Steve Hearsum discussed the limitations of quick fixes and the importance of functional collaboration in a complex world. They also explored the link between anxiety and creativity, and the need for leaders to acknowledge their limitations and learn. Lastly, they examined the persistence of the heroic leadership concept and the need for a shift in organizational mentality. Steve is the author of No Silver Bullet: Bursting the bubble of the organizational quick fix.

Steve is the founder of Edge and Stretch, working with brands and organisations to increase their capacity for collaboration and experimentation, including the NHS, a global fast moving consumer goods company, international financial institutions and many others. He is an experienced developer of change practitioners and consultants and a qualified Consulting and Coaching Supervisor. Steve is a trustee and Council Member for the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations and previously served as Co-chair of the Organisation Development Network Europe. He also holds a Masters in Change Agent Skills & Strategies from the University of Surrey.

Domenic Colasante discussed the potential benefits and challenges of integrating artificial intelligence in marketing, emphasizing the importance of human expertise and the need for more personalized and impactful content. The concept of heroism was also explored in relation to professional life, with Domenic identifying CMOs as heroes due to their commitment to business growth. The discussion concluded with Ed thanking Domenic for his insights and offering to continue the conversation on LinkedIn.

Domenic is CEO at 2X, the category creator and fastest growing marketing-as-a-service firm. Domenic is a thought leader on marketing organizational models and operating model transformation. Previously, Domenic was CMO at WGroup and has held demand creation, marketing ops, analytics, and account based marketing roles at Siemens and SAP.

Summary

David G. Ewing emphasized the importance of mapping individual customer journeys, utilizing a systematic approach encompassing systems, processes, culture, and incentives to deliver exceptional customer experiences. He highlighted examples that exemplified the power of empathy and cultural values in providing meaningful customer service. Finally, David promoted his newsletter focused on sharing exceptional customer experience stories.

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David G. Ewing , CEO of Motiv, is a trailblazer in customer experience innovation. With over 25 years in the industry, he's transformed insights into substantial revenue for 500+ clients. A Harvard cum laude engineering graduate, David's leadership has earned motive a spot on the Inc 5000 list. As president of the entrepreneurs association in Austin, he's dedicated to empowering fellow entrepreneurs. Beyond business, he's a devoted husband of 19 years and a passionate coach for his son’s robotics team.

Summary

Anton Skornyakov, the co-founder and managing director of Agile.Coach, discussed his role in coaching organizations and individuals on agile project management methodologies. He emphasized the importance of delivering small, useful pieces of a project to customers for feedback and the challenges encountered when implementing new ERP systems. Anton also shared his admiration for Russian political activist Alexei Navalny, calling him a hero due to his successful and agile campaigning. Lastly, Anton provided information about how one could contact him through his website, Slicingwork.com.

About Anton

Passionate about Agile methodologies, Anton Skornyakov holds the esteemed Certified Scrum Trainer certification, a distinction shared by only 250 individuals globally, awarded by the Scrum Alliance®. Anton's dedication to organizational collaboration and Agile principles in the public and nonprofit sectors led him to his current role as co-founder and managing director of Agile.Coach. In this capacity, he has coached nearly a hundred organizations and thousands of individuals in the art of slicing work. Anton is also the author of the upcoming book The Art of Slicing Work: How to Navigate Unpredictable Projects, which is the subject of our conversation today. 

Scott Tillema discussed the importance of negotiation skills in various fields, particularly business, and how techniques used in crisis negotiations can be applied to business situations. Scott emphasized the need for emotional intelligence, self-regulation, and effective communication in difficult conversations. He also discussed the importance of authenticity, practice, and persistence in maintaining genuine connections and achieving desired results. Lastly, Scott shared his role models and invited listeners to connect with him for speaking or corporate negotiation inquiries.

Scott Tillema is a retired SWAT hostage negotiator with over 20 years of law enforcement experience in the Chicago area. Educationally, Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science, and a master’s degree in psychology, and he was trained in negotiation by the FBI and at Harvard University. Today, he is a Partner at The Negotiations Collective, an international negotiations and conflict resolution training firm. As a global keynote speaker and corporate trainer, Scott inspires audiences to use techniques of verbal influence to be powerful negotiators, effective conflict resolvers, and influential leaders.

