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Business
Jane Singer
Top international business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and authors share their experience, insights and outlook on how to drive business growth, build better companies, new fast growing technologies and where the next big opportunities are.
Total 215 episodes
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A Road Map for Overcoming Analysis Paralysis

A Road Map for Overcoming Analysis Paralysis

In a fast paced, complex business environment decision making has become increasingly difficult.We want to make good decisions.  We’re told we need to make faster decisions.  But often we end up in ‘analysis paralysis’.Caught between analyzing endless data, including inputs from a vast range of participants, and often trying to please too many masters.   It’s no wonder fewer decisions get made.  And when they do, they are not the best.If you are looking for a way to simplify decision making and cut through some of the complexities, then this episode is for you!Today we’re joined by Dave Martin, author of Mega Thinking: A Simple, Powerful Process to Think Smarter and Make Better Leadership Decisions.   He is the founder of 280 Capital Partners and a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and has helped top executives and leaders across industries refine their decision-making process using his innovative "MegaCepts" method.Dave will be talking about his 4-step method to overcoming analysis paralysis.How to distill complex topics into their 10 most essential principles.Why sharpening thinking still is critical for effective leadership.USEFUL LINKSFind "Mega Thinking" by Dave Martin on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFMYY4LZLearn about the Current Situation in Sourcing:  https://thecurrentsituation.netVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
58:1824/11/2024
Simple Steps To Get Control Over Even Your Worst Stress

Simple Steps To Get Control Over Even Your Worst Stress

When people talk about PTSD we usually think of returning military veterans or survivors of catastrophic events.Yet many other people suffer from stress-related issues that are not unlike PTSD.  Terry Earthwind Nichols, is a bestselling author and father of  Repetitive Behavior Cellular Regression, a methodology that helps people decrease anxiety, fear, procrastination, self sabotage and overall stressIn this podcast, he talks about how people can overcome some of the past traumas that continue to  disrupt  their daily lives - including a simple technique you can use anytime and anywhere.You’ll Learn:How to uncover hidden traumas that are causing severe stressThe life-changing benefits of resolving past traumasA simple and easy method to use any time you need to control stressUseful Links:Connect with Terry Earthwind Nichols on LinkedIn:  linkedin.com/in/earthwindTerry Earthwind Nichols portfolio:  linktr.ee/terryearthwindnicholsLearn more about the Current Situation in Sourcing:  thecurrentsituation.netVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
31:5817/11/2024
How To Build Brands that Sell

How To Build Brands that Sell

Everyone wants to build a brand.  But few people actually know how.For most, a brand is a logo and a vague mission statement - and little more.And you can really blame them.  Creating a unique brand identity - and articulating it so that others (ideally customers) understand what you stand for - is a lot bigger undertaking than it seems.I'm Jane Singer, and welcome back to A Seat at the Table. In each episode, we sit down with some of the smartest and most innovative people who join us as guests on this show and share a ton of valuable business and life enhancing insights.A big shout out to all of our esteemed listeners in over 140 countries around the world.  Thank you for being there with us today.Today we are joined by Nigel Davies, a brand consultant who helps business owners untangle their brands so that they are more relevant, unique and memorable.With over 25 years in the creative industry, Nigel was employed by leading design agencies (creating the first global standard for Ford Motor Company), before establishing his own agency.Not surprisingly, he has  won multiple awards for ‘Brand Transformation’.In today’s podcast, Nigel will be discussing:- Biggest mistakes that organizations make in the early stages of building a brand-  The importance of brands creating ‘an emotional connection’ with their customers -  Some of the most challenging projects he’s worked on - and how he turned them into success stories.USEFUL LINKS:Inside Fashion website:   insidefashionlive.netConnect with Nigel Davies on LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/pincreative/Nigel Davies' website:   https://untangleyourbrand.com/https://untangleyourbrand.com/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
36:1307/09/2024
The Future of Industry is People + AI

The Future of Industry is People + AI

AI has become one of the most talked about technologies. A lot of the hype makes AI seem like a magic wand that can do anything or an evil demon that will leave massive numbers of people without jobs. While it's unlikely, at least for now, that these extreme cases are true, there is little doubt that AI is a technology we need to understand. For most companies, the challenge is identifying what are practical use cases for AI in their organizations.  I'm Jane Singer and welcome back to A Seat at the Table. On this show, we sit down with leading entrepreneurs, innovators, and thought leaders to get a close-up look at the technologies and developments that are impacting industry. Today, I am joined by professor Calvin Wong, CEO and center director of AID Lab and Chung Yee Kung, endowed professor in fashion of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.Professor Wong is ranked among the world's top 2 percent of most cited scientists in the field of artificial intelligence and image processing with over a 170 high impact journal publications. His work bridges industry and academia. In 2019, he worked with one of the world's largest online shopping platforms to establish the first of its kind fashion AI dataset. In 2022, he and his team developed the world's first design led AI system, AI based interactive design assistant for fashion, otherwise known as AIDA. In this podcast, professor Wong will be discussing:The top myths around AI that need to be bustedThe role that humans are playing in AI driven design applicationsThe most practical use case for AI in textile manufacturingWhat might be the next gen application of AI in the apparel and textile industry. Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
36:0803/09/2024
Why Being Sustainable is No Longer Enough - and what brands need to do now

Why Being Sustainable is No Longer Enough - and what brands need to do now

The apparel industry is being forced to re-imagine itself in the face of pressure to meet new green standards.Suddenly, what we thought was sustainable turns out to be merely a ‘good try’ - but not enough.While apparel needs to now recycle, be circular, reduce carbon emissions and lower water usage, it also has to appeal to consumers - who want clothing that is eye catching, comfortable, high quality and personalized.That’s a big ask for any industry, let alone an industry that runs on razor thin margins and almost as thin lead times.I'm Jane Singer, and welcome back to A Seat at the Table. In each episode, we sit down with some of the smartest and most innovative people who join us as guests on this show and share a ton of valuable business and life enhancing insights.A big shout out to all of our esteemed listeners 140 countries around the world.  Thank you for being there with us today.Today we are joined by the legendary Giusy Bettoni, founder and CEO of C.L.A.S.S., which stands for Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy.CLASS is  an international eco-hub – based in Milan - which since the very beginning has been advocating for a new generation of fashion where the fusion of design, innovation, communication and responsibility shape an informed and competitive business, able to play both at an economic and social level.Giusy is a pioneer in the field of sustainable textiles having started out in 2007, before they coined the term ‘sustainability’ and we were still talking about being ‘eco-friendly ‘ - if we were talking about it all.   She has superior technical knowledge within the raw material market sector, as well as precise marketing and communication skills.In this podcast, Giusy will be discussing:What she sees at the biggest challenge facing the fashion industryWhy sustainability has to be about more than just environmental impacts in order to be effective.How the apparel industry could re-imagine itself to benefit people and planet.The apparel industry is complicated and constantly changing.  To win, you not only have to know what’s happening, you need to understand why - and how it could potentially impact your business.When apparel industry executives want a sharp of view of global supply chains - from factory to retail selling floor they turn to Inside Fashion.Why should you read Inside Fashion?  In the words of one subscriber:“Inside Fashion consistently provides an extremely comprehensive yet concise  take on the apparel industry - simplifying key topics and making them accessible and understandable - while also highlighting what’s next on the horizon.”Find out how you and your team could benefit from Inside Fashion.Head on over to insidefashionLive.net to learn more.  Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
28:5724/07/2024
Retail Opportunities that Mass Market Brands Might Be Overlooking

