery strategies. 47:14 Backup and recovery strategies for critical systems in a multi-cloud environment.50:00 Penetration testing effectiveness and its role in enhancing security. 55:24 Anti-malware solutions, importance of comprehensive monitoring and latest technologies. 58:07 AI's impact on cybersecurity, including phishing attacks and generative AI. 1:03:25 Using AI to improve cybersecurity by analyzing large volumes of data, detecting anomalies, and automating tasks. 1:06:48 Securing internet infrastructure and protecting data. 1:12:51 Data privacy and security challenges in the US and globally, with a focus on GDPR and state-level regulations. 1:15:51 Future of Cybersecurity and advancements using AI and hardware-based security. 1:19:30 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Steve Orrin = https://www.linkedin.com/in/sorrin/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

In this ScreamingBox Technology and Business Rundown podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson, are going explore how to solve work overload and grow your business by using automation tools with our guest Micah Lamar, CEO of WallStreet.ioWallStreet.io is an innovative web and mobile platform that provides technical analysis tools for stock market trading, one of the best stocks & options universities on the web and a top financial social network with live meetups hosted by professional traders. Micah and his partner founded WallStreet.io in 2015. He has put his methodical approach and experience for mentoring about stocks and options as well as his deep knowledge about risk management, portfolio management and options behavior all into the WallStreet.io platform.SUMMARY TIMELINE:00:00 Productivity and AI tools for starting and growing a business.01:43 Starting a digital business with a focus on community, scalability, and subscription-based revenue. 06:38 Subscription-based business models in tech industry. 11:35 Growing a business through webinars and automation. 15:55 CRM, automation, and growth strategies for small businesses. 20:02 Scaling a business with CRM and email marketing automation. 24:20 Automation in CRM and content creation. 32:52 SaaS business growth and automation tools. 39:12 Starting a business with limited resources. 44:44 Entrepreneurship, automation tools, and productivity. 49:07 Investing in US stocks for foreign nationals. 52:37 Investing strategies and evaluating a simple dividend-reinvestment approach. 1:00:20 Trading, hedging, and options. 1:05:18 Options trading strategies and tools for risk management. 1:09:36 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Micah Lamar = https://www.linkedin.com/in/micahlamar/Website = https://WallStreet.ioCRM Mentioned = https://ontraport.com/Automation Tool = https://www.make.com/enPage Builder = https://www.leadpages.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

Afraid that AI will take away your job? Does that affect how you behave around your boss? What should you do?Welcome to the ScreamingBox Technology and Business Rundown podcast. In this podcast, Dave Erickson and his knowledgeable co-host Botond Seres, are going to divide and conquer which work AI should do and what should be left to the humans; with Christopher Lind, Founder of LearningSharks.comOn LearningSharks, you will find all the latest videos and discussions in developing skills, technology, navigating careers, corporate culture, and finding harmony between a personal and professional life.In addition to Learning Sharks, Chris is currently VP, Chief Learning Officer at ChenMed where he is leading their healthcare enterprise learning strategy to improve the skills, performance, and wellbeing of their employees.Prior to that, he was Head of Global Digital Learning at GE Healthcare where he led the organization that was accountable for the digital transformation of learning and talent development for the global commercial and marketing functions.SUMMARY TIMELINE00:03 AI's impact on jobs, motivation, and emotional state. 02:07 The adoption of AI in the workplace and its potential impact on jobs. 07:08 AI in healthcare, marketing, and education. 15:52 Work and productivity and the impact of AI. 21:00 AI's limitations and the importance of human skills. 26:32 The changing workflows of writing and editing due to AI. 29:01 AI's limitations in writing and the need for human input. 33:37 Job descriptions and workforce disruption in the HR industry. 36:48 The impact of AI engineering jobs and decision-making. 41:00 AI's impact on jobs and employee motivation. 44:55 Hiring, AI and trust in the workplace. 51:36 AI's impact on jobs and society. 57:05 Future of education and AI59:08 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Christopher Lind = https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherlind/Website = https://LearningSharks.comPlease like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

No customers?! No leads? Is it possible to start and grow a business without hiring an expensive sales team?In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson, are going to examine the power of referrals with Brandon Barnum, CEO of HOA.COM. Brandon is a business visionary driving innovation and success across diverse industries. As CEO of a HOA.com, a web platform for Home Owner’s Associations; he has transformed the home services landscape by establishing a trusted network of certified professionals. This network has not only saved homeowners time and money; but has also fostered trust within communities. Prior to HOA.com, Brandon served as President of Refer.com, where he led a global referral marketing system; and Brandon's impact has resonated across the entrepreneurial landscape, reflecting his commitment to connecting communities and fostering excellence.Please like our podcast, and Subscribe to our channel to get notified when the next podcast is released!Summary Timetable:00:03 Referrals and relationships for business growth.01:59 Referrals in business, including their value and how to ask for them.07:51 Referral partnerships and networking. 14:29 Referrals and perfect prospects in business. 19:32 Using AI to optimize business operations and improve client relationships. 25:07 Using personality insights for sales and referrals. 30:29 Personality types and their traits. 35:34 Understanding and catering to different personality types in sales. 40:32 Referral strategies for businesses and consumers. 46:17 Referral marketing strategies and book recommendations. 51:17 Referrals and networking for business growth. 53:35 OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Brandon Barnum = https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbarnum/Website = https://hoa.com/World’s Largest Alliance = https://www.worldslargestalliance.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxComNOTES: LONG BIOBrandon Barnum - CEO of HOA.comBrandon Barnum is a visionary entrepreneur and seasoned business leader based in Phoenix, Arizona, with a track record of driving innovation and success across various industries. Currently serving as the CEO of HOA.com since April 2019, Brandon has been instrumental in revolutionizing the home services landscape.Professional Journey at HOA.com:As the CEO of HOA.com, Brandon has spearheaded a mission to connect communities through a network of trusted home service professionals. Under his leadership, HOA.com has become a go-to platform for homeowners seeking reliable, vetted, and certified service providers. Brandon's commitment to quality and excellence has resulted in a handpicked network of professionals, each possessing a positive community reputation and a wealth of 5-star reviews. His strategic vision has not only saved homeowners time, energy, and money but has also fostered a sense of trust and reliability within communities.Chairman of The Champions Institute:In addition to his role at HOA.com, Brandon serves as the Chairman of The Champions Institute since November 2020. This institute focuses on optimizing businesses by enhancing their people, processes, and profits. Through personalized training and coaching programs, The Champions Institute empowers individuals to become champions both personally and professionally.CEO of CODEBREAKER TECHNOLOGIES, LLC:Brandon's leadership prowess extends to the technology sector, where he served as the CEO of CODEBREAKER TECHNOLOGIES, LLC from July 2019 to February 2020. Here, he introduced a groundbreaking system, Codebreaker.AI, designed to help sales professionals close deals faster by identifying prospects' buying behavior. This scientifically validated approach resulted in significant increases in sales conversions, offering a unique solution to common challenges in the sales process.President of Refer.com:Prior to his role at CODEBREAKER, Brandon served as the President of Global Referral Marketing System and Lead Generation at Refer.com from January 2014 to March 2019. Under his leadership, Refer.com became a dynamic referral marketing system with a global reach, helping professionals in over 130 countries build trusted referral networks and fill their sales pipelines with warm leads. The platform streamlined the process of engaging, teaming up, and promoting services for a wide range of business professionals.CEO of TrustedTeam.com:Brandon's journey in the referral marketing domain began as the CEO of TrustedTeam.com from September 2011 to December 2013. His efforts eventually led to the merger of TrustedTeam.com, paving the way for the creation of Refer.com.Brandon Barnum's multifaceted leadership experience, coupled with his commitment to community building and business optimization, makes him a dynamic force in the entrepreneurial landscape. His dedication to connecting communities and fostering excellence continues to leave a lasting impact on the industries he ventures into.

