AI is moving fast, but most teams are still figuring out how to use it responsibly. In this episode, Tessa Burg talks with advertising attorney Candice Kersh about the legal and practical questions marketing leaders are facing right now. They cover what companies should worry about, where risk tends to show up, and why policies, training and better decisions matter more than ever. This is the conversation that will help you cut through the AI noise. You’ll get a clearer understanding of AI contracts, copyright, ownership, data protection, synthetic performers and what brands need to think about before launching AI-powered work. It’s a helpful listen for anyone trying to move faster with AI without creating bigger problems later.
John D. Smith has led turnarounds across nine industries, from consumer retail to Caesars Entertainment, where he moved from retail executive to resort CEO in under five months. Raised in the Philadelphia projects and later a Harvard Business School graduate, Smith joins Deborah Fell to trace how football discipline, McKinsey training, and firsthand experience on factory floors and casino floors shaped his leadership approach. Smith breaks down his three-to-five-year transformation model: diagnose how the business generates cash, right-size the infrastructure, then rebuild trust with frontline teams before any strategy sticks. His core belief is that organizations only transform once their people do, and leadership is a behavior, not a position. This conversation covers what it really means to show up as a leader, why he treats every employee like a volunteer, and the discipline required to do the unglamorous work no one is watching.
Two unrelated client projects landed in Susan Finch’s lap the same week — a document hub for Dan Pflugshaupt (Gallery of Homes, CSSE, NRBA) and FAQ content built for AI answer engines for Michele Scherger on Florida’s Treasure Coast. Different clients, different states, same underlying problem: ads and content that dump people on a homepage instead of giving them a real answer. Susan walks through what changes when every page has to stand completely on its own, why Corey Frank and Chris Beall’s “earn the next conversation, not the close” philosophy from Market Dominance Guys applies far beyond sales calls, and how a resource hub organized by real-world sequence beats a folder full of files every time. Includes a practical homework list anyone can run on their own site this week.
In this episode, Chris Beall poses a provocative question that challenges the very structure of sales departments. What if companies didn’t need traditional in-house sales teams at all? Sounds radical, right? But Chris takes us on a thoughtful journey through the potential of outsourced sales. From list building to discovery calls, he explores how specialist expertise could revolutionize each step of the process. Using his experience at ConnectAndSell and citing innovative approaches from companies like Branch 49, Chris makes a case for keeping only subject matter experts in-house. He backs his ideas with real-world examples and data, showing how modern technology enables this shift. This episode might just transform how you think about sales team structure and efficiency in the modern business landscape.
Most of us are wrestling with change. Whether it’s because of accelerating technology cycles, disruptive technologies challenging established models, competitive pressures intensifying, or something else, we risk becoming dinosaurs. On this episode of What’s Your Edge? with Laura Patterson and guest Dave Work, they ask how do you future-proof your company, and what does that mean? For leaders and boards alike, this question has become less about optional innovation and more about long-term relevance, risk management, and enterprise resilience. The companies that anticipate change, embrace innovation, and most importantly, keep their customers at the center of every decision, are in a better position to survive and thrive. Future-proofing is about building resilience and agility so your organization can adapt, grow, and stay relevant. No matter what the market throws your way. Future-proofing isn’t about predicting exactly what will happen next. It’s about creating the capacity to respond when it does. For customer-centric companies, the answers to tomorrow’s challenges are often hiding in plain sight: in the very pain points, feedback, and unmet needs of the customers you serve. And that’s what we’re going to explore today in our conversation with Dave Work, Managing Partner of Diversicom Corporation, a Managed Service Provider (MSP). MSPs act as an outsourced IT department for businesses, typically provides managing IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, network management, and cloud support.
Jeanne Malgioglio tells us about her outstanding week at her school. Her students were studying the book, “I Will Always Write Back” by authors Caitlin Alfirenka and Martin Ganda, with Liz Welch. It’s a story of friendship, being open to new ideas across the globe, and choosing to make things better. Jeanne’s students embodied this theme by making over 70 blankets inspired by the story. One of the authors, Caitlin, even made an appearance. Susan brought in her own middle school story. Shout out to Walker Jr. High in La Palma. We hope you enjoy this short episode.
Closing us out, the Holy Catholic Trinity Church speaks. The problem, as we know, is that we don’t get heaven until we get to heaven. There is no human solution to all of our ills and troubles. So here’s the question we all need to sit with: can we find peace living in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people? Can you be patient and trusting with the ups and downs, the insults and injuries, even the tragedies of life, trusting that God will accompany you through them all and, in the end – somehow – draw good from them?
We hope you enjoy this playlist of our favorite episodes of the week!