Retail Opportunities that Mass Market Brands Might Be Overlooking

Retail sales continue to outperform expectations - in both the US and in key European markets.  Yet analysts are still waiting for that slowdown that was supposed to be driven first by inflation - and then by higher interest rates.Yet, consumers are proving resilient - but for how long?Long term a lot is likely to come down to the retailers themselves. Those with the right products - and the right retail formats are likely to keep growing sales.So the question is which retailers are set to be the winners?Today we are joined by leading retail consultant, Walter Holbrook who shares his view of what’s driving success at retail - and who’s likely to be the next retail success stories.Walter will be sharing:- Key differences in purchasing behavior amongst the professional class, millennials, and Gen Z, and how  retailers are catering to each demographic.-  How older fast fashion brands  are responding to the shifting preferences of price-conscious Gen Z - and the threat of newer market entrants.-  How retailers like Costco redefining the apparel market and presenting challenges to traditional retail channels.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Walter Holbrook:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/waltholbrook/Learn more about The Current Situation in Sourcing:  https://insidefashionlive.net/the-current-situation-in-sourcingVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
33:2819/05/2024
New HR Tech that's Reducing Documentation and Processing Problems

New HR Tech that's Reducing Documentation and Processing Problems

It seems we live an age of documentation.   There are increasing levels of regulations around everything - and the supporting documentation around those regulations keeps getting more complex.  Paper work that used to be handled by one or two people now requires a department with a hierarchy of staff - just to understand the regulations - let alone do all of the necessary documentation.This is becoming a serious challenge for HR departments in a world where company staffing can include not only full time and part time employees, but also contractors, free lancers, service providers and many other terms of engagement that each requires specialized contracts and payment management.And that’s led to the development of innovative HR tech that promises to automate this burdensome but necessary process.Today we’re joined by Timmothy Partasevitch, Co-Founder and CMO of Juggl, an HR tech company that specializes helping companies manage global teams - from contracts and payroll, to benefits, document management and on boarding. In this podcast, Timmothy will be talking about How HR tech is helping companies maintain better relationships with their global team members.Why digitizing the entire HR process is critical for saving time and avoiding costly mistakes.How HR tech is now scalable, putting it reach of small and medium size businesses, as well as enterprises.Another critical part of running a successful global business is understanding what’s happening in your international supply chain.The last thing anyone wants is to be blindsided by an issue they didn’t see coming.  Or miss an opportunity to drive cost savings or reduce lead times.When global sourcing directors want a sharp view of their Asian supply chains they turn to the Current Situation in Sourcing.  It’s a 6-page quarterly snapshot that highlights essential shifts, alerts, and opportunities along with actual feedback about how other sourcing executives are reacting to the market.  USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Timmothy Partasevitch on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-partasevitch/Learn more about Juggl hr tech:  https://juggl.coLearn about The Current Situation in Sourcing:  https://insidefashionlive.net/the-current-situation-in-sourcingVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
35:3421/04/2024
How AI is Revolutionizing Healthcare

How AI is Revolutionizing Healthcare

Telehealth got a serious toehold into healthcare during the pandemic. Now it looks set to be a massive disrupter to the healthcare industry, powered by greater digitization and the use of AI.  If it comes to its full potential, more people will be able to get better healthcare - at more affordable prices.The opportunity here is so massive that Amazon has been betting heavily on digitized health care with its One Medical service.But there is more to it than digitization.  A lot more.Today we are joined by Shanil Ebrahim, Life Science and Healthcare Leader at Deloitte Canada.  He’s had hands on experience in the healthcare sector as a Clinical Epidemiologist, as well as an assistant professor at McMaster University  and a researcher at Stanford University.Today Shanil will be discussing …How artificial intelligence is reshaping the landscape of patient care.How  payers and providers are changing their models to focus more on value and patient outcomes.Whether technology can genuinely enhance patient experience and outcomes, without depersonalizing care.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Shanil Ebrahim:  linkedin.com/in/shanil-ebrahim-75914a7aAsianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comA Seat at The Table podcast course:  https://seat.fm/podcastcourseVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
27:3614/04/2024
Why Organizations Now Need Generalists

Why Organizations Now Need Generalists

After decades of being counseled to become specialists - to find our niche - to be known as an expert in a specific field - it seems now the pendulum might be shifting in the opposite direction.Are we at the cusp of a new era that favors generalists? And if so, why the change? And just as importantly, we do we need to do to get ahead of the curve?Today we are joined by Ed Fidoe, founder and CEO of the London Interdisciplinary School, which offers an innovative, interdisciplinary curriculum focused on tackling complex global issues.He believes that the future of work demands leaders who can navigate a complex, interconnected world, where traditional leadership is often blind to its own limitations due to over-reliance on specialised knowledge.In this episode Ed will explore why leaders need to embrace interdisciplinary thinking to anticipate and adapt to the next big shifts.He’ll be discussing:- Why organizations now need generalists, particularly in leadership roles.- Balancing the benefits of breadth of knowledge with the advantages of depth of knowledge.- The new role of libraries in supporting less siloed education.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Ed Fidoe on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-fidoe/London Interdisciplinary School website:  https://www.lis.ac.uk/Asianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comPodcast Course:  https://seat.fm/podcastcourseVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
32:1825/03/2024
The Current Outlook for Cotton Prices

The Current Outlook for Cotton Prices

One of the biggest supply chain concerns right now is materials costs.While most stakeholders would like to see costs go down, everyone would at least like some clarity on what prices might be like - especially for cotton, which plays a key role in the apparel supply chain.While nobody has that proverbial crystal ball that can see the future, there are people who have the kind of first hand market knowledge that helps them to make more accurate predictions.Today we are joined by Dr. O.A. Cleveland,   professor emeritus, Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University in the United States.Dr. Cleveland has over 50 years of experience in commodities as an analyst, professor and advisor and consultant to some of the world’s biggest cotton organizations.His achievements are far too many to list here.  However, if you are looking to get a sharp view of what’s happening with cotton prices - and more importantly - what pricing could look like going forward, there’s no better person to ask than Dr. Cleveland.In this podcast he will be giving a realistic look at:- The outlook for world cotton consumption - Where we can expect current cotton to trend- Trends for 2025 cotton pricesUSEFUL LINKS:Dr. O.A. Cleveland:  https://www.cottongrower.com/author/dr-o-a-cleveland/Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comHow to become a Podcast Guest (course): https://seat.fm/podcastcourseVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
23:2716/03/2024
The Next Big Thing in Sustainable Housing

The Next Big Thing in Sustainable Housing

After decades of wanting bigger and more, people have been starting to recognize the benefits of downsizing.It’s not just about buying less stuff or finally clearing out the closets, garage or basement.  Over the past decade there has been a clear and growing trend towards to choosing smaller houses - much smaller.The most recent iteration of this development has been the growing popularity of Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs as they are called.  It’s a new take on a historic way that people created housing for family members who wanted to live together - but not under the same roof.It’s a perfect solution that lets people tackle a range of issues including the high cost of purchasing a new home and the isolation of living alone.But what exactly is an ADU, you might ask?  We’re going to be talking about that in today’s podcast.Today we are joined by Sheri Koones, a leading authority on the smaller home movement and the author of 12 books covering all aspects of this topic.In her newest book, “ADUs : The Perfect Housing Solution” she provides a comprehensive view of how turn these small dwellings into luxury home environments.In this podcast Sheri will be discussing:- Why the rising popularity of ADUs is a sign of bigger trend towards a desire for more community.-  How people are turning smaller houses into fabulous, luxury homes.-  How new small homes are being purpose built to support each occupant’s lifestyle. USEFUL LINKS:"ADUs: The Perfect Housing Solution":   https://www.amazon.com/ADUs-Perfect-Solution-Sheri-Koones/dp/1423665252Learn How to Land Guest Spots on Podcasts (course):  seat.fm/podcastcourseVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
34:0904/03/2024
The Retail Leaders Roadmap: Practical Steps to Power Up Your Career