Can you really grow a business with Digital Ads? How can you find success with any sized ad budget?Welcome to the ScreamingBox Technology and Business Rundown podcast.In this podcast, Botond Seres and Dave Erickson are going to pay to play with Brandon Leibowitz, CEO of SEO Optimizers.In 2008, Brandon started SEO Optimizers after working extensively at ad agencies helping their clients with search engine optimization and paid advertising. Since then, he focuses on helping small and medium-sized companies get ranked at the top of Google by using search engine optimization tactics and bringing in traffic via social media and paid ads.For this podcast we are looking for ROI in the learning about paid digital Ads tips, tricks and hacks. In addition, how can SEO lower ad costs and improve visitor retention and gain Higher Quality Scores.Summary Timetable:03:00 - Paid digital ads for small businesses.02:16 - Paid advertising platforms and their effectiveness.06:20 - Amazon ads and Google ads for product companies. 10:26 - Digital marketing strategies and Google ads. 15:10 - Ad testing and remarketing strategies. 18:05 - Remarketing strategies for small businesses. 23:28 - Remarketing, YouTube ads, and competitor targeting. 26:56 - YouTube optimization and SEO strategies. 32:36 - YouTube SEO and keyword research. 35:20 - SEO strategies and ad budget allocation. 40:13 - Ad spend optimization and profit margins. 43:01 - Optimizing website user experience for conversions. 48:06 - E-commerce website optimization and testing. 50:28 - SEO challenges and user experience. 56:34 - SEO and AI's impact on content creation. 1:00:47 - What is the future of SEO and Paid Ads.1:02:49 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Brandon Leibowitz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonleibowitz/SEO Optimizers = https://seooptimizers.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

Does your state of mind and emotional health directly affect your business? How can you improve your mental and emotional state to grow your business and help others as well?In this podcast, Dave Erickson and his esteemed co-host Botond Seres, are going to get mental with Kevin Palmieri, CFO, Founder & Co-Host of Next Level University, a Global Top 100 Self-Improvement Podcast. After hitting rock bottom in his 20’s, Kevin went on a holistic self-improvement journey to overcome his anxiety, depression and to finally live a happy life.As a result, he now has a successful podcast earning 6-figures, with a content base of 1000’s of episodes and additional training and speeches on NextLevelUniverse.comMany of Kevin's podcasts, speeches and training involve discussions about mental health, emotional stability and how to deal with life and business challenges that people and entrepreneurs face every day.Summary Timetable00:03 - Introduction - Mental health, emotional stability, and business growth.01:54 - Passion, purpose, and mental health in entrepreneurship.04:45 - Self-worth and beliefs in business success.09:18 - Tracking habits for personal growth and self-awareness.14:47 - Using commitment devices to improve habits and productivity.18:55 - The importance of consistency in habits and goal achievement.22:34 - Fitness, exercise, and mental health for entrepreneurs. 27:25 - Vulnerability, self-improvement, and entrepreneurship. 33:59 - The importance of a good partnership in business. 35:45 - Leadership, morale, and personal growth.40:23 - Empathy, self-improvement, and leadership. 46:09 - Creating value-driven content and building an online presence. 51:11 - Building a podcast audience and community. 56:27 - Podcasting, partnerships, and avoiding burnout.59:31 - Mental health, podcasting, and burnout. 1:03:51 - What does the future of podcasting look like?1:04:43 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Kevin Palmieri = https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-palmieri-5b7736160/Next Level University = https://www.nextleveluniverse.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxComAdditional Info on Kevin from his bio:I am the CFO, Founder & Co-Host of Next Level University, a Global Top 100 Self-Improvement Podcast with more than 1,100 episodes and 675K+ listens in over 140 countries.Some people find rock bottom... I found out that rock bottom had a basement.In my mid 20's... I had it all.I had a beautiful girlfriend, high paying job, sports car, my dream body... but I still ended up sitting on the edge of a bed debating suicide.After my rock bottom moment, I went all in on holistic self-improvement.I was determined to overcome my anxiety, depression and to finally live the life I'd always dreamed of.Years later, I now host a podcast that impacts hundreds of thousands of people in countries all over the world.At this stage, I've helped grow the podcast into a multi six-figure business, and I've recorded well over 1,000 episodes.I've also given hundreds of speeches, trainings and coaching calls with people all over the world.The main thing that changed was ME.I focused on learning what I didn't know (unlearning a lot too), and my life started to shift.I love talking about Consistency, Commitment, Habits, Mindset, Confidence, Fear, Relationships, Limiting Beliefs and everything in between.I believe in a heart-driven but NO BS approach to holistic self improvement, and I look forward to teaching even more people about what it really takes to get to the next level!

Is AI really taking over the world!? What work will the Humans do?In this podcast, Dave Erickson, and his honorable co-host Botond Seres; are going to get programmed on AI with Jimar Garcia, Practice Director at Genus Technologies. Jimar has worked in the intelligent automation space for over 20 years, helping companies improve profitability while maintaining compliance. Genus Technologies is a highly collaborative systems integrator, solution provider and software reseller that maximizes IBM, Kofax, Nuxeo and proprietary software offerings for intelligent document automation, content services and process transformation.Timeline Summary:00:03 - Podcast Intro.01:43 - AI, machine learning, and its applications.03:56 - How much of AI is really Machine Learning?09:57 - AI, programming, and the future of work.12:51 - The impact of AI on software development.16:12 - Data organization and AI.20:41 - The importance of data sets.26:05 - Data privacy, and legal questions related to AI29:30 - On premise vs. cloud data storage/access34:22 - Work productivity, and the future of work with AI.39:12 - Balancing remote work and office time for productivity and human connection.42:42 - AI's impact on education and business.51:33 - The role of education in how we will choose our careers53:49 - What is the future of AI?55:03 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Jimar Garcia = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimargarcia/Genus Technologies = https://www.genustechnologies.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

