In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Stephen Trammell, Vice President of New Business Models at Nestlé Purina North America, about what it really takes to build stronger customer relationships in a digital world. Instead of focusing on the point of sale, Stephen explains how brands can create value across the full pet ownership journey by understanding real needs, solving real pain points, and showing up in ways that feel natural and helpful. The conversation dives into how teams can decide when to build, buy, or partner, what makes a pilot worth scaling, and why loyalty is a better goal than short-term conversions. This is the conversation for marketers and business leaders who want to think bigger about growth, innovation, and the customer experience.
After getting “professionally bamboozled” by the iPhone launch while working at Motorola, Dan Hou made himself a promise: catch the next technology wave, but this time, own the outcome. On Success Beneath the Success with Deborah Fell, Dan talks about how that decision led to Eskridge, an AI consultancy built specifically for mid-market companies—the ones competing in the same arenas as enterprise but without McKinsey budgets or tolerance for bloat. We dig into the shift from “what is AI?” conversations in 2023 to tactical implementation pilots today. Dan breaks down the three-part framework his team uses: strategy, implementation, and change management. The change management conversation gets real. Job descriptions are being rewritten. Performance reviews are shifting from “how many times did you use ChatGPT this week?” to “what evidence shows you’re experimenting and adapting?” Teams need budget autonomy within guardrails, not six layers of approval to try a $50/month tool. Dan also tackles the hard question: is AI actually a competitive advantage? His answer—yes in the near term, no in the long term as it commoditizes, but the context and instruction sets you feed it can sustain differentiation. We close with what’s next: portable jet-turbine power generators for data centers and world models that could unlock physical robotics applications by training AI to understand three-dimensional space and physics.
Susan Finch is the founder of Susan Finch Solutions and Funnel Media Group, a strategic marketing and podcast production business that helps small to mid-size businesses and professional organizations stop sounding like bland corporate robots and start sounding like real humans people trust. Susan speaks as a guest on The Unforget Yourself Show on her ability to help smart professionals find their true voice and turn authentic communication into real connection and revenue through podcast production, content strategy, digital marketing, and educational program development, Susan helps smart professionals find their true voice and turn authentic communication into real connection and revenue. Now, Susan’s journey of building long-term client relationships and creating work that lasts, including founding the nonprofit Binky Patrol 30 years ago, demonstrates what happens when trust, patience, and human connection come before trends and shortcuts. And while calling out the dangers of generic, automated content and encouraging people to pick up the phone and have real conversations, she’s reminding leaders that you cannot automate trust.
Here is a truly special episode of Market Dominance Guys. Today, Chris Beall flies solo while co-host Corey Frank is busy scaling his powerhouse conversationalist team at Branch 49 down in Phoenix – where business is as hot as the July desert sun. In this unique episode, Chris gives us an exclusive preview of his upcoming book “First to Converse: Dominate Markets with the Human Voice,” set to release in fall 2025. This isn’t just another sales book – it’s a comprehensive cookbook for market dominance, designed for everyone from CEOs and founders to individual sales contributors who understand that whoever is first to converse is first to win. Chris takes us through the book’s introduction, sharing the uncomfortable truth that while everyone thinks buyers want to control the sales process, the reality is that the first company to engage a prospect in meaningful conversation shapes their entire buying journey. Drawing from over 14 years of experience leading ConnectAndSell, Chris reveals why cold calling remains the strongest foundation for B2B success – and why waiting for inbound leads is a losing strategy. This episode serves as both a dry run for the audiobook version and a masterclass in why targeted conversations at pace and scale dominate markets. So buckle up as Chris challenges everything you think you know about modern B2B sales.
In this episode of What’s Your Edge?, we are joined by Armen Alajian, CEO of ARTO, a family-owned innovator in the tile, stone, and brick industry. True differentiation takes boldly reimagining how products are created and delivered. For many organizations, the secret to market growth isn’t found in the boardroom alone. It’s forged in partnership with their most demanding customers. Armen is going to share with us how they turned customer challenges into a catalyst for innovation and sustainable growth. Embracing customer-centric product development propelled them ahead of overseas competitors and established a blueprint for unlocking new levels of market success.
Fellow chapter coordinators join Susan Finch on this milestone of a Binky Patrol episode. Jeanne Magioglio began her Binky chapter in Connecticut, one town over from Newtown. After Sandy Hook, she and her friends made 3,000 green and white scarves. When it was over, everyone asked what was next…insert Binky Patrol. That was twelve years ago. Since then, Barbara Susi Botsko has joined as the chapter’s voice, connector, and fundraiser — rheumatoid arthritis in her hands, yet no shortage of heart. Together, they’ve delivered blankets to 199 students after a classmate’s murder, to a Florida family stranded in Connecticut ICU beds, to a young man with spinal muscular atrophy who was given a year to live and is now 21. “All I want is for him to be remembered. When his friends say, ‘What can we do for you, Barb?’ I say, ‘Don’t forget his father. Don’t forget me. But more importantly, don’t ever forget him.'” – Barb. This year, the Connecticut chapter is aiming to hit 30,000 total blankets — a number that lands squarely on Binky Patrol’s 30th anniversary.
This week on Granite List Live, Sally Pace is joined by Kristen Nicholson, Chief Operating Officer of Comfort Imaging, as they dive into the barriers women face when trying to access a crucial aspect of care. Despite rapid advancements across healthcare, traditional mammography has remained stagnant for over 25 years, causing women to delay care due to discomfort and fear. Kristen shares how Comfort Imaging is creating a better mammography experience for women with their innovative Koning Vera Breast CT Technology, designed to deliver faster, more accurate, and more comfortable screening. Combined with an individualized, guided patient experience, Kristen details how Comfort Imaging removes traditional barriers to care, motivating women to engage in crucial preventative care earlier and more consistently.
Closing out, Father Deacon talks about how today is the day when Christ wants to be united to us in a more fundamental and definitive way than we could possibly imagine. He wants to invite us to step out of all the small, partisan things we get so fixated on. The disciples were freed from all of that when they received the presence of God. They realized there is a bigger picture. This is not to say these small things don’t matter or that we shouldn’t care, but rather that we are part of a much bigger mission. Jesus wants to fill us with His life and His joy, and He wants us to go forth from here on fire with the love of God Himself.
We hope you enjoy this playlist of our favorite episodes of the week!