The Retail Leaders Roadmap: Practical Steps to Power Up Your Career

I just sat down with Brian Librach to discuss his new book "The Retail Leaders Roadmap" and the conversation was powerful!A lot to unpack!Some of the key insights you're going to get from Brian include:1. The five practices of building character, and their significance in career development.2. Strategies for career advancement within a retail environment, including the importance of aligning with leadership and seeking feedback from mentors.3. The crucial role of prioritization in organizational success and how training employees on prioritization can enhance decision quality and profitability.4. The potential impact of AI on freeing up time from mundane tasks and its implications for career development.5. Insights into Brian Librach's new book, "The Retail Leaders Roadmap," and his approach to reinvigorating stagnant career paths in the retail industry.This is definitely a must-listen to episode for anyone who works in retail - and is looking to advance their careers.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Brian Librachwww.linkedin.com/in/brian-librach-the-retailwellwisherhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4OGDx1u7EgisWtiitBuvUwhttps://www.facebook.com/brian.librach/Order "The Retail Leaders Roadmap" bookwww.retailleadersroadmap.comLearn more about Asianet Consultants:https://asianetconsultants.comLearn more about How You Can Be a Podcast Guesthttps://seat.fm/podcastcourse Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
29:5826/02/2024
Using Holistic Branding to Stand Out in a Noisy Market

Using Holistic Branding to Stand Out in a Noisy Market

Competition is fierce these days.  The solution, according to marketing experts, is to create a ‘brand story’ for your company or your product.Sounds simple.  Until you actually try to do it.And then, well, suddenly you feel like a stranger in a strange land.Staring at blank piece of paper or screen  - or brainstorming with colleagues only to come up with something that by anyone’s assessment is pretty generic.  Not exactly what you were hoping for.Today we’re talking with Deevo Tindall, a holistic branding strategist and founder of Fusion Creative, which he launched after 15 years of working in a corporate career.In this podcast Deevo will be discussing:- What is ‘holistic branding’ and how it can help differentiate your business.- How companies can begin to create their own brand story.- What companies are getting wrong about content creation.- How to stand out in a very ‘noisy’ market.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  asianetconsultants.comHow to Land Guest Spots on Podcasts:   seat.fm/podcastcourseConnect with Deevo Tindall:  www.fusioncreativebranding.comFollow Deevo on Social Media:  @FusionPhotogVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
32:1618/02/2024
Harnessing AI for Data-Driven Customer Engagement

Harnessing AI for Data-Driven Customer Engagement

In this episode of A Seat at The Table, I sit down with Nick Bond, founding partner and head of product at Apex, an AI-driven solution focused on customer research and business strategies. Nick shares valuable insights on how AI is changing the face of marketing, emphasizing the importance of leveraging customer data to drive innovation and strategy. From understanding customer expectations to turning them into brand ambassadors, Nick provides practical advice for companies to create strong customer relationships. Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on how to use AI to enhance customer experiences and navigate the evolving landscape of marketing and customer satisfaction.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Nick Bond on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-bond-9236953/Apex's website:  https://www.apexscore.ai/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
28:2911/02/2024
A Mindset Shift that Totally Changes Your Sales Game

A Mindset Shift that Totally Changes Your Sales Game

In a market that gets increasingly competitive, “get more sales” is a directive that’s coming from more than just the sales manager.The concept is easy.  Achieving it is a bit more challenging.Everyone is after everyone else’s markets - and customers.  While persistence is still the foundation of success, to win in today’s market we also need to be a bit more strategic.  And that leaves the question of “How do we do this?”Meet Karl Becker, the CEO of Improving Sales Performance and author of “Iceberg Selling”. Karl suggests that one of the keys to successful selling centers around mindset.  In his work he has identified a series of mindsets that can empower sales people to succeed, even in difficult selling situations.Today he’ll be discussing:- How the ‘life-time value mindset’ changes the way sales people interact with customers.- How to use ‘iceberg selling’ to overcome some the challenges salespeople are facing.- Why it’s important for salespeople to author their own stories.- Helping salespeople go from good to great.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Karl Becker:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlbeckeriii/Karl's book "Set to Win:  https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vuqhd6p1y2Improving Sales Performance website:  https://www.improvingsalesperformance.com/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
29:0704/02/2024
Why More Int'l Companies are Partnering with Malaysia

Why More Int'l Companies are Partnering with Malaysia

A growing number of companies are looking for new supply chain opportunities.  In some cases, they are looking for new capabilities.  Others are targeting risk reduction.  And of course, there’s the ongoing demand for better prices.One of the fastest developing links in the global supply chain is Southeast Asia.  The region originally was just another source of cheap labor and in some cases raw materials.  That’s changed as more nations are moving up the value chain.  Yet often we’re not aware of these changes since typically they happen gradually, over time.Today we are joined by Yazrin Syakhairi Mahlan, Consulate General of Malaysia in Hong Kong.At the forefront of the development in Southeast Asia is Malaysia, a nation whose 33 million well educated, highly skilled and innovative people are quietly making big contributions to the global supply chain - particularly in electronics, engineering and finance - as well as other sectors.The country’s infrastructure investment is playing a vital role in supporting its people and businesses in competing on a the world stage.Today, Yazrin will be discussing:- Malaysia’s unique role in the regional and global supply chain.- Key opportunities for international businesses to collaborate with Malaysian companies.- How Malaysia is positioning itself for the future.USEFULL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comMATRADE’s Official Website: www.matrade.gov.myMATRADE Hong Kong’s Email: [email protected] Hong Kong’s LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/matradehkNIMP 2023: www.nimp2030.gov.myVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
25:3028/01/2024
How a Forward Thinking Manufacturer is Reshaping Apparel Manufacturing

How a Forward Thinking Manufacturer is Reshaping Apparel Manufacturing

Managing an apparel supply chain has never been easy - but in recent years its got far more complicated.  The combination of greater uncertainty- and increased demands to be faster, better - and more transparent - has made it almost impossible to rely on old models.   While everyone sees the situation from a different perspective - just about everyone agrees things are not likely to go back to what is wistfully referred to as ‘normal’.That has left a lot of global sourcing directors and suppliers wondering exactly how to repositions themselves to be the winners in what has clearly become a different ball game.Today we are joined by Ranju Mahtani,  Executive Chairman of EPIC Group, a world class apparel manufacturer, with facilities in Bangladesh, Jordan, India and other nations.   Ranju is one of my industry heroes.  He has been a pioneer in bringing automation into his factories - long before others were even talking about it.  He has also been at the forefront of CSR, finding innovative ways to elevate his workforce and help them achieve more and live better lives.In this podcast, Ranju discusses:- Supply chain opportunities for brands - that they might be overlooking.- What’s going to change in manufacturing (for real) in the next 3-5 years.- Why India is becoming an apparel sourcing hot spot. - The growing importance for manufacturers to develop strong middle management leaders.USEFUL LINKS:EPIC Group's website: www.epicgroup.globalConnect with Ranju on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranjan-mahtani-347a9211/Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comThe Current Situation in Sourcing:  thecurrentsituation.netVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
33:5522/01/2024
How To Successfully Source in India

How To Successfully Source in India

Suddenly everyone is talking about India.  And if you are working in India - or thinking of doing so - then this is episode is for you!After years of being in the shadows of China, Vietnam, Bangladesh and other key sourcing nations, India is finally taking center stage.India has always had the right stuff - a huge population, domestic cotton, a strong textile sector for yarns and fabrics and of course a legacy in apparel manufacturing.  However, the nation hasn’t been able to pull all that together at a level that would get not just attention, but commitments from top international brands.That is, until now.Today we are joined by Dr. Stephen Patton, South Asia Director for Liverpool Department Store, Mexico’s top department store.Stephen spent seven and a half years establishing his company’s massively successful China office - and leading that office through the pandemic.  In mid 2022, he moved to India to start building a comprehensive sourcing office for Liverpool there.  One of Stephen’s zone’s of genius is his ability to see beyond the obvious.  To understand market opportunities that many others overlook.  And to have the strength to patiently pursue goals.  Even at only a year and half in, Stephen has already achieved impressive growth in setting up an India-based sourcing operation that is developing competitive new products for Liverpool.  In this episode, Stephen will be discussing:- What he’s learned about how to effectively work in India.- The timelines and benchmarks that you need to understand when sourcing in India.- Sourcing opportunities in India that you won’t find anywhere else.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Dr. Stephen Patton:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/spatton1/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
45:5514/01/2024
How Every Child Can Be an A+ Student