What is the key to building a $MILLION business? Building and maintaining larger personal networks, but how do you do that in today’s busy world?In this podcast, Dave Erickson and co-host Botond Seres are going to go on an adventure with Mike Brcic - CEO of Wayfinders.Mike founded and built Sacred Rides, the world’s #1 mountain bike adventure company, and in 2019 sold it. Since then, he started Wayfinders, and has spent most of his time developing incredible and impactful events, writing articles for his new blog series for entrepreneurs, and working on a new talk about the science of connection and belonging.Today we are going on an adventure with him to discover how to build and grow a personal business network that is beneficial to everyone. How to use technology to schedule and maintain connections and how connections with people really strengthen a business.Summary Timeline:00:03 - Building and maintaining valuable personal networks for business growth. 02:02 - Starting a business based on a passion for mountain biking. 05:06 - Entrepreneurship, connection, and personal growth. 10:06 - Creating unique adventure retreats for entrepreneurs.15:33 - Prioritizing relationships for personal and professional growth. 21:22 - Networking strategies for introverts and connecting with peers.25:42 - The benefits of giving and connecting with others. 30:19 - The value of asking for help and receiving it as a gift.35:22 - Building relationships and maintaining connections. 39:39 - Maintaining business connections using technology and personal touches. 43:32 - Building and maintaining connections.50:03 - Networking strategies and the future of relationships.55:13 - What is the future of networking?58:20 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Mike Brcic = https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebrcic/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxComADDITIONAL GUEST INFO:Mike Brcic BIO:One of my main goals in life (besides striving to be the best husband and dad I can be) is to use business to make positive change in the world. I do this through my company Wayfinders and through my courses, workshops and consulting for impact-driven entrepreneurs.Since selling my previous company, Sacred Rides, in Feb. 2019, I have been spending most of my time developing incredible and impactful events with Wayfinders, writing articles for my new [ALIGNED] blog series for entrepreneurs,  and working on a new talk about the science of connection and belonging. I'm blessed to have worked with hundreds of amazing entrepreneurs working on amazing businesses, and continue to learn about social enterprise every day. BRIEF CVRan the world’s #1 mountain bike adventure company Sacred Rides for 22 years (sold in Feb. 2019)Board chair (and co-founder) of Bikes Without BordersFounder and Chief Explorer at Wayfinders (since May 2017)Former Dean of Social Enterprise at the Centre for Social InnovationFormer Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Toronto Public LibrarySpeaker, Adventure Travel & Trade Association and AdventureEDUHow to build and grow a personal business network that is beneficial to everyone? Use of technology to schedule and maintain connections? How can connections with people really strengthen a business?

Making the wrong decision can cost you $Thousands, but can A/B Testing make you $Millions? In this ScreamingBox podcast, hosts Botond Seres and Dave Erickson, are going to see if A is better than B by talking with Nils Koppelmann - founder of 3TechA key to successful marketing and sales initiatives is to use an iterative approach and testing everything you do to find out what will get the best results. An A/B testing strategy is one of the best ways to find out what really works.Our guest Nils Koppelmann has a background in software engineering and design, and studied Computer Science in Berlin. He focuses on helping mission-driven companies grow online and enables them to make better decisions.In this Podcast, we are going to test the limits of A/B testing and find out if it can help your business grow!Summary Timeline:00:03 - A/B testing for business growth. 06:30 - A/B testing and its importance in verifying assumptions.12:54 - Segmenting website traffic for A/B testing.17:32 - A/B testing and segmentation in web development. 23:05 - A/B testing and user research for landing page optimization. 27:59 - CRO strategies and redesigning websites. 35:23 - A/B testing for business growth and customer needs. 39:37 - A/B testing for websites and emails. 46:10 - A/B testing and optimizing website performance. 53:26 - A/B testing and conversion rate optimization. 56:26 - The future of A/B testing.58:04 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Nils Koppelmann = https://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-koppelmann/ Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxComShort bioFor the last 8+ years, Nils has been working with businesses of all sizes in helping them grow. In the beginnings, he focused primarily on web design and development and later transitioned into the data-driven growth approach that now builds the basis for his work with 3tech GmbH. While continuously working on personal and client projects, he also studied Computer Science in Berlin. He started his professional career as a freelancer before finishing high school and two years later, in 2017, founded 3tech. He focuses on helping mission-driven e-commerce companies grow and enables them to make better decisions. His work evolves around conversion optimization and experimentation.

Trying to get your business start-up funded? Is all you are hearing from investors is crickets? How can you get an Angel Investor to fund your start-up? What can you do to ensure that you can get the start-up capital you need to make your business come alive!In this podcast, Dave Erickson, co-host Botond Seres are going to find the money by talking with DC Palter - founder of PitchingAngels.comDC is an angel investor, startup mentor, and a published author and novelist. He has invested directly in about 37 companies over 10 years, and 100 other invested companies as part of two angel investor groups: Tech Coast Angels and Chemical Angel Network.  He started his career as an energy engineer; and energy sustainability remains his passion, even though most of his working career and 2 successful businesses he built were actually in the computer networking industry. In this Podcast, we are going to discuss Angel Funding and how you can make a fundable business model and a winning funding presentation. We will also discuss what are the different types of funding options, what investors are looking for when investing in a company, and what are the best investment terms for various investment deals.Summary Timeline:00:04 - Angel funding and creating a fundable business model.02:07 - Entrepreneurship, funding, and career path.05:17 - Government grants for sustainable energy startups. 10:30 - Startup pitches and business models.14:13 - Startup funding and investment strategies.19:22 - Venture capital, business growth, and investment strategies.24:50 - Angel investors and industry insiders in startup funding.27:79 - Investing in startups and evaluating business pitches.33:00 - Building and protecting businesses with intellectual property.36:15 - Patents, IP, and funding pitches.42:58 - Investing in startups with a focus on chemistry and materials. 48:15 - Startup investment terms and valuation.51:39 - Startup funding and investing in Silicon Valley.54:02 - The future of funding.59:37 - Authorship and New Book1:00:41 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: DC Palter = https://www.linkedin.com/in/dc-palter/More Guest Info = https://pitchingangels.com/Please like this podcast, and subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications to get our latest videos @ScreamingBoxCom