Kendyl Campbell , a director of strategic partnerships, emphasized the importance of bridging the information gap between companies, field operations, and financials. She highlighted the potential for cost savings by integrating systems to eliminate the information gap and shared her role in creating the "Dirty Boot Show" podcast, aiming to connect the construction industry and share insights. Kendyl also expressed professional admiration for Sarah Blakely, founder of Spanx.

Kendall Campbell spent many years in and around the construction industry before joining Assignar in 2020, implementing dozens of strategic enterprise accounts with complex integrations. She quickly rose through the ranks to lead the Customer Success Team in 2022 before becoming Director of Strategic Partnerships. Currently, Kendy is helping sell value across complex software ecosystems, ultimately solving the information gap between companies’ field operations and financials-- selling some of our largest deals globally. Kendyl was awarded the 2022 Customer Custodian Award in North America, and she can now be heard as one of our hosts on Assignar’s The Dirty Boots Show.

In this episode Gary Feldman, CEO of I-Business Network and board member of 90 Minds, discusses his transition from helping companies to exploring the potential of AI in enhancing ERP systems. He shares insights from his session on "How AI Will Supercharge ERP," emphasizing the rapid advancement and integration of AI technologies in business management software. Gary highlights the existing and upcoming applications of AI in ERP, like copilots and chatbots, predicting significant improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness. He addresses concerns about AI's future impact, advocating for responsible development and implementation. Gary concludes by sharing a personal story about a mentor who significantly influenced his career, underscoring the importance of continual learning and adaptability in the evolving landscape of technology and consulting.

Vik Pothnis discussed the significance of partnerships and alliances at Fyle, where Vik serves as a leader. They also explored the difficulties in expense management, such as manual reconciliation of credit card statements, broken bank feeds, and errors in reconciliation. Vik noted the lack of visibility into spend data, which hinders controllers and CFOs from understanding how and where money is being spent within the organization. He also criticized existing solutions that require switching cards. They also discussed the "bring your own card" feature offered by Fyle, which allows real-time transaction feeds from any bank a customer uses.

Vik Pothnis leads Partnerships and Alliances at Fyle. Vik and the team work with partners to reduce the time and effort required from the process of expense management for both the partners and their clients. He has an extensive background of working in high-impact roles in partnerships, business development, and solution sales in companies like Dell, Hitachi and Capgemini. He is a coffee lover with a liking for music and gardening.

In this episode Ed Kless interviews Chuck Peddy, VP of 90 Minds and Senior Consultant at Smartbridge, live from Palm Springs. Chuck discusses his drive to improve people's lives through efficiency and delves into AI's significant impact on various industries, including its rapid integration into ERP systems like Sage Intact. He humorously acknowledges AI's growing role in daily life and speculates on its future applications. The conversation also explores the robustness of Sage 100 and its cloud adaptability. Chuck highlights George Washington as a personal hero, emphasizing the importance of political decorum. This episode offers a thoughtful examination of AI's evolving influence on business and personal values.

In the podcast, Cody Manning discusses his professional journey and current role as the Chief Sales Officer. He shares his passion for helping individuals reach their full potential and highlights the potential for extreme efficiencies in AP automation. Cody also discusses a project with a small customer, illustrating how automation can improve work-life balance. He then shares his personal experience with implementing new business strategies, which has led to more efficient contract negotiations and bill payments. Finally, Cody talks about his father, who he considers his hero, and offers contact information for those interested in reaching out.

Cody Manning is the Chief Sales Officer of Yooz. He attended New Mexico State University and Collin County Community College before joining the Symantec and McAfee inside sales departments. Cody joined Yooz in 2020 as VP of Sales – North America and in 2022 was promoted to Chief Sales Officer for North American sales with plans to expand into Latin America.

Meg Higgins discussed the challenges small businesses face in navigating technology, with Meg emphasizing the need for assistance. Meg shared her experience in business development and strategy. The conversation shifted to Meg's admiration for Ray Dalio, a hedge fund investor and author, and the increasing complexity of tax compliance for businesses due to their digital and global expansion. Meg highlighted the need for digital tax management and the benefits of technology solutions. 

Meg is the Senior VP of Global Partners at Avalara and leads their global partner organization, which focuses on growing the company’s channel business and delivering a best-in-class partner experience. She previously served as Vice President of Global Partner Business Development and Strategy as well as Vice President and General Manager for the company’s ecommerce and marketplace business unit. Prior industry experience includes leading client and partner management and business development, as well as cofounding the global ecommerce business unit at Pitney Bowes.