How Every Child Can Be an A+ Student

One of the most frustrating  things a parent can face is watching their child struggle in school.Yet many children hit speed bumps during their early school years.  For some children it’s trying to master math. For others it could be tackling spelling and grammar - or reading.  What seems like something that should be easy to achieve ends up being a source of daily angst for both the students - and their families.  For most parents and teachers the advice is to push the child to try harder … to spend more time on homework … or to start paying attention in class.But if there was a different approach?  One that not only was more effective in helping your child to learn - but that they also enjoyed.  Something that made learning fun and helped build a strong bond between parents and their school age children?Today we are joined by Dawn Strachan, the founder of the massively successful Clara James Tutoring Method and author of ‘Square Pegs, Round Holes’ a book that offers innovative ways to help primary school children master even the most challenging subjects.This podcast is part of our new author series, where I am bringing you some of the most interesting ideas and insights from leading authors and to make sure you never miss a great book.In this podcast Dawn will be discussing- What parents and teachers might be overlooking when they have a child who is struggling in school.- Easy ways to gamify learning that take your child from ‘I can’t’ to ‘Yes, I can!’- Why often its not the student its the teaching method that is the problem.Dawn’s insights could make this your year child’s best school year ever!USEFUL LINKS:The Clara James Approach website:  The Clara James Approach"Square Pegs, Round Holes" book:   Square Pegs & Round Holes: Supporting Every Child's Education : Strachan, Dawn: Amazon.co.uk: Books"Getting to Grips with Angles" book:  Getting to grips with angles: Amazon.co.ukThe Revision Planner:   https://www.amazon.ca/Your-exams-just-around-corner/dp/B0CQ8CZPMMAsianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
36:3107/01/2024
Coping with Information Overload

Coping with Information Overload

For nearly 4 years I’ve had the opportunity to host so many fabulous leaders and innovators on this show. And help share their stories, their wisdom and their expertise with our audience in 133 countries.But in this episode I’m passing the mic to the phenomenal Kenz Soliman, a legend on Udemy where she has a following of nearly 150,000 students.She is also the organizer of a game changing co-working program, a visionary entrepreneur and a masterful course creator. Oh, and on top of that, she’s one of the kindest - and most fun loving people you’d hope to meet.You'll Learn:How the team at Inside Fashion turns the chaos of industry news into concise, focused snapshots that can be read in just a matter of minutes.The value of having ongoing conversations with a wide range of industry stakeholders in order to get a well rounded view of the market.Why trust and transparency are top priorities for winning in today's market.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Kenz Soliman: https://www.facebook.com/kenzsoliman.officialKenz's website: https://herdigitalbusiness.comConnect with Jane Singer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-singer/Inside Fashion's website: https://insidefashionlive.netCurrent Situation in Sourcing:  https://insidefashionlive.net/the-current-situation-in-sourcingVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
33:4330/12/2023
How To Beat Burnout by Winning The Now

How To Beat Burnout by Winning The Now

If you’re like most of us, sooner or later you face times when you’re just burnt out.  You hit a wall.  There’s nothing left in the tank.Yet we still need to keep going and moving ahead at work and in our personal lives.  In this podcast we’re going to be talking about practical ways that anyone can help prevent burnout so that they can be more productive and live their best life.  Today we are joined by Eric Recker, founder of Win The Now.  Eric knows what it’s like to battle burnout and to have to find a pathway back into the game.  After trying almost everything to overcome the stress that comes from feeling that you always need to be just that much better, he found a way to identify his triggers - and to prevent them from crashing his life.In this episode Eric will be discussing:- A game changing technique for focusing on the ‘now’.- How to find a balance between growth and contentment.- Why taking one small step can create massive momentum.USEFUL LINKSConnect with Eric Recker:    https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-recker-583849278/WinTheNow website: www.ericrecker.comEric's  free 5-day burnout challenge.Asianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
31:0023/12/2023
The Critical New Role of Supplier Relationships in Highly Efficient Supply Chains

The Critical New Role of Supplier Relationships in Highly Efficient Supply Chains

Supply chain management has become both an art and a science, with executives tasked with building more  resiliency, while also increasing flexibility, reducing lead times, and jumping through hoops to comply with increasingly complex regulations - which, adding to the confusion, are different in different markets.No wonder one most people talk about improving supply chains - but very few actually do.  Realistically, it’s difficult enough to simply manage existing systems, without having to try and introduce new ones.Today we’re joined by Dean Clegg, a supply chain consultant who previously was the Global Sourcing Director at Sainsbury, where he lead a complex supply chain through both the pandemic and the transition to Brexit.  Prior to that, Dean led the successful integration of Argos stores into Sainsbury’s. In this episode Dean will be discussing:- How to become more efficient and reduce lead times- Determining the right technology to optimize your supply chain- The game-changing importance of building seamless supplier relationships.- Rethinking how we reduce waste to achieve greater sustainabilityUSEFUL LINKS:Connect with Dean Clegg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-clegg-9508b9169/Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comThe Current Situation in Sourcing:  https://insidefashionlive.net/current-situation-in-sourcing/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
45:4217/12/2023
The Hidden Job Market for Senior Execs

The Hidden Job Market for Senior Execs

The years of companies staffing up as they sprinted towards what they believed was going to be the next unicorn - or at the very least years of strong growth - have suddenly reversed course.One by one, banks, consulting firms, retailers - even the tech sector - started announcing cutbacks.  With tens of thousands of jobs being axed.That’s led to massive layoffs during the past two years with a sharp focus on downsizing headquarters and R&D departments - in other words mid career workers in white collar jobs.So what can you when you find yourself on the ‘other side of the desk’?  Where do you start when you haven’t looked for a job since you left school? And what opportunities are there for older people in an age that seems to be fixated on youth?In this episode we’re joined by Richard Triggs, CEO of Arete Executive, a recruitment specialist that focuses on senior executive or non-executive board positions.  He also the author of “Uncover The Hidden Job Market: How to Find and Win Your Next Senior Executive Role”.Richard will be discussing what he refers to as the ‘hidden job market’ and how executives can find their next position.He believes that even late career executives can find new positions in today’s market - if they understand where and how to look for them.USEFUL LINKSSponsorsAsianet Consultants: https://asianetconsultants.comThe Current Situation in Sourcing:https://insidefashionlive.net/current-situation-in-sourcing/Connect with Richard Triggswww.areteexecutive.com.auhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/richardtriggs/https://www.areteexecutive.com.au/free-book/https://open.spotify.com/show/2AGsypgCDg0UYN98Z0v2xW?si=c7c0f3552b9c4e9bVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
36:3110/12/2023
Creating A New Mindset to Win the Day!

Creating A New Mindset to Win the Day!