Is Artificial Intelligence (or AI) going to take over the World! Are Humans becoming redundant? What will AI do to financial marketplaces? How will you be able to use AI to dominate global markets?For this podcast, Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to try to peer into the looking glass to our future with AI, by talking with Noah Healy - CEO of Coordisk.Early in Noah’s career, he used computational mathematics and software development capabilities to develop automations that boosted internal productivity, drove client efficiencies and improved regulatory compliance. Most recently he founded Coordisc and developed Coordinated Discovery Markets (also known as CDM), a technology product that has the potential to completely reorder the global financial system. CDM establishes a better exchange market for commodities by conducting all trades at market-clearing prices with radically improved price discovery, lower total cost of transactions and the elimination of hedging needs. Today, we are going to delve into AI and the future of marketplaces, and try to figure out if AI can help us make a better world… that will hopefully still include Humans in it.Chapter Index:00:03 - AI's impact on global marketplaces with industry expert Noah Healy.02:54 - What are Coordinated Discovery Markets (CDM)?06:44 - A new market mechanism to pre-negotiate prices.09:03 - What will it take to implement CDM's?10:12 - Difference between futures market and CDM?15:05 - Using AI to predict market prices.20:29 - Market manipulation and price discovery in a decentralized         marketplace.24:30 - How will markets self-correct?27:08 - AI's potential dangers and benefits.30:20 - AI's impact on communication and financial markets.40:09 - AI, signal, noise, and their impact on society.47:21 - AI decision-making and strategic situations.51:08 - The prisoner's dilemma and CDM AI54:52 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Noah Healy = https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-healy/ Noah has launched a podcast with Marty Weiner, former Reddit CTO and founding engineer at Pintrest. It is called "The 4th Age - The AI Revolution" on Spotify = https://open.spotify.com/show/6vrhhaa8vkb7Ddaw7ZsrNuTo catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/ Additional Info - From Noah’s Bio:When I look at the common thread that runs through all of my professional experiences, it is clear that I love to combine mathematics with technology to produce game-changing solutions. My inspiration came from my formal education, work experience and the breakthrough innovations developed by Alan Turing (and Frege and Church before him). Turing imagined machines with amazing computational power and ultimately brought them to life. His innovations tipped the scales of WWII and set the stage for the information revolution – of which I am an active part.Early in my career, I used computational mathematics and software development capabilities to develop automations that boosted internal productivity, drove client efficiencies and improved regulatory compliance. Most recently I founded Coordisc and developed CDM, a technology product that has the potential to completely reorder the global financial system. CDM establishes a better exchange market for commodities by conducting all trades at market-clearing prices with radically improved price discovery, lower total cost of transactions and the elimination hedging needs. Only a fraction of current tradeflow can get this product off the ground and prove its power. From there, CDM can be scaled rapidly.It is not lost on me that I have an enormous responsibility to produce algorithmic technology products that drive results, but also protect ethics and morality. One does not need to look beyond recent financial crises or their Facebook feeds to see that our rush for more powerful technology has eroded our civic, political, cultural and societal systems. I view myself as an “algorithmist with a conscience” and use tools such as game theory to design products ethically. Founded a company that developed the Coordinated Discovery Market (price discovery achieve via a coordination game), a technology product that established a better exchange market for commodities by conducting all trades at market-clearing prices with radically improved price discovery, lower total cost of transactions and the elimination hedging needs. Developed/verified the system via discovering a method for pricing transaction costs and creating a disruptive commodity marketplace. Collaborated with academics and financial leaders to promote the system and devise an effective go-to-market strategy.

What Is Geofencing and Geofenced Advertising & Marketing, and how you can use it to explode your business growth!Did you know that Geofencing can actually help your business grow? In this podcast we are going to find out about one of the newest advertising and marketing technologies - Geofencing.Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to try to figure out what side of the geofence they are on, by talking with Jeff Swartz - CEO of Ethic Advertising.Jeff Swartz has almost two decades of experience in advertising and entrepreneurship. He is founder of Ethic Advertising Agency, an agency that specializes in hyper-targeted digital advertising and creative services. He is also the author of the e-book “9 Reasons Advertising Doesn't Work.”  Recently, Jeff and his team have released the first and only self-serve geofence advertising platform built for small businesses called Qujam. In this podcast, we dig deep into the nuts and bolts of Geofencing and Geofence advertising. In addition, we discuss Jeff's new Geofencing platform that helps SMB’s start and run Geofencing advertising campaigns on their own:. 00:03 - Introduction.02:00 - What is Geofencing? 04:49 - How does Geofencing work? 09:20 - Example of Geofencing application12:19 - Targeting details of geofence advertising. 14:02 - Bidding system for ads. 19:45 - Turning off Geofencing.25:27 - How to use Geofencing in e-commerce. 29:21 - Using geofence to identify conversion fence users. 34:24 - What is Qujam and how does the platform work and who is it intended for?39:38 - Advertising on Qujam. 41:29 - Artificial Intelligence and Geofencing. 46:43 - Setting up a geo-fencing platform. 53:05 - The importance of Geofencing and geofence set-up. 54:26 - Ad creative and conversion.57:40 - The importance of having a search-based strategy. 59:13 - What is the future of Geofencing?1:00:20 - How do people access Qujam?1:01:49 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Jeff Swartz = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreymswartz/Qujam = https://qujam.com To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/ Additional Info:Jeff Swartz has almost two decades of experience in advertising and entrepreneurship. He is the founder and CEO of Ethic Advertising Agency which specializes in hyper-targeted  digital advertising and creative services. Jeff and Ethic Advertising have been recognized by the Telly Awards, Top 100 Magazine and the Hermes Creative Awards. He is also the author of the e-book “9 Reasons Advertising Doesn't Work.”  Recently, Jeff and his team have released the first and only self-serve geofence advertising platform built for small businesses called Qujam. Geofence advertising uses GPS data (and Wi-fi data if available as a second data check) to identify devices that have been at a specific location during a specific period of time. We then serve OTT, CTV, banner/display, and/or video pre-roll advertisements to the device in the geofence and other devices connected to the originally captured device.In other words, Qujam will allow you to serve digital ads to people who were physically at a hyper-specific location like your competitor's store, a service area/neighborhood, your own store location(s), people within walking distance to you, your customer's place of work, and more.

