In this episode of Leader Generation, Tessa Burg talks with Tariq Hassan about what it really takes to modernize a business for the AI era. Drawing from leadership roles at agencies, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Petco, and McDonald’s, Tariq shares lessons from leading transformation at some of the world’s biggest brands. They explore why success with AI is not chasing the newest tools. Instead, it starts with understanding the problem you’re trying to solve, organizing your business around customer needs, and using data in ways that build trust—not just transactions.
Dan Hou didn’t plan to become an AI consultant by accident. After getting “professionally bamboozled” by the iPhone launch while working at Motorola, he made himself a promise: catch the next technology wave, but this time, own the outcome. Dan talks with Deborah Fell on Success Beneath the Success 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, and why most companies are still treating AI adoption as a checkbox exercise rather than a competitive positioning tool. Dan breaks down the three-part framework his team uses: strategy (identifying high-value use cases), implementation (standing up pilots with measurable outcomes), and change management (the piece most engineers initially overlook). 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 proprietary 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.
Today, Market Dominance Guys is diving into what can only be described as an AI cold-calling adventure gone slightly sideways – in the best possible way. Chris Beall, CEO of ConnectAndSell and host of the podcast, recently attempted to create and test an AI-powered cold calling coach using ChatGPT. What makes this episode particularly entertaining is that Chris couldn’t hear the AI’s responses during his live demo, but somehow still managed to nail it. It’s like watching a master jazz musician improvise without being able to hear the band – and somehow staying perfectly in tune.
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.
On this Binky Patrol episode, Susan Finch is joined by fellow chapter coordinators. Jeanne started her Connecticut chapter 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. They found Binky Patrol. That was twelve years ago. Barbara joined as the chapter’s voice, connector, and fundraiser — rheumatoid arthritis in her hands, 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.
On this week’s episode of The Granite List Live, Sally is joined by Huy Tran, Founder and CEO of Together Health, and together they dive into the challenges of today’s healthcare system as well as how to create a better path forward. Together Health explores what primary care should look like today—accessible, affordable, and built around real relationships. As a modern direct primary care model, Together Health delivers care in-person, in-office, and virtually, creating a more seamless experience for patients, clinicians, and employers alike.
Lastly, 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!