Sometimes just when everything seems to be stable, we get blindsided.It happens to everyone sooner or later.We can’t control some of the challenges that life throws at us, but we can control how we react to them.That was certainly  the case for many businesses when the pandemic hit.  Not all were easily parlayed into remote work.  And one of the hardest hit was the travel industry.Welcome to Launch to Legendary, where we meet people who have turned the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Who have taken challenges and turned them into opportunities.And who’ve created success in their own terms.Today we are joined by Sharon Hunter, who during the course of her life has faced enormous trials and traumas, but has come back fighting!The pandemic laid waste to her once thriving travel agency forcing her to take charge of both her business and her mindset.In this episode, Sharon shares how she turned a crisis into an opportunity to develop a stronger more confident and center mindset, that not only got her through the pandemic years - but has become the foundation on which she’s built a new business platform.USEFUL LINKS:Connect with Sharon Hunter:  linkedin.com/in/dreamhuntersharonDream Hunter Vacations website:   dreamhuntervacations.ca Sharon's website:  http://www.dreamhunter.ca/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
34:0903/12/2023
Using Customer Support to Scale Your Business

Using Customer Support to Scale Your Business

Customer service is often talked about but not often delivered.  In fact, it is one of the biggest complaints that both businesses and consumers have. Most say that the companies they do business with offer poor service - or even no service at all.Companies are looking to cut costs and customer service is typically the first department to get hit.Yet customer service might be the key to growing your business - particularly in highly competitive markets.In this episode we’re joined by Greg Rich, CEO of Vivantio,  a company that uses automation to help companies leverage customer service to scale their business.In this podcast Greg talks about:The biggest (and costliest) mistake companies make around customer service.How to automate customer service without losing the personalization that customers want.Small modifications companies can make to level up the service they deliver.Useful Links:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comVivantio:  https://www.vivantio.comVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
29:1726/11/2023
Making Institution-Caliber Alternative Investments Accessible to Individual Investors

Making Institution-Caliber Alternative Investments Accessible to Individual Investors

For nearly two decades most investors’ attention was focused on the stock market.  Then suddenly central banks began raising interest rates and investors began to rethink their strategies.That’s given rise to growing interest in a range of alternative investment vehicles, including CEFs, internal funds, ETFs, UITs, and commodity pools.However, until now most of these investment vehicles have only been available to institutional investors.   I’m Jane Singer and welcome back to A Seat at The Table where we sit down with industry leaders and innovators to gain valuable insights that will help us grow our businesses.Today we’re joined by Kimberly Flynn, managing director and partner at XA Investments.  Having previously served as the Senior Vice President and Head of Product Development for Nuveen Investments' Global Structured Products Group, Kim's leadership and dedication played a pivotal role in developing over 40 closed-end funds and raising approximately $13 billion in capital.Kim will discussing:The democratization of alternative investments that is allowing individual investors access to institutional-caliber strategies.What she sees as the top emerging alternative asset classes.What investors need to consider in an investment environment where there’s high interest rates and inflation.How alternative investments can work with an ESG strategy.Useful Links:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comKimberly Flynn:  [email protected] Investments:   www.xainvestments.comVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
23:1119/11/2023
Why Push Notifications are the Key to Driving Mobile Commerce Sales

Why Push Notifications are the Key to Driving Mobile Commerce Sales

In the competitive world of mobile commerce success is now being driven by push notifications powered by new mobile apps.The idea is to grab consumers’ attention and get them to take immediate action.  That means not only having e-commerce apps on people’s phones, but making them extremely user-friendly.Today we’re joined by Campbell Paton, Co-Founder and CEO of StoreLab, which helps e-commerce companies maximize mobile commerce.In this episode Campbell with be sharing:- Why push notifications are outperforming email - and SMS messages.-  How mobile commerce is changing the game for e-commerce.-  Guidelines and best practices for optimizing your mobile commerce apps.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comStoreLabs:  https://www.storelab.app/Connect with Campbell Paton on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/campbell-paton/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
21:5912/11/2023
The Secret to Building a Successful Brand Story

The Secret to Building a Successful Brand Story

One of the biggest marketing tactics these days is to create a brand story.But how do you do that when you are selling basics, commodities - or something you can’t even touch or feel, like services?This week I’m joined by Chauncy Zalkin, an expert  in building brand stories for companies ranging from fashion to SaaS software and real estate. Even when it seems like  there isn’t a story to be found, Chauncy is able ask to the right questions and uncover that perfect brand story you did know existed.In this episode Chauncy will be discussing- How to discover the story within your brand.- Why the way a brand makes people feel is the key to customer retention.- The importance of focus - especially in a crowded, noisy market.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comChauncy on LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/chaunceyzalkinChauncy's Portfolio: http://www.slcontentstudio.com/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
36:2604/11/2023
SEO Mistakes that Cost Companies Money

SEO Mistakes that Cost Companies Money

SEO or search engine optimization isn’t getting the amount of attention  it used.The early days of e-commerce was all about key words and being top ranked in Google searches.    As dynamic new marketing options were rolled out, SEO found itself out of sight, out of mind.However online marketing experts are now saying that by overlooking this core part of the digital ecosystem, companies could be leaving money on the table.In this episode we’re joined by Jules White, founder of Success Hub, which specializes in helping companies and entrepreneurs optimize their websites so that they can connect with customers who are searching for their products and services.In this podcast Jules will be discussing: The critical reason why everyone should get the SEO right for their website.Key areas that sites need to optimize for better search results.What companies misunderstand about how to optimize their website in a competitive market.Useful LinksAsianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comSuccess Hub website: https://thewebsitesuccesshub.comJules White on Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/juleswhitecreativa Jules White on LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jules-white-creativaVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
25:4801/11/2023
Integrating New Technology without Disrupting Your Organization

Integrating New Technology without Disrupting Your Organization

Everyone wants to do things faster - to get results right away - but that race to the finish line can often end in disaster - or at the very least, disappointing outcomes.   That’s increasingly the case as organizations hurry to introduce new technology, without having explored all the possible impacts it will have on the business - both good and bad.  And without any planning for how to address each potential issue.In this podcast we are joined by Pia Wendelbo, founder of Scandinavian Change Agents.  Pia led process optimization and organizational change at the leading bank in the Nordics.Pia  will be discussing:How companies can avoid making key mistakes when digitizing their operations.What organizations can do to help team members embrace change.Why taking a slow approach to digital transformation can lead to faster (and better) results.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants: https://asianetconsultants.comPia Wendelbo on LinkedIn:  Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/digital-change-agentScandinavian Change Agents website:  https://www.scandinavianchangeagents.com/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
23:0629/10/2023
8 Key Levers that Drive High Converting Sales Pages

8 Key Levers that Drive High Converting Sales Pages

Most companies spend a lot of time and money creating a sales page on their website but few are rewarded with a steady stream of sales.Creating sales pages (or funnels as they are often called) is less about a clever headline or massive numbers of testimonials or grandiose promises of life changing results if you buy the product.Turns out, if you implement about 8 key elements and then regularly measure the data around each step in your funnel you can 10x or even 100x your sales.Meet John Ainsworth, CEO and founder of ‘Data Driven Marketing’, which helps online course creators boost their revenue by an average of 486%.John parlayed his degree in mathematics into a framework based on extensive data analysis to strategically optimize sales funnels.His approach has been put to the test over the past 20 years with both mid size businesses and enterprises - and have achieved the kind of sales growth we all wish we had.In this podcast John will be sharing …1. The key touch points every successful sales page must have.2. How to use email marketing to drive traffic to your website.3. What to measure and how to use that data to improve your sales conversions.Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
39:2621/10/2023
Turning Email into a Reliable Sales Machine

Turning Email into a Reliable Sales Machine

There’s a simple and effective marketing tool that most businesses are under utilizing - or sometimes not even using at all.I’m talking about email marketing.We send and receive hundreds of emails each week, but how often do we really spend time thinking about how we can use email to sell our products or build customer relationships?Today’s guest is going tell us how we can change that.Meet Scott Cohen,  an email marketing and automation veteran who has worked with Fortune 500 companies as well as startups to use data-driven strategies to turn around underperforming accounts.In this podcast, Scott will be sharing:•Where marketers might be leaving money on the table, when it comes to email marketing.•Benchmarks for email frequency and response rates.•The importance of reaching the right people, not just more people.•What might be next for email marketing.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comInboxArmy: https://www.inboxarmy.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottcohen13/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
31:3914/10/2023
Why Early Stage Investment is a Fast Growing Asset Class