Standing out in a crowd can make you millions! Developing a new idea? How can you ensure successful product differentiation? User Experience, also known as UX - is probably not what you think it is.In this podcast, Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to chat about UX and product success with Ken Lonyai - UX award winner and UX consultant.Ken is a true product geek - part innovator, part product manager, and part UX designer. He's a entrepreneur and a UX Award winner, and he coined the acronym H-U-I for Human User Interface - which are technologies that make digital UI's more human-like. These days, Ken's focus is primarily on user-facing AI, such as intelligent assistants, chatbots, conversational intelligence, and their underlying technologies.In this Podcast, we are going to chat about how to make products stand-out and be successful - by focusing on what makes your product great - which is your customers' experience with it! As a bonus, we are also going to chat about integrating ChatGPT and other chat bots into the UX process and product designs, which we feel is going to be key to building successful digital products going forward.00:04 - Introduction to the podcast.03:45 - What is UX and why is it necessary?06:49 - How to get feedback from your users.12:18 - The problem with wait time indicators and queue messaging. 16:31 - Why not a persona for salespeople?21:37 - How many people to interview and how long to interview?28:28 - What is the deliverable?33:58 - How do you ask the right questions? 38:19 - Using Lorem ipsum (sample text) to summarize results.40:53 - UX rules for developing a Chatbot that actually functions correctly?47:34 - The edge cases that get neglected. 53:01 - How can a chatbot help a customer?1:01:11 - UX and how it will evolve in the future. 1:05:32 - Contact Info and Outro.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Ken Lonyai = https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenlonyai/ Website = http://kenlonyai.comTo catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/ 

Thinking about starting a business that will make you $BILLIONS! Wondering what type of company to form with your partners? We are going to get an accounting of what are the best company structures for your start-up and other accounting and tax advice from Shauna - The Tax Goddess in this ScreamingBox podcast interview.In this 3rd episode of our podcast Interview series, we will be interviewing Shauna Wekherlien CPA, founder of Tax Goddess Business Services - to have a real accounting of corporate formation strategies, cutting-edge technologies for teams, navigating SAAS taxes, and celebrating women in the tech industry. Your host is Dave Erickson, and his usual co-host Botond Seres is on holiday this week, which makes this podcast part of our interview series.Shauna is a trailblazer in the field of finance and is a tech-savvy business expert in the world of corporate taxation. With years of experience and a passion for empowering businesses, she is the founder of Tax Goddess Business Services. In this podcast Interview, we are going to get an accounting on which is the best company structure to start you business, SAAS accounting tips, Managing Remote workers and Women In Technology.00:04 - Podcast begins. 01:54 - How did you get into the field of accounting? 05:00 - The tax strategy game of chess. 08:20 - What is the best kind of company entity? 14:11 - Start with an llc or switch to a c corp. 17:53 - Is there any liability associated with your business?24:00 - Advice on how to start a business. 29:51 - How to choose the right tax software. 33:19 - Hire somebody in operations. 38:39 - Selling software on the internet. 44:03 - The importance of good communications.48:53 - Experience as a woman in the technology space.55:03 - Advice for young women interested in technology.58:00 - ConclusionIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ GUEST: Shauna Wekherlien CPA = https://www.linkedin.com/in/taxgoddess/Tax Goddess Business Services = https://taxgoddess.com/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/ Additional Info:If you have dealt with other CPA firms, you will find Tax Goddess Business Services’s approach very refreshing – We are not a stuffy accounting firm, yet we understand that managing your accounting and taxes is serious business.We know that bookkeeping is boring and filing tax returns is a pain… we get it. Accounting is a major pain in the gluteus maximus, and it diverts you from what you should be focusing on.But it doesn’t bother our collective gluteus – We love this stuff!We are a bunch of highly-qualified finance professionals with tons of experience and results we can brag about. The Tax Goddess team is composed of a seasoned CPA, energetic tax savings experts, hardworking bookkeepers, and other finance gurus with awesome personalities at no extra charge! Tax Goddess Business Services® is serious about your business. We have earned the extremely rare designation as a “Certified Tax Coach” and we take a very strategic approach to tax planning with a main goal of reducing tax burden on your business.We have been serving Arizona since 2004, and in the past year alone we saved our clients millions of dollars – We can help you save money too! In fact, we guarantee that with our knowledge, education, and training we can put a strategy together to reduce your business taxes and related gluteus maximus pains!Shauna A. Wekherlien, CPA, Masters in Taxation, and Certified Tax CoachPresident & CEO

Speaking English fluently is one of the most important business skills you can master, if you want to quickly grow your business globally! There is now a new tool that can make you sound like a Million Dollars! This App uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help your pronunciation and speaking of English. We are going to put every word about fluency AI - under the microscope on this month's ScreamingBox podcast.In this podcast, Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to try to understand language fluency with Ido Cohen - CEO of Fluento.ai. Leading up to founding Fluento.ai, Ido was VP of Products for Dreamdata after working for Permutive and Microsoft on product development. He is also a mentor on Plato, helping product professionals at different levels build their careers and helping them focus on collaboration, prioritization, roadmap building vision and leadership skills. Ido’s latest product is Fluento.ai, which is here to assist you throughout your English fluency journey - and creates a similar learning situation as if you were in an English class.In this podcast, we are going to become fluent in how AI can help you become a better English speaker. Summary: 00:03 - Why speaking English fluently is one of the most important business skills. 00:55 - Ido Cohen introduction.02:01 - How to use AI to improve your fluency and confidence in English.05:12 - Fluency is about imitating yourself.10:58 - The most effective exercises in the classroom is to get two people to roleplay different situations.16:29 - Integrating the AI to understand speakers and what they are saying. 21:07 - How to measure fluency and proficiency. 25:58 - Speaking to a specific goal, what do you do when you’re stuck? 32:47 - How does Fluento help you with slang? 36:47 - Why do some people want to sound more British and how to adapt the feedback based on that. 42:32 - Developing social skills and adapting your language. 48:55 - What keeps users engaged is not just the material, but also the experience.50:51 - Cost of Language learning.52:41 - How can businesses use Fluento?55: 28 - What does the future of language learning look like? 59:37 - Conclusion.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Ido Cohen = https://www.linkedin.com/in/hireido/Fluento.ai = https://www.fluento.ai/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/ You can find the video version of this Podcast below:

How to grow your Start-up and jump start your sales! What is your company's business culture and how can you use it to grow your business? In this month’s podcast, Dave Erickson and Botond Seres get some culture in this ScreamingBox podcast by talking with Russel Dubree - founder of Performance Faction. Russel is a well respected business coach who is insanely passionate about helping Business owners scale their business in a way that brings profit, purpose, and meaning in their lives. After a tour as an officer in the United States Air Force, and a few other start-ups in between, he co-founded the digital agency Lifeblue. After 15 years he sold a majority stake in the company in 2017 at an eight figure valuation. Near the end of 2021, he felt his time as a digital agency operator had reached its end, and decided to focus on helping other business owners create successful businesses that are profitable, sustainable, and built to last. To this end, he started Performance Faction Consulting; to help businesses reach their full potential by setting up the right foundations and a business culture needed for success. In this podcast, we are going to discuss business culture and how it affects your growth - from startup to sales - how to make growth happen.Summary:00:04 - Does your startup or small business culture matter?02:21 - What is business culture? What does it mean?10:36 - What advice do you have for small businesses that have a small team with different personalities?17:36 - The importance of having a mission statement in the beginning.21:49 - How to internalize the concept of vastly different levels of motivation.25:30 -  As a business scales up, how do you keep it so that you can still motivate people not just with money, but with relationships and treating them well?29:48 -  How to mitigate or how to mediate the earn more/spend less conflict?32:21 - Why remote work is still a hot topic for business owners.36:26 - What role does AI play in business culture?43:55 - Some people welcome change and want change, some people don’t. 47:29 - Most small businesses struggle with sales and culture, how do they deal with that?51:29 - How much should a business go into planning and figuring out what type of people they want in their business?If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Russel Dubree = https://www.linkedin.com/in/russeldubree/ Performance Faction = https://performancefaction.com/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/