Why Early Stage Investment is a Fast Growing Asset Class

Rising interest rates have changed the game.  After a near 20 year run, VC funds and Angel investors have left the market.However there are still opportunities for investing in startups.  It’s just that now they are a bit different.Today we’re joined by Charles Sidman, Founder and Managing Partner of ECS Capital Partners, a firm specializing in early stage investment.Charles' achievements include investing in over 50 startup or growth companies, chairing multiple ventures, and serving on prestigious boards and associations globally.In this episode of A Seat at The Table, Charles will be giving us insights into the unique early-stage entrepreneurial asset class.In this podcast Charles will be discussing:- The risks associated with this asset class and how investors can protect themselves.- How investors can unlock the potential of early-stage companies for maximum financial returns. - Why he favors ‘deep tech’ enterprises over other enterprises.  And how he evaluates their potential to scale and determine their true competitive advantage. USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comECS Parners website:   https://ecs-partners.comConnect with Charles on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-sidman-0b778620/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
30:0008/10/2023
What IT is Learning from ERP - and how its totally changing data management

What IT is Learning from ERP - and how its totally changing data management

Technology has become so ubiquitous that we take its existence for granted.That is until something goes wrong.  Then suddenly we are aware of how dependent every aspect of lives is on the smooth functioning of our IT systems.Just like so many industries, IT is facing its own Industrial Revolution of sorts.The industry is moving from a backroom operation to becoming a diverse supply chain comprised specialist service provides that are working together to provide the intense data-driven support most organizations now require.The new IT manager is less of a developer and more of a supply chain manager, orchestrating the roles of an array of service providers.Today we are joined by Juha Berghall, CEO of One IO and a leading IT entrepreneur.Juha's passion lies in tackling the biggest bottleneck of enterprise digitalization - integrations. He understands the challenges faced by Large Enterprise IT service providers who strive to collaborate with teams, vendors, suppliers, partners, and subcontractors on different platforms.In this podcast Juha will be discussing:- What it takes to run and manage  successful IT services today- What IT is learning from ERP.- How automation is the future for IT management - and what that might look like.USEFUL LINKSAsianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Juha Berghall:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jberghall/One IO website:  https://www.oneio.cloud/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
29:5701/10/2023
Why Data-Driven Marketing is Changing the Game for Brands

Why Data-Driven Marketing is Changing the Game for Brands

Data analytics has become a key topic, especially when it comes to leveraging the internet to grow your business.Today we can capture a huge amount of data across a growing range of platforms.  That’s both a blessing and a curse!Marketers can easily get lost analyzing everything that they can analyze  - but not necessarily what they should analyze.Success comes from first creating a question - and then analyzing that data which potentially could provide some insights.Meet Sam Torres, Co-Founder, Chief Digital Officer of Gray Dot Company, a consulting firm that specializes in SEO and data analysis for regulated industries, non-profit organizations, and SaaS. In this episode Sam addresses ways to help marketing leaders leverage consumer data, AI, measure ROI, and how to rethink digital analytics. USEFUL LINKSAsianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comThe Gray Dot Company website:  https://thegray.company/Connect with Sam Torres:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-torres-seo/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
30:0024/09/2023
Building Customer Connection in a Crowded Market

Building Customer Connection in a Crowded Market

Marketing and B2B businesses are not typically seen as companions.However in a challenging market, companies selling products and services to other businesses need to a lot more to stand out in the market if they hope to survive let alone growth their business.The question facing many brands is how exactly can they promote a brand in a way that resonates with potential customers and helps to grow sales.Meet Matt Bell, a specialist in B2B marketing. He co-founded MessageUp to assist B2B companies in improving their messaging and and in delivering effective content without overwhelming their teams.In this episode Matt will be discussing:1.   How B2B companies can maximize their impact when they have limited resources. 2.   How companies can leverage thought leadership and brand content.  3.   Best practices for optimizing the buying experience for digital-first B2B customers.USEFUL LINKSAsianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultant.comMatt Bell's website and blog:  https://www.messageup.comConnect with Matt Bell on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattbellFollow MessageUp on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/messageupPaperback and e-Book links:  https://www.messageup.comVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
29:5917/09/2023
Rethinking Metrics So That We Measure What Matters

Rethinking Metrics So That We Measure What Matters

There’s almost nothing that we can’t measure - and so we tend to measure everything.  However, too often we end up measuring what we can, and not necessarily what’s important or meaningful.We see this in the fascination we all have with the number of likes or views a social media post gets.  But do ‘likes’ really mean that people actually like your product or want to buy your products?  Usually not.So if views alone are not that meaningful, what does matter?  What should we be measuring - and how should be measuring it?Meet Katie Paine, a pioneer in the field of measurement for over three decades - and known as the Measurement Queen.She’s the founder of KDPaine & Partners Inc., and The Delahaye Group, both measurement companies.   Katie was recently awarded the prestigious IPR Jack Felton Medal for Lifetime Achievement, an award made for lifetime contributions in the advancement of research, measurement and evaluation in public relations and corporate communication.She’s also the author of several books including Measure What Matters, and most recently Measuring the Networked Nonprofit.In this episode, Katie will be discussing:1.  Why numbers don’t matter, its about who you reach not how many2. The key the differences between paid influencers and micro influencers3. Why top-level executives are growing more skeptical of social media dataUSEFUL LINKSAsianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Katie Paine:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdpaine/Visit Katie Paine's website:   https://painepublishing.com/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
35:5910/09/2023
Creating Profitable ESG Companies

Creating Profitable ESG Companies

The pressure to be more sustainable saw companies announcing ambitious goals with target dates that are now frighteningly near!  That’s left more than a few scrambling to revise their strategies and find ways to green up that will make an impact, but are more achievable.The question is how do we do this?Today we’re joined by Christopher Caldwell, a former investment banker and corporate lawyer, and founder of United Renewables, a renewable energy developer and clean tech investor.He’s leveraged his business experience to help companies sort out the overwhelming amount of noise around sustainability and find solutions that are practical and actionable.In this episode Chris will be discussing:1. The right way for companies to get started or get smarter about sustainability.2. How companies can ethically drive business valuation through ESG initiatives.3.  Some of the myths and misunderstandings around implementing sustainable solutions.USEFULL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comUnited Renewables:  https://unitedrenewables.co.uk/Connect with Christopher Caldwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-caldwell-a8a196/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
26:5702/09/2023
How Mfgs Can Gather Better Data & Analyze It Faster

How Mfgs Can Gather Better Data & Analyze It Faster

One of the biggest topics surrounding supply chains - if not the biggest topic - is the need to digitise.  We all love our Excel sheets (me too!) but they can only take us so far.  In an increasingly complex environment, we need to be able to gather better data - and analyze it faster.That means getting our business onto a a more advanced platform.  While most organisations acknowledge this - they also feel a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of adding a new massive undertaking.  Equally as daunting is the Capex commitment.And then there’s all of the warnings that most digital transformations fail.Fortunately one of the biggest, but least acknowledged changes in technology is that it is actually getting easier and less expensive for companies of all sizes to get onboard.Today we’re joined by Nick Foy,  the Founder, CEO, and Chief Evangelist of Silverdale Technology, which gives companies access to world-class processes, systems, and change management methods regardless of their size or budget.He has over 30-years of experience in business and technology leadership  for logistics and supply chains, at Amazon, Capgemini Consulting, ModusLink Corporation, 3663 First for Foodservice, and The Glenmorangie Distillery Company.Nick will be discussing:Why flexibility without structure is chaosHow to perfect the four essential parts of any mechanism in your businessesThe importance of choosing the right tech for your business vision Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
29:5226/08/2023
How To Integrate Legacy Systems with New Technologies