So what is one of the fastest growing business trends in the last year? AI? Chat? You would be surprised! Want to find a way to grow your business and stand out from the crowd?In this ScreamingBox Technology and Business Rundown podcast, we going to try to game the system by talking with Damien Roux and Christopher Bradley from the SAAS Gamification platform Drimify.comWe are going to go in depth to find out why companies large and small are finding that Gamification may be a great way to lure in, educate, and connect with potential customers and grow your business.Damien is the Co-Founder and CEO of Drimify, and is a creative entrepreneur, passionate about the superpowers of gamification and how to use them to drive engagement and boost business growth.Christopher is a content creator and product specialist at Drimify, who graduated and worked in journalism before moving into content creation and marketing.Drimify, the SAAS gamification platform trusted by businesses around the world to connect with people and effectively communicate brand and product value to a new audience.Dave Erickson and his co-host Botond Seres discuss the concept of gamification and its potential to grow businesses on the ScreamingBox podcast. They discuss with Damien and Christopher how companies are using gamification to engage and connect with customers. Damien shares the journey of starting the company and explains that gamification triggers emotions and is ingrained in human nature. Christopher adds that gamification is a means to an end, using game mechanics to achieve desired responses and engage users. They discuss various examples of gamification, including loyalty programs, marketing games, and interactive ads, highlighting how it can improve key performance indicators, increase website retention, and effectively convey advertising messages.This ScreamingBox episode delves into the power of gamification in growing businesses, and sheds light on how Drimify.com utilizes gamification to connect with customers and communicate brand value. The conversation emphasizes that gamification triggers emotions, making it a natural and effective approach to engage users. It also differentiates gamification from casual gaming, emphasizing that gamification is a means to an end, serving specific purposes rather than merely entertaining users. The discussion highlights the wide range of applications for gamification, including loyalty programs, marketing games, and interactive ads, and how it can improve key performance indicators and enhance user engagement.Also discussed are the various aspects of gamification and its applications in different business contexts. The choice of game mechanics depends on the goals and objectives of the campaign or project. Quizzes and questionnaires are effective for educating and testing knowledge, while instant win game mechanics, such as spinning a wheel or using scratch cards, can be used to give away promo codes and increase conversions and sales. It is important to have variety in game mechanics to keep marketing engaging. The conversation also highlights the use of gamification in different stages of the customer journey, such as acquisition, activation, retention, referral, and revenue. Gamification is seen as a powerful tool for engaging with audiences and creating emotional connections with customers.The guests also discuss the importance of the analytics aspect of gamification. Integrating gamification into websites or mobile apps allows businesses to gather data and insights on participation rates, engagement rates, player behavior, and the impact of gamification on sales and conversions. The analytics provided by gamification platforms like Drimify can help businesses track and measure the success of their gamification campaigns and make data-driven decisions to optimize their strategies.02:03 - How did you get started with Drimify?04:27 - How can Gamification help businesses engage customers and improve brand loyalty?07:03 - Specific Gamification experiences that work better than others.12:04 - How to use games to improve the KPIs of your website.17:17 - An example of a small business that is starting with Gamification?20:56 - Can Gamification be implemented at every stage of the customer journey?25:59 - Plan in advance and make sure that Gamification and games are part of your strategy. 31:24 - How to use Gamification to get the information you want to get.34:25 - What are the types of game mechanics and how do you apply them?41:33 - How does AI fit into the future of Gamification?44:19 - Do you have tools on Drimify that help businesses integrate games into their websites and mobile apps?48:20 - How long are games created on Drimify last?51:57 - What does the future of Gamification look like?52:40 - OutroIf you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here:Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST1: Damien Roux = https://www.linkedin.com/in/rouxdamien/GUEST2: Christopher Bradley = https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-bradley-4ab55b128/Drimify Gamification Platform = https://drimify.com/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/

Need To Make A MILLION Dollar Business Pitch? Here are the SECRETS from an expert!In this month’s podcast; Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are looking to learn how to make the ultimate pitch with our guest Glenn Rudin. Glenn is a Product Development Consultant and Coach with extensive experience in both Marketing and Sales, and now specializes in break through Messaging, Brand Development and Product Creation.Working for companies such as Revlon & Shiseido - Glenn developed his business winning sales and marketing strategies. Later, he created and sold numerous consumer products to some of the largest retailers in the world including: Walmart, Target, CVS, Macy's and Lowes.In this podcast we are going to find out how to develop a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and build it into a pitch that will grow a business.Glenn helps Companies make sure their Sales and Marketing MESSAGE is Crystal Clear.He is “The Message Master” who helps companies find their Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and points of Differentiation (MESSAGING), so that they stand out in their marketplace when compared to their competition.A Company doesn’t get a 2nd chance to make a positive impression. Confused customers don't ask - they simply move on to the next choice in the marketplace. That is why it is so important to get your messaging right. In this podcast, Glenn talks about creating the Perfect Message for your Company. Developing your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), and training how to deliver a great pitch. MESSAGING is the key to a company’s marketing and sales communications. It is critical for an a company’s Elevator Pitch, Website Landing Page, Promotional Materials, Business Cards, Newsletters, and all other public facing and internal marketing.00:32 - Intro to Glenn Rudin01:50 - What Experience in Sales and Marketing did you get in the corporate world?03:48 - How important is messaging and branding for a start-up?05:20 - How important is messaging for the sales side?10:15 - Simplify your messaging.12:27 - What are the components of a successful pitch?20:08 - Goal of an elevator pitch.24:24 - How to get an emotional investment in your pitch.27:17 - Imagery and messaging.31:00 - Differentiation messaging.34:00 - The value of the cool factor.39:16 - Determining your audience.46:16 - Live pitching vs. Remote pitching.50:00 - How to close a pitch and make a call to action?54:28 - What advice do you have for people making thier first pitch or just starting out?57:30 - Share your ideas when appropriate.59:21 - Contact information for Glenn.1:02:00 - Outro and close.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here: Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/ Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/ GUEST: Glenn Rudin = https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennrudin/ Guest's Website = https://www.alwaysbeencreative.comTo catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/ 

ScreamingBox hosts Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to search for answers about Search Engine Optimization with our guest Tom Demers.Tom has more than a decade of online marketing experience, and deep expertise in Search Engine Optimization and Pay Per Click advertising. He is currently co-founder and managing partner at Measured SEM, an online marketing firm which helps clients significantly increase their web traffic and grow their businesses. Tom is also a prolific writer, and writes for sites like Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal.In this podcast we are looking to find out exactly what SEO is, tips and tricks for developers and content writers and how SEO can be applied to various business and technology solutions:0:32 - What is Search Engine Optimization? 2:11 - What are the main parts of SEO?6:51 - The importance of link building in SEO.13:35 - The three buckets of SEO: technical SEO, content SEO, and link building.16:09 - What is Google looking for in your content?20:00 -  Internal links vs. external links.22:56 - What is the SEO stratagy that is most underutilized in commercial sites?28:19 - Paginated content and search.30:52 - Categories are a great idea, but don’t make the mistake of having too many.35:59 - Keyword targeting and the types of terms you want to rank for.38:54 - How to find keywords that are relevant today for search?45:00 - How to find content structure examples for high-level topic areas?48:36 - Is it better to focus on a few keywords or have many?54:03 - The tactic or strategy that has the most ROI at this point seems to be that of content generation.56:22 - How do you think ChatGPT content is gonna impact search and Google?1:02:33 - How good is ChatGPT for SEO?1:07:25  - What’s going to be the things that are going to most impact SEO in the next three or four years?1:11:48 - The diversification in the way people are getting answers to questions.1:14:00 - Contact Info and wrap up.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here:Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Tom Demers = https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomdemers/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/

In this month’s podcast hosts Dave Erickson and Botond Seres are going to venture into the mysterious world of ChatGPT with our guest Joshua Darrington. Joshua is a young enthusiastic but seasoned business professional with a background in ecommerce and marketing. He recently transitioned into the field of ChatGPT education and has quickly become a top teacher of ChatGPT on Udemy. With a passion for technology and teaching, Joshua is dedicated to helping others understand and utilize the power of ChatGPT in their own businesses and projects. In this podcast, we explore the new world of ChatGPT, and are looking to Joshua to find out exactly why it is all the rage, what exactly is ChatGPT and how it can be applied to various business and technology solutions.Like us, for many ChatGPT is something that has just burst on the scene, but it has actually been in development for sometime. Since the awareness of it is now just hitting the mainstream, this is a good time to get familiar with the How, What and Why of ChatGPT.Like many business people, Joshua came to ChatGPT trying to learn about it and figure out how to apply it to business. In the process of learning and discovery, he decided to put his learning, knowledge and experience into a Udemy.com course:https://www.udemy.com/course/chatgpt-the-complete-guide-from-zero-to-hero/?referralCode=F4ABEFD3EB33B671AA5AJoshua’s passion for ChatGPT really came out during our podcast, and although he is still learning about ChatGPT, he has already built up a fantastic base of knowledge and use cases that are very targeted on SMB businesses and the marketing challenges they face.In our podcast we go over some of the ChatGPT basics, and then dive deeper into use cases and how the technology works:0:32 - Introduction to Joshua Darrington.1:00 - What is ChatGPT?5:34 - How many data sets do you have in GPT?9:47 - How sensitive is GPT to grammatical errors?14:17 - How does GPT decide which data sets to use at which moment?19:56 - How to use Chat GPT for e-mails.24:48 - What’s the difference between prompt engineering and prompt writing?29:12 - The art of Chat GPT is the art of understanding how to apply it.34:43 - Where do the coding answers come from?39:25 - Chat GPT as an opportunity for business people.44:01 - When should you get in the AI space?49:18 - How to use GPT for marketing content writing.56:30 - The importance of being knowledgeable and educated about Chat GPT.56:30 – The importance of being knowledgeable and educated about Chat GPT.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here:Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Joshua Darrington = https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-darrington-809373184/Udemy ChatGPT course = https://www.udemy.com/course/chatgpt-the-complete-guide-from-zero-to-hero/?referralCode=F4ABEFD3EB33B671AA5ATo catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/You can find the video version of this Podcast here = https://sbox.bz/PC23ChatGPTVid

For this month's podcast, your hosts Dave Erickson and Botond Seres talk with Marwan Forzley, CEO and co-founder of the Fintech company Veem.com. A company focused on automating accounts payables and receivables for businesses. Started with the intention of making business payments as simple as sending an email, Veem levels the playing field by providing enterprise-level payment tools to small businesses. With over 700,000 users, Veem is becoming a leader in the Fintech space.Prior to Veem, Marwan founded and served as CEO of eBillme, an online payment solution that extended online banking to a merchant’s checkout process. After selling eBillme to Western Union, Marwan joined the Western Union’s digital team as General Manager, eCommerce, and Strategic Partnerships. With his extensive experience and expertise in eCommerce infrastructure, mobile payments, content delivery, and alternative payments, Marwan co-founded Align Commerce in 2014, and changed the name to Veem in 2017.We talk with him about the history of Veem as well as where the Fintech and cross-board financial industry is heading.During this podcast, we explore important questions about Veem.com and the Fintech industry, such as:1:00 - What is Veem?1:50 - What was the catalyst for creating Veem?4:30 - How did you come up with the name Veem?6:20 - Why are payment options so important?7:37 - What are the mechanics of money transfer with Veem?10:32 - What was the integration journey like for these platforms?15:15 - What has been the biggest change to the business model since it started in 2014?16:18 - How much of Veem’s development is influenced by customer feedback vs. Veem’s own roadmap? 18:40 - What is a typical example of a client?20:50 - What are some of the current use cases for the platform?22:06 - How does Crypto currency fit into money transfers? 24:30 - How do you use AI and machine learning to detect patterns in payments?28:10 - How does Veem approach Customer service?34:20 - What does the future of Fintech look like?36:15 - Meshing of domestic and cross-border transactions.39:28 - Keeping a SaaS up to date wih the latest API’s.41:15 - Do you see a Veem bank in the future?About Veem.com from their website:Trusted by more than 700,000 businesses in over 100 countries, Veem is the market leader in automating accounts payables and receivables for businesses. Started with the intention of making business payments as simple as sending an email, Veem has revolutionized the way businesses pay and get paid around the world by empowering business owners, accountants, and finance professionals to take control of their payment processes. Veem levels the playing field by providing enterprise-level payment tools to small businesses. Designed with data security and privacy in mind, Veem adheres to strict compliance, privacy and data protection practices and holds all required federal and state licenses.Marwan Forzley is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Veem, a next-generation global payment provider that enables businesses to quickly and securely send and receive payments in local currency. Veem uses the blockchain as a new settlement rail to enable frictionless and inexpensive payments. Prior to Align Commerce, Forzley founded and served as CEO of eBillme, an online payment solution that extended online banking to the merchant’s checkout process. After selling eBillme to Western Union, Forzley joined the Western Union’s digital team as General Manager, eCommerce, and Strategic Partnerships. With extensive experience and expertise in eCommerce infrastructure, mobile payments, content delivery, and alternative payments, Forzley is one of the top entrepreneurs working to pioneer better payment systems.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here:Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Marwan Forzley = https://www.linkedin.com/in/marwanforzley/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/You can find the video version of this Podcast here = https://youtu.be/6X_0sALKLsY