How To Integrate Legacy Systems with New Technologies

Every company today is at least thinking of digitising their operations - or at least part of their operations.  However, most companies see this as a task so daunting that ultimately the gain doesn’t seem to outweigh the pain.From 8 figure quotations for implementation to statistics that point to high failure rates, it can be difficult to make a compelling case to make the change.And yet, the pressure to be a fully integrated part of industry 4.0 persists.That might be beginning to change … not the need for greater operational technology, but the hurdles in bringing it into your organisation.Today we are joined by Tom Pierce, President of Integrated Information Systems, which helps companies with integrated business planning, cost and schedule analysis, and cross-functional collaboration.He has parlayed his diverse background that includes military service, pastoral ministry, and application software to developing an approach to ERP solutions that combines human intelligence with innovative software thus bridging the gap between human and computer systemsToday Tom will be discussing:  1. The art of ERP implementation: Why it's more than just a science2. Balancing human and technological resources for maximum efficiency3. Integrating legacy MRP/ERP and logistics systems with emerging technologies4. How software solutions can benefit small and medium-sized businessesUSEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Tom Pierce:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-pierce-6799b356/I2S website:   i2s.us Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
41:5720/08/2023
How A/B Testing Can 10x Your Website Sales

How A/B Testing Can 10x Your Website Sales

Most marketers understand the importance of A/B testing for optimizing marketing campaigns.  However,  surprisingly many are not  up to speed on best practices for doing this successfully.Sometimes even a simple tweak or modification can have game changing impacts on the success of your marketing, your sales - and on your company’s bottomline.While there is a lot of conversations around A/B testing, there’s surprisingly very little clarity.This leaves marketers knowing that they could be doing better, but with no clear direction of how to do it.Today we’re joined by Nils Koopelmann, founder of 3Tech, a company that focuses on conversion optimisation and experimentation to help e-commerce companies make better decisions in order to drive growth.Nils will be speaking about:- The fundamentals of A/B testing and how it impacts business growth.- Practical tips for conducting successful A/B tests.- Success factors for data-driven growth strategies.- How  A/B testing can contribute to increasing e-commerce conversion rates and revenue.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Nils Koopelmann:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-koppelmann/3Tech's website:  https://3tech.deVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
30:4012/08/2023
The Power of Taking Action:  How to Escape the Planning Loop

The Power of Taking Action: How to Escape the Planning Loop

We talk a lot about leadership here on A Seat at The Table, however we don’t often discuss how to turn good intentions into an action plan.  Yet this is foundational to actually getting things done.  And make our business more successful - not just this year or this quarter - but for the long term.Meet Antonio Garrido, author of My Daily Leadership: A Powerful Roadmap for Leadership Success, and Founder & President of My Daily Leadership, a leadership development organization with a mission to inspire one million of the world’s best leaders to reach their full potential.Antonio has over twenty-five years in senior leadership positions with world-class organizations.He is an expert in leadership transformation: shaping high-performance leaders out of highly-stressed and overworked executives. Antonio blends his own vast commercial experience with proven techniques to embed a unique brand of leadership development. As Antonio points out: Success is a habit, not an event.WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:How to develop leadership insight which leads to corporate foresight.The critical importance of developing a leader’s number one resource, action bias.How to identify and eliminate your leadership blind spots.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Antonio Garrido: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniogarrido/My Daily Leadership website:  https://www.mydailyleadership.com/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
33:0906/08/2023
The Power of 'Conscious Leadership' in Building a Successful Organization

The Power of 'Conscious Leadership' in Building a Successful Organization

Running a business is quite as easy as it used to be.Most organizations are facing major challenges - and changes.  This is raising the bar for senior executives to find new ways to tackle an uncertain business environment, while also becoming stronger and more effective team leaders.  Today we are joined by Jeffrey Deckman, a serial entrepreneur who has bootstrapped two multi-million dollar companies; several non-profits and multiple political organizations.He’s a recognized thought leader on conscious leadership and the author of the bestselling “Developing the Conscious Leadership Mindset for the 21st Century: Insight for Leading Change, Improving Employee Engagement, and Achieving Extraordinary Results”In this episode, Jeffrey will be discussing:1. The Organizational Trinity – The "invisible" force that drives all organizational performance 2. How to Develop the Conscious Leadership Mindset3. The biggest mistakes leaders make that they don’t realize they are making? 4. The biggest differences between today’s workers and workers in the pastUSEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Jeffrey Deckman:  http://jeffreydeckman.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-deckman/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
23:4830/07/2023
How Retail is Finding New Hidden Opportunities to Drive Revenue

How Retail is Finding New Hidden Opportunities to Drive Revenue

Retailers are facing an uncertain market that has left even the most confident a bit unsure as to what might be coming next.Supply chains are back to normal, but now it’s the consumer that has changed.  Somehow, the behavior we expected to see is being replaced by a new attitude.  This has left many brands and retailers scrambling to figure out whether this is a short term aberration - or a longer term market shift.To answer this question I reached out to Carol Spieckerman, a top retail influencer and thought leader and  founder of Spieckerman Retail.   If you are looking to grow your retail business - even in tough times - she’s the person who can help you make that happen.Carol’s a go-to solution provider for brands and retailers who want help communicating clear value, sharpening their positioning and targeting, and accelerating their B2B business development.In this episode Carol will be discussing:1. Why diversification is a key growth engine for the future of retail.2. How retailers can successfully develop discretionary categories.3. The huge opportunities in multi-channel retail and how brands can take advantage of this.USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comSpieckerman Retail:  www.spieckermanretail.comConnect with Carol Spieckerman:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolspieckerman/Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
37:0723/07/2023
Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace:  For happier and more productive teams

Supporting Mental Health in the Workplace: For happier and more productive teams

If you have a mental health issue should you let your boss know? What about your team mates?Millions of people struggle with mental health and yet most are reluctant to let anyone know about it.From being considered taboo to fearing of being labeled as unstable or being seen as a complainer, many people just try to power through.But what if it was OK be upfront about your struggles? And what if by doing so you could find ways to work with them - and thus not let them get in the way of your performance?I’m Jane Singer and welcome to Launch to Legendary, where we get to hear from people who taken the ordinary and turned it into the extraordinary.  Who’ve found opportunities where most people would only see obstacles.   And who’ve defined success in their own terms.Meet Bryce Seto, a successful SVP  at an insights consultancy, who’s scaled startups from $0 to $10M  - and who also happens to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.He’s on a mission to help others overcome the stigma of mental health issues - while inspiring leaders to support openness and vulnerability in the workplace.You'll Learn:1. The importance of addressing your own mental health as a leader, in an open, honest, and authentic way 2. Why disorders are not the barriers we think they are and how we can accept and overcome them, even use them as strengths in our work 3. Why vulnerability is a key to success as a leader, and we need to not be afraid of it.USEFUL LINKS:Bryce's website and newsletter:   www.bryceseto.comFollow Bryce on Instagram:   @brycesetoVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
31:1119/07/2023
Successful Market Entry into Europe for Retail Brands

Successful Market Entry into Europe for Retail Brands

When brands look for new markets an obvious choice for many is Western Europe, where consumers have strong buying power, there’s grade A retail property, and market entry can be less baffling compared with tackling emerging markets. Yet while many brands have successfully entered the European market, just as many - even well established brands - have failed.   That has left companies wondering whether they should try to build a retail presence in Europe - and if so - how to do it.I’m Jane Singer and welcome back to A Seat at The Table, where each week we get to hear from industry leaders and innovators who share their ideas, outlook and experience so that we can build stronger and more successful businesses.Today we are joined by Chris Igwe,  a top advisor to retailers who are looking to expand into Europe.  Early in his career Chris was Head of Real Estate, Europe for Foot Locker, and then Gap, before joining ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers), as Managing Director Europe.  Today he advise global retailers and brands on retail real estate, from strategy to implementation across EMEA.  Chris has worked with brands including 7 For All Mankind, Build A Bear Workshop, Nike, Michael Kors and others, as well as owners and investors such as EuroDisney, Value Retail, Deutsche Bank and many more.Today he joins us here on A Seat at The Table to talk about the current opportunities in the European market - and how to successfully enter this market.Chris will be discussing:1. Key opportunities he sees in the European market right now.2. Blindspots in brands’  strategy that cause them to fail in the European market. 3. What the future of European retail could look like4. How foreign brands can build strong teams in Europe.USEFUL LINKSAsianet Consultant's website:   https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Chris Igwe:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakerchrisigwe/Chris Igwe's website:   www.igweinternational.comVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
38:5316/07/2023
Mastering the Art of  Winning Corporate Sponsorships