Today we are talking with Andre Polesny, who is a Developer Evangelist at Content.AI, a large Headless CMS (Content Management System) platform. In this podcast, we not only explore what is a headless CMS, but also several business cases as to how to apply it to web development. Ondrej started his career as a .Net developer at a digital agency in Austria, and a few years later joined the traditional CMS (Content Management System) company Kentico. As a consultant in the Customer Success Department, he soon discovered that he could talk to both business users and developers. He spent over four years, training developers, training business users and helping everyone to use the product to its full potential.Later, he switched to a Developer Evangelism role and focused more on the developer side and to gather their feedback and learn how they use the system in order to feed back to the product teams so they could improve the product. At that time, Kentico had two main product groups, the traditional CMS (renamed to Experience) and the new Headless CMS that was just being developed which was named Kontent. Ondrej then moved over to be the Developer Evangelist for the Kontent Headless CMS division. Recently, that division was spun off as the stand alone company Kontent.AI - https://kontent.ai/During this podcast, we explore some of the most important Headless CMS Application questions, such as:1:06 - Who is Ondrej Polesny?3:28 - What is a Headless CMS?6:34 - What, what makes Headless CMS so interesting, because five years ago, nobody was talking about Headless CMS and now everybody's talking about it?8:37 - What’s changed in the past five years?  15:05 - Headless CMS vs. traditional CMS. 15:36 - Is there a Headless CMS checklist, to figure out whether Headless CMS is really the direction you want to go?20:54 - Is there a particular type of content that best fits CMS or Headless CMS systems or are they completely independent of content? 27:09 - Does your content platform have tools to help people do some of this content modeling or is it something that’s separate outside of Headless CMS  29:27 - How Headless CMS is Agile?  34:06 - What’s your experience with low code and no code solutions and Headless CMS?  37:26 - Headless CMS deals with a lot of different channels. Can you kind of describe a little bit about what are the basic channels?41:12 - Are all the Headless CMS systems pretty much equal or do they have differences?If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here:Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Guest: Ondrej Polesny = https://www.linkedin.com/in/ondrej-polesny/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/You can find the video version of this Podcast here = https://youtu.be/EuJ23npWjhQ

This month is the 10th anniversary of the founding of our digital development company.This podcast is something separate - I mean we are not doing it with the expectation that it will generate lots of business - it is because we enjoy furthering the discussion about Technology and Business which are subjects we are passionate about and making a contribution to the global knowledge base on the subject we cover.For this Podcast, we wanted to celebrate our 10 year anniversary as a company, not so much with a focus on talking about our company (we do that in the beginning), but more about focusing on the state of technology in the development industry, and how we think the business will evolve.To do this, Botond and I are joined by some fellow ScreamingBox team members who can add to the conversation from the perspective of their expertise:Balazs Beregnyei (Bereg) is one of the original co-founders of ScreamingBox, and is a EE specializing in software, firmware and hardware development.David Levai is one of the owner/partners of ScreamingBox, and is a very experienced full-stack developer and an advanced technologist.Mariann Farkas is a seasoned HR expert, and handles the recruiting and developer relations at ScreamingBox.Anni Pecznyik is an experienced Project Manager and is one of the best PM’s here at ScreamingBox.Listen in to our circular interrogation squad, as we explore the current state, and future direction of the development industry.02:14 - How did ScreamingBox Start?02:51 - How did we get the company name? 04:43 - Why do you think that it makes sense to have embedded skills in a company which mostly does web and mobile development projects?06:28 - How does it make sense to start embedded projects while we are in the global supply shortage?09:23 - What is your dream project? 09:46 - What are the challenges around having fully remote teams?13:50 - What do you do in HR to have remote devs and team members in general?17:26 - What is the technology that has had the biggest impact on development in the past 10 years?23:13 - Mobile development?27:12 - 10 years from now, what do you think digital development will look like? Or maybe five years? 34:13 - What new technologies do we find interesting now?37:59 - What are the most important parts of managing projects?42:35 - What kind of technologies are important for project management?44:07 - How do you think that project management will change in the future? 47:03 - How would you describe your day of project management?49:18 - How will the development industry change in the future, not in the next 10 years but in 100 years? 53:59 - Wrap up.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here:Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/Balazs Beregnyei = https://www.linkedin.com/in/bereg/David Levai = https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamdavidlevai/Mariann Farkas = https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariann-farkas-8414381a7/Anni Pecznyik = https://www.linkedin.com/in/annipecznyik/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/You can find the video version of this Podcast here = https://sbox.bz/PC20vid

For this month’s ScreamingBox Technology and Business Rundown podcast, your hosts Dave Erickson and Botond Seres, are interrogating Justin Jackson, who is the co-founder of Transistor.fm, a podcast hosting and distribution platform. They do podcast hosting and analytics for folks like indie hackers, Vegas Golden Knights, and VH1. ScreamingBox also uses Transistor.fm to distribute this podcast to 15 of the most popular podcasting platforms, such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Spotify, and many others. Previously, Justin was Head of Product Marketing for multiple startups and he's been blogging about bootstrapping in business since 2008. You can listen to his podcast at justinjackson.ca  Justin also hosts the ‘build your SaaS’ podcast and publishes a companion newsletter, about what it's like to bootstrap a SaaS. He also runs Mega Maker, a community for bootstrappers and wrote marketing for developers, a book and course for programmers who want to learn marketing. All his links are down below.In this Podcast we explore and answer many questions of about Bootstrapping SaaS products and the Podcast market:0:00 - Introduction to Justin Jackson.1:49 - The importance of having an open schedule for your business.4:56 - How did you get into the software industry?11:06 - When starting Transistor, were you looking to fix some problems in podcasting?16:24 - The rise of software as a service23:59 - What’s the shift in the podcast hosting market?25:02 - How do you get people to use or find your SaaS product?32:00 - How bootstrapping and bootstrapped companies compete on the world stage.36:36 - The democratization of technology and podcasting.40:00 - The importance of open protocols44:05 - How do you get a SaaS product to start growing its user base?53:08 - The importance of partnering54:51 - Building relationships and cultivating a lifestyle for your career.59:59 - The new resume (CV) and how to build it.If you have questions for our Podcast Hosts or Guest, you can reach them here:Dave Erickson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveerickson1/Botond Seres = https://www.linkedin.com/in/botondseres/GUEST: Justin Jackson = https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinijackson/Build Your SaaS Podcast = https://saas.transistor.fm/MegaMaker Community = https://megamaker.co/To catch up with all our Podcasts, please go to = https://podcast.screamingbox.com/You can find the video version of this Podcast here = https://youtu.be/imNotYs6Wxk