Mastering the Art of Winning Corporate Sponsorships

Anyone who has ever tried to raise money for a charitable cause or secure corporate sponsorships knows that it’s a lot easier said than done.Most fund raisers aren’t aware of the volume of requests for funding even smaller companies get - never mind larger corporations.  To successfully raise money, you need to know how  to stand out from a vast field of competitors.  This comes down to pitching the right companies - with the right pitch.The question most fund raisers have is “how exactly do I do that”.Meet Lori Zoss Kraska, a master revenue generation expert with over 22 years of success in landing corporate sponsorship support, fundraising, and marketing strategy.  She’s the founder and CEO of Growth Owl, which empowers nonprofits, startups and associations with the tools need to achieve their funding goals. In this episode you'll learn:1. How to effectively communicate with corporate decision makers - and persuade them to fund your nonprofit. 2.How to craft impactful messages that resonate with corporate partners.3. Unique approaches for generating corporate sponsorship funding to build a winning sponsorship strategyUSEFUL LINKSAsianet Consultants website:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Lori Zoss Kraska:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorizoss/Growth Owl's website:  https://thegrowthowl.comVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
22:5209/07/2023
Finding a Career That Energizes You

Finding a Career That Energizes You

You have a good job.  You like the other people on your team.  Even your boss is pretty good - or maybe you are the boss.  But some how at the end of day you always feel drained.  It’s not that you’ve been working particularly hard, either.  Sometimes even in the middle of the day you feel like you have no energy.  That’s how Chloe Thomas felt when she was running her successful marketing agency.  And so she took bold action and to figure out what she could do to change that.Welcome to Launch to Legendary, where we talk with people who have turned the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Who have taken challenges and turned them into opportunities.And who’ve created success in their own terms.In this podcast you’ll hear about Chloe’s  journey. Her road to finding a career that plays to her strengths and energizes her.  This is not simply story of changing jobs or industries.  It is about self discovery, trial and error and making your business and life better by understanding yourself better.Along the way Chloe became a bestselling author, an international speaker and the host of two award winning podcasts -  eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast and the Keep Optimising Podcast.   And that’s only part of what she does.Key TopicsHow to work out what success looks like for you.How to set goals that inspire youPicking a role that enables you to enjoy what you do and not be exhausted by it.CONNECT WITH CHLOE THOMASPodcasts/websites: eCommerce MasterPlan https://ecommercemasterplan.com/podcast On iTunes:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ecommerce-masterplan/id1005744797 Keep Optimising   https://keepoptimising.com On iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/hu/podcast/keep-optimising/id1522462412?uo=4&its Social links: twitter.com/chloethomasecomtwitter.com/ecommasterplan facebook.com/ecommercemasterplanpage uk.linkedin.com/in/chloethomasecommerce/ Instagram @ecommasterplanVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
27:2406/07/2023
Overcoming the Trap of Overthinking

Overcoming the Trap of Overthinking

Host Jane Singer sits down with the inspirational Kenz Soliman, a successful business owner and mentor who has achieved legendary status through her remarkable journey. In this captivating conversation, Kenz shares valuable insights on being mentally strong, embracing personal growth, and overcoming self-doubt in the pursuit of success.  Kenz emphasizes the importance of being open to criticism, acknowledging that not everyone will appreciate our work. However, she encourages listeners to focus on connecting with the people who do appreciate it, as the views of others shouldn't define our worth. Instead, Kenz values personal growth as an essential part of the journey, considering it more significant than mere success or numbers.  As an overthinker herself, Kenz can relate to those who struggle with overanalyzing data and feeling overwhelmed. However, she finds motivation in the positive feedback and good comments she receives for her content. This encouragement inspires her to continue creating and going above and beyond.  Reflecting on her experience of trying new things, Kenz came to the realization that her current work is what she truly loves and excels at. To maintain focus, she prioritizes her essential work and ventures into other interests only when she has the time and energy. Kenz emphasizes the importance of not leaving what is working for something new and uncertain.  Kenz credits her resilience to the chance she took on herself, refusing to believe the false beliefs she was taught growing up. Her courses enabled her to talk about her journey with people-pleasing, leading her to do a TEDx talk — a remarkable achievement that few accomplish. Though she initially doubted her potential and sabotaged her results, confidence soon followed as positive reviews poured in for her courses.  However, Kenz admits to making mistakes while building her brand and having to start over multiple times. She also tried different methods of making money but eventually realized they didn't align with her true passion. Instead, she learned to focus on timeless principles rather than specific tools. What You'll Learn1. The value of finding and connecting with the people who appreciate one's work, rather than seeking validation from everyone2. How to prioritize essential work and avoid the temptation of pursuing new interests that may divert energy and resources.3. The importance of resilience and belief in oneself, even when faced with doubt and false beliefs ingrained from childhood.4. The mindset shift necessary to embrace collaboration and overcome fears of being judged.Connect with KenzKenz's website:  https://www.herdigitalbusiness.domOn LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenz-soliman/On Udemy:  https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?src=ukw&q=Kenz+SolimanVisit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
41:5403/07/2023
Sharpening Your End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility (without huge Capex spending)

Sharpening Your End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility (without huge Capex spending)

In this episode of "A Seat at The Table," host Jane Singer welcomes guest Jonathan Porter, the founder and CEO of PorterLogic, a low code application platform specializing in supply chain technology. The episode focuses on achieving end-to-end visibility in the supply chain and utilizing data integration, scenario analysis, and customized solutions.  Jonathan discusses the digitization of supply chains over the past decade and the recognition of the value of data generated from these digital systems. Artificial Intelligence (AI) presents an opportunity to leverage this data for optimizing inventory and shipping processes. He emphasizes the importance of identifying pain points and selecting the right system or technology to address them, whether it's a point solution or a costly ERP.  Integration strategy is highlighted as crucial for effective communication between supply chain systems. Tools like middleware and native integration, as well as companies like Zapier, provide technologies for seamless integration and data connectivity.  The episode also touches on the impact of the global pandemic, which highlighted the importance of investing in the supply chain. Flexibility and agility are emphasized in modern business landscapes, and technology can aid in decision-making and scenario analysis.  Jonathan shares insights on demand forecasting, highlighting the challenges of relying solely on historical sales data and offering alternative methods like competitor analysis and scenario analysis to estimate demand.  The episode concludes with a discussion on the challenges and advantages of legacy players and start-ups in the supply chain technology industry. The ultimate goal is to digitize supply chains for better decision-making and efficiency, and Jonathan's company, PorterLogic, aims to provide operational systems that fill existing gaps in niche industries.  Overall, the episode delves into the advancements in supply chain technology, the importance of data integration, scenario analysis, and customizing solutions to improve supply chain operations. Key Things You'll Learn:1. The importance of leveraging data and artificial intelligence (AI) in optimizing supply chain operations.  2. Strategies for identifying and addressing pain points in supply chain management systems.  3. The significance of integration and connectivity between various supply chain systems for effective communication.  4. Insights into the advancements and challenges of AI technology in the supply chain industry.  5. Techniques for predicting customer demand and making informed strategic decisions based on scenario analysis and data integration. USEFUL LINKS:Asianet Consultants:  https://asianetconsultants.comConnect with Jonathan Porter:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanpporter/PorterLogic website:   porterlogic.com  Visit A Seat at The Table's website at https://seat.fm
26:5302/07/